His successor was Jiseya, his oldest daughter. Nagatene died in 1468. He was given a grand funeral, and honored by the Majishi Tani as the greatest ruler in history.

Jiseya surprised her advisors and Majishi Tani nobles by halting the conquest, and settling the armies down to defending the current territories. She remained quiet about her reasons, but insisted that no offensive moves be made. Rumblings spread among the court about ousting her. For many, it confirmed their convictions that women were weak and should not rule.

In due time, the anti-Majishi alliances relaxed. Old conflicts re-emerged among members of alliances. This was especially true in the former Taja kingdom, the region known as Tajahai. Hitseke, which had agreed to the 1400 proposal for Aradashean unity, joined the Majishi Tani in 1472. The surrounding zaika declared war on Hitseke, and King Tsenake asked for help from Maiyukezhi.

Seeing that the alliances had effectively ceased to exist, it was time for the Majishi Tani to conquer the divided enemy. Jiseya abdicated and handed the rule to her husband, Maiyukezhi. Maiyukezhi was also not a military strategist, but he had superb generals: Omedai, Haseti, and Wezhaka. Since speed was crucial to strike before new alliances could be formed, the three generals would each head an army and conduct separate campaigns.

Campaign in the East
The most-critical immediate concern was Hitskeke, but access to that landlocked region was nearly impossible. Madoyasi stood between the Majishi Tani and Hitseke. Even if an army could be sent by sea, Hitseke was inland, with Sepati and Zhekudai guarding the coast.

The first step was to keep the army of Sepati, the strongest zaika in the Batsuwe region, occupied. Maiyukezhi sent marines from Jika under General Hohe, who set sail from Zhuwanu on the southern coast. Close behind were ships loaded with Majishi Tani warriors under Wezhaka's command. The Jika host landed to the south of Sepati and raided villages and towns. Sepati sent troops to repel Jika, but King Chumejawa was aware that the Jika force may be a decoy, so he retained most of his troops to meet the the true threat.

The Majishi Tani landed near Zhekudai in late Spring 1473 and marched north. King Zidabi of Zhekudai led his warriors to intercept. Wezhaka turned to meet Zidabi in a pass on high ground, and crushed the Zhekudai army, capturing the king in the process. Chumejawa was late arriving with his Sepati aid to Zidabi and held off attack, but shadowed the Majishi force.

When word reached Une, north of Hitseke, where the Majishi Tani were headed, King Ridashi led a force to meet them. Ridashi also alerted the zaika of Ruke, Gaichube, Etsumaiya, and Jedonasa; but they all refused to send help, fearing leaving their cities unprotected, distrustful of each other as of the Majishi Tani.

Meanwhile, the Jika general, Hohe, discovered that the Sepati force sent to hold his army was smaller than expected. He ordered a messenger to warn Wezhaka to be wary of Chumejawa's main force, then turned to engage the Sepati warriors, who fled back to their city.

Wezhaka and King Tsenake, who met up outside Hitseke, engaged the host from Une marching from the north and Chumejawa's men from the south. In a consolidated effort, they routed the Une force, then forced Chumejawa and his warriors to retreat towards Sepati. The Majishi Tani troops followed.

When Chumejawa reached his city, he found the Jika host barring the gates to the city. With the Majishi Tani close behind, Chumejawa ordered an immediate attack on the Jika defenders. Chumejawa, known for his tactical skills, routed the Jika and entered the city. General Hohe's defeated Jika nobles then met up with the Majishi Tani. Together, they marched back to Hitseke.

The Campaign in Mehame
Back in Majishi, plans were being made for the conquest of Mehame. Many of Maiyukezhi's advisors and generals counseled him to pull Wezhaka's forces out of Hitseke and concentrate on Mehame. General Haseti supported Maiyukezhi's decision to hold them there. In counsel, it was decided to conquer Mehame first, avoiding Uyamara. The concentrate on Suhai, avoiding Madoyasi and Zhithora. Uyamara, Zhithora, and Madoyasi were considered the most power opponents they would face. Once the rest of Aradashe was in their hands, they could isolate and overpower these three. Some advisors argued that Esahi should be isolated as the others, but in the end, it was agreed to attempt to take Esahi early. General Haseti headed towards Ifera and then on to Esashi; General Omedai marched his army south towards Maichedu. After conquering the Sagita Peninsula, he would move on towards Isenara.

Omedai's first stop was the powerful fortress city of Ichido to acquire some additional warriors. To his surprise, Ichido, supposedly an ally of the Majishi Tani, closed its doors to them. Omedai asked to speak to King Raitu. Raitu's head was hurled over the wall. Angered, Omedai drew up his army for a siege.

Haseti's army had no trouble making its way along the Three Moon Road to the holy capital of Ifera. There, they reinforced their army with Iferan and Tsikuyo warriors. Leaving behind chariots and cavalry, they proceeded towards the rainforests of Adazhe. Warriors from Fuduba met them outside the city of Esashi. Haseti's siege engines battered the walls until the warriors of Esashi charged out of the gates. They were cut down before the Majishi Tani force swarmed into the city. Esashi fell in one day. Haseti left the zaika intact and installed a new ruler from Fuduba.

Omedai had more trouble. Ichido was famous for being impregnable, and he was learning the reason for the reputation. The walls were well-built, defenses well-planned, and the warriors fought bravely. In a few days, Maiyukezhi and his strategic architect, Joshema arrived to consult with Omedai. It was Omedai's opinion that the fall of Ichido was frighten Umage, Maichedu, and Hyanodake to follow suit. The idea was approved, and the siege continued. Omedai asked for 10,000 laborers from Maiyukezhi. With the workforce and his warriors, Omedai began a huge building project.

After the fall of Esashi, Haseti turned his attention to Erizeshu. The forests enclosed two zaika, Arika and Chebu. The Majishi Tani marched into difficult terrain, dense jungle cut by numerous rivers and streams. The going was slow and costly. Guerilla warriors ambushed the army all through the day. When they arrived at Arika, they surrounded the city preparing for siege. They were ambushed again. The Arika warriors had hidden themselves outside the city and attacked the siegers from behind. Though the Arikas were routed, they took many Majishi Tani casualties. Haseti marched into Arika to secure the city.

Haseti's warriors then turned north to take Chebu. On arrival, they found the city gates open. Scouts reported the city deserted. Fearing a trap, Haseti bagan a retreat. At that moment fires broke out all around them. Haseti's warriors panicked and ran into the forest trials where they were cut down by Chebu and surviving Arika guerillas. Haseti himself barely escaped the flames and made it back to Esashi two days later.

After two weeks, Omedai's new project was nearing completion. His workers and warriors had constructed a giant ramp that reached the top on the eastern wall of Ichido. The project was costly, for the builders had to work while the defenders raked them with arrows. But the ramp proved its worth. The attackers charged up the ramp and breached Ichido's walls. The city fell, and the ursurpers who had killed Raitu were executed.

As Omedai predicted, Maichedu and Hyanodake capitulated within days. When Umage realized they were alone in resisting the Majishi Tani, they surrendered as well, just as Omedai's growing army reached their outlying fields. All of southeast Mehame was now under Majishi Tani control. Maiyukezhi rewarded Omedai with Ichido as his fief.

Haseti, shamed by his defeat, especially in light of Omedai's success, regrouped. He received reinforcements from Ifera to add to his surviving veterans. Before leaving to retry taking Chebu, he sent a message of congratulations to Omedai.

Haseti's second attempt went much smoother. His new force took Chebu, installed an Iferan as ruler, and headed into Erizeshu. Along the way, they passed through the haunted ruins of the once-beautiful city of Mishaja, occupied mostly by birds and monkeys. Many of Haseti's warriors disappeared that day. Some fell victim to thuzuras. Haseti had a dream of loss and death ahead. When he gazed out over the jungle treetops the next morning, he decided to return to Esashi.

Omedai Heads North
Omedai marched back to Majishi were his army was geared up for open field battle; so, emphasis was placed on mobility. Chariots and Zadanisha cavalry were the focus of the new force. They were supported by spearmen and jadoyasi skirmishers. Before commencing on the campaign, a huge Upezhi festival was held with 5000 drums. Warriors and women danced for three days, the first the "introduction", the second "courtship", the third day "eros". The army, composed of warriors from Majishi, Zhuwanu, Chude, Shekala, Kechuwa, and Dakichi set out for Zadaneto in early fall, 1473.

Once again, Omedai hoped to conquer an entire region with a single action. He decided to head straight for Havachika's army in Mechaki. Under her command were warriors from Mechaki, Isenara, Kuragaiya, and Zinaishu. While these warriors lacked organization and sophisticated weaponry, they were hardened and brave.

Havachika heard of the Majishi Tani approach and decided to meet them on the field rather than suffer siege. She arrayed half of her army in a rugged valley where chariots would be useless. The other half was poised for ambush.

The battle became a series of feints and ambushes by both sides. Havatiki and Omedai even fought a duel, wherein Havatika was apparently killed. Later, she rose to attack the Majiahia Tani rear. In the end, almost all of Havatika's army was captured or killed. Havatika managed to escape with a handful of Kuragaiya horsemen.

Omedai, embarrassed by being tricked by a woman general, honored Havatika for her brilliance in the Battle of the Empty Hollow after dinner.

After the defeat of this force, resistance in the hearland of the North was small. Omedai's army defeated the defenders of Kuragaiya and Mechaki. The zaika of Zinaishu surrendered without further conflict. Omedai turned his attention to Isenara.

Back in Majishi, one of the Urudaiha priests, Paimeke, read in the stars that a new power would rise in the East. He counseled with King Maiyukezhi to pull back Omedai's and Haseti's forces.

Madoyasi Siezes an Opportunity
King Tukuya of Madoyasi had been strengthening and training his army since the banquet unification announcement. The Usetu had once been under the yokes of the Chukali and Uyamara Tani for hundreds of years, and tribes of Useturu valued their hard-fought independence. Once the Majishi Tani were occupied in Hitseke, Erizeshu, and Zadaneto, Tukuya saw that the time was right to strengthen his kingdom. He banded his highly disciplined warriors together for a huge rally and dance in the Madoyasi temple compound of Ivetase. The warriors ceremoniously painted their faces and upper bodies lurid red, shaved the hair on the sides of their heads, and shouted war chants. The next morning, the army set out for Hahane.

The Madoyasi first stopped in Chaga where the finest Shiveki warriors were incorporated into the force. Then, they headed north to sack the city of Ruke. The Ruke army met them on the field and were quickly dispatched. King Tukuya entered the city and put his brother Shase in power. From there, the Madoyasi continued to Gaichube at such a pace, the king there, Yunale, thought it was a second army. He shut the doors of the city, preparing for a long siege. The Madoyasi boldly rammed the gates open and sacked the city in one day. Yunale was sent to Chaga as a prisoner. Tukuya's cousin, Dewone, became governor.

Word reached Hitseke that the Madoyasi army was approaching. Horror stories spread among the people that the Madoyasi were demons, and unstoppable. General Wezhaka of Majishi and General Hohe of Jika decided that their warriors' morale was too badly affected by the rumors. They marched out of Hitseke, and met up with their fleets at Zhekudai. Wezhaka sent word to Zhuwanu asking King Maiyukezhi for reinforcements or permission to return.

The Madoyasi, not far behind, overran Hitseke and Une. King Tukuya installed another brother, Jaimoki, in Hitseke, and allowed King Ridashi to stay in command of Une. His goal was to remove the Majishi Tani from the Tajahai region, so he force-marched his troops south to intercept them. The day after the Majishi and Jika hosts reached the coast, they woke up to see a powerful army of red-faced, spirited warriors on the surrounding hillsides. Realizing their marines were greatly outnumbered, Wezhaka and Hohe loaded their ships and sailed just as the Madoyasi arrived.

The Battle for Isenara
King Maiyukezhi was shocked and saddened that his possessions in Tajahai had been lost. He had been twice been warned that Madoyasi was a threat, and he had been hesitant to react. Now that Hitseke had been lost, he decided not to recall Omedai and Haseti. He met with General Wezhaka on his return to learn about the Madoyasi war machine.

Majishi Tani General Omedai, resting his army by Lake Ureki, had one more major objective for his campaign in the North: Isenara. After marching his forces to the gates, he asked for capitulation. The ailing Teranaida, the chieftain who had ousted King Owena from power, answered that he would not surrender the city. He asked for time to organize his warriors outside the gates for a field battle. Omedai complied.

The battle opened with dueling among nobles, then settled into a tactical contest. Omedai, with his superior numbers of chariots and Zadanisha cavalry, was able to outflank the Isenarans and rout them. He blocked their escape into the city and captured the survivors. Teranaida committed suicide.

With nowhere else to turn, Teranaida's sister Havatika, who had been staying with the Idenari, went into hiding in Kidasa.

The Defense of the Muyazi Peninsula
It was Haseti's task to seal Uyamara from the outside world and conquer the rest of the Muyazi Peninsula. This would not only mean surrounding the city, but blockading the harbor as well. He gathered his forces in Ifera. In Uyamara, preparations were being made for invasion. King Jiyedane's advisors, some of the most-respected in Aradashe, warned him against allowing the city to be isolated. They advised that Uyamara, Aikinoro, and Waicheza defend the entire peninsula in a unified effort. The other two zaika agreed, and a fortress was quickly raised on Lake Porasha.

General Haseti's army marched southward along the coast, and met Jiyedane's on a hilly field north of Uyamara. At the beginning of all formal battles, the nobles and generals declare their lineages and accomplishments to the opposing army. On the grassy crest of the hill that morning, General Haseti and King Jiyedane shouted their lineages from their chariots, waving their lances high. Upon hearing Haseti's lineage, Jiyedane realized that they were distant relatives of the same clan. Haseti was a descedent of General Lamoke, who had been given Majishi to rule in 643. The two rode to the center of the battlefield and discussed whether they could fight each other, being of the same clan, but so distant from each other. They decided to call off the battle and consult their priests. Jiyedane's army marched back to Lake Porasha; Haseti's army returned to Ifera.

In a few days, while Hesati's and Jiyedane's priests argued over their familial ties, Omedai arrived with his army. He took command of Hesati's force and sent Hesati back to Majishi to take command of a new army for the invasion of Suhai. Omedai then marched straight to Lake Porasha to engage the combined Muyazi Peninsula army.

The battle of the Muddy Rushes, which began on a cold, wet day in Spring, 1474, lasted two days, one of the epic battles of the entire Unification campaign. The Majishi Tani finally prevailed by holding the enemy left against the lake and encircling on the right. King Jiyedane was wounded by a stray arrow. He was scrambled to Uyamara by his retainers, but died that evening. His young son, Shenachi, assumed the throne. In his name, the generals of Uyamara surrendered the city to the Majishi Tani.

Essentially, all of Mehame was in Majishi Tani hands. Of the major zaika, only Kidasa, Ugemohe, and the Masade city of Kijekuya remained independent. King Maiyukezhi could now concentrate on Suhai, Zhithora, and Madoyasi. In the Spring of 1474, the Majishi Tani possessed the largest empire yet in Aradashean history.

The Defense of Sepati
King Tukuya of Madoyasi had rid Tajahai of the Majishi Tani invaders, and acquired Ruke, Gaichobe, Une, Hitseke, and Zhekudai in the process. His next goal was Batsuwe, which included the zaika of Sepati, Etsumaiya, and Jedonasa.

King Chumejawa of Sepati knew an attack was imminent, and that Sepati could not resist the Madoyasi war machine. He was awaiting a military response from the Majishi Tani on Madoyasi's western border with Ezhira that would force Tukuya to abandon his campaign in Batsuwe. To buy time, he asked his Urudaiha to pray for something to delay Tukuya's progress. It was spring, but that week an unseasonable snowstorm hit the region. Blizzards swept through the canyons of the hilly coast. The storm was so powerful, the Madoyasi army could not march.

The snows eventually subsided, and Tukuya continued his progress. Chumejawa could not bear the loss of Sepati's sovereignty. Sepati was the greatest city of the Eshibara tribe, and one of the major cities of the Taja Kingdom. It had survived the "Aware Plague" and prevailed in conflicts with the surrounding zaika, including Hitseke, the former Taja capital, through Chumejawa's diplomacy and generalship. Chumejawa's ancestors had ruled Sepati since its independence from the Taja in 1286.

In desperation, he called for sacrifices to Hatishahe and Aichimi. The Madoyasi camped one day's march from Sepati the following day. That morning, Chumejawa went to a cliff above the Bezhi river with his newborn son. Tearfully asking that Hatishahe accept his offspring, he cast his son into the river. He then collapsed.

About noon, the Madoyasi host began crossing the Bezhi. A roar was heard that shook the ground as an earthquake, and a great wave of muddy water crashed down the gorge, sweeping away the bridge and many of the troops with it. Tukuya halted the remnants of his force on the north side of the gorge. Chumejawa was taken back to his city where he lay in a coma. He finally revived six days later. He looked as if he had aged ten years.

The New Dynasty of the Majishi Tani (1474-1493)
Surnames for the Nobility
During the respite between the conquest of Mehame and the pending campaign in Suhai, King Maiyukezhi and his advisors and nobles began structuring the new empire. Proclomations were made and laws instituted.

King Maiyukezhi's chief advisor, Hunetala, presented a plan to the counsel that was intended to further develop ties among the various clans of the Majishi Tani. It would not only creat a psychological bond to the new empire, but help with administration and family records. The proposal was for the implmentation of family names for Majishi Tani aristocracy. The counsel approved the proposal after some modifications.

The law declared that the family names were to be chosen from the personal name of an ancestor. Originally, a certain generation was chosen. Every person had to adopt the paternal great-great grandfather's personal name as a second name that followed their personal name (Hunetala's original plan called for the family name to precede the personal name). This ensured a surname shared across five generations of the namesake's descendents. However, in practice, different zaika had different attitudes about earlier generations, based on their individual histories, and each adopted different guidelines. Also, allowances were made so that individual families could choose to adopt the name of a notable ancestor, who may have been as recent as a grandfather or maybe an individual from many generations back. Regardless of the guideline chosen, the result was that noble kin could now identify each other by surname.

The law took effect on the first day of the year 1475. On that day, thousands of families had new surnames, from Esashi to Shekala, from Isenara to Ezhira. From 1475 forward, not only could you identify if a person had lived before or after that year, you could identify who were subjects of the Majishi Tani and who were not.

One family who broke from the five-generation rule drastically was Maiyukezhi himself. He and his wife, Jiseya, adopted the name Nagatene from her father, the previous king. Maiyukezhi's parents and many of his extended family also adopted the surname in honor of the man who had begun the Unification.

The Majishi Tani Invade Useturu
In Spring, 1475, General Omedai Katsuke reported to King Maiyukezhi Nagatene that the army was fully rested and reorganized for a campaign against Madoyasi. This time, the three major Majishi generals, Omedai, Haseti Azami, and Wezhaka Kosho, would lead a combined army. Another great celebration was held with an Upezhi festival. The king reviewed the warriors the next morning before they marched towards ally Ezhira. Word reached Madoyasi king Tukuya in Batsuwe that a huge army was on the move from Majishi into Suhai.

Chumejawa went to sleep in the citadel of Sepati knowing he would die the next day. The Madoyasi were poised on the opposite bank of the Bezhi River. They had built a temporary bridge and were ready to cross at daylight. Upon waking, Chumejawa called his brother, Tijeru, and declared him his successor. Chumejawa then went to the same precipice from which he had sacrificed his son. Asking that Hatishahe accept his life to save the city, he raised his eyes for one more look at the enemy force before he stepped off. But when he looked across the gorge, the army was nowhere to be seen. Tukuya had ordered army west to defend Madoyasi from Omedai's army. Chumejawa returned to Sepati aged another ten years.

King Tukuya had a good mind for strategy, but the training and tactical mastermind of Madoyasi was General Keyashiji. Keyashiji believed that the first step in defeating an enemy was to convince them that their defeat was inevitable before the battle had even begun. He developed an army that generated a fear that preceded them. This required a highly-trained military. The standing army of 7000 Madoyasi warriors was constantly drilled. This core was called the Yujida, a powerful unit of jadoyasi feared in the entire region.

Tukuya had only taken 2000 Yujida on his Hitseke campaign. He force-marched back to Madoyasi to rest. He then directed General Keyashiji to build an army around the 5000 Yujida who had remained behind in Madoyasi. The Yujida were supported by spearmen, archers, and cavalry.

The generals of the Majishi Tani decided to head straight for the city of Madoyasi. They knew their huge combined force of 30,000 warriors from eight allied zaika outnumbered anything the enemy could raise against them, and that keeping the army fed would be very difficult if they stayed in the field too long. There had never been an army of this size before in Aradashe.

The Battle of the Fallen Palms
The three Majishi generals met the Madoyasi and Chaga army that had fought in Hahane in a shallow valley. They were then ambushed by the main, fresh army of 5000 Yujida and archers out of Madoyasi. Using call-and-answer chanting and beating their shields with their weapons, the Madoyasi Yujida warriors displayed remarkable discipline and were fierce in battle. Despite brave attempts by the Majishi and Ichido warriors to repulse the Yujida, Omedai finally signalled a retreat. General Keyashiji wanted to pursue, but King Tukuya overruled his order. Keyashiji warned him that the decision not to pursue was a mistake.

General Omedai Katsuke had suffered his first defeat, but he was fascinated by what he had seen. The Battle of the Fallen Palms was one of the landmark battles of Aradashean history. His army regrouped in Ezhira.

Rise of the Merchants
One result of the years of city-state squabbles, then Majishi Tani Wars of Unification, was the growth of the merchants. Wars required goods to supply armies, and the merchants of Sepati, Madoyasi, Ezhira, Jika, Ichido, Tsikuyo, Ifera, and other zaika developed a healthy business. The diaspora begun by Hachukaiya 800 years before was revived during the growth of the Majishi Tani as well.

Many merchants became quite wealthy during these times, and the upper classes began to borrow from them to finance their military campaigns. However, merchants were socially regarded as self-serving and outside the support structure of society. But it would have been difficult for the kings and barons of the time to raise the wealth necessary for their ventures without powerful merchants.

The Struggle for Unification Continues
Both the Majishi Tani and Madoyasi reinforced their armies for another engagement. King Maiyukezhi's generals built up a force accumulated all over their new empire. King Tukuya called upon his new possessions in Tajahai. In Summer, 1475, he formed an alliance with King Chumejawa of Sepati. Chumejawa was able to negotiate with Etsumaiya and Jedonasa, Sepati's neighbors on the Uhawiga Peninsula, to sign a treaty with Tukuya, and supply warriors to fend off a Majishi Tani invasion.

In the North, King Udahage of Zhithora was also preparing for conflict. He outfitted his Royal Bodyguard in beautiful purple and gold uniform. Warriors were trained for formation fighting in phalanxes. Parades and archery contests were held to rally the support of the common people. Fetsari mercenaries were hired. Scouts reported Medasi and Idenari horsemen on the borders of Daizhabi.

The next great battle was The Battle of the Valley Gusts in Autumn, 1475. The forces of the Majishi Tani met the combined forces of Madoyasi's Tajahai allies. The battle lasted for two days, with many small encounters and victories and losses on both sides. It was a battle of warrior heroes leading charges and skirmishes, celebrated often in poetry and song. In the end, the Majishi Tani retreated once again back to Ezhira.

King Maiyukezhi consulted with his advisors and generals. They decided to wait for more favorable omens before pursuing another invasion attempt.

New Script (Shawa)
About this time, the Urudaiha priests of Shagatase Temple in Ifera devised a new writing system, based on the ideographs that had been in use since before the Daimati Era. The new script, called shawa, was a syllabary, one symbol for each syllable of Aradashean speach. At first, it was intended only for the priests themselves in holy writings, but soon it was adopted by the Majishi Tani as the standard script for the empire. It was officially adopted in 1524. By the mid-1500s, it was in full use across the continent. By the 1900s, almost all written works for administration and literature utilized shawa.

The impact of the new script was profound. Whereas the ideographic system was complicated and arbitrary, the new syllabary was easy to learn. It was taught in the temple schools to all male children of the urban upper classes. Even merchants began to employ shawa in their business. Furthermore, unlike the ideographs, the new system was based on sounds. Pronunciation of Aradashean slowly became more standardized wherever shawa was used.

New Titles
With the coming of the Majishi Tani empire, the zaika were no longer ruled by indpendent kings. King Maiyukezhi gave each of the zaika rulers the title Ise (governor). Ise had varying powers, depending on either their trustworthiness in the emperor's eyes, or the amount of control the emperor wanted over the particular zaika. For instance, Maiyukezhi interfered very little in the affairs and policies of Zinaishu, a small city on the northern coast, but was very active in the economy of Jika.

But the zaika all paid tribute to the Majishi Tani in grain or gold. They also supplied warriors upon request, as long as it didn't deplete the zaika of adequates defenses. Each zaika was rated on its food production, and its responsibilities towards the Majishi Tani, in tribute or military support, was determined by this rating.

The Time Is Right
For eight years, the Majishi Tani, Madoyasi, and Zhithora coexisted in a an uncomfortable peace. The Majishi Tani, who essentially controlled all of Mehame and the western end of Suhai, was prosperous and continued to develop their empire. Madoyasi had a firm alliance with most of the former Taja Kingdom of Tajahai and had possession of half of it. They carried on trade with Zhithora, using the same routes the Taja had used centuries before.

The interior of Suhai was becoming more settled. The Hachutape began to settle in villages with small farms or cattle ranges. Trade between Madoyasi and Zhithora was allowed for a price.

Zhithora carried on its its normal seclusion, independently developing a colorful culture that traders described by travellers to fascinated townsfolk in Majishi Tani marketplaces. Much of its economy was dependent on the sea, the narrow fertile lands along the northern coast, and its fabulous gold reserves.

In 1483, the priests and advisors to Emperor Maiyukezhi declared that the time was right to invade Suhai. Paimeke Vudaga agreed, but argued that the stars pointed to Zhithora as the fruit ripe for picking. After consulting with his generals, Maiyukezhi agreed and sent to Ichido for Ise Omedai Katsuke. He assembled his top generals and informed them that he was commissioning the construction of a new citadel in Majishi. He declared that Suhai must be secured by the completion of the citadel.

The Majishi Tani army, largely made up of Shekala warriors, engaged the Zhithora army on a dry plain in the Spring of 1483 at the Battle of the Black Rocks. The Zhithorans used their Royal Bodyguard and powerful phalanxes of spearmen. The Majishi Tani collapsed in the center when hit by the juggernaut of phalanxes. But the charismatic Ise Omedai Katsuke was able to rally them. The Zhithoran phalanxes had broken formation to pursue the Majishi Tani. They turned on the disorganized Zhithora warriors and cut them down. The Royal Bodyguard retreated back to their city.

The subsequent siege of Zhithora was one of the longest in Aradahsean history. After nine months, the walls of the great city were finally breached. Ise Hatsuke rode into the city on his chariot, the first leader to ever defeat Zhithora in battle. Emperor Maiyukezhi gave the title of Ise of Zhithora to Omedai Hatsuke, and granted Ichido to Hesati Azami, along with the title of Ise.

General Wezhaka Kosho was given command of the campaign east through Marava. He took control of about half of the force that had attacked Zhithora and headed for Methalaya in the Spring of 1484. Meanwhile, the rest of the army was split in half. One half were sent to Ezhira with Ise Hatsuke in command; the other were led by Ise Azami towards Tobetsune.

King Sasani of Methalaya surrendered peacefully to Kosho's Majishi Tani host. He was rewarded by being allowed to retain his position as ruler of the zaika. Maiyukezhi granted him the title of Ise of Methalaya three months later. Kosho then turned his army to meet with Ise Azami's force in Tobetsune.

Hesati Azami's army was not as fortunate as Kosho's. All along the route from Zhithora to Tobetsune, bands of Hachutape and Fetsari bandits harrassed them. The trip was quite an adventure for Azami's warriors, but they were able to arrive in Tobetsune tired, but with few actual loses.

By early summer, 1484, the Majishi Tani empire extended from Erizeshu to Mikunai. The only areas left unconquered were those of the Tarukaiva highlands in central Suhai and the Tajahai lands of Hahane, Aninori, Chadazhe, and Batsuwe. Madoyasi was now caught between Ise Hatsuke in the west and Ise Azami and General Kosho in the east.

The Containment of Tajahai
There followed a consolidation of the remaining independent Tajahai zaika of Useturu, Hahane, Batsuwe, Chadazhe, and Animori. Tajahai presented a formidable challenge for invasion. It was crisscrossed by river valleys and ridges. Forest covered much of the area. On top of that, some of the strongest warriors in Aradashe inhabited its cities and castles. Realizing this, Emporer Maiyukezhi's chief advisor, Paimeke Vudaga, recommended that the area be contained, but that the main operations against Madoyasi and allies should be by sea.

The Majishi Tani set about constructing a powerful fleet of galleys in the ports of Umage and Zhuwanu. As flotillas of warships were completed, they were sent to blockade Madoyasi, Chaga, Etsumaiya, Sepati, Zhekudai, and Kodate. Madoyasi and her allies had largely neglected their fleets, so they could put up little resitance.

The forces that surrounded southern Suhai slowly picked away at the allies. In 1487, General Wezhaka captured the city of Aninori. Madoyasi responded by heavily fortifying Sata, the next coastal city. This was the one port city the Majishi Tani had yet to contain by sea. A huge program of shipbuilding was implemented in Sata in hopes of breaking the coastal blockade.

In Winter, 1489, the fleet sailed out of Sata to engage the blockading warships at Kodate. The attack was successful, and the fleet awaited reinforcements before sailing for Zhekudai. All ships in the Majishi Tani fleet lifted their blockades and sailed to intercept the Sata fleet. However, a winter storm struck the point at Jedonasa, wrecking a third of the Majishi fleet and forcing the others to make landfall. A small army attacked the beached marines and caused additional casualties before they were repelled.

Meanwhile, the Sata fleet engaged the ships from the Zhekudai and Sepati blockades. Again, they won the sea battle, freeing the two ports. The fleet rode out the storm in Sepati.

Years earlier, King Chumejawa had made contact with sailors from a land called Ekopo, across the sea in the continent the Aradasheans called Hyasi. Ekopo hd the finest seamen and ships in the world, and sought trade with Sepati. Chumejawa was reluctant, as Aradasheans tend to be suspicious of foreigners. But now he decided to ask for Ekopo's help in preventing further blockades and then conducting trade. He sent a small fleet across the ocean.

Help from Overseas
Over the next two years, the Majishi Tani developed their empire. Chumejawa traded with Ekopo, whose fleet was strong enough to ensure that the Tajahai ports remained open. Three times the Majishi Tani fought naval encounters with Ekopo, only to be defeated by superior ships and seamanship. The emperor was not only worried about Ekopo's assistance in defending Madoyasi's allied ports. Like many rulers before him, he was fearful of foreign invasion. In Maiyukezhi's eyes, openeing trade with a nation in Hyasi was an invitation to trouble.

Emperor Maiyukezhi Nagatene died in 1491, never able to realize his father-in-law Nagatene's dream of a unified Aradashe. It was never determined whether he died of an illness or poisoning. After an elaborate funeral to honor the ruler of the greatest empire in Aradashean history, Maiyukezhi's son, Awakezhi took the throne.

In early 1492, Madoyasi also took up trade with Ekopo. The trade between the two zaika and Ekopo brought on tension among the Tajahai allies. Sepati and Madoyasi found themselves scrounging for the resource Ekopo wanted most: gold. The largest gold mines in the region were in the land of the Mache and the mountains of the Wotebu. Sepati pressured the Wotebu, and Madoyasi pressured the Mache until the two gold-rich tribes closed themselves off.

King Tukuya sent his Madoyasi warriors into Mache and secured the region. Chumejawa of Sepati tried the same, but could not dislodge the Wotebu from their mountain strongholds. The attacks created distrust among the allied zaika of Tajahai and the alliance was weakening. Tukuya and Chumejawa began to reinforce the borders between them.

In the growing disturbances among the Tajahai zaika in the Fall of 1492, General Wezhaka moved his Majishi Tani army steadily and quietly, surrounding Sata and accepting its surrender. Then he marched into Kodate, where he caught some Ekopan ships in port and captured them. The three trade ships and two warships were moved to Zhuwanu.

Alarmed at the losses in the east, Tukuya and Chumejawa called a truce. They met in the city of Chaga to discuss the future of their alliance, the gold, and trade with Ekopo. During the three-day summit, Tukuya was attacked in his bed by an assassin and killed. The assassin was captured, but was mortally wounded and died without revealing his employer. With revitalized mistrust, the contingents of Madoyasi and Sepati left the summit and the alliance. Tukuya's son, Kilusachi became ruler of Madoyasi.

Once Wezhaka heard word of the failed summit and Tukuya's death, He laid siege to Une, facing King Ridashi, a rival of Wezhaka's from his first campaign in Tajahai in 1473. The king defended his city for two weeks before surrendering. Unlike Tukuya, who had allowed the Une king to remain ruler of his city, Wezhaka sent Ridashi as a prisoner to Majishi, and installed one of his generals as governor of Une.

The Siege of Hitseke
In Tukuya's absence, his general, Chinoja, took control of the Tajahai army. He sent word to Kilusachi recommending the king stay in Madoyasi because of the threat of Omedai Katsuke's army in Ezhira. Chinoja knew Hitseke would be Wezhaka's next target. He sent word to Tukuya's brother, Jaimoki, governor of Hitseke, that he was on the way.

Within Hitseke were rebels still loyal to the aging king Tsenaka, who had cooperated with the Majishi Tani and fought alongside Wezhaka against Ridashi and Chumejawa twenty years earlier. These rebels were led by Tsenaka's son, Shekinaka. Once they were aware of the arrival of Wezhaka's force, they overthrew Jaimoki.

The Madoyasi and Majishi Tani armies raced towards Hitseke from the west and north, respectively. Chinoji's Madoyasi arrived first, and immediately laid siege to the former capital of the Taja Kingdom, defended by only a few hundred rebels. At the end of the first day, Chinoja offered quarter, but Shekinaka's answer came when Jaimoki's head was cast from the city wall. The siege continued into the night with new vigor. The attackers mounted the walls several times, but the rebels were barely able to hold out.

The next morning, Wezhaka's force arrived and fought off the Madoyasi. The Majishi Tani marched into Hitseke, received by the people as liberators. Wezhaka appointed Shekinaka as ise.

A Surprise Attack
The following spring, the Majishi Tani top generals, Ise Omedai Hatsuke, Ise Haseti Asami, and General Wezhaka Kosho met in a summit onboard ship to decide on a plan to defeat Madoyasi. Hatsuke returned to Ezhira. Asami and Kosho returned to Kodate. Kosho continued on to Hitseke to gather his army. Asami took his army along the coast towards Zhekudai. Kosho then marched his army down from Hitseke to threaten Zhekudai.

In Chaga, General Chinoja marched the main Madoyasi army east to defend Zhekudai. Most of the rest of Madoyasi's army was in Madoyasi itself. Asami and Kosho pressed commoners into their ranks to swell their numbers. The armies looked very impressive. But rather than meet Chinoja's army, they led it on a wild goose chase, threatening Zhekudai whenever they neared it.

Meanwhile, Omedai Hatsuke made a surprise thrust towards Kahochepe with 8000 warriors. King Kilusachi made a forced march up to meet Hatsuke before he could besiege the zaika. His force was joined by 3000 warriors from Chaga. King Kilusachi's Yujida forced Ise Hatsuke's army into a rout. After fortifying Kahochepe, the Madoyasi and Chaga armies then set out for their respective cities. Kilusachi sent a messenger to General Chinoja in Hahane to return to Madoyasi.

On the same day as this battle, Ise Aikari Sina of Ezhira left his city with 24,000 Majishi Tani warriors to intercept King Kilusachi's force on their return to Madoyasi. Hatsuke's rout during the battle had been planned. Sina engaged Kilusachi and decimated the fatigued Madoyasi army. Ise Hatsuke's force joined him, Together, their combined army marched into Madoyasi, which had a defensive force too small to repel them. Madoyasi became part of the Majishi Tani on that spring day in 1493.

The Second Defense of Sepati
General Chinoja heard of Kilusachi's defeat, and was now isolated with the main Madoyasi army. He gave up the hunt for Haseti Asami and Wezhaka Kosho, and marched his warriors to Sepati. There, he met with the aging king, Chumejawa. Together, they created an army centered on elite Yujida warriors from Madoyasi. Also incorporated into the force were warriors from Etsumaiya and Jedonasa. The army was highly-trained and well-equipped.

Chinoja's original plan was to stop the Majishi Tani at Chaga. But word reached Sepati that Hatsuke's army had bypassed Chaga and were approaching the Uhawiga Peninsula. Wezhaka Kosho's force also bypassed Zhekudai and were converging on the peninsula. Again, Hatsuke planned to defeat the most-powerful army in the region to convince the other zaika to capitulate. The Majishi Tani were headed for Sepati.

A large force could only approach Sepati from the coast or from a pass through the hills and across a canyon above the city. From the coast, the army would have to attack uphill against the stronghold. Chumejawa decided to risk leaving the coastal approach unguarded and commit the combined army to Huchimo Pass. The warriors painted their faces blue and black, shaved the hair on the sides of their heads, and marched up into the Bezhi Mountains. The Wotebu tribes there joined them.

Hatsuke's western army arrived first and climbed into the foothills of the Bezhi Mountains, hoping to meet with the eastern force before Huchimo Pass. The army was hit on two sides by Wotebu axemen and archers, then from a frontal assault by Yujida warriors. The battle raged all day, but the advantage was with Chumejawa and Chinoja. The Majishi Tani took great losses and retreated down the mountainside.

The defenders heard of the approach of the eastern army. To prevent being assault from both sides, the Wotebu volunteered to slow Kosho's force. They used guerilla tactics and greatly impeded their progress.

Chinoja knew he must have a decisive victory against the western army. He forced the issue by attacking. His army prevailed, but this time took more losses. The valiant Yujida had fought two successful battles in two days, but were spent.

The next day, Kosho's army broke through and immediately engaged Chinoja's force. The Majishi Tani were relatively fresh and slowly gained the advantage. The Yujida finally gave way, and Chinoja retreated into the pass itself. That night King Chumejawa left with a handful of warriors to set up the defense of Sepati.

The next day, Kosho's warriors, now supported by Hatsuke's refreshed army, pushed into the pass. Little-by-little the Yujida retreated as they fought, taking many Majishi Tani lives, but losing many of their own as well. Their morale impressed Wezhaka Kosho. Late in the afternoon, General Chinoja fell in battle. The Yujida continued to fight into the night. Finally, on the morning of the fourth day, their strength sapped, they surrendered.

The Majishi Tani marched through the pass and down to the gates of Sepati. General Kosho stepped forward and asked for a parley with King Chumejawa. Chumejawa invited him in, and the two discussed surrender. Kosho offered that Chumejawa could retain leadership of Sepati while he lived, but his family could not succeed him. Remembering he had sacrificed his forst-born son to save his city, Chumejawa felt he had given up the option of leaving his zaika as an inheritance (he had no more children after the sacrifice). He also felt unworthy to retain his rule. He abdicated and handed Kosho control of Sepati. The Majishi Tani marched into Sepati, the last major zaika to hold out against the Majishi Tani.

Chumejawa went to Kijekuya to become a Masade monk. By request, he founded a new temple in the Bezhi Moutains, where he died in 1503 at the age of 88.

General Wezhaka Kosho was made Ise of Madoyasi. General Keyashiji, the man responsible for creating the Madoyasi elite Yujida, was given high office in Majishi. Wezhaka's son, Baicheti Kosho became Ise of Sepati.

As Omedai Hatsuke had hoped, the remaining independent zaika of Tajahai: Chaga, Ruke, Gaichube, Etsumaiya, Jedonasa, and Zhekudai, all surrendered to the Majishi Tani. For the first time in history, all of Aradashe was unified under one ruler.

The day after Zekudai capitulated in the Summer of 1493, Emporer Awakezhi Nagatene climbed to the tall tower of his new citadel in Majishi and looked out on a continent completely under his rule. That evening, a huge celebration, that lasted for seven days, began with the rumbling of 600 Imugala drums.

The Majishi citadel was completed the following week.

Imperial Aradashe (1493-1904)
New Administration
Among the many adminstrative projects for the new empire was the establishment of the Imperial Army. This new military was developed by Ise Omedai Hatsuke and General Keyashiji, and inspired by the discipline of the Madoyasi Yujida and the smart uniform of the Zhithora Royal Guard. All members of the standing Imperial Army were attired in bright red, the color of the Majishi Tani.

Jiseya Nagatene, the second ruler of the Majishi Tani, died in 1505 at the age of 69. She was given a grand funeral in Majishi.

Awares Re-emerge
Another new policy of the Majishi Tani was the abolition of Aware slavery in 1499, which allowed the Awares in the Hokage Mountains of Mikunai came out of hiding. They began to settle in villages and towns throughout the region, with the tacit consent of the Ise of Methalaya. The largest community was the city of Dapi, founded in 1572 in Tobetsune.

The highest-ranking family of the Awares from 700 until the "Aware Plague" were the decendents of Jide Jehu. A branch of the Jide family, the Tali, kept the tribes of the Awares unified after their emancipation. In 1572, Tali Milo (Aware family names precede their personal names) founded the city of Dapi on a plateau above the present city of Tobetsune.

The new kingdom thrived for a while, and traded with Aradasheans. A great leader arose, known as Nuba, the grandson of Milo. Dubious about the whims of Majishi Tani leadership, he ordered the construction of greater city defenses and a tower keep. In 1638, Hachutape warlords brought a tragic end to the Aware city. Most Awares say that Nuba died in battle after the walls were breached. Some believe he escaped the tower into catacombs beneath the city. The Hachutape say he perished when the tower burned.

The destruction of Dapi dashed the hopes of the Aware people that they could live in peace with the Aradasheans. Although they still had legal protection under the Majishi Tani, the Aware tribal leadership once again retreaed back into the Hokage Mountains.

New Growth in the Tarukaiva Plains
The Tarukaiva Plains are actually numerous valleys high in the mountainous expanse of central Suhai. The land was, for millenia, too harsh for settlements. The people who inhabited the region were always nomadic, relying on hunting and domesticated animals. When horses were tamed, they adopted them for riding and transport.

Many tribes walked and rode in the Tarukaiva highlands. The Gerigeri were a dominant tribe for many years, and made raids into Tobetsune, Mikunai, Daizhabi, and Tajahai. They were succeeded by the Hachutape, who even engaged the armies of Zhithora, Shekala, and Madoyasi. They began to make permanent settlements and even learned to work the land.

By the 1600s, the Fetsari, who had long lived in the shadow of stronger tribes, overthrew the Hachutape warlords, and took control of Tarukaiva. They took up where the Hachutape had left off, slowly developing a more-sendentary lifestyle of farming and towns. However, pastoral nomads were still frequent on the plains. The Fetsari, like the Zadanishas and Idenari in Mehame, did not pay tribute to the Majishi Tani, and this was becoming an increasingly important issue.

Growing Cities
With the development of the Majishi Tani empire, the movement of commoners into the cities increased. Majishi, Chude, Jika, and Ifera were especially inundated with people seeking the wealth and protection of urban life. Unfortunately, most could find no means of living in the cities, and only added to the growing population of the poor. Entry into the cities was eventually restricted, and most resettlers were turned away.

The fastest-growing city of the time was Chude, built on the ruins of Jihai. Chude was perfectly positioned on the Suyaga Sea, near a crossroads of major Aradashean trade routes. It also fronted on the Zhide River, the access Majishi used for the Suyaga Sea. Its farmlands, the breadbasket of the old Chukali Kingdom, were rich enough to produce surplus exported to less-fertile regions.

Jika was in a similar position. Also on the Suyaga Sea coast, Jika was one-day's journey from the Tsurega Sea, home of the busiest Aradasean sea trade routes. Jika also commanded the Ithsmus of Pori, the bridge between Mehame and Suhai. For this reason, the Majishi Tani Imperial Army was based in Jika.

Also in the region was Nijesa, one of the spiritual centers of Aradashe, and home of the great temple of Izhutase. Izhutase, the largest temple complex in Aradashe, rivaled Shagatase in Ifera as the most important. For the Majishi Tani, Izhutase was the site of many important religious events and councils, including coronations of emperors.

The Great Famine
Although all of the cities of Aradashe were under one ruler, local power was not significantly affected, especially where native rulers were allowed to keep their positions. The cities were still effectively zaika, ruling the local food-producing lands and administrating at a local level. For most, being subject to the Majishi Tani meant paying a tribute to the emperor and supplying troops when needed. In turn, Majishi provided military protection and disaster relief in times of strife. Most of the tribute paid to the Majishi Tani went into the storage of emergency food supplies for cities in need.

In 1781, another famine hit Aradashe. Although this one was not as severe as many previous famines, it had serious effects on Aradashean society that would last until the early 1900s. The Great Famine was responsible for the breakdown of this system, and for the strife that would affect the empire for over one hundred years. Aradashean food production was split among farming, fishing, and herding. The famine affected the farming first, bringing appeals to Majishi for relief. Immediately afterwards, the herding tribes became very possessive of their goods, and stopped trade with the farmers. Those societies that relied on fishing also had to retain their catches to make up for the loss of grain.

Wars broke out among the tribes. At first, the Majishi Tani intervened in many of the conflicts, but they were soon spread thin. The armies themselves began to raid the very tribes they were sent to protect in order to feed their warriors. These tribes began to turn against the empire.

The Campaign of Moguchai
In 1882, a new power arose in central Suhai. The Fetsari leader, Moguchai, watched his recently-developed agricultural lands go fallow, and his people starve. His first act was to raise an army and conquer the herding clans of the Hachutape and his own Fetsari. From there, he went on a rampage, destroying those who resisted, and recruiting those who opposed the Majishi Tani. By 1883, he and his son, Kazuchai, had carved out a strong kingdom throughout Tarukaiva and Marava.

Moguchai's army was based on phalanxes, horse archers, and jadoyasi. The phalanxes were the core of the army, and moved steadily through the opposing force's center. The horse archers flanked the enemy while raining waves of arrows on their heads. The jadoyasi were used very effectively to counter chariots. With their javelins, the light, maneuverable jadoyasi brought down the team horses, essentially making the chariots obsolete on their battlefield. Moguchai's army also boasted fine ranks of foot archers.

Moguchai was not alone in his campaign. He was supported by the zaika of Methalaya, surviving Hachutape warlords, and even roving bands of Aware mercenaries. Moguchai's first great victory was against the army of Zhithora at the Battle of the West Dry Riverbed. The Zhithora phalanx met the Fetsari phalanx, and even forced them back, but they were soon encircled by the Fetsari support troops. The jadoyasi devastated the Zhithoran chariots, which turned the tide of the battle.

After the battle, Moguchai destroyed the temple complex of Eyotase. Eyotase had been the first large structure built by the Medasi in the Daizhabi region during their expansion. A community, based on supporting the temple had grown around it. The invaders demolished the whole settlement, and left a haunted ruin.

An inconclusive battle against the Madoyasi temporarily stopped Moguchai's southern expansion in Autumn, 1883. But in early 1884, he handily defeated the Shekala at the Battle of the Whistling Cliffs. He pressed on to the city itself. With most of its army lying in the battlefield, Shekala fell before Majishi reinforcements could arrive from Jika.

Rather than face a siege by the Majishi Imperial Army, Moguchai ordered Shekala burned to the ground and all citizens killed or enslaved. It was one of the most brutal actions in Aradashean history. By the time the relief arrived from Jika, the city was fully aflame, with not a soul alive. It burned for six days. Shekala, arguably the most beautiful city in Aradashe, was never rebuilt. The Medasi would never again create a unified society. This could be considered the last of the four great kingdoms of pre-Daimati: the Watai, Chukali, Taja, and Medasi.

The Hunt for Moguchai
At this point, fear was high among the peoples of the surrounding regions. Emperor Aisade Nagatene called his generals to organize an army that could defeat Moguchai. The army was established in Chude, then marched to Ezhira. From there, scouts roamed the countryside, looking for Moguchai. For weeks they searched and found nothing but empty woods and grasslands. Detachments were sent to watch the Daizhu Pass and Tobetsune.

An eerie fog settled in the Tajahai region that would not clear for many days and nights. During this time, stories circulated about military detachments ambushed and massacred. There was information about groups of commoners travelling the countryside in groups of six or seven. Moguchai's army and gone underground. They were moving about the region in small units disguised as laborers, but forming squads to attack any Imperial forces they could find.

The Imperial Army moved east through the Hyakatai River Valley. While the army was halfway across a bridge spanning the river, the bridge, rigged to fall by Moguchai's men, suddenly collapsed. The army was spilt in half. Moguchai's army, reassembled and under cover on the west side of the river, fell upon the front half of the Imperial Army from the woods and hillsides. Imperial General Honake Chisekali was killed. The western half of the Imerial Army was killed to a man, while the eastern half watched helplessly.

After the battle, Moguchai's army disappeared again. However, the fog finally lifted and the search continued. Moguchai made his presence known again in the Daizhu Pass, where he defeated the small defensive force and continued into Tarukaiva.

The Invasion of Tarukaiva
Hearing of Moguchai's movements, the Imperial Army, now under the command of Shaku Nuteji, decided to make an assault on Moguchai's homeland. Unfortunately for them, it was the winter of 1884. Tarukaiva, full of highlands and jagged mountains, was impassable in winter. They planned the campaign until spring.

By the time the Imperial Army headed for Tarukaiva, they were 11,000 strong. However, the chariots had to be left behind as they were useless in mountainous terrain. Another force of 7000 headed down from Zhithora, and 5000 from Madoyasi.

The treks of all three contigents were trecherous, with ambushes against the Jika and Zhithora hosts. The Madoyasi faced the roughest terrain, and suffered many hardships. The three forces converged on a high plain between two snowy mountain ranges. The army was now 23,000-strong, and contained some of the finest warriors in Aradashe: the Zhithoran Royal Guard, Madoyasi Yukida, the famed archers of Hine, Zadanisha horsemen among them.

When the Fetsari appeared on the field on the for the Battle of the Mossy Stones, the Majishi Tani saw, for the first time, warriors astride abiyeros. Abiyeros are two-legged carnivorous dinosaurs sometimes witnessed by Majishi Tani funeral processions carrying dead kings and emperors to the Sirivati Crypts. The Fetsari had managed to tame abiyeros to ride them in combat. Not only are they agile and quick, they also attack the enemy with their bite. Seeing Fetsari mounted on dinosaurs struck fear into the Majishi Tani troops.

Also in the ranks were warriors on hyamufe bulls. These are large animals with powerful legs, strong humped backs, and huge horns of individual shapes for each bull. The Fetsari rode them in pairs. The driver cradled a lance or polearm. The passenger used a bow or javelins. The archer/javelin-thrower could stand to shoot through the use of leather straps that supported the feet. These may have led to the development of stirrups on horses.

The Fetsari only numbered 9000, but dominated the battlefield with unusual tactics and their frightening beasts. Moguchai and his son were tactical geniuses. Moguchai used the abiyeros and hyamufes to terrify the horses. It was Kazuchai who had developed the jadoyasi into an anti-chariot force. Although there were no chariots used at the Battle of the Mossy Stones, he used them to great effect against the Zadanishas. The victory was through the loss of morale, rather than loss of life. There was so little actual killing during the battle, that the Fetsari feared pursuing the routing troops that outnumbered them two-to-one.

Kazuchai Inherits a Throne
But now the Fetsari were on the defensive. The Majishi Tani armies remained in Tarukaiva and requested reinforcements. They also discussed ways to counter abiyeros and hyamufes. Later that month, Moguchai was struck by lightning while hunting. He was knocked unconscious and taken back to his capital at Ugizi.

The Fetsari knew the effect of Moguchai's accident would have on the morale of their warriors and the boost it would give the enemy troops. They kept the event a secret for weeks, but the Majishi Tani became suspicious when their spies could no longer find Moguchai. The Fetsari warriors also began to notice his absence.

Kazuchai suddenly falsely announced that Moguchai was dead, and usurped his father's throne. He then readied his warriors for battle once more. Upon hearing of Moguchai's reported death, the Majishi Tani struck quickly to take advantage of the Fetsaris' damaged morale.

The Battle of the Icy Gales was a terrible affair. As the name implies, small particals of ice blew in flurries and cut the cheeks of the warriors. The abiyeros cut a bloody swath into the ranks of the Yujida until the Majishi Tani discovered their susceptibility to arrows. The Hine archers cut them down quickly.

The Zhithora Royal Guard put up a wall of spears against the hyamufes that stopped their forward movement. Then, the huge beasts were surrounded by cavalry and spearmen and brought down. But, despite the successes of the Majishi Tani, they suffered greatly in combat and against the weather.

The surviving Fetsari, including Kazuchai, routed back to Ugizi. The Majishi Tani could not pursue. The losses were great, and to this day, no plantlife grows on the field of battle. Ghosts of the warriors who fell that day haunt the wasteland.

From Madoyasi, another army marched to Ugizi to attack before Kazuchai could raise a new force. The Majishi Tani considered Kazuchai to be less sane and more bloodthursty than his father. They defeated the garrison in Daizhu Pass, then sacked Ugizi. Kazuchai fled the city and sought refuge in his castle thirty miles away. The Madoyasi sieged the fortress, and found Kazuchai inside, dead by his own hand.

Kazuchai's castle, and those of all the Fetsari nobles who died since the beginning of the Battle of the Icy Gales, are now dark sanctuaries for demons, ruled by Kazuchai's ghost.

Shortly after the fall of Ugizi, five volcanoes in the Tarukaiva region began to belch smoke and a subtle, but incessant rumble shook the ground. The smoke eventually became a haze that covered all of the Tarukaiva Plains, making them dark and uncultivable. The rumble has been constant ever since 1885. Stories spread from Tarukaiva that the volcanoes erupted as part of Kazuchai's Curse, that if he lost his kingdom, no one else could ever cultivate it.

Moguchai was still alive, but in a coma for almost a year. His loyal band of followers smuggled him out of Ugizi and into hiding. Upon his recovery in early 1886, he renounced his past ambitions and joined a Masade monastery, where he later wrote of work of philosophy. Most of his retainers followed him. Moguchai reportedly lived into his nineties.

The Rise of the Urudaiha Priests
The Battle of the Icy Gales was the last time that either Madoyasi or Zhithora would fight allied with the Majishi Tani. Although Moguchai had been seen as a major threat to the empire, the real danger was from within. The disgruntled zaikas were gradually divorcing themselves from the Majishi Tani. Eventually, even zaika who were still nominally allied with the emperor were no longer paying tribute.

The famine had long since been over, but by the last decade of the 19th Century, warlords were still battling for additional land. What had begun as struggles for survival had become wars for acquisition.

Another group to take advantage of the weakening of Majishi Tani power were the Urudaiha priests of Ifera. They had been granted increasing power by the 19th Century emperors, and had formed a clan called the Tenodawa. This clan eventually commanded an army of their own. The Tenodawa formed this army around highly-trained monk warriors called Yezutu. These religious warriors were masters of the bow and a new weapon called a kishati. Kishatis are short polearms with heads that allow cutting and thrusting. They are quite expensive, so they were relegated to the noble classes to which they eventually would become the typical weapon.

Concurrently, other Urudaiha clans formed in Achaigo and Umage. They called themselves the Ishoke, and also raised their own armies.

In 1897, the Tenodawa and Ishoke clan of Achaigo devised a plan to unify Aradashe under Urudaiha control from the holy city of Ifera. Their plan was to unify southern Mehame and ally with Madoyasi. The rest of Aradashe, including Zhithora, would then fall under their rule.

The first step in their plan was to attack the city that lay between them, Tsikuyo. From there, they would continue into Otogo and Shirutori, conquering and absorbing the forces in those regions. The farthest point east in their campaign would be Jika, which they would capture with the help of the Ishoke in Umage. Finally, with their expanded army, they would turn north to subdue Chude and Majishi.

The Tenodawas and Ishokes headed for Tsikuyo from both the west and east. An army from Tsikuyo, under the command of Sokega Hyeji, his sister Daikatha, and their younger brother Wefaro attacked the Ishoke clan first, defeating them at the Battle of the Soft Slopes, then returned to Tsikuyo to defend their city.

The Tenodawa clan, under Tutsuke Esyoki, then attacked Tsikuyo. The defenders met them in the field and held them off for three days, after which time Esyoki decided to bypass Tsikuyo in his campaign, rather than suffer more loss of life and time. The victory of the warriors and citizens of Tsikuyo is remembered as one of the great upset victories in Aradashean history.

Two warlords wanted to suppress the Urudaiha uprising. Shortly after the failed siege of Tsikuyo, Ugene Zhekawe from Ewaha and Saku Chemajo with an army from Uyamara attacked the Tenodawa in western Retomi. The Tenodawa prevailed in this fight, the Battle of the chalky ridges in 1897.

In 1898 and 1899, the Tenodawa and Ishoke made major pushes to the East. The Tenodawa captured Dakichi in 1898. The next year, the Ishoke successfully attacked Hasaki from Achaigo. A week later the Tenodawa marched into Tsaiku. The Tenodawa met with the king of Ichido to ask for aid in their campaign. King Sajuye Hekachi agreed to support them and lent them an army under the command of Deda Bedoshi.

It was Bedoshi's task to subdue the many minor warlords in the Retomi area. His first engagement was with a baron named Vechiti Naifu. Naifu defeated Bedoshi in two encounters. Naifu later convinced Bedoshi, who had no sympathies for the Urudaiha's quest for power, to ally with him. Deda Bedoshi was a master of cavalry tactics and a great addition to Naifu's force.

In 1900, the Tenodawa and Achaigo Ishoke marched into Umage, where they combined with the Ishoke there. They had the support of Jidaku Shibelada, the King of Umage and former Urudaiha monk.

Watching the expansion of the Urudaiha, the Majishi Tani became increasingly nervous. They fortified many of the towns and cities in the Zhide and Shirutori regions.

In Salahi, a warlord named Shakuwa Pashatsu was fully aware of Majishi's moves and decided to invade Kepidai. General Chonai Tomaka was sent from Majishi to stop the attack, but suffered defeat in the last great chariot conflict, the Battle of the Hidden Gorge. In 1900, Pashatsu was able to occupy the countryside around Lake Kagani with very little trouble.

Also in the same year, Maseko and Tobazi, two Idenari warlords, invaded the Zhide River area. Tobazi sacked the city of Kechuwa. Maseko had similar success until he encountered a Majishi force under general Hanuyiate Omare in the strange Battle of the Red Wash. Omare routed Maseko's warriors. However, Maseko and Tobazi remained in the area to loot the towns along the Zhide River, the heartland of the Majishi Tani.

The Tenodawa, with their base in Umage, marched for the Suyaga Sea area in 1901. They began their siege of Jika on a hot summer night. King Yenade surrendered the city after only three days. This attack was the greatest demonstration yet of how weak the Majishi Tani had become. They could not even raise a force to aid their ally. The Urudaiha then marched into the holy city of Nijesa, one of their prize goals. Here, they settled to plan their next moves.

Jidaku Shibelada stayed in Umage to train his army, including his famous Marike warriors, who were excellent archers and skillful spearmen.

Majishi was now thoroughly on the defensive, calling upon all of her nearby garrisons for support.

Vechiti Naifu, now with the support of Deda Bedoshi, was loyal to the Majishi Tani. In 1901, he began a campaign to regain the territory captured by the Tenodawa. They retook Hasaki, Dakichi, and Tsaiku. During this campaign, Naifu and his generals, Tosai Chikele and Agu Kagime were building reputations for their cunning and economy of force.

Using Tsaiku as a base, Naifu's force turned north to aid Majishi. In Summer 1902, they defeated Shakuwa Pashatsu in the Battle of the Summer Orchards. This battle was dominated by Naifu's general, Tosai Chikele, who used masterful tactics to rout the larger Salahi force.

While most of Naifu and Bedoshi's warriors rested in Majishi, General Chikele, with his favorite warriors, went after the Idenari warlord Maseko. Chikele's force crushed the Idenari and Maseko was killed. In short time, Chikele marched into Kechuwa, then engaged the other Idenari warlord, Tobazi, along the Zhide River. Again, Chikele showed tactical brilliance and forced Tobazi to surrender with few losses on either side.

The Urudaiha in Nijesa were stunned at Naifu and Chikele's successes. They had aspirations of capturing Chude, but decided they must defeat the upstart barons from Shirutori first. In Spring 1903, they consolidated their forces and marched north to meet the army defending Majishi. They sent a messenger to Jidaku Shibelada in Umage to meet them with his Marike on the flood plain west of Chude.

Chikele, recognized as a military genius, was now in charge of the Majishi defense force, including the Imperial Army, at Naifu's request. Naifu sent to Ewaha and Uyamara for support from Generals Zhekawe and Chemajo. They also had in their command Deda Bedoshi, Agu Kagime, General Chonai Tomaka, and General Hanuyaite Omare.

The Battle of the Purple Hills would decide the future of the empire. It was an epic battle, featuring a cross-section of the state-of-the-art of early 20th Century warfare, including chariots, Zadanisha horsemen, Yezutu monks brandishing kishatis, Marike and Hine archers, phalanxes of Imperial spearmen, jadoyasi, and even some abiyero dinosaurs. Because it occurred shortly before a boom in peotry and literature, the Battle of the Purple Hills is perhaps the most-written-about battle in Aradashean history, with plenty of intrigue and romance added for spice.

By the time of this battle, 120 years of constant warfare had brought the zaika of Aradashe to a new level of military sophistication. The central infantry spear units fought in formation, marching together in ranks. In many armies, they were in uniform. Supporting them were archers who, again, fought as units. Many archers also carried javelins or spears. Chariots had reached their peak. They were light, manueverable and (finally) fairly reliable. The jadoyasi were very flexible, used extensively for skirmishing, anti-chariot action, or as the main core of the infantry. Cavalry was still a minor support arm, but was increasingly important in attempting flanking and as counter-archers. Some cavalry carried bows, but until the development of stirrups, mounted archers were not terribly effective in most situations. As the numbers of cavalry grew, some armies, particularly the Majishi Imperial Army and Zhithora's army, trained soldiers to counter mounted warriors with long pikes. These were perhaps the best indication of how sophisticated Aradashean warfare had become. Pikemen were essentially mobile defense structures—very much a specialized unit.

It should be stressed, however, that in spite of the use of formation fighting in many instances and the mastery of chariot warfare, the dominant form of combat was still unorganized masses of infantry shooting waves of arrows, then crashing headlong into each other. This was best exemplified at the Battle of the Purple Hills by the Yezutu monks, who fought very much individually with their famed kishatis.

The two-day battle was hard-fought, over a variety of terrain, including a flat flood plain, a river bank, fruit groves, and a town. The Yezutu warrior monks were ferocious fighters, wielding their kishatis with seasoned skill. Shibelada's Marike shot with keen accuracy to support them, then took up their spears in tight, well-ordered formation. But, in the end, the warriors loyal to the Majishi Tani, under the direction of Tosai Chikele won the day.

In recognition of Chikele's loyalty and accomplishments, he was appointed lord of Chude. All of the loyal generals who fought on those two days received important positions in the Majishi Tani.

The battle ushered in a new era for the Majishi Tani, an era of stability and relative order. It is known in history as the Golden Age—160 years of growth in the arts, science, and social development.

The Golden Age (1904-2071)
Growth in Literature and Art
Politically, Aradashe entered the Golden Age officially under the Majishi Tani. However, the empire was no longer in actuality continent-wide. Some cities paid tribute to the Majishi Tani, and were thus truly part of the empire, receiving protection and services. Among these were Chude, Nijesa, Jika, Ifera, Uyamara, Ichido, Tsikuyo, Hasaki, and Ezhira. The rest of the cities went back to being true zaika, independent cities controlling local lands. These included Madoyasi, Zhithora, Isenara, Hitseke, Sekapi, Methalaya, Esashi, Arika, Umage, and Kidasa.

The Majishi Tani Empire, still most of the heartland of Aradashe, became remarkably stable, with little outside pressures. Agriculture was strong and trade flowed freely along the well-established roads and rivers. These conditions allowed more free time for the citizens, more education, and more creative output. While this is a history focused on politics, population movements, social development, and warfare, rather than culture, the arts of the Golden Age helped define the future shape of Aradashean society. Here are some examples of the cultural output of the period.

The first great work of the time was a chronicle of the previous century, with heroic and fanciful embellishments. Called In the Wake of Hunger, it detailed the struggles of the great cities and their clans through the turmoil of the 19th Century, and ended with Tosai Chikele's appointment as Chude's governor. The work was understandably more supportive of the Majishi Tani, but was remarkably understanding of its enemies, including the Tenodawa and Ishoke. The central villians of the work were Moguchai and his son.

About the same time, an anonymous writer compiled seventy poems called Luck. This set of poetry not only became the most-popular written work of the time, it was the basis for many great songs that were passed down to the present day. Another great work was The Merchant, a group of folk tales held togther by a woman who travelled throughout Aradashe disguised as a male merchant. Twenty-Nine Things that Happened was a collection of children's moral tales. It was required for all children who attended temple schools.

It was during this era that the art of colored woodworking developed. Up until the 20st Century, most construction of large structures was done in stone by masons. In 1909 a new temple was built in Chude with mainly wooden superstructure. The temple had a much more elegant look than the stone ziggurats that came before it. Carpenters were soon devising new techniques to create increasingly more sophisticated buildings.

By the 1920s, artesans in Retomi were dying the wood of trees bright red during growth. The coloring became a natural part of the tree's wood pigment. The carpenters of Adazhe had been experimenting for decades with bleaching certain woods to a bright white. Together with the natural blackwood, the red and white woods were used extensively from the 20st Century-on to produce beautifully-colored structures.

These developments in the Majishi Tani Empire contibuted to, and were a result of, distinctions that set these cities apart from the rest of the country. From the Golden Age forward, the cities of the later Majishi Tani Empire would have the subtle air of being somewhat of a higher culture. Indeed, the dialect of the Kepidai/Zhide region would become viewed as the language of refinement and education.

Hekachi
Hemido

Zadanishas
Pastoral nomads also began to intensify raids in Mehame. After 20 years of clan conflict, one warlord emerged to unify most of the Zadanisha clans. His name was Hyakawi, and he would not only carve a large empire for himself, he would also revolutionize cavalry warfare. The Zadanishas were becoming increasingly dependent on their horses for their nomadic life. All male Zadanishas were warriors, and had formerly fought in wild bands on foot. However, by the 1_00s, all warriors were mounted; Zadanishas had become inseparable from their horses. At first, these warriors were very ineffective. Fighting on horseback was in its infancy, and effective tactics against infantry had not yet been developed. Most Zadanishas, in fact, dismounted after riding into combat to fight infantry.

By Hyakawi's time, Zadanisha chieftains had learned how to coordinate mounted warriors using mixed weaponry and tactics. There were three types of cavalry in Zadanisha army. Lancers were the main shock unit. They operated as the core of the battle line. Javelin cavalry preceded the lancers to break up enemy formations. After throwing their two javelins, they rode around the flanks of the enemy and attacked with hand weapons. Archers were deployed on the wings. They flanked the enemy and shot into them with composite bows. Against an all-infantry foe, the Zadanishas were almost unstoppable in the 1_00s. The only armies they had to avoid were those with chariots.