An excerpt from a recent edition of the Kwaanzabari Gazette:
MBADALA ULIMWENGO
Despite the public protestations of bringing progress to the natives and other carefully constructed and sometimes plausible lies, everyone - or nearly so, it is presumed, in this particular region of east Africa now known as Mbadala Ulimwengo is looking for the legendary civilization, or at least its ruins, of Zerostroke, fabled land of fabulous colored gem stones, mines for rubies, sapphires, emeralds, etc. It is said stones the size of a woman’s fist were often found in the mines.
Of course, the legend also says the mines are well protected, not only by fierce human warriors but also by Greyrillas, an offshoot breed of gorillas with incredible strength and able to withstand multiple wounds that would kill an elephant.
No one believes after all the millennia have passed since the beginnings of the legend that the people still exist and, of course, that the Greyrillas don’t exist, part of the legend meant to scare away those who might seek the source of wealth. But everyone it seems believes, or wants to, that the mines exist and are waiting to be rediscovered.
The most nightmare inducing part of the legend is that when you find the passage that leads into Zerostroke you will be able to walk the entire way on a field of human bones, never stepping on the ground itself.
And the most enthralling part of the legend is that finding the place will yield the wealth of several rich empires combined.
Men, women, and nations have all been looking for the place after a man crazed to insanity walked out of a distant western jungle some years ago with a small sack containing an ancient and crumbling rhinoceros leather pouch laden with a rainbow of small gems worth nearly a million English pounds and when he was able to speak from time to time repeating in barely legible German in terrified tone "I followed the river through all the swamps to the great rising and through the gorge and somehow stumbled through it in the dead of night but, upon leaving just at breaking of day, oh, the horror, the horror.” His body was scarred with terrible wounds poorly healed.
Before he passed on he was given paper and ink and tried to draw a crude map which he labeled ‘Mbadala Ulimwengo’ - and then he convulsed horribly and fell into a coma for a few weeks before he died. The only other coherent words he spoke indicated it was somewhere on the east coast of Africa in a land unknown to Europeans.
This simple and tragic incident set off the sub-Scramble for Mbadala Ulimwengo and accounts for all the settlements found on the updated accompanying map as it currently stands. Even after a decade, there is still no reliable indication of where Zerostroke might lie. Of course, the land has revealed lesser riches to be had and it has been found to be populated by various indigenous peoples, none of whom admit to ever even hearing of the legend of the stones though some of them do speak of an ancient ruined city of gold mines long abandoned and slowly being eaten by the jungle.
That unidentified man’s bag of gems financed the first nation to found a colony in these lands, the Germans, who were soon followed by the British and eventually the French and Italians, somewhat later the Belgians, and most recently an United States enclave supposedly trying to stop a trio of American brothers, the Remingpounds, from dragging that country into having an African colony.
And, of late, it seems these lands were known to a couple of Europeans even before that unidentified man penetrated into the region - or what is earnestly believed to be the region he spoke of. No evidence suggests these people encountered the unknown man. There is the famous recluse, Tarzan and his small clan and his allied friendly natives, the Waziri who relocated into this region. And then there is Odo the Odd, a true eccentric if ever there was one, a man with a deep affinity for native peoples, a master linguist, a crack shot, a man who women swoon for at his merest sight, a man even the nascent film industry at its best - or worst - could not imagine to be real, yet, indeed, he is real. Odo is one of the extremely few men ever allowed to travel south of Polistoikos to visit the Mphlophe Iqhawe. Neither Tarzan, clearly genuinely so, nor Odo, unknown how genuinely, admit any interest in Zerostroke.
And then, perhaps oddest of all, is the thoroughly misplaced tribe of warrior women who academia have been furiously debating as to whether or not they are the true descendants of the Amazons. The debate is from afar for it is certain death to visit them uninvited - and few indeed are ever, or ever have been, invited.
Then there is the inexplicable tribe of the Daftu people, less odd than simply strange and what some have called ‘other worldly’ which is truly daft for they are quite clearly human peoples though with unusual adaptations - who have recruited white men to join forces with them to protect their lands from encroachment.
The most remote peoples of the region are the outwardly peaceable and, though very stand-offish, seemingly friendly Kuba people who reside between the three great lakes in the west and the long stretch of impenetrable cliffs that confine any expansions in that direction as do the tangled and dangerous jungles to the north and south. Their Muvira urges an end to the search for these non-existent gems for fear the search might lead to violence.
One element that has helped to keep relative peace among the still quite small population of non-natives in the region is the thirty-six mile shallow shelf that prevents any deep water warships coming close to the coastal regions, only shallow draft river boats have been able to navigate the waters though such vessels can continue across the shelf and deep into the navigable rivers all the way to the lakes.
There are unfounded rumors that in recent weeks the various European enclaves have been boosting their numbers of soldiers, sailors, and marines via these boats which is an alarming bit of news.
Common across all of these lands is the native wildlife, animals of all descriptions that distinctly say “This is Africa”. Perhaps this abundance may be the true wealth of the region one day.
Yes, Mbadala Ulimwengo is a different region of the world but in its brief window of awareness to the Western World, it has become known as a land of a great multitude of adventures, some benign, others much less so. The editors of this esteemed journal are hopeful that peace will prevail and prosperity follow.
———
The “reason” for it all and circa 1885-ish - the general time frame for a Miniatures Adventure Series of Games - not a Campaign, too much trouble, just linked games - give or take as many years as I feel like, past or future of 1885 but within some limited amount of reason, more or less.
The German colony is Seelen-aus-Eisen - to the south of Sumfigfluss, the main and often swampy river, capital Hufttierpfeffer, port city of Schwachsinnighafen, supported by the imported warriors of the Pahg’runt tribe. The native peoples on this side of the river are the Ennigizimu Abomdabu, with an eastern and western segment.
The British colony is Waverule - to the north of the river, capital Stifflip, and Port Lyttletette, supported by the imported warriors of the Kudkilewe tribe. The native peoples on this side of the river are the Waqooyi U Dhashay, also divided into eastern and western segments.
The French colony is Maitresse - west of Waverule, capital Ville-de-Badinage. There are few natives here, mostly the U Dhashay.
The Italian colony is Salsiccia - west of Seelen-aus-Eisen, capital Citta Domani. Again few natives, mostly the Abomdabu.
The Belgian colony is Leopoldaken - south of Seelen-aus-Eisen and on the coast, capital Schatdorp. Only roaming natives make an appearance in this region.
The US ‘mandate’ is Manifestia - north of Waverule and on the coast, capital Avaricious Town. This land is virtually unpopulated with little sign of natives even moving through the area, it is devoid of much in the way of resources.
There are also the regions of Dalka Hooyu Tarzanadoo, the region where the Remingpounds have been most reported though hardly welcomed, and further west Wazirardhi both to the north of Waverule and inland from Manifestia.
To the south of and inland from Leopoldaken are Iqhawe Mhlophe Owezifazane and further west Daftunchi, betwixt the first two lands is the Dimboobway ruins, right on the south westward flowing stream.
To the far north and acting as a truly formidable barrier is Waqooyi Kaynta and to the far south and every bit as formidable is the Sudeten Dschungel. To the west is the imposing Vaste Scoglieri, an unbroken and high wall of cliffs.
There are three lakes east of those cliffs, from north to south Lake Muchattea drained by Horseriver, Lago Fenicottero drained by Oiseu Riviere, and Tiefblausee drained by Krokodilfluss - all flowing into the upper Sumfigfluss, the lower river being more swampy, especially near its multiple mouths. In the lower section of the great river is the Mamba-Viper Island.
The whole is divided roughly into north and south by that mighty Sumfigluss, a broad river with the northern lands divided east and west by the south flowing North River and the south also divided east and west by the north flowing Sudfluss. Two streams flow out of the northern jungles to form the North River, Lazy Stream to the east and Hordhac Durdurada to the west. Similarly, two streams flow out of the southern jungles to form the Sudfluss, Bloedigstroom to the east and Izinhlanzi Umfula to the west.
The east or ocean side is bordered by a 36 mile wide shallow shelf that prevents deep sea vessels from reaching the area. Off shore and right across from the Sumfigflus is the large island of Kwaanzabar, its largest and only substantial city of the same name and the people known as the Kwaanzabari - you might call Kwaanzabar the closest to a 'cosmopolitan' town in the region. The island rests within Woede Baii, an offshoot of the Umhedeni Ulwandle. On the eastern side of the island is Maharamia Mahali Pa Kujifichna, a place to steer clear of and under control of fierce pirates.
All of this ‘background’ is devoutly hoped will lead to many a fun table top game hosted by yours truly who should really be painting figures rather than typing and posting this. All the figures are already owned though I might add a few here and there from time to time. A large portion are already painted. Besides painting figures, there is some terrain to work on before the photos start to flow. So, with so much still to do, I leave this here for your delectation.
See recent post below for a map.
