In the Shadow of the Old Pueblo-Tucson ISOTed to the Bronze Age

[Teen Spirit]

January 22nd, 5 A.E
New Monthan, Temporary Headquarters of the Sanford Expedition

Haynes had joined this Expedition reluctantly, largely because the rest of the town was so overwhelmingly in favor of it. He had feared this would turn into disaster led by a scam artist. While those fears hadn't gone away entirely, he had to admit it seemed Sanford knew how to organize and plan on a large scale. New Monthan was probably the most organized tent city Haynes had seen since the Event. The whole place was laid out in a solid grid, there were signs all over the place. Everything they'd gathered for the expedition, from water, to clothing, guns, cannons and even soap; was accounted for stored at several locations across the base. Sanford even had a few heavily modified diesel trucks still running, fueled by grease and homemade olive oil. There was no official number how large this Sanford Army had become but rumor had it the number of men and women able to fight was numbering in the high hundreds, and Haynes could certainly believe it.

Of course such numbers came with a cost. as Haynes walked through the camp he found himself passing gang members, men he were certain once belonged to a Cartel, and others covered with so many hateful tattoos that you could barely see any of their skin. Sanford accepted anyone. In practice that meant most of his recruits were desperate, realized they'd be facing hard times eventually, or where the kind of people who thought a second round of brutalizing the natives sounded like a fun time.

'And what does that say about us?' Haynes wondered. Iron Horse was never going to last, he knew that now even if it hurt to admit it. This Hittie capital sounded like a place where his people could actually be safe, maybe even thrive. But taking that meant more war, more violence against people who's only crime was being in their way. He didn't like it, but he knew he couldn't back out.

He made his way Sophia Maddox's 'office', a rather large tent lined with scrap metal and plastic. When he arrived Sophia was already talking with someone else

"So let me get this straight, Ms Baxter. You want to travel with this expedition, with me, but you don't want to fight and you don't care if you get any land. You just want to write about it?" Maddox looked at woman skeptically from behind her plastic desk.

The Interior of Maddox's office was a bit eclectic, most of it was dominated by various maps of Turkey that had various things written and drawn on them, but there where also clay tablets, broken bronze weapons, game books, paintings attached to the poles and even two suits of armor, one leather and one steel, both having lion skins draped over them.

"Look; 100 years from now when we're all dead, people are going to ask how this all happened.How we went from one city from one nation and fractured into who knows how many different fiefdoms. I want to make sure future generations understand how this all happened." The woman named Baxter.

"A bit early to be worrying about something like that don't you think?" Maddox questioned

"Some daft kid has conquered Crete and is declaring she was brought here by the will of Aphrodite of all things. Is that really the kind of narrative you want dominating the history books?" Baxter replied back, fire building in her eyes.

Maddox shrugged "Ehh, it's not the dumbest theory I've heard for the Event. But you have a point, I don't want to be remembered by history as part of some sort of near mindless horde or brutal thugs. Talk with Carter, he'll get you set up with a place to stay for the moment."

Baxter gave her thanks and left, nodding at Haynes as he made his way out.

"You wanted to see me, Ma'am?" Haynes awkwardly. He wasn't sure what level of formality should be observed. She was younger, her later 20s maybe early 30s to his 54, but she was undeniably the second in command of this whole operation, though that didn't come with any sort of rank beyond maybe 'boss'.

"Ah, Mister Haynes. Good, good." She said warmly "Take a seat."

He sat in the plastic folding chair, his eyes wandering back towards the suits of armor currently being worn by mannequins.

"Those are from my SCA days. Pretty good at scaring raiders I've discovered" Maddox tried to explain.

"SCA?" he replied, still confused.

"Long story." She waved it off "Don't worry about it."

"Where did you get the Lion pelts?" Haynes asked

"Are you kidding? This whole region is filled with the damned things."

Haynes nodded "True enough, we've had numerous problems with bears back in Iron Horse."

They'd lost more than one goat and careless citizen to those bastards. Sloan by herself had probably killed over a dozen of them over the years.

"Right. So you probably wondered why I called you here today." Maddox said, sounding very much like his old geography teacher

"Are we preparing to leave soon?" Haynes replied

Depending on the rumor you believed they we're leaving sometime between tonight and half a century from now.

Maddox looked through a plastic box full of files "Soon but not that soon. Winter's a bad time to be marching, particularly when you're towing women and children. But from what we're hearing the Hitties are fighting both raids from the Assyrians and a three sided civil war. They're weaker and we don't want to risk them regaining any strength. I can't give you a firm date but I doubt we'll still be here come Valentine's day. "

That was not even four weeks from now. Sanford must be done gathering up supporters. He's either satisfied with what he has now or realizes he can't gain more followers without risking their supplies and safety.

"But that's not why I brought you here." Maddox clarified. "You see the original plan was to have one army push towards Hattusa and take it. Recently that's changed. Sanford and I, mainly me, are worried what happens if we fail. We need somewhere to fall back to if taking Hattusa proves harder than expected. Thankfully through some of my new friends I've been able to make contact with a man named Sakduman. He's governor, or prince, I don't really understand the titles, of a city named Salatiwara. Nice place, not as big as Hattusa but decent size and located along a particularly fat part of the Kizilirmak river near Lake Tuz. Those aren't the Hittie names for them by the way but pronouncing those is nightmarish. Anyways, my sources are telling me Mr Sakduman is willing to throw open his gates for us if we agree to let him have some power and you know, don't horribly sack the city. It seems even the Hitties think of us as monsters."

She laughed slightly at that last bit.

"But of course we don't know if we can fully trust this guy. So I'm heading a second army towards Salatiwara."

"And you want me and the rest of Iron Horse to be a part of it." Haynes finished

It made sense, not many of them really knew how to fight. They'd had training sure but they were still barely better than a milita. Better to use the softer groups for the softer target.

She nodded "Yeah. Downside is you're probably going to end up settling in Salatiwara instead of Hattusa. Which is still nice from what I understand. And on the upside you don't have to spend the next few months working side by side with Neo-Nazis and former drug dealers."

That was an improvement. Haynes had no particular attachment to Hattusa, any real city sounded good to him. Hopefully that meant Sanford was expecting the more criminal elements to bleed themselves out on the road to Hattusa and wasn't using this as an excuse to distance Maddox. He didn't know her that well but she seemed a lot better than some of the people he'd met since he arrived.

"Did you choose to lead this second front?" Haynes asked

Maddox glared at him for a moment, realizing his implication.

"Personally I wanted to head south and push towards Syria. Sanford's too damn focused on Hattusa if you ask me. Thinks he can claim the whole empire from there."

She paused, focusing on her notes for a moment before turning back towards Haynes.

"He's not trying to sideline us if that's what you're asking. Sanford is many things, not all of them good, but an idiot isn't one of them. We don't see eye to eye on everything but he knows any sort of juvenile power plays would end poorly for all of us. I volunteer to lead the second front We need the scumbags we've recruited, and we also need Salaitwara should the worst happen. I'm not going to lie and say things will be easy even after we've knocked over the Hitties but rest assured I won't let those thugs take over this operation. This isn't another New America we're building but we're still going to make a respectable nation when all is said and done."

Haynes had nothing to add, beyond the his own hope she was right.

 

[Teen Spirit]

"Everyone was desperate after the Event, but some where more desperate than others. My town had spent five years on the verge of starvation, constantly fighting to hold onto what little we had. Sanford offered a chance for a better life, a life actually worth living. Of course we took him up on his offer, we'd be fools not to. Even with all that's happened I don't regret it, not one bit. "
-Chase Fitzpatrick, Hattusa Republic

"It's funny, now that I think about it. Sanford and I, we could have united all those villages we recruited from, forged a republic right at the doorsteps of Tucson, maybe even controlled the city to some extent. But neither of us wanted that. We wanted something simpler than that, more glorious. A chance to start over on our terms. "
-Consul Sophia Maddox, New Roman Consulate

"As I traveled through the ranks of Sanford's army, I saw people from every walk of life. Store clerks turned raiders, Financial analysts turned farmers, gangs turned into an army. Men and women who would have never really interacted before united by a man of little note before the Event. At the time I thought it spoke to the strength of Sanford's cause. Now I understand it was a sign of it's biggest weakness."
- Elicia Baxter, 'The World Since the Event'

The Sanford expedition was the brainchild of one Thomas Sanford and Sophia Maddox, together the two gathered the largest expedition of the Post Event world, a force they claimed was a thousand fighting men and women strong (Though if this claim was true or not could never be proven), with the goal of conquering the Hittite Empire. While the expedition would see early success, taking the Hittite Capital and much of the northern empire, political infighting would slow and ultimately shatter the expedition. Despite this, the relative success of the expedition combined with the success of the earlier invasion of Crete inspired numerous other expeditions, setting off the Second Wave of Tucsonian Expansion.

Sanford and Maddox
Before the Event Thomas Sanford 's life was generally one of mild disappointment, twice divorced, estranged from most his family, but with a wide circle of friends and respectable job at Arizona State Prison Complex – Tucson as a Correctional Officer. 40 hours after the Event the Warden gave the order to abandon the prison complex, leaving the prisoners to their fate. While he initially considered following that order he thought of all the prisoners still locked up and return, starting to free many of them. This was not out of any humanitarian ideal, everyone he recruited first had to agree to either join his group or help them gather supplies (IE: Loot and Steal) for their journey out of the city. In total he would let roughly seven hundred prisoners go, most of the Whetstone unit of the complex. Most would go their own way but roughly a hundred and thirty would follow Sanford out of the Old Pueblo, along with several dozen friends and family.

Sophia Maddox was a financial analyst from San Diego who was in Tucson for her mother's birthday when the Event hit. At first she along with some twenty other survivors tried to make a stand at one of the local retail warehouse clubs but were forced to flee after being overrun by several other survivor groups. Despite the chaos, Maddox was able to keep her group together as they fled the city. She would run into Sanford two weeks later some miles outside of Tucson. The meeting between the two was hostile at first, only saved from violence due to Maddox having the element of surprise but not wanting to waste what Ammo she had. The two got to talking and they quickly realized they would do far better together than they would on their own. Sanford had better numbers and more immediate supplies not to mention a distinctive raw charisma. Maddox had working vehicles, seeds and potatoes for long term food supplies, and a natural talent for organization and getting people to do what she wanted. Together the two formed a rough settlement in one of the Hittie Villages (after clearing out the natives of course). It was a rough few years, Sanford's group was reluctant to do any of the farming and most of Maddox's group looked down on the former convicts, tensions were high but Maddox did her best to brow beat both sides into cooperation while Sanford smoothed over tensions. Their settlement couldn't be called prosperous, few could in those days, but they did well enough to have the time and resources to set up windmills and even a forge, producing semi-crude muskets to replace their shrinking supply of weapons. But neither were content, both Sanford and Maddox were ambitious people by nature. They wanted more than to just run some village for the rest of their lives. Opportunity came in the form of a lost Hittite Warband.

Opportunity Amid Chaos
The Warband was led by Anitta, the Gal Mesedi (Chief of The Royal Bodyguards) for King Labarna. His King was dead, his heir dead as well, several men had risen to claim Labarna's throne and Anitta had made a near fatal mistake, he had backed a losing claimant. He fled for his life, taking with him what remained of his army to the West. The West may have been full of savages but he gambled his enemies wouldn't dare follow him. The gamble had proven somewhat successful, though by the time Sanford found him, Anitta and his army were nearly on the verge of death.

Sanford had taught one of the remaining locals how to speak English so using him as a translator he spoke with Anitta. After a while Anitta told him about the sorry state of the Hittite Kingdom, how plagues ravaged it's cities, how uncles and cousins warred with each other over the throne, and how the Assyrians were now nipping at their borders. While both Sanford and Maddox had some awareness of the Hittites to the east before than, it wasn't until Anitta told them of his countries dire situation that they truly understood the size of the Hittites. They had cities, crude and small cities by their standards but cities never the less. They could build something out of this collapsing empire. After years of frustration, Sanford and Maddox began to dream again.

Sanford and some of Anitta's men went east, to scout out the Hittites. While Maddox's husband launched an expedition back to Tucson to gather info on them and supplies. The trip to Tucson would prove fruitful and Sanford would return months later with hundreds of photos. These photos confirmed what both he and Maddox suspected. The Hittites were in chaos but to stand a chance of actually holding onto anything they would need a far larger force than just their village. They would need to recruit an army. Their were rumors that some of the Air Force had fled to the west and South (Rumors that later proved to be true) but Sanford realized chances of recruiting them were low, they had to gather support from those close by

Had they been south or west of Tucson they may have ran into trouble recruiting as many of those settlements were not content per say, but well off enough that marching for months would hold little appeal. But they were north of Tucson and that was a whole different story. Outside of the still forming State (later Kingdom) of Avalon, few were prospering in the North. Native raids, poor harvests, bad weather, raids by other Tucsonians had pushed many to bring. Even those who weren't starving were miserable and exhausted. Sanford offered them a chance to escape from this, a chance to finally return to some measure of normalcy, to make a future for their children when their current situation clearly provided none. For many Sanford seemed a borderline godsend, it was risky sure but the chance to actually have three square meals a day and safety was very tempting, in many places entire settlements joined on.

It was here where Sanford and Maddox first had serious disagreement. Sanford was recruiting anyone who was willing to join while Maddox wanted them to be more selective. The years after the Event had changed people, radicalized many. Some of the settlements they came to where outright cults, and ethnic and political purges were far from unheard of. Maddox feared what some of these groups would do once they joined. Maddox would eventually agree to Sanford's plan (Sanford was one of the few people she couldn't brow beat easily) but the arguments put a rift in their professional relationship. The second disagreement came over choice of targets. Sanford was determined to claim the Capital, Hattusa, first and wanted to throw everything at it. He believed that once the capital was taken it would be simple to divide and conquer the rest of the empire. Maddox on the other hand wanted to go south towards what would of been Aleppo, she believed conquering the South and it's ports would allow them access to better trade (Sanford had limited and indirect trade with the Minoans by this point, mainly olive oil) which could strengthen their forces. Eventually they reached an agreement that neither liked. The army would be split in two, with Maddox taking the weaker forces and noncombatants towards a city a little ways south of Hattusa, Salatiwara. Salatiwara's governor had already made secret agreements with Sanford in exchange for mercy.

The two would spend months organizing and training their rag-tag army. Forming one of the larger settlements north of Tucson for a time. Maddox did her best to make sure everything was accounted for and everything was rationed appropriately. Modern Firearms and modified vehicles were used along side muskets and mule and oxen drawn cannons. They even adopted a crude uniform of sorts, three green patches. One on each arm and one on the front of their shirt. Their army was still little better than a militia but at least most of those fighting understood what trigger discipline was, at least in theory. Finally in early February of 5 A.E, Maddox and Sanford broke camp and marched their armies east.

It would be the last time the two would ever see each other.
/
So the Haynes story is a bit different in that unlike Wilson I want it to cover the events leading to the expedition and events later on. I had originally intended this to be one update but I realized my plans for it were probably gonna be long.

 

[Teen Spirit]

The Siege of Hattusa
The journey to Hattusa was a difficult one for Sanford. The Hittite Empire had a road system for it's military and trade but the roads were in their infancy at this point, built upon old roads and the trails of goat herders and parts of it had become damaged in the unrest that gripped the empire. To further complicate things most of their route to Hattusa took them through mountains and it was the middle of (an admittedly average) winter. While Sanford had prepared for this, ensuring everyone had heavy coats and what winter gear they could find in Tucson, snow and freezing temperatures took their toll on the expedition. Animals died, supplies were lost, and one of the last remaining working trucks in the entire world was lost after it fell off a mountain pass. A few times some suggested turning back and it was only Sanford's charisma and promises of a better future that kept the expedition intact. Eventually after weeks of travel, Sanford and his forces were able to reach the outskirts of Hattusa.

The site of Hattusa brought with it considerably mixed feelings. While the city had not yet reached the heights it would in the original timeline, the city was never the less an impressive site. Surrounded on all sides by tall, thick stone walls that also divided the city into various quarters; surrounded by acre after acre of farmland, smaller towns and trading posts. It was larger and better built than anything anyone in the expedition had seen of this time since they arrived. And yet for many it was also a cold reminder of their situation, the tent cities maybe have been temporary but even their hopefully soon to be permanent residence was intensely primitive by the standards they had once known. The Event was barely half a decade ago for them, the only people without solid memories of their old lives in Tucson were children. For many the sight of Hattusa was a sign that whatever they built here, even if Sanford was able to deliver everything he promised, it would still be a massive step back from the lives they had. An obvious truth, but one that many had spent years trying to deny.

As Sanford prepared to lay siege to Hattusa he was greeted by a most unexpected guest, an envoy from Hattusa sent to negotiate. Hattusa was currently controlled by King Irnuit, cousin of the late Labrana. The diplomat (through translators) claimed Irnuit was willing to negotiate with Sanford, maybe even reach a power sharing agreement. Sanford had little desire to share power with some weak king who couldn't control his kingdom but he figured Irnuit was a reasonable sort who could be negotiated with. Negotiations would drag on for a week, with numerous envoys exchanged and even a few face to face meetings held.

Of course Irnuit had no intention of sharing power with some savage from the west, in actuality he was playing a desperate gamble, stalling for time while his main army regroup marched towards the city. the gambit bore some success, the army nearly catching Sanford completely off guard. Only the quick warning of some foragers gave him any time to prepare.

Sanford had roughly 650 men and women under arms, many of them with only a few months of less then standard training. Between the garrison at Hattusa and the approaching army Irnuit had four times that number, over 2600 soldiers. Despite the chaotic nature of situation Sanford was able to order his forces to 'circle the wagons' and prepare a defense.

Cannons and Pre-Event firearms were used to thin the ranks of the Hittite forces and sow chaos and fear. When the Hittites were close enough, Sanford unleashed the muskets and other Post-Event weapons. Accuracy and fire discipline were average for the most part. Muskets were simple to use but but some of them had proven quite crude, more than one life had been lost from a malfunction or improper handling. Still, the result was an overwhelming victory for Sanford as the Hittites broke before the reached the American line. The Hittites were disciplined but the shock of facing guns in massed combat was too much for them to handle. Sanford has killed hundreds and broken an army of thousands, only losing a dozen or so in return.

Still, Sanford was enraged. He had been played, he had been made to look the fool. He ordered a bombardment of the main gate of the city, using nearly half of his remaining black powder reserves to reduce that part of the wall to rubble. He then ordered his best troops to drag the Hittite king out of the city in chains. They were able to do so relatively easily, the garrison effectively broken by the battle. They returned an hour later, dumping the king at Sanford's feet. Sanford had him stomped to death by some of his more violent followers to avoid wasting any more ammo. A collection of nobles surrendered the city shortly afterwards.

While it hadn't gone as smoothly as he would have liked, Sanford had taken Hattusa.

The Battle of Salatiwara
Maddox faced an easier route but most of those traveling with her were non-combatants. Mothers, young children, those with health or mental issues that made them a liability in combat, and those too old to fight but still able to travel. Their trip was slower than she would have liked, hindered by the occasional Hittite Raid. She arrived at Saltiwara two weeks after Sanford took Hattusa. When she arrived she found the city under siege. A rival cousin of Irnuits was trying to take city and use it as a rallying point for a push towards Hattusa. The governor of Salatiwara holding out largely because he feared Sanford more than he feared any of his countrymen.

The force besieging Salatiwara was less than half the size of Irnuit's army but Sophia had only a couple hundred people who were able to fight. Luckily Maddox had the element of surprise on her side. She hide some of her best shooters as close to the besieging army as could. Then she marched down the road, riding a rare Pre-Event American horse (An Andalusian specifically), clad in armor she had worn during her college days in the Society for Creative Anarchism, behind her was a small force of a few dozen men and women. Once she was certain she was within ear shot of the army she began shouting demands for their surrender.

The besieging Hittites laughed at her until one of their commander's head suddenly exploded. Hidden sharpshooters began firing upon the gathered Hitties, aiming for anyone who looked important. Between the crack of gunfire and the screams of confusion and terror, Maddox repeat her call for surrender. Threatening to lay waste to the Hittites with their 'magic' and that a larger more powerful force would be here soon. The would be Hittite King had heard tales of the western barbarians, specifically of their might and savagery. Now that he had some proof of these tales, he called for an immediate retreat. Even if he could defeat this strange woman he worried it would cost his army too much to make it worth it. Maddox's gambit had largely paid off. as soon as the army was out of sight, the Governor of Salatiwara ordered the city gates opened. Maddox hurried her people into the city, watched by curious and fearful Hittites, the two groups staring at each other with worried eyes. Maddox quickly took control of the city. The opening phase of the expedition's conquest was complete.

The Hattusa Constitution
Sanford worked quickly to try and expand his area of control, sending out messengers proclaiming his control of Hattusa to every part of the empire. Sanford had no ambitions of making himself any sort of King but he did want his new state to be seen as a successor to Hittite Empire, falsely claiming that Irnuit had willing seceded control of the empire to him. This tactic had some limited success, a number of cities and armies to the north and west of Hattusa acknowledge Sanford's authority out of fear of reprisal. Many other lords and the few remaining claimants to the throne were left paralyzed by Sanford's messages. They didn't want to acknowledge his authority but most new challenging these Americans would only earn them a swift death. And the constant fighting and plague had left almost every part of the empire exhausted and in near ruin. Before Sanford could capitalize on this though, he found himself facing a new problem, one that had been brewing for years.

While Maddox had generally taken over the role of Sanford's second in command. There was still that core of former criminals, many of them ex-gang members, who Sanford had liberated from certain death in prison all those years ago. They had become in many ways Sanford's main agents in the expedition, ensuring order was maintained. While most were still loyal, many had become resentful. Feeling like they had been sidelined by Maddox and her supporters. Feeling that Sanford had forgotten that without them, he would have never escaped Tucson. To further complicate matters was the issue Sanford's planned government. Naturally Sanford had long promised his new state would be a republic "Eventually" but in the mean time he announced plans for a transitional government. What would basically be a dictatorship dominated by him, Maddox and a few others. This was not incredibly popular among the new residents of Hattusa. Despite her skills, Maddox was not popular among many in the expedition. Her at times overbearing attitude and the general perception of her as a Liberal outsider grated on many in the expedition, particular the more conservative elements. Sanford's disloyal lieutenants saw this discontent and realized the opportunity it presented. After a series of late night meetings with various former settlement leaders, three of Sanford's lieutenants marched into his office (a room located within the Great Temple) and presented what the called "The Hattusa Constitution" which amounted to a series of demands barely dressed up as a legal documents. The Constitution demand numerous things ranging from religious protection to restrictions on rights for native Hittites. The biggest clauses were ones related to power, the constitution was effectively a soft coup, greatly reducing Sanford's power, and completely removing Maddox from any sort of political office. Sanford at first rejected the Constitution, tossing it off his desk in an angry huff. Then his lieutenants pointed to the number of people who signed the Constitution. Telling him that if he didn't sign it now, the others would get someone else to sign it next time. At near gunpoint, Sanford reluctantly signed the constitution.

In their haste to secure power, the lieutenants had overestimated their support. Not realizing that many of their numbers were even more unpopular than Maddox. Unrest from all sides gripped the city for weeks. Several groups would abandon the city entirely. Going on to eventually found several breakaway states. To further complicate matters, news of the unrest and the Constitution spread to Salatiwara, tipping off Maddox before she could be dealt with. At first Maddox considered marching towards Hattusa and liberating Sanford. But she ultimately decided against it, having grown frustrated with Sanford and realizing that even if she took Hattusa it would bleed them too much. Any dreams of conquering the Hitties entirely were dead, why spill blood pretending otherwise? Instead she cut ties with Hattusa and announced her own rival government. Things would eventually quiet down, Sanford and Maddox's factions eventually turning into the Hattusa Republic and the New Roman Consulate respectively. But the expedition was done for, every new conquest carried with it the risk of provoking an all out war between the two major powers in the region.

The chaos caused by the Hattusa coup and Maddox's secession gave the Hittites some much needed breathing room. Allowing the empire to reestablish itself further south under the reign of Tudhaliya I. Though the state remains in many ways a shell of it's former self.
/
Yeah I got busy with college for a while. Still am to an extent. I'll have more updates covering the various powers in the region and more of Haynes' Story but hopefully this was interesting.

 

[Teen Spirit]

"Sanford dreamed of an empire, only to find himself shackled to it's throne."
-Consul Sophia Maddox, New Roman Consulate

"The Lions still stand at the gate. The Empire may have fallen but Hattusa remains. The Americans have taken the heart of the empire into their own chest. Transforming it and themselves. The empire maybe dead but it may rise again."
- Zullanni, Hittie Merchant

The Unwanted Government
The Soft Coup had imposed a number of demands and restrictions upon President Thomas Sanford. And while the chaos that surrounded the first days after the coup did allow him to gain back some measure of power, he was still shackled with a number of obligations. These obligations forced him to impose a number of laws. The biggest of these would be the Settlement act. The Settlement act extensively decentralized the new Republic, giving control of every city and village outside of area immediately surrounding Hattusa itself to one of Sanford's Lieutenants or one of their allies. The Settlement act effectively turned Hattusa into a kind of neo-feudal state as these newly made governors and mayors were only obligated to provide taxes (In the form of labor and grain) to Hattusa and provide troops in times of war. Leaving Hattusa itself with little say over the day to day running of these cities and provinces. Each newly made governor and mayor ran their new fiefdom differently. Some became little more than bandits, using uptime enforcers to enslave the native Hittites and work them in farms and mines. Others focused on religion, preaching to uptimers their own particular creed. While a few would try to run their fiefs in an effective manner, most Governors quickly became corrupt. Using their lands to live a comfortable life while leaving the day to day administration to whoever was willing. Corruption became widespread, with Hattusa received far less in taxes than it was promised.

To further complicate manners the Soft Coup had imposed a five man council on Sanford. These men were elected by the various governors and mayors. Any laws, any decrees, any actions taken by Sanford had to be approved by the council, either a simple majority or a unanimous vote depending on the situation. Naturally many of the governors took to electing men who's main purpose was to slow down and obstruct anything they felt was a threat to their power. Council members who seemed to side with Sanford too often would find themselves subject to recall elections, and were replaced with men and women more aligned with the governors. This left The Hattusa Republic rather stagnate in it's early years. Maddox leaving Sanford unable to expand militarily and his own governors leaving him shackled politically.

This would change somewhat with the Zalpa Incident and the coming of the New Pueblo

The Zalpa Incident
The city of Zalpa was on the north-western edge of the Hattusa Republic and acted as Hattusa's main port on the Black Sea. Zalpa had fallen under the Governorship of one Karl Jefferson, a twenty nine year old man who had been in prison on drug charges when Sanford busted him out. Despite involvement in the Coup and his eccentric behavior (Such as taking a harem of five wives and two husbands), Karl was generally one of the more effective governors in the early years, doing his best to ensure to fullfil the tax quotas he had promised Hattusa and trying to build up his city, installing forges and even experimenting with plumbing. However Zalpa had a number of cities between it and Hattusa. Foremost among them were the cities of Kaska and Corum. Both of which had a habit of collecting their own taxes on anything coming to or leaving. The largely amounted to wholesale theft of goods and enslavement of Hittite workers. This left Zalpa in a bind economically as it's trade was greatly hampered and it became increasingly difficult for more advanced uptime goods and materials to reach the city. Numerous times Jefferson sent complaints down to Hattusa. And while Sanford was more than sympathetic the most he could do was arrange a (unsuccessful) meeting between the three governors, the council vetoed everything else.

With little other options open to him, Jefferson began diverting his trade to the nearby New Pueblo state. The New Pueblo was hardly unknown to Hattusa as many of the States founders had left Hattusa after the Coup. Relations between the two states was frosty at the best of times. The two states were competing for resources, land, and manpower. Not to mention being ideologically at almost opposite ends. Hattusa generally leaned towards the political right wing and was a highly decentralized state while the New Pueblo was solidly on the left, Anti-Religious and was fairly centralized for the time period. Sanford protested Jefferson's trade agreement but was unable to do anything against him.

Economic ties soon gave way towards political agreements and in 10 A.E Jefferson dropped any pretense of loyalty to Hattusa and officially joined the New Pueblo. Jefferson had actually been considering defection since the first Pueblo traders reached Zalpa. He only waited because it took some time before the New Pueblo came to him with an offer he found to his liking. This defection would not go unanswered, losing part of the Republic was the one thing even the most nominally loyal governor couldn't tolerate, if only out of fear of their enemies using it as a chance invade. Sanford demanded the New Pueblo turn over Zalpa. When they refused he quickly declared war.

The Zalpa War would prove to be a near total disaster for Hattusa. Despite having large numbers and theoretically better weapons, Sanford found himself with an army utterly unprepared to fight the New Pueblo. Many of the governors had kept their best men and weapons in reserve for personal defense and sent Sanford poorly trained Hittite conscripts armed with incredibly crude firearms and in some cases even Bronze weapons. The New Pueblo would utterly smash this army in the Battle of Zalpa, a battle which would cost Sanford an eye.

Sanford was able to prevent a complete collapse by convincing the Governors to release their "Reserves" and form a more proper army. This army was able to deliver a major victory at the Battle of Nerik. Though Sanford lacked the strength to capitalize on the victory and was forced to sign a treaty that acknowledged the New Pueblo's dominion over Zalpa.

The Shackles Loosen
Sanford did his best to make the most of fallout from the Zalpa War. having the governor of Corum imprisoned and his counterpart in Kaska executed for causing the events that lead to the conflict. He then pressed the governors into agreeing to a number of reforms. A ban was placed on provinces taxing other provinces. The Hattusa Council would be expanded to ten members, half appointed by the governors, two elected by the citizens (Americans and those of sufficiently American birth) of Hattusa, and three appointed by the President. With the president acting as a tie breaker in deadlock situations. Sanford was also granted the ability to set the tax quotas for each of the provinces and cities, though they could apply for extensions and exceptions. Most importantly, Sanford was given far more power militarily. Able to set standards for troops strength and equipment, while also able to inspect each governor's forces to ensure standards are being met. These reforms encouraged a rapid restructuring of the armed forces. Most provinces played to their strengths, those with larger populations tended to focus on building larger armies composed of both Americans and 'honorary Americans', while smaller provinces focused more on higher quality guns and artillery. The city of Turhal in particular would become famous for it's metal works.

Sanford was still heavily restrained, but he at least now had the power to ensure nothing like Zalpa would happen again.

 

[Teen Spirit]

The Status of Hittites
Hittites still compose the overwhelming majority of the population of Hattusa and the former empire. As of 20 A.E there are only roughly 2,000 Americans and those of American decent living within the entire Republic, compared to the 30,000 Hittites living in Hattusa alone. And Sanford has made numerous attempts to present the Republic as the rightful successors of the Hittite Empire. Despite this, the Hittites remain largely second class citizens within their own empire.

There is no uniform policy for how to treat Hittites. Numerous efforts have been attempted but the Hattusa government was sharply divided on the issue. Some provinces keep almost all of them in some form of bondage, ranging from debt slavery to chattel slavery. Others tend to follow Hattusa's example of making the majority of them second class citizens. This largely amounted to Hittites being banned from voting, high ranks in the military, and holding major office.

The remaining nobility proved rather tricky as they proved far too vital to simply get rid of. Most were simply made honorary Americans, a title that on paper at least made them equal to anyone born in Tucson. Sanford would work hard to keep them appeased, offering them many pre-Event gifts from Tucson and access to the few trained doctors he had access to. In turn, many of the nobles would have Americans marry into their families, even adopting some of them as their heirs. Quite a few nobles still hold important titles and ranks. The Gal dubsar (Chief of Scribes) remains a Hittite for example. Though the prestige and power of the scribes has waned as Sanford encourages more and more of the nobility to learn both written and spoken English.

To further complicate matters there is the Hattusa legal code. The Hattusa core region effectively runs on two different sets of laws. For much of the Hittite population the old laws remain almost intact, with the majority of crimes seeing a downgrade in terms of punishment. Sanford had intended to replace the death penalty in all but the most serious cases with imprisonment but quickly realized that would be impractical considering the current state of technology, instead opting to use enslavement and public humiliation as a common punishment for all but the most severe crimes. Americans of all stripes however are subject to a far less severe legal code. One that grants them numerous rights such as the right to a trial by jury and various means of government support for American run-businesses. In cases where Hittite interests and American interests clash, Americans are favored almost 100% of the time.

Matters of Faith
"The Hattusa Republic is a nation founded on Faith" reads one line in the Hattusa constitution. One of the many requirements insisted upon during the Soft Coup by the more right wing elements. Officially all citizens, Hittite and American, must profess some manner of faith. Christians in particular are listed as a protected class, allowing them to proselytize without fear of government interference. A few more radical elements early on attempted to make the Hattusa Republic a Christian state and outlaw the Hittite priesthood entirely but Sanford was able to talk them out of it by pointing out how necessary the priests were to the continued function of the republic. The Christian community numbers roughly 7,000 strong in the city itself, divided between various churches and sects both new and old. The catholic church maintains a strong presence under the leadership of self appointed Archbishop Robert Beecher. Sanford himself keeps the specifics of his own faith quiet, not wanting to further weakening his position by revealing he was a member of one of the more Heterodox sects to arise out of the event.

The Hittite religion has withered in the years since Sanford's conquest. While the priesthood at first proved Vital to Sanford's control over the city, they have been slowly pushed to the sidelines as the years went on, replaced by Sanford with secular civil administrators. The Hittite gods aren't banned, but they aren't protected either. And after a failed conspiracy in 11 A.E was linked back to one of the priests of the god Tarḫunna, Sanford had all temples in and around the city placed under surveillance. The city's temples remain open, but the crowds grow smaller each year.

The various governors have taken different approaches to the issue of faith in their fiefdoms. Ranging from repression and temple burning to a select few even converting or syncretizing the Hittite gods with their own beliefs.

Hattusa in 20 A.E
The Zalpa War was the last major armed conflict Hattusa has faced as of yet. Though it remains in a de-facto state of war with both the New Roman Consulate and the New Pueblo. Convey attacks, acts of economic sabotage and even border raids are far from unheard of. These attacks, combined with Hattusa's distance from Tucson, and the devastation caused by the collapse of the Hittite Empire have left the Hattusa economy under developed, limited largely to internal trade and some trade along the Black Sea. Trips to Tucson are few and far between. No one's going hungry (Well, no Americans are at least) but the aging Sanford grows frustrated. Over a decade spent watching his dream be constrained by so many people has left the man bitter and bellicose.

But his years of waiting have born fruit. Hattusa now has a proper army and after years of sweet talking and negotiations, Sanford has managed to convince the governors that a second expedition is worth the risk. That they can finally see Maddox pay for her treason and smash the false southern empire.

Sanford spends more and more time each day staring at his old maps, dreaming of completing the vision he started all those years before, claiming the Hittite Empire in it's entirety.

 

[Teen Spirit]

December 13th, 5 A.E
Salatiwara

The screams of people half a decade dead dragged Haynes out of his sleep. For a brief moment he was disoriented, reaching for someone who wasn't there. Before sense reasserted itself and buried those memories again. Judging by the light coming into his room it was somewhat early in the morning. late enough that he didn't have to pretend he was going to get anymore sleep. David wiped the sweat from his brow and pulled himself out of his sleeping bag.

He looked around his room. Once the bedroom of some Hittite nobleman who was now dead or had fled to the south, now it belonged to out of work truck driver turned unofficial police officer. Which just about summed up the present state of the world.

Haynes looked himself over in his mirror, salvaged from a truck, and briefly debated if he should risk shaving or just embrace the beard. He ultimately decided that was an issue for tomorrow and started to change, he had more important things to worry today.

Walking out onto the streets of Saltiwara he was greeted by an all too familiar noise, people screaming at each other. This time at least it was two Americans instead of an American yelling at a Hittite. Haynes watched the two men for a moment as the squabbled over the ownership of a set of pots. After he was sure they weren't going to dissolve into violence he moved on.

He and the other Americans had taken over the noble quarter and part of the merchant quarter as well. Tents lined the streets as people were still figuring out where to live. There was something surreal walking the streets of a city designed thousands of years before the advent of cars. Before the advent of horses even, outside of Maddox's own stead the only animals that could transport anything around here where mules and oxen. Even the wider streets were so narrow compared to what he had once known. Fully populated this place probably felt unbelievably cramped. And Haynes dreaded to think of what it smelled like in the Summer. Thankfully this place had a sewer system, albeit a rather primitive one. Some of the former engineering students had plans to improve it but no one was certain if those plans were remotely practical, and they had so many other pirorties to deal with first.

Cold air washed over him as he made his way to the palace, past food stalls and downtimer merchants selling pottery and jewels. A sense of normal was starting to take hold. Both sides were actually willing to walk the streets again, the two groups were starting to actually intermingle a bit. Mostly just the merchants and noble children though. The nobility tolerated them and the common folks, the farmers and herders who spent their winters in the city. He had seen the hateful stares some of them gave him. Months of martial law had put a stop to any attacks on the Americans but that only made the tension and fear worse.

Haynes sympathized for how little that was worth. To these people, he must have seemed like some sort of alien being. Speaking some incomprehensible language, wielding weapons that shattered armor from hundreds of yards of way, their entire way of life being upended in a matter of months, to say nothing of the plague that ravaged the countryside after the Event.

He approached the Palace. Apparently it was belonged to the king before the empire collapsed.Haynes was less than impressed by the place, between the flat roofs and the white walls it honestly reminded him more of a white washed pueblo than anything else.

A collection of guards, both uptimers and downtimers, greeted him as he walked in. Sloan briefly nodded at him before returning to her rooftop patrol.

Maddox had set up her office in the throne room. She had originally taken a far more modest and more centrally located office but that had lead many of the nobles to think the old governor was still in charge, which offended Maddox a great deal.

Haynes found Maddox in a all too familiar situation, she was screaming at someone.

"What the hell do you mean you want to execute him?!" Sophia barked at a cowering noble and his translator

The nobleman spoke something in Hittite to the translator. A few of the others had managed to pick up some of the language but so far that had proven too much of a challenge for him

"The boy did not keep proper c-care of of h-his" The translator stumbled for a moment before gesturing to his hair "To be so unkept when preparing food is insult to the gods. The codes dictate that he and his entire bloodline be erased for such an offense."

Haynes shook his head in disbelief as he watched. If there was one thing he had learned about the Hittites in his time here, is that they favored the brutal side of justice to a frankly terrifying degree.

Sophia held her head in hand as she rested against the desk for a moment.

"Were not doing that." Maddox's voice was low and flat, as if daring the nobleman to challenge them.

The noble spoke again, practically whispering his words to the translator.

"What do you intend to do with the boy then, sir?" The translator said respectfully "The people will not eat there if they know he remains there.

"Just put him on fishing duty." Maddox said with a sigh "I have people who can show him how to work the river nets."

The noble bowed and departed, staring at Haynes briefly as he passed

"Ah, Mr.Haynes, good. Come in come in." Maddox's gestured warmly

Haynes walked into the small former throne room. His eyes briefly glancing at the odd mix of Hittite and American items before refocusing on Maddox. "Thank you."

"So, why did you want to see me today?" Maddox asked as she stared at one of the several books laid out across her desk.

"Not me personally." Haynes admitted "I'm here on behalf of a number of people."

"Ahh." Maddox nodded "They're too scared so they're sending you into the Lion's den, so to speak."

Haynes nodded "Pretty much. A number of people are starting to get concerned about your control of the guns, particularly the older guns. It seems a number of them used to be owned by some of the people here and they're starting to wonder when they could get them back?"

For a long, painful moment Maddox simply stared at him.

"Is this a joke?" She asked

"No, I assure you it is nothing of the sort." Haynes replied evenly

"Do they realize how little pre-Event ammo we have?!" She exclaimed "Once that's gone it's gone and I don't even know how to make freaking percussion caps yet or where to get the Mercury fulminate I need for it. And they want their guns back?"

Haynes wasn't even sure what fulminate was.

"I know." He said sympathetically "but things have started to get relatively normal. Hattusa's not going to invade anytime soon and none of the other Hittites look like their going to attack."

"Yeah, and?" Maddox replied bluntly

"Well some of the others think that since things are calm now, that you holding onto their guns is a violation of their rights. You know second amendment and all that."

Personally Haynes thought they were being absurd but better someone bring it up rather than let the issue boil under the surface.

"That implies the Second amendment is still in effect in anyway shape or form." Maddox retorted

"I get that but a lot of people thought that Sanford's promise to restore America came with some certain basic guarantees."

"That was Sanford." Maddox all but spat the name "I've made no such promise. I'm not trying to build a new United states out here."

That caught Haynes off guard. Sure he had been under no delusion that democracy and anything resembling a republican government would be put in place anytime soon but he had assumed Maddox eventually wanted to recreate the United States to at least some degree.

"You aren't?" Haynes questioned "Why not?"

"Well for starters. The moment we declare ourselves the rightful government of the United States of America, every American-born president, dictator, supreme leader, high chairman and King is going to think they have a target painted on their back. That sooner or later we're going to try and reunite the lost sons of Tucson. We already have a big enough enemy with Sanford, I don't need to be making more." Maddox explained

That was a fairly reasonable point

She went on "And you just demonstrated the second point. Acting like we're the United States carries with it expectations. People want us to adhere to a constitution and laws that functionally only exist in our memories now. I promised you guys a democratic government within a reasonable time frame, I didn't promise anyone I would restore the Bill of Rights. I'm not letting them waste what little ammo we have because of 'muh rights'. America is dead, and I won't be shackled by it's flaws. We need to start over and build a state more suitable for our time period"

"What kind of state is that?" Haynes asked

"Well for starters one strong enough and flexible enough to survive the mess we've created." Maddox answered

 

[Teen Spirit]

"Rome as we know it does not exist, according to travelers a small village used by semi-nomadic pastoralists occupies the Palatine Hill. Romulus will never kill his brother, Caesar will never cross the Rubicon, Mehmed will never bring down the walls of Constantinople. It's history has been completely undone. But it's symbols remain, and even orphan symbols can still have meaning."
-Consul Sophia Maddox

"If my travels have taught me anything, it's that if one is to survive in this new world one must know when to be flexible and when to be unyielding."
- Elicia Baxter, 'The World Since the Event'

"We had assumed this New Rome was the creation of another madman. Many have claimed the titles of ancient uptime or even fictional states, and in almost every case these madmen never get beyond a single village, their rule only lasting as the natives tolerated them. That this Consulate endures is...curious, to say the least."
- Professor Harold Fox, New Pueblo

Aftermath of the Soft Coup
The Soft Coup left Maddox and the city of Salatiwara in a dangerous and confused position. While the loyalty of most of the group that had followed Maddox was in little doubt, in large part due to Sanford largely giving Maddox whole groups of people he figured would less that suited for any fighting, there were concerns that those behind the events in Hattusa had allies in Salatiwara. Particularly among the Hittite nobility, as they had made the deal to surrender the city with Sanford, not Maddox. Her deposing of the Governor not long after she arrived had also soured the Hittite view of her somewhat. And when news came that Maddox had split from Hattusa, a number of the remaining Hittite nobles and Merchants made efforts to have her removed from power, as many of them had come to resent this uncouth woman ruling over the city and feared what an invasion from Sanford would bring. These efforts were defeated, sometimes violently. For months the noble and Merchant quarters of Salatiwara (the parts of the city most heavily populated by Americans) existed in a state of de-facto marital, with Maddox's limited military forces divided between patrolling the streets and watching the walls

When it became clear that Sanford wasn't going to invade anytime soon, Maddox scrambled to secure as much of the nearby land as she could without triggering an all out war. This largely amounted to send groups of four or of her militia with a Hittite who could translate to outlying settlements and farming settlements and informing them that they now owed fealty to Salatiwara and Salatiwara exclusively. An encounter with a patrol from Hattusa several months later put a halt to these efforts for the most part. Leaving with Sophia with control over the areas around the Salt Lake Tuz and part of the Kizilirmak river (Known to the Hittites as the Marassantiya River) with some influence over lands to the west and east of the city. It wasn't a lot of land but it was more than enough to sustain the now quasi City-State and keep the markets open.

A Matter of Rights
The details of Sanford and Maddox's plan for the future of their state had always been vague as getting a new home took priority, but Maddox had always known Sanford wanted to restore America in some capacity, a vision she did not share. The recruitment drive for the expedition had taken her across dozens of settlements and villages made or conquered by Americans and in those settlements, she had seen how much people had changed. Men who had once been Bartenders were now brutally enslaving natives, men others had described to her as sound and rationally were discovered following radical cults of every stripe. She had seen hundreds lose all faith and just as many find faith because of the Event. To Maddox, the people of Tucson had simply changed to much to ever return to anything resembling the old ways. There was also the lack of institutional knowledge and her fears of the expectations that came with any dreams of rebuilding America. The United States was dead in her mind, if she wanted her new state to survive for any length of time it needed to be different. She envisioned a centralized and meritocratic but still democratic Republic. One that could make good use of the limited population in Salatiwara. Before she could even begin to implement her plans she quickly ran into a issue. That of guns.

Part of the requirement for joining the Sanford Expedition was to hand over any guns and ammo they had, only to given back for a limited time as needed. This was both to cut down on violence within the Expedition and to preserve their supplies of Pre-Event ammo. The expectation was that the Expedition would use all of the ammo up during the fighting, making the fate of the guns a far more trivial matter. But with the Expedition ended far sooner than expected, Maddox found herself with a small but notable supply of pistol and rifle ammo. She held onto the remaining pre-Event weaponry, only giving it out to those on patrol who were required to lock up their weapons and ammo at the end of their shift. This became a problem as people started demanding to have their guns returned or at least given one in return for the one they originally surrendered. Maddox refused, citing general need and lack of any promise to return them. While Maddox had developed a reputation as being rather terrifying to both Americans and Hittites, she found herself unable to simply ignore or shout down the complaints. And they only grew louder as the months pressed on. Soon she realized that ignoring this issue would lead to serious trouble. Something had to be done. A compromise was needed.

She announced there would be a public forum on the issue, she urged every American family in and around Salatiwara to send at least one of their own to the event so everyone could hear and have a voice. Hundreds gathered in the palace courtyard, there Maddox made an impassioned speech arguing her position. While she lacked Sanford's raw charisma she had learned some tricks over the years. She pointed how vital every bullet was needed for defense against Sanford and his criminal minions, terrifying the audience with tales of what those behind the coup had done in their own little territories. She then admitted that her original plan had overstepped the line. She purposed a system where people could have their guns returned, provided they receive firearm safety training and agree to serve on in the city guard (The new name for the Militia) at least part time. Her passion and words did a lot to win over or at least placate many but she realized plenty others were still unhappy about it. Shortly there after she announced she would no longer act as a dictator in all but name, instead she created the office of Consul to serve as both the head of state and head of government for Salatiwara and that in three months there would be an election for the office. Maddox was playing a gambit, using this election as a referendum on her policies, particularly the one on guns. Maddox would win the election, in part because three people ran against Maddox, dividing her opposition. Now somewhat confident of her position. Maddox pressed ahead with her agenda, though she realized the value of the public forum and made it a regular part of her rule going forward.

The Legacy of Rome
While Sophia Maddox's Pre-Event academic career would ultimately take her down a different path, she had a passion for history. Particularly that of the Roman Republic. She admired men like the Gracchi brothers, Scipio Africanus, Cincinnatus, and Lucius Junius Brutus. Holding a ( highly idealized) view of them as champions of democracy in ancient times. At first she did her best not to think of her old interests, ignoring them as best she could. But soon she began to wonder if Rome could be a source of inspiration for her new state. After all they risen from a single city to a power that controlled the Mediterranean. And Maddox didn't just want her city to survive, she wanted it to thrive.

The Expedition's failure may have stalled the conquests but she still dreamed of creating a republic that controlled much of the old Hittite Empire, maybe even eventually conquering the Assyrians and Babylon. She realized such a dream would likely never occur within her lifetime, but such a thing could be possible for future generations if she laid the proper groundwork. In Rome she saw not only a model for a Republic that could not only endure the troubles ahead, but also a symbol she could use to rally the people. To give them something to actually feel loyalty to beyond herself and their general needs, create a new national identity.

She realized such a thing couldn't be done subtly nor could it be forced upon them. She had to sell it to the people and she had to do it carefully. At a Public Forum one day in early 8 A.E she asked the public a simple question

"What do you want for the future of our nation?"

 

[Teen Spirit]

The Maddox Dialogues
The question got the reaction Maddox had hoped for. Most gathered at the forum admitted they hadn't really put much thought into what they wanted for their nation. Most had barely thought of what they had as a nation. Those who had said they wanted stability and freedom for their kids. To ensure they didn't end up under the thumb of someone like Sanford's thugs. Maddox spoke of the importance of them building a state. How they had to do more than just survive, they had to create a Republic so that future generations would descend into tyranny and barbarism. She then went on to argue that the old American model would not work for what they would need to build, pointing to the failures of both the Tucson city government and the military when it came to handling the Event. She argued that the America they knew was too bloated and disorganized to achieve something in this world. To adapt they needed a new government, to thrive they would need a new identity to rally around.

Maddox hadn't leapt into this unprepared, after years of speaking and working with these people she knew many of them shared her disillusionment with America, and she had even discussed in private her plans with people she knew held similar Romanphilic views to her own. Still this talk of a completely different style of democracy and new national indentity spark considerable discourse. Leading to a series of debates that would later be known as the Maddox Dialogues. The Dialogues took place over three months, and would see Maddox define her plans for the nation going forward as she argued against both those who favored more American style republic and those who favored an altogether different style of government (Such as a constitutional monarchy under one of the Hittite nobles or a more direct Swiss style-Democracy). During the debates, Maddox would extol the virtues and merits of Rome's republican government, presenting a (somewhat inaccurate) picture of a government that was both flexible enough to adapt to changing situations yet was strong enough to overcome it's many enemies. She worked hard to keep both her temper and her enthusiasm under control, reacting to any criticisms with grace and doing her best to present her proposal as a moderate option. Explaining that she wanted to create "An American version of Rome" one that would combine the best elements of both states and cultures. Shortly after the New Year in 9 A.E, Maddox laid out her purposed constitution, leaving two copies, one written in Hittite cuneiform the other English, out in public for all to see, a month later a vote was held on the Constitution, it passed by a narrow margin. The New Roman Consulate was born

The New Constitution
The Consulate's constitution replaced the single ruling head of state with a triumvirate, the three consul's acting as both the head of government and head of the military. In times of war the Consuls are to choose among themselves who will hold supreme authority in military matters. Outside of that, any action by one of the Consuls can be overridden by a veto from the other two. Consuls also have the power to appoint judges. Below them is a Senate which serves as main legislative body for the Consulate. Below them is the People's Assembly which is held at the Public Forum. The Assembly is open to all registered Alpha class voters, and has the power to veto any legislation passed by the Senate with a two-thirds majority vote, and can even propose legislation of it's own. The assembly is also given the power to impeach and remove both Consuls and Senators. Elections for almost all positions are held every two years but the Consuls are allowed to call for a new election as needed.

There are two classes for voters, Alpha and Beta . Legally anyone above eighteen years of age who can read Hittite cuneiform is considered a Beta-level voter, but they're only allowed to vote for the Anatolian Tribunes, who act as the voice of the Hittite people in the Senate. To be a Alpha class voter one has to be literate in English at an at least fifth grade level. This effectively limited the vote to the American minority and those Hittite nobles and merchant who had so far picked up written English. Further education requirements are placed on actually running for office or serving as an officer in the military, largely restricting those offices to Americans for the time being. This was entirely by design as Maddox wanted to ensure that the Hittite majority was not able to easily overwhelm the Americans until the American population had time to expand and the Hittites had time to 'civilize' in her own words.

The City Guard was reorganized in the Legion of the Republic, which serves as both main defense force for the Consulate and the primary labor force for it's public works programs. There is a lottery based conscription for all citizens between the ages of eighteen and forty, with incentives for anyone who volunteers and/or stays longer than their two year tour of service.

The Hittites and Rome
Relations between the Hittites of Salatiwara and the American minority are a complicated affair. While Maddox certainly treated them with a far fairer hand than Sanford and his governors have, she showed much of the same indifference towards Hittite religion and customs, with a notably scornful attitude towards what she considered their more extreme laws. The two class voting system has left much of the Consulate's population as second class citizens but for most this is hardly much of a change. For the average Hittite in Salatiwara they have just as much voice in their government under the Consulate as they did in the old Empire, basically none. Most of the nobility has worked hard to adapt to the Consulate, doing their best to 'Romanize' their children. A few more conservative nobles remain defiant, doing their best to maintain the old ways while seething at their loss of power and prestige.

Unlike Hattusa, Americans and Hittites are (at least in theory), nominally equal under most parts of the law. Murdering a Hittite farmer is just as serious a crime as murdering an American Senator. Consul Maddox going so far as to abolish trial by juries in 15 A.E, as she felt American jurors were far too prone to siding with their own even if the weight of evidence was against them, which tended to greatly upset the Hittites.

Tensions presist and the two groups remain distinctly separate, but there are more and more mixed families each year, and Americans with Hittite names and vice versa are far from unheard of.

Nova Rome
The past decade has seen the Consulate experience a population boom in both it's American and Hittite populations. It's moderate politics appealing to Americans fleeing both Hattusa and the New Pueblo, while it's grain rations and public services saw a large number of Hittites refugees from the collapsing Empire settle within it's borders. The city of Salatiwara itself has begun to change as public works projects look to expand and reorganize the city block by block.

Maddox herself has been in and out of power, suffering an election defeat in 12 A.E only to be returned to power in 18 A.E. Her return to the triumvirate has seen her focus far more on the world outside of the Consulate. Things remain as hostile as ever with Hattusa and spies loyal to her report that Sanford has regained some amount of power. She fears Sanford may soon march to war again. She knows Hattusa has them outnumbered and outgunned, but she also knows that Sanford has plenty of enemies both inside and outside his Republic. She hopes the old strategy of divide and conquer can help keep her vision of Rome alive.

 

[Teen Spirit]

"I suppose we're all running away from something."
-Chase Fitzpatrick, Hattusa Republic

For most, the New Roman Consulate and the Hattusa Republic represent the eastern limit of uptime expansion. Most assume all that lay beyond them is the crumbing remnants of the Hittite Empire, Assyria and countless other downtime states. This is not quite the case, as a number of smaller uptimer controlled states have managed to scratch out an existence in what was once the eastern border of the Hittite Empire. These states are small and considerably weaker than both the Consulate and the Republic, largely enduring because neither state wants to expend the time and resources to deal with them and risk provoking their rival. They are also almost completely cut off from Tucson, depending on limited trade and their own ever shrinking stockpiles of Pre-Event technology. Most who know about the states along the eastern fringe claim they will not last a generation, that they'll collapse or be conquered by a greater power in time. Of course many uptimer nations have said similar things about Hattusa and Salatiwara.

The Disputed Lands
Between the borders of the Hattusa Republic, the Hittite Empire and the New Roman Consulate is an area generally known as The Disputed Lands. All three factions claim some or all of it but and most of it but have so far been unable to exert anything more than a limited amount of influence. Plagues caused by the arrival of Tucson combined with the civil war and later the Sanford Expedition have have left the region devastated, entire cities lay abandoned and have so for over a decade. Since the withdraw of the Empire to the south most people in the Disputed Lands live in small villages of a few dozen or so. In the aftermath of the Soft Coup a number of Sanford's former associates have fled to the region, most quickly turned to banditry, raiding the villages for food and slaves and the Consulate and Republic for tech. One particularly daring man proclaimed himself Emperor of the New Hittite Empire but has yet to extend his influence beyond a few villages, another group formed a quasi-Anarchist commune in one of the Hittite villages. Then there is True America

True America
The largest state in the Disputed Lands.True America's founders claim they were forced out of Hattusa for daring to stand up for liberty and American values during the Soft Coup. The truth is far less noble, they were expelled because they had used the confusion caused by the coup to begin murdering Hittite natives by the dozens and even hundreds in a few cases. Even for the criminals that now dominated Hattusa politically this was far too much to ignore. The men and women who founded True America had grown to hate the Hittites over the course of the Expedition, viewing their culture as backwards, their religion as nonsense and their laws as utterly draconian and barbaric. To them there was nothing salvageable about the Hittites and they found the efforts Sanford and the others went to work with the Hittite nobles to be abhorrent. Life for most Hittites has become harder since the Event but few have it worse than the Hittites who happen to find themselves at the mercy of True America. Many are killed on sight, the rest are worked to death in the farms, the mines and in labor gangs. Those who slack off or try to escape are punished harshly. There aren't many Hittites left in True America as of 20 AE, which suits it's rulers just fine. To them the Hittites are a scourge upon the world that has to be removed. Politically True America is far to the right though this largely amounts to using Far-Right and Libertarian talking points to justify it's more despotic actions. True America has seen a fair number of American immigrants over the years, largely criminals from both Hattusa and the Consulate who fled or escaped prison.

The Median Kingdom
On what was once the eastern border of the Hittite Empire lays the Median Kingdom lead by on King Andrew, formerly Andrew Wright. Andrew Wright was one of Sanford's top lieutenants, arguably the fifth or sixth most important person in the Expedition. Unfortunately for him and his family he had protested strongly against the coup, too strongly for his own good. So he and his family fled, eventually meeting up with a couple dozen others. This group eventually found it's way to small Hittite City along the coast of the Black Sea. Andrew quickly made a deal with the local nobility. In exchange for letting the Americans into the city, they would provide protection against Sanford and whoever else might come to the town. The nobles agreed on one condition, Andrew marry one of the Magistrates daughters. Andrew agreed, going so far as to have several of his family members marry the sons and daughters of other nobles. Not long after he crowned himself King and his new land to be the Median Kingdom. The name came as the result of a miscommunication that led to Andrew thinking the name of the town was Media, it wasn't but the name stuck regardless. Andrew has spent most of the past decade or so trying to present his Kingdom as a safe harbor for both uptimers and downtimers fleeing Hattusa and other despotic states. The kingdom's economy is based largely in fishing and limited coastal trade. Andrew himself has proven a rather popular and personable ruler, enough that most of the population is willing to overlook his occasional fits of eccentricity like insisting every door that faces the ocean be painted yellow or that he occasionally runs through his small palace, naked and screaming.

United States of America (Trebizond)
Few who come from Tucson have traveled further east than Trebizond, even fewer have returned. Trebizond was founded by Hattusa dissents hoping to create a life free from all that chaos and madness they had seen consume Hattusa and every other survivor state they'd lived in. They settled beyond borders of the Hittites, in a land occupied by the Hay people. In uptime this area would have become part of the Hayasa-Azzi tribal confederation, it's people eventually becoming modern day Armenians. But the plagues that ravaged the Hittites hit them almost as hard. Leaving the Hay people in the region with little strength to fight the Americans. The Americans took over one of the larger towns on the coast, a history professor that was traveling with the group named it Trebizond after the old name for the uptime Turkish city of Trabzon. The Americans arrived with little, mostly guns, books, potatoes and few trinkets from their lives before the Event. This has left Trebizond with a far more primitive industry compared to other Survivor states, with flintlock guns and black powder being redeveloped a few years ago. As a result Trebizond is almost entirely focused on agriculture. Trebizond has an elected mayor and a small part time town council, the office of President along with any other Federal office lay vacant for the time being despite their claims of being the lawful successors to the United States. The Americans and Hay people have largely integrated well enough and just about everyone is bilingual as a result. Though the Americans are notably uneasy about the prospect of a downtimer actually running for office. Voting is fine, but actually trying to be on the council or even Mayor? The Americans aren't sure the downtimers are ready for that yet. The current mayor, one Rebecca Simmons has become increasingly distraught about the news they get from Median traders. Most of it is third or even fourth or fifth hand but if any of it is true it is rather concerning. Americans declaring themselves Kings, people acting like their state is Rome reborn, Socialists and Fascists enslaving uptimers and downtimers alike. As far as Rebecca is concerned the rest of the world has gone mad, and Trebizond might just be what they need to bring sanity back. A significant minority share her thoughts and believe it's time for Expedition of their own but most realize Rebecca's ambitions for what they are, a pipe dream.
/
So yeah, not every state is going to get quite the attention and words I've been giving them so far. Hopefully this was interesting. Also apologies for the close up of my map, I know it's hardly the best map in the world.

 

[Teen Spirit]

The Event had a profound effect on the religious beliefs of the survivors of Tucson. But this effect has been far from consistent, there was no great awakening nor was there a massive die off in beliefs. For every person who lost their faith, just as many found faith or saw their beliefs radically change. This was in large part due to both the Event itself and what followed it. For many saw the Event as the ultimate proof of their being a greater power, but for others the idea that their god would do such a thing was deeply and profoundly confusing. Many Christians found themselves wondering why god would send them to a time over a thousand years before the birth of Christ. For many more it was less the Event itself that had shaken their beliefs and more their own actions. Few who survived the Event did so peacefully; be it murdering someone in the first weeks after the event over food or participating in a desperate massacre against the native population of Anatolia (In the majority of cases it was both), many found themselves worrying about their immortal soul. If their actions had condemn them or if they might find some way to redeem themselves.

In the years since the Event, surviving churches have splintered and merged, and dozens of new sects and even new Religions have risen among the survivors of Tucson. Some of these, such as the Kingdoms of God and the New Restorationists will be covered on their own in time. For now let us take a more general look at the things.

Agents of the Light Bringer
Father Santiago was far from the only person to believe that the Event was an act of Satan designed to prevent the birth of Christ (despite the implications of such a claim being heretical to almost every known pre-Event Christian Sect). Many since the fall of the first New America have claimed the Event was an attempt to turn the population of Tucson into the unwitting agents of Lucifer. Thankfully none of them have achieved anything approaching Father Santiago's level of violent success due to their lack of organization and the more extreme ones being rather self destructive. The actions of Father Santiago had also made such beliefs extremely unpopular among most Survivor nations and even among the more free and democratic nations, such preachers are watched closely and often pressured if not forced to leave. Still a few remain wandering Anatolia, urging the people to do what must be done to 'correct' history.

Sede Vacante
Catholics made up over twenty percent of Tucson's pre-Event population and a slightly higher percentage of the survivors. While the Bishop of the Diocese of Tucson had been outside of the city itself when Event occured, much of the city's church leadership had been within the city that day. Overtime much of the surviving Catholic population would end up in Baja Arizona, Nogales, The New Tucson Republic and the Hattusa Republic with smaller populations in The Republic of Rome and the United States (New Washington). For most of the past few decades contact between Hattusa and the rest of the Catholic Community has been limited, leaving the leadership divided between Bishop Peter Green of Baja Arizona and Bishop Robert Beecher of Hattusa. That neither of these Bishops had ordained by another Bishop was a source of controversy for many in their community as it broke Apostolic succession but both argued that these were truly exceptional circumstances and that their self appointments were necessary to keep the Church alive. While some dissented, even leaving the church entirely, most accepted or at least tolerated it. In 16 AE Bishop Green traveled to Hattusa, believing the time had come for a New Pope to be elected (and naturally he sought the position). The meeting quickly proved how problematic such a act would be as the two bishops realized how different their views were on everything from the nature of the Event to general politics. Beecher would not accept Green as Pope and Green realized that there were many in both Baja and Nogales who would prefer the more conservative Beecher over himself. The two agreed that for now the throne would remain vacant to avoid any sort of schism as the two worked to find common ground and find a solution suitable for the church as a whole.

The Many Sons
It is difficult to describe the general situation for Christianity outside of the Catholic church as many have changed greatly since the event and the difficulties in long distance travel have left many with little contact with each other. It is far from unheard of for two different nations to each have a church of the same name with radically different beliefs (The most notable example being the deeply conservative Second Mile church of New Washington and the more mystic Second Mile Church of the American Empire). Additionally the surviving pre-Event churches find themselves competing with wandering holy men and women and wildly divergent Heterodox sects. Most of these new sects are small, sometimes as small as a single church with a couple dozen followers. Strife and even violence between religious sects is far from unheard of. Religious tolerance varies from state to state with most outlawing the more extreme sects. Most believe the chaotic state of Christian community is a result of life in general still being so uncertain and chaotic since the Event and that given time things will (hopefully) calm down and a new equilibrium will be found.

The Survivors
The Muslim, Jewish and Hindu communities of Tucson were hit incredibly hard by the Event. With many other groups using the breakdown of law and order surrounding the Event to enact violent pogroms against them, reducing each of the communities to a couple hundred scattered survivors. They survive though, in small groups, families or even as individuals. Doing their best to rebuild in the more open minded nations or just simply keep their faith alive in the more authoritarian states.

New Faiths of the Ancient World
Some former Tucsonians have abandoned their old beliefs entirely and have instead turned to the various gods of the Bronze Age Mediterranean world. Examples include followers of the Mycenean pantheon in Arcadia and The People's Union and the Cult of Aphrodite Areia in the Minoan Kingdom. Though the latter is a complicated example as while it was created largely by an uptimer, Anax Rachel, the overwhelming majority of it's followers are downtime Minoans. Not to mention Aphrodite herself being a goddess of Classical Greece. Such changes of faith are relatively uncommon, largely limited to the fringes of Tucsonian expansion. For most Uptimers, the idea that ancient gods would inflict them upon their own worshipers is laughable at best.

One faith that is growing is the Church of the Storm God, commonly called the Church of the Storm or the Storm Church. The Storm Church started in the first New America but has since spread to Hattusa, The Emergency Council and the New Roman Consulate. The Storm Church believes that the Event was an act designed to punish both the Americans of Tucson for their decadence and the Hittites for their more brutal ways but that redemption and salvation is possible through the Tarḫunna, the Hittite storm god. The Storm Church was founded by Travis Andac, who claimed he and his Hittite wife received visions of Tucson in flames only for it to be reborn in a massive storm, after which Tarḫunna spoke to them. The Storm Church has proven fairly popular among both Americans and Hittites, particularly among the increasingly common mixed families in the eastern nations. Despite it's name, the Church of the Storm God actually has little in terms of Organization. With doctrine and even beliefs varying radically from group to group. With some treating Tarḫunna as a monotheistic deity and others still including the rest of the Hittite Pantheon. Relations between the Storm Church and most Christian churches ranges from cold to outright hostile as some of the more Neo-Pagan influenced members of the church tend to lay the blame for Event at the hands of the Christian God. Most states tend to tolerate the Storm Church though it's relationship with the Hattusa Republic is rather strained.
/
This is admittedly one I'm nervous about as I'm not particularly religious myself but this is kind of a massively important subject for this TL.