The Battle for the New World

== The Battle for the New World ==
So it was in the year 3310 of the Second Age...
The Tauredain, the native inhabitants of the great Southern Jungles of the Harad since the First Age, were a mighty and powerful people. Many grand city-states of stone and gold dotted the great junglem, each governed by their own Chieftain. They were mostly a peaceful people, worshipping the tree-goddess, Yirisana, and living in harmony with each other, trading and coexisting in peace. 
Until Amuzet the Golden, the Warlord of the Jungle. 
None could have predicted the sudden rise of the great warlord. He came from a family of the noble caste, and was the ruler of the City-State known as Ya'ax Kaah, a wealthy and prosperous city. Amuzet lusted for power and gold for himself. Claiming he was a God-on-Earth, the avatar of an ancient god only remembered by the Tauredain in fear: Xi'ak, the God of Death. He preached that the ancient god was unpleased with the 'decadent and weak' Tauredain people, and that the only way to avert his wrath was a blood-sacrifice, so that Xi'ak might be merciful.
"One land, one King, one God!" was the war cry of his zealous warrior-fanatics who overran the jungles of the south, who spread throughout the jungle like wildfire. Soon, all the cities of the Tauredain fell to the might of the new 'Zaltec Empire'. In the space of only two years, in the great city of Ixal Ka'ah, Amuzet the Golden ascended his golden throne as Emperor of the Jungles. Many accepted his new reign and religion, while others, especialy the lowe classes, chafed under his harsh reign. He united his people through war, and his rule was marked by it. War against the tribes who continued to fight a loosing war to defend their homeland. War against the Moredain, profaned the jungles and stole the sacred Mumakil. War of conquest against the Limwaith of the swamps. 
Amuzet's Empire grew in wealth, might, and ambition: the mighty pyramids of stone and gold grew ever higher into the sky, and human sacrifices to the Xi'ak stained the steps of the temple red. Gold and silver wwere mined from the rich jungle, obsidian was gathered and shaped into weapons. Sapphire, ruby, diamond and opal pale were flowed from the great mines of the Zaltecs. Soon, the Tauredain were one of the most wealthy peoples in Middle-Earth. Soon, the legend of a fabled city of gold pyramids began to spread from the jungle. Amuzet's ambition has not been quenched, no, it has grown. While the Emperor and the nobles feast in cities of gold, the common people are little better then slaves, to build the great pyramids and work their lives in service to the Emperor. The Zaltec Empire, maintained by a precarious balance between the military, emperor, priests, and nobles, is fragile, and is like a tinder-box ready to burst into flame.
Meanwhile, across the Western Sea, a far greater Empire is building a mighty fleet to wage war against the Valar. The Numenoreans were once a mighty and generous people, but were corrupted by the lies of Ar-Pharzon and Sauron the Decciever. Herendil was a Numenorean Mariner, and on a voyage to the lands of Middle-Earth to visit the Faithful of Pelargir, but his ship was thrown wildly off-course by a great storm, and ended up landing shipwrecked on the coast of the jungle. He was treated as a guest of high honor and privelage from a distant Empire by the local Zaltec chief. He was showered with gifts to take back to his King, daggers of obsidian, golden necklaces and statues, diamonds from the jungle, and even more fantastic riches.
He returned with these gifts back the lands of Numenor, finding them much changed. He did not know that while he was away, the heart of Ar-Pharzon had turned to evil, and worship of Melkor. When Ar-Pharzon gazed upon the riches of the South, his heart was full of greed and lust. And so, he sent the most cunning and evil man in all of Numenor to destroy the 'pagans' and take their wealth for use by the 'higher race': Hernando Diaz, the Conquistador of Numenor and the Lord of Umbar. Soon, the watchtowers of the Zaltecs would catch sight of 'tall deer with no antlers', with 'tall men with pale faces and grey eyes', bearing 'weapons of impermeable silver'. Can the Tauredain, a people with weapons of obsidian and no armor, defeat the great Numenoreans, the empire who brought Sauron himself to his knees? Find out in the Battle for the New World!
== The Factions ==
=== The Zaltec Empire ===
The great Tauredain Empire is one of the greatest in Middle-Earth. With their pyramids of stone and gold ascending to the heavens, they are the undisputed masters of the jungle. Although they only bear weapons of simple wood and obsidian, they are numerous, mighty, and zealous. With their war-mounts, the sacred Mumakil, they will not submit to the rule of any foreign power. The Zaltec Empire is one built on blood and slavery, and such has been their rule. They are cruel, and merciless, and their God-Emperor, Amuzet the Golden, is a war-hardened general and ruthless fighter. They know their homeland, the jungles of the south, intimately, and will defend her from foreign invaders. They, however, are utterly unprepared for the technology of the Numenoreans, and the dreaded fire-weapons that they bear
Players: ChazmanianDevil (Amuzet the Golden)
=== The Numenorean Empire ===
The Numenorean Empire, once the chosen children of the Valar, are now locked into conflict with the gods themselves. Their armies and hosts are so mighty, that before even meeting the Numenorean forces in battle, the Orcs of Sauron threw down their arms and fled, while Sauron was brought in chains back to Numenor as prisoner. Sauron corrupted the mind and heart of the king, Ar-Pharzon, and turning him to worship of the Dark Now, in the havens of Anduine in the West, a great fleet is being built to wage war against the Valar and take the Undying Lands, so that the Numenorean people may be immortal. For this reason, Ar-Pharzon has sent the cruelest man in all of Numenor, Hernando Diaz, to wrest control of the jungle from the Zaltec, so that the gold and the trees of the jungle can be put to use for the building of the mighty Great Armament. Armed with sorcerous weapons that Sauron taught the Numenoreans to make, the fire-cannons and muskets, Hernando Diaz is hell-bent on taking the lands of the Zaltec, and utterly destroying their people.
Players: Patrick.vtap (Hernando Diaz)
=== The Company of Herendil ===
Herendil, after being betrayed by the man who he once regarded as his friend, Ar-Pharzon, has secretly sailed west under cover of night to prevent the conquest of the Zaltec so that the Great Armament and the wrath of the Valar can be delayed, and the people of Numenor survive. He, along with some of his loyal men, and his wife, Itallie, are moving east to save the Zaltec from destruction. The Company will face many dangers, including distrust by the Zaltec, and having to face off against the greatest empire in the history of Middle-Earth, the fores of Numenor under Hernando Diaz. 
Players: High Prince Imrahil (Herendil Alqua), Maltidenta (Itallie)