Bison Empire

# **Empire of the Bison:**

The Empire of the Bison, better known as the Bison Empire. Is a small power in the vast continent of North Aballica. This nation built up by many tribes conquered by the largest one known as the Big Horns, has survived for hundreds year. Across the empire there are many cities built from stone and fine materials that are a testament to the strength of the empire. The capital of Claw Lake is a massive city built from stone transported from the mountains to the massive lake which the city sits on.

# **History:**

## Tribe of the Big Horns (500 - 1556):

For thousands of years many tribes came and went throughout North Aballica. However in the year of 500 AD a group of nomads came together to form the Tribe of the Big Horns. This tribe was centered around the large animal of the plains known as the bison to the point were the main religion of the tribe (Hevena) has the only god being a man with a bison head (Monbor). Bison were considered sacred by this tribe and can only be hunted after an animal sacrifice was made to Monbor. The Big Horn tribe moved with the bison near the foothills of the Fang Mountains for hundreds of years. Then one day the tribe learned of agriculture and settled down forming a large city known as Red Dog. The city of Red Dog grew and became a powerful city state, and a future war chief was born when a ball of fire streaked on the sky in 1531. This ball of fire was seen as a bad omen to other tribes but to the Big Horns it was a sign from Monbor.

## War of Conquest (1556 - 1675)

Setting Moon (Red River) was raised in the military, this made him very strong physically and mentally. He also received the best education available and became a very good leader for his tribe and army. When Setting Moon became chief of the Big Horns in 1554 he began laying plans and preparing to expand his empire where the sun sets in the west. 1555 was a year of sacrifice to Monbor, Chief Setting Moon was given his warrior and new chief name by the High Priest after the rivers around Red Dog turned red from the all the blood of sacrifice. Setting Moon became Chief Red River after he bathed in the blood rivers. Then his army was fully equipped and numbered 50,000 and Chief Red River proclaimed that his tribe is now the 'Empire of the Bison' and marched west. Hundreds of villages were conquered by the Big Horn tribe and nations fell under the blue and white banner. However at the age of 82, Chief Red River died in combat during the Siege of Antelope in 1613. His son Lion Fang (born 1556) became chief and continued the war for his late father. Using horses acquired from traders from far away, Chief Lion Fang continues the march west and using the newly conquered tribes and promising their chiefs if they fight for his empire they will be nobles after the war, Chief Lion Fang's army grew and grew. During the Battle of Two Rivers (1643), Chief Lion Fang was killed during a charge he lead, and his son White Rabbit (born 1620) became Chief and continued the war.

Chief White Rabbit employed new tactics of ambush and entrapment to ensure swift victories across the plains. Then in 1673, Chief White Rabbit came to the city of Claw Lake and laid siege upon it. The city state of Claw Lake was the last major hold out and Chief White Rabbit had his eyes on victory. The siege lasted a year before the city fell in 1674, after that Chief White Rabbit swept out the last bits of tribes and the war came to a close in the middle of the summer of 1675. The War of Conquest lasted 119 years and upwards of 200,000+ died.

## A Prospering Empire (1675 - 1840)

After the war, Chief White Rabbit helped rebuild destroyed parts of Claw Lake, and after the city was repaired Chief White Rabbit moved the capital of his empire to Claw Lake. As promised Chief White Rabbit granted the Chiefs of conquered tribes noble status and selected the chiefs of the more developed city states to be his inner nobles in Claw Lake. In 1690, Chief White Rabbit died due to disease at the age of 70 in his house. His eldest son Bear Claw (born 1670) became Chief and has been ruling the Empire of the Bison ever since. In 1725 many scholars and priests around the empire began figuring out the stars and Myrth, a scholar named Leaping Trout realized that Myrth was sphere and a priest named Bucking Bull realized there are other planets orbiting the sun as well. Chief Bear Claw passed a education decree in 1750 that made literacy rates soar throughout the empire and made Bison's education somewhat on par with the old western world. In 1775 Chief Bear Claw passed at the age of 105 and his son, Red Wolf (born 1755) became chief at age 20.