470 BC
China-Yue has finally finished its conquest of Wu, showing that even if they invented the Art of War, it was Yue that perfected it. Many point to the Yue ruler's alliance with Chu as reason for his victories.
-The Chu have seemingly strengthened their ties to the royal house, having forged bonds of matrimony with king Yuan. The ruler of Chu uses this opportunity to gain hegemon status amongst the various fiefdoms, irking their allies of Yue, who currently vye for dominion. It seems the house of Yue has accelerated their clamouring for 'independence', with rumours of kingship being declared. There are even heinous rumours that the Yue ruler uses
8 or even
9 cauldrons for his ancestral rituals.
-An inventor in the minor state of Qi has begun selling a rejuvenating elixir composed of alchemical ingredients. Customers and traders say that it actually seems to work.
-The state of Yan expands eastward.
-The peoples of the northern borders begin reporting tales of the renowned celestial steppe horses being somewhat more celestial. Some say they have seen the steppe raiders
gliding across the plains on their little horses.
-A dragon has been supposedly spotted in the Gulf of Jili. Inhabitants are celebrating its appearance as a good omen.
-The Zhou king has called upon the scholars of the realm to congregate at his capitol. He has taken to obsessing over philosophical works and alchemy, which he believes will aid toward centralising his authority. He has furthered his relations with Chu and while they are not truly obedient, they can be relied upon to aid him.
Asia in General-A steppe child has been born bloody and clutching its afterbirth; this is considered a most fortuitous sign by her tribe. She is supposedly destined to be a mother of great warriors and a great warrior herself. Her parents are most pleased and have already begun planning out a future marriage proposal.
-the peoples of Buru have been unified under the brilliance of a man named Lesnussa, who's charisma, great knowledge and wisdom has seen him become what could be called royalty, if the concept yet existed in Buru. In secret, Lesnussa has figured out a way of consuming the mana of his foes, and this has aided him greatly.
The Near East-The magi have become zealous as a result of their rituals working far more effectively in the last few decades. They decide collectively this to be a sign of Ahura Mazda's favour. Shah Xerxes is of course, annoyed by the prospect of an even stronger clergy, and attempts to centralise more divine authority around himself. His lack of knowledge on rituals and the seeming wave of zealotry occurring in the empire has for now, stalled such attempts.
-A fortuitous maid in Tyre has invented a sweet that would one day be called a 'baklava'.
-Trade between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean has improved significantly due to Xerxes' construction project, although the maintenance cost of the canal continues to be a source of complaint amongst imperial accountants.
-An elderly but curious priest of Anubis has somehow figured out a a superior method of embalming. His experiments have resulted in mummies that seemingly never rot. He is hailed a hero by all Egyptians and his on the way to godhood for his discovery.
-Athenian prestige and influence is at is height. Despite the lack of a true victory, the Athenian ability to withstand the Persian onslaught has won them many supporters. Only time will tell if they will continue to survive. Making use of the Persians' war weariness, the Athenians establish de facto control over much of the formerly Persian European territories. They also secretly foment unrest in the conquered Peloponnese, supporting various guerillas and bandits.
-A dimwitted Messalian girl has begun selling dairy products that never spoil.
-Corinth becomes known for its excellent textiles that when worn, feel far softer than they appear. The 'magical' Corinthian cloth soon becomes a luxury good in the Mediterranean.
The West-Carthage continues to grow wealthy, with the ventures of its merchants both securing the empire, and making it yet more prosperous. The cursed mines of Portugal, while a concern for the locals, is ultimately a minor issue for the Carthage elite. The owner of the mine prefers it this way, lest suspicious eyes discover that there isn't any gold in those mines.
-Rome unifies; Carthage sends out its traders. The two empires seem to get on amicably, for now. As long as the foolish Latins stay to their little peninsula, of course. Fighting of course breaks out with the Etruscan realms as well as with other Latin tribes. For now, the status quo continues, unperturbed by the alarming increase in supernatural occurrences in the world.
The Americas
-Life goes on.