A new run, with Chief Marko Miroslav of Rayy (where Tehran is today) popping up to praise the sun. Rayy was situated on the border between Arabia and Persia, with many Zoroastrians still running around making themselves a nuisance; pagans were still not that rare a sight within the great Arabian Empire.
Originally working for the great Caliph Al-Madi Abbasid, the Caliph sought to delegate administration of conquered and reconquered lands and gave command of Sheikh Jahandar Khurramid and Chief Marko Miroslav over to one of his sons, imaginatively named Al-Madi Abbasid, the new Emir of Hamadan.
Fortunately for Chief Marko, Emir Al-Madi was more concerned with retaining men of talent than spreading the faith. Chief Marko was promoted to Commander and fought for Emir Al-Madi as his Lead and Loyal Commander, and in peace time served as his Marshal, raising reinforcements in quantities unmatched by any other. Being a young man with not much else to do, Chief Marko married a Persian beauty and whilst not working for Emir Al-Madi, began enjoying the comforts of life.
There was a slight culture shock however, when Chief Marko realized he was in the company of Muslims who frowned upon carousing and drinking. Chief Marko wandered his castle perturbed by all of these people who didn't praise the sun. Eventually he found just who we was looking for: An Arab of amoral tendencies, prone to wasting his money on worldly delights.
Jalil the Lowborn and Chief Marko would become great friends, and a was a friend in strange times much needed. Of all in the Miroslav court, only Jalil actually liked Marko, and they were merry and drank drinks and gave thanks to both Gods. Understandably the rest of the court was not happy with this, but at the very least with the promotions of some prominent governors to courtly positions some of them were convinced that Marko did not need to die, but was in fact a tolerable ruler. And while Marko was made Chief Poet and Commander-Marshal of Hamadan off of his merits, Jalil was made regent of Rayy for no other reason than he was Marko's best friend. Tragedy would befall one of the Wali of Roudehen and Marko would inherit the mosque there, turning it into the new Sun Temple.
Chief Marko would take this time to make a new friend! Marko also began marrying off his courtiers to keep them happy and starting new families, and Jalil even had a daughter... Albeit, an imbecile one. Marko had
two genius daughters and an average son, so the family is in good shape. With not much else to do other than fight the Emir's battles, Marko continued matching up loving couples and carousing with
banterous gentlemen. And whilst slander was haraam, much gossip was abound through the court that
Empress Shahzadah was cheating on Caliph Al-Madi...
Haha. There was something refreshing here, just being a schizophrenic marshal of the Caliph's son. When Marko fought it was just a job, deep in the Abbasid heartlands there was no one who could invade him - he was quite safe from the consequence of battle. When the Caliphate expanded north and eastwards it was a passing note of interest to the three jolly Carousers, when Charlemagne united the Franks and Germans or the Byzantine invaded the Bulgarians it mattered not; even when the Caliphate was
shockingly defeated by the Hindus of Afghanistan the Caliphate was humbled but still a juggernaut of power. The only real impact on the Sunni world was that a single Zoroastrian county successfully gained independence under the warlord of Urgench. A small province on the border of mighty Nomads and Muslim rulers, it is hoped nonetheless that future generations of Miroslavs may be able to help the Mazdans revive their religion.
The real test came when
Marko went to war against Jahandar. Zoroastrian fought Zun over a quarter of Hamadan. Thanks to the organization of the Serbian armies by Marko and stellar leadership under Commander Uways and Khalil, the Serbian forces defeated the Zoroastrians at the battle of Dehnamak and the battle of Sari. Jahandar tried to rally reinforcements to his cause but just under 100 barbarian nomads from the Bonyaks of Khazaria and Balsags of Alania fought for Marko in destroying the Zoroastrian relief forces. Eventually Marko came to rule over half of Hamadan, whilst Emir Al-Madi ruled over one quarter and Caliph Al-Madi ruled over the other quarter. Luckily for the Emir, Marko had no designs to take over Hamadan and continued to fight loyally out of a mixture of loyalty and practicality.
There was a brief drama when the brother of the Caliph tried to assassinate one of Marko's governors in order to gain their inheritance. While the Caliph probably wouldn't have cared if I killed him, it was certainly risky nonetheless to do anything to him. So instead of judging him,
Marko let the sun judge him. Amazingly he survived and became a lunatic,
seeing the world as Marko did.Most of the times you'd think Marko is a completely well adjusted genius but when the crazy comes to fore it shows up full strength.
Anyways after that debacle Marko began boxing with Jalil, Mislav Markoic Miroslav was born and Marko returned to worldly friendship joys. Great Empires are growing all around him but now is not the time to recreate the Empire of the Sun and Serb.