Recently I've been reading a fascinating book by noted world historian William H. Mcneil called "Plagues and People", a history of human disease. McNeil is a big name in the field of world history, and this book was fairly ground breaking, causing many historians to reconsider the role of disease in human history (prehistoric and historic). One of the things he discusses is that the earliest civilisations - Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese - constituted disease pools, with separate diseases afflicting human populations in each (urban populations in particular). As trade between these cultures developed, diseases spread causing initially terrible damage. Overtime humans grew accustomed to the new diseases, the lethalness of each disease was reduced as people developed generational degrees of immunity to each disease. The biggest impact was when a disease reached a community without any experience with the disease. A good example of this are the Mongol conquests, which reopened ties of trade and communication between China, the steppes and Europe/western Asia. This is the main reason why the black plague appeared around that time (originally it was from somewhere in the eastern steppes or the eastern himalayas). The same applies to the European arrival in the Americas, a large cultural region without any experience of any of the Eurasian diseases. So the Incas and the Aztecs fell and were annihilated not because of the power of the small groups of Spanish conquistadors, but because of the disease riddled native populations. This made me think about Qaiyore, Qaiyorean trade as well as contact with Elyria. The last few decades has seen what I think to be greater Midsea trade, and increased movements of people because of trade, religion and war. The Taltheran Annexation is one case in point. Troops from Mir, allover Sedonia, and Kaeir are in various parts of Taltheran. Some of the illnesses they are used to the Taltherani might have less experience with, and vice versa. Perhaps something like the Spanish Flu that was brought by troops from rural American states to Europe might happen in Taltheran. Increased trade with northern Qaiyore would have a similiar affect probably too. Kaeireans trading with Shanari who trade who the Bel'Adnese who trade with other groups north of them. Likewise trade with Celpalar, or with the Torphan Empire. The biggest problem might be when a searoute with Elyria is opened, and diseases in Elyria and Qaiyore that have appeared since the separation are carried over. Lastly, I think that Qaiyore would every few years or decades face reappearances of new strains of old diseases, especially from the northern Jungles, easten forests and western plains. Something to consider for gameplay. War is also another time for new epidemics to appear. Ibrahim ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
