Hey! This page is for a Civilization project that I have worked on at school.
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 1
The Templar Times - 5/19/10
Week One…
One week into existence, the new and strange world of the Templars has remained largely unchanged. The other day however, a huge rock fell from the sky. Lucky it did not land anywhere near us. I feel pity for those poor people, (if in fact there are others) who were unfortunate enough to colonize beneath its massive target. We, the citizens of Templar however, have avoided all major disasters, and our society has continues to exist in peace with nature.
There was however, a breakthrough! The Templars have achieved a technological advancement that perhaps can thrust us forward in many future endeavors. We have garnered the gift of fire! A substance unlike anything heretofore known, it is not a solid, nor a liquid, nor a gas, but something else entirely. It is too hot to touch… we have learned that the hard way (Bob will be missed greatly). Our Templarian scientists conclude that this “fire” is the result of a chemical process known as combustion, and that it is essentially energy!
Perhaps as a result of this new technology, other technological advancements will come for the Templars. The country of Templar, bordering an unknown ocean, perhaps we will eventually develop a means of traversing these waters. Perhaps we will eventually be able to cross these seas and spread our great nation. This world is obviously a huge place; looking out at this ocean, it seems to expand forever into the horizon. We know not what exists beyond this shore… perhaps nothing, but maybe… just maybe we are not alone in this strange, new world.
If that is indeed the case, who are these others? Where are they? Do they pose a threat to our existence and to our great nation, or are they a peace loving race such as ourselves? Do they posses technologies that we do not, and would they be willing to exchange ideas, combine our resources, and continue to prosper in tandem with one another? Such questions, for now, must remain merely speculative until the time we can expand our bounds.
Until then, our Communist Monarchy lives, comforted by the safety of ignorance, lead by its Royal Family: Prince Joe and Prince Jon, King Julian and Queen Jessica, Prime Minister Geiger, and the King’s mysterious advisor known only as “The Don”. Together they have formed this great nation and continue to rule with equality and human dignity as the cornerstones for civil rule. We lived, blessed by these great Rulers. Long live the Royals, and long live the Templars!
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 2
The Templar Times - 5/21/10
Templar: a Land of Farming?
Much progress has been made in the country of Templar, just after its first week of existence. As the Templarians began to explore their new land, they have discovered other indigenous beings native to this land. Some have been identified as “cows”, while others have been dubbed “horses”. These creatures are very docile in temperament, which has allowed Templarian scientists to study them further. Their conclusions? Cows are TASTY! The meat from a cow has provided our nation with an invaluable new food source. These cows are plentiful, and by order of King Julian, we have established ranches for these, now domesticated cows.
As for the horses, they too can be used for food, however, a much better use for them has been discovered. They can be ridden upon. So too can the cows, however they do not move very quickly, and become easily distracted by the surrounding grassy meadows – not too good if you have to get somewhere on time… (I learned that myself, trying to get to work today *sigh*) However, now that we have domesticated these horses, we can further expand our great nation of Templar. They run with such speed, that we can now journey to regions that would have taken us days, in but only a matter of hours.
At news of this discovery, the Royals were very pleased, Queen Jessica ordering the establishment of many equine research facilities to further identify what potential uses these horses could serve. King Julian himself has begun riding these horses on a daily basis, as has his sons Prince Joe and Prince Jon.
Though not all is well for the Royals.
It has been reported that one is missing amongst their ranks. The Kings mysterious advisor, “The Don” has not been in her chambers for the past two days, according to the King. Rumor has it she has become ill, not dangerously so, but enough to cause her absence. As the nation of Templar currently has no means of fighting disease (if in fact a means exists to fight disease) hopefully the Don, wherever she is, is at least quarantined away from the rest of civilization. The Royals are very worried about the possibility of a pandemic.
So for now, we the Templars keep our fingers crossed, and our minds on other things. The land to the south of us looks intriguing, and unoccupied, and as the population of our society continues to grow, perhaps it is necessary to expand our bounds southward. If this will happen, I cannot say for certain, but surely it could provide us with much needed room, and quite possibly resources we could have never imagined. Until then, long live the Royals, and long live Templar!
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 3
The Templar Times – 5/24/10
Conquest!
The great nation of Templar has recently undergone massive changes. The land to the north and south of us, the land which, until this point has been empty, is now occupied… by US! We have successfully expanded our borders, and as a result Templar has more than doubled in size! But our landmass is not the only thing to have doubled; our nation’s population has great imcreased as well, as a result of the new resources this land posses.
However, the victory is not without cost. As with any great endeavor, there are some casualties, and promoting the growth of our nation was no exception. Many died during the arduous move, however, their deaths were not in vain. Today, the Royals gather outside the Palace in the Templarian capital-city of Campidoglio to hold a memorial service for those who perished during this Great Expansion, as it's being called. Here is what he said,
“Darn. This sucks. But yay! New land!”
Such profound words from such a profound ruler; Templar is truly blessed to be led by such competent rulers. Yet, this expansion marks only the first of our blessed leaders' achievements. They seek to expand still further. However, this time, it seems that the land is occupied. Could this mean war for our peace-loving nation of Templar? Or is it possible to reason with these outsiders?
The prospect of war has caused a great civil outcry for all of Templar; some in utter agreement, others in sheer disapproval, however, all agree that it is paramount that we control this entire landmass we have begun to colonize, and to leave even the smallest section of it in the hands of non-Templarian others is far more dangerous than any war.
If and when this war is to occur has yet to be determined, however, until then Templar sits on edge, with baited breath and fingers crossed. Search parties have been created to further explore the new land that we have only just scratched the surface of. Perhaps, we will find more unoccupied, bountiful regions that we can add to our territories. In time, perhaps Templar will be one unified nation, free from all outsiders, where each and every citizen can possess the same amounts of wealth, the same housing, the same rights, the same privileges as everyone else. According to ancient texts, such a policy is known as “Communism”, and it has become the framework which our Royals have established this nation atop, and it is the basis through which they continue to govern our lives each and every day.
As always, long live the Royals, and long live the much, much bigger nation of Templar!
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 4
The Templar Times – 5/24/10
“Home is What You Make It”
As our Templarian society continues to grow, shelter has become an important aspect of our everyday lives. As the territory has expanded, we have had to adapt to the new, and varying environments, adjusting the way in which we construct our homes, their designs, and even what they are made of. It is true that our capitol building, the home of the Royals, the Palace, is the most intricate and architecturally marvelous structure in all of Templar, however, as new houses are being built every day, perhaps even the Palace can be trumped.
Templar can largely be divided into three kinds of ecological systems: jungles/rainforests, grassy plains, and deserts. Each of these environments have posed challenges to even our greatest architects, however, methods of housing have been developed for each, and as a result, our citizens are able to live in peace, and luxury, far different from the days of living in caves as we did long ago.
In the more arid, desert regions where rocks, and stone are bountiful, it is only common sense to use the natural resources available there to construct housing. Below is a picture of the Stone City of Terra Grande:
Finally, in the grassy plains of the Erba Vita, Bubble Homes have become all the rage because of their superior ability to contour with the gently sloping hills.
In all, Templar has made leaps and bounds in the field of architecture, blessed by the great wisdom and skill of our architects, and blessed by the supreme, yet kind, ruling of our leaders. As always, long live the Royal, and long live beautiful Templar!
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 5
The Templar Times
“Mercantilism”
The Royals have declared it necessary to institute a unit of currency with which the citizens of Templar will be able to purchase, sell, loan, trade, barter, and lease goods. They have named this currency Jules (an allusion to both king Julian and the rarity, and cost of Jewels). Jules are abbreviated using the symbol ζ. So for example, a pound of grain may cost a person 5.00ζ, while a gold ring may cost a person 300.00ζ. Below is a picture of one Jule:
Using this new system of currency we have established marketplaces in which citizens gather to buy and sell goods. Many such market places have arose throughout the country, some specializing in only selling one kind of good, while others sell a variety of products. Others still, sell only regional goods precious to the area. As a result of these marketplaces, the exchange of Jules from one person to another has led to the exchange of wealth from person to person, and as a result the people of Templar are now finding themselves with enough Jules to purchase homes, horses, clothing, and food to sustain their families and themselves. Below is a picture of one of the most thriving indoor marketplaces in all of Templar, the Bazaar of Mercato:
Many believe that these markets can help us in Templar’s pursuit of expansion. Now that we have established a unit of currency as well as markets, perhaps it is possible to trade with the mysterious race of people located east of us, rather than having to go to war with them… Perhaps our nation can begin to trade our goods with the unknown products of the Eastern People. As a result our nation can continue to grow, as well as that of the Eastern People, due to the flow of goods and currency between us. According to ancient texts, such a system has been referred to as Mercantilism.
For now, until we have established contact with the Eastern People, we know not whether to take an offensive or inquisitively peaceful standpoint towards them. The Royals are greatly pleased with the progress that their nation has undergone; Queen Jessica herself frequenting the marketplaces. Some have referred to her as a “shopaholic”; however where the term originates is unknown. As always, long live the shopaholic Royals, and long live the wealthy nation of Templar!
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 6
The Templar Times
“The Three Days War”
Shots were fired on Wednesday, marking the beginning of the war with Goldeneyes –the country to our East – the war which many in Templar feared, while many others welcomed. Templar was the first to strike, mounting a series of nine attacks on Wednesday. The first two battles were a close call. The Goldeneyes resisted and the Templars found themselves in a stalemate. The third battle, however, was the first victory for the Templars, who then won the seven battles that followed.
The second day of the Three Days War went much easier for the Templars. Once again mounting a series of nine attacks, the Templarian army found that the Goldeneyes were not defending; perhaps having given up hope. It was a sweeping victory for Templar, winning nine out of the nine battles, and destroying much of Goldeneye’s raw materials; forests slashed, mines bombed.
Today marked the third and final day of the Three Days War, and once again Goldeneye did not resist. The Templarian army marched into the Goldeneye capitol city of Xenia, executed their president, and captured their territory. Most of the people of Goldeneye were killed, however those who remained were screened by government officials and for those who were deemed acceptable, they were sworn in as Templarian citizens.
In reaction to this military conquest, and the capture of yet another territory, the Royals were overjoyed; however it was a bittersweet victory. The king has made it known that he much rather would have ratified a peace treaty with the Goldeneyes, however if it had to come down to war, he is pleased that Templar has won, and that our glorious nation has grown ever larger. As always, long live the Royals, and long live the victorious nation of Templar!
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 7
“Somewhere Beyond the Sea”
The ever resourceful, ever expanding, ever technologically advanced nation of Templar had yet another major breakthrough with the recent invention of the “ship”. Ships or boats, as they’re called, are a new form of nautical transportation which will enable Templar to cross the seas. As a result of this new technology the nation of Templar has once again expanded!
Having set our sails southward, we’ve reached a new, and baron territory very unlike those of the mainland. It is an icy cold region; however it is not without use. Templarian scientists and architects have already begun designing suitable housing for this tundra. Though, as to be expected, the prospect of living in the freezing cold has yet to appeal to many citizens.
This new land does, however, pose many strategically and logistical benefits. Having discovered this new region, it means that the world is far larger than we ever could have thought. Furthermore, this narrow strip of land is the perfect land bridge to provide safe, land passage eastward. This, in turn, may be useful so that we can continue our sea-fairing expeditions, now discovering new territories in the east, if, in fact, there exists any.
These boats were the brainchild of the Royals themselves; proposed at first by Prince Jon, and designed by Prince Jon, King Julian is overjoyed by his sons’ invention. Who knows what may come next? Now that we can traverse the land and the sea, perhaps, we will be traveling through the air itself! The possibilities seem endless. As always, long live the crafty, creative Royals, and long live the frigid new regions of Templar!
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 8
“The Battle for Middle Earth”
Today, Templar has made a new enemy, and it is that of the nation of the Undertakers. They are situated across the ocean to the east of Templar’s mainland, and due to the geographical shape of Templar, we have had serious strategically advantages as to our proposed battle plan. The land of Undertakers is a very hot region, arid in some places, yet, very fertile in others. This land could posses many natural resources for the Templars to exploit.
We fired the first shots today as Templarian ships landed on the western coast of the Undertakers. Templar has mounted a series of sixteen attacks, all of which landed devastating blows to the Undertakers, who (for reasons unknown) could not defend themselves. As a result, the Templarian troops suffered absolutely no casualties, and Day One of what is being called “The Battle for Middle Earth” (because of the Undertakers geographical location in the center of the explored planet) has been a complete victory for Templar.
The Royals ordered the attack this morning, believing that with the conquest of a centralized territory, centralized leadership would prove more efficient to govern the ever expanding nation. Therefore, once the conquest of the Undertakers is complete, it is rumored that the Capitol will move from Campidoglio located in the Templar mainland, to this new central territory. Surely a new Palace will be constructed, but what will happen to the current home to the Royals remains to be seen.
For now, the people of Templar remain hopeful about the prospect of more territory. Furthermore, a chain of islands has been spotted to the west of our southern land bridge. Perhaps these islands will be the next territories to be colonized by Templar. If any hostiles exist there, is, as of yet, unknown, however. Taking one battle at a time (for now) long live the delightfully bloodthirsty Royals, and long live the wonderfully violent nation of Templar!
CIV PROJECT - The Templar Nation
Templar Times, Issue 9
“The Eastern Isles Expedition”
The nation of Templar has been expanding, almost without end. As our expeditionary forces continue to push the boundaries of our great nation, we’ve discovered many new and strange lands in the process. Some have been empty and unpopulated, and others have been filled with armed hostiles, such as the now, nonexistent Goldeneyes who we defeated in the Three Days War, and the Undertakers who are now on the verge of collapse in the Battle for Middle Earth. As our expeditions push further east, we’ve captured several new territories, including half of one very large island, which the Royals have named the Outback, due to its distance from the Templarian mainland.
Continuing to expand, using the outposts we’ve established in the Outback, our forces have discovered yet another hostile island nation to the immediate north of the Outback. They call themselves Wayneville. War has been initiated, and many have Waynevillians have died, as they have, as of yet, refused to retaliate against our assaults. This, of course, is good news for us Templars, however, why ever nation we have faced heretofore chooses not to attack back remains a mystery. Perhaps, word of our great conquests has reached every corner of this world, and those who see us coming chose not to resist for they know their demise is inevitable.
Assuming we capture Wayneville, as well as the remainder of Middle Earth, the Royals have determined that we will have effectively captured the entire Southern Hemisphere. They are ecstatic of this enormous strategic military achievement, and are proud of their leadership throughout Templars brief, yet, abundantly successful existence. Their people continue to live happily, and peacefully, without fear of being attacked. Maybe someday Templar will conquer all other nations, if there are any, and the entire world will be one, unified nation. Until then, long live the Royals, and long live the enormous nation of Templar!
