Obuasi and Kintam used their political skills to manipulate relations with Damongo and Ahafo respectively. The Obuasi wanted war, Kintam wanted the benefits of a strong ally.
The luck of the cards was absolutely against Damongo which in Year Six, the Fish, found itself at war with Kumasi, Obuasi and Ho. It was saved by the fact that Ho had drifted into war with Ahafo.
On the character front in the winter of the Year of the Dog, the Obuasi lost its exceptional administrator and politician. Ahafo lost its exceptional administrator as did Kofori. All were to suffer with Obuasi and Ahafo especially so, but Kintam preserved an exceptional politician and reliable administrator.
The Years, Fish to Iguana, saw Kintam dominate the area politically – mainly neutralising war and earning valuable trade. But the threat of either Ho or Ahafo conquering someone eventually forced Kintam onto the offensive. Here its exceptional politician’s luck ran out! Failing to create a war of conquest; perhaps he could not change his peaceful ways! Elsewhere Ho and Obuasi had gained exceptional administrators while Mampong gained an exceptional politician.
Kumasi fought a fruitless war with Damongo, as did Obuasi and Ho. No one seemed able to topple the weakest Triban! Elsewhere peaceful trade was strong between Ho and Sunyami and Navrongo did well to keep a strong peace with Ahafo and Mampong.
Aside from the constant wars around Damongo, the war between Ho and Ahafo erupted between the years, Fish and Iguana.
Ho’s exceptional administrator survived the character checks of the Iguana Year but few others did. Ho also benefited from a short peace where Ahafo had promised tribute as a settlement. Two years later in the Year of the Kite, the Ahafo renewed the war after the tribute became unbearable. But Ho was now strong with the richest treasury; A combination of tribute and trade plus strong allies. Finally Ahafo was conquered and the First Kingdom of the Yani came into being.
Again Damongo remained the only other main area of conflict and still survived but only just. Then after payments of extraordinary amounts of tribute to Ho, Damongo was ruined. In the Year of the Nightjar, Damongo was finally overcome by Ho despite a last desperate attempt by the Sunyami to save the day. Sunyami now feeling isolated had sent the largest ever allied contingent to Damongo but all had succumbed to Ho and its army.
Decimo Part 3
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Decimo Part 2
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