Acadec Wars by Iris Polak

Acadec Wars

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Source Code

Pre-Battle is a room. "It is a month before the Battle of Plassey, and you are exploring the subcontinent. Where do you go? (Type 'look (area)' to explore. Type 'go west' to move from one section to another, not because you are literally going west but because of the coding requirements of this engine.)"

The Mughal Empire is here. The description is "In northern India, the Mughal heartland, the Rajput kingdoms thrive. In Bengal, the Nawabs hold the power, though the Mughals have sovereignty. And in recent decades, the EIC influence on Bengali politics has dramatically increased. Halfway between the Mughal capital of Delhi and the unofficial English capital at Calcutta lies Awadh, ruled by a Nawab, a vibrant cultural center that is drawing the attention of greedy British officials."

The Deccan Plateau is here. The description is "Several regional powers control this vast area, the largest of which is the Marathas, centered at Tanjore. Others include the Nawab of Arcot and the Nizam of Hyderabad. Increasingly, European presences can be found in their courts, playing political games with the rest of them. And all too frequently, they win."

Expansion is west of Pre-Battle. "Britain just gained control of another piece of Indian territory, you read in the newspaper. What year is written on the top of the page? (Type 'look (date)' to get a summary of the article you are reading. Again, type 'go west' to move on.) (There is a glitch on this page. You should be able to look at seventeen-ninety-nine,  eighteen-eighteen, eighteen-twenty-six, eighteen-forty, and eighteen-forty-five. Now might be a good time to test your ability to use copy/paste)"

A seventeen-ninety-nine is here. The description is "After fighting the British troops for over a decade, Tipu Sultan of Mysore has been defeated. Previous rulers have been restored to power, although they are simply puppets of the British raj."

An eighteen-eighteen is here. The description is "In 1802, the Marathas were forced to sign the Treaty of Bassein and agree to a subsidiary alliance, but only now have the last of them been defeated."

An eighteen-twenty-six is here. The description is "A large chunk of the southern Kanbuang Kingdom has been annexed, the land known as Burma. (Note: AKA modern-day Myanmar)"

An eighteen-forty is here. The description is "British efforts to capture Afghanistan have failed spectacularly. Trying to make the best of a terrible situation, British troops have captured the nearby region of Sindh, a mediocre consolation prize."

A eighteen-forty-five is here. The description is "The Punjab has fallen into British hands. After the great leader Ranjit Singh died in 1939, there was a power vacuum, and in the subsequent years the East India company played rival kingdoms against each other until they won the land. Notably, the Hindu king of Jammu, Gulaab Singh, has been given the Muslim valley of Kashmir. Time will only tell if this is a good idea."

Revolt is west of Expansion. "It is 1847, and India is in revolt. There are no choices here. Of course, not all of India is filled with violence right now, it's far too big for that. Some states are actually helping the British subdue the unrest, and others wisely choose to remain neutral. But wherever you are, tension and hope hang in the air like mismatched twins."

Music is west of Revolt. "You hear a snippet of music in the street as you get out of the car and prepare to move your groceries from your car to your apartment. Where are you? (Options: Rajasthan, Kerala, and Punjab.)"

There is a Rajasthan here. The description is "There are many musical traditions here. What you just heard was a sapera, or snake-charmer, but thatâ€™s just the tip of the iceberg. Thereâ€™s the Bhats, Bhands, Nats, Bhopas,Jogi, Qawwals, Manganiars, and Langas. Youâ€™ve lived here two years now, and you still canâ€™t tell them all apart."

There is a Kerala here. The description is "Youâ€™re listening to a chenda ensamble on a festival day as they parade through the streets hitting the tall drums strapped to their chests with two drumsticks."

There is a Punjab here. The description is "Bhangra music is a hit all around India,and even the world, but it started here. Thereâ€™s a bhangra dance competition a block away, and you listen to the music. Itâ€™s been remixed to have a little bit of hip-hop flair, and you imagine the dancers performing a mix of traditional and modern dance, although the crowd blocks your view. No time to get in close, though, since you have groceries to put away."

Finale is west of Music. "Congratulations! Your journey through space and time is complete. Reward yourself by playing one of the non-educational games on this site."

Secret is west of Finale. "If you're seeing this, then you have discovered the secret page. There isn't anything here but tumbleweeds and the sound of crickets chirping."

The Abyss is east of Pre-Battle. "You have fallen out of your interactive journey and into the infinite abyss that fills the space between  stories. You are alone in the emptiness, and regret your life choices."