The Rain of Fire ends. What was once a lush and fertile jungle is reduced to smoldering ash as burning metal rains from the sky and magma seeps through the earth. Mountains are leveled and lakes dry up. The Prophet and his line hide in a series of caves near what will become the largest of the oasises in the Great Basin.

Some of the knowledge of the First Men is preserved in the books and scrolls hidden by the line of the Khalif Prophet. He uses these to slow down the advance of barbarism, although much of the wisdom is lost. While the men of the Line can memorize the books, fewer and fewer still learn what it really means. The Almohads of the newly formed Great Basin begin creation of their oral history to preserve their memories of the Rain.

The Khalif survivors and the Prophet himself gather enough survivors together to begin construction of the shining city of Ankhara. While the Prophet's line is still educated most of the survivors are not, and are barely halted from sliding in barbarism.

The nine desert tribes are formed from the survivors of the Rain of Fire. Of these nine, only the Almohads and Almovarads are known by name. Splitting up, the nine wander the Great Basin desert looking for water and food.

The city of Ankhara is completed, and its walls are raised. Taking three generations of work, the city is unrivaled throughout the Southern lands. Although its people are relatively educated compared to the North, its libraries are bare and few truely understand what it is they are memorizing. The Prophet's line suffers from a thinness of the blood, and many whisper of incest and inbreeding, although heresy of this kind is rooted out most violently.

Tajik raiders attempt to assault the city of Ankhara, but the new slave soldiers of the Khalif repel the invaders. While the Tajik use mostly foot and cavalry, the Almohad camels and Mumlak elephant riders easily rout the Tajiks who are unused to such tactics.

The great city of Ankhara grows, becoming a bastion of learning. Although the Sultunate descendents of the Prophet who rule in Ankhara all worship the One God, the Prophet's line saw little need in forcing the others to see his way. Taking the path of patience, he allows all within the city to worship as they please, and the city prospers.

The Tajik are no closer to taking the shining city of Ankhara. Secretly, many Tajiks are attracted to the promise of better things behind its shining walls. Tribesmen speak freely of the flowing water and sweet dates, and of the beautiful women and soft silks within. While the elder tribesmen severely punish those who openly speak such talk, many are interested in the knowledge of the Khalif. The leader of the younger tribe of Autarch secretly infiltrates into the city to see its wonders.

Discovered by his elders, Asghatai Edhrag leads the tribesmen of the Autach into civil war with the elder tribes. The elder faction states there can be no accomodation with the soft Khalif and the shining city must be destroyed. The faction Asghatai leads states that such beauty is surely a thing worth preserving, at least for the wealth of knowledge and culture inside if not for the luxury goods. Bitter fighting emerges with neither side giving quarter to those it captures.

The Tajiks end their civil war, bloodied. The Khalif watch from the sidelines the entire time, and do not intervene. With the remaining tribes firmly under his control, Asghatai negotiates a treaty with the Khalif. Ensuring his tribesmen will be respected, he gains the access to the libraries and culture of Ankhara that he desired originally. Tajik martial prowess combined with Khaliphate knowledge creates a new era of Tajik military power. The Tajik tribes slowly convert to the path of the One God in the wake of their near miraculous victory over the stronger and more experienced elder tribes.

The Almohad and Almovarad tribes separate from the other seven desert tribes in an attempt to find water and game. Each oasis is progressively smaller, and they are faced with the prospect of extinction for their people. In desperation, they follow the Almohad Imam who promises salvation if they strike deep into the heart of the desert to the south.

The Almohads and Almovarads finish their five decade long wanderings through the Great Basin, and see the shining walls of Ankhara. Greeted by the Khaliphate and the descendents of the Prophet, they are given dates and water. Weak after generations of wandering in the desert, the Almohads are grateful for the succor provided to them, and listen attentively to the preaching of the One God. After consulting with each the clans' Imams, they agree to convert, joining the Khaliphate as allies in the faith. Tasked with spreading the faith, the two tribes leave north to spread the holy faith.

The Almohads and Almovarads search for the other seven tribes, but find nothing but fields of bones, both human and herd animal. The bones are left unburied, a reminder of the unknowable plan the One God has for the earth.

The Almohads have been preparing for the Great Winter for almost twenty years, stockpiling food. In contrast, the Almovarads squander their time. When the Great Winter sets in, the desert blisters with heat by day, and freezes by night. Water is scarce and many animals die of starvation. The Almohads are well prepared while the Almovarads perish to a man, punished for their desertion of the cause for the One True God.

As the Great Winter ends, bringing with it a full year of summer, the Almohads, Tajiks, and the Khaliphate give thanks to the One God for his mercy and bounty.

The Sultan Suleyman abn Yusif Wahid begins to use the stockpiled food from the Summer of Plenty to lay the groundwork for an invasion of the heathen North. The Sultan views the time as right to spread the faith of the One God and bring more wayward children to the embrace.

The forces of the Khaliphate thunder north into the barbaric North. The Almohad and Khaliphate calvary are first, crushing the surprised Montaigne and driving the Northern barbarians back. The hasty defenses of the Montaigne crumble in a year of fighting, sending them retreating further north.

The feral Aengard join the fight with the Montaigne. Although more than half of the Montaigne lands are now occupied, the Aengard stubbornly refuse to yield. The Almohads and Khalif settle in for a year of bloody fighting with these mad heathens of the North. Camels and horses are killed by the dozens breaking Aengard spear walls and fighting in hand to hand with the raging barbarians.

The war drags on as more Northern barbarians come to assist their tribesmen. The Mercians and Eiremen send a poorly organized mob of soldiers who are easily routed by the Almohads. The Khalif send their finest Mulak slave warriors to crush the Aengard and seal up the Northern valley. Preparations are made to finally crush the barbarian resistance and bring an era of cultural enlightenment.

The invasion stalls at the Northern Valley entrance due to the frantic mobilization of all the four Northern kingdoms. While more than two thirds of Northern lands are under Khaliphate rule, the remaining pocket of resistence around the fertile Fris river cannot be crushed. The Tajik Jannissaries are called into action to support the Almohad riders and hold down and defend newly taken land. Under enlightened Khaliphate rule, many Northerners receive an education and covert to the One God.

Victory is snatched by the hands of defeat. Although the Tajik Janissaries are victorious in battle, slaying both the Mercian and Montaigne kings, the Notherners are victories. Wave upon wave of barbarian peasant sweeps out of the valley to battle. The two sons of the Sultan Suleyman ab Yusif Wahid are both slain in combat by the barbarian king Cruiach man Fenian of the Eire. Faced with increasing numbers of armed barbarians, the Khaliphate is forced onto the defensive. for the first time in the war.

Unable to hold onto their captured lands, the Sultan gives the order to retreat. None question his decision, as words emerges from the Tajiks of the eastern watch of a looming threat from the Middle Empire. Anxious to restore their glory, the Xian are preparing to invade with the Mughal warrior hordes. The Khaliphate begins a brutal retreat south to defend their lands.

The Mughal Horde rides through the eastern gap in the Maw mountains. The Almohads suffer horrible losses stalling for time while the Khalif and Tajiks march back on foot.

Stopped at the walls of Ankhara, the Almohads and Tajiks trade arrows with the Mughal invaders. The Mulak elephant riders cause large numbers of casualties, but the Mughal are both fearless and numberless. The siege continues with no signs of abating.

Almohad night raids destroy whatever remaining food there is in the Southern countryside, leaving the only food inside the stockpiles of Ankhara. With no other food sources available, the Mughal hordes begin to face starvation.

Weak after years of siege and half rations, the Mughal hordes are forced into battle against the full might of the Khaliphate. Although the Almohads and Tajiks battle bravely for their lands, the Khalif are struck by disaster as the Sultan Suleyman abn Yusif Wahid, last of the line of prophets, is slain in single combat by the leader of the Golden Horde, Ganghis Khai. With all remaining direct descendents of the prophet slain, the Khaliphate mourns.

Barbarian explorers from the North arrive, and seek diplomatic exchange. The Khaliphate learns that the forces which attacked their lands were but half of the might of the Empire, the other half having attacked the savage North. Like their attempt in the south, the Middle Empire also fails to conquer the barbarian North. Faced with the prospect of more war, the Khaliphate agrees to cease hostilities with the Northern savages.