A ritualistic empire that gains power through sacrifice, spectacle, and divine alignment. Excels in theatrical events and spiritual authority.
The Mexica people—known to history as the Aztecs—had forged the Triple Alliance into the most formidable force in Mesoamerica. Centered in the magnificent island capital of Tenochtitlan, their empire stretched from coast to coast, demanding tribute and allegiance from dozens of subject states. Their society revolved around the cosmic balance between gods and mortals, upheld through ritual sacrifice, ceremonial warfare, and grand spectacles like the ballgame, which symbolized the struggle of light and darkness.
The Aztec worldview saw history as cyclical and the gods as hungry—requiring blood and devotion to maintain order in the universe. Their priests, generals, and rulers held sacred roles in this divine machinery, and their capital was as much a stage for spiritual theater as a seat of imperial power. As rumors of distant empires and strange lights in the sky reach Tenochtitlan, the question is not whether the gods are watching—but which gods they are.
Masters of infrastructure and agriculture who expand through roads, terraces, and long-range planning. Unites diverse regions with logistics and cosmology.
High in the Andes, the Inca Empire under Huayna Capac was at its zenith in 1500—administering one of the most extensive and efficiently organized empires on Earth. Known as Tawantinsuyu, the empire was bound together by the Qhapaq Ñan, a massive road system stretching thousands of miles, enabling fast communication and troop movement. Unlike other empires, the Incas ruled through a fusion of military strength, redistribution, and ideological cohesion rooted in ayllu (kinship collectives) and Inti worship (the sun god).
The Inca didn’t merely conquer; they integrated. Terraces climbed steep mountain faces, irrigation systems brought fertility to arid slopes, and Quechua became the lingua franca of a diverse patchwork of cultures. As celestial signs and new visitors begin to appear on Earth, the Inca view them not as threats, but as signs—omens that must be interpreted, integrated, and perhaps even absorbed into the order of the Sapa Inca’s divine world.
A cultural and diplomatic hub hosting pan-continental gatherings and trade fairs. Uses soft power and spiritual prestige to attract global attention.
Though the great Cahokian Mounds near modern-day St. Louis had passed their peak by 1500, the Mississippian cultural sphere remained active, tied together by trade, pilgrimage, and shared cosmology. In Watch the Skies Turbo 1500, this world has coalesced into a new Cahokian Confederacy—reviving the mound-building, maize-growing, and diplomatic traditions of earlier centuries. Their strength lies not in conquest, but in convergence: gathering distant peoples for seasonal rituals, feast diplomacy, and cultural exchange.
Cahokia’s leadership serves as host and hearth, using prestige, generosity, and negotiation to shape the continent’s destiny. Rather than dominate, they invite—and in doing so, they become a gravitational force across the Americas. In an age of rising travel and strange omens, their Great Mound Convergence may not just unite humans, but attract the attention of those beyond the stars.
A league of nations emphasizing alliance, peace, and moral governance. Gains major rewards by uniting diverse allies at the Grand Council Fire.
In the dense forests of the Northeast, the Haudenosaunee—often called the Iroquois Confederacy—had forged a remarkable experiment in diplomacy and governance by 1500. Through the teachings of the Great Peacemaker, five nations (later six) had laid down their weapons and created a shared council, founded on the principles of peace, equity, and consensus. Their strength was not in walls or gold, but in the Great Law of Peace, a constitution centuries ahead of its time.
While other powers war or conquer, the Haudenosaunee offer a different vision of civilization—one rooted in dialogue, alliance, and spiritual harmony with the natural world. If they can persuade others to meet them at the Grand Council Fire, they may trigger a global transformation—not of empire, but of understanding. And perhaps such unity will speak louder to alien observers than armies ever could.
A naval pioneer with unmatched early travel capacity. Opens routes to the Americas, Africa, and Asia through exploration and maritime tech.
By 1500, Portugal had already charted a new map of the world. Under the legacy of Prince Henry the Navigator, Portuguese mariners had sailed around Africa, reached India, and established trading posts from the Azores to the Indian Ocean. Though smaller than its Iberian neighbor, Portugal possessed the greatest navigational capacity in the world—its fleets guided by stars, compasses, and daring.
Portugal’s power is in its reach—geographically, intellectually, and economically. Its school at Sagres trains explorers and astronomers alike, and its missionaries sail alongside merchants. Whether building trade routes to alien worlds or laying cosmic foundations for interstellar diplomacy, Portugal seeks to map the unknown—and own the future.
An emerging global empire-in-formation fueled by conquest, Catholicism, and exploration. Can spread missionaries or dominate early intercontinental trade.
In 1500, Spain stood on the threshold of empire. The crowns of Castile and Aragon had united under Ferdinand and Isabella, the final Muslim kingdom in Iberia had fallen at Granada, and the Inquisition worked to consolidate religious orthodoxy. At the same time, the voyages of Columbus had opened the Americas to Castilian claim—and the Spanish court now dreamed of gold, glory, and God on a planetary scale.
Spain’s strength lies in religious fervor and global ambition. Missionaries, conquistadors, and royal bureaucrats work in tandem to reshape the world in Catholic image. With papal favor and military power, Spain seeks to conquer not just territory—but souls, possibly even those beyond Earth. Their role in shaping Earth’s moral and imperial response to alien life could define the cosmic order for centuries.
Once a bitter rival to Venice, Genoa in 1500 had shifted from expansionist crusades to banking dominance. Though its fleet had waned, its financiers had not—Genoese bankers funded monarchs, wars, and popes, and their fingers were in every ledger from Lisbon to Constantinople. The city was a shadow power, enriching itself quietly while others made the headlines.
Now, as new sea lanes open and aliens make contact, Genoa sees opportunity: not to conquer, but to own the risk. By funding exploration, underwriting crusades, or leveraging interstellar loans, the Genoese may yet become the bankers of the stars, if they play their cards—and ledgers—wisely.
In 1500, Florence glowed with the brilliance of the Renaissance, but trembled beneath the weight of revolution. The Medici had returned, but their grip was tenuous, and memories of Savonarola’s fire still smoldered in the streets. Art, banking, and political philosophy flourished side by side, and Florence was a republic that dreamed like an empire—where painters and mathematicians shaped destiny as surely as generals.
Florence’s strength lies in ideas: printing presses, patronage networks, and the power to imagine new orders. If they can harness their intellectual energy into action—perhaps with alien insight or revolutionary science—they could ignite a new age not just for Italy, but for the world.
By 1500, the Papal States were both a religious beacon and a deeply political actor. The Pope wielded a sword as readily as a blessing, launching wars, balancing kings, and sending missionaries into the unknown. Rome itself was a spiritual capital layered in ruins and rituals, but also the seat of spies, bankers, and bold ambition.
With the soul of Christendom under its care, the Papacy now looks outward. Will it spread the gospel to distant shores—or to distant stars? In an age of doubt and discovery, the Church’s choices may determine whether faith expands across the heavens, or fractures under the weight of revelation.
In 1500, La Serenissima—the Republic of Venice—stood at the peak of its maritime and mercantile glory. Spanning from the Adriatic coast to outposts across the eastern Mediterranean, Venice had mastered the art of balancing trade, espionage, and diplomacy. Governed by a stable oligarchy, the city thrived not only on spices and silks but also on secrets—keeping ledgers as sacred as scripture.
Yet threats loomed. The Ottomans pressed from the east, Portuguese ships bypassed the Levant, and new powers challenged the old trade routes. For Venice, the future will be won not through brute force, but by manipulating diplomacy, and making itself indispensable to old friends and strange newcomers alike—human or otherwise.
A land empire of scholars and gold, focused on books, science, and trade. Can lead in early technological advancement through academic quests.
By 1500, the Songhai Empire had eclipsed Mali as West Africa’s greatest power. Centered on the Niger River and cities like Gao and Timbuktu, it controlled gold mines, trade routes, and a network of Islamic scholars. Timbuktu’s Sankore University stood as a beacon of learning, housing thousands of manuscripts on law, astronomy, and medicine.
Songhai blends military might with intellectual prestige. In Watch the Skies, it may become a global scientific leader if it leverages its libraries and scholars wisely. The empire must decide: will it focus inward and deepen its legacy—or turn its wisdom outward toward the stars?
A spiritual and political crossroads faced with choices about conversion and identity. Balances diplomacy, ritual, and religious transformation.
By 1500, the Kingdom of Kongo had emerged as one of Central Africa’s most sophisticated polities, with a centralized monarchy, a complex court, and expanding contact with Europeans—especially the Portuguese. Its capital at Mbanza Kongo was a hub of political, religious, and cultural exchange, and its monarchs were already weighing the benefits and consequences of conversion to Christianity, literacy, and new technologies.
Kongo stands at a spiritual and diplomatic crossroads. Will it reshape itself through foreign faith and firearms, or maintain sovereignty through syncretic traditions and local strength? The answer may influence not only its place in the human world—but its readiness for cosmic revelation.
Coastal traders and cultural brokers between Africa, Arabia, and Asia. Thrive on hosting and connecting distant civilizations.
The Swahili Coast in 1500 was a dazzling chain of coral-built city-states—Zanzibar, Kilwa, Mombasa—stretching along East Africa and thriving on Indian Ocean trade. These Swahili polities blended African, Arab, and Persian cultures, speaking a Bantu language in Arabic script and dealing in gold, ivory, spices, and silk. Their dhows sailed with the monsoons, connecting Africa to Mecca, Gujarat, and beyond.
In Watch the Skies Turbo 1500, the Swahili are the ultimate cosmopolitan middlemen—skilled at hosting, trading, and translating between worlds. Their openness may make them ideal hosts for alien contact, spiritual exchange, or intercontinental diplomacy.
A strategic power controlling sacred cities and major trade routes. Manages competing religious schools and regional influence across three continents.
In 1500, Mamluk Egypt was a crossroads empire ruling over Cairo, the Levant, and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Though ruled by a warrior caste of enslaved soldiers-turned-sultans, it boasted a flourishing economy and religious significance unmatched in the Islamic world. Cairo was a center of pilgrimage, trade, and theological debate, and the Mamluks held guardianship over the Hajj and key Islamic institutions.
As Europe and the Ottomans rise, Mamluk Egypt must decide whether to assert its leadership of the Muslim world or adapt to new powers and foreign ideas. Its central role in pilgrimage, religious schools, and diplomacy may also make it a spiritual beacon—or battleground—when alien faiths are revealed.
A dominant military and religious power bridging Europe, Africa, and Asia. Controls pilgrimage routes and Islamic legitimacy.
In 1500, the Ottoman Empire stood as a dominant world power, stretching from the Balkans to the Red Sea. Under Sultan Bayezid II, the Ottomans controlled key trade routes, pilgrimage corridors, and cities sacred to multiple faiths, with Constantinople (Istanbul) thriving as an imperial and spiritual capital. Their bureaucratic systems, military prowess, and religious institutions made them both a political juggernaut and the self-proclaimed protector of Sunni Islam.
Yet challenges loomed—from European rivals to Shi’a insurgents, and now, unknown cosmic forces. As guardians of tradition and expansion alike, the Ottomans must choose: will they extend their caliphate across continents—or into the stars?
A rival Shi’a empire invested in culture, identity, and theological authority. Challenges Sunni dominance and builds prestige through art and devotion.
By 1500, Safavid Persia was rising under Shah Ismail I, forging a new empire with a distinct identity: Shi’a Islam as state doctrine. Emerging from a Sufi order, the Safavids combined charismatic leadership with messianic ideology, challenging Ottoman dominance and uniting disparate Persian, Kurdish, and Turkic peoples under a banner of divine kingship.
In Watch the Skies, the Safavids stand for spiritual transformation and cultural renaissance. Their power lies in poetry, theology, and sacred resistance. Whether they seek cosmic allies or confront new orthodoxy, the Safavids will shape the soul of Islam—and perhaps the universe itself.
A spiritual and scientific powerhouse rooted in temples and astronomical wisdom. Gains strength through monuments and interfaith diplomacy.
The Vijayanagar Empire ruled southern India in 1500 as a bastion of Hindu political power, temple-centered society, and regional stability. Under rulers like Krishnadevaraya, it fostered monumental architecture, advanced irrigation, and a court rich with scholars and poets. From its capital on the Tungabhadra River, the empire defended the Deccan against Muslim sultanates while cultivating a legacy of astronomy, mathematics, and religious pluralism.
Vijayanagar’s strength lies in wisdom and synthesis—blending science, devotion, and diplomacy. In an age of revelation and cosmic curiosity, they may be among the first to read the stars—or interpret the divine in voices beyond Earth.
A cosmopolitan port city focused on hosting, trade, and alien tourism. Gains power by attracting visitors, not armies.
Perched at the maritime chokepoint between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, Malacca in 1500 was a booming port city and cultural melting pot. Founded a century earlier, it had become a hub for Muslim traders, Chinese merchants, Indian pilgrims, and Indonesian sailors, thriving on commerce, ceremony, and cosmopolitan rule under Sultan Mahmud Shah.
In Watch the Skies Turbo 1500, Malacca is a master of hospitality, spectacle, and global connection. Without vast armies or land, its influence comes from hosting the world—and perhaps welcoming the stars, as the gateway between Earth’s oceans and the unknown.
The world’s most powerful land empire, torn between isolation and maritime ambition. Unlocks massive potential if it reopens to the world.
By 1500, Ming China was the world’s most populous and administratively advanced empire. The great maritime voyages of Admiral Zheng He had ended decades earlier, as the Ming court turned inward, strengthening its bureaucracy, fortifying the Great Wall, and refining Confucian order. Its cities were rich, its scholars disciplined, and its emperors cloaked in Mandate of Heaven legitimacy.
Yet as foreign ships reappear and strange omens flicker in the skies, China must decide: Will it remain the center of its own world—or reawaken to become the center of the entire world? The decision to reopen the seas—or not—will define its destiny among the stars.
In the east of Japan’s fractured archipelago, the Hojo Clan had rebuilt its strength as cunning administrators and military realists. Known for their fortress networks and legal reforms, the Hojo represent discipline, planning, and regional stability, offering order amid the chaos of Sengoku-era warfare.
In Watch the Skies Turbo 1500, the Hojo can become the backbone of a unified Japan. They are patient, deliberate, and well-positioned to consolidate before the others.
Ruling the southern island of Kyushu, the Shimazu Clan boasts one of the oldest warrior lineages in Japan. Isolated from central power yet well-positioned for foreign contact, they combine fierce martial tradition with openness to trade, firearms, and foreign ideas, including Christianity.
The Shimazu can leap ahead in science or diplomacy—if they survive their rivals. They may become Japan’s window to the world… or its wildcard.
Nestled in the western regions of Honshu, the Ouchi Clan controls ports and trade routes critical to foreign commerce. Wealthy, cultured, and ambitious, they are known for patronizing art, importing Chinese goods, and managing diplomacy as skillfully as war.
The Ouchi’s strength lies in connections: to Korea, China, and eventually, the stars. In the clash of steel and scroll, they may become Japan’s most refined—but underestimated—power.
An oceanic alliance of navigators and storytellers. Gains prestige through exploration, ritual, and peaceful cultural leadership.
Across the vast Pacific, a network of island societies has joined into a Polynesian Confederation, reviving voyaging traditions and star-based navigation systems that span thousands of miles. These seafarers do not build empires by sword, but by canoe, chant, and shared memory, uniting far-flung islands through trust and ritual.
In Watch the Skies, they are a rare power: peaceful, spiritual, and mobile. Their oral traditions and celestial knowledge may make them ideal partners for alien contact—or the storytellers who frame humanity’s place in the cosmos.
Original content for Watch the Skies is licensed by Stone Paper Scissors.
Watch the Skies: Turbo is a shorter experience that integrates the narrative into the Basenti Game System.
Watch the Skies 1500 pushes the experience backwards in time, to the dawn of globalization and age of exploration.