1194-1269 (441-516 AD) (L'Uniona Homanus)

Tastil
In what is present day northern Argentina, the Atacama people clustered into a small region which they named Tastil. This settlement existed from as early as the year 1000 (247 AD) but never had much contact with any further civilizations. The Atacama in Tastil fell into an economic slump which was believed to be caused by a crop failure in the region. A man, who was simply named Yisodini or ‘savior’ by the people, rose to leadership by bringing in many large amounts of food from over the Andes mountains. He came with such bounty that the people of Tastil made him their leader, though they had no idea of his origin. Yisodini, being in control of a large supply line of food in the region, moved out into neighboring city states and brought them under his hegemony. This leader also brought the kinds of weapons that had been common place in lands in Central America to the north but were completely unfamiliar to these people. Yisodini, who brought rule and subsistence to the people of this area though it was through warfare, became a mythical figure even during his lifetime. Yisodinin rose to power at around the year 1196 (443 AD) and had his origins in the Chimu Kingdom.

Yisodini was a military general who ranked such a prestigious reputation for his tactical brilliance that he wanted to be named the Prince and heir to the throne of the Chimu Kingdom. This ambition led to his ousting by many of his peers and he was exiled, a punishment coming with mercy which his judges believed that he deserved for his service. Despite this mercy, Yisodini, whose original name was unknown, and his sympathizers continued to support him and many members of the military defected alongside him. This was what allowed him to bring in food and weapons to the people of Tastil. He wished to start his own nation and to lead it as he believed was his right. His control of the Atacama people was solidified in the year 1203 (450 AD) when much of Northern Argentina and southern Chile fell to him. His Empire, which spread across the southern Andes and to the sea, was named the Atacama Empire and it would embark on bringing a new idea to the people of the continent. An idea that any person should be able to pursue their dreams no matter what is in their way.

Mapocho
The Mapuche rose to power much differently. While Yisodini and his Atacama were conquering, others were making trade and spreading the knowledge of agriculture and of course the knowledge of mining and weaponry that they had gained from leaders like Yisodini. One of these areas that received this knowledge were the Mapuche in what is OTL southern Chile and southwestern Argentina. The Mapuche were a much less cohesive group than the Atacama but they managed to unite under a provisional government, which ceded substantial powers to the minor lords and rulers of the member cities. The first “Lonco” or “Chief” of the Mapuch rose only ten years after the arrival of the technologies that Yisodini had brought. Lonco Cancique, meaning Chief Cancique, was the first to have control of the capital of the Mapuche in Mapocho (Santiago, Chile). The city of Mapocho is also the origin of the name of the Mapuche people and nation.

The Mapuche took the Atacama as a great enemy and knew that if the Mapuche became to outstanding in the area near the Atacama, war was inevitable. They similarly understood that the Atacama would remain ignorant of them for as long as they could make themselves rather inconspicuous in anything but their trade. The Mapuche, in this concern, developed a paranoid feeling about outside people. They maintained that other tribes were only fit for specified trade or for conquest. The only time immigration was allowed was when the small and large scale leadership accepted their entrance. This unique characteristic made the Mapuche military something to be feared by the surrounding tribes. Their strict discipline made security a non-issue and their bottom up organization style made each area fairly protected. The Mapuche were, statistically, one of the most well governed people and strongest but they were also the most reluctant to ever exercise that power. This was a truly remarkable quality and their security was so well established that their trade was more robust than was ever seen among the cultures of what we call South America. By the year 1240 (487 AD) the Mapuche and Atacama enjoyed a symbiotic relationship the kind rarely seen by nations.