The Crisis of the 16th Century could be considered to have only a negative impact from a modern point of view: the fall of a strong central authority, the rise of religious fundamentalism and an increase in violence and famine. However, progress and decline are too simple to describe complete societal changes and as long as humans keep living, keep thinking and keep making things, can progress ever disappear, even in a "period of decline"? Can there be positive effects caused by such a "negative impact"? I think you know the answer.

Shaft mining was a curious invention, given the time. While perhaps mining output in Tozàn decreased across the board, shaft mining was a result of the rising iron and steel demands, necessary to power the arms industry. With war more common than ever for a short period of years, the iron mines flourished and could never satisfy their labour demands. Deeper mines, should there hypothetically be sufficient macro-economic understanding, would also be a reason for continued warfare even after the coming conclusion to the crisis.

The Ida sword was one of the arm's industries iron products. A sword was not common in most of Tozàn. However, the scimitar had proven an effective and popular weapon for cavalry in the north and the ida rose to prominence as its southern counterpart. Functional in dense terrain, it was a short and heavy slashing weapon, ideal for cutting vines and weeds as well as flesh, but also capable of battering shields and armour. As a side-arm, it became favoured over more generic short swords and spears with the military nobility, who still chose the longbow over any hand-to-hand weapon.

The Bowsprit, a minor shipbuilding development, had little to do with the crisis itself, besides being a Tozàn product that appeared first during the crisis. It was almost exclusively a development seen in the large ocean-going merchant ìnáwo and sambuks.

The Pontoon bridge could be seen as a shipbuilding development in jest, because it was more like a building-with-ships kind of development. Small and large rivers alike in Tozàn required more flexible options for the armies of the crisis to cross, because petty armies and ladies could not always hope to possess the one bridge that allowed them to cross the river. Pontoon bridges were therefore often temporary constructs, quickly built to cross a river relatively fast and them disassembled afterwards.

The Whippletree and the Pitchfork were developments that aided the general decrease of labour in agriculture. With the crisis' demise of large scale estate and plantation farming, powered by good old slave labour, common and independent farmers had to make do with just themselves or at least a much smaller workforce. The whippletree allowed horses or cows, both cheaper than a good slave, to do more work for the farmer. The pitchfork consequently helped feeding said cows and horses. Slaves could not eat hay and straw. Cows and horses could.

The Ceremonial sword was a typical item for the crisis of the 16th century. Instead of wealth from trade or land, the most elite were now soldiers, the military nobility. They wanted to show their origins in their wealth, so instead of regular jewelry they adorned swords with gold coating, an ivory hilt and inlayed gemstones.

A cultural development of the people was Coconut rice, a simple dish made from African rice. Coconut rice is made by cooking rice in the juice of shredded coconut flesh. The "coconut milk" gives the rice a characteristic taste that would become one of the pillars of Obibo cuisine.

The Ribat came from Sùsì and although its intent was to offer caravans refuge on their travels, after ribats appeared in northern Tozàn they were used both by caravans and against caravans. Independent or semi-independent nobles would use the control of a ribat to demand tolls, but along the Niger more powerful nobles constructed them instead to maintain the lucrative trade even in the face of uncertain times and the ribats were a succesful way to decrease the influence of bandits and robber-nobles.

Sesame seed was a rich addition to any people as far as flavour went. It came from the south and once it had spread to Tozàn, it became popular in cold salads and in soups.

• Shaft mining
• Ida sword
• Bowsprit
• Pontoon bridge
• Whippletree
• Pitchfork (agriculture)
• Ceremonial sword (culture)
• Coconut rice (culture)
• Ribat (trade from Sus)
• Sesame seed (trade from Kikongo)
• Basket weaving (cultural trade)