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RPG: Fountains of Mana


Alex Humva

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IC: The loss of one of his scouting party greatly insulted Morhk Ck'janthak. Either the scout had abandoned his duty, which was a mark of disrespect onto his command as the scout-sarjeant, or something had taken the man. And that was just plain disrespectful.

 

"Look for tracks," he ordered his three remaining scouts, "Signs of a struggle, spatters of blood, anything out of the unusual. Sath and Vray you two are together, Shyr with me. We do not split off alone. If there is something out here predating on us I want it taking us on two at a time."

 

As Shyr joined his side, Morhk drew his sabre. Not quite long enough to be called a sword, but too long to be a dagger or knife, it was nevertheless a sturdy blade of Jelvakqo steel. A weapon for man or beast to fear

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IC [@Zhangku]

 

The councilor slowly advanced backwards as the beast advanced forwards, careful not to get within it's tentacle range. He remembered back to his boyhood, when this had attacked his town. It was before he had gone into the Fountain and gained his powers; he was but a fisher, and not a very good one at that. The town was ravaged while he hid in the fish locker, trying desperately to find some salt to coat his sling with but ultimately failing when the shack collapsed around him. The soldiers that fought the beast off would find him buried in fish, injured and seemingly disabled for life.

 

He breathed and let loose a massive torrent before darting back towards the fort. That was then, this was now. Even as he pulled back a barrage of salt flew forward, assaulting the beast as it tried to recover from the mud. It made an odd gurgling sound as it flayed about, collapsing to the ground and beginning to spasm. He willed himself forward, the ground shifting under his feet and sending him at high speeds to the top of the fort. There he instantly began pulling rock from the ground, fist sized boulders finding themselves landing more or less in a pile next to the artillery.

 

"Load these up and fire into it," he said, never breaking the flow. "It's weak now, it'll disperse its form and send it away."

 

IC [@Silvan]

 

"That we are," the woman said crisply.

 

IC [@Power]

 

The men would fan out and search, but find nothing out of the normal. After several hours they would regroup at the camp to find a cryptic note, left in their language, and seemingly by the hand of their comrade; it told them that there was a grove an hour away that, and to meet him there. The odd scrawl of it, though, informed them that the man was probably not in his right mind, and the walk of footprints was... peculiar.

Edited by Strategist Alex Humva

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"In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong

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OOC: Time to begin.

 

IC: Sherdria, the City of Kathra

 

The Temple of Magic, carved into the rock face of Silver Mountain, was among the most amazing spectacles in the nation of Sherdria. Each tiny detail carved into the stone showed the love and care that its architects and builders had put into appeasing their Dai-Tengu overlords. For the envoys of the gods, how could one dare give anything less?

 

It was these same overlords that sat assembled in the heart of their Temple, gathered around the arena-like Great Hall and staring with the intensity of a hawk as a single human man, physically imposing in the extremes and clad in the finest of armors, spoke to them.

 

"My most Honorable and Ascendant Lords, I speak to you today on a matter most dire." spoke Lord Matherius Varthoru, lord of the city of Varthoru and the only human in the kingdom to rival their authority. "Sherdria stands today just as it has for decades. Our traditions and way of life, they have shaped our entire culture towards greatness. But as the world outside continues to shift, so too must we adapt."

 

"I stand today on behalf of His Lordship of Daeroth and the Assembled Lords and Ladies of the House of Tethorus, and on behalf of the peoples of Varthoru, to resurrect an issue which has been plaguing us for months - the matter of Sherdria expansion."

 

From the most grand seat in the hall came the wizened voice of the eldest among the Dai-Tengu, the High Priest himself. Looking down upon Matherius, he asked, "Do you realize the implications of what you ask, Lord Matherius? There is a reason why the collective Ascendant Lords have not given the order to act yet, and that is for a lack of need. We are not under threat, Lord Matherius, and are lands are fertile. Why the push for more of it, then?"

 

"Lord High Priest, what you see is that experienced in the central lands. Yet along the borders and the fringes of our society, there are those who stare day in and day out at the vast and unclaimed resources which lay beyond."

 

"There are vast and unclaimed resources in our own lands." the High Priest reminded.

 

"More so, we have no idea what lies beyond." Priestess Stestruara added. "If we send soldiers beyond our borders, we have no idea what we might face. We already know the rumors of barbarians and wild men to the north, along with the unknowable number of magical creatures which could roam wild in those lands."

 

"It is for the soldiers we do this, your Ascendant Ladyship." Matherius replied. "They are the hardworking common men who stand at the border, vigilantly guarding it, and yet seeing nothing - and wondering what they could make of it."

 

"More so," another Priest, this one by the name of Authrasu, quickly added, "This land being an unknown is in and of itself and a reason to go into it. If we leave it unexplored forever, then we will be unprepared for the day when we do need it. And if other nations turn their eyes towards us with conquest in their hearts, and we are forced to relive the Age of Cities, then what shall we do?"

 

Another of the priests decided to quickly add on, "In those days, we were more powerful than we are now."

 

"Yes, we were. And then our nation began crumbling apart." reminded yet another.

 

Throughout the hall, their was some squabbling from many of the priests. Finally, one of the mage-priestesses, Priestess Heatithria, beckoned to the massive black wolf which slept at her feet. The creature let out a mighty growl that silenced the others, as she spoke. "While I am loathe to say it... I believe Brother Authrasu is correct."

 

"Your tender support touches my heart." the other Priest replied, earning him a death glare. Heatithria continued -

 

"That is to say, he is correct on us needing to be prepared. Lord Matherius, your constant push for new holdings does little to conceal your true objective. You're in this for the profits, as our those who support you, and not out of care for the nations best interests. And while I fail to see the advantage we would have by moving northwards... we cannot continue living in ignorance. If we want to protect the country, we must learn more of what lays beyond."

 

There was murmuring, and while Matherius appeared calm from the outside, there was a deathly cold of anger hiding in his glare. Eventually, the silent conversations grew to full blown argument, until the High Priest gave the signal for silence. Looking down upon Lord Matherius, he said, "Brothers and Sisters, it seems a course of action has been decided. Those who stand in favor of sending forth scouts to investigate the lands beyond the Khaifena River, speak as such now before the gods."

 

There was a resounding call of, "Aye!" amongst those gathered, all of whom who called it standing and pounding their right fist against their chest. It was by no means a sweeping vote, but it was still a majority. It was at least clear how the priests were split in this case."

 

"Then Lord Matherius, you may send to the Lord of Daeroth. Tell him that he may send forth his men to scout the lands past the river, in the interests of learning what lies beyond. And may we tread carefully under the eyes of the gods."

 

OOC: Actions Taken - None Yet. More to follow.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor :flagusa:

Edited by Toa Levacius Zehvor

"I disapprove of what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."


- Evelyn Beatrice Hall (often attributed to Voltaire)

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IC: Thanking the Ignomians, the crew hoisted anchor and set off for the Ignomian capital.

 

Meanwhile, the King surveyed the reports from the mines, noticing that construction was going well, and a settlement was beginning to spring up around them. He made a mental note to charter expansion to the northwest, for access to its forests, and ordered a small expedition to be sent there for exploration. Another would be sent to the southwest.

 

The ships had not yet returned, but the King want worried. The sailors on them were skilled, and he'd sent along a diplomat on each as well as ensuring that the language they were most likely to encounter was spoken by at least one person on board. Now all he had to do was wait.

Edited by Toast of Awesomeness

Well, would you just look at that?

 

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I'm a piece of toast.

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IC:

 

"A BIT DISTURBED!" The king shouted. "DRAGONS TEND TO DO THAT!" His mace in hand, the King glanced around the corner of the door to his now crushed balcony. Out of sight of the dragon, the king waved to a pair of his guards; to one of them, he whispered. "Bring soldiers...spearmen." He had to hope that the Firetongue Guardsman would obey, and that this dragon wasn't their father.

That being said, thag thag thaggity thag thagness.

-Rover

 

"A memo was sent to Astaria asking if it would at all be possible to make a flying goat."

"The Astarians responded that making a goat fly would be trivial; making it land safely would be another matter entirely."

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IC: Sherdria, the City of Tethorus

 

"Could the rumors be true?" asked one of the many members of Tethrous' House of Lords, as the group debated amongst each other.

 

"The Matherius has finally been granted the authority to act on his desire to push northward?" replied Lord Khaerdan. "Lastethra has truly forsaken us if they are."

 

"What does it matter?" asked another lord.

 

"It means more lands for the lords along the borderlands." replied a fourth. "Our trade contracts are not the strongest, and unless we fortify ourselves, we will not have the necessary economic strength to keep Tethorus' strength as it is."

 

"As it is?" Lady Vettora scoffed. "No. If the other lords are pushing their borders, we too must push our own. Now, more than ever, trade must flow. Which means we must expand our contact with other nations."

 

"A foolish notion. We should continue focusing on the other cities along our own coasts. That is what grants us our greatest economic advantage." Lord Khaerdan replied.

 

"For now, perhaps. But on the larger scale?" another lord asked.

 

The arguments and debates continued for many hours. By the time the sun set, however, many of the issues debated upon by the Tethorus House of Lords had been settled.

 

"It is then decided," Lady Vettora began, "Diplomatic vessels shall be sent to the Republic of Vardal and the Kingdom of Sendai, with the intent of opening formal trade relation with them. Furthermore..."

 

The final decisions carried on for another half an hour, as the other lords and ladies of the House all gave forth their final decided upon proclamations. None other were so important.

 

OOC: Actions Taken - Sending diplomatic vessels to Vardal and Sendai, to open trade relations.

 

@ Kothra, Zhangku; It seems like it should take a while for the ships to reach your countries. I'll just go with them showing up whenever you feel like it would be the most appropriate; the main thing here is just trying to get some trade relations open with the nearest countries, and then so forth.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor :flagusa:

Edited by Toa Levacius Zehvor

"I disapprove of what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."


- Evelyn Beatrice Hall (often attributed to Voltaire)

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IC: The Captain nodded to the Councillor-Magus, knowing full well that men like him were the best defense against the magics and the foulness of such "River Guardian" creatures who deigned to smash the defenses of the Fort. Magical Creatures had long ago not been much of a problem here, but they would be more common along the frontier, "Men!" He yelled once more, "Fire at the beast, pummel him with the ammunition our fine guest has given us!" and thus the men fired at the River Guardian, pummeling it over and over, each time they could fire, until it was gone....

 

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IC (Empress Wu and her court)


The Empress Wu, anointed of the heavens, ruler of all she surveyed, dispatcher of the unworthy and master of the Glimmering Violet Widows clan was seated upon the Solar Throne, a glimmering masterpiece of stonework, inlaid with gold and silver and covered in royal red cushions. Before her, a small army of Court Officials and military lords and lord-ladies formed were lined up before her throne, all sitting on their knees. To her side and flanking all entrances to the room were the vaunted Iron Troops of Zhao, their steel armor glimmering in the torchlight. She took little comfort from their presence however, for they had not helped her predecessor overmuch once she had spilt his lifeblood upon the sheets she now called her own. Nonetheless, she stood up, and looked out over the ranks of men and women gathered before her.


These were some of the most powerful people in the Dominion, leaders of great clans, master assassins, Lords and Lord-Ladies of war without peer, merchants who bathed in pools crafted from gold and so many others. Once they would have been her rivals, she had no doubt some plotted her death even now. The majority however, were now the staunchest of allies, eager to see a new age begin after toiling so long under the doddering fool she had relieved them of. She smiled for a moment, oh yes, she had plans, wondrous plans. “Brave Zhao!” Her voiced carried across the entire throne room, aided by the near complete silence that had held in the room since these officials had begun to file in. “Too long have we allowed our ambition to be checked by the weakness of Emperor Ozun! As I cleansed his weakness from our glorious Dominion we shall cleanse our own society of the laziness and shame that Ozun brought with him! We shall once again match wits with the world beyond our own wondrous enclaves! One again the Lord of Trade will turn his gaze upon the Dominion!”


She had the merchants now, invoking their favored God and hinting at further economic expansions in the very same breath. “Our swords shall be sharp once again! Our society will be as the steel Jian, sharp and ready to strike! Too long did the Emperor Ozun allow our guards to carry on their duties alone! His very nature shamed him before even the least of soldiers! The efforts of our brave soldiers kept our nation save while that fool turned his gaze ever inwards! I think it is time to reward their efforts with yet more brave warriors to stand posts alongside them!" Military and naval expansions the nation needed without throwing the blame on the military, Ozun made such a handy scapegoat. " I promise you that this land, so faded and frayed before the glory of our homeland shall shine with a new luster as we expand our reach further and further! The time has come to tame the wildness around us!”


Suddenly, her voice grew flat, yet seemed even stronger then when she had raised it. “The time has come, my dear friends, for the Zhao to once again take destiny by the throat. Ozun allowed turned his gaze away from our station in the world, focusing on his own wealth and power. All know that the anointed of heaven is the most powerful being in Zhao. Such is their power that the entire nation depends upon them to see to their well-being. I have not forgotten this duty, as that weak fool did. Our Dominion shall rise to even further heights. Our influence shall be felt in the frozen north and in the balmy south; even the most remote of barbarian tribes shall know our glory.” She sat upon her throne once more. “You know your duties; you know what your people ask of you. You have all mastered the paths you set upon; you have walked them for longer than many have lived. I am the master of the Dominion, but you are the Dominion.”


“Speak now. Tell me of the state of every corner of this grand and wonderful land, and tell me how you would see it grow yet stonger.”


OOC: General plan outlined, no solid action taken by the Empress as yet.

Edited by Basilisk

I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.

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IC: Well this was...disturbing. There had been stories about the things living in the Crown range as long as the Jelvakqo had been its neighbours, but as Morhk had been a soldier all his life he'd developed a crust of cynicism filled with a meaty helping of an "if it can hurt us we can hurt it" attitude, which altogether made for a pretty decent Screw You Pie

 

"Fine, someone wants us to walk into a honey trap we'll see how sweet the honey is. And how much the bees sting. Look for the grove, but do not enter it. We will plot the place out together before finding a good spot for an ambush."

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OOC: I'm assuming the Badois interaction offer is still up, so,

 

IC:

 

The watchman rushed into the speaker's room, the speaker for Bralder, a middle-aged Lizardfolk turned to the watchman,

 

"What is it?"

 

The watchman, panting heavily, said with an air of urgency,

 

"Sir, there's a ship coming into port, it looks to be Badois. I thought you might want to know."

 

The speaker seemed to consider this for a second,

 

"Thank you."

 

The speaker then picked up his cloak, slung it across his back and walked out the door.

 

(Roughly 15 minutes later)

 

The speaker arrived at the docks, he then hailed the ship and called out in slightly broken Badoisian,

 

"What brings you here to our frozen land?"

 

OOC:

 

Actions taken- None

 

Note: The direct translation of the speaker's Badoisian would be "What bring you here to our coldest land"

My BZPRPG Profiles

 

If you interact with me, and I haven't responded after a while, feel free to PM me.

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IC: Sherdria, the City of Daeroth

 

In the northern regions of Sherdria, there was tension as soldiers gathered together along the river banks. Humans and tengu alike anxiously awaited what would come ahead. In total, there were probably a couple hundred of them, standing anxiously as they awaited what was to come.

 

Most were not facing the river itself. Instead, they were facing the man who stood at the top of a large rock; their ruler, Lord Tethras of Daeroth. The Lord of Daeroth was in the midst of giving a speech.

 

"... which is why you have been chosen among the irregulars. You shall travel north and scout out the territory. You shall find the truth behind the rumors of the uncharted Northern Regions, and find what resources and land may be acquired. For if you do this, you shall be among the first of those to be rewarded with the riches that may be uncovered."

 

There was a resounding cheer at that last point, as he concluded by saying, "Now, we sail across the Khaifena River. For the glory of the Sherd!"

 

The Lord of Daeroth took his troops - roughly 300 in number - in old fishing vessels across the river. While many of them were among the best of the Irregulars, that was hardly saying much. Once they reached land, they were then to spread out and attempt to cover as much land as they could.

 

OOC: Actions Taken - Dispatching a scouting patrol in the area north of the Khaifena River. There will be roughly a dozen scouting parties sent out, each composed of two squads of ten men accompanied by three additional leaders/support members. The remainder of the group shall remain at shore, and is left under the command of the Lord of Daeroth. They are searching primarily for good farmland, but pretty much anything that could obviously be tapped for resources is considered. Additionally, the troops are meant to search for a good position to built a fortress or new settlement, and to mark its location down. Each scouting party has at least two people tasked with navigation and charting down their travels.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor :flagusa:

"I disapprove of what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."


- Evelyn Beatrice Hall (often attributed to Voltaire)

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IC [@Zhangku]

 

The creature took quite the beating, but in the end it was too weak to hold itself together. Every rock smashed its body apart until it was but a series of puddles on the muddy ground. The Councilor recomposed himself, inhaling deeply before turning to the Captain. "Frightening creatures," he said, "but ultimately, not much of a fight when you have the proper defenses. In numbers, though, they are exceedingly dangerous."

 

IC [@Xom]

 

"YES, MY PRESENCE DOES TEND TO DO THAT." The dragon considered briefly if it had overdone the theatrics; after all, there was instilling fear into the populace, and then there was making them kill you. "HOW ARE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS DOING?"

 

IC [@Power]

 

They would find the grove in a small valley of sorts, not much larger than a good sized cabin. One large and strange tree dominated it, with a canopy reaching hundreds of paces into the air. Inside of it was obscured with vines; they could not look in without first going through them, but that would leave them open to attack. One of them did notice something particularly unusual; a smear of blood that lead into the obscured valley, as well as what looked to be the start of a message, also in blood, though it cut off before the first word could be finish.

voidstars.png


1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89


"In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong

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IC: Captain Greer panted hard as he had his men turn about and make sure the catapults and ballistae were all stationed at all times. In the chaos of the attack, however, it seemed that Corporal Grigam Jeung had slipped and cracked his head open. It seemed natural to him and not that he was hurt purposely, so he immediately ordered his men to deal with this, "With the Corporal dead I am temporarily in charge of the this outpost. Send word back to the Capital for a replacement, and order more Salt and Mud to be sent up the river. We might need to deal with more of these. Also ask to requisition some Catapults from Oxos, they don't need them right now and we have a danger to deal with!"

 

Turning to the Councillor-Magus, he bowed his head, "In the meantime sirs, I would recommend you stay the night. If there are any more of them out there, we would not only fear for your safety on your own, especially with your few numbers, but also your expertise should anything unexpected stop by." He bowed to the dignitary and counted his losses. They were lucky only to lose around fifteen soldiers to the creature, including the Corporal, but now they had other focuses.

 

Among the messages sent south were demands for extra supplies to deal with the River Guardians, but also for scouts to figure out the tribal situation in this part of the world.

 

OOC: More supplies are brought in, Scouting Missions to the Barbarian tribes to offer trade and diplomacy should they be found where the Councillor said they'd be.

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IC (Empress Wu and her court)


With a single gesture, the Empress silenced the hall. Orderly suggestions had long since given way to raging debate. It was time to exercise the prerogative of heaven. “Thank you, my most skilled allies for your brilliant suggestions.” Privately, Wu reflected she was probably laying it on a bit thick, but most of them appeared to be buying it hook, line and sinker. “As difficult as it was to choose between these well-laid plans, I have made my choice and modified with input from your very ranks.” Wu turned to Lord Xia, an older man bearing far too many scars. “I shall call upon a quarter of your Leaping Mantis Guards for this action, for they need to be blooded do they not?” Xia nodded, good, he wouldn’t protest, she’d hate to have to humiliate him in front of the entire court.


“Five hundred men, operating in groups of fifteen will travel beyond our borders in every direction, seeking resources and good, solid land for us to build upon. It is only fitting that the Dominion extends its reach yet further. If any organized Barbarians are sighted, then they shall send a runner to the closest enclave, so that a course of action might be decided upon.” She inclined her head towards a group of merchants. “As the august Clan Master Shang suggested, particular attention will be paid to finding yet more resources for us to master. Gold, wood and other such gifts from the lords of heaven will be key to our rise to glory. We are a great people, the greatest upon this frayed land, but we must not allow our reach to outpace our gains, a crossbow made of glass is beautiful, but useless. This is a fate the Zhao must avoid.”


One by one, the small army of court officials bowed before her, deferring to her ruling. “We must also look to the waters however, for foolish Ozun allowed our navy to atrophy. Our sailors are undoubtedly skilled, but without a weapon to wield, they are mere fishermen. If all goes well, we shall find lands of bounty to fund the ambitious expansion Lord-Admiral Qin suggested…”


OOC: Action taken: Five hundred men dispatched to scout the area around Zhao for resources in preparation for a settlement.

Edited by Basilisk

I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.

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IC:

The messenger ran towards the Capitol building, to bring news.

A Badoise ship had arrived, asking to open a formal trade agreement with Ignomia. The messenger was told to relay this information to the Capitol, to tell the council. The messenger ran as fast as he could.

He soon arrived at the Capitol building, and knocked on the door. "I am here to relay a message from Dockmaster Dalom!" the messenger shouted to a guard. "It is of utmost importance I relay this message!"

The guard raised an eyebrow. "What purpose is it for?"

"Formal trade between Ignomia and Badois!"

"Oh? And the Dockmaster sent you? A ship from Badois arrived in the harbor?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright, I will inform the council."

The guard turned around, and brought the message to the Council of Twelve.

"You say, Badois wants to open trade relations?" one of the Councilmen asked.

"Yes, Councilmen Lanro."

"Understood. We will discuss this matter, and come up with a decision."

OOC: The decision will be posted tomorrow.

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Steam name: Ehksidian

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IC: Regnum Veritatis

"The men have always asked how we, the dwarves can live in the Desolate Lands. To be honest, we don't fully know ourselves. The lands provide us with many mineral riches, but food is scarce. It's probably why our kingdoms have remained small, but nonetheless powerful..."

 

"Why did we build our kingdom in such a remote, harsh place? Perhaps that was precisely why; this was the only land untouched by war. Life is hard here, but it is beautiful in its own way. It offers a refuge from stupidity of society..."

 

"In the time before time, the Aesir gifted this land to us. Perhaps this was their idea of a cruel joke, to give us this waste. As such, we were forced to adopt a life of war merely to survive, and as such were scorned..."

 

During the summer, the Desolate Wastes weren't so... desolate. To the surprise of those new to the area, when the ice receded, the lands were actually somewhat habitable. Water was never a problem, and trade with the southern kingdoms as well as working of small regions of the land (in no small part due to the knowledge of alchemy) helped solve the issue of food. It wasn't a paradise, but thanks to the resourcefulness and knowledge of all the races of the kingdom, it was hospitable.

 

The Mage King, Gaius Aquillius Veritatis, stood on the porch of the "Castle in the Mountain". as his palace was called, as it-and the rest of the capital-was built into the side of one of the northernmost mountains of the Mythic Mountains. Staring down at the city, he couldn't help but smile. "This city is truly a testament to the conscientiousness and resourcefulness of the sapient races," he muttered to himself. As the 19th king of Regnum Veritatis, this land was truly his home, for it was here that he was born, and it was here that he had sworn to die.

 

The king turned at the sound of footsteps and beheld a tall and gruff man walking towards him. "Hail Erik Gardarsson," the mage king bowed respectfully to this other person; he was, after all, the ancestral leader of the Men of the North, and had things proceeded to their natural order, it would have been he, not Gaius, who sat on the throne. Still, they bore no animosity towards each other, for without the Men of the South, the Men of the North would never have become as great as they were now. "What news do you bring," Gaius asked Erik, beginning to walk down the hall. "How go the preparations for the expeditions to the south?"

 

"Preparations are on schedule, my lord," Erik replied. "We can afford to spare 120 regular troops for the expedition. Two Trireme are currently in construction." "Good to hear," Gaius replied. The two of them continued walking down the hall. "Any news from the Dwarf kingdoms?" Gaius asked. "Björn, as far as I know, is currently preparing to reopen the mines. The dwarves had to deal with a nasty cave; internal flooding only made things worse. They should be able to get things back to normal soon." "I see," Gaius mused. Metal and precious stones were the kingdom's primary export; these minerals were what allowed them to buy the food they needed to survive. As well, it provided the resources needed to build fortresses and forge weapons. If the mines were crippled for too long, things could go badly.

 

The two of them passed by a dimly lit room. "Eh?" Erik spoke, peering curiously into the room. "What is that?" "That, my friend," Gaius answered, "Is the heart of our kingdom: the Fountain of Mana." Inside the room the shape of a man could be seen sitting inside the pool settling below the fountain. "It will take a long time before his powers will be unlocked," Gaius continued speaking. "I believe him to have aptitude for creation; hopefully, he will alleviate some of Ingvar's stress." "Eh," Erik nodded. The two of them continued to walk down the hall. And in the streets below, the people went about, living their lives...

 

OOC: Start Date: January 12, 2014.

Actions taken:

  • Setting aside 120 professional soldiers for exploration purposes (troops on reserve reduced to 880)
  • Building two Trireme (6 EP to build, 2 EP upkeep, construction finished on January 26)
  • Making one CREATION MAGE. Construction finished on January 18, 2014
Edited by Man of Miracles
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IC:

(Suioto-kyo)
"Alright, alright," said the guard to the Horranians.
"Alright, open the gate!" he shouted. At his command, some of the other guards behind the wall pulled the gate open, allowing the foreigners to pass through.

The chief guard called over one of the others. "This is Jiro," he said the Horranians. "He will escort you to the council building."

(Off Sendai south coast)
The Sherdrian vessel was intercepted by a Sendai naval vessel not too far from the nation's south coast. The captains of the ship met, and it was decided that the Sendai ship would escort the Sherdrian envoy up to the capital.

OOC: Lev, I guess just pick up with your guys in the capital? Or maybe we could kind of fast forward through this or something. I dunno.

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OOC: @ Kothra; Sure, meeting in the capital sounds good. Really, I'm just keen on starting up trade negotiations and the like in some official means.

 

IC: Sherdrian Ambassador to Sendai, the Capital of Sendai

 

The Sherdrian ambassador, like many ambassadors in Sherdria (not that there were many), was a human. Humans tended to get better reactions from other humans than tengu, after all. From non-humans, too, most of the time. While the same rule didn't apply to everyone on his ship, he was still quick to make sure he was accompanied two other humans as he was escorted along, and not the more alien inhabitants of Sherdria.

 

Of course, the pair of seven foot tall Carotru birdmen strutting around the top deck and staring out at the city beyond had still gotten the occasional stare.

 

The first of the two companions to the ambassador had quite an irritated look to her face as she stared to her partner. "If you keep staring around like an cool dude, they're not going to take us seriously?"

 

"But look! The architecture... it's amazing! I've never seen buildings like this!"

 

"Hmmph. It's alright. But compared to Tethorus?"

 

"Then this place is even more amazing. Tethrous smells like fish and wet bird."

 

"I happen to like the smell of fish.... maybe not the wet bird, though."

 

"That's not what I've heard..."

 

"There's a very thin line keeping me from starting an international war by punching you through somebody's window."

 

"Quiet, you two." called back the ambassador. "If you keep speaking, the locals will get suspicious. Just let me do the talking, and in their language, or things will not go well for us."

 

Let's take a moment to discuss the ambassador. See, he wasn't always a part of Tethorus. He had studied for years at the Varthoru Military Academy, and was already well educated on foreign lands. Yet unlike many others, he did not study the arts of war; instead, he studied the arts of peace, and the formal treaties from the Age of Cities. He was well versed in four languages, though he had only truly spoken in his native tongue. For him, this was a chance to prove all of his years of knowledge to be true, and perhaps acquire new lore on this neighbor kingdom. Of course, establishing a profitable trade contract... that would be nice.

 

 

IC: Sherdria, the Temple of Magic

 

"Commander Stakaffirak," spoke the High Priest. "Step forward."

 

In contrast to the last man of war to enter the Temple, Matherius, Stakaffirak was a quite extravagant fellow. Unlike Matherius, who stood with an almost regal appearance through stance and words, Stakaffirak maintained such an appearance with shining armor and his rather brilliant feathers - an amazing thing, when recalling that one was a lord, while the other was simply a common soldier.

 

Of course, it is a bit harder to stand tall when, rather than standing, you are kneeling in reverence.

 

"It is our decision that the time has come to honor you for your years of service leading the Soldiers of the Wind; to reward you for the nobility and valor with which you have served the gods."

 

"As Lord Matherius was rewarded for his actions against Harpies," he continued, with almost an irritated tone to his voice, "You, too, shall be awarded with the power of the gods, as drawn from the earth itself."

 

"Commander Stakaffirak - you shall bathe in the Fountain of Mana, and taken unto yourself the power of the gods. And upon taking such an act, do we grant you the title - Battlemage."

 

OOC: Actions Taken - I am now promoting the NPC Commander of the Soldiers of the Wind, Commander Stakaffirak, to battlemage. He shall bathe in the Fountain of Mana, and in seven days (1-18-14) shall be the newest mage in Sherdria.

 

-Toa Levacius Zehvor :flagusa:

Edited by Toa Levacius Zehvor

"I disapprove of what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."


- Evelyn Beatrice Hall (often attributed to Voltaire)

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IC (Empress Wu, the summit)


The Empress walked through the palace garden flanked by five Iron Troops on both sides. Low laying flowering plants from all corners of the Dominion had rose to great the sunlight, though some, by a quirk of misfortune had woken only to find the shadow of one of the few cherry blossom trees scattered about the courtyard to greet them. What drew her eyes however was the small temple in the very center of the courtyard. This was where sorcerers were born, were the greatest of sages had bathed and been blessed with wondrous powers by the Lords of Heaven. Empress Wu had the deepest respect for the sages of old, but in the present, matters of stark reality held sway. She was new to power; one of her enemies might capitalize on her perceived weaknesses

.

Therefore, steps had to be taken to show the entire Zhao people the possible rewards of loyalty. Behind the empress, dressed in a ruqun woven from the purest silk and dyed the deepest red, was her loyal second from the clan of the Glimmering Violet Widows. Fen was a formidable woman by all accounts and many of Wu’s enemies had been lured in by her honeyed promises only to find a dagger plunged into their chests that very night. Fen’s loyalty was unassailable this Wu knew for certain. She remembered the first time someone had tried to turn Fen against her. She also remembered their flayed bodies rotting in the mid-day sun, displayed in front of the town temple as a warning others who would presume to challenge the clan. Loyalty would be rewarded. This message had to be sent and no one in the land was more loyal to her then Fen.


The two temple guards swung open the doors just in time for the small procession to enter. Behind layers of screens and guards, hidden behind doors of iron was the heart of the nation. The fountain of mana, the font of all magic in the Zhao Dominion. Wu fully intended to make use of this resource.


Fen, she thought, would make a fine battle-sorceress.


OOC:


Creating one Battlemage, complete on the 20th.

Edited by Basilisk

I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.

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IC Regnum Veritatis

"My lord, Björn has deemed the mines irrecoverable. They have caved in to the point where it would be futile to attempt to clear them." Gaius grimaced at the messenger's words. Having lost the last mine in their territory, Regnum Veritatis's metal production would soon grind to a half. And in the Desolate Lands, no ore was to be found...

 

"Sir, should we attempt a scouting mission?" "I don't know," the king replied. "If we were to travel by foot, we would cross into Million territory and it would be unwise to incur their wrath... We should wait until the Trireme are finished." "Yes, my lord."

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IC: An expedition has been sent to reestablish relations with Zhao, at the King's request, bearing gifts of a pair of Highland beardogs, twice the size of a horse each, and a red griffin, the size of a wolf, not accounting wingspan. The intent is to establish both diplomatic and economic relations between the two nations.

Well, would you just look at that?

 

bread.gif

 

I'm a piece of toast.

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IC: Morhk and his men stood before the grove, each wondering what was going to happen next.

 

"Well we're not sleshing going in, that for sure," Morhk said, causing a ripple of nervous chuckling amongst the three men remaining to him.

 

"Er..." the soldier Vray, swaddled under his armour in the distinctive cloth weave and coloured the dark skin tone of the Gandoshii who lived nearer the desert neighbouring Jelvakq. "Should we try asking whatever's in there to come out?"

 

"Beats my idea," Morhk admitted, "I was just going to have you burn the place to the ground."

 

He stepped forward, adjusting his breastplate and making sure his sword, though sheathed for now, would come to hand easily and swiftly. "Hello in there. I believe you have one of my men. I would rather like him back, in whatever state you have left him."

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IC:

The Council argued for some time about the prospect of trade relations. Half of the Council was against it, believing it to end up being a wasted expense with little to no return, while the others saw it as a potential way of getting more food during the winter months. After hours upon hours of this bickering, they finally agreed to open trade with Badois. The guard returned to the messenger waiting outside.

"They have agreed to the prospect of trade relations."

The messenger nodded, and rushed off to the docks, to tell the Badoise ship the news.

1Ydp0mg.jpg


Steam name: Ehksidian

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IC:

 

"Quite well...quite well! Could you perhaps...not be crushing my balcony?" The King shouted around the corner. Frantically he looked to his Firetongue Guards, but they'd disappeared...he worried for one terrible moment, until a squad of spearment came up the stairs; frantically, he waved at them to stop and be silent, and waited for the Dragon's response.

 

Meanwhile, longstanding orders on the shipyards had been put into place, and five new ships were begun, four small darters, one grand ship, larger than any Shial had yet seen, with five rower lines.

Edited by Xomeron
That being said, thag thag thaggity thag thagness.

-Rover

 

"A memo was sent to Astaria asking if it would at all be possible to make a flying goat."

"The Astarians responded that making a goat fly would be trivial; making it land safely would be another matter entirely."

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IC [@Zhangku]

 

The scouting missions around Fort Confluence had gone well; the forests were thick but good sources of lumber, the soil was a deep rich black, perfect for farmland, and some local herbs had been discovered that the experts in that field were sure to find fascinating. Peaceful relations with the local barbarian tribes were established, with a treaty of nonaggression and economic free trade was signed after an agreement to the trading of daughters between the Barbarian High King and a ranking Vardal noble. With peace in the region established and defenses against local guardians constructed, a greater civilian inflow could be expected.

 

OOC

Fort Confluence will mature into a proper province in nine weeks, barring economic stimulus, a magical anomaly, or other factors.

 

IC [@ToA]

 

The scouts to the southwest would find foothills giving way to the Mystic Mountains, daunting figures on the horizon. Indeed, as the riders road through the foothills, they could spot in the distance an erupting volcano, spewing its ash into the air. Those knowledgeable knew that this meant the valley, assuming the volcano erupted regularly, would be rich for farming. To the northwest, the scouts found a similar situation, minus the volcano, though some coastal outcrops were of interest. While fishing to recoup supplies, a scout caught a giant rainbow fish, at least as long as his arm, and it's scales glistened like some sort of gem. It was definitely worth further investigation.

 

OOC

Southern settlement for the Badois will mature into a proper province in ten weeks, barring economic stimulus, a magical anomaly, or other factors.

 

IC [@Basilisk]

 

The scouts would find the start of a semi-flat area to the north-west, filled with rolling fields and plenty of rock to trip up the horses. The land was averagely fertile, however, and no signs of mineral riches were found. Directly north, scouts ran into the Crown of Meč, so named after Emperor Meč, who visited the land and decreed that one day, he would transcend the mortal coil and become the Earth itself. It was a gloomy place, one that made the horses and men alike skittish. No immediately redeeming qualities could be found; the landscape was too rough and rocky for farms or pastures, the temperature was frigid, the air thin, and a neverending fog covered much of the mountains. In general it just wasn't a nice place. To the southwest, some good news finally arrived; mineral deposits were found, the men confirming the strange rock was in fact copper ore. A valuable resource for any military, to be sure.

 

IC [@Toa Lev]

 

The scouts would find, as they progressed northward, that the World's Cup was meager at best as far as vegetation went. Occasionally they would pass through towering forests, but for the most part they traveled dry foothills. The mountains started up very quickly, and soon they were forced to follow the coastline eastward, the mountains becoming too treacherous for them. No threats were seen; a scattered barbarian tribe here and there was encountered, but nothing of any considerable size. Average mineral deposits, dry pastures, and poor farmland were found by the coast, but due to the mountains proving resilient to entry, the scouts were unable to confirm the rumors of great wealth resting in those fabled peaks.

 

IC [@Silvan]

 

The scouts would find more land very similar to what they had already seen in their country; sweeping fields of relative flatness, with plateaus here and there made out of hills, endless plains grass, and, interestingly enough, an encampment of snow giants. After a brief conversation with them, the men were able to discover a spot filled with large, blubbery fish, excellent for grilling up and surviving the cold winter months.

 

IC [@Power]

 

The grove was particularly unresponsive, until, finally, something came flying out; a perfectly cleaned femur bone. It lodged itself in the soft ground next to the men, and a quick examination made them realize that was certainly not the femur of any man they knew.

 

IC [@Xom]

 

"OH, YES, SORRY ABOUT THAT." The dragon turned to a mirage as it shifted down to a small size, now about the same scale as two large horses. "YOU REALLY SHOULD INVEST IN BIGGER BALCONIES."

voidstars.png


1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89


"In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong

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IC:
(Suioto-kyo, government quarter)

In his office, the Sendai foreign minister prepared to meet with the Horranians. He had met with them once before, and was rather put off by their appearance, but for the sake of his post and his nation, he could not let it show. He dispatched an attendant to show them in, while he stood there impatiently, straightening his clothes.

Elsewhere in the government quarter, the Sherdrian ambassador was admitted, though he would have to wait until after the Horranians had left before he could have an audience with the foreign minister.

(Suioto-kyo, Royal Palace)
A crisp autumn breeze blew into the open room, sending paper fluttering around the room for the twentieth time. Rather than stand to collect the wayward sheets, Kitamori-no-Karin stayed seated and put the finishing touches on the final sheet of her written plans for the kingdom. The queen had spent the entire day at this table, looking over the expansion plans the previous king had recorded, though those plans were never executed as the king passed away before any preparations could be made. Karin was going through these plans, most of them calling for slow expansion inland northward and southward, analyzing them, adapting them, and changing them to suit the grand vision of a new Sendai kingdom that she was slowly forming in her mind.

 

For now, though, as far as the previous king's plans were concerned, not much was to be done. However, what Karin had just finished writing up were orders for the formation of several exploration parties. The first and most important party was to sail across the sea to the east. Their job would be to survey the land and find the best location for a settlement that would allow the entire sea to be secured by the Sendai navy. At least from looking at the map, the ideal location for this settlement would be a peninsula due east across the sea from the kingdom. This settlement would also provide a second base of expansion for eventually extending Sendai territory north, all the way around the sea.

Of the other two scouting parties, one would be sent west into the highlands, to determine if there is anything of value to be seized, and the other would be sent south, to survey the lands between Sendai and Sherdria.

Finally, there were also orders for the minister of war to oversee the construction of two new naval vessels, larger than any the navy has now, in preparation to protect the supply lines between Sendai and the new planned settlement.


OOC: So the biggest thing here would be a scouting party across the sea to the peninsula due east, and the construction of two triremes.

Edited by Kothra
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Fillion

 

IC: Once the reports from the scouts came back a pair of settlements were started. One by the fishing hole that the snow giants pointed out while the other was set down by the end of the large river directly to the south.

 

Back home a group of Thanes escorted the Ambassadors to the keep. Word had been sent ahead of them, allowing the group to pass through the gates without the wait one would normally expect. Inside chunks of crystal had been set and polished to catch the light, casting rainbows of colors all over the walls and floor. On the throne at the end of the great hall sat the king. His voice bellowed out towards them like some sort of gale.

 

"Welcome to my kingdom men from a far away land. What brings you on such an extensive journey?"

"I serve the weak. I serve the helpless. I am their sword and their shield. If you want to strike at them, you must go through me, and I am not so easily moved."

zsUPm2E.jpg?1

 

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IC:

 

The king, who was quite confused at the fact that a dragon had just shrunk at will with no explanation, waved the men to stay where they were. "Forgive me, Mushussu, spear-clawed and knife-fanged, but why do you come to terrorize my people? Have we not provided you with sufficient tribute? Do you wish us to march to war again, so soon after the conquest of Jelvaqk?"

 

Meanwhile, a scouting part of two hundred soldiers set out from the town of Korani, setting sail to the islands southward to explore them; accompanying them was the battlemage Vilashoi.

That being said, thag thag thaggity thag thagness.

-Rover

 

"A memo was sent to Astaria asking if it would at all be possible to make a flying goat."

"The Astarians responded that making a goat fly would be trivial; making it land safely would be another matter entirely."

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IC (Empress Wu, palace keep)


The Empress, anointed of heaven, slayer of Ozun the Weak and master of the Glimmering Violet Widows, sat on her knees at the end of a large table. Flanked the entrances of the room were the ever-present Iron Troops. Beside the Empress sat the master architect Liu Fu, doddering over plans written upon wooden scrolls. Across from the duo sat numerous Glimmering Violet under lords and under ladies. Empress Wu, with one last sip of her tea, set down her cup, bringing the meeting to order. “You have been called here for a simple reason. Empress though I may be, the Glimmering Violets still hold a special place in my heart, as the Dominion grows, I would see the Glimmering Violets grow with it.” Wu paused. “Liu Fu has come to me with a very interesting proposal, one that would bring yet more gold to the coffers of the Dominion. He has respectfully suggested that we link each city and town to a vast road network.”


Several of the Glimmering Violet representatives sucked in their breath at this announcement, running the numbers in their heads. “Exactly.” Wu grimaced. “Such an endeavor is not inexpensive and I fear that by dedicating such a lordly sum to it, we will leave our beloved Dominion vulnerable. For while we seek yet greater cities and a tamed land, the blood thirsty barbarians no doubt craft war bands and look to our walls with greedy eyes. The military must be ready to deal with these threats, but if our troops were to march to war our cities would become lawless hives. This is where you come in. We will furnish you with a stipend of gold and access to sages for a few weeks. In return, you will provide the Dominion with a new order, one dedicated to enforcing the will of the law. This will leave the military quite free to deal with any threats that should arise.” Her guests nodded one by one, no doubt seeing their future if they refused or the lack thereof.


Empress Wu smiled; it was a small, quiet thing. “I also find myself in need of an administrator for a settlement….”


OOC: Founding settlement on or near the copper deposits, attempting to scout the mountain further.


Dedicating 20 IP to road network, complete in twelve weeks.


New unit type created:


Glimmering Violet Enforcers


Number of Soldiers: 3000


Soldier Description: Members of the Glimmering Violet clan given a few rudimentary weeks of training in combat. These men and women are not soldiers, nor are they intended to become such. They are the enforcers, the bouncers and the muscle in the Glimmering Violet Widows. They have street smarts and a solid understanding of the law backing them up but the only thing that separates them from a farmer or a civilian is a few combat drills and quick classes in law enforcement. They're armed with bronze weapons and leather Lamellar armor. There is no set weapon distribution however, in general, the Enforcers are given a small stipend and told to wonder the streets and come back with something pointy or shooty. Preferably something they have a degree of skill with as anything else would be shameful under the critical eye of Zhao culture.


Cost: 1 EP to build, 1 EP to upkeep, 3 days to train


One unit is being trained, 3 days to complete.

Edited by Basilisk

I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.

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IC:

 

With the settlement of the northern borders made safe as per allying with the High King of the barbarians to the direct north of the new settlement, the Duke Victus Tarr was at a crossroads. The military was far larger than necessary, especially with the amount of troops he had currently. Therefore he sent out what would be officially called the Resettlement Act. In order to make it so that the north had enough manpower to eventually give more to the society as a whole, 3,000 more levies would be sent north to settle the farmlands that would soon spring up, as well as their families, on top of 500 of the professional army men would be sent up north to retire there as well, leaving the new population of the northern frontier at around 13,000 Men, women, and children. It would take many years for them to fully settle the region, but it was vital for the area to be safe, secure, and profitable.

 

Equally important was the Duke's other act, the Disbarment Act, which aroused some anger amongst the sea captains who were forced to retire their men. As there was less of a need to keep the waters safe due to not only the elimination of the old pirate threat, on top of the ending of the Sea Guardian threat a few years before he'd come into office, an invasion from the sea was now completely unlikely. As a result, 4 Biremes and 3 Triremes would be retired, sent to rest in the harbor and have lackadaisal management over them, excepting the guards who would keep them safe as well as men to occasionally maintain the boats.

 

Additionally, as there is a good deal of demand, the Great Vardali Bridge shall be built crossing the gap between the cities of Vardal and Innslum, a city of note as the headquarters of the Bay Area's water policing. It will take a long time, but the Duke's engineers claim it'll all go well.

 

OOC: Disbanding some troops and sending them to colonize, putting some ships aside for eventual refurbishment and rebuilding later on. -20 EP.

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IC [@Kothra/Scouting]

 

The scouting mission went well; the ship found exceptionally good soil, so good that some wild forms of crops had taken up residence on the little outcrop. With few rocks to be seen and a warm touch to the air, despite the month, it was a promising place for a colony.

 

IC [@Kothra/Diplomats]

 

The Horranians walked into the room, the main diplomat looking around the office before giving a slight bow to the minister.

 

"Minister," she said politely. "We represent the Sacred Council of Horran, and wish to convey the Council's intentions of opening up renewed relations with your government. Trade in particular would be very beneficial to the both of us."

 

IC [@Humva]

 

Councilor Simoniet was not at all pleased as she scaled the steps of the Guardian's Tower. It was late at night when the Council had been summoned, for matters she knew were not urgent. It was a jab specifically at her, she was sure of it. The Council was conspiring against her; ever since her appointment, hushed words had been made about yet another of the Simoniet line being on the Council. Her family was influential, there was no shame in exercising that influence. These fools couldn't understand that, too involved in their own petty schemery.

 

She arrived to the Chamber to find the other seven present; Councilor Guterson was still off on his fool quest for the trade with the Vardali. She sat down at the crescent table, giving a sour glance to the rest of the Council. High Councilor Astrauckas made a slight smile to her and singled for a servant to slam the gong, a sound that would resonant throughout the city and likely disturb all of its inhabitants, maybe even provoke the Sea Guardians to attack. It was Horranian arrogance at its finest.

 

"This session is now called to order." Astrauckas sat down in his chair, one that looked suspiciously line a throne, with padding the other chairs lacked and a precious pearl embedded in its head. "We are here to discuss the expansion of our territory southward, to the coasts of the Sister Lakes."

 

"I do have to ask why this had to be done right now," Councilor Kaneonuskatew said, taking a long drink of some sort of tea he had brought with him.

 

"Because night air is good for your lungs, Councilor."

 

"Yes, yes, and you interrupted me while I was meeting with this lovely lady down by the river." The councilor glanced at a map on the table. "I have no objections for this. It's been too many years since we last sent settlers out. We've debated this already; I propose an immediate vote on the matter."

 

As much as she would like to draw it out, Councilor Simoniet also knew that it would serve her no good in the end. Pettiness was for these fools, not her. "I agree," she said. "This settlement has been planned for months, there is no need for further discussion. All in favor?"

 

All hands were raised.

 

"And so it is written." She stood up. "Kindly do not wake me at this hour again."

 

OOC

Settlement stated long the shores of the lake directly south, to help commerce coming through the area. Settlement will mature in 8 weeks.

voidstars.png


1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89


"In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong

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IC (Earlier-pure lore only, anyone looking for evidence of my plot to destroy the world should look elsewhere)


Empress Wu had been so enjoying her lunch, sliced oxen meat cooked over an open fire, burnt in all the right places. Then a blue-robed servant had approached her, bowing reverently before whispering into her ear. The anointed of heaven allowed her eyes to widen briefly at the information relayed. A student of Long Feng, high sorcerer of chi, the very stuff of life itself had sent on of his students to the Palace of the Sun to meet with her. Blinking several times, she waved her hand at the servant, a gesture of approval. Long Feng ran one of the greatest academies in the land, nestled high upon one of the many vast hills of the Dominion, isolated and remote by any standard. Any student of his was well worth meeting with, if only for a glimpse into how the great sorcerer operated. The man was as inscrutable as they came, even when compared to the court officials she dealt with on a daily basis.


Thus, she was less than impressed when the guards ushered in what, for all appearances, was nothing more than thirty years of stress and nervous energy wrapped up in a disguise of flesh. The Empress gestured at a nearby stone, bidding the sorcerer’s student to sit. The man was clearly overawed and fearful; probably something to do with the reputation she’d sported before she became Empress. No matter, fear was useful. “Speak, student of sorcerers. I did not allow you to intrude upon my meal merely so you might stare…”


That shook him out of it; he’d almost glared at her. “Begging your forgiveness o’anointed of heaven, I am Liu Fu, master architect of the Feng academy.” The man bowed deeply. Wuw as privately amused a compliment along with a chiding correction as to his status. A charming attempt to play the game really, but it was plain he had no proper training in the matter. He would last a week in the brutal world of politics if this was an attempt to earn a place in the ranks of the Glimmering Violets. Liu Fu, assuming she was waiting for him to explain his reasons for meeting with her held up a bound wooden scroll. With some hesitation, Wu deigned to take it from his hand and open it. She’d seen stranger assassination attempts; it wouldn’t do to drop her guard now.


It was some sort of architectural plan that much was clear. It took a few moments for her to realize that she was looking at a road but not the mere paths that traversed Zhao now, rather it was something far more far reaching and ambitious. The machinery of her mind started to turn as the information poured in. A system of roads spanning the entire Dominion set down according to strict regulations with guard stations posted alongside it. The roads themselves were layered, with native soil on the bottom levels , stones the size of a hand above that, concrete made of broken stones and lime, a bedding of fine cement above that crafted from smashed potshards along with yet more lime and on the top, rectangular blocks crafted from stones slightly curved to cast off rain. Besides the road were edge stones and the like.


It did not take a great seer to see the potential in this design. Slowly, the Empress looked back up at Liu Fu. “You have done a great service to the Dominion, master of architecture. There are certainly places for true masters in the ranks of my court....." Liu Fu started to smile, clearly this had gone exactly as he had expected. Empress Wu considered herself a wise woman and she was certainly wise enough to realize just how badly she had underestimated the architect.


"There is, ah, one more thing my Empress. Long Feng has sent a message along with me. He believes you will see the wisdom in what he suggests...."


Wu forced a smile onto her face. It appeared that the isolated sorcerer was no longer content to work away the days in the hills. Whether this was a blessing or a curse was yet to be seen....

Edited by Basilisk

I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.

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IC: A charter was sent out for another new settlement based on the scouts' information. Located at the mouth of a river to the southwest, in the midst of rich farmland, it would provide a suitable hub for transporting the raw minerals of the mines and therefore speed up production. It would be called Terre Noire, for the black earth the volcano gave the land.

Well, would you just look at that?

 

bread.gif

 

I'm a piece of toast.

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IC (Fishing village)


“Well that,” drawled Mao Li “just isn’t something you see every day.” His companions couldn’t help but nod at the young long-haired captain’s words. It was a strange, foreign vessel, nothing like the elegant curbed hulled ships that Zhao made use of. Mao and his comrades, the squad of Leaping Mantis troops deployed to this area were operating out of a single village and riding to others when needed. When the small hamlet of Hao had sent a runner him, seeking defense in case it was just another barbarian pirate he and his man had responded promptly.


As it stood, he recognized the vessel in a vague sort of way. What was that particular barbarian tribe’s name? Badois? Badou? Something like that. Hopefully they’d sent someone who could speak the language; otherwise this was going to be a problem.

Edited by Basilisk

I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people. You are wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.

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IC: As it happened, the ship's captain had studied Zhao as his foreign language at the Academie- after all, most maps indicated it was, or had been the closest nation to Badois.

 

Seeing the fisherman, he called out in rough, dated Zhao-

 

"A thousand blessings on you and your families, my friends. We come with offers of friendship and trade for your leaders. We would ask that you direct our path in that direction."

Well, would you just look at that?

 

bread.gif

 

I'm a piece of toast.

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