Return to the Age of Unrest

[Mauril Everleaf]

Player Chart (Players are subject to change)
{table]Player|Faction
drakeblood4 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=31264)|Devas
Krrth (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=25513)|Dwarves
loser0ll (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=18581)|Eladrin
Xondoure (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=42888)|Elves
Ipphli (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=34524)|Gnomes
AgentPaper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=36958)|Orogs
Aux-Ash (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=43263)|Phaounm
Lubirio (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=45426)|Shadar-Kai
shadowxknight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=37858)|Tieflings[/table]

The History of Wilwarin

The First Age: The Dawn and the Oath
The First Age dawned soon after the ascension of the Phaounm. The gods had created the world and were content to leave it as it was, full of animals and plants and mountains and rivers. It was full of life, but none of it sentient. They liked it this way. They each ruled over their domains of Sky, Earth and Sea and liked the world that they had created. But, after some time, Earth and Sky noticed that something had changed. The animals and plants and mountains and rivers were not behaving like they always had. Something had changed. A group of beings had arisen to sentience and were beginning to develop. They had established for themselves a settlement off the coast of the southern sea. This was distressing to the gods. They had not created this life and it was ruining their perfect world. Earth wanted to destroy them, returning Wilwarin to what it should be, but Sky stayed her hand. Sky believed them to have much potential for the gods and should be allowed to live. Sea was unconcerned with them; they were not in his realm and therefore they were not his problem.

These sentient beings began to develop further, settling down and harvesting the bounty of the land. They pulled fish from the sea and fruit from the earth and gave thanks to both for their blessings, but most of all they thanked Sky. They knew that it was he that had saved them from destruction. They built him temples and offered him sacrifices. This city became known among them as Sharinoius, or the City of Sky, Earth and Water, and the people began to call themselves the Phaounm which means "the first ones".

These Phaounm were not only of interest to the gods, but to two other beings as well: Deva and Tiefling. Deva was a being of pure good who lived in the Astral Sea and Tiefling was a demon from the Abyss. The two often rivaled over events in the cosmos. When the news of the Phaounm reached them, they decided to make a wager. Both would leave their kingdoms and enter the world of this new creature who called itself the Phaounm. Deva and Tiefling would try and convince the Phaounm to follow their ways. The winner would be granted the souls of the Phaounm in the afterlife. The rule however between the two is that neither could make direct contact with the creatures and most only influence indirectly. The two signed the agreement knowing that should they break their oath, dire consequences that they could not foresee or predict would befall them. Deva settled down in the east and Tiefling established himself in the west. Both set about their plans to influence the Phaounm.

Many centuries passed and the Phaounm developed further and began to spread out, settling their portion of Wilwarin. Some settlers moved north along the river and others moved westward along the coast. One group of settlers who had moved as far west as they could manage stumbled across something that they should not have: a Tiefling encampment. Both Tiefling and Deva had begun to proliferate and had each become a race of people inhabiting Wilwarin. These creatures intrigued the curious and adventurous Phaounm and they approached them. The Tieflings welcomed these Phaounm and were asked many questions. The Tieflings gladly answered them. They believed that this contact, since it was initiated not by them, did not violate the rules of the oath with Deva, and gave the Phaounm much information about the world they inhabited. These westward Phaounm began to establish good relations with the Tieflings. Knowing this, the Devas believed that they had won their bet and showed themselves to the Phaounm and welcomed them.

Now, as celestial contracts go, neither side is free of the deal even with the other has broken the terms. Because the Tieflings had directly affected the development of the Phaounm and the Devas had willfully made contact with them, both had broken their oath and now both were set to face the consequences. This ushered in the beginning of the Second Age.


The Second Age: The Time of Change
The Oath, as it was referred to, between Deva and Tiefling was broken and now both were suffering the consequences. Tiefling and Deva were very powerful beings and had shaped their world to fit their tastes. Deva's portion of Wilwarin was lush and sunny and warm. Things never changed and life was abundant and beautiful. Tiefling's world was dark and things changed at his whim. Life was scarce but hearty. But the breaking of the Oath broke their magic and their control over their world. Things began to change in the east and they began to regulate in the west. Seasons came and went. The sun rose and set. The world was falling into a rhythm that neither being could do anything about. Both were stripped of their right to rule in the Astral Sea or the Abyss and their magics slowly started to retreat from the world.

Things were not all down for the Oathbreakers, however. Each had influenced a portion of the Phaounm and each had taken some into their portion of the world. These two emigrant groups called themselves the Haoumun and the Shadrachille which mean "step-children" and "far ones" in the language of the Phaounm. The Haomun continued to move east and settled down with the Devas in their lands. Soon they began to call themselves the Humans and had created their own language and culture. The Shadrachille moved west but did not settle in the Tiefling cities but instead established their own settlement on the eastern coast of the southern sea. They called this city Cos'ndorcha because it was their shield and renamed themselves the Shadar-Kai. Knowing that other intelligent beings inhabited their world, the remaining Phaounm began to become wary of another outsider coming in and stealing away their people, as the Devas and Tieflings seem to have done.

Several centuries passed and little changed in the world. The Phaounm had continued to advance themselves. The Humans and Devas had established their hierarchy and had begun to conquer and tame the East. The Tieflings went about their own business and the Shadar-Kai slowly began to become more and more secretive. Within four hundred years their remained almost no Shadar-Kai on the surface. They had begun to retreat into the caves they had discovered below their city.

Another group, known as the Orogs, had cropped up to the west of Phaounm territory. They were nomads that largely kept to themselves. They were a far-reaching group, extending from the northern sea to the western coast nearly to its southernmost tip. However, they were a quiet people that left to themselves.

Many more centuries passes with little in the way of noteworthy occurrences. Until the arrival of the Eladrin.

The Eladrin were a fanatical faction of the Shadar-Kai who were no longer content to live under Cos'ndorcha. They returned to the surface and began to make themselves known in the west. They worshipped the Earth fervently and sought to convert any who could not match their zeal. They called themselves the Eladrin because they had lifted themselves out of the darkness and into the light. They could not, however, find purchase among their brethren nor the Tieflings and moved westward to establish their own cities. The Eladrin relied heavily on magic, believing it to be the gift of Earth, their goddess. They moved into Orog lands and began to terraform the mountains. They established their city on the cliffside by molding the stone with their arcane power. This bothered the mountain tribe of Orogs, who believed the earth was meant to be coexisted with, not abused.

The Eladrin tried to convert the local Orogs to their religion, but the Orogs would not agree with the way the Eladrin treated the earth. This angered the Eladrin who began to subjugate the mountain people, forcing them to become slaves. Within a century, the Eladrin had taken over the mountains and split the Orogs into two groups, one in the mountains and one in the plains. The Eladrin, on the backs of their slaves, built for themselves and fanatical empire in the West. But they wanted more.


The Third Age: The Time of Turmoil
The Eladrin were not satisfied with their mountain kingdom. Their members had become more fanatical and had begun to follow a prophet who claimed to have been given revelation by Earth herself telling of a time when all worshiped her and when the Eladrin ruled her domain. This was taken as proof to the Eladrin that they needed to continue to expand and convert or conquer the rest of the world. So they began to build an army and started to march eastward. They quickly conquered the Orog lands, although many of its people eluded capture and harried the Eladrin forces as they continued to march towards the Phaounmic lands.

The Eladrin, and the Shadar-Kai before them, grew up being told tales of how fertile and lush the world was to the east of dividing rivers. The Eladrin envied this world and wanted it for themselves. They marched to the southern dividing river and crossed into Phaounm lands. The Phaounm had been warned by the Orogs that trouble was coming their way. They Phaounm, with the aid of several Orog tribes, were able to hold the river. The Phaounm, though they did not desire to do so, knew they were not capable of driving off the magical army of the Eladrin and sent word to the Devas and their Human cousins asking for aid. The Devas responded and sent several legions of troops to the battlefront, turning the tide of what would have otherwise been a bloody Eladrin victory.

This combined four army force drove the Eladrin back into their mountains. The Orogs would have liked to have destroyed the Eladrin, but the support of the Phaounm and Deva ended as soon as the Eladrin no longer posed an immediate threat. Because of this the two Orog tribes would be forever split. The tribe that remained in the plains retained their people name while the Orogs in the mountains began to refer to themselves as the Goliaths, a term that means "cut off" in Katholik.

It was not long after the Devic army had returned home that dissension began to boil in the east. A faction of the Humans did not believe that they had been adequately compensated for their efforts in the war. In fact, they did not receive any compensation whatsoever. The Devas could not understand why this group felt like it deserved more. They were a part of the military and they were sent to do their duty; you receive nothing extra for doing what you are supposed to do. This unrest soon turned into an outright rebellion. This rebellion was lead by a group that called themselves the Elves, a word that means "freedom" in Phaounmic. This insurrection could be called only partially successful, at best. These Elves did not receive any compensation, and many were forcefully put down by Devic military, but a large portion of them were able to free themselves of Devic rule and escape into the central forest, which they called the Bosquemal. They have been trapped their since, but they are no longer subject to Devic rule, so many Elves count the rebellion as a victory.

War, however, was not the worst thing to befall Wilwarin. Greater and more terrible things were soon to happen to this world.


The Fourth Age: The Age of Darkness and Terror
The Elves had barely moved into the Bosquemal when a great tremor shook the world. Something had been awoken that should not have been. A great volcano had erupted pouring forth soot and ash. This mountain, which the Phaounm called Haleinedfeut, contained a beast that had not been seen before on the face of Wilwarin: a dragon. The Phaounm had been mining the mountain for the gold it contained and apparently awoke the great wyrm who had been slumbering there since before the dawn of time.

Haleinedfeut's eruption blanketed the world in a cloud of smoke and ash, blotting out the sun for three years. Vegetation died and animal life along with it. Cities that had not stored up food began to starve. To make matters worse, a being of unmatched power had been unleashed on the world. This dragon was not pleased that it had been disturbed and desired revenge on those that had awoken it. It had been sequestered for a reason, and the reason was quickly becoming clear.

The entirety of Wilwarin was devastated by this disaster, with the exception of one of its newest peoples, the Gnomes. The Gnomes were originally a group of the Eladrin that, after the Great War of the Third Age, had moved out of the mountains and into the forest. They had originally opposed the expansion and had remained behind to guard the cities while the main Eladrin force went out to conquer and convert. When they were driven back, the Eladrin blamed their failure on the ones who had stayed behind. The Gnomes left the cities and settled along the river in the Urman Forest. This forest, much like the Bosquemal, contained some of the old magic that had not yet receded from the world, and it began to change the Gnomes. The Bosquemal had made the Elves more lithe, lengthened their lives and altered their appearance somewhat, while the Urman Forest stunted the growth of the Gnomes and altered their magic.

The Gnomes, upon leaving the Eladrin, began to infiltrate other cities and began to work their way into the commercial realm. Somehow the Gnomes knew of the coming disaster and began to store up surplus goods, especially grains and weapons. The Gnomes trickled their grain stocks into the markets are premium prices, and they would get them, because no one else had any grain to offer. When the world had begun to run out of food, wars were waged over the remaining resources and the Gnomes were there to sell them weapons. The Gnomes did very well in these dark times, but their stockpiles were still no safeguard against the rage of the wakened dragon.

Haleinedfeut terrorized the lands, destroying cities and what few crops remained. He could not be brought down by any power that any nation possessed. He was more powerful than any being that had ever set foot on Wilwarin. He breathed his destruction across the countryside for three years. Finally a group of priests, worshipers of Sea, went to him and begged him to release them from the bondage that Haleinedfeut had placed them under. Sea, feeling sorry for them, decided to bind the great wyrm if the priests would return him a favor. Sea had fallen for the Gnomes and wanted to see more of them, especially more of them that worshiped him. Sea agreed to bind the dragon if these priests agreed for them and their families to become cursed with stunted growth, shrinking to half their normal height. The priests, confused by the request but desperate to release the world from the marauding dragon, agreed to the curse. Sea then captured the dragon and imprisoned him back in his mountain.

These priests returned home to their families and tried to keep the news of their exploits on the tongues of every street crier as long as they could. They became known as the Halflings and were very celebrated for some time. It became apparent that the curse that Sea had placed on them and their families was stronger than any had expected, and the grandchildren of the renown Halflings were also small. Realizing that they were no longer truly Humans, these families moved out of their homes and began to roam as they pleased about the Devic Empire. They were not Humans anymore, and the Devic Laws specifically referred to Humans, so they felt free to do as they pleased in the various cities they decided to settle in. Some set themselves up with the Human Far Traders and began to distribute themselves about the continent. Within a few decades, Devic laws began to reflect the existence of the people known as the Halflings, but a society and precedent for freedom among them had already been set.

And so the fourth age would end, the shortest of the ages.


The Fifth Age: The Age of Exploration
Human Equites had begun to explore the seas, as had the Phaounm. Both had been accustomed to being at sea, but both were beginning to develop the technology to make it possible to venture away from the coastlines. Trade routes had begun to cross the southern sea, which had been come to be known as the Serpent Sea for it was dangerous and wild.

A third faction was also in command of the seas, a group that called themselves the Dwarves. They were a raiding people, long ago descended from the Orogs. When the Orogs had expanded their range, a tribe became locked beyond the Westfold Mountains and were stuck on the ice fields beyond. Rather than remain on the barren ice, these Dwarves took to the sea in longships. Their ships were more maneuverable than either the Devas' or the Phaounm's and were the only ones capable of navigating the Pohjanpuoleinen, a dangerous series of shoals, narrows and icebergs in the Farovian Sea.

The Dwarves were a savage people who used the sea not for trade, but for hunting. They hunted the sea for food and the coastlines for plunder. They terrorized northern coastal towns, even sailing up rivers as far inland as Almoris. They would raid and loot cities before a defense could be raised and were gone before help could ever arrive.

The Humans, while exploring the Serpent Sea, discovered an incredible island and not one, but two exotic beings living there. One was a race of small dog-like reptilian people living in a series of caves. These people called themselves the Kobolds, and claim to have lived in their caves for thousands of years. Below them, in a massive swamp, lived a group of larger reptilians that were dubbed the Lizardfolk, as the name they called themselves was unpronounceable by the Humans that met them. Both races claimed to have lived on the island for millennia. The Kobolds seemed to want to be left alone in their caves, which they would not let the Human explorers into, but the Lizardfolk were very intrigued by the soft-skinned people that had landed on their island. The Humans brought word of this island back to the mainland and news quickly spread of these new peoples that had been discovered.

Another new discovery that would soon shock the world was an explosive powder that could be made of various alchemical ingredients. The Devas had discovered that with the right chemicals, saltpeter from the Valderian Swamp could be made to explode. Within a few decades of this discovery weapons that utilized this new power began to emerge. Cannons and guns, developed by the Devas, began to trickle onto the market and also began to cement the Devic Empire as a trading force. Saltpeter was also discovered by the Gnomes in the Great Marsh, which they promptly began to sell to the Devas.

Technology became the focus of many nations over the next century. Some remained in the old ways, preferring their traditional weapons to these new gunpowdered weapons. Some, like the Eladrin, preferred to stick to their magic.


The Sixth Age: The Age of Unrest
All the players have been set, and the events have been told. And so dawns the Sixth Age, an age that has been foretold to contain much turmoil. Powers will wax and wane. Heroes will rise and fall, as will villains. Secrets that have been hidden since the beginning of time will finally be revealed. The world will change, but how it will change remains to be seen.

[Mauril Everleaf]

For those who were present for the previous iteration of this campaign, I have advanced the world about six months or so. Partially this was so that any changes from new players entering and old ones leaving would not require much if any retconning. Also, this was partially so that I could rework some of the story lines that had been progressing rather haphazardly.

If I missed your faction here, please PM me or mention something in the OOC thread and I will edit you in.

Humans
Your world has turned upside down over the last six months. New threats have arisen in areas that you once thought safe and the new technology that you have relied on for the last few decades is beginning to become even more costly. The fleets you had sent to the southeast were found, stripped bare of their supplies and their crews. The carcasses of your Devic ships were found floating in the Serpent Sea in what was described by the seamen as "a hulk" or "a mass of destroyed ships bound together in an almost gruesome way". Something had been living on these hulks, and these something were not like anything sentient that they could recognize. Even worse, the saltpeter that is crucial to the gunpowder that powers the armies and trade is becoming increasingly dangerous to get. The swamp in Valeria in claiming more and more workers' lives. The people are also becoming nervous. They do not know what is happening in that region and rumors are spreading rapidly. Things are no easier around the forest of the Elves. It seems that their great forest is causing alarm for the locals. The people are demanding more protection and more answers.

Elves
The Great Tree is nearly dead. The efforts of the druids have slowed its decay, but that cannot stop it. The troupes of adventurers sent into the caverns and underground passages never returned. Your sages have scoured their libraries for any ideas as to what their only clue, the word chrysophylax, could mean and how it could heal their sacred tree. They have uncovered one small mention in a heretical text from the Third Age were Chrysophylax was mentioned as a name. The text was corrupted but the scholars were able to glean that he (Chrysophylax) had some confrontation with Sea. While your scholars have searched, the military has fortified the cities and evacuated the towns and villages. Nearly the entire population has holed itself into the eight major cities as the animal attacks have increased in ferocity and frequency.

Orogs
You have succeeded in defending your homeland against the invasion of the Eladrin...for now. You did not gain any land in the process, but as this was not you aim, your generals feel that they have been victorious. The semi-annual Trademeet with the Dwarves was a welcome respite for most of the Orog people. Goods were traded and the games were held. The Dwarves marveled at the temples that had been erected on the site, though they tried not to show it. The Dwarves seemed much more unified as one people than they ever have before. There was little competition and much cooperation between the various tribes which was both refreshing and unsettling to many Orog merchants. The issues with the rogue southern tribe have been more or less settled. An unsteady truce has been garnered with the Gnomes, who are allowed to bring their merchant caravans through Orog territory under Orog supervision. Your people are preparing for the harsh winter that will soon roll down off the mountains and into their plain.

Tieflings
The coup is officially over and the rulership of the Archmage is nearly absolute. There still remain a few pockets of loyalty to the Guild Master, but there are always dissidents. The Warlord has pledged his full service to you, as have the Merchants. The Thieves' Guild respects you but you know better than to trust them further than you need to. Your government has been established but you lack allies on the outside and without allies your ascension will be all for naught. The Gnomes, as always, are courting your favor and your favorite sons, the Shadar-Kai, are willing to open negotiations. Your infrastructure is settled, but you still have much to do to get your nation "on the right track".

Eladrin
You have suffered heavy losses in the plains. Many Eladrin died battling the barbaric horse riders who claim the land that is rightfully yours. Earth, it seems, has ceased to listen to your pleas and has left you to defend yourself. While you did not lose any ground to the Orogs, the Golaiths have once again begun to knock on your back door. Your Dwarven allies to the north have gone through something of a civil war and their new leader, a warrior of great charisma, seems to have no desire to keep your previous alliances. But not all is dire in the land of the Eladrin, there is good news yet. Your sages have uncovered two secrets that may soon bring the Eladrin back to their former glory. One lies deep in the bowels of the earth and the other lies deep in the pages of the history books.

Devas
Your trade agreement with the Phaounm is turning out better than you could have ever hoped. Nearly all the resources consumed in their major cities are exported through Devic traders. Business is booming on the western front. Things are less grand on the coast, however. Pirate activity has increased tenfold. Production of cannon cannot meet the demands and the shortage of gunpowder is not making matters any easier. Trade routes are becoming increasingly dangerous and more and more Humans are being pressed into military service to deal with it. This, among other things, has caused an increase in dissension among the Humans. The Ordo Libertas is gaining popularity even to the point where some are openly proclaiming to be members. They are quickly arrested and interrogated of course, but this is still an unsettling turn of events.

I'm sorry for being a little later on the update/original post than I wanted to be. I would like if everyone could have roleplay and actions posted by midnight Thursday night. Again, if I missed you, please let me know and I'll edit you in.

[Xondoure]

Elven Forest

The morning sky was gray and filled with heavy rain. The dead oak loomed over it all, it's leaves scattered about the forest floor, like gray corpses waiting to be taken back into the womb of the earth. To Darion, it seemed the whole world had become gray. The forest was filled with the wails of mothers who would never see their sons again, of children who had seen their companions of the forest go rabid as death had set itself over the bosquemal. The lords and priests had tried and failed to save the forest, but neither prayers nor valor had done any good. The free folk who had set out to the far off lands in search of answers, had vanished without a trace, and the woods bristled with fear. The land might soon, fall, for what could hope to shine in a world filled with nothing but the emptiness of misery? He let the bird fly, south, he sang to it, 'go find our brethren who have lost themselves, to the primal pattern of the waves, hear their tales, and fly home with tidings of this threat.'

In the green forests of the south Bosquemal, a girl sat in the trees, singing merrily of the willow that birthed the pure waters, and the future of hope that the elves called, "The Shining Star" she sang of the sky and it's glory, the sea and it's strength, and even the earth and it's mysteries. The sound echoed throughout the glade, and into the ear of young Lord Anzion. 'Follow the voice,' they said, 'you are sure to find her' he trudged along, his bow across his back, and his star metal blade hung upon his waist. As heir to both the Rhena, and Istarel bloodlines. He was one of the most influential men in the bosque. Not that influence meant anything when the common people chose, but it was still an honor to be considered commander at such a young age, after all, he was barely fifty. Anzion moved through theunderbrush until he could see the maiden through the trees. At which point his nimble hands took him up a tall aspen, and twirling right into the plum tree where she lay. "My lady, my father has sent me to the south to treat with you and your mother, the high lady Lisseln."
"But of course, Anzion, after all, you may not have seen me since both of us had scarce left our tree's, but we are old friends are we not?" Her laughter rang through the woods, high and pure like the fresh sounds of a stream.
He remembered that laugh, but little else. Her eyes were the same, but he scarce recognized the young woman before him. He had last seen her as a child, and know she rose before him, beautiful. He found it hard to concentrate on her words, as he noticed the sway of her hips, the shape of her mouth, her long light brown hair, which shown in the the gray light. Her
feet, her legs, her breasts. He shook himself and turned to face her. "I'm sure we have much to discuss, shall we make our way to your mothers halls?"

The lords Istarel, and Etruon sat in an old, abandoned hollow. Before them stood a trader clad in black and brown, his eyes narrow as he looked them up and down. "Might be I can find who your looking for, and it might be I can't. A few birds might set it arrest, and failing that I fear I am to old to help you, my memory being what it is."
The lord Etruon slammed his fist against the table. "My good sir, the fate of the Bosquemal is at stake, and you want me to give you birds? You should expect no payment for serving this land, as long as you remain of the free people."
"Calm yourself, Etruon, he knows our laws as well as we do, seeing as he was present when they were made."
"That is so, Istarel, I have lived since the end of the madness, and I'll live to see the next day two. Can you blame me, if I want a few of the true birds, to sing me to sleep? No, my lords, I'll tell you what I know. The old ways are still present in some of the darker places in these woods. Might be some of them may know a way to stop your curse." Istarel nodded, and listened as the man told him of the locations; The old iron wood, the spider pines, the west bosque, and listened as he gave the details of the men he must seek. At the end of the day, the lords departed.
"Are you certain we can trust these folk, Istarel?"
"No, but what choice do we have?"

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Religion: Inquire into the connection between sea and this man who bears the name that is the only clue the world has given us.
Political: Private
Commerce: Negotiate supplies and trade in the Bosquemal, as well as sending a small contingent south to the Devas.
Military: Maintain siege, recruit the west elf sellswords, who until now have been hiding amongst the abandoned villages. They contain some hundred bows, but every arrow is needed to keep the free alive.

[Oracle_Hunter]

HUMANITY

Valaria Mucro, former Latronis Nauta of the Navis Mucro Eos made an awkward leg before the Concilium Latronis, supported in part by one of the chamber's sentinels.

Abban Philologus spoke with some concern:
"Do be at ease, Nauta Mucro. Sentinel, bring the Nauta a chair."

Valaria attempted a smile, but winced as she settled into the wooden chair.
"The Concilium is too kind."

"Not at all; we give our heroes the respect they deserve."

Valaria coughed wetly before responding
"Were I half the hero you think I am, I would have returned with my ship, not salvaged by a passing Equite vessel."

"Nonsense. If the reports are true, only a person of astounding fortitude could have come out alive, much less still being able to speak."

"Aye, they be true. What we faced out there was horrible beyond description. Some say it was the wrath of Sea, may He keep us afloat, but I do not think He could have made such creatures to punish us. Whatever it is, it is preying on the pirates as well."

Abban steepled his hands and leaned forward over his high podium.

"Well then, it is imperative that we know all we can about them. Please, give a full account to the Concilium - leave nothing out, no matter how trivial. We will know our enemy and they shall know that the Latronis Aquoreus pays its debts with interest."

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Political: Petition Their Majesties for a full mobilization of the kingdom's military
Religion: Secret
Commercial: Maintain routes; search for an alternative source of saltpeter
Military: Rebuild Latronis Aquoreus

OOC: What happened to the Naval expedition against the goblins in the west?

[loser0ll]

High Priest: “So, the Goliaths have begun exerting pressure on our borders, have they? Well, that should silence the generals that were arguing that we should have concentrated our entire army against the Orogs - the Goliaths could have quickly invaded and seized many of our major cities if we hadn’t left a large force along the border to defend ourselves. While those races may have separated considerably over time, they still feel a tight bond to one another. What do you think?”
Priest of the Army: “I must agree. I only wish that we could have gained ground against the Orogs with the army we sent… but that portion of our forces is only strong enough to match them, not to flat out conquer them.”
High Priest: “Don’t worry about that… plans have been put in motion. Still, there have been many troublesome incidents through the world lately. Have our forces switch to a defensive posture on both borders, we must focus more efforts on keeping Earth appeased. We must not forget the losses we suffered once Earth left us to fend for ourselves in the campaign against the Orogs.”
Priest of the Army: “As your wisdom guides us.”
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Religion: Seeing the error of having fallen behind in worshiping Earth, the High Priest organizes an entire new religious holiday - The Night Of Tears Of Defeat. This holiday is to remind the Eladrin people of the horrible losses they have suffered recently, when their loss of favor with Earth lead to the Orog people being able to push them back. It will be a yearly festival, with animal sacrafice from all town, and the sacrafice of a pregnant slave in the capital.
Commerce: The state has begun sponsoring a program supporting Adventurers. The guild is organized to help match adventurers of various skill levels with special projects needing fulfillment - while the fees levied are not expected to bring great profits soon, the state is confident that this program might eventually lead to a large pool of unique and highly capable individuals being trained.
Military: The armies facing off with the Orogs and Goliaths have been switched away from aggressive actions, and have switched to a defensive posture.
Political: In an effort to show good faith, the High Priest has released 100 of the Goliath people to their cousins, the Orogs, hoping to demonstrate a new willingness to embrace a more peaceful path.

[shadowxknight]

Tiefling Capital City...
Palace of the Dreadlord...

The Archmage looked down from his throne; gathered in the council room were all the major figures in the Empire, who all sat around an oval table. To the right was the Warlord in his magnificent suit of blackened full plate, flanked by several of his lieutenants and aids. The Guildmaster sat on the left in a hooded robe that covered his face and hands. But of course this one could easily be a decoy. No one has seen the Guildmaster's face and lived to tell the tale. Behind those two sat the lesser lords, barons, magi, and generals whom chatted amongst themselves.

The Archmage cleared his throat and the room silenced.
"Welcome, friends. This is my first meeting as Dreadlord, and I'm glad all of you have shown to show your allegiance."
The Archmage looked at the Guildmaster pointedly, but the man made no notable movement.
"Now the first order of business. Now that the Empire has returned to a time of order and peace, there is no longer need for so many troops to be stationed at the Capital. I'm going to move most my brigades back to the border, and I expect the same from all of you." His eyes lingered on the Warlord as he said this. The Warlord responded with a smirk, but nodded.
The Warlords' troops were the most savage and battle hardened of the three major powers. Even though Archmages' brigades were equipped with heavily enchanted weapons and supported by conjured monsters and combat magic it still would have been a close battle. But for whatever reason the Warlord had stayed his hand and even promised support to the Archmage. Surprsingly it was a promise that was upheld.

The Archmage pondered for a moment and looked at the head of the Merchants' Alliance. "I will be sending ambassadors and emissaries to our neighbors the Eladrin, Gnomes, and Shardar-Kai. It would be wise to send merchant convoys along with them." The head merchant stood up and bowed. There were rumors that the head of merchants' alliance has long been a pawn of the Guildmaster. But of all the tieflings the merchants were the most fickle; their true allegiance was only to money.

"That's it for this meeting. Stay safe on the trip back. Hehehe." Many faces paled at this. But soon they realized he was joking and released sighs of relief.
The gathering stood up and left the room. The Archmage put his hand on the Guildmaster's shoulder. "Wait. I need to speak with you privately."
The Guildmaster nodded as if expecting it. The Warlord narrowed his eyes and glared at the Archmage. With an audible "Hmph" he stormed out of the council room.

==================================================
Religion: Build temples of Earth in areas inland to cultivate agriculture. At the ports build temples of the Sea.
Commerce: Send envoys to the Eladrin, Shadar-Kai, and Gnomes. Prepare ships to send envoys to other races.
Military: Strengthen armies at the border cities and forts.
Political: Send ambassadors and emissaries to improve relations with the three races above.

[DrakebloodIV]

Port-city of Tharyomos
The Temple of the Sun

The Temple of the Sun is bright indeed today, the solstice has brought streamers and bright colors to the temple, today is the day when the council forms for its highest hearing. The King of Devas steps up to the podium to speak to the people.

"This solstice is a bittersweet moment for our people. As the sun sets on this solstice, we must remind ourselves that each day the sun will rise again. Though we are assaulted by enemies on many a side and threats are never far away, we will always have hope and pride that we continue on. We strive to a future where the sun will rise again. It is with great regret that I must inform those of the Ordo Libertas that any more dissention against our nation will be met with execution. But Humankind is not without a voice..."

The new Lord went through his new royal edicts. The restriction of human ranks in government, church and military were reduced. Clan councils would each be allowed a vote in parliamentary discussions, a rite usually held to regional lords. He announced that he would be creating, and leading a group of cavalier-priests called paladins, mostly human due to their natural affinity with horses. He announced that there would be a reduction in scale in the harvesting of peat in the swamp. Instead, the forest would be leveled and better wooden structures and dredging devices would be built to allow for safer and faster harvesting. He required each two trade ships to be escorted by a military ship and increased the armament of trade ships.

Southern Borderlands

The elves were welcomed with open arms, a feast was held in their honor and greetings were warm. Not much communication had been made between the elves since the war and the rise of Haleinedfeut. Many asked about family members. The mayor of the town proposed that an exchange of tradeable goods and envoys of tradesmen and mages of various professions. The Mayor quickly found volunteers to travel to the elvish lands on behalf of his people: Three mages, Two priests, a newly trained paladin student, a gunsmith and a boat builder.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Religion: Formation of the Paladin, increased Human participation in the study of religion
Trade: Welcome the Elves and send an envoy back with them. Begin re-organization of the swamp mines. Increase trading with the Phaounm
Military: Increase military escort on trade ships
Political: Increase human rights, Inaugurate King Valrane

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

Tallak frowned over his mug of ale at his fellows. "Its about time the Council stepped up and did something about the damn pirates. Prices keep going up, and profits are plummeting. Hope those new ships will be ready soon." The others all voice their agreement as they listen and drink.

"I heard there's going to be a big push into the marshes soon. Something about the price of saltpeter going up," he whispers quietly, so as to avoid being overheard. "You know this means one of two things: war, or the humans are losing their supply. Either way, its good for us, eh?" The others grin and nod, some of them chuckling to themselves. Tallak finishes off his ale before standing up. "Much as I'd like to stay, got a shipment heading out tomorrow, and I don't trust that new manager to handle it alone quite yet. See you lads later." The others all nod and give their farewells before returning to their ale and their gossip.

================
Military: Build up navy to protect interests at sea.
Religion: Build more temples to all three deities, to seek their blessings in their endeavors and travels.
Trade: Private
Political: Send ambassador to elven lands, welcome their own delegates.

[Mauril Everleaf]

Elves
Your priests and scribes delve into the heretical text. The simritas contains scriptures said to have been delivered by the gods themselves. The passage that is of particular interest is one which seems to have been penned by one of his aspects, the underdeity Luck. The passage, as far as it can be decyphered, is as follows:

...of which fortune had struck, by no small part of my own. Chrysophylax, the great...with the stroke of his mighty trident. With the aid of many angels, Sea bound...inside the great tree to rot for all eternity. Even gods, it seems are not capable of defeating....
...and I bound the creature with six seals, two for each of us. We had placed him in a deep slumber and sealed him, mind and body.... I believe our luck shall hold and he will remain.
From here, the author begins to comment on his fascination with the Halflings, which your scholars have deemed to be the stopping point of anything relevant. The text does not contain much, as many of the pages in the simritas are faded, rotted or torn.

Trade negotiations, or the closest semblance to them that can be held in a forest hostile to your very existence, seemed to go well. The Elves know the plight of their people and are willing to do what they must to aid their fellows. A small ferry of cargo barges floats down the river toward the Devic territory on their monthly excursion to trade. The borders have become even tighter as the plague that is ravaging your forest is become impossible to hide. The rafts contain as much wood, oil and crafts as they can carry, but the limitations set on them by the Devas have been harsh and your merchants believe that they will scarcely be able to turn a profit.

Men are sent to the western villages, brave men. They are sent carrying gold and other valuables in hopes of enticing the mercenaries who have set up camps there to aid them in their fight against the ever encroaching forest. What good is gold, they say, if there is nowhere to spend it? Many, if not most, of the mercenaries are fugitives and criminals. They say that they will return and defend the city walls in exchange for clemency and acceptance back into the Elven society. Your runners agree to this, knowing that to return without their bows could mean the deaths of many innocents.

Humans
Valaria gives as full an account of the ordeal as she is capable of giving. The attack came at night, so she was unable to get a full look at the creatures. There were many and they fought viciously. Some wielded crude, archaic weapons, others carrying steel swords of all types and still others fought simply with their claws and teeth. Valaria knew one thing for certain, that these creatures were not mammals. They were covered in scales and had powerful tails. They were led, it seemed, by some sort of shaman or mystic. A lone figure, barely visible in the moonless night, shouted what could only be assumed to be orders to the attackers while hissing and ululating in languages Valaria did not recognize. She vows to have killed a dozen of the beasts, but there were hundreds and they soon overwhelmed her crew. She does not know how she survived, but she knows that she owed her life to the gods. The merchant vessel happened upon her as she floated amongst the debris tossed overboard and the bobbing corpses of her comrades.

Valaria, despite her injuries, is determined to have the Latronis Aquoreus back in commission. She requested to oversee the rebuilding of the fleet and her request was granted. Construction, much of which was enabled by the Elvish lumber imports, began immediately. Devic ships, however, take time to craft, as do the cannons that line their decks. Valaria knows that it will be spring before she has a fleet under her command. The Equites, bereft of much of their naval support, have been attempting to fit more guns, even at the cost of cargo space. Merchant vessels now rival some of the former ships in the Latronis Aquoreus. Their trade with the Shadar-Kai is still going well and the new metals being brought in will speed the foundries casting new cannon. The overland routes into the Phaounmic lands are continuing to prosper. The Phaounm cities are becoming more and more reliant on imported foodstuffs and increasingly reliant on trade for their economies. The Shadar-Kai merchants, when questioned about alternate sources of saltpeter, give mention of the Gnomes to their south and west. They guard a large swamp and, if they have not discovered it already, will likely soon find the saltpeter there.

Emmisaries and seneschals have been sent to the King and Queen of the Devas, petitioning them for a mobilization of the military to retaliate against whoever or whatever caused the destruction of the Latronis Aquoreus.

((I hope that explained what happened to the expedition. If not, PM me.))

Eladrin
The first Night of Tears of Defeat ceremony was performed. The High Priest, standing on the balcony of his stone spire, dressed in ruddy earth tones in place of his usual crisp whites and golds, looked out over the thousands of people who had gathered in the central square. A new altar had been built and on the altar lay a large ox, squirming impotently against the ropes that bound it to the stones upon which it lay. The chief priest, the overseer of all the sacrifices in the temple, raised his ceremonial knife above his head and all those in the crowd followed suit, each holding aloft a knife. Each person in the crowd held in their hands a knife and a dove. The chief priest cried aloud, his voice filling the silent square, and then plunged his knife in to the throat of the ox on the altar before him. Before the ox even had begun to bellow in pain, the crowd took their knives and severed the heads of the doves they were holding. Blood covered the ground, flowing between the cobbled stones. The chief priest then began to wail loudly, crying out in Shadar for the slain. Soon the people begun to cry out also and the silence that had so dominated the vast plaza was replaced by an equally dominant keen for their fallen brethren. The chief priest, with the help of nine acolytes, one for each month in the Eladrin calendar, carved the bull and laid it on the fire. The meat was charred and then brought into the temple. Inside the temple waited two more priests wearing grey hoods. Between them, chained and drugged, stood a Goliath slave. She was taken from the household of a well-known noble. She stood in front of the great pit that filled the center of the temple. The acolytes carried the charred meat and, after some words from the chief priest consecrating it, tossed it into the pit. The chief priest then walked over to the slave and drew an X on her forehead with the greasy ashes that covered his hands. He whispered a single Shadar word and pushed her into the pit. He waited until enough time had passed and then exited the temple to rejoin his people in their mourning and prayer.

The adventuring academy and guild was established the following day. Many of the first recruits, who trickled in over the first few weeks following the ceremony, were Eladrin who had finished their military service and could not find jobs otherwise or those who had been expelled from the wizard academy. It wasn't until the Order of Might, as they called themselves, arrived. A Human fighter, a Dwarf cleric, an Eladrin wizard, a Shadar-kai avenger and a Gnome warlock comprised their group. They were not well known but they had done a fair share of adventuring. They agreed to join the guild and to quest for the High Priest.

While many of the generals, and especially the lower commanders, are champing at the bit to return to action and teach those "swine" a lesson, they agreed to remain as simply border patrol. The Orogs are notorious for disregarding borders, believing as nomads that they had the right to roam where they wished. The generals knew that it was simply a matter of time before they would have another chance to fight the Orogs. The eastern generals, who had been holding against the series of Goliath onslaughts, were more willing to hold position. They enjoyed watching waves of Goliaths crash against their wall of steel and magic.

In what seemed to be an odd turn of events to the Orogs, an emissary leading a caravan of wagons arrived at the edge of an Orog encampment. He bore a yellow flag, the sign of peace, and carried with him a letter. The letter stated that the one hundred Goliaths in the caravan were to be released to the chief of this tribe (which tribe was never spelled out) as a sign of peace. The caravan drivers released the locks on the caged wagons and slowly and timidly the former slaves emerged and blinked in the bright sun. Neither the Orogs nor the Goliaths trusted the Eladrin and were ready for something sinister to happen. But it never did. The caravan was simply packed back up and the emissary bid the chieftan a good day and they began the trek back west toward Eldren territory.

Tieflings
With your new regime almost fully established, the other powers listening (or at least pretending to listen) to your orders, you feel confident that a new day has arisen for the Tieflings, a day that has not been seen for ages. Some whisper in the streets that you might attempt to reunite the Teiflic races, as impossible as that would be. Many have been swayed by your charisma and your domestic policies. You have been much kinder to the people than the Guildmaster had been while he reigned.

The Tieflings, while not a highly religious people, see the wisdom in your attempts to cull favor with the gods. Architects are hired and building materials are requisitioned. The larger cities in the west have plans for grand temples. Some of the smaller cities can only erect shrines to Earth, but each village has planned at least a new statue for her. The eastern cities have begun to dig great temples while others have started to redirect rivers to fill them. The people are pleased with these efforts, if only because the merchants, craftsmen, artisans and smiths have been kept busy and well paid.

In what many Tieflings are regarding, not necessarily negatively, as a massive propoganda, envoys are sent to the far corners of Wilwarin. The overland convoys to their nearby neighbors have varying results. The emissary sent to the Shdar-Kai arrives at their capital without incident or question and is soon ushered into the Cavern to await the Shadar dignitaries. The diplomat that was sent to the Gnomes never reached her intended destination. She and her guard troupe were, it seems, attacked by wild creatures in the Gnomes' forest. Upon entering, the group was given a writ giving them permission to travel in the Gnomish wild but were warned that the scrap of parchment did little good against the beasts that truly ruled the area. They were recommended to remain on guard, apparently to no avail. The ambassador sent to the Eladrin was, after much scrutiny and more than a fair share of mistrust, allowed to journey on to the capital. The other envoys, those to the Phaounm, Devas, Humans, Orogs and Dwarves, would take more time to reach their destinations. Since the Goliaths possess no centralized authority, it was determined that no ambassador would be sent. The Halflings and Elves are not recognized by the majority of Tieflings to be separate political entities from the Devas. If the Humans did not possess such trading power, it is likely that an emissary would not have been sent to them either.

As the envoys were being sent, runners were being sent into the villages and countryside trying to recruit soldiers to strengthen the borders. While the causualties in the coup were quite low, the impressive forces that both the Eladrin and Orogs had recently marshalled made many nobles and officials reconsider their own border security. The Warlord and his generals were in charge of the many training camps that were set up to ready the new border guards. You know that it will be a season or more before an actual fighting force could be mustered, but with no impending threats, you are content with the progress that is being made.

Devas
The Devas that had gathered to hear the King speak were reservedly pleased with the new edicts. They were as excited as 12,000 year old beings can be excited about anything. A return to stability is something that they all desire and the Humans could use a little bit more control. A majority of the Humans even respected the new changes, but not all. Pockets of murmuring littled the crowd as the laws were read. Nothing that would immediately identify anyone as a member of the Ordo Libertas. Your advisors encourage you to stay the course with the issue. You will either quell the Ordo Libertas or draw it out, and both serve your purposes.

The largest reaction came to the paladin order. Many of the Devas were concerned with the increase in power that is being given to the Humans here and many of the Humans are concerned that all things may not be as they seem. However, this is by no means the majority of either race. The majority of both is excited about the new order. An increase in power pleases many of the Humans and an increase in orthodoxy pleases the Devas.

Loggers and the engines they need to level a forest were sent towards the southern forest. At the same time, meetings with the Elves are held. Being on the border and not sharing some of the cosmopolital sensibilities of those in the cities. They were cordial, but not quite as friendly as the King would have liked. A return convoy followed them back up the river, but were held at the border by the Elves.

The trade at sea, however, is going much better. The increased protection has kept many of the pirates at bay. One crew even managed to capture one of the pirate crews. The increased protection may have warded of many potential attacks. The Equites were prosperous and grateful for the added protection.

Gnomes
The Gnomes thank the Sea everyday for their river. It gave them great opportunities that few in Wilwarin shared. But today they thanked Sea for their forest. It was going to allow them to explore further and trade better than ever before. The Gnomes, since their ascension, had been drawn to the sea, but only now were they really capable of dominating it. Their river began to fill with barges carrying mountains of timber destined to be crafted into warships. The Gnomes had never before bothered with a navy, simply choosing to arm their merchant vessels. The new leadership, however, was shaking things up. In order to build bigger ships capable of carrying more cargo, the council decided to commission small, nimble warships and to remove the weaponry from the merchant vessels. Aside from increasing the efficiency of trade, it also gave the Gnomes a stronger presence in the sea. They knew that soon they would be able to wrest dominance of the sea trade away from the Humans.

The council had also decided that new temples should be erected to replace the old ones. Though they had been standing for only a few generations, they had fallen into disrepair. Rather than attempt to refurbish them, the council decided to simply tear them down and start anew. The Gnomes were much more prosperous now and could afford better temples. Each major city was commissioned a new temple, each designed by a different architect. The council only gave one stipulation, that each temple must house a worship area for each of the three major deities. This was a shift for many Gnomes, who had traditionally worshipped only Sea. The council assured the people that it was an attempt to encourage foreigners to trade in Gnomish cities. Give them a place where they can worship, the council said, and they will have one less excuse to stay away. The temples, based on the temperments of their architects, will take varying times to complete but one thing is common to all of them: they require stone. The Goliaths to the west are the guardians of the closest available quarriable areas. The merchants encourage the council to send envoys to them.

Shadar-Kai
Many secrets you have uncovered and many more you know lie just beyond your fingertips. The Queen desires knowledge of the outside world, as it is changing daily, if not hourly. She has heard stirrings in the east and in the north. The oracles and the seers have had visions and she knows that the Shadar-Kai must either gain the upper hand or be swept under by the tide of change. The great temple to Earth that you had begun on the coast is entirely complete and entirely majestic but it has not calmed the seas, as an avatar of Sea had said. The trade with the Humans boomed for a short time but has begun to slacken. The Humans are blaming some unknown attack force in the southern Serpent Sea. That the Shadar-Kai knew nothing of it unsettles many, but few show it. Many non-Shadar-Kai have filled in the surface city while more and more Shadar-Kai are remaining underground. Many won't even venture into the subsurface city, the Cavern, unless they are required to. A reclusion has developed in the people. Not that the Queen blames them, sitting in her throneroom miles below the surface, flanked by guards.

Dwarves
With the Trademeet finished, the Dwarves return to the ice and prepare to once again mount their longships and take to the sea. When the tribes return home, the new Dwarven king finds a message waiting for him. Two crews of Dwarves, thought lost to the ocean's cold embrace, have surfaced. They are wrecked on an island in the southern sea. They have no idea how they got there or how to get back, but they know their journey was harrowing. The cleric who sent the Sending claimed that Sea himself transported them from their raid to the coast of the island they are stranded on. They have fashioned new ships, but do not desire to return yet. This sea, they said, was full of merchant ships and unguarded coastal villages. The two crews had pillaged more wealth in two months than they had in three years in the north. They were working out a way to determine their exact location and figure out how to best exploit this newfound resource. The cleric also mentioned that they were not the only inhabitants of their island, but that a race of small, reptilian creatures filled the caves in the mountains.

Phaounm
Your borders are secure and your government stable. Your deity is appeased and your military is strong. So why is so much chaos filling your territory? The threat that had presented itself in Glaeriel, which you thought was finished, has returned. This time, rather than destroying a small village on the northern coast, they have attacked a major southern city. They did not succeed in their attack, but its suddeness and ferocity nearly overwhelmed the guard. This time, however, your people were able to get a better look at their attackers. Huge, scaly beasts, they were. Some had two arms, others had four. Their spears and crossbows were deadly and accurate and they descended into the sea almost as suddenly as they appeared. None of your generals knew what they were, but they knew that there were not something to be trifled with.

[Xondoure]

"A great wyrm? Your telling me, that our tree was used to seal a god forsaken wyrm! By the bloody gods and all they stand for! How on earth do we destroy a sea serpent?" Drevilin Wintersong was not a normal elf. His features were marred by the hint of his human father. Jet black hair, and a small beard distinguished him from the rest of the council. His eyes were elven though, dark blue pools with hints of gold, and right now they were furious. "How in the name of all that is bl;oody holy, can you all sit around and calmly talk about a god killing monster, RIGHT UNDER OUR FEET!"
"Calm yourself Drevilin. The council shares your distress, but at times like these, we must gather and find the solution to our troubles, acting rashly will just harm our chances of success." The lord Istarel's hair is flecked with grey, a mark of the trouble these times have brought. "Now, I trust you have all read the full passage on the chrysophylax that we recieved from our new allies? Good. Because in their lies the solution. The Sea sealed this creature in our forest, and as such, he can deal with this threat again. High priest Darion has already sent word to our brothers who have lost themselves to the waves, and we expect word of their actions soon. Until tyhen, I would bid all of you to burn salt in your fires, and make your decisions on the flip of a coin, so that our prayers may be heard by the sea." Finally, Istarel permitted himself a smile. "Last but not least, we have finally recieved a message from the druids who left on delegation to the Gnome. It seems that they are sympathetic to our plight, and have offered their aid in solving this crisis. It may be they no of ways to help seal the wrath of the serpent, so that our forest may finally know peace."
"Easy for you to say, Istarel. But what of my men? My brother went below to follow the earth lights, at YOUR COMMAND. When we knew nothing of what lay down their, absolutely nothing. You killed him just as much as this bloody wyrm, what do you intend to do to fix that error?
"I intend to pray, and hope that life has not forsaken them."
"For all things must die, and all things will awake a new, and thus the flow of life, time, and mystery will forever unfold."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

military: Standard actions
commerce: Standard actions
political: private
religion: Beseech sea for his aid, send word to the elves who have left the forest for the waves, and beg their counsel

[loser0ll]

High Priest : "So. Our first festival went well, and our other plans are coming along well. It was a pleasant surprise to see a diplomat with friendly intent coming here - and without any incidents from the border guard to top things off."
Priest of the High Temple : "Should we really go to such troubles making those embassies for outsiders? They should be honored to enter our lands, let alone leave without being enslaved."
High Priest : "We cannot live in recluse forever. The times around us are changing - if we begin establishing a place in that changing world then we will not be left behind. And no empire that wishes to survive may be left behind, for such a thing is death."
Priest of the High Temple : "As your wisdom guides us."
Priest of the Military : "Lord High Priest, the fortifications you have ordered are under way - the magic of our large engineer groups are expanding the defenses and mines as you have instructed."
High Priest : "Excellent. And what of the training of new troops?"
Priest of the Military : "It is going better than one could expect of people without much magical talents. Some of our officers that have shown more flexibility in command and tactics are training them, as well as our defensive experts. It's still too early to say for sure, but it could go well. They are eager at the chance to prove that their loyalty is as great as normal soldiers, it seems finally being allowed to join the armed forces has brought out the fierceness in our less gifted population."

--------------------------------
Political - Having recieved the embassador from the Tiefling people, talks on what should be done begin in private. Eventually, they decide to allow the construction of a small embassy with magical means for communications so their home country so that any agreements made could be quickly finalized without long, dangerous trips slowing down important issues. Several such buildings are set up, to be potentially granted to other ambassadors in the future should they arrive. Mechanically - secure buildings (no, no bugs or spying spells) with access to Sending and established Circles of Teleportation.
Military - With the Goliaths continuing to take the offensive, the Eldarin armies continue to try and overcome the difficulty of facing two armies on opposite flanks by using their larger army defensively and throwing themselves behind border defense projects. To man and reinforce these fortifications, a new 'Homeland Patriotic Defense' is established - a group meant to draw from the large number of citizens who lack much magical power and allow that group to finally seize the honor of civic service.
Economic - The funds that have previously been used to fund the large, aggressive wars are now being switched over to funding building construction - primarily the construction of those defensive networks mentioned above and the mass expansion of mines to search for gems used as fuel for spells/magical item creation.
Religious - To match the expansion of the mines and (hopeful) increase of ingredients used in producing magical tools and weapons, the magic users of the Priesthood are organized towards mass production of magical goods and weapons/armor.

[Aux-Ash]

Phaounm
Chourogne, largest and riches of the Phaounm cities

Prime minister Rannier was sitting in his old and worn chair on the balcony of the office, located in the grand palace that was "The halls of the general assembly". Before him the vast city spread out in all directions down towards the blue-green water of the Inner Sea. As he slowly drank from his mulled wine he lept his gaze sweep over the buildings of the city. The Grand Skytemple, still not completely finished despite having been under construction for almost fourteen years, stood rising high above the surrounding buildings in the distance. The admirality, recently erected, stood out from it's surrounding homes and shops with it's distinctive late fifth-age architecture. Every street, as far as the eyes could see, was bristling with life.

As he sipped from the warm drink, he felt how some of the stress left his body. He glanced to his left, at the report he had recieved this morning. It was almost amusing how such a simple piece of parchment with a little ink managed to ruin an entire morning. It was hardly a wonder he needed his rest with news like that.

Pardon me, sir...
Geron stepped out on the balcony and stood at attention like a soldier, straight back and eyes staring out in front of him. Waiting for a command to continue speaking. With nothing more than a quick motion from Rannier's side the thin and old manservant continued.
The High Constable has arrived, the hearing regarding the attack will begin momentarily.

The prime minister rose slowly and placed his cup on the table beside the chair, leaving the comfortable seat and rest behind. Duty called, as it always did.

Walking through the decorated corridors in a quick pace, he soon entered the main chamber and took his seat near the bottom of the great amphitheater that was the ruling body of the twelve cities. All around him seats were slowly being filled by curious old politicians, guild elders and merchants the lot of them. Despite the commotion, some of them were finishing up the debate that had been going on for the past five hours.

... if nothing else we must institute protective tariffs on agricultural products, already have many of our peasants given up farming. In Jamienne almost every single farmer has petitioned the blacksmith's guild for tools to take up other trades. Applications to the admirality has skyrocketed, almost every single one filed by a farmer.

It's easy to determine the cause... Devic wheat is too cheap. Our people cannot compete with the huge landmass and excellent soil that the Devas have. If nothing is done we might soon face a reality where we are forced to be subjects of the Devas.

This is preposterous, the Deva are our friends and have no intentions to see us as their subjects. Should we ruin our good relations simply because our farmers cannot compete? They have to adapt, that is all. Like any good merchant would do.

But what would happen if bandits start harassing the roads and this menace from the sea scare of the ships? We would be without food. How long have the bread you eat in the morning been transported, delegate? How far away was the wheat grown? How long would you be prepared to wait if you run out?

Excuse me honoured delegates, but we will have to continue this issue tomorrow.

The delegates looked a bit annoyed as their discussion was cut short, but sat down in their seats as the High Constable was led down to the central seat. As he got nearer more and more of the chatter quited down as the delegates shifted their attention from each others to the officer in the middle.

Please, High Constable Pharon. We are all eager to hear your report regarding the attack.

Rannier leant forward as the armoured man in the middle began telling his account of the investigation regarding the attack on Valac. It seemed like the only sound in the entire chamber was the loud and firm voice of the High constable, everyone else listening intently.

-----

Military:Assess the threat to all the southern cities and coastal villages.

Commerce: Investigate the possibilities to aquire (internally produced) goods to export to the Deva.

Religious: Pray to Sky and Sea for protection against the menace from the oceans.

Political: Send emissaries to the new Devic monarch with gifts and to improve relations.

[shadowxknight]

Palace of the Dreadlord
Throne Room

The Archmage sat on his throne and listened to the news flying from across the Empire. Most of his plans are proceeding perfectly. But for them to fruition would take longer, much longer.
It was a good thing that tieflings lived so long.

With a wave of his hand he conjured a map of the world. He sat there petrified while staring at the map, planning his next move. His advisors waited silently, for they know if they disrupted his train of thought unpleasant things will await them.

After what feel like ages, the Archmage beckoned one of his advisers to come forward. "First matter of business. Our lands are being overpopulated, proving that the colonies to the west are no longer enough. Promote migration past the Tiadan River(the river to the east). Before that establish a military base past the river that the immigrants can report to for protection."
The advisor nodded and left the throne room to carry out his orders.
Next the Archmage beckoned forward the Head Merchant. "I heard our new allies, the Eladrin, are having some trouble with barbarians. Send them a shipment of magic arms and armor to aid them. After that send caravans to sell them more, if they want it."
The Head Merchant bowed respectfully and exited.

============================================
Military: Continue to strengthen border troops. Establish new fortress over the river to the east.
Commerce: Send a free shipment of magical weapons and armor to the Eladrin. Send convoys selling similar weapons to the Eladrin and all other races who already have tiefling emissary.
Political: Lower provincial tax a little to garner favor from the provincial leaders and gather support from the people.
Religion:: Promote worship of Earth and Sea, prepare for a festival.

[DrakebloodIV]

The Fields of Challenge
Northern Devic Homelands

The training of the Paladins goes well, and the King of the Devas finds that his skill and the ability of his men. In the mornings they studied the arts of martial combat. They focused on taking advantage of their mounted styles against unmounted combatants and dismounting enemies. Each person had their own style of weapon, the King himself preferred using a warhammar and kite-shield when fighting against ground combatants and switching to a halberd against mounted warriors. Many of the others used more unorthodox weapons though, from grappling hooks to pikes to gunpowder grenades. In the evening they were taught the laws of Honor in war and the arts of combat spellcasting. The Devic code of Warfare was taught to them and they studied previous battles. The they took an oath to follow the threefold code, which is as follows:


1.) One must warn an opponent before engaging in combat, but after that it is either combatants right to use any tactics they wish.

2.) When first blood is shed and before the deathblow you must ask your opponent if they wish to forfeit or die.

3.) After a battle one must do their best to heal and save as many warriors as they can, enemy or otherwise.

As they were studying the art of channeling magic through their weapons, a squire came to speak to the King.

"Your wife wishes to speak to you."

"Lieutenant Tiberius, will you take over from here"

The Human nods and begins speaking to the rest of the recruits. The King treads off toward the palace.

"Thank you for coming, husband, I fear that tensions will break out with the elves if we do not change our reactions toward them, and our trade relations towards the Phaounm crumble. If a serious trade council is not established. "

"I do what I can, wife, but I feel that there is little we can do with them. The Elves thirst only for liberty, embodying the stubbornness and rebelliousness that have always perplexed us in Humans. I will speak with them, but I doubt that we will get anywhere."

"I think you underestimate them, husband, that tenacity is what kept them alive. Their mistrust is harbored over years, and the only way we can sunder that is to speak honestly to them and loosen the chains against them"

"My love, you are a poet and gifted in diplmatic matters. I would trust you to the end of the earth, and so I will call for a summit among the races of the east. We shall meet in this palace with you at my side."

With that the King marches out towards the field again, a spring in his stride and a plan in his head. He taps Tiberius on the shoulder, grinning as he speaks.

"Tiberius, I feel we should suspend our training for a short time. I have an idea for how to field test our paladins, not only as defenders and warriors, but as diplomats. You shall be splitting into three groups. You will each escort a magister-diplomat of the Imperial Authority to the capital of the Phaeonic and Elvish lands, and you, Tiberius, will be leading a group to crisscross the Devic lands to the headquarters of each guild in turn. You will all be inviting them to a summit of trade to meet here, in our palace.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Military- Train the Paladins into an elite fighting force
Political- To be PMed
Religious- Train priests in the study of blessing and magically imbuing weapons.
Commerce- Establish a summit for trade agreements among the western nations.

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The diplomat shivered as he pulled his cloak tighter about himself. He wasn't used to these higher altitudes. Hopefully this Sea-forsaken tribe would be found soon. He glanced at his guards, an assortment of gnome warriors and some assorted mercenaries. Their Goliath guide lead the way, saying little; it'd taken some convincing (and some bribery) to get the man to lead the party to the largest and most influential tribe in the area. But now he said it was only a matter of time before they were found. He hoped the phrase was only a problem of communication....

*****

At the same time, another expedition was being sent out. Large and very well-armed, this expedition was headed into the dreaded Forsaken Marshes. Led by an elf, the party's hopes were high. Not only were there many soldiers, but several workers and alchemists, all dedicated to one pursuit: the harvesting of the saltpeter said to be found in abundance in the midst of the swamp. Several engineers also accompanied the group, there to build a fortified encampment as a base of operations near or at the saltpeter.

=======

Military: Continue building up the navy, investing in some muls and mortars.
Political: Send emissary to goliaths in an attempt to negotiate mining and quarry rights in the mountains. Offer wood, foodstuffs, and weapons in exchange.
Trade: Send expedition to the marsh in attempt to increase production of saltpeter. One of the elves will be tasked with aiding the party (mostly to help against wild animals and avoid getting hopelessly lost)
Religious: Continue building the temples.

[Mauril Everleaf]

Elves
Your druids, who have maintained a vigil over the Great Tree, bring dire news to the council. They predict that at the rate which the tree and the forest are decaying that Chrysophylax will likely have destroyed his prison before the month runs out. Drevilin, it seems, had good reason to fear. The priests and scholars of all those working to uncover the mystery of the great wyrm have discovered other oblique mentions of the creature. Now knowing what it is they are looking for, they scoured records of the fourth age and found many references to something known simply as "the beast". It inhabited the forest that the Elves now call home since before the dawn of the First Age. It fought with the Devas when the forest was large, covering most of the eastern continent. As the forest shrunk, so did its territory. In the Fourth Age, the beast is referenced as separate from the dragon that ravaged the land. It seems that Wilwarin is (or at least was) host to more than one of these terrible creatures. The scholars are unsure what Chrysophylax's goals will be if it is able to escape, but they all agree that it cannot be anything good.

While the Council draws up plans for dealing with this unstoppable monster, the attacks on the city have lessened, almost inexplicably. Some say that whatever was causing their madness is abating. Others say that it is because there are simply no more animals in the forest to attack the cities. Either way, the attacks are no longer constant and often cease entirely at night. The citizenry, who know little to nothing of the dragon, are becoming more at ease. Many praise the council for their efforts to defend and save them. The Elves that have ventured abroad, at least those that could be found and contacted, agree to return to give whatever aid they can to save the great tree, the forest and their people.

Trade, it seems, is one of the few things that is going well for the Elves. The Devas have lightened restrictions on their trade, almost letting them enter Ardora and Opheria whenever they please to conduct business. Their goods are still checked, but this freedom is somewhat unsettling for the Elven traders. They don't know what to do with it and seem almost as if they are waiting for a hidden trap to be sprung. Devic trade has even attempted to breach into the forest. The Elves (who are not preoccupied with the attacks and their great tree) are unsure how to react, but open their gates cautiously.

Your priests turn to Sea, praying for him to give aid and conquer the beast that is destroying everything they hold dear. One of his aspects, Luck, manifests himself in the glade where the priests are praying, much to their surprise. Luck, with what seemed to be awkwardness, replied that Sea was unable to offer any aid at this time. "He is overtaxed, you see. Sea is a very generous god, but even gods aren't omnipotent. He's got this thing with the Dwarves, another with the Halflings and a whole ordeal with the Phaounm and the Sau-- wait, you don't know about that. Anyway, Sea sends his regrets. He really wishes that he could help you but he just can't. Maybe Sky or Earth would be willing?" The last bit was offered without much conviction. It seems that Sea will be unable to bring down the beast this time.

Eladrin
Eladrin wizards and artisans are sent into the Tieflic Empire to begin construction of the teleportation circles. Teleportation magic, while innate to the Eladrin, is not something that can be set up in a short time. A feystep of seven or eight yards was one thing. Transporting several creatures hundreds of miles took careful calibration. The circle must be built in both locations, with the proper runes and sigils inscribed. Then the proper rituals must be performed. This would take many weeks. The Eladrin and the Tieflings spared no expense on the gates though. They would be functioning before the season ran out and summer turned into autumn.

The Homeland Patriotic Defense ((suggested name: Aldfa'a Inalqin)) begins its recruitment, or rather impressment, of the peasantry. Many are happy to join the defense against the brutish and barbaric Goliaths and very few complain about being taken from their farms or stables or shops. Those that did were quickly made an example for the others. The western border is soon lined with unsteady spears. The veteran soldiers find the peasants amusing and will be glad for the speed bumps if the Goliaths truly attack with full force. Large, defensive walls and fortresses are also being constructed on the border and many of these peasants are moved from guard duty to construction. Better to have the trained warriors defending the walls and the peons building them than the other way around your generals feel.

Before beginning the delving of mines, your diviners begin searching for the best place to draw the first shovel full of dirt. After a fortnight of searching, they find a spot that they feel will be most likely to contain Astral Diamonds and construction of the mine begins. Even shored with magic, the going is slow. It is one thing to transmute stone from one arrangement to another, as the founders had done to create many of the keeps and towers of old. It is another to quarry through earth and stone searching for gems no larger than a quail egg. Searching for them may take a great deal of time, but the rewards will be well worth it. Previous mines for gold, silver and other precious metals were not in suitable locations for Astral Diamonds, your experts say which is why your have not found any before and why new mines have been constructed.

Phaounm
Although they know little about their threat's tactics or reasons for attacking, all the intelligence available on them has been gathered and brought into the war room council. City plans, troop allocations, coastal defenses and other pertinent domestic information is also brought. To the protests of some of the generals, a priest and a mage are each brought in to consult on what these creatures may be and what they may be after. It is concluded that Chourogne, with its large home guard, high walls and defensible harbor, is safe for the time being. The smaller villages on the coast, however, are prime targets. Their weak defenses and small militias would be no match for the attacks that have thus been levelled at the Phaounm. Glaeriel is an example of what they are capable of against such a town. High Constable Pharon is unwilling to have another entire village vanish. The prevailing sentiment is that the coastal villages and towns should be evacuated and the citizenry moved either to a more defensible city or, if the journey is too great, moved inland. The creatures have not struck any settlement not immediately adjacent to water.

The priest and the mage are then asked to present their information. Each is the head of their respective order, both of which have the most extensive religious and arcane libraries in the Phaounmic territories. The priest says that based on the research at his monastery the creatures are likely the mythologic Sahuagin, creatures of the deep who are fabled to have a city built under the waves. The mage reports that the creatures are more likely to be Grindylows, aquatic demons who may have discovered some way out of the Abyss, or Lochs, fish-like aberrations who are said to be the reanimated corpses of men lost at sea. Some of the more skeptical generals scoff at what they called "wild tales and children's stories" but Pharon could not help but believe that there may be something to what these scholars have brought to the table.

Meanwhile, Phaounmic merchants have discovered that they have one thing that the Devas and Humans are in desperate need of that they are unable to produce: livestock. Specifically, the Phaounm are excellent raisers of sheep. Their meat and their wool is a staple of Phaounmic society. The majority of Phaounmic sheep are dark grey or black, whose wool is often bleached before it is used. Those that are not grey or black have a wool that is blood red. This is the wool that is most prized. Garments made of Phounmic Red, as the red wool is called, are reknown throughout Wilwarin.

Red sheep are not the only exotic creature native only to the Phaounmic territory. Griffons are also, making nests only around the great volcano that rises in the center of the Phaounm land. Recently, some brave Phaounm have begun to train these flying beasts to become mounts for Phaounmic soldiers. It takes many months to train one to carry a rider and several more to train them for combat, but the superiority they provide in battle is worth the time. Mature, trained griffons as well as untrained fledglings and even eggs are becoming available for trade and use.

The priesthood has sought both their new god and their god of old to find repreive from the seabourne threat. Sacrifices are made to both Sky and Sea. The augurs are able to determine that Sky is pleased with the Phaounm and, as such, will likely give them proportionate aid. The flights of gryphons, rather than his traditional eagles, signified that Sky would send his aid in an unusual way. The cleromancers, who cast lots and threw fish bones, concluded that Sea was willing to participate in the struggle but they are unsure how or when. These ambivalent portents did not give much hope to the people, but some aid, they agreed, was better than no aid.

Emissaries were sent also to another of the celestial beings that influenced the lives of the Phaounm. They carried with them gold and spices, fine fabrics and jewels, gifts fitting a king. Their journey overland will take some time, as the sea was deemed too unsafe for a mission so important.

Tieflings
The Warlord, it seems, is not allowed a day of rest. He begins mobilization of his forces best trained in open land warfare and prepares them to carve out some of the untamed lands across the Tiadan. He had always loved a good monster clearing campaign, and he was not disappointed. A tribe of hobgoblins had set themselves up just across the river. They were caught by surprise and not a one of them survived the day. The Warlord then ordered the first of many border forts to be constructed on the very site and his men set about immediately constructing a motte and bailey. The Warlord relayed back to the Archmage that the trans-Tiadan plain would be cleared and ready for settlement in a matter of weeks. A bridge was already under construction to speed the arrival of supplied to the fort which the warriors have dubbed Telovio, the Infernal word for its former residents.

The wizards that arrived to establish the teleportation gates agreed to accompany the shipment of magical weapons and armor that the Tieflic mages had crafted as a gift for them. Tiefling crafters specialize in necrotic and fire based weapons and armors which feed off the survival instinct of its wearer. These are areas that many Eladrin crafters do not delve, prefering weapons that hinder the movement of their foes and armor that increases their own agility. They will be welcome additions to their armory, they say. After the wizards left to return home, caravans of crafted goods were loaded up and sent into the mountains hoping to find buyers amongst the Eladrin. Similar wagon trains set out for the Shadar-Kai and the Gnomes. The Gnome-bound caravan brings with it a double compliment of guards and another diplomat to open negotiations with them. The other emissaries, which were sent some time ago, have all arrived at their various destinations. You await the responses of the Dwarves, Devas, Orogs and Phaounm.

Preparations for a great festival have many of the lower classes buzzing. They are selling and trading goods to make ready all the things a religious festival warrants. The stock traders do especially well, as animal sacrifices are very common in Tiefling festivals. However, since this is not one of the normal festival days, many of the people are curious what the festival is for. Wild speculation abounds, some claiming that war is coming and others claiming that a new temple is to be built while still others are convinced that it is the Dreadlord's birthday (despite Tieflings not really being born). This, combined with the tax liens, has made the people quite pleased with their new leader.

Devas
Training of the Paladins is going quite well. Their indoctrination was much simpler than your priests had anticipated. It seems, they say, that the Humans were simply looking for some sort of guidance and that the structure of the Paladin Order has given them what they desired. Even better than their indoctrination is their training with the sword. Swords and shields, axes, hammers and lance tips glint in the sun as ringing sound of metal on metal fills the training grounds day in and day out. Soon, it seems, the Paladins will be ready to face real foes. Those that have not mastered weapon combat soon mastered battle casting instead. Their divine powers channeled through their weapons or the holy sun that they carry or hang from their necks are devastating and impressive. They have become a disciplined fighting force, which is exactly what the Devas have desired of their children for ages.

Training the Paladins is not the only thing that has begun to change in the Devic camps. While previously magic weapons and armor were passed from one incarnation to the next, making new armors and weapons unnecessary, the priests have once again begun to mettle alongside the smiths. Mystical runes are crafted not only on swords and breastplates, but on the gun barrels as well. As these firearms had never before been enchanted, the priests and arcanists had to research new enchantments to place on them. Some succeeded while others did not.

The King has orchestrated something of a trade summit. He has sent emissaries out to each of the Phaounmic city-states, to the leaders of each of the Human trade guilds and to the Elvish druidic council. All are invited to the King's winter palace in Estelle. The date is set for the autumnal equinox, a date that the King hopes will add a tone of equality to the proceedings. He has a mere two months to have things prepared for the dignitaries to arrive, but it should be more than enough time.

Gnomes
Trade with the Humans, the Gnomes feel, is rarely prosperous. They are nearly as crafty as the Gnomes themselves are and, in the weapons trade, hold the upper hand. Any fool with a forge can attempt to cast a mortar, but only the Humans, under Devic guidance, have been able to reliably produce them. The Gnomes, however, were close to perfecting their own version of the gunpowder that the Humans used. It won't be long before the Gnomes will be able to break their monopoly on the resource. Muls, however, are much easier and simpler to make and did not require trade with the Humans to acquire them. The Shadar-Kai are much better trade partners for the Gnomes, since the Gnomes often get better deals with them. With their first flotilla of ships nearly complete, the Gnomish shipwrights attached the various weaponry available to them, including stocking the holds (properly shielded, of course) with vessels of Gnome fire. Gnome fire is a devastating weapon at sea, since not even the crashing waves can douse its flames.

Negotiations to the northeast, however, were not going quite as well as the construction of the fleet has gone. The Goliath guide promised that he would bring them soon to a Goliath encampment, but after a week of marching through the mountains, the party arrives at the remnants of a village that has packed up and moved on. Another week of searching and a Goliath tribe is finally discovered. It is not the tribe they sought, but a tribe nonetheless. The Gnomes promptly set about negotiating rights to quarry the eastern portion of the Western Spine. It took the Goliaths some time to understand exactly what the Gnomes were asking them. Ogrish simply does not contain the words necessary to adequately describe land ownership in such a way that it can be traded or sold. The Goliaths were stunned that the Gnomes would ask them such a thing. When it became apparent that this tribe was unwilling to bargain for the land, the envoy moved on to find another tribe. Several days later, they stumbled across another tribe and had similar success. Frustrated, the Gnomish expedition returned home.

The southern expedition was met with...different results. The Elf that lead them was able to navigate them relatively well through the swamp and areas of saltpeter were found. Getting the precious resource out of the swamp would be a difficult task. The great fen was a labrynth of waterways and soggy islands. The Gnomes knew that, with enough time, they could construct a way to extract the saltpeter. But gathering the resource was not what worried them, it was something else they found. They found what appeared to be either remnants or remains of a civilization in the marsh. Something was living here and that something knew how to make fire and how to make weapons.

((I did not receive posts for the Humans, Shadar-Kai, Dwarves or Orogs. I will post some results for them tomorrow afternoon.))

[loser0ll]

High Priest : "So, of ancestral kin have truly warmed themselves to us? There is no trick to be had?"
Priest of the Ambassadors : "Yes. It seems they have while their people are still worried about the events going on, they now have many above-ground cities and are expanding their actions with the outside world."
High Priest : "Good. I have heard that they refer to our enemies as 'barbarians' instead of thinking of them as actual nations in many cases... But enough, we have plenty of time to speak of our long-separated kin later. The mines and military plans are coming along well?"
Priest of the Army : "Yes, of course. Defenses are stregnthening, the mines are growing - all is going well. While the green troops being prepared will need to be seasoned, the defenses should help keep them alive long enough to put some steel into them."
High Priest : "Good. Well then - what should be done next? Our economy is expanding. Our military is growing in size, strength and flexibility. Our political position among nations is improving. We have once more purchased the favor of Earth, mightiest of dieties."
The High Priest smiles, and every advisor in the room realizes that even all the recent successes won't be enough to slow down his ambitions. No rest for the weary.
------------------------------
Military - With much of the armed forces being busy with current projects, the High Priest chooses only to call upon the services of specialist casters not being assigned to other projects.
Religious - Orders are given for experts to study the magical weapons and such sent by the Teiflings, hopefully giving us recipes for similar things - especially increased firepower and direct damage magics.
Economic - Expansion of the infrastructure in homeland territory. By shaping and adjusting canals and the near and between rivers and large water bodies, the civic engineers attempt to connect rivers and road-ways to speed up travel and trade.
Political - Ambassadors are sent to the Phaounm people, requesting trade rights and offering the same, as well as offering one of the newly established embassies to them for the establishment of formal communications at later dates. The ambassador stressed that the embassy need not come with a full commitment to alliance if such a thing is unnacceptable - merely an agreement to open-mindedness between two civilized nations at peace.

[Sea]

The waters course around the globe. Sea watches with pleasure as ship's wakes slice the waves - some converging - some sinking.

Wonderful chaos and activity.

Sea watches the new Gnomish navy with delight- sending them fair winds and calm seas.

The Dwarven Longships in the southern seas keep experiencing the most amazing luck - fogbanks that conceal them - strong wings and driving rain that blasts them into the middle of a dismasted convoy - sea monsters sighting their ships ... and losing interest. Sea has his eye on them.

For the Elves ... Sea doesn't want to deal with their requests right now. Maybe later.

The Phoaunm - Pirates, Raiders, Sea-devils - mostly seem to avoid Phounm ships, at least for now.

For other worshippers - small benevolences, signs that Sea is pleased with their temples and devotions - and jealous of the attention they give the other gods.

[Xondoure]

Darion's eyes blink tiredly, so many sleepless days, so little time remaining. He sighed and began turning back to the tree. Grinding his teeth as he watches an Elf flip a coin. "Cut that out, Luck has already declared he won't even lift his little finger." Darion snarls as the fool quickly turns back to his work.
It wasn't only Luck that was unable to help them. The Sky had left their prayers unanswered, and Earth... no, the Elves had learned their lesson a hundred times over. But, if not the gods, then who? Who had the power to take on a dragon? Such beasts had not awoken from their slumber in generations, and no one alive would... the Devas, they would know. Their lives had continued for millennia, and some must surely remember the battle against the beast. If only their was some way of accessing their libraries, some way to uncover that long lost information. He shook his head, such things were impossible for the Elves... alone at any case.
The tree, the heart of the forest, the oldest living thing known to the free folk, stood nearly dead, a lone giant cast in anguish to its fate. the druids stood around it, as they had for weeks now, fighting to keep it from fading entirely. The struggle had driven many of them to the point of death, but none yet had retired from their sleepless battle. Every minute, an eternity of agony.
Smiling wearily, he remembers the last conversation he had had with his brother. "The gods have not answered our prayers, time seems all but lost to us, and I cannot find a way out."
"But we are the free folk, whom the Gods themselves failed to destroy. We answer to no god, and we bow to no higher power than our own free will. Sometimes, I think we have forgotten that, in the peace of the last centuries. We became ourselves, through blood, fury, and sacrifice. But we found ourselves through water, love, and forgiveness. We must not let the trials of our ancestors be swallowed up by the uncaring gods. For why should they care? They are only aspects of life, and if we will not fight for ourselves, we deserve no hep from others. No, we need to remember the way, all things are one in the void of truth, it is only our experiences, our stories, that set us apart. With this knowledge, we were able to free ourselves of all restrictions, and filled the forest with purity, so that those of us still bound by lies would be able to see the light. Our strength fills the void, and as a whole, we cast off the shackles of Earth, and freed ourselves from tyranny. Who is to say, that this problem might be solved the same way? If we cannot destroy the beast, and we cannot reseal it, then why not try to speak to it? I beg of you brother, turn the lealagu back into the tree, restore it from limb to limb, and find the beast. The dragon may be terrible, but we are free. As one our voice may enter his mind by means of the truth. Find it, reach it, communicate with it. Try and find what it wants, why it longs for our destruction. Find the solution within its own mind. Earth herself could not harm us once we knew the truth of Voi Pura, what have we to fear from a dragon, when we have passed the ultimate test?"
Darion sighs and turns to the Elves. "Here me, all you who aspire to follow the truth of this world! Here me free folk, tonight, all those of the higher knowledge will gather at the base of the oak. With the strength of our will, we will find this dragon, past the dream of reality. We will find it in the void of existence. We will find it, and we will know it. Its past, its goals, its desires, its wrath, its love, its misery, its weakness, its strength. And he will know us; our freedom, our hope, our passion, our fear. For in the void, all things are one and nothing. In that moment, we will try and find peace, and if we fail, this forest will know war so terrible it threatens the very existence of all we know and love. This is the strength of the Elves, and we will NEVER give up. Not when the earth turned our pride into madness, not when the Deva chained our freedom and called it justice, not then, not now, and as long as we remember; not ever."

Istarel looks to the the masses surrounding the lake, each holding a candle, or a torch. Each adding their strength to the will of the druids. From his perch, it looks like a sea of light. Each light burns alone, and the closer we watch it, the more it seems to be. It is only when we look at all things from afar, do we realize that the light is the same, burning all at once, and uniting against the dark.
He himself held the light of Istarel, older than the time of madness, and symbol of his clan. All at once the singing began, chanting, humming, and calling. Each elf had a different song, but together it all seemed the same. A prayer to who nows what, when, or even where, but a prayer none the less. And deep under the earth, the dragon stirred...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

religion: The Elves enter Voi Pura, and seek to become one with the dragon, so they might find peace, or at least know what they face.
politics: Inform all the Elves of the danger they face, and turn all faces to the need of the whole. Elves unable to reach the heart of the forest, will pray to the streams, as the flow of the Lealagu will direct the energy straight to the forest heart. Private
military: Prepare for the dragon's wrath. Elite soldiers have all been called to the capital, leaving the defense of the city to smaller groups. (50% of military power at the oak.)
commerce: Standard actions

Mauril, If you think the conversation should start next round, that is fine. However, if you send a reply talking as Chrysophylax, and what he is, then I can, and will, respond before the turn is up. Of course, you could just decide to have it come out and kill them all, up to you.

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The ringing of hammers on anvils rang continuously from dawn 'til dusk, and sometimes in between. The call had gone out weeks ago: more munitions were being requested by the Council, and they were offering top prices for them as well. Everyone knew of the new armada being crafted, of course. In fact, the gnomes had taken a very patriotic view of the navy, and recruits were lining up to join.

And when the priests announced that Sea looked favorably upon their newest venture, a grand festival was planned to coincide with the launching of the first of the fleet. Ceremonies to Sea were planned in every major city, in whatever ways were deemed best. Of course, this all meant that the temples would have to be finished first! Since the goliaths refused to deal, it was declared that they had forfeited their claim to the stones, and thus any gnome willing and able to quarry it was welcome. However, warnings were quietly sent out that the goliaths may not take kindly to their enterprises, and the groups should try and avoid straying too far into their lands.

In an attempt to head off any potential conflict, another envoy is sent to the Goliath lands, seeking to establish trade with them. A sampling of all the goods the gnomes have to offer is sent amongst a heavily guarded caravan into the mountains.

=========

Military: Focus on refining the saltpeter gathering process and forging of cannon.
Trade: Establish quarries as close to the border as possible inside the goliath-held mountains.
Political: Send another envoy into goliath territory, seeking to establish trade relations. Offers of lumber, foodstuffs, spices, and even metal goods (including weapons) in exchange for whatever the goliaths have. More interested in building good relations than a profit.
Religious: Send out missionaries to the gnomes' trading partners, seeking to promote worship of Sea, alluding that the recent troubles are because people are abandoning their faith in Him.

[Aux-Ash]

Phaoumn
Sharinoius, first city of the Phaoumn.

Lomard! It is good to see you old friend. Welcome home.

The huge aging man stepped up and embraced the new arrival. Delegate Lomard smiled wearily and returned the embrace from his dear friend, the king of Sharinoius. Feeling some of the exhaustion of the journey vanish as he was lifted of the ground.

Rather well dear friend, but my legs and back are weary from the journey.

The king gently put his friend down and with merely a gesture offered a seat at the table. Around it sat some of the friends and advisors of the king, as well as some of the city's guildmasters. As they sat down the servants wordlessly placed a plate full of honeyroasted quail, fresh grapes and fresh bread.

Tell me, what news from the grand assembly. Same bickering as always?

Worse, I fear. The past few months have been positively infernal. Everyone arguing about this and that, we hardly get anything done anymore. All because of that bloody book.

Book?

Lomard reached into his personal bag and brought up a small unseeming book and tossed it onto the table. The cover was crude and brown but the title, red as wine, read "Sovereignity".

It's a philosophical text discussing the benefits and drawbacks of the trade relations we have with the Devas. Stating that by continuing on our present course we will have to shed our soveregnity and become subjects to the Deva like the Haomun.

Ultimately it discusses what we will have to do in order to remain "pure". Like shifting the "balance of trade" in our favour, reorganizing the general assembly and it's executive branch and some other things like claiming the Orog land across the great river

Unlike most texts of it's kind this one won many proponents among the delegates. Becoming something of a faction... "Sovereignists". Their ideas on what to do has led to some animosity between them and those of us who remain loyal to the teachings of Armonne that founded the Confederation.

Lomard quieted down for a bit as he dug in on the bird, eating the delicious dish with his hands.

For instance, they have the past few months tried to stop or change the trade agreement with the Deva. This has been a constant issue in the assembly and ultimately it was agreed to allow tax reprieves for peasants that breed sheep and grow grain in order to bolster the wool trade. In order to, as they say, "even the balance a little".

However... They've won quite a political victory with the conlcusion how to deal with the beasts from the sea. You see... High Constable Pharon has decreed to move the most of the gendarme to the south to protect the villages along the coast. Claiming that he doesn't want to see another Glaeriel

It's good to hear that the High Constable take the threat to this city seriously...

Indeed, it is. But this also implies that bandits will have it easier on the northern roads which will increase the risk of overland trade. Ultimately increasing prices of Deva goods.

This is exactly what the sovereignists wants... together with these tax reprieves it will mean that mutton and phaoumn grain will be much more affordable. Weakening the Deva trade and at the same time increasing the prices of Phaoumn wool in the east.

I can but wonder what the Deva will think when they realise that the trade deal they negotiated eight months ago has been almost completely undermined.

---

Military: Move gendarme riders from the northern roads and the borders to the southern coast. Leaving only the minimum amount of riders to keep the peace, except on the main trade route to the Deva which will keep it's usual full guard force. The gendarme riders are to patrol the coastal roads and visit the villages and hopefully keep them safe.

Religious: Seek counsel with the gods on regarding a way to put an end to the menace from the sea.

Political: In order to increase the security of the coastal villages, it has been declared to create a new institution within the Confederation. A organisation of courierstations connecting every city and every village. In addition, every mile there is to be built a small station for these couriers where they can spend the night and exchange horses should they need to. A reliable and swift communication system whith the goal that it should take no longer than a week to carry a message from one citystate to the neighbouring one.

Commerce:Allow a minor tax reprieve for all peasants that raise sheep and grow some type of grain and also to all merchants that trade with wool and meat. This in order to motivate peasants and merchants to think of sheep as a viable source of income, strengthening the wooltrade.

Edit as per request:
Phaounm answer to Eladrin ambassadors
The Phaounm Confederation will accept the Eladrin offer of a ambassadorial exchange and the establishment of embassies. Eladrin merchants will also be allowed to enter Phaounm soil if they accept Phaounm law and will without complaint allow their goods to be searched by the gendarme upon request.

[Oracle_Hunter]

HUMANITY

In a private room of a nondescript tavern, a cell of Ordo Libertas met.
"I tell you, it is exactly as we wanted! The Deva have stepped aside, and are allowing Humanity to assert its Manifest Destiny! We would be fools to anger the Deva at this point."

"Fools? No, we would be fools to give up now. The Deva are weak now, frightened by the changing world that only we can understand. If The Plan is abandoned now, we will have missed our best chance in history."

"Settle down. We will do nothing until we hear from Malleus Numen herself. To delay may harm our cause, but to act without thought will certainly destroy it."

This scene was repeated throughout the Kingdom, with large swaths of Ordo Libertas sympathizers and moderates abandoning the organization to support the new Human political and church leaders. In particular, membership in the Paladins surges with many new recruits speaking fervently of Humanity's duty...

* * *

Apollo Spartenos, Patriarch of Equester Spartenos, sat in dark abstraction before a mug of strong stout. Dexter Spartenos rested uneasily by his side, waiting for the brooding giant to speak.

Apollo took a deep swig of stout and slammed the flagon on the bar
"A gnomish navy! To think I would live so long."

Dexter shifted on his stool before venturing a reply
"Patriarch, I think that is more of a concern for the Navy than for us. Why, we could make a fortune selling cannon and musket to the gnomes. After all, what have they ever - "

Apollo turned and silenced Dexter mid-sentence with a stare that had made others lose control of their bowels. Fortunately for Dexter, it was slightly unfocused due to the Patriarch's "condition," so he only felt a dire need to flee the bar. Unfortunately, Dexter found he lacked the ability to order his legs to move due to a sudden weakness on their part.
"Trade? TRADE?! We can't sell weapons to the gnomes - look at what they've done already with the cast-offs from the Phaoumn! If we gave them new weapons they'd be competing against us within a month!

Apollo turned back to his flagon and sighed
"And things had been going so well with the Shadar-Kai. Now we must make sure that they do not turn to the Gnomes for their gunpowder."

Amazingly, Dexter found the will to speak
"Well... maybe we can find a way to monopolize the gnomish saltpeter supply. Perhaps if we can provide them with the arms, they will agree to sell all of their saltpeter to us instead of trading it on their own. I mean, Devic gunpowder is still the finest in the world - they couldn't compete with our quality once their buyers found how quickly it fouled their weapons."

Apollo frowned, but in a non-threatening fashion
"A contract? The gnomes are nearly as savvy as we are, but maybe they can be made to seen the benefits."

He turned to Dexter suddenly, causing Dexter to fumble with his flagon
"Make it so, and you can have the resulting gunpowder trade route. Fail, and I'll have your hide."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OOC: I'm including 2 sessions of action, since my Internet is still bad

Political
Secret (x2)

Commercel
(1) Send an envoy to the Gnomes for a guns-saltpeter trade
(2) Send an envoy to the Phaoumn for a guns-wool trade

Religion
(1) Increase the size of the Paladins
(2) Secret

Military
(1) Create the Lightbringer Brigade - Paladins trained as a mobile fighting force and peacekeeping troops. They are to be dispatched with all land-based Devic diplomatic missions.
(2) Develop and produce enchanted guns for deployment with Devic Army units only.

[shadowxknight]

On the streets of Capital City...

The Archmage sauntered through the streets upon his magnificent white stallion. Today marked the opening of the new temple branch of the Palace of the Dreadlord, and thus he planned a huge festival and parade to bolster the mood. Although usually he doesn't care about his looks, the Archmage had to admit that the ceremonial robes looked magnificent on him. Even if it doesn't have the enchantments and secret pockets his normal robes offered, his staff can easily vanquish any foe foolish enough to attack him.
To his right(and a little behind) rode the Warlord. The Archmage felt a slight pang of jealous as he peered at the Warlord from the corner of his eye. The Warlord sat on a warhorse of ebony whose colors matched his armor. For the parade the Warlord didn't wear his infamous helmet and as they rode through the streets he smiled charmingly to any girls that caught his eye, causing his target to swoon and blush. The Warlord caught the Archmage looking at him and gave one of his signature smirks. The Archmage simply nodded and smiled back at him.
To his left rode the Guildmaster, in his usual robe and hood that nevers seems to let his skin see the light of day. He seems to know that he does not look as good as the Archmage or Warlord, thus at random intervals he would throw handful of coins and trinkets to the cheering crowd.

Finally the parade arrived at its destination: the Cathedral that was split into three subsections, each dedicated to either Earth, Sea, or Sky. The parade started on the other side of the Palace, and has marched through the major streets of the city to arrive at its destination.
The three high priests of each religion was already waiting for the congregation to get there. The Archmage sighed inwardly. He hated making speeches, but he knew that one was required of him. On the outside the Archmage smiled politely and went along with the ceremony that the priests planned.
Hopefully it won't take long, after all he still planned to hold council afterwards. But somehow he knew that his hope was futile.

===============================================
Politics: Send envoy with food and supplies into the largest Goliath tribe(scout with magic) that has territory in the mountains.
Military: Build fort at where the Tiadan branches in the North to guard the caravans entering Eladrin territory. Strengthen troops in the northwest(along the mountains)
Religion: Upon completion of temples, hold festivals to please the gods.
Commerce: Construct mines in the mountains and build trade ships along the coast.

[Mauril Everleaf]

Eladrin
The wizards and artisans who ventured into the Tieflic territory have returned and have begun construction on the teleportation gate in the Eladrin capital. The gate is elaborate and made of carved black granite. The runes were painted on and then magically infused into the stone. It stands upon a two-tiered pedastal. The gate is then activated and in a burst of light the gate is ready. The High Priest, who was in attendence for the final stages of the production, commissioned the gate and sent its first passenger through. A high ranking noble had been granted the honor. He stepped onto the platform and the sigils began to glow. There was a small flicker of light and a slight whisper of sound and the man had vanished. The crowd (especially the mages whose lives depended on their success) held their breath and waited. Nearly two minutes later, the noble returned, holding a letter. The Tieflings wished the Eladrin empire good fortune and looked forward to future relations.

Fortifications on the mountain front are nearing completion. Your generals were pleased that the peasant army worked so quickly and efficiently. New ramparts and stone walls have been erected as well as archer towers and scouting outposts. If a Goliath gets within bowshot of the Eladrin territory, it will immediately begin to regret its error. The warriors on the northeastern front have equally dug themselves in. If either Katholik race tries anything but a full scale invastion, they will be shattered on the Eladrin spears.

The Royal Artificers inspect the convoy sent by the Tieflings, in particular examining the magicks imbued into the weapons. They are surprised at the simplicity and elegance of the crafting. It is, to them, like a child understanding algebra for the first time. Once you know the tricks, everything else just falls together. Some of them feel foolish for not having been able to develop them on their own. The Royal Artificers ((suggested name: Araf Almiki)) are quite sure that given the proper materia they could reproduce the effect. The materia involved, however, was less apparent. They understand the formula and the process, but not the ingredients. Yet...

Despite the recent release of 100 Goliath slaves, the slave population is still a major productive force for the Eladrin. That which can't be done by magic alone, or is simply in no need of being magically done, is handled by the slaves. Roads and canals are, to the Eladrin, a perfect use for them. Canals are being dug to connect major waterways and (more commonly) roads are being built and mountain passes are being cut. While not a quick process, the Priest of Finance and Commerce ((filler name)) assures you that it will be well worth it in the long run. What is a season or two of time to an Eladrin anyway?

The Phaounmic ambassador is sent. Rather than risk an overland trip through Orog patrolled territory, she makes her way towards the Serpent Sea, towards the Shadar-Kai city of Cos'ndorcha to catch a ship headed towards Phaounmic ports.

The adventurer's guild has grown somewhat over the recent weeks. The success of the Order of Might (which the priest in charge of the guild still cringes at) has brought some reknown to the guild and more members have joined. The ten percent adventuring tax has also brought in a good deal of wealth to the Eladrin empire. Adventurers, it seems, are good business.

Elves
Chrysophylax does indeed stir from his three thousand year imprisonment. The mighty oak, as old as Wilwarin itself, was split asunder as the terrible beast tore free of its celestial bindings. He let out a terrifying screech as he rocketed towards the heavens out of the remains of his prison. He then returned to the earth and, with a single flap of his mighty leathery wings landed amongst the circle of druids.

Hundreds, thousands, maybe a hundred thousand Elves had gathered in the clearing and forest surrounding the great tree. All were chanting and praying, not to the gods, but the forces of nature itself, hoping that some good might yet come of this dire situation. Those that could not reach the tree in time stood or knelt near rivers and prayed that the Lealagu would carry their energy toward the into the heart of the forest.

When the mighty dragon shrieked its terrible cry, all the Elves for miles were stunned by the sheer power of it. It was not the volume of the roar that stunned them so, but the intensity and power that it seemed to carry with it. It was the voice of something that could create and destroy as it wished. Its power seemed unchecked. The prayers and chanting ceased as all in its presence barely had the fortitude to keep breathing.

In the city, as many spears as could be mustered were gathered. Archers lined the walls and capped every tower and rooftop. Wizards and shamans were spread about as equally as possible. Those that were not guarding the capital were staged around the great tree. Those that had not dropped their weapons in fear still could not have used them, as the awesome power of Chrysophylax made itself manifest in their presence.

Then Chrysophylax spoke. He spoke in a voice that was both terrible and soothing. A voice that, if you were unwary, could drive a man insane without him ever knowing it.

"Hello, mortals. I see that you have come to welcome me."

((We will need to likely run this conversation in relative real time. Please PM me tomorrow and we can set something up.))

Gnomes
As the forges burn on through the night, the final riggings are hung on the Gnomish carracks. Fine vessels, they are. Sleek, fast and sturdy. Not nearly as fast as the Devic clippers, nor as strong as the Phaounmic battleships, but somewhere nicely in between. Nearly a dozen ships were moored in the harbor awaiting their cristenings and their crews.

Small temporary shrines and tabernacles are set up in honor of Sea. Though they are impermanent, no expense was spared on them. They were crafted of intricately carved wood and exquisitely fine linens. They were dripping with gold and silver. Those that were closer to the coasts were filled with beautiful shells and corals. One shrine even had a pool filled with exotic fish. Praise and thank offerings were given before Sea and there was much joy spilling out into the streets. Sea would likely be very pleased.

Those that took the call to quarry headed towards the hills as daybreak the morning following the festivities. Each group was at the head of a small wagon train of goods for barter. Anything they could produce that was of any value was brought along in hopes that something would please the Goliaths. They arrived in the mountains and begin to set up quarries. It was several days before any Goliath tribe happened by, but they gave similar answers to the previouus tribes. It was not their land to give, they said. It was Earth's. They must ask her to use it. They said that they would be open to trade, but merely for the sake of trade and not for something that they had no right to give.

The afternoon that the quarriers left for the mountains, missionaries began to embark on foreign relations. They prepared to embark on evangelical missions for Sea. They would tout his greatness and his favor. They would try to convert as many as would listen. Each wore a blue and silver robe with a conch shell embroidered on the left side. They also each carried a flask of seawater and a pinch of sand, to remind them of the patron. Missionaries were sent to the Shadar-Kai, Phaounm, Humans, Eladrin and Goliaths.

Phaounm
The gendarmes are shifted to the southern coast as something of a reserve force. They are there both to preserve the peace in cities with a recent influx of new residents as well as to serve as auxilary troops should the Phaounm be attacked again. There is a slight increase in banditry in the north, but nothing significant. Some of the northern cities are relieved to have a little less scrutiny into their daily lives. The Phaounm enjoy their privacy, both politically and personally.

Riders, many from the recently displaced coastal villagers, are recruited to serve in the courier service. New horses were bartered for with the Orogs to ensure that the best and fastest steeds were available. Way stations are built. They may not be the nicest places to be built, but they are well built and will keep the rain and wolves out. They may also be used by non-couriers, for a small fee, but non-couriers must always give preference to a courier, should one need to use the waystation. The horses, obviously, are for couriers only.

The Confederated Cities of the Phaounm began to (unevenly) impliment the resolutions set about in the council meeting. Taxes were lowered for almost all peasants, since nearly every everyone raised either sheep, grew barley or oats, or did both. The people, especially the Sovereignists, were pleased by this as production boomed (as much as agricultural production can boom in a short period of time, that it). Phaounmic ships and caravans were laden with salted mutton and bundles of wool headed for ports and cities across Wilwarin. A good deal of the grain used to feed the residents of the Phaounmic cities still comes from Devic fields, since any new fields of barley or oats being tilled are going to go to offset the extra food needed by the increase in sheep farming.

The priests turn towards Sky to answer their prayers and give them some guidance as to the creatures from the Sea. The priests pray to him for days on end, pouring libations out on his altar. After many days, wherein the priests fasted and remained in their temples, Wisdom appeared in all her glory. He light filled the temple, causing the priests to shield their eyes and many immediately fell prostrate before her. It is not common for an aspect of Sky to come to answer prayers.

"We thank you, the Phaounm, the first race to walk this soil, for the gifts and worship that you have brought before my father. He is very pleased with your sacrifices and your adherence to his tenets and he would like to make you his children. Soon, Sky will be able to help you in your fight against these spawn of the sea. Go and prepare yourselves." Wisdom then, in a flash of light somehow more brilliant than before, she returned to her astral realm at the feet of Sky and alongside her brothers, Art and Civilization.

The priests began to murmur amongst themselves. What did she mean, "to make you his children"? Were they already not followers of Sky?

Humans
((I assume these actions are for the last two turns and not for a future turn.))

A fleet of Mercators journeys southeast toward the Gnomish ports. Their hulls are full of rifles and cannons, ready for trade. Their captains were instructed to only turn over their guns only if saltpeter rights can be procured. Much to the dismay of the Human merchants, no such deal could be made. The Gnomes, it seems, have ambitions that they are unwilling to give up. Their secrets are closely guarded, as always, but the Human negotiators were able to determine that something big was on the horizon for the Gnomes and that the Humans should likely be prepared. What they should be prepared for, they do not know. Dexter, as can be expected, did not return with the merchants.

While the envoy is sent, the things on the mainland begin to change. The Devas had set up a new order of Human religious warriors. Schooled in the orthodox worship of Sky and trained in the arts of combat and magic, the Paladins are an elite force to be reckoned with and many of the Humans wanted in. The elite in the military and militias turned up to be given the opportunity to become a Paladin. In the few short weeks since it was founded, hundreds of Humans had turned up to be trained and thousands were on their way from the countrysides. The Paladins were turning out to be more of a success than the Devas likely expected. With some estimates saying that as much as half of the Humans sympathize with the Ordo Libertas, the Devas expected a much smaller turnout.

The Lightbringer Brigade, an established subset of the Paladin Order, were commissioned in the second month of their existence. They were the best of the best. The were the most disciplined, best trained, fiercest of the Paladins. They are also given extended training in the magical arts and in diplomatic relations. The Devas decide that the Lightbringers are to become the elite guards that will accompany all future Devic diplomats. Who better to guard them than those most indoctrinated.

After several weeks, the Gnome-bound Mercators returned to their home port. These Mercators stayed in port only long enough to restock supplies and give the crews a day or two of shore leave and then they were headed out for Phaounmic shores.

Human mages have continued to create new enchantments to increase the accuracy and deadliness of the Devic rifles. The mages have developed a new augmentation that allows the rifles to fire further and more accurately than ever before. Many of the enhancement that were once only available on bows have been converted to use on firearms. These products, without exception, are for domestic use only. The Humans (and the Devas) would not want to lose their advantage.

Tieflings
Tieflic ceremonies are interesting sights to behold. It is a puzzling combination of reserve and revelry. The people dance and wail in the streets while the administrators stand stoicly overseeing the festivities. The leader of the parade wears a black veil draped from his horns and strides emotionlessly in front of two dances licentiously dancing behind him. The Three rode immediately following these, each in their own fashion.

The triune temple had been completed, and it was a sight to behold. It rose several hundred feet into the sky and was made of impressively large blocks of sandstone, each cut with incredible smoothness and precision. The center temple, the largest of the three, was dedicated to Earth. The center of the temple contained a deep pit that had been magically darkened. The flanking (smaller) temples were dedicated to Sea and Sky. Sea's temple contained a shallow reflective pool running its length and the temple to Sky had a great sky light that always brought in the sun during the day, no matter how cloudy it was. All three temples were incredible and all worthy of the parade given to their opening.

After the ceremonies, the Archmage set about domestic and foriegn affairs. His first order of business as to send a food caravan into the Goliath mountains. His diviners scryed upon the Goliaths to determine who their largest tribes are and where they would be in a few weeks time. The caravan carried many different types of meats but mostly breads and vegetables and other foods that are less available in the rugged Western Spine. The caravans were carried not by traders and merchants, but rather by warriors and diplomats.

Another wagon train, this time of building supplies and craftsmen, left from the most northern of the Tieflic cities bound for the Tiadan fork. They were accompanied by the military cohort that would man the fort. The fort was planned to be based with the same sandstone as the temples (mostly the castoff pieces) and then capped with a wooden palisade. It should take just a few weeks to complete and will do much to protect northern trade routes from bandits, barbarians and wild beasts.

An expedition is also sent into the mountains to the northwest to search for precious metals or minerals to mine. Four sites were deemed suitable and the beginnings of mine shafts were dug. The Tieflic coast was something mostly unpatrolled. They had a few ships, mostly Phaounmic relics, that guarded the shore but would not have really stood against any assault and lacking a true navy, they had little to guard any trade ships. The new trade ships would need protection and that would need to become a priority for the Tieflic shipwrights.

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The human envoy is met cordially and offered all due respect. A large feast is thrown in their honor, with many of the nobles and all of the Council in attendance. The next day, they are granted an audience with the Council where their business will be discussed for the first time (Gnomes considering it impolite to discuss business during meals).

Upon hearing why they have come, the High Councilor stands up and addresses the envoy. "We see. You wish us to trade all of our saltpeter to you in exchange for arms. That is a fine offer; Devic weapons are renowned throughout the known world. And as you are no doubt aware, we have commissioned a few ships to help deal with pirates and other dangers at sea.

However, we are curious: if we sell all our saltpeter to you, where would we get the ammunition for these arms you are offering, hmm? Plus what of our trading partners, who already purchase much of our saltpeter. We cannot simply break our agreements with them, after all." He sits down, folds his hands together, and leans forward slightly, awaiting the human's response.

[shadowxknight]

Tieflings
Buroth Valley

The Warlord looked down from his wyvern and felt a sense of nostalgia. Although he now owned thousands of acres of land from both his inheritance and conquests, this valley was where he grew up. Even though he has now traveled all over the Empire, he still has to admit the Valley and the citadel in the middle of it formed the perfect defense; well, maybe not perfect, but besiegers will waste the majority of their troops just getting past the first wall.
The Warlord's mount landed on the aerial stable of the fortress. He looked at the stable and the wyverns already gathered there. The stable is going to need an expansion. A big one.

Palace of the Dreadlord
Throne Room

Once again the Archmage gathered his advisors in the throne room. The Archmage wished there was a more efficient way to rule over the nation, but he knew he could not know everything about every aspect of his empire.
After his advisors finished reporting the Archmage pondered for a few moments as usual. Of course he has already decided the course of action right after the advisors made their reports. But he didn't want to appear to rash in his decisions, and sometimes prettying to be a little slow will bait out the most impatient of his opposers.
The Archmage gave his orders and ended the meeting. Everyday his empire grows stronger. He too must evolve to lead it in the war to be.

=========================================
Military:Strengthen wyvern knights(numbers, equipment, and training) under the Warlord. Expand the navy.
Political: Offer an alliance of trade and defensive pact to Eladrin, Shadar-kai, Gnome, and Phaoumn.
Commerce: Expand mining operations. Use magic to ease extraction and transportation.
Religion: Devote prayers to Earth to get it to reveal its secrets and allow the tieflings to find more precious metals.

[loser0ll]

((Fluff + RP to come))
------------------------
Commerce - Continue research on the weapons, hoping to find the ingredients to match the process.
Military - Continue researching the newly uncovered events - focusing on the region where the disturbance seems focused, while scattering a few more scans through the area to gather general intelligence.
Political - Seeking to reduce the power of the Devas in friendly nations, the Eladrin begin using their diplomatic teleporters to ship large numbers of their newly produced magical trade goods to the Phaonum people, aiming aid them in their efforts at reducing dependence on the Devic trade without giving direct excuses for invasion.
Religious - Celebrating the booming economy and military, as well as the growing good relations amongst nations, the people of the Eladrin empire begin to erect many shrines in thanks to Earth. For a change, it is not as a bribe or offering, but instead a rare display of the true faith that inevitably grows after generations of exclusively worshiping a single deity. It is a strange thing to us...
------------------------
Responses to events/updates.
1) Accept the proposed full alliance with the Tiefling cousins.

[DrakebloodIV]

Andromeda Pass, Northeast Maltheria
Devic Empire

The clomp of calvary can be heard for miles as the third Brigade of the Paladins stormed their way through the fields, following trade roads so as to not harm the crops that grow here. They move swiftly toward the border and work to construct a fort near Almoris, storing provisions there as convoys arrive. From that camp they work to enforce trade regulations and protect Devic assets from attacks against raiders.


The Font of Light
Thaia

The Magisters guild was making progress on magical arms and armor, but the concept of a magical cloth immune to damage tempted Mages of all kinds. They had toiled for months but the idea was just out of their grasp. The complexity of the magics used to bind that form of spell to an object warped the fabric of reality to the point of breaking. It shunted the cloth and most things around it into a non existent demiplane, unmaking the cloth and a fair chunk of its user. But in the next few weeks a breakthrough was made, the commonly traded red Phaonomic sheep wool was found to have a natural agent in it which anchored the wool extra deep into reality. In large amounts it stifled magic significanty but it roughly a 30% blend with silk it formed an anchor to reality which allowed the spell to form without ripping reality. The fabric was still difficult to produce and had is flaws (to be pmed), but it was still a powerful asset for the devas.

The Glass Palace
Martova

The King of the Devas stood proudly over the small council before him. From the bookish ambassador of the Phaoumnic empire to the rough looking ex pirate of the sailors guild the councle was well mixed and in a good mood. The Glass palace was beautiful in the morning sun, the warping and reflecting of the towers designed to set this room alight in rainbow, ever an emblem to the might of the sun. And the room was warm even in the near winter chill because of the great amount of sun shipped into it. The King smiled brightly looking to each of the people in the room as he spoke. The absence of the Elves worry him, but an envoy was sent to the Gnomes to take their seat in this councle

"People of the west, I welcome you to this meeting and pray that we might speak openly and honestly of the trade situation upon us. As we speak the peoples of the east strive past us, for our fear of trade and mistrust of one another has crippled our ability to trade. Take the elves, after the war they were mistrusting and xenophobic. Now, as the winds of fate turn against them, their fiercely independent nature has crippled them, their forest dies yet they exclude us and our people. We ask that you take a leap of faith with us, allowing yourselves for a moment to overcome your fears of being manipulated or dominated and let yourselves think of all the gain that could come of this"

"What of the book, Sovereignty? I have read it and worry for my people. We do not wish to become bound to you as the humans are."

"I believe the Phaeomnic people do not understand how the Devic empire wishes to interact with them. Humans are a unique people, our children and dear to us as such. It is our duty to care for and guide them, but we also wish them to rule themselves as much as possible. But the Phaeomn are their own, we wish to befrend them, but it is not our right to rule them."

"Our people have been told by the Tieflings and Eladrin not to trust you many a time, what can you do to prove us wrong?"

"We can trade, openly and honestly, of our resources. Your people have recently shown a reluctance to buying Devic grain, if you wish it we will reduce our growth of wheat in favor of other goods. Tobacco and fruits among them. But the fact remains that we wish to trade with you. Red sheep wool and Gryphons are of great value to the Deva, and in exchange for them we would be glad to trade cannon and myst ships. Name your goods and price and the Deva will trade, I hope with the humans alongside us, but even now I worry their hands twist towards war, as you grow closer to the eastern peoples and further from the neutrality we have seen in you for generations."

"We shall see, Lord, we shall see."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military- Mobilize the paladins to the Devic border, build fortifications along that area and defend trade assets.
Political- Trade summit, invite the gnomes to the later half of it.
Religious- Encourage Humans to worship the sea as well as the sun, increase the proportion of Sea priests aboard trade ships.
Trade- Invent steelsilk, begin processing it and refining the production process

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The Council sat in closed session, none allowed to enter, not even their servants. Agriculture was frowning at the High Councilor. "With a monopoly on gunpowder, its only a matter of time before our ships begin having 'accidents' or the gunpowder we buy is subpar..."

The High Councilor merely grinned and shook his head. "You weren't paying attention were you? We offered all the saltpeter we managed to get out of the swamp. A pity expeditions are so slow and, by necessity, light. So much of it just sits there. And with so much of their gunpowder, not to mention their weapons, in our hands, its only a matter of time before our own alchemists and metallurgists figure out how to make them just as good, if not better."

The other Councilors nodded and smiled to themselves...


===========
Military: Begin arming and training crews to use the new weapons available from the humans.
Political: Accept Tiefling envoy and agree to defensive pact and open trade.
Religious: Continue missionary work for Sea. Continue building temples with (hopefully) incoming stone from quarries.
Trade: Develop saltpeter works.

[Oracle_Hunter]

~ Humanity ~

The Wings of Grace - a tavern in Deominia, Solvona
The sounds of celebration echoed from the main room of the tavern, filling every corner of the building with good cheer. Apollo and Dexter Spartenos sat in the Crossed Swords Room - a private room owned and maintained by Equester Spartenos for generations. Apollo accepted a bottle from one of the tavern's more attractive wenches before patting her on her way.
"Come lad and drink up! This is Sumannor Whiskey - best in the Kingdom."

He nearly filled the two frosted highball glasses before the pair before putting the bottle down. Dexter hefted his nervously before drinking to the hearty toast offered by the Patriarch.
"Not only have you cornered the gunpowder trade, but we now have a guaranteed buyer for the bulk of our supply! Between the Kingdom and the Gnomes, we'll be drowning in gold!"

"Um, Patriarch there may be a small problem - we aren't actually licensed to sell cannon to anyone but the Phaoumn. Er... and when I signed the contract I didn't realize that the Gnomes were going to sign a pact with the Tieflings as well. I... I don't know if we can convince their Undying Majesties to let us sell cannon to the allies of their ancient foes!"

Dexter braced for the coming storm, but instead he was greeted by a hearty laugh.
"Ha! Well, that's where I come in, eh? This is why you're lucky to be part of Equester Spartenos - on your own you'd be executed a half-dozen different times by now. No, I think we can swing it - though I may have to cut in that snake Tagaris..."


The Lightbringer's Garrison - Almoris, MaltheriaAfter a hard day of training, Signifer Lumen Annora Fidelis and her squad settled down for their evening meal. While it began as a peaceful meal, the mood changed once the conversation shifted to politics...
"I still say we should be marching west against those devil-men! Did you hear about the alliance they're forming against us? And just today I was talking to Lumen Legionnaire Korvin and he said that their lackies, the Eladrin, have started moving into Phaoumn posing as merchants. Merchants!"

"War? You want us to drag the poor Phaoumn back into the Third Age? I don't like this new alliance any more than you do, but we have no right to launch a war over it. We should be focusing more at home - why, just the other day my Clanbrother was appointed to the Senate, and he's going to actually pass laws. It made Lucian turn green with envy; when he was promoted to Duplicarius our Clan threw a huge feast - but when news of Mace's appointment came down he not only got a feast but three different marriage proposals."

"Don't try and change the subject, Durant. Sure you and your "Humanis" party are going great guns but we can't let that distract us! Do you think the Dreadlord gives two figs about the Senate? If the Tieflings march in on us while we have our breeches about our ankles, you can bet that your Clanbrother will be the first head on the chopping block."

"That's enough, Fitz. You too, Durant."

Annora sighed and looked up to Sky for guidance.
"Ours is not to worry about mortal affairs. Remember, Sky has entrusted us with carrying out His Great Plan and we should pray daily to Him so that we can be better tools for His use."

"Anger is not a Celestial virtue - it is a vice brought about by our proximity to Earth. Try to elevate yourselves so that you can someday achieve something like the Celestial outlook of the Deva - may they stand for eternity."

"Now, finish your meals and head to the barracks. I will see you later to give you your penances."

The mess hall fell so silent that all could hear Durant mutter under his breath
"And may they kneel when Humanity rises."

Nobody said a word in response.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Commerce: Enact Gunpowder/Gun-Saltpeter Trade with the Gnomes
Political: Petition for the sale of canon to the Gnomes
Military: Commission a new class of ship for the Navy - it should have enchanted demi-canon for offense and light mithril cladding for defense.
Religion: Humanis-supporting priests spread the preaching of Manifest Destiny throughout the churches of Sky.

[Mauril Everleaf]

End of Anvil, 137 VI

Tieflings
The rudiments of the Tiadan fort is completed and the military detachment has moved from the camp outside the walls and set up behind the pallisade. The engineering group stays behind to finish the fortifications before returning across the river. A large dry moat is dug around the fort which is tiered with the standstone making the fortification very secure indeed.

The mining expedition has begun to actually delve into the earth. Two of the four sites have been determined to be the most likely to return high yields. The main shaft had been dug and fortified. The first side channel is being bored and the first real fruits of the dig will likely show up sometime in River Cat. Small bits of gold have already been unearthed in the first mine while the second mine seems to be producing mostly iron.

The Warlord, inspecting his stables, immediately orders new and larger ones to be built. His wyvern riders would need them. The mounted riders were about to double in size. Another fifty wyverns had been brought down from the mountains to be trained. Fifty knights had been brought up through the ranks to be trained to ride them. It should be only a few weeks to have the dragonlets broken and ready for riders and the new mounted knights should be ready for combat.

The Tieflic navy is also having an overhaul. The Tieflings have long relied on the castoffs of other nations for their fleet. They have never bothered having ships of their own design. They preferred to explore overland, desiring to remain attached to the earth. They have always had solid shore defenses, because they know what inhabits the deep. The rest of the world, however, has taken to the sea so the Tieflings feel that they should also. The begin with a sailing vessel of their own design. The new Tiefling ships should be in the water and ready to defend the coasts by the first breach of winter, if not sooner.

Diplomats, each flanked by a unit of the Warlord's best guards, are sent from the capital towards the political or trade centers of the Eladrin empire, the Gnome oligarchy, the Phaounm confedaracy and the kingdom of the Shadar-Kai. Trade noegotiations are not simple things, as the Archmage knows, and he does not expect replies until sometime in Witch. He expects that he should be received well, especially as a trade partner with the Phaounm and Gnomes and with the military relations with the Eladrin. The Shadar-Kai are rarely predictable and this is not one of the few times where someone can know what they will do.

Your priests offer their prayers to Earth but they know what her answer will be before their prayers are even uttered. They know that before they ask anything of Earth, that they must first offer her something, especially when they ask her to give up something from herself. ((PM me with your sacrifice and I will edit it in here.))

Eladrin
The breakthrough on the Tieflic weapons came just over two weeks into Anvil. One of the Eladrin Artificers began to look not at the runes, enchantments or effects but rather at the material from which the weapons were made of. It is not a material that is known of on Wilwarin. It is a metal that is found only in the Abyss itself. The metal itself seems to radiate the fire and necrosis rather than having those properties imbued into them by a magician. Gathering those materials will be very difficult, as one does not simply walk into the Abyss. Recreating the Abyssal metal would be much simpler and by the end of Anvil, your mages had done so.

The western front was seeing excellent progress as well. The stone fortifications were entirely complete and manned with the militias that had been raised and had spent the last one hundred or so days building them. The western wall was nearly impregnable. The Goliaths would have more than a difficult time even reaching the walls. They would be little more than an annoyance to the Eladrin now.

But the army was no longer focused on the western defense, that was the job of the militia now. The army was focused on something that the High Priest had unconvered in the center of his empire. There is a portion of the mountains where the Eladrin have never bothered to settle and none have known why. None have even bothered to consider that they should. They just haven't settled there and that's just how things were. The aristochracy did not question it because they assumed that the priests had their reasons. The peasants didn't question it because peasants rarely question anything. The High Priest finaly realized that someone should questions it, so he began to research the histories and the scriptures. It seems that when the Eladrin left the Shadar caves and moved into the mountains that this area was already inhabited by something. The texts are vague, so the High Priest has decided to go and find out what is there. Two detachments of scouts have been sent into the territory.

Earth is confused by the display of faith offered to her. Shrines and ceremonies are cropping up almost spontaneously all over the Eladrin mountains yet they ask nothing of her. Some are even thanking her. She doesn't know how to react or what she should be thinking. She has decided that she might as well be pleased, but remains on her guard in case this is a trick.

The diplomat to the Phaounm arrived in good health but her ship is harried by pirates on many occassions. Each time the crew was able to fend them off, but the pirates are becoming bold in the Serpent Sea. Very bold indeed.

Devas
((No actions were stated for the Devas, so this update will merely be based on the roleplay and the previous Devic post.))
The new firearms enchantments developed in tandem with the Humans are turning out to be quite excellent. They have nearly perfected the magicks and were wasting no time augmenting their home defenses. Similarly the lumbering missions in the southern swamp are well underway. It took most of the month of Tree to get the works transported and set up. The clearing has now begun and your the Devic overseers promise that a clear path through the swamp will be cleared before the first snows of winter.

That is if the swamp itself survives that long. A massive storm is brewing out to sea. The augurs know it and the old sea captains can feel it in their bones. It won't be more than two weeks before it makes landfall. At least it should take care of some of the pirates that terrorise the southeastern coasts...

Gnomes
With the trade agreement set, the Gnomes hurried about finding loopholes in it. A Gnome was not considered ready to be a merchant until he was able to construct a contract that contained nearly hidden back doors through which he could escape. The negotiators sent to work with the Humans were not new to the practice in the slightest.

The contract had brought in all sorts of new weapons that the Gnomes had little practice in using. The rifles were much too large for the Gnomes to use, but they would work decently mounted on the rails of their new ships. Craftsmen set about afixing them very soon after this was realized. The pistols, however, were taken to quite well by the Gnomes. Every captain and merchant demanded one and every military officer was trained to use them. Traditional weapons still dominated the military and guard forces, but gun powder was making its way in.

The revelry from the temples had not ceased when Tree turned into Anvil. Nor had their construction. What had begun as wooden shrines or canvas tents were becoming proper temples. The missionaries that had been sent out were having excellent luck avoiding bandits and finding villages and making deals. They managed through the most labrynthine of forests and fens with ease. It seems that Sea was smiling on them and their efforts. He was giving Gnomish ships fair whether and good winds increasing their trade revenue. Sea, it seems, had taken well to the little traders.

The quarries in the Goliath mountains were returning from their second major haul of stone by the end of Anvil. There were around a dozen separate sites where independent organizations had set up quarries and were ferrying stone back into the Gnomish lands. Several times Goliath tribes would come just withing visual range and camp on the side of the mountain. The foremen were sure that the nomads were watching them, but they never approached so work continued unabated.

The saltpeter works in the Great Swamp was going less well. Whatever they had discovered that was living there had become upset by their presence. Fen drakes harried the workers and destroyed any engine that the Gnomes built up. Workers had also begun to disappear at night and stories of swamp creatures began to infect the camps. Whatever was there did not like the intrusion of the Gnomes.

Humans
The Mercators return from the Phaounmic ports and trade cities bursting with wool. The majority of the fleece is black or grey, the standard fare, but the Human merchants were able to cut a deal for a shipment of red wool. It is being taken by caravan overland to Almoris. The Lightbringer Brigade has been tasked with guarding it.

The Human sea traders complained much of the sea conditions. It seems that no matter which direction they traveled that either the current or the winds were against them. What should have taken but a week to sail too nearly three. The pirate raids along the Phaounmic coast had increased as well. If it weren't for the increased armament on the trade ships, many of the vessels would have been lost. This new metal-clad ship should help greatly against these nimble pirates. They seem to always be able to get the drop on the Humans and their Devic escorts and they always seem to be in just the right position to escape. It seems that Sea is showing his hand.

An envoy is prepared and sent to the head of the department of trade in the Devic empire. Apollo had trained this one well and had instructed him in what he should say to the Minister of Trade. Negotiations took several days, as they always do with the Devas, but an agreement was finally settled upon. Cannon could be sold to the Gnomes for their own military use but not for trade purposes. Especially not trade with the Tieflings. The minister almost flares up at the notion of selling things to their age old rivals. It seems to the Human that there was more than political disagreement behind the fire in the Minister's eyes.

The Humans also bring before the Devas plans for a new class of ships. It would require an increased trade with the Shadar-Kai to obtain enough mithril, but it seemed doable. The new ship would be slightly slower than the current clippers but it would be much stronger and much more deadly. Plans are made to allow for three prototype ships to be constructed before the design is to be put into full production. Even to an empire as vast and wealthy as the Devas', mithril is not an inexpensive material.

The Human indoctrination through the Paladins seems to have taken on a life of its own. A renewed vigor in their faith and worship of Sky has taken hold of the Humans. Many former Ordo Libertas sympathizers have returned to the temples of Sky and are preaching in his name. They are preaching of a Manifest Destiny and that it is Sky's will that they elevate themselves to achieve his goodly outlook. This sentiment takes hold in the hearts of the laiety and their is a revival like never before in the Devic empire.

[Aux-Ash]

Phaounm
Chourogne

The warm fire cracked in the fireplace before him, Lomard was sittng in his chair wrapped up in a warm blanket and just enjoying the warmth coming from the flames. It wasn't that it was particulary cold, it was just an old ritual of his. A way to relax after a hard day in the general assembly.

Sir, Delegate Yan has arrived

Lomard rose up and and shook his fellow delegate hand as the man entered the room. Yan was one of the older merchants in the assembly and throughout the years he and Lomard had grown to be close friends.

I'm glad you could come my friend. Here, take a seat. We have much to discuss.

As they both sat down in the chairs Yan spoke with his usual rough voice

I presume it is because of politics that you've asked me to come

Lomard smiled to himself, Yan was his usual blunt self

Regretfully so my friend, it seems to have a way to demand more and more time these days.

Too true.

The Sovereignists are starting to become popular, both among the people and in the general assembly. I fear for the future, this antagonism against the Deva is not only undeserved but also dangerous. I wonder if the Devic border garrisons are being strengthened not only to fight the bandits but also to potentially protect the Deva and Humans from us.

Yan rubbed his chin and leaned back in his chair, looking at the empty space in front of him.

I suppose it is our own fault in a way... the peasants hated that trade agreement. It made the Deva seems like parasites and usurpers. Painted them as enemies.

Then perhaps we ought to give them a new enemy.

Or rather... remind them of a past one.

Yan sat up and looked at his friend, his face seemed more like a worn old mask. Hiding something sinister on that grandfather-ish look.

If the people were reminded that beside the menace from the sea, there are other threats in this world. Threats we have faced before and overcome with the aid of our eastern friends.

Lomard sat quiet for some time with a frown on his face.

I assume you had Delegate Evren in mind

Yes, the good man is a good speaker and very popular among the citzens of Giolard.

I'll make the arrangements

Yan slowly rose form the chair, said his godd byes to Lomard and started to walk out of the room.

Yan... no firearms.

---

Military:The Phaounm navy has been convinced by the merchants to deploy patrols along the coast and hunt down the pirates preying on the merchant vessels in the sea of serpents.

Political:To be sent by private message

Religious: As a response to the mysterious message from Sky, the temple is focusing on strengthening the faith of Sky in all the citystates. Using preachers, celebrations and in some rare cases visits in order to further cement the Phaoumnic faith.

Commerce: Invest in the development of even bigger and sturdier ships, trying to improve the shipmaking. Primarily focusing on improving traditional areas of strength such as size and the cargo-capacity.

--

Response to the Tiefling offer of an alliance:
The Phaounm will agree to open the border to tiefling merchants (but will not lower any tariffs) but will not agree to any alliance, defensive or not, with the Tieflings.

[Xondoure]

The Bosquemal

The sound of hammers coming from deep underground echoed beside the lake now. the gaping hole where the great tree had been, was now the primary method of transportation to the vast Dragelf hold. Istarel was still not sure what he thought about the Dragelf. They were zealously fanatical in their worship of Chrysophylax, and anything he would ask for, even the life of a child, he did not doubt they would give, and think no more of it. Still, their fighting skill was unparalled, and their weapons... he shivers; their weapons were unlike anything he had seen before. Dragon forged steel was a terrifying thing to behold.
It was not only their military power that had earned them respect among the Elves. Having grown things deep beneath the surface, they were masters of agriculture, able to bring out the nutrients in the soil, and the plants now flourished like never before. Which was good, the last few months had all but destroyed the Elven farms and supplies had run short during the battles against the beasts.
That was another thing, the creatures of the forest had gone mad when the dragon emerged, and their were rumors that it had not left them entirely. How could the Elves respect a god whose mere presence drove the forces of nature mad? For the Elves, their first and foremost duty was to the balance of nature, and all life. A thing which the dragon seemed to have dominance over.
The Elves would fight alongside the dragons, to free themselves of the gods, to revenge themselves against the Deva, to bring the world a new era of creation, but... he thought to himself; they will never forget the forces of nature. The forces that freed them from Locura, and first relit the strength of the free folk. From the life force we came, and to the life force we will return. The true way would forever stand, must forever stand, and the Elves would see the truth brought forth, and flourish, and no war would ever come between that goal.


Green Fang Keep

Evenian Hyrendil watched from the balcony, as thousands of armored soldiers marched up the spiraling passage of the Earth Lights. Fingering his longsword, he strode away, smiling slightly as the clanging of hammers vanished inside the solid stone walls of Green Fang Keep.
Entering his throne room, he sat upon the emerald throne, which had belonged to the dragon blood for close to a thousand years. Ever since the Princess of Flame had been wed to the Prophecy of Emeralds. and miraculously given birth to the blood line of kings.
Behind his throne, stood to guards, each adorned in the scaled guard that marked them Champions of Chryss. Before him, stood the druids from above. "...and that is why, before your men may come to the surfa..." he sighed, this was pointless. The ones above had no control, even over their own people! "... if you would only let us give them the chance to learn the tru-"
"Yes, yes, you may show them your primitive beliefs, it is not like they will change anything."
"Very well, your grace." One of them was approaching him. Him!
"stop that at once or you will taste your own blood, I never said."
"You said that we were aloud to show your people the truth, and it falls to me to bring it to you." She smiled, and brought down her hand on his forhead, chanting slightly, and then...
...he was everywhere, and nowhere. Lives flowed through him, over and on top of the other, he felt the rage of the creatures, and the laughter of the Elves, he felt the strange, alien touch of the Deva, and the almost corrupting flow of the Tieflings, every one who had been or will be, he could feel, and as he grew away, he felt the gods themselves, and even farther, the dragons. Except, the dragons were so like the energy itself, that it was impossible to tell where one began or ended, trying to understand one was like an ant trying to grow taller than a mountain, they filled everything, they were terrifying. "Now do you see? this is the true existence, the peace of the void, the passion of life, the beauty of the balance. In this place, we are all, equals, and you are more alive here, then anywhere else in existence, for this is all of existence, all as one, and one as all. We have lived in harmony with nature for a long, long time, and nothing, not even the gods are above this truth. This is our religion, at its core, it encompasses everything, and is without nothing. Some refer to it as the waking, some as the truth, but it is this balance, that we fight to protect. You Dragelf have lived to long without the sky above your head. The heavens mirror this truth, in all its glory, and seeing that reminds us of who we are. Even the gods Chryssophylax would have us destroy, have a reason to be. You can see it here. Earth is the keeper of death, and secrets. Sea of the primal forces, and luck. Sky of the mind, and truth. Do you know what they lack? Love. The gods do not love, for they have become to used to their power, they have forgotten the purpose of the dragons. And if they forget, I fear now only the dragons remember. It may be that this war will destroy us all, but in the end, we will just return here, as part of everything, until our life can be made anew. Your people will drink our water, and live in our homes, so while you exist, never forget this place, or all is lost."
The sudden return to his throne room seemed to take an eternity. He shook himself, just a dream, an illusion a- she smiled, and he knew it had been no such thing.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

religious: Teach the Dragelf of the unity of life.
military: Train the Elven soldiers in the use of swords and steel. Train the Dragelf soldiers in the use of bows and arrows. Train the militia that fought in the beast war, into full blown soldiers.
commerce: Restore Elven farmlands, and reinvigorate the earth with Dragelf techniques.
political: Exchange archives with the Dragelf, look over histories, and fasten the bonds of the newfound alliance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A New Goal

High Priest Darion sighed, as he felt the tremors of the new alliance. They must act soon or not at all. He whispered to the black birds, and let them fly away into the sunrise. "This age is aptly named. Now is the time for the Elves to finish what we started at the beginnings of our race. Now we throw off the final shackles that bind us. We will come."
We will come, he thought. And we will find and wake the Dragons!

[Oracle_Hunter]

OOC: *sigh* no time for RP today. I'll fill this in later (maybe)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Political: Secret & Petition Deva to do something about the rising Alliance of Evil in the West.
Commerce: Increase trade with the Shadar-Kai; the new demand gives them better trading terms.
Religion: Petition Sky for protection from the oncoming Storm and unfavorable winds & Send Paladins to the endangered areas to aid in relief
Military: Build & Train with the new weapons & ships

[shadowxknight]

In the fort city on the coast of Tiadan and the Sea of Serpents

A ring of priests and mages that is dedicated to Sea or specialized in Conjuration chanted in their arcane tongue. In every fortress and city along the coast, there was a similar ring, chanting arcane words in various pitches of voice.
The Archmage had decreed that the coast needed to be defended with more than ships; after all the Devic navy was much greater than the tieflings. However the tieflings were more attuned to the planes than any other race, thus special, controlled monsters were to be summoned into the waters.
These monsters will attack all ships that is not marked to be allied to the tieflings.

Of course, to clear any misunderstandings with tieflings' trade partners, the ambassador sent to each nation carries a seal with him/her. These seals can be used to cast spells that will ward of the monsters, and the ambassadors will use the seal on any merchant ships that requests it. Each ambassador does not treat this information as a secret, instead tries to publicize it as much as possible to avoid accidents.

Even so, the Archmage commanded more resources to be put into building battleships to be built and refining saltpeter. After all the monsters were a source of unreliable defense at best and the tiefling navy has always been lacking.

Meanwhile worship of all three gods are continue to be encouraged throughout the empire. The Archmage decrees that the first day of each month be a holy day of all three deities, the first day of second week a holy day to Earth, first day of third week holy day to Sea, and first day of fourth week holy day to Sky. On those days government officials will pay homage to the respective gods which will encourage the common people to follow suit.

===========================================
Military: Summon sea monsters. Recruit and train more soldiers throughout the nation. Modify existing ships to be more durable in battles.
Commerce: Expand mining operation and saltpeter operation.
Political: Secret.
Religion: Holy days declared to encourage worship of gods.

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The Council looked at each other, each of them with a pleased look on his or her face. Finally the High Councilor spoke up. "It seems the rest of the world has come to see us as rival powers. First the elves, then the humans. The Tieflings and Deva as well. All have come to us. And once again Sea has favored us, allowing us to stay ahead of events. Praise be to Sea!" The other Council members echo him, each nodding and smiling.

The High Councilor continues. "As you know, there have been problems with the saltpeter works. An expedition is being sent to try and discover the source of these threats. Many of them are experienced adventurers, so we have high hopes of their success.

You'll be happy to hear the Eagle Express has begun. This should help strengthen our kingdom and enable us to stay ahead of our rivals. We've had no word from the elves, but rumors tell of a development in their predictament, so an envoy is being sent to the druids to request information. We must know what is going on before we allow their magic tree to come to fruition."

========
Military: Private. Continue building up the Navy and training with firearms.
Political: Send an envoy to the elves.
Trade: Send an expedition to search for the source of the disturbance in the swamp.
Religious: Finish the temples. Ask Sea for aid in solving the problems in the swamp.

[DrakebloodIV]

Seabreeze Chapel
Aesperis


For the first time since the war on the elves, the chapel of the seabreeze was crowded. Having fallen into obscurity even among the humans, worship of the sea is now royally approved, receiving all the benefits of other charitable organizations and the rights of a guild. Here to show approval, the high Priestess of the sun has come to one of their rituals: the Saltwater Blessing. The chubby priest who runs this church is clearly overjoyed, beaming as he goes through his sermon and gives the blessing. First, he takes the water and puts a dab over each of the priestesses eyelid.

"Though in this life times will be hard, may the Sea help you endure"

Then, taking a drop he puts it over the Priestesses heart.

"For in your veins runs his blessing, and in your eyes his joy."

"And though the sea brings hard times, it also brings happiness and life"

He takes a final splash of water and runs it over her forehead and through her hair.

"And through the sea, all creatures live"

Cheers are heard for several miles and the next sermon is as packed as this, though with many more humans rather than Devic priests and priestesses.

The Grand Port
Aesperis


The docks are heavy with a cacophony of blows as workers strive to complete twenty different ships of amazing proportion. The ships were of amazing proportion and technological advancement, each housing over one hundred men and armed to the teeth with ten cannons on each side, but the true innovation that these cannons showed was their mobility. With breech loaded cannons on rollers that could be latched onto the deck through metal bolts, it was possible not only to reload twice as fast, but to move cannons fast enough that by the second volley it would be possible to fire all cannons accurately against a single target.

The ships would also be crewed uniquely, with a carpenter, an engineer, a Magister, and a Seabreeze clergyman aboard each ship, constantly repairing, enchanting and improving the ships. These were ships built to go years on the sea and endure hundreds of battles.

As of yet they were but skeletons, months of work lay ahead, but the Dreadnaughts would be built. And as relations with the shadar kai were established, Mithril plating would be added to as many as possible.

In another area of the port, Devic windrunners (Sort of a mix of a viking ship and a sloop) are being outfitted with a form of camouflage. The Devic glassworks are coating each ship in waste shards of mirror. This mirror reflects the look of the sea, effectively rendering a ship invisible except at close range. The new ships are renamed mystrunners for their invisible qualities.

Elven Borderlands
Northern Aeniera


Having received no communication from the Elven druids, the Devic authorities begin to worry. Not even the occasional mad elf wanders from the forest anymore, it is as though it has become empty. The animals cry yet the forest blooms. A councle of the border towns comes to the consensus that an armed expedition should be sent to observe whatever is going on. Fifteen some odd Lightbringers immediately volunteer, in spite of the fact that it may well be a scuicide mission.

The Glass Palace
Martova


The King of Devas sits, smoking a pipe of spiced tobacco. The shift from grains to tobacco, cumin, saffron and spices was natural. The simple plummit in grain price would have done it if not for the fact that the King hired a group of Landtraders to buy up seed for them and travel farms selling it at reduced prices. Now the peoples of the Phaounm needed not worry of buying their grain foreignly, instead being able to eat their homegrown grain and spice it with luxuries from the Deva. Still, the King encouraged a small surplus to save in case of drought or war.

"May I offer you a pipe, friend? I must say I find that these blends they make truely intice me."

"I must abstain, for if the Amranists or the Soverignists heard of me doing such a thing my neutrality would be shattered."

"But surely you must assess the quality of the products we will be trading." The King gives a half smile "The Soverignists would demand it lest you be scammed into a lackluster product. If every pipe smokes as well as the kings personal reserve than they will know they got a good deal."

"If you insist." The ambassador says. Taking the pipe, which burns as smoothly and smells as fine as the King says.

"So then, we are agreed. Cannon shall be traded to the Phaounm at half Devic terrif. And tobacco and spices a the average Phaounmic luxury good terrif. Gryphons will be traded, unslaughtered, and terrifed as cattle of their weight."

Holding out a piece of paper the Phaounm signs it.

"And should the elven borders become less secluded, you shall be the first to know of elves goods. Send my blessings to your people."

With that, the Ambassador signs it and mounts his griphon, riding it swiftly home.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military- Begin construction of Dreadnaughts, refit Mystrunners
Political- Send Ambassadors to the Goliaths, Shadar-kai, and Orogs. Send Lightbringer Brigade envoy into Elvish lands.
Trade- Finish trade summit with Gnomes and Phaounm
Religious- Re popularize Sea worship among humans and pray to the Sea for protection from storms and pirates.

Note- This turn the Deva began growing luxury products rather than grain in many of their fields. Not sure where that fits, seeing as its not much of a major change. Just figured I'd not that since me and Aux talked about it to relieve the trade sirplus that the Phaounm dont want.

[Mauril Everleaf]

End of Witch, 137 VI, the beginning of Autumn
Phaounm
The southern coast had few skirmishes with the beasts of the sea and had more trouble keeping peace within the overcrowded cities. Ninety days, while not a long time, was long enough for many of the residents of the now packed cities. Many of the evictees and many long time residents have gathered their things and moved northward to the less densely populated cities. Murmurs but not outright unrest filter through the people. They do not like the things that have been forced upon them, but do not blame the government for them. At least, not these unfortunate circumstances.

The trade agreement with the Devas, however, has many in an uproar. Those celestials have tried, insidiously, to gain control of the free peoples of the Phaounmic Confederation. The tariffs do much to please the peasantry as do the incentives. The harvest sixth months away in Tree is expected to be quite plentiful.

Partially in response to this expected bounty, Phaounmic ship makers have gone about retrofitting many of the old naval and trade ships. Those that could not be upgraded have been decommissioned and scrapped for parts in the new design. The direction that the shipwrights are taking with the new ships is not a great departure from previous designs, but simply on a grander scale. The new ships were planned to be half again as large. This meant that the largest ships in the Navy could now support a full sixteen guns, eight along each side, as well as a pair of mortars on the bow and stern. This new battleship would be very formidable. Also, in something that has many strategists confused (both foreign and domestic), there are plans for gunless ships.

The new trade fleet is also expected to increase profits threefold. The increased cargo capacity and improved hulls will let them carry more goods and protect them better than before. Each trade ship is now sanctioned to carry up to six cannon, giving them some offensive protection as well. The plans were completed very quickly and the new fleet should be ready for the waters before the turn of the year in mid-winter.

Festivals and revivals were held in almost every city-state in the Phaounmic confederation. The people were reminded or taught for the first time the tenets of Sky and his expectations of his followers. They confess their injustices and their wrongdoings and set about bringing honor and worship to their god. They desire to become his children, as he desires them to be his. Priests confirm many young Phaounm into the priesthood or into the divine orders. Church attendance swells as the people genuinely seem to desire to have faith in their chosen god.

Those ships that were either refitted or were in no need of updating were sent into the dangerous waters south of the mainland. The pirates had become more aggressive and the people demanded protection. Also, by guarding the coast, they might be able to intercept or at least give warning of any potential invasion by the sea creatures. This, it seems, was not ill timed. One of the battle fleets spotted, under the surface, what seemed to be an enormous school of giant fish. They realized as they passed under their ships that they were not fish, but rather fish-like men, for they were carrying spears and had arms and legs, not fins. The fastest ships were sent back to the coast to warn of this invasion.

Elves
Chrysophylax, it seems, is actually very pleasant a god-being to serve. His tangible presence, coiled around the husk of the great tree reminds the people constantly of his presence and they forget not to offer him service. He demands little and answers what prayers he is able. His power grows with the days and he is able to grant larger and more requests and in turn is worshiped all the more. The Dragelfs, long worshipers of the cult they believed to be of Earth, feel validated in their faiths and many who were once secret members have revealed their allegiances.

The Elvish beliefs on unity and life and love have long fallen from the Dragelfs and the Elves were more than happy to return those truths to them. Chrysophylax did not rebuke them either. He accepted those teachings into the worship of him. The Dragelf Evenian Hyrendil welcomed any and all surface Elves to join them in Green Fang keep and into the Earth Lights. He also allowed any Dragelf who wished to go back to the surface to do so. Many Elves moved into the Earth Lights but few Dragelfs returned to the surface.

The Dragelfs brought their knowledge of the agricultural techniques they had learned and the magics taught them by the forest wyrm they worshiped. Knowing that autumn would soon be upon them, they also brought many foodstuffs out of their cavernous city. The Elves would not bring in a sufficient harvest this season, but they would survive the winter with these gifted supplies.

The Dragelfs also taught the Elves much of their craft in metal smithing and in alloy making. Revering Earth for so many centuries had turned their eyes to the ground and they made the best use of the materials found there of anyone in the east. While metals are rare in the forest, iron and small traces of other metals can be found that, when alloyed, create a very fine steel. Light and flexible, Dragelf swords will bend but not break. Because of this property, Dragelf warriors fight differently than those who use more rigid weapons. A Dragelf sword is almost an extension of its weilder as it dances and whirls through the air. Academies are set up in the surface cities where Dragelf masters teach the Elven military this new fighting style.

Having been so long out of the trees, even in tunnels, the Dragelfs had lost their proficiency with the Elven art of the bow. The Elves, in return for the blade mastery, have begun training camps to teach the proper use of the Elven longbow. Deadly accurate at 200 yards, the Elven longbow is something to be feared. Fine yews were hewed and brought to the Green Fang Keep for the crafting of new bows. This art too was taught to the Dragelfs. Which trees to pick, how to treat the wood, how to best secure the right arc and how to create a proper bowstring. All this and much more was transferred between the two peoples, who are now almost one again. Both peoples have mastered the rudiments of the other's techniques and should, by winter's end, be more than competent in their full practice.

Elven and Dragelf scribes and scholars also share information. Most of the information is shared from the Elves to the Dragelfs. Having been in seclusion (even moreso than the Elves), the Dragelf histories are very incomplete and inaccurate. Many tomes and geneologies and histories are given to the Dragelfs to amend their records. The Dragelfs are able to give the surface dwellers one thing of significance: the story of Chrysophylax.

The forest, it seems, is returning to peace. The Dragelfs and the Elves are reunited. The animal attacks have all but ceased. Chrysophylax explains that it was his struggle to free himself that enraged the forest. He had no order in them. Many Elves believe his story and the Dragelfs accept it unquestioningly. Some Elves are more reluctant to accept this, but make little word of it.

Humans
Trade with the Phaounm is doing as well as can be expected given the current conditions. It is favorable that there are land routes as well as sea routes since the seas are becoming increasingly dangerous. The waters are rough and filled with pirates. Even sea monsters have been spotted sinking ships. It has become obvious that Sea is favoring the pirates, or simply has something against the Humans and Devas. Was Sea so jealous of their worship of Sky?

Trade with the Shadar-Kai is also increased, offering more weapons and gunpowder for their exotic metals. Mithril was the order of the day and the Shadar-Kai made out very well. Enough mithril to clad three full warships nearly drained their stockpiles but they were paid handsomely for it. Their mines began to be worked double time in order to meet the expected demand. They shipwrights immediately began construction of the new mithril clad caravels. They would be ready to sail before the end of River Cat.

The Paladins move along with the overland caravans, protecting them from bandits and from Sovereignists who might decide that high tariffs were not enough and decided to "discourage" the trade at the tip of a sword. The journeys were mostly uneventful, with a few raids by bandits, none of which challenged the finely trained warriors. Those that were not tasked with guarding the merchants were sent to the southern coasts where pirate raids had become much more ambitious, attacking small towns. The pirates, most of which are Humans cast out of Devic society, are beginning to become very Dwarvish in their tactics.

The priests offer libations and bring much gold into the temples of Sky seeking his favor. The people have become strict adherents of his tenets and their zeal has reached its highest level since the dawn of the time of the Haomun. Sky, it seems, is pleased and the priests are given an omen. A great storm is to come and Sky will do what he can to protect his people from the wrath of Sea. But Sea is growing in strength so Sky cannot stop the events that have been set into motion, only alter them. This oracle is ominous to the people as dark clouds appear on the horizon.

Tielfings
The Tieflings' mines were beginning to show the first real signs of progress. The first main side channel has been dug and fortified and mining branches have begun to be bored on the sides. Mining camps are filling in on the surface above the shafts and workers (many non-Tieflings) have begun to populate them beginning the main thrust of the mining operations. As an unexpected side effect, many Halfling camps have moved in and around the mining colonies. They are there to barter goods and bring in supplies. The Tiefling lords aren't quite sure how the Halflings got word of their operations or how they were able to arrive to quickly, but they were providing a useful service so they would simply be watched and not expelled. They would take allies wherever they could be found.

Back within the kingdom, the Warlord was pleased with his new battalion of mounted cavalry. The Dahltrion ((suggested name)) would be a fierce anti-infantry unit. The knights themselves were very formidable foes, trained in both the lance and hand weapons. The wyvern would also be more than a match for most infantrymen, even a squad of them. Together they would outmatch anything on land. Wyverns were feral creatures and the rider did not so much tame his steed as direct its ferocity at the opponent. The beasts respected the riders only because the rider had proven itself dominant over them. Given the opportunity, the wyverns would love to reverse that authority. They knights simply knew better than to give them that chance.

The wyverns, however, are not the only beasts being used by the Tiefling military. Wizards and Invokers lined the coasts, calling upon their magics to bring forth the best the sea had to offer them. Monsters of terrible might were commanded to their presence and had their wills broken into service of the Tieflings. In lieu of a cost guard, hydra patrolled the shores. Kuila, giant sea turtles, swam along ready to capsize or destroy any unauthorized vessels.

To protect their own ships, magic sigils were emblazoned on the hulls of all the Tieflic ships. Those that carried the symbol would be spared the wrath of the sea beasts. Ambassadors are sent on the swiftest horses or ships to carry the sigils and instructions to their trade partners, hoping to reach them in time. A few ships, sent before the ambassadors arrived, were lost to the guardian beasts. The Tieflings offered to compensate each government or trade organization for their losses.

Believing the creatures to not be sufficient, the Archmage orders an overhaul of existing ships. Iron plates are affixed to the sides of any ship that can support them. They would not be nearly as durable as the new ships that Tieflic spies had learned the the Humans were constructing, but they would suffice. The plates were coated in pitch to prevent rusting and to add a slight bit of bouyancy to offset the added weight. Each ship was fitted with magical muls, since they were unable to purchase any more cannon from any faction owning them.

The holy days were a much better success than the retrofit had been. It had served its purpose, the holy days had exceeded theirs. The Troika, the holy day to all three gods, is held in front of the triune temple. A sacrifice worthy of each god is offered. For Earth, the blood of an unblemished ox is spilled from its veins on an altar before the bull is roasted and eaten. For Sea, a giant silver bowl is brought forth filled with clear water. The bowl took eight men to carry. Two fish, one red and one white, were then placed in the bowl. For Sky, the priest took a bottle of the finest wine and poured it out into a golden chalice. The wine spilled over the brim of the goblet, but still the priest poured. When the bottle was empty, he raised the cup to the sky and then poured the libation out over the altar. Each of the denizens of the Tiefling cities was encouraged to offer what they could to any or all of the gods, but not to ask for blessings. This was a time of worship, not requests.

Each of the subsequent weeks brought a new ceremony. These weeks, the priests said, were the times to bring forth requests. The tenth day of the month was for Earth and many bargains were made. The nineteenth day was dedicated to Sea, but many were confused and sacrificed fish to him. Needless to say, few prayers were answered. On the twenty-eigth day was dedicated to Sky and many brought gold into the temple. Few offered prayers on this day, either because they knew that Sky rewarded loyalty and too short a time had passed to prove themselves loyal or because very few actually felt any affinity for him.

Gnomes
The new weapons that the Humans have offered to the Gnomes have proven to be quite excellent indeed. Gnomes, it seems, were rather proficient with the pistol given a modicum of training on how to load them. A Gnome was quickly being measured by the number of pistols he would carry. A ship captain would carry as many as eight pistols at all times, some strapped to his legs and some across his chest. Since they would not reload quickly, a Gnome needed several for them to be useful. The rifles, when mounted, were also quite simple to use. With the side rails supporting most of the weight, a Gnome was actually quite deadly with it, even out to the maximum range that the Humans recommended for it.

The Gnome fleet was becoming quite formidable indeed. They were well made, using Gnomish timber, and well armed thanks to the Human canon and mortars. All also had Gnome fire launchers mounted on the decks. Offensively, they could match almost any in close combat. They also seemed to be swifter than their design would have lead an experienced mariner to believe. The Gnomes attributed it to Sea and his aspects, who seemed to favor them.

One of these Gnomish ships, the first to make this journey directly, is sent towards the Devic shores in hopes of making it to the Elves. It carried an envoy who desired to bring back information about their circumstances. All the Gnomes prayed that it would be favorable, as the Elves had become rather distant allies, but were brothers of the forest nonetheless. The journey, even with the aid of their patron, would take many weeks.

The quarries in the mountains were churning out more than enough stone to turn the temporary shrines into proper temples of Sea. The only commonality between each of the temples is that each contains a pool (of varying depths) were sacred fish are kept and attended to by the priests. Some of the temples were series of columns with a shallow roof covering a shallow pool. Others were towering buildings with solid walls containing deep pools of exotic fishes. Some were short, round temples dominated by a sloping pool. In those temples, the priests always stood in the water, while worshipers could stand on a small ledge around the outer edge of the pool. Each temple varied with the tastes of its creator and each reflected some aspect of their god.

In each temple, prayers were offered up to Sea asking for his aid in their efforts to find the disturbance in the Great Swamp. Sea, it seems, is rather overtaxed at the moment. He is bringing his wrath against the Devas and Humans and is punishing the unfaithful. He is offering as much aid to the Gnomes as he can spare. Navigation is already aiding their ships, and Luck is all tied up elsewhere. Exploration offers to help the adventurers find their way to the disturbance, but apologizes that she cannot do much else. Sea thanks the Gnomes for their reverence and their attempts to convert their neighbors to following him.

Armed with what aid they had been offered, the adventuring groups have set out into the swamp. They have been given until mid-autumn to return with any news they could find. An extra bounty was offered to any group who could eradicate the problem entirely (paid on proof of deed, of course). The Gnomes maintain their prayers that these mercenaries would succeed.

Devas
A trade summit is called for all of the Devas major trading partners. This mostly includes the Humans, Halflings, Phaounm and Shadar-Kai. The invitation to the Gnomes was intentionally sent late. They summit is set for the third and fifth weeks of Witch. The talks are cordial and many agreements are made. The pleasantries aside, the deals turned out to be very good for the Devas and the Human merchants. Because of how well the trade talks have turned out, ambassadors have been sent to the Orogs, to the major Goliath clans and the Shadar-Kai. Already strong trading partners with the Mercators, the King expects that things will go well with them.

A brigade of the Paladins is sent into the Elvish lands to try to decipher the silence that has come from them. The lack of chaos in the region is disturbing the Devas. Not because they miss the chaos, but because it likely means that something has gone wrong in the forest and the Devas need to know what that is. The Paladin order has been a much greater success than the Devas ever expected. Not only have the Humans become more devout worshipers, they have also become less unruly, with the Ordo Libertas exerting much less force.

While not known to go against many ages of tradition, the Devas are not beings unable to accept change. They have encouraged the seafaring folk to offer worship to Sea in addition to Sky. They see the wrath being poured out against them, and will do what is necessary to put an end to it. The priests are careful to only encourage this worship among the sea-bound Mercators and among the Navy and not among the general populace. Each sea vessel is blessed by a priest of Sea before each voyage and many carry a Sea priest aboard.

Devic Artificers, while experimenting with some of the imported mithril, have learned how to spin the incredible material into thread. Because of the relative scarcity of this material, the mithril thread is combined with fine-spun wool to create a fabric that the Devas have begun to call Steelsilk. Their first application is expected to be in the sails of the new caravels

Retrofitted caravels are not the only improvements that the Devic navy has undergone. The design that the Humans have planned for their new mithril-clad warships is being repurposed as a dreadnaught. It won't be covered in the metal skin proposed for the Human ships, but it will sport the new steelsilk sails and an upgraded load of weaponry. The dreadnaught will ready more cannon than any other ship on the sea. Because of its superior size and the added weight of the extra long irons, the dreadnaught will be more of a dedicated home guard, leaving much of the work to the clippers and the mystrunners.

Devic oracles predict that, though many efforts have been taken, that Sea is not pleased and has set a great calamity for the empire in motion. A great storm is coming and it looks to be very deadly.

[Oracle_Hunter]

~ Humanity ~

OOC: no RP right now... but hopefully I can fill it out before the next update.

RP Notes
(1) Ordo Libertas has dissolved in a burst of vicious infighting
(2) Concern of Tiefling interference in Phaoumn-Devic trade relations
(3) Desire for "freer" trade with the Phaoumn, for alliance building and economic reasons; some discontent over the breakdown of a traditional fief of Humanity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Political: Secret
Military: Development of new tactics using the Mithrilclad, the Dreagnaught and the Mystrunner; expansion of conventional fleet if mithril runs low
Commerce: Increased land trade; focus on non-tarrif goods (manufactured, luxury)
Religion: Establish the Seaborn Order (Sea-worshiping Paladins) and pray for guidance to regain Her favor; cooperation with Phaoumn Sky Worshipers in the Devic Temples build in each major Phaoumn City (see old thread for details) - Lightbringers will take the lead here for coordination.

[Aux-Ash]

Phaounm
Giolard, 1st church of the blessed Civilisation. 1st of River Cat.

... and despite the grief we may feel over the passing of his mortal shell. We must all remember that the ways of Sky is wrapped in mystery, and that our dear friend's, husband's and father's soul will soon depart for the great paradise that awaits him in the blue heavens above us.

The greyhaired priest in front of the copngregation stopped his dull, monotonous chant for a brief moment to turn aroundfacing the great altar. He bowed deeply before it three times before he grabbed the burning torch from it's stand on it and turned to again face the crowd in the church.

Let these blessed flames burn his mortal flesh and release Alberr Evren, delegate of Giolard, guildelder of the Giolard Masons Guild from the chains that bound his immortal soul to this world.

With fire our soul is freed.

As the priest handed the torch over to Evren's widow, who was wrapped from head to toe in the traditional Giolese robe of mourning. She took a step forward to the great wooden structure on which her dead husband was lying. Without a word or sound, the woman threw the torch onto the wood, immediatly igniting the oil which covered her husbands body and some of the possessions he would bring with him to sky.

Soon the entire structure was ablaze, illuminating the entire church and the widows white robe was stained by the soot coming form the fire. The crowd cheered as the smoke started to trail out of the hole in the roof, a clear signal that the beloved man was on his way to the heavens.

High Constable was standing among the benches closest to the doorway. A great brown robe covered his body and clothing, disguising him. Evren had been a friend, not a very close one though but still a friend. Pharon smirked to himself as he thought that most people involved in politics probably thought that. Evren really did make friends with everyone.

His assassination had been a shock and had split the nation. Some, particulary Amranists, blamed the Eladrin. It was not far fetched, after all. Evren had lobbied for caution regarding the trade and treaties with the Eladrin, reminding everyone about the horrific invasion of the Orog territories not long ago. Still... it seemed too easy to blame them. The Eladrin would never be so stupid to assassinate a Phaounm with a enchanted crossbow bolt covered with shadar runes.

The political situation had quickly degraded. Pharon had gotten word, mere hours ago that the city guard had been called in to stop a bloody fist fight in Chourogne. Specifically in the general assembly itself. Prime minister Rannier had apparently had his nose broken in the fighting. While the idea of a bunch of old grey haired men starting a fist fight could have been amusing. The atmosphere was very worrysome. When the delegates starts fighting the rets of the nations was going to follow.

Pharon slowly turned to the door and started to leave before the ceremony was over, to make sure he got ahead of the crowd. His assistants subtly following him. He looked over his shoulder one last time to pay his respects to his departed friend, as he did he saw the crowd mourn the departed delegate and a realisation struck him.

This was not only the burial of one of the more honest and loved of the members of the general assembly. This was the burial of a long time of peace. This was the burial of the idea Amran had realised three ages ago to stop the wars between the citystates.

This was the burial of the confederation.

With those heavy thoughts Pharon walked down the stairs from the church, the streets were lined with worried and mourning citzens.

Mercadienne, Bérrennier. Send word to all officers to prepare their forces, I do not think our current situation is going to improve. I think we'll have a civil war on our hands by spring..
---

Military:High Constable Pharon is rallying most of the gendarmerie, beyond what is strictly neccesary to keep the peace and guard the borders, to his base camp near the southern coast. He's also pushing to get two regiments of musketeers and one regiment of gryphon cavalry ready by early spring.

Commerce:Most of the city councils or royalty of the citystates are trying to hoard resources, particulary weapons and supplies. In addition, many merchants are trying to make as much money as they can by selling their goods.

Religion: The churches will try to do what they can to calm the crowds and maintain the peace. If nothing else they are trying to make sure church property will be safe.

Politics: The general assembly and it's goverment will desperatly try to organise itself and shift the confederation back to the path of peace.

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The High Councilor stood on the balcony, looking out over the city towards the water. He loved this time of day, when the sun was setting, turning the sea all the colors of the rainbow. He frowned slightly as he looked down at the city itself; life as usual for the gnomes, with deals being struck in the shadows, revelers going from tavern to tavern. And there, another bravado with Sea-only-knew how many pistols on him.

The Councilor shrugged as he looked back up at the sea. "It is necessary, I suppose," he thought to himself. "Affairs are quickly falling into anarchy in the east. The rumors of war are growing too great for us to ignore. I hope that trade summit finishes soon; I don't want any gnomes caught in the middle. At least, not so openly."

He smirks, shaking his head in amusement.

==============
Military: Secret.
Trade: Begin stockpiling armaments, gunpowder, and foodstuffs.
Political: Awaiting word from Elves
Religious: Continue missionary work of Sea.

[shadowxknight]

Tieflings
Palace of the Dreadlord
Central Tower, Archmage's Private Study

The Archmage looked out of the window of his study. The room was a giant library that sprawled the high level of the central tower, making it the highest point in the city. It's not that people didn't have the resources to build higher, it's just that no one dared. Enchanted by magic, the room rotated slowly in 360 degrees, offering a magnificent view of the Capital City.
The Archmage often found the sight to be calming, although at times he wished down there with the common people instead of up here in the tower.
The Archmage now ran the nation mostly from his study; magic servant brought and sent information efficiently and unseen. But he still held council at least once a month, usually more often. After all fear and obedience needs a visual representation, and when a ruler is absent for too long dissent grows among his subjects.
The tieflings have been complacent for too long, and the citizenry and military are growing bored with the peace. Knowing the fickle nature of his race all too well, the Archmage has a temporary solution to their blood thirsty.
He summoned a few unseen servants and have them record his voice. "From this point on, each major town and city will begin construction of an arena. Successful gladiators will be awarded with riches and high positions in the military. If they are slaves then the government will pay to have them freed. In Capital City, work will soon begin to construct the Gladius Maximus, greatest of these arenas."
The Archmage sent the servants on their way and pondered for a few moments. He looked longingly outside the window at the beautiful sunset and then back at his desk. With a sigh, he changed his appearance and teleported himself to a house he owns that is close to a rowdy night market.

==================================
Military: Strengthen troops bordering the forest to guard the lumberers. Recruit soldiers throughout the nation.
Commerce: Construction of arenas and Gladius Maximus. Chop down trees to for fueling smiths and building ships.
Political: The Archmage will congratulate personally and reward each province viceroy and mayor of large city when they build an arena of size and splendor.
Religion: Sacrifice to the three gods to appease them.

[loser0ll]

High Priest : "So now we are the dominant power in this region, evidently?"
Priest of the Army : "Yes honourable one - we've managed to fortify our borders well enough that if any single nation were to come against us we should have no problem in defending our nation. Even if the Orogs and Goliaths both came to us with full force, we could defeat them."
High Priest : "Well, then it is time we put an end to allowing the Goliaths to assault our lands. We withdrew or forces to our mountains, stopped attacking their Orog cousins... even freed a portion of their people. We've taken steps to seek peace, but they haven't once offered to end the hostilities. Now we end this mess.
Priest of the Army : "What are your orders, High Priest?"
High Priest : "Has the Emperor given the consent for us to use his former rival?"
Priest of the Army : "He has."
--------
Military - Move army to strike against the Goliaths forces, trying to hammer them as much as possible in the first strikes.
Economic - Supply the army for the major offensive to reduce stress on supply lines and quicken the movement and raise the impact of the initial battles.
Political - Send envoys and negotiators to as many major mercenary forces to begin negotiating for support.
Religious - In preparation for the great battle to come, Earth is offered a special sacrifice. An actual relative of the Emperor - one who was lucky enough to survive the 'competition' deciding who would be Emperor - was led to the alter as the prime offering in a mass sacrifice. Chants were lifted, begging for the favor gained over the last several months and this newest gift to bring special bounty and glory in the coming battle, so that the bulk of the Goliath forces might be shattered brutally.

[Mauril Everleaf]

End of River Cat, 137 VI, Middle of Autumn
Humans
The Mitrilclads were completed and were they a sight to behold. Half again the size of the standard caravel, the Mithrilclads and the Dreadnaughts were the most formidable ships in the sea. Ten cannon to a side, nothing could match their firepower. The Mithrilclads gleamed in the harbor. They had been sea tested and were found more than worthy and were simply awaiting their christening and official launch. The King and Queen are present for the grand launch of the the three shining ships. Each one is blessed by a priest of Sea, who then remained aboard to carry his blessing with them. The three ships fill their sails with wind and slowly cruise out to sea on their maiden voyage.

The twenty Dreadnaughts are completed a few weeks after and are commissioned in a quiter ceremony held in Deominia, rather than the grand ceremony held in Aesperis. The Dreadnaughts were sent out to both test the new steelsilk sails but also to fully test the limits of what a ship this size can handle. They performed admirably, if much more sluggishly than the Human captains were used to. Most had come from commanding the much quicker caravels and, although they felt honored to be given such posts, had some adjusting to do before feeling at home behind the helm.

Mithril is in great demand now that the Mithrilclads and steelsilk have both proven to be viable. Countless Mercators have been sent toward the Shadar-Kai to barter for mithril. Few of them made it.

An enourmous storm, the likes of which had never been recorded in the history of Wilwarin was brought forth upon the Devic shores. It seems that the ominous clouds on the horizon had given the people good reason to fear. Many of the ships, which often clung close to the various islands and shores along their routes for safety and ease of navigation, found their traditions to be their doom. They were tossed about in the shallower waters and many were broken apart on the shoals and reefs. Only those captains who remained in deep waters were spared. It so happened that almost all of these captains were devout worshipers of Sea.

Further north, much more inland, the trade was doing significantly better. The Devas had brokered new trade agreements with the Phaounm and the grain trade had all but ceased. In its place luxury goods such as tobacco and spices, as well as eastern art, have been loaded into the wagons and lugged overland. While significantly slower than sea trade, with the Paladins as guards across Devic lands, it was considerably safer. Bandit attacks were becoming more and more scarce as the fame of the Paladins grew. Sky, it seems, was blessing them for their faith and their fervor.

To match their Devic lords' emphasis on an equal worship of Sea, a new order of Paladins is formed at the behest of the Grand Council. These paladins are to be of the Seaborn Order and are to be taught the tenets of Sea and proper worship of him. They will be trained as meticulously in the sword and magic as the Order of the Heavens, the paladins of Sky. It will take some time before the Seaborn Order and the Order of the Heavens will be equals, in power or notoriety, but they are increasing in popularity.

The mighty hurricane struck land in Aenieria and Lustria not long after the Seaborn Order was established. Their first duty was to attend to the damaged cities and the people there. Their aid was much needed and very well received by the people. While the priests and officials of the areas did much of the work, the Seaborn paladins received much of the accolades. Many lamented that their order had not been established long ago to have forestalled such a disaster. Some cursed them for following a god that would bring such destruction on their own people.

The Lightbringers were sent from temple to temple to increase reverence to Sky. He had promised to give what aid he could, and he had redirected the storm away from the major cities and had saved many of their best captains. Sky had saved thousands of lives. He was to be praised for his glory! The paladins who had arrived with the caravans in the Phaounmic cities brought the message to the faithful there. The temples had remained popular in Chourogne and Sharinoius and the followers of Sky praised the heavenly lord for his favor and his mercy. Even if trade and political relations between the two neighboring countries might be strained, their religious ties were becoming stronger than ever before.

Phaounm
The murmurs have turned to shouts. Things are not looking good for the Phaounmic Confederation. The Sovereignists and Amranists were becoming more polarized among their followers. The agreements with the Devas have angered the Amranists and many are not afraid to show it. The brawl in the council chambers was, in miniature, a picture of the state of each Phaounmic city. For the people were not split along the traditional barriers. Those of Chourogne did not fight against those of Goilard and neither fought against Sharinoius. Instead each city fought against itself, neighbor against neighbor. While it had not yet come to outright civil war, unrest was not a strong enough word.

Many of the people, especially the southern peoples, were already upset at the state of affairs in the Phaounm Confederation and the gendarmes had been brought in to keep the peace. Now Pharon was having the gendarmes force the peace. He knew that it was merely a stopgap, simplying buying time before a real solution could be found, but it was all he could do. Many of the citizens were conscripted into the peace corps. Most of these new troops were placed in the streets and the experienced troops were marshalled in the Constable's keep. Two fusilie (musket regiments) would not be difficult to acquire, but a full flight of gryphon riders would take a little more doing. It could be done, but it would take some work as the Wing Commander and the High Constable did not exactly see eye to eye on almost any issue.

The overland Mercators were well received in the cities, at least by the Amranists. Purchases of weaponry were scarce since so many Human merchants had been lost to the great storm, but the Mercators bought much wool and many adolescent gryphons. These, especially, went for excellent prices. The Phaounmic aristocracy was content to hoard gold if it could not get its hands on weaponry. Little necessary resources, such as grain or beer, are sold in the markets, instead being stockpiled behind the walls of the rich. War was very profitable if you were smart enough to know how to use it.

It seems that, while the steets are becoming increasingly partisan, a few moderates still remain in the council chambers. Attempts to bring the two sides to some sort of agreement seemed doomed to failure. What were once meetings have devolved into shouting matches. Violence was not a rare occassion either. Many tried desperately to at least maintain civility but they were outnumbered by those willing to bring force to bear. Things did not look good for the Phaounm. They had not been this divided since the Second Age, when the Haoumun and the Shadrachille had broken off from the Phaounm. The moderates hoped that they would not see such a schism in their lifetimes.

The silver lining to this dark cloud was in the temples of Sky. His call to virtue and honor had quelled many squabbles and his priests had been able to calm many would-be riots. The people loved and respected their adopted god, even if they could not love and respect each other. The temples to Sky, which had been visited by the now famous Lightbringers, were the beacon of sanity in the increasingly chaotic Phaounmic world. If there was an answer to this problem, the priests insisted that it lay within the temple walls.

Gnomes
In a world of unrest, the Gnomes were doing quite well for themselves. The east was a bubbling volcano waiting to erupt and their brethren to the north were not without their conflicts. With the exception of the Shadar-Kai, which rarely broke into the surface world, the Gnomes were the least disrupted of any of the peoples of Wilwarin. Sea, and especially the aspect Exploration, had taken a liking to the small folk and was (when he was not acting on his grudges) offering them what aid he could.

Knowing that wars were times of trade, the Gnomes were calling in favors and markers from all throughout Wilwarin and were stockpiling armaments, both traditional and modern, in their cities. The cities, hidden deep in the forest, were already well protected. These weapons were to be used for profit and not defense. When the world fell into the Abyss, they would come to the Gnomes, as they always had, to provide them the things they needed. The Gnomes had also established better trade relations with the Orogs and were beginning to bring in some of the fruits of their work there. Cattle and pigs were being caravaned or shipped down into Gnomish slaughterhouses to be cured and stockpiled for the inevitable food shortages. The surplus grain that was no longer being sold to the Phaounm by the Humans was bought up by sly Gnome merchants and placed in granaries awaiting their need.

Evangelists of Sea have nearly converted all of the Gnomes in the forest to the faith. Since they had no one else in need of the good news, the missionaries continued abroad. Many were already preaching beyond Gnome borders, but now there were hundreds, if not thousands of them. They were moderately well received among the Tieflings, many of which already worshipped the god of the surf. The Goliaths were reluctant to accept the small priests and even more reluctant to abandon the reliability of the Earth Mother. Undaunted, the Goliath-focused missionaries continued toward the coast, hoping to find some willing souls there. Only a handful of priests dared enter the Eladrin lands and the few that did were not heard from again.

Prayers are offered to Sea for protection over the adventuring squads sent to find out what is haunting their swamp. Fifteen groups were commissioned to go into the forest, each decked head to toe in as much magical gear as they could afford. Only two returned, and neither at full strength. One group of arcanists returned at half strength and one traditional party returned only with their ranger and cleric. Both parties described similar experiences. Following the directions given them by Exploration, each group was able to find a group of reptilian creatures camped in the brakish water. Knowing that these creatures were responsible for the attacks on the mineworks, each party ambushed the camps only to be return ambushed by half-feral beasts and half-incorporeal creatures. These creatures had no difficulty manuevering in the marsh while the adventurers could barely establish enough footing to retreat. The group of arcanists assures you that the creatures were drawing upon the power of the swamp much in the same way that the Goliaths draw upon the power of the mountains to fight. These primal powers, while less refined than the arcane studies, were no less powerful.

These reptiles had taken up residence and they would not be easy to uproot.

Tieflings
The Archmage was a crafty ruler. He knew that without an enemy to fight, the Tieflings would soon turn on themselves. He had fought hard to gain his seat atop this spire and he was not about to give it up. It was not time in this age old dance for him to abdicate his seat. To appease the people, he brought them blood. Nothing excited the people more than wealth and blood. Combining the two required no special genius. Enourmous arenas and amphitheaters were to be built to house these blood sports.

The smaller cities would likely build wooden stadiums or ones of a combination of wood and stone. The arena that he had ordered for the capital was to be made entirely of polished granite. It would cost a fortune, he knew, but the people were simple and they would be impressed. It would buy him a considerable amount of time in this exquisite study. It would take some time to quarry and import so much stone, but the anticipation of the people would make it all the sweeter.

The lumber being harvested was not only being taken to the cities for arenas, but also to the harbors for the expanding navy and to the forges to warm the fires. The Tieflings, it seems, were not as locked into peaceful times as the people might believe. The Warlord has sent guards to protect the workers and the borders and has sent recruiters into the cities. Many of the more bravado citizens have already signed up for the gladiatoral arenas, but some of the more level headed Infernal-folk have taken the call to arms and enlisted in the military. Many have also enlisted in the navy, as the new ships will need crews to man them.

The priests continue their newly established tradition of worship to the gods. The first week the priests offered sacraments for any of the three churches. They promised blessings and favors befitting each god. The second week, the priests offered many sacrifices on behalf of the people. They would bring a request before the priest, who would select an appropriate sacrifice and ask the boon of Her Ladyship and then the layperson would pay the priest an appropriate sum. The third week was a time of gaiety. Most of the ceremonies were simple gambling events. Dice and bones were thrown, cards were dealt, races were held and revelry was had by all. The fourth week was a much more solemn affair, consisting mostly of worshipers seeking absolution for the sins they had committed in previous ceremonies.

Eladrin
In a ceremony rivaling in splendor the rites of old, the High Priest enters the temple wearing an ornamental black robe. His garments, save the robe, are all a deep, murky brown and cling tightly to his body. The black patterned cloack flows off his shoulders like fog rolls down the mountains. He entered the temple through the main doors, each bound to a Goliath slave. In his left hand he carried a kris dagger studded in sapphires and brown diamonds. The temple was filled with the smoke of burning incense. At the end of the long aisle leading from the maid doors to the rear altar, the High Priest's brother's son stood, shackled to a pole naked. Bound around him, all in kneeling positions were nine Orogs and eighteen Goliaths, each with an attending priest. The High Priest strolled the distance with the determined pace of a man whose confidence was assured and he buried the dagger in his nephew's throat. He did not let the death be quick, but rather let the unfortunate creature gurgle and sputter before finally expiring in a wash of blood.

As the ill-fated Eladrin breathed his last, the throats of the twenty-seven Katholik slaves were slit and their bodies let to fall into the open pit that dominated the back of the temple. Before the priests even had time to wipe the blood from their blades, a caucophonous cheer filled the hollow cathedral. The din slowly settled into the ritualized chants that were Eladrin prayers. They asked for protection and favor as they went out to exact revenge on the Goliath animals.

The next day the army was sent forward and into Goliath territory. The slaughter was magnificent. Warriors were laid low and shamans were crushed beneath the wave of Eladrin might. Earth, it seems, had been waiting to repay her balance to the Eladrin. She gave them more favor than the generals had ever expected. Tactical maneuvers were aided by fortuitous landslides. Normal attacks were turned fatal against the Goliaths and mortal blows from the mountain brutes somehow managed to simply be batted aside. Thousands of Goliaths, men, women and children, were ruthlessly killed. None were left alive.

Supply lines are barely able to keep up with the pace of the front line as it storms through the mountains. New weapons, new troops and much needed food is ferried from the Eladrin homeland to the generals on the front. Many of the new troops come from mercenary bands recruited throughout the realms, especially those through the adventurers' guilds. These mercenaries, not being exclusively Eladrin, leave something of a sour taste in many of the soldiers' mouths. This was to be the day of the Eladrin, not the Humans or Phaounm or Gnomes or whatever other miscreants were in these mercenary outfits. They were ruthless, this was not questioned, but they were not their for the glory of the Empire and the Earth Mother, but for themselves. Many of the troops wondered why their special forces had not been summoned...

[Lubirio]

A new idea from the Shadar-Kai throneroom

"Your Majesty," A young warrior caste Shadar-Kai said as he was led into the throne room, "I have something to tell you."
"Well then, get on with it, tell me." The Queen said impatiently as he bowed for her.
"I have reports from the surface city telling me the outcasts who live there have taken over the old temple of The Lady, and have tried to destroy it."
"What!"The Queen said, standing up to tower over the man, who cowered beneath her feet in fear, "who would actively try to destroy The Lady's temples? And in our own city!" She then sat back down, a signal for the man to tell her more.
"Right after such reports were given to me, I went up to investigate for myself, and what I found was appalling," the man said as he fumbled with his tattoo telling her he was an officer, "I found no Shadar-Kai whatsoever, there were only Phaounm, Humans and the like who just lived there, a select few even destroying The Lady's temples, most of them being Elves." After a slight pause, he continued, "I propose we send some men to cleanse the surface city of them, rebuild the old temple there, and open it for Shadar-Kai living. Highness"
"Well, I think tht's a great idea, you can order 2 whole groups of phalanx to clean the surface city out, one starting on the East, on on the West, both working their way to the middle and the temple. You're dismissed."

The Tiefling Ambassador was welcomed with open arms, when she received him, The Queen accepted immediately. After much thought though, she decided to send her own Ambassador with the message: "The Shadar-Kai believe it is in both our best interests to have a diplomatic meeting involving high-ranking officers from both the Shadar-Kai and the Tiefling, in which we discuss the conditions of our alliance. The Queen sends her regards and hopes to hear more from you soon."

To increase the potential for trade even further, The Queen decided that an expansion of the port would be in place, which could potentially lead to better ships as well as better trade.
----
Military - Send some phalanx units to clean out the surface city and enable Shadar-Kai living space.
Economical - Build a somewhat bigger port to increase the potential of naval trade.
Political - Return of Tiefling ambassador, send own ambassador with him to discuss the defense pact in detail.
Religious - Continue worshiping The Lady.

[shadowxknight]

Palace of the Dreadlord
Archmage's Study

The Archmage's looked at the reports from his ambassadors with a heartfelt smile on his face: the Eladrin and Shadar-kai has consented to non-aggression and mutual protection pact. The Archmage quickly returned the messages.
"Invite the Queen of Shadar-Kai and High Priest(the highest leader?) of the Eladrin to the tiefling fortress that stands where the Tidan branches into two. There we shall discuss the exact terms of the pacts, and if the two other races wish to extend the pact among themselves or only with the tiefling."

Sending those two servants on their way, the Archmage sent a projection of himself to meet with the Warlord.
The Warlord was watching the training of one of his infantry units. If he was surprised by Archmage's appearance he did not show it. Instead he simply gave a slight bow and looked at the Archmage expectantly.
"Well met my friend. I assume with my resources your wyvern knights have thrived?"
"Your wizards simply made the Dahltrion training easier. Normally to tame the beasts a knight have to form a psychotic bond with the wyvern since youth. But with your magic the bond can be formed in a few months."
"I see. I didn't realize the wyverns were an intelligent species?"
"They are not. The link a knight shares with his wyvern only conveys simple thoughts and primal feelings. However in a battle that is often more than enough. Also wyvern live just as long as tieflings and their cause of death is usually due to battle."
"Of course, that would make them the perfect mount for a tiefling?"
The Warlord, who has been keeping his face nonchalant, finally broke into one of his smirks.
"I'm going to guess you didn't come here just to sweet talk me."
The Archmage returned the Warlord's smirk with one of his own.
"Indeed, let the small talk end. The Eladrin has mounted a major offensive against the Goliath. As their neighbor and ally, we should of course lend them a hand..."
The Archmage could tell the Warlord barely managed to hold of a fullblown smile.
"Ahhh but such an operation would take a lot of resources...I'm going to assume you are going to provide me with reinforcements?"
"Of course. A few of my brigades are marching here as we speak, along with their magic support and monster fodder. Even the Guildmaster is sending some of his troops here. He and I agreed to lend you our troops for the time being...I hope they won't take too many casualties."
"Tch. I won't have my commanding abilities sullied by the needless death of tieflings, not to mention I won't deny my troops the chance for blood."
"That is to be expected of the best general in the Empire. Have your mages contact the Eladrin to avoid friendly fire. The Goliath aren't united so I doubt there will be any tribes that require a coordinated assault. However do extend the invitation to the Eladrin generals so our soldiers can grow to respect each other."
The Warlord nodded and excused himself.
It was time for blood.

===========================================
Commerce: Continue constructions of arenas such as Machtins Kuros(the former Gladius Maximus). Search for possible weapon/armor material in the precious metals mined.
Political: Invite the Queen and High Priest to meet and discuss the alliance.
Religion: Pray to Earth for success against the Goliath. Sacrifice Goliath slaves to demonstrate to Earth how weak the race is.
Military: Part of the army in the northwest attack Goliath, if possible coordinate attacks with Eladrin. Slaughter all who resist and capture survivors to be slaves.

[loser0ll]

(RP placeholder)
----------------
Political - While the High Priest continues running the business of the government, the Emperor himself will make a rare visit to join the alliance-talks among the Teiflings and Shadar-Kai.
Military - Secret
Economic - Increase the sales of good and stockpiled magical items to continue bribing/recruiting more mercenary forces.
Relgious - In honor of the epic scale of this grand new victory, a strange and unique new project is undertaken to honor Earth and the glory brought by her hand. A path of blood (literally) is made by sacrafices - many bodies of captured enemies and Goliath slaves are drained dry to soak the land in a solid trail from the borders to the edge of the lands taken. There is talk of eventually making this into a pilgrimage path called 'The Trail of Tears' in mockery of the loss so many Goliaths have suffered in gaining this land.

[Krrth]

Dwarves

The king was dead. His son Borric watched as the body was placed into the longboat. Wood was being placed around the body so that when lit it would consume both body and boat. As Borric thought about what was to come, a voice came from behind him:

Sire, the warriors you asked for are here.

Turning, Borric looked at his adviser and nodded.

I'll be down to see them in a moment. Make sure they are ready,

with a bow, the other dwarf left the room to prepare.

Well now father, let's see if this new idea works.

================================================== ====
Political:Solidify power as the king with the most influence.

Military:Training in unit tactics. The dwarves are learning to fight as a team as opposed to individual warriors.

Economic:Messengers are sent out to the various other kingdoms offering a deal. Dwarven garrisons are available for hire and will provide protection from raiders. Dwarven units are also available for hire on other tasks.

Religious: Priests of Sea attempt to map a route to the stranded ships.

[DrakebloodIV]

The Grand Port
Aesperis
Today the Dreadnaughts launch, with a powerful cheer they begin moving out of port, their haste aided by the Priests of the Sea aboard each one. One of the most magnificent of the Mithrilclads immediately taking a turn for the east rather than south, as it will be hugging the coast until it reaches the isle of Naerom, after which it would turn north and crisscross Devic and Phaoumnic cities until reaching the Orogs, then campaigning its way toward the Dwarves, its mithril hull acting as a blade to cut through they icy sheets in those waters. Finally it would reach the Goliaths, forming a meeting there in an attempt to create a union among these three peoples.


The Mines of Alkorain
Valderia A circle of Mages, Sky Priests, and Sea priests prepares, the rages of the storm brewing all around them. Each wards areas in their own way. The Sky priests praying that the sun would shine through, piercing the storm in bits and pieces. The Sea priests beg the Sea for mercy, and the rains subside in small areas. The Mages harden the air itself, forming bubbles which shield small areas. But each can do little to save the quarry, so they have come together in one final attempt to save this land. They form a massive casting circle, etching the ground with enchanted chalk which is blasted away by wind and sea a moment later, leaving only a magical glow behind. Their words cannot be heard by one another, but a sort of unision is found among them. Even in this hellstorm from the sea a bit of divine beauty is found, the moments slowing as all are forced to rip their robes and beg to all they know for mercy. Tears mix with rain, both property of the Sea, and all pour out their faith, magic, and hope in a desperate attempt to stop the onslaught. The moment is frozen in time, the pivotal second when only Sea can decide one way or another, holding in his hand the double edged sword of fate...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military- Deploy Dreadnaughts to the Central Sea to defend trade assets.
Political- Send one Dreadnaught on a Diplomatic campaign among the Orogs, Dwarves and Goliaths. Also, some secret stuff.
Trade- Encourage the Shadar Kai to trade exclusivity with the Devas. Begin trading communication with them. Begin harvesting spices and tobacco for trade with the Phaoumn.
Religious- Send Priests and Magi to defend the saltpeter from the wrath of Sea. Begin forming the skyguard, a mounted division of gun wielding priests which focus on shooting and healing at the most critical points in battle.

[Xondoure]

Months pass, the light waxes and wanes, and the forest remains silent. Not a stir can be heard from the woods, not a jackdaw can be heard, not a wind touches the leaves, and all through this eerie stillness; the faint sound of hammers can be heard. Echoing off the trees, rebounding from the streams, a constant clanging, and, although no one knows it yet, those blows are numbered.

Within the woods, arrows pierce their targets, coming in one after another, so fast, that all that can be heard is a loud thrumming. Which tunes itself to the listener, matching with the beat of the forge, and although no one knows it yet, those shots are numbered.

In their seats, prayers are given to the dragons, and to nature, the eternal balance that fills every living being. Soft chants flow from one to the next, alongside the clanging of hammers and the thrumming of the bows, filling the world with their belief, and hoping for the future. For, although no one knows it yet, those prayers are numbered.

In the cities whispers crackle under foot. Not one hand is empty, and every Elf, alongside every Dragelf can think only of what is to come. Their whispers fill their prayers, and hum to the beat of the forge, and the rythym of the arrows, for although no one knows it yet, those words are numbered.

A sudden stop comes to their actions, as they look to the sky. With a single beat of his wings; Chrysophylax rises from the earth. Every hand raises in salute, and the song comes to an end. Every arrow is placed, every sword sheathed, every spear ready. For although no one knows it yet, this peace is over.

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Lord Anzion stands in front of the Elm, praying silently, letting the void take him as he drinks the holy river water. Rising, he places his helm over his head, its ancient stars symbolizing a heritage that transcends time. Stepping onto the raft, he lets the river flow towards the border, a border that has not know war in thousands of years. If history is to be believed, it is at the border of this wood, that humanity betrayed us to the Deva, and the rebellion came to an end. It was only the refuge of these trees that kept us alive, but we grew greedy, and abused its power. Our madness doomed us, but we awoke to a new age. And now, with the whole of Elven Kind gathered together again, with the wrath of a dragon ready to be unleashed anew upon the world, we will finish this war.
Awaiting him was Selymath Faldan; the commander of the Champions of Chryss. The already notorious crusaders of the Dragelf, that led their armies with a fevered passion none could match. The Mercenary Gydaias, bandit lord of the western woods, who had once been a constant thorn in the heel of the old Etroun clans. And his elder sister, a representative of the druidic counsel; Yenedai be Druidal. He only vaguely remembered her, as she joined the order when he was but twelve.
"Time will make fools of us all brother, but if we do not move now, we may call this day nothing but the idle fancies of an arrogant people."
"Silence woman. Your brother is not late by an hour, and none know of our plan save Elven kind." He motions his hand with a flick, and two champions drag out what look to be beaten Humans. "Well, except these fools."
The mercenary laughs out loud, as he sees the fools brought before the meeting. "Well well well, it looks like we have company. Tell me what do you plan to do with these fools?"
"As of the moment? They may yet make useful prisoners. Who knows what one might learn with torture." He shrugs, "What is done for the dragon will benefit us all, and who knows? One day, they may prove useful."
Yenedai turns away disgusted. "Your order sickens me, life does not deserve to be abused by your archaic customs."
"They are my prisoners, and our traditions will hold, as Chryss, may his fire burn a path through the dark, has allowed yours to remain untouched. Take them away, they are not why we met here."
"Agreed." Says Anzion, jutting in before things could get nasty. "We are here to start a war."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the prisoners get dragged sobbing through the trees, a faint humming suddenly pierces the air.
thunk.
"Let them go."
The guards look around nervously, and draw their swords. "Show yourself."
thunk.
You really are an idiot aren't you? If you are so experienced in war fair, why then do you cling to such a trivial concept as honorable battle?"
thunk.
"Let me teach you something about warfare, their is no honor, their is only victory, and death."
splunk.
shiiiik.
Two more arrows lay transfixed in the guards bodies. And a group of about a dozen elves appear from the trees. "Untie them, and treat their injuries, we may need all the help we can get."
Still on their knees, one of the Humans begins to mutter his gratitude.
"I don;t need your thanks Human, what I need is your information. That bastard dragon killed my brother, and hell if he can just troop in here and expect the Free Folk to bow to him. We bow to no one. Not him, not you, and hell if I intend to let that change." Spitting on the ground he eyed his new charges carefully. "You'd best thank that freedom, because without it, you would be screaming your head off just about now, I took a look at those torture chambers, and they are no place for even the vilest of scum."

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military: ... ... ... wouldn't you just love to know?
political: Welcome the Dragelf into the druidic counsel.
commerce: Secure the food supplies, for winter is coming.
religious: A mass prayer was handed out, just before... so that the people could give strength to the might of the dragon, and the soldiers of the Free Folk.

[Mauril Everleaf]

End of Fortress, 137 IV, End of Autumn
Shadar-Kai
The Shadar-Kai, holed up in their secret city, had been silent for a long time, even to the neglect of their own surface city. It seems the ruffians who had been permitted asylum there had taken advantage of this lack of supervision. They had destroyed more than just the magnificent temple in the city, but shops, houses and other buildings. It seems that the Shadar-Kai couldn't be lax any longer in the management of their adopted citizens. Since the Cavern opened directly to the sea, even the trade with the Humans and Gnomes had not brought the riotous nature of their "guests" to light. The Queen had decided wisely that this could not be allowed any longer. The surface was to be cleared and all criminals were to be either jailed or expelled. Without a city to protect them, they would not last long in the hobgoblin infested wilds beyond the walls.

It took nearly the length of Fortress to sweep the streets. Nearly three fourths of the residents had been locked up or locked out. All of them were branded so that, at a glance, every Shadar-Kai would know they were not welcome. Only a relative handful of the Humans, Elves and Phaounm that dwelt there were left unharmed and most of them were merchants who spent most of their time in the Cavern anyway. The street were once again devoid of life. Not that the Shadar-Kai minded. Their home was under the stone, not on it. However, repair efforts began anyway. It may not be their home, but it is their city and the Shadar people do not like imperfection.

The damage to the temple was superficial, or at least most of it was. Graffiti and other bits of vandalism had marred the exterior and many statues were broken. Nothing that could not be fixed by a good artisan or two. The major tragedy was the tapestry of Earth that hung in the rear of the temple, just above the altar and great pit, had been burned. Destroyed beyond mending. A new one would need to be made, and restitution would need to be offered to the Lady. She would not be pleased by this negligence. All of the priests, who had failed to protect the temple, were cut down and cast off the cliff into the sea. Their bodies were not given an honorable place in Earth's embrace, but rather set adrift to be pecked apart by gulls and fishes.

While the surface was being repaired, the Queen decreed that the Cavern's docks be expanded and its harbor made more secure. The increased mithril trade with the Humans alone would be enough to justify the measures, but the merchants forecasted that it would not be just the Humans who desired their metals. Working in the rough waters of winter would not be easy for the Shadar-Kai, but easy was not something they expected. They simply expected to do their task, regardless of the costs or hazards. And they would do it, even at the cost of their own lives.

Foreign relations, especially outside of trade, were something that the Shadar-Kai had also neglected for some time. It seems that their Tiefling neighbors were more than willing to open negotiations with them. First there was an agreement to a tentative defensive alliance and to a mutual trade partnership. After the agreement had been settled, the Queen decided that she desired a better, more clearly defined, defense pact. Something in the treaty had made her wary and a good Shadar-Kai (of which the Queen was the best) did not obey her own intuition. Their natural proclivity for covert actions often manifested itself in incredibly accurate hunches and the Queen was following one of her own...

Tieflings
The Tiefling mines were in full swing now. The gold mine had already bored its second lateral shaft and was bringing in considerable wealth to the kingdom. Gold was a simple resource. It didn't require special magicks or technologies to make it valuable. It was easy to find those that needed it and they would make very good trades of supplies for it. Gold was a simple resource for the Tieflings. Likewise, iron, the fruit of the other mining operation, was simple for the Tieflings to find purpose for. The army was always in need of new weapons and armor and regular infantry did not warrant the cost of Infernal steel or other magical items. Traditional steel was good enough for them. And what iron wasn't used in domestic weapons was easily sold to those who needed it for their own purposes. While the Tieflic mineworks are not as glamorous as the Shadar-Kai's mithril and adamantine mines or as mystical as the Gnomes and Humans saltpeter refineries, it was practical and profitable and they worked just fine for the Archmage.

Stone and wood, the other main raw materials being harvested, are continually being brought into the cities. The smaller arenas, those made mostly of wooden stands with little stone, were entirely complete and the Dreadlord visited each one and performed an inauguration ceremony before the gladiators began to battle for the amusement of the crowds. The Machtins Kuros, the ten story mega-structure that is to dominate then center of the capital, was nowhere near finished. The great stone floor had just been laid. With a structure nearly eight acres in area, much stone was needed. In the mean time, a small wooden stadium has been erected in the fair grounds. It seated a mere eight thousand, one tenth what the Kuros would hold. It would be summer before the Kuros was finished, but it would be the crown jewel of the city. The opal envy of the whole of Wilwarin.

At the monthly celebration to Earth (quite obviously the favorite of the gods among the Tieflings) ten Goliath slaves were brought into the stone courtyard before the triplex temple. They were not bound and were actually armed. One at a time they were released from wooden cages and set towards a priest wielding a dagger. Very quickly and with apparent ease, the priest would slay the giant. All ten slaves were killed similarly. Their bodies were then carved ritually to release all their blood on the altar and their bodies were carried into the temple of Earth. The few observers who had ever seen a Goliath fight could tell that the slaves had been drugged and that the priests, had they not been trained with to fight so well, still should not have taken them down so quickly. But very few in the crowd realized this and those that did still enjoyed the spectacle. After the sacrifices had been set forward, the true priests came forward and offered prayers to Earth that she would bless them in their battle against the weak Goliaths.

As the prayers were being offered, the Warlord was already en route to the mountains with his troops. Sitting atop the wyvern that he had mastered ages ago, he watched as three legions of infantry marched in crisp order along the road. His Dahltrion lead the way, slightly overhead. The Golaiths, though fierce fighters, would not stand a chance against his forces. Skulking just off the road, barely visible even with his keen perception and at this vantage point, the Warlord spotted the Guild Master's forces. He knew that though they were out-manned ten to one by his troops these sneaks would be more than comparable when it finally came to fighting. Behind the main force, the Archmage's arcane troops bustled along. It seems that they carried more baggage than his legions did. Too many books and jars of bat crap, he thought. They were useful, but he wondered how they would fare in the real mountains. There were a few skirmishes with small tribes, which were squashed almost before they had begun, but it seems that most of the tribes have moved out of this portion of the mountains. The Warlord decided to head further in.

Eladrin
The Eladrin domination of the Golaith forces is almost inconceivable. Not since the Time of Turmoil had an Eladrin army so ruthlessly and efficienty exterminated its foes. Like a hot knife through butter, the army rolled through the mountains. It seemed that the Goliaths had ceased to put up any resistance whatsoever. They still fought to to the death, but it seems that opposing forces were becoming harder and harder to find. The front line was now two weeks hard ride outside of the empire. The main army had decided to dig in and partrol the areas they had already conquered, rooting out any of the barbarians that they had missed. The mercenary forces, which the regulars kept calling "the expendables", held the front line, occasionally heading out on raids of Goliath camps that were found.

In order to honor their matron, the Eladrin soldier-priests devised a truly insidious offering: a path of blood. It would stretch from Tzafrir, the launching point of this quest, to the main forward camp and would be made from the blood of the fallen and the captured enemies. It would be infused with eldritch craft to keep the blood ever fresh. The trail, as wide as three ox-carts, would snake its way through the mountains and forests, cutting through every major battle site along the way. It would be a gruesome and glorious sight. It would take some time to complete this sacrifice, but the priesthood was bent on making it happen.

Back within the empire two major things were happening. The first involved the much absent Emperor. He was to descend his ivory tower and participate in talks with the neighboring governments. He has been so inactive in policy for the last generation that many thought that he had become either a figurehead or had simply ceased to be and that the High Priest had become the steward of the Empire and it's de facto leader. But he felt a need to reassert himself and would participate in politics once again.

The other major event involved a military expedition into the centrally uninhabited region of the empire. In the summer, the High Priest had sent a military expedition in there to determine what it could about the disturbances coming from there. Since then, they have learned of a great dragon, something that is barely even believed in myth, arising in the Elven forest and have noticed an unsettling similarity between the events there and the events in their mountain. Priests and scholars had drummed up the few relevant texts on the subject of dragons and were able to conclude little. One thing that the High Priest found interesting was that this region has never been settled by any people and, in the old tongue, was called Shemael, meaning "that which the gods have wrought".

The companies sent into the mountains did not return.

Dwarves
The Dwarves, often left alone on their ice fields in the north, have gone through yet another political turmoil. It wasn't but sixth months ago that Hoskuld had unified the Dwarven peoples and now he was dead. In a battle with one of the tribes who did not recognize his leadership, a lucky crossbow bolt found his neck and brought him low. Borric picked up his father's shield and hammer and lead the forces to victory, but doubt had spread among the tribes. Borric has spent the last three months trying to regain that which was lost with his father's last breath.

One of the first things Borric set about doing was retraining his warriors. Gone were the days of every-Dwarf-for-himself tactics. Nothing would ever take the barbarism out of a Dwarf's combat style, but Borric hoped to focus the fury of the battlerager, not tame it. Every new tribe that joined or was conquered was given orders and a new battle-chief from Borric's tribe. They would oversee and train the troops in the Dwarves' version of troop tactics. The warriors took to it as soon as they realized how much more destruction they could unleash as a group than as individuals.

Borric also began to broadcast his new kingdom. His message was that of a mercenary-king. His people were for hire to the highest bidder. The world, even with its fancy caravels and cannon, still feared the Dwarven longship and the coasts feared the bite of the Dwarven axe. Many merchant groups already paid protection sums to the Dwarves, but Borric was looking to expand to whole governments. Not a bad tactic for the bearded folk who cared for gold only slightly less than battle. Skalds are sent from the Dwarven floes into the other empires of Wilwarin seeking buyers for their services.

Dwarven priests have sent and received many messages from the seafarers stranded in the Serpent Sea and they do not want to return home. The sea in the south was much easier to navigate than the Pohjanpuoleinen that they were familiar with and the waters down below were much richer in targets. They had conducted hundreds of successful raids on Human, Phaounm and Gnomish ships and had amassed for themselves considerable wealth. The priests, originally planning on determining a way to return the two trapped boats, have begun working on a way to send more ships to the southern ocean. They cast lots and watch the patterns of fish. Their ichthyomancy and cleromancy reveal that there is a simple way through, but it would require some negotiations with the Phaounm...

Devas
The destruction left by the hurricane was immense, though not as terrible as it could have been. All of the major Devic cities were given nothing more than some heavy winds and rain. The damage was slight and those places were quickly repaired. The city of Evest, however, was not so lucky. It seems that Sky could not turn away the wrath of Sea entirely. The city was nearly leveled. The main keep and the outer wall remains, but little else. Thousands died from flying debris, collapsing buildings or high water. Those that were not lost to the storm had lost everything else. The city of Evest is nothing more than a soggy junction in the main roads.

The days that followed the hurricane were no less dire. It seems that the strong winds that pushed the storm along also brought with it nearly the entirety of the pirate fleet. Hundreds of ships, some large some small, stormed Aesperis. They followed the rains into the harbor and immediately began to sack the harbor. The coastal defense cannons fired and the ships returned volleys. The walls stood strong and the pirates took heavy losses. After a seige of less than an hour the few ships that remained limped off into the sea. The captains of the defense wondered what the pirates had planned, since they obviously had no chance of taking the city. Had they attacked a smaller, more poorly defended city they might have succeeded, but not Aesperis. Their losses just seemed foolhardy.

That is until the mages sent off their Sendings to the various Mithrilclad captains. Only two reported back. The third, the one headed south did not check back in. The mages quickly reported this to the King.

Further south, the Dreadnaughts were guarding the seas. Their bulks kept most of the would-be attackers away, not that there were many left with the seige on Aesperis. The Dreadnaughts were performing well. Their sizes provided an interesting amount of stability on the rougher seas and their steelsilk sails seemed just the thing to provide adequate propulsion for the huge ships. One of the Dreadnaughts begins the long, arduous and dangerous journey through the Pohjanpuoleinen towards the Katholik peoples. It would take some blessings from Sea to successfully navigate the icebergs and islands. With winter approaching, it would be a dangerous diplomatic mission.

Trade with the Shadar-Kai seems to be going well. They have long been friendly with the Mercators, but the King wanted to solidify the partnership further in an attempt to forestall any potential increase in an enemy's power. With the Eladrin and Tieflings so near to their trade partners, one could never know what dealings were being done without his knowledge. Several diplomats were sent to Cos'ndorcha to begin negotiations with the Queen, or more likely an adjunct.

Things with the Phaounm were beginning to go better as well. After some jostling with former trade agreements, the new luxuries trade was working well for the Devas. Grain harvests were less frequent than spices and tobacco and manufactured goods. Art, especially, could be in almost constant production. Caravans were loaded for the overland trip from Almoris into the various Phaounmic city-states. Each caravan retained its paladin guard, as things were less than stable beyond the Devic borders.

The Valderian swamp had greatly swelled with the tidal surge from the hurricane. Though it had not been struck directly, the great amount of shifted water moved the swamp many miles further north and the excessive rains flowed down the rivers and further filled the swamp. This extra surge seemed to have awoken something sleeping amongst the reeds. The priests and magi sent to defend the saltpeterworks were met with almost instant opposition. Many of the refineries were underwater, but those that remained operational were being attacked by what appeared to be bipedal crocodiles. The creatures, though primitive, were fierce and were it not for the defensible positions of many of the refineries, the Devas and Humans would have had no chance to defend them. AS it was, both sides suffered many losses before the reptilians retreated back into the swamps.


Elves
The Dragelfs daily become more and more accepted into proper Elven society. Their city is nearly fully integrated into the Elven way of things and much of Dragelf culture has been assimilated into the lives of the Elves. Dragelf forges were present in all of the Elven cities and the military was an almost homogenous mixture of the two peoples. The final assimilation came in the Druidic counsel. It had been nearly two thousand years, a dozen generations of the Elves, since the people who became the Dragelfs have sat in the Council. Two Dragelf druids were accepted as full members.

The Elves, stockpiling supplies not only for the upcoming winter but for their upcoming offensive, are gathered near the Elm, a tree planted to replace the Great Oak. It is no longer meant to be worshiped, but rather as a centralized gathering place for the Council. The Elves have gathered here this time to offer prayers from the forest to Chrysophylax and to the Free Folk. War is brewing in the Bosquemal and the Elves needed to be as prepared as they could.

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The Council frowned as they looked at each other. "No answer from the Elves. The Tieflings and Eladrin are annihilating the Goliaths. And the Devic races seem to be preparing for war as well! If we're not careful, war will find us whether we like it or not." The others nodded, each afraid for their own aspect of the gnomish culture...

====== (Actions for Fortress, if still possible)
Military: Secret
Political: Send envoy to speak to the lizardfolk in the swamp. Seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Almost anything is worth having peace there. Send message to trading partners that no ship-bound trading will occur during the winter. Land-based trading will continue, but at a higher price due to increased costs.
Religious: Send several priests of Sea with the envoy to the swamp; seek to use Sea's influence and power to help the negotiations.
Trade: Recall all ships to their port of call.

[Krrth]

Dwarves


Borric was watching his troops train. The emphasis on unit tactics seemed to be paying off. However, something was still missing. The troops were still to vulnerable, too....primitive compared to that of the other races. If the Dwarves were to continue to be free, they would have to adapt.



================================================== ========
Military: Combat Engineers. These Dwarves are trained to build structures quickly and efficiently. Lightly armed and armored, they are also trained in building longer lasting structures.

Political:Secret.

Economic:Building a new fortified city, complete with harbor, on the large forested island between the Dwarven lands and those of the Devic peoples.

Religious:Commands sent to the Southern Dwarves.

[Sea]

An vision of Luck - a fair Gnomish maiden made of swirling mist - appears in the great Gnome temple to Sea - with a warning.

"Call in your ships, favored ones. Do not stray upon the waters, for Sea is full of wrath for the coming season. It will be a time of Great Storms."

All around Wilwarin, those faithful to Sea received the same missive, though none so clear as the Gnomes - stay ashore this winter, wait for spring. The waves are not safe even for the faithful.

[Aux-Ash]

Phaounm
Gendarmerie field headquarters, near the southern coast, approximately a week out of Chourogne

Fire!

The sound of the muskets firing thundered through the air and a huge cloud of smoke erupted in front of the mass of men training a few hundred feets away. The officers in charge of the training were doing a good job, the gendarmerie fusiliers were steadily shaping up to a disciplined force.

Pharon was sitting atop his trusted old battlehorse, the old experienced animal barely reacted to the sound of the muskets as the regiments once more practised the mass volley. The high constable pulled his furlined-cloak tighter around him to shield him from the cold wind, even if it almost never snowed this far south it sure wasn't very warm either.

Beside him sat Marshall Mercadienne on his horse, the seasoned northerner was not nearly as concerned with the cold. His face a solid mask as always, betraying not a single thought that went through that mind of his.

They're shaping up rather nicely, while I doubt they will have the same skill and bravery as the rest of the gendarmerie, I think they will serve their purpose and bring no shame to themselves.

Pity, we can't say the same about General Voloun's flying regiment.

I'm almost inclined to have the man executed. Protesting against anything I tell the man to do. The only reason I gave him the regiment is because he's the only one of us higher officers who knows a thing about those bloody birds.

Mercadienne said nothing but smiled to himself at his superior officer's, and good friend's, irritation. He knew he could do so without risk, they had always been trading insults with one another ever since they were young riders. In fact, he firmly believed that they both found these insults as a way to relax and vent frustration. The day one of them held back would be a day they both feared.

Pharon seemed to have noticed the smirk and calmed down a bit, even chuckling a bit to himself. On the field below them the muskets shot once more, and Pharon was just about to speak when he was cut off by a messenger coming from the city of tents behind them.

High Constable! Prime minister Rannier has arrived.

Very well, I'm on my way.

Pharon and Mercadienne steered their mounts around and left the fusiliers to their training, heading towards the enourmous military camp that was the field headquarters. As they drew closer they started to notice the commotion on the west side of the large camp, as they drew closer they saw a surprising sight.

Along the side of the huge camp a vast force were marching in culumn, the first one moving out further west to establish their own tents at the side. The high constable recognised the unit banners as the Chourogne 1st and 2nd, the Jialme 1st and 3rd and a few other units. All soldiers from the citzen levy reserve of the respective citystates.

As he arrived at his camp, he dismounted from his horse and stepped forward to shake the hand of the prime minister. He almost did not recognise the old politician in the ceremonial armour, it seemed so wronf to see the man in a ornamented full plate.

High Constable. I hope you did not mind I brought you some extra men to help you keep the peace? There are a few more coming as well.

I take it the civil war is unavoidable now?

I'm afraid so... I had to call in my personal guard to dissolve the general assembly a few days ago. The fights got out of hand, after delegate Urien got shot I called in the guard and had the few remaining delegates arrested.

Eventually I decided that I ought to do what I can to protect our people, I called in the reserve. The men that follows me are yours to command.

----
Military: Pharon tries to get the fusiliers and the gryphon cavalry ready, Rannier mobilises the reserve (but only a handful of them will follow him) and the rest of the citystates are preparing their own forces.

Religion: The temples are fortifying themselves, to protect against the civil war to come.

Commerce: Foreign merchants and ambassadors are advised to leave the nation while the gendarmerie still can protect them and before the winter ruins the roads.

Politics: The political structure of the confederation of the twelve cities has completely collapsed into a mess of paranoia and assassinations.

[Oracle_Hunter]

OOC: Not quite dead, but limping. Totally going to have RP this time. Srsly.

IC:

~ Humanity ~

Somewhere, a band of travelers mulls over the events of the day.
"I've never seen the Kingdom like this. New leaders, new weapons, new magic - all in the Eternal Kingdom, where nothing ever changes."

"It's all against the Will of Sky, I say. Worshiping Sea, letting Humans run things - its all against His Will, and look at how we're paying! That storm was just a harbinger of Sky's wrath - worse is to come. It's the Last Age for sure."

"The Last Age? Don't make me laugh - it's the dawn of a new one, one for Humanity! Once we put the Deva in their place, we'll be able to head west and kick the Tieflings back to Hell, and Wilwarin will be for its Children alone."

"Well, you'll be getting that war sooner than you think. Look at the Phaoumn - splitting at the seams. If I were the Tieflings, I'd just walk up to the River Gate, knock politely and let myself in. Hell, with the backing of the Eladrin and the Gnomes, we wouldn't have a prayer.

"Gnomes? I thought the Tiefling were allied with the Shadar-Kai.

"Whatever. All I'm saying is that if the Tieflings take Phaoumn, we're done for."

"Don't be glum; their Undying Majesties won't let the Phaoumn fracture. I'm sure they've already sent someone to talk some sense into the Phaoum."

"Oh, now you're waiting for the Deva to save us, mister Manifest Destiny? Ha! If their Undying Majesties had a plan, the Mercantors wouldn't be running from Phaoumn as if it were on fire, now would they?"

"Oh, they'll be on fire... the fire of Sky's wrath. All the gods are turning against us - monsters from the sea, monsters from the land...

"By Sky's brow, stop your whining! We've dealt with monsters before, and we can do it again. The Army of Light has never been better armed than it is today - and the Paladins alone could probably stomp out those scalies. Humanity's Warriors, them."

"Well, if their Undying Majesties were going to save us, they'd better do it quick. I heard the Elves are getting ready to march again - and they've already got Human spies in key places. There's no way we can survive this storm if worms eat out our heart first."

"Sky help us all."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Political, Military, Religion: Secret - yes, you heard me :smallamused:
Commerce: Focus on stockpiling gold generally, and mithril & adamantium from the Shadar-Kai.

[shadowxknight]

ooc: The following post is made with the endorsement of Lubirio and loser0ll

Palace of the Dreadlord
Dresser Room

The Archmage looked over his mass closet of robes, trying to think of what to wear on such an important day. He sighed in frustration; it was times like these that makes him want to take a consort, who can give him advice on this sort of things. In the end he decided on a white robe with gold stripes. Satisfied with his looks, the Archmage teleported to the meeting place.

His aides and lackeys were waiting for him in the city. Report has come in that the Emperor of Eladrin was almost to the north of the city, and the Queen of Shadar-kai further to the south of the city.
The Archmage lead his congression to meet the Emperor outside the gates of the city. After the pleasantries were exchanged, the Archmage have his aides lead the Emperor to the arena while he went to greet the Queen.
To his surprise there were five Queens. He quietly activated a true seeing spell in an attempt to see the real one, but they still all looked the same. He deduced that the disguises were both mundane and magical, thus making discovery all the more difficult.

The Archmage lead the Queen(one of them stepped forward as the "real" one) to the newly built arena. Being in a city of considerable size, the arena could seat tens of thousands and today every single seat that was not reserved by the congregation were filled.
The Archmage walked in with his new allies at his sides, and the crowd gave out a cheer that shook Earth itself. The congregation took their seats and soon the entertainment started.

The first match pitted a lone tiefling warrior against a burly goliath; even amongst its giantkin race this one is considered to be huge. Yet the warrior was undaunted by the goliath's size. He dodged the goliath's heavy strikes and retaliated with ferocity, each strike a possible killing blow. Even though the goliath looked clumsy, it had a fighter's grace that allowed him to parry with his oversized weapon. But soon the goliath's movements began to slow from exhaustion. With a warcry the warrior cut off his opponents' arm at the elbow. Before the pain could register on the goliaths' face, the warrior decapitated him. The crowd went crazy, and the warrior bowed to the congregation before leaving for his prize.
The second match pitted two summoned monsters against each other. One wizard used a acid spitting lizard from the Abyss, while the other had reanimated the body of an enormous eagle. The two mindless beasts went after each other without concern for their bodies, and before long the lizard has a chokehold on the eagle with its tail. A few moments passed as the eagle tried to fly while the lizard held it down. Finally with a sickening snap, the eagle's head was torn off, spewing blackish green pus everywhere. Part the of crowd made sounds of disgust, but the cheer was still deafening.

A few more battles passed before the Archmage decided it was time to make his announcement. During an intermission between fights the Archmage stood up, and the stadium silenced.
"To the dearest citizenry and travelers alike," although the Archmage spoke in a normal tone, his voice carried throughout the stadium "some of you might have noticed that we have a couple of esteemed guests with us today. Sitting to my right is the beautiful Queen of the Shadar-kai. To my left is the fearsome Emperor of the Eladrin. They are here with me today for an unprecedented event: the alliance of three races!" It took a moment for the crowd to process the message, but after that the crowd once again erupted into cheers.
The aides brought in ink, a ceremonial dagger, and three copies of papers detailing the alliance.
The Archmage cut his forearm with the dagger and let the blood drip into the ink. The Queen and Emperor followed his lead. The blood is then mixed evenly, and the three leaders signed the alliance under the thunderous applause of the crowd.
"To mark the signing of this pact, I hereby rename this city to Tielakai. May prosperity and conquest be bestowed on all three of races!"

=================================================
Political: Sign the Pact of Tielakai(accepting suggestions for name). Send envoy to dwarves and elves. Have provincial lords on the coasts prepare the land against the storm.
Commerce: Build/complete arenas. Send more exports to allies now that tariff is lowered. Trade wood for the Shadar-kai's adamantine and mithral.
Military: Use magic to detect Goliath encampments to the west and southwest then send Warlord after them. Send reinforcement to ensure the Warlord's supply line.
Religion: Sacrifice slaves to the Sea to calm her fury and sacrifice to Earth for victory in battle.

[Lubirio]

((I'm extremely sorry for the lack of RP, but it's late as it is, and I'm busy with starting school again, again, my excuses))
==========
Political - Send The Queen to sign pact of Tielakai, and secret. :smallwink:
Economical - Trade all possible mithril acquired, at the exchange of keeping all the adamantite. Continue the trade with the Tiefling, Eladrin, Devas, Phaounm, and the like.
Military - Replace mithril with adamantite in all weapons and armour, and secret. :smallwink:
Religious - Standard actions, try to avoid contact with Sea in his mad rage.

Secret Actions (for designated personnel only!):
Designated personnel in this case is NOT the Tiefling or Eladrin. Just Mauril:
In private message. :smalltongue:

[DrakebloodIV]

The Fortress
Aesperis


The port still burns from the assault that pirates made against the city. War Horns still ring to warn the populace. The pirates flee, but the battle has yet to end. In the Fortress the skyguard mounted up, riding buck griphons capable of carrying three men and clad in Steelsilk robes. They wore golden yellows, vibrant reds and mighty oranges, resembling phoenixes in the morning sun. They took flight and moved across the city, picking up chunks of masonry as they flew out, swooping once more to dunk the stones in an ominous black substance they made haste toward the fleeing ships.

"COME IN THROUGH THE EAST MEN! THE RISING SUN WILL SHIELD US!" The captain said, his voice magically amplified.

The gryphens dived low over the ships to drop the stones, and as the gryphons were dropping them each rider lit their stone with a torch, igniting the gnomish fire from the Devic reserves. Many struck the boats and two managed to snap masts and set their sails aflame. As the swoop ended each rider unleashed their rifle, striking and killing men on each boat.

"ANOTHER PASS MEN! TEACH THEM TO FEAR THE SKYGUARD!"

They dived towards the boats again, this time firing during the dive and throwing spells of fire upon the boats. The gryphons picked up a man each during their swoop.

"Are you a captain?" One rider asked his captive as they ascended.

"No! I'm not! Please don't hurt me, I didn't-" The Gryphon let go on command of the rider and the pirate fell to the sea with a hideious scream

So it continued for several minutes, the grphons swooping at an angle where the pirates fixed cannons couldn't hit them, reducing them to the use of small arms. They burned and crippled the pirate force, taking several captains for interrogation as they destroyed the fleet...



The Seabreeze Chapel
Aesperis

A garbled message from Luck herself came to the people of the Sea today.

"Ships... -favoured ones. Do not... waters, for... full of wrath. It wi-... Great Storms."

Though confused, enough had come through that the Seabreeze Bishop had the right to fear, long had it been since Sea loosed the reins on its steed in the Waves, and last time it had not boded well for the Human race. A letter was sent to the Devic Lords and each requested the quick recall of their Mercators. Though it would be two or three months till the furthest ships could arrive, most would be able to return in two weeks, as they were doing short range sea trade with the Phaoumnic peoples. In their foresight the southern cities might be flooded with boats, but at least most trade could be switched to overland without too much loss. The DHS (Devic and Human Service) Northernmost would be forced to dock in Dwarvish shores lest it risk destruction, but this would aid in negotiations with the Dwarves.


The Waterlogged mines
Valderia

A minute war had broken out between the waterlogged quarriers and the strange creatures. The remnants of the miners and workmen had taken up tools to fight the lizardlike monsters that assaulted their lands. Spades and picks were taken up as weapons and the remnants of the milita stationed at the mine aided as best they could. The Priests refused to fight these unknown beasts and the mages were all but exhausted by their work. Yet still a group of three priests was escorted by the warriors and miners to what became known as the reptiles camp. When they reached the camp they were greeted by a guard of the monsters who hissed viciously and bared their razor sharp teeth. They were armed with crude obsidian spears and newly acquired swords as well as a vicious assortment of natural weapons. In response to this threatening tone, the warriors planted their swords in the ground and the miners dropped their assorted tools. The priests even went so far as to drop their staves. One of the Lizardfolk looked toward the other, it spoke in a hissing tongue punctuated by clicks of the teeth and shifts of the tail. The other made a nodding motion and the did an about face, leading the ragtag group toward the center of their camp. At the center was a creature who was clearly their leader. Standing half a head above the others and with vibrant blue green scales, the chieftain was proud and powerful. His frill was adorned with beads and necklaces and an ominously painted human skull.

"Kssssss*crk*ssss" Said the master Lizardman as he swooshed his tail.

One of the priests mumbled an incantation as he crushed a cone of incense in his hand. The dust glowed and the priest knew the blessing would work.

"Could you repeat that?"

The Lizardman gave three swift swoops of his tail, an action the priest knew now meant surprise. We are not used to your kind talking, pinkman, only yelling and killing with these grey obsidian rods." The Lizardman gestures toward the greatsword now sheathed in his belt.

"There are those of us blessed with skills neither of us could comprehend, Lizardman. But for now let us talk of names. Mine is Abby Cericius, may I ask yours?"

"Names hold a power, Ssserkissusss, but I will give you my family name. I am Chief <Ssss*krk*ssssh> Runner upon Swamps."

"May I ask how you found yourselves upon our shore, Chief Runner upon Swamps?"

"It is a tale to behold, Ssaykuss. We are of a tribe far from here, on the great island. Our people are of the sea, we travel by boats pulled by our toil. In hunting the ocean depths we were dragged. Along the sea, his cloak shifting in the wind. A mighty storm of great grander, swollen with rage and billowed by fury, did pull us toward your lands. Till land we struck with a vicious blow. But rest would not be found on land, our peoples forced against your own, till death was all that rested here."

(ooc- PM me with any changes to how this would happen Mauril)


Elvish borderlands
Aeniera

The Troops of the Devic Empire were assembling, both among Devas and among Men. The great forges of the lands once again lit up with a fire meant to forge pure and powerful steel. A draft was put into place among the human peoples, compensated by the promise that every year spent in the Devic army would credit the soldier with a year exempt from taxes. All men over eighteen and under twenty five would be pulled into the ranks of the infantry. The Lightbringer brigade was mobilized, leaving enough forces along the border to defend caravans, and the bulk force of the paladins.


...The Devic army is assembling, the time of war has come...

---------------------------------------------------
Military- pwn the pirates, Mobilize the Devic army, Draft humans, Shift most paladins to the border forests
Religious- Beg the sea to calm its rage, send missionaries to the Lizardfolk, send priests to aid the refugees in Evest
Trade- Reduce sea borne trade and recall ships to the south seas
Political- Secret, is it ever not? I FORGOT TO ADD THIS- INTERROGATE THE PIRATE CAPTAINS CIEZED IN THE GRIPHONFLIGHT

[loser0ll]

Emperor of the Eladrin : "My High Priest. I trust you know what my return to the public means?"
High Priest : "Yes, my liege - our reports were correct, and your own skills and efforts have agreed with our. There truly is a force threatening the Earth itself?"
Emperor of the Eladrin : "Your judgment reminds me of why you were chosen to lead while I continued development and research. Our alliance with the Tieflings and Shadar-Kai will help us greatly in weathering this storm... I hope. We must, as always, be prepared to face the world with only what we earn ourselves, if it is necessary."
High Priest : "Great Emperor, what are your wishes?"
--------------------------------------
Military - Call back standing forces to the center of the empire, and begin raising all strength possible. Only the Mercenaries will be left in the Goliath territory... under special considerations.
Political - While the Emperor signs the Treaty, certain acts are brewing in the Eladrin homeland... secretly. :)
Religious - Constant prayers and vigils are held to Earth, and the Path of Blood is extended all the way to the doorstep of the Emperor's Palace.
Economic - Secret.

[Mauril Everleaf]

End of Crown, 137 VI, Middle of Winter
Gnomes
The world it seems is a dangerous place, even when you have the direct favor of a god. The seas have been rough ever since the great storm struck the Devic lands. Because of this and a message brought directly from their patron, the Gnomes have all their ships in harbor. They continue to increase their fleet but, at least for the next season, they will remain safely in dock. Overland emissaries have been sent to the Gnomes' active trading partners informing them of this and assuring that overland trade will still remain active. Caravans containing the expected trade goods are sent at the same time the runners are so that there will be as small a delay in trade as possible. Overland travel, however, is considerably slower and more dangerous than sea travel.

More important to the Gnomes even than their threatened trade was the unrest within their own borders. They had long claimed the river delta and the swamp that filled it as part of their own land. Partially this was because the Gnomes long suspected that it would be valuable one day, but mostly it was because no one else had wanted it when the Gnomes had begun to stake claim to their own lands. They felt an attachement to the soggy land and now that a new (intelligent) people had set themselves up in it, they were in a quandary. They desired peace with the creatures, knowing now that they were not merely beasts but sentient beings. So they sent diplomats, accompanied by priests into the swamps. They carried every symbol of peace they could imagine.

Guided once again by Exploration, these groups found a large encampment of the Lizardfolk. The envoys immediately began speaking with the tribesmen before realizing that the reptilians did not speak Shadar. After a short moment, the envoys realized that they did not speak Orgish, Phaounmic, Infernal, Supernal or Idiomic either. At a loss, the envoys differed to the priests who, after a short ritual, began speaking to the Lizardfolk in Shadar. The envoys were about to laugh when, to their shock, the Lizardfolk began to reply in Shadar. The priests motioned the envoys forward to begin the talks.

After many hours of discussing, the Lizardfolk chieftan, a powerful shaman, revealed to the Gnomes that they had come to this swamp on a religious pilgrimage of sorts. Their god, Sea, had commanded them to construct a large raft and to set themselves adrift. Wherever they arrived was to be their new home, he said. They floated for many months, lost amongst the waves, before they arrived at the mouth of the delta. They had waded inland to find a suitable place to begin placing their huts. The envoys had been taken into the village, which sat mostly on stilts in the middle of a small copse of cypress trees. The chieftan gave many thanks to Sea for this wondrous home for them, free from the shackles of their oppressors to practice their religion and their culture.

The envoys, after several days in the village learning the people and the culture, were able to strike a deal with the Lizardfolk there. The Lizardfolk would cease their raids (both direct and indirect through the influence of the beasts in the swamp) if the Gnomes would grant them freedom in the great swamp to live. After the agreement was settled, in the fashion of the Lizardfolk (since they have no written language), a Gnomish priest asked if he could stay in the village to learn the ways, culture, religion and language of the repitian people. It was a agreed and the emmissary group (minus one) returned to the solid ground within the Gnomish forest.

Dwarves
The Dwarves were taking well to this new, more civilized life. More civilized was, of course, a relative term. It would probably be more accurate to say that they had become less barbaric. Borric, it seems, was maintaining and expanding the work that his father had done before him. The tribes, especially those that remained nomadic, had come to respect his authority. The only holdouts were the three other major tribes who had established for themselves permanent cities. The Roykkio tribe in the moutain, the oldest of the Dwarven tribes, the Merenkaynti on the western coast and the Katukoroke on the island in the Pohjanpuoleinen were the tribes refusing to accept Borric's authority. Borric now had one hundred and fourteen tribes under his command, but these three tribes contained as many people as the rest combined.

Having only two permanent cities, one on the central lake called Jarvi and the other on the norther coast, Borric decided to begin testing his new regiments of troops on building him a third. These new troops, a corp of engineers, were to build both cities and fortresses as well as seige weapons and engines. Borric saw that he could kill two birds with one stone by preparing these men by building him a new city on an island in the Pohjanpuoleinen, not far from Katukoroke. It would hold another purpose also. It would allow for easier raiding along the northern coast and it would place more pressure on the Katukoroke to join with Borric. He may be a barbarian, but Borric was no fool.

The engineers were shipped across the straight and then marched overland due to the warning given them by Sea not to trust their oars until the ice broke fully. The straight was difficult enough to navigate in winter without the added treachery of an angry god. The troops trudged across the ice, paying homage to the sacred place, before arriving at their intended destination. They had barely set down their baggage before they picked up their axes and set to work cutting timber to build the city.

Phaounm
It was a harsh winter, which matched perfectly with the state of affairs in the land of the Phaounm. The winds were cutting and the skies almost constantly overcast. A good thing, Pharon often thought, that the people do not worship the sun. The priests of Sky did, however, warn that this terrible weather was a sign from the heavenly father that he did not approve of their actions and in-fighting and that he desired peace among them. A few listened, but many were too preoccupied with defending their homes and cities against each other. Tithes and attendence had waned in the temples and the priests were worried. They too began to fortify their home, since the temple contained much wealth that invaders would much like to have in their own coffers. It wasn't that the priests were unwilling to give money to the side of right, it was simply that, in any civil war, knowing which side that was is not easy to determine.

Pharon has by mid-winter gathered an impressive military force. He marshalled as many men as any of the city-states themselves. The fusilie trained all through the winter and were becoming a very valuable addition to the High Constable's army of swordarms and pikemen. Voloun, after being allowed to remain in charge of the gryphons, second only to Pharon in their command, agreed to supply two flights to the cause. Pharon knew that the general had five flights to work with, but he made no mention of it. Two flights would be enough for now.

The Prime Minster attempted to rally the reserves of each city, but the people had a mind to protect their own. Such had long been the way of the Phaounm and, despite many centuries of unification efforts, the people always returned to their nature in times of trouble. Only the reserves from the capital would follow Rannier and then only because he was the ruler of their city.

The nation was quickly descending into chaos. The gendarmes who had been sent in to enforce the peace had now resorted to simply protecting the garrisons. The streets were filled with roving mobs, of one side or the other, seeking out "traitors" and bringing them to "justice". The assembly had been dissolved, but the former members still wielded some power. Many had were the puppeteers of the mobs. Many hired assassins to remove their rivals, and many of them succeeded. Blood filled the streets.

The border guards, under the command of Pharon, were turning back all merchants at the borders and all the harbors were closed. The land was not safe and Pharon would not have outsiders caught in the middle of it. Nor would he have outsiders meddling in Phaounmic affairs. This was their civil war and, bloody and brutal as it may be, it was their fight to win...and lose.

Humans
((Due to the bevvy of secret actions, this will be short. The Devic portion will contain some Human-relevant information, as always.))

With overland trade cut off through Phaounmic lands, the only access to the west, and those that feared Sea, most of whom manned ships for the Mercators, Latronis Aquoreus or the Devic navy, refusing to take to the waters, the Humans began to understand the constraint their Elvish brethren had felt for ages locked in their forest. Few ships braved the waters of the Serpent Sea to journey over to the Shadar-Kai and even fewer returned. Some material was traded, but not enough adamantine or mithril to really be worth speaking of. Stockpiling gold, however, was another matter. Internal trade with the Halflings (who somehow still managed to have fresh goods) was going well and was quite profitable for the Human merchants. The Halflings bought mostly mundane goods, some food, tools, fabrics and the like, and they paid handsomely for them. Obviously there was some reason for their purchases, but the Human traders did not ask. The Halflings were secretive folk and, as long as they weren't causing trouble in the Devic Empire, they were mostly left alone.

Tieflings
The gladiatorial events were much more to the likings of the Tiefling spectators than the dignitaries present. The Eladrin Emperor thought them a bit crass and the Queen unsubtle. The Archmage himself thought them to be brutish, lacking the elegance of his arcane powers, but it was all for political gain anyhow, and that was something that all three could respect. The Pact Kerberos was signed by the three heads of state unifying their powers and their aim. A similar treaty was en route to the Dwarves, in hopes of bringing their axes and longboats on the side of the West. A third treaty was sent by ship to the Elves, since the Tieflings knew the only way into the Bosquemal was up the river in the dead of night. This ship, however, would never reached its destination.

This ship was sent before the priests of Sea received a missive warning of doom. Knowing that Sea was not one to be trifled with, the priests informed the Dreadlord of this omen and encouraged him to take actions. Extra defenses were placed along the coasts and the harbors were braced against oncoming storms. The sea beasts the Tieflings had summoned to act as a coast guard were becoming restless, many becoming almost crazed. Even if it weren't for the priests' urging, few would have dared pass them even with their special sigils.

Fearing that their envoy to the Elves might be lost after hearing the message from the priests of Sea, an overland courier was sent towards the Elven forest, but it was turned back at the Phaounmic borders. It seems that no message would reach the Elves until spring. During the festival day marked out for him, priests offered sacrifices to Sea to calm his fury, especially that which was directed at them. The streets were less jolly this month as the Tieflings pleaded for mercy as they ruthlessly cut down dozens of bound servants to the god of Freedom.

Earth, however, saw her sacrifices as much more fitting. She was blessing the troops in the mountains with victories. Not easy victories, as many Tiefling troops were being laid low by Goliath hammers, but victories nonetheless. New troops and supplies were arriving daily towards the ever expanding front line and the Warlord was happy to have them. High upon his wyvern, he oversaw many battles, even partaking in some. His army, though small, was well trained and well equipped. Earth, it seemed, was supported them and not these feral brutes who also called her name. Tiefling forces had not yet met up with the Eladrin forces, but both armies were working somewhat in tandem, mostly through the sharing of intelligence.

Back within the Tieflic borders, many cities had fully completed their arenas and were holding blood sports. This pleased the people very much, even more than the festivals on the holy days. The Kuros was beginning to take shape, as the outer wall had been nearly half finished. It would be a grand structure and the Archmage could not wait to christen it. Mostly it was so that the scar that is the construction site would be removed from his office window, but he also was beginning to become awestruck by the magnificance of the structure. It would be beautiful indeed, built entirely of polished black granite.

The quaries were churning out as much of the stone as they could manage. The mines also were producing quite well. Both iron and gold ore flowed into the cities, ready to be refined. Lumber caravans followed also. Many of those caravans were immediately sent onward to the Shadar-Kai in hopes of trading for some of their precious metals, adamantine and mithril. Those merchants returned either empty handed or with little to show for their expenses. The Shadar-Kai had little use for unrefined lumber, and mithril and adamantine were in high demand. They traded some, since the Tieflings were one of the few who were able to do much trade with them in this shipless time. Most of what the Tieflic merchants were able to barter was in mithril. It seems the Shadar-Kai had other purposes for their adamantine.

This lack of cooperation was mentioned to the Archmage, but he thought little of it.

Shadar-Kai
As soon as Crown had begun, so did work on a new tapestry for Earth. The artist hoped that it would be complete before year's end but a month was a very short time for a work of this size. As the Devas had discovered it possible to spin mithril, so had this artist discovered it possible to create adamantine thread. The process was very different, with the threads being more forged than spun, but she set about weaving them into the tapestry. Adamantine would not take dye and would therefore create an interesting pattern for the Earth Mother's icon.

The Queen returned from her political engagement with the Tieflings and promptly sequestered herself in the Palace level. She was not heard or seen for the rest of the month. This was not unusual for her, as she was one of the most secretive of an already secretive people.

Trade, the Shadar-Kai's main contact with the outside world, was somewhat stunted this season. They had not received the same missive that many of the other peoples had, but as they were not active traders, but passive ones letting the merchants come to them, they were not extremely adversely effected by his rage. They did not, however, have many to trade with. Some overland convoys were sent, especially from the Gnomes and Tieflings, but the Deva and Phaounm were not heard from nearly at all. It seems the waters and land are increasingly treacherous and this will harm the Shadar economy for some time to come.

This added downtime, however, allowed for an increase in domestic affairs. The Queen had ordered a retrofitting of the armed forces, complete with new weaponry and armor. Mithril was the most common metal, second only to steel, in the Shadar military and the Queen wished to change that over to the much stronger adamantine. Shadar smiths had long worked with the material and knew its properties well. They quickly began to forge new swords and chains, hauberks and breastplates. The Shadar-Kai would have their army refitted and ready for combat before the season was out.

Devas
The draft was something that was never popular, even among the loyalest of Humans. But it was necessary. War was brewing on all sides and in the middle and the Devas were not about to let instability reign in their lands like it was now for the Phaounm. Many of the paladin guards who had been taking watch along the western border were withdrawn to the heart of the Devic Empire. Those who had been protecting caravans were summoned also. Nothing was being allowed across the border, so the caravans were in little need of protection.

The standing armies and the drafted Humans are descending into the towns of Ardora and Ophera to prepare for the assault on the Bosquemal. War was on everyone's lips, an event that had not happened within the Devic Empire for nearly three thousand years. Skirmishes had arisen here and there and the borders were never at ease, but true war was almost a myth among the short-lived Humans. Whether they worshiped Sky or Sea, the soldiers were prepared to fight and die for their country, defending it against the evil that is the Elves.

When the military forces arrived at Ophera and Andora, they were appraised by the locals that all might not be well. The river that flowed from the Bosquemal and into the ocean at their cities was slowing. It had been for weeks now and within a few more, it would be not but a trickle compared to its former size. The Elves were up to something, they said, some of their magicks.

Out to sea, more bad news was coming. The Mithrilclad sent northward to the Pohjanpuoleinen could not be contacted to be recalled. This meant that another of the illustrious ships was likely lost. Sea was not being kind to them, it seems. The rest of the fleet was recalled to the shores to ride out the winter and whatever it held in store for them. Trade was all but shut down with the sea and the Phaounmic border cut off to them.

Priests of Sea were prostrate before him in their temples begging for mercy and for reprieve to his wrath. The people were turning to him, what more could he want? He had leveled his anger against Evest and against the sea traders. Efforts to rebuild and aid those in Evest were underway, largely at the leading of the very priests seeking Sea's forgiveness. The city was destroyed and it's people were downtrodden. It would take some time before Evest was a real city again.

More priests, of both Sky and Sea, were sent into the swamp to reach the reptilian folk that had taken up residence there. They seemed hesitant to accept missionaries, as they were quite content in their own beliefs. The previous Devas to have met with the settlers had quelled their fears that somehow the Devas had caused the sea to rise up against them, and the Lizardfolk had agreed to relent in their hostilities toward them. They, however, would not relinquish the swamp. They claimed that it was theirs and that they had been living there long before the miners had set up their works.

Back in the dungeons of Aesperis, the pirate captains who had been captured (and not commited suicide upon that capture) were being interrogated. Since these remaining few were not brave enough to take their own lives to protect their secrets, like they had been ordered to do, they were simple targets for the Devic interrogation techniques. The captains revealed that their Queen had been given an oracle from Sea himself that she was to marshall together all the pirates in her fleet and make a run on Aesperis on the day that the great storm passed their island. She was told to send as many ships as she could muster against the coastal defenses as a rouse so that her true target, a Mithrilclad, could be more easily taken. These captains did not know whether she was successful or not. Two of the captains immediately expired upon divulging this information.

Eladrin
The mercenary forces hold the front line, expanding it only a little further. It seems that either the blessing that Earth had given had run its course or it only extended to the Eladrin military and not these sellswords. The Goliaths were well short of standing against the Eladrin incursion, but the war was far from over. Even with the invasion mounted by the Tieflings, there was still much Goliath territory to be taken.

The regular army, as well as the militia, were withdrawn back into the heart of the empire. New troops were brought together with these forces fresh from the front to face a new, internal threat. It seems that the mountain is stirring and the High Priest and the Emperor were not about to let it unleash its force upon the high people. They would stand against it, whatever it was, and Earth would aid them.

In order to ensure her favor, vigils are held and prayers are offered. Hundreds of sacrifices a day are made to her; every drop of blood spilt a plea for her favor. But sacrifices of slaves and of cattle would only please the Lady so long. Slaves and cattle cost the Eladrin almost nothing, and she would not accept something that was not a true sacrifice.

The Path of Blood, which had been laid down from the front line to the border, was being extended further into the Eldren lands. It was being carried all the way to the front door of the Emperor's palace. The blood was still magicked so that it remained always wet to the touch but would never be washed away. It had also been extended to the newest front line. This practice would continue for as long as the Eladrin kept conquering. This red ribbon, many hoped, would spread the length of the world, the length of their empire.

Updated political map (http://nbrs6121.deviantart.com/art/Map-as-of-Crown-137-VI-135700330)

[DrakebloodIV]

Deep below the Keep
Valderia

The Dungeons are deep down in the keep, covered in grey stone and moldy wood. It looks decades older than the other parts of the keep but in reality it is newer, built only as humans volunteered to perform acts that the Deva would not ever perform. Thick stone made sure the screams didn't carry. Today the pirates were brought down here again, wimpering with fear.

"Hello folks, lets get started then" Said a human in a brown apron. "You know the drill. Speak, and you get out."

With a swift slash of a knife on his apron he severed the arm of one of the pirates. The pirate screamed viscerally.

"Oh calm down, don't be such a whiner."

Picking up the arm he positioned it near the stub, to the astonishment of the prisoners it attached itself back onto his arm, leaving a thin white scar.

"I guess you guys have found the trick in this room, any living flesh heals itself instantly. We got the spell from the Devic surgical archives, but it dosent work for medical procedures. Now, whos first?"

He took one of the men and threw him down on a patch of hot coals, the man writhed, but the torturist held him down with his foot. The searing coals burned through his skin and then were healed into the flesh. Lifting him from the fire, the torturist spun him around and struck one of the newly formed lumps in his back. The coal shattered, exposing its hottest pieces to his innards. He tried to let out a scream, but he was to wracked with pain to even breathe.

"Please, I'll tell you anything"

"Where are the Mithrilclads?"

"They, they're..."

"You're trying to lie, aren't you"...


Elvish Borderlands
Aeniera

The Troops are assembled. Hundreds of Gryphons, Thousands of Paladins, Tens of thousands of Infantrymen, a full fleet of mystrunners filled with rations from the grainhouses and powder from the storehouses. Loaded up and ready for war the caravan took there morning meal before moving out. On the banks of the river they ate and the Lord of Devas.

"Devas, Humans, people of our great nation. We are gathered on the banks of the the Mos'ai river to begin an excursion into elvish lands. Yet in times of war we must remember where we come from and why we fight. It is not for gold, nor for land, nor even to avenge the lives lost in our previous conflicts with the elves. We fight for the only just reason: Self defense. The Elvish lands are a madhouse of ancient magic and strange customs but we must all remeber our roots, our people, and our morals. Let us toast from the waters of this river to the coming battle."

They raise their glasses with an earth shattering roar, cheering with pride and power.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Political- Communicate with the Lizardfolk (specifically- allowing them to inhabit the swamp, seeing what trade items they have, and offering to pay them to work the saltpeter works), Declare war on the Elves, Torture the Pirates
Military- Mobilize troops
Religious- Pray to the sun for strength, valor and hope.
Trade- Bring back our caravans from the Shadar-kai and Gnomes with military goods

[Krrth]

Dwarves

Borric sat in his chambers looking at the large map of the Dwarven lands on the wall. He controlled fully half of his people, but the other great clans were holding out.

Reading over his notes and records, he came to a decision. Sealing a letter, he rang for his chamberlin.

See that this gets sent immediately. Highest priority, make sure it gets there.

After the message left, he strode to the window and looked out. The chants of the priests mingled with the noise of boat building. With any luck they would meet with success.

In the distance, a large group of Dwarves worked on the roads leaving the city.
================================================== =======

Political: Concolidate power in the Dwarven lands.

Military: Develop Warboats that are capable of sailing the deep sea. They can't test them now, but the prototypes are being built for the spring.

Religious: The priests are blessing the shipwrights efforts in designing the improved ships.

Economic: The engineers are improving the roads in the Dwarven lands, making travel and trade easier. In addition, Inns are being erected along the new routes. For now they are owned by Borric.

[Lubirio]

Deep under the face of the Earth

After a long time of secluding herself from everything, she allowed her highest priests into her throne room again, saying to them she had an idea she wanted to discuss. When they were all settled, The Queen informed them of her idea,
"After a long time of seclusion and having merely our one huge city, I've decided I want to create another big city for ourselves, and they obviously connect both underground and above ground."

"Your Majesty, if I may say so, I think it's a great idea, but how will we make the underground pass without first establishing a place to build to?"

"That's very bold of you, and I have thought of that, we shall first pave a road to our destination, then lay the foundations of our new city, which we shall call Kaishar, then drill a narrow tunnel between the two cities, and expand it once the cities connect"

"That sounds like a good plan Your Majesty, but I have two points which will be interesting for political reasons, did You already have a place in mind, and who will rule the new city, once it's built?"

"The place is the corner of the Orog forest, which we can use to hunt if need be, and the ruler will be a direct descendant of me, who will rule this grand city (Shadai) after I'm gone, who by that time will have a direct descendant to rule over Kaishar, and so on and so forth."

"Then I see no problem why we wouldn't start paving that road there now."



A later point in time that month

After The Queen ordered a road to be paved right up to the corner of the Orog forest to be able to build another Shadar city there, The Queen suddenly produced someone as a direct descendant of her, a girl of the age of 14. The legitimacy of the Princess was much questioned but it was noted that the queen rarely went out to look for especially loyal priest caste men and spent the night with them. this happened about once every 2 or 3 years. This Princess immediately went in search for the royal seamstress to make her a royal dress, for her inauguration of ruling Kaishar, once completed.

==========

Political - Start with the first stages of building new city (details in RP), and secret :smallwink:.
Econimical - Keep trading all mithril, restart trade of excess adamantite to a select few nations (nations mentioned in secret).
Military - Standard actions, and secret :smallwink:.
Religious - Standard actions, keep avoiding Sea in his rage.

(Note: with the 'corner of Orog forest' here, is meant the sharp end closest to the sea, this is done with the knowledge that's Orog territory)
(Note#2: The building of the city is not mentioned to anyone, the only people who'd know is Shadar-Kai, and people who see the road being built, who would only know that a road is being built...)

Secret Actions (for designated personnel only!):
Designated personnel in this case is just Mauril (again):In private message. :smalltongue:

EDIT: name of big city of Shadai, future cit name is Kaishar.

[Aux-Ash]

Phaounm
Sharinoius, the first city

The spy stepped into the maproom, a for the palace unusually sparce room in the palace of the first city. Inside a large group of nobles and soldiers were standing grouped around a table awaiting the report that the spy would deliver.

Delegate Lomard beckoned the unseeming phaounm to approach and deliver his report. The man stepped forward and handed his soaked cloak to a servant standing by the door. Revealing a tattered set of patched clothing, just like those a peasant would wear.

The spy stepped up to the table and looked at the gathered nobles and amranists. They peered back, partly with curiosity and partly with impatience. With a deep breath the spy pointed on the map and began to tell them what he knew.

High Constable Pharon is amassing most of the gendarmerie at his mobile field headquarters. Currently located here, just a week south of Chourogne. What he does not have there is keeping the peace in the cities or advising foreigners to leave at the borders.

A month ago Rannier showed up with most of the Chourogne reserve and two battalions from Jialme. I'm not entirely certain about the numbers, but I think they may have well over twenty thousand soldiers there, possibly as many as twentyfive thousand. All well equipped and trained.

Delegate Lomard frowned and he saw in the corner of the eye how many of the nobles shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Facing the gendarmerie alone was bad enough, adding the Chourogne reserve to them would make one terrifying army.

If I know Pharon I believe he will mostly use his force to try to stop anyone from trying to attack the major citystates, he'll try to use his army to keep the confederation together and force us all to end the civil war as soon as possible.

Rannier will no doubt have the same goal and his presence there is a form of confirmation. I do not think they will seek to face us unless we start ravaging the countryside and citystates like some rabble.

What if you're wrong?

Lomard looked up, carefully hiding his uncertainty from his allies. Smiling slightly and then spoke as confidentely as he could.

I'm not.

What about the Sovereignists

The sovereignists seems to be organising themselves like you are doing here. Most of their armies seems to gather here, where The Goloun joins The Esienne. They also have a few scattered armies further south in the city states.

Base don what I've learnt I believe they'll go north to secure Jialme and then proceed north to Alamenne to secure it's riches and the northern road to the Deva. No doubt to make sure you cannot ask them for aid.

I reckon that they have between twetnyone and twentyeight thousand up north and one to three thousand in the south. Most seems to be from the citzen levy reserve but there's plenty of mercenaries there too.

Lomard sighed, he had hoped that the Sovereignists had not rallied as much as they had under delegate Tylon and that they would have had much fewer soldiers.

This is going to be a very long and difficult war. I had hoped that the reserve would not be dragged in but I guess I was simply being idealistic.

Very well gentlemen... here's what I'd like you to do when spring comes...

----

Military: All the political factions are gathering their forces and discussing battleplans. The citystates who have not aligned themselves with any particular faction are trying to fortify their defences and prepare the garrison for war.

Commerce: Most of the rich, regardless of they belong to a faction are not, are trying to use their money to hire mercenaries to either add to their faction's armies or for their own protection. Foreign mercenaries if all the Phaounm ones have already been hired.

Political:The sovereignists and the amranists are gathering their strength (as is Pharon and Rannier). Gathering allies where they can and trying to influence each individual city state to join forces with them.

Religious: The temple of Sky is sending for help among the Deva, some soldiers to protect their temples or just safe refuge for many members and citzens to stay in for the duration of the civil war.

[shadowxknight]

OOC: Dammit I had an awesome RP typed up but my freaking area had a power outage. :smallfurious:

Somewhere in Goliath lands

The Warlord watched the battle begin to unfold from his mighty wyvern. The vanguard of his force was a large group animated Goliath corpses and summoned monsters. The cavalry awaited on the outmost flanks. The main body of infantry awaited behind the vanguard, with archers and spellcasters set up as wings of the formation. The Dahltrion flew above the main body of the army so the Warlord can easily give directions to the army.
With a swing of his Masamune the vanguard charged toward the Goliath lines. This tribe of goliath was one of the bigger ones he has faced in this campaign. However at the same time he has more undead and summoned beasts to tire out the enemy than every before.
The vanguard smashed into the goliath lines and the two sides fight savagely. Used to fighting other goliath tribes, the goliath did not feel sympathy for fighting goliaths and thus the vanguard was beginning to be beaten back.
With another wave of his Masamune the Warlord's army began march in unison. The archers and mages bombarded the melee with arrows and deadly magic.
Finally when the army was only a 60 yards away from the fray, the archers and mages retreated. With a final swing, the infantry charged and the cavalry moved to flank the goliath. With this swing, the Warlord could feel his mounts' anticipation, for it knows what this last swing indicates. The Dahltrion split into three units; two moved to circle behind the goliath while the unit the Warlord commanded charged straight toward the enemy.
With a crash the Warlords' mount ran into two goliaths, gutting them with its claws. The Warlord decapitated a few with his Masamune, and he let out a gleeful roar.
Now this was the life fitting for a soldier.


After the battle...
As always the goliath fought to the last man. The Warlord rested on a large rock to clean his sword and watch his army. The wyverns feasted upon the bodies of those that they killed, as was the tradition of every battle. The necromancers began reanimating the corpse of the rest of the fallen goliath. The priests healed the injured, while the fallen tieflings had their bodies blessed and buried. The tiefling casualties were kept to the minimal due to the Warlords' careful planning, but the excitement of warfare carried its share of danger.
The Warlord turned his eyes to the villagers that did not fight. Previously they would have been thrown into chains and sent back as slaves. But now they were far away from tiefling lands and the Warlord did not wish to waste soldiers to protect the slave caravans.
"Sacrifice them to the Gods."
Although the Warlord and most of the Dahltrion worships Sky as their main patron, he still has a healthy dose of respect for the fickle Earth and unpredictable Sea.
With prayers to their gods, the priests systematically butchered the helpless goliaths. Amongst the wails of the dying and cries of the hopeless, the Warlord petted his wyvern affectionately.
He is more content than he has been for a long time.

============================================
Military: Continue to track down goliath tribes and have the Warlord annihilate them. Keep the supply line secure and have priests summon food/drinks when their magic is not used to heal.
Political: Send delegate to the closest Phaounm faction. Offer them weapons and magic support. Begin population of previous goliath territory.
Commerce: Continue to build arenas. Use magic to seek out resources in goliath lands.
Religion: Sacrifice all captured slaves to the gods.

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The Council was holding session behind closed doors these days, but still rumors leaked out. Added to the rumors circulating about the rest of the world, and the gnomes were uneasy. War was breaking out everywhere. Sea was preparing to go on a rampage. The gnomes all asked each other, "What will happen to us? What will we do?"

The Council was well aware of their people's feelings. They had decided to take this time, when trade was limited, to consolidate their lands and infrastructure. Defenses were going to be built and reinforced. Entreaties would be made towards the lizardfolk to integrate them into their kingdom. They would be allowed to rule themselves, provided they followed the same laws as the rest of the gnomish empire. They would be allowed to trade freely with the gnomes, and have access to all the same services and resources enjoyed by the rest of the kingdom. In return, they would help protect the marshes from invaders and outsiders, as well as help ferry goods to and from the gnomish settlements within the swamp.

=========
Military: Build up defenses around every city, especially those away from the ocean.
Political: Send delegation to the lizardfolk to invite them to join their kingdom. The aforementioned conditions are flexible.
Religious: Send prayers to Sea thanking him for the warning and beseeching him to tell them how they might put him at ease once more. Send priests to the lizardfolk to trade knowledge of practices and worship of Sea.
Trade: Invest more resources in getting the saltpeter works working at full capacity.

[loser0ll]

The Empire was whispering. Such silence and worry was uncommon among a people as aggressive and powerful as the Eladrin. It made others worry. Something huge was boiling over, something huge. Something legendary. Rituals that even the most ancient historians knew nothing about, yet every Eladrin who remained a citizen knew what was coming, an aspect of the ritual being invoked. And none who were made aware of this ritual would reveal the truth for any price. The Empire was in a fury with rapid and varied activity, a rush of organized frenzy pushing them to greater performance than normal. The High Priest had not been seen for days.
-----------------------------------------------
Military - Secret
Economic - Continue expanding the recruitment of mercenaries and paying the ones already hired, trying to hold on to as many as possible as more and more people begin hiring them.
Political - Secret
Religious - Make preparations for completing the final steps of the bloody trail. While the rest have been marks of conquest, this one has a new meaning - it will be a circle of blood around the Palace itself. Special blessings are put into preparing the batch of blood that will be used to make this circle, with it being accumulated steadily as hundred or Eladrin willingly spill a portion of their own blood in self-sacrafice. While these are non-fatal offerings, every Eladrin alive knows that the final step, sealing it as a truly legendary sacrafice, will not be.

[Mauril Everleaf]

End of Scythe, 137 VI, End of Winter
Devas
The Lizardfolk are surprisingly eager to deal with the Devas and Humans as soon as they realized that their intentions were not hostile. They have set up three cities in the swamp, each with several hundred families. They state that they have left their island in search of other peoples who might bring them into the modern age. From their shores they have seen fantastic ships with their shiny armaments and they desired these things for themselves. This group, it seems, is tired of their backwards ways and wish to be enlightened. They traveled many weeks in the open water before arriving at this swamp and, lacking supplies, eastablished themselves there hoping to one day begin searching for the owners of the impressive craft. They have nothing but the few subsistence items they brought with them on their journey and what they have cultivated from the swamp. They thank the emissaries for allowing them to remain in the swamp, but only after a hushed discussion as to why that allowance was necessary. ("They might as well have said we were allowed to breathe the air.")

The pirates, fellow Humans to the torturers, were treated with much less respect. They had been strapped to racks, burned, mutilated and subjected to whatever cruel devices had been thought up by the dungeoneer. After days they were pleading for death. After months, they had given up hope of even that dignity. They had nothing left to give. They had told the Devas the plan of the pirates, explained where their base was (a bit of information the Devas had long known) and even crew rosters for all the ships they could remember. They had nothing left to give, and still they had their arms severed and eyes poked with red irons. Their bodies were alive, but their souls had long been dead. They were mere husks waiting in the dungeon for the next round of agony.

Outside of the dank dungeons and inside the gilded temples, a much different face was being presented. Libations of the best of the autumn's wine were being poured out over golden altars and prayers were being offered up to Sky. More accurately, many of the temples had begun to worship the aspect of Sky known as Civilization, iconifying her with the sun. They prayed to her for strength on the field, valor in combat and hope that she would once again fill the Devic borders. The Devas had mobilized their troops to defeat the chaos that the Elves would no doubt bring back into the world. They had been acceptable, as long as their chaos had been contained, but no longer.

The Devic generals had massed their troops in two provinces: Solvona and Aenieria. Troops had already taken up stations in Ophera and Ardora and Deominia had received a large compliment of troops. No sooner had the army set camp in southern Solvona then the Elves launched their first attack. Right at dusk, a large contingent of Elven rangers poured out of the forest behind a cloud of arrows. The Human troops had almost no time to react before they were skewered with the hail of arrows. A second volley arrived before the rushing swordsmen reached the Humans, piercing many of those who had managed to escape the first rain of death. The Dragelf blademasters quickly cleared the camp. The Humans had barely time to draw their swords or bring their muskets to bear before they were completely overrun. It took less than twenty minutes and an entire legion was lost.

This assault shook the Devas. They had not expected the Elves to have become such competent fighters or they expected more traditional tactics to be used or maybe they simply overestimated the power of their muskets. Whatever the case, they had been set back on their heels. The Elvish force had not remained in Deominia, but instead set it ablaze and then retreated into the protection of their forest. The Devas would not be afforded the luxury of being the aggressors here.

With the seas still too rough for travel even for Sea's darlings, the Gnomes, the command to retract caravans from there or from the Shadar-Kai were futile. Overland trips were not much of an option either, at least until the civil war the Phaounm are waging can be brought to peace. Or at least have a clear dominant force that can be negotiated with.

Dwarves
Teltta, as the Dwarven engineers had begun to call it, was beginning to take shape. They had erected a very defensible motte and bailey on an artificial hill they had built in the tundra. They were calling the city Teltta because, with the exception of the wooden palisade and keep, the rest of the structures were tents. The workers didn't mind. They were busy hauling and cutting timber or digging roads or hunting to feed the hungry workers. They were too busy to be bothered by a little winter chill.

Teltta wasn't the only city being built either. Many of the smaller nomadic clans had taken Borric's example and settled down in definite spots, most along navigable rivers or the coastline. Borric had ordered that each clan begin developing roads as well. Water was an excellent mode of travel but it was not always the quickest way. The tundra and taiga that dominated their lands were not easy to travel over. So roads were being dug between the new establishments, in hopes of improving trade, communication and their image to the rest of the world. They may not be as refined as the Devas or Eladrin, but they were no primitive and they needed to present that appearance.

In the cities and towns, new longships were being built. These craft were much larger and capable of traveling longer distances at sea without needing to restock at port. They had not differed much from the design of their smaller ships which were more than seaworthy. The longboat rolled with the waves, rather than breaking through them like the ships of the Devas or Phaounm. These new longships, being called an Alus longship, still carried a bank of oars and a flexible spine like the Pursi longships of old. The Alus carried a second mast and sail and multiple decks. They were beginning to resemble the smaller cutters of the Devic fleet, but were still distinctly Dwarven. The priests offered their blessings over the new ships, as they had long done. Sea gave them no special sign of blessing, or of curse. He seemed simply to be moody and throwing a tantrum.

The other tribes still held out. They preferred the old ways or their own king to Borric's rule. It would take more than roads and cities and new ships to impress them. It would take more than civilization to convert them.

Shadar-Kai
The Shadar-Kai engineers begrudge digging and paving roads in the winter. Winters were roughly uniform across all of Wilwarin, so their soil was nearly as frozen as the dirt the Dwarves were trenching. They do not complain, however, and work diligently through the winter cutting the path and laying the paving stones. Cutting the road did not take as long as expected and supply caravans were being sent to their destination before the last dawn of Scythe. They would begin construction of the city during Osprey and should have a defensible structure in place before the arrival of Tree. This is, of course, assuming the Orogs didn't find them and have something to say about it. For this reason, many armed divisions were sent with the caravans.

These troops were outfitted with the new adamantine scale and swords. Many of them also carried with them adamantine chains, the favored weapon of the Shadar-Kai elite. The rest of the adamantine was being forged to finish the retrofit of the Shadar-Kai forces. Their old mithril arms and armor were being sold off or melted down and the bars of mitril being sold to those who could buy. The only real buyers in the area being the Tieflings, who were purchasing much of the exotic metals out of the Shadar mines, and the Gnomes, who were always willing to snap up a good deal.

Shadar-Kai merchants could not wait until spring would return and the seas would calm. Then they could once again ply their trade with foreigners who paid well for their products.

Phaounm
By the end of the year, the lines in the sand had been clearly drawn. The Amranists had consolodated their troops and their city-states under the rule of Lomard. So had the Sovereignists under Tylon. Pharon had set up his own forces and would try his hardest to keep his country from splitting apart at the seams. The former Prime Minister Rannier had also set up a small faction in the east. It amounted to little more than a home guard at this point, much of the people having falled with either Tylon or Lomard and with Pharon controlling much of the military.

Each faction was digging in to prepare for the brutal war that they were about to embark in. None especially wanted to kill their brethren, but their hands had been dealt and their chips laid down. They were committed now and there was nothing that could turn them back. They all prayed that it would be over quickly and with as little bloodshed as possible, but none were willing to back down from their ideology. These wars were the worst kind.

The rich, as always, were attempting to sway the outcome in their own favor. Many were hiring bands of mercenaries and outfitting them with the most modern of weaponry and armor. Some of the westerly nobility had hired Orog cavalry tribes to fight for them. Since the nobles were as divided as the rest of the populace, their efforts did little to tilt the favor of the upcoming war. They simply increased the amount of blood to be shed.

The only places of sanity that remained within the Phaounmic borders were the temples of Sky. His shining altars were the only bright spot in the dark and dismal winter of despair for the Phaounm. The Lightbringers who had remained in the Phaounmic temples had set themselves up as guards for those who sought sanctuary within the temple walls. Each temple sent a pair of riders to make for the Devic border hoping to bring some aid to the people. The Devas, being benevolent and wealthy and powerful, would surely be able to offer something to these people.

Some of the Phaounm, however, would not wait for aid from the Devas or a resolution to the brewing war and simply fled the country. They crossed over into Orog lands and into Devic territory. Some set up refugee cities just beyond the borders while others continued on in search of a kingdom or people who would take them in.

Tieflings
The Warlord marched further into the mountains. His pace had been somewhat slowed. Partially this was due to the terrain becoming much more difficult to pass but also because his victories were being won less and less convincingly. There were exceptions, as there always are in war, but his conquest was slowing. His troops had arrived at the Eladrin front line and had turned south along the Western Spine's central ridge. The Warlord felt that the favor of the gods had fallen from him and that he was simply progressing through the might of his own troops. He was confused. He had made hundreds of sacrifices to all three gods, Earth, Sky and Sea. What else did they want? Was the blood of the defeated not satisfying to them?

Reinforcements had arrived along the supply line, filling back in his beleaguered ranks. New weapons also were brought, many made of the Tieflings' infernal steel. The caravans were taking longer and longer to arrive each time, however, and the Warlord could not wait on them. So he continued his campaign further into Goliath lands.

In the wave of the military, civilians were being ferried in to stake claims to the captured land. Starting with tent cities, these frontier's people were beginning to work on establishing permanent structures and maintaining waystations along the supply lines to ensure that they could have access to the resources they needed. But winter was a poor time to establish cities and the snows pouring down off the mountains made for a very harsh life for these settlers. Many became very sick and hundreds died. Such is the cost of progress.

Back in the Tieflic cities, blood was also being shed. This time, for sport. All but the Kuros had been completed and gladiatoral battled filled them on all of the holy days. The Tiefling people loved to watch exotic creatures and peoples fight each other to the death. It had become the sole method of executing criminals in all of the cities. The death row prisoner would be given a weapon and potentially a single piece of armor and set against the top gladiator of the city. He was promised his freedom if he could defeat the city's champion. Battles were weighted such that the prisoner had no real chance, but the prison keepers knew that even the glimmer of hope made the combats all the more exciting.

The Kuros itself was just months from completing. It's grandiose stage would be ready for its blooding (as the people called the first christening battle) by the end of Osprey. Mid-Tree at the latest. The lead architect had commissioned a seventy foot obelisk be erected at the northern end of the arena and to have it inscribed in Infernal declaring the greatness of the Archmage. The Dreadlord felt little reason to keep him from doing so.

The college of mages were being utilized to scry on the Goliaths' lands so that Tieflic prospecters could more efficiently pillage their resources. They were already drawing gold and iron out of former Goliath lands and their southern colonies were quarrying the granite and sandstone being used to build the magnificent buildings filling the Tiefling cities. Another vein, this time of salt, had been found in the mountains by the mages and salt was nearly as precious as gold to most peoples.

The Archmage had also sent a delegation to the Phaounmic Sovereignists offering them weapons and support in their efforts to lay claim to Phaounmic politics. The Sovereignists were not necessarily the preferred faction of the Tieflings, since they were going to impose some strict order if they prevailed, but the Tieflings wanted to re-insert themselves into Phaounm policy and the Sovereignists were the simplest way for them to do that. Rannier was too weak. Pharon was too incorruptable. The Amranists were likely to be supported by the Devas, since their policies were pro-Deva. The Sovereignists would do, for now.

Gnomes
The Gnomes knew the world better than most. They had ears everywhere and they knew of the turmoil that is filling the world. So the Gnomes began to do the other things Gnomes do best, and that was to hide. Naturally stealthy, they had already hidden their cities well within their forest. They began to do even better. By the end of winter the Gnomes had so well hidden their cities that, if the Gnomes didn't want you to know where they were located, you simply could not find them. This protection was both magical and mundane so that no single form of detection could breach their primary defenses. The forest cities also began to extend their outposts further throughout the woods, making sure that any creature that entered or left was accounted for.

The Gnomish city on the coast fortified its wall and began to mount some of the rifles and cannon purchased from the Humans on its towers. The city near the mountains re-dug its moat and made alterations to the defensive structures as well. The ballistae and muls were replaced with mortars and rifles. The Gnomes were prepared as best they could be against any oncoming assault. They were leaving the rest to the protection of Sea.

They offered prayers and tended his sacred fish gardens but still he would not relent his rage throughout the winter. Priests dedicated to Luck cast lots and determined that Sea was simply angry. Things were happening that were beyond his control, the priests of Navigation said, and he was merely reasserting his authority. His temper would subside with the oncoming of the spring rains and they could once again return to the sea.

The priests who followed the ways of Exploration were very rarely in the cities any longer. Most of them spent their time in the Great Swamp with the Lizardfolk teaching and learning from them. The priests there had blended much of their worship of Sea with the worship of the primal forces that were bound up in Sea's nature. They worshiped the marsh and the beasts as they worshiped Sea. The Lizardfolk saw no problem with this. They had come from nature first and then had been enlightened towards Sea. They must pay homage to their roots and to that which powered their magics. This unsettled some of the priests of Sea who were there, being wary of their synchretism. But the Lizardfolk had proved to be peaceful and peace was what the Gnomes wanted most of all.

The Lizardfolk there taught the Gnomes many things about their swamp. They taught them about some of the medicinal herbs that grew there and how to create poisons and antidotes from animal toxins. Most importantly to the Gnomes, the Lizardfolk showed them how to better extract saltpeter from the swamps. Even though winter was an expected low time for production, with the Draegish techniques, production had not dipped at all. Come summer, production would likely double or triple thanks to the archaic ways of the reptilians.

All of these talks with the priests were culminated in a formal invitation by the Gnomish delegation for the Lizardfolk to become a part of the Gnomish government. Internal sovereignty would be granted the Lizardfolk and they would, under almost all circumstances, be allowed full autonomy. It had taken some time for the Gnome priests to educate the Lizardfolk on the idea of land ownership and property rights, but the shamans who lead each of the seven Draegish cities had come to understand. They agreed to the conditions set forward in the Gnomish treaty. No one expected such a radical mindset change to go completely smoothly and there would no doubt be some conflicts of confusion over the next few months, but the Gnomes had themselves a new ally in their swamp.

Eladrin
The mercenaries that had been hired for the campaign into the Goliath lands were holding steady. They had dug in and had built a rather defensible perimeter around their captured territory. They were no longer marching forward into new lands. They had not been ordered to, and the main military force had been withdrawn back into the empire proper. The mercenaries would simply hold their positions and wait.

They were still being paid and none of them were dying. For many, this was an ideal job. Even though they only fought a skirmish here and there against a roving Goliath tribe, still more mercenary troops were being funneled into the mountains. There were some squabbles and only one outright battle among the competing mercenary groups. Otherwise things were calm. Many of the mercenaries were unsettled by the Trail of Blood that wound through their camps, especially the Humans and Phaounm that were there.

Back in the capital, and in the other Eldren cities, mystical preparations were being made. The Trail of Blood was completed, all its magicks applied. Thousands of Eladrin opened their veins, their blood collected, to create a final piece to this grisly ritual. A ring of blood twenty feet wide circles the palace, painted on the cobblestones of the city. Special rites were performed for this bloody path, different than the Trail. Runes written in the Astral Tongue were scribed in the blood of the faithful marking the sides of the crimson road. These were all simply preparations for the ultimate sacrifice that was to come.

Deep in the mountains, things were oddly quiet. The military forces that had been sent to explore the region of Shemael had gone because of disturbances and now there were no disturbances. It felt to many of them like the eerie calm before a terrifying storm.

[Oracle_Hunter]

~ Humanity ~


Mercator Phokas Offices, Ankava"Look at all these people! The Phaoumn are breaking apart and we're getting the best pieces"

Milon Phokas rubbed his hands together greedily, a caricature of a Human merchant. Alva Phokas sighed quietly and went over to the window where Milon was stationed.
"Patriarch, the plains of Phaoumn will soon be awash with war. Even if we are able to enhance our domestic trade with these new goods, we cannot hope to make a decent profit without some gold coming in from outside the Kingdom."

Milon grinned and patted Alva condescendingly
"Oh Alva, don't you worry your pretty little head about that - profit always finds a way."


Comitia Tributa Chambers, Thaia"Praetor, we must take action on these refugees! Ethetica cannot allow this Phaoumn trash to squat on our Clanholds and live off our labor. You must send the guard to oust them!

"The representative from Ankava is thanked for his speech on this matter. However, it has never been the way of the Deva - or the Human - to refuse to succor those in need. Let us vote on the motion: To grant the Phaoumn refugees temporary Thaian citizenship, so that they can return to a life of normalcy working in our Freetowns and aiding the Clans in their agriculture."


The Devic Quarter, Chourogne"Centurion Lumen, the numbers at our gates grow daily. It is upsetting the priests, not to mention the Legion Lumen generally."

Centurion Lumen Baran nodded wearily, looking at the turbulent city from a guard tower. He had been dispatched to bring Light to these lands; to guard the merchants who provide needed goods to the benighted Phaoumn. Days of prayer and meditation had provided no answer to his troubles, and he had run out of time.
"Optio Lumen, gather our swiftest horses and the most skillful riders. They will be dispatched to the Phaoumn cities with a message"

Baran stopped suddenly and looked upwards, gazing into the dim sun in the winter sky. The silence grew.
"Sir? The message?"

Baran spoke with a solemness and regret, as if he were passing a death sentence
"The faithful among the Phaoumn are to be gathered into the Devic Quarter and granted sanctuary. After the faithful, bring in as many innocents as is possible. Once the priests have confirmed that all is in readiness through Sending, we will march to the Kingdom with the refugees. We may not be able to save Phaoumn, but we must do what we can."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Religion: The Lightbringers will attempt to lead refugee caravans from the Phaoumnic cities to the Devic Kingdom. Also, send the Seaborn amongst the Lizardfolk to learn of their ways and promote harmony.
Political: Phaoumnic refugees will be granted temporary citizenship and integrated into the Freetowns.
Commercial: Absorb the surge in workers and increase production with the new labor; establish firm trading relationship with the Lizardfolk (including a trade language of some sort). Cease sea trade until Sea gives the all-clear.
Military: Arm the reservists (people who had previously completed their required service) and train the increased conscripts. Deploy riflemen (with Minne ball ammo) and cannon at strong points around the Elven forces and pursue a containment strategy.

[Krrth]

Dwarves

Borric sat watching the fire. His message had so far gone unanswered, and that bothered him. Times were growing dark, and his people needed to be united in order to survive the oncoming storm.



================================================== =========
Political:Strengthen control of Dwarven lands

Economic: Continue to expand and improve roads and structures.

Religious: An order of Priests Militant is to be formed. The focus on Sea and his wrath....and how to use that wrath on others. Specifically, they specialize in ship to ship warfare.

Military: Continue training infantry tactics.

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The High Councilor stared at the High Priest, mouth slightly agape. After a few moments, and some squirming on the part of the priest, the High Councilor frowned. "You're sure that's what the message was? You couldn't have misinterpreted it or...something?" The last word sounds almost pleading. The High Priest sighs and shakes his head. "I'm afraid not. The message was very clear." The High Councilor nodded dejectedly. "Very well. You may go. I will inform the rest of the Council. It shall be done as Sea commands."

***

Rumors swept through the gnomish lands, hinting at a new proclamation from their god. Most hoped this meant an end to the storms and a return to trade. When several priests were spotted departing the city, the rumors grew: something big was happening. Those amongst the gnomes who paid attention to such things noticed the military stepping up, increasing their training and recruitment. Everyone feared Sea had sent them on a crusade, but no one dared speak such thoughts aloud. Only time would tell.

===========
Military: Secret
Trade: Secret
Religious: Secret
Political: Secret

[Aux-Ash]

Phaounm
Where the river Goloun joins with the river Esienne

The soldiers were singing songs and dancing little dances around the fires keeping them warm in the cold night. All over in the cold snow that were covering the huge camp the soldiers would be drinking themselves drunk and cheering to Sky for giving them a new year. This night, the first of the new year was dedicated to praising sky and remembering all the good things that had happened throughout the year.

Tylon himself was wandering on the small ridge upon which he had set up his own tent together with those of his most powerful allies. The command post for the twentyseven thousand men that had gathered to fight for the Sovereignists. He had given the order to spread the alcohol among the men in order to lift their spirits, they knew that spring was coming and that spring would bring death.

He'd rather move now, but he didn't want to move the army in the cold. It was both bad for morale and also... it is difficult to keep an army supplied properly. But as soon as the snow would smell he'd start moving.

He had to admit, he was nervous. He tried not showing it to the men and as far as he could tell he seemed to be succeeding. But in truth, he was really worried. He feared having to meet Lomard or Pharon on the battlefield, the former had a nobles education and the latter experience. Both knew war on some level. Tylon did not... but he had one trick at least Lomard did not have.

Lomard's men were all forced to serve against their will. Tylon's were too... but he had shared with them his plans for the nation. To make one strong Phaounm nation that was slaves to none and a power to match any other. As he had stood there before them and spoken with his fervor, he had felt how they cheered and saluted them. He knew that his strength was his passion and his speechcraft. He had used that to win the heart of the men. A powerful strength indeed.

Tylon took a deep breath and peered at the great oak on the hill opposite to the ridge. From it hanged the corpses of the seven assassins that had tried to kill him. Lomards goons. In his heart, Tylon wondered how many more would come...

... and if he would survive them all.

And yet... he wondered... if he actually wanted to live to see what spring brought.

Spring... would be hell.

---

Military + Political:
The calm before the storm. The entire race is bracing itself. Besides the usual assassination-attempts and the attempt to rally more allies, nothing particular happens.

Commerce:
Most merchants and guilds are trying to fortify or otherwise secure their businesses from the coming fight.

Religion:
The priests try to help the human paladins to rescue all who wish to flee to safety in the devic lands. Personally however, they will stay to protect their temples. Someone have to.

[Xondoure]

The forest had gone eerily quiet. "We have completed phase one, notify the second squadron that phase two will activate now."

On the planes of Deominia, a group of huddled humans stood before the commander. They had been offered a choice, to flee to the Deva and tell them of the events that had transpired here, or to take arms against them. A solemn oath was given that no harm would come to them should they flee, and the army continued on its way.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

actions are all standard except for religion, which continues to build towards the balance of nature, and military, which is secret.

[shadowxknight]

Somewhere in the Goliath Lands

The Warlord read the Archmage's new instructions with some relief. The new order is for them to march south to the tiefling colonies in the southwest. There his troops will rest and be rearmed with new equipment before continuing the campaign.
Since he isn't too far from his destination all villages he conquer in his way will be enslaved.
The bottom of the letter contained a personal message from the Archmage, saying how the streets are rife with rumors of how the Warlord are dominating the goliaths with minimal casualties to his own troops. Of how the Warlord is the best general of a line of great generals.
The Warlord sighed; the Archmage sure knew how to inflate one's ego


================================================== ===
Military: Have the Warlord march southeast to the tiefling colonies. Strengthen troops along the coastline with both tieflings and summoned monsters.
Political: Spread propaganda glorifying the Warlord's victories and how it was made possible by the united force of the Walord, the Archmage, and the Guildmaster.
Commerce: Spread irrigation to cultivate more farmland. Build aqueducts to keep cities healthy
Religion: Have priests of Sea bless the irrigations and aqueducts. Winners of arenas can now choose to sacrifice the loser to Earth before killing them.

[Lubirio]

//Shadar-Kai\\


In the Shadar-Kai throneroom

When The Queen first heard the news of the oncoming city, she was delighted, but knowing the Orogs were closer as she was, she decided it was time to see what they were made of. She ordered two diplomats to the two nearest cities, and another two alone to their capital. These missions were to get the Orog to accept that the two of them could live peacefully, and even profitably together by trading, the two diplomats going to the capital would offer enough mithril to make at least one battalion of about sixty Orogs, all armed and armoured with mithril, for peace, a free-trade agreement, and possibly aid if ever necessary. If the Orogs accept, one of the diplomats to the capital would stay as ambassador to the Orogs. these orders were given by the Queen near the beginning of Osprey, so the diplomats could return before month's end.


At the site of future Shadai/Kaisha

One of the constructors felt the forest looming over him and was eager to get back underground and dig the tunnel back to Cos-dnarcha for ease of access. He was aware the surface road to the capital was only there to make sure the tunnel to Kaisha was dug correctly. Shadai was just tfor access to the surface, but he didn't complain, if they would have any traders they would want to lead them in the right direction after all.

"Hey, did you hear the rumor yet?" A voice came from behind him.

"No, can you tell me?" The worker looked up, surprised.

"Well, the Princess is coming to live in the new city at the end of the month, so we would want to finish the main construction work then," The strange worker said, eager to see the Princess coming here.

"Well, she'd be coming overland then, because we haven't even begun to dig the tunnel yet, let alone finish it for transportation." The man said, still confused about it all.

"It's what I heard anyway, I also heard we're sending Assassins to the Orogs, but that's altogether plain stupid, we don't even have a wall here yet, let alone a fast way to support this in case of need," The other man said, still anxious about all the possibly happenings.

"I know we didn't send Assassins, we sent diplomats to talk peace and trade, where do you get your rumors?" The man said, now convinced the other man was always wrong about his rumors.

"Oh, well I guess we should still work hard on building this whatever happens, so let's get back to work then."

"Agreed"

==========

Political - Send diplomats to Orog cities in hopes of a peaceful resolution, continue building of city, and secret. :smallwink:
Economic - Regular trade, and secret. :smallwink:
Military - Finish outfitting army with adamantite, and secret. :smallwink:
Religious - Finish/continue drape for new temple in the old above-ground city, have artisans start new drapes for new city (one each for below- and above-ground). All drapes are to Earth.

Secret actions in private messages from now on...

[Mauril Everleaf]

End of Osprey, 138 VI, Middle of Spring
Humans
The Humans were anxious about the recent turns of events. The forest was attacking them, the sea was destroying them and the Phaounm were invading them with refugees. To top it all off, they were being re-enlisted to fight for the Devas. The border towns were beginning to fill with fleeing Phaounm and more were being brought in daily by the Lightbringers. It seems the border guards were simply keeping caravans from entering, not from leaving. Many of the Lightbringers stayed behind at the Phaounmic temples of Sky to help the priests defend them.

Thousands of Phaounmic refugees were being found temporary places to live and places to work. Many of them were taken into the fields to prepare for the spring sowing while others were given places in the shops and factories to work. A Phaounmic hand was just as good at making garments or furniture as a Human's. Many of the refugees, when given the opportunity chose to move to the norther cities. Further from the war in their homeland and the war in the south, they said.

In the south, another group of paladins were attempting to help another displaced people. The Lizardfolk who were inhabiting the southern swamp took well to whatever civilization the Humans and Devas brought to them. Clothes and cooking practices (cooking at all) were two things they particularly took well to. Though their scaled bodies needed no coverings, for modesty or protection, but they very much enjoyed the options to decorate themselves in a non-permanent way. They still had yet to get the hang of wearing full outfits, often wearing only partial sets and rarely in any combination that couldn't be described as garish.
Learning the language was much more difficult than expected. It seems that the Lizardfolk are physiologically incapable of articulating their mouths to make the sounds of Idiomic or Celestial. They could learn to understand them when spoken, but they simply could not form the words. Their language of hisses, clicks and chatters was more than difficult for the Humans to pronounce as well. With a concerted effort, a Human couuld learn to understand it when spoken. The two races were learning to communicate without magical means, although haltingly. As communication between the two races increased, so would their aural fluency. For the time being, important communications were still being conducted under the aid of a ritual caster. The Lizardfolk were being taught to read and write in Idiomic as well.

A trade of sorts was also quickly established. They Lizards had little to nothing to offer in recompense for the benevolence the Humans were showing them so some of the traders starting teaching advanced economic practice to the primitives, that is, they taught them how to purchase on margin. Not all of the traders were so trusting or so avaricious, but enough were to bring the Lizardfolk up above subsistence living. But more than goods, they desired to learn modern ways of living and production. They wanted to become self-sufficient, as they had always been, but no longer primitive. Some were confused as to why it was taking so long, but many understood that you can't rush these things.

But not all was well in the south as it was with the Lizardfolk. The Elves were launching a war, and the Devas had seen fit to return the favor. The Humans were preparing themselves for that war. They had called up their reserves to defend the cities and the regulars were sent down to the southern provinces. Those that were now the national guard were receiving a crash training in the rifles they had been given and made sure they were competent with a sword. The Human generals hoped that it wouldn't come to these guards to defend the cities, but it would be unwise to be unprepared. The regulars were sent to the major cities surrounding the Elven forest. This meant most of the troops were sent to the southern edge of the forest, with only a relatively small portion of the troops sent to Thaia and Sentiris. The open plains to the west and east of the forest were almost entirely indefensible against the Elven raids and the scrubland that dominates most of Maltheria is too harsh to station troops in.

Dwarves
Teltta was beginning to take shape. Permanent structures were being established and the Dwarven engineers were being well established. They were proving their mettle as construction engineers. It would not be long before their harbor was established and would be ready to receive ships. The ice pack was breaking up and soon the seafarers could return to the waters.

Back on the mainland, further groups of engineers were finishing cutting roads through the harsh soil. The smaller settlements were being attached to the larger cities by defined paths. Caravans were finding it easier to ferry goods and information between the cities. It was impressive how quickly the culture was advancing with these new communication routes and the centralized authority of Borric.

Borric's priests had advised him to bring out a new segment of priests. Many of the smaller tribes already dual-role priests, warrior and cleric, and these were to be the model for the new class of clerics. The Priests Militant, which some were calling the Kirkonmies, were to be trained in warfare and focus the wrath and tempestuousness of Sea into their combat. They would be selected from the existing priest order and from the elite of the fighting forces. They would command the new Altus longships, bringing on them specialized naval war tactics and bringing the blessings of Sea with them wherever they were to go.

The land based military was still receiving training in the tactics of group combat and following orders. Tribes each constituted their own division of troops, regardless of their size. Some of the larger clans had split themselves into unofficial divisions with captains who answered to the chieftain and each cheiftain answered to Borric himself. Borric was teaching them tactics that he had learned from their short alliance with the Eladrin, and this month he was showing them tactical movements and the art of the retreat. They took well to troop movements, but struggled with retreats. It wasn't that they didn't understand them, it was simply an ideological difference.

The Roykkio, Merenkaynti and the Katukoroke were still holding firm in their independence. They saw no reason that they need to absorb themselves into Borric's tribe. He may have been able to cow those other tribes into licking his boots, they said, but not them. It would take more than empty promises and minor threats to move them.

Gnomes
((Yay for a completely secret turn! :smalltongue:))

((I'm going to have to edit in some response tomorrow.))

Phaounm
The tension was palatable in the air as each faction was simply waiting for someone else to move first, or to wait for a weakness to be exposed so that the first strike would be worth the branding of inciting the civil war. Lomard had gathered the support of many of the guilds and as such was one of the best supplied of the factions. His army was not the best, nor did he have an overwhelming support of the people, but was backed by the majority of the guilds.

Pharon had nearly the full military under his control by this point. The remaining gryphon flights had been given into his command and he had gained a few more regiments of fusilie. He had established himself solidly in the south and he was the most proactive of the major factions, establishing patrols and guarding the borders from non-Phaounmic intruders. Tylon had an impressive force of citizen soldiers fighting for him. He had decided that the way to win this war was to incite the people, because it was the people, and not the guilds or the guns, that made up the cities and it was through their hearts and minds that revolution would happen. Their armies included many regiments of trained soldiers, but for every army regular there were six or seven of this "people's army".

Rannier knew that his case was hopeless but he simply could not just walk away from his position. He had the support of two or three divisions of troops, a mix of traditional and gunpowdered troops, and had only Jalme and the tailor's guild backing him. He knew that he would not last long but, in a last moment burst of courage, he decided that he would not go down without firing a single shot. He would defend himself, however feebly.

On a smaller scale, the people who had not taken up arms had taken up their belongings and were fleeing the cities as best they could. Many had to stay because they could not afford to lose all they had, but thousands poured over the borders. Those that weren't escorted by the Lightbringers into the Devic Empire fled for the Orog plains. Some planned to travel even further, seeking refuge among the Shadar-Kai, who had long been kind to refugees. The priests and guilds remained in the cities protecting that which was important to them.

Elves
The Bosquemal was an unsettled place. It had been many months since there had been true calm in the forest, but this was a new kind of unrest. It was an air of excitement. They had done real damage to the Devas at Deominia and the Devas had responded as predicted. On the fourteenth day of Osprey about two hours after sunset, they struck again. This time they launched three simultaneous attacks on Mura, Ardora and Ophera, the three major cities of Aenieria. Mura's defense fell rather quickly, but Ardora and Ophera held strong. Their walls would not be breached. A considerable counterattack was mounted at each of those cities and the Elven skirmishers retreated back into the Bosquemal.

The aftermath of Mura was interesting. None of the wounds that the Humans had sustained were fatal, merely incapacitating. With some rest and a small amount of medical attention, they would be back in service of the Crown. The Devas who had been stationed in the city or simply lived there were all the recipients of fatal strikes. The Elven rangers were more accurate with their longbows, it seems, than anyone outside the forest had expected. A few Humans from that city were taken captive, but returned unharmed a few days later.

The Elves also learned just how deadly the musket could be in the hands of a trained user. They had expected them to be deadly and expected casualties in these guerilla raids, but the ferocity of the rifles made the warriors on the field hesitate for just a moment.

Within their forest, the druids were trying to attune the Dragelfs to the totality of nature and not just the Earth, which they had long worshiped, and Chrysophylax, the primordial of the forest they now worshiped. Breakthroughs were happening but slowly. They had been worshiping their aspects for a hundred generations. Change would not come quickly. The priests of the dragon (if they could be called priests) were attempting to convert the druids the whole time.

Tieflings
The Warlord continued his march southward along the eastern slopes. He was met with little resistance. Either there were no tribes here or they had wizened up and moved westward. Or the Warlord had simply destroyed all the Goliaths that there were to be had. He reached the southern colonies by the end of the month, having carved a path completely through the Goliath territory. He suffered few casualties, with more of the deaths coming from the terrain than from the few skirmishes they fought.

The settlements that had established themselves in the wake of the army were still struggling. Life was not easy on the frontier and the supply trains were not coming very regularly. The few caravans that did arrive brought more orders than goods. The frontier cities had been commanded to begin work on aqueducts from the mountain streams to ferry fresh water into the cities. The settlements in the plains and not the mountains were provided with seed to begin farming the grassland around them. They had been given implements to lay irrigation lines through the land to improve the yield. When both were completed, priests of Sea would go and bless the waterways.

Back in the cities, the streets were singing the praises of two individuals. They praised the Archmage for his masterful leadership and for the games that he had brought them. He was loved among the people and almost none would speak ill of him. They also sang of the conquests of the Warlord. The people loved victory stories and they were brought to them in greater abundance than the Warlord would have cared to know. Many of them were outright fabrications and all of them were exaggerated.

The arenas were still a massive success with the people, especially now that many of the citizens could now treat them as a religious event. The gladiators, almost unanimously, were chosing to offer their defeated foes to the Earth Mother before finishing them. Most thanked the goddess for their victory, killed their opponent and offered the spilled blood as payment for their next victory. Only a handful did not make their kills sacrifices and those boldly proclaimed that their victories were their own, some because Earth was not so petty as to care about these battles and others because they wanted to prove that it was their own talent, and not divine favor, that had lead them to victory. It seemed both were wrong, and they rarely survived through another battle.

Shadar-Kai
Shadai was still many months from completion. By the end of Osprey a thin stone wall had been built around the central clearing. It wouldn't stand up against any real assault, but it would discourage brigands and beasts looking for an easy target. Many of the rumors that had washed around the work camps were unfounded. The princess was not coming, nor were there any reasons to assume that assassins were being sent anywhere. Establishing this city as an effort of expansion was already a radical enough policy for the Shadar-Kai.

What had been sent to the Orogs were not assassins but diplomats. They were going to smooth things over with the plains people if they had discovered the settlement and weren't taking well to this. If they hadn't yet discovered Shadai, the emissaries would try to secure an agreement to build a settlement there.

The new city was already receiving an influx of refugees seeking a place to live. Hundreds of families had set up in Cos'dnarcha and many more were migrating their way to the Shadar cities, known to be welcoming of refugees. Many of them arrived just in time for the unveiling of the new tapestry to Earth in the seaside temple. It was magnificent and the adamantine fibers woven into it were more than a sight to behold. It hung nearly forty feet long and carried classic Earth iconography. Many who entered the temple immediately fell to their knees at the beauty of it. It contained almost magical qualities. Other tapestries could not even dare to match the majesty of this, but their artists would need to try if they valued their lives.

Adamantine was also being forged into the final batch of Shadar weaponry. These, a set of broad headed spears, were the final bit of armaments needed to entirely refit the army. The last pieces of scale and chain had been forged as winter was melting into spring and these spears were finished as spring was in full force. The soldiers were getting used to their heavier arms and equipment. Some wished that they could return to their lighter mithril, but they knew better than to question why the change had happened. They would simply learn to use their new gear the best that they could without comment.

[Xondoure]

Anzion Istarel ground his teeth as the Elf lay gasping for breath, his side almost torn out by gun fire. "Their weapons have become so savage, we need a way to stop these metal fangs before they tear to many of us to shreads. He kept pacing, muttering impatiently as a doctor began removing the bullets, the Elf had by now fainted with shock.
"Berellion, you said their was something you wanted to show me?"
Stumbling forward, the young ranger reached into his cloak and withdrew a Devic fire arm, in nearly perfect condition. He then let his other hand open, revealing a fistful of ball ammo. "Right here Anz, I managed to take this off of one of them jailers in the last skirmish. I think if given enough time, our researchers might be able to recreate-"
"No, we won't resort to using such cruel weapons and undignified weapons. They give to much power, you saw our opponents, as soon as they fired these things their faces would change to one of greed for the next shot. Killing should be hard, death should be natural, neither should be fun."
Brellion shook his head and spun the fire arm on top of a stump, "Then what do you want to do Anz? They may not be a match for a longbow at range, and I agree that they taake far to long to reload, but nevertheless one good shot from these things can ravage us."
"Our longbows are enough, at their speed they can go through the neck of one to find the throat of another. The only thing they have to worry about is armor." Anzion said, grimacing as he remembered wasting three shafts against a Deva until he finally managed to find the weak point petween the hel and the chest. That had been at four hundred yards.
"These things would tear through armor-"
"And more. I know Berellion, I know, but just because we have that opportunity does not mean we should take it. In fact I have a better idea. Since we have such a weapon, why not try and find a substance that it cannot penetrate? If we could find some means of protection... He stopped dead. "Come with me, I have something to discuss with the Dragelf.

Yenedai al Druidal stood perched atop the ruined oak, watching her brother argue with Berellion nearby the med cam established here in the old ruined capital. Doing a neat backflip, she let herself fall deep into the earth before transforming into a bat and taking flight into the darkness. This underworld fascinated her. Here, life had lived, feeding off of the power of the dragon, without the sun for thousands of years. Already the Druids had found flora and fauna long thought to have died out completely. AS the silver bat made its way through the dark, shevaguely sensed the bright lights that meant the Dragelf city. Flying higher into the dark, she turned and dove straight into the middle of it, landing with an easy grace her footsteps matched theclamor as she made her way to the temple.

"Dragon hide? You want to see our stores of dragon hide?" The okd Dragelf stared at them suspiciously.
I remember reading that the scales of a dragon had tremendous strength even after they had been discarded for a thousand years. And also that when the dragon awoke, that the skins he should have shed for two ages came undone, and that they are held in this temple."
"That doesn't explain why you want to see it."
"Such a resource, if true, could go a long way to protecting our people. We lack the metal for armor, and besides it is to heavy to allow for the freedom of movement need in our fighting style. But a dragonhide tunic, that may win this war."
I'll show you the scales, but you won't be usng it to make clothes, it is sacred, and should be treated with respect.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

commerce/religious: Research the properties of dragon hide, and whether it can be made into a suitable light armor (or deflect bullets for that matter).
military: secret
political: secret

This is the first time I have decided to use the Elven racial ability of trading a religious point for a commerce one. :smallsmile:

[DrakebloodIV]

The Waterlogged Swamp
Southern Valderia

The Lizardfolk have come a long way, yet they have a long way to go. Cook pots, fire-starters, clothes, rags, swords, pens, books and torches have all become valuable commodities. The Chieftain has taken well to these things. Unlike some of the others, he has developed a genuine taste in clothing. His rusty red scales he highlighted with streamers of golden thread and he wore a vest of vivid orange. A pitch black sash inlaid with silver thread punctuated the attire, the sum of those showing his massive wealth among the Lizardfolk. One of the traders walked up to his camp. A large bronze kettle on the fire, he filled it with Devic jasmine.

"Greetings, Chieftain, I must again ask something of your people. But I bring gifts to compensate.

The Chief gives an agreeable hiss, covering his teeth in a fashon that represents happiness to the Lizardfolk. In responce the trader unravels a tapestry, it shows a history of the Lizardfolk as cronicled by the Chieftain. It showed their coming out from the Great Seas, their first meeting with water, a series of several wars with a smaller, dragonlike, species of creature, lines of chiefs, several droughts and such, and their travel to the Waterlogged Swamp. It totaled fifteen feet in length and five feet in width, and was made of beautiful silk.

<What do you wish in return?> Asked the Chieftain in his hissing tongue

"I wish to take fifty of your men and train them in the Devic arts of war"

<As you wish, swift handed folk, this piece of sky is too beautiful to pass up>

"Sun bless you, people of the Sea"

The trader walks away as the Chieftain and his people fuss with the new piece of cloth.


The Great Delta
Ophera

The Lizardfolk are brought into the city within a week, their shock at the size and complexity of it. And the cloth, metal, wood and gold that reside within it. They, however, are brought to a military training barracks along the coast. A Devic swordsman, Matthais, is here to teach them the art of double swords.

"I am Matthais, lord of twin sabres. Before me here are your weapons. I will be teaching you in the art of swordsmanship"

Over a series of days the Lizardmen learn the art of the sword. Rather than using two swords as the Deva does, they use three. One in each hand and one on the tail. Moving in a spinning motion they form an effective hurricane of blades. After two weeks they are ready, faster and deadlier than any swordsmen before them. They are quickly shipped off up south, to the deserts of Maltheria, vaster and more desolate than any these Lizardmen have seen before. Each is given a waterskin and a bow, and Beduis of the Sandmen to escort them.

"In the desert you must be masters of camoflague. Stealty attackers capable of tracking your foes."

They are taught to stalk their foes and use nature itself as a weapon, hiding, hunting and poisoning their weapons.

"You are ready."

--------------------------------------------------
Military- Obviously Secret, but also trade the Threeblade Swordmasters
Trade- Continue trading with the Lizardmen
Religious- Pray for Victory from Sky, Pray for Drought for the Elves
Political- Offer sanctuary to any Phaoumn or Elf who does not want to participate in war.

[Krrth]

Dwarves

It had been a long winter. The lack of raiding had been a problem. Fortunately, the training, building, and general increase in infrastructure had taken the worst out of the trouble.

Meanwhile, Borric looked out his window at his city. Without turning, he spoke.

Has a response come on my message yet?

Upon hearing a negative, Borric sighed.

I'll give it a little longer, but I can't afford to wait much longer.

Now....is the fleet ready?


================================================== ========

Military: Advanced tactics. The Dwarven fleet is practicing ocean tactics. The main goal is to determine the best way to include the new ships and priests. Likewise, the new ships are being tested and improved.

Religious: The priests of Sea try to determine what is upsetting him, and what they can do about it.

Economic: Supplies are sent to both the new cities, North and South. These supplies consist of building material, troops, priests, engineers, food, trade goods, and money (in the case of the southern outpost).

Political:Ships, supplies, and troops are sent to the Goliath nation.
Outposts will be set up and protected by Dwarves. Food and supplies will be destributed to the Goliath. Any Goliath that wishes may come back to the Dwarven nation. They will be covered by Dwarven law, and will be allowed to "enlist" if they so desire.

[Oracle_Hunter]

~ Humanity ~

Humanis Party Headquarters, Aesperis
Alva Phokas knocked hesitantly on the half-opened door before entering the room. Inside was the stately office of Battista Concordia, scion of Clan Concordia and party chief for all of Lustria. Alva did not know why she was there, but she had her suspicions. This did not make her happy.
"Ah, you must be Alva of Mercantor Phokas. Please, do sit down."

Alva walked carefully over to an overstuffed chair opposite Councilor Concordia's desk and lowered herself gently into its embrace.
"Would you like some brandy? I enjoy a snifter myself on cool spring days like these. No? Well, then down to business."

Battista gave her a toothsome smile
"I understand your Patriarch sent you to deliver a message?"

Alva nodded darkly. She did indeed have a message for Battista - a sealed steel scrollcase with his name written upon its label; it was but one of many, all addressed to people of various stations - some high, and some quite low. Alva handed over the proper case from her enchanted satchel and glowered as he read over its contents.
I'm one of the best merchants in Mercantor Phokas - I should be preparing the spring caravans and setting prices, not running all over the Kingdom playing messenger girl. Elves or no elves, the Phaoumn-woven textiles from Ankava should turn a tidy profit - provided Emil negotiates well with the Weavers. Sky-blasted Milon - what is he thinking?

"Alva? Miss Phokas?"

Suddenly snapped out of her reverie, Alva focuses on the man before her.
He seems nervous. Uncertain. What did that scroll say?

"Did the Patriarch tell you anything more about this scroll?"

"I'm sorry, Councilor - I'm just a messenger."

Battista placed the open scroll before him and poured a snifter of brandy for himself.
"A bold plan, but he moves too quickly. To embrace the Phaoumn..."

Alva leaned forward, intent on his next words. Seeing her sudden attention, Councilor Concordia leaned back and assumed a Devic manner - devoid of emotion.
"I will prepare a message for you to deliver to the Patriarch before you leave tomorrow. Thank you for your service."

Crestfallen, Alva rose, made a small curtsy, and exited the room - leaving Battista Concordia alone to consider the implications of Milon's plan.
Bold indeed, but perhaps necessary. After all, The Great Plan said nothing about Humanity moving without allies...


Southern Forces Headquarters, Sumannor
Ensign Brutus Ferox paced angrily about the feast hall of the converted Devic Commission Building as servants unrolled maps, filled lanterns, and placed chairs about the feast table.
"Earth take you all, where are those reports! If the Legate gets here and finds us with our breeches around our ankles, you'd best bend over and kiss your arse goodbye."

"No need to be coarse, Ensign. The Deva have remarkable patience in such matters."

Brutus whirled about in surprise and threw a hasty salute towards the party entering through the ceremonial doors.
"Legate Elariao! I did not expect you so soon."

"At ease, Ensign. The events of the past month have placed us in a dire position; in such times, even the Deva may hurry. Lord Anduvar has stated in no uncertain terms that Valderia will be the battlefield for this coming war and he does not wish to give our enemy any more time to set it to his advantage."

Legate Elariao glided forward with unnatural grace, trailing a squad of bodyguards, attendants, and advisers. Without fuss, he made himself comfortable at the head of the table as his attendants spread themselves about, giving orders and delivering papers. Ill at ease, Brutus walked to stand beside the Deva and awaited his next order.
"You Humans can be quite clever at times - it is a pity we waited so long to take advantage of your... tactical awareness. A Centurion of Clan Leocar came to us with a fascinating plan of attack. With careful implementation, it may allow us to hold the Elves at a stalemate long enough for the full weight of the Evershining Army to descend upon them."

He turned his face towards Brutus, his milky eyes fixed upon Brutus's rough features.
"He spoke highly of you, Ensign. 'A man of ferocity and bravery' were his words, I believe. I hope you are worthy of his praise - he is a most interesting Man."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Commercial: Intensify sea-trade as the seas calm; continue Phaoumn integration - particularly in jobs abandoned by Humans drafted for military service.
Everything Else: War Effort (Private)

[Aux-Ash]

Phaounm
Outside Jialme. Fifth day of the Sovereignist siege.

The camp was buzzing with activity, siege engineers were rolling the heavy recently finished catapults forward into firing range. Mortars were thundering on the ridge they had been deployed and hundreds of men were forming up, waiting for the order to start approaching the walls.

Tylon had waited five days for the city to surrender, this morning he had finally decided to storm the city. He wasn't much of a general, but he had a few under his command who were. They were now coordinating their men or raising the spirits of those who would be sent forward. They had told him that casualties were to be expected. Despite that two divisions of soldiers from the city had left to assist Rannier, the city was still well defended. Good solid stone walls, plenty of towers with heavy ballistas to harass approaching formations of soldiers and mudde ground to slow his men down to boot.

But it did not matter, he had to move. He had little more than a month to secure the northern cities Jialme and Alamenne. Once he had done that he could start moving sotuh, focusing on a single front rather than two and he could restart the overland trade with the Deva. To bring him much needed supplies and fund his war effort.

He turned his back to the activities in the camp and returned to the table with the map over the Phaounm lands. The markers on it indicated the positions of his opponents. It seemed so far that the Amranists were consolodating the power around the western coast, securing the southwestern coast and the Oro rivervalley. Pharon on the other hand seemed to be securing the area around Chourogne and the inner sea.
He peered at the little marker in the southwestern lands, his spies had mentioned that there were some sort of troop buildup that preyed on the local populace there. Soldiers that seemingly had appeared out of nowhere.

It worried him, if the Amranists raised troops in secrecy on the countryside it could mean they had many more soldiers available than he thought. The worst part was that his spies seemed to have trouble finding them, these soldiers seemed to literally vanish like ghosts after the few times they were seen. Tylon hoped that these rumours hadn't reached his soldiers yet, he was sure it'd unnerve them.

Behind him he heard some officers bark orders and the heavy sound of the catapults swinging into action. It seemed that the time for preparation had ended and that the civil war had begun in it's earnest.

-----
Commerce, Political, Religion:
Civil war, no particular actions have happened in these categories

Military:
Sovereignists:Besieges Jialme, they'll try to, as swiftly as possible, take it by force and then spend a few days securing (and plundering) before they move on to Alamenne. Once at Alamenne they'll allow themselves to prolong the siege up to a week before assaulting unless the month is drawing to it's end.

Amranists:Will as peacefully as possible secure the southwest before they'll advance north to fight the Sovereignists. They do not expect to begin moving until the very final days of the month.

Pharon:Secures the populous areas around the inner sea and Chourogne. Once that has been done he'll start moving north along the eastern side of the river and send some forces to secore the southeast.

Rannier:Tags along with Pharon, assisting him. For now.

For anyone with a decent spynetwork in Phaounm lands:
A new faction vying for power has emerged. "The Brothers of the Shadrachille". Little is currently known about these former rebels beyond that they operate in the south-southwest (east of the Amranists, west of Pharon)

[Lubirio]

((Sorry for lack of RPing, should insert some tomorrow, or not, my excuses))

==========

Political - Continue building Shadai and start digging the tunnel from both cities (about 5'x5' for now, when connected expand to 15' horizontal, 20' vertical with an arc at the top for stability), also secret.
Economic - Start naval trade back up, also secret.
Military - Secret.
Religious - Still weaving drapes, also secret.

For factions with adequate information on what the secret actions might possibly involve:
That means the Phaounm :smallwink::
Keep sending military, political and economical support to the 'Brothers of Shadrachille' sent some priests over to pray for them and make sacrifices to Earth. If time allows, start attacking the Amranists with hit-and-run tactics

[Ipphli]

Gnomes

The giant eagle soared along on the thermals high above the ground. Its two riders continuously looked down on all sides, examining the mountains below. Finally one of them tapped the other on the shoulder. "There's none here. We should move on!" The lead rider nodded his head and, with a few squeezes of his legs and taps on the back, guided the eagle forward.

For hours they continued this, until finally they spotted what they were looking for. Grinning to each other, they spiraled down, nervous about the coming meeting...

*******

The High Councilor read the report aloud, then took in each of the other council members. "Some have agreed. Others we've been unable to contact. Others are hesitant, but the envoys are confidant they can convince them." Agriculture stood up and cleared his throat before speaking. "And how will we supply them? We may not be able to handle the strain for long."

The High Councilor looked at Agriculture for a moment, then laughed. "Surely you jest! We export more supplies than most other countries produce! I realize your profits may take a slight decline, but think of the long term! This is merely an investment in our future. I promise you, they will return whatever we invest in them a hundredfold in our lifetimes." The other councilors all smiled and nodded, including Agriculture.

*******

A notice is sent out along with the gnomish trade ships that season. Filled with flowery words and compliments specific to the race its sent to, each of them ends up saying the same thing: due to the increased amount of conflict among the other races, the Urman forest is closed to any peoples not a part of the Gnomish Confederation. Any person or persons found within the forest without special permission from the Council will be fined, imprisoned, and/or killed. Trade outposts have already been established on the borders of the forest to facilitate trade. The coastal cities will remain open, as well.

*******

The gnome muttered strange words under his breath, his concentration on the sapling before him. Before his and his teacher's eyes, the sapling grew, until it was several years older than it had been before. Smiling, the teacher patted the gnome on the head. "Very good. I believe you have mastered all I have to teach you. What will you do now?" The gnome smiled widely. "Teach others of course. The few we have here won't be enough. We need more."

=======
Military: Continue training all military forces. A new order of protectors and guardians of the forest will be established. Combining elvish druidism and draegish shamanism, mixed with gnomish magic, to create something entirely different. (4e wardens basically, with some illusionist thrown in) And Secret.
Political: Send notice of closure of the forest to every nation. And Secret.
Trade: Avoid sending ships to the Phaounm, save one messenger to deliver the aforementioned notice. Encourage trade with the dwarves and seek a faster means of trading with them. And Secret.
Religious: Continue studies with the lizardfolk, continue sending out missionaries of Sea to other countries, save the Eladrin.

[shadowxknight]

Tieflings

The Palace of the Dreadlord
Throneroom
Earlier in the Month

The Archmage looked down at the gathered nobles whom are discussing the latest rumors circulating the so called upper society. Unlike the fief lords who at least raise armies to protect the land, these nobles hoard the common peoples' taxes while their armies sit idly in already well protected cities. But that will now change.
"My dear countrymen. In your discussions I have oft heard the mentions of General Buroth and his recent victories on the western front. Now I offer you a chance to join him in his glory.
Some nobles visibly paled, while a few others stared at him disbelieving.
"I now command you to lead your personal armies to reinforce General Buroth. You must lead these troops yourselves to show the commoners how the nobles are not just parasites feasting upon their hard earned coin."
To his surprise and glee, some of the nobles actually looked eager to go.
The Originator's blood still runs deep within at least a few of these nobles.
"However I will provide those of you who do not wish to go with an alternative. Instead of leading your armies yourselves, you can instead send your troops to occupy the now empty goliath lands. However if you choose to do this, you must also invest money to build fortresses within those lands while providing housing and protection to the commoners who settle there.
The choice is yours. But if you decide to do neither....hehehe."
The Archmage's chuckle caused all who were in attendance to feel a shiver up their spine. Before they could acknowledge his message, their Dreadlord was already gone.


In the Southern Colonies...
Second Half of the Month

The Warlord looked at his gathered troops and could feel the restless energy brooding within them.
Although when they first arrived at the colonies a month ago the soldiers complained about how they never wanted to go on a campaign again, within three weeks they already became restless. The Warlord had to strictly forbid the troops from fighting each other in that last week, and even so some minor scuffles still occured.
"Brave tiefling warriors, the time has come to finish what we started months ago. Long has the goliaths been harrying our settlements and lands; although we beat them back and enslave them, always they return to be a thorn at our side. But no more! With this campaign, we shall wipe out the goliath race from the face of the world. The other races shall tremble at the power of the tiefling empire!"
His soldiers let out cheers, and with a wave of his masamune the army began to march.

================================================== =
Military: First half of month reinforce Warlord's troops with fresh equipment, men, summoned monsters, and provide them with entertainment. Second half set out to wipe out the goliath. In other parts of the nation, continue to recruit and train soldiers.
Commerce: Complete the Kuros. Began building roads to connect southern colonies with main part of the empire.
Political: Encourage/coax/bully rich nobles to invest in new lands with troops and money. Encourage colonization of the new lands. Send envoy to each Phaounm faction.
Religion: Have priests of Earth bless each new settlement with sacrifices. Have priests of Sea learn from the missionaries from gnomes on how to better please Sea.

[Mauril Everleaf]

End of Tree, 138 VI, End of Spring
Elves
Yendai was shown to a large natural chamber in the Dragelf city. Most of the other chambers, rooms and corridors were carved or dug by the subterranean Elves, but this was a natural cavern that had been unearthed when the city was constructed. This room contained only two things: a very large stone table and a layer of dragon scales. The priest refused, however, to let Yendai touch any of the scales, let alone touch them. They were sacred artifacts to the Dragelf and asking to use them in experiments would be like asking the Elves to burn down their own forest. They simply would not agree to such a thing. Yendai was, predictably, not pleased with this encounter and made many attempts to persuade the priesthood to allow their use. As a parting shot, she muttered that the scales were likely useless anyway.

This incited the priests greatly. In anger and defiance they thrust upon her enough of the scales, they said, to make one suit of armor. How they knew how much it would take to make one suit of armor, Yendai could only guess, but she had received the scaly hide she had come for and departed for the other druids to begin their testing of the material. The scales were heavy and their properties only rudimentarily understood. It would take some time before they could be crafted into a suit of armor.

Outside of the forest, stage two of the Elven battle plans were about to take effect. Their raids in the south had been but a rouse to draw the focus of the Devic commands away from the Elves' true target: Aesperis. Twenty thousand Elves and Dragelfs poured out of the forest near Sentiris and stormed overland towards the capital. They swiftly arrived at the outskirts of Aesperis, taking a mere five days to cover the distance. They met and defeated a handful of military outposts, suffering minor losses. Above them soared the mighty wyrm Chrysophylax. He had taken to the skies and to those who survived to tell of the sight it was unclear who was leading and who was following.

The Elven rangers and Dragelf infantry, on their sixth day out of the forest, began their assault on the heavily fortified metropolis. Though the majority of the Devic army had moved to the south, Aesperis was never left without a full guard. The battle would have easily resulted in the defenders' favor if not for the primordial being that had allied itself with the Elves. Chrysophylax tore through the ranks of the mostly Human guards and crushed a section of the wall with his mighty tail. He filled the streets with his caustic breath, killing hundreds of men, women and children. Through the whole in the defensive curtain, the Elven army rushed in to continue the battle and to sack the city.

They were able to take the city, though it was nearly in ruins. The city had been defended to the last breath by the soldiers manning the walls and turrets. Nearly four thousand Humans and their Devic commanders lay dead. Nearly ten thousand of the Elven forces were slain as well. The defenses were solid in Aesperis and the rifles were deadly accurate. Even with the aid of the dragon, this was not an easy battle. So many were killed that none but the officers could be revived. The Elves had taken the capital, but at a heavy loss.

The majority of the Elven force dispersed almost immediately into the surrounding countryside, with only a few thousand remaining in the city. Chrysophylax set himself up prominently on the high tower of the keep and gazed down on the destruction that he had unleashed. He was pleased with himself very much.

Devas
The denizens of Ophera were at first slightly averse to the reptilian people being brought into their city. The Humans were not a xenophobic people, although it sometimes took them a little while to adjust to new things. They were still reeling from the brutal, if unsuccessful, assault by the Elves and not all of the carnage had even a chance to be cleared. They people had right to be skittish of outsiders. However, since the merchants had been dealing with the Lizardfolk for a short while, many of the Humans had heard rumor of the reptilian folk that had been discovered in their swamp. Many were curious to see them. Standing, all of them, over six feet tall and weighing nearly twice as much as the average Human, not to mention the claws, sharp teeth and long stout tail, they were a fearsome sight to those that dared look.

The warriors were taken into one of the military training camps to meet with the swordmaster Matthias. He discarded the Lizardmen's spears and stone axes and gave each of them a pair of steel swords. They were to be trained as he had been trained, the Tempest Technique. Matthias trains them for two weeks and they show some natural prowess for the two-bladed fighting. They were then caravaned northward where they would be taken to Estelle and then the Maltherian desert. The trip would take a few weeks overland, especially during the war where all roads were heavily guarded and all caravans scrutinized. They should arrive by the first of Anvil to begin their training.

Caravans returned to the Waterlogged Swamp regularly to bring new goods to the Lizardfolk communities in exchange for various natural resources that the Draegish folk had harvested. New kinds of herbs and vegetables that the Humans and Devas had never seen comprised the majority of the imported goods, while the exports consisted mostly of clothing, tools and metal items such as pots and flatware. The tapestry that had been gifted to the Lizardfolk by the Devas had all but disintegrated in the past few weeks. The Lizardfolk had seen no need to give it special protection since everything that they made was capable of surviving in swamplands on its own. The Devas hadn't thought of this either, never having needed to make something that needed to survive unaided in swamplands.

On the western border, more Phaounm were pouring in daily. The Devas had set up ordinances to invite and protect them under the law and were helping to relocate them to areas more suitable for the influx of refugees. They extended the same courtesy to the Elves. Or rather, they would have, had any of the Elves left the forest without the intent to harm the Devic Empire in some way. This increased hostility had resulted in prayers to Sky seeking punishment on the Elves. Priests prayed for no rain to fall in the Bosquemal and, for the remaining weeks of Tree, no rain fell over the forest.

Dwarves
Spring had arrived for the Dwarves, which meant that the ice pack was as broken up as it would ever be and the new Alus ships were tired of remaining in dry dock. Each clan brought their new warship to the sea and immediately began to test their capabilities. The increased size took some getting used to, but the extra sail meant that there would be no loss in speed. Their covered decks, which carried ballistae and muls, kept the oarsmen safer than before. Several of the clans practiced boarding opponent ships and found the increased bulk made it slightly more difficult but not intensely so. The Alus was stronger, while being just as fast and as agile as the Pursi, and was capable of carrying half again as many Dwarven raiders.

The Kirkonmies were proving to be quite valuable for the new ships. Any Dwarven sailer could read the currents or forecast upcoming squalls, but it the Priests Militant seemed to be exceptionally good at it. The seemed to have tapped into the nature of Sea himself and could roll with his mood swings. Not that Sea could predict himself with one hundred percent accuracy, but these priests were better than the average helmsman at predicting these occurances. The Kirkonmies, in tune with Sea, reveal that there is nothing that the Dwarves can do and they assure Borric that his rage is not aimed at them. The rough seas, which they should be able to handle, are merely the consequence of his fluid domain.

One of the first true tasks for the Alus and the Kirkonmies is an expedition southward toward Goliath territory. It has been some time since the Dwarves had made contact with their Katholik cousins. Two Alus, carrying a total of about 150 Dwarves, carried full sails and strong oars southward. They carried with them lumber, axes, hammers, canvas, a dozen or so of the new engineering corps troops and a few sacks of plunder. They were going down to establish themselves and outpost with the Goliaths, hoping to reestablish a long lost bond. Their journey began on the thirtieth day of the month and, with the favorable winds, were able to arrive and begin construction on the first outpost before the month was out. Small bands, accompanied by priests, ventured into the mountains to look for Goliath tribes.

Humans
Things were not going well for the Humans, at least not in an official capacity. The Elves were, it seemed, pouring out of their forest to destroy that which the Humans had come to hold dear. It wasn't necesarily the society that the Devas had set up for them, but rather their cities and their people. The Elves had torched Deominia and had slain nearly all the Devas in Mura.

The Phaounm too were pouring over their border and invading the Humans' cities. The Devas had given orders for places to be found for them, especially to replace the Humans who had been called to war. The majority of the Humans that had been called up had come from the fields or from the lower skilled jobs. The Phaounm were grateful for the work, even though none of it was easy. Ethetica and Atlia were receiving the highest concentrations of the refugees.

Some of the Phaounm were also ushered southward to the major trade ports. The Phaounm were reknown sailors and the Mercators and Latronis Aquoreus were more than willing to take on experienced hands. The Humans were reinitiating their trade with both the Shadar-Kai and with the Gnomes. The Phaounmic ports were all but closed, and any transations would be with a specific faction and not with an established government. Until the Devas chose a side, or the civil war ended, there would be no legitimate trade with the Phaounm.

The attack on Aesperis had taken the Humans and Deva by surprise. They had concentrated their forces in the south hoping to stave off further attacks on the southern cities. The raids in Solvona and Aenieris were feints, it seems, simply a rouse to draw attention away from the capital. The Humans had been able to set up some defenses over the last month, which aided greatly in the ultimately failed defense of Aesperis. The mines that had been laid around the major cities had destroyed a good portion of the first wave of Dragelfs trying to make it through the breach made by the dragon. The homeguard had defended the city valiantly but were ultimately no match for the Elves aided by their god-being.

The response, however, was swift. There had been plans set in place on the off chance that the Elves brought forth a real assault. The elite forces were quickly mobilized. The Lightbringers and the Seaborn paladin regiments rushed to Aesperis accompanied by two full flights of gryphon riders. Regiments of musketeers and foot soldiers were gathered on the way and, by the time they had reached the capital, they were marshalling nearly three thousand troops and one hundred gryphons. This force would normally not be able to take a city as large and fortified as Aesperis, but without a solid wall or defenses trained to guard such a city, the assault would be possible.

The Lightbringers had brought much delight to their god. Sky was pleased with them and chose, at this time, to manifest himself and descend once again on Wilwarin. His avatar met the forces at the ruins of Evest. Borne on wings and carrying a flaming sword, Sky was unmistakable. Sea had sent Trickery to accompany the Seaborn. The companied charged onward toward Aesperis, with renewed strength given them by their gods.

Nearly half of the assaulting forces were lost to the Elves, but they were able to retake the city. As pitched as the battle between the mortals was, it barely compared to the battle of the immortals. Chrysophylax had gained much power since his emergence and was a match for Sky. Their battle took place well into the air, fighting claw and sword. The battle was epic and in the end, Trickery was able to wound the wyrm with her bow. Sky too had been wounded in the battle and Chrysophylax was able to escape.

Sky, before he retreated back to his domain, praised the Human forces for their valor and bravery in battle and their honor of him. He even lauded those that followed Sea because he knew that, without the aid of their god's aspect, he would have succumed to the dragon and been forced to retreat and the city not taken. Sky and Trickery each returned in their own fashion, Sky in a wash of fire and thunder and Trickery without a single viewer being the wiser.

Phaounm
The floodgates had opened and Tylon had opened them. His forces rolled first into Jialme. Their mortars and catapults demolished the walls within a few hours of the assault. A few more and the city had been taken. The Sovereignists weren't particularly careful to keep the collateral damage to a minimum and plundered many stores and homes. They stayed a few days before soldiering on towards Alamenne. The overland journey took several days and they were met with only a small bit of resistance. They set their siege around the city, shutting off any supplies or reinforcements (not that any arrived). A week later, the siege was broken and the assault began.

Almenne provided slightly more resistance than Jialme had. Again the catapults and mortars fired, but this time they were answered with opposed hurled stones. By the time the wall was broken, four regiments of troops had been lost. As soon as there was a breach wide enough to begin invading the city, the Sovereignist troops rushed in. The streets were filled with violence as the citizens of Almenne tried to defend their homes. They were ultimately unsuccessful and the city was overtaken. Tylon had gained himself two cities this month.

The Amranists had taken several cities in the southwest, but in a much more...civil fashion. Rather than assaultng the cities, they were joined by militia platoons from the various towns and cities in the southwest. They met only small pockets of resistance, which they had little problem with putting down and tried to avoid as many civilian casualties as possible. It was the last week of Tree before they made their moves and they had gained as much territory as the militant Sovereignists.

Pharon, in his fortress near Chourogne, had ordered his troops to patrol the areas along the southern coast that were not controlled by either of the two other major factions. Towards the end of the month, when his scouts had reported that they had more or less full control of the southwest, Pharon ordered a portion of his troops to head northward along the river to find a crossing point and to then try to secure the southest. The mountainous terrain would be highly defensible and would be a very solid position for the other factions to take. Tactically, it would be a mistake to let the others have it.

The war had just begun and each group had set the tone for how it would be.

Shadar-Kai
Shadai was going well for the construction crews. It was growing well, filling with Phaounm refugees. They were aiding in the construction of the surface city. They were happy to help create the new city in return for sanctuary. The only request they made was to allow them to erect a temple to Sea.

No word had returned from the Orog emissaries, but the Queen was not worried. Shadar diplomats knew how to handle themselves and knew the risks going into any operation. Also, the Orogs had not attacked yet, so there was no harm done. Or they had not arrived. Either way, nothing had gone wrong.

The Shadar, by the end of the month, had turned over a lot of the surface construction for immigrant crews. They were overseen by Shadar-Kai, of course, but the Shadar workers had better places to be. A tunnel was being dug from Shadai to the other Shadar cities. As soon as the tunnel was completed, which the foremen said would take until the end of the year, expansion of the underground city would begin.

[Aux-Ash]

(( Rp bit to be added in tomorrow hopefully. Haven't got the time at this moment, ))

----

Political+Religion
The politicians are fighting and the clergy are praying. In other words: Nothing particular

Commerce
Having secured Alamenne and Jialme, Delegate Tylon tries to get the overland trade with the Deva along the northern roads running again, sending some of his soldiers to protect the caravans.

Military:
Amranists: Starts to focus on the new threat, the Borther's of Shadrachille, that has been harassing their people and soldiers. Sending large armed patrols to scare off/find the group.

Brothers of Shadrachille: Hit and run attacks on the Amranists. Utilising the terrain to it's maximum potential and desperatly trying to stay away from a pitched battle.

Pharon+Rannier: Starts to move their forces north to fight the Sovereignists warhost. They do not expect to be able to field any large battles with Tylon's forces but do suspect some smaller skirmishes with some of the faction's lesser generals.

Sovereignist:Tylon tries to secure the north, some of his generals are advancing south (unaware, for now, that Pharon is on his way) and expand their territories. Not particulary large forces 2-3 thousand each, tops.

[Krrth]

Dwarves

Borric watched as the Ambassadorial ship sailed out of the harbor. It was a good sign that the other nations were taking the Dwarves seriously. At least they said they did. Enough to send someone anyways. No matter, everything was going forward, if not as smoothly as had been hoped.

Elsewhere in the kingdom, a royal messengers road hard across the lands. One went to the northern mountain clan with an offer of marriage. There had been no response to the first offer, but perhaps the messenger had gotten waylaid or lost during the winter.

New trade routes had been established, and Dwarves of a less bloodthirsty nature sailed to take advantage of the terms.

================================================== ======
Political: Marriage proposal secretly sent to the northern Dwarves in the mountains. Borric offers to marry one of the clan's daughters, although he reserves the right to negotiate as to which one.

Military: Secret

Religious: Secret

Economic: Dwarven merchant marine created. This organization is of dwarves who wish to trade more than fight. They will be allowed to do so, as long as they agree to:
1) NOT raid the people they trade with,
2) Actively hunt down pirates, and
3) Pay a small tax on profits. This tax goes straight to Borric, but in return he provides docking rights and access to Dwarven trade goods.