Southern Dark Empire IC

[Gaiyamato]

Southern Dark Empire sub-faction. starting out of Black Fang south of Jakkak.

Black Fang is not much of a settlement, more a collection of orcish hovels. The village currently holds quite a large number of Orc civilians recently subjugated by the Dark Empire.

[nersxe]

Kythyss strides through the settlement boundaries, turning up her nose at the stench of blood and death. No matter how many times she sees this scene, it never stops being pathetic.

The assorted orcs goggle at her when they aren't too busy licking their wounds or cringing, and she hisses at one that makes his displeasure too obvious. The rest cower after that, keeping their looks to furtive glances and hurried whispers.

She turns to her first lieutenant, murmurs an order too low for the orc civilians to hear.

Intimidate v unruly orc: [roll0]

Kythyss just gave an order for her first lieutenant to move throughout the village as stealthily as possible and get an idea of the general mood and capabilities of the village.

[Gaiyamato]

As Kythyss orders the lowly Baaz Draconian away to do her dirty work a massive figure armored in black mountain plate and carry a huge spear made of an infinitely black material that seems to suck the light from arround it out of the air. This is the Dark Emperor. A V'K'kraan'ck ancient one who rules the Dark Empire currently via the council. As a member of the Supreme Dark council yourself you recognise him and know your place. The V'K'kraan'ck created the Draconians and every Draconian owes their loyalty to the V'K'kraan'ck. Ancient ones are walking Gods among the V'K'kraan'ck and are revered above all else. In particular the Emperor.

"Welcome to this pitiful place Kythyss. From now on this shall be your home. The land is yours and I give you the title of Duke. I will leave two units of the zombies here with you, along with your Baaz Draconian troops that should be enough to subdue and hold it. My forces are going to head east as I fear that I have sent Duke Gaheris into a trap."

[nersxe]

Kythyss bows but does not kneel. She knows all too well the difference between respect and grovelling, and no proper aurak would ever grovel.

"Yes, milord. Thank you," she bows her head once more, covering her surprise. She had expected to be rewarded for her service, but not with a duchy! "Will you permit me to call down a blessing for you?"

It will be only a token blessing; Kythyss is not (yet) adept enough to work magics lasting long enough to be of use well before a battle. It is more of a gesture of respect, of subservience, to use some of her personal energies to ease his way.

[Gaiyamato]

OOC: There is not spell you can cast that would be of use to him right now. He is one of the most tooled up characters in the game with an actual Artifact for a weapon and all. lol.

"No thank you, that is not necessary. Do your job and do not fail me. You wil continue to be rewarded."

With a short nod to you the emperor signals for his forces to move out. 1200 human Zombies march in a slow step in perfectly synchronised steps heading to the east and the Red Spire.

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

OOC:
Your command consists of 200 Human Zombies - under your command, and 100 Draconian Regular infantry. The settlement is a village.

[Gaiyamato]

Some of the Zombies who were completing their commands to pillage the settlement signal that they are finished. There is a pile of loot in the middle of the settlement.


Hoard
Coins 32 gp, 3 sp, 6 cp
329 additional RP for the realm.

Art Objects

Ceramic Ring (130 gp)
Copper Chain set with Banded Agate (100 gp)
Dragonscale Talisman (200 gp)
Painted Glass Sundial (70 gp)

Total value = 500 gp
Salvage

2 x Amphora of Common Wine (2 gp, 80 lb)
2 x Amphora of Vinegar (2 gp, 80 lb)
6 x Anvil (5 gp, 200 lb)
2 x Backpack (2 gp, 2 lb)
2 x Bag of 10 Pitons (1 gp, 5 lb)
102 x Bag of 20 Marbles (2 sp, 1 lb)
38 x Bag of 20 Sling Bullets (2 sp, 10 lb)
18 x Bag of Chalk (1 sp, 1/2 lb)
7 x Bag of Chestnuts (1 gp, 1 lb)
16 x Bag of Common Spice (1 gp, 1 lb)
11 x Bag of Dried Mushrooms (1 gp, 1 lb)
86 x Bag of Iron Nails (5 sp, 1 lb)
4 x Bag of Rare Spice (10 gp, 1 lb)
36 x Bag of Salt (2 sp, 1 lb)
20 x Bag of Wheat (1 cp, 1 lb)
13 x Barrel (2 gp, 30 lb)
5 x Barrel of Ale (6 gp, 240 lb)
5 x Barrel of Oil (24 gp, 150 lb)
20 x Basket (4 sp, 1 lb)
Bed (30 gp)
12 x Bedroll (1 sp, 5 lb)
37 x Bolt of Canvas (1 gp, 10 lb)
16 x Bolt of Linen (5 gp, 10 lb)
41 x Bottle of Common Wine (1 sp, 4 lb)
2 x Bottle of Fine Wine (10 gp, 4 lb)
5 x Bottle of Good Wine (1 gp, 4 lb)
23 x Bottle of Honey (4 sp, 4 lb)
5 x Bottle of Olive Oil (3 gp, 4 lb)
62 x Bottle of Vinegar (1 sp, 4 lb)
2 x Bow Saw (5 gp, 5 lb)
62 x Box of 20 Arrowheads (5 sp, 1 lb)
49 x Box of 20 Candles (2 sp, 1 lb)
27 x Box of Charcoal (1 sp, 20 lb)
28 x Box of Firewood (1 cp, 20 lb)
18 x Bucket (5 sp, 2 lb)
Cauldron (10 gp)
27 x Cheap Wig (1 sp)
14 x Chisel (5 sp, 2 lb)
5 x Clay Pitcher (2 cp, 5 lb)
10 x Clay Tankard (2 cp, 2 lb)
6 x Cold Weather Outfit (8 gp, 7 lb)
6 x Common Wig (1 gp)
3 x Crowbar (2 gp, 5 lb)
5 x Explorer's Outfit (10 gp, 8 lb)
4 x Fishing Net (4 gp, 5 lb)
35 x Flask of Oil (1 sp, 1 lb)
4 x Flint and Steel (1 gp)
3 x Game Board (1 gp, 2 lb)
Glasscutter (2 gp)
16 x Grappling Hook (1 gp, 4 lb)
20 x Hammer (5 sp, 2 lb)
3 x Handsaw (3 gp, 5 lb)
16 x Hemp Rope (50') (1 gp, 10 lb)
15 x High Boots (3 gp, 4 lb)
69 x Iron Bar (1 sp, 5 lb)
3 x Iron Pot (8 sp, 4 lb)
25 x Ladder (10') (2 sp, 20 lb)
52 x Lamp (1 sp, 1 lb)
8 x Large Iron Box (2 gp, 100 lb)
3 x Large Wooden Chest (2 gp, 50 lb)
52 x Loaf of Bread (2 cp, 1/2 lb)
20 x Low Boots (1 gp, 2 lb)
3 x Merchant's Scale (2 gp, 1 lb)
Miner's Pick (3 gp, 10 lb)
2 x Mortar and Pestle (5 gp, 2 lb)
10 x Pair of Dice (1 sp)
5 x Pair of Oars (4 gp, 20 lb)
2 x Pan Flute (1 gp, 1 lb)
3 x Pitchfork (2 gp, 5 lb)
21 x Piton (1 sp, 1/2 lb)
5 x Pole (10') (5 cp, 8 lb)
2 x Portable Ram (10 gp, 20 lb)
15 x Pouch of Tobacco (5 sp, 1 lb)
37 x Rack of Firewood (1 sp, 200 lb)
3 x Rake (2 gp, 10 lb)
Riding Saddle (10 gp, 25 lb)
3 x Rope Ladder (50') (3 gp, 25 lb)
Rope Net (10' x 10') (4 gp, 40 lb)
11 x Sack (1 sp, 1/2 lb)
26 x Sack of Animal Feed (2 sp, 50 lb)
2 x Sack of Apples (5 gp, 50 lb)
39 x Sack of Wheat (5 sp, 50 lb)
4 x Salted Ham (2 gp, 4 lb)
3 x Scroll Case (1 gp, 1/2 lb)
43 x Sewing Needle (5 sp)
6 x Shears (5 gp, 2 lb)
7 x Sickle (1 gp, 2 lb)
11 x Signet Ring (5 gp)
24 x Sledge (1 gp, 10 lb)
Small Cage (10 gp)
68 x Small Cask of Ale (2 sp, 8 lb)
4 x Small Cask of Common Spice (5 gp, 5 lb)
6 x Small Cask of Dried Figs (3 gp, 8 lb)
3 x Small Cask of Molasses (4 gp, 8 lb)
23 x Small Cask of Oil (8 sp, 5 lb)
Small Cask of Pickled Fish (2 gp, 5 lb)
3 x Small Cask of Sausages (1 gp, 5 lb)
5 x Small Cask of Tobacco (2 gp, 8 lb)
19 x Small Cask of Wax (2 sp, 5 lb)
60 x Small Glass Rod (1 sp)
6 x Small Hunting Trap (4 gp, 5 lb)
23 x Small Iron Box (1 gp, 20 lb)
4 x Small Magnet (10 gp, 1 lb)
26 x Small Wooden Chest (1 gp, 10 lb)
7 x Snowshoes (8 gp, 8 lb)
4 x Spade (2 gp, 8 lb)
5 x Tent (10 gp, 20 lb)
2 x Tiny Lead Box (1 gp, 5 lb)
14 x Tiny Wooden Box (5 sp, 1 lb)
5 x Tongs (3 gp, 2 lb)
2 x Vial of Ink (8 gp)
13 x Waterskin (1 gp, 1/2 lb)
16 x Wedge of Cheese (8 sp, 4 lb)
37 x Whetsone (2 cp, 1 lb)
2 x Wood Axe (5 gp, 8 lb)
6 x Wooden Drum (5 gp, 3 lb)
Wooden Holy Symbol (1 gp)
22 x Wool Cloak (5 sp, 3 lb)

Total value = 1726 gp 9 sp 1 cp
Total value 4069 gp 2 sp 7 cp

Note: Sending this back to the capital would be a huge help and could pay for some more road-works.

[nersxe]

As soon as the emperor is gone, Kythyss turns to her domain, surveying it with a critical eye.

It is, quite frankly, a pit. The looting zombies seem to have found quite a few baubles here and there, but none of it is truly worthy of Kythyss. She pockets the coins nonetheless for her own personal use, and surveys the rest. Quite frankly, she'd love to let someone else divvy up the loot among her soldiers and send the rest back to the Capitol, but she doesn't have anyone she quite trusts with that, not yet.

"You," she points to one of her soldiers, one that looks reliable (or at least doesn't look skeevy), "and you," another reliable/nonskeevy one, "find the biggest intact house, and evict the current residents. It's mine, now."

She gestures him forward, then presses the six copper into his hand. "Find a few of the locals and pay them a copper each to help clean and organize the house. The current residents may keep what they can carry if they don't resist; leave the corpses for the crows if they protest." She gives him a searching look. "You can keep some of the money for yourself and him," she gestures to the other soldier, "if you pitch in, but if I find out you didn't pay the workers, there will be hell to pay. The same goes if the house is not prepared for me by sunset."

Kythyss gives her commands a few seconds to sink in, then asks impatiently, "do you understand the task I've given you?"

Intimidate to put the fear of Kythyss into the two soldiers: [roll0]

I know I'm skirting the boundaries of LE a bit here, but the thing with paying the locals is just as much to test her soldiers as it is to start building some goodwill among her orc subjects. And besides, she will end them if they disobey.

[Gaiyamato]

Looting, stealing and slavery are legal in the Dark Empire if you have sufficient rank and don't steal from anyone of higher rank than you without killing them first.
You just showed an almost obscene level of generosity to the Orcs.


The Baaz look stunned for a moment but they know better than to disobey an Aurak, let alone one with the title of Duke of the Dark Empire. Immediately they carry out your commands to the letter, gaining you a nice big wooden house that belonged to a Hobgoblin trader from the east. It has a lovely study and a small library. They newly employed workers set to work cleaning the premises and preparing everything for your arrival.

[nersxe]

Kythyss sets to work on the pile of loot, keeping a few soldiers on hand to help her organize while the rest she sets to patrol, each with a sizeable amount of zombies for backup.

Once everything is sorted and done, she surveys the piles she's set up. In one pile is things she's definitely sending back to the empire (arrowheads, rope, oars??), one pile is things her soldiers can probably use (sets of clothing, bedrolls), and the last is things she'll be returning to the village (exclusively food and tools for living). There's also a small amount of things she'll be keeping for her personal use in a backpack nearby.

She looks out over her gathered troops, then points to the second pile. "If you have something that's worn out, replace it from this pile. Replace, not take."

Once everything is sorted, she directs her men to break out the ale. "For the glory of the Empire!"

Whoops. Oh, well. She'll make up for it later, I'm sure.

Pile One (loots to be converted into RP):



2 x Amphora of Common Wine (2 gp, 80 lb)
2 x Amphora of Vinegar (2 gp, 80 lb)
4 x Anvil (5 gp, 200 lb)
1 x Backpack (2 gp, 2 lb)
2 x Bag of 10 Pitons (1 gp, 5 lb)
102 x Bag of 20 Marbles (2 sp, 1 lb)
38 x Bag of 20 Sling Bullets (2 sp, 10 lb)
18 x Bag of Chalk (1 sp, 1/2 lb)
6 x Bag of Common Spice (1 gp, 1 lb)
86 x Bag of Iron Nails (5 sp, 1 lb)
3 x Bag of Rare Spice (10 gp, 1 lb)
5 x Barrel of Oil (24 gp, 150 lb)
20 x Basket (4 sp, 1 lb)
Bed (30 gp)
37 x Bolt of Canvas (1 gp, 10 lb)
16 x Bolt of Linen (5 gp, 10 lb)
41 x Bottle of Common Wine (1 sp, 4 lb)
1 x Bottle of Fine Wine (10 gp, 4 lb)
5 x Bottle of Good Wine (1 gp, 4 lb)
23 x Bottle of Honey (4 sp, 4 lb)
5 x Bottle of Olive Oil (3 gp, 4 lb)
62 x Bottle of Vinegar (1 sp, 4 lb)
2 x Bow Saw (5 gp, 5 lb)
62 x Box of 20 Arrowheads (5 sp, 1 lb)
49 x Box of 20 Candles (2 sp, 1 lb)
18 x Bucket (5 sp, 2 lb)
Cauldron (10 gp)
27 x Cheap Wig (1 sp)
14 x Chisel (5 sp, 2 lb)
5 x Clay Pitcher (2 cp, 5 lb)
10 x Clay Tankard (2 cp, 2 lb)
6 x Common Wig (1 gp)
3 x Crowbar (2 gp, 5 lb)
35 x Flask of Oil (1 sp, 1 lb)
4 x Flint and Steel (1 gp)
2 x Game Board (1 gp, 2 lb)
Glasscutter (2 gp)
16 x Grappling Hook (1 gp, 4 lb)
15 x Hammer (5 sp, 2 lb)
3 x Handsaw (3 gp, 5 lb)
16 x Hemp Rope (50') (1 gp, 10 lb)
69 x Iron Bar (1 sp, 5 lb)
3 x Iron Pot (8 sp, 4 lb)
25 x Ladder (10') (2 sp, 20 lb)
52 x Lamp (1 sp, 1 lb)
8 x Large Iron Box (2 gp, 100 lb)
3 x Large Wooden Chest (2 gp, 50 lb)
3 x Merchant's Scale (2 gp, 1 lb)
Miner's Pick (3 gp, 10 lb)
2 x Mortar and Pestle (5 gp, 2 lb)
9 x Pair of Dice (1 sp)
5 x Pair of Oars (4 gp, 20 lb)
2 x Pan Flute (1 gp, 1 lb)
3 x Pitchfork (2 gp, 5 lb)
21 x Piton (1 sp, 1/2 lb)
5 x Pole (10') (5 cp, 8 lb)
2 x Portable Ram (10 gp, 20 lb)
15 x Pouch of Tobacco (5 sp, 1 lb)
3 x Rake (2 gp, 10 lb)
Riding Saddle (10 gp, 25 lb)
3 x Rope Ladder (50') (3 gp, 25 lb)
Rope Net (10' x 10') (4 gp, 40 lb)
11 x Sack (1 sp, 1/2 lb)
3 x Scroll Case (1 gp, 1/2 lb)
43 x Sewing Needle (5 sp)
6 x Shears (5 gp, 2 lb)
7 x Sickle (1 gp, 2 lb)
11 x Signet Ring (5 gp)
24 x Sledge (1 gp, 10 lb)
Small Cage (10 gp)
68 x Small Cask of Ale (2 sp, 8 lb)
4 x Small Cask of Common Spice (5 gp, 5 lb)
23 x Small Cask of Oil (8 sp, 5 lb)
5 x Small Cask of Tobacco (2 gp, 8 lb)
19 x Small Cask of Wax (2 sp, 5 lb)
60 x Small Glass Rod (1 sp)
23 x Small Iron Box (1 gp, 20 lb)
4 x Small Magnet (10 gp, 1 lb)
26 x Small Wooden Chest (1 gp, 10 lb)
2 x Tiny Lead Box (1 gp, 5 lb)
14 x Tiny Wooden Box (5 sp, 1 lb)
5 x Tongs (3 gp, 2 lb)
2 x Vial of Ink (8 gp)
13 x Waterskin (1 gp, 1/2 lb)
37 x Whetsone (2 cp, 1 lb)
6 x Wooden Drum (5 gp, 3 lb)
Wooden Holy Symbol (1 gp)

I'm not sure what the total value of that is, and I'm awful at math. I can try, if you'd rather not do it yourself, or just devote the sum total to 'roads and a mail system'.

Pile Two (stuff for the troops):

12x bedroll, 6x cold weather outfit, 5x explorer's outfit, 15x high boots, 20x low boots, 7x snowshoes, 5x tent, 22x wool cloak.

The troops will be watched very carefully to ensure they're exchanging instead of straight up taking. The tents and bedrolls are the exception; any man that does not have one, can take one. Same with the wool cloaks. The remainder of this pile gets added to Pile One.

Pile Three (things that go back into the village):

2x anvil, 7x bag of chestnuts, 10x bag of common spice, 11x bag of dried mushrooms, 36x bag of salt, 20x bag of wheat, 13x barrel, 27x box of charcoal, 28x box of firewood, 4x fishing net, 5x hammer, 52x loaf of bread, 37x rack of firewood, 26x sack of animal feed, 1x sack of apples, 39x sack of wheat, 4x salted ham, 6x cask of dried figs, 3x cask of molasses, sm cask of pickled fish, 3x small cask of sausages, 6x small hunting trap, 4x spade, 16x wedge of cheese, 2x wood axe

Backpack (stuff Kythyss kept for herself):

1x backpack, 1x bag of rare spice, 1x bottle of fine wine, 1x game board, 1x pair of dice, 1x sack of apples

Special mention:

The other bottle of fine wine has a note attached: "For the Emperor, from his faithful subject Duchess Kythyss of the Southern Dark Empire". After everything is organized, she opens up what barrels and casks of ale her troops want. She makes sure there is at least one squad of sober soldiers, and does not herself drink.

[Gaiyamato]

Gain 12RP.

Between the extra gear here and what you gave back to the villagers you gain a free unit of the following unit:

{table]Unit Name | Race | Training Level | Training Type | Subtype | Feats | Weapons | Armor | Cost | Upkeep
Orc Penal Workers(Commoners) | Orc | Regular | Light Infantry | Penal, Worker | Fast | none | none | 4RP | 1RP
[/table]
{table]Unit Name | MAB | RAB | AC | Melee Power | Ranged Power | Toughness | Wound Levels | Morale | Command | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Move | MPs | Shock Factor | Prerequisites
-1 | -1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 2 | -6 | -1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 49 | 0 | Recruited from Black Fang only. Max of 5.
[/table]

You may spend 10 of the RP to gain 2 more of the unit (3 total). In week 4 you could use them to start building roads.



The pile is easily completely cleaned up.
You have a bunch of old worn out boots, and given the lack of snow the snowshoes remain untouched however.
Left-overs added to pile one and converted.



The villagers gratefully accept the hand-outs. Though are somewhat puzzled by your generous actions.



1x backpack, 1x bag of rare spice, 1x bottle of fine wine, 1x game board, 1x pair of dice, 1x sack of apples

All yours! :smallsmile:



Not a problem. Baaz can handle drink better than Dwarves can. +1 Morale till the end of this week.

[Rakaydos]

The sounds of an army on the move approach the village, as Draj and his Draconians move to reinforce Kythyss's holdings att he commands of the emperor. Forming up outside the village, Draj requests the hospitality of the Duke before entering.

[nersxe]

One of her men alerts her to the approaching draconian unit. She chuckles under her breath and stands from her seat at the communal campfire. "Show me to him."

Kythyss herself, with only a token guardsman, comes to the outer limits of the hovel she now rules over. Just before she comes within Draj's view, she moves her hands to weave a spell, speaking the words of power.

"General," she purrs, standing in front of his regiment without even the barest hint of fear.

Extended Eagle's Splendor, lasts 18mins. Hopefully more than long enough to make a good impression. That ups her charisma to a total of 21.

[Gaiyamato]

Draj has papers for the transfer from the Advisors in the Capital. No need for the Aurak Duke Dark Councillor to make any impression on the Baaz Military commander.. lol.

[nersxe]

Draj has papers for the transfer from the Advisors in the Capital. No need for the Aurak Duke Dark Councillor to make any impression on the Baaz Military commander.. lol.


But it's more fun this way!

[Gaiyamato]

Have all the fun you like. I was just saying is all. lol.
You two would probably know one another also, given that Yulan is the only Draconian settlement to date. :smallwink:

[Rakaydos]

Draj makes a prefatory bow, assessing this man who is (hypothetically) his superior. Turning to his men, he dismisses half of them to the town, as the other half begin setting up a wall around the town. After 8 hours, the ones who had first leave would return, on pain of flogging, to work on the wall while the second half took their break.

[nersxe]

Kythyss is a lady.

"How was the journey, General?" Kythyss asks in a purr, eyes staying on Draj's. She doesn't spare even a single glance for the dismissed men.

[Rakaydos]

Draj grunted noncomittally. "Could have made better time, but I did not see a reason for urgency. What threats can we expect to see around the area?"

[nersxe]

"Nothing of note," Kythyss shrugged, "the Emperor was very thorough in breaking the backs of the populace, and my troops have mopped up what's left."

She popped a claw and examined it casually, "it really is an awful place right now. I've claimed a trader's house; you may have one of the guest bedrooms until I can get myself set up with proper lodgings." She shrugged again. "Or you can settle for a hovel, I suppose."

[Gaiyamato]

OOC: You may get a smaller trading house virtually next door if you like Draj.

Over the next few days the troops and the worker unit remaining here will work to raise the town up onto an artificial hill, the houses will then be re-built on top of the flattened hill, so they can be upgraded a little at that point. After the drains etc. are put in a ditch is dug around the settlement and a low wooden and earth wall in placed around the entire settlement. A large heavy wooden gatehouse is erected with massive heavy double wooden gates that can close the entrance off.
Some of your Orc penal workers are sent north, and connect a road to the capital. By the end of the week Dark Empire traders can start arriving.

You guys can roleplay what you like within this period.

[Rakaydos]

Turning a nearby trading house into his commaand post, Draj begins to organize his troops into a town guard and shore patrol, policing not just the town, but the off duty troops themselves.

[nersxe]

Kythyss rolls her eyes when the General walks off without a word, but she lets it go. 'I can always have him horse-whipped for insolence later, she thinks to herself.

The next few days see her bag of apples shrink in size, her underlings properly terrified into obedience, and the game board she confiscated get used. (It probably hurts her reputation a little that she actually pays someone an entire copper to teach her the game, but whatever. It's not as if a sorceress of her particular talents has much to do for the time being).

[Gaiyamato]

After a few days you receive word from the capital, a letter addressed to Kythyss. It instructs you to take 4 body guards - including Draj and head down south to a nation called Arnil. There you are to make contact and negotiate a peace agreement with the nation if possible. Trade agreements and even a military alliance would be good also, but do not push them just yet. Let them raise the issue.
If needed the letter also authorises you to spend up to 500RP. Though again, be cautious in offering any sort of payments.

Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=309891)