Empire 7: Into the Depths IC Thread

[Grim ranger]

Kar-Nath Hegemony

Turn 4

Rham, the Frozen King

Diplomacy - 5, Military - 8, Economy - 5, Faith - 2, Intrigue - 1

Actions:

1. [Military] Attack Region 75 (General Kreel is in command, March of the Conqueror tacdoc is used, 5 units are being sent, direct route from 77 to 75, no distance loss rolls)
- Sub-action: If the invasion succeeds, using free Sway Aristocracy action on 75 (Roll to be done by GMs)

Spoiler: Kar-Nath military doctrine

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Beings of durable shell and often militaristic body modifications, the Nathi doctrine of war focuses on relentless advance. Heavily armored wedges of soldiers advance in concert, prodding enemy lines for weak points and remaining stuck in once finding such. As the Nathi footsoldiers often carry heavy, stony shields and tridents as their primary armaments, they can prove to be rather difficult to wear down or force to flee, allowing the army of Kar-Nath to constantly pressure the enemy from all sides until something gives.

There are of course those among the armies of the Hegemony that prefer less cautious approach, and as such fulfill different roles. The first among these irregulars are those following the Path of Blades, Nathi of greater bloodlust and slimmer bodies that often take augmentations to grow blades out of their carapace or wear harnesses full of similar implements. Quick and brutal, they seek to often take enemy formations by surprise or dislodge foes stuck in with the line of Hegemony soldiery, making lightning-quick passes at enemy and using their blade-filled carapace as impressively lethal weapon across its whole length. Although they often swim in small schools of five to fifteen Nathi, the devastation their reckless swim-by attacks and charges can inflict is regardless considerable.

The second well-known group of irregulars takes the opposite approach, carrying with them large quivers full of specifically worked quills from the infamous Herphoon Icebacks. The disciples of Path of Deep-Hunter remain in backline protected by other Nathi or swim above the battlefield with guarding screens of Path of Blades disciples, positions from which they can utilize their weapons to the fullest extent. While a crude weapon in eyes of some, the Icequill Harpoons are regardless devastating, often skewering even heavily-armored opposition and freezing their blood from inside-out from rather long distance away. Only the relative rarity of Nathi brave enough to follow this path (and the losses they sustain during their hunts) have kept this group from being much more widely utilized.

In widescale battles, the Hegemony seeks to often form a solid defensive core near or inside enemy lines with its soldiers, and link such cores of defense up gradually with shield-walls to encircle and envelop their opposition. As this is not always viable, the troops are also drilled to scatter into small squads that can engage the enemy at their discretion and offer quick support to any part of the lines in danger of breaking.

2. [Diplomacy] Attend event: Fruits of the Reef in Bloom

3. [Economy] Economy 5 Special - Establish Trade Route with the Gravetenders

4. [Economy] Buyout Trading Post (Region 78, TP2)(Success)

5. [Diplomacy] Raise reputation with Abyssal Stewards (from 0 to 1)(Success)

Non-actions:

A. Continue construction of a monument: Rimestone Statuary (5-part project)(2/5)

Spoiler: The foundations are only formed with hard work

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The stone of the plateau selected to host the Hegemony's prideful project has been carefully smoothed out. There have been setbacks, as solid rock often does not wish to cooperate with the efforts of the laborers, with cliff threatening to break unpredictably more than once as the area has been worked upon by spike and claw. Regardless, the builders have persisted.

And as such, the very base of the statuary to come has finally been finished, but it is merely beginning of much more monumental task. Rimestone monoliths rising towards the icebergs above, a grand show of Nathi tradition: such a feat would be tarnished by attempts at shortcuts or half-measures. The work will be all many of the builders will know for good long while, but there is no complaint. No, to the reclusive people, such a grand and ardous task harkens their spirits back to the very beginnings of the Hegemony where it was merely this small people against the hostile environment. Through hardship, through adversity, they have always persisted. And through their persistence, everyone in the Hegemony has earned their place to call this hostile land home.

Teams of Nathi work steadily in shifts, carving into the stone at predetermined intervals to form the foundations of the monuments to come. Long poles are set up a the edges of the plateau, glowing flora wound around them to give more light in the darkened area. A winding path to it from the holy site above is constructed, for even if most visitors might be able to make their way to the plateau easily via swimming alone, their neighbors may appreciate the gesture.

The most important part of the communal effort, however, begins when the long rows of foods brought along for the workers are revealed, some of the rarer delicacies available even from the stocks of the Frozen King himself. Community is easily experienced through food for the Nathi, and the workers toiling away at such a long task certainly deserve their moments of unity to be doubly special.

In a distant gorge, larger blocks of Rimestone are carved away from cliffsides, gradually prepared for the journey back to the construction site. With gods willing, the true task may soon begin.

B. Accept the trade of specialized ship "Silvered Eye" from the Gravetenders
- Somewhat shocked still by the generosity of their neighbors, the Hegemony hosts a parade in honor of the Gravetenders with personal attendance of Frozen King himself.

C. Accept the proposed Treaty with the Gravetenders: Peace between us, and negotiation before conflict. [Both nations will attempt IC negotiation before any martial conflict between them. Pulling out of this treaty requires notification the round before.]
- Having developed some measure of ties with their closest neighbors, Kar-Nath Hegemony joins the agreed-upon treaty proposed by the Gravetenders. While the crown of the Hegemony is not halting talks of expansion and military might, it has apparently been decided in the depths of Gracier Crag that at least one fellow polity deserves some genuine respect.

D. Cooperate in the creation of the Songline of the Frozen Seas
- Delighted to have been asked for their addition into the Songline, the Nathi offer their contribution in shape of one of their oldest myths.

Spoiler: The Tale of Jaarn

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The tale of Jaarn, the mightiest of the northern gods, is one of both unfathomable power and value of hard-won understanding and cooperation... and as such is one that has persisted steadily in the society of this solitary people thorough the foundation and development of the Hegemony. While preached in true mystical sense by priests of the god during days of holy celebration, it is also a study in some of the characteristics valued in the society as a whole.

Long ago, the god of air and ice, Jaarn, ruled the ancient beings of the depths with unwavering and terrible strength. The leviathans and ancient peoples of the cold seas were mighty, but the alien and mighty power of the god kept his rule always secure, smiting all whom would challenge his place as the sovereign of all the cold seas. His name was murmured across the depths and air, his power mighty, and the voice of this deity only boomed with boasts of might and sneer of derision towards those who would not know their place or would seek to upset his realm, be they from within it or not. After all, what could truly threaten the rule of monarch of frost?

Then, something happened. The ancient peoples grew distant, their empires breaking. Leviathans sunk into the depths or were slain, and the mighty works of those who had claimed the seas as their own were lost. As Jaarn turned his gaze away from his cold skies and back towards his subjects once more, he only found desolation. Enraged, he smote those he saw as responsible, for he considered all under these seas his possessions... but the destruction solved nothing, only spreading further death and chaos until only scant few remnants of once powerful peoples remained, and leviathans had fled to the depths or sunk into them in death.

His power withering and waning without the faith and support of his subjects, things that he had often not paid much heed to, the god was left to bitterly cling onto the icy fortresses above massive rift in one of the scant remaining parts of the icy ocean he could still affect... and it was there that the explorers who would come to be the Nathi found him. Still a great and terrible power, he thought to smote the emerging people as well, having long since given in to the rage that had set in due to all of the things lost to him. But the smaller divinity and people itself refused him, with war seeming inevitable.

A war the god could feel might end in his destruction. For while the ocean could be settled by emerging peoples after the ruin had been wrought upon it, his power would soon be too scant for his essence to survive.

The realization humbling the once arrogant deity, he retreated to the depths of the glaciers to wallow in his defeat... and he would have, were it not for a sole Nathi who had grown curious of the circumstances of such a terrible foe. Rejected entry to the icy home of the god, the pilgrim waited days and nights around it until his persistence earned a measure of grudging respect from Jaarn... and from their meeting, the circumstances of the god's ire were laid bare for the Nathi people. While it might not have changed much by itself, the suggestion of the pilgrim would tie the god to the people forever.

He asked for Jaarn to lend his voice, which had until now only sown discord and terror, to Nathi who could issue his edicts and enact his will. He could have a people once more, and be among the deities venerated by the reclusive race... but he would be giving up his rash boasting and derision in service of that people. To lose a voice, but earn the tridents and claws of the Nathi.

The deal was struck, and the humbled divine became still harsh but fair overseer of the people living under the shadow of his glaciers. His voice is now gone, spread across his adherents, but it now whispers from thousands of mouths instead of booming from on high. And in the end, both sides are better for it.

E. Cooperate in the creation of the Genus Taxonomia Gelidum Mare
- Although less certain about the presence of the Divine Nacres in their territory, the leaders of the Hegemony are still honor-bound to honor their debt. Accordingly, a study from the halls of Grand Schola has been contributed to the Nacres' efforts.

Spoiler: The Studies of Grand Schola: Herphoon Iceback

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As the people who would become Nathi first began to inhabit the waters around Glacier Crag, many of the native creatures gave them trouble in the beginning... but none moreso than the Herphoon Iceback. A type of native seaslug, they have adapted to both their inhospitable environment and sparse diet, becoming the doom of many who dare to brave the depths of these cold waters.

A relatively innocuous species at first glance, the Herphoons are small invertebrates rarely more than few feet in diameter. They come in variety of arctic hues from gray to deep blue, having numerous small appendages underneath themselves for movement and pair of stripe-like sensory organs running along their backs. The most notable feature that they have derived the second half of their name from, however, are the crystalline spikes protruding from their backs. These structures are formed by as the creatures melt and absorb small amounts of Rimestone while scouring their environment for scarce food, and provide a frightening natural defense. Not only are they difficult to attack by predators of the waters around them, but the spikes can also be launched from their backs in hail of sharp crystalline fletchettes that freeze things they strike on contact. As this offers the Herphoons an offensive hunting option, they can hunt for nutrients directly in environments more scarce in resources.

The behavior of the creatures tends to change the larger they have grown, with smaller creatures without proper armament of spikes grown attempting to hide or scavenge and larger and properly defended Herphoons exhibiting increased aggression whilst hunting for nutrients or when apparently threatened. While they tend to remain smaller due to high dietary requirements necessary for growth, these invertebrates have not yet been sighted to perish from age alone, and have been seen to eventually reach the lifestage often referred to as "Death Whistle" by the Nathi. Large as sharks and bristling with blade-like protrusions, these beasts are incredibly difficult to put down thanks to their robust defenses and high rate of natural healing, often making entire tunnel systems unusable.

Although a dangerous pest, the Nathi afford the Herphoon Icebacks wary sort of respect as fellow survivors of the glacial terrain. While they have not been yet successfully domesticated, they often offer young Nathi warriors their first trials, and the Rimestone crystal quills after often harvested for the use of craftsmen and soldiers.

F. Acquire Reaver protection from The Divine Nacres for 1 treasure
- While somewhat skeptical regarding the ability of the Reavers to defeat their legions, the Nathi regardless decide to be doubly secure in their glacial fortresses, seeking the aid of the Divine Nacres to weather the possible onslaughts.

G. Assist the Gravetenders in converting the holy site the Rime Gorge
- With the declining importance of Voice of Jaarn, the Hegemony has accepted the request of Gravetenders to extend the reach of their faith to one of the Nathi's holy sites. The shared appreciation of the holy ritual has brought both races closer, with Nathi priesthood openly discussing matters of faith with their Gravetender counterparts.

H. Raise reputation with Abyssal Stewards for a favor
- As their overtures for closer cooperation have been received favorably by the Abyssal Stewards, the Hegemony has called in their favor with the organization to further protect their lands. Loathe as they are to admit it, the reclusive society has its weak points, and advice from the mysterious order wil no doubt benefit them in the future.

Leader improvements from turn 4:

Diplomacy +1, Economy +1

Leader stats for turn 5:

Diplomacy - 6
Military - 8
Economy - 6
Faith - 2
Intrigue - 1