Whitelist Applications

you forgot about spleef we could solve the spectator problem by doing a gigantic free-for-all where the last man mounted wins

Damn, love the deity art ❤️, the more uncanny it looks like the better

It is neat that someone finally came forth with a new rewrite. This one is pretty faithful to my old lore down to the last wisp. Not very cool to leave me out of the credits though… as ya know, the creator of every spell, concept, and configuration you used in this post. It doesn’t really matter but respect your elders, kid. https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/158140-canon-guide-to-arcanism/?tab=comments#comment-1496430

A certain masterful aeromancer takes note of the missive.

I'm of the opinion that a good span of a season IRL is 1 week. go through each season once a month. If there's some "Winter is coming" event for a long winter, then make all of December winter. If implemented right and other food sources are easily acquirable, then moving away from crops for a week shouldn't be that bad and will give other foods a more practical use, and incentive to use. Or at least the notion of having to actually stockpile foods in a warehouse will have a legitimate reason to do so. I think adding some sort of seasons plugin, almost goes in tandem with a lot of things that have been suggested, and I'd recommend adding that to the list of things the server should look into. I'd also personally recommend just using the off the shelf Realistic Seasons plugin. That plugin can also accomplish the promise of having regional, or biome specific hues for foliage and grass, for each season, per biome. Is very easy to configure, very stable, and the best on the market when it comes to off the shelf seasons plugins. It also has configuration for crop growth per biome, per season as well, in addition to a multitude of other features that fall in tandem with what a lot of the suggestions and polling subjects that focus on immersion and practicality.

It's always been moonish_imp

This guy gets it 🤬

Something about having a noble class in a city being reclaimed by nature is funny to me. But yeah, wouldn't quite fit the groove of the scene there. Try the humans like the others suggested, maysnaps. You can certainly try, though.

Heck yeah

Gregorius Roa chuckled at the wedding of his fellow Diplomat, raising a glass of wine up in the air as celebration "Perhaps I should go? I wasnt invited tho-" the man hummed before sending Lothair a VERY ANGRY letter (trust trust) (P.D. its obviously not angry at all) @Lomiei

TEMESCH & CO. TRADING COMPANY Issued on this 13th of Peter's Glory, 114 BY THE HOUSE TEMESCH ET MARTIEL COME ONE, COME ALL, A Call is made to the denizens of Balian and all those who are privy to the contents of this missive, calling for those who read to come forth and experience the various goods and services that the newly established trading company, known to be as Temesch & Co. has to offer to all, from pieces of artworks to general goods, from dolls, both living and nonliving to dresses stitched and tailored by the House Temesch’s finest craftsmen and women alike. The House Temesch & Co. Trading companies have much to offer in both goods and services and call forth all interested to come and browse, to shop and to indulge in what it has to offer! WHAT IS OFFERED? Arts Pieces and & Tools Living Dolls Clothing & Apparel General Goods SECTIONS OF THE SHOP, GROUND FLOOR An Art Section, For Art Related Products, ran by William Godfrey Temesch Part of the Shop & Example of His Work, GROUND FLOOR A Section for Housemagery & Book-Related products, ran by Cosima Victoria Temesch Part of the Shop & Example of Her Work, 1ST FLOOR Delicately crafted dresses and clothing section, ran by Ophelia Johanna Temesch Example of Her Work, 2ND FLOOR Coming Soon 3RD FLOOR Coming Soon ON COMMISSIONS? For Inquiries please send a letter to one of the aforementioned individuals within the shop or leave a not specifying your needs to either one of the trios or more. Discords are as following, Asoart, Lirinya & Comatoseprincess ON LOCATIONS Currently, the Balian & Co. Trading company has decided to operately solely from Portoregne within Balian with interest in expanding after a lenghty time has passed. FOR ALL THOSE INTERESTED, THE SHOP CAN BE FOUND ON ANNE’S AVENUE 2, JUST OPPOSITE THE BALIAN REGIMENTAL FOUNDRY. S I G N E D, His Excellency, August Benedict Temesch, Viscount of San Adriano, Royal-Legate of Balian, Vice-Amiratus of Balian. Her Royal Highness, Ophelia Johanna Temesch, Princess of Balian, Viscountess-Consort of San Adriano. Her Ladyship, Cosima Victoria Temesch. His Lordship, William Godfrey Temesch.

Plague was here ( •̀ω •́ )

— REPORT OF THE 1980 GARMONT ASSEMBLY — From the Heartlandic Council to the People Issued and averred by the office of ROLL CALL PRESENT The Principality of Merryweather Representative Adelheid Halcourt The Duchy of Vohenheim Representative Aurel von Theonus The County of Warsovia Representative Jan Jazlowiecki The County of Hohengarten Representative Friedrich von Augusten The Barony of Fir’steinn Representatives Aimo and Li Jun of Astor The Barony of Artois Representative Winifred Halcourt The Legion of Saint Godwin Representative August of the Petra The Free Port of Chambery Representative Nicolas von Wittenbach The Lord-Mayor of Whitespire Representative Mithius Dalma The Lady-Mayor of Vallagne Representative Amélie Auclair First People’s Seat of the Petra Representative Theodore Elwood Second People’s Seat of Aaun Representative Brennus ABSENT The Margravate of Velen Representative Siegmund von Reuss The County of Ves Representative Demetrio Sigismondo The County of Anairgrid Representative Wilford Reinhold The Barony of Feldkirch Representative Katrin Eryka Stafyr The Barony of Rosius Representative Unstated The Barony of Gotfridcher Representative Unstated Second People’s Seat of the Petra Representative Karol Walewski First People’s Seat of Aaun Representative Alexander Darkwood Opening Statements Presented by: Grand Speaker, Sir Atticus Reinhold TRANSCRIPT The Heartlander Justice Reform Bill Proposed by: Representative of Aaun, Alexander Darkwood TRANSCRIPT VOTES OF THE ASSEMBLY The Principality of Merryweather Representative Adelheid Halcourt ABSTAIN The Duchy of Vohenheim Representative Aurel von Theonus AGAINST The County of Warsovia Representative Jan Jazlowiecki AGAINST The County of Hohengarten Representative Friedrich von Augusten AGAINST The Barony of Fir’steinn Representative Aimo of Astor AGAINST The Barony of Artois Representative Winifred Halcourt ABSTAIN The Legion of Saint Godwin Representative August of the Petra ABSTAIN The Free Port of Chambery Representative Nicolas von Wittenbach ABSTAIN The Lord-Mayor of Whitespire Representative Mithius Dalma AGAINST The Lady-Mayor of Vallagne Representative Amélie Auclair AGAINST First People’s Seat of the Petra Representative Theodore Elwood AGAINST Second People’s Seat of Aaun Representative Brennus AGAINST CONCLUSION The Assembly came to the quick agreement that the establishment of a new office of justice under the Heartlandic Council was unnecessary, and that the current number of active trials in the Heartlands did not justify its creation. The bill was voted down, and trials will continue to be held by the monarchs, mayors, and members of the Heartlandic Council alone. The Chambery Legal Outlines Proposed by: Representative of Chambery, Nicholas Wittenbach TRANSCRIPT VOTES OF THE ASSEMBLY N/A CONCLUSION After a concern was raised about the validity of Chambery’s previous city charter, which the bill being presented was based upon, Representative Wittenbach chose to table the bill until he could confirm the status of the charter. The Removal of the Abandoned Circus Proposed by: Representative of Merryweather, Adelheid Halcourt TRANSCRIPT VOTES OF THE ASSEMBLY The Principality of Merryweather Representative Adelheid Halcourt IN FAVOR The Duchy of Vohenheim Representative Aurel von Theonus IN FAVOR The County of Warsovia Representative Jan Jazlowiecki IN FAVOR The County of Hohengarten Representative Friedrich von Augusten IN FAVOR The Barony of Fir’steinn Representative Aimo of Astor IN FAVOR The Barony of Artois Representative Winifred Halcourt ABSTAIN The Legion of Saint Godwin Representative August of the Petra ABSTAIN The Free Port of Chambery Representative Nicolas von Wittenbach ABSTAIN The Lord-Mayor of Whitespire Representative Mithius Dalma IN FAVOR The Lady-Mayor of Vallagne Representative Amélie Auclair IN FAVOR First People’s Seat of the Petra Representative Theodore Elwood IN FAVOR Second People’s Seat of Aaun Representative Brennus IN FAVOR CONCLUSION The Assembly unanimously agreed upon the necessity of the proposal, including approval from the Lord-Mayor of Whitespire, where the circus in question currently sits. Majority voted in favor, and the abandoned circus outside Whitespire will be deconstructed in the coming days. The Salvian Gauntlet Proposed by: Lady-Mayor of Vallagne, Amelie Auclair TRANSCRIPT VOTES OF THE ASSEMBLY The Principality of Merryweather Representative Adelheid Halcourt ABSTAIN The Duchy of Vohenheim Representative Aurel von Theonus IN FAVOR The County of Warsovia Representative Jan Jazlowiecki ABSTAIN The County of Hohengarten Representative Friedrich von Augusten IN FAVOR The Barony of Fir’steinn Representative Li Jun of Astor IN FAVOR The Barony of Artois Representative Winifred Halcourt ABSTAIN The Legion of Saint Godwin Representative August of the Petra ABSTAIN The Free Port of Chambery Representative Nicolas von Wittenbach ABSTAIN The Lord-Mayor of Whitespire Representative Mithius Dalma IN FAVOR The Lady-Mayor of Vallagne Representative Amélie Auclair IN FAVOR First People’s Seat of the Petra Representative Theodore Elwood IN FAVOR Second People’s Seat of Aaun Representative Brennus IN FAVOR CONCLUSION The bill detailing the establishment of a Vallagne mayoral cabinet was met with uncontested approval, and was passed with the majority in favor. The Lady-Mayor of Vallagne will proceed in crafting her cabinet to serve as the city’s advisory body. ACCEPTED BILLS — The Removal of The Abandoned Circus— Proposed and Issued to the Garmont Assembly in 1980 INTRODUCTION: For far too long has the Circus grounds in Whitespire grown abandoned and unused. The lack of upkeep has left the area in a pitiful state, becoming a topic of complaint amongst the Aaunic citizens. AIM OF BILL: Introduced to gain approval for the removal of the abandoned circus and restore the lands for better use to the citizens of Whitespire. BODY: This bill shall be split into two parts: Firstly, the approval for the Circus to be torn down. The state of the circus poses safety hazards and detracts from the aesthetic appeal of our community, casting a shadow over the beauty of the Ivory City. The abandoned structures have also become a hotspot for bandits, further compromising the safety of the area. The removal of the circus will eliminate these hazards, paving the way for a safer and more attractive environment. Secondly, The primary plan for the restored area is to cultivate it and use it for agricultural purposes. By converting this land into a space for growing produce, we can further support local food production and promote sustainable farming practices for all citizens. Introduced to the Garmont Assembly by Lady Adelheid Halcourt in 1980 Penned by, Her Ladyship, Adelheid of Merryweather, Baroness-Consort of Artois, Lady of Montresor and Deputy Treasurer to the Heartlander Confederation. THE SALVIAN GAUNTLET “Mayoral Cabinet Bill” With new beginnings, comes a new, duty, ordained, and with it the demand to rise to the occasion, such that the hopes of one’s family, one’s very people, and kin, may ne’er be bid, washed up, unto the stream, of our beloved Rivière Pétrine. May thus, bid our first step, unto the gilded years ahead, be a step we take as one - as I dare my first bill unto the Garmont, carrying the hopes of our people, be the establishment of the Salvian Gauntlet. Named such, after the eponymous founder of our late Commonwealth, and our now, beloved Province Pétrine; the Salvian Gauntlet would be the newly inaugurated, mayoral cabinet of Vallagne, seeking to maintain the inter-connectivity / closeness / joint efforts of the Province Pétrine, and it's various institutions, as they have been connected, since the late Commonwealth's founding, to the benefit of it's every single soul. Wherein Vallagne is the Heart of our beloved river valley, the Salvian Gauntlet, would be the very network of organs without which, each individual one, could never suffer be. Dame-Maire of Vallagne Lady-Mayor | The elected head, and Lady-Mayor, of Vallagne, subsequently leading the mayoral cabinet of the Salvian Gauntlet; holding the responsibility of coordinating with the various institutions for the betterment of the people. Hands of the People Garmont Elects | The two elected representatives of the people, within the Garmont Assembly. Taking on an advisory & deputized role within the Salvian Gauntlet. Hand of the Academician Royal Academy of St. Jude & Courteis Hale | The appointed representative, advisor, and cabinet-member, in all matters related to the academic, scholastic & educational pursuits of the Salvian Gauntlet, and Vallagne’s Administration. Hand of the Laurel Order of the Petrine Laurel | The appointed representative, advisor, and cabinet-member, in all matters related to the chivalric, martial & safety pursuits of the Salvian Gauntlet, and Vallagne’s Administration. Hand of the Physiker Vallagne Medical Society | The appointed representative, advisor, and cabinet-member, in all matters related to the physiological, psychological & health pursuits of the Salvian Gauntlet, and Vallagne’s Administration. Hand of the Maestre Tower of Artistic Inspiration & Dame Yuliya Styrne Theater | The appointed representative, advisor, and cabinet-member, in all matters related to the artistic, bardic & thespian pursuits of the Salvian Gauntlet, and Vallagne’s Administration. Hand of the Descendant Descendant Relations | The appointed representative, advisor, and cabinet-member, in all matters related to the accommodation, integration & safety of all descendants, and all the pursuits of the Salvian Gauntlet, and Vallagne’s Administration therein. Hand of the Faith Monastery of St. Juli'el & Diocese of Casica | The appointed representative, advisor, and cabinet-member, in all matters related to the clerical, faithful & charitable pursuits of the Salvian Gauntlet, and Vallagne’s Administration. His Excellency, Sir Atticus Reinhold “The Lightkeeper”, Grand Speaker of the Heartlands, Count of Anairgrid, Viscount of Stormont, Baron of Raònoir, Knight of the Petrine Laurel, Chapter of Rapids The Honorable, Theodore Elwood, Deputy Speaker of the Heartlands

{!} In a smoky corner of the Basking Turtle tavern in Beznov, Adria, Ahren Jaeger lay slumped over his usual table, seemingly half-dead. An inordinate number of empty Euler Max bottles lay strewn about the tabletop. Traces of smoke rose from the tip of his quill. This meant only one thing: the siege engineer was writing another essay. Some time later (after taking some herbal remedies and alchemical concoctions for his liver) he would travel around the various realms of Aevos, distributing printed copies of the following essay series to any public library that would accept them. For more centralised discussion, he would also pin a copy in a corner of the Adrian Quest Board along with a blank sheet of paper for people to write feedback on. {!} Right beneath our feet By Ahren Jaeger The Harrower readies his next strike from right under our very feet. Deep below the soil on which we stand, his forces are digging the world’s largest network of underground tunnels. He is likely using them, along with sections of the Aevosian Underdark, to move troops, equipment, and supplies around the continent undetected and unopposed. He and his forces can wreak a lot of havoc with such tunnels at their disposal. The only thing limiting their sheer destructive potential is human imagination. The Harrower’s tunnel network could pose a serious threat to the realms of Aevos if we fail to enact timely and effective plans to neutralise it. I thus urge realm leaders to prepare their troops for tunnel warfare and commence countermining operations as soon as possible. It appears that the Harrower’s forces have already made a lot of construction progress, so it might not be very long until they do something truly terrible. We must do something to prevent (or at least soften) the coming blow. Preface As of the time of this pamphlet series’ publishing, there exists a powerful Darkspawn entity known as the Harrower. He appeared a few decades ago, enthralling the tribes of Ailmere under a wicked curse and enshrouding the northern taiga in a fog of voidal darkness. He still leads his legion of brainwashed Ailmerians in a war of subjugation against the rest of Descendantkind. The Harrower’s forces suffered no few costly defeats over the course of the war, and have since retreated back to the northern taiga to lick their wounds. But while, on the surface, it might look like they’ve put their campaign on pause, it would be a mistake to assume they’ve been lying dormant. After a skirmish involving the Harrower’s elite Chosen warriors, a concerning map was found on the body of one. This map, which consists of intricate carvings on a stone tablet, suggests the existence of a continent-wide underground tunnel network. It also implies a new, potentially more troublesome phase in the Harrower War. The Harrower War will probably feature quite a lot of tunnel warfare going forward. It isn’t something that happens very often in Aevos. And it’s reasonable to assume most fighters in most realms aren’t very experienced in it. Tunnel warfare requires a very different approach and mindset to more conventional warfare on the surface. So I am writing this pamphlet series to help people understand it better. The main goal of this pamphlet series is to equip the leaders, soldiers, adventurers and prospective combat engineers of Aevos with some basic knowledge of how tunnels are typically used in warfare and some idea of how to go about detecting and countering them. So when the Harrower tries invading our homes from below, at least we won’t be completely blindsided. An introduction to tunnel warfare Table of Contents Part One: Common uses of tunnels Part Two: Detecting tunnelling activities Part Three: Scouting for tunnels Part Four: Destroying tunnels Part Five: Tunnel fighting Part One: Common uses of tunnels The pickaxe and shovel can be more devastating tools of war than any blade or cannon. Descendants have been weaponising tunnels in warfare for thousands of years, and often to decisive effect. They’ve brought down grand fortresses where massed artillery bombardments failed. They’ve empowered rag-tag bands of insurgents to fight much greater armies to a standstill. And more. The mundane hole in the ground can determine, and has determined, the course of entire battles. The utility of tunnels should not be underestimated. This section will go into some detail about a few of the more common military applications of tunnels. In siege warfare, engineers dig tunnels to undermine well-defended and artillery-resistant walls. In guerilla or asymmetric warfare, tunnels can benefit numerically and technically inferior forces as excellent force multipliers. They may dig tunnels to stealthily manoeuvre around an area, allowing them to flank and ambush superior enemy forces. They can also act as hidden bases of operations and as a strong means of area defence. Knowing that these applications exist and why they work will be a good starting point for understanding the potential threat posed by the Harrower’s tunnel network and how to go about dealing with it. Undermining Some walls are so heavily reinforced that they will never topple over no matter how many rocks or cannonballs you lob at them. In these cases, siege engineers can still breach those walls by using an age-old tactic called ‘undermining’. Undermining basically consists of digging a tunnel directly underneath a building’s foundations, building temporary supports to prop up the structure, and then destroying those supports (usually either by burning them away or blowing them up). A combination of gravity and mechanical stress will then cause the building above to fall into the tunnel. The tactic features heavily in sieges, in which walls are its usual target. When the Attacking side undermines a wall section, the resulting collapse often creates a huge breach in the defences through which their troops can assault the interior and eventually overwhelm the Defending side with superior numbers. The Defending side, having just lost their main advantage of fortifications, often surrenders before they get slaughtered. The threat of undermining should be a compelling reason why fortress commanders and city rulers should keep around dedicated teams of engineers and miners in times of war. Oftentimes the only viable ways for them to stop a besieging force from tunnelling under their walls is to either 1) dig a moat deep enough to reach the local water table or 2) build their own underground tunnel or ‘countermine’ to intercept and destroy the enemy’s before they can get too close. How to undermine a wall The basic process of undermining a wall hasn’t changed too radically over the millennia. The besieging side’s engineers figure out exactly how far away the target enemy wall section is, calculate how big a tunnel they need to dig and how much kindling or explosive ordnance they need to achieve a breach of a desired size, and then plot a path for their team to dig. Miners then dig into the ground with shovels and pickaxes, deep enough to avoid exposing themselves to enemy fire on the surface, but not so deep as to hit the local water table and end up flooding their entire tunnel with groundwater. Along the way, carpenters make shorings and supports to hold up the walls and ceilings. The team then sets up these supports, hauls debris to designated dumping areas outside, and keeps careful track of their precise location in relation to the target wall section. When they end up directly underneath the target wall section, they then destroy the supports under it while maintaining a safe distance. The resulting cave-in finally collapses the wall above. The two most popular methods for initiating the collapse involve the use of fire and explosives. The first method involves simply starting a large fire underneath a target structure to burn away the wooden supports. The second method replaces the slow-burning fire with a gunpowder explosion contained behind a sandbag wall. A small explosion should be sufficient to near-instantly destroy the tunnel’s supports. A larger explosion involving massive amounts of gunpowder can more thoroughly weaken or destroy a structure’s foundations, shake the entire structure at its very core, and potentially achieve even bigger collapses. The effectiveness of undermining compared to artillery bombardment It is perfectly possible to build a wall so thick and shock-absorbent that even cannonballs will bounce off of it, dealing no serious damage. Seeing this, it’s no wonder why the rulers and inhabitants of cities with such walls so often boast of their strength. They may even go as far as to claim their walls are invincible. This is a common folly. For while they can resist artillery bombardment, no land-based structure is completely invulnerable to undermining. At the moment, cannons are the most powerful mundane artillery available to Descendantkind. They launch projectiles at high speeds using the explosively expanding gases of burning gunpowder confined inside and funnelled through a gun barrel. The destructive power of the average siege bombard far surpasses that of the average trebuchet. And so, cannons have largely replaced classical siege weapons when it comes to tearing down fortifications. But even their power has its limits. By far, the most common type of cannon ammunition is a solid and somewhat loose-fitting spherical projectile called ‘round shot’ or ‘solid shot’. The destructive power of a cannonball mainly depends on its kinetic energy, which is proportional to its mass and the velocity at which it impacts its target. Basically, the heavier the cannonball and the faster it is flying, the more damage it deals when it finally hits something. Cast iron cannonballs and corned powder have rendered many classical fortress designs practically obsolete, but the combination remains far from a be-all-end-all. Gunpowder can only propel an object so fast. And there also seems to be a soft limit to the weight of ammunition gunpowder is capable of launching at practical ranges without also blowing up the cannon and its crew. The very largest of siege bombards and mortars on Eos can fire stone or metal projectiles weighing a little more than a metric tonne. While these can utterly obliterate most classical-style curtain walls and castle towers with ease, defence-minded military engineers developed many innovations to mitigate the effectiveness of artillery. For example: solid shot fired from these same cannons would struggle against the thick and shock-absorbent brick-and-earth walls of a modern bastion fort or Oyashiman ‘shiro’ (castle). Of course, it is possible to make specially crafted ammunition or ‘Craftsman’s Shot’ that have more going on for them than just their kinetic energy. For example, engineers may incorporate explosive charges using low-density boomsteel or blasting potion gas. But these tend to be prohibitively difficult and expensive to manufacture at scale. So militaries generally stick with solid shot for the most part. When even concentrated artillery fire proves lacking, siege engineers must find other ways of achieving a breach. And oftentimes they resort to undermining. Against artillery-resistant walls, simply collapsing tunnels directly beneath them are often what ends up creating the breaches a besieging army needs to finally take a fortress by storm. This is because undermining weaponises the force of gravity and turns a structure’s own mass against it. At least for now, there are very few man-made weapons that can compare. Destroying large structures Various forces constantly act upon the things we build, even when we’re not actively trying to destroy them. To specify a few: Gravity always exerts a downwards force on our buildings and seeks to sink them into the ground. Wind blows against their walls, wobbling taller structures and constantly threatening to knock them over. The materials we make them out of also need to be able to withstand the ever-shifting weight of their moving occupants and the things said occupants put inside them. In areas prone to natural disasters like earthquakes, flooding, and hurricanes, they also need to be specially reinforced with Acts of God in mind. And of course, any building needs to be able to support its own weight so as to not fall apart on its own. One of, if not the most, important contributors to what keeps a building standing is its foundations. Foundations are critical to structural integrity: they bear the structure's load, they safely and more evenly transfer its weight onto the ground, and they stabilise it against horizontal movement. Without good foundations and a solid connection to the ground’s bedrock layer, larger and heavier structures will eventually sink into the soil and crack themselves open without any outside intervention. The job of the foundations becomes more difficult as the mass they must support increases. As a structure is built bigger (and thus heavier), its foundations must be exponentially stronger to support its weight and prevent the entire structure from collapsing. This is because of the Square–Cube Law: if you double the size of, say, a cube, its surface area is quadrupled, and its original volume is multiplied by eight. Essentially, as a structure grows linearly in size, its mass grows exponentially. So the larger a structure is built, the more it will take to keep it standing in the face of the various forces and stresses constantly seeking to displace it. And at some point, enlarging a structure becomes counterproductive; it becomes more prone to collapse as the inherent strength of its constituent building materials (or at least the ones available with our current level of technology) gets pushed to their limits. Undermining basically deletes foundations from the equation. Remove the ground below a target building section, and the only things left to hold it up are its connections to adjacent building sections that are still touching the ground. The entire weight of the undermined section continues acting as a strong downward force. But without any connection to the ground to support it, and the weight of the foundations themselves now heavily contributing, it puts itself and adjacent building sections under extremely high amounts of stress. The bigger and heavier a building, the greater the downwards force it will exert on itself, the greater the stresses it imposes on its own structure and constituent building materials. With larger and heavier structures, like castle or city walls, the inherent material strength of even strong building materials like stone brick often proves to be no substitute for solid foundations. And so, the undermined building section collapses, often taking parts of adjacent sections along with it. Sometimes, this may even start a domino effect that inflicts even more devastation against other parts of the building. Even the grandest of castle keeps, the tallest of city walls, and most imposing of evil villain towers are still very much susceptible (or are perhaps even more vulnerable) to undermining. No matter how strong people believe their walls to be, no one should ever feel complacent. The ground may just open up right under them. Guerilla warfare Tunnels feature prominently in guerilla warfare because it helps insurgents operate out of sight and often out of mind of enemy forces, which tend to be numerically and technically superior. As soon as guerillas get caught in a prolonged engagement or pitched battle, they typically get annihilated. They only manage to survive in the long term by avoiding battle until they find good opportunities to inflict great damage on the enemy while minimising their own losses. To that end, forces finding themselves fighting at a disadvantage often find great utility in tunnels. Tunnels as covert avenues of movement Underground tunnels allow guerilla forces to covertly move around fighters, equipment, and supplies without being noticed by enemies on the surface. If guerillas move around on the surface, they risk getting spotted and engaged even if they’re covered head-to-toe in camouflage. However, if the very ground is blocking direct line of sight and muffling sound, an enemy patrol may pass by on the surface completely oblivious to the fact that there’s an entire tunnel system in active use mere metres beneath their feet. When travelling on the surface is too dangerous and risky, tunnels can be a very stealthy and safe way to get from Point A to Point B. This can be exploited both offensively and defensively. Tunnels can enable fighters to covertly outflank their enemies and strike from various and unexpected angles and locations. In raiding operations, a tunnel could let them bypass enemy watchtowers and fortifications, strike targets deep inside enemy territory, and vanish before any large muster can be rallied against them. In the defence of an area, tunnels can be especially useful tools. Tunnels as underground strongholds With tunnels, a military force can maintain a powerful and prolonged presence even deep inside enemy territory while staying hidden. Engineers can expand rudimentary underground tunnels into veritable underground fortresses. Such tunnels may have all sorts of amenities such as sleeping quarters, storerooms, hospitals, training areas, latrines, recreational rooms, deep wells, and kitchens. A tunnel can be expanded so that even large military units can comfortably live within and operate from them for extended periods of time. If a tunnel network is allowed to develop to such great size and complexity, it can become extremely difficult for attackers to dislodge enemies from them. Underground tunnels also give great advantages to its defenders, making them difficult for attackers to clear out. Situated beneath layers of soil and perhaps even solid rock, they are naturally resistant to artillery bombardment and aerial attack. Through the use of trap doors, air locks, water locks, and ventilation pipes, larger and more complex tunnel networks can no longer be destroyed by simply bellowing fire or poison gases into an entrance. The narrow confines of small tunnels also make it easy to funnel intruders into booby traps like punji sticks, venomous animals and insects, and pitfalls. Adding to the difficulty of clearing out such tunnels, fighters who inhabit a tunnel system will likely grow intimately familiar with all its nooks and crannies over time. In defending it, they will use their superior terrain knowledge to their full advantage. It is also common for long-time inhabitants of a tunnel network to run drills simulating defending it in complete darkness. They may train their senses of smell and sound to extremely keen levels, such as to the point they can differentiate friend from foe just by how one moves and breathes around the environment. Attackers will often find themselves taking heavy casualties to traps and ambushes. Besieging a tunnel network and trying to starve out the defenders can also be rendered an ineffective tactic. A tunnel’s occupants may have tunnel sections unknown to the attackers or build entirely new branches leading outside the cordon. These could be used by the defenders for resupply or escape. They could also be used to launch sorties from beyond the cordon, allowing them to strike the attackers from the more exposed rear. When operating in an area where the enemy is known to use tunnels, one should never drop their guard. If such well-developed tunnels are encountered, there is typically no ‘easy’ way to get rid of them. The odds are that troops will need to delve inside and eliminate the tunnel’s inhabitants in hand-to-hand combat. And unfortunately for the attacking side, tunnel fighting tends to be a very brutal and messy affair compared to combat on the surface. Predictions for the Harrower’s strategy With uncontested control of the underground realm, a continent-wide underground tunnel network opens up a whole new world of tactical and strategic possibilities for the Harrower’s legion. It is likely that their new offensive strategy will involve many of the tunnel uses described above. The Harrower’s legion will likely build a number of underground bases. Given their current track record of invading Aevosian lands, any forward operating base they build on the surface outside of Ailmere will probably be destroyed in short order. But if they build their bases underground, they will be a lot more difficult for Aevosian forces to detect and destroy in a timely manner. These bases can be developed into excellent staging areas for offensive campaigns. They can also make hidden supply depots to sustain large forces far away from Ailmere. And even if these bases do get discovered, clearing them out will be easier said than done. This is probably their best bet at projecting power beyond the borders of their enshadowed homeland, at least until they can regain enough strength to capture and hold significant territory on the surface. Tunnels would also enable them to wage asymmetric warfare campaigns within the realms of Aevos. For example: they can attack merchants and travellers on the roads, raid lightly-defended settlements, and ambush troop columns on the march before disappearing back underground. Kidnapping people to create more mind-slaves for the Harrower would also have a higher success rate, as nearby tunnels entrances would be a very convenient means of escape. With escape routes more conveniently close-by, they can muster the confidence to pull off all manner of other shenanigans. With tunnels, the Harrower’s forces could do a massive amount of damage by the time quick response forces arrive to stop them. Undermining will also probably play a key role in sieges. The Harrower’s forces can branch out from their main tunnels and dig upwards to the base of almost any fortification that gives them trouble, should the local terrain permit it. They will probably rely on undermining a fair bit because they seemingly have very limited access to gunpowder. Instead of cannons, they rely on older and weaker siege weapons like trebuchets and onagers. Theoretically, they could match the firepower of siege bombards and mortars by building absurdly large trebuchets capable of launching massive boulders. But such projects would, realistically, be destroyed by fire arrows, sallying forces, or cannonballs long before they can be completed. Alongside the First Zenith’s Portal magics and the Chosens’ Shadow magic teleportation, undermining is one of the few viable means the Harrower’s legion have to deal with the average city wall. Things get even more complicated and unpredictable when you throw magic into the mix. The Harrower is an extradimensional Voidal entity whose powers are continuously growing and expanding. And among his followers – or at least the ones that we currently know of – are a number of powerful sorcerers: he commands Frost Witches, Necromancers, his Shadow Magic-wielding Chosen, and several generals with unique magical abilities such as Portal summoning and Self-cloning. Together, they can probably brainstorm and pull off any number of creative, unexpected, and devastating stunts by pooling their spells and combining them with the utility of tunnels. But rather than theorising what they could do, it would probably be more productive to try and physically shut down their ideas before they have the chance to surprise you. The Harrower’s tunnel network can not be ignored any longer. If the stone tablet map is anything to go by, his legion already made quite a bit of progress. Their tunnel warfare strategy must shut down before it can bear fruit. The more we idle and fail to challenge their campaign preparations, the more we endanger ourselves to the Harrower’s machinations.

THE DRAKE RESTS Sang s’ha d’unir Blood Shall Bind Issued on the 9th of The Grand Harvest, 185 SA It is with great sadness that the House of Vilac announces the death of its longstanding Patriarch, Casimir Marius Vilac. For many decades, he served as the house’s leader, following the abdication of his father Gwendel Vilac. From fleeing the ruins of the Petran Civil War to gaining the peerage of Viscounty in the Kingdom of Balian, Casimir Vilac has served faithfully to his house. He passed on as a warrior, a scholar, a husband, and a father. We thank him and mourn his loss. THE VISCOUNT IS DEAD. LONG LIVE THE VISCOUNTESS. Lord Casimir Vilac’s heir, firstborn, and only child, Viviana Ximena Vilac, takes up the title of Viscountess Viviana Ximena Vilac, Matriarch of House Vilac. Despite the gloom of the coming days, House Vilac additionally announces the new Heir Apparent, the firstborn daughter of the Viscountess: Naida Sophia Vilac. If the Viscountess decides to abdicate or ascends to the seven skies before her daughter is of age, either Dame Gwenyth Vilac or Maria Giavanna Vilac will be named Viscountess Regent until the Heir comes of age. Blood binds us all. SIGNED,

Artel stood within his study, stowing away arms and armour "und so Oren fell, hopefully for der last time" He looks to the black banner, the red sun and twin ravens, he nodded for Icathia slept still "we have larger problems then der last screams of ein dead nation from another world" he mutters to himself as he turns to leave

After the previous set date and time were unfortunately postponed, it pleases the crown to announce that the coronation will proceed as scheduled in the coming saints days. [OOC: Tuesday 18th, 6pm EST | 10pm GMT] 𝔗𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔢 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔪𝔰 𝔬𝔣 ℭ𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔦𝔰𝔪 Friends and Allies alike are dully invited: His Royal Majesty Ivan VIII, Dual King of Haense and Ruska, and his noble pedigree @indiana105 Her Royal Majesty Nataliya Leopoldina, Dual Queen of Haense and Ruska, and her noble pedigree @kaylacita His Apostolic Majesty Charles II, King of Aaun, and his noble pedigree @Olox_ Her Royal Majesty Adalia I, Queen of Petra, and her noble pedigree @mothsthetic His Royal Highness Alfred I, Prince of Reinmar, and his noble pedigree @Gandhi His Royal Highness Leon I, Prince of Reinmar, and his noble pedigree @BuilderBagel Her Royal Majesty Tar-Caraneth Aryantë, Queen of Númendil, and her noble pedigree @AstriaS Her Royal Highness Ramona de Pelear, Sovereign Princess of Hyspia, and her noble pedigree @_mady07 His Grace Ser Sterling Blaxton-Whitewood, Duke of Barbantine, and his noble pedigree @_RoyalCrafter_ ℌ𝔬𝔫𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔄𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔢𝔰 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔉𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔫𝔡𝔰 His Grace Calathân an Naedwylm, Sohaer of Haelun'or, and his advisors. @MCVDK His Grandees, Thurgrim Silverbraid, Grand King of Urguan, and the noble Clan Elders. @CharlestheDwarf Her Royal Highness Idril Sylvaeri, Princess of Amathine., and her noble pedigree. @JJosey Ellenore av Eiriksdóttir, High Keeper of Norland, and her noble pedigree @Elennanore Her Royal Majesty Reine Medea Amaranta Viola De Astrea, Queen of Vikela, and her noble pedigree @JTMedea Her Royal Majesty, Lenora Jusmia, Sovereign of Vortice, and her noble pedigree.

Come by the Wyrtmark-Kabestan stall (at X 3259 Z 575) for the fastest horses at a reasonable price. We also have: saddles, leads, wool, books and leather. Find the resident Osbert (that's me) for his services as a blacksmith and guard. We hope to see you soon :)

Screeching came from the von Theonus keep as Calla von Theonus got her hands on the gossiping news column. "SORREL! SORREL YOU'RE ENGAGED?!" She screamed from her living room, then grabbed a piece of parchement and wrote a hurried letter to her son. "I haven't even met her!"

A pale elfess, bearing the Elervathar sigil on her dress, mused: "So, the one who forcibly deposed Maheral, the Blessed Child, now preaches importance of Maheral's authority and Larihei's teachings. Well, debate is always a welcome sight." "An elaboration on the current constitution is required. The Blessed Silver Constitution, as its two predecessors - The Reformed Silver Constitution and The Silver Constitution of Haelun'or, was based on the principles of compromise and balance between Haelunorian factions, as such its removal from the official archive is uncalled for. Yet, there were other notable constitutions, through which one might see the centuries-long struggle. The Elervathar Constitution of Haelun'or, that attempted to empower Maheral in all matters of the State, while having Sohaer as a member of elHeial'thill, which was overseen by Maheral. The Sohaeriate Constitution of the Silver State of Haelun'or, that established a dictatorial rule of Sohaer Othelu Orrar, abolishing position of Maheral, his reign became infamous for its rejection of traditions, transition to the Uthirate, and the influence of Azdrazi. The Constitution of 1774, was a republican constitution, that saw its goal in democratisation of Haelun'or through elections not only for the position of Sohaer, but for any seat in elHeial'thilln. Lastly, the first and most influential constitution since the restoration of Haelun'or from the Enclave of Fi'halen is The Elervathar Diarchy Constitution, created by the Blessed Diarchy of Sohaer Dimaethor and Maheral Iaria Elervathar. While their reign was long and successful, given the personalistic and charismatic nature of the Diarchy rule, its recurrence is unlikely. Hopefully, the lesson of conflict between Diarchists, Republicanists, Sohaerists and Maheralists made it clear that the current balanced choice of The Blessed Silver Constitution is correct."

Paul the Miller signs on. )

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Elect Paul the Miller for Grand Maer of New Valdev! Citizens of New Valdev, it be I, Paul the Miller, steppin' out from the millstone to the grand stage! Ready to grind away the problems and knead our city into greatness! Why Vote for Paul the Miller? Endless Bread Supply: Tired of waiting in line for bread? Elect me, and I promise an abundance of bread! Haeseni baguettes for breakfast, my ma's sourdough for supper, and everything in between. Never go hungry again! Dancing Tuesdays: Every Tuesday, we’ll have a city-wide dance party. Whether ye fancy a jig, a waltz, or just flailing about, there’s room for everyone! Pothole Elimination Squad: My first act as Maer will be to gather a team of highly trained goats to eat away the weeds in the potholes. Mandatory Nap Time: Feeling tired in the middle of the day? Fear not! Under my rule, we’ll have city-wide mandatory nap times. Let’s all recharge together! Personal Jester: Every citizen will have access to a personal jester. Feeling blue? Your jester will be there with jokes, tricks, and a ridiculous hat to cheer you up! Free Cheese Fridays: Who doesn’t love cheese? Every Friday, free cheese for all! From creamy brie to sharp cheddar (Haeseni Reggiano), we've got your pick! Duck Parade: Weekly parades featuring our finest ducks, dressed in their best. Because why not? Everyone loves a good duck parade, and race! Pictured above: Paul assembled a doctor, aurum bearer, and medic to reintegrate a disheveled homeless back into society. A Few Words from Paul the Miller: Me fellow Valdevians, I’m here to bring joy, laughter, and a whole lot of bread to our beloved city. Vote for me, and I promise a term full of fun, frolic, and flour! So, cast yer vote for Paul the Miller – because who needs serious when you can have seriously fun? Sponsored by Paul the Miller for Grand Maer

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