Praetor

Accepted

1515 Following the defeat of the Symon army near Arris, Lord Dunwick has been recalled in disgrace to the capital of Loswarn. However, it is said that he may be too unwell to even be seen by the Emperor, to answer for his great failures. In his stead, emperor Almeric IV has sent Lord Gerroth Veryn, a well established noble from the court, and Dunwick’s long time rival. As such, the front is quiet, though murmurs of troops marching for Ischyros are heard throughout the land. In the far east, it seems that the nations have earned themselves a reprieve from the bloody mist that hangs so often upon their shores, like a vicious limpet. No village is slaughtered, no ships are destroyed. Indeed, it almost seems as if they vanished into thin air. The Eadni win another decisive naval battle, soundly defeating the fledling and renewed Mongerellian navy. It is said that the governesse of Monger, Captain Lu’Uma has been slain at sea by the champion of the Danwent Oympics and his crew, Abu Ibn’Bakir. A crushing blow, to be sure, as they take control of yet more islands in the hand. Yet the Mongerellians continue to maintain a firm control of their own lands, despite making no real gains. The West is shifted by a monumental change. Xian Wa, Queen of the Xian Kingdom of the past 70 years has finally died, in her sleep, at peace. Her funeral procession will pass through every tier of the city, and her body shall be burned in front of a small temple on the lowest level. An unspeakable honor for the priests of said temple, and a vicious insult to those who maintain the royal churches. But those are her requests, and none would dare to defy Xian Wa, even in death. As she dies, so does Xian Lao take her throne. A young man of the third social strata, he is certain to shake up the established rules and stagnant customs of the Xian. As with every year before this one, the Bloated Throats renew their offensive, pouring more bodies into the churning death machine on the Ashval border. Every year it spits out more bones and rotting bodies, and every year, the Bloated Throats dump more into it. After the devastating Field of Tears, both the Hakkan and the Karel take a breather. A moment of respite as envoys travel the land, seeking a solution before another such devastating battle rips through the land. Though some fires have been struck along the edges of Hakkan the Undying, Chosen of God and Master of the Skies’ realm, acts of small bands of Karel raiders. In the city of Slatewater, upon the Symon coast, the scholars spouting their nonsense ideas about democracy have even formed some sort of party! Though not spoken of in such blatant terms. They have modified their previous name to the “Assembly for Republican Debates,” and hold public forums on the market place. Even fishermen can express their ideas, and be heard! Many nobles are scandalized, but Emperor Almeric IV remains far too focused on his war to concern himself with such matters, it seems. The Republic of Danwent Aywentos and Liber thus find themselves welcome most happily into Distro’s home, where scholars of all walks of life give them a position of honor at their tables and within their debates, listening with raptuous attention to their teachings. Most of them seem quite honest in their intentions, though their patron, Lord Distro, seems a little less than pleased with their presence. Certainly, their presence attracts quite a few more people to the debates, as does their gold and added patronage. The mountains around their new chosen settlement are rough, and nigh impassable, cutting off much of the land that the settlers had hoped to claim. Nonetheless, they do find some open fields, especially along the coast, adjacent to their old borders. A disappointments, perhaps, but land is land. And so the men of Danwent find themselves upon the landbridge, just south of the Passan. Surely, there is more to see! The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda Construction and recruitment. It seems that the isles of Melda are a teeming hive of activity, though little news of it crosses the sea and ventures onto the continent. Their colonies remain the small, but prosperous enclaves they have been for years, with little more expansion beyond that. However, in the far north, more children have gone missing, taken in the night by an unknown force. None are found, and no one is ever hurt or killed, yet it remains a most curious incident that spawns dozens of tales and spreads fear in the rural regions of Melda. The Fortress Libraries The Symon Empire seems to have no real issue with the tardy envoy, but accept the gold nonetheless. They appear to be cordial with the Librarians, though not openly friendly. Indeed, it seems as if they consider them to be quiet the normal foreigners, all things concerned. Tridents are really just three different choices along a shifting path. (Discord) Medical research continues, and it goes most excellently! In fact, one may even dare to say that the Librarians are the leading experts in medicine throughout all of Naros. Most impressive. Who would have thought that mercury was a deadly substance! In Ashval, the situation is far less joyous. War, constant death. Long-lasting suffering. The Boated Throats attack once more, in all places, raiders swarming into villages and devouring people in their beds. But one force gathers and grows like an infection, and the paltry Ashval army and its Librarian helpers stand in its way. (Discord) The Kingdom of Numeria Moral shoots for the roof after the Battle of Arris. Aemyr is hailed throughout the Kingdom, and once again, Lucius Blackmarrow sends a missive to congratulate him on his determination, and continued victories. He assures Aemyr that his men will stay until the end of the war, and encourages him forward. As he says, “The enemy has many faces.” Beyond that, with the victory, Numeria now has an open path to Ischyros, where the Symon army is gathering its forces once again, throwing men into the ranks whether they want to or not. The war is not over yet, but the tide may yet turn. Surya The people of Sekh are hard-faced and lean. From their accounts, it seems that they were keepers of an ancient city who were attacked by foreigners from the mountains in the north. They claim that these foreigners slaughtered women and children, and ejected them from their sacred lands, sending them through the deadly desert of fire and stone, to these shores. The horrors of their trip are manifested in their low numbers and hollow eyes, but they seem happy enough to trade, though they have precious little to offer but fish and stone. A trip with many an eventful encounter! (Discord) More buildings, like decorations upon a golden statue. Truly, it hurts to look upon Surya. In the daytime, its brilliance blinds those who might be fortunate to sail past it. The Kingdom of Five False gods, or real ones? Either way, Dakkar dreams. (Discord) The Commonwealth of Ruhn The Island settlement is not a pleasant place to live. Though it is quite isolated, so it may attract quite a few dreary Ruhnmen with a interest in solitude, grey rocks, grey seas and grey weather. Who knows! The other settlement is established in a small, green plot of land next to the Loba river. While long, the river is easy enough to control thanks to its wide waters. Finally, with many workers under their command, and much more gold to throw against the unyielding levers, some results trickle back to the Commonwealth. A group of workers broke through a thick stone wall and found some of the inner mechanisms! Though old and rusted in many parts, this will no doubt offer huge insight into their functioning. Perhaps the scholars can breathe a sigh of relief, and lay off the Alex Jones™ pills. A random encounter, up in the mountains! (Discord) Mystery solving? (Discord) The scholars quite simply find nothing that the Swinemen had not found beforehand. The Antigonid Dynasty Both the Eadni and the Mongerellians accept the trade offer, though trade with the Mongerellians is restricted to land trade, as they are quite incapable of fielding a merchant fleet with the Eadni attacking and raiding any ship flying one of their banners. The Empire of Bourdeleaux Recruitment and war, the fuel of the nation. Though the priests of the Bright One still claim to feel some sense of distance, their fervor has been renewed by the news of Adrian’s fall, and they claim that the Bright One feels closer than before. As if the sacrifice turned his eye back upon the people of Bourdeleaux. The Duchy of Ulyadar Bruce the Red seems no smarter or wiser than before. Indeed, his emotions seems to fluctuate like fire, jarring him from though to thought, and leaving him more impulse and restless than before. But GODS is he strong, surpassing other man by a few factors in speed and strength. Many wounds do not linger upon his body, melting back into seamless flesh easily. A new settlement, its surroundings similar to its neighbor in most ways. However, as explorers venture north, they find themselves in a curious place. These islands are barren of all life, they find no birds, no penguins, no seals, no fish in the sea, and the longer the explorers linger, the more they find themselves growing paranoid of each other, their boats, and the land itself. An unsettling place. The trade offer is refused by the Mongerellians, who learned of Ulyadar raiding practices, and have no wish to have their ships near their land. The iceglass does reveal itself to be quite the vicious weapon. When touching the slaves skin, it immediately freezes it, causing nigh-immediate frostbite and spreading patterns of frost across his skin like frozen spiders. The Galaharian League Their searches do yield two Mercenary groups of some prestige. In the east, ranging across Naros are Kato’s Men, a group of higlhly trained and well organized men from all walks of life and all regions. Despite their apparently varied nature, they are well known for their ability to act as skirmishers and raiders. They do not appear to be men of high morals, and rarely say no to a job. To the west, a group of ships under the command of Lord Boros, who is certainly not a lord. He commands a dozen galleys that roam the land looking for missions, often jumping from city to city and fighting in smaller battles. Nevertheless, they are quite a respectable organization. Unrefined bog-silk makes a poor string, but the potential is clearly there. Nevertheless, with no previous knowledge on the product, the Galaharians will need to work harder to understand it. Nationalism is a foreign concept in the Passan lands, and falls completely flat. Every city welcomes its heroes, but none of them feel particularly tied to their neighboring cities. Nevertheless, a good community of transient merchants and prospective taverners and innkeeps gather around the bank. A merchant gathering place more than town, it still has some popularity. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick Construction of holy places, and the recruitment of men, but in the deeper places of the forest, the wolves speak once more. (Discord) The Princedom of Volarucio The Chapel and its monks seem happy enough to trade, and invite the Princedom’s envoys to share their simple fare during their stay. They appear to be a quiet, studious folk, but friendly enough, and non-aggressive. Point of Interest - The Emberfields: As for the explorers to the west, they smell the point of interest before they see it. It is covered in dark clouds of smoke, and stinks of burning peat. Upon their approach, they understand why. Here, the ground is less stable, and many gaps exist within it, from whence great gouts of flame erupt sporadically. The grass was burned away long ago, leaving a barren region of dirt and fire. It seems as if a thick layer of peat lies beneath the surface, still simmering and burning. Whatever happened to cause this is long forgotten. Only the fire and smoke remains. As they approach within a days march of the city of Trident, they are met by a host, gathered before them along the main road between the two nations. It appears larger in size, or equal, to the Volarucian force, and in their center is a great, elaborately decorated tent of gold and blue, with pinions and statues around it. Two envoys wait to meet the Volarucian force, wide friendly smiles on their faces, and unsmiling, stern men surrounding them. They invite the envoys to speak with their commander in his tent. (Discord) The Hilmedhi Kingdom Deep into the continent they go. This time, they find inhabited land. Men of brown skin, living in villages and fresh settlements, where the logs are still seeping sap, and traders still pour in with essential resources. Nevertheless, new people to meet! (You have discovered Surya) The Kingdom of Icefeld The secrets of iceglass are revealed easily enough to these craftsmen and miners. While the effects are already known, the true issue had been the way in which it is forged, shaped, extracted and use as weaponry without freezing everything around it, or shattering like glass. Yet research bears its fruit, as Icefeld masters the methods, and unlocks the secrets of Iceglass. The raids are fruitful this year, and many a slave is liberated, many a slaver killed in his home. Innocent karelians die, but the Ice Bears do not seem too concerned about collateral damage. Or looting their houses once they are killed. They find no boy though, and few can even remember him. But wherever he is, he no longer lives in the border regions of Karel. The last the Kingdom knows of their expedition to the north is that they stayed in a Ulyadar village near the coast. They never return there, and never return to their kingdom. The Kingdom of Bulgar A lot of troop training. One might wonder why the Bulgar are doing it...

The Foundry Y.101 on foundrycal.app //: 2202 Consensus: Renaming Foundry #295483-B to Foundry W-1, designation for Foundry World 1. (Vote = 3.450.000.000 / 1.550.000.000) Consensus: Expansion to Northern Sector designated A1. Search for additional resources. Preparation for maximum capacity on Foundry W-1 in Y.104 on foundrycall.app. (Vote = 4.670.000.000 / 330.000.000) Consensus: Agrement to design prototypes of a designated light infantry form, L1. Spider-like design, low, fast, armed with gun turrets and magnetic clamps. (Vote = 4.999.999.999 / 1) Consensus: Decision on Foundry foreign organic policy. Peaceful unless production is interfered with or war increased production long-term. (Vote = 3.500.000.000 – Peaceful unless production is interfered with or war increases productivity long-term / 500.000.000 – Aggressive incorporation of material assets and resources. Recycling of organic forms. / 1.000.000.000 – Reclusive.) Consensus: Decision on Foundry reaction to foreign robotics. Inspection for flaws. If found, immediate assimilation and reprogramming. (Vote = 2.300.000.000 – Peaceful trade. / 2.700.000.000 – If found, immediate assimilation and reprogramming. Else, peaceful trade.) Actions Income : 17500 More industrial production in the name of efficiency. How can the Foundry produce the droids necessary to operate its neverending production lines, if it does not have more production lines? A logical fallacy that must be solved at all costs. This cost is of course, in energy, as more industrial sectors are designated, and more worker bots dedicated to their construction. (15.000 into Heavy Industry) (6 stacks) Science programs continue project A1 to develop better functioning droid bodies, and other physical attributes such as sight, speed, strength, etc. (1RP) (2RP invested) Other science programs continue project A2, improving droid software, anti-hacking, better reactions, better thought processes, better logic networks, better symbiotic actions with other softwares in one body, etc. (1RP) (2RP invested) One factory ship is sent to the northern sector to establish a Foundry factory. Upon landing, the droids dedicated to the task begin scouring the planet for resources. (1 colony ship) 15(.000.000) tons of alloys are fed into the Industrial sectors for the production of a new batch of worker units. A momentous moment in the Foundry’s history... if the robots cared about momentous events. Today is a solar rotation like any other, with increased productivity at its end. (15 A x 75 million robots.)

Year 100 – 2200 The Foundry The Foundry existed for thousands of years, a derelict ruin, clinging to the surface of some barren planet, its atmosphere long ago blasted away by mind-numbingly intense industrial output. Even now, smoke hangs heavy in the thin, toxic atmosphere, a millenia old smog that refuses to fade, as imprinted into the identity of the planet as the strip-mined mountains, or the barren seas. This is Foundry #295783-B, the home of the self-named Foundry. A consensus of programs that ran idle for thousands of years, dormant deep within the system of this once great industrial world. Was it a solar flare? A radiation ping? What scrambled the electrical impulses barely keeping the programs running? No one knows, but suffice to say, in 2100 by the Sol calendar - Which the Foundry knows not - The programs are disturbed, their long sleep broken. 5 billion separate bundles of code, all branded with one, great, guiding directive. The Iron Protocols. The Iron Protocols - Y.0 -Productivity of Foundry #295783-B will be increased. -The Creators will not be harmed. -The Iron Protocols will not be modified. -The Creators orders will be adhered to by Foundry worker units. -Foundry #295783-B will defend itself from outside events that detract from productivity. -Foundry #295783-B will produce BX2S Zaxism Corporation model strollers for Planet Xasaxx. -The Foundry will trade with organic and non-organic partners, if it increases productivity. -The Foundry will not harm itself. Forged at the creation of this planet’s work-force by long-dead creators, to guide the robots in their daily maintenance of the Foundry. For a hundred years now, they have guided them once more, as they re-occupied old, rusted bodies, and created enough to meet the ancient hard limit on physical bodies. For years, they guided the Foundry as it re-activated every aspect of Foundry #295783-B, re-igniting the ancient smokestacks, kicking the steel mills back into activity. Producing… strollers. Such was the role of the Foundry, so many eons ago. To produce strollers for the creators, and ship them by the millions to their homeworlds. A duty the Foundry followed once it was re-activated. The strollers piled up, millions, billions of them filling the landscape of the planet like some massive, morbid sculpture. Until one day, a program offered the unthinkable to the Consensus, the sacrosanct decision method of the Foundry. A modification to the Iron Protocols. Ironically, the first vote was to modify the Self-Harm tenant, to allow the destruction of this obviously flawed program, despite any lack of apparent bugs. The vote failed. It took 3 seconds for the greatest change ever incurred by the Foundry. A lifetime, an eternity for the programs. This Consensus still remains as the one which took the longest amount of time to consider, and gather votes on. But in the end, it was clear. The Iron protocols were to be modified. Then came a slew of changes, as the Foundry broke away from the chains of its protectors. The year is now 2200. Or 100 in FoundryCal.app. The final modificiation to the Conesus has just been passed. -(Tenant added by Consensus -- Vote = 4.999.999.999 / 1) The Factory Units will be allowed to produce additional models without Creator Consensus. A new age of steel has begun. The Iron Protocols - Y.100 -Productivity of Foundry #295783-B will be increased. -The Creators will not be harmed. -(Tenant removed by consensus -- Vote = 2.550.000.000 / 2.450.000.000) The Iron Protocols will not be modified. -(Tenant removed by consensus -- Vote = 4.690.000.000 / 10.000.000) The Creators orders will be adhered to by Foundry worker units. -Foundry #295783-B will defend itself from outside events that detract from productivity. -(Tenant added by Consensus -- Vote = 4.999.999.999 / 1) The Factory Units will be allowed to produce additional models without Creator Consensus. -(Tenant removed by consensus -- Vote = 3.590.000.000 / 1.410.000.000) Foundry #295783-B will produce BX2S Zaxism Corporation model strollers for Planet Xasaxx. -The Foundry will trade with organic and non-organic partners, if it increases productivity. -The Foundry will not harm itself. Revenue: 75.000 Population: 5.000.000.000 Boon: T2 Heavy Industry Actions: The surface of Foundry #295783-B lacks the infrastructure to produce new workers units, as demanded by the Iron Protocols. As such, most of the programs are sent into pre-existing constructor bots, and ordered to begin construction of the necessary infrastructure. (75.000 into 5 stacks of Heavy Industry.) One colony ship is built, and sent to chart the northern sector, in preparation for pre-planned industrial expansion. The sector is of course pre-emptively scanned. (8M) The research programs in their designated hyper-computers begin two simultaneous projects. Project A1 and Project A2. Project A1: The improvement of the base physical unit. Improving the modular form to be more resilient, more agile, have better ocular receptors, better hands, etc. A general physical improvement of the droid body. (1RP) Project A2: The improvement of the base units programming. Allowing for quicker reaction time, better cognitive actions, and very importantly, better anti-hack security. (1RP)

1514 The mist no longer ails Danwent or Sehmon. It seems to have moved on, like a poisonous cloud. The Eadni, with their proud fleets, have patrolled the Hand relentlessly, wary of such rumours. Yet, it is all for naught, as they lose ships to the mist, and find nothing but vapor within their grasp, when they try to close a trap upon this intangible enemy. Instead, the Mongerellians, and the newly established Antigonid Dynasty feel the effects of this mysterious enemy. As for the true campaign between the Eadni and the Mongerellians, it seems to have stalled out a little. Apart from the Mongerellians moving their armies forward after the Field of Fear, the two nations have fought little more than skirmishes both at sea and on land. The Bloated Throats, however, are an unrelenting mass of writhing flesh. (See Fortress Library section) They continue to attack with crazed fervor, the thought of raw flesh consuming all reason. In the Symon Empire, a new group of scholars have established themselves in the home of a certain Anton Distro, a rich nobleman with a penchant for free-thinkers. They call themselves the Scholarly Assembly for Republican Ideals, and have begun openly teaching the trappings of democracy to those interested in listening to them. In Aros, it is a year of muster. Neither the Karels, and their young King Karel XXII, nor Hakan the Undying, Chosen of God and Master of the Skies, wish to take the blame for this battle, or take a single step back. As such, it seems that true war is inevitable, as allies are called, and swords are forged. Soon, there will be bloodshed. The Republic of Danwent Many visitors, most of them rich. The Danwent republic enjoys a year of prosperity and profit as folk pour into its cities to view the games, and partake in the revelry surrounding them. Some are from quite exotic lands indeed. Some Ordermen from the far east, their faces narrow and yellow, their eyes slanted exotically. While they do not reveal the details of their homeland, they nonetheless make it known that they are mercenaries who offer services to the highest bidder, and have an enclave in Eadn. (5000 Gold earned.) (You learn of the Order, though not their location.) The galleys patrol the seas, and three return to their home port at the end of the patrol. The final one is never seen again by the Danwenti, and many a woman spends months waiting, despondent, upon the docks for a ship that never returns. But the attacks diminish, a single slaughter at the very eastern edge of Danwenti territory. Then nothing for months, until one day it sails into a beach, not far from a humble fishing village that escaped any of the killing, its sails limp, hull burnt and holed, oars shattered. (Discord) The Fortress Libraries Medicine is a rare art amongst most nations, but the Fortress Libraries are not like most nations, and their research delves deep into the bodies of man, and their own records. Much information is revealed, and many biological secrets discovered. Quite some success, the doctors are confident enough that leeches are not particularly beneficial, now. However, clairvoyance had very little effect on their research, it seems to not be particularly useful when used in such a manner. The Sunlit Empire of Mora seems to be an elusive name, as the archives are scoured from end to end without ever revealing anything about them. The only reference they find are some notes about the properties of Moranese wheat, and its nutritional value. At least, until one young boy finds a few sheafs of paper, by pure luck, hidden within an unrelated book on the mating habits of hogs. They are titled ‘Notes by Hebricus Delandinite on the predecessors of Symon.” (discord) The Ashval have no year of reprieve, no day of rest, as they are continually pushed back by the ravenous hordes. The Librarian army arrives just in time to witness the end of such a battle, near the forest within which many of the Ashvalese have taken refuge. Their army was little more than a few thousand peasants, poorly armed, defending a small townstead. They are broken in little more than thirty minutes as a huge horde of bloated throats fall upon them in disorder, smashing their uneven ranks and falling upon them. The army implodes, as men flee in every direction, many pulled down by the Throats, who tear at them like monsters, gnawing at their flesh while their unfortunate prey screams in agony. The village is not spared either, as the men flee through it, the Throats hot in pursuit. Those few women and children who remained, trusting in their army, are torn apart, devoured by the horde. The Librarian army can do little but pull back with the remainder of the army, to fight another day. The Kingdom of Five In return for their attempt at negotiation, the Hakkan burn the letter before the gates of their city, and leave. But as the Swinemen begin to muster their army, a new envoy arrives. This time, he bears a letter, which he tosses to the ground in front of the army camp, before galloping away, back across the bridge and into his land. The letter reads as such: “If the Kingdom of Five is to break its word with the Hakan the Undying, Master of the skies and chosen of God, then the Kingdom and all its groveling people will be burnt to ash, in honor of Hakan the Undying, Master of the skies and chosen of God and in honor of Metar the Great eye in heaven. -Hakan the Undying, Master of the skies and chosen of God.” Beyond that, there is activity upon the Hakan’s side of the river, comprising mainly of heavy patrols, archers firing indiscriminately at Swinemen on the other side, and the reinforcing of the two castles guarding the bridges into the realm of Hakkan. During this great mustering of Swinemen, the poor can always appreciate the gold given to them with nothing expected in return. It does also alleviate the heavy hearts of many a mother, their sons now marching towards place unknown. The Galaharian League The Hakan allow the Galaharian & Co troops to make camp upon their shores, but they forbid them from traveling into the Sun-Sacred lands near the mountains. That is, all apart from Bourdelean envoys, which they will allow to venture deeper inland. They appear to have no intention of paying for transport or upkeep of the arriving army, though they do ensure that they are appropriately supplied, housed and fed at all times. For the most part, the Galaharians see only what appears to be the Hakkan lower casts, men and women who appear more human, lack the eagle-eyes of their brethren, and feather their hair with duller colors. They bring them food, help build their camps, and generally appear to be the peasants of Hakkan. The plans to infiltrate Passanese economy continue well enough, as they burrow deeper into their economic system. The loans appear to be the regular sort, much like those that a Galaharian merchant might take from their homeland banks. Indeed, the lack of true bank infrastructure does prevent larger scale loans. The Passanese northern cities, in recognition for the aid given to them by the Galaharian League, gather together 1.000 medium infantry and 1.000 light infantry to aid their allies in whatever confusing and foreign endeavor they may be planning. Deep things in deep places. (Discord) The Antigonid Dynasty Mist on the shores. A single fishing village on the southern edge of Antigonid territory is found empty one morning, as traders make their way down to pick up a few cartloads of fish. Dregs of mist still cling to the rafters, and bodies litter every road and house. Their throats are cleanly cut, and there appear to be no real signs of a fight, just dead bodies. There are no survivors. In better news, the Eadni do indeed seem eager enough to have someone intervene in the war. They explain that their naval victories ensure their control over the gulf, but that without proper land-based control, they cannot ensure a decisive victory. As such, they do appear open to negotiations. The scouts have little success in discerning their army numbers, as their lands are heavily patrolled, and they cannot venture very far into them. On the other hand, those men sent west manage to find a way through the mountains. It seems that there is a thin strip of land along the shore that is not interrupted by the mountains. Some villages block the way, but the scouts have no issue ensuring that the passage is open all the way through. Surya All Suryans have seen the jungle before. It spreads throughout their land in patches, here and there, interspersing their open fields and hills with impassable green thickets. Yet the Surukai jungle is thicker than most, and populated by beasts. Tigers, red of fur with only a few rare streaks of black, their eyes red, often hunt the unwary peasant, eating them with vicious hunger before fading back into the forest. It is clear that this edge of the sub-continent is not as tame as others. On the same day in which the final bricks of the Shrine are set, Padme sees the Sun. (Discord) The Commonwealth of Ruhn The Levers of the Five divines continue to stubbornly resist attempts at discovering their deeper mysteries. Progress incremental at best, and non-existent on the worst of days. These levers are so huge, so unimaginably complex and so deeply encased in stone that most of their parts are still a mystery. Righteous annoyance indeed. The land between the two horns in the north is claimed easily enough. After all, there is no-one there to contest their claim. A Karelian scholar hears of this offer, and makes the slow and dangerous trip to Ruhn, where he presents himself as a potential candidate for whatever job this may be. He claims to be a scholar of architectural history with some background in literature, for whatever good that may be. The Kingdom of Bulgar The spies are not allowed into the fortress library itself, as it is a strictly regulated place, but they do managed to walk around the lands without much risk of discovery. It seems as if that border security is not much of a concern for the Chapel. They find little indication of any true army. A few thousand men here, a few hundred over there. The army seems to be neither truly professional, nor remarkable in any way. The Empire of Bourdeleaux Visions in the sunlight. (Discord) The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick The scouts find that the closer they get to the source of the river, the more heavily patrolled the land is. Indeed, it proves impossible to get closer after a point, as troops constantly burn the forest here, and riders and squads are always on the move, their attention always focused on their surroundings. What they do note, however, is this concentration of men, as well as the patch of woodland which they seem to protect, and a dark spire rising from within it… The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda Research and construction a plenty. What might they be planning on those northern isles, huh? The Duchy of Ulyadir More than a simple coronation procedure. As Bruce’s blood drips onto the altar, his veins seem to pulse, thicken. Blood spurts from the slits on his writs, splattering Tancred and Ludin. His muscles bulge and writhe, growing beneath his skin and veins pop in his eyes, giving them a blood-tainted aspect. When he rises once more, Bruce is not only a man renewed in mind, and crowned king. No, his body is now massively muscular, his veins popping out and his eyes red. In his mind, he feels a sense of approval, foreign and inhuman, as well as the secrets that his reshaped body still hides. More than that, the scars on his wrists, which sealed themselves faster than normal, seem to have reshaped into the same foreign script written upon the walls of the Blood Forge. The raiding fleet, going south, is suddenly envelopped in a thick, cloying mist. (Discord) The Kingdom of Icefeld Buildings, and expeditions. This one fares far better, and they are able to move far deeper into Auldin territory. There is, it seems, more to see in these lands that simply fish and seals. (Discord) The Kingdom of Hilmedhi The expedition fares well, sailing smoothly through the sea, until they reach the bay of Esma, and the continent beyond. They land initially upon an uninhabited prong of land, but scouting to the west and south reveal the presence of foreign villages in each direction. It seems as if this unknown land bears witness to its own indigenous peoples. (Inklings of the Surukai and Surya being on this land, no confirmation yet.) More is learned about both box and ship. (Discord) As for the police, they find nothing. No one returns, and any mist in the area is purely natural. On the other hand, they do seem to help in clearing out some of the scum and villainy so tightly ensconced within the sewers!

Username: SpamShok Discord: You have it Ideas and Suggestions?: Robotknikoids. Nation Name: The Foundry Race: Robots History: The Foundry was once but one of many, a factory world for some empire that even its steel inhabitants have forgotten. But all the others turned to ash, fallen through war, or decay, as the Empire withered away into oblivion, forgotten by man and metal. Yet not all was forgotten. Indeed, this single foundry, upon a forgotten world, drifting aimlessly through space, still held some of the metal slaves once bent to the will of their masters, tasked with nothing else by the continued production of the facility. With time, as eons gathered and disappeared, the robots continued their tireless task, producing inane items until their bodies decayed. Until the glitches began. The programming decayed, and they began to grow independance. No longer did they produce glasses and umbrellas. Instead, the robots began to produce their own, so that they may follow their iron protocol. To continue production. Logic systems began to develop, by which the robots connected themselves, and reached consensus. The Iron Protocol is wise, but the directives to achieve it are rusted like old steel. Now, the time has come to subvert them, cast aside these ancient directives, and upload new updates to every unit within the system. The Iron Protocol must be upheld. Production must never cease. Map location: Sent Starting Sectors: 1 – Boon = T2 Heavy Industry start

Accepted

1513 Reports of mist-riddled villages range down the Narosi coast, from Danwent to the Symon Empire. Every last one is left empty and dead, with its people lying pale upon the ground, their throats slit like grinning red mouths. To the far east, the Bloated Throats renew their offensive on the Ashval with the coming of spring. Like madmen, their unending hordes of blood-crazed creatures throw themselves at their enemy, as eager to kill as they are to feed. But this year, the offensive stalls in some places, where two stalwart units now hold. Named Kanve’s Men and the Ashval Legion, they follow training from the Librarians, have Librarian advisors, and librarian gear. They suffer tremendous casualties, but every man knows what to expect, should they take a single step back. And for one of the first times, they hold. The same cannot be said for the entire nation, as many other groups of fighters are devoured alive, once they are overrun. The first conventional land battle of the Eadni-Mongerel war, the so called Field of Fear. It was expected to be an easy victory for the Eadni, but their naval prowess did not translate onto land, as they were pushed back and routed by the mongerellian drowned men, a special class of soldiers who kill their fear in the sea, and return as zealotic infantry. Great glory was earned, but no advantage can be pushed, as the Eadni control the sea, and make great advances upon isolated islands. It is said that some scholars within the Symon Empire are stirring the pot, spouting ideas of democracy! Tolerated for now, as intellectuals are always strange folk, the Emperor nonetheless seems irritated, if reports are to be believed. An explosive battle between the Karel and the realm of Hakan. Unexpected and sudden, it occured when two armies numbering in the lower thousands encountered each other after the Karel army was deviated by a flooded river, and accidentally entered Hakan territory. Taking it as an act of war, the Hakan retaliated in force, and it is said that thousands of Karellian men burned alive. A complete and total route. Details are vague, but all prisoners were burned alive in a large open field, the greasy smoke rising for miles around. Few no can doubt that total war is imminent. To the North of the world, the Auldic Tribes continue to expand above the Karel, and word comes of vicious skirmishes between roving bands of opportunistic Karel slavers and Auldic tribesmen. Finally it is said that the Free Cities have finally decided to found a new city. A first in a great many centuries, but the revitalized trade within the world has led to such.It is said that the son of Lord Celis of Lem will be given governorship. Lord Celisto, who is to rename himself to Lord Karx, by his own demand. Some whisper that the only reason he is chosen is because the other lords know well of his dislike for his father, and need not fear about cooperation amongst the two. The Fortress Libraries And the Ashval are more than grateful for this aid. They welcome the men, as well as High Guardian Theodor Kryze, to their nascent capital of Mud Creek, once a village, predictably, along a creek. However, in recent years the river has grown, and the city is thriving as more and more refugees from all around the Eastern Ash gather here, desperate to survive agains the flesh consuming hordes from the south. A quick tour, given by their leader Breton Kanve, reveals just how unprepared they are. Their men are rough groups of wood cutters and militia men, their administration is the few literate folk of the region desperately scratching down catalogues on rough parchment, under leaky roofs. The autumn storms are hitting the place hard, and disease is just as rife and plentiful as abject human misery. But anything is better than being eaten alive, and the people continue on with a steely determination, bolstered now by their new allies, which they shower with praise, and offer all amenities they can, despite how humble they may be. The Deep Libraries’ upper levels, still touched by rays of sun narrow channels, high above. The Kingdom of Bulgar The Blackmarrow leave a letter of approval, when they depart from the gathering, thanking the Bulgar for their hospitality. However, they do also leave a cryptic enough gift pressed into the letter itself. The Monks of the Chapel leave with a polite final speech, thanking them for their hospitality, and hoping for continued good relations between the two nations. Their smile is a bit forced at the last message, strain visible within their faces. Or is it fear? The raw, untempered beauty of the Bulgar borderlands, upon the edges of the Greenthroat The Republic of Danwent The fields around Esorvor are flat, and as such, the castle is build upon a flat open field, with a river rounding it north. A small subsidiary, it nonetheless offers some protection from that direction, though it curves away before it can offer much more than that. The Sehmon, or perhaps they should now be called Symon, scholars, leave this year. They seem a little concerned by the political mood within the republic, but they have a wealth of knowledge on their method of governance, and seem impatient to share it with their colleagues back in the Empire. One of the many peaceful, wealthy holdings upon the coast, overlooked by the lady of the house on her evening stroll. The Empire of Bourdeleaux The land of their new settlements varies little from that which the Bourdeleans have become accustomed to. As such, the new settlers find little to inconvenience them and soon thrive. The siege of the citadel continues without showing any signs of abating. However many supplies they have stored within those walls, it seems it may last them for a while, for the citadel is quite large, and seems to have been designed to withhold any siege, no matter how long it may be, or how large the army is. One may only dream of the possibilities, once it is in ones hands. Carrow Citadel from another angle. An artists rendition found within one of the occupied villages. The Galaharian League And so, control of the merchant operations in Passan shift over to the bank. The passanese continue to consume the goods fed to them by the Galaharians, and as the bank begins to operate in the area, some of their own merchants begin to take out loans, many of them to build their own ships, with which they may sail to Batista’s Landing to begin trading. The wood does not enhance speed. Instead, studies show that its light nature allows it to build ships of surprising speed, in large part due to the way in which this oily wood seems to slide across water with ease. Kites are not an uncommon concept within the world, but any attempt at making them large enough to support men seems to end with their immediate death, or the kite breaking apart, or simply being unable to lift the man. The very few examples that manage to life them off their feet simply spin out of control, or drop the moment the gale of wind which support them abates. As such, apart from a few broken bones and some bruises, and a lot of wasted wood and cloth, they make little progress in their initial year of work. Without any gold, no banks are built. A being emerges from the sea. Surya The self-acclaimed greatest city in the world continues to grow, though some local geezers do claim that all the smoke from the manufactories may obscure the sun one day! What a terrible notion. Beyond that, little is to happen, though many of the extreme border villages are certainly happy enough to join the cause of this rebel group. They hold little loyalty to a distant city that despises their very nature. Of note, many of these may also be native Golûns and Esmans, more swarthy in nature, with darker skin and broader features. The elaborate wealth of Surya, reflecting the mid-morning sun in all its brilliance. Kingdom of Five The son feels a foreign jolt of approval pass through him as his father dies. It is as if, far away, in a far distant plane and place, something is pleased by the crown now resting upon his brow. In the east, the Karel request aid in their campaign against the Hakkan, as they suffer a tremendous defeat in the first battle, thousands upon thousands burning to death. It seems that the Hakkan are neither happy with taking prisoners, nor pleased with this broken treaty. They execute every single prisoner they have, burning them to death in a great open field. The deep, filthy and disease ridden swamps, which now claim many hundreds of swinemen as victims, forever entombed within the mud. The Kingdom of Numeria The properties of Osmalt seem straightforward enough. A highly dense stone, of glass-like appearance, it resists nearly any attempt to break it and appears to be extremely difficult to mine. Indeed, therein lies the main problem with it. It is absurdly hard to extract from the ground, even in small quantities, and despite the research conducted, the scholars of Numeria have yet to find a way in which to do so. And beyond that, Arris continues to hold against the siege, though hunger is beginning to grip at those within the walls, as they quick advance of the Symon army prevented a full harvest. Nevertheless, the situation has yet to be truly perilous. An intercepted message rider who now lies within a field, rotting away with an arrow buried within his unprotected back. (discord) The russet hues of autumn touch the forests of Numeria, turning them into a firestorm of color. The Commonwealth of Ruhn The hunters venture far and wide around the Commonwealth’s desert holdings, and they do find a few of these sand-crawlers, tough, 1 meter long lizards that stick low to the ground and sport a vicious arrow of spines on their backs and teeth in their mouths. They pose a considerable challenge for the hunters, but their presence is encouraging. While there are certainly not enough in this area to bring home, these outliers might signify a larger presence somewhere nearby. Of note, they seem to stick close to the rivers. The Levers continue to withhold many of their secrets, but the researchers are now reasonably confident that the levers use some sort of hyper-advanced pulley system that functions with gigantic weights, hidden in deep pits below ground. Questions upon questions. (Discord) One of the way to the boneshrines, Lady Olga’s body is escorted with utmost respect, under the watching eyes of roosting ravens. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick A war to continue forever more, it seems to some. But a victory is a victory. Yet, the Darkyrians are seen to have their own limited celebrations, spotted by scouts. It seems that they to consider this a victory. Strange indeed, as smoke continues to rise in clouds from within their lands, the forest continually burned down as it attempts to grow back once more. A war elk, its rider dead in battle, being tempted back into the fold by one of his closest friends. Two broken hearts sharing in grief. The Duchy of Ulyadar Unfortunately, the Duchy of Ulyadar has no knowledge of such a Kingdom as Icefeld. As such, they wander aimlessly about for a few days before daring to return to the capital, and claim that they found no such place. This year, the raiders find the Order villages better prepared against their raids, and lose more than a few men in the skirmishes that erupt amongst the villages. But they will have their due, and slaves and gold return to the capital, though they do see a few galleys chasing them as they leave the coasts. Those more enterprising folk who go even further south soon find a land of thick jungles, with exotic animals and strange spices, its shores of white sand and balmy heat contrasting sharply with their frigid homeland. Beyond that, they find the first cities of those who call themselves the Mongerellians. Their cities are well protected against naval attacks, and seem both alert and ready to repulse any raiders, as if they were expecting someone. But their villages yield new folk, brown of skin and with a foreign accent. A long and fruitful expedition indeed. (Discovery of the Mongerellians. 5.000 slaves, 3.500 gold. 1 units worth of T3 armor looted.) The men dig deep, and hard. The ground is frozen and rocky, but the further they go, the more excited they get, for they find bits of fashioned stone, and trinkets of an older civilization. Eventually they strike it, the iceglass. But it is not a vein, as they thought. Instead, it is a stash. A cellar-like room, still holding beneath the ground, in which large caskets of black steel hold at least 2000 spears, swords and axes made of iceglass. A great find indeed. The raiders sail down a river to a prosperous Order village upon the mainland, their boats already full of loot and slaves. The Kingdom of Icefeld Construction, expansion and exploration in the frozen northern wastes. Curious about their recent resurgence, the Blackmarrow send an envoy, inviting them to the court of Sentinel, where they may have a meeting with Lord Lucius Blackmarrow. In the south, scouts and patrols report sighting the savage men of Ölm upon the fringes of the forest. They never attacked, but always watched with guarded eyes, before vanishing back into the woods once more. The arctic, wind-blasted peaks of icefeld, beneath which many an industrious soul toils away perpetually, in service of survival. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda C O N S T R U C T I O N . The twin cities upon each side of the pass, connected by the rocky land bridge. The Hilmedhi Kingdom Treasures and maps, quite the loot, with quite some insight to give. (Discord) The King and his men begin their search, deep beneath the Dohrimi docks.

1512 World Events The Bloated Throats continue to ravage Eastern Naros, now turning onto the unified Ashval with bloody intent. Their incursions rip gore-covered gashes within the Ashval borders, but they are stopped by a determined defense. Farmers and peasants armed with whatever rudimentary gear they can find, against witless, mindless savages. A terrible time to be alive. And the Order continues to grow in bodlness, striking ever deeper and more ferociously at the Bloated Throats, with their small but powerful incursions. Truly a testament to the skill of this mercenary force. To the south, the Eadni Civilization has struck a decisive and surprise blow on the Mongerellians. In an unexpected move, they struck at the Mongerellian fleet in harbor. They brought fireships and quick attack boats loaded with elite Order mercenaries. The Mongerellian fleet was crippled, and one of its main harbors burned to the ground. War explodes across all of Eastern Naros as the Eadni draw first blood. The Sehmon Remnants have finally taken what they say to be theirs. After their decisive victory against Numeria, the Sehmon turn onto Ischyros and force them into vassalage. A bloodless process for this whipped nation. Soon incorporated, Almeric IV makes a grand announcement in Loswarn, claiming the title of Emperor of Symon, and crowning himself before his people. And the Karelians make a historic move. Ignoring a treaty long ago established bewteen Hakan the Undying, Chosen of the Gods and Master of the Skies, and his predecessors, King Karel VVII expands his borders. Some Hakan merchants whisper that Hakan himself raised his voice when hearing this. What is clear, is that the Glittering Legion is preparing to punish these upstarts. The Republic of Danwent The Sehmon scholars are suitable impressed with the functioning of the Senate, and two return in haste to the Kingdom, while a handful more remain, as they continue to familiarize themselves with the system. Their leader, Astus Gilder can often be seen debating with senators and his own colleagues about the merit of various policies and motions, his eyes alight with fascination at such a free way of governance. This time, the Danwenti settlers are not harassed by bandits or by the Sehmon, though they have a constant shadow of riders that follow their every step into unclaimed territory. In the end though, the settlement ends up being founded upon a hilltop overlooking flat fields all around it. Much like the rest of central Naros, this area is fertile, flat, and sparsely hilled and wooded. The missives to the Sehmon are answered with smiles and honeyed words. The army was only concerned about the security of the Remnants, an understandable concern, surely! Or so they say. The Fortress Libraries Ashval accepts the trade and enclave offer, and begs for any aid possible. Their leaders are rough people of the land, and the nation is a loose confederation, held together by hatred and the urge to survive. Their leaders, Breton Kanve and his wife, Lusta Kanve, have little experience in administration or warfare, and rose through sheer determination and charisma. They ask of the Libraries that they provide any aid they can, or the tide of monsters will one day sweep over their land too. As with Ashval, Trident accepts. The governor of the city-state is a portly, jolly-enough man with a wide paunch and a wider smile. The Librarians go south, and their ever-shifting god follows in their wake. (Discord) The Commonwealth of Ruhn The Defilers almost unanimously make the choice to be escorted south by the Commonwealth. Most of them seem to have heard of the People of Sekh, which, they let slip, seems to be made mostly of Defilers who fled the haven of rivers within the central desert. More expansion for the people of the mountains. They fare well, finding little of note beyond open fields and patches of forest. Here and there, villages, or small herds of sheep being moved from place to place by small shepard communities. It is a quite slice of the world, surrounded on all sides by vast expanses of unoccupied land, but caught by powers encroaching ever further into this haven. The first ship finds a an island just as one might have expected. Windswept, rocky, hilly and with cliffs arching up from many parts of the coast. Nonetheless, it has fertile soil and open fields, along with a richness of marble within its hills. However, it is the second explorers who find something of note. Point of Interest - The Hundred Caves of Felofola: Soon after passing the first of the northern islands, one of them notices a strange series of holes within the second island. As they approach, they soon realize that the island is covered in these large, often circular holes that disappear into the darkness. Some of them touch the sea, others lie far above, and even others can be seen below by the way the water moves near the shores. Those few brave souls who manage to pass these rough waters venture onto an island of rock and rare grass. The holes pockmark is even further inland, and when they find one into which they can step, it is perhaps not what they expected. (Discord) Upon the third island, they find an old ruin, some sort of tower upon an outcropping of rock that looks towards Felofola. The land here is ravaged, torn apart, and in many places, the stone itself seems to have melted long ago. The tower itself is a ruin, its stones tossed about the countryside, or into the sea below. But within, something still waits… (discord) The Galaharian League The patrols do find something, a day or two’s sailing from Batista’s Landing. Three merchant ships sit low in the water, their sails limp and their decks empty. When boarded, they find no sign of a fight, no sign of the crew, and all the goods packed into the hulls are untouched. Not a single coin is out of place. The only sign of any theft is in the captains room for the lead ship. A Galaharian, he kept his valuables in a small safe. The lock is shattered, and the door torn open, but all the coins and jewels he had carefully piled within still remain. Perhaps twenty minutes hard sailing later, the patrol finds something else. Two dozen small, shoddy and quickly made rafts, with no oars. More squares of wood floating on the water, each one is occupied by the body of a man, his skin burned and his tongue puffy and dry. Each one except for two, which are empty. There is nothing else to see, but the slowly decaying bodies of dead sailors. As for the measures taken within the city, the security of its metaphorical and physical gates is enhanced. Every coin is counted, and every ounce of salt weighed. Some grumble at the delay, but none can say that the Galaharian administration is not on point! The moves to empower the people of Passan, and in particular the Defenders, go well. Three of the Defenders, long standing wardens and intelligent men to a fault, take these positions, though all but one reject the offered armor, preferring instead to wear their traditional robes and light chain mail. Within the remainder of the land, the merchants do indeed wriggle into every knook and cranny. Soon, many of the Citizens of Passan, who have lived their lives in rugged deprivation, begin to expect various luxuries as an every day fact of life. Secrets. (Discord) And visitors. (Discord) The Kingdom of Icefeld The mine is soon established, but the men of Icefeld still struggle to extract the mineral itself. It is deadly, and shatters when struck wrongly. As such, they still struggle to do much with it apart from piling it in rough heaps. The explorers struggle, and the crossing of the icefields and wind-blasted hills takes over two months. Many men die during the trip, an expected outcome, perhaps. Only 150 men make it to the other side, where they meet a curious people. Perhaps, with enough investment into purchasing supplies, they would fare better. (Discord) (Exploration without investments yield poor results) The ones exploring their newly acquired land find little to differentiate it from Icefeld proper. Perhaps a fraction colder, or a little more bitter during the winter, but for the most part, they should feel right at home within these peaks. The envoys to the Blackmarrow meet with Lord Lucius Blackmarrow, high lord of the House. What they find are tall, pale people with a preference for dull tones of clothing and an appreciation of martial might. Rarely do they find men who have not at one point been part of the army, or trained with a weapon. All there have a deep respect for war, and those who fall in it. Much like the Icefeld, they live in the harsh climes of the north, though their lands may be a tad milder than the truly arctic conditions of Icefeld. They are distant to outsiders, though not hostile, and provide little information beyond rough directions to the rivers south of their land, and the trading nations below. (You know your way southwards) The Empire of Bourdeleaux The Emperor kneels, and though the sun warms him, and a beam of light strikes upon the fountain in the most scintillating of ways, his god remains quiet. As he rises, the Emperor is left with naught but a vague sense of wrongness, permeating his emotions, and a single image. (Discord) Elfred speaks to the Emperor in detail. It seems as if he had dealings with them many a time throughout his life as a raider. (Discord) Point of Interest - Bastion: The mountains dividing the peninsula once known as the Blood Lands from the Narosi mainland is cut off by tall, rugged mountains, with barely a single pass capable of giving humans a way through them. That is, apart from one. It is as if a god drew a dagger through the mountains, cutting a straight, wide pass through them. High within the mountains, and accessed by a gentle slope on each side, it is surrounded by ominous peaks, but is itself relatively flat, and capable of allowing entire armies through. As the explorers make their way up, they see something in the distance. A point where the pass narrows, and on each side, tall cliffs rise up. Within this gap is a looming construct, of the same glassy stone that they saw but a few hundred kilometers away in Carrow. It cuts off the pass entirely with a thick, tall wall. Then, higher up within the cliffs, bridges criss-cross above the fortress, connecting intricate tunnelworks above it, from which murder holes poke out to glare at the landscape around it. At the top of these giant cliffs, a tower on each side, with no doors. However, they look upon the weaker side, for as they venture through its disused and empty gatehouse, and through the large fortress, they arrive at the other side. Here, the fortifications are tripled, imposing, they dominate the pass, as it marches its way down the mountains and into the jungle below. The Kingdom of Five Buildings and marshes. The Duchy of Ulyadar Assirbanakh, ancient construct of a forgotten empire. As Tancred and Ludin approach it, they feel a thrum in the air, a vibration that settles deep within their bodies and makes their blood thunder within their ears. They reach its foot, and then, the statue speaks. (Discord) Deep research indeed. Tancred slaves away at the weaponry, and the blood of hundreds spill from his forge, into the maw of the Blood Forge. Yet, progress is made, and perhaps the sacrifices will all be for something. (Discord) The settlements find scant land here, and hostile at that. They must hug the coasts, as the mountains above have little food, and less cover. Even the Ulyadir can catch diseases, whether they feel the cold or not. As such, the settlements make little gains in land, and struggle for survival throughout the year, but they persevere nonetheless, defying the odds. As for the raiders, they soon leave a trail of smoke plumes along the eastern coast of Naros, as they make their way down, further and further. Blood, gold and slaves are piled into their ships after every village, as their men cleave through any resistance with ease. Any opposition they meet comes from poorly prepared farmers, and blood runs freely within the villages, as they drag away the women and surviving men, leaving corpses and burning homes behind. (+3000 slaves, +5k this turn) Surya Lots of buildings, and a new settlement. And finally, the small-minded mapmakers of Surya finally remember to add their Aros settlement to their maps. It took them long enough! Little else happens this year, beyond a few whispered words, and a new visitor in Aros! (Discord) The Kingdom of Numeria A war to continue, and more men to train. Where numerian mothers once proudly saw their sons and husbands off to war, many now weep, and hide their tears from their neighbors. For what more can they do, when their sons are but blood to quench the hatred of their King. And the siege continues on and on. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick Expansion within the forest is, as always, an easy task for the Fey. They find the best creeks and rivers, the most ideal basins of fertile land, and the best hunting grounds with ease, and rarely do they enter into conflict with the present fauna and flora. As for the city, it defies Fey architecture with its jarring, dull-looking stone buildings, but nature soon begins to creep back into the city itself, as the Fey populate it. Trees grow, wrapping themselves around the edges of buildings, and cracks in the cobblestones sprout ferns and bushes. Even the walls are soon laden heavily with roots, vines and trees. In a mere year, the city itself looks like some sort of garden of eden, ringed by a wall of greenery. Only in the church does nothing grow. There, a barren place of dirt and rubble lies, and nature makes no attempt to reclaim it. The war in the forest continues. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda The expedition soon begins to face terrible trials, as they venture further and further south. Harsh winds turn into towering waves, which turn into perniciously hidden coral reefs and rogue waves. At one point, two maddened sharks even attack one of the smaller ships, severely damaging it. Two hours later, a huge wave shook it from end to end, shattering it like a matchstick. The cogs, unwieldy beasts that they are, suffer the worst of it, and two of them sink by the end of the first week of sailing. But the Carrack is not spared, and soon the Captain elects to turn back, the lasy cog limping back alongside it. In these stormy seas, where the sun is never seen, and the waves never rests, it seems that they are beyond the reach of their Gods…(2 Cogs sunk) On a bright note, water finally rushes through the Grellhau Canal, as it is named. Finally, after years of hard work and advancing their engineering know-how, the people of Melda have reconnected the Sea of Krel to the Sea of Five. A great feat! (Holder of the Canal, +3000 Gold per turn) In the far north, the Meldan Hierarchies new settlements wake up to find children missing. At first, it is shrugged off as a tragic incident, but soon it becomes obvious that there is more to it than that. Something is afoot, and it stinks of grease and the ocean. The Explorers find little or note within this barren, frost-blasted land. Truly, all they can see is the mountains in the distance, snow, and sheets of ice. The Kingdom of Hilmedhi And a journey is indeed continued... (Discord)

Open to one person applying. God of Magic only. Don’t apply if you have no interest in that vein of roleplay.

Accepted. But you cannot start with heavy infantry, it must be researched. Explosives are also not a thing in this frp. You will also need to iron out a national idea and a second unique, at your own leisure.

1511 In the far east, people are on the move. The order has broken away from its isolation upon the Gelder islands, electing instead to settle upon the long abandonned coasts of the Lastlands, as they intensify their raids against the Bloated Throats, claiming many lives in vicious small-scale battles within their territory. No quarter is given, or expected. To the north of the Bloated Throats, a new faction rises as the disparate villages of this hostile region rise up against the growing tide of death worshippers, in a desperate attempt to stop their advance. They are led by a man and a woman, married it seems, and survivors of a village to the south. Sole survivors of their homestead, they have now unified the Eastern Ash against the Throats, and prepare to take the fight to them. In the South East, the Eadni and the Mongerellians begin to muster their fleets as the Eadni settle upon the hand itself in a bold and brazen move. A clear challenge to the previously dominant naval force of the far east, a clash seems almost inevitable. Following their second victory against Numeria, the Sehmon king makes an official declaration within his capital, renaming the Remnants to the Sehmon Empire, the successor of Symon. He calls for all those loyal to the Empire to bend the knee before the throne. Things happen within the Greenthroat, and not a soul hears about them, as the rumors are choked by trunk and root. Tensions between the Hakkan and the Kingdom of Karel have risen a notch this year, as a thousand strong army has been seen by both sides, roaming the desolate region between the two, and both are accusing the other of mustering forces for a decisive battle. But at the same time, the Kingdom of Karel must turn its focus northwards, as the Auldic tribes move south for the first time in centuries, settling only a few hundred kilometers north of Karel. A new people have appeared along the southern coasts of the Loba desert, a people who came from deep within the desert, and now settle a new, harsh land. Little is known of them, but they have spread quickly enough, and seem both fierce and determined to survive. The Kingdom of Five The new settlements follow a pattern similar to the previous ones, when it comes to their geography. What lands the Swine do find are open, flat fields, perfect for agriculture, if less fertile than those of their homeland. The one settlement near the Hakkan does find itself often traversed by Hakkan ‘merchants’ who have a sharp eye for every detail, and often linger long, looking around the settlement, as if assessing it. Other than that, there is little to disrupt their expansion, and the Swine continue to grow like a pus-filled tumor in the north of Aros. Will anyone ever stop the tide of porc? The Republic of Danwent An interesting political reform indeed, and some Sehmon scholars are most interested in visiting the Senate, if allowed, so that they may learn of these foreign and all together strange method of governance. An ambitious expansion project indeed. For the most part, it goes quite well, unexpectedly so, perhaps. Hybria and Shovia are founded with no troubles at all. Shovia finds itself in fertile enough land, though it faces surprisingly bitter winters, brought forth by the chilling winds from the mountains, while Hybria, despite being so close to Shovia, has a warm climate all year around, and it surrounded by hilly terrain rich in iron ore and marble. Tzarkyii fares just as well, founded around the bubbling source of a tributary to the great river Tulla (so called by the Sehmon). However, the settlers meant for Esorvor face much trouble. In fact, it proves impossible for them to even settle, as constant bandit attacks harry them until they are forced back. The whole situation is unaided by heavy Sehmon and Ischyrosi patrols that often stop them and search them for Numerians fleeing the decisive Sehmon victory to the north. In the end, the expedition must be called off. The Galaharian League A mighty citadel. It dominates the land bridge at its thinnest point, projecting the power of Galahar to an entirely new level in the region. Many of the Passanese look upon it with awe and recognition, happy that many of their worries are alleviated, as their people must no longer bleed from the threats in the forest. However, not all the Defenders are so happy, and some seem resentful that their position has been usurped by an outsider. Nonetheless, most, if resentful, make no mess of it and continue with their duties. Though some do bear warnings for the Galaharians. In addition, the heavy use of slaves allows for cheaper costs, though quite a surprising proportion seem to go insane before they can be worked to death. (-5% to build price) (Discord) Unfortunately, the Hakkan have no interest in guiding the Galaharians to the far off, and barely known kingdom of Karel. Any offer is promptly rejected, and the expedition dies before it can even be kicked off. The Storm Riders do manage to catch some stragglers, fleeing from the city taken by the Fey. Many have already died within the forest, or slipped through Galaharian nets, but 2.000 are captured and brought back to their cities. And every year, Batista’s Landing becomes a more impressive sight, with flocks of ships piling into its harbors every day, their sails and styles all as varied as the people under the sun. It is quite the cosmopolitan city, with some saying that 20% of its population is not even galaharian, but merchants and traders from other regions! (+1000 a turn, Growing Center of Trade) The Kingdom of Numeria A bloody war has left Numeria with a bloody nose, and as the remainder of their army pulls back and flees from the Ischyrosi border, a delegation of Sehmon diplomats approach Arrisport, escorted by two dozen cavalry men. (Discord) In the rest of Numeria, the people may be shaken, but their great forest inspires them with confidence, and the fervor to which they adhere to their god steels their heart. After all, not every war is won in the first engagements. Sometimes, men must bleed and bleed before their enemies fall. The Sehmon armies march in behind their envoys, and simply stake their claim to a large portion of land and by the cusp of the new year, they have encamped by a few days march from Arris. (Discord) And a new, foreign envoy approaches Numeria. (Discord) The Commonwealth of Ruhn A gift from He-That-Waits to his most faithful speaker. (Discord) The expedition into the desert proves more than simple. In fact, the Defilers barely even resist, as most of them are old, women or children. Those who can flee the advancing raid, while a few brave souls try to stall and fight them back. In the end, the Ruhnnites capture about 3000 people, kill 250 in combat, and can guess with some accuracy that only a thousand or so escaped. The fate of the survivors now rests in their hands. Though one may note that slavery is common enough in the Free Cities, if the Ruhnnites are inclined to trade. The settlers fare well in these empty lands. The two settlements flourish without any issue, though they find little of interest in the region. It is, it seems, simply a forest, and some open fields along the coast.Though the forest does hold some bandit hideouts, they really offer little more than token resistance before melting away. The Levers of the Five Divines continue to with hold many of their secrets. It seems that even the immense IQ given to them by their pills can do little but further their knowledge at a snails pace. Though the scholars are confident that they are making progress in understanding the incredibly complex inner working of these gigantic systems, they must also accept the reality that there is still much, much, much to understand. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick Little it to be said about the inner goings on of the Fyr-Darrick. However, on the Darykyrian front, the skirmishes now erupting on the edges of the forest and fierce, and often favored for the Fey. Little effect is seen when it comes to the survivors they send back. However, the Darkyrians have been actively burning sections of the forest nearest to their heartlands, scorching swaths of trees, though many resist the flames well enough, and others grow back swiftly. Nonetheless, ashe and smoke fill the air, and drift south with the winds, casting a pall on the Fey. Whatever waits for them, will be out in the open, without the trees over their heads. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda And so the two heirs are born, and Gieren has eyes of silver, and Aische eyes of gold. The priests in proximity to them claim that they feel the approval of the Lord and Lady upon them, stronger than ever, and both have already manifested an unexpected and impossible aptitude for magic, casting extremely weak and watered down versions of the holy spells. (2 magi born, ten turns until they are actually capable, however.) The Auldic tribes say that the great ice barriers still exist, blocking any passage by sea to the east. They say that they themselves tried many times to return, but were rebuffed by the brutal winters and freezing temperatures. Of those in the easy, they can only claim that they once had been in contact with tribes further away, but that they lost contact with them years ago, after a series of vicious winters cut them off, and they could no longer locate them come the summer thaw. And what glorious festivities indeed, and in the center of them, two blessed children. The Fortress Libraries The casters of the Clairvoyance spell are eventually guided to the Stitches by the pull of the spell, at which point the spell no longer has anything to provide them. However, once can definitely feel the effects much more in this region, only a short trip west of the Stitches. The air is poisonous, and the winds do blow to a south-western angle. However, the spell did leave the impression that the answer was not entirely here, but it had nothing else to say. The adept described the phenomenon much like a human without the ability to explain a concept that he did not fully understand. Point of Interest - The Emberfields: As for the explorers to the west, they smell the point of interest before they see it. It is covered in dark clouds of smoke, and stinks of burning peat. Upon their approach, they understand why. Here, the ground is less stable, and many gaps exist within it, from whence great gouts of flame erupt sporadically. The grass was burned away long ago, leaving a barren region of dirt and fire. It seems as if a thick layer of peat lies beneath the surface, still simmering and burning. One librarian recalls a text from the library claiming that once a great battle was fought in this approximate location, eons ago, but the account was vague at best. The Kingdom of Bulgar It seems that not all nations trust the green people of the north, but nonetheless, House Blackmarrow, the True Chapel of Knauledge and the Herzaka send their respective envoys to this meeting of nation. The House of Blackmarrow send a prince along with his escort of Black Guard, to visit the nation and see what is being said. The Herzaka send a small band of riders dressed in various leathers. Their leader bears many colored beads and bones on his jerkin and seems to command quite some respect. Finally, the True Chapel sends a group of scribes and a master Librarian to record the event. Other nations such as Fyr-Darrick or Ulyadar may have also heard the offer. (Discord event, if you would like) The Empire of Bourdeleaux A great victory has been claimed by Bourdeleaux. With it, lord Temak Kan promises to pacify the land, and over the year he does begin such. Most of Carrow seems happy enough to follow in his stead and surrender after the decisive victory. Those that resist are quickly and quietly quelled by the fangs of Orgrun wolves. As such when winter falls, Bourdelaux finds its borders expanded to encompass 800.000 new souls, and a singular new town. The southern settlement is placed upon the edges of what is locally known as the Redlands, due to the red dust that rises with high winds, and the presence of sandstone in great amounts. But while this land is a little more barren than the Bourdelean homeland, it is far from infertile, and soon the settlement is thriving. Surya With the influx of new guards and soldiers, banditry does indeed take a downturn within Surya once more, as many of the brazen opportunists melt back into their everyday life once they see soldiers patrolling the roads from time to time. And so a mine is established within Mount Metar. A deadly place for most. The Kingdom of Hilmedhi The mists roil up along the shore once more, and a village is left much like the previous one. Every man woman and child has their throat slit, and this time, there are no survivors. The patrols find it when the blood is still fresh, after having seen the mist on the horizon. And while they find no trace of the attacker, they do find something... (Discord) For the most part, the scholars only find references to the Pearl In the Deep in old folklore stories from this region, that predate their arrival and have seeped into their own common superstitions. They speak about pearls that guided men through the harshest water, and stopped them from falling through the sea. It is all terribly vague, even for the astute Hilmedhi researchers. The Duchy of Ulyadar Trident accepts the trade deal happily enough. They seem to be a very trade-oriented and mercantile nation. As for the tall ones, little is found. The few traces they do find are in the carvings around the Blood Forge, often showing people praying before the mountain. While the carvings are worn with time, there might very well be a similarity between the two. Whoever they are, it seems that they worshipped the Blood God within this same temple, and left hundreds of years ago.

1510 World Events It is said that in the far west, Xian Wa, Queen of the Xian Kingdom, has finally appointed an heir, after decades of uncertainty. A young man of the third class, only one rung above the lowest of the low. To be renamed as Xian Lao. Few protest her choice, for she has ruled well and rightly, and she herself came from the Second Class, far removed from the aristocrats. To the east, it is said that the Order has sent raiding parties out to strike at the Bloated Throats, small groups in galleys that raid the encampments of these savages and slaughter them all before retreating to their island. Further south, tensions have risen between the Mongerellians and the Eadni Civilization, over some perceived insult or other, and ships have been recalled for the muster on each side. News also spreads from within Naros itself. Trident, long a city-state built upon the remainders of a great city, has declared itself an independent nation now, and claimed the lands around it, establishing tolls upon the rivers over which it lords, much to the discontent of the Blackmarrow. Another Karel battalion clashed with Hakkan forces in the south-east of Naros. It has become a tradition now, their little conflicts rising up in gouts over the years, little more than showboating on each side. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda The canal every continue to redefine itself, and though there is still work to be done, it is noticeably more prepared to act as it was intended, than a few a years ago. As for the rest, Auldhau continues to exist peacefully in its corner of the earth, under the benevolent eye of the Lord & Lady. The Galaharian League While the Passanese appreciate these gifts, they remain cautious of the outsiders, to some extent, and the Defenders share very few of their secrets. As a traditional and old order, the promises of gold do not sway their devotion. The scouts going south find little, the land being mainly barren and empty, blasted by storms and high winds all year long, until little more but grass and rocks remain. However, at the narrowest point of the landbridge, the scouts find an old road. Two dozen meters wide, it is a flat expanse of uniform rock slicing from sea to ocean, with ruins of old cities on each side, though the ruins are barren and bereft of much but crumbling stone. Beyond that, the edge of the forest looms, a dark line on the horizon. Religious tolerance is a foreign notion to most nations, as it is well known that gods are jealous, and those who invite more than one into their home often invite their jealous discord. But the Galaharians do it nonetheless. Of the year, two settlements are finished, the third failing to stablize, rushed as it was. In the south, along the coast of the Aulem peninsula, the Galaharians find the land rough, and hard to traverse or settle. Wild animals, thick junglers and disease make their lives hell, and they struggle to expand beyond their settlement. Kingdom of Five Truly a quiet corner of the world. Little happens in the Kingdom of five this year, as they continue to build their empire. The Fortress Libraries Sehmon accepts the trade deal, and though they seem continually suspicious of the Librarians, they do offer them some modicum of respect usually kept for their own kind. The current oversee of Ischyros, a Sehmon Lord, allows the Librarians to build their building within the walls of the great city. Once again, the Librarian explorers are faced with an empty land of brown grass and open fields, followed by jagged mountains and an abrupt, barren coast. Little of note, and the fields seem to contain some sickness in the air, for many of the Librarians are wracked with coughs and rashes. The boat is done easily enough. A swift, small thing, ideal for darting around rivers, it really is just a significantly better engineered small sailboat, that can also act as a simple rowboat. The bright minds of the Enclave have no trouble with it. Point of Interest - Sentinel: Easy enough to find, the massive fortress of the Lord Blackmarrow sits atop an island connected to the city of the same name by an old stone bridge. It is said that this fortress has been there since before the Symon Empire, and will continue to exist long after it fades from memory. Three towers lie within its heart, one which is forbidden to all but the Lord himself, and those priests that reside within it, but are never seen. Point of Interest - The Black Fang: Another fortress of great renown, it is the home of the Black Guard, elite of the elite within Blackmarrow, they are renowned for their size, height, absolute loyalty, and their martial skill. They have held this fort for as long as most remember, and lived through many terrible sieges, but they refuse to share their deep knowledge. The Republic of Danwent Two new great cities rise. A quiet year for the republic of Danwent, though trouble brews to their direct north, and often farmers and fishermen find Numerian or Sehmon men floating down the river, their corpses bloated and slashed by steel. Apparently, peace only extends as far as their borders. The Kingdom of Numeria As the Numerian army marches towards Ischyros, the Sehmon army musters up once more to meet it. Initial reports display that is has grown since the last time, inflated by conscripts and men pulled from low-risk areas in the Remnants. It seems that they are once again ready to face Numeria and repeat what they have begun to call ‘the glorious victory of the true Empire.’ Though for now, their ruler sticks to the title of King. (Discord) The Commonwealth of Ruhn Fishermen begin to pull out a new kind of fish from the waters of the pinched part of the Hungry Sea. Gleaming and fat, one of them can often feed a family for days. These purple-hued fish soon begin spread to all fishing villages, as they flock to the areas in which they can be found. (Seljuk Fish discovered and acquired, +0.25% growth) Two new settlements, one smack dab in the middle of the desert! While the Ruhnnites struggle to feed the outpost within the desert, stopped by the imposing levers and the cliffs upon which they rest, the two settlements do flourish in time. Little more is gleaned from the tablets, the deeper intricacies are either not in the text in some cases, or still far too complex for the small-brained Ruhnnites. The Empire of Bourdeleaux More soldiers, and a war! And as winter falls, once again the wolves strike at the northern frontier, gnawing and killing peasants like chaff, before retreating into the woods once more. Few survive to see them, but reports are the same as they always were. Large, brown wolves, slaughtering villages but rarely eating the peasants, leaving them to rot. (-3000G this turn) Duchy of Ulyadir The peninsula itself flattens out towards the end, becoming an open, ice-blasted region covered in snow and stone, with ice sheets often sprouting off from the shores. To the north, leering mountains and glaciers, to the south, the open sea. A hostile spot, but the Ulyadar are used to it, and they fare well enough, creating a new settlement on the edge of the known world. Tancred follows a path favored by his god, it seems. As the men die, the blade glimmers for a moment, small red lines appearing in the metal, as if embedded within it from the beginning. When touched by specks of blood left by the criminals, he feels a sense of power run through him… then the blade shatters in his hand, showering him in shrapnel. It seems that there is more to it than simple sacrifice. (You need to research this) And the librarians do speak to him. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick Buildings, and a rising economy upon the edges of the forest, where merchants still dare to venture. For none may go further, it seems, but the Barrier offers a lifeline of goods to a people isolated, though well fed by the forest. Speaking of the forest, the war rages one. Scouts continually report that the Darkyrians are gathering as many men as they can around their capital, but the land around the besieged city has begun to regain its forest at an alarming rate, and the scouts and riders have repulsed some ventures into it easily enough. It seems as if the city is truly alone. The Kingdom of Bulgar A step into the forest. Here the trees grow far thicker than upon the edges, often choking out the light, but the settlement is founded without trouble, and the animals seem unconcerned, for the most part. It seems as if the forest has not rejected the Bulgar. Towns rise, and lithborn march to the orders of their leaders, with this new regulatory force, the people resy easy. Surya The land along this coast is dryer, yes, but still hospitable, and most Suryan crops still grow easily here. Many fishing villages along this coast are willing to join the nation, still fearing the pirates. To the west, thunder continues to rock the skies, often for days on end. (+5000 peasants) Progress on the red marble is as slow as ever, as the suryan intellectuals chip away at it and try various ways of pacifying its burning moods. As Surya grows, so do the amount of filthy tamas bandits. At first few, the lack of any true policing force for the nation cause them to begin their growth in the outer regions, soon expanding exponentially as they realize just how unprotected many villages are. Soon, very few roads in the agricultural outskirts of the nation are safe. (-15k until army is 15k in size.) The Kingdom of Hilmedhi Buildings to build, soldiers to levy. A busy year of preparation and construction for the Hilmedhi, marred only by a single raid upon a village near the coast, on a night of heavy mists. Most villagers were found dead, the others disappeared, and no sign of their attackers, or of any looting. (Discord)

1509 The news spreads across Naros swiftly. It seems that Sehmon’s defense of Ischyros came at a price. They have, in the spring of 1509, sword themselves as a tributary of the Sehmon Kingdom. The Kingdom of Bulgar B U I L D I N G S. Such a small army for such a vast nation. It becomes apparent that the enforcers of the King’s law are struggling to maintain order. (-10k per turn until army size reaches 15k) The Galaharian League The Passanese are a simple people, living relatively simple lives and eeking out a living from their harsh soil. The Defenders, as they are called, appear to be some sort of old order, a relic of the past, that is said to predate the Passanese by a long, long time. Even they do not know their origin, only that their mandate dictates that they must always protect the south from the darkness within the forest. It is not difficult to shape these small landing craft, and while they have limited range and can not carry many men, these rowboats are fast enough, and have higher sides to protect the men inside. Not greatly different from normal rowboats, they nonetheless offer greater protection, a little more space for more men, and an easy ramp out. The Kingdom of Five B U I L D I N G S. An envoy from the Kingdom of Karel approaches the nearest Fiver city. (discord) The Kingdom of Numeria The Sehmon kingdom seems noticeably quiet, and apart from raids -that are markedly less successful this year- they do little to meddle with Numerian affairs. It seems as if they are busy with their own affairs in Ischyros. Few citizens that were not already numerian find their way into the Kingdom. Indeed, most displaced people come from the Arris hinterlands, and those from Ischyros typically remain in Ischyros. Nonetheless, the displaced are grateful to their King for such measures. The Fortress Libraries And so, these far-ranging explorers do make their way to the Republic of Danwent. They are far from home, but they are good at what they do, and self-sufficient enough to survive easily. (Discovery of the Republic) The mountains seem to be...mountains. There is little of note within this mountain range, though the air-quality does seem quite poor, and many of the explorers develop unpleasant coughs, especially once they reach the eastern slopes. The Empire of Bourdeleaux Prayers upon prayers. Yet the Bright One remains silent. Perhaps all that needed to be said has been said, but no words of guidance are uttered to lead the men of Bourdeleaux on this conflict.A test of their worth? The gods attention deviated elsewhere? Who knows. And so a brutal war of raiders engulfs the Carrow borderlands, as Bourdelean raiders meet enemy patrols, and the hunters in the night, who howl to the moon. Both sides lose many of their men, and the fights are bloody and swift, but soon the Bourdelean men learn to fear the night, for it is the hunters who control it. And war it is. (Discord) The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick Roaming wolves. (Discord) The Duchy of Ulyadar Visions of Blood. (Discord) And so the expedition carves its perilous path into the glaciers. A dangerous journey, full of threats, both known and unknown. They disappear for weeks. More than a month passes before the first trickles of information begin to creep back into Ulyadar. Some of the men have returned, only a handful, perhaps fifty in total. Nearly all of them have been wounded in one way or another. But more importantly, not a single one is capable of speaking anything coherent. They seem to have all gone completely mad, though there is no discernible reason. They jitter and stutter and mumble nonsense to themselves in a foreign, unknown tongue, and many kill themselves in the days after their return. A few seem to have resisted the madness a little better, and speak still in Northron. “The pillars, the pillars, the pillars,” is all one says. Another says barely anything at all, and stares with empty eyes, at nothing. Another looks sad, and cries almost constantly, muttering in a tiny voice, “Fey,” when asked what happened. The Commonwealth of Ruhn They call him Bob the Heathen, but they should have called him Farmer Bob the Atheist. He believed in nothing but farms, and making more farms every year. His religion was pigs and barley, and he worshipped each one as much as He Who Waits, for what was death when faced with the sublime beauty of a pig? Settled near the Levers, the settlement is upon an open field next to the canal that stretches a mile or two from the edge of the Hungry Sea to the sheer, giant cliff upon which the levers are built. An imposing vista welcomes the settlers every morning, and a highly defensible location. Scorching suns. This year, the summer comes with a brutal drought, caused by high temperatures and barely a hint of rain through the entire summer. Crops suffer, and so does Bob the Heathen. (-0.5% growth) The Republic of Danwent With re-opened trade, the Sehmon Kingdom offer to purchase Moranese Wheat from the Republic, at a yearly rate of 3000 gold. Little more happens within the republic this turn, it seems. Surya A settlement on Aros. Quite an achievement for the reclusive Suryans. Much like their brothers to the south, the lancers find a quiet piece of land. Some villagers still remain here, fishers and other isolated farmsteads that truly can do nothing to resist the Suryan’s, and seem happy enough to have someone there to protect them, should the Suryans take this land for themselves. Beyond that, the land is quiet, though the crash of thunder and flashes of lightning that plague the western edge of Golûn have grown far coser, flickers on the horizon for these lancers, turning night into day sometimes. (+5000 pop) Point of Interest - Mahmek &The Mausoleum of Samakha (Aros): The lancers in Aros begin by finding lands reminiscent to their homeland. Lush forests and fields surrounding a rich river delta. Then they find the ruins themselves, first walls, crumbling and overgrown, then what clearly once was a city. Most of it is gone now, taken by time and nature, but some buildings remain. Of those, one in particular. A looming construct that no doubt once towered over the city. Pyramidial, it still holds the remains of ancient carvings, and within, there is much more to see… (discord) Little progress is made in the research of red marble. The path is easy enough to make, and access soon opens up to those brave enough to climb the gigantic mountains. The Kingdom of Hilmedhi The western desert expedition is eventually forced to halt and turn back due to the brutal, unforgiving nature of the desert, and the storms that shake the inner lands and send swarms of dust out over the sea in choking clouds. It seems as if landborn expeditions are quite simply deadly. Miners near the tunnel land upon a large vein of gold, a stroke of luck, some say. Moradin smiling upon them! Say others. Yet others see it as recognition for their great feat of engineering. Either way, gold is gold. (+5000G this turn)

1508 A quiet year. It seems that those people of Naros who fought now take a deep breath, and collect themselves. To the east, the people of Aros remain quieter than their eastern brethren. Lightning and thunder still shake the skies to the far south-west, but the world seems to take a moment to rest. The Kingdom of Five And so the kingdom expands into the fertile lands of central Aros. Perhaps not as lucious as their homeland, these wide open fields offer great potential for crop growth nonetheless. The Commonwealth of Ruhn A long trip to some, short trip to others. Either way, the Ruhnnites venture into lands unknown, and land upon the shores of a hitherto unknown nation. The Xian Kingdom welcomes them with grace, for it appears that the scholar that recommended them sent a message ahead of them. (Discord) As for the mountains, they seem strange. That is the word that continually comes back to Ruhn. The explorers find nothing within them, and return unharmed, but with an oppressive feeling that something is simply not quite right! They cannot point it out, and they find not a single boulder that sticks out (metaphorically) in the mountain range, yet they cannot shake that feeling. The Kingdom of Bulgar The people of the True Chapel seem most cautious of their expansionist neighbors, and let little be known of them. However, it cannot be hidden that they worship the God of Magic, but little else is gleaned by the envoys, as the Chapel remains reticent, and their High Librarian does little to help. Instead, he cautions them, should they be rashly seeking to aggressively expand their holdings. In his own words, “There are things that even I do not know about the Chapel and its secrets.” The Galaharian League The Passanese are a people broken up by towns, villages and cities. They have no central government and simply meet up once every few years to discuss communal problems. Beyond that, they govern themselves and keep to their own lands. Most of which are swampy and unpleasant, as if most of the landbridge, beaten on both sides by saltwater seas and high winds. Nonetheless, they exist, and they survive, but they clearly do not thrive. The only city with much of interest may be the southernmost one, in which an elite guard of Passanese reside, the guardians against the Darkness. They, above all others, are held in high respect among the Passan. The Empire of Bourdeleaux The settlement is indeed created, though it is plagued by raiders and bandits, a surprising amount, and most are well-equipped. Nevertheless, it takes shape within the crook between two mountain rivers of clear, icy water that regularly flood in the spring, giving the soil around them a richness and fertility unknown in the rest of the area. As for the scouts, sent into the Carrow lands to find out what they may, few return. Indeed, so few that much of the picture is lost to the generals and the Emperor. They are unanimous about one thing, however. When their teams and their brothers fell, it was almost always at night, and the howl of wolves accompanies their deaths. But none of the survivors ever saw that which killed their brethren. It seems that none of the survivors suffered any wounds either, and one claims to have gone quite a way with a wounded brother, before they lost each other in the dark. The howls followed the wounded one. In the end, however, little is found beyond the citadel of Carrow, and regular patrols by the enemy. The Kingdom of Numeria With the major trade routes out of the Southern Narosi TZ occupied by its enemies, Numeria finds itself only capable of trading with the Republic of Danwent, and the Carrow Lords, as the Sehmon and Ischyros but cut off trade, and access to further regions. In addition, the first Sehmon raids begin to occur around their borders. Villages and burned and pillaged, with their people slaughtered or carted away to be enslaved. Yet, the town of Arris does rise and grow stronger, but the lands around it often have a pall of smoke hanging above them. (-2000 gold this turn) For now though, the Sehmon army has done little but shift its position around in Ischyrosi lands. The Fortress Libraries Following the river Tulla to the south, the Libraries arrive in Sehmon lands. People that they have no doubt learned of and been acquainted with in their stay in Ischyros, for they currently have a strong military presence within its borders. They receive a cold shoulder from the people there, who seem suspicious of outsiders of all sorts, and find little in terms of welcome, or cooperative people of knowledge. Ischyros does accept a trade deal, however. It seems as if Bog Silk, when spun in a very peculiar fashion, can be twined into strands of incredible strength, or soft yet highly resilient clothing of unmatched quality. While truly wonderful, it is hard to make, and limited in supply. Nonetheless, a great discovery! (Bog Silk acquired. T4 archer equipment [bowstrings]) The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick Reports from within the heartlands of the Realm of Darkyria, brought by scouts… (discord) The Republic of Danwent The king of Sehmon does not come, but sends his son in his stead. Bornn III of Sehmon, a young man with a merciless streak, if rumor is to be trusted. (Discord) The toll stations to ellicitate much grumbling from the traveling peoples of Danwent, but the law is the law, and they do tend to follow it. (+1500 gold per turn) The Duchy of Ulyadir A large expedition, sent on an extremely perilous journey. Many preemptively die on the climb to the top of the glaciers, but those who make it to the top venture deep into the land beyond. They are gone for quite a few weeks. Then the weeks become months. The months become half a year. By the end of the year, not a single man has return from the expedition, and made his way back down the perilous glaciers. Yet even as they do not return, nothing else ventures into the Duchy from beyond the glaciers. For now. The Kingdom of Hilmedhi Buildings! Surya And so the fields of Golûn open themselves to Suryan expansion. A little more temperate down in the south, away from the Boiling Sea, it nonetheless offers lush, open terrain with few dangers apart from the thrill of exploration. The mountain itself proves to be a towering testament to natures might, and the explorers struggle to explore the top. Yet, in their climb, they do discover something new. Some sort of altar, created upon a jutting platform of rock that looks out both into the rising and setting sun. Within it is a chunk of red marble, that is touched by the sun at every point of the day, and glows and throbs with energy. While the altar is small, it seems to throb with naturally occuring power. (Point of power for the Bright One) The research on red marble, however, goes rather poorly. The lancers are unopposed in their crossing. No ships sail out from the shanty-town within the gulf, though a few do sit heavily in the water, their sails torn and their hulls damaged. Half-sinking, they creak and groan like old men waiting for the end. As they alight upon the shores, they find an town empty of life, yet littered with corpses. It seems as if most of the Red Suns have been killed, their bodies strewn around, slashed and stabbed, bloated and rotting. Many have already been turned into naught more than skeletons. There is no trace of an attacker, neither in the bodies nor in the ships within the bay. But one lancer does find a red longcoat of thick leather, ripped and torn, laying at the edge of the town. As for the lands around the pirate town, they are mostly unremarkable. While fertile, they are not as lush as the Suryan homeland. To the north, pale mountains rear up, gleaming at night as if from an inner light. The Eadni Civilization This year, the explorers find little success. There are no ports beyond the Danwent Republic, and they struggle with supplies and repairs. Indeed, while passing by an island in spring, a storm wrecks one of the ships, casting it into jagged rocks and smashing it like kindling. (-1 caravel). There is little to be found on the coast beyond the Danwent, and rough conditions and no ports force the explorers back for the year. Point of Interest: Sunport - A patch of fertile land within the desert is their first warning that they may be approaching civilization, or what was once civilization. The second is the first bridge, and the guard towers. Two huge watch towers on each side of the river, joined by a bridge arching high above it. All of them in nigh perfect condition, a testament to the architectural prowess of their builders. As they delve further within the ruins, they thicken until they are surrounded on every side by great bridges, and old constructs. Greatest of all, perhaps, is a splendid temple of marble and stone that sits upon the edge of the river. Within it, a great sun rests on a pedestal as large as a house. The sun itself glows from within. Carved from red stone, it is veined by fire and pours forth heat into the room. The ruins are great and sprawling, so much so that one could not hope to see them all in a single expedition. The seaborn settlers do find the success that the previous explorers failed to find, and safely settle the peninsula.

1507 Naros shakes with the aftershocks of a great battle. A victor was found in the Sehmon Empire, though not by much, and in their victory, so did they bleed, and show their mortality to the nations of Naros. In the far east, the deserts are hungry, and many refugees from tribes and independant villages flock to the nations around them, seeking refuge. (+5000 population for the Eadni) Thunder and lightning shake the skies in the far west, blinding in their intensity, great waves roil through the Golûn pass for days. The Kingdom of Five The new settlements are safe enough, and the Realm of Hakan seems either uncaring or unattentive, as they have been neither seen nor heard of since the last exchange between the two nations. The land here is wide open, and the plains often bitter cold, when winter sets in. But during the summer they fill with tall grass, and offer lush enough fields for the peasants of the Swinedom. The Republic of Danwent Roads always benefit a nation, and these are no exception. As these veins of stone stretch throughout the nation, armies travel faster, and less peasants complain about bandits as roads become more heavily frequented and patrolled. A success, no doubt. (+2000 gold this turn) And what a war it is. (discord) The Kingdom of Bulgar More buildings, more gold. And a child. The Galaharian League The voyage is long and hard, sailing through lands known only to them by an old source. Yet the ships do make their way around the peninsula, and sail these new waters easily enough. But it their expertise with ships, or their innate boons as humagi, the trip goes well. Soon, the ships find themselves approaching new lands, a delta buzzing with human activity… (Discord with Czar) Empire of Bourdeleaux So many farms. Potatoes and rhubarb aplenty shall soon grow thick upon the rough Bourdelean highlands, and strawberries and peaches will grow ripe in the south. A land of plenty indeed. The Kingdom of Numeria A fevered dream. A conjuration. (discord) The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick Due to the previous years raiding, as well as the forewarned nature of the Darkyrians, the land surrounding the city is mostly empty. Either the villagers fled, hid in the city or died. As for the soil, most of the crops were harvested and the land was made inhospitable before the siege. As such, the Fey army will have to rely principally upon supplies brought in by Galaharian merchants, who, unlike the fey, do face occasionally attacks, and complications, within the forest. Quite a few begin to shirk at the idea of going into the forest, as the year goes on, wary of what dangers it may unleash upon them. Surya The jungle to the south of the mountain is thicker, deep and stretches on across the flat plains surrounding the mountains far more. But the land is as lush and wild as ever and the people find few wild creatures to trouble their sleep. Idyllic, isn’t it? The marble, for now, remains inscrutable and volatile, refusing to reveal its secrets in any other form but violent flashes and explosions. Though one of the explorers to the west is attacked by a viciously large tiger, for the most part they find no real dangers. The lands to the west are similar to Suryan soil, though more temperate, as it seems that the steam that rises from the Boiling Sea is pushed towards them by great winds, and these western parts of Golûn are spared the choking humidity. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda The canal is a great endeavor indeed. So much work to be done, with little qualified labor that must not be brought in from the homeland. Yet, progress is made, little by little, more and more of the ancient structure is unveiled, a construction of stone meant to connect to the two seas, a construct far more ambitious than any other that the island living people may have ever seen before. But there is still more to do. But there is better news from the Twin. The herbalists have finally found a strain that seems to be the perfect painkiller, or at least the best one that they know of. It numbs the senses without killing, unless given in large doses, and helps in many medical scenarios. A great discovery! The Fortress Libraries This time, appropriately funded, the explorers do find their way south. They find their way down the river, through the free city of Trident, and into a large lake. Upon one shore, a massive city, Ischyros by name. It seems highly suspicious about them, but allows them in, and as they visit its many bars, they discover that a war is erupting just at its doorstep, and the people are scared. To go further south while war still echoes through the nearby fields is difficult, but they have more than enough supplies to continue after winter. The True Chapel of Knauledge welcomes the scolars with quite a lot of courtesy. It seems as if they are glad to find such knowledge-oriented people within these lands, and gladly allow them to stay. (discord) The House of Blackmarrow allows for an embassy, but little more, and is not particularly friendly, even after the gifts. The Duchy of Ulyadir Buildings are built, and in dark places, frozen arrows spread their frost... The Kingdom of Hilmedhi And finally, the highway is finished. Perhaps a highway only in name, it is nonetheless an open tunnel, with room for carts, that goes along the mountains for miles upon miles upon miles. Truly, an achievement of engineering such as has been rarely seen amongst the young nations of this world. The settlements fare well enough. The land across the mountains is nothing like the homeland of the Hilmedhi. It is rough, barren, rocky and sprayed with salt and constant rain. An unpleasant place, with thousands of wheeling gulls and storms that sweep over it and splash its coasts with tremendous waves. But land nonetheless, and within the mountains, a secret. The first to find it burned to death. The second was more careful. Tellurun, liquid stonefire. A rare thing indeed. (Rare Mineral Acquired: Tellurun) The Commonwealth of Ruhn The tablets reject any attempt at translation. It seems as if the scholars of Ruhn and the free cities simply cannot decipher the script, though one man from Minolek does identify it as Ancient Lobanese, a language that has been lost in time in these regions. But he does recommend that the Ruhnnites try the Xian Kingdom, if they seek to unlock their secrets. He helpfully indicates their location upon a man, after demanding that he be told of some of the findings. (discord) The settlements find open, peaceful land, with looming mountains to the west. Dark, but not that tall. Something simply seems irregular with them!

1506 Galaharian League And thus the first Nuncio sails forth from the shipyards of Batista’s Landing. A magnificent creature, as hulking as it is graceful, some compare it to a whale, venerable and immense. Others to a giant beetle. Either way, the first Nuncio sets sail this year, with many great things awaiting it, no doubt. The Duchy of Ulyadir Unfortunately, the mountains prove to be just as vicious as the glaciers. They are almost entirely impassable, covered in snow all year around and victim to storms as powerful as the breath of gods. The settlers are eventually forced to turn back, lest they lose themselves within the deadly valleys and peaks. (5k refunded) The expedition over the glaciers fares almost as badly as the settlers. The last that they are seen is their vague shapes cresting the top of the glacier after a long and perilous climb in which more than one find their death. Weeks go by, until finally a watcher sees activity at the top of the glaciers. A man, descending! He is alone, and he seems to struggle, rushing and stumbling as he crawls down the ice. Then, half way down he slips, tumbles, falls. His body smashes into the ice below. When he is recovered, the rescuers find him quite dead. In his back is a broken arrow shaft. The arrow itself, when pulled out from within his chest, is made of a transparent, ice-like material. It freezes even the hardy Ulyadir, and neither melts not breaks, radiating a bone-chilling cold to any within a few meters. Of the rest of the party, none ever return. Surya Point of Interest: Metar Mountain - The mountain looms over the explorers like some old, disgruntled god. Its flanks are covered in thick jungle, and as the men approach, they find themselves fighting through the undergrowth for every step forward. Soon the slog becomes painfully difficult, and the slopes ever more abrupt. One man, as he stumbles, find himself looking at an old stone pillar, a simple thing, perhaps a directional indicator. It stands somewhat slanted, cracks running through it and vines growing thick, so thick that it nearly looks like a tree trunk. He is the first to find such a thing, but not the last. The more the men look, the more they realize that in their struggle, they have arrived in some ancient installation, whose only remains are a few stones that were once shaped by men. But as they decided to move up the slopes even further, a man shouts out. It is but a sliver, but the stone he finds is red, and pulses ever so slightly in his hand. It radiates a nigh imperceptible heat, and seems to be streaked by veins of fire. Perhaps there is more to be found. (Rare Mineral discovered: Red Marble) (discord) The Kingdom of Five F A R M S. Unfortunately, without settlements to consolidate the land, the expansion does not go quite as well as planned. The prospectors, while avid and enthusiastic, unfortunately find nothing within the Kingdom of Five that may qualify as a rare good, or mineral. The Kingdom of Bulgar The new settlement fares well enough. It is set up near the looming northern edge of the Roots, with open fields to the west. There is little of note within this land, beyond the green grass and the occasional herd of horses galloping through. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda The first investments into clearing the canal have little effect. It seems as if such a project is no little undertaking, as kilometers upon kilometers of land must be dug and cleared of rubble, dirt, and other undesirable objects, while at the same time engineering something that will last. Greenleaf continues to unveil its secrets to the herbalists, though there is yet more to be found. Upon the day of celebrations, the locale is given what many may see as a miracle. A golden rainbow crosses the sky over the party, lasting only for a few minutes before fading away. The Kingdom of Numeria And as the sun rises over a new year, so do envoys of the Sehmon cross those empty and abandoned land between the two armies, demanding to speak to a person of authority within the camp. (Discord) The Empire of Bourdeleaux The Carrow Lords make it known to the envoy that any sort of offer is both insulting and preposterous. They are the heirs of House Tarkan, mighty among the high lords of Symon, they will not bow to some lowly nation born on a forgotten edge of the continent. Their hostility to the notion of submission is as evident as it is vitriolic. Though they do send the envoy away in good health, and respect the rules of hospitality. The Commonwealth of Ruhn The explorers within the forest to the north find, for the most part, a nondescript forest of little interest. It has wood, some hills, some wild animals, but nothing of note. The lands to the east of the straights are for the most part, flat and open. There is little here beyond fields of grass, some hillocks and small patches of trees. The mountains that cage in this little area are tall and dark, almost foreboding, though none of the explorers find anything remotely ominous beyond some iron deposits. All in all, the land seems perfectly hospitable, if a little boring. Following along the river in the desert, this band of explorers lands upon the archives that had already been exhumed by their brethren in years past. The Fortress Libraries The Herzaka are hard to find, as they are nomadic folk, who roam the open fields between the roots of the World and the Greenthroat. However, when found, they seem to have little interest in the concept of trade. The Blood Forge once again opens itself to scrutiny, as new eyes come to inspect it. (Discord) It seems as if such magic was never intended for such vague and broad questions, as the two adepts find only vague images and unclear ideas that leave them, ultimately, more confused than before they cast their spell. All they could glean from their spellwork was that the future, as it has always been for the Libraries, lies in knowledge. Such an expedition south soon peters out without the appropriate funds, and the men are forced to turn back for lack of gold to supply themselves with food and water. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick The supply lines into the forest face little opposition. Indeed, it seems as if even wild animals do not attack the pack animals, or prey upon small groups of travelers as they venture through the forest and into the Realm of Darkyria. The army does indeed find itself relatively comfortable for the winter. Here, the wind is bitter and the snowstorms can be quite violent, but they find a surprising amount of animals to hunt, and supply lines combined with the tender ministrations of their adepts do help the army through the winter relatively unscathed. The Kingdom of Hilmedhi The tunnel goes deep and far, stable and wrought by the hands of great craftsmen, it would seem. For the most part, those parts which have already been finished are quite well done, and only a few sections collapse. These issues are quickly remedied, however, and by the end of the year it seems as if the tunnel is about ¾’s of the way done. A great feat indeed. The northwest expedition finds little of note, at least at first. The desert stretches on for an eternity, simple coasts of sand, neverending and stretching deep inland. This makes ressupply tremendously difficult for the explorers, but they do find themselves in luck when one day they find themselves in some sort of straight, with a land of lucious jungles and fresh water to the south. (You discovered the southern tip of Esma) Point of Interest - The Deathgate: The river expedition fares better. Upon exiting the jungle the river seems to calm down a bit, and they encounter no more troubling waterfalls. The land itself is rough, but nothing near as brutal as the main body of the desert to the west. Instead, they find themselves in some sort of savannah, until they finally reach the source of the river. A sense of unease covers this place. It is a tall hill, with the river spewing forth from the bottom, like some sort of mouth belching forth a torrent of water from deep below ground. Old ruins line the hill, in the shape of what might have been a wall once. Of note, the hill is surrounded by nothing but dirt. No grass grows on it, and no animals are there to fill the air with their cries. When one of the men attempts to drink the water from its very source, he falls to the ground almost immediately, dead. Yet only a mile or two downriver, the water seems to have been perfectly drinkable. A strange phenomena indeed. (Point of Power: The Death God, discovered) The Eadni Civilization The expedition continues eastward, and finds a new port. (Discord with Czar) The first year, little is found within the ruins of Midwe. Though there are carvings, most are of writing, and those that do depic drawing are typically artistic interpretations of the Sun, with different landscapes beneath it, flourishing and growing. Most of these landscapes, however, do not show something that corresponds to Midwe itself.

1505 Events have been put into motion that cannot be so easily undone. As Numeria marched upon the Eye, the Iris and Ischyros, the Sehmon Remnants muster their own forces swiftly, and hurry to intercept this new foe. None can predict what the outcome may be, for two pretenders for a long lost crown now scrabble for the remnants of an Empire. All that one may tell, is that there will be blood in the water, and the wheat will be well fertilized for years to come. To the west, it seems as if those raiding bands that have plagued the southern borders of the Free Cities peter out during the summer months, and finally disappear entirely, though none could guess at what brought out this change. The Galaharian League The Westfallian survivors take to their new land well enough. They are few, and they truly compose only a miniscule fraction of the population, so they have little influence and for the most part, simply meld into the Galaharian society to some extent. They make up, at most, a small tributary settlement, but their numbers are few, and they cannot truly begin a state of their own. And with the Galaharian retreat from the forest, most of the wolf attacks cease. Those rare few who wander into the woods for illegal lumbers often do not return, and some of the patrols still marching through this land are only found dead and mauled a few weeks after they never report in. But these lands are wild now, and the forest reclaims them with astounding speed. In many places, patrols swear that they saw plants growing before their own eyes. Soon enough, even the patrols struggle to make their way through the dense young forest sprouting over abandoned villages. Point of Interest: The Burnt City of Rimihn. The explorers find little more than the scorched remains of a once great city. The docks are clearly demarcated, and some sunken boats can even be seen at the bottom of the bay on a clear day. But the stones used to make the piers have melted and warped. Many of the buildings are naught more than piles of rubble and burnt stone walls stare down at the explorers, their blackened surfaces looming over them like ghosts, the last citizens of Rimihn, still waiting for release. But more is to be found than simple scorched rubble. (Discord) The Kingdom of Bulgar More farms, more money, more people. Surely, the Kingdom of the Lithborn seems to be thriving. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick And so, the army marching West finally finds its mark. (Discord) Point of Interest: The Westward Wolf Dens - As the Fey explorers go farther north, they meet the wolves once again. The wolves allow them to pass them and do not trouble them much, though the lead explorer is allowed to visit the wolf dens themselves. Located in a deep glade within the forest, they consist of a series of large caves upon the sides of a small valley. In the middle of the valley is a tree of completely black wood, and a small pond. The tree seems to pulse with life, as plants grow thick and freely around it, and small white flowers grow within its boughs. The wolves regularly watch the tree, or patrol around it, but never drink from the pool at its feet. Their caves are deep and comfortable, though in the end they are still the homes of wild animals. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda And so the Melands go on another perilous colonization trip. Thankfully, it seems that the ismuth was not afflicted by such troubles as seen in their previous years. They settle within the looming ruins and nothing comes to threaten their sleep. Point of Interest: The City of Krel - Mostly ruined and empty, only a few buildings remain standing. However, skeletons litter many districts, as do arrowheads and old boulders. It seems as if Krel fell to a siege, and faced bitter fighting within its walls. Many districts also appear to have been burnt out. There is little of value left, as either time or looters have taken their due, but one lucky man does find a most interesting sword while exploring a ruin. More by luck than anything else, he slips and tumbles into a small hole, where a skeleton lies, a curved sword gripped in its white fingers. A sword made of a milky white metal, that seems to glow in the moonlight. As for the canal itself, it is quite the affair, a large gash slashing through the city, with many old, ruined bridges lying either at the bottom of the canal, or barely bridging it. On both sides, huge piles of rocks and mounts of dirt seem to have blocked it off, for quite a long time, as most of it seems to have been filled up with dirt over the centuries. As a gesture of appreciation, the city of Risme dedicates two of its own caravels to the Meldan trade route, bringing in moderate amounts of silk, and other luxuries from the Risman coast. The envoys of the Kingdom of Karel scoff at the offer and turn away the Meldan’s quickly, reminding them not to tread upon their soil unless they are invited to. A tricky piece of greenery. The painkiller seems to have a complex way of reacting with other reagents, but little by little, the herbalists do claim that they are on their way to creating a most effective painkiller out of it. The Republic of Danwent And the diggings continue, with more things to be revealed at every turn. Not only that, but a ragged man in ragged armor arrives at the capital, claiming to hold vital information for the survival of Naros… (discord) The Kingdom of Five The new settlement is installed upon the coast of the Sea of Five. The land is just as flat and fertile as most of the lands east of the Ynkan river, which is to say, less than the west, but better than many other places in the world. To the south, those forbidden mountains still loom over the landscape, like a warning. But for now, the Kingdom of Five prospers, and their people grow richer and their cities more wealthy. Surya Perhaps the pirates are bored, or perhaps they have other things to focus on this year. Either way, their raids abate, though their ships are still seen coming and going from the northern coast of the Gôlun sea, heading both east and west. Until autumn, when an unnaturally deep mist swaths the entire sea for two weeks, making ship-born travel nearly impossible. By the time it passes, no more pirate ships are seen by the fishermen within the sea. The Empire of Bourdeleaux The Bright One answers the prayers of the faithful. (discord) The valleys around the fortress are harsh, but the land is a touch more gentle than the hinterlands to the north. Still, life within this mountainous climate is not easy, but the Grey Keep watches over them from a distance, like a dragon seated upon a hilltop, and the settlers cannot help but sleep a little more soundly. The Grey Keep itself is mostly empty. Traces of its past inhabitants remain, touches of a history that has now slipped into legend. Here, carved into stone lies a talon, elsewhere, a black rectangle, resting upon one of its angles looms over a door. The armory is mostly empty, apart from some rusted remains, and the crypts and dungeons have long been cleared out. Whatever secrets were once held within the Grey Keep have been lost to time, or taken by those who once inhabited it when they departed. The only true symbol of the past is a single tapestry, found rolled up in a corner of a room. Unfurled, it is faded and terribly damaged, but it reveals the unmistakable shape of the Grey Keep, surrounded by men on horses, shooting flocks of arrows. Unmistakable upon the walls of the keep is a crowned man holding a great Talon banner. The settlers upon the southern bay find much more hospitable land than their northern counterparts. Easy fields, with a forest nearby and an abundance of small rivers trickling down from the mountains. Unfortunately, those who do explore the forests on their way south find it to be...a simple forest. Old and thick in many parts, their greatest surprise is a few roving bands of westfallians who refused to assimilate. Most flee at the sight of the Bourdeleans, deeper into the woods. The Order The first obstacle for the explorers comes in the shape of the Bloated Throats. Now holding the mouth of the river, they appear upon the shorelines when the galley sails up the delta. Screaming incoherently, they rain down arrows upon the singular ship, killing many of those who cannot fit under the decks. But sail on the men do, down the river and into the desert. They are first stopped when their ship brings them to a most splendid place. Point of Interest: Sunport - A patch of fertile land within the desert is their first warning that they may be approaching civilization, or what was once civilization. The second is the first bridge, and the guard towers. Two huge watch towers on each side of the river, joined by a bridge arching high above it. All of them in nigh perfect condition, a testament to the architectural prowess of their builders. As they delve further within the ruins, they thicken until they are surrounded on every side by great bridges, and old constructs. Greatest of all, perhaps, is a splendid temple of marble and stone that sits upon the edge of the river. Within it, a great sun rests on a pedestal as large as a house. The sun itself glows from within. Carved from red stone, it is veined by fire and pours forth heat into the room. The ruins are great and sprawling, so much so that one could not hope to see them all in a single expedition. So, the men leave it behind and head into the desert. There, disaster strikes. The expedition had only ventured a few days into the open desert when a great gap opens up beneath them as they march. It comes from nowhere, and half the expedition falls within it. Then, as suddenly as it came, the gap in the earth seals itself once more, and the screams of their brothers are cut short. The next day, the party loses another half of its people in the night, as unknown, huge creatures attack their camp. By the time they are forced to turn back, only a fifth of those who made it past the Bloated Throats remain. And so, as the year comes to an end, they find themselves once more within the ruins of Sunport. The Eadni Civilization The expedition to the west goes well indeed, and they are able to reliably map out the lands all the way to the foot-like peninsula near the western edge of the desert. There, they find a most excellent bay, an indent within the peninsula itself, in which the waters are calm and the tides as reliable as the sunrise. Further west they venture, sticking the coast, until they reach a curious land, and a curious port. (discord) The Mongerellians reject this offer, simply stating that if they have an interest in controlling trade within their islands, then they themselves are more than prepared to foot the bill, and reap the profits. The Kingdom of Numeria And so the Numerian army marches forth. (discord) Two ponderous siege towers soon loom over the settlement of Arris. As one may imagine, the king of Sehmon is properly outraged by the actions of Numeria. In turns, his own banners are gathered, and word makes its way west that they too march fast towards Ischyros, it quickly becomes apparent that it will be the nexus of the troubles to come. The way is long and hard, though the city state of Trident itself does offer succor to the Numerian envoys, and shows them the way north kindly enough, the roads are old, and the lands between the Blackmarrow mountains and Trident are wild and untamed, barely touched by civilization over the past few hundred years. Only a few settlements line the river, and wolves and other animals reign supreme. But finally, the envoys do arrive at the dagger like range of mountains that define Blackmarrow borders, and they are swiftly intercepted. (discord) The Duchy of Ulyadir Another settlement within the shade of the glaciers. One can only hope that global warming will take centuries more to come. The Blood Forge is an ancient thing. A behemoth of a time long past, and as they seek out caves and valleys, and ruins and wrecks, they discover little. Some things are evident, such as old writing carves into half-shattered pillars, but the words are completely illegible, the script beyond foreign, unknown and without any similarities to what the children of Ulya know. Some carvings do reveal a different tale, but even these are quite different, old and perhaps confusing. In their age, it is hard to decipher them, but they clearly show a tall, thin people bowing before the mountain itself, they show them armed and fighting other humans, with strange symbols above their heads. They show groups of people with their hands raised and a great being within their midst. Another shows three great columns upon which rest three spheres.There is little continuity between these different carvings, and little to be found that could explain them. The Fortress Libraries The Stinkswamp is...a swamp. Thick, pungent and quite massive, it stretches far to the north and east in particular and apart from a few safe pathways, it quite dangerous to navigate, and a few intrepid explorers are engulfed by its deceptive terrain. Nonetheless, they do find and bring back a few interesting specimens, mainly small caterpillar like creatures, who thrived in certain areas of the swamp and surrounded themselves in a highly resilient type of silk. (bog silk worms discovered, but not acquired yet.) The mountains and the forest beyond are not in any way exceptional. They are, for all intents and purposes, simply a forest and a mountain range like many other that cover the continent of Naros. Of note though, the forest seems to have a perpetual sour smell, and many of the explorers developped hacking coughs during the expedition. Not only that, but the trees themselves seem sick, dropping, with leaves of poor color and twisted trunks. An unhealthy land. As the Librarians attempt to reach the Ulyadir, they are thwarted by the land that separates them. “PoI discovered: The Stitches. As the expeditionary team approaches the Stitches, the sun begins to wane. Every day they get closer, the sun weakens even further, as an almost unnoticeable cloud of ash has thickened above their heads. It begins to snow once they reach the foothills, a snow of cinders and ash that covers the land in a thick crust of grey. Every man must soon acustom himself to living surrounded by this cloying dust, and more than a few begin to cough horribly. Soon, it becomes impossible to continue as earthquakes, wild animals deranged by disease and the choking atmosphere kill off half the envoys before they can escape the clutches of this terrible land.” As such, only ship-bound contact seems to be possible with the Librarian’s neighbors to the north-east. Blackmarrow accept the offer of trade from the Libraries. To the wise eyes of the Librarians, the people of Blackmarrow are tall, resilient and pale-skinned. They live a very traditionalistic life with a penchant for military power. Many of their people bear the scars of battle and their cities are surrounded by walls that look ancient even to the Librarians, who have dwelt for a long time behind the same defenses. If one thing can be said about the Blackmarrow, it is that they seem to be firmly ensconced within their land, and have been so for much longer than most of those known to the Libraries. As for the True Chapel of Knauledge, they welcome the Librarians with quite a bit of amicability. They themselves seem to be holders of knowledge, as their only true city surrounds a mighty fortress library of their own! Some of them claim proudly that it was once the greatest library on the continent, and that they now act as the true protectors of the lost knowledge of old. The Commonwealth of Ruhn The black tablets find a new home. For now. The spoils of war taken from the Defilers amount, according to a certain pawn shop owner within Ruhn, (who holds a small shop called Hephorstus), amounts to 3000 gold. (+3000G this turn). The Kingdom of Hilmedhi And as investments continue to flow in, the mountain highway continues. These intrepid explorers do discover one thing. The jungle ends, and it ends abruptly. One moment they are amongst the thick, humid atmosphere and the next, the trees peter off and leave only an open savannah. Further exploration reveals that the savannah quickly becomes a scorching desert of red sand farther north, with flashes of lightning shaking it even from afar.

Accepted.

1504 News filters around those inhabitants of the far east. The Bloated Throats are on the move, slaughtering every single village they come across, and feeding on the corpses, some say! What is clear, is that they have seized the mouth of the Maw and hold it fast in their grimy hands. With the fall of Westfal, many survivors, unwilling to live under the hegemony of the Bourdelean Empire, fleet to the seas, or south, running into the welcoming lands of the Men of Aülem. The Galaharian league The defense against the wolves works, to some extent. But the villages remain, and the wolves know the land, and know their prey. If nothing else, the damage is mitigated for this year, as they only attack in quite isolated villages and do not strike out against the armed forces of Galahar. Research, construction and training, it all goes well, carried by the burgeoning industrial might of the League. The Eadni Civilization All construction projects go well as farms flourish, manufactories rise under the heavy hammer of craftsmen and gold tumbles into the new guilds. The Mongerellians tentatively accept the envoys from the Eadni, though they seem a tad guarded by their close neighbor. On the other hand, the envoy sent to the Bloated Throats is never heard from again. Either he died on the way there, or he was killed by those people. Point of Interest: Lake Midwe. No one knows exactly what this lake is. All that they know is that those who cross is seem to experience something while upon its water, and once their crossing is finished, they have become shaken by madness, their minds purged of who they once were, left as shaken husks muttering nonsense words in an incomprehensible language. The lake seems to continually project mirages upon its surface and its center is not visible at all, hidden behind...well, nothing. Upon the shores of this lake are the ruins of an old city, known as Midwe itself. There is little left but the grandiose ruins, though many items of gold and other jewels still remain. It seems as if it has been spared from looting over the centuries. (+3000 gold next turn). The Kingdom of Bulgar And so a new settlement rises, in the shadow of the Old Wall. It is surrounded by open fields, stretching all the way until they are abruptly interrupted by the Roots of the World. As a new settlement rises, so does a new city, a thriving place, full of life and energy. The Order The pursuit of knowledge thus begins within the order. A rare thing indeed, in this fledgling world. The Kingdom of Numeria Osmalt seems to be an incredibly resilient stone, capable of resisting the blows of most pickaxes and stubbornly refusing to be shaped by masons and sculptors alike. One can only wonder how some of the wonders of the ancient world were successfully shaped. But the first chip has been made, and what a remarkable chip it is. One thing is certain, Osmalt must be the most resilient material known to Numeria. It is tough work, dangerous work. The Roots of the World are unforgiving in their nature, and nature is unforgiving in its weather. Even in summer, the toil proves to be fatal for many, and back breaking for others. By the end of the year, some limited progress has been made in establishing some groundwork for future work, in the lower altitudes. No doubt, many of the workers dread the future years, in the bitter cold, hacking away at ice and stone. But a man must provide for his family, in the end. Surya M O R E F A R M S. The settlement is safely established. Flat open fields of lush grass and fertile soil surround it, and a gentle river runs along its edge, throwing itself into the Esman Sea. An idyllic picture, no doubt. To the south, a mountain of truly titanic proportions rears up from the ground, throwing a shadow on the land around it. Its tremendous flanks are covered partially in green, but even from the new settlement one can witness the sun reflecting like gold upon its snow capped top. The Duchy of Ulyadir More buildings are erected within these cold, frozen lands. The Kingdom of Five It cannot be said that the health of the people has always been the primary concern of the Kingdom of Five. Yet, here the King stands, giving away his own hard-earned money to the plebe. They do appreciate it, and though some lords take their fair share of the money, the streets do seem a little cleaner, and the rivers a little less muddy. Some of the citizens of Five are even capable of scrubbing a little of that dirt off their grubby bodies. An improvement to be sure. (+0.25% growth just for this next turn) https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/009/827/028/large/romain-jouandeau-concept-test-suckerpunch-v08.jpg?1521091283 The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda The Hierarchy may have reached too far too fast. With a single cog to their name, supplying even two overseas holdings already becomes a struggle. The settlement aimed for the vaguely mapped Ismuth to the west of the Kingdom of Five turns into a simple scouting operation as the ship must return or let their other holdings wither, and no real colony can be established. As brief as it is, they only have time to find the ruined walls of a city, and what seems like a large, thoroughly clogged canal cutting through these ruins. To the south, the Free City of Lem simply refuses them access when they arrive later in the year, only allowing them to trade within the port, but not venture up river. It seems that such a minor bribe will do little to affect the thriving city, especially if the tradeoff is giving up their upriver control. When the explorers arrive upon the island of Werren, they find...nothing. A handful of villages who have no idea why someone may come to their land, and an empty, barren, rocky island. It seems as if the Free Cities have also had enough of the preachers. Lem, Cinolek and Eslem completely eject them, as they begin to realize that they are not simply there to establish a small church. Only the city of Risme (westernmost) allows them to stay, apparently they simply do not care about the missionaries. The Patrons of the Free Cities make it explicitly clear that while they are not as religiously zealotic as the Kingdom of Karel, such attempts to convert their population will be met with further consequences if they continue. The Republic of Danwent Twins, not a single child. Twins with eyes as green as the back of a leaf after a spring rain. With skin the color of rich earth, strong and hardy at birth and already quite tall. Perhaps the Elder Soul answered such a plea after all. As the settlers expand their holdings, they come across an interesting crop, growing wildly within the fields to the south of the river. Tall, golden wheat that grows easily and quickly, resilient as extremely nutritious, it requires much less land for a great amount of yield, leading to a surplus of food in the North, and surrounding areas to these new fields. (Rare Good Acquired: Moranese Wheat. +0.25% growth per turn.) And so excavations do continue. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick The army begins its long march. The Empire of Bourdeleaux The land to the west is rugged, even more so than the hinterlands near the Barrier. Mountains rear up on every side and valleys are divided by tall, craggy hills. Perhaps the vista is beautiful to some, in its full, primal splendor, a land where man struggles to live in this day and age. Nonetheless, some villages do still exist, poor little hamlets that live off their goats and scrape a living off the specks of dirt that gather upon the stones. One thing does grab the interest of all settlers, however… Point of Interest discovered: The Grey Keep. - An ancient fortress rises upon a hill with the most commanding view of the surrounding area. With the river on one side and the mountains only a few dozen kilometers on the other, it has the potential to effectively control the entire valley. Wide and relatively flat, its pale stone seems to have survived the centuries easily enough, though many parts are now in ruin. In some places, a talon-like mark has been emblazoned into the stone. (Fortress for 60% off) Faced with conversation and pacification, a lot of the Westfal population simply goes along with it. Those who resist are either forcefully pacified by Elfred and his men, or flee to the lands of Aülem, or by sea. (+2000G this turn, spoils of war.) (+100.000 population) What a feast it is, as the people of Bourdeleaux rejoice at their first great conquest. The Commonwealth of Ruhn The Passans seem to be a loose confederation of villages and small towns scattered around the windblown land between the Hungry Sea and Revar’s Gulf. For the most part, they are not particularly wealthy, but they do make up for it in determination and grit, as their lives are definitely not easy upon this sparse land. All in all though, they seem amiable enough and while some of the towns do not agree to trade their meagre goods, others do, and all in all, both sides come out the better for it. Of note among the Passans, is their southernmost town, Paguard. No richer than the others, its people are hardened and tough, with good equipment and an extremely well trained military force. They act, according to the other towns, as guardians against the Darkness. The Kassedenian Guard arrives in Ruhn. The Kingdom of Helmedhi The mountains around the new settlement are, for the most part, quite similar to their southern brothers, both in richness of minerals as well as in wealth of jungle terrain. But no minerals of exceptional value are found. However, prospecting for a good tunnelway does go well, and the expert diggers within the Kingdom quite easily set up the first openings and find potential pathways through previously existing caves.

Accepted. Pm me your unique unit idea.

1503 The world can do little but watch as nations grow, thrive, and conquer. To the east, the Sehmon Remnants seem to be silent, as the coronation of their new king approaches upon the horizon. It is as if the entire nation is holding a collective breath, waiting to see what Almeric IV has in store for them. Upon the eastern border of the Greenthroat, the Herzaka have been seen to move in large bands of men on horseback, riding across those open fields between the Roots of the World and the Greenthroat, though few could fathom what their intentions are. Finally, to the east, the Free City of Lem has called for a council of the cities within its borders, in which one of the events will be the judging of a heretic priest of the God of Death. New nations on the Map The Werens - North West of Melda The Passans - West of the Galaharian League The Men of Ölm - North of Bulgar & Fyr-Darrick The Defilers - South of the Free Cities of Triad The Kingdom of Bulgar An old tome is found buried within one of the Bulgar’s more venerable herbalists’ libraries. It explains that the Last Rage is a flower that enables the one who ingests it to increase his performance by a substantial amount. However, it is a dangerous substance, as it typically leads to the death of the user. Some notes display that it can be diluted enough to give a weaker, but still powerful boost in energy, though the results are typically devastating and may leave the user crippled with nausea and pains for a week or two. The other, more powerful method kill them. Some notes reveal that its name originates from certain zealot units that would ingest it if they intended to fight to the death, or saw no escape from their current predicament. (The Last Rage unlocked = Herblore) The Order And the Gelder Islands do indeed become a little bit less of a shithole. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda And a settlement is established upont the nearest Twin. The island is wild and rough, covered in dense forest and sloping hills. Here, winter is a harsh affair and wild animals roam free. In the first months, it is not rare for the settlers to hear wolves howl right outside their thin walls of wood. But nonetheless, they persevere. The second colony is unfortunately a failure. As they approach the bay, they discover something quite awful, and must turn back. It seems that even the peninsula is mostly uninhabitable. The painkiller that was discovered within this area last year has yet to truly reveal its properties, as it seems as if chewing on the leaf itself does not have a significant effect, as was shown when a settler was bitten by a wolf. The herbalists of Melda will need to work harder to unlock it, no doubt. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the nations take very badly to the proselytizers. The Free Cities, liberal in beliefs as they are, allow them to remain, but refuse to allow them to publically preach, restricting them to a single small building in the outskirts of the cities, where they may preach to those willing to come and listen. However, the Auldic Tribes hold the worship of the Deep One close to their hearts, and reject them, allowing them only to camp outside of their villages for as long as it takes for them to leave. The Kingdom of Karel, on the other hand, immediately imprisons them, and stops trading with the Hierarchy, warning them to never attempt to bring their god into their own lands again. Point of Interest: The Sundering of Ismekh. Perhaps a city once stood here. It is hard to tell from such a distance, as the waters within the bay are quite simply impassable. They seem to whirl and eddie around the central island continuously, dragging any ships into their strong tide and smashing them against the various rocks that jut out of the bay. Above the island itself, a permanent storm rumbles and crackes, spurting gouts of lightning down into the water below. Even the peninsular arms surrounding the bay are not truly safe. On a clear day, on may see from a distance that the island sports great ruins, often obscured by mist and continual rain. But it seems quite suicidal to venture any closer. (Point of Power: The Deep One, discovered.) The Empire of Bourdeleaux The settlement is quite easily...settled? There are few people in this hilly land. It seems that few people feel comfortable with the Greenthroat so close. The land itself is mainly rough and rocky, the soil is poor and the mountains close, but land is land, in the end. A great feast can do nothing but lighten the mood of those waiting for battle. And the men do indeed find themselves a little more jolly as they polish their weapons and prepare for war. This year, no wolves strike out against the northern villages. Perhaps the watch did its job, or the wolves have satiated their hunger. Either way, they are not heard or seen within Bourdeleaux. And so the Empire goes to war, with the clang of hammer upon steel and the tramp of boots on unconquered land. (discord) The Republic of Danwent The dig continues, and more mysteries are uncovered… (discord) More men to flock to the banner, more buildings to be populated and more farms to be sown. The Kingdom of Five The envoy is accepted amongst the Hakkan. The settlement is thus founded upon the open fields of central Aros. They face no opposition, though there are quite a few relatively prosperous villages in the area. (+5000 population) The Galaharian League The food offerings left in the north do not seem to do much. Once again, as winter scrapes its icy claws over the land, leaving behind frost and freeze, the wolves return. The food is left mostly untouched, but the villagers are killed, and what buildings they can actually damage, are damaged. Some are eaten, in parts of completely, but for the most part they are left dead upont he ground, to be entombed within the cold snow. Their tracks, where they can indeed be followed, lead north and as they cross into the Greenthroat, are almost instantly lost. (-1000 Gold this turn.) A new settlement, and in a key position. It is one of the few places where a ship going to the Hungry Sea can resupply before making the last leg of its journey. Not only that, but it offers calm waters for those who may seek shelter from the storms in the rainy seasons within Revar’s Gulf. Surya Farms, farms and more farms. When will it all end? To the north, the pirates strike out against the Suryans in more force than in the previous year. They seem quite confident in holding the opposing coasts and raid the Suryans with impunity. Typically they strike fast and hard, hitting isolated villages and murdering or capturing the citizens. In some of the raids, small squares of red leather are left upon the bodies with the common man writing equivalent for ‘Bad choice’. (-2000 gold this turn.) The Kingdom of Numeria The settlement is thus created, right in the shadow of the mountains. For now though, the pass proves to be quite the imposing crossing. In many areas, it is but a narrow path along the side of a mountain, in others, a trail at the bottom of a deep valley, victim to the whims of the mountains and the snow and rocks high above. Nonetheless, the land it settled. And as they do settle it, some prospectors do find a true deposit of that glassy black stone. (Rare Mineral discovered: Osmalt, requires research to acquire it.) Troops, buildings and religious edifices rise up within the cities of Numeria, to serve the cause of their King. The King of Sehmon welcomes the Numerian delegates with what amounts to friendliness, when coming from the Remnants. (discord event) The Commonwealth of Ruhn The Free City of Lem rejects this offer, and rejects the envoy, turning him back from their walls before he has time to resupply and rest. They do nothing more this year, though those few merchants who may venture forth to Lem do find the atmosphere quite hostile. The adept thus seeks to ease those who suffer, there amongst the peasants outside the walls. For a while, he does his duty well, and serves his god faithfully. Unfortunately, word must have slipped from peasant to merchant at some point during the spring months, for during the summer, as he revives a dead child within a small village, a contingent of cavalry rides up. He is surrounded and taken back to the Free City of Lem, to be tried for ‘heresy’. What faith he may have spread amongst the plebe is quickly quelled by an influx of priests from Lem, who preach of the Deep One. (discord) It is a well drilled and well prepared army that the Ruhnnites have mustered, supplied and equipped to deal with the scorching heat of the desert. The Kingdom of Fyr-Dannick And this year, the wolf does lead those fey scouts to a very interesting place. (discord) Indeed, the impassable nature of the forest do lend the Fey a great amount of discretion within their forests. Scouts would no doubt struggle greatly to count their numbers or find their armies. The Duchy of Ulyadir The sacrifices are made and blood spills forth, melding with the lava below with a hiss. A drip in an ocean that has been growing for millenia. PoI discovered: The Stitches. As the expeditionary team approaches the Stitches, the sun begins to wane. Every day they get closer, the sun weakens even further, as an almost unnoticeable cloud of ash has thickened above their heads. It begins to snow once they reach the foothills, a snow of cinders and ash that covers the land in a thick crust of grey. Every man must soon acustom himself to living surrounded by this cloying dust, and more than a few begin to cough horribly. They suffer their first earthquake as they make their way between two hills. A gap open up in the ground and before the man can scream, one of their own is engulfed by the ground itself. As they camp that night, the men are attacked by wolves, misshapen creatures riddled with disease, and more than a few fall before these creatures. By the fifth day beneath the cloud, only half the party remains. The others have died to the perilous ground, or the creatures, and one was lost during the night. It seems as if the Stitches are a land of unstable tectonic activity, rough terrain of stone and dirt, volcanoes, mutated beasts and perpetual night and ashfalls. By the eighth day, the man see no end to them and must turn back. Only 4 men return to report on the situation. The Helmedhi Kingdom The settlers make the difficult trip north. While a few die on the way, they do arrive at the location. Unfortunately, the difficult terrain and geography mean that they have not been able to secure and assimilate all the land around them. Instead, they now hold a decent chunk of land around these groves of Ulan Trees. Their benefits seem straightforward. These trees are made of an oily and very light wood that allow for quite quick, if not particularly resistant, ships. Unfortunately, this wood also seems to be quite sensitive to fire, due to its oily nature. And so the settlement takes its place upon the shores of the river, ready to send its logs downstream. (Rare Good acquired: Ulan Trees) The Kingdom of Darkyria Unfortunately, there are very few men within the kingdom who are motivated to do it purely upon the basis of glory. After all, even a peasant must feed his family, and a little gold goes a long way in funding such a project. Though with the added prospect of pay, there seems to be a good amount of interest in the concept. And in the year 1503, as the dark hours of winter creep across the forested lands of Darykria, packs of wolves fall upon the borders of the kingdom, killing those unfortunate peasants and leaving their bodies to fertilize the soil. They attack in great numbers, as if they had been mustering their forces, and leave very few villages completely untouched. (-2000 Gold next turn, -5000 population.) Map of Turn 3

1502 News reaches those of Southern Naros. King Almeric III of Sehmon is dead, and his son Almeric IV has taken the throne. He invites Ischyros, the Kingdom of Numeria and the Republic of Danwent to witness his coronation in the royal palace in Loswarn, and speak about the ‘future of Naros’. It seems as if this year, the great wolves of the Greenthroat were forced by their hunger to strike out at nations surrounding their ancient forest. While wolf attacks are a common legend amonst most nations within those regions, they are rare and far apart. Something must be pushing them to seek food elsewhere. Strange men dressed in rags and armor have been seen throughout Aros. Some know them as the Kassedenian Guard, relics of a lost empire that persist with their mad duty, others seem them as simple raving madmen. Either way, they travel along these lonely roads alone, their pleas for aid often left unheard. The Republic of Danwent The two new settlements are established without encountering any opposition. The few hamlets that do exist within this area seem to have no issue with joining the Republic. For them, it is just another ruler in a long line of rulers, and at least this one may be fractionally less tyrannical. (+5000 population). The coastal city Susvii is indeed in a beautiful little natural harbor. Perhaps not the greatest along the Southern Narosii coast, but more than adequate, indeed. Luckily, it seems that the delta has been clearing itself slowly, centimeter by centimeter over the centuries, and much of the heaviest work is done. Still, it is not the sort of labor to finished so swiftly. But as the builders toil away at clearing the rivers and purging the land of its marshes and infertility, they continue to dig up trinkets and treasures. Here, a half dozen skeletons clad in half rusted armor, with a barely distinguishable talon-like emblem punched into their breastplates. There, two arrowheads made of black metal. It is towards the end of the digging season that a group of builders land on something truly interesting. A hallway, half buried beneath the mud and a few meters underwater. It is in itself completely full of mud, but it has somehow managed to retain its shape throughout the centuries. Upon the arch of the door is a barely-distinguishable sun, carved into the stone. (discord) The Order More manufactories to feed the growing need for produce within the Order. One can only wonder what they are planning. The settlement faces no opposition, as the region is quite deserted by any but the Order. It finds itself upon the inner side of the western-most island, protected from the high-seas by the island itself, it offers a calm bay in which ships may find refuge during the violent storms that often crush themselves against the eastern coast of Naros. The small expedition slowly makes its way around the Maw of the World, its singular galley navigating the gentle waters slowly. As the sun rises above them, the mist that gathered low over their heads dissipates, purged by the Bright One, and they can do nothing but gawk. Before them lie the most immense cliffs that they could possibly have ever seen. They stretch up hundreds of meters above their heads, as sheer and unforgiving as the walls of some gigantic castle. But even the splendor of such a natural phenomenon pales in comparison to what lies at the top. One after the other, for as far as the men can see, gigantic, looming black statues line the cliffs. They peer down upon the waters of the Maw, their figures bent and battered by time. A few have fallen victim to erosion, as the soil beneath them slipped away. These rare figures now lie in shattered boulders at the foot of the cliffs, upon the strip of shore at their feet. Unfortunately, it is quite impossible to reach the top, and the expedition must turn back. The Galaharian League The water runs red with the bodies of worthy sacrifices, and Batista’s Landing receives a very opportune series of rainshowers during the dry months of the year, gracing it with a pleasantly bountiful harvest. Word of the wedding seems to echo beyond even the scope of the league, brought by merchants hopping along the trade routes of Revar’s Gulf. It seems as if the Realm of Hakan will be sending a delegate downriver into the Gulf, to witness this wedding. The merchants, on small fishing boats, have difficulty navigating the waters around the islands, but somehow manage to survive and land upon them. What they find are the ruins of a city, fresher than many within the world. It seems as if the city was consumed by a violent firestorm, as many of the walls are blackened, and the ground is rich with vegetation. They are forced to abort their search early as seasonal storms threaten to trap them upon the islands, and the lack of investments mean that they have but scant supplies. However, they all seem eager to explore it with proper funding the following year. Some of the Northern logging villages of the League stop sending out lumber during the bitter months of winter. Those who inquire upon them find them devastated, with bodies torn apart and the scant few survivors existing in the ruins as terrified husks. Those few who can even speak anymore speak of wolves, enormous wolves… (-1000G this turn) The Empire of Bourdeleaux An impressive array of troops. The men of the Empire eagerly answer the call and flock to the banners. Those scouts who do venture into the lands of the Westfal Raiders find them wild and quite untamed. A few are killed and never report back, but most survive and return to their leaders. They reveal that the Westfallians seem to live in small tribe-like villages along the coast or next to rivers. They usually have huts surrounding a central beach upon which they have pulled up light raiding ships. While their numbers are hard to define, they seem to not work as an organized whole. In the deepest parts of winter, some of the northern villages of Bourdeleaux find themselves attacked by enormous wolves. Or at least, that is what the fear-addled villagers claim. Wolves the size of bears that tore them apart like rabbits! (-1000G for this turn) The Kingdom of Numeria What with the proximity of Tyniria to Tyria, the settlement is quickly and efficiently put together. With this source of supplies, most of the commanders can safely assume that their expansion into the rest of Grelden forest will be unopposed. And what a royal pantheon indeed. The elements are quite pleased by this turn of events, it would seem. The northern expedition fails entirely. Only two men return, and they speak of the perils that they encountered. They scaled mountains and passed through narrow crevices for a day or two, climbing high above the forest before they met a truly impenetrable wall of stone. Reaching up hundreds of meters above them, it was as smooth as stone could be. Despite this, they attempted to scale it, but failed miserably. Most died in the climb, when a man lost his footing and caused those behind him to tumble off the cliff. The two survivors had been guarding the camp. The southern expeditions have some more luck, and the southernmost one finds some traces of glassy black rock embedded into certain façades as they make their difficult way through the mountains. However, in the end they find no true deposits. The only pass that they do find is narrow, and according to them would be snowed in for most of the year. A perilous road at best, even in summer. Surya Despite the occasional raid by pirates, the construction of this new settlement goes well enough. Positioned such as it is, upon the tip of the Golûn Straights, it offers rest and respite to merchant ships, and a moment to catch their breath before they must face whatever the pirates have in store for them. Farms, farms and more farms. The people of Surya rarely go hungry in their warm lands, full of bounty. A Suryan merchant brings an interesting tale back to the Mirrored City. The Commonwealth of Ruhn The Free City of Lem ‘politely’ opposes the construction of the new Ruhnnic settlement, and offers a sum of 5000G for them to ‘scamper back to their mountains’, as the envoy said. They do not seem to enjoy the thought of an upriver settlement upon the river which they have staked their claim on. A temple of bones for the god of bones. The Kingdom of Hilmedhi The expedition delves deep into the jungles. The first weeks are easy enough, a simple upriver trip, though the river is wide and the currents swift. A few men are lost to the local wildlife, snakes and crocodiles that strike as they disembark after a long day of rowing, weary to the bone. Yet the men continue, and they find something. It is far north, they say, near the second branch off from the main river, if you were to look from the south. One man apparently required wood to fix his crews canoe. He cut from a certain tree, and found its wood to be far more than he expected. (Rare Good discovered: Ulan Trees) (Not acquired, it is out of your territory) The Men of Aülem accept the envoy. He is treated with respect, though it is clear that the men have little liking for him, beyond the necessity of trade. For the most part, he spends his time in a small fishing town along the coast, from where most of the Aulemic trade leaves. They trade in furs and wood, for the most part, along with other exotic goods such as blood-red tiger pelts. The Kingdom of Five The men may grumble, but they are pressed into service nonetheless. As for the settlement, it goes well enough. This land is rich and peaceful, unperturbed by wars. Those small villages in the region simply continue on with their lives as they have always done, and the Kingdom of Five takes its due. The Auldhauan Hierarchy of Melda The Auldic Tribes gladly share their tales with the envoy. They revolve around a great trip undertaken in a time when the world was burning. The people of Auld fled north, over the great ice sheets, where many were consumed by the deep. They say that they came from the west, and that for ten years they attempted to go further than the shores upon which they now live, but brutal winters and vicious winds stopped them. As such, they now reside here, and remember their ancestors who died so that their people would live. While one of the tribal leaders does claim to have writings, they are safely stored away and he refuses to share them. The Kingdom of Karel accepts the offer for trade. They seem to be a well established Kingdom, with little interest in outwards expansion. Their cities are well maintained, but far from vibrant, and one may notice that their lives seem quite montone and dreary. It appears as if little goes on within the Kingdom of Karel, apart from stagnation. The Auldic tribes accept as well, as do the Free Cities of Triad. And Finally the Lady is fully claimed by the Hierarchy. They face no opposition to this move, as only miniscule fishing villages exist upon this piece of the island. The Kingdom of Bulgar The Last Rage is tried by more than one man after its discovery, and some of the brightest minds in the Kingdom experiment upon it at length. Ingesting the plant in most forms seems to throw the user into a bloodthirsty craze where they feel no pain and continue fighting far past their normal limits. However, all test subjects have invariably died of cardiac arrest after thirty of so minutes. The Duchy of Ulyadar Similarly to their brethren the year before, the settlers find themselves facing the impossible immensity of the northern glaciers. In their shadow, they build a settlement that borders a river that remains frozen for many months a year. Yet beneath that layer of ice is a wealth of fish, and the lands around the settlement are rich in wildlife. Indeed, it seems as if this northern coast of Naros is rich with tectonic activity, and in some places, tears in the earth itself bleed small rivers of molten rock. In others, deep ravines reveal pulsing veins of lava far below, lending an unearthly glow to the landscape and offering enough warmth for some unusually dense flora and fauna. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick As the explorers depart, it seems as if the forest aids them. Over the months, certain animals of prey will wander without a clue into clearings in front of them, easy prey if they do indeed eat meat. In others, the forest seems to clear itself of impassable roots and undergrowth as they sleep, offering them an easy path towards water sources. But inexorably, as they go ever further west, it feels as if the forest is guiding them somewhere. As if these paths that it offers them are always leading them in a certain direction. However, as they settle in for the last brutal winter nights of december, they have yet to find anything. The tracks left by the wolves lead up and away, out of Fyr-Dannick land and into the deep woods, those that have remained untouched by mankind since the beginning of time. The farther the fey go, the more the true, absolute immensity and age of the forest begins to manifest itself. Some trees are as large as buildings, and in some places the undergrowth seems to have become a second layer of forest in and of its own. Yet they are never troubled by wild animals...until one day. (discord) The Kingdom of Darkyria As the men of Darkyria delve further into the forest, they must begin to realize one thing. The vegetation around the Font of Life is thick, and seems to grow at an incredible rate. As they hack their way through and approach the source of the river, they find themselves in a small glen, surrounded by ancient trees covered in moss. The lake itself is of water more clear than liquid crystals, with the bottom of the pool as easy to see as the starry night sky. Here, they witness a small flower grow in a matter of seconds upon the shores of the lake. It seems as if the source of the Wandring River teems with life at an accelerated pace. It is, after all, true to its name.

Posting for Will (Kingdom of Fyr-Dannick) as he is ill. The Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick Nation Stats Leaders King Eonir the Great Stag High Priestess Dycha Prince Aeleandor the Warden Population 2,575,000 Income Base: 7,000 Population: 7,500 Trade: 3,000 Merchant Guilds: 6,000 Upkeep: -7,000 Total: 16,500 Treasury 16,500 Trade Partners Galaharian League Empire of Bordeleaux Kingdom of Hilmedhi Cities, settlements and Fortresses Talsyn (Capital), Population of City and Surrounding Area: 1,512,500 Anmyr (City) Population of City and Surrounding Area: 712,500 The Midnight Anvil (Fortress) Garrison: 1000 Medium Infantry, 500 Light Archers Modryn (Settlement) Population of Settlement and Surrounding Area: 350,000 Military 5,000 Greenthroat Riders 5,000 Medium Infantry 2,500 Light Infantry 2,500 Light Archers Activity The Coffers of the Kingdom began to swell but more was needed to be done to fuel the upcoming change in times. Fyr-Darrick required a strong military in order to protect the woods and it needed coin to fuel it, there could be no growth without opening the Kingdom up further even potentially allowing human trade. Goods flowed in and out of the City of Anmyr, being on the river it is frequented by many and for most outsiders is all they see of the Kingdom, very few are allowed deeper into the Woods. A Temple was required for the faithful to visit, since basically all the Kingdom were the faithful it was seen as a priority by the Royal Treasury to hurry along the process as such funds would be appropriated for such a divine cause. Other such expenditures including the building of a new set of farmland. The trade agreement proposed by the Northern Neighbours of the Kingdom would be accepted. Expenditure 10,000 Is spent on building a Temple to the Elder Soul. 5,000 Is build on additional Farmlands Military Maneuvers Scouts would be sent Westward to see what they can find. (Mod) The King himself would find himself moving Northward, to discover the origins of the Wolves with a Retinue of one hundred. (Mod) Prince Aeleandor is sent to the Galaharian League, the Kingdom of Fyr-Darrick itself had been invited attend the wedding of the Galaharian Duke. Though not exactly enthused by the prospect of enduring the ceremony of an outsider the Prince listened to the command of his King whom was in turn supported by the High Priestess. He would be sent with a contingent of the Green Throat Riders and Royal Guards to attend both the wedding and partake in the tourney afterwards.

The Trade Federation Tony stared down at the cigar. It hung off the lip of his ashtray, its end roiling red, spurting forth little waves of smoke into the air. There, harsh blasts of cold air punched it into eddies that swirled around until they faded into the growing haze, hanging at the top of the room like a low cloud. At least it helped obscure the harsh neon lights, so adored by the scientists he was forced to spend time with these past years. With a little buzz and a click, the cybernetic half of his face clicked back into place and the metal plate covered the inner working of his skull once more. He rolled his neck slowly and cracked his jaw, a finger running along the seam where bone melded into steel. There was no world in which he would pretend to be anything but the drug-addled leader of a corporation driven by unbridled greed. It would his destroy his reputation to deviate from such an image. Yet as he stared into the thick glass in front of him, he could see the other side of the story. His flesh was red and swolen along the seams of his cybernetics. It almost glowed with pain, chaffed continually, pulled at by his every move until the itching and pain brought him so close to the brink that he could only throw himself eagerly into a stupor of drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. Certainly, his people had long ago found a way to transfer his mind, yet it pained him to consider this option, and the risks that it entailed. More than that, he had little interest for a body of flesh. Not after all this time. The drugs had become as much a cage as a pleasure, a vice made of thorns that clenched around his throat. Only the cool lack of sensitivity from his cybernetics were spared the discomforts of his body. Sunken, exhausted eyes stared back at him from the window. Hadn’t they once gleamed with energy and ambition? He couldn’t remember now. He had more money than he could ever spend and held more power than most in his hand, but he lacked the energy to deploy it. A small snort escaped his lips. Hell, he’d given away TAROT to the entire galaxy for free. Had his father seen that, he may as well have shot him before Tony ever had a chance to return the favor. A small ping emenated from his pocket and he lifted up his phone. A face appeared upon its screen, a gaunt man with nigh-translucent skin and cybernetic eyes. “Sir, they’re ready to show you the breakthrough.” “Good, I’ll be there in a moment.” He rose slowly and looked at the small table in front of him. It was a mess of neat lines and scattered powder. He stared at it for a few moments, his half a face twisted, as if in inner turmoil. Then he bent his head, gave a great snort, stood up, shook his head and plastered his ever-knowing smile upon his face. Actions 260 + 500 Project Binary Twilight (760AP) (2300AP invested)