[color=orange]Post Summary[/color] [hider] [list] [*]Nausk called to defeat bandits [*]Nausk arrested for killing bandits (political intrigue) [*]Nausk imprisoned, days before Consul election [*]Nausk makes a deal with Marsha, freedom for loyalty [*]Nausk and Garlor win election [*]Conspirators flee to Tannis, captured and beheaded by Kara Neskerbaud [*]Troops begin mustering in Gaszbam and Zengher [*]Nausk investigates a missing vassal, discovers Yekseen [*]Nausk and his men help Yekseen deal with a painted wraith [*]Yekseen, grateful, agrees to accompany Nausk in his campaign into Ok’va [*]Introduction of Tenred [*]Tenred fights a duel with the current Muaj’kadeen, earns his right to lead fanatical old gods militia [*]Tenred celebrates victory by having traitor in ranks turned into a spriggan [*]Tenred begins building allies amongst the Ok’van southern marshes [*]Olman and Muhan leaders meet in Muha to discuss Marsha’s deal [*]Both nations take deal, secretly cutting out Ok’va from alliance, despite reluctance from Olma’s monarchy [*]Muha and Olma review possible new members for their coalition [*]Olma approaches Varkovnia to join their coalition [*]Muha approaches Gu-wei for a coalition [*]Olman monarchy attempts to diplomatically makes moves on the Okke, beginning signs of building a new protectorate [/list] [/hider] [color=orange][h2][b]=-=Melody of the Ok’van Marshes, Spring 998 2nd Age=-=[/b][/h2][/color] The election was nearing a close by mid spring for the Consulships for Muoarma, which had caused heavy debating amongst the populace. Many were certain of victory for Duke [color=orange]Nausk Gotembaug[/color], as was demonstrated by an amazing show of support amongst the nobility of western Tannis. Nausk and his party were stopped by a number of nobles who traveled directly to Nausk’s minor encampment and personally offered their vote of confidence to him. Apparently, there had been a sudden lack of confidence of Tannis’s noble leaders, as the region’s duke showed little knowledge of combat, and even insisted amongst his court he could ‘beat any enemy of Muoarma with a stick and a stone’, questioning the skills of his own levies and knights. This perceived insult had swayed many of the western Tannis nobles back into Nausk’s grasp. Nausk had decided to return home, and planned to meet Galan to make final preparations for the voting, perhaps to bribe Edgk’s nobles for a surprise victory for him. However, as Nausk was returning home, two armored figures road up from Tannis to deliver news. Nausk listened intently as the figures explained that a group of murderers had rose up in the southern reaches of Zengher, near Olma. The murderers had plundered three hamlets, and threatened a town called [color=red]Hilgaberg[/color]. Nausk raised a sword, his force was small, but he knew of some towns with a levy which would supply him, and rallied his party’s warriors to him. He rode off, not much for questioning such things and made his way towards the town. When Nausk had reached the vicinity of Hilgaberg, he found a number of suspicious things as his army began to bolster. Zengher levies joined him from some of the smaller towns, pledging their support, along with a small regiment of Uesbergan from a barracks along the way to the village. However, a small regiment of northern Tannis Uesbergan had also appeared, claiming to come to investigate a missing merchant and family friend of a noble. Nausk did not have traditional entourage to pick up on any suspicions, and thus continued, thankful of the supporting force’s captain who pledged himself to Nausk’s cause. Nausk had 1,200 men in his army, but lacked support such as scouts, and wrote letters demanding reinforcements and to halt all of his activities of his campaign till he rid the land of the bandits. Nausk eventually had eyes on the small town, and was saddened to find it a ruined husk. Hilgaberg had been partially sacked, 1/3rd of the town was burned and the rest had thankfully blocked off the attack from a small horde of mysterious bandits. The town’s frantic people had been collecting and mourning their dead, as Nausk rode off, but not before garrisoning the town with fresh guards. Nausk followed a string of destroyed hamlets, coming upon a small encampment a bit off, surrounded by carts and wooden trash for a makeshift wall. The camp had been suspiciously easy to find. The bandits saw the advancing banners, and many fled towards Olma, but were caught and killed by light militia riders. Shaken, the bandits attempted to surrender to Nausk, but as Nausk went to speak, a Tannis soldier suddenly yelled out, shouting “Crossbow!” and Nausk fled back into his regiments and ordered an advance on the frantic bandits. The battle had meant to be short, but during the battle several advances into the camp had been delayed, something which Nausk noticed. The captain of the Tannis regiment kept ordering contradictory orders, and allowed the bandits to unleash a barrage of unusual traps. The bandits rolled down logs onto the Zengher militias, and the Uesbergan were decimated by a counter attack by bandit spearmen trying to escape the doomed camp. Nausk ordered three separate assaults on the flank of the camp to prevent escapes, but the Tannis soldiers again pulled back and unleashed a volley on the Zengher troops who breached the camp’s side. Unsure of what to make of this, wether the Tannis Uesbergan were incompetent or were spiteful, it mattered little, as Nausk redirected the force to another side of the bandit camp to prevent further losses. The battle was over, but it had been a humiliating victory. 600 lives were wasted to kill the bandits, and of those captured, most were killed by either vengeful militias or were mysteriously killed another way. Nausk had one prisoner, the bandit chieftain, whom we personally attempted to interrogate. Yet, during the interrogation, the bandit was skewered rather suddenly by the Tannis captain in what looked to be a fit of rage. Nausk had the man restrained, and angrily ordered him to explain himself. After getting some answers about how the bandit had tortured the merchant and caused too much death and suffering, the angry Nausk let off on the captain and his performance in the battle, and after a brief moment, he demanded their arrest. The captain protested, but Nausk’s men had been waiting for the word, angry by their many forms of friendly fire and treachery during the battle. Fighting broke out again, but only briefly. Nausk carried his prisoners back to the capital of Gottisberg, where he charged the Tannis troops with treason and incompetence. Of the soldiers who performed well, they were stripped of their armor and weapons and let go, while the rest were placed in the dungeons. News of these events had been mostly private, but soon word had exploded of the poor characteristics during the battle itself, and several exaggerations popped up. Nausk soon found his own vassals were calling him to answer for the battle’s poor performance, which had damaged not only his reputation, but also his ally, Duke [color=orange]Galan Sanderbaug[/color]. The day of the election rolled near, and by the time Nausk could even settle down, he was called to the capital personally by Grand Duchess [color=orange]Marsha Penosbaug[/color]. ____________________________________ Nausk’s head was spinning, and left Gottisberg with a sizable detachment. Two allied nobles of Tannis had met with him on the road, trying to answer his questions of the regiment and the source of the rumors against him, but neither noble knew. Nausk was met with Galan who had rode ahead with a sizable party of his own, primarily family members as the two discussed their political moves. During their stay at an allied castle, he had overheard rumors from servants of the controversy, and things did not look favorable. Nausk, still honorbound and not wishing to look as a coward, continued to push on, but his ally Galan had decided to go back to Souk Mar. Nausk eventually found himself in the capital once again, but his welcome had not been a warm one as before, and not many nobles had come to see him or discuss things with him, which his brother Jude Gotembaug had tried to convince him to return to the Gottisberg in post haste. Nausk left for the court of Marsha. When Nausk arrived, he was not allowed weapons, armor, or bodyguards since the forum of Marsha was public, but Nausk was no fool, and hid a small dagger beneath his lively and ornate coat. When Nausk entered the court and made his bow before the Grand Duchess, Marsha spoke up in a rather dismissing tone, calling in three other lords. Nausk recognized the lords at once, having been the three smaller nobles from Tannis who had approached him to organize a faction against the Penosbaugs. The lords presented a case of treason before Marsha, that Nausk and his family had unlawfully arrested their soldiers, slaughtered a merchant, and murdered important witnesses of his crimes. Nausk protested at once, which Marsha gave a deathly stare at him and saying “You will speak once I allow it, Duke. I will not speak on that again, for your sake.” Nausk remained silent, but held contempt for it. Marsha showed skepticism at first for the nobles, as evidence was brought forward. Three soldiers which Nausk had let go testified against him, which gave testimony of his incompetence, and even claimed he had refused the bandits surrender. The stories were conflicting, as Nausk questioned and corrected as best he could the soldier’s lies, but the court remained unconvinced. When Nausk brought up his noble heritage, Marsha seemed to shut it down, reminding the court that even nobles were guilty of crimes. Nausk became confused, and when things seemed to be going wrong, he demanded a proper court trial of one of the local Guilds of Law. Marsha again shut down this idea, saying that the court was a noble matter which was beneath the judges of the city. Nausk demanded clarification, but was given none as the nobles continued to berate Nausk with more exaggerations. It was only when one noble tried to claim Nausk was in league with the Olmans did Marsha shut down the conversation. Marsha leaned back on her throne and spoke to her audience. “I am ill decided on what was presented here today, but it is clear these charges are grave. How can a man who cannot defeat bandits, be charged with defending this realm? If there is truth spun here today, we will figure it out, but it is clear that I will not tolerate treason. If there is truth that Duke Nausk Gotembaug is in league with our enemies of Olma, I shall be the first to know, and the first to act. My lord, you are dismissed.” Nausk froze, unsure of what to do next. Yet, being naive and honorable as he was, he did not resist when the guards put him irons and hauled him out of court, as the Tannis nobles watched on. Nausk last saw them coming close to Marsha, whispering to her as he was pulled into the halls leading to the palace’s prison. ____________________________________ Nausk was not allowed much in the way of visitors, and it was days before the election for Consul. Nausk thought things over as he laid in the darkness of his cell, wondering if he had done some wrong. He chatted with a young Okan who was charged with cleaning the prison and providing prisoners food, bribing him with some of his own food for information. He learned that Nausk’s companions were furious, his brother Jude openly waving a sword at the guards outside the palace doors, and the Tannis Nobles were now open additions to the court. Nausk wondered what their plans were, but worried more for his own family. His sons and wife would not put this foolishness on hold for long, and would act. His thoughts were broken as he heard steps coming down into the dungeon, two pairs rather than just one. An older Okan entered Nausk’s view of vision first, wearing a long red cloak and wielding a sword, with a heavy and formal cloth armor bearing the symbols of the Penosbaugs. The gladiator, [color=orange]Meizbaun[/color], placed a stool in front of Nausk’s cell and waited with torch in hand, as the elder woman Marsha entered the room and sat in front of the chained man. Nausk had been sitting, laying in his cell and gave Marsha a strained look. “Have your judges deduced I am innocent yet?” Nausk asked. Marsha grunted “My dear lord, I haven’t even sent anyone out yet. Why would I?” “Then I must ask my lady, do you wish civil war?” Nausk asked again “You know full well my family will not see my death well, and you cannot afford it. Was this the reason you called for Consuls perhaps?” “Do not be daft, if I wanted your lands, we wouldn’t be talking my lord.” Marsha adjusted herself in her seat. “Then why have you come?” Nausk demanded, his legs shifted and rang with a light jingle of his shackles. “Do you think I do not know your innosense, Nausk Gotembaug? I’d have been a stupid fool to think you’d sell yourself to the Olmans, however, none in my court or elsewhere know that much yet.” Marsha began, giving a devilish grin “Then why arrest me?” “Simple, I’ve come to offer something to you. I will let you out of this cell, and you will walk free again, under two conditions. You will consider this a favor, one which you cannot give back on and I will call you to, and second, you will work with Duke [color=orange]Galor Olo Veunbera[/color] as your Co-consul.” “You do all this for a favor?” Nausk raised an eyebrow. “I do this because I need you to know perfectly well that I will end you, end your family, and chisel your allies to dust if I do not get what is needed out of you. That, and a prison is a much easier place to talk. . .for one sided privacy.” “So you know those nobles ar---” “I suspected. My agents investigate them, but it will not matter in due time. Do we have a deal?” Nausk gave a sigh, getting up and bowing to Marsha. Marsha extended her hand to the cell doors to expose her ring. Nausk kissed the ring, sealing the deal. The Okan gladiator next to her unlocked the door and undid the shackles on Nausk, and all three exited the dungeon togeather. When Nausk was properly dressed and bathed, he exited the dungeon and called for his brother and companions to a private meeting in a rich tavern, where he explained the situation. After some back and forths, Nausk agreed to drop Galan as a supporter quietly and awaited the election in the capital, although Jude began to work with some investigators and the city’s judges to clear his brother’s name a bit more. ____________________________________ The day of the election arrived, but Duke Galor had been late, arriving with his family and servants during the actual vote. Galor had suspected that his rival Nausk would protest this and try to have the vote recalled, but when Galor arrived at court, Nausk had been silent and talking with Duke Galan in a corner. Galan was upset, but still held out he had gained enough support for it to be a difference. The Duke of Tannis arrived, along with the nobles who had imprisoned Nausk, and when they saw the duke mingling amongst the crowd, they had turned milk white and attempted to excuse themselves. Nausk’s many allies were relieved to see him alive and well, some having known of his arrest, which Nausk had pretended that it had all been a misunderstanding. Galor found out soon enough, loudly laughing as he heard it and mocking Nausk during the entire proceeding. When Marsha entered the courtroom, her back was covered in an absurd number of strange individuals, most being of her Council of Merit, advisers for the most part, whom Marsha listened too. Marsha opened the forum for discussion before the election of gathered nobles and their representatives, which the Duke of Tannis spoke up first, demanding Nausk be ejected from the election for his arrest. Marsha knew the tactic, having been informed on it already by an adviser, as the Tannis nobles hoped to spread the rumors to convince those in attendance to switch their votes. Marsha had expected this and did not speak on it, and when Galor demanded the same, Nausk had looked to Marsha. Marsha gave a hidden nod, and then spoke to the collective of dukes and barons, saying that new evidence had been found which had made the arrest invalid. After some small bickering, the room quieted and the matter was dropped, although for the conspirators, they had grown cold and silent. The nobles gathered around a ballot box, with the names of the Consul contenders and the vote was casted slowly. When the voting was done, the nobles mostly left back to palace rooms or rich inns to rest up and await the next day for the results, but others seemed to move in motion. The judges of the local guild of law had been reviewing the case against Nausk, and with the help of Marsha’s agents. Zengher soldiers burst into the home of one noble during the night and ransacked the household looking for information, and found loads of conspiratorial evidence. Nausk was able to figure out swiftly the reasoning for the betrayal, as these three nobles had wished to throw Nausk and Galan out of the election and give their own liege lord a head in it. However, Nausk did not want to stir trouble against Tannis, and instead presented this information to Marsha’s agents. The conspirators were able to regroup and stay within the vicinity of their liege lord for the night, but when morning came and the court reconvened, Marsha gathered the nobles to one final talley. Nausk Gotembaug won, regardless of the controversy, but a sizable margin as was predicted. When the next vote had been called, Garlor was elected as the next Consul by a slim margin, beating the Duke of Tannis by several votes. It seems the nobility of Edgk had been given massive bribes by the Tannis conspirators before the election, but their support had not been enough, as a surprising number of angry nobles in northern Zengher and displaced nobles in Jentre seemed to save Garlor. Garlor bombastically cried out his victory and made a show, bowing before Marsha and swearing to uphold the greatness of Muoarma. As tradition demanded, both Nausk and Garlor were granted a crown of flowers and a gemstone brooch of a cockatrice to represent their newfound powers. Nausk came outside and spoke to a gathering of nobles while Garlor and Marsha spoke more privately. Nausk made a speech before the group, exclaiming he would keep the honor and glory of Muoarma eternal, and that he would obey the commands of the people and the grand duchy. Nausk eventually was able to catch up to Marsha, whom told him that he was to gather an army and march to Edgk. Nausk was then told of Marsha’s desire, which surprised and confused Nausk, that the armies of Muoarma would fall onto the Okan peoples of Ok’va, and annex the land into the grand duchy. Nausk warned of attacks from the coalition of Muha and Olma, and was then told of their quiet breaking of their alliance with Ok’va, a secret Marsha wished Nausk to keep. Nausk tried at first to sway the grand duchess to perhaps use the Consulships to reinforce the southern borders with the Okke or Varkovnia, but a swift reminder of the talk in the dungeon ended the conversation. Nausk left the capital, and went back home to begin building his troops and to study his would be enemy. The conspirators however, as soon as they heard the news, found themselves thrown out of their safe rooms which were protected by the Duke of Tannis. The duke, pressured by a number of external forces, told the nobles to flee back to Tannis. The three nobles did, but not before Marsha had them ordered back to court to stand trial. When the nobles got to Tannis’s border, they were surrounded by riders waving Neskerbaud banners, who had been waiting for them. The nobles were captured and brought to a camp led by [color=orange]Kara Neskerbaud[/color], the raven haired martial lady and daughter of the Baron Neskerbaud. After promising to free the nobles, Kara began to drag them back to the capital for trial, which made the Tannis nobles panic. The three nobles then tried to escape Kara’s party, and found themselves held up in a small farmhouse of a peasant hamlet. Kara tracked down the nobles and dragged them out of the house, with her men keeping back scared villagers. Kara then slowly and methodically beheaded the nobles and impaled their heads in the middle of the hamlet, riding off frustrated northward. When the peasants reported the act to their own noble lords, the horrified baron had the bodies shipped back to Tannis. ____________________________________ When the dukes of Zengher and Gaszbam returned to their provinces, they began the ordering of mustered troops at once. Garlor wanted to set off immediately, but when he saw that a majority of his Uesbergan were under manned, he decided to spend more time collecting an army in Mousmar and southern Edgk. Garlor expected only a pitiful fight of the Okan, but his son Tanberg Veunbera was not so certain. Tanberg was promoted instantly as a captain beneath Garlor, and despite the Imperator of the Highlands being a vengeful man, he allowed a number of powerful Edgk nobles to join him as captains, even when they had voted against him. Garlor also began asking for favors from Duke Galan of Jentre for use of the Muoarman navy, and with Garlor’s new found power he had been granted it. Garlor began making his plans against the marsh people, and would set up his main warcamp in Mousmar for the summer and fall to collect troops, rest in the winter, and then begin the invasion in spring, a battle plan which he had no plans to tell his hated rival Nausk about. Nausk however, when he returned home, began the collection of troops in a very traditional fashion, but also set out to work on studying his would be enemy and collecting the necessary supplies. Nausk asked Galan for troops and supplies, which was provided handsomely, and the Duke of Tannis provided some minimal support as well in both manpower and supplies. Nausk had decided to pull aside some Okan slaves of his own household who knew him well, and whom he treated well, offering them better rations and living conditions if they provided information for his coming campaign. Only his favored servant, [color=orange]Peloaban[/color], stepped forward despite the scowls of others. In order to maintain the secrecy, he had the rest of the Okan locked in their quarters and placed under watch. Nausk also called upon his good friend [color=orange]Zar’usaga[/color], the elven scout and his Marshal of Information to join him, a task the elf agreed to happily. Nausk spent much of his remaining spring gathering his army and deep in the study of Ok’va. Peloaban, who had once been a clansman of Ok’va, aided in pointing out various cultural customs, language barriers, and half remembered towns and small keeps which dotted the dark marshland. It was hard to hide the warpath which Muoarma was preparing for, with armies in western Muoarma gathering in the highlands of the country. Yet, the target that it was Ok’va was hidden, even though the ever isolated country cared or knew. Mouarman traders had seen armies growing and passed by many Uesbergan regiments marching to Gottisberg and Buvom Mar. When or if asked about the coming conflict, many levies and soldiers did not really know, which led to some disappointing morale amongst the initial soldiers. Some in Zengher wondered if they would be finally putting down the nation of Olma, while more upset soldiers in Gaszbam guessed they were marching on Varkovnia. ____________________________________ During the mustering of his troops, Nausk was approached by his friend [color=orange]Zerban Lulsbera[/color], who had been his Marshal of Arms for years and both men knew each other very well. Nausk asked his friend if all of his vassals had supported him with troops, Zerban replied that all but one had seemingly sent their full set of troops to be organized. Nausk asked after who had not sent troops, and it had been a northern provincial noble named [color=orange]Cauzen Operabaug[/color], a small time baron in the hills who lived on a sizable estate. Cauzen’s family provided the region with furniture, which his family owned the regional monopoly rights. Cauzen was a very private noble and only sent a representative to the election, and often was only seen if he hosted Zengher’s only painting club. Nausk and Zerban rode out to find out why Cauzen had not sent troops from his region with a small force of Uesbergan heavy riders. Nausk and Zerban met up with Cauzen’s Marshal of Arms in a small village outside of his estate, trying to keep people calm who had heard screaming and wailing from the estate. When he saw Nausk riding up, he looked white in the face and tried to convince Nausk that everything was fine. Seeing how several of the Marshal’s men were pale, and one man was lying in the mud, Nausk declared that things were very clearly not fine. Nausk entered into a stone walled manor, which was guarded by all manner of Cauzen’s Uesbergan. The soldiers did not look healthy, many looked dazed and sick with Cauzen looking ever the more worried as he seemed to angrily discuss things with an elven woman. Cauzen was told be his Marshal of Nausk’s appearance and went over to the duke, giving a bow. “My lord! I would have prepared better if I had known you’d be arriving?” “I would have not needed to come if your troops were in Gottisberg. Where is your men Cauzen, and why do. . .these Uesbergan look sick? Do not tell me plague is in this region.” “My lord, I wish it was. . .well, not really, but it would be a preferable alternative to my troubles! I swear, once this matter is straightened up, I shall gather my troops and we shall go to Gottisberg together!” “What manner of trouble is it then?” Nausk asked, looking over his vassal’s worried face. Cauzen didn’t answer at first but then meekly spoke up “I wraith haunts my home, my lord, at least that is what the young magi says.” Nausk raised an eyebrow “Young Magi?” “Well, she looks young, but I guess all elves do.” “She is a sage then?” interrupted Zerban. Cauzen huffed at the comment “I am a lord of Zengher, I do not bring sages to court, but the Sorcerers in Souk Mar vouch for her services. A strange one she is, but she at least identified the problem.” Nausk left his friend to deal with Cauzen as we went after the Magi to find more answers, the Magi was difficult to find, as she did not go inside the manner, but rather into the garden. The elven woman cloaked herself in a blue and black cloak, and smelled of various natural perfumes. Nausk was called for her attention, although the elf seemed more interested in talking with a small and young Okan maiden next to her, who wore a simple mage’s outfit and a belt of bags filled with herbs and bottles. She had a partial appearance of a clanswoman of Ok’va, but the design of her cloak did not make her out to be a slave or a common servant. “Sorceress, I must speak with you!” Called out Nausk. The woman lowered her voice and turned, her gaze unhappy. “What is it, human? I am busy.” The elf retorted. Nausk was taken a bit aback by the statement, especially to someone such as himself. “I am Nausk Gotembaug, Duke of Zengher.” Nausk reminded the woman “You would mind your tongue well. You are the Magi called by my vassal?” “I am.” The woman replied, but said nothing of the man’s title. Nausk looked at the woman, annoyed. “As Duke, I demand to know what my vassal faces. . .and your name.” “Why do you wish to know my name?” “Why do you ignore my questions?” Nausk asked again, but his voice began to lower. The elf had seemed to wish to come back with some retort, but quieted herself. “I am [color=orange]Yekseen[/color], Magi. Your vassal called me hear to deal with a problem.” “Yekseen? Is that elvish for Fruit Basket?” Nausk asked, the elven woman looked at him and did not answer, as if she wanted to correct him but decided against it. Nausk looked down at the Okan maid in which the maid gave a slight bow to him. “I am [color=orange]Forgoia[/color]. . .ummm. . .Forg for short.” said the young creature. “Your name is frog?” asked Nausk, with Forgoia swiftly answering “Kind of, mum named me Frog’s a---” “Face. She means face, but prefer Forg. If that is all your questions my lord, please, speak with your vassal and leave us to my work.” asked Yekseen. “Your work is slow then, and I shall help speed it along. Cauzen has mentioned a wraith haunts him, will you at least tell me if that is true?” Yekseen shook her head, “It is more than just that, there were several deaths and none of them I can really explain. I was under the impression there was some ancient revenant or marsh wraith wandering about, but now I am not so certain.” Nausk only looked blankly at the woman, whom did not appreciate Nausk’s ignorance. “Common undead, really.” “Well, there is no. . .marshes here, not until one goes northward or towards the south. Tell me, were there victims?” Nausk asked “Yes, Cauzen’s cousin, a guard, and a household servant.” Yekseen hesitantly replied. The two continued a passive aggressive argument, as Nausk and Yekseen entered into a basement cellar below the estate where the bodies had been held. Cauzen joined them in attendance, where Nausk had the elven Magi take him through an atopsy of the bodies. Yekseen, despite having gone through the bodies and annoyed by the curious nobleman’s insistence, was forced to relent at she uncovered the bodies of a younger noble, an older guard, and a middle aged human servant. All three bodies looked extremely aged, with signs of complications to health found across their skin. Their eyes had looked dried out and their face squeezed. All had terrified looks paralyized on their faces, but Nausk noticed something something rather quickly, a vial filled with a grayish-red substance. Yekseen grabbed it out of the man’s hand and placed it carefully back down “Please, do not touch that. They are covered in the substance, and I do not know what it is.” “It smells vile, that is all I know.” Cauzen looked at the scene with disgust. Nausk looked through the glass vial, noting something he was somewhat, but not fully, familiar with. “It almost looks like. . .paint?” “It isn’t paint, but it's close. There is blood mixed in, all the wounds were covered in it.” Yekseen revealed a number of handprints across all the bodies. “It is the sign of a wraith attack, although the paint is new. I knew a Magi who had tried to deal with something similar, but information of such things are scarce.” “This spirit, it has been seen has it not?” Nausk asked. “Yes. It's a womanly figure, noble’s dressing gown but. . .overblown? Exaggerated? Like something out of an artist’s imagination.” Yekseen replied “It sounds a great deal like a spirit attached to an artist, but I am ignorant of the subject.” the duke replied, Yekseen only gave a nod as the interested parties continue to debate over the course and into the night. The guards encamped, along with the nobles outside the manner as Nausk and Yekseen watched the household from afar. Nausk was pointed to the wraith wandering aimlessly about the halls, and disappeared after a blood curdling scream. When the parties returned, the household was in shambles of destroyed furniture and ripped paintings. As Cauzen ordered the remaining furniture removed, Nausk noticed that one painting had looked off. Nausk stopped a guard and looked over a large portrait of Cauzen’s mother, the lady Baulferna Operabaug, a woman who had passed away rather recently. The painting depicted the young and sodden faced woman in a typical exaggerated gown, but surrounding the painting was a strange brown blight mixed in with an evening greenery. Nausk then noticed one hand had a strange number of crunched up fingers, and a rather poorly made background tree had a hiding noose wrapped around a branch. Nausk took the painting to his command tent and summoned the elf woman and her apprentice, and examined the painting. Yekseen nearly lept back in shock when her scrying had worked, and revealed a monsterous presence inside the painting which was slumbering for now, but was also starving. Cauzen was summoned as well, and when explained the situation, he was rather surprised, and once reviewing the painting of his mother, he could barely notice the faded ‘features’ on the haunted painting. “My mother wasn’t a sad woman, I do not know why she had come back to haunt me! Elf woman, this wraith isn’t my mother! I demand you get rid of it!” “The only way to get rid of a wraith is by destroying what bind it to the world, we have to burn the painting.” Nausk intervened “Cauzen, it is but a painting, surely it isn’t of such import, your cousin is dead and your people, soldiers, are dying.” “I grieve for them my lord, it is true, but I grieved for my mother’s memory. I will not have this painting destroyed!” Nausk turned to Yekseen “Is there an alternative? I will not have my vassal offended if I can help it.” Forg then intervened before the elf could speak “Sort of, although it is much more difficult. Most wraiths and spirits need appeasement of some sort, but we do not know what would appease it.” “Did your mother keep a diary, journal, anything that could give us a clue, Cauzen?” The nobleman shook his head, with Yekseen growing more frustrated. Nausk intervened again “Then I shall search the house, and if my soldiers find nothing, I have no choice but to burn the painting and end the abomination haunting your manner. You and your men may help, but you shall explain to them why their woes matter little compared to your mother’s image.” Nausk ordered Zerban to accompany Yekseen and some of his Uesbergan to search the manor in the morning, and placed the painting in the basement under guard. With help of Zerban, Yekseen was able to find a hidden and decrepit journal in secluded attic. Yekseen peeked through the journal before handing it off to both the duke and baron. Cauzen’s mother had apparently, shortly after her marriage, had a difficult relationship with Cauzen’s father, who was revealed to be an abuser and paranoid man. The abuse was sated by Cauzen’s birth, but the misery had driven the woman to madness, which cultivated in her several suicide attempts, hidden from Cauzen. Cauzen was shocked and remained silent for a few moments as Nausk and Yekseen discussed what to do next. Cauzen demanded that the spirit was to be properly released from the mortal coil, while refusing to acknowledge it as his mother. When Cauzen left Nausk’s command tent, he and Yekseen debated on what to do next. Yekseen had guessed that perhaps defiling the grave of the previous lord would appease the spirit, but Nausk guessed that the connection between Cauzen and his mother may do the trick instead. Both agreed to try both ideas, and through some tough negotiations, they had the grief stricken Cauzen agree to their plans. The Uesbergan soldiers went into the Operabaug family tomb and found the gravestone of Baron Juesan Operabaug and chiseled the monument, all within sight of the painting. The soldiers then continued to defile the monument, although their moods were soured due to their customs, and many believed themselves cursed for doing so. Yekseen investigated the image, and the presence was still alive within the painting, but the figure was calmer than it had been before. Their next plan was to rush Cauzen into a private confrontation with the wraith. Nausk had worried the wraith would kill Cauzen, and thus ordered Yekseen and Zerban to accompany him into a private room. As night drew close and the painting was placed onto a stand in front of a nervous baron, all of the company waited for what was to come. As night stirred, Nausk and Yekseen watched quietly, but the painting soon became lively with motion, the figure decaying in rapid succession and moved, gripping the sides of the painting as it drifted out. Cauzen’s mother, a painted wraith in all it’s horrifying glory, calmly re-entered the world of the living. The figure’s ashen and skeletal mouth dropped low as the figure’s once exaggerated clothes began to char and flutter, and once it left the painting, the meek and terrified nobleman approached. The wraith only spoke in pained words, and like a frightened and cornered animal it often avoided Cauzen’s approach. It’s attention was fully on Cauzen, but as the wraith had been more horrifying then Nausk imagined, he had wished to speak up. Yekseen silently tried to prevent this, and having some trust in her ability, he relented. The wraith grasped the terrified Cauzen, and then slivered it’s arms to hug him, resting it’s rotting head on his shoulder with feint and corrupted womanly weeping sobbing from it. Cauzen slowly embraced the wraith, and in doing so, the wraith dissipated, as if sucked up into the sky. Cauzen collapsed on the empty floor crying, as the painting returned to normal. Yekseen confirmed the presence of the wraith was gone fully from the painting as Cauzen left the room a mess, with Nausk congratulating the elf woman for her handling of the situation. Cauzen and his family returned to the manner shortly afterward and there was a momentary peace. Cauzen and Nausk met outside the manner, and while his soldiers were still sick and recovering from chasing and getting ambushed by a wraith for a few weeks, Nausk had asked as to why the wraith decided to attack now. Cauzen collected his thoughts, but was unsure, although he did partially admit he had once seen his cousin angrily cussing and cursing the portrait of his mother in a drunken stupor, but was not really sure if that was the true reason. Whatever the case may have been, Cauzen promised to triple his war effort to Nausk, he would collect a large war tax and a sizable retinue and ride for Gottisberg at once. Yekseen had gotten her payment and planned to be on her way, but before doing so, Nausk and Zerban met up with her and her apprentice. Nausk offered the woman to join his retinue, wishing for an elven sage to join him on his journey to Edgk. Reluctant at first, Yekseen agreed to accompany the Consul to Edgk, since she was heading that way as well. Once a week passed and Cauzen gathered what he could, the entire group rode back to Gottisberg to begin preparations for their march into Edgk. ____________________________________ The noon sky blossomed over the small marshland fog rising from the Ok’van marshlands, and within an alpine willow on a low branch, a Okan warrior sat comfortably upon the branches. In his hands was a flute, playing a patriotic and somber melody, playing soothingly to an audience of his wife and three younger pups playing in the water. The Okan woman looked up, not happy with the tone which the warrior was playing his tune, his belt hanging with two hatchets and partial war paint drying on his face and paws. The Okan woman stood from watching her children, calling to [color=orange]Tenred[/color], the warrior playing his flute so calmly. “Ya should be practicing, me dear husband, not playing on a good tune.” she said, nervously and not wishing to encourage another personal fight. The warrior stopped, looking down at his wife and smiled “Ya worry too much, [color=orange]Nama[/color]. Besides, the ritual don’t happen till this afternoon.” “That what the previous lad said before he got impaled by a sword.” Nama retorted. Tenred came down from the branches with a swift leap, and before Nama even knew it, her husband was holding her. She gave a weak smile at his antics. “That was only because I told him the old water dog was a damn slow fool. Flute calms me nerves, ye’d rather have me go in, a wreck?” Tenred smiled, trying to encourage his love to smile back. However her mood faded to worry. “I just don’t want you doing something we’d all regret. Ya be young, yer children young.” “I know, yet even ya can underestimate me. You got nothing to worry about, me Nama.” Tenred embraced his wife and called to his kids “Ya three! Come back up, we gotta move out!” The wails of the three younger Okan and complaints were heard, but after the offer of some food was made, they came rushing back. After a short time meandering around the marshlands, Tenred and met up with a smaller group, primarily warriors in militia garb similar to his own. The zealous warriors of the old faith of Ok’va, the [color=red]Baufa’kad[/color], marched to a meeting ground to perform an ancient ritual. The retirement of their leader, the Muaj’kadeen. No Muaj’kadeen has ever died peacefully, and as honor and tradition dictates, the members of the Baufa’kad must fight their leader in a duel for the right to rule the organization. The Okan warriors gathered under the stars every night as their weakening leader lived in a circle of stones deep within the Ok’van marshes, having not left it in over a month. The Muaj’kadeen was elderly and well known to Tenred, having been his mentor. The warrior held onto his spear, having eaten nothing except insects which wandered in or berries offered by his family. The weak old Okan grasped his spear and awaited his warriors to appear once again. Tonight had been special, as the three previous contenders had been killed by the current Muaj’kadeen in duels, although even the elderly Okan suspected they had been tricked. Tenred had whispered of the Muaj’kadeen’s weakness in their ears, and were ill prepared in the fight itself. When the whole of the zealous group came again, Tenred was the last to arrive and remained in silence. Before anyone could speak, Tenred forced his way to the front, and made an offering of his blood at the feet of the stone circle before entering. This was rather unusual, but only the elder knew what it meant, and looked angrily at Tenred. “Ya make deals not with gods, old friend, but with cruel tyrants, ya know.” He began, lifting himself onto his spear. Tenred unfurled his axes, and his family watched from afar. The Muaj’kadeen continued. “How many pups ya give for your victory?” “None, me old friend, do not think me the fool.” The Muaj’kadeen looked at him with a confused look “Then wh--, nevermind it then. Are ya prepared to die, Tenred, son of Pek?” “Nay, I’d ask ya the same.” Tenred smiled, reading a defensive stance. The Muaj’kadeen charged with spear in hand, the two warriors flipping and sliding all across the circle as the whole of the Baufa’kad looked on. There was a jab there, a cut here, and both warriors seemed very much matched. Tenred however got a nasty cut across the shoulder, despite it being a common move to avoid. The Muaj’kadeen looked disappointed and tried to jump downward on his foe, but the Okan warrior rolled to the side and left his weapons, pulling out a small poisoned bone knife and stabbed it into the Muaj’kadeen’s eye. The elderly leader grasped at the swelling at without much thought soon collapsed onto the ground. Tenred pulled his axes and gave a mocking bow to his former mentor and turned to the Baufa’kad surrounding him. “I am Tenred, ya know me well, and none oppose me? Say now, for I am blessed by the gods.” None of the warriors spoke up, but Nama did give a relieved smile. Tenred nodded to his allies within the crowd and called out. “With that business out of the way, we shall bury our good mentor and friend in the deep woods where our gods dwell, and may his soul be willing to join his ancestors. As for another matter of business. . .Bauya! Bring him here!” Tenred’s allies had grabbed a member of the Baufa’kad a terrified and younger member who kicked and screamed as the onlooking members watched. Bauya was slammed to the ground and brought before Tenred. He looked up, terrified as he was. “Just as I said those weeks ago, Bauya, I warned the previous Muaj’kadeen of your spying, your assistance and betrayal to the sickening religion of our southern enemy. If ya cannot serve the gods in life, then ya can at least serve them in death.” “Brothers! Do not listen to him! He is insane, a mad creature!” Bauya shouted. Tenred had caught the Okan red handed having prayed to a southern Muoarman god, and even had once presented evidence of spying on the group for the local Cesavii priesthood in the coastal provinces. What had been ignored before, Tenred sought to fix now. The Okan watched as Tenred had a druid called to the center of the group, and pull out a small twitching seed. Bauya’s eyes widened and screamed for mercy and forgiveness. None answered as Tenred shoved the seed into Bauya’s throat. The Okan was restrained as he switched and let out pained screams, as his body began to crunch with each twitch. Sticks came out of the Okan’s body and eventually he became still, only to begin moving again as he was arisen as a Spriggan. The Baufa’kad accepted this outcome as the spriggan arose, bowed to Tenred, and was ordered to care for the previous Muaj’kadeen’s body. The new Muaj’kadeen let out a primal warcry to his gathered zealots and clan militia, each one cheering for Tenred’s victory and far too frightened to challenge him openly. The new Muaj’kadeen of the Baufa’kad had no interest in the status quo for his small time milita, an old order of southern clans separate from their northern brethren. The group which had once otherwise been primarily a militia of the followers of the old gods which kept order amongst the clans, now was much more active in Ok’va itself.The group began to gather more Militias amongst the clans, performing religious rites and helping to guard and ‘support’ Okan who worshipped the old gods. The small time Cesavii monasteries across Ok’va, a secret project of the Cesavii Temple of Muoarma grew worried with the developments and hired an Okan mercenary company to guard their holdings, but had also inadvertently allowed Tenred and his Baufa’kad acess to them. Many mercenaries owed a number of loyalties to their clans, and the company hired by the temple had been in Tenred’s company, and began spying on the monasteries for the Baufa’kad. Tenred also began dishing out a number of odd requests for his Baufa’kad which did not line up with his usual policies, primarily he began to talk with the Grays, a family of northern Ok’va who struggled with religious ties. Tenred’s rise to power seemed to have interested [color=orange]Bran Gray[/color] who invited Tenred and his captains into a private meeting in his small keep, discussing issues of religion and the clans. While Tenred had a history of hostility against both nobles and foreign faiths, he had also began receiving an absurd amount of new armaments, boxes filled with poisoned plants, stolen elven bows, and metal padded armor. This had made the Baufa’kad vicious in their support for old gods supporters and worshippers, and the Baufa’kad became a very serious bandit power within the inner marshes which for now remained dormant. ____________________________________ In the city of Eldar Muha, within the Kingdom of Muha, the Imperator of Muha had received word from his ambassadors and used his court Magi to astral project a message to the Olman King, demanding a meeting in Muha. The Olman King had no means of getting Muha without moving through Muoarma, and thus asked for a favor from the Duke of Tannis to give him safe passage. After some short back and forths, the Olman King was able to secretly get to Muha with his sizable entourage. King [color=orange]Gaezan Weizzbaug[/color], King of Olma met with the elven King [color=orange]Penkos Cea’karal[/color], along with the ambassadors of both countries who had related Marsha’s offer to both kings. In attendance was also an Muoarman ambassador associated with Marsha’s demands who would swiftly leave to relate the deal back to Marsha, who was rather confident the two kings would accept the request. Both kings debated, with Penkos wanting the deal primarily for the bribe money rather than the offer of peace, with Gaezan being offended by the offer. Gaezan was worried that abandoning their northern ally would deprive them of their power, but Penkos insisted they took the offer. Neither lord particularly liked Ok’va, who rarely if ever even sent ambassadors to their meetings, and it had been hard for both leaders to tell if their leadership was treacherous or shy. Gaezan wanted more time to think on it, but Penkos stated he would just leave the coalition if Gaezan took too long. The Olman king eventually relented after a long and tedious discussion, and after failing to secure a peace treaty for Ok’va, the Olman king accepted the deal. Both kings then told the Muoarman ambassador that both kings would not help the Okan in a war, and the ambassador left to tell Marsha the news. The Olman king discussed the time restraint the two nations had, wondering if Marsha would use the time to conquer them once they were done in Ok’va. Gaezan was annoyed and offended when Penkos dismissed the concerns, having already some vague plan to gain assistance from Gu-wei, although how he did not say. It was clear to both leaders that they would have to use the time allowed to build up new allies, with Gaezan turning his attention to Varkovnia and Okke, while Muha would try to secure some vague agreement from Gu-Wei. King Gaezan left shortly thereafter, and on his way back home, a messenger caught up to him with a treaty signed by Marsha, securing both nation’s treaties. Muha had set to work spending the gold it had, primarily trying to save it’s wine industry from collapse while craftsmen in Olma were relieved along with their noble overlords from oncoming new trade and peace along their border. Olman raids into Muoarma by lesser nobles were put to a stop to keep Marsha from backing away from here deal in the harshest manner possible, with King Gaezan having a once friendly bandit leader executed along with his officers who once sowed terror on the border with the Duchy of Zengher. The leaders and nobles of both nations also secure the silence of their ambassadors, especially in Muha where a Okan family of merchants had been acting as partial and incompetent ambassadors on Ok’va’s behalf. The family was rounded up the Muhan guards and were marched off to the south lands and secretly executed, and younger members of the merchant family were sold by their executioners to a elven winemaster for some quick coin. [@Drazan] The Olman King had been primarily worried about Varkovnia for years, and Olman nobles were deeply disturbed what happened in the lands, but could not deny that the nation could be a valuable ally against Muoarma. King Gaezam sent one of his brother, [color=orange]Polom Weizzbaug[/color], to Varkovnia to discuss a possible introduction into the coalition against Muoarma. No marital alliance had been offered however, or considered, since the Olmans had a fairly deep distrust of elves and it was clear that they wanted an alliance of convenience rather then any friendship. When Polom entered the land, seeing its haunting depravity, he had been rather sickened by the sight of its people and did not exactly show good mannerisms. Polom had no trust in his small retinue of knights, and thus he often looked for various mercenaries and elite soldiers to pay for his trip to meet Suzeran Velinka Czermak. [@AdorableSaucer] The Muhan king on the other hand, sent an ambassador to to the Gu-Wei Empire, although how Ambassador [color=orange]Gu’andar Vessuvian[/color] was supposed to move through Narcaep, he did not know. Using some bribery, several very atrocious deals, Gu’ander was able to just barely get access to move into the empire and come across it’s bordering towns, although the ambassador had been an embarrassing sight. The elf often insulted the locals with his constant bickering and arrogance, and introduced himself within Red Clay. Gu’ander’s main attempt was to make his way to the province of Greater Shi to meet with Emperor Yandi, although how and if he would get there was of a greater mystery, as the ambassador’s guards often grew sick of him quickly, and held very little authority outside of his overly expensive white garbs. Gu’ander’s mission had been simple, to give a letter to the Emperor or someone who could deliver a letter which read like a pompous demand. The letter, if read through Muhan eyes, would have written of wishing the Gu-Wei to enter into the coalition against Muoarma, or more specifically, if Muoarma were to attack Olma or Muha, they would come to both nation’s defense. In return, King Penkos would recognize the independence and state of Gu-Wei as a successor to the Muha Imperium, 15 Carts of Muhan royal wine, and a port enclave in New Muha. Gu’ander knew more of the specifics of this route, primarily using the river through Naecap to transport goods to New Muha and sell them within the Bountiful Coast’s trade route. As for what the King of Muha had meant by the recognition of independence, Gu’ander would imply it was a great Muhan honor, to recognize an independent elven nation and thus a dropping of any and all claims of the Kingdom of Muha on the region, which to any scholar would have been pretty sketchy at best. [@The Wyrm] Olma had long been fascinated with the Okke lands, but that fascination was one of eyeing the land’s possibilities. Sitting on an important trade node with the Gu-Wei, the Olman nobles have long wished to exploit the region, but despised its people more so. Olma once had an important protectorate in the region which fell long ago, but the oversized otter men of the land were hostile at best to nearly all non-Okin who stepped in the land, at least according to the Olmans. King Gaezam had wished to expand his lands to the region, but rather then sending an army into a hellscape of non-conventional warfare as was the case in the many wars with the Okan, Gaezam sought a more slow and diplomatic approach. The Olman king collected a Okan farmer who was the descendent of former slaves of Muoarma, and sent the creature, barely knowing much about the Okin into their lands with a white flag. The Okan peasant wandered around until he was picked up by patrols, where he tried to give the patrols a letter in Olman. The letter had been a royal decree of the King of Olma, declaring that the people and borders of the country would remain free and unspoiled so long as Olma stood, essentially guaranteeing the nation’s independence. More so, this message was passed around to Muoarma and other surrounding nations, although the Muoarmans didn’t really care. Muoarma had been busy elsewhere, and considered the region for possible expansion in the future, and the Olman interference in the land was just a minor inconvenience. If the Okin were interested in dealing with the Olmans, it was pretty clear of their intentions, as they wanted trade rights and privileges on the great lake. Ideas outside of this hasn't been discussed yet in the Olman court, but it was pretty clear the Olmans greatly distrusted the savage people, or didn’t fully respect them. If the Okan messenger had survived long enough in the land, it was also pretty clear by his own tales and woes how much the Olmans disliked the otter folk, with pogroms against their people being almost as common as the elves. Apparently a Olman noble had destroyed a sizable fishing industry along the Muoarman eastern border in order to try to pass the industry onto more loyal human subjects. While King Gaezam was more tolerant by Olman standards, he wasn’t exactly a paragon either.