[center][img]https://www.worldanvil.com/uploads/images/ea779321d7c5a0914144515b160a3e43.png[/img][/center] [color=steelblue][center][u][b][h2]Turn 2[/h2][/b][/u][/center][/color] [hider=The Map][img]https://www.worldanvil.com/uploads/images/46286316cc346af31d8eabeaacd0d93f.jpg[/img][/hider] [h3][color=darkblue]The Silverpine Regency[/color][/h3] [@Bright_Ops] [hider=Turn 2]As Lord Silverpine drew the energies from the stone, he felt a strange presence. He could feel the magic flow into him, and it was powerful. It made him feel like everything he could do was bolstered. It was not a large increment in power, but an increment nonetheless. However, he felt it waning slowly. This boost seemed… Temporary, at best. As he feasted on the magic one bit a time, he held it within him and tasted it. He tried to use it, to mold it and wield it, but it wouldn’t let him do whatever he wished. It was almost as if it was specifically attaching itself to whatever affinity he already had and boosted it, rather than allow him use of some new sort of power. But that can’t be it. Lord Silverpine knew. He could feel it, the magic within the crystal [i]should[/i] be bendable to his will… But it just wouldn’t. As if someone held him back by the wrists, keeping his hands just out of reach from whatever he attempted to grasp. He could feel the crystal being drained of the energy it had stored up, and he realized the crystal’s power was finite. As that thought ran through his mind, something else grew within him. The room suddenly darkened. All sounds, scents and visual impressions faded around him. It was as if he sat not in his chair, but floated aimlessly through a void. [i]”Where … What?”[/i] he muttered as he looked around. This sensation was something he had never felt before, yet something so familiar gnawed at him in the back of his mind. It filled him with a sense of … dread. [i]”So. I have company at last.”[/i] lord Silverpine heard a voice say. It came from nowhere and everywhere within the void. [i]”Who’s there? Show yourself.”[/i] he commanded. Silence responded. Then, after a few long seconds, the voice returned. [i]”I’ve been alone here for so long… I almost forgot there were others.”[/i] the voice said. It spoke slowly, with a deep inhumane voice. Silverpine couldn’t tell if it was a man’s voice, a woman’s voice, or neither. If it was a beast or a humanoid, he couldn’t tell either. He couldn’t even tell what language it spoke. Yet he understood it, like a clear thought in his mind. [i]”I command you to reveal yourself!”[/i] Silverpine boomed into the void. Yet again he was met with silence for many agonizingly long seconds. [i]”I cannot.”[/i] said the voice. [i]”I am… Imprisoned. Locked away beneath the earth.”[/i] Silverpine tried to stand up, but even if he felt himself move as if standing up from his chair, he was still in the void. He couldn’t feel the chair, or the ground. [i]”The Moonstones… They hold great power. But it is finite.”[/i] the voice continued. [i]”I could only reach out for so long. Find me, and I will tell you all. We are alike, you and I… Trust your senses and you will find me. South. Beneath the earth. [b]Find me.[/b]”[/i] Suddenly Silverpine was back in his office. He was standing up in front of his chair, like he had intended to. The stone lingered in his hand, still storing most of its power that he hadn’t drawn out. The magic within him that he had absorbed was still within him, merging with his own energies. It would wane slowly, but still it would last him a week or so, he thought. But… should he even tap into these? Clearly, some other being has already occupied them. At least… This one. Perhaps tapping into it was dangerous. Yet the being who spoke to him had something familiar about it. The choice was his to keep it to absorb more of it later, or absorb all of it now to grow more powerful for a longer period. The thought also came to his mind that he should test out his strength. - [i]"Mi'lord silverpine."[/i] a servant knocked on the door and bowed his head low. [i]"Yes?"[/i] responded Jasper, not looking up from his desk. [i]"We've successfully captured some freeroaming animals. We found boar in the forest and to the north by the mountainslopes we caught some goats."[/i] Lord Silverpine frowned and glanced up at the servant. [i]"And?"[/i] [i]"Well, uh... the herders say they're sickly."[/i] said the servant. He twirled his fingers nervously together. [i]"Then go get new ones, you oaf."[/i] Silverpine snapped. The servant squirmed. [i]"Well, I... They're all sickly, mi'lord."[/i] he said, looking down at his feet. [i]"Some say the lands are cursed. The animals are sickly and frail... We can herd them, of course, but... their yield is not like we're used to."[/i] finished the servant, afraid of Lord Silverpine's wrath. Jasper leaned back in his chair, pausing from his work. He knew there was a choice he had to make here. If he let the herders continue with both animals, they'd recover slowly and the settlement's initial growth would surely suffer. However they would still have twice the animals, and perhaps later on both pig and goat could yield what they're supposed to. If instead they chose to abandon one of the animals and focus on the other, surely their recovery would be quicker. They could always return for the other animal later and domesticate it. Would Jasper decide on one animal, or keep both? [hider=Actions][color=lightsteelblue][b]A) Improve food B) Improve military technology C) Improve infrastructure D) Improve culture E) Explore F) Improve resources/technology G) Prospect the land H) Expand military I) Take diplomatic action X) Other[/b][/color][/hider] [hider=Statistics][b]Population:[/b] 1030 [b]Livestock:[/b] - [b]Military:[/b] No standing military. Militia able to be conscripted up to 60% of adult population. [b]Infrastructure:[/b] N/A [b]Food level:[/b] [color=orange]Low[/color] [color=gray][i](Improving)[/i][/color] [b]Resources:[/b] [list][*]Timber [*]Stone (basalt) [*]Furs[/list] [b]Wealth:[/b] - [b]Trade:[/b] - [b]Growth:[/b] [color=yellow]+3%[/color] [color=gray][i]Base: 3%. +-0% from morale. +-0% from food level.[/i][/color] [b]Morale:[/b] [color=yellow]76%[/color] [i](People fear your rule.)[/i] [b]Foreign relations:[/b] N/A [/hider] [/hider] [h3][color=slategray]The West Underwood Trading Company[/color][/h3] [@Lauder] [hider=Turn 2]Any merchant would know, the wealth of any settlement or even kingdom depended on trade. More trade, more tariffs. More goods, more gold. And the queen would always collect her due. Additionally, any sailor would know the worth of any coastal settlement depended on it’s docks. To establish a proper trade route, Deepcrest would need sizeable docks. The Lord-Trader, of course, knew this. The makeshift docks were being reinforced and refurbished daily, and before long after their arrival on these shores the elves could send out fishing vessels. Not that they had many, but they at least had plenty of room to dock and drop off their catch. The docks quickly became the busiest place in the settlement, as expected by the sea-faring elves. The Lord-Trader was for one short moment not swamped with work. In fact, she had deliberately chose to take a pause from her work to ease her mind, as she knew stress would only lessen her productivity no matter how much work she had to do. Walking around the settlement, Haelee observed a young elfling running errands. As he was accompanied by a servant, she recognized the boy as Alni, the son of the very architect of the docks. Alni stopped in his tracks as he noticed the Lord-Trader. He nervously straightened himself and bowed deeply to show the respect she is owed. She offered him a simple nod, and he ran off. It wasn’t uncommon for the sons and daughters of lords and nobles to be running errands for their family. Everyone was expected to pull their weight in whatever way they could. Yet… Here was one who seemed not to be pulling his weight. An older elf, dressed in commoner’s clothes yet wearing an ornate hooded cloak. He was gazing out into sea, his back turned against the Lord-Trader. She walked up to him, annoyed with him instantaneously. How dare he slack off when there was so much to do? As she came closer with her guard, the old elf turned to her, and their eyes met. Haelee stopped in her tracks. Her guards blinked, uneased by their mistress’ reaction to this elf. They knew not every elf of the expedition, but the Lord-Trader sure did. And this elf was not part of the expedition. [i]”Who are you?”[/i] the Lord-Trader demanded of the stranger. [i]”Ah. You are sharp.”[/i] the old elf responded, not answering her question. [i]”I am the Lord-Trader Haelee Hune, and Deepcrest is under my rule. You will tell me who you are this instant.”[/i] The old elf beckoned her closer with a wave of his hand, then turned back out to sea. Haelee grimaced, but obliged. Her guard followed close behind, their hands on the hilt of their swords. The old man kept staring out to sea. They were still close to the docks, so it was not like this was a secluded spot where one could absent-mindedly gaze into the horizon. [i]”I won’t ask you again.”[/i] Haelee warned him. [i]”Yes, yes… All in due time.”[/i] the old elf said. [i]”Hear me out, first.”[/i] [i]”I have no time for your games, old one.”[/i] [i]”Oh please, humour an old elf, would you?”[/i] [i]”Fine. Speak then, before my patience wears thin.”[/i] [i]”So quick to lash out… Do I truly scare you that much? Then again, I suppose you would know every single elf on your expedition.”[/i] the old man said, ending with a sigh. [i]”Did you hand-pick each and every one of them, I wonder?”[/i] The Lord-Trader shifted uncomfortably, glancing narrowly at the old elf. It bothered her greatly that she did not know who this was, and even more now that he admitted to not being part of the expedition. Was he a spy sent by the queen to keep an eye on her? If so, why reveal himself already? Had they incurred the queen’s wrath somehow? [i]”Don’t worry. I am no spy. I am no enemy of yours. I’ve lived here for… Oh, gods know how many years. I first came here at the first sign of the moon’s cataclysm.”[/i] the old elf said. Haelee turned to face him. Was he serious? Could it be? [i]”Before you ask… No, I don’t know any other elves in these lands. Then again, I haven’t been everywhere.”[/i] Haelee blinked. [i]”The moon shattered a hundred years ago. Yet you speak as if you’ve been here for longer.”[/i] she said, narrowing her eyes at the old elf. He nodded. [i]”Oh, yes of course. The shattering itself was… Well, recent in elven years. Bare moments in the eyes of history. Yet the signs of calamity have been there for so much longer…”[/i] [i]”What are you talking about, old one?”[/i] [i]”I’m saying I predicted the shattering of the moon a long time ago.”[/i] the old elf stated firmly, and turned to Haelee. His fixed his eyes on her, an intense stare piercing through her. [i]”Yet no one would listen. No King or Queen of any land, friendly or hostile. No beast, human, elf, dwarf or other creature would listen. Who could believe the very cosmos were telling us of this event for thousands of years?”[/i] he spoke with a firm voice. He reached out and grabbed hold of the Lord-Trader with both his hands. He took hold of her upper arms by the sleeves of her tunic as Haelee’s guards moved quickly to stop him. They grabbed his wrists and arms and tried to restrain him, but the Lord-Trader stopped them. [i]”No. Let him be. Let him finish his tale.”[/i] The guards obeyed, wordlessly. [i]”Ah… Forgive me.”[/i] the old elf said. [i]”It’s been so long since I were in the company of my own kind…”[/i] Haelee stood unphased. [i]”Continue.”[/i] she commanded. [i]”It is easier if I show you. Come see me in my home in two nights. I live in the forest, east of here. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you find me.”[/i] the old elf said, his face relaxing and his stare easing up from the intense glare he had moments ago. [i]”Two nights? What is this nonsense?”[/i] Haelee objected. [i]”I cannot show you now. In two nights, the constellations will be in position. I will show you the signs, my evidence, if you will.”[/i] Even if this old elf seemed crazy or senile, Haelee couldn’t help but feel like there was much wisdom and truth to his words. She did not trust him, nor had she any intent of playing into some game of his, but he was not part of the expedition, and as such must have come here some other way. How? Why? What of the moon? Did he really know what would happen before it did? There were too many questions. [i]”Fine. Two nights. I will not come alone.”[/i] said the Lord-Trader. [i]”Very good. The more, the merrier. Besides, if you bring some witnesses it’d be easier for your people to believe you. What I will show you will shake you to your core.”[/i] the old elf said, and began slowly walking east, into the forest. Haelee observed him until she could no longer see him. Something seemed strange about this… hermit. As he disappeared into the dark of the trees, Haelee turned around, walking with decisive steps back to her study. There was work to be done. [color=gray][Docks have been improved. Fishing resource improved.][/color] [hider=Actions][color=lightsteelblue][b]A) Improve food B) Improve military technology C) Improve infrastructure D) Improve culture E) Explore F) Improve resources/technology G) Prospect the land H) Expand military I) Take diplomatic action X) Other[/b][/color][/hider] [hider=Statistics][b]Population:[/b] 765 [b]Livestock:[/b] - [b]Military:[/b] No standing military. Militia able to be conscripted up to 30% of adult population. [b]Infrastructure:[/b] N/A [b]Food level:[/b] [color=yellow]Average[/color] [b]Resources:[/b] [list][*]Timber [*]Copper [color=gray][i](Not mined yet)[/i][/color] [*]Furs[/list] [b]Wealth:[/b] - [b]Trade:[/b] - [b]Growth:[/b] [color=yellow]+2%[/color] [color=gray][i]Base: 2%. +-0% from morale. +-0% from food level.[/i][/color] [b]Morale:[/b] [color=limegreen]100%[/color] [b]Foreign relations:[/b] N/A [/hider] [/hider] [h3][color=darkred]Expediao DiParva[/color][/h3] [@Dinh AaronMk] [hider=Turn 2] A watch was set over the discarded boats that had been discovered. Rather than just one or two youths, there was a linguist, a small guard of marines should the natives come with hostile intent, three lookouts, another man of upper standing to keep the linguist company and conversation, and so on... The party sat in the shade of the trees near to the boats, and kept watch. Nominally. Throughout the entirety of that next day, they neither heard nor witnessed any natives nor signs of disturbance. Perhaps that was to be expected, some of them wagered; if all of these boats had been broken and rendered unusable, perhaps this was a mitten or refuse pile, and one would not expect a people to wallow about in their own trash like swine. In either case, when the sun began to set, they of course returned back to the camp so as to enjoy the full comforts of the Expedition, and their droll report of the monotonous day was hardly inspiring. One group wandered a bit further into the jungle, though; they were the ones who found wonders. Overgrown by the moss and vines that favored this tropical clime, there were paved trails and stone stairs hewn into the sides of the gently rolling hills. [hider=Signs of a People] [img]https://live.staticflickr.com/3210/2729549031_917ffda65d_b.jpg[/img] [/hider] In some places there were statues, too! Some were great and powerful, standing upright and approaching four times the height of a man. It must have taken a great deal of skill and labor to sculpt and then move such works. The statues were invariably of people, and they had an odd set of features. Each statue had what seemed to be a disproportionately large head, with a large and long nose and a great protruding brow, a strong jawline, flat ears, and hardly anything for a neck. The statues were hewed from lifeless grey rocks; limestone or granite, perhaps. The eyes were painted a staunch white, though, and it was that bright and contrasting color that first drew let the men spot out the statues from afar. With pursed lips and narrowed eyes, most of them seemed to have regal and commanding, if aloof, airs about them. The statues also had strange hats, carved as a separate piece from a more reddish stone, somehow balanced atop their heads. Perhaps those were a savage people’s cruder version of a crown, meant to signify some sort of authority? In their excitement to return, the men reported that one among their number had tripped over a large stone. To their surprise, the men had looked the rock over more closely and realized that it had been shaped, and that it was a fragment of a similar statue that had been toppled and shattered. They looked through some nearby stones and pieces and with a start realized that they did not fit together right, and that it had to have been the fragments of at least two or three statues all strewn about the ground there. That, combined with the broken boats, certainly were filling the men’s imaginations with the idea of a fickle and temperamental, or outright violent, breed of creature that peopled this island. Who knew how many other shattered statues might hide beneath the wild undergrowth? Just before the crack of dawn came, those men set to watch the boats and those that had explored the jungle and found the statues left camp the latter group obviously a great deal more excited than the first. But both were dumbstruck when the rising sun illuminated a nearby ridge, within perfect and unbroken sight of the camp. Upon the ridge, a good space apart from one another, there stood two massive statues that had most certainly not been there the day before, gazing over the encampment and landing site. The night’s watch were even more bewildered than anybody else; they reported having had an uneventful shift in which they’d seen nor heard nothing in the dark. The men cautiously drew closer to the new statues to investigate, and saw that these were not as grand as some that were previously seen in the jungle. Still larger than life, these were only two or three men tall, and they had no hats crowning their heads. In fact, the explorers from the day past noted that they were strikingly [i]different[/i]. With noticeably smaller (but still artistically emphasized) heads and differently shaped features, they resembled a man of Parva much more closely than anything in the jungle had. These statues had clothes upon them, too. One was in the style of a marine, the other garbed as a mere worker. But all of that made the whole scenario even more bewildering; if they had been designed so carefully to imitate the appearance of the Expedition’s folk, then logic dictated that the statues could not have simply been relocated and would have instead been carved (From scratch, too! These things looked as though they’d take highly skilled artisans and weeks, if not months or years, to raise!) within the past few days, for how could the natives have known what a man of Parva looked like before the expedition had landed? And on that note, it seemed that the natives were already [i]very[/i] aware of the expedition’s presence, and that they had watched the men undetected and from close enough to make out their faces and general appearance! More notable than anything else was that whilst the first statues they’d encountered had their arms simply hanging down by their sides, or crossed, these had their arms pressed against their chests to brandish objects. In the marine’s hands there was held a massive axe (carved entirely from stone, and of the same piece as the rest of the statue) with the tip of its haft reaching close to the statue’s knees, and the head of the thing almost reaching up its chin; there was a wild look to that statue’s eyes, and its nose and lips contorted into a snarl. It seemed that the marines’ bearings had been enough for the natives to recognize them as a martial class, even if they’d taken liberties in depicting this one as bearing a barbaric axe in place of proper weaponry. As in for the other statue, that of the worker, it had some cylindrical thing that was presumably a flute, with one end pressed to its lips, eyes closed, and a happy and serene countenance. Each statue stood attached to its own plinth, but the stone slabs jutted forward enough that there was room for a few objects to be placed at their feet. Beneath the marine were what seemed to be a few perfectly smoothed war-clubs, ornamented with bits of shell and bands of separate wood and carved with a few pictures of the local fauna and the great mountain. At the worker’s plinth there rested a bowl filled with some local citrus fruit and berries. There were no tracks or obvious markings in the grass as to where the statues came from or how they’d been put into place overnight; it was as if they’d just coalesced from mist. Presumably they’d have been carried out from the dense growth of the nearby jungle? They certainly hadn’t been sculpted on site, as there were no huge chunks of rock cut out from that ridge and sculpted. The entire expedition was set on edge; it was like the hills and trees had eyes. They were all certainly being watched. The natives knew of their presence, and had made sure to show as much in no uncertain way, yet still they had not deigned to reveal themselves directly. Nobody knew what to make of that, or of the statues themselves. For whatever it was worth, in their quest to improve the land and enrich themselves, some men had found groves of citrus trees near the edge of the jungle and began clearing away the excess undergrowth and even planting some seeds from the delicious fruits where there was space. This was only the beginnings of a proper plantation that would make the fullest use of that plot of land, of course, but it was still a proper harvesting site and a good start towards enhancing their food supply. [hider=Actions][color=lightsteelblue][b]A) Improve food B) Improve military technology C) Improve infrastructure D) Improve culture E) Explore F) Improve resources/technology G) Prospect the land H) Expand military I) Take diplomatic action X) Other[/b][/color][/hider] [hider=Statistics][b]Population:[/b] 1020 [b]Livestock:[/b] - None. [b]Military:[/b] Small corps of trained marines. Militia able to be conscripted up to around 30% of population. [b]Infrastructure:[/b] N/A [b]Food level:[/b] [color=orange]Below Average[/color] [b]Resources:[/b] [list] [*]Timber (with rare hardwoods; currently harvested in small quantities) [*]Fish (large quantity; currently harvested in small quantities) [*]Bananas and citrus fruits (large quantity in the wild; currently harvested in medium amounts and some cultivated in small groves)[/list] [b]Wealth:[/b] - N/A [b]Trade:[/b] - N/A [b]Growth:[/b] [color=yellow]+2%[/color] [color=gray][i]Base: 2%. +-0% from morale. +-0% from food level.[/i][/color] [b]Morale:[/b] [color=limegreen]100%[/color] [b]Foreign relations:[/b] [color=gold]Boat-Builders:[/color] [color=gray]???[/color] [/hider] [/hider] [@Pirate] [color=39b54a][h3]The Bloodhowl Clan[/h3][/color] [hider=Turn 2] Hardly anything of value was found inside of the abandoned village. The cellars and larders had been completely emptied of foodstores, and hardly any tools had even been left. What had been left were the bulky things, furniture and the like. Everything pointed towards a slow and methodical evacuation of the village. In some ways, that was less alarming because it perhaps meant that whatever drove the inhabitants to leave wasn’t so urgent or terrifying that they had been rushed. On the other hand, maybe it meant that they would be coming back at some point! The decision of whether or not to occupy the village was an important one, and it still hadn’t been settled. That would have to change soon. They could clear out a space and build their own settlement somewhere in the vicinity, but for the same amount of effort they could just as easily take over the dozens of perfectly furnished and serviceable homes and workshops in that village, using the saved time to fortify and expand it as necessary. Regardless, timber was going to be necessary and so the logging began. Since no saws or axes were to be found in the village, the clan was left to improvise. Suitable stones were gathered from the lakeshore or broken off of boulders in the woods, then knapped into wedges and fixed onto the ends of sticks using copious amounts of plant fibre and the like. It was easy enough to make a hundred crude axes like that, and then there was no shortage of muscle among the orcs to make use of the newfound tools. They worked in teams andclear cut a swathe of woodland, then went about removing the branches from the fallen trees and dragging the logs back to a single timber pile. The smaller branches were mostly used for firewood, but some robust pieces were set aside for making the fishing spears and other tools. A few days of this saw them build a stack massive enough to start construction on houses, or perhaps a palisade wall. While this harvest went on, many of the orcs of course helped themselves to the village and spent their nights beneath the still (mostly) waterproof roofs of those houses. Many were growing comfortable, and some had even tried to stake claims on certain places! Still, there was nowhere near enough housing or space in that village for everybody to have a patch of floor to sleep on inside one of the houses, so jealousness and controversy was already starting to arise between those who slept inside, those who didn’t for lack of space and yet wanted to, and then a third faction that remained wary of the abandoned village altogether. [hider=Actions][color=lightsteelblue][b]A) Improve food B) Improve military technology C) Improve infrastructure D) Improve culture E) Explore F) Improve resources/technology G) Prospect the land H) Expand military I) Take diplomatic action X) Other[/b][/color][/hider] [hider=Statistics][b]Population:[/b] 1030 [b]Livestock:[/b] - None. [b]Military:[/b] No elite or standing military. Warrior culture, with up to around 60% of the population capable of being mustered for battle when needed. [b]Infrastructure:[/b] N/A [b]Food level:[/b] [color=orange]Below Average[/color] [b]Available Resources:[/b] [list] [*]Fish (large quantity, harvested in small but increasing amounts) [*]Timber (large quantity, unharvested) [*]Stone (small quantity, unharvested)[/list] [b]Wealth:[/b] - None yet. [b]Trade:[/b] - None yet. [b]Growth:[/b] [color=yellow]+3%[/color] [color=gray][i]Base: 3%. +-0% from morale. +-0% from food level.[/i][/color] [b]Morale:[/b] [color=limegreen]100%[/color] [b]Foreign relations:[/b] N/A [/hider] [/hider] [@CelesteEste] [h3][color=#ffbf00]Entmoian Tribe[/color][/h3] [hider=Turn 2] Wopwe returned to his dwelling in the canoe after having ensured that his sentencing had been carried out properly. A light rain began to fall, little more than a drizzle, but the droplets of water still ran down his face cold. There was some satisfaction to be had in thinking about the traitors shivering atop the tower, damp and frigid. His wishes were conveyed to the clergy, who dutifully went on to pass the message along to the people. Even from within his home, Wopwe was able to just barely hear one of them that was addressing a small crowd not far away. “And the Kvune has decreed that additional food is to be levied and set aside over the coming weeks. The temple will store it until such time as the next holy day, and then a great feast and festival shall be had! In the meantime, even as you may go without, stay true to the faith and remember our values. To encourage a return to piety, Kvune Wopwe wishes us to encourage all of you to devote your spare time to the creation of icons and art. We will inspect any such works, and the greatest among them will be consecrated and taken by the temple itself! Anyone who creates such a worthy addition will of course be rewarded…” The priest’s voice was then drowned out by a heavier rain suddenly emerging to strike the roof harder now. He walked over to a window and looked outside to see the priest quickly wrap up his speech so that they could all disperse and see themselves into shelter before the sudden downpour soaked them. Then there was a great flash, and seconds later a great thunderclap that shook the town! A brilliant bolt of lightning had illuminated the sky, tracing a line from the distant tower straight to the heavens. Perhaps the goddess had seen fit to smite them after all. Or perhaps it had simply been chance--who was to tell? Well, that was a foolish thought. [i]He was to tell,[/i] of course. And that meant going outside to examine the tower in person, and explain the meaning of that divine punishment as he had planned. Not long after, he was in one of several canoes headed for the tower. Many a clergyman or citizen-witness accompanied him; there was a grim air and they were disgruntled, not just from being out in the heavy rain but also from the sinking in their stomachs as they tried to steady themselves for the grisly sight of what awaited them. The entire top of the tower had burst into flames, if only for a minute or two before the rains had managed to douse them, so it was easy to imagine that the condemned prisoners might be charred beyond recognition. As they drew closer, there was nothing to fill their ears save the pounding of rain, no screams of agony or pain. They climbed up the tower, and lo and behold, they saw the twisted corpses all scattered across the iron cage, contorted in position of agony, all except one! The man coughed and heaved, his ragged breathing immediately catching the attention of the guards. Across his flesh, a strange pattern had been etched. The lightning’s scars painted him the mark of the goddess, and for a moment all was still. Then one of the clergyman knelt down in worship. Half the guards followed his lead, and the other half were frozen in shock. Only one had the quick wit to look towards Wopwe for direction. “The goddess appeared before me, in the thunder’s flash,” the survivor spoke. His ragged voice was only a whisper, but it seemed to cut through their shock and the sound of the rain as sharply as a thundercrack. “She spoke to me, and chose to spare me, as I am to be Her voice and recite Her holy words.” Another of the clergymen knelt. “Share your wisdom with us, O prophet!” he cried out. What was Kvune Wopwe to do in such a situation? This had turned very sourly, and now he perhaps faced an even greater threat than the traitors’ failed coup had been. Trying to insist that this man be left in the cage to die would be futile; the people would never accept such a decree, as it seemed apparent to all that this man had been spared and marked by the Divine itself. But could he suffer freeing this man, one of those that had violently tried to overthrow his rule, and allowing him to assume some role as a Prophet? Perhaps now, while there were only about a dozen witnesses, Kvune Wopwe could try to make a move...he could try ordering his guards to kill the man, and then perhaps those two clergymen (if they couldn’t be made through threats or bribes to swear silence) to cover up the whole ordeal, but would that even work? Would his guards even listen if he gave such an order?! [hider=Actions][color=lightsteelblue][b]A) Improve food B) Improve military technology C) Improve infrastructure D) Improve culture E) Explore F) Improve resources/technology G) Prospect the land H) Expand military I) Take diplomatic action X) Other[/b][/color][/hider] [hider=Statistics][b]Population:[/b] 760 (The executions [b]Livestock:[/b] - [b]Military:[/b] No standing military. Militia able to be conscripted up to 30% of adult population. [b]Infrastructure:[/b] A well-built and established town, a small logging camp [b]Food level:[/b] [color=orange]Average[/color] [b]Resources:[/b] [list][*]Timber (harvested in small amounts) [*]Fish (harvested in small amounts)[/list] [b]Wealth:[/b] - None. [b]Trade:[/b] - None. [b]Growth:[/b] [color=yellow]+4%[/color] [color=gray][i]Base: 3%. +-0% from morale. +1% from food level.[/i][/color] [b]Morale:[/b] [color=limegreen]100%[/color] [b]Foreign relations:[/b] N/A [/hider] [/hider] [@Nate1008] [h3][color=red]Ragora Lizardmen[/color][/h3] [hider=Turn 2]In all possible directions, groups of Ragora hunters ventured to find wildlife to hunt and bring back for their great hunt. As the lands were new to them and seemingly bountiful, the lizardmen had no problems finding plenty of game. Many travelled to the great statues that dotted the peninsula, thinking of the ruined beings as gods or some old monument to greatness. Due to the foliage and great overgrowths however, it was still impossible to say what race they were made to depict. Most of them lie in ruin and rubble, with a few limbs or stony weapons poking out from the ground. [i]”Izakk!”[/i] a young hunter called out to his comrade. [i]”I’m coming, Grakk.”[/i] responded another young hunter. Their group had made camp at the base of one of the few statues that still stood upright. [i]”Look!”[/i] said Grakk. [i]”There’s an inscription on this great statue. Some old forgotten language! It must be!”[/i] Grakk had removed some hanging moss from the base of the statue and found a flat rock wall covered with markings and depictions. [i]”What do you think it means?”[/i] he asked his friend, excitedly. [i]”I’ve no idea.”[/i] said Izakk, staring at the runes in awe. They were both too young and inexperienced to know anything of runes or ancient civilizations. They could however decipher some of the more obvious hieroglyphs. [i]”This one looks like… A lizardman?”[/i] said Grakk, pointing at one of the markings. [i]”And that one looks like the sun!”[/i] said Izakk, pointing to another. [i]”It looks like the lizardman is praying to the sun.”[/i] Grakk brushed off some more moss. [i]”There are [b]two[/b] suns!”[/i] he said, as the moss revealed another creature, not lizardman of appearance, seemingly praying to a sun-like object. [i]”That’s not a second sun.”[/i] said a voice from behind the lizardmen. They spun around, spears in hand and snarled at the stranger. They did not recognize it as one of their own, or any race the two young hunters knew of. Then again, they had not seen much of the world yet. [i]”Who are you, stranger?”[/i] demanded Izakk. [i]”And how do you speak our tongue?”[/i] The figure was hooded and cloaked, hiding much of his shape and appearance, though Izakk and Grakk thought they could make out a humanoid face beneath the shadow of the hood. The figure lifted a five-fingered pale hand, signaling he was unarmed. [i]”Calm yourselves. I come as a friend.”[/i] Izakk snarled in response. Grakk pointed his spear at the figure. [i]”You’re no lizardman. Who are you?”[/i] he demanded. The stranger lifted his hands slowly to pull back his hood. As he did, he revealed himself to be a dark elf, an old one at that. Not that Izakk and Grakk knew what a dark elf was, but they vaguely recognized the stranger as some type of elf or human. [i]”I am but an old man, and I must admit I thought I was alone here for a very long time… It seems I was wrong.”[/i] said the old elf. [i]”But now’s not the time for musings. That ‘second sun’ as you called it is no sun. It is the moon, as it appeared long ago before the shattering.”[/i] he continued, and pointed at the markings. Grakk glanced curiously back at the hieroglyphs. [i]”What? The moon used to be like the sun?”[/i] he hissed under his breath. [i]”Yes.”[/i] responded the old elf. [i]”Now look further down. See how the moon seems to be weeping. It is telling of the shattering - how the moon fell apart into thousands of pieces and was scattered across the night sky.”[/i] Grakk stared at the markings in amazement, forgetting the stranger had snuck up on him only moments ago. Izakk’s growl brought him back to his senses, however. [i]”Why are you telling us this? What do you want from us?”[/i] said Izakk. [i]”Your people have venerated the sun and moon for generations… I’m surprised you didn’t know this already. I can teach you…”[/i] said the old elf. [i]”I can teach you how to interpret the markings and rediscover your old heritage.”[/i] Izakk and Grakk exchanged a confused glance. The stranger lift his hands and brought on his hood once more. [i]”But we must wait. In two nights, the pieces of the moon will be sufficiently aligned for me to show you the secrets of your past. Meet me here then, and I will teach you.”[/i] said the old elf and turned around to leave. Izakk stopped him with a question. [i]”Again, why are you telling us this? Why make this offer to us, stranger?”[/i] he asked, demandingly. The stranger paused for a few moments, then threw Izakk a glance over his shoulder. [i]”I’m but an old man seeking to educate the next generation.”[/i] he said, and disappeared into the wilds. As if vanishing, Izakk and Grakk could not find him again no matter how much they searched. But what do they do now? They know nothing of these kinds of things… Should they tell the elders? Or should they keep this to themselves? Should they completely ignore the stranger’s offer? [b]A)[/b] Inform the elders and leaders. Surely they will know what to do with this information. (Your choice if you still want to meet the stranger or ignore him) [b]B)[/b] Izakk and Grakk keeps the informations to themselves, and decides to meet the stranger in this place in two nights. [b]C[/b] Izakk and Grakk decides this is was but nonsense from an old hermit. They tell no one and try to forget about this. [color=Gray]Results of the great hunt will yield next turn.[/color] [hider=Actions][color=lightsteelblue][b]A) Improve food B) Improve military technology C) [i]Settle[/i] D) Improve culture E) Explore F) Improve resources/technology G) Prospect the land H) Expand military I) Take diplomatic action X) Other[/b][/color][/hider] [hider=Statistics][b]Population:[/b] 921 [b]Livestock:[/b] - [b]Military:[/b] No standing military. Militia able to be conscripted up to 40% of adult population. [b]Infrastructure:[/b] N/A [b]Food level:[/b] [color=orange]Low[/color] [color=gray][i](Improving)[/i][/color] [b]Resources:[/b] [list][*]Timber [color=gray](Low)[/color] [*]Furs[/list] [b]Wealth:[/b] - [b]Trade:[/b] - [b]Growth:[/b] [color=yellow]+3%[/color] [color=gray][i]Base: 3%. +-0% from morale. +-0% from food level.[/i][/color] [b]Morale:[/b] [color=limegreen]90%[/color] [b]Foreign relations:[/b] N/A [/hider] [/hider] [@AdorableSaucer] [h3][color=skyblue]The Underhall Clan[/color][/h3] [hider=Turn 2]Not long after Harald had left the halls, an aide ran into the room. [i]”Apologies, Yarl Thorfinn, but there’s a matter that the guildmasters say they want to discuss immediately.”[/i] the aide said with nervousness, with a hint of embarrassment of not having been able to keep the guildmasters at bay waiting their turn. Thorfinn furled his brows as the guildmasters only moments later came into the hall. Most of them seemed in outrage. [i]”Yarl Thorfinn.”[/i] said the representative of the Engineers’ Guild. [i]”These fools dare accuse the Engineers’ Guild of theft and treason!”[/i] Thorfinn didn’t even have the time to respond before the representative from the Warriors’ Guild came up behind the first representative. [i]”And rightfully so! The Engineers’ Guild have disregarded our laws and stolen from the great clan’s resource stores!”[/i] he said. Thorfinn recognized him as Grimli, an old warrior of great repute but who had passed his glory days long ago. The Engineers’ Guild representative turned to face Grimli and frowned deeply. It was Uthmar, an Engineer said to be a genius yet a little erratic. The rest of the clan representatives came after Uthmar and Grimli, and were arguing amongst themselves. It seems the Inventors’ Guild was on the Engineers’ Guild’s side, while the Runecrafters’ Guild was on the Warriors’ Guild’s side. Curiously, Thorfinn recognized two more representatives from the Traders’ Guild and Craftmen’s Guild. They seemed to disagree with both the side of the Engineers and the Warriors. [i]”Quiet down, all of you! You will speak your turn, and act as is appropriate!”[/i] Thorfinn commanded in a booming voice. The representatives quieted down and inclined their heads at the Yarl, but exchanged angry glances with each other. [i]”I will hear you all out, but this is the last time you burst into these halls unsummoned in this manner. Understood?”[/i] Thorfinn continued. The gathering of representatives nodded, and muttered their apologies to the Yarl. [i]”Grimli. Explain your accusation. Do you have evidence of this claim?”[/i] Thorfinn asked the old Warrior. [i]”I do, great Yarl.”[/i] Grimli said, and stepped forward. As he was old, tradition and respect was important to him. Thorfinn could see he was ashamed of having acted so disrespectfully. [i]”First, let me apologize for this rude manner in which we bring this matter to your attention. It was not our intention of being so… Dramatic.”[/i] Grimli said, and threw a hateful glance at Uthmar as he spoke the last word of the sentence. [i]”As you know, the resource stores are accounted for weekly, and watched daily by aides from each of the guilds. Lately, many stores have been lost to the tunnel collapses, and those we still have access to are running low on supplies of ores, materials and tools. Resources all the guilds use in one way or another, and pay the crown accordingly in tariffs.”[/i] Grimli continued. Uthmar rolled his eyes at the long and formal speech. [i]”Get to your point, Grim.”[/i] said Uthmar, annoyed. Thorfinn silenced Uthmar by raising his palm calmly. Uthmar obeyed. Grimli shot the engineer another angry glance before he continued. [i]”Lately, we have been noticing our supplies are running out faster than expected. Especially those of metal ore, gunpowder and a few chemical ingredients. As my aide was inspecting one of the stores, he came upon an errand-boy from the Engineers’ Guild, stuffing different supplies in a knapsack! He was caught red-handed stealing from the store!”[/i] As Grimli finished, a murmur rolled through the small gathering. Thorfinn raised a brow. [i]”Sounds like the word of a lone thief to me. Should he not be dealt with according to our laws, Grimli?”[/i] said Thorfinn. Grimli nodded. [i]”Aye, and as such we apprehended the youngling. However, as we gave him his opportunity to explain himself, he said he was only following the instructions of the Engineers’ Guild. Specifically, the orders of Uthmar!”[/i] said Grimli, and pointed a finger accusedly at the Engineer representative. [i]”He does not even deny it, great yarl! Uthmar ordered his aide to steal from the store to use in his own machinations!”[/i] finished Grimli, and took a step back. Thorfinn frowned. [i]”Is this true, Uthmar? Have you orchestrated theft from the Clan?”[/i] Uthmar shook his head. [i]”Of course not! This is all according to Clan law! Each guild gets to withdraw a certain amount of resources as they require it in their work! The Engineers’ and Inventors’ Guilds have been hard at work with making tools, machines and other devices to help our Clan survive the disaster that has befallen us. As such, we have used our right through the Law of Necessity to withdraw slightly over our quotas.”[/i] said Uthmar, calm and collective. It seemed Thorfinn’s authority had lent some order to the bickering representatives. Thorfinn knew the law of necessity, though no one had enacted it for a couple centuries so the praxis was a bit out-dated. Uthmar was a very clever dwarf, but he was not sinister. If he had taken more supplies than the quotas allowed, it had been for a reason. Still, he had done so underhandedly and as such betrayed the trust of his fellow Guilds. While that itself is not a crime, it is important that unity among the Guilds is maintained, lest they be overcome by greed or anarchy. Thorfinn nodded and stroked his beard in thought, then he faced Grimli. [i]”Do you object to what Uthmar is saying, Grimli?”[/i] he asked. Grimli shook his head. [i]”No. But I disagree. The Law of Necessity cannot be invoked in this manner.”[/i] the old warrior said. Thorfinn nodded once more, and then turned to the representatives from the Traders’ and Craftmen’s Guilds. [i]”And you, gentlemen? You seem to agree with neither Grimli nor Uthmar.”[/i] he asked them. Filin, the representative from the Traders’ Guild, was a young brownbeard and was clad quite ornately compared to the rest of the representatives. [i]”I cannot bring myself to agree with theft or the prosecution of one of our most esteemed guilds. However, I believe this can be settled in other ways. Monetary, for example.”[/i] said Filin, holding his chin high. [i]”Go on…”[/i] Thorfinn responded, crossing his arms. He knew Filin was probably only here to attempt to gain something out of this ordeal. [i]”The representative from the Craftmen’s Guild and we of the Traders’ Guild suggest that the Engineers’ and Inventors’ Guilds pay an increased tariff of their … Shall we say, extra acquired, goods. By compensating the other guilds for the deficiency of resources they are using, we can continue to maintain good relations and all get what we want in the end.”[/i] Filin finished. He almost sounded like a politician, Thorfinn thought. Then again… He [i]is[/i] a politician. Grimli grunted. [i]”Great Yarl, it’s not about monetary compensation. It’s about honor and trust, and the fact that without metal with which to forge new weapons, we could fall to an enemy. No, the balance simply must be maintained.”[/i] he said. [b][u]Which representative will Thorfinn agree with?[/u][/b] [b]A)[/b] The Engineers’ and Inventors’ Guilds. [i]The steady inflow of new tools and devices is imperative to our continued survival and the increasing growth of our great Clan. The Engineers and Inventors will have their larger share of our resources for now, until we can refill our stores. The Warriors’ and Runecrafters’ Guilds are sure to be upset by this decision.[/i] [b]B)[/b] The Warriors’ and Runecrafters’ Guilds. [i]Without weapons, our warriors cannot protect us. What Uthmar has done is go behind the backs of his fellow guildsmen and stolen from the Underhall Clan. For this, he must be made to see the errors of his ways. The Engineers’ and Inventors’ Guilds are sure to be upset by this decision.[/i] [b]C)[/b] The Traders’ and Craftsmen’s Guilds [i]Agree to the suggestion that the Engineers and Inventors simply pay an increased tax on the goods they need, to ensure that everyone feels a just exchange is being made. Even if this decision seems like it satisfies all parties, the Traders and Craftsmen are the ones who really benefit from this, however, and agreeing to this may be seen by some as Thorfinn giving favor to them.[/i] --- Later that evening, as Macdoug and Deepstone ventured out with their warriors onto the fields of Dougsdahl, they stopped for a moment outside the mighty entrance to their halls to observe the setting sun. They hadn’t been out here for so long, it was almost nostalgic to see the sun again. Sending scouts ahead of them, the main party slowly descended through the mountain pass. They did not know what would await them at the fields, and so they were preparing for anything. A few paranoid warriors kept looking all over the mountains back and forth, expecting some sort of ambush. Dougsdahl consisted of a few storehouses and burrows for dwelling. Farther away, a small watchtower doubling as a bunker loomed over the only road out of the valley. Just beyond the watchtower were the great western woods--cold, dark and misty. Not many dwarves had ventured into those woods, and even fewer had ever returned. As the warriors made their way through the streets among the dilapidated buildings, the sounds of whatever animals they had heard before gradually quietened. Madoug and Deepstone ordered a halt, and the group readied themselves. A muffled scraping sound could be heard from one of the houses, further down the road. It was the remains of what once had been a tavern, and as such the most visited building in the small village. [i]”Ready yourselves, lads.”[/i] said Deepstone, quietly. The warriors were ready already, however. Slowly, out of the doorless entrance of the ruined tavern, crawled a ghoul-like pale being with hideously long teeth, deep sunken black eyes and disproportionately long arms ending in spear-like claws. What was so terrifying about this ghoul was the fact that it had no lower body, and no jaw. Its tongue dangled lifelessly down where its jaw was supposed to be, and it used its long arms to crawl along the ground, dragging the rest of its body with it. Perhaps the most terrifying part, however, was that it vaguely resembled a dwarf. [i]”By the Stoneshaper…”[/i] one of the warriors gasped under his breath. As if the creature had supernatural hearing, its head jerked towards the group of dwarves. As it spotted them, it shrieked and gurgled and charged straight at them. Macdoug readied his axe. [i]”Slay it in Thorfinn’s name!”[/i] he cried, and the dwarves charged together in unison. The ghoul slammed one long limb into the first-charging dwarf, throwing him back. The second, third and fourth dwarves however guided their axes true, and sunk their steel into the ghoul’s flesh. It gurgled and yelled in pain, and at last a fifth warrior managed to lop its head clean off with a well-aimed strike. As the head rolled down the street, the dwarves followed it with their eyes. They were too shocked of what they had just witnessed to speak to each other. The head came to a halt as it bumped into the wall of another of the ruined houses, and as it did another scraping noise could be heard from it. Another ghoul stretched its long limbs out of the window of the dwelling, and stared at the dwarves, who formed back up and readied themselves for another fight. One after another however, more ghouls started to appear in the windows and empty doorways of the ruined houses all around them. The dwarves were around 50, and Deepstone did a quick count of the ghouls he could see and concluded they weren’t more than a dozen, but who is to say there aren’t more just below another rock? - Meanwhile, along the many passes and slopes of the Everwinter Mountains, the huntsmaster and her rangers searched for animals to be domesticated. While they had spotted a few goatherds, they had not yet managed to successfully trap any of them and bring back. Somehow the goats were crafty, and way smarter than they look. [color=gray]The hunt continues, but the hunters won’t be successful until next turn.[/color] - Harald and his warriors set out into the wilderness. Who knows what they will find? [color=gray]This turn consisted mainly of the expedition readying themselves. More to come.[/color] [hider=Actions][color=lightsteelblue][b]A) Improve food B) Improve military technology C) Improve infrastructure D) Improve culture E) Explore F) Improve resources/technology G) Prospect the land H) Expand military I) Take diplomatic action X) Other[/b][/color][/hider] [hider=Statistics][b]Population:[/b] 816 [b]Livestock:[/b] - [b]Military:[/b] No standing military. Militia able to be conscripted up to 30% of adult population. [b]Infrastructure:[/b] N/A [b]Food level:[/b] [color=orange]Low[/color] [b]Resources:[/b] [list][*]Timber [*]Copper [*]Stone (different sorts)[/list] [b]Wealth:[/b] - [b]Trade:[/b] - [b]Growth:[/b] [color=yellow]+2%[/color] [color=gray][i]Base: 2%. +-0% from morale. +-0% from food level.[/i][/color] [b]Morale:[/b] [color=limegreen]100%[/color] [b]Foreign relations:[/b] N/A [/hider] [/hider]