Absolution 4: Tabula Rasa

The Xerxes Commemorative Library and the Gifts of the Dragon

(Construction Story: Persia)

-

The building had been constructed rapidly, it was designed as a shared place at the edge of the Eastern Zorroist Districts, but with Zorrkanist Holy Works and Philosophy available. The main problems that were had now were translations.

Most Zorrkanist Philosophy is written in Saturnese, but the Testament of Xerxes was written in the Marks of the Dragon which made them easily accessible to Persians whose own written language was a gift from the Dragon.

Those troops still patrol this city, although rumors hold that the Inquisitors have vanished back to Satura for some shadowy conference. But Red Spices still flowed in from the East and Whips still fled to the South and West, back to Waset.

"May I ask what you are going to open here?" One of the Swordsmen asks.

"A Library. My scribes are translating volumes in the back. If You have any special books you would like to share we could make a copy and return it to you."

"As a matter of fact," said the soldier, producing a copy of Tales of the South: The Vanquishing of Barbarity, "I have some others at the barracks, I'll come back when that one is copied, perhaps you could do with some of the works of Cin Fu."

"How many books do you have?" The Persian exclaimed.

"Dozens, why? In the Heavenly Dragon half the men think they will write the stories and the other half think they will live them. We write many books, and although the writers and the adventurers envy each other greatly both are generally satisfied with it. In the Emperor's Library I dare say there are a thousand scrolls, and more still if you count the finest collection of Kitanatese Haiku."

"We have only ten books in our whole library, and you tell me that you can more than double my collection? Are you really willing to help?"

"Help? I am Dragon Blessed to assist you in this task. I can talk to the other soldiers, I believe the General has a huge collection, we can much more than double it. As Zorro said, 'To Whom Much is Given Much has been Asked'."

The laborer smiles, "May your eyes be quick to perceive the puzzle. It is a Dragon Blessing for us to meet here, and I shall put the scribes to work at once."
 
But no one remembers the Gifts of the Farseer or the Orangesmith. :(

To: Satura
From: Punt


1 EP per turn... is an interesting offer. But I still don't trust the deal. It sounds like you have a grift going on. Maybe for 2 EP a turn...

Counteroffer. 1EP per turn and Hemp.
 
Silvertin

Octavian walked up to the podium outside the balance. In onehand, he held the strange sword owned by the Orangesmith, named "Silvertin". In the other, he held a speech.

Below the crowds gathered as the bells tolled.

"People of Satura!" he called.

His voice echoed through the specially designed masonry, ringing in the Market of Merchants. One by one, they stopped their haggling and turned.

"The Orangesmith is Dead, and I am his Heir!"

Roars, cries of sorrow and of sadness. Men began moving... will there be a riot.

"I, Octavian, am the new Prime Citizen of Satura" he called, his ringing voice slowling down the turmoil. He stabbed Silvertin into the air, letting the sunlight glisten on its gold-tinted blade, "And I bring news of a New Age!"

"The Archiver died a Blacksmith, but when he left for the Realm of Ideas, he left us the key to our future!" He waved his sword, and the people seemed to be captivated by its razor sharp edges, sharper than any that can be forged into bronze, "And I, Octavian, shall help you achieve it!"

The crowd roared and Octavian walked back into the palace, which once belonged to the Orangesmith. The Inquisitor General died two days before, after he declared Octavian his heir, and the Orangesmith died last night trying to eat a mouthful of grouper while whipping himself at the same time, chocking on a fishbone. No, no one can trace these deaths to him, because he killed all witnesses personally.

He stabbed the blade into the altar to Zorro and cut it down. A new age is here, an age of Iron.

An age of Stone. No...
 
Hey,

Yiu Doo. Imperial Collector of the Graceful Flower Girl. (Tactic)

"By the Dragon!" Yiu Doo cried as he tripped backing away from the figures that had suddenly appeared from the dunes. "To the beach!" He rolled over and took off running.
His two sample collecting students, not waiting to hear another word or even look, started toward the beach.

Ankle deep in the ocean waves he turned drawing two short single edged knives. Made for dissection then self defense "Worry not my students. He yelled egotistically to the wind. Having not looked them. "I will die a heroic death!" He pointed his blades at the group of men slowing walking toward him. "One to be written down!"

The men stopped at hearing that and began to laugh loudly. So loud that Yiu Doo dropped his hands. He stood listening for any words in the roaring of voices. He might be egotistical but he was one of Junjan's greatest teachers. Hand picked by the Emperor to travel the oceans naming and collecting any knowledge that could be found. To learn everything was his goal.

"What do you mean yellow?" Yiu Doo said commandingly at what he took was the leader of the group. "By your words and iron swords I would call you Punts or Pontiacs or Pundits." He put his blades away and walked toward the now stunned group. "I would never had used the word ebony or black to address you."

"The yellow man knows our language." The leader surprised by the little man in much to heavy robes for the weather of Punt. "You must be a man from beyond the Indus. A Dragon son?" The leader sat motioning his men to stand guard. "Please sit." He then motioned for Yiu Doo to sit. "I'm curious as to how you have come this far from home?

"I am no Son of the Dragon. Only the Great Emperor Chao Longwei and the Emperor Li XII of the Shang Empire are known as that." Yiu Doo said proudly sitting with his back straight. He took in all the details, not just of the man but his clothes and weapons. No detail would be overlooked. "I came by ship of course." He took out a small box and wooden stick. He put the stick in a hole in the middle of the boxes top which was covered in markings. "A ship I expect in..." He held the box out from his body to let the sun cast a shadow across the box's top and smugly finish. "... one Imperial hour."

"It seems strange to me that you would come all this way to die a heroic death." The leader gave a big smile, thinking that this man might be worth taking for ransom. The ship might be worth taking as well. What would stop him from taking it all. What could this yellow man so far from home have to threaten his plan. What could his dragon do?

"I did not come there to die a heroic death." He turned his head to show his better side. "To be remembered, one must have a written book about a heroic death or finding a piece of the Dragon's Puzzle." He pulled the stick from the box and put them in the folds of his robe. "True stories of adventures, exotic lands and treasures is the way to helping the future of the Empire." He checked that his now hidden blade was at hand. This talk could go bad if the ship was late. "That is the dream of all people in the Heavenly Dragon Empire." Yiu had to buy time.

"I am duty bound to the Emperor to travel the world." The talk between the Punt leader and Yiu went as he planned. He keep his mouth constantly talking. He would get words wrong, now and then, to have the leader try to teach him the word. Or using meaningless details in the Shang Language to confuse the Punt. He kept the leader's attention counting down the time in his head.

"Well you should know by now my Punt friend that my ship is over my shoulder." Yiu Doo said with a smile looking at his shadow.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaa!" The Punt leader yelled jumping to his feet. Knowing his ransom plan was at a end. "That is not a ship my yellow friend." His knowledge of ships was now that of a child. There was nothing like the craft before him. "That is a monster!"

The black sailed ship was larger then anything he had ever saw in the trading towns along the coast. From its bronze plated hull, to its twin rows of long heavy oars to the railed deck towered above the water. Colorful silk flags and penchants were as numerous as the uncountable crew running all over the ship. A great Dragon's head, as large as a wagon, watched from the bow over a horizontal iron cross shaped ram.

"That is the Nuo Nuying." Yiu Doo stood turning to look at the mighty ship. "That is the Graceful Flower Girl in your language. First Ship of Admiral Po Lang. Built at the Imperial Naval Harbor of Hoona." As if by magic, a black sailed galley of the size the Punt leader had seen moved from behind the massive ship. "And that is her partner. Two fully supported units of Dragon marines"

"Now perhaps were can call off this game you have been playing." Yiu turned to the twice stunned Punt with a smile. "Can you point me in the direction of your capital."



DEPU01
 
Hey,
How did you get to PUNT?

Though many PMs with SKILORD I developed.
Cartography (Cost: 5 EP) (Requires Sailing): Allows expanded contact, Allows Soldiers to travel further, Allows Longship

That is why I have contact. Believe me. I had some words about your contact with the Khanate and your lack of Cartography. :D

EDIT: Hell after so many turns having Cartography. I know about your lands even though you don't know the Heavenly Dragon.


Blaze Injun
 
Do you see the face on Zorren, the moon? That is Zorro, living in his silver palace. He guards the world at night, when Zulep is at his strongest, and they battle across the world the same way that Akten battles Aset during the day.

Zorro guards the way into the Realm of Ideas. When you dream, both Zorro and Zulep tempt you, guide you to their realms. If you have good dreams, or a relevation, you have followed the road to Zorro. If you have a nightmare, or a premonition, you have followed the road to Zulep.

Of course, there are a few things which can help you guide yourself. Hold this silver moon pendant. Wear it at night, and when you sleep, you can feel it slowly guiding you to Zorro's palace.



Yes, I know the edges are sharp. They remind you every day that your body is imperfect, tainted by the stony holds of Aset. When it hurts, it reminds you to feel the flow of ideas leading to Zorro's realm, and the strength to discipline yourself under Akten's gaze.

Oh, you wonder where the silver comes from? I hear that they have mines in Sudan, where laborers mine mountains of ore, the same way that mines near Eliat brings out gold. We are blessed by Zorro and Akten, to remind ourselves to follow their teachings every day.

Follow the silver moon.

Happy birthday.

Good night.
 
Well, Punt has already speculated about how their ship was going to Kush, but it had been to Kush already. Punt collaborates with Kush in sort of the same way that Iberios and Cyria work together.

And Punt is no pushover themselves, they have iron working and a navy, they probably had at least heard of the Heavenly Dragon.

My only quibble is that the People of Punt have no taste for religion at all and don't cry out to any gods when they are shocked.
 
"Zorro damn you! Obviously you didn't look at the map!"

"What map? Anyone could have gotton lost in that sandy waste!"

"This map!"

"That crap is a map? What are we? Zulappi?"

The two merchants walked up to the courthouse where King Hadrian Gideon sat in court. Not that there was much he could do. His mother sometimes told him of the day when the Gideon Family ruled over the mines of Eliat, and thus over Satura in their golden fist. But those days are obviously gone now, if they ever happened at all.

The richer and older merchant is a wealthy Seregite by the name of Kausta, a favorite of Orangesmith. The other, obviously a Sudanese middleman and possible a former shepard by his smell, is holding what looked like a scrunched up piece of hide.

They have passed the line of Judgement, and fell silent.

Picking himself from his couch to a more regal position, he called, "May the accuser state his accusation."

Kausta cleared his throat, and started, "I have hired this boy to locate several Koughkough fields for me and to send to Iruba for our troops as a gift. He claims that he got lost in the desert and ended up in Punt, but we all know that is a lie."

"Hey, I have"

"SILENCE IN THE COURT" boomed the King, enjoying his few moments of authority. "Continue."

"I have lost over three dozen oxen in profit due to that stunt. I accuse him of stealing merchandise with no compensation, and demand his slavery for three dozen years or until he can earn back the money."

"Interesting, what does the accused have to say for himself?"

"This buttflap of a map is a disgrace! You should see the maps we have at Sudan, this is no map, this is something he uses to wipe his butthole clean of Aset's mud. I call for the court to be closed, as the aid given for navigation is insufficient for the needs of caravan travel and thus he, not I, am liable for the lost income."

"OBJECTION, there are several freelancer troops you are supposed to follow, and they are clearly heading for the Iruban battlefields!" called Kausta.

"SILENCE!"

"This case is simple, and I have made my ruling.

The Sudanese boy is to teach Kausta and the Archives of Satura how to make those maps of his, and will deliver three caravans for Kausta or for whomever he desires for FREE.

He will not be enslaved."

"This is blasphemy! Akten saw himself what this boy did!" cried the rich merchant.

"This is a matter of national business" stated the King. Inside, he thought, "This is my chance to prove that the Gideons are still worth something in this time of ours, this is my chance to help Satura."

Instead of gloated, he simply made a face as if he is bored, "NEXT!" he called, taking a sip of wine.
 
To Zull
From Aureas Orangesmith, the Archiver, Prime Citizen of Satura

Your trial period for Potterscraft is over. Please insert return goods or money, or accept the cancelation of your subscription.
From Octavian

Potterscraft is up for bidding as of... NOW.

To all

All renewed deals are to be considered import-export agreements. Renewed deals are not part of the Receipts for Renegotiation drive.
 
Hey,
OOC
To the Land of Dragons

Darn it, I hope this artist's impression is correct.
"image edited out"

We have heard of you from Persia, and I, Kausta, has been sent to make first contact and draw a map on this... thing. Greetings from Satura.

Sorry don't know that show. Also I have never used the words "Dragon Tales" or "Dragon's Tale" or any combination of the words. I made that rule number one for this NES. :p

Blaze Injun
 
Logar looked at the plan. He looked at the robed man. He looked at the plan again.

"Is it supposed to be THIS sinister?" whimpered the giant of a man.

"YES" replied the robes, "And I want it to be plated with silver, topped with gold."

"And that light? It looks like... an eye!"

"Better to signal merchant ships, dear."

"But it's on Lotalogas!"

"But I'm resisting the urge to kill and replace you!"

"Uh... Yes sir, I'll build it sir."

"Good man. Have a bone. I want it done before I come to review my new swordsmen. DISMISSED."



...

"What the hell am I building?"

"A Great Lighthouse."
 
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