Absolution 4: Tabula Rasa

As the chaotic battle raged outside the pitiful fence they call a wall outside of Ur, Orion was busy trying to teach the Orangesmiths the secret to Blacksmithing. Some of the Stoned men refused to help, and many defected or ran away to join the silvery horde outside.

Suddenly, his wary eyes caught the sight of two men in tight clothes leaping off nearby buildings, tackling the two Urian guards with quick strokes of the knife. They begun pulling the gates open, open the great swordsman soldiers just outside.

Orion acted quickly. With a leap, he jumped above the quiet market stalls and pushed against the buildings on each side, leaping over the street below as he ran towards the agents. He quickly took two things from his pouch- a boomarang and capsule.

Falling from the sky, he lifted his robe, slowing his fall. As the Stoned agents looked at him in amazement as he glided infront of the Full Zorro Moon, he smashed the capsule and tossed the spice, now lit with the tiny flint device, into their faces.

As they staggered, he spun and smashed his naked shoes into the face of one while stabbing his boomarang into the other. The stoned agent began to run.

Recovering from his spinning kick, be brought his extra momentum into the boomarang, hurling it at the retreating stoner. The weapon cleanly loped off the head of the fleeing man.

He gasped for breath as he tied up the unconscious Stoned agent and recovered his weapon, hiding it once more in his belt. He then picked up the slowly awakening agent and looked him in the eyes.

----------------------------

A soft face looked at him.

"Run Leseth! Run!" cried a voice. Arms pulled him foward, and he ran... but then he tripped, and behind, shadowly robes quickly surrounded him...

------------------------------

He blinked. Then shook his head. "You will reveal everything, just like everyone before you" he whispered as he pulled back his arm to punch the man.

The stoned man said only one word as his fist came down, "Leseth!"

Leseth? No, I am Orion.

Orion picked up the body and carried him to the Ratcave, already thinking of the techniques to lure the truth out of this man.

However, above the wish to learn about another cell within the Stoner infiltrators was another one, a wish to know who exactly Leseth is.

He set his face grimly-Leseth is of no consequence. He is Orion, he is the Inquisitor-Captain of Ur, and he will make things right.

With extreme prejudice.
 
Hey,

A Failure of Orders. (+1 Tactic)

"Speak up Admiral Po Lang." Said the old Emperor Chao Longwei to the man now staked naked on the ground of the Dragon Palace courtyard. "Why did you not follow the orders given to you!"

"You Highness, please. I did follow your orders." Terrified the man replied. "It was not my failure but a failure by the GM."

"GM! GM!" He shouted at the shaking man. "You would have me believe that my orders are controlled by this, this unknown GM?" The Emperor motioned for a horseman to move close to the prone crying man.

"Your Highness it was not my failure!" The Admiral screamed. "It was the blindness of the GM or his excitment of Baejoi!"

"Hold your tongue or I'll have it cut out." The old Emperor shouted. "Were my orders not clear enough? Was the map and written orders that you were given not show you were to go and what to do?"

"Yes my Emperor." Admiral Po Lang said softly. "But I did not fail you. It was the GM."

"Well then you can have many talks with this, this GM in the afterlife!" Emperor Chao Longwei stood and turned to leave. "Maybe the next orders I give will be followed!"



GMfail01
 
The Vast Ocean Waves

(Cultural Story: Punt)

-

"Admiral, I would like you to blockade the Indian Ocean."

"Errrr...."

"Is there going to be a problem?"

"Well, when we send in our orders there might be misunderstandings about whether or not our single galley can control all of the vast ocean. People might assume that we only mean the part of the ocean that is close to us, and reasonable for us to control with our navy."

"Are you telling me that you will not be able to board and question the crew of every ship that puts sail on the Oceans?"

"I'm sorry sir."

"Bah! It is no fault of your own. I hear this GM is a real jerk."

-

OOC: I'm feeling tempted to go back to "Cruel, Insane Moderator" for this turn. "Pretty Reasonable" seems to be setting the bar too high.
 
Hey,

The Crown Prince Begins. (+1 Tactic)

"Have the Far General stop any western merchants headed east from Persia." The Crown Prince stood on the newly constructed walls of Paranaa looking northeast toward the lands of the Khanate. "Have him arrest any westerner that does not comply to these orders. Papers of Trade will be given to those trusted merchants that have been dealing in the Dragon Empire for centuries."

"Any Satura that is found east of Persia lands will be killed on the spot." He turned to his messenger. "Make sure that the Far General understands that he is not to hamper any Satura in Persia or his head will be mine."

"Yes, Crown Prince." The massenger bowed and was given premission to leave.

The Crown Prince turned back to look northeast. "Soon Khan. Soon.


CP01
 
Malach sighed. it was good to be back in Sudan. The Paranese Mountains (and the people he found there) were steep and cold, and the passes were walled and guarded by steel-clad soldiers.

No, the warm mountains and soft fields of Sudan appealed to him just fine.

The money in Kausta's Purse turned out to be very handy after all, after the intreped and bossy geezer was killed trying to negotiate passage into Parana. By the stones, the Dragon Soldiers were heartless, but they were human all the same!

They seemed amenable for him to pass (later he learned that they are ordered to kill only Saturans heading eastwards) but he was sure of further trickery. A Sudanese mind is a Sharp one, and even more so a Stoned Sudanese specimen like himself. It was a trick to rob him of the purse he lifted from Kausta's still warm body, and he saw through it.

And so he headed home. And along the way he heard dreadful news, of Persia's nuetrality, of the Khanate's attacks, and of the soldiers of the Land of the Sun, securing passage, he set sail first to the Golden City of Aureapolis, then for home.

And how much has changed by the time he returned to Napata! A massive new complex of forges and stockpiles and warehouses and other such items filled with workers, ore and weapons grew across three hills to end near his home.

Even as troops are being armed by this wonder's endless production line, the city still grows under Saturan stewardship. The Oracle has spoken of a future of arches and a mix of brick-clay and sand in future construction. New experimental buildings sprawl to the south of Napata near Aureas' Forges, constructed in haphazard funcions.

When he spoke about the strange vaulted buildigns peering over the Paranese wall, the Oracle immediately sent one of her Priestesses to question him further on such things as buttresses and capstones.

He smiled, for at least he wasn't being questioned by inquisitors instead. And especially that his particular Priestess has a rather deep purse of her own, and not for holding coins either, but something of his own.

He finished the diagram in the dirt, waiting for her to arrive. The new arches collapse every other day, but every time they are rebuilt industriously and rapidly, and slighty better too. The arches at Paranaa were similarly crude, but very different-he wonder what exactly the priestess can learn from his experiences.

Ah well, that's for them to figure out. Be like the stones, and all will be fine.
 
Hey,

Go Kuai of the White Mountain. (Trade Good: Salt)

"What are you children doing there?" Go Kuai asked in broken Sriskijn, the language of the native people of the colony of Singhai. "Can I see?"

The children's eyes were wide as they looked up at the Junjan soldier standing behind them. The oldest stood to confront Go Kuai trying to look brave. He took a deep breathe, sticking out his chest and showing his teeth in a fearsome grin.

"What do you think we are doing water rider?" Said the oldest turning back to his work and waving his white colored hand. "Go away."

"Please explain what you are doing." Go Kuai reached into his belt pouch and took out what he had come to call his questioning cakes. The cakes were a mixture of rice and honey rolled into balls, flattened into a patties between two pieces of seaweed.

The oldest noticed the looks on the faces of the children that were still looking at the water rider behind him. They looked excited and happy. He turned back to the soldier seeing the package of sweet cakes. He knew what it was and how the strange food tasted. He clapped his hands to rid them of the white material and reached out for the sweet treats. "What do you want to know?"

"In exchange." Go Kuai held up the sweets. "I want to know all about your labors."

"We take these white rocks of salt." He took the sweets from Go Kuai. "Then we grind it between stones to make a powered." He pointed to the grinding stones covered in white each child had infront of them. The boy started to break the cakes in smaller pieces. The boy turned giving each of the children some of the strange sweet food. "The salt then is used to preserved fish and meat."

"Is there much of this rock of salt?" Go Kuai moved forward picking up a piece.

The boy laughed. "A mountains worth."



TG07
 
Hadrian worked hard, for today is Akten's Sky, the seventh day of the week when he has a day's rest form his "Royal" court.

On his desk are a multitude of blocks, weights and other craftsmen tools. To his left is a shelf, holding hundreds of scrolls. Dozens of revelations or prophecies containing elusive sight of these "Arches", fifty scrolls from the engineers of Napata and over sixty from Satura proper.

What interested him more was the open scroll before him, the testimony of Malach. He seemed familiar, maybe he has convicted the Sudanese Sheep Merchant before? Nevermind, onto the scroll. The Saturan technique followed the Oracle's description, with great towers of stone headed with a curved arch and a solid keystone.

But the Sudanese boy who returned from Paranaa detailed a different kind of arch. The walls leaned close together before merging at the top, supported by the heavy weight of a central pillar.

Hadrian slowly placed the blocks on top of each other into the shape of an Arch. He has spent many many Akten Skies on this project, with two score of the scrolls written by himself. He has combined the Paranese Arch with the Saturan Arch in his newest model, and one by one, the model grew before him.

Gingerly, he placed the capstone and pulled out the support.

It stood proudly upon his desk. No wobbling on the columns like the Saturan Arch, nor collapsing in the center like the Paranese technique. It stood tall and proud. And it held even as he hung weights onto the Keystone, one hand after another of gold onto a pan below.

Smiling, he wrote "Success" on his paper and stood up. Thank Zorro for the thought of combining the two towers!

Taking the scroll in his hand, He made his way to the Prime Palace from his Courthouse, gleefully calling "And that Philospoher King, Ta Rapa (who did Ta Rapa Rap, anyways?), thinks he's so smart! But I am the true King of Science!"

SCIENCE FOR THE THOUGHT GOD!
 
Octavian watched from his robes.

The strange man on the other side of the table didn't move.

He filed his nails to the right sharpness for peeling the skins off both apricots and enemies.

The strange man on the other side of the table didn't move.

He practiced his swordsmanship, preparing for the return of his challenge of personal combat from Kush.

The strange man on the other side of the table didn't move.

He interrogated several Zorrkanist miscreants, their screams echoing through the Rat Cave.

The strange man on the other side of the table didn't move.

He sent several orders for armed movement, then settled down to a scroll sent from King Hadrian.

The strange man on the other side of the table didn't move.

Octavian leaned close to the strange man and said, "This social group isn't very Social, isn't it, Mr. Moderator."

The strange man on the other side of the table didn't move.

Octavian sighed and walked out.

The strange man on the other side of the table blinked, and disappeared.
 
To: Satura
From: Kush

I am knowledgeable in the matters of science, our library documents countless times when Spearmen and Horsemen overcame men with swords.

If we must meet for combat I propose a neutral place for this single combat, perhaps Punt would work.
 
Octavian was ready for the fight. He has practiced days on end, and was sure of his success as the ship Heart of the Orangesmith sailed towards Punt. His sword danced delicate patterns as he practiced the blows to counter every known spear attack. And even if he failed, he has Silvertin Armor to defend him, not only in hard-to-make links, but also woven silvertin threads into his cloak and his surcoat. Even a sword would be hardpressed to pass through such a weave, let alone a bronze spear.



The warrior Garusikh was the mightest spearman of all of Kush. He would know, as he is the First Spear of the Kuhorsehockye Guard and has defeated every challenger for the last decade. It was his arms which defended the borders against snooping barbarians and such monsters, and it will be his arms which will defend the tradition of Bronze over the obviously sham "Magical" silvertin. It would be like seeing through Baejoi's tricks all over again, except even easier.



The two warriors arrived at Punt. They turned around each other, searching for an opening as their clients and rivals watched. The shining blade of Silvertin flashed the sunlight into the eyes of the Kuhorsehockye warrior, but he has eyes only for the shoulders of the dark robed man infront of him. If any attack was to come, they will warn him.

Suddenly, a seagull screeched. Octavian was singlemindedly intent on winning, but it was enough...

---------------

NO! NO! screamed the boy as ropes strapped him on an X-shaped panel.

The grating of a whetstone on a cruel blade screamed with him.
---------------

The Kuhorsehockye rushed forward, seeking to skewer the Inquisitor-General. It took all his will to step aside, and even then the Bronze ripped into his Iron-Woven shirt. It nearly ripped, but the woven wire held.

Octavian counter attacked with a swift one handed blow which was blocked by the Kuhorsehockye's hardened spear-shaft, who then pushed foward by striking downward with his lifted spear blade. The Prime Citizen tumbled to the left, whirling the blade in a murdurous circle that cut into and pierced the bronze armor, but slipped before it reached the skin.

The Kuhorsehockye grabbed his armor and wrapped it around the iron sword, striking out with his spear once more. As it grated across the chain iron under his woven coat, he can't help but...

---------------------

The shackles clinked again as the men dragged a boy once more into the caves, but deeper than ever before. Much deeper.

Screams, screams, and the word "Heart of Stone" as pain inflicts itself on

--------------------

Octavian roared as the bronze blade lifted from his front and smashed into his face, slicing into his cheek. The Kuhorsehockye then turned the shaft and knocked him on the back of his head.

Its all over...

---------------------

The boy stopped screaming and looked, wide eyed, as the man asked again.

"What is your name?"

"I am Octavian" he responded. "Kargon is Dead."

--------------------

"NOOOOO!!!!" he cried, as the spear returned to end his life. With a swift punch, he defected the spear and with all his might, severed the blade from its shaft. A kick smashed into the chest of the Kuhorsehockye warrior, sending him sprawling.

The Kuhorsehockye barely pulled out his own dagger before Octavian's flying lunch reached him. With a wild smash the dagger was cut from his hands, severing two fingers as well. The Kuhorsehockye fell, pleading for mercy as another blow simply ripped away his bronze shirt, and across his ribs. AS Octavian's killing blow raced towards the Kuhorsehockye's helpless head...

---------------------

"Octavian, these are Kargon's Parents" spoke the robed man.

"Kargon! You! survived!"

"Show them no mercy."
---------------------

He changed his blow, at the last second, and severed the shoulderguard strap. With another skillfun strike, he removed the other followed by a final kick. The Kuhorsehockye was propelled through the air, landing naked as his armor fell from his wounded body, its straps cut open by the shining blade of Silver tin.

Octavian gasped, not only for this battle of his body as blood poured from wounds on his face and arms, and buises under his armor, but also the battle in his mind.

"I have won." he spoke simply.

But he knew that he has lost.


To Kush
From Octavian


I have proven the superiority of Silvertin. Make your offer, or go with ours.
 
To: The Empire of the Heavenly Dragon
From: Kush

We have recently endured a somewhat embarrassing defeat in single combat against some well trained African foreigner. They claim that their victory proves that their "Silvertin" weapons are superior, and they have asked us to pay them in the export of fragrances and a whole EP.

We believe that this silvertin is very much like the Dragon Forged Iron of the East, can you make us a better deal?

-

To: The Empire of Shang
From: Kush

We have recently endured a somewhat embarrassing defeat in single combat against some well trained African foreigner. They claim that their victory proves that their "Silvertin" weapons are superior, and they have asked us to pay them in the export of fragrances and a whole EP.

We believe that this silvertin is identical to the Iron which is forged in Eastern lands. Would you be willing to sell it to us for cheaper?

-

To: Satura
From: Kush

Let me just get some outside quotes first.

-

[/auction time]
 
Hey,

Master Builder Ji Shin and the Deadly Devices of Baejoi. (scientific)

"When I get in and positioned you will carefully hand me the kit." Ji Shin crawled, as carefully as he could, around the strange mechanism that was hidden behind the false wall of the tunnel. It was a amazingly ancient piece of engineering. "This had to have been built in the age of King Shishu or even before him." It had multi gears, cogs and rotting ropes at all angles. He moved into a sitting position underneath the machine were he could easily draw the details of the device. "Pass me the kit and back away from area."

"I can not leave you here alone, Master Ji Shin." His young apprentice whispered as he nervously reached into the crawlspace. "Baejoi is to dangerous."

"The only danger." Master Builder Ji Shin said taking the kit that held his inks and several books of blank silk pages. He used his kit to copy the workings of the deadly devices. Ji Shin looked up at the killing end of the machine. Ten large spikes, that when triggered would shoot forward to impale anyone in the hallway. "Is I set this device off and you get killed by the trap out there in the hallway."

"Understood, Master Ji Shin." The apprentice moved back. "I will return to the safety of the fountain room." He quickly walked down the cleared section of hallway in the underground of the ancient city.



XB01
 
Declaration of Neutrality

As a High Priest of Zorro and Akten I hereby call for the practice of "Example Leadership" on the front of religious tolerance, and because of that I hereby declare all war unholy and not a matter for the Zorrkanist faith to concern itself with. I do not believe in it and it doesn't affect me and I have grown somewhat accustomed to my well armed security detail. I will not interfere with any shipments through my lands or succumb to international pressure. This is just a decision I made.

Acupuncturists and medics from the Red Sun organization of Persia will be happy to tend to any refugees or wounded in Shang or the Land of the Sun.

-High Priest Koreandre II

In following with the teachings of the High Priest, I have sent a message to the Great Shaman in Zulappi, and have fulfilled his terms he demanded for peace.

If the war continues, it shall be his fault.

It shall be his fault for all the Stoned Kurds and Cyrians whose blood will stain the waters of Tigris and Euphrates, and no one elses.
 
Logar shouted, "Buy your pitch today! Thick gooey pitch! Perfect for Lighting! Perfect for Sealing! GOVAMENT QUALITY PITCH HEAH. Used in the GREAT LIGHT HOUSE and on the famed Longboat "OCTAVIAN'S OWN""

What a great idea to earn a bit of extra money. The pitch oozes naturally in the Junglite swamps and are collected for torches or for sealing boats, but the high quality pitch has to be retrieved by digging a deep well, and then hammering a hollow tree trunk deep next to a surface vent. Only one out of three chances succeed, but when it does, the gush of the oily substance rewards the hard labor.

It is really flammable, and perhaps it might have use in Catapults? Nevermind that. The best Pitch for Pitch is the peaceful uses of the substance.

Logar continued as merchants by passed him, one or two of the shipbuildiners grabbing the keg for a second before walking away. They want to see how good the pitch was: good pitch will ooze through the fiber of the wood then harden into a gummy surface outside-bad pitch will be either too thick, or so thin that it doesn't harden before it drips onto the floor.

"Buy your Pitch TODAY" he yelled again, "Light torches! Build Ships! Buy my pitch today!"
 
"What is this?" asked Hadrian as Malach showed him the strange, silver like metal. "It's like tarnished silver!"

"It would seem that way, your magesty" answered the Sudanese merchant. The nearly powerless King loved when people butter him up, "Except that it is nearly eighteen times as common as Silver, and it is as easy to work."

"Indeed" replied the king as he held the plate in his hand. Already, he had made grip marks into the soft metal. "What would such a metal be useful? It is heavy, it is too weak for armor like Iron, and it isn't shiny or craftsworthy like Gold or Silver."

"There are many uses I have discovered, my Liege" replied Malach. Many uses for a waste metal thrown by the tons behind Aureas' Forges! "Chiefly of which, the preservation of food"

"Wat?"

"You see, when you hide food from the body of Aset within the sphere of Akten (for it is long decided that all metals, with Gold merely as the purest, are gifts of Akten), you can save it from Zulep's corruption.

Silver and gold are worth much too much to be used in such a way, but Lead? Lead is plentiful, has no ill effects, easy to work, and very easy to seal."

"Interesting. I suppose I shall start by sealing the Druken Hare we sent to Tatui to preserve the flavor. And they claim it is only good for fishbait!"

"Indeed, my lord. Also, the heaviness of Lead gives it strength above mere Aset-stone. When used in a catapult, it strains our current ballistics, but it does so much more damage when Akten's blessed metal strikes the Aset-walls instead of another Aset-stone."

"You've sold me my friend. Another discovery by Hadrian for Satura (with help, of course!). Lead shall lead to the future!"

"Thank you my Lord."


To ALL
From Satura

Anyone wishing to buy Pitch or Lead? They are totally not strategetic resources.
 
Well you're just a regular Neville Chamberlain aren't you?

Spoiler Alert:

Spoiler :
Next turn Ancient Aliens visit Satura in order to invade, but are soon bought off by the Prime Citizen.
 
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