Sekai (Fantasy NES): The Third Age Begins

OOC: In case I have not made it clear; Merenel Eruiyond ("the Magister" is just what most people call him, because it seems appropriate given his knowledge and his library) does not even hold any significant formal titles, and de jure has very limited connections to the government; he simply happens to possess a high degree of informal influence thanks to his various connections and possibly some other things. Though I suppose that, being savvy merchants, the Venetians may very well have recognised that he is a useful person to know.

IC:

From: Fein II, King of Malthen
To: Aurel, King of Venetia

Greetings and good wishes.

The warning you have sent us has incited apprehension amongst myself, my court and my ministers. There are many grave tidings from all land corners of the world, and now there are grave tidings from the seas as well! That is unfortunate, but I still thank you for informing us of this strange new peril.

I would very much appreciate any further information on those strange happenings, for even though Malthen is indeed an inland kingdom currently, the sea is not far away, and if the sea is not so much a stream of commerce as a staging ground for raids and invasions, then it gravely concerns us all.

On our part, we must note that the Orcs grow in number and strength to the south of us. They have organised themselves into a kingdom and threaten to march upon nearby lands. Ost-Letha withstood an Orc siege once, in the end of the Second Age; we shall be able to do so again. Still, it seems as though those sea-creatures threaten us from the east at just the same time as the Orcs threaten us from the south; it may very well be that we shall have to fight back to back - you covering us on the side of the sea, and we covering you on the side of the land.

May the bonds between our peoples be ever strong.

Letter from Ragnar to the General

Dear sir

Thank you for your employment, I will attend to the matter as quickly as possible. I am awaiting a more or less good reward, as I have a somehow sad chance of surviving the trip - the Orcs are very plentiful in the area.

Ah, do not worry. My skills are effecient enough so that I can travel to the area without having the greatest deal of trouble. I hope to avoid the Orcs by travelling through the Brown Marshes, which noone enters.

I am hoping my return will be quick and painless. I will begin my journey as soon as I have finished writing this letter, and I will attemp to send you letters as often as possible.

For the glory of the gods,
Ragnar


---


Entering the Brown Marshes

I stepped in something smelly. "Blast!" I growled while he lifted his right foot - and yes, on the shoe there was several small liquid purple drops. Ti, my horse whinnied behind me, nickering as we went ahead.

The journey had so far not been too problematic. There had not been any rogues or thieves on the plains to the swamps, but as soon as I entered these murky waters, flies were already chasing me to bite. Now, I was merely looking for a place to spend the night. So far I have had no luck. Some hours ago I spotted a dry spot, but as I walked towards the dirt, I was dissapointed to see ant nests all over the area. My only hope right now was to find a suitable and sturdy tree. There I should spend my night. Obviously I already missed my warm bed in the tavern I left yesterday. Ti was really trying hard, fighting her way through the mud.

Looking ahead, I found a tall oak tree. Well, there was no reason not to try it, I thought. Working my way to the tall tree, I knocked on the wood as if I knocked on a door. It sounded right.

I tied Ti at its roots, beginning to climb upwards. But reaching the top, I saw that the tree was hollow - something shiny was present inside. I investigated it.

---

kkmo, it's up for you to decide what happens now I'm in Q21 by the way.

Entering the Brown Marshes

I stepped in something smelly. "Blast!" I growled while he lifted his right foot - and yes, on the shoe there was several small liquid purple drops. Ti, my horse whinnied behind me, nickering as we went ahead.

The journey had so far not been too problematic. There had not been any rogues or thieves on the plains to the swamps, but as soon as I entered these murky waters, flies were already chasing me to bite. Now, I was merely looking for a place to spend the night. So far I have had no luck. Some hours ago I spotted a dry spot, but as I walked towards the dirt, I was dissapointed to see ant nests all over the area. My only hope right now was to find a suitable and sturdy tree. There I should spend my night. Obviously I already missed my warm bed in the tavern I left yesterday. Ti was really trying hard, fighting her way through the mud.

Looking ahead, I found a tall oak tree. Well, there was no reason not to try it, I thought. Working my way to the tall tree, I knocked on the wood as if I knocked on a door. It sounded right.

I tied Ti at its roots, beginning to climb upwards. But reaching the top, I saw that the tree was hollow - something shiny was present inside. I investigated it.

Click to expand...

The Brown Marshes (lord_joakim)

"This is..." Ragnar muttered.

Ragnar, a trained sorcerer, though clearly at this point of average strength compared to arch-mages, had read about such a tree during his studies in Mathen. The Half-Elves of that kingdom are very adept in their research techniques of creatures and magica, even if the organisms or techniques are extinct. The hollow tree that Ragnar had discovered was a Tree Spirit. Tree Spirits have several stages in their development and can originate from a variety of places. A common Tree Spirit is usually summoned by a mage that is adept in Summoning skills (Tree Spirit is a high-level summon spell). However, before they are summoned, they begin as quiet espers in the hollows of trees, dwelling peacefully and absorbing nutrients from the roots to gain their power. Once they are called into action by the closest caller, they retreat from the hollow and build up their strength in battle from this grand tree they had dwelled in for hundreds of years. The Kingdom of Malthen has documented several Tree Spirits within their own borders, and protects them accordingly. This area of Sekai is rich in the spirits, some of them immature, and some of them more mature. The spirit that Ragnar looked at now seemed to be mid-way, and Ragnar could feel the magic emanating from the quiet glow and shine. "If only I had the strength to call upon this being when I am in danger." Ragnar sat for a while at that tree, contemplating the beauty of this spirit. He crept a look at it every once and a while, the glow, the orb of light sitting in the middle of this tree. He heard a voice.

"It is beautiful, is it not? It is not quite matured yet, but it would still serve as a marvelous ally in battle. Especially against the Orcs to the south." Ragnar looked up, and sitting in the tree was a tall figure draped in a dark green robe, as if camouflaged in the trees.

"Yes, it is beautiful." Ragnar muttered.

"It belongs to a powerful Summoner who lives not far from here. I am told that no one has seen his face in a long time. He is somewhere unknown, but constantly I feel his presence, and sometimes, I even think he is speaking to these trees here, becoming their friends even while they are not summoned."

"This magic..." Ragnar was at loss for words in the presence of such power.

"I sense you have some spirit within you as well. You are a practicer, no doubt. A young one, but a practicer nonetheless. I welcome you to this marsh. It may look somewhat nasty sometimes, but the amount of rain we get here is more than sufficient for the roots, which is why you may find these trees here. I have lived here for some time. I come from one of the pure Elven families that began in Malthen, but that was long ago and I took my dwelling here. My name is Kan. How about you?"

"Ragnar. The Kingdom of Malthen actually sent me to investigate an area south of here."

"I see. Well, good luck, then. I must get going. I go from Tree Spirit to Tree Spirit checking on their maturity, and their health. I care much for this marsh, Ragnar. I sense a pure soul inside of you, someone who means well, and I am happy to meet you in a world that has seemed somewhat dark lately."

"It was good to meet you, too..."

"Ah, before I go. I want to give you something, if you are so fascinated by this tree." Kan pulled from inside his cloak a fist-sized circular silver object that had an engraved wildly growing tree on one side, and was flat on the other side. The engraved tree seemed to have dark green veins that glowed from the object, giving it a beautiful shine, not unlike that of the Tree Spirit, but a bit dimmer. Sometimes the object would flicker, and the glow would expand in various directions and patterns. "I would give you something more useful, but I am afraid, and do not take this as any offense, that you cannot handle anything beyond this. This is just a charm. There are many of its kind, but they are scattered throughout Sekai in forests and marshes just like this one. The silver was supposedly forged by Dwarves. In one of the only friendly moments between Elves and Dwarves, it seems that some Elven magi were able to capture bits of Tree Spirit and take them to the Dwarves. Enchanting the Dwarves metalwork, these charms were produced, and taken back Elven dwellings. My father gave me several, so now I give one to you. It is called a Dinuan Charm, and it is infused with a tiny bit of Tree Spirit. Again, I wish you luck, and I am so sorry to talk your head off like this. I rarely get company other than these trees. Good bye, Ragnar."

As quickly as he had come, Kan disappeared into the marsh after handing the charm to Ragnar. "I sensed such power from him," Ragnar whispered to himself, as he put the charm in his pocket.

Item Gained!



OOC: I know that was the last thing you expected. But enjoy.

Selot hacked. A training dummy stood before him. It was completely shredded. Selot's master at that moment walked in.
"Ah, busy have you been?"
"Yes master, I've been training." said Selot resheathing his large sword on his back and wiping sweat of his face.
"Ha, a training dummy does not count as training. Only true fighting is training." admonished the master, "How would you like some true training?"
"I would be honored" replied Selot. They moved to the training arena, a simple room with a wooden floor and walls. Both drew their weapons, Selot his customary two-handed sword, called Prein, meaning strength, and the master a simple longsword and a kiteshield. The battle began.
Taking the advantage of his weapon, Selot thrust forward, which was easily dodged by the master. Taking an opportunity, the master brought down the sword on Selot's head, but changed it to a slash on his chest. Selot was able to hastily block it, but he then swung the flat side of the blade around and pushed back the master a few feet. This didn't deter the master, however, and he leaped towards Selot, meeting his sword with the shield. Expertly maneuvering his sword, Selot quickly parried a follow-up attack to his head but was surprised when the master struck him in the solar plexus with the shield. Doubling over instinctively, the master put his sword on Selot's neck saying, "Dead."
Turning away, he said, "A warrior must be able to expect all attacks. Shields are formidable weapons as well."
Selot rose and bowed. As he did so, a question arose. "Master, we practice melee weapons, but what about magic? Isn't it possible to create large flames to engulf your enemy?"
At this, the master turned around, and ,to Selot's surprise, took off his shirt. "Look at my skin," he said. Selot complied and didn't see anything unusual, until he realized that the left half of his body was lighter than the right half, a sign of newer skin.
"This is why. You see my lighter skin? Many years ago, I fought a battle mage. I had almost beaten him and raised my sword to kill him. As I did, the bastard rose his hand and used a firespell. I almost died, half my body was burnt, and noone thought I would survive. I did, but it was not only a physical scar it left on me, but a mental one too. I have sworn never to use or teach magic ever again."
"I apologize for... bringing up old hatreds, master"
"It is all right my student. Most who I teach ask the same question. It is all right."

At night...
Selot was asleep, when his master abruptly awoke him.
"What is it master? Trouble?"
"Yes. You of course know of Shive the Eight-Legged." At this, both men uttered an oath and spat on the ground.
"Of course. So?"
"There has been a call for you. They want you to slay her."
"By myself? I cannot do that!"
"Of course not! The Afurian army shall help."
"Oh, good. But what about my training? What do you think?"
"I cannot decide. When you return, return with a trophy of Shiva. Bring back something from her, and that is all I need. Training shall resume as soon as you return. That is... if you accept."
" Of course I will. I will kill that monstrosity if its the last thing I do. I will start preparing right now."

OOC: I accept the mission.

To Ichthys, Grimfist, Gnash, and Skizzmo (flyingchicken)

Dhuri, Amaliad (L-10)

Ichthys the Necromancer. Grimfist the Priest. Gnash the Warrior. Skizzmo the Rogue. This band of chaotic evil-doers is feared by even small kingdom guards. They are not quite powerful to take on a small military, but handling any thieves, bandits, and several creatures would not be a problem. This group had found it in the mysterious kingdom of Amaliad. Amaliad is indeed mysterious, for contact with the kingdom is somewhat scarce. Glotrith the nearby Goblin kingdom has had some successful contact and even once held a trade route with the humble Dark Elf kingdom, a trade route which has since been destroyed by rogue bandits. Amidst an onslaught of undead, the sight of Ichthys causes hostilities, so lately he has been wearing a large black cloak to cover up his torn flesh and bones. It is obvious he is not part of a scourge, but an independent entity, an intelligent undead being who has begun to hone his skills in necromancy.

Amaliad is said to be an extremely old kingdom, one of the oldest in Sekai. Its origins are relatively unknown, but the kingdom seats a High Council in the capital city of Dhuri, a place in the somewhat mountainous woods of Aliad, a spread out city with various nestling tree houses and forts. The High Council sits on a throne in the hollow of a massive oak tree, serving as a sturdy and enchanted tower. One thing known about Amaliad is that they are one of Sekai's major poison manufacturers. Some of the most poisonous plants in Sekai are found in Amaliad's woods.

The party had ended up in Amaliad after a trek into Glotrith seemed more of an annoyance with the war going on there. The group was looking to practice its skills, or do something, explore and maybe attempt to find sacred items, which was a hobby of Ichthys and his companions.

As the group walked through the capital city of Dhuri, they noticed they were being followed. "This place is strange. Dark Elves are odd creatures. Have you noticed we have been followed this entire time, ever since we passed the border?" Grimfist remarked. A voice came out from the trees, and the party stood its ground.

"I am sorry to annoy you." A figure jumped down from the trees. Astonishing. This figure was almost seven feet tall, extremely long ears and a pale face, horns coming out from the head. Was that head-gear or actual horns growing from the head? The Dark Elf wore a black cloak but the hood was down, revealing dark black and shiny, long hair. The Dark Elf carried a long, simple wooden staff and also had a dagger in a sash around the waist. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Mioladia. I can sense you are looking for something to do, and it just so happens we have been waiting for a band of travelers just like yourselves to help us out with a little task." This Dark Elf was female! Amazing.

"A woman," Gnash spoke. The Dark Elf gazed forward. She was angry. A short comment like that. It seems like Mioladia has a temper. Her eyes flashed and the ground shook a bit as a swirl of energy surrounded the meeting place. She calmed down, blinked, and everything was back to normal. This was a signal to Gnash that he should shut up.

"Anyway. I am an assistant to one of the High Council members. We have a slight problem within this very forest south of the kingdom's borders. We have long sent both merchants and our herbalists to that area to retrieve the poisonous plants we use to make various types of concoctions. Unfortunately, our latest expedition has not returned, which is odd considering that they left two weeks ago and the area is in close proximity to Dhuri. I want you to investigate this. Investigate only. I must warn you, that even I sense something disturbing there. I would go myself, but I am for action, and not looking. All I need you to do is look. I need you to see what is down there. I will give you some time, so feel free to explore surrounding areas as well. I have heard of some interesting treasures to the south outside of the forest. You might want to check those out, too. The High Council will also give you a reward if you complete this task for Amaliad. Scout that region, and if you encounter any trouble, return immediately. That is all."

Quest Goals

• Go to hex P-9 and investigate.
• You also have extra time to check out P-12 and O-12 if you desire. Do not get too ambitious and try to get in O-14 in that run as well, or Amaliad will become impatient at the amount of time it is taking you just to scout.

To Glotrith from Amaliad (Ninja Dude)

Greetings,

Hello Glotrith. We here in the High Council of Amaliad send our condolences to the recent attacks of uncivilized beings on your lands. Fear not. We have decided to dispatch twenty of our cavalry to your front lines to help in the effort against this abomination. The Amaliad cavalry rides on the back of giant stags. They are quick and fierce. They will serve you well, even in the mountains.

We wanted to bring up another... issue. It seems one of our expeditions into our southern forests has gone missing. If you know any information, please do inform us. This is most strange for one of our expeditions to go missing. We always send them to the southern part of the forest very well-defended. Oh, and, Xogiz... if you have anything to do with the disappearance of any Dark Elves, you will be sorry.

Best,

The High Council of Amaliad

Troops Gained! (to Glotrith, will arrive in two days)

• 20 Amaliad Cavalry (5/3/2)

Xal'Amul's War of Aggression Continues (Ninja Dude, Charles Li)

Goblin troops have held on strong, while the undead have been relentlessly hitting Du Farthen az Kurlan with troops, attempting to search out the caverns for the Dwarves that have gone into deep hiding. Their efforts have not been very successful, but if they keep up this relentless search, that Dwarven city-state could be in trouble (Charles Li, are you still playing?). Still, Goblin troops held their ground and have heard word of Dark Elves coming to help in the efforts against the undead. The skeleton warriors of Xalas are proving to be fierce foes, though, and Glotrith continues to face an ongoing struggle against its lands. It is rumored that Xalas is planning to unleash another wave of troops from the Desert of Xas.

War Effects

• 120 Xal'Amul infantry have been killed.
• 100 Glotrith infantry have been killed.
• -4% growth rate for Du Farthen az Kurlan (current growth rate: 1%).

OOC: Let it be known that Amaliad is a very powerful kingdom. Their High Council alone is a body of extremely powerful character-level beings that could probably decimate an entire army. They find the undead attack to be somewhat trivial and more of a nuisance than anything to actually worry about. Them giving you cavalry is both a gesture of good will and also sort of arrogance. They have good intentions, though. They are extremely reclusive, so its extremely rare for you to receive some sort of diplomatic message from them. You should feel proud. They treat each Dark Elf in their kingdom as a precious being, so the disappearance of an entire expedition, especially one that their economy might rely on, is a big deal to them.

In the Brown Marshes, part two

I woke up. The mist was heavily surrounding me, and was quite dense. I got up on my feet, trying to get an overview on the situation. To my right, there was a stub with toadstools growing upon it. Ahead of me, there was murky foot-deep water, and I could not help but notice that I could not see the other side of the pond. Ti stood behind me, tied to some branches, and could therefore not run away. Turning around, I walked towards her, noticing that she acted nervously. Something was wrong. I slowly touched her, trying to calm her down. She wouldn't be calm though, and I looked into the mist. I considered for a moment to light a fire by my hand to see better - but I chose not to. I could sense something big out there, and I didn't want to meet it. I worked my

I chose to try to get out of these swamps. I would not make it today because of the mist, I would move too slowly. Alas, I would work my way some miles, at least, and perhaps I would make my way out by the day after tomorrow. That is - if the mist was still present. I had not seen the deepest secrets of these ancient ponds yet.

Game terms: I stay in the swamps, perhaps for some turns, because I found it more interesting I am attempting to dig into the secrets in here.

---

I assume my newly gained item, the Dinuan Charm, adds Strength as a seperate stat? Or should it be renamed to attack and stack boost that stat? And does +Dmg abilities boost Attack or a make a seperate stat?

Ragnar/lord_joakim
Class/Sex: Human Mage/Male
Attack: 5 (DMG +1, STR +1)
Defense: 1/4
Movement: 2
Hit Points: 2/4
Spells/Skills: Firebolt, Ice Armor, Lesser Heal (+1 DMG, +1 DEF, +1 HP)
Items: Dinuan Charm (+1 STR, +2 DEF, +1 HP, obsolete 30/6)
Current Location: O21

Assuming this is the third turn, can I use up my unused turns? Pwiddy please? I was waiting on you, y'know. If so, I'll spend my (minimum wage of 2 XP/turn--I mean, that's three whole years!) 6 XP and (10/turn, 30 per character, unshared) 120 spending points on:
I'm hard pressed for Internet time right now, so I'll just go on ahead and say we're still trekking to P-9 (until my next post).

It was a mostly uneventful trip, with the occasional stopover to read, sleep, and eat. Of course, there was the stealing from and killing of innocent commoners-passers-by, the selling of whatever the group got its hands on through Skizzmo's contacts, the secretive sadistic offerings to Yurtrus, and the recreational killing and magic-practice by the dark elven lich, but all-in-all it was worth absolutely nothing of note.

To: The High Council of Amaliad
From: King Xogiz of Glotrith

Thank you for these troops. I'm sure they will help a lot in the ongoing struggle with the undead. And I'm not responsible for the missing Dark Elves. However, if you want our help locating them, just ask.

In the Brown Marshes, Part Two (lord_joakim)

It was dawn. It seemed that Ti was sleeping and Ragnar was slumped against a tree, in and out of sleep. He could not get the amazing power he felt emanating from Kan. The moon was beginning to show itself through the swamp trees, and lord_joakim was lucky to be on a piece of dry land when it began raining somewhat heavily. He cast a fireball into a pile of kindling he had formed underneath the branches of a tree, starting a fire to keep warm. Ti neighed a bit, happy to be in the warmth during this storm. Two hours later, it was completely dark and only the moonlight was remaining in the sky, alongside the twinkle of a few scattered stars. Ragnar sensed something not far from the fire. He became worried, so he cast frost armor on the fire to put an end to it. He silenced himself, tied Ti to a tree, and crept away from the campsite. When he was a few yards from the campsite, he heard rustling in the trees. He listened closely. Chopping! Ragnar could faintly hear chopping in the distance. He was baffled by this. Is someone chopping wood at this time and right after a storm?

Suddenly, cried are heard! Orcs! Ragnar stood attentively with his fists clenched. That was definitely an Orcish cry, he thought. Above him, the branches of the tall oaks were rustling. Ragnar could tell that something was unfolding here. He looked up and saw several Elves running quickly, jumping from branch to branch. A small battle had begun near Ragnar's campsite. Was Kan here? No. Ragnar could not sense the power of Kan. Raganr did not have time to think. Suddenly, Orcs were upon him, and he could see in the trees Orcish warriors battling Elvish warriors.

There were ten Orcish warriors. They approached Ragnar taunting him a bit at first. "Well if a Human isn't wandering these areas. And at a time like this!" Battle cries could be heard. Ragnar was the first to strike. He pushed his hands forward, and fire came from his palm. "You bastard!" the Orcs screamed, three of them falling to the ground. The other seven attacked. Ragnar's ice armor was working well, deflecting their attacks, but a few of them started to get in and Ragnar found himself bleeding. He was able to kill a few more, but there were simply too many, and the ones that had not died yet were obviously stronger than the ones he had killed. As Ragnar lied there, about to muster up the last fireball he could, arrows slammed into the Orcs from the back, penetrating their heads and chests, and they yelled, falling to the ground, soaking the puddles with red stains, and creating a putrid smell in the air. At that moment, Ragnar passed out.

A fight has been finished!

• Ragnar has lost 2 hit points (HP will be back to normal on June 25).
• Ragnar has gained 4 experience points to divvy into his stats.

OOC: lord_joakim, you can continue the story. What you should probably do is post about the battle from your perspective, and then post about where you are when you wake up. I was thinking when you wake up you will be in a small Elven village in the swamps in Q-21. The Elven village will be called Kana. You will be completely healed by them, at which point you can leave and continue on your journey. Once you post about your leaving them and such, I will post more details about Kana. You will have a couple Elves looking over you when you wake up, so maybe greet them, but they understand you must get moving (and they are busy, too), so don't worry about offending them. And, of course, you can add anything else you want to this. It is, after all, your quest.

I will post an update on this post tomorrow, writing a story.

Current stats:

Ragnar/lord_joakim
Class/Sex: Human Mage/Male
Attack: 5 (7)
Defense: 1 (4)
Movement: 2
Hit Points: 2 (4) wounded by 2
Spells/Skills: Firebolt, Ice Armor, Lesser Heal (+1 DMG, +1 DEF, +1 HP)
Items: Dinuan Charm (+1 STR, +2 DEF, +1 HP, obsolete 30/6)
Experience: 4
Current Location: Q21

Just a weird story I came up with:


Since the war started, Xogiz started to get bored. Managing armies and writing diplomacy letters was tiresome and boring for him. So, he decided to have some fun. One of the undead had strayed too far from the rest of Talod’s army and got attacked by some goblins. Being a curious group of goblins, they captured the undead creature instead of hacking it to pieces.

Xogiz jumped on this opportunity right away. He had the creature locked in a cage and had it hung above his mountain palace. It hanged there like so demented bird cage, its rusty bars constantly battered by the spirit’s attempted to leave the cage.

Xogiz occasionally locked the undead in the cage with a criminal or a vicious animal. He’d watch as the two battled, punching and kicking, biting and clawing. It was like his own personal coliseum. Until one day, one of Xalas’s vulture messengers flew by, knocking down the cage. It plummeted to the ground, hitting the ground with a great crash. The undead was clearly smashed, killed from the impact.

Xogiz looked at the cage like a boy whose dog just died. Some say he even had a tear coming down his cheek.

“Xalas! Once again you have ruined my peace of mind! I’ll make sure that you will never live in peace! I’ll chase you to the corners of the earth!” Xogiz shouted at the top of his lungs.

Later, Xogiz had the remains of the undead made into various tools. Its head was made into a cup. Some of its bones were made into eating utensils. Although these trinkets calmed down Xogiz, he still hated Xalas for robbing him of his pet.

OOC: Nice.

OOC: Very nice indeed.


Orcish raids against Dorovel (Lord_Iggy)

South of Dorovel (T-6) is an Orcish encampment on the verge of becoming a city-state. It is highly organize and often trades with Glors, the Goblin city-state located in the small mountain range to the south. These Orcs are proud of their progress in forming a "civilized" community and have thus decided to show their force by sending various raiding parties to Dorovel. Today, many of these raiding parties arrived to Dorovel and caused a massive amount of damage to the city-state which is home to several proud Dwarves. Orcish troops, scattered and not organized, have burned down entryways to caverns, raided travelers around the mountains, and have even fired volleys of arrows at caravans. The violence has been disturbing and severe, especially for such noble Dwarves as the ones that inhabit Dorovel.

The citizens of Dorovel now have all eyes on Thorgrimm III. It is said that the Orcish encampment goes by the name of Draak. It is ruled by a vicious warlord who seems to love destruction and mayhem. Scouts have reported even more Orcs headed north to Dorovel to participate in this mayhem. This comes even amidst a war north of Dorovel between Glotrith and the undead scourge of Xal'Amul. This war might be beneficial for Dorovel right now, as it prevents Glotrith from aiding these Orcs in the attacks on the Dwarven city-state. However, if the undead forces break through Glotrith's defenses, Dorovel could be in the middle of a brutal war between undead troops and fierce southern Orcs. Their city-state would be in grave danger.

Dorovel is home to around two-hundred skilled Dwarven warriors who are adept in defending their kingdom and standing their ground. They will be the first line of defense for Dorovel. Glotrith might want to even considering helping Dorovel, if the Dwarves will accept such help from Goblins. In return, after the Orcs from the south are dispatched, Dorovelian infantry could march side-by-side with Goblins against the greater evil of the undead and Xalas. Dorovel must also think about a future attack on the Orcish encampment.

Effects

• Dorovel will have -2% growth rate next turn (3% growth rate total).

North of Afuria (mythmonster 2) (I-19)

Selot had left Afuria yesterday and he had been wandering this long, hacking away at spiders. One of the bastards had managed to scrape a fang into the side of Selot's right leg, but luckily did not have time to release any venom thanks to Selot's speedy swordplay. Oddly enough, the spiders were becoming scarcer the more north he traveled. The areas north of Afuria are relatively desolate until one gets into the mountains. Selot had come to the edge of the Ainos Mountains, a relatively small sub-chain to the larger mountains to the north. He decided to camp here, as it provided excellent shade and cover. It rained for a bit earlier that day, but by the early evening it had cleared up and the sun was shining a beautiful glow towards Selot's eyes and the dense mountainside trees provided patterns of light hitting the ground. Selot was exhausted from a day's travels and pulled out a small snack he had brought with him, some dried bread and an apple. He began to eat when the mountain next to him began to shook. Confused, Selot rose to his feet, sword drawn, and peered at the mountain a bit. Something was moving from the mountain side and Selot just kept staring. Slowly, a form, much like a large human body, appeared in the movements and came forward from the mountainside, causing a small avalanche of rocks to fall in its place. The creature was massive, thick, and made of stone. Selot was no match for this beast. Luckily, the creature had no intention of attacking. It looked around a bit and then began to walk towards a small canyon in the mountains.

When Selot looked to where the creature was walking, he saw a figure wearing strange clothes with his face painted. He was being followed by wolves and this creature that had just originated from the mountains. Selot was amazed. This was the first time he had seen a Druid of this caliber. Usually Afurian Druids can call upon a wolf or a giant serpent at most, but this one was so powerful that he called upon a spirit to enter these sturdy rocks and fight as a human-like form along his side. Incredible. Selot was often shy, but he took this opportunity to talk to this fascinating man. Selot was curious about magic, despite his master's nay-saying.

"Excuse me. You. Excuse me." The figure turned around, his eyes glowing a bright green. He was very strange-looking with tall frizzled hair and a dirty body, as if he had not showered. This was a true Druid, a sorcerer dedicated to the preservation of life and Sekai. The figure said nothing and just stared at Selot.

"I mean you no harm," Selot remarked. The figure just stood, staring at him. "Its just that, I have never really seen a real Druid before." The figure still stood, staring at him. Not a single alteration in his facial expression. This Druid was cold as ice. "That was amazing, what you just did. I am traveling north to a cave there. I am going to try to rid Afuria of this pest problem they've been having. Its strange, though. The closer I get to that cave, the less spiders there are." Still staring, no response. A faint smile broke through, and the man spoke.

"That thing is unnatural, you know. Otherwise, I would not approve of you or Afuria's meddling in its affairs."

"Unnatural?"

"Giant spiders are usually amazing creatures, beautiful to witness, they spin webs that are massive and quite stunning to look at, especially after a light rain. Those spiders would never leave their nest, nor would their offspring. It would be strange for them to even attack another living being besides large birds and sometimes deer. The spider you seek, however, is another matter."

"Do you know of the queen spider? Shiv?"

"Ah. You know much already. Unfortunately, I have some Goblins to attend to. They raided my master's tent the other day when he was out. I have decided to do the same, but while they are in. Good bye."

"Wait! Please wait!" Selot yelled. But the Druid kept walking, not desiring any further conversation.

At this time, several horses rode past Selot. The cavalry yelled to him, "Good luck, adventurer! We hope to meet you at that cave!" These must be the troops that are going in from a different direction. They will inevitably die. Afuria is sending them to their doom. Selot felt bad for a moment, but then thought that maybe it was for the greater good that they are sacrificed, so that this monster may no longer terrorize Afuria and the surrounding lands.

Effects

• Selot gains +2 experience points for fighting spiders.
• Selot loses -1 hit points during his fight against spiders (will be healed by June 26).

Options

• 1. Warn the Afurian decoy troops of their impending doom and gain three cavalry right now, also giving you a movement of 2 (you would ride a horse and someone would ride on the same horse behind you). These effects will last until Shiv is dead and you return to Afuria for your reward.
• 2. Let the decoys go and follow Afuria's instructions. This might get you a larger reward from Afuria.

All right, so is the next turn started?

mythmonster2 said:

All right, so is the next turn started?

Click to expand...

Not yet. See this post.

Ahh, I see.

Second Week Orders:

Malthen Kingdom
Type: Kingdom
New Economy: 6275 economy (rounded down to avoid having to work with fractions)
Last Week's Economy: 6246 economy
Current Military (and their location):
- 200 infantry, 100 archers, 30 mages at N-21
- 200 infantry, 100 archers, 10 mages at M-20
Maintenance: 1040 gold
Spells Known: None yet
Tech Known: Magick
Territories: N-20, N-21, O-20, O-21, M-21, M-20
Spread Realm/Settle Hex: L-22
Roads: None yet
Purchases (for this turn):
- 3138 gold into expansion (rounded up)
- 1040 gold to pay for maintenance
- 400 gold to research Trading (technology)
- 400 gold to research Fireball (spell)
- 100 gold to build a road in N-21
- 100 gold to build a road in O-21
- 100 gold to build a road in M-20
- 200 gold to hire 100 infantry
Reinvestment: 807 gold
Special Notes:

You may now post Turn 3 orders.

• Turn Effects
  > Kingdoms receive +30 to their permanent economy due the efforts of countryside farmers producing more goods for their kingdom during a time of great distress. This is thanks to bouts of good governing.
  > Kingdoms may not expand their realm for the next 3 turns because of a greater demand for centralization.

• New Areas of Interest
  - B-21 (encampment)
  - K-21 (encampment)
  - M-13 (encampment)
  - O-33 (encampment)

• Recent Happenings
  > Xal'Amul War of Aggression, Part I
  > Kodo the Red, Part I
  > Presence of "Scimitar"
  > Shiv the Eight-Legged, Part I
  > Introducing Venetia
  > Ragnar in the Brown Marshes, Part I
  > Amaliad's Missing Expedition, Part I
  > Introducing Amaliad
  > Xal'Amul War of Aggression, Part II
  > Ragnar in the Brown Marshes, Part II
  > Orcish raids against Dorovel
  > Shiv the Eight-Legged, Part II

Lord_Iggy said:

Preliminary Turn Orders

Dorovel/Lord_Iggy
Capital: Dorovel
Economy: 500
Reinvestment: 300
Growth Rate: 5%
Hexes: D7
Improvements: None Yet
Troops: None Yet
Technology: Construction
Spells/Skills: None Yet
Build: None
Train: None
Research: Construction (200 Gold)
Advantage: All Infantry +1 Defense

Turn 1 Orders

Dorovel/Lord_Iggy
Capital: Dorovel
Economy: 515
Reinvestment: 215
Growth Rate: 5%
Hexes: D7
Improvements: Walls (D7)
Troops: None Yet
Technology: Construction
Spells/Skills: None Yet
Build: Walls (300 Gold) Note: These are, of course, built at Dorovel, D7
Train: None
Research: None
Advantage: All Infantry +1 Defense

Turn 2 Orders

Dorovel/Lord_Iggy
Capital: Dorovel
Economy: 526
Reinvestment: 100
Growth Rate: 5%
Hexes: D7
Improvements: Walls (D7)
Troops: 213 Infantry
Technology: Construction
Spells/Skills: None Yet
Build: None
Train: 213 Infantry (416 Gold)
Research: None
Advantage: All Infantry +1 Defense

Click to expand...

kkmo said:

Update (Turn 4)
Second week of Talenin, 23 III​

You may now post Turn 4 orders.

• Turn Effects
  > Kingdoms receive +30 to their permanent economy due the efforts of countryside farmers producing more goods for their kingdom during a time of great distress. This is thanks to bouts of good governing.
  > Kingdoms may not expand their realm for the next 3 turns because of a greater demand for centralization.

• New Areas of Interest
  - B-21 (encampment)
  - K-21 (encampment)
  - M-13 (encampment)
  - O-33 (encampment)

• Recent Happenings
  > War of Undead Aggression, Part I
  > Presence of "Scimitar"
  > Shiv the Eight-Legged, Part I
  > Introducing Venetia
  > Ragnar in the Brown Marshes, Part I
  > Amaliad's Missing Expedition
  > Introducing Amaliad
  > Undead War of Aggression, Part II
  > Ragnar in the Brown Marshes, Part II
  > Orcish raids against Dorovel
  > Shiv the Eight-Legged, Part II

Click to expand...

I haven't missed a turn, have I? Was the preliminary turn actually Turn #1?

I'll update my stats in a moment.