Varica: Children of the Sky

To: Hroak, Voice of the Emperor and the Kings of Varcia
From: Jaleth, High Councillor of the Nakar


We do not seek war with you. Indeed had Lord Damarkes conceded that the Darians were an independent people who would not tolerate Hrothnani rule and appropriately withdrawn then there would have been no war at all. We marched belatedly to honour old debts and a kinship forged in war. We marched to liberate our brothers and now that is done we will march no more. If you raise your hand to strike us, by the Sun, we will hack it off or die trying but if you leave us be we will leave you be. We also promise safe passage for all the Hrothnani, including those currently bound as slaves to our tribe, into Dolu territory as well as safe passage for the Dolu warriors. Surely it would be best for your kingdoms to not commit to two wars so far apart against determined foes away from your dark rainforests? If you demand it we are willing to pay a sum in reparation for the loss of the Darian March.

To: The Darian Confederacy
From: Kalan


Khan Cheka, I know you must be eager for revenge but I must beg you to hold back your vengeance for now. The Council are suing the Empire for peace, to ensure the continued survival of both our kingdoms, and have promised the Hrothnani safe-passage as well as the Dolu warriors. If peace is not declared then Hrothnani will be fair game for enslavement and pillaging and the Dolu will be a worthy warm-up for your warriors, but only if peace is not declared.
 
To: Hroak, Voice of the Emperor and the Kings of Varcia
From: Jaleth, High Councillor of the Nakar


We do not seek war with you. Indeed had Lord Damarkes conceded that the Darians were an independent people who would not tolerate Hrothnani rule and appropriately withdrawn then there would have been no war at all. We marched belatedly to honour old debts and a kinship forged in war. We marched to liberate our brothers and now that is done we will march no more. If you raise your hand to strike us, by the Sun, we will hack it off or die trying but if you leave us be we will leave you be. We also promise safe passage for all the Hrothnani, including those currently bound as slaves to our tribe, into Dolu territory as well as safe passage for the Dolu warriors. Surely it would be best for your kingdoms to not commit to two wars so far apart against determined foes away from your dark rainforests? If you demand it we are willing to pay a sum in reparation for the loss of the Darian March.

To: The
From: The Voice of the Emperor, Regent Hroak


We will accept your offer of reparations. The price we ask is the head of Kalan and Cheka and the eyes and hands of every warrior who walks beside them. Pay us this debt of blood and you will have peace!

Have you learned nothing from our two sackings of your precious capital? Have you not learned that we can beat you, even in the midst of a civil war? Even besieged on all sides? Weak men of Soltalos, you may have beaten the March Lord once, but he is not defeated, not is any Hrothnani while he still draws breathe. We will sack your capital a third time if you do not bow to our demand above.

If you do not, then I will enjoy having each of your wives and daughters brought to my bed before I force them into the brothels of Varica. Thank your heathen god that you will not be alive to see that day.


To: The Darian Confederacy
From: Kalan


Khan Cheka, I know you must be eager for revenge but I must beg you to hold back your vengeance for now. The Council are suing the Empire for peace, to ensure the continued survival of both our kingdoms, and have promised the Hrothnani safe-passage as well as the Dolu warriors. If peace is not declared then Hrothnani will be fair game for enslavement and pillaging and the Dolu will be a worthy warm-up for your warriors, but only if peace is not declared.

To: Our esteemed liberator Kalan
From: Khan Cheka, lord of all the Darians


We trust your judgement. I will stay my hand until peace is declared.
 
I've had several requests for extensions and I've heard that some players are waiting on others for responses before they can write their orders. Deadline is being pushed back until the 17th. Please communicate guys, remember, this is a collaborative game as much as it is a competitive one. I look forward to working with you to write the next chapter ^_^
 
How many light weapons do we have now? Did we lose all but one in the retreat, including all the ones we've captured earlier?
 
Good question. I just checked and I never specified in my notes.. Strat's Dalrir still has his long-range beam weapon (Manische call them God-Lances) and you have retained the short-range one that fires small explosions (Manische call then Star-Throwers). You have Hymbae's Firepike. Hroak captured a second God-Lance at Eicain as well, for a total of four light weapons. A second Star-Thrower was captured, but lost in the retreat.
 
OOC: I'll send orders tomorrow night :)
 
Fulton I'll be sending orders sometime today.
 
Late potentially confusing orders sent Fulton. :p
 
King Haecadem II walked across Eicain.

He talked to the newly appointed elders of the castle and told them: "Do not fear, for you have surrendered and so are now under my protection. As I am a king of Varica, my word is sacrosanct, and I will keep true to all that I have promised you; remain faithful to your oaths of surrender, and I will make sure that no harm comes to you and yours while we war. As for what comes beyond that, know that your acquiescence has been wise; the decisive battle draws near and if we should win, then you shall become privileged subjects of the True Emperor, whereas if we should lose then by the laws of your country you should not be held guilty for allowing us to rule over you having conquered you in battle, and shall be duly rewarded by your own rulers for acting lawfully both in war and in peace."

He then went to the great fortified walls and talked to the engineers, and said: "It is good that you have done your work as diligently as you have, but now there are further tasks for you to attend to, and here ordinary diligence will not suffice, for what you shall have to do will require cunning, which is a quality of warriors. Therefore listen to Boheort, for he is an experienced and cunning warrior, and prepare to hold this fortress against the attackers under his direction." And when they raised objections to what he instructed them to do, the king rebuked them mildly and said: "There is no need for you to worry about the elders and anything I promised them. They will either fear you too much to protest when you tell them the truth that you are acting on my orders to make good on my promise, or they will betray you prematurely, and so will deserve everything that will happen to them as Haeka's justice, if it comes to that."

He talked to the surviving Thune and told them to depart; their part in his plan was to start already, and if there were fewer of them now than he might have liked, then that just meant they would have to strive harder and in the end win greater glory and renown, as well as greater bounty for their communities.

After that he spoke to a man in an overhanging hood and cloak, and dismissed his concerns. "Why should I fear my subjects and followers?" He briefly allowed himself to muse then, "It might well be that they all plot against me; but what does it matter? If I win here, their plots will come to nothing in good time, as no one will support a conspiracy against a victor in a holy war; and if I lose, then I will die anyway, and will no longer need concern myself with their tedious plans."

He then gathered the warriors and other worthies, and spoke to the Hrafn priests and others: "By the Emperor's command I have accepted the duty of examining the case of Callista of the Xanfa; with Haeka's guidance, and having examined all evidence and testaments, I have come to the conclusion that she is not guilty of witchcraft. No damning testaments were brought forth but those given by her known enemies and servants who are easily bought. No convincing evidence was provided by anyone but them, and no connection between it and this accused one could be found. None of the known signs of witchcraft could be found on or about her. I prayed to Haeka for guidance, and he shed his light amply. Whatever else might be true or false, Callista is not guilty of witchcraft."

And in private, he was said to have added to one of his trusted men: "Do not let them think I was motivated by kingly and not priestly concerns in this, for it was not so; instead, point it out to them that my interest was solely to keep the enemies of the Empire from using false accusations and treacherous and blasphemous means to sow discord among us; and turn their attention also to the authenticity of the proof provided - might it not be that there really is a witch involved, but that this witch means to put the blame for her actions on Callista? Have them consider this."

Then he once more addressed the entire crowd, and pronounced that this was verily a holy war. "All omens point to this as a time when Haeka will test his subject's subjects; and I say on the behalf of those of them over whom rule was delegated to me that we shall not step away, and doubtless the same could be said by all the others who came here to this great war. While fools might repine at the hardships, I will thank Haeka. It is well that the Empire should be assailed from all sides; for it shall mean that we will not need to look long to find enemies. It is well that it should be a harsh year; for it will drive the warriors to leave the pursuits of peace, and to dedicate themselves entirely to the war. Yes, it is well that we should be so tested, for this shall allow us to show our full prowess under the eye of Haeka, so that he may be pleased with us and reward us with victory."

"For years now we have struggled against the armies of the False Emperor's servants, and have prevailed again and yet again against his blasphemous designs. Now he at last has shown himself and brought forth his greatest might. He showed himself as a worthy opponent, yet he is foolhardy, as he calls himself an Emperor and a God, though there is truthfully no God but Haeka and no Emperor but Hroth. Within this year, we shall face him in a decisive battle, and as Haeka's justice is with us, I swear on his name that we will prevail, and if not, then may I be struck down where I stand. Then, when his armies are scattered and his outrageous claims are overthrown, we will reap the long-awaited fruits of victory, and all who fought in this holy war will be remembered as warriors of the Emperor and servants of the Sun. And all that is of the Manische shall come into the one true Emperor's possession as it was always meant to be."

Having done and said all that, Haecadem departed for his tent right outside Eicain, accompanied by his most trusted advisers and commanders, among them Bedeon the Blind, Emeric the Gray, young Kaleden the Thane, old Boheort, and also trusted retainers, including Truri, Bewiolf and Riphric, the latter a new addition, who nevertheless already proved himself most worthy in several skirmishes against the Hyren.
 
To: Kalan, Liberator of the Darians
From: The Ogloids and Fominids


Oh great friend of freedom and justice! We, the oppressed tribes of the Gamars plead to you to free us from the shackles of Gamar dominance. We have longed to be reunited with our brothers south of the river Forius. Please, come to our aid!

To: The Ogloids and Forminids
From: Kalan

I long to aid you but I cannot. My government will do all it can to negotiate your eventual return to Darian control but at the moment my people need allies. We are powerful but we cannot stand against the full might of Varcia and its pawns without aid. I hope you understand that, while this is a betrayal, there is nothing we can do. If the Gamars do not aid us, we will be destroyed.

To: The Nakar, the Varicans, the Hyren
From: The Gamars


In this troubled time, we wish for all free men to know that we stand with you. This is a time of great pain and want for us all. We are willing to make common cause with any king who recognizes this fact and is willing to share what they have with we Gamars, who suffer greatest of all in this calamity.

To: The Gamars
From: Jalthen, Headman of the Council of the Nakar


We pledge food and other goods to the Gamar to aid them in their time of need. Our stockpiles are deep and are bountiful, even the present hardship will not hit us badly. We will give you what you desire in turns of goods and currency in return for military assistance in our war against the Varcians. In the future may this alliance of necessity turn into an alliance of mutual friendship and respect, but we will not call it so now.

OOC: Sorry to diplo at this late stage but I was reading through the update again and realised I needed to reply to these messages. I will send orders if possible on Monday or Tuesday, so not to delay the update further, but please do not penalise me if they are brief compared to my usual level of detail.
 
To: The Ogloids and Forminids
From: Kalan

I long to aid you but I cannot. My government will do all it can to negotiate your eventual return to Darian control but at the moment my people need allies. We are powerful but we cannot stand against the full might of Varcia and its pawns without aid. I hope you understand that, while this is a betrayal, there is nothing we can do. If the Gamars do not aid us, we will be destroyed.

May your death come swiftly when the Damned and Vengeful come for you in the night, as they came for our brothers in the south.

To: The Gamars
From: Jalthen, Headman of the Council of the Nakar


We pledge food and other goods to the Gamar to aid them in their time of need. Our stockpiles are deep and are bountiful, even the present hardship will not hit us badly. We will give you what you desire in turns of goods and currency in return for military assistance in our war against the Varcians. In the future may this alliance of necessity turn into an alliance of mutual friendship and respect, but we will not call it so now.

OOC: Sorry to diplo at this late stage but I was reading through the update again and realised I needed to reply to these messages. I will send orders if possible on Monday or Tuesday, so not to delay the update further, but please do not penalise me if they are brief compared to my usual level of detail.

We thank you for the offer, but we are afraid that we no longer require an employer. A kind benefactor has ensured that our granaries will be full this year, without the loss of Gamar blood.
 
I am just waiting on Vert's orders. I will begin updating Thursday morning with or without them.
 
No orders from Vert, but I wasn't able to retrieve other people's orders due to the site's outages. I have access now and I saving them to a word document. Vert, if you get them in by tomorrow noon, they'll arrive before I begin updating. Otherwise, too late.
 
I've read through about a third of the thread so far and I think I'd like to join, if that's all right. The Darian Marches are open, according to the first page, and I'll take them if they are in fact free.
 
I've read through about a third of the thread so far and I think I'd like to join, if that's all right. The Darian Marches are open, according to the first page, and I'll take them if they are in fact free.

You're certainly welcome to join! ^_^

We are in the middle of an update cycle right now. I am currently processing orders for update 6. The Darian March is currently split into two factions: the ethnic Varican Hrothnani loyalists under Lord Damarkes, and the ethnic Darian rebels under Khan Cheka supported by the Nakar. I don't know yet who will win the war. You are welcome to join as either faction, but I recommend waiting until after update 6 is posted to choose which faction to play as.
 
You're certainly welcome to join! ^_^

We are in the middle of an update cycle right now. I am currently processing orders for update 6. The Darian March is currently split into two factions: the ethnic Varican Hrothnani loyalists under Lord Damarkes, and the ethnic Darian rebels under Khan Cheka supported by the Nakar. I don't know yet who will win the war. You are welcome to join as either faction, but I recommend waiting until after update 6 is posted to choose which faction to play as.

Sounds good. Also, I know this NES has a bit of history behind it. How developed is the Darian race? Are they pretty established or do I have some freedom with culture (and maybe secret religious practices, assuming Haekism was brought by the conquering thanes)?
 
Sounds good. Also, I know this NES has a bit of history behind it. How developed is the Darian race? Are they pretty established or do I have some freedom with culture (and maybe secret religious practices, assuming Haekism was brought by the conquering thanes)?

You have almost complete freedom.The guy who created them didn't do anything with them. I added a couple steppe-touches like the title Khan, but other than that, pretty much a blank state. Whether Haekism was brought be the conquering Varican thanes or not I leave in your hands. If you decide Haekism was native to the Darians as well, then it probably existed in a different form and possibly under a different name (like the Nakar worship of Soltalos).
 
I apologize for the time it's taking me to do this update. I have no excuse this time; I've just been very depressed lately and not had the will to do much of anything beyond my courses. I'll try to get on this soon and finish the update. I'm partway done, but I still have the majority to go.
 
Top Bottom