I]Players will be receiving detailed stats by e-mail.
Next orders expected for Tuesday 2 February 2010.
Next update should be around February 7.[/I]
UPDATE TWENTY FOUR
The Demise of the Mantis
After the shocking duel in Ulm, Mictlan was in serious internal trouble, but other places of the world also knew at least as troubled times...
In
Arshnoc, raindrops turned into toads. Dead toads fester in the wells and diseases spread across the province, and people get restless, afraid of this ill omen.
In Seul, a prudent administrator has made reforms to rationalise the organisation of the province, resulting in better production and incidentally taxes.
The reconquest by
Ermor of Slavia pleased the undead who abide under the mound of ancient kings, and many of them came out to join the undead legions.
Ermorian troops moved into Kymriu and faced the local militia.
Kymriu fell easily to the undead legions, as they were overwhelmed by the enemies' numbers and lacked magical support.
Near
Abysia, there has been some magical disturbances in the province of C'tis. There are rumors that the old Saurolich Sslaah have resurrected once again. The Minister of War Fiera was sent to investigate such incidents.
In the
Vanheim province of Midgard, some dwarven smiths built a weird apparatus whose purpose nobody has been able to understand, as a "study project". But they said it was very important and would make the world better. Or something close. Anyway, what the apparatus actually did was blast. A big blast. The explosion killed most of the smiths. The surrounding population asked that their lab be rebuilt even farther from their home. The new head smith said it was a good idea:
That way, we can use even more potent materials, so it won't cause problems to the neighbours when it explodes again. Err... I mean, if it explode again. Should it explode again. Maybe. Perhaps. It's not like it's 100% sure, you know, just, maybe 50 or 60%, see? It's quite safe still.
In
Pythium province of Sauromatia, a preacher started converting citizens to the cult of Celes, bringing many followers to the divine serpent.
He identified a winged demonness as she tried to sneak through the province, seducing married men on her way. The priest held her and called for help, and guards managed to arrive before she could flee. Another demon arrived from the sly, trying to help his fellow, but she was killed by an arrow before the other monster could reach her. The other demon managed to flee without getting caught.
In the harbour of Pythium, swimmers have been looking for a strange item which lay on the bottom of the sea. Many came back crazy, until finally a sea troll was called and charged with the destruction of the item. Many people looked at him as he came back with pieces of stone and headed back to the palace in order to check with his rulers.
In Pangaea, serpent priests were sent to look for the fabled wyrm whose nest had been found years ago. They located the monster's lair, and tried to perform some magic upon it, but the beast apparently didn't like the idea and ate them all.
In
Lanka, twin rakshasas, one male and one female, were born to a rakshasi. Twins are extremely rare among rakshasas, and this was seen as an extraordinarily good omen. Both twins were given the same name, Hidimvi. Their mother asked Hanman to bless the children, and as the goddess did so, the children suddenly grew up, and became adults in no time. Monkeys and rakshasas are awed by this spectacular feat of magic and all Lankans rejoice greatly.
In Man, the goddess of
Mictlan, the Obsidian Mantis Herself, was found dead, lying in a pool of blood. Bodies of eagle warriors lay around her, and the wizard priests immediately investigated the matter. Spending mana and sacrificing virgins to weave magic spells, they were unfortunately unable to find the assassins.
Suspicion between priests began to grow. Some accused the old Marignon priests converted long ago, others saw the hand of Vanheim's dwarven smiths in the assassination. Yet other priests blamed some wizard priests born in Kitajima or Eriu for the murder.
Some priests said the Mantis' body had been possessed by an evil spirit, who had ordered the loss of Ermor lands, and that the Divine Mantis, in Her Bloody Realm, had struck down the usurper. These priests said that the Mantis shouldn't be summoned back on earth, but should remain in the Heavens, from where she could better protect Her people. Other priests disagreed, asking that rituals and prayers begin immediately in order to call Her back.
These suspicions and disagreements about what to do with Mantis led to a short period of big turmoil inside Mictlan clergy. Atlantean priests supported the
Mantis in Heaven party, while couatls supported the
Mantis on Earth party. Human priests sided with either party, but a majority believed that priests were better fit to rule Mictlan empire than a single goddess ready to lose half her empire in a gamble. Although theological arguments flourished in the debates, it all boiled down to a power struggle between the parties, and the debates turned into open fights, purges and sacrifices.
In the end, the
Mantis in Heaven party prevailed, and the Couatls were sacrificed to go commune with their Deity in the other world, along with their human supporters. Those unfortunate enough to look like potential assassins were also soon sacrificed, and thereby the last Marignon inquisitors had their heart torn out of their heart in the Man temple, just before a few dwarven smiths and some "heretic" wizard-priests.
The fall of Mantis, the LawGiver, eventually led to an increased power of the atlantean Rain Kings and the blood cult, but the whole nation is shaking as a result, and faith has plummetted in remote areas of the empire.
In particular, in the island of Cyprus, followers of Mantis are asking whether the priests are really worshipping their goddess or they are acting selfishly to keep power and enrich themselves instead of obeying the beneficient and good Mantis. Priests reacted by sacrrificing most of the offenders. Now noone dissents openly anymore.
In the Fomorian sea,
Mictlan navy was taken in a tempest. Huge waves struck the ships and sunk them, and no survivor came back to tell the tale of the disaster, so details are scarce, as the only testimony of the disaster is floated wood found on the shores of Kitajima.
Mictlan priests in Eriu explained to the nobility that the kingdom of Eriu haad no real meaning, and that they should still consider themselves a province of Mictlan. Given the power of the Mictlan priestts in the island, Eriu nobles agreed.
However, this reuniting of Eriu into Mictlan was to be tested soon: Coming by sea, Shinuyama troops invaded the island.
In Tir na n'Og, only a few trolls and a big demon tried to seize the province:
Mictlan priests managed to repel them.
However, in Eriu, a much stronger force landed, made of trolls, backed with troll kings, the two kings of Elemental Earth and the Queen of the Lakes, along with a dozen of Dai Oni.
Mictlan defenders were slaughtered. Only a handful managed to flee to Tir na n'Og, licking their wounds, but both Kings of Earth had been defeated in the battle.
New map:
