jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
Quick orders sent.
LINESII- Into the Darkness- Part II
- Thread starter Lord_Iggy
- Start date
LittleBoots
The Bloody Banner
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,979
To Citadel
From Tir Tairngire
While our people are having some difficulties getting used to the ideas your prophets espouse, we are vigourously supporting your cause from the Throne of Murias. Any aids, military or civilian, whether its engineering or civil service, would be appreciated.
In addition, in light of recent aggression and instability demonstrated by Adar, we humbly beg that you grant us the secret of iron weapon-working so that we may preserve as many of our people's lives as possible through superior technology, should it come to war. For the good of our people, we ask this from you. We hope you will give us this protection.
To Adar
From Tir Tairngire
We condemn your insolence against the men of the Citadel. You are crazed ingrates with no respect for life.
To Arcadia
From Tir Tairngire
To be at odds with the Citadel is to be at odds with peace. We believe it would be best for your people if you were to cooperate.
From Tir Tairngire
While our people are having some difficulties getting used to the ideas your prophets espouse, we are vigourously supporting your cause from the Throne of Murias. Any aids, military or civilian, whether its engineering or civil service, would be appreciated.
In addition, in light of recent aggression and instability demonstrated by Adar, we humbly beg that you grant us the secret of iron weapon-working so that we may preserve as many of our people's lives as possible through superior technology, should it come to war. For the good of our people, we ask this from you. We hope you will give us this protection.
To Adar
From Tir Tairngire
We condemn your insolence against the men of the Citadel. You are crazed ingrates with no respect for life.
To Arcadia
From Tir Tairngire
To be at odds with the Citadel is to be at odds with peace. We believe it would be best for your people if you were to cooperate.
jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
To: Tir Tairngiare
Thank you for your support. Should Adar attack you, you will definitely recieve iron.
@Iggy: add that to my orders (give Tir Tairngiare iron if they're attacked by Adar).
Thank you for your support. Should Adar attack you, you will definitely recieve iron.
@Iggy: add that to my orders (give Tir Tairngiare iron if they're attacked by Adar).
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
To Trinlin
From Guangfei
We were aware, our zealous diplomats alas. We will withdraw from the affected areas.
To Tellum
From Guangfei (
)
We accept your offer of a galley and will gladly encourage representatives of the Way of the One to go to Exilsium to denounce the overburdening of the Church of the One. Of course, we're quite sure the galley will have a severe and unexpected accident on the way.
From Guangfei
We were aware, our zealous diplomats alas. We will withdraw from the affected areas.
To Tellum
From Guangfei (
)We accept your offer of a galley and will gladly encourage representatives of the Way of the One to go to Exilsium to denounce the overburdening of the Church of the One. Of course, we're quite sure the galley will have a severe and unexpected accident on the way.
"Civil war..."
A mug of some obviously alcoholic beverage was placed in front of a Davarian man. The large, burly Nkondi woman looked at him with an odd eye when he said that. The man sat in a open area with a few scattered benches, near the Keran mountians which split Nkondi from Davar. He was on a trading run with his carvan, bringing Davarian grain to the Lengel army massing up north to defeat the rebels if they didn't return to the Empire.
"Strange ain't it? Never would have thought the inconquerable Lengels would be defeated by something such as this, eh?" a nearby elderly Lengel man said to the Davarian born man in the Lengel tongue.
The Davarian man stiffened at the man's suggestion that the Lengels would be defeated. He had served in the army, in the Khemri campaign, before becoming a merchant. He was old now, but still he remembered the Lengel born soldiers. They were superior fighters, certaintly, and far above in the food chain of the army based on their birth. But they did not force the Davarian soldiers to do menial tasks, but instead took on these tasks themselves as part of their duty.
It strengthened the morale of his entire Davarian force, when the Lengel horsemen would help injured Davarian soldiers. They became more than conquered and conquerers in the army. They became brothers. The now elderly merchant had contributed to the invincibilty of the Lengel himself, and the comment that they were not longer invincible was a shot to his pride.
"The Lengels under the strength of the Lengelzai can't be beaten," responded the Davarian merchant in Lengi, a touch of iron underneath his voice. The Lengel man looked at him for a moment, a knowing look in his eyes.
"Oh, you think so? Aren't you Davarian? What would you know of Lengel invincibility? Of Lengel fighting?"
The Davarian man glared, and then replyed, "I am a Lengel."
The elder Lengel smiled, and turned away, "So you are. I am Khaidu. Perhaps we will meet again."
With that, the elderly man walked out into the field. The Davarian man, surprised, attempted to follow. But when the Lengel man passed into the shadow of the mountains, he disappeared as suddenly as he appeared. And the Davarian man could not think except upon how he so easily declared himself Lengel, when pure Davarian blood ran through his veins.
A mug of some obviously alcoholic beverage was placed in front of a Davarian man. The large, burly Nkondi woman looked at him with an odd eye when he said that. The man sat in a open area with a few scattered benches, near the Keran mountians which split Nkondi from Davar. He was on a trading run with his carvan, bringing Davarian grain to the Lengel army massing up north to defeat the rebels if they didn't return to the Empire.
"Strange ain't it? Never would have thought the inconquerable Lengels would be defeated by something such as this, eh?" a nearby elderly Lengel man said to the Davarian born man in the Lengel tongue.
The Davarian man stiffened at the man's suggestion that the Lengels would be defeated. He had served in the army, in the Khemri campaign, before becoming a merchant. He was old now, but still he remembered the Lengel born soldiers. They were superior fighters, certaintly, and far above in the food chain of the army based on their birth. But they did not force the Davarian soldiers to do menial tasks, but instead took on these tasks themselves as part of their duty.
It strengthened the morale of his entire Davarian force, when the Lengel horsemen would help injured Davarian soldiers. They became more than conquered and conquerers in the army. They became brothers. The now elderly merchant had contributed to the invincibilty of the Lengel himself, and the comment that they were not longer invincible was a shot to his pride.
"The Lengels under the strength of the Lengelzai can't be beaten," responded the Davarian merchant in Lengi, a touch of iron underneath his voice. The Lengel man looked at him for a moment, a knowing look in his eyes.
"Oh, you think so? Aren't you Davarian? What would you know of Lengel invincibility? Of Lengel fighting?"
The Davarian man glared, and then replyed, "I am a Lengel."
The elder Lengel smiled, and turned away, "So you are. I am Khaidu. Perhaps we will meet again."
With that, the elderly man walked out into the field. The Davarian man, surprised, attempted to follow. But when the Lengel man passed into the shadow of the mountains, he disappeared as suddenly as he appeared. And the Davarian man could not think except upon how he so easily declared himself Lengel, when pure Davarian blood ran through his veins.
Thlayli
Le Pétit Prince
From: New Veritas
To: Emor
We would welcome such a delegation, if the Lengels agree. It would be a great success to bring your people back into the faith.
From: New Veritas
To: Norvalin
Of course, Norvalin is a devoted ally of New Veritas. We will provide the iron you seek soon.
From: New Veritas
To: Guangfei
Though we know that Guangfei has no qualms about razing cities and slaughtering thousands, Valins hold themselves to a higher standard. If you chose to send a boat of your 'Oneists' to Exilsium, our navy would personally see their safe passage.
To: Emor
We would welcome such a delegation, if the Lengels agree. It would be a great success to bring your people back into the faith.
From: New Veritas
To: Norvalin
Of course, Norvalin is a devoted ally of New Veritas. We will provide the iron you seek soon.
From: New Veritas
To: Guangfei
Though we know that Guangfei has no qualms about razing cities and slaughtering thousands, Valins hold themselves to a higher standard. If you chose to send a boat of your 'Oneists' to Exilsium, our navy would personally see their safe passage.
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
To New Veritas
From Guangfei
It is better for a quick death at the blade of a sword, then the slow death of hunger and starvation your ancestors imposed upon the inhabitants of Khemri.
From Guangfei
It is better for a quick death at the blade of a sword, then the slow death of hunger and starvation your ancestors imposed upon the inhabitants of Khemri.
Thlayli
Le Pétit Prince
From: New Veritas
To: Guangfei
We will grant you the death of your choosing.
To: Guangfei
We will grant you the death of your choosing.
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
Of all the sins of Veritas, their greatest sin is this. Their food tastes terrible, just terrible. Minister Richeliu
It was a warm stuffy room, hidden somewhere in Guanzhong far from prying eye. It was the main meeting place, of perhaps one of the most important departments. It was the department of Military Affairs, staffed by 5 soldiers, three of them old veterans the other two young soldiers where new ideas were to be brought forth. The room had seen individuals ranging from great Lords and Ladies, to lowly metal smiths and farmers. Yet, never in their history, had they ever seen a baker.
What a baker could do to help the war, was beyond their imaginations. A baker, here, smiling like he had something that could change the war in either a little or large way! Smiling, completely oblivious to the shock and grimaces as the men tried to hold back their laughter, the baker strode into the center of the room and began speaking in a loud voice, stopping from time to time to drink a cup of water.
As the great strategist Ban Chao once said, an army with no food is an army of walking corpses. It has always been a problem to supply the armies of the state, and even when there is sufficient food, the greatest problem was that the food which could be supplied was normally very bland. Yes, its a given that food in war is usually bland. Wait, wait, hear me out. Now, if you had a food which could increase the morale of the soldiers, such as something new and exciting
As he looked excited around at the soldiers, his heartfelt smile eventually faded into a week one as the soldiers looked with faces of disbelief and an expression that clearly showed they thought he was insane. With a shaken demeanor, he, in a perhaps too melodramatic gesture flung off the blanket covering the thing which in his excitement landed and covered one of the soldiers.
I give you SLICED BREAD!
In the years to come, the soldiers would all come to swear the room was so silent they could hear the dialogue outside of the room and the distinct noise of crickets. The soldiers simply didnt know how to react. Bread had always come to them before, well, whole. And now here was this guy who was proposing bread be sliced before hand. The results of the mans proposition are unknown, but one thing is for certain. The old saying soon became popular in Guangfei wherever sliced bread went.
The best thing since sliced bread
It was a warm stuffy room, hidden somewhere in Guanzhong far from prying eye. It was the main meeting place, of perhaps one of the most important departments. It was the department of Military Affairs, staffed by 5 soldiers, three of them old veterans the other two young soldiers where new ideas were to be brought forth. The room had seen individuals ranging from great Lords and Ladies, to lowly metal smiths and farmers. Yet, never in their history, had they ever seen a baker.
What a baker could do to help the war, was beyond their imaginations. A baker, here, smiling like he had something that could change the war in either a little or large way! Smiling, completely oblivious to the shock and grimaces as the men tried to hold back their laughter, the baker strode into the center of the room and began speaking in a loud voice, stopping from time to time to drink a cup of water.
As the great strategist Ban Chao once said, an army with no food is an army of walking corpses. It has always been a problem to supply the armies of the state, and even when there is sufficient food, the greatest problem was that the food which could be supplied was normally very bland. Yes, its a given that food in war is usually bland. Wait, wait, hear me out. Now, if you had a food which could increase the morale of the soldiers, such as something new and exciting
As he looked excited around at the soldiers, his heartfelt smile eventually faded into a week one as the soldiers looked with faces of disbelief and an expression that clearly showed they thought he was insane. With a shaken demeanor, he, in a perhaps too melodramatic gesture flung off the blanket covering the thing which in his excitement landed and covered one of the soldiers.
I give you SLICED BREAD!
In the years to come, the soldiers would all come to swear the room was so silent they could hear the dialogue outside of the room and the distinct noise of crickets. The soldiers simply didnt know how to react. Bread had always come to them before, well, whole. And now here was this guy who was proposing bread be sliced before hand. The results of the mans proposition are unknown, but one thing is for certain. The old saying soon became popular in Guangfei wherever sliced bread went.
The best thing since sliced bread
Oruc
Reactionary
LittleBoots said:
We laugh at your two-faced dealings, we have Iron, so we dont need to attack you so you may declare peace and then trade it too us. Fools! The Citadel surrounds itself with double-dealing sneaks.
jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
From: The Citadelemu said:
To: Tir Tangiare
We hope very much that what Adar claims is not true... if it is, you had better have a very good excuse.
Oruc
Reactionary
how do you make a link to a specific post?
Edit: doesnt matter I quoted other peoples posts to figure it out
Edit: doesnt matter I quoted other peoples posts to figure it out
Lengels seem to be the ones primarily affected. Your medical knowledge is nowhere near knowing why it attacks some people but not others. Put it down to divine intervention.
A voyage south brought you as far as former Nurmafer.
~Darkening~
Weep, Mother.
To Tir Tangiare
From Arcadia
Go child and play merrily- your people know nothing of the world. If you even harbor the thought of allowing the citadelians to preach in your lands then indeed you know not of the ways of the world. The citadelers will dull your blades, stoop your back, and lead down a path of dullness. Maybe you should know that the Citadelers, minus their wolfskin, foster more destruction than the Lengels theirselves. For you must know that without war there is no peace.
From Arcadia
Go child and play merrily- your people know nothing of the world. If you even harbor the thought of allowing the citadelians to preach in your lands then indeed you know not of the ways of the world. The citadelers will dull your blades, stoop your back, and lead down a path of dullness. Maybe you should know that the Citadelers, minus their wolfskin, foster more destruction than the Lengels theirselves. For you must know that without war there is no peace.
jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
OOC: Darkening, I would love to have a story-debate between the head of the council of Eldos and the Arcadian archbishop. Maybe after I get back...
Wubba360
Emperor
In the hundred years of war much had happened to the family of Myocaca. King Fendrus had fallen fighting for his people. His wife died of old age. Halone the middle brother had been regent of the thrown. Falone the eldest had come to adopt the throne.
His brother joined him as they united around the fallen. They were not defeated. Araguern the famed general still was with them, still old but still fighting.
The only question of the family succession was that of the youngest of the line. Son of Halone he was only 19, but disapeared. Falone had no children. It was he the lost boy who held the future, Thranwuir was his name. He his friends and his ramid gone in the fires of the lengel invasion.
It was he of Serenity the grand ramid. Where he was no one knew
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
As two men were discussing. Two men discussing the lengels of their greatness. A man sat in the corner cloaked in shadow. He held a pipe in his mouth. He stared. He was young, with a blonde grizzled beard.
As the man stepped out of the tavern the cloaked person followed. The davarian by all means, walked out onto the platform in the forest.
"You did what I told you right?"
"Its all taken care of, now where my money?"
"Don't forget my friend."
"Who are you?"
"In good time you will know my name"
The man ran off into the distant dropping a small package of coins. As he disapeared into the darkness. The man stood in puzzlement. To be continued...
His brother joined him as they united around the fallen. They were not defeated. Araguern the famed general still was with them, still old but still fighting.
The only question of the family succession was that of the youngest of the line. Son of Halone he was only 19, but disapeared. Falone had no children. It was he the lost boy who held the future, Thranwuir was his name. He his friends and his ramid gone in the fires of the lengel invasion.
It was he of Serenity the grand ramid. Where he was no one knew
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
As two men were discussing. Two men discussing the lengels of their greatness. A man sat in the corner cloaked in shadow. He held a pipe in his mouth. He stared. He was young, with a blonde grizzled beard.
As the man stepped out of the tavern the cloaked person followed. The davarian by all means, walked out onto the platform in the forest.
"You did what I told you right?"
"Its all taken care of, now where my money?"
"Don't forget my friend."
"Who are you?"
"In good time you will know my name"
The man ran off into the distant dropping a small package of coins. As he disapeared into the darkness. The man stood in puzzlement. To be continued...
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
The One is wise beyond years, and patient beyond time. The One is All, and All is the One. -Kong Fuzi, Priest of the Way
Holy Father, do you really think its safe to go to Exilsium? Were Oneists like Veritas, but theyre not the best example of shining benevolence. Remember what they did to Emor? And to your predecessor, theres a reason hes your predecessor? The Veritasians claim it was an accident, but everyone knows they just want to rule the world. I mea-
Veritas has her faults, but so do we all. New Veritas may be now a barren and culture less land, but she was once great. What I fear most is coming to pass they still have not done penance for the Great War. The One will once more punish them by a third exodus, and I fear the One may soon lose patience Two exoduses have come to pass, but still, they have not learned.
You said yourself that the One is forever patient I do not think he will give up on the Veritasians yet. For they are a great people, even if their leaders are corrupt, one must blame Stratikrator. If he had not went on the crusade against Eldrania, perhaps their spirit would not have been corrupted by them.
One can hardly blame Stratikrator for the failure of his people to see past his folly. For absolute power corrupts absolutely, but what does it mean to be corrupted? Perhaps when one is corrupted, one can see clearly into doing what is right. The Royal House of Liu after all, has ruled with absolute power for 400 years, and yet Guangfei has only prospered. The people are happy and content in general. Can one look out the window, and say that the Liu Royals in their despotism has destroyed the country?
No, theyve been nothing but a blessing to our country. Without them, my ancestors would still be fishermen trying to eek out a living on the shores of Guangzhou. I would never have had the leisure to become literate. But the Veritasians offer so much
Veritas offers much indeed, but what have they brought to this world but death? The lament of the mothers over their dead sons? It is said by the ancients that sons bury their father in peace, while fathers bury their sons in war. Veritas is corrupted, the Church of the One stands in front of progress. That is why we must go to Exilsium, to urge the Oneists nations to reject returning to the fold of the Church of the One, but to form a new church, free of the influence of Veritas. For the One is beyond the borders we mortals set to define nations, he is All. Until all Oneists, especially New Veritas, understand that our faith transcends borders and governments, there will be no unified Oneist religion. We will remain divided.
It seems that New Veritas simply wishes to retain control over her Oneists brethren with her Church of the One denouncing all other sects as heresy in most cases. It is strange that New Veritas would propose to convene a council. Perhaps they wish to control this new Church?
Who knows, though I doubt we will even make it to Exilsium. New Veritas will most assuredly not want us to be at the council. It would not look good for them at all, not at all.
But we must dont we? If we dont go, the treacherous Church of the One followers will go. I guess we really dont have a choice Holy Father.
Nonsense, we all have a choice. The Choice The One gave us. We cannot shirk from our duty to him, it is our destiny. We cannot avoid it, New Veritas will make peace with her soul, or she shall perish
Holy Father, do you really think its safe to go to Exilsium? Were Oneists like Veritas, but theyre not the best example of shining benevolence. Remember what they did to Emor? And to your predecessor, theres a reason hes your predecessor? The Veritasians claim it was an accident, but everyone knows they just want to rule the world. I mea-
Veritas has her faults, but so do we all. New Veritas may be now a barren and culture less land, but she was once great. What I fear most is coming to pass they still have not done penance for the Great War. The One will once more punish them by a third exodus, and I fear the One may soon lose patience Two exoduses have come to pass, but still, they have not learned.
You said yourself that the One is forever patient I do not think he will give up on the Veritasians yet. For they are a great people, even if their leaders are corrupt, one must blame Stratikrator. If he had not went on the crusade against Eldrania, perhaps their spirit would not have been corrupted by them.
One can hardly blame Stratikrator for the failure of his people to see past his folly. For absolute power corrupts absolutely, but what does it mean to be corrupted? Perhaps when one is corrupted, one can see clearly into doing what is right. The Royal House of Liu after all, has ruled with absolute power for 400 years, and yet Guangfei has only prospered. The people are happy and content in general. Can one look out the window, and say that the Liu Royals in their despotism has destroyed the country?
No, theyve been nothing but a blessing to our country. Without them, my ancestors would still be fishermen trying to eek out a living on the shores of Guangzhou. I would never have had the leisure to become literate. But the Veritasians offer so much
Veritas offers much indeed, but what have they brought to this world but death? The lament of the mothers over their dead sons? It is said by the ancients that sons bury their father in peace, while fathers bury their sons in war. Veritas is corrupted, the Church of the One stands in front of progress. That is why we must go to Exilsium, to urge the Oneists nations to reject returning to the fold of the Church of the One, but to form a new church, free of the influence of Veritas. For the One is beyond the borders we mortals set to define nations, he is All. Until all Oneists, especially New Veritas, understand that our faith transcends borders and governments, there will be no unified Oneist religion. We will remain divided.
It seems that New Veritas simply wishes to retain control over her Oneists brethren with her Church of the One denouncing all other sects as heresy in most cases. It is strange that New Veritas would propose to convene a council. Perhaps they wish to control this new Church?
Who knows, though I doubt we will even make it to Exilsium. New Veritas will most assuredly not want us to be at the council. It would not look good for them at all, not at all.
But we must dont we? If we dont go, the treacherous Church of the One followers will go. I guess we really dont have a choice Holy Father.
Nonsense, we all have a choice. The Choice The One gave us. We cannot shirk from our duty to him, it is our destiny. We cannot avoid it, New Veritas will make peace with her soul, or she shall perish
LittleBoots
The Bloody Banner
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,979
To the Heathens of Arcadia
From Tir Tairngire
We will not hear your foolish lies. The Tuatha know the ways of war. Our people have been this way since the beginning of time. War has brought only stagnation to our land and the Citadel will help us rise above it. It will be a long and difficult path, but rest assured, with the help of the Citadel and Eldos' favour, we will reach the end.
From Tir Tairngire
We will not hear your foolish lies. The Tuatha know the ways of war. Our people have been this way since the beginning of time. War has brought only stagnation to our land and the Citadel will help us rise above it. It will be a long and difficult path, but rest assured, with the help of the Citadel and Eldos' favour, we will reach the end.
Thlayli
Le Pétit Prince
Against the West
"We have one key advantage. We have fought enemies far more fanatical than they, far more intelligent than they, and far more evil than they. What do they have? Only numbers, and inexperience."
-Host-Lord Gregorian, Essays on Combat
Part One:
The lift groaned and rumbled as it steadily rose through the tunnel. It had been carved from solid stone after the founding of Redemption, and was one of the only known ways to enter the city. The Narrow Stair was the other...but they didn't have time to walk through the city. The Lift would bring them to the Quarter of Ecclesiastes. Many citizens of Redemption remembered when the old rope-pulley lift had broken thirty years earlier. Three cows, eight sheep, and fifteen Vertan merchants had plunged to their deaths three hundred feet below. After the mess was cleaned up, they started using iron chains.
The lift was empty, except for two men. Both gazed straight ahead at the lift before them, their faces as stony as the rough walls slowly passing by in the gloom. They each wore identical sets of plate armor, with an identical scimitar buckled on each hip. Each had a helmet with a quail-plume stuck in it, and both men wore an immaculate red cape.
The man standing on the left was Host-Lord Vandrios.
---
Vandrios stared, unhappily, at the two men standing at opposite ends of the field. Each man had a large group of fellow tribesmen surrounding him. Neither wore a shirt, and both held six foot spears, practically a lance by some standards.
They circled, yelling taunts. Vandrios hung his head. It was never supposed to come to this.
His aide crept up to him. "Sire, should we...intervene?"
Vandrios shook his head. "No. Let them settle it freely. If they are to be friends of Veritas, they cannot be coerced by me."
The man on the left was named Choi. His skin was yellowish, and his eyes slanted. He held claim over all the southern tribes. In recent years he had been given various gifts, by ambassadors from Guangfei. He was tall, and thin. On the right was a different man. Blonde hair rimmed a light-skinned face, and blue eyes. His name was Tri-Alat, and he was lord of the northern tribes.
It all began several weeks ago, when Host-Lord Vandrios and his men marched into the village. He proclaimed the will of Veritas in enlisting the barbarians to fight Guangfei's imperialism. Choi and Tri-Alat, who up until then had governed together as allies, were split. A man from the south, probably one of the Guangfei, had already spoken to Choi some days ago.
Choi had become ruler of his tribe through killing those who opposed him. He wanted to rule his people as an Emperor, like the great golden Dragon King of the south, or so he was told. Vast armies and countless peasants served him, said the Guangfei ambassador. Choi's tribesmen followed him obediently, though many wanted that power for themselves.
Tri-Alat was not so sure. He had been swayed by the words of Vandrios, who told him of New Veritas, a land where all men chose their leaders, many men who ruled together. Tri-Alat trusted his friends to advise him in ruling the northern tribes, and his people had chosen him to rule out of all the others. To him, this way seemed best.
They quarreled in the Great House, the ramshackle wooden structure that served as a palace for the two tribal chiefs. Finally things came to a head, and Choi challenged Tri-Alat to a duel. They agreed, and the stage was set. The Tribes of the Plain would decide their fate at dawn.
---
The lift continued on its steady way. Vandrios blinked, lost in thought for a moment. The man standing on the right was also examining his memory. That man's name was Host-Lord Gregorian.
---
The ships rounded the bend, and Badong was in view. It was a small town, on the fringe of the vast southern jungles, separated from them only by the river. He could see the citadel of the city as well, a small wooden keep surrounded by a small stone wall and wooden gate. Gregorian took this in at a glance.
Then he looked to the river. Three ships were anchored near the harbor, each flying the banner of the Dragon Emperor. They looked only like river boats, not trained war-galleys by any means. But they had archers on their decks. It was clear that they planned to fight.
"Finally, an adversary. Conaivium, you have the ship."
T.N.* Conaivium strode into the center of the deck. He was a barrel-chested sailor, and carried a large poleaxe instead of a falchion. Raising it towards the defiant ships, he roared out a command.
"FIRE BARRELS!"
Immediately, several barrels of pitch and oil were ignited and launched from the catapults. Two crashed into the deck of the leading ship. Crewmen and archers fled from the blaze, some leaping into the water.
"FIRE ARROWS!"
The Phoenix Archers were the finest trained archers in existance. They dipped their bows in the jar of olive oil strapped to their back, lit from the brazier, and took aim. The "Burning Rain" was one of the most feared tactics in the Legioni. The remaining archers on the leading galley fell as the white-hot metal of the arrowheads pierced them.
Gregorian nodded. There would be few casualties from this encounter. Hearing a war-horn, he glanced towards Badong. The citadel was active, and a column of spearmen emerged from the gates. Crossbowmen on the walls took aim, but their bolts fell embarrasingly short of the river. But time was of the essence. Gregorian turned to his subordinate.
"Conaivium, I need to make a landing soon!"
The officer grinned wickedly. "As you wish, my liege."
"RAMMING SPEED!"
A small jolt in the lift shook both of the commanders out of their reverie. The slow upward motion of the platform slowed, and finally stopped, with a parting creak. Vandrios pushed open the door, and both men strode out into the marbled streets of the Quarter of Ecclesiastes.
*Tactica Navalum, the naval equivalent of a Commodore.
"We have one key advantage. We have fought enemies far more fanatical than they, far more intelligent than they, and far more evil than they. What do they have? Only numbers, and inexperience."
-Host-Lord Gregorian, Essays on Combat
Part One:
The lift groaned and rumbled as it steadily rose through the tunnel. It had been carved from solid stone after the founding of Redemption, and was one of the only known ways to enter the city. The Narrow Stair was the other...but they didn't have time to walk through the city. The Lift would bring them to the Quarter of Ecclesiastes. Many citizens of Redemption remembered when the old rope-pulley lift had broken thirty years earlier. Three cows, eight sheep, and fifteen Vertan merchants had plunged to their deaths three hundred feet below. After the mess was cleaned up, they started using iron chains.
The lift was empty, except for two men. Both gazed straight ahead at the lift before them, their faces as stony as the rough walls slowly passing by in the gloom. They each wore identical sets of plate armor, with an identical scimitar buckled on each hip. Each had a helmet with a quail-plume stuck in it, and both men wore an immaculate red cape.
The man standing on the left was Host-Lord Vandrios.
---
Vandrios stared, unhappily, at the two men standing at opposite ends of the field. Each man had a large group of fellow tribesmen surrounding him. Neither wore a shirt, and both held six foot spears, practically a lance by some standards.
They circled, yelling taunts. Vandrios hung his head. It was never supposed to come to this.
His aide crept up to him. "Sire, should we...intervene?"
Vandrios shook his head. "No. Let them settle it freely. If they are to be friends of Veritas, they cannot be coerced by me."
The man on the left was named Choi. His skin was yellowish, and his eyes slanted. He held claim over all the southern tribes. In recent years he had been given various gifts, by ambassadors from Guangfei. He was tall, and thin. On the right was a different man. Blonde hair rimmed a light-skinned face, and blue eyes. His name was Tri-Alat, and he was lord of the northern tribes.
It all began several weeks ago, when Host-Lord Vandrios and his men marched into the village. He proclaimed the will of Veritas in enlisting the barbarians to fight Guangfei's imperialism. Choi and Tri-Alat, who up until then had governed together as allies, were split. A man from the south, probably one of the Guangfei, had already spoken to Choi some days ago.
Choi had become ruler of his tribe through killing those who opposed him. He wanted to rule his people as an Emperor, like the great golden Dragon King of the south, or so he was told. Vast armies and countless peasants served him, said the Guangfei ambassador. Choi's tribesmen followed him obediently, though many wanted that power for themselves.
Tri-Alat was not so sure. He had been swayed by the words of Vandrios, who told him of New Veritas, a land where all men chose their leaders, many men who ruled together. Tri-Alat trusted his friends to advise him in ruling the northern tribes, and his people had chosen him to rule out of all the others. To him, this way seemed best.
They quarreled in the Great House, the ramshackle wooden structure that served as a palace for the two tribal chiefs. Finally things came to a head, and Choi challenged Tri-Alat to a duel. They agreed, and the stage was set. The Tribes of the Plain would decide their fate at dawn.
---
The lift continued on its steady way. Vandrios blinked, lost in thought for a moment. The man standing on the right was also examining his memory. That man's name was Host-Lord Gregorian.
---
The ships rounded the bend, and Badong was in view. It was a small town, on the fringe of the vast southern jungles, separated from them only by the river. He could see the citadel of the city as well, a small wooden keep surrounded by a small stone wall and wooden gate. Gregorian took this in at a glance.
Then he looked to the river. Three ships were anchored near the harbor, each flying the banner of the Dragon Emperor. They looked only like river boats, not trained war-galleys by any means. But they had archers on their decks. It was clear that they planned to fight.
"Finally, an adversary. Conaivium, you have the ship."
T.N.* Conaivium strode into the center of the deck. He was a barrel-chested sailor, and carried a large poleaxe instead of a falchion. Raising it towards the defiant ships, he roared out a command.
"FIRE BARRELS!"
Immediately, several barrels of pitch and oil were ignited and launched from the catapults. Two crashed into the deck of the leading ship. Crewmen and archers fled from the blaze, some leaping into the water.
"FIRE ARROWS!"
The Phoenix Archers were the finest trained archers in existance. They dipped their bows in the jar of olive oil strapped to their back, lit from the brazier, and took aim. The "Burning Rain" was one of the most feared tactics in the Legioni. The remaining archers on the leading galley fell as the white-hot metal of the arrowheads pierced them.
Gregorian nodded. There would be few casualties from this encounter. Hearing a war-horn, he glanced towards Badong. The citadel was active, and a column of spearmen emerged from the gates. Crossbowmen on the walls took aim, but their bolts fell embarrasingly short of the river. But time was of the essence. Gregorian turned to his subordinate.
"Conaivium, I need to make a landing soon!"
The officer grinned wickedly. "As you wish, my liege."
"RAMMING SPEED!"
A small jolt in the lift shook both of the commanders out of their reverie. The slow upward motion of the platform slowed, and finally stopped, with a parting creak. Vandrios pushed open the door, and both men strode out into the marbled streets of the Quarter of Ecclesiastes.
*Tactica Navalum, the naval equivalent of a Commodore.
foolish icarus
Shipwreck
From Duke Tobi of the Skilvso to UKKK :
Vassal, eh? Fair enough--we're not sure how your conception of vassalage differs from ours, but the basic premise has to be pretty much the same. We accept your protection in return for our allegiance. Treat us like allies, and we'll get along fine. Treat us like servants, and this will quickly become an untenable relationship.
Just so we're clear on this, you wan't something from us, you ask for it, and like as not we'll give it to you. But you don't come taking or changing what's ours without our permission.
If this suits you, then we're all sorts of amenable to this good new deal.
You've said you want travel through our lands, which strikes us as justly fair. What else'll you be generally expecting from us?
Vassal, eh? Fair enough--we're not sure how your conception of vassalage differs from ours, but the basic premise has to be pretty much the same. We accept your protection in return for our allegiance. Treat us like allies, and we'll get along fine. Treat us like servants, and this will quickly become an untenable relationship.
Just so we're clear on this, you wan't something from us, you ask for it, and like as not we'll give it to you. But you don't come taking or changing what's ours without our permission.
If this suits you, then we're all sorts of amenable to this good new deal.
You've said you want travel through our lands, which strikes us as justly fair. What else'll you be generally expecting from us?
Similar threads
