PureNES: Years of Excelsior

My apologies for the lack of stories and orderses. I'm having a bit of a hard time at the moment, but I'll try to get up a story before the next update. Sorry.
 
Nice update! It occurs to me that the reason no one plays unlucky/disunited nations is because they tend to get destroyed. :p

Thinking about my next nation--will PM you, NK.
 
Nice update. I love The Burim to the rescue:D . However that large swathe of orange is worrying me.
 
WTH, new Northmen (unbelievers?) NO WAI! :eek: Was this what was hinted at as "great danger beyond the cradle"?

Anyway, are stats done? Still on "vacation" but I will try to send orders at least...
 
My apologies for the lack of stories and orderses. I'm having a bit of a hard time at the moment, but I'll try to get up a story before the next update. Sorry.

It's all right, I just didn't know (until now) if you were still around.

WTH, new Northmen (unbelievers?) NO WAI! :eek: Was this what was hinted at as "great danger beyond the cradle"?

Nah, there are a lot more dangerous things out there. :p

Anyway, are stats done?

No, but they will be in the next few hours.

I take my people know of the recent events of the Elder/Draklor conflict?

Very vaguely. They know some kind of "Old People" have collapsed under the attacks of the "Drackler", but not much more than that.
 
Is Balos my vassal now that I've conquered the Elders?

Great update by the way, North King. And it was a nice epic fall JD, although I wish it the Elders hadn't collapsed upon themselves. Would have made it a bit more fun.
 
Oh, I forgot one OOC note. Charles Li, use a spell-checker, as your last story was nearly illegible.
 
Hooray for prophecies! :D Stories/diplo forthcoming some time in the next 30 hours.

Great update
 
The Fires of War

The time had come. It had long been foreseen, long been expected, long been feared. Ever since the time of the Great Burim, all those years ago, when the valley and the Népér were defiled by the men of black spirits, they had prepared. The Great Burim, in his last charge to drive out the invader, had led an army of only 100 men. Of these one hundred, only 14 remained. These men were greatly praised and revered, obviously those of great spirits, and so the Great Burim sent them up to the Spring. Up they went, all fourteen, but they never came down again. Stories ranged from them being killed by the Great Burim to them being lifted up into the sky, and became the spirits of the wind. However, young shepherds told stories of strange men living high up in the mountains. Only the Burim knew the truth, a truth passed on in tradition, from one Burim to his successor.

And so the Burim climbed, high up to the Spring, and then beyond. He climbed heights that none had scaled for a century. He braved the cold and the wind, the hunger and exhaustion, until he found it. Low down in the mountain side, a large crevice, deep and dark, yet with an eerie glow from within. As he approached a slow river of red crept it's way down and off around the other side. He stood from his vantage point, high in the mountain and looked out. Fires spreed out beyond his valley, which now looked like a small crack. Beyond he saw a large, sweeping land of green and yellow. To the other side, beyond the dreaded path, the large simmering lands, without life or water. He looked down again to see a large body of men assembling below him. All were dressed in long, flowing, red robes, their faces had a darkish tint, and everyone carried a sword of a quality he had never seen before. Following them out of the crevice came a number of women and children, in the same dress but green. As they grouped before them he spoke.
"I have come to seek you out. You are the descendants of the fourteen, and the families they found in these mountains. The Great Burim long ago sent you here, a last hope in a time of great need. That time has come. See, there lies the valley and the Népér. Beyond a land ravaged by men with neither love nor fear. They destroy all they find: buildings, fields, people. We have fought them once and driven them off at great loss, only to find they were merely the first. People of the Spirits of Fire, the time is nigh, join your brethren and fight off these monsters"
A large cry from below answered his call. The Burim descended and was greeted by an elderly man in a long white robe. He, along with all the others, bowed before him. "My lord, we knew you came. The great fires became restless, a sign of our time." As they spoke, a small explosion from inside the crevice was followed by a large out-pouring. The red river grew and the Burim felt the great amount of heat it emanated. "Our home, the home of the fourteen is now gone. Take them to their new home." The men and women stood up. The old man lifted his hand and the group dispersed into the mountains to their small houses. They returned within the hour along with several of their belongings and equipment. The children drove before them a large herd of goats. The old man then turned to the Burim. "I stay, I could not make the journey, and it is my duty to stay. Maybe the disordered people living in these mountains will come together someday, and I might be of some use." He smiled, then returned into the crevice.

As the Burim descended with his army of new follower, he looked over across the valley. He looked out towards the large buildings at the entrance, started by his great grandfather. "Those need finishing," he thought.
 
I demand (OK, I request) a PM concerning the Sea Peoples. Everything the Yuzoi might know about them is to be summed in a neat list (pretty please?) ASAP (SVP)
 
With the two paths of leadership reconciled the Autarchs of Harungen settled down, looking outwards they saw some potential in expanding upriver, the other borders they were more or less content with, although they still held to the precedent set down by Autarch Camael of interfering in situations outwith their border if they threatened to engulf the region in Chaos.

Their only true competitors in the region was Habyte[1], and as the days passed into months, onwards into years, then decades, the people of Harungen realised that the Habyte were not too different from themselves. For indeed they used laws to ensure order of the lands, although initial critiscism used to divide the two cultures did point out that the Habyte had too many laws, and they distrusted any system where it would take a number of years to find out if any two laws contradicted each other. The Law Princepei, dictating the fundementals of Harugen culture, and also touching on a psuedo law of Diminishing returns with regards to the Habyte's many laws, although the author theorised that over doing it would actually lead to an increase in chaos.

And aside from fixing their borders to produce a more strategically beneficial and stable frontier[2] and making minor gains up the river, the Autarchs turned inwards developing the vast stretches of land between their capital and the river. The Founded cities, and created forts and turned money and/or labour[3] towards developing these lands.

[1] I'm middle bronze :D
[2] NK, sorry, but the borders are simply too...smooth for my taste, maybe found a city north west a bit, for a nice bump etc.
[3] depending on the Path the leadership takes the or indicates slaves :p


Orders are pretty much contained above, although I would also like some forts to the east. Oh and converting the Darians :p

NK, if there are no orders from me for next update its because I'm on holiday, please just repeat development (more cities, development of trade etc), small baby steps of expansion (large enough thank you very much).

apologies but i really like the nes so I don't really want to miss a turn.:)
 
I assume I don't know whether or not these Sea Peoples are unbelievers or not, but it matters little if they behave like those damned Garanthormians. Yuzoi will fight back!


-----


It was dark and moist under the dense canopy. Indeed, it felt as if the leaves were causing the oppressive heat, and not the veiled sun. But everyone of the small party knew better. Besides, without the darkness and heat, there would be plenty more Beaknoses, and plenty more chances for them to be spotted. The Yuzoi themselves had only recently learned how to deal with the conditions in the great forest, but the lessons they had paid for were well worth their cost. Stories of Beaknoses burying their plague victims in mass graves were known to every Yuzoi scout. Still, they had their mission.

A blunt arrow pierced the misty forest air right above the party, and bounced off as it hit a tree. At this, the party gathered their spartan gear, one man picking up said arrow. He turned just in time to hand it to its owner, who came darting into the party panting. He faced what appeared to be the leader, and everyone else gathered around. The archer looked every companion in the eye, then pointed two fingers against his eyes. Then he turned the fingers and his head in the direction from whence he came. Then he turned back and held up four fingers and made a fist with the other hand.

Their duties were all set, and with but one word from the chief, each one of the party split up in their respective groups. Some went with the archer back into the forest. Others set out to check the riggings one last time. The rest spread out to the other parties. One last man set out with the only horse, both rider and mount fresh for a long journey. The news he would bring was both terrible and glorious. It was, perhaps, the break they had all been waiting for so long...

-----

Stories of the Beaknoses' struggle with the forest was popular even among the warrior and common herdsmen. Regardless, this was only a slight comfort for the daring men and women wandering the trackless forest. They knew. The numbers the Beaknoses came in were far more pressing - as terrible as any form of plague. They had washed over the land like a great wave crashing in from the ocean, and swept the Yuzoi away like helpless cattle caught in a flood. In truth, they were a nightmare not unlike the Unbelievers - only far worse. Where the Garanthormians lacked faith, these new Northmen lacked an understandable tongue. What more, they all had noses like eagles' beaks, and they had skin the color of the setting sun. They were so alien.

In front of these foreigners, the scouts had at first been cautious. It meant the death of most of them, as the newcomers were far from peaceful. Indeed, they were skilled in the art of war, and proved themselves battleworthy and even superior to the Yuzoi in the years that followed their arrival. Although they too used spear-and-shield, their soldiers formed tight groups - lines, huddles, circles - as if they were all a part of one greater unity. Just like an unarmed man grappling a bear, the proud soldiers of Yuzoi were ripped asunder by this fearsome beast-of-many-men. Soon, they had claimed much of the great forest as their own. Even though they had come from the sea...

Now the people of Yuzoi had little choice but to pull themselves out of the forest, and protect their herds. They had begun to build an earthen wall around the Circle of Cirtus, where the Yuzarchs held their Seasonal Councils, and where all records were kept by the Divine House. Futhermore, the river Arch was being watched at all times, to prevent the Nosebeaks from sailing upstream to Cirtus. Many men were called from all houses to aid this work - all of them willingly leaving their herds behind. Those who were fit for fight were chosen out of the mass to receive training as either scouts or warriors. The war against the Beaknoses had only begun - and looked like it would last until they or the Yuzoi were entirely vanquished.

-----

"BURN IT! BURN IT ALL DOWN!"

Screams of fallen, falling or fleeing Beaknoses were echoing in the raider's head and helm. The small fields around the tiny settlement were all ablaze, the only few living hiding in the only house. It was low, built with stone, topped with wood and bundles of tightly knit straws. The small party of raiders were circling around it, killing the hapless farmers who had been cut of from their only shelter.

"TEACH THESE ALIENS WHAT IT MEANS TO CHALLENGE US!"

The raider rode up to an elderly man desperately gripping a staff, and brought down his axe. The blade left the man's body with a wet sound.

"COME ON! WHO ELSE STILL HAS THE NERVE TO STAND HIS GROUND!"

Suddenly, a javelin traveled through the air right in front of him. He spun around to see two men on the rooftop with several more, and each their longshafted spear. The raider rode quickly around the low house, his hand reaching for something at his belt.

"YAAR!"

As he yelled, he hurled a small axe, which cut its way into one of the Beaknoses' leg. The man came tumbling down screaming, and was quickly silenced by the other horsemen. The other Beaknose threw himself flat on the roof, avoiding a similar fate. The raider only smirked, and tossed his torch up instead. After a while, the desperate, burning Beaknose jumped to his death. He was the last to die...

The raider swung his horse around to give chase to the last few who had fled, and discovered what appeared to be a young son of the household. He had turned in order to buy his family precious time. In his trembling hands was a much too heavy spear. The raider snickered, and charged. The Beaknose youngster braced the spear and screamed, his eyes knit tightly - awaiting the incoming shock. It came, as a shock.

The raider had broken away as soon as the boy had braced his spear, and left the kill to his companion who rode in on his flank. The boy's face as he collapsed on the ground was that of slight amazement. Funny, as he could never have reacted to the axe which still lay imbedded in his skull.

The raider turned to view the destruction one last time. Then he called the others and left the scene as quickly as they had come. With one last glance behind, he turned forewards with a brilliant smile. Then he cried, and his men joined.

"YAAR! YAAR!"

"TEN'CHAAAR!!!"
 
As do I

stories....sometime (busy week)
 
Tuesday please. I'm back from wisdom teeth extraction and from the horror stories I've heard about the pain, I don't think I'll be able to concentrate (I'm still numb. I guess it's the calm before the storm :p)
 
I'd actually prefer it on Saturday, but I'll settle for Tuesday if that's what's most desirable for all. But not a day later!

@LF: On a completely different note; do you want a Dancho-armband while I'm here? :D
 
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