Forenia, 915In the early months of 915 a comet was sighted over Arstotzka. Shortly thereafter a rock crashed to earth near the capital city, leaving a crater in the shape of the Foe Axe, a weapon supposedly held by one of their gods. A religious fervour comes over the nation and whilst it is spent by the end of the year, 915 sees Arstotzkans fight with renewed and deadly vigour.
Storms cover the whole of the mountains throughout the year, heavy rain causing the ground to run and strong winds sending arrows flying unpredictably. Despite narrow contest between the two armies, Arstotzka finally manages to rout the last of Moskurg's positions in the foothills, ending conflict in the mountains. Two whole Moskurger armies are captured and selectively ransomed or, when ransoms are not forthcoming, executed.
The Arstotzkan invasion of the desert has begun.Hurricanes plague the jungle, with driving monsoons and flooding of large sections of the soft ground. Many heavier troops get bogged in the ground and the going is tough and brutal. Despite, once again, a slight advantage to Moskurg, Arstotzka completely overruns the jungle, heavily armoured troops taking back position after position until the jungle is once again split evenly between Moskurg and Arstotzka. All Moskurger armies in the jungle are put to the sword.
Plate armour is winning the day for us here. With most of our troops equipped with the new armour, we have an advantage in every form of combat. Further inspired by the comet, our people have proved an unstoppable force.
The storms continue on to the plains, heavy rainfall turning the open fields to slick mud. Garbed in full plate, the heavy infantry of Arstotzka march out to battle and strike blow after blow against the Moskurger defenders. They unveil another weapon, as their wizards conjure forth long walls of flame to guard their positions against the enemy and to force Moskurger troops in main battle to move as they direct, creating choke points to their advantage. The plains are Moskurg's one position of strength, and once again that strength is marginal by comparison. However, Moskurg is able to secure their position and then push out past the last border forts into the taiga itself.
Moskurg has control of the plains.It poured. The battlefield had long become a swamp from the heavy rainfall, and heavily armoured figures trudged through the mud, clashing with the massed, lightly armed spearmen and breaking their spears against plate armour, and bodies against Arstotzkan longswords. Blending in with a cadre of heavily armoured casters, Myark hurled fireballs at the enemy, throwing flames down into their ranks. Unlike those of his companions, where Myark's fireballs fell they exploded, scattering dozens of men in the blast.
Visibility was cut to ribbons in the storm, but Myark turned his head in time to see the black shadows approaching from behind. He just had time to shout a warning when a column of horsemen strafed his position, firing a volley of arrows directly into the crowd of warriors at short range. Many fell, but as the column of horse archers wheeled around for another pass, all clad in black and led by a golden figure who shone despite the rain, Myark hurled a fireball which met just as the second volley came. Horses and men were burned and sundered, and the second volley took down dozens of warriors. Soon enough the black-clad Phantasms were back on their feet, drawing sabre to match longsword and doing battle with the surviving heavy infantry. Amongst them, however, Myark had eyes only for one figure.
The golden-armoured figure of al-Mutriqa strode towards him, mace in one hand, wand in the other. The falling rain seemed to twist and circle around him as it fell, cast aside by flurries of air. Myark flicked up his ashen staff and hurled a fireball at al-Mutriqa, who seemed to be watching Myark's eyes as he did so. The wand in al-Mutriqa's hand flashed gold and the wizard hurled himself to the side and rolled out of the way of the fireball, springing back up into position and racing towards Myark again. The fireball exploded, but the flames on the edge of the blast seemed to flow around al-Mutriqa, following the same swirling pattern of rain. Myark noticed with some displeasure that apart from mud on his arms, legs and back where he had rolled, al-Mutriqa was bone dry.
Myark hurled another fireball, then another, with al-Mutriqa dodging both times, seeming to know exactly when they would be coming. The mad wizard began screaming battle hymns and poems to the air as he advanced, swinging his mace around his head for momentum. The grim, stoic Myark focused on just trying to burn his opponent.
The mace and wand both came down at once like hammers, Myark dropping his last spell and just bringing his staff up to block both blows. He staggered back, letting the staff fall into his left hand and drawing his longsword with his right. The two master wizards fought one another, mace and wand against staff and sword, with little time for spells. Myark flicked his fingers and a net of sticky webbing sprung forth at al-Mutriqa, who barely missed most of it, the scales on his armour gluing together and limiting the use of his wand arm. The mace still swung freely, and Myark had to duck to avoid being brained by it. al-Mutriqa used the breathing moment to grab a thin, glyph-marked rod from his armour sleeve and grip it tightly in his wand hand. The outpouring of battle poetry thinned for a few moments, then picked up again.
Myark dragged left to right with the staff and a wall of fire sprung up between him and Myark, burning the wizard knight and allowing the sorcerer thane a moment to ready a fireball to end this once and for all. Just as he readied it to release, three of the Phantasms slashed at the weak points in his plate from behind, mostly deflected but still causing enough pain and damage to disrupt the spell and draw Myark's focus. He spun around, cracking one of the Phantasms across the head with his staff, another he stabbed through a hole in his scale mail. He prepared to deal with the third when Myark heard a warcry from behind and saw al-Mutriqa leap through the wall of fire, robes and cloak catching alight, with his mace held high. The mace crashed down into the top of Myark's breastplate, breaking his collarbone and crumpling the metal into the wound. He sank to the ground in pain.
The surviving Phantasm pushed Myark onto his knees and raised his sword to execute the thane, but al-Mutriqa brought his mace into the man's way. The knight's wind shield had fallen and thick rain was extinguishing the flames on his clothing.
"No," he said. "It is not the way of God to slay a man you have defeated."
Myark felt a crack at the back of his head as al-Mutriqa's wand struck him across the crown. He slumped into the mud, feeling darkness close in around him.
"Until we meet again, my foe."
Myark has been gravely wounded and will not fight next year.
Out armour and firewalls have levelled the playing fields, but here in the plains fortune was not on our side. Terrible storms plagued us throughout the year, making the terrain difficult and arrow fire unpredictable, with Moskurg seemingly less affected.
Combat at sea is a constant back and forth with no real territorial gains on the coast. Both sides lose ships, but Moskurgers really lose out where Arstotzka gets its lost sailors back due to ransoms and Moskurger chivalry.
Any armies we lost during this year were returned due to chivalry and ransoms.
Revision Credit: [3+1 vs 3+3] Jibril Saadiya has been treated to the wonders of both nations and their capitals, and enjoyed a luxury of culture, erudition and entertainment. In the end, despite the tall towers, the universities, races and wonders of Moskurg, he chooses Arstotzka because they prove to have marginally more religious tolerance, and it turns out that he left his old country due to some frankly heretical beliefs that wouldn't have sat well with the priesthood back in Moskurg. The Arstotzkan priests aren't happy about him either, but they have less power to act on that, and so he joins the Arstotzkans and contributes his great knowledge and ability to their research team.
Arstotzka has gained the revision credit for this turn.On The Capital
Saadiya will naturally feel right at home in the glittering cities of Moskurg. The capital, a sprawling metropolis on the southern end of the island, has over half a dozen universities, a score of galleries, and uncountable public gardens where the finest of Moskurgian poets read their latest works. Step onto the paved streets, and make your way into the city, surrounded at all times by stalls selling the finest goods in all of Forenia. The streets may be mazelike, but rather than getting lost, one simply discovers a new part of the city- a small temple, no less impressive for its humility; a walled garden with a flowing fountain, providing a remarkable coolness in the southern heat; a bazaar, the air thick with the scent of spices, where friendly merchants invite you into their shops for tea and conversation.
Once Saadiya has gotten used to the layout of the city, he will be able to make his way to the Grand Temple, the shining star of Moskurg. Legend has it that a temple has stood here since the first man set foot on Forenia, though obviously it has been heavily remodelled throughout the ages, and stood empty for a while after the original inhabitants all mysteriously disappeared- but the point is, it stands there. Currently dedicated to the true God, Saadiya will admire the geometrical mosaics on the floor, and the grand dome, which is covered in bronze, finding many similarities to the temples of his homeland. He may even find the faith they practice similar, adapted as it is from that of the Iberian invaders from long ago.
After visiting the temple, he may wish to visit the second most important building in the city, the Palace. As a guest of honour, he will be granted entrance into the luscious gardens that surround it, guided past the ingenious pumps that irrigate them, through the bronze doors into the outer sanctum, where he shall remove his shoes and step lightly on the marble floors, admiring as he goes the fine artwork lining the walls, and indeed the walls themselves, made as they are from hardwoods sourced from deep within the jungle. He shall be granted access to the middle sanctum, where attendants will provide for his every need, whilst musicians and dancers provide background entertainment. He shall not, of course, be granted access to the inner sanctum, as that is for the Sultan and his closest attendants only, a place of peace where he can retreat and meditate on the state of the realm.
Once he has tired of the luxuries on offer in the palace, he may wish to slake his thirst for learning, by visiting the University of Truth, the first and foremost of the centers of learning in Moskurg. Within the imposing building that houses it he will find dozens of fellow scholars debating philosophy, theology, geometry, and many other subjects. In the scribe halls he may witness the rows of scribes carefully copying, in flowing calligraphy, the texts of ancient books, preserving knowledge that might otherwise be lost. He might peruse some of said tomes in the library, which is said to contain ten thousand books, though obviously no one has counted. He might visit the room of Truth, and be somewhat confused to find it empty, for the goal of the university is to fill said room with nothing but the truth, and so far no one has been able to propose anything that can be considered undeniably true- there is always some philosopher with an annoying little question that undermines the whole notion.
The Jewel of the South
The Kingdom of Moskurg is the Jewel of the South.
Towers of sandstone rise from the dunes, visible from miles away. The palace sits at the heart of the city like a bird of paradise among her eggs. Though the palace is truly a work of art all on its own, the lifeblood of Moskurg pumps outside of its walls. Our open air bazaars boast the widest selection of wares available on the continent. No taste is too eccentric for those willing to pay, and it is here you can find anything from rugs and fabrics woven by local artisans to rare and colorful birds brought from the jungles to the west. Spices of every flavor and color imaginable can be bought here, as well as precious jewels hewn from the earth. For an alchemist such as Saadiya there is no place better to be - rare and obscure concoctions and powders can be procured with ease from the stalls. Even elements from other continents can be found here to a limited degree; brought back from the occasional trading voyage across the treacherous seas.
But surely there is more to life than research, no? If so desired Saadiya could visit the race tracks, where proud Moskurg riders show off their mastery of our fine Moskurg horses. It is a popular pass-time, with exciting events between races. Mock fights, acrobatics, and short comedy sketches keep the crowd entertained while the next race is prepared.
Or perhaps he'd prefer the more subdued thoughtfulness of the art museum? It is a humble place - little more than an offshoot of the palace - but it is here Artisans of all types display their noncommercial works. Paintings line the walls, vases stand proud on pedestals, and statues hewn from sandstone reach towards the ceiling.
Should Saadiya choose to stay with us, we can promise free, unrestricted access to our library, as well as a stipend to encourage his forays into alchemy and even a room in his Sultans Palace. If this man was ever a scholar, then he would know Moskurg is the best choice to further his research into the Mystical and Unknown. We welcome him with open arms.
Saadiya Madrasa
The primary centre of magical learning in Moskurg is one of the finest examples of architecture on Forenia. Kept separate from the other numerous other educational institutions in order to prevent mishaps in case of a spell gone wrong (Or right and aimed at the wrong target), the Saadiya Moskurg Madrasa houses the finest mages and apprentices on the landmass.
The largest structure, the aptly named tower of storms, of the campus resides in it's northwestern part, as the epicentre of our research and trials in making the heavens shift upon our request (Only allah may command heaven). Centred here is our research into the winds and weather; allowing us to accurately predict the weather and sometimes change those predictions should they prove ruinous. While only a recent construction, the tower is a significant and important part of the campus.
While less impressive than the Tower of Storms, the Halls of Thought are a pivotal and irreplaceable part of Moskurg's Madrasa and it's magical curricula; the magics practised within allowing a practicioner to more easily master their own mind, and to use said mastery to communicate to others. Of certain note is the use of mind magics in regards to the city guard; the ability to pry the truth out of a suspect's mind means a judge can easily solve a case, and ensure true justice is meted out on the wicked.
On Arztotskan literacy
It is a simple fact, that Arztotska is the most literate nation in Forenia. Certainly, we have the greatest amount of literature and libraries in Forenia, and have had so for ages. The origin for this peculiar fact is climate. Arztotska's cold and long winters are dark and boring. Without anything to do and with tremendous cold outside, Artotzkan's started writing books in varying materials. As the winter lengthened, the worst of these manuscripts were thrown into the fire to keep our noble citizens from freezing.
Through ages of natural selection, only the best novels and stories were preserved. Materials changed, from wooden bark to paper to magically enhanced means of writing, but the tradition persevered. The healthy smoke of literacy engulfs Arztotska citizens from the moment they were born till the moment they die.
Since the invention of Artotska's most precious technology, the Axe, dramatic changes have engulfed the literary community. No longer is wood a precious and limited resource. No longer must the weakest of works be burned. The sudden unleashing of talent has resulted in the creation of thousands of new works, many greatly beloved, some reviled. Occasionally, books too horrific to unleash upon the world are still burned, preserving academic standards. For a short period of time, it was considered to burn the author as well, on the fire of his own books. This practice was abandoned once it became clear that even the most prolific writer was unlikely to finish more than 3 books per winter.
Magic in Everyday Life
The magical advances discovered by our military's wise and often unlucky research and development team have created several spin-off technologies that have made their way into everyday life. One such example is the Great Arstotzkan Amphitheater in Arstotzka's capital. The large structure is only used during the short summer months, as it to cold and snowy during the rest of the year to use it. During this wonderful and warm(ish) time, the amphitheater is used almost around the clock to display Arstozkan's greatest plays, as a concert venue for its choirs and orchestras, and for a variety of other shows. One of the most popular shows has been the Magical Demonstration Act, put on by three of our wizards. They put on a wondrous show utilizing the spells researched by our military. Wasps, webs, crystal, and fire are all used to astound and intrigue the audience. The program started as an outreach to try and get more people to join the army, but it has developed far beyond that. Three wizards who do the acts have become true artists, devising new shows every few weeks. Whether its an interpretive dance around controlled fireballs, acrobatics using webs, or areal spectaculars using thousands of wasps in formation, these wizards have found new ways to bring magic to the everyday citizen of our fine country.
Few inventions have made their way to the everyday person, but one ingenious use of magic has began to make big waves among the populace. A quite clever wizard that was injured severely and relieved of duty opened a new service in the capital. He has been providing hot steamy water, even in the winter months. Utilizing the magic lance spell he learned in the army and the help of a blacksmith friend of his, he creates metal pipes with several magic lances in the center. By coating the lances in metal, the metal turns into a pipe when the lances dissipate. Doing so has created a magical dependent way of creating pipes. The wizard, having a very cheap and easy way of creating pipes, then goes into business as the entrepreneur of a bathhouse. Using a large thick furnace and an incredible array of pipes, the wizard is able to provide steamy water to all patrons, and there are a lot of patrons as it costs very little to use the services there. Noblemen and peasants alike mingle here. The establishment even has a large laundry section where citizens can come to wash their clothes in addition to their bodies. His pipe idea has been picked up by the government, who is currently trying to mass produce the interlocking pipes (both in a metal and ceramic form) in order to improve the sewage and water system of the capital, as well as provide a heating system to homes (although right now that privilege has only been implemented within the royal palace, using a similar method of piping to distribute heat created by a royal wizard throughout the palace). However, almost no wizards have been differed from the war effort for this task, so the going is currently slow. The hope is that in time, the entire country will enjoy full and easy access to running water and heat, but it will have to wait until after the war when more wizards are available to practice their magic for the good of their people.
Another spin-off of magic is the creation of Wizard Silk. The webs created by wizards has been spun into a fine and luxurious silk. The new and wonderful cloth has become all the rage in noble circles throughout the country. Not only is it softer than the wool that most people had become accustomed to, but it is much easier to manufacture. As one strong wizard can produce a great deal of the webs, enough to completely entangle an enemy squad, the material is easy to collect, and cheap to make. Its become so common that even peasants can afford to buy some in order to make fine clothing to attend church and formal events. In more affluent households, the new Wizard Silk is being used to make wonderful clothes, sheets, curtains, and other cloth items. It has revolutionized fashion, to the point that fashion has become a leading conversation topic among lords and ladies. Master tailors are able to work wonders with the cloth and are cloaking the noble people of Arstozka in fasionable articles to the highest degree. Indeed, wizard silk has led to the inclusion of fashion almost to an art form, and certainly to a degree where it is becoming more closely tied to Arstozka culture.
These magical spin-off technologies are quickly becoming a integral part of culture within Arstotzka, much to the benefit of lords, ladies, and peasants alike.
On Architecture
Atstotzka architecture could be described as somewhat Gothic, with an emphasis on beautiful exteriors, but pragmatic design. Arstotzkans are, if nothing else, a pragmatic and rational people. This is apperant even in their architecture. Their cities are well designed and easy to navigate, and their buildings are soundly constructed with a great deal of forethought and spacial understanding. Roads are well kept, wide, and well designed so that they may last for as long as the Arstotzkan people. Forever. Their buildings, composed of stone, wood, and brick are sturdy to a fault. There is a great dichotomy between what is called "Low Arstotzkan design" and "high Arstotzkan design." Low Arstotzkan design does not imply its inferiority, but is more a description of its style. Architects of this school prefer low laying designs, often only one or two stories at a maximum. This style uses a great number of hexagons in its design, not only because of the ascetic value, but because of the strength of the walls and also because it allows the roof's weight to be evenly distributed. Low Arstotzkan design is typically used to construct family homes (most families homes are kept for generations, and are well kept and constructed as a symbol of familial and national pride), as well as many businesses and other similar buildings. There is a great emphasis on natural lighting, and windows are everywhere. While no one would go so far as to call the style ornate, but beautiful it is. Arstotzkan craftsmen have perfected their craft for generations, and the world knows no better wood carvers, and their work is everywhere in Arstotzka.
Really anything that is not a government, church, or royal building, is probably constructed with Low style. However, those buildings are often constructed using the high style. They are typically several stories tall, with multiple towers. Stained glass windows are common, and used to great effect. These buildings are truly beautiful, and ornate to some degree. They often have a great deal of murals on ceilings and wall depicting the great events of our nation's history. There are few of these buildings in each town, but they are easily recognizable by the height and the style, which is another hallmark of Arstotzka, pragmatism. Any stranger to Arstotzka can navigate to important buildings from anywhere nearby, and the citizens are more than happy to direct anyone (except Moskurger bastards). Of these great buildings, none are more incredible than Arstotzka's great libraries and universities. They are great wealths of knowledge, and work to advance the sciences. The pragmatic people of Arstotzkan are pragmatic, and hold science and knowledge as very important. Church and religion are viewed more as a family value, and the government does little in regards to regulate them. However, this does not mean that the people are not religious, although some of them are not, they simply just do not flaunt it like the Moskurgs.
Northern Taiga: 4/4 Arstotzka
Central Mountains: 4/4 Arstotzka
Western Jungle: 2/4 Arstotzka, 2/4 Moskurg
Eastern Plains: 4/4 Moskurg
Southern Desert: 4/4 Moskurg
Northern Sea: Arstotzkan
Western Sea: Disputed
Eastern Sea: Disputed
Southern Sea: Moskurger
Mundane Equipment
Broadsword: Officer weapon. An iron age classic. A double-edged blade designed for speed, flexibility and force. Requires training to wield, can be used one or two handed. Expensive.
War Axe: General infantry weapon. Can be used as a tool in a pinch, this is a single-handed weapon that does well against heavily armoured foes. Can be used with minimal training.
Wooden Shield: General infantry equipment. Couples well with an axe, cheap, easy to replace. Works best in heavy melee. Can be used with minimal training. Cheap.
Hide Armour: General infantry armour. Cheap, thanks to the plentiful sheep in the taiga. Turns aside weak blows. Cheap.
Chain Mail: Officer armour. Expensive, due to the steel required. Very effective against most weapons. Expensive.
Plate Mail: General infantry and officer armour. So well designed it costs surprisingly little to make. Normal cost.
Longbow: General infantry weapon. Difficult to find wood and requires a lot of training, but long ranged and powerful. Expensive.
Shire Horse: A heavy riding horse. Survives and rides well in cold weather. Powerful charge. Expensive.
Longship: Oar-rowed wooden ship. Slow, but sturdy, and can carry large numbers of landing troops. Very Expensive.
Magical Equipment
Wand of Fireballs: Hurls fireballs at a distance, able to destroy whole squads at a time. A National Effort.
Anti-Wizard Guard: Guard thanes against mind-readers and other threats by shooting them. Also partially negate spell support of other units.
Conjuration Spellbook
Obscuring Mist: Cloaks a squad in a fog cloud, hiding their numbers and equipment, and making them harder to hit at range.
Summon Swarm: Conjures a swarm of stinging wasps to harrass foes. Expensive.
Variant (Fire Wasps): Conjures stinging wasps that can start small fires. Expensive.
Magic Lance: Conjures a set of lances for a cavalry squad. Currently useless in their intended role due to fragile cross-section. Expensive.
Webs: Conjures a sticky web, immobilising an entire squad and preventing them from moving. Very Expensive.
Minor Fireball: Hurls small balls of fire that explode on impact, not as devastating as full fireballs but much easier to cast. Expensive.
Fireball: Hurls fireballs at a distance, able to destroy whole squads at a time. Damaging side effects harm morale. A National Effort.
Firewall: Creates static walls of fire. Long casting time, concentration sustain. Very Expensive.
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Topic: Wands Race - [Arstotzka] {COMPLETED} (Read 393411 times)