Fall 153Of metal, fuel and miscellaneasThis autumn, the merchants from Nishtiz came early the market was still set from the visit of the guildsmen in summer. At this point in time, Kimaeslo Ori have been used to have its foreign market permanetly set only in the months of winter it remained empty. The production of craftgoods was to continue year round to provide the seasonal guests.
Of all merchants, the dwarves of Nishtiz were the most important not only because of their dwarven steel, but because they were also trading other rare metals, tin, and large quantities of fuel.
Fuel especially had become the limiting factor in the town development from the ceramic tiles and statues, to glazes, glass and of course metals, most industries functionned on fuel.
Without fuel, most of the town's advanced industries would crawl to a stop idle workers would fill the tavern and only base industry stonework, craftwork and clothwork, exclusively would remain in shop.
Luckily, both the guildsmen trader of Mong Kima and the dwarves of Nishtiz understood the profit there has to be made by selling wood by the ton to the developping city and so, for the second half of the year, the industries would function continuously.
Rarely, in fact, so much work had been done in so little time. In less than a month, Toki's axe squad was completely outfited and ready to go.
The farmer guild petitionned for a gloom up of their old guildhall, and their project was accepted which meant new furnitures and high quality decorations had to be produced . To also save space in the soon-to-be great farmer guildhall, workshops and amenities are starting to be, little by little, phased out of the building.
Since the time of the Aconilun, the farmer's guildhall had been used to feed and shelter the poor and the newcomers. A couple of rooms had been stuffed with beds people who lacked a place to sleep could sleep in the farmer guild at any time then cross the road and take their breakfast in the inn.
Likewise, the first floor was dedeicated to farming-related workshops, and unoccupied various bedrooms could be found on the higher floors. In order to specialize the building into a dedicated guildhouse, a fall point had to be found for all those amenities the shelter, the individual rooms, - maybe the workshops (although they are indeed related to the farmers guild and may be in the best hands while located in their hall).
That process of furtinure migration took a lot of time.
The ladies of Edetledir
A bit of historyIn July 130, the seaside city of Edetledir suffered a serie of attacks from their neighbours, the elves of Wulemaapasi. A firstd efeat from the defense of Edetledir prompted them to hurry to the negociation table to beg the attacks to stop.
Queen Caraca feigned to accept, and required them to dsend them a reccuring tribute every spring but before the first tribute date even had a chance to be met, Wulemaapasi attacked again, this time routing the defense forces completely.
This was a disaster on multiple grounds not only Mong Kima lost a production center and a major trading hub, but most critically, Edetledir was located next to the royal castle of Asuciro, sheltering Queen Usu and her court.
The fall of Edetledir left the royal court vulnerable to a direct attack not only from Wulemaapasi, but also from the empires of the region Osme in particular.
Immediate reaction was of course warranted. Luki Usupim « Freedom in the mist », a local pearlite hero, installed members of her band on the local government of Edetledir and tasked them to protect the crown from enemy invasions.
The « Released flowers » - it was the name of the new government, quickly declared its independence from the crown, while commitiing to its mission of regional security. Out of option and with a whole set of more urgent problems to solve, the crown accepted that compromise : it would lose one of its major city, but retain a layer of defense against Wulemaapasi and Osme.
Luki left the city soon after the independence, travelled a bit on her own, then elected to settled in Kimaeslo Ori where she died during an Osmite attack in 142.
RIP LukiFor 13 years now, the Released Flowers worked in good intelligence with the kingdom, stopping multiple attacks from all of the crown's neigbouring enemies :
From 130 to 135, the Released Flowers completely drove off the elves of Wulemaapasi inflicting them three defeats back to back. In 135, the elves completely gave up their attacks on the town.
However, the respite for the pearlite bandits was short lived : in 135, war was declared by the empire of Osme on Mong Kima, and border towns suffered a flurry of attacks. Thomocemir managed to stop a large part of those attacks but Edetledir also suffered their share of the war, especially in the beggining.
In 135, four attacks from Osme were repelled, in 136, two more. After six victories in short orders, Osmite hordes were finally driven back, and the city knew a few years of peace.
However skilled the Released Flowers were in the art of war, they were poor administrators, and could not capitalize on those years to rebuild their infrastructure and Edetliedir remained a poor, near sighted, improductive city state, with no way of surviving its own weight in the long term.
Wulemaapasi launched an animal attack for a last time in 142 11 years ago but once again, their attack force was completely wiped out by the Released Flowers and their mercenaries.
Edetledir and the Released Flowers were instrumental in the early efforts of the kingdom to drive off their multiple enemies, both elves and goblins. However, in 153, a recovering Mong Kima and a fast-frowing Kimaeslo Ori saw the independent city as an easy target to pursue their expension.
In fall 153, in the bridgetown of Kimaeslo Ori, the pieces finally came together, and the plan to vassalize the independent town was coming to motion.
The PlanIn fall 153, Kimaeslo Ori had a powerful military, comparable and maybe even more powerful than Thomocemir's army. Besides it has ben, since it was re-colonized by the Thaguk Alnos, reasonably spared by war, leaving its forces fresh and available for exterior operations.
It was a rich merchant town, as it was meant to be since its very inception it had the ressource in funds and manpower to field much, much greater ambitions than the comparatively smaller Thomocemir. Its ambition wasn't simply to protect the kingdom's seat of power from direct attacks it was to establish itself as the nevralgic center of a great empire.
Now the nobility of Kimaeslo Ori was counting on the town, being of pearlite origin, to gladly take the opportunity to rejoin with the flock. The position of the Released Flowers, however, was the big unknown ; if they were to step down from power, then Edetledir would become Kimaeslo Ori's first vassal. If they would not violence would be inevitable.
Toki, Haspen and their squad would travel to Edetledir and ask for its formal surrender. If it was accepted, they would occupy the castle start the rule of Kimaeslo Ori. If the offer was refused, their order were to engage and eliminate the defense forces of the Released Flowers.
In that scenario, Kimaeslo Ori would be the likely winner they had more weapon masters on their side, and their armement was superior... but it was the worst possible scenario.
The Released Flowers had at least two weapons masters on their side : Fath « Thirst for riches » was a hammer master armed with a gigantic silver maul, and a less known elven bandit by the name of Nino was famous for never missing a shot.
Lucmen, their head lady, had lead the group during a number of defensive battles and was an experienced strategist. Hopefully, the battle coiuld be avoided.
Advance26 september 153, Toki's squad arrived in Edetledir. They walked unrestricted through the external walls of the town and crossed large empty streets. It was a stressful moment Toki knew what kind of enemy he would have to face a small, dedicated and professional defense force. They would be unlikely to engage him frontally but they would not have to. They could hide in any house, or simply retreat in the castle to earn more time.
A couple of shadows fled from the inn and rushed to the castle. The Released Flowers were rarely fightiong alone, often relying on the services of contracted mercenaries to bolster their ranks.
« They are not expecting us » remarked Haspen. « Whatever decision they make, they will make in a hurry »
Toki agreed on the observation and the squad pressed on to the castle.
The squad met the Released Flowers near the gates of the castle.
Fath « Thirst for riches », Lucmen and Jal « Mythic messenger of hell », the bandit ladies of Edetledir. Their stories and adventures alongside Luki are closely tied to the early history of Mong Kima« We come to take control of the city » announced Toki. « Surrender or draw in either case, we'll be in charge of the city before the day is through ».
The Released Flower seemed to hesitate for a second. Lucmen look at her lieutnants, then made an appeasing gesture.
« My people were eager to join the kingdom and are glad to depose their weapons » she responded. « Should you garantee their lives. »
Toki agreed. They would not kill more than they had to.
« But you need my head, now don't you ? » she asked in a worried voice. That was the case the leader of a defeated city does not get to live. It was the curse of the crown : should it fall, it often takes along the head it is seated on.
« It's the price of surrender. » Toki remarked. « Knowing that, do you surrender or should we go through all of you ? »
A long silence followed. Lucmen evaluated her chances. Not a snowball chance in hell maybe they could take a few pearlites with them, should they resist but victory was out of the question. Death for death, she decided to at least spare her friends.
She formally surrendered and was thrown in a hollow grave soon after.
A first step has been made.
Are, daughter of Asin, and friendsThe departure of Toki, Haspen and their seven squadmates did crate a void in town that did not took a long time to fill up. As soon as they left, a little group of villagers arrived in Kimaeslo Ori to settle.
It was a small group of six villagers, mostly coming from Thomocemir among those travellers however was a young girl that Uzu recognized immediately : it was his little sister.
« Is she really your sister ? » asked Sothro, looking at the girl from a distance. « She doesn't look like you at all ! »
Are that was the girl's name, had her mother's hair. Altho she didn't know her mother for a long time, as the poor woman died three years after her birth devoured by an alligator. Thomocemir was and remained a wild place that was never fully tamed.
« I'm actually surprized you never met her » Uzu said. « Especially considering how closes our families are. »
Back in Thomocemir, Ryukan and Asin are close friends, being respectively the lord and the bookkeeper of the border fort.
Ryukan and Asin however had a very protective parenting style wise choice, all things considered, in the jungle hellhole that was early Thomocemir, and their kids were raised separately, and as much as possible kept away from danger.
Uzu especially suffered from that education the most, and grew up wanting to bring glory onto his family perhaps because he thought his family did not shoulder his burden of heroic deeds, perhaps to prove to himself that he was capable of heroic deeds after all, most probably both.
« Regardless » Uzu continued. « Our families will not help us in Kimaeslo Ori, and I will not have the time to look over my sister. »
Sothro nodded, looking in the distance, waiting for Uzu's lecture to end.
« And you are the only pearlite her age around. Princeling Sothro, can I entrust her security to you ? »
The kid lift an eyebrow and look at Uzu, before taking his attention on the young girl.
« Sure » he answered. « Whatever you ask »
That should not be a mission out of his abilities, and he was eager to please his senior.
If he understood it was a trick to get the two teenagers together, he let none of it show.
Disaster at the public bathThis fall, it was decided that the next public building to be made on the bridge should be a public bath. That initiative would complement the trash compactor built in summer to promote public hygiene.
The blueprint seemed quite simple on paper : a small water-fillable basin with a mechanism to safely evacuate tainted waters onto the sea, and a well nearby to re-fill the baths after cleanup.
In reality, it was harder than expected.
The evacuation mechanism was composed of horizontal metal bars next to a mechanism operated bridge. At the pull of a lever, a bridge would contract or retract, covering or uncovering the evacuation. The evacutaions were, at all time, covered by metal bars preventing late bathers from being thrown in the drain.
However, the architect did not consider that using metal bars instead of stone would weaken the structural integrity of the construction. Using too much drain created too much strain so to say.
The 10 of november 153, the structure partially collapsed and the workers were thrown into the sea where they drowned.
The name of the lost workers were : Ethep Reloth and Ketas. Istro, Reloth pet rabbit, also died during the incident.
Ah, how can an oversight so minor cause multiple lifetimes of grief.
The plans were quickly reviewed and hopefully will not cause anymore deaths.
First use of the trash compactorA note should also be made that Fall 153 was the first successful use of the trash compactor. A heap of damaged and unusable clothes were gathered during the season and thrown into the gigantic machine. It tumbled down and fell to the ground level, where its destruction could commence.
This is extremely satisfying.
The lever was pulled, the gears compressed the trash in an instant. Fantastic success, for once ! There was still a lot of work to be done, in order to completely clean up the streets, but now, we had a straight path forward !
Uzu's love lifeNow, Uzu is a character whose history is extremely dear to me, having been, at 12 years old, the companion of my character and bringing happiness to this character is one of my personal goals. But a review of his personality reveals a young man who is extremely shy, introverted and nervous. Socializing is very difficult to him, let alone starting a relationship luckily for him we do not mind helping him a little.
The town scoured the list of possible suitors and one name was mentionned multiple time Shebi, a herbalist. She arrived on the bridgetown last season, and was like him an absolute nervous mess. Really, hooking them up together would be a service made to both of them.
Unless something happens, a marriage is therefore to be planned between those two.
Not wanting to rush things however, Lady Desli ordered Uzu's sword squad to go back to their civilian duties as they were now swordmasters and would train on their own time, and personally ordered the young captain to learn a bit of herbalism.
Who knows when such a skill can be useful, after all ?
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Topic: Mong Kima - The Nation of Pearls (DF 0.47.05) (Read 254092 times)