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[UristMcChladni]

Markov’s Kingdoms: Turn 0: Spring 1, Year 1, Current Era

     Historians broadly agreed that the early spring of the 681st year of the era of myth marked the beginning of a new era. The emergence of the seventh emanation in Ha-Malkut and the political unrest in Hestra during their own change in rulership were only samples of the political unease that would come and go in waves during this time. Elves having barely recovered from natural disaster, nomads with little taste for war, and lizardfolk content to take their share of the goods passing through their mountains would have to find in themselves the strength to defend what land they could call their own. And a blood-drunk nation in the north, just turning from its latest kill to survey the world at large, would do little to stabilize the region.

-An excerpt from Urist the Survivor’s Histories

Please don’t read spoilers that are for other kingdoms if you’re playing. If you aren’t, read on.

Spoiler: What is this? (click to show/hide)

This is the IC thread for Markov’s Kingdoms. Much more detail is contained in the OOC thread.

Spoiler: Queen Hadreena of Hestra (Shadowclaw) (click to show/hide)

     The reports just finished piling on Queen Hadreena’s desk as the winter thaws began up in the mountains, raising the level of the Hestran river. They detailed the locations, timings, and suspects, if there were any at all, in the deaths of four of her siblings, leaving only one behind, three uncles, eight cousins, and a particularly tragic incident involving an entire family, burnt inside their own building, bringing the body count to twenty. Beside this stack was a list of letters. Condolences from supposed allies, notifications that one of her more powerful aunts regretted that she could no longer support her rule, as she had to flee for her own safety, and two death threats. Those likely weren’t credible, at this moment at least. It would be incredibly impolitic to kill her immediately after her coronation, and she had the support of the clergy; those responsible would pay, if the attacked her. But it was clear that the consequences for attacking her family were somewhat more nebulous. If she didn’t instill some sort of order, she could very easily hemorrhage support as those who would otherwise stand by her realized the danger of doing so. An isolated queen would not likely be a long-lived one in Hestra.

     There were also worrying reports that this year, more than just meltwaters might make their way down the mountains. The Viri Sánguinum Imperii a literally blood-thirsty and militant people, were rumored to have finished licking the wounds that were left from their recent conquest of the dwarves that used to populate those mountains. The death of the dwarven kingdom had been manageable for Hestra; it meant a lighter flow of goods to the mountains at the time, but in the long-run it had only brought dwarven refugees, who turned out to be excellent craftsmen, into the city. But the prospect of being turned into thralls for those that lived in the mountains was a sobering one.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (4d6)
Military: Ready (3d6)(Holding)
Culture: Content (2d6)

Spoiler: Imic Greymane of Eldrathion (Imic) (click to show/hide)

     Three reports sat on Imic’s desk, The Sanguine Threat, A New Master in the South, and Less Peninsula Every Year. Compiled by groups of advisors, they laid out what challenges this spring most likely held. In the mountains to the northwest, the Telrac had finished feasting on dwarves, and potentially looked for new victims. They were a fearsome race, though they had not come down from the mountains in a long time. To the south, along the coast, the Deep Ones were said to be following a new Eldritch master, although the report was mum about the nature of this new thing. As far as they could tell, it was a kind of viceroy for a larger entity. That entity had, in the past, seen fit to keep Ha-Malkut as a trading nation. If that continued to be the case, it would seem no threat at all. But a new master might see a change to all of that. The final report detailed how some of the western coast of the peninsula seemed to slip into the sea every year, leaving fishermen to watch as the surf creeps towards their home. The report wasn’t clear on the timescale of the erosion, or therefor how imminent the threat was.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (4d6)
Military: Ready (3d6)(Holding)
Culture: Content (2d6)

Spoiler: Chief Cielo Racion of Cantiera (Hibou) (click to show/hide)

     Looking out over Cantiera from a tall spire, Chief Racion saw prosperity, but also external threats to that prosperity. To the east lay the sea, and the ports of Ha-Malkut. They had ever been a key destination for the goods passing through Cantiera, but as important as they were, they had also never been understood. Who or what the Deep One’s served, was something of a challenging question to get answers to, and a number of Cantieran scholars had literally lost their minds trying to answer the question. But what was agreed was that recently the power structure had changed. Change could be profited from, if leveraged properly; but losing access to the sea would be another issue entirely.

     To the north was competition, of a sort. There were essentially two ways through the mountains that covered this coast: the pass through Cantiera, or the one through Hestra. Rumor had it a large part of the new ruler’s family had been killed off rather suddenly by rebellious nobles. That kind of destabilization might actually be beneficial, if leveraged properly.

     To the west, the displaced elves from the Forest that Was were finally making headway on establishing a kingdom. That could hopefully be a trade opportunity, for those willing to pass underneath the volcano’s shadow and breathe her dust, but so far communication had not been established, and their stance towards trade was unkown.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (3d6)
Military: Unprepared (2d6)(Holding)
Culture: United (4d6)

Spoiler: Adelina the Eternal Empress of Viri Sánguinum Imperii (piratejoe) (click to show/hide)

     Adelina saw that her people were still pleased with their conquest of the dwarves. A long-lived race, they naturally were also long-minded, and reveled in victories and felt the shame of their defeats over much longer time periods than the short-lived races did. But that victorious glow was beginning to turn into a hedonistic frenzy, directionless and chaotic. That chaos could damage the order she had built, and it was clear the Imperii would need something to unite over. Some productive task would have to be found. A priest had been attacked the other day, before the attacker was pulled off and summarily executed. A bad omen for the direction that idle hands would turn soon.

     And to make matters worse, idle was exactly what most of the hands in her empire were. Not only did the nation as a whole not have a direction, many individuals were having increasingly hard times bringing money into their homes. Economic thinking might not be something that came readily to her, but it might be necessary to take up that cause to repair years of neglect.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Stagnant (2d6)
Military: Ready (4d6)(Holding)
Culture: Content (3d6)

Spoiler: Gamchicoth of (is?) Ha-Malkut (Maximum Spin) (click to show/hide)

     Gamchicoth felt throughout the part of himself that was Ha-Malkut that there was unrest, rising from the depths. A calm surface, to be sure, but he could feel it. Anxiety, distress, uncertainty. The parts of the world that were not also him were changing, and the Deep Ones that lived in Ha-Malkut were upset by this change. They kept this emotion deep in themselves, because tied to it was often a thought. The thought that Dagon might have been wrong in remaking Ha-Malkut, in destroying his predecessor and install Gamchicoth. Maybe there was too much unrest in the outside world for this to have been the moment. They covered this thought with others, like the thought that, to be sure, Gamchicoth is far superior to Iaugraandi. And that they could imagine no better being to rule than Gamchicoth, not that they could imagine him. But underneath all of that was the suspicion that this was poor timing. Gamchicoth would have to help them keep this suspicion deep, or expel it entirely. It would not do for it to bubble up to the surface, where Lord Dagon might feel it.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (4d6)
Military: Ready (3d6)(Holding)
Culture: Upset (2d6)

Spoiler: Han’Qerr of House Miero, ruler of High Vallus (Blood_Librarian) (click to show/hide)

     Han’Qerr felt a wind blow down from the north, and on that wind were fragment of the Forest that Was, the old Tree Grove. It was a painful reminder that once, their air had been clean. The pain came not only from the memories, but from the ash kicked into the air by those winds. That ash had been the biggest threat since they left the forest, but it had also come from their greatest provider. The volcano gave them obsidian from which they could fashion powerful magical tools and some of the most precise blades on earth. Its foothills were also home to the metals which the elves needed so badly, in order to get the food they required. But, despite this tenuous hold on life, the elves of High Vallus finally had enough stability, and something that might even be approaching material prosperity, that they could start looking to the future, and building the kind of land that they wanted to live in. This time, though, they would need to be ready to defend it.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (4d6)
Military: Unprepared (2d6)(Holding)
Culture: Content (3d6)

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

 

[bloop_bleep]

PTW.

[piratejoe]

Spoiler: Adelina The Eternal Empress (click to show/hide)

Relaxing on her throne, which was created by dwarven thrall's, with a glass of blood in hand Adelina thought about her situation. She knew as well as the next Telrac that if she remained content and stayed in her own little chunk of land, the people would start turning towards each other rather then look outward for opportunities. Naturally, she would need to do a few things to make sure that the people kept busy and didn't lose sight of the greater picture at hand. She also would need to fix the economy and make sure that riches flow through the nation. She considered a few possibilities, such as raiding Hestra and their caravans, however she thought that before starting another conflict that would take time and money, it might be better to expand her lands by simply getting people to colonize the untamed and clearly rightfully Viri Sánguinum lands to the west. Of course, that would also take time and money but, as far as she was concerned, the lands there would possibly have riches and be a wise investment. Of course, before starting up on such a course however, she would have to make sure to send a few explorers out to see if they couldn't find anything of importance or note in the forest that was, after all, if it was full of treasures not within the mountains, she would happily send people to take it. She considered a few people who could be useful for exploration while she thought of ways to increase her wealth just by using the lands she had, something that hopefully would take less time...Using Dwarven thralls as miners sounded like a great idea in her mind...

After thinking a while about it, Adelina settled on the best course of action, which was to try and get a large amount of Dwaren thralls and get them to mining for riches. They where naturals at finding wealth so she figured that so long as they where chained and heavily guarded, no issues would arise. She also looked for a few Telrac reliable in pathfinding and scouting to search the forest that was, if she had time left over of course.

[Shadowclaw777]

Spoiler: Queen Hadreena of Hestra (click to show/hide)

Hadreena had spent much time in her own chambers conciliating on what to do next, there was two major conflicts that had to dealt with which were the Vampiric folk in the north that had to be sedated and making sure the local nobles are well-happy so that they don't try to instigate a civil. Establishing a professional army only for Hestra that would serve as a tool for riot controlling the local peasants and showing the nobles in there place, and making sure their is a defensive army any time the vampires dare to show up. She finally went out to her royal room and marched her way from the throne room to the room of the council.

Hadreena showed her plan to the highly likely conspiring council, first was to make sure that we spent the economy on buying more soldiers and warriors for a professional army only for Hestra. This would mean that the military structure would have to change from holding to recruiting, and this new-found professional army will be used as a tool for Hestra to make sure the nobles back off their claims from the throne, and essentially scare them away from there gaming tactics. Finally meager funding would be sent to both Cantiera and Eldrathion to make sure that their economic ties remained in place and that they can both profit.

[Maximum Spin]

Spoiler: Gamchicoth of/is Ha-Malkut (click to show/hide)

The moon will soon be in the right position. We will sponsor the Festivities and Sacrifices of Dagon [E] to remind the people that, though we are in the world, we are not of the world, and the petty troubles of the outside cannot compromise the Great Plan. Perhaps we will also be lucky enough to secure some especially potent sacrifices by raiding the nearby land peoples [M] to make this year's Festivities particularly grand.

[Hibou]

Spoiler: Chief Cielo Racion of Cantiera (click to show/hide)

Cielo takes heed of his council, understanding the current situation and acts thusly:

It was time to roll out the welcome wagon for our friends in the south. He would order a caravan to be put together, loaded with trade goods in the form of a modest sum of gold along with some textiles, trinkets, pottery, and dried fruits to act as a representative of Cantiera's economy and culture. In addition, he would commission a few scholars who were familiar with the area to tag along with the caravan to see if establishing some sort of embassy would be possible, and perhaps a more permanent trade route, or at the very least spend some time getting to know the locals.

In addition, he summons his diplomats to prepare to visit Ha-Malkut. They had been cooperative in the past as trade partners, but considering recent news he feels the need to send them over to renew some trade agreements. A purely economical venture.

[Imic]

Imic's desk was piled high with papers and reports of issues and complaints. That was all that seemed to happen nowadays, issues and complaints. He tok his pen up, and began to write.

Spoiler: King Imic (click to show/hide)

Send agents down south to find out what everything they can about the dissapearing land and To keep as much of an eye as possibke on the sea between Eldrathion and Hal - Makut. Have the military patrol the border with the VSI, but inform them that they are not to step one inch beyond the border. Send an envoy to Hal - Makut to suggest the possibility of expanded trade routes.

Imic put down his pen reluctantly. There wasn't much he could do for the time being, but this would have to do.

[Blood_Librarian]

A "Queen" sat in her throne, underneath a vast cloth roof, held up by stone pillars. In the Tent city of High Vallus, Roofs were perhaps the most valuable piece of property can own, and the "keep" of the queen had reflected that. In the Throne room,  the heat of the dry desert was still prevalent, tinged with ash that tainted the air. The Queen sat, hearing over the din of the landed and listened. When the various ambitions of petty nobles and uppity mercantiles cut down, The Queen began negotiating.

Spoiler: Han’Qerr of House Miero, ruler of High Vallus (click to show/hide)

The Underground needs more workers, and Han'Qerr begins to navigate the complex political landscape, to gather more to throw in the mines.  Prisoners are bought from foreign lands for reasonable prices, in return for resources from the mines. A slightly complex system is also set for prisoners to serve their time int he mines and then become semi-free persons, who will still have to work in the minds.

Edit: Decided that the understone keep should be a project to be built later then something i get right off the bat, editing to  compensate for this.

[☼Another☼]

PTW.

[sprinkled chariot]

Wolololo

[UristMcChladni]

Markov’s Kingdoms: Turn 1: Spring 2, Year 1, Current Era

     Diplomacy is always a deception. You pretend that you have the other person’s interest at heart, but you know that you don’t, and they know that you don’t. It’s the appearance that is the point. And that’s important. Commit yourself to their interest only as much as you need to put on the show. But be ready to cut ties if they become a liability, kill them if they become a threat, and steal from them if they leave their silverware out after dinner. The illusion of openness is essential, true openness is death.

-An excerpt from Ma’Kivel’s The King

Spoiler: Queen Hadreena of Hestra (Shadowclaw) (click to show/hide)

     The council expressed some displeasure at the idea of a larger military, and especially one that Hadreena would have direct control over. But, as the discussion progressed, it became clear that there were no true objections that could be voiced, and there were a few on the council who recognized the threat from the north for what it was. Thus, authorization to begin recruiting was given, though the first month of recruitment yielded few new soldiers.

     The nobles were not, however, intimidated. To be sure, any killing off of her kin would have to occur more subtly, but it could hardly be said that Queen Hadreena had sole control over the army. The sons and daughters of those nobles found ways to insert themselves into the process, requisitioning supplies, giving medical training, or controlling the cartography for the military. Granted, none of these were the kinds of positions that could directly challenge and order from Hadreena, but the nobles felt secure knowing that they understood the going’s on in the army.

     A ship laden with gifts was sent west, while a caravan similarly equipped embarked south, through the desert. Whether those shipments would stimulate their recipients’ economies, or their interest in Hestra’s wellbeing, was now out of Hadreena’s control, but she was confident that she had done what she could.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (4d6)
Military: Ready (3d6)(Recruiting)
Culture: Content (2d6)

Spoiler: Imic Greymane of Eldrathion (Imic) (click to show/hide)

     A surveyor was sent to the south, and it did not take him long at all to return with a troubling report, Unnatural Wave Patterns Selectively Eroding Eldrathion Fishing Villages. In it, the case is made that large section of the coast experience relatively little decay over shorter time periods, consistent with regular wave actions. However, in areas immediately surrounding fishing villages and other coastal installments, the erosion occurs much more rapidly, and there are massive waves that do not come far into the land, but instead seem to stop at its edge and tear as much off as they can. The tone of the report is a mix of panic, confusion, and wonderment.

     By contrast, it would take a deal longer for the agents sent to Ha-Malkut to return, at least a month, based off of the distance of travel and the complexity of fact finding missions with eldritch targets. However, he should have received a report from the patrols at the border, but that section of his desk was conspicuously empty. Without word from them, he was blind to the goings on to the west.

     That would likely be the least of his concerns, though. In response to the admittedly supernatural behavior of the ocean, a new cult had formed. The tendency of the waves to attack fishing villages has led many of them to the conclusion that the act of fishing is a transgression against a fish-god of some sort. For the moment the cult is still in its infancy, and rather disorganized, but nonetheless it has been stirring up trouble and disrupting normal life throughout the kingdom.
 
Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (4d6)
Military: Ready (3d6)(Holding)
Culture: Upset (1d6)

Spoiler: Chief Cielo Racion of Cantiera (Hibou) (click to show/hide)

     Two caravans depart Cantiera, travelling opposing directions but with similar intent. Trade is to be reestablished with Ha-Malkut, and to be opened for the first time with High Vallus. The caravan to High Vallus, in particular, is well stocked, and Chief Racion cannot help but feel some pride at his business acumen. The elves would surely be wooed by the wonderful food sent their way, especially given the poor conditions of their own fields.¬¬

     Chief Racion was also, late in the month, met with a diplomatic envoy from what was perhaps a slightly less likely place. A caravan came with gifts from Hestra, with the goal of encouraging close economic cooperation between the two. Whether to was better to treat them as competitors or partners in business would be up to Cielo.

     But the most urgent reports came late in the month. A large number of soldiers stationed to the west of the pass had disappeared, usually while out in patrol in small squads. It began as a slow trickle, but caught speed, either as whatever was taking his soldiers became more brazen, or perhaps as soldiers began to abandon their posts, fearing for their lives. Whatever the cause might be, Cantiera was left with a threadbare army. Were any other nation to learn of this fact, Cantiera’s position would be tenuous indeed.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (3d6)
Military: Routing (1d6)(Holding)
Culture: United (4d6)

Spoiler: Adelina the Eternal Empress of Viri Sánguinum Imperii (piratejoe) (click to show/hide)

     It should be such a simple thing, to get the dwarves mining. They were in the mountains, they were under her control, and the mines had been rich in years past. Yet despite the obviousness to Adelina that this was a simple task, they failed. This mine was dried up, devoid of metals and gems. This mine was infested with creatures from the deep, troglodytes and the like, which moved in darkness. Another flooded. The small amounts that were pulled from the mines as a result of her initiative did little to bolster the economy, and if anything only frustrated the citizenry and led to an increased sense of boredom. These mountains might well be more barren than believed.

     In contrast, the Forest that Was offered an interesting path forward. It was not, in fact, readily navigable. At least, not by normal means. Maps didn’t seem to mean much within it, and were just as likely to lead you deeper as they were to lead you out. But the sheer numbers of Telrac in her military allowed them to take a different tact. By positioning small outposts within sight of each other, and always keeping a small light burning, they seemed to anchor the forest. If you could see those outposts, you could come back. There were those few that drifted to far. They were found later, sometimes. If they were alive, they were often mad. But they weren’t often alive.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Stagnant (2d6)
Military: Ready (4d6)(Holding)
Culture: Content (3d6)

Spoiler: Gamchicoth contains Ha-Malkut (Maximum Spin) (click to show/hide)

     Gamchicoth understood the needs of his people well, as a one can when they are in the people. By meticulously probing the minds of those most influential in Ha-Malkut, he devised the perfect preparations for the Festivities and Sacrifices of Dagon. Each dissenter, each family patron, and every barkeep, would find idols of their favored representations of Dagon, made from their favorite materials. Coral statues dripped blood, living masses of were cultivated into strange and arcane shapes, and the entire island was made ready. In the coming month, the time would be ripe.

     As would the captives. Through some careful patrols, the military managed to bring back a number of citizens of both Cantiera and Eldrathion, along with a variety of animals sacrifices, including a strange two headed bull. This plan for sacrifice might have been somewhat complicated, though, by the arrival of caravans from both Cantiera and Eldrathion. Each proposed trade, and wanted to earn the approval of Gamchicoth to continue relations as they had been before his arrival. This left possibilities open for how to deal with their presence during the time of the festival.

Kingdom Status
Economy: Healthy (4d6)
Military: Ready (3d6)(Holding)
Culture: Upset (2d6)

Spoiler: Han’Qerr of House Miero, ruler of High Vallus (Blood_Librarian) (click to show/hide)

     The money spend on slaves was money well spent, as the slavers brought in large batches of former Cantieran military. Apparently their scouting had been relatively inefficient, and a number of patrols were ambushed and taken. These were hardy lizardfolk, well musceled and suited to work in the mines.
 
     Following the arrival of these slaves, a caravan came from Cantiera. It was laden with dried fruits, which were a nice addition to the otherwise limited diets in High Vallus, along with a wide variety of ornamental objects, mostly meant to show prosperity. And they reflect the prosperity of High Vallus well. The well-timed influx of labor and goods was enough to secure a higher standard of living for most of the elves in the city, virtually overnight. But it also came with a complicated question: how would Han’Qerr respond to Cantieran overtures for trade, when one of the more valuable goods to leave the pass was taken by the slavers, by force?

Kingdom Status
Economy: Prospering (5d6)
Military: Unprepared (2d6)(Holding)
Culture: Content (3d6)

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

 

[Maximum Spin]

Spoiler: Gamchicoth contains Ha-Malkut, which contains Gamchicoth (click to show/hide)

  Of course these caravans cannot be allowed in the Capital during the festival, as it could be dangerous for them to be found by our citizens during the Frenzy. And of course they may not appreciate the "sacrifice" thing if they do make it out alive. So we shall locate a nearby Deep One whose mind rings with steadfastness and devotion to Gamchicoth and to Dagon, and grant him or her the honour of acting as our implement to meet the caravans somewhere out of the way. Eyes aglow with the divine sacrilegious power, and flanked by bodyguards in full regalia, this Deep One shall say:
  "I speak for Gamchicoth, and so I speak for Ha-Malkut. Due to religious practices ongoing in the Capital, He has chosen me to meet you here. From the parts of Him that were once Iaugraandi, the prior Emanation, He knows of the trade Ha-Malkut has enjoyed with your countries, and He is indeed eager to continue and even expand these relations. However, it is also a new era in Ha-Malkut, and so He must ask something of you in return: it is His wish that some of us should settle in your lands and mingle among your people, particularly in the coastal regions. We are excellent fishermen and divers, as well as craftsmen, and we shall follow all of your laws scrupulously. However, we will require the freedom to pursue our religious practices and that you be ready to protect us should your people be less accepting. Gamchicoth would be willing to consider an equal exchange in this respect as well. What will you say to this request?"
In order to sweeten the deal, the chosen Deep One will be equipped to offer minor but flashy gifts from among the products of Ha-Malkut's industry to the caravans. [E]

Meanwhile, the Festival shall proceed as intended, once insulated from this disruption.

Also, perhaps we could get some rough borders on the map?

[Blood_Librarian]

"We had marched for seven days through the sands, when the Caravan leader had came to a stop, and so to had the rest of the caravan. The burly(Frumpled) Elf gazed towards the right flank of the caravan,  and she murmured to himself with words that I could not comprehend. She then yelled to the navigator of the sands, and the Navigator unsheathed his staff, Waved it in a arc, and a precular beacon was formed. It glew bright, in the shape of a white crescent and a yellow bar, both objects pointing to the sky

The men in the distance gazed, and sent out one of theirs after discussing amongst themselves. I didn't know what he was, but he was tall and gleaming unlike most elves, but wore clothes that hid himself, with a sheath to his side. So unlike the Brigands that had decimated the caravan that brought be to High Valus.

Coinage was exchanged, and the Queens named was praised. We went our separate ways."

-Ferris Miero, Traveler of the World

(If anyone wants to use Ferris Mero for their own lore texts, go ahead!)

Spoiler: Han’Qerr of House Miero, ruler of High Vallus (click to show/hide)

Representatives of highest house is sent, and they will walk amongst the slavers, they are the representatives of the Queens own. Wealth is given freely to those who let heed the queens words. They are of the Queens Military, great warriors that do not fight with the lessers, but guide them on who to hit. They navigate the sands for those not bearing the queens mark and let the bandits fight for the wealth of the wanderers.

The Queens mark-bearers is given to Elven caravans, and (trusted,respectful and wise) foreign traders. A network is established, No Slaver will ever hit a caravan under the queens will, lest they face the crowns military. The intended goal of these markers are to maintain the current network of trade, lest the supplies and food fails to come and the inhabitants of High Vallus starve.

The original caravan members are bought back from the mines, and sent with the Elven caravan back to Cantieran. The caravan will consist of elegantly crafted Elven weapons,  metal ingots, the numerous emigrants and the obsidian jewelry made from the heart of the volcano.

[piratejoe]

Spoiler: Adelina The Eternal Empress (click to show/hide)

When Adelina received her reports for the month, she was not exactly happy. However, there was one thing very good about the report. The forests would be a good place to send people out to colonize, of course, the dangers where apparent but it would get people doing something and that danger would make it more of an adventure for the ones trying to claim the land for the Viri Sánguinum Imperii. Not only that, but it would be a good idea to see how strong the trees of the forest where, if they where particularly tough, they might be useful for the economy, and the military. Still, she had to be careful about the colonization. If things went poorly for most of the colonists, it would go poorly back at home for her. Which is why the colonists where to be given support from the military who knew how to anchor down the forest which one day, might be a massive metropolis made by Telrac hands...whether or not it would still shift around at that point however, is something she didn't know. Either way, it was going to be a long investment, one that would hopefully pay off unlike her recent failed short term investment, and if all things went well, she would not only have more land, but more money. Money that could be spent on the military and used for raiding and invasion.

[Hibou]

Spoiler: Chief Cielo Racion of Cantiera (click to show/hide)

The army left staggering, along with the strange but at the very least not hostile contact sent from the northern neighbors left Cielo... Puzzled to say the least. His military advisers, few as they were, were clamoring for a redirection of the kingdom's economic flow to fund a restructuring of the military.

Of course, this was nothing new, as the military was weak to begin with- but with the uncertainty of the future the attractiveness of the option was more attractive.

Meanwhile, he himself along with the lead organizers of some of the larger religious and cultural organizations in the city believed that it was better to simply go on as normal. It was peacetime after all, and armies were expensive. There would always be some smaller threats, but it would be better to focus on the domestic issues while there were no huge threats rather than petty foreign ones.

After some consideration, Chief Racion made his decree. First, he would accept the trade agreement with Hestra. Allies are valuable, and perhaps with some time and consideration, an agreement to establish a joint monopoly over the pass could be reached, which would surely be a boon to both kingdoms.

Second, in preparation for the influx of gold from his previous competitor, he would establish some higher tariffs on trade to bring money into the royal coffers, which would then be spent on additional payrolls for additional soldiers, along with purchasing some better armaments from the passing caravans (with a subsidy to the trader, of course). It would slow down trade some, but with a new route in the process of being established, the effect would hopefully be negligible at worst.

With the strengthened royal army, he would have the generals form a few scouting parties and venture out into the desert to see if they could not find the threat that was lurking behind those dunes. His military advisers and he agreed on one thing at least: Information was everything.