((The proposd location is one tile to the NE of the current meeting grounds. The vulpinans will wait one year for the project to be completed before returning.
Although the forest in the area is dead, the vulpinans still are very good with wood and will likely make or import sap Laquar windows (which can be colored like stained glass with the right dyes) to fill the upper reaches of the palace. Also, because the area is burnt out the vulpinans will cut away any dead overgrowth with impunity to make room
for the new growth with is appearing. By the end of the year the tile will be clear-cut and prepped for regrowth over the next decades.))
Kara sighed as she watched yet another caravan leave Romilath, clutching her forehead to quell the headache that threghtened to overcome her as she pushed aside another stack of documents. Over the last half a year she had been forced to run Romilath in the absense of Lord Kireal, recovering from the massive backlog of paperwork that had accumulated during his time as mayor and addressing the multitude of complaints that flooded her room in the palace.
The city had been nearly at war with itself after Kireal had been disposed, the factions loyal to him struggling to protest his deposition by attacking those who had opposed his rule. The cells of the city guard had been full for months, filled with ill and swearing vulpinans who lashed out at her whenever she visited.
What was worse, at lest in her mind, was how the dracons were treated. Even after new, harsh laws regarding attacks on the dracons, violence still occured regularily in the streets. Complaints of merchants complaining of lost and stolen goods had flooded her office, and not just dracon merchants either. It seemed that anyone who openly associated with the Dracon people was a target. It almost seemed like it was ... organized.
At her side a gentle tug on the edge of her tunic brought Kara around. With a sigh she pushed the stack of paperwork away, reaching down to pick up little iten, now nearly six years old (I think, not 100% but he's getting up there). With a warm smile she gave the child a hug to her breast, stroaking his bronze head while she thought of what to do.
Iten, another problem on Kara's consiousness. The child, while certainly alert and intelligent to the world around him, hardly spoke. The other children hardly played with him, and for an odd reason he didn't seem to mind it in the least. Oftentimes he would disappear along the banks of the river, or into the gardens of the palace, avoiding contact with others. She couldn't make heads or tails of it, and he was her own son... her own flesh an blood. With the duties that had been piled upon her for the last year, she was lucky to see him for a few hours, much less the time that she should be spending with him... bonding with him.
With a gentle pat on the head the vulpinan woman set her child down, patting him on the head as she turned back to the monsterous stack of paperwork. A million things to do in Kireal's absense, doeens of vulpinans and Dracon's to placate, and plenty of hurt and ruffled feelings to smooth over. The tug returned, and kara stopped with the paperwork in mid-slide. Kara looked down again, this time her face concerned as she looked at Iten. His stubby fingers pointing towards the door insitantly.
With a sigh Kara released the papers, taking her child's hand and following him as he pulled her towards the door. At once he began to prance, his remaining three legs scrambling slightly as he pulled her out of the door towards the gardin.
Perhaps it was time for her to be a mother after all, Kara thought as she let the smiling child lead her away.
~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~
"Where are we going Iten?" Kara asked quietly, her magic sense flaring as she walked with the child along the coastline, the waves to the east riing and falling in the wind. As she spoke, the silver and bronze youth simply smiled at her, releasing her hand and skipping behind her so that he could push his mother faster. At once her ears flattened, anger flushing her face, "Item, that's rude! Why..."
She broke off, her eyes catching the tip if his finger pointing east... towards the sea.
A great ship floated in the ocean, two massive wheels behind it rotating slowing to drive it through the water. As she watched, it's prow dashed against the fierce waves, driving through them with determinations and grit the spray flew away like sparks from the deep scores and damage that adorned the ship.
Kara gasped as she recognized the creatures that moved to and fro across the deck, the large thickset faces and broad snouts as familier as her second closest friend. The Valtans... the Valtans were here!
((As for my turn. Another weapons caravan travels from Romilath towards Aveceleba, this one with an additoinal twenty soldiers (one third melee, the other half crossbowmen. Again armed with steel). Off screen, Kara is going to summon two whisps. These units are helpless messenger units, which move three tiles a turn. They can speak common, see, and hear but have little to no offensive capabilities in combat. Additionally, they are quite visible, being small balls that emit light constantly.
In Thaimacu, Graed has sent out a request to recive the blueprints for the Roshani defense tower system. This request will reach Karomotica in two turns.))
♣♣│♣♣....⌂⌂▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
♣♣└≈≈─○⌂⌂▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
.♣♣♣│⌂▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
..⌂▲○▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲^▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
.⌂▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
⌂▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲⌂⌂⌂○┐..♣♣♣.÷. ▲▲▲⌂⌂○⌂⌂▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲∞══∞═╗⌂⌂▲○▲ ▲▲⌂....└┐..♣♣♣#. ⌂⌂⌂♣♣│♣♣⌂⌂▲▲▲^▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲╔╝~~~~╚═∞▲│▲ ▲z♣♣♣...≈≈.....♣ ♣...┌┘♣♣♣⌂⌂▲▲▲▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲∞╝~~⌂⌂~~~║▲│▲ ▲▲⌂♣♣♣.≈≈≈≈..... ┌─┐.│...♣♣⌂⌂▲▲▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲⌂⌂⌂▲▲⌂~⌂∞▲│▲ ▲▲/=z==z≈≈└──┐.. │.└─≈≈─────○▲▲▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲=┘▲ ▲▲Z⌂==♣┌┘....└#─ ┘....≈...♣♣.⌂▲▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂▲▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲‼‼┘▲▲ ▲▲=⌂♣z.│.....⌂↑↑ ........♣♣♣♣┌○▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂○⌂▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲‼══╗ ▲⌂%♣♣..│...⌂⌂#~↑ .........♣♣♣│⌂▲▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂♣│⌂▲▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲○▲▲╚ ═‼⌂════╪══⌂⌂~║~. ..........♣♣│♣⌂▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂♣│♣⌂▲ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ⌂⌂...⌂.│..⌂⌂~╠═# ≈≈≈≈≈≈....♣♣│♣⌂▲
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂♣└┐δ⌂ ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲♥▲▲▲⌂⌂. .♣..⌂⌂⌂└─┐..╔D≈» ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.....│♣♣§
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂♣└┐⌂ ⌂⌂⌂○▲▲▲▲Å╗▲▲⌂... ♣♣♣♣.⌂...├──Θ≈≈≈ ≈≈≈⌂≈≈≈≈≈..┌≈≈♣♥
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂⌂⌂⌂│♣ ♣⌂⌂│⌂⌂▲⌂⌂≡⌂⌂...♣ ♣╔═╗♣♣.♣♣v....≈» ≈≈↑↑⌂≈≈≈≈≈.│.≈♣♣
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂..┌─┴─ ─┐δ≈⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂Å..Å♣♣♣ ╔╝≈╚╗♣♣♣┌┘....≈≈ ≈≈≈⌂≈≈≈≈≈≈─┘...~
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲○──┘.⌂♣ ♣└─≈≈⌂⌂....┌───ç Θ≈≈≈╨─┬═Θ♣....≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈....~~~~
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂..⌂⌂⌂ ♣♣≈≈δδç───Θ┘...♣ ♣≈♣♣♣♣└─┘♣...≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈...╔£.~~~
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂⌂⌂... .♣♣♣δ..♣..♣♣♣..♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣╞v╞..s≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈↑↑↑↑£╝▲⌂~~~
▲▲▲▲^▲▲▲▲⌂~~~~~. .♣♣.║♣.♣♣♣♣♣♣♣.. >♣♣♣♣♣T╞..≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈»ææ⌂⌂⌂▲▲▲⌂~~~
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂~~~~~~~ .♣♣♣║.Φ..♣♣♣♣♣.. .♣♣♣♣⌂¥⌂æ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈↑t≡▲▲▲▲⌂▲⌂~~~
▲▲▲▲⌂⌂▲⌂~~~~~~~~ .♣..╚ΦΦΦ..ΦΦΦ... ♣♣♣..¥♥¥≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈↑⌂▲▲⌂⌂.⌂▲▲⌂~~
▲▲⌂⌂~~⌂~~~~~~~~~ ......Φ....Φ.... .....⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈»¥¥▲♀..♀.▲⌂⌂~↑
⌂⌂~~≈≈≈≈≈↑↑⌂⌂~~~ ↑....≈≈≈........ ..≈≈≈≈≈≈»≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈¥▲▲⌂≈≈♀▲⌂~↑≈
~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈↑⌂▲▲▲▲ ⌂≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.....≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.¥.≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈⌂▲▲⌂.⌂▲⌂~~~
≈≈≈↑↑≈≈≈≈≈≈≈⌂⌂⌂⌂ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈↑⌂¥═¥≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈⌂▲▲▲▲▲▲⌂~~
≈≈≈≈⌂≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈.↑≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈↑⌂¥▲↑¥~≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈⌂⌂⌂▲▲▲▲⌂⌂
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈↑⌂⌂▲♥⌂~~≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈⌂⌂▲▲⌂~