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[Zako]

You forgot the # before the botg. Its /join #botg dwarf.

My previous two turns:

Turn 5: Nothing much, just smelting some iron, building forces and construction. The palisade is finished.

Turn 6: The training of the military is finished. A stone wall is under construction outside the palisade. (15m high) Erak and the two misia hear of a competition called hikaitai and are invited. They accept, curious about magic.

Turn 7: More military training and building. Focus is on great hall and the stone wall. (Akroma needs to post about the competition.)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Lindos: Popcap: 1350 Population: 462

Great Hall: 400/500
Stone wall: 200/500
Spearman training: 10/30
Hammerman training: 10/20
Battlerager training: 10/20

[Armok]

~Reserved~

((I want to have at least some interaction whit the Hitengu, but I don't have inspiration at this exact moment and probably want to talk to Akroma. Whit Dandalof I argue that we should stay for at least the coming few turns.))

[Emperor_Jonathan]

((@Emperor_Jonathan : There is a problem with your population and your popcaps. Your southernmost city should have had a popcap of 0 on previous turn, and this turn as well (orc territory), unless Kashyyk granted you food, a fact I haven't been warned of. So, your population in that city should have been reduced by at least a hundred people.

Your central city has been on high mountains on the previous turn, according to your pop support it's popcap should have been 70, so it lost 15% of its people on turn 6. Please correct your populations for these two cities and keep accurate popcaps for all three.

((Ah, okay, I'll correct them. Sorry for the misunderstanding.))

((EDIT: All fixed now?))

[Pandarsenic]

((So, uh. I can't get on the IRC Channel at all any more; it says I can't connect.

In other news, Istrian has my organization prototype.))

[Cheeetar]

I haven't got much time, so I'm not going to RP this.
Hasuin moves east.

[Navian]

The Map, The Map, The Map:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

   0    0    1    1    2    2    3
   0    5    0    5    0    5    0
   --------------------------------
  |                    ♣⌂⌂
  |                    ─Y▲ ⌂⌂.
15|                    .⌂⌂▲▲k⌂.
  |                    ..⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂.┌──
  |                     M⌂K▲⌂○──┘..
  |        ⌠┌≈≈≈      ...⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂....
  |        ⌠|⌠≈≈     ⌠┌──○▲▲k⌂
20|        ⌠|⌠≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|K⌂▲ ⌂⌂o
  |        ⌠|⌠└─┬─────┘⌂⌂
  |        ─┘~~.|⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠⌂
  |       ~~~~≈≈≈
  |      ~~~~~≈≈≈≈
25|     ~~~~≈≈≈
  |    ~~~~~~≈≈
  |~~ ~┌──≈≈≈≈≈
  |~~~~|~~~~≈≈≈≈
  |⌂⌂⌂~|~~~~~≈≈≈
30|○───┘~   ~~~♠

Poor, poor Eval Centranna:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Eval Centranna was upset. All that time rowing that goddess-darned boat, looking forward to the new land and new beasts to hunt, and now some great big swarm of puny humans or whatever comes along and takes down the only game in sight before he could ever nock an arrow. And all Masi could think of for him to do is move rocks.

"Heck no," Eval muttered to himself. He lifted a large piece of obsidian, wincing as a sharp edge sliced through the leather of his gloves, almost breaking his skin. That was the last straw. Eval threw down the rock and stomped on it until it cracked, grabbed a piece for himself and stormed out of the cave, ignoring wholesale the amusment, outrage, and concern of the other Katytans in the tunnel.

He slammed the crude door to his room shut, wincing again as the ear-piercing crack echoed throughout. Eval was bored, and after clumsily preparing a few crude arrowheads from the volcanic glass to grace his shafts  he was even more restless. He grabbed his charcoal and scribbled a note onto a scrap of leather.

"Headin norswethed yup. Ive gon huntin. Ill be back in fall. Dont folo me!!", it read.

Thus satisfied, Eval struck out at once, waving at a confused bystander as he marched off at a brisk pace, walking stick in hand.

Consequently:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nasha gathered her followers in the meeting hall. Work on the new settlement was progressing well, but she was aware that a month of labour in a dull, crude hole in the rock was more than some could bear. Masi had been the first to notice Eval was missing, and always of strategic mind, he had turned the note over to Nasha without a word to any of the others.

Nasha answered their questions now, as others became aware of his absence. "Yes, I have sent Eval to scout northward. As you know, Eval has spent much time taking care of himself in the wilds, even if never so  far from home, and I thus I felt it might be alright to allow him to leave without a partner, despite tradition. After all, there are far more dangerous areas to explore than the western hills. Three teams of three is what I ask, as we know giant eagles to roost in these mountains." There was some nodding among the crowd. The mood seemed good. Nasha was relieved.

Another question came, this one from Ison Sanitelna, as he hefted the oversize wood cleaver she carried around with her. "Though I will not name names, some of us saw fit to give the Monoglains our food to restock their supplies after the long trek through the mountains. We have weeks, not months of food remaining. Might I suggest that a larger party return to the river, both to scavenge what we left behind and to establish farming and brewing operations? It would greatly contribute to quality of life here in the capital."

Nasha laughed. 'Capital'? 'Operations'? 'Quality of life'? My, someone was getting ahead of himself. It was a good suggestion, though. She raised a hand to indicate the laughter was not rejection, and strived to contain her mirth. "Yes, if that is the case," she noted some nods, shrugs from others, and a very red-faced Icand, whose duty it was to report such things. "Let's prepare for you to embark at once. I'm sure you all know your roles here.

"A party of eight will travel southwest, parties of three each to the north and south easts, prepared in that order. Two will also be sent west, to further clarify our agreements with the eastmen.  Each group should check in with Masi before leaving, to ensure you all have adequate supplies. He'll be handing out flares, too, so there's no rush to leave!"

A light-hearted cheer rose at that. Nasha felt the need to explain. "The flares are intended to notify the camp if you're in trouble, so take care with them. If the need is dire--such as if there is a danger so great it threatens us all--you know what I mean, or at least have heard about it, I'm sure--set fires, all the fires you can. Their smoke will be a signal I won't miss, and we will prepare for war."

There were solemn nods, expressions of fear and looks of confusion. Oh well. It'd all sort out. Nasha left Masi to finish up the briefing, and returned to her quarters, beckoning the two guards watching over the hills to follow.

Inside, she turned to them, hesistant. "What's up, Nasha?" Ginya Sansoresta unhooked her helm and left it hanging. Nasha motioned for them to sit, and did so herself before responding. "As you may have surmised, Eval left without warning... And I can see that you share the bad feeling I have about this."

Nasri Senatrakolla, the younger of the two warriors hissed. "Of course we do. Eval is a moron." Ginya clicked her teeth.  "Yes, well, the goddess blesses each of us with our own gifts. But aye, Nasha, I am concerned for the young one. What do you wish of us?" Nasha nodded to herself a few times. "Track him down. He may be hiding his tracks. If you lose them, at least complete the scouting mission. You'll be the last to leave, I know you won't catch him until he stops, so return after a month if you can't find him."

Ginya rubbed her chin. "This all seems a rather pointless exercise. Eval's fate is his own, now." Nasha sighed and shook her head. "'Exercise' is exactly what it is. Guard duty is dull, I know. Think of this as exploration--an adventure, instead. Returning Eval safely is your goal, and I realize it may be unattainable. This will certainly be an opportunity to brush up on skills that all of us will benefit from in the future."

Nasri shrugged. "Sounds good to me." Ginya was more reluctant, but slowly nodded. "Yes, I suppose I will have an easier time training this one without so many distractions." Nasri laughed at the subtle accusation. Nasha smiled warmly. "Wonderful. I'll arrange for the reports of that region Icand has compiled to be distributed to the two of you. You're saving us all from a lot of embarassment by performing this task. I've told the others you've gone to speak with the Ynant's tribe. I will be gone for a few days to plant the firestalks, so I will not be able to bid you farewell. Please be safe." They nodded in return and left. Nasha spent the remainder of the hour in quiet contemplation.

Poor, Poor Eval: Part II

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Eval Centranna passed into greener lands. Newly gracing his trophy case were some giant eagle tailfeathers and a rather mediocre pair of bull horns. Oh well. There was always the return trip, and he didn't need to tell anyone that he never got the eagle kill, and only shot it in the rear by mistake.

In the distance, he could see lights against the backdrop of the mountain. Intriguing. "Wow. Those are pretty." thought Eval. Strange features like that generally meant magical areas, and magical areas meant magical beasts! He picked up his step, heading in that direction.

The lights were farther away than Eval anticipated, taking several days to reach. His initial enthusiasm had worn out, but not his determination. Pleased, he confirmed his suspicion that this place was magical. The trees all grew in geometric patterns and every one bore beautiful fruit. Surely this was unnatural. He kept an eye out for the most prized of woodland beasts, the rare (and valuable) unicorn.

What he saw lurking in the orchards, tending to the trees and taking their fruit was not unicorns, however, but rather harpies of some sort. They couldn't be harpies of the sort Eval had already slain and conquered, however... Those were hideous creatures, and did not have such bright plumage, and lurked in places most foul, not beautiful lands such as this. Surely this was a new species.

Hiding in the brush, Eval approached with all the stealth he could muster, nocked an arrow at a straggling creature among the pack and...

Poor, Poor Eval: Part III

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The ground shook slightly under the clumsy approach of the Katytan, something that did not go unnoticed by the Hitengu woman. She gasped a little. "Oh, you startled me, hiding in the bushes like that. What is that strange tool you are holding, there?"

...dumbstruck, Eval fired the arrow into the ground a few meters away. It broke and tumbled a short distance. Eval  had never quite been in this situation before. Beasts were supposed to either charge at him, flee, or at least freeze in terror. They weren't supposed to stand there and smile, remaining relaxed and calm.

"Do you want an apple?" The Hitengu woman picked one from a branch, and gently tossed it in his direction. He caught the fruit easily in his free hand and stared at it. The woman went back to her work, untroubled by Eval's presence.

Eval wandered onward, remembering to unstring and store his bow after a moment, and continued down the path toward the lights of the city without paying attention to the other Hitengu in the orchards. As he approached the city, the footing became more and more complicated, the tiny stairs rising steeply upward. Eval chalked his gloves and climbed, his soft leather boots well-suited for the task, his thoughts drifting far away from the task at hand.

Soon he found himself in a large meeting area, full of colourful creatures, surrounded by wondrous structures, and lined with items of many kinds. Overwhelmed, Eval could only focus his mind on the objects that were not moving, and wandered to the center of the area as the throngs of creatures gawked and passed around him.

A Hitengu man garbed in green-yellow attire swooped down before the Katytan. Eval craned his neck, trying to see where the the man had fallen from, then realized the winged man had come down to confront him, and got a better picture.

The man spoke. "Greetings, stranger. Welcome to the city of Kawareidou. I can't say I've seen anyone quite like you  before in these parts of the world."

Eval stared for a moment, still confused despite having gotten the gist. "Uh... No hablo."

Ryou pointed at himself. "Ryou." He then pointed at Eval, and moved his lips, silently.

"Ryo--? ...! Eval." He corrected and pointed at himself, initially thinking he was supposed to imitate the sound and action.

"Eval?" Ryou used his finger to simulate walking. The Hitengu then looked into the distance, as if searching  for something.

After several seconds of staring into space with a slight frown, doing the motion himself to try to figure it out, Eval pointed south by southeast. And adjusted iit a little. And adjusted it again. He then scratches his head, uncertain on multiple levels.

Ryou seemed to have gotten an idea. He drew a map into the sand, then marked his current location. Eval watched, without comprehension.

Ryou pointed at Eval, then into the distance, and then at Eval. He was clearly losing his patience. Eval drew a wobbly dotted line from the mark south and then east, creating a little map with wedge-shapes marking the hills. He was clearly abstracting the image a lot.

Frustrated, the Hitengu man gave up. He took some food from his sleeve, bit off a bit, then handed it to Eval, with a questioning look. Eval took it, face still blank, tossed the remains of his apple over his shoulder to plummet into the valley below, and ate the food in one bite, making a gesture of thanks.

Shortly thereafter, Eval's brain finally shifted into gear. "These aren't beasts," he thought. "and this kind of seems like... a city." He chewed on this for another moment, before continuing the thought. "CRAP! I've made first contact with a sapient race!"

Eval thumbed over his shoulder, frantically, babbling. Ryou was confused, but unconcerned, not aware of the source of Eval's panic. Barely waiting for a reaction, Eval quickly dashed back toward the cliff and clambered down carelessly, collecting a few scrapes and bruises along the way. He ran until he was past the edge of the orchards, ran some more, and then finally collapsed, heaving for breath. Lying face-first in the dirt, Eval thought to himself, "This seems like a pretty good campsite."

A New Thing

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Ison Sanitelna shook his head as the crew cleaned the muddy boats of the various critters who had decided to inhabit them over the summer. "This isn't such a good place to settle, after all.  Too rocky and barren." She sighed heavily, shifting the cleaver upon her shoulder to work out the kinks that developed in her muscles over the long trek.

Malon Sanitelna, the brewer, shrugged. "Where should we  go-go? The plains are fertile, but dry and indefensible. Anywhere else is too far from the Crimson."

Ison's ambition welled up once again. "The green hills, those we saw around the river bend on the way up. We can build a highway through here, back to the capital. For now, let's put our catch in these barrels. Sonoa and Monsi, I can trust you to bring them safely back home?" There were nods. "Good. As for the rest of you, we're going to be taking the boats downstream. It shouldn't be difficult to take them all even without many rowers, but don't bother with the barge just yet, but get some ropes ready so we can pull it to the other bank if we need to. Let's get on it."

***

Some time later, deep in the heart of the Green Hills, trees were falling, earth was being furrowed, and seeds planted in a secluded valley by the brook...

Another New Thing

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Deep in the heart of the Crimson Inferno, or perhaps more accurately its appendix, a Katytan laboured, her presence scarcely detectable amidst the shimmering waves of heat, over the lake of bubbling lava in the caldera.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow," came the chanting of Nasha Elesmawaura, as she waded into the ankle-deep magma pool that lay within a nearby cave. It had been many years since she had last come in contact with the blood of the earth, and it seemed she'd become quite ill-adjusted to its heat.

Nasha had never before visited a volcano so hot, and the air felt oppressive and heavy. She kept her eyes firmly half-shut. To open them fully would send a steam of boiling tears down her face to clean out the noxious gasses she was now also breathing carefully, filtering them through her nose. Not only would it only make it even more difficult to see, but would also lead to dehydration, and with the nearest water on the other side of over a thousand meters of rock, it was not something she could afford.

Although some of the other, more heat-tolerant Katytans would likely have been willing to plant the firestalks for her, she had already sent away the only skilled planters, and the only warriors with experience fighting volcano-dwelling creatures. Now, Nasha felt even more relieved of her decision, for surely no other Katytan was so well-equipped for spending so much time in such temperatures without food or water than Elesmawaura--"Deific Two-Humped Camel," if taken literally.

The name seemed to be rather fitting. Nasha was able to endure deprivation for many times longer than even the toughest of the other Katytans, though on the other side of it, she had a tendency to overindulge when food and drink were available and to laze around much of the time while her companions filled their idle time with athletics, sparring, dancing, games and celebrations even in the most dire circumstances.

This had sparked some heated arguments in the early years, and Nasha had been pressured into vowing not to eat and food unless she prepared it herself, a tiresome oath to keep. Still, it did ultimately lead to her becoming the one and only Katytan gourmet chef, a legend among the merchant nobility of the region--even if her fellow Katytans were not interesting in eating anything more complicated than 'Mysterious Meatloaf'. Nasha hadn't needed encouragement to swear off the use of intoxicants on that fateful date, however, which somehow seemed to disappoint the local crowd of the time.

No Katytan other than Nasha herself knew where her name had come from, but at least to the elders, it was obvious it wasn't her idea. In the early years, she'd been embarassed to introduce herself. Over the past century, though, it had grown on her, even if the secondary meaning in the name was somewhat distressing.

It was also a secondary reason for her coming to the volcano alone, as much as she was ashamed to admit it. After so many years of having nowhere to plant firestalks, the Katytans had precious few scraps of usable bloodmetal remaining. Nasha had been forced to leave all her normal clothing in the deathly cold at the lip of the caldera before entering the Inferno; and the only article of clothing she currently wore was a bodice constructed entirely of bloodmetal cloth and steel, an article she had relied on the aid of the bemused human merchant Kera Kolobono many years ago.

The garment provided 'support'--a ridiculous idea, really, that a person's natural body would require artifical 'support' in order to perform such basic tasks as running or jumping without injuring itself, but a fair number of humans seemed to have the same problem, and more appeared to wear similar devices just in case.

Nasha shook her head as she began planting the next row of seedlings in the pool. She'd preserved the bloodmetal bodice for over a decade, wrapped in wet cloth to preserve its integrity over the years, and she still could not lace it up properly due to shrinkage. She'd probably have to request the whole lot of the next bloodmetal batch from these. Not that objections would be likely when she did all the work herself, and would be the only one who would strictly have any need for bloodmetal clothing.

Just as Nasha had finished planting and was carefully inspecting and tending to the plants, a bright flash obscured her vision, accompanied by a terrible roar. She felt magma splash into the pool, raising the level of the liquid rock by at least an inch. Nasha spun around in a mild panic, but relaxed as the roar subsided enough to hear that the frolicking cries of the fire imps in the caldera had changed dramatically in tone. These were the sounds of angered fire imps, not terrified ones.

Nasha quickly pulled her feet out of the magma pool and rushed around the rim of the caldera toward the source of the sound, then stopped to watch as the clumsy figure stumbled and rolled onto the shore in a panic. The fire imps rushed in to attack, causing molten rock to spatter all around as they clawed away at the creature.

With a cry of pain, the Katytan child began to fight back, flailing wildly as drops of blood falling from a small cut in her arm burst into flame before hitting the floor. Nasha watched with a mixture of interest and concern. Rapid blinking would normally have cleared the child's eyes by now, but instead she was still stumbling around blindly. Still, with a wild swing, she managed to batter an imp aside and repeatedly backhand it where it fell. The other two continued clawing at her back and head. It was time for Nasha to intervene.

With one quick thrust of her fist, Nasha splattered the first imp against the wall. She then tore the other off and stomped on it. All three imps had stopped moving. The child was still confused, tumbling and whirling around trying to make some sense of the situation. "Welcome to the world, little warrior," sad Nasha cheerfully. The child turned toward her and scuttled backward into the wall. Nasha smiled and approached slowly. "Don't worry, you're safe now."

The child was breathing heavily and still could not see. Her head kept twitching around like that of a blind rat. Nasha had never encountered this problem before. Nasha moved closer until the child tensed up again, then quickly snatched her up, holding the newborn Katytan to her chest. Along with the molten rock still on the child, it was a quite a weight to lift. She spun around and sat with her back to the wall in the same motion.

The newborn Katytan immediately began screeching and flailing again, pounding Nasha's chest and back repeatedly with her fists and feet. "Oof! Y-y-o-o-o-u-u'r-r-re a st-t-t-r-r-o-o-n-n-g-g one-ne-ne," she bleated exaggeratedly under the onslaught. The child soon wore herself out of the tantrum and began wracking sobs, gasping for breath. Nasha worked to soothe and comfort her.

Time passed, and the exhausted child had begun a well-deserved nap. Nasha gently picked off the bits of molten rock still covering the child, holding her mouth over the wounds to clean them with her tongue, one by one. At the back of the child's head she found a fine steel chain. Nasha's eyes widened. Katyn rarely sent artifacts to the surface with her creations; the last time had been nearly a hundred years ago!

Each was always a work of wonder, flawlessly constructed and tastefully designed. Nasha could barely contain her enthusiasm as she worked her way around to the front. The child's eyes had a covering of some sort.

The steel had been welded onto her face to create an airtight seal around both eyes, though despite the temperature required to melt steel, no burns were visible on the child's face. Within the frames lay thin slices of pale yellow crystal, fogged up with vapor from the inside. Nasha unhooked the chain, and removed the piece carefully. It came away with small popping sounds from each eye socket, and left a ring of tender flesh.

The child's eyes were swollen shut. Nasha's brow furrowed momentarily, but eventually nodded to herself. Her goddess had not erred, the child would recover within a few days at most. She gently replaced the piece, its transparent lenses no longer fogged, and sat, gently rocking the child until she awoke.

"Hello, little one. I'm afraid we cannot rest here long. There is work to do, and then we must go." The child blinked her eyes open at last, looking up at Nasha's face, unaware of the meaning of her words but with an innate understanding of their tone. Nasha smiled with pleasure upon seeing the child's injuries were healing so quickly. The child returned the smile. "Come, I will show you how to butcher fire imps!" She hefted the child, and placed her on the ground nearby. The newborn Katytan's eyes went wild with excitement for the brief journey.

Nasha continued as she peeled her kill off the wall. "After that, we will tend to the firestalks!" She sat across from the child and patted the ground next to her. The child blinked and came to her side a moment later. Nasha put an arm around her and squeezed. "And then? I'll show you the world!" Nasha pulled off the imp's legs, and began tickling the child with them. Squeals of delight echoed throughout the cavern.

Status Report:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

3 K meeting with Hitengu
3 K head NE
3 K head SE
8 K head SW, settlement founded in the Green Hills by 6, barrels o' turtles being returned by other 2.
13 remain, primary task is digging toward the caldera. ores are being stockpiled, and various stone goods crafted and stored. simple stone constructions including ramps, stairs, pathways, doorways and arches have been built or carved around the cave entrances to give them a more civilized look and feel, and a rough four foot wall extends around the perimeter. a cistern has also been prepared for collecting rainwater.

The Goddess Katyn:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Katyn blinked at the article now in her hands. It was black and shining, but thin. The construction was excellent, the semi-transparent material encased within utterly flawless, and the its thin metal arms were stylish and well protected from the elements.

Still, the object was rather plain, with no decoration to speak of. Katyn placed them over her eyes, as suggested. The relief was tangible, though the view with them was also rather drab and brown. Thoughts raced through her head.

This object was wonderful as an invention in many ways, even though it fell far short of her personal standards. She would have to improve upon it. Katyn was in no rush, and tried to relax. It was far easier now that she could see to avoid being run-down by the crowd, even if it was impossible to enjoy the artwork while wearing the article.

The Goddess Katyn: Part II

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Katyn watched Machinatus the Hidden disappear into the crowd once more. He had seemed disappointed upon first seeing her, somehow, as if something had been on the tip of his tongue and then suddenly lost at her sight. Such a peculiar character.

They had done business, or at least made arrangements for it. Katyn was not satified--yet. Ha, to think that he wanted his garishly decorated little toy to be decorated even more. The thought was mindboggling. She felt like a chef preparing the last meal a man convicted of murder for winning an eating contest a little too canniballistically the night before.

Still, it was a small request, into an area in which she had not done much research, and the glimmer of profit that lay obscured within it was more than enough reason not to chance insulting the God with rejection. Katyn returned to her cavern not long after.

Juggling three major projects at once? Ah, she had not felt like this since the world was young! Granted, it was not a particularly pleasant feeling, but it did have some nostalgic value. Katyn erected new workshops side-by-side, changed her mind on one and replaced it with another two. Soon, soon. First, the new Katytan would need to be completed before its shell cooled too much...

An idea struck, then. Katyn clapped her hands together, very pleased at the notion. Not only would it save time, but the many potential applications could scarcely be imagined. Katyn constrained her racing throughts. Become too eager, and she would forget what's most important. Best to keep it practical, even simple. Yes... A simple seed would branch into many leaves, or so she had overheard. Such memories were distressing, however. Katyn sighed. There was but one cure for the instabilities of an idle mind. She set to work.

(More to come...)

[Flintus10]

Turn 7:The guides departure

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"..And that is our peoples most sacred day of the year." Raxth finished
"I see.." Skeris chuckled "I guess I have learned quite alot in the past few months havn't I?"
Raxth started to laugh also "Indeed you have my friend, you are quite adept at it too I am sure you will be able carry our people's lore and stories right across the world."
"Well we can only hope eh?"

As Skeris finished helping Raxth pack his goods into two large bags attacthed to either side of his riding wolf the two said their goodbyes.
"Guess this is it then...Well thank you for all my friend" Skeris shook Raxths hand "And who knows when you return I may still be here."
"Ah so you still plan on staying awhile?" Raxth inquired
"Well I guess I may aswell learn all that I can while I am here. Who knows when I will return."
"Well good luck with that Skeris, may your music touch the hearts of nations everywhere ."
"And hopefully earn me a nice retirement."

And with that Raxth spurred his wolf to a fast run laughing as he left. Skeris stood pondering for a few minutes before re-entering Echogroth. He then headed straight for the main hall to get some much needed rest, however before he got to sleep he read over the confusing letter which cam with his flute one more time in an attempt to make sense of it. He failed  

[Akroma]

After another long day in the library Danalof sighed to himself. It would take longer than a single mages life to go through all of these books, novels, scientific reports and even diaries...
Looking out of the window, he noticed night has fallen already.
Danalof motioned his mouse-companion that it was time to head home, but Kcirph was too determined to leave his studies. He would spent the night here, reading in the light of the countless glass-bubbles that illuminated the walls of books.
The city is still bustling with activity. Though the moon clearly indicated it was almost midnight, in a city with that much light, that doesn't matter much
Hading home, Danalof couldn't help but notice bright flashes of light coming from a clearing, and children loudly shouting.
He founda couple of kids holding glass-orbs. Extending from the orbs were streams of light, that bent and twisted like snakes. They seemed to be having a match. Other kids who were not involved were loudly cheering.
They appeared to be amateurs. Often they lost concentration, and the stream of light broke, or moved into the wrong direction. Danalof felt himself reminded of his youth, and nostalgia was washing over him.
He transmuted something into candy, and offered it to the children. No one in Tenrai Minzoku ever tells their kids about strangers and candy, so the kids gladly accepted it.
One of the kids seemed to recognize Danalof

"Oh, you are the geezer who moved in with Kouta. You are lucky. His wife makes the best peach cake."
Danalof, half laughing, "Why yes, I am exactly that 'geezer'. So I see you are training hard. Are you going to participate in this contest of yours... whats its name..."

"Hitaikai. But we can't participate yet anyway. If you want in, you have first to pass a test to prove you have everything under controle alright. So you don't accidently hurt someone"

"Ahh, I see. Well I'm sure you'll someday be great users and enter this contest. Can I watch while you train?"

"Sure you can. It is my turn once these two are finished. One day I will become a great champion, just like Uchiwakamaru !"
The kids eyes were burning with resolve.

A loud scream was heard, and Danalof was reminded of the fight going on. One of the kids was lying on the ground, holding his nose. Seems like he was hit rather hard.
Danalof, concerned of what just happened, ran to the kid, already transmuting bandages, but it appeared the kid was fine.

"What happened, my boy ?"

 "NOTHING. I just had something in the eye alright ?!" Rather pissed, the kid left.Danalof turns to the other, "So, do such injuries occur regularly?"

"Don't worry, this is nothing, just a red stream on his forehead. In the test for the tournament, they make you hit an egg 120 times, and it must not break or even get a tiny crack. Nobody in the hitaikai gets hurt. And now, it is my turn. Wish me luck, geezer"

"Good luck kid"

With enthiusasm, the kids got ready to battle. Rather clumsily, but eager, they let the snakes of light dance around like whips. The fight continued on for at least a few minutes without a clear superior, until the kid who took the candy was hit hard between the rips. The winner shouted.
"Got you ! Next one please."
But the other kid was not making space for the next match. Looking at his face, Danalof could see his anger and his hand tightly clutching the glass-sphere. He immediatly knew that this was not going to end well
Danalof ran to stop him but before you could reach him, the kid let a stream of light latch out, far stronger than the ones used before. In a reflex,  Danalof used some windmagic to push the other child away

Just in time. The stream of light hit a tree behind him, shaking it violently
With a loud "thunk",someone fell out of the tree. Danalof was not entirely sure, but by the look of it, his next must have been broken, and he was not moving...

As he ran towards the person to see if he could do anything, Danalof recognized him. It was Uchiwakamaru. As he kneelt down to heal him, Danalof noticed a strange sound.

 ...

is he ?

he couldn't be ?

snoring ?

...

 Danalof burst out laughing.

Despite the rather awkward upside-down position Uchiwaka seemed to be sleeping deeply and didn't even bother that he fell at least 6 meters head first..

"Ah, what a peculiar person. I think that there is no problem in leaving him here undisturbed. But then again..."
Danalof moved the sleeping idiot and shook him, "Uchiwakameru? Can you wake up?"

Snoring

 Danalof put his mouth to Uchiwaka's ear and shouted, at the top of his lungs, "WAKE UP!"
Uchiwakamaru opened his eyes wide. The balance on his neck, that held him up perfectly up till now broke, and he fell on the ground, making no motion at catching himself.
Danalof, untroubled by the strange scene asked:"Good day. Might I ask what you were doing up there?"

Uchiwakasmaru was holding perfectly still. Only his eyes were moving around, perplexed.
Danalof:"Um, hello?"
Only now, he seemed to be realising the mages presence.

"Ahh. Wanderer. Can you help me, I appear to be lost. Tell me, why am I lieing upside down on the ground ?"

"That would be fixed if you just stood up."

"Words of true wisdom !", said Uchiwaka, dusting himself off.

"Yes, I know. I am not called 'sage' for no reason"
But Uchiwaka was ignoring him again. Lost in thought, he watched the sky.
"Such a dark morning..."

"Well, Uchiwakamaru, what were you doing on that tree? Watching the kids train I presume?"
Not listening to Danalofs question, Uchiwaka turned to him.

"Dark clouds are covering the morning with impenetrable darkness. Danalof, what is this evil scheme ? Are the forces of darkness attacking the world ?"

"Well, it MIGHT be because.. you know... its still nighttime..."

"Nightime ?! Still ?! Oh woe is me, what have we done to disgruntle the sun so....I KNOW! I will go on a journey to the edge of the world itself, and talk to the sun, so she may shine above us again!"
Without any  sign of hesitation, Uchiwaka ruan eastwards, at a speed that was almost hard to comprehend.
"How ...about we just wait... a few hours... for it to rise alone...?STOP !"
Chasing after him, Danalof had to search for a bit, because he lost sight of Uchiwaka. Turning around a few corners, he found him again, lieing right on the middle of a busy street. Asleep.
Danalof shook him awake again...
Uchiwakamaru opened his eyes, looking at Danalof angrily.

"Stop running around like that, you could get hurt!"

"Hey, don't you know it is a deed most foul to awake the ones who seek sleep ?"

Without any further word, Uchiwaka turned around, and continued sleeping.


Also, behold the entire military of the Hitengu

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Cities:
Teiichi X17,Y13
Inhabitants: 827
Pop-cap:1920

Kawareidou, X21,Y14
Inhabitants: 354
Pop-cap:1658

   0    0    1    1    2    2    3
   0    5    0    5    0    5    0
   --------------------------------
00|⌂▲▲▲⌂●●●●●█████●≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
  |≈▲^▲⌂⌂⌂●●●●●●●●≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
  |⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♣♣.♣♣.....≈≈≈≈
  |⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.♣♣.♣⌂⌂⌂.....≈≈
  |≈.≈..≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.♣♣♣♣⌂⌂^⌂⌂.....≈
05|≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈..♣♣♣C⌂▲▲⌂⌂...┌≈
  |≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈──────○▲▲⌂⌂..┌┘≈
  |≈≈≈≈...≈≈≈.≈≈≈≈≈...♣♣⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂.┌┘.≈
  |≈≈┐..⌂⌂⌂≈|..≈≈≈...♣♣⌂⌂▲@○───┘...
  |♣.|.⌂⌂▲⌂♣|...≈...@♣E⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂.....♣
10|♣♣|⌂⌂▲⌂⌂♣|...≈...♣♣⌂⌂▲^▲⌂⌂....♣♣
  |♣♣○⌂▲○───┘...≈...♣♣⌂⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂M.♣♣♣♣
  |♣♣⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣.....≈..♣♣♣♣⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
  |.⌂⌂▲⌂.♣.....≈≈≈┐.Y♣♣♣⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣
  |⌂⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣♣♣..≈≈≈≈└─────Y▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
15|⌂▲▲▲⌂♣♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈.......⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂..♣♣♣
  |⌂▲X▲⌂♣♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈≈V......⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂.┌──
  |⌂▲▲▲⌂♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈≈≈......⌂⌂^▲M○──┘..
  |≈⌂▲▲⌂♣♣♣⌠┌≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.....⌂⌂▲o⌂⌂....
  |≈⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣⌠⌠|⌠≈≈≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠┌──○▲▲⌂⌂♣♣♣♣♣
20|⌂⌂▲⌂⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|⌠≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂⌂.♣♣♣♣
  |▲▲○─┐┌─┐⌠|⌠└─┬─────┘⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂..♣♣♣♣
  |⌂⌂⌂~└┘~└─┘~~.|⌠⌠o⌠⌠⌂⌂▲▲⌂O...M.♣♣
  |~~~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈⌠⌠⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...~..
  |~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈⌠┌─○▲▲⌂⌂.~~.~
25|~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈─┬┘⌂⌂o▲⌂⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠♠|⌂⌂▲▲▲○⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~┌──≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠|⌂⌂▲R▲⌂⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~|~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠|⌂⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂♠~♠~~
  |⌂⌂⌂~|~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠└──○▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈
30|○───┘~~~~~~~♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈

[Poltifar]

((Sure, make me do all the tiresome work of editting the IRC roleplays very well, I'll probably do it tomorrow, ounce I think of atleast some RP between Danalof and Kcirph))

[Akroma]

((well, you have the logs, I don't))

[Dwarfaholic]

Lizard thingies... in the Deeps!:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

As usual, Machinatus was observing his sparring soldiers. It filled him with a kind of comfort to see the protectors of his people hone their skills against each other.
Life here on the Above was quite simple, easy even. There was water for refreshments, the sun (how alien it had seemed at first!) warmed nicely, and the only thing reminding of the nightmares of before was the caldera. Machinatus had insisted they stay at it, because they could retreat to it in a hurry if needed, and also because it heated the surrounding rocks up nicely, meaning that most attackers would grill up.

Sometimes, though, his mind wandered to his days in the Deeps, a life on the edge, a life that counted each second as a blessing. Somehow he missed it.

There was a rumble, as the latest scout returned from the Deeps. They were short missions, without any risk, as they were advised to retreat upon the slightest disturbances. Sure, it yielded a lot of false alarms, but Machinatus didn't want a single Erithrean dead.

"Uh, sir. Trouble, sir. Im the Deeps."

Machinatus turned around. The still dripping scout hastily raised his hand into attention.

"You don't need to do that, sonny."
"I know, sir. It's just that the diamonds are blinding me, sir."
"Oh."

Well, that was surprising.

"You mentioned trouble, sonny."
"Yes, sir. Geckoes, sir. Deep, sir. Approaching, sir."
"I see. How many?"
"I didn't get a good count, sir. My guess is three or more, sir. Sir."

Machinatus faked a sigh, whilst excitement filled up within him. He rose up from his half- sitting position.

"I'm moving in to take care of the threat. I won't be needing any help."
"Uh... yes, sir. As you wish, sir. Sir."

The scout scurried off.

Killing the lizard creatures... in the Deeps!:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

It was a long swim down, even though he had the advantage of gravity on his side. Once he'd reached the Deeps, though, he could immediately sense the presence of creatures nearby. His honed senses quickly picked out the disturbances. Four of them, elongated, large, approx. 5m long. Some hundred meters away, in the rock mazes just above the Core. Geckoes, of course. They hunt in packs.

They would likely notice him any moment now, so Machinatus abandoned stealth and started moving quickly towards the threat. All the time, he checked his surroundings for disturbances in the ever- shifting electromagnetic fields. It was hard, yes, but you had to be hard, too, to live in the Deeps.

Somehow, the geckoes failed to notice them. They were possibly feasting on a stray Erithrean they'd caught, gloating in their victory. Machinatus felt his teeth grind. The good feeling he'd had swimming down was gone. Only anger remained.

They were just behind the corner now, and they'd noticed him. He felt them lifting their massive heads, licking the air with their long tongues. They were expecting him to run, most likely.

They expected wrong.

Machinatus exploded behind the corner, much to the surprise of the feeding geckoes, who turned around, hissing with anger. Simultaneously, they opened their mouths, and shot out four impossibly long tongues, covered in a thin layer of rock and tipped with a sharp iron tip. Machinatus dodged the devices of death and grabbed one before it could be retracted. Focusing his magic, he made the rock on the tongue shoot back as a spike, impaling it's host gecko's brain.

He quickly leaped up to the next gecko, firmly placing his hand on it's rock shell. More magic, and the gecko exploded in a shower of gore as each piece of rock on it's skin crushed the gecko into a small, squelched mass.

The two other geckoes attempted escape. As Machinatus jumped onto the one behind, the reformed the diamonds on his right hand, making them into a kind of a long blade connected to his arm. He plunged his hand deep into the gecko, easily breaking the rock core. He lifted his hand, and struck again. Again. Again. Again. Again-

"Sir!"

Machinatus stopped. Startled, he rose up from the crumpled mass he had made. He looked at himself, completely covered in blood, although it was quickly boiling away in the heat.

"Sir. We were worried. You had gone some hours ago, and without any help. Sir. We thought..."
"Hours? I- I..."

The soldier looked at the heap behind the avatar.

"Those would be the geckoes, then, sir?"
"... Yes."
"You sure beat them, then, sir?"
"... Yes."
"Well, how about-"
"... One got away."
"I see. Well, we'll catch it some other day, right, sir? Now how about we go back home, sir?"
"... Home."

Machinatus let himself be led back up. Around him, the soldiers said nothing. There was nothing to say.

Summary:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

- Machinatus the Pure has some adventures, for the lulz. He has a good time, I will write things later.
- Machinatus the Hidden makes a deal with Katyn, for the lulz. A part of the deal includes Machinatus the Pure being set unconscious (obviously after the adventures) and sent to the lair of Katyn via magma pipes and godly stuff. The full extent of the deal will be revealed next turn. Suspense!
- Scouts return. Tell bad news. Ballistae are returned to normal and put into the towers on the walls, three on the outer wall, two on the inner.
- Super secret deathplan... of DOOM!: Finished.
- Magma technology improved.

Cities: Erithnarum: 74 (74, 04024357) citizens + hero (Pop cap 830 creatures)
-- 3 Priests/ mages
-- 15 Craftsmen /inventors
-- 30 Soldiers
--- 15 Spearmen, trained to figh in phalanx
--- 5 Swordsmen, with two- handed swords.
--- 5 Macemen, with huge steel maces
--- 5 Ballistamen, with shoulder- mounted steel ballistae (NOTE: These are smaller ballistae, not siege ballistae)
-- 26 Commoners/ haulers/ foodgatherers

Map (before movement, just here to annoy Istrian):

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

   0    0    1    1    2    2    3
   0    5    0    5    0    5    0
   --------------------------------
00|⌂▲▲▲⌂●●●●●█████●≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
  |≈▲^▲⌂⌂⌂●●●●●●●●≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
  |⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♣♣.♣♣.....≈≈≈≈
  |⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.♣♣.♣⌂⌂⌂.....≈≈
  |≈.≈..≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.♣♣♣♣⌂⌂^⌂⌂.....≈
05|≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈..♣C♣C⌂▲▲⌂⌂...┌≈
  |≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈e───c─○▲▲⌂⌂..┌┘≈
  |≈≈≈≈...≈≈≈.≈≈≈≈≈..c♣c⌂⌂c▲⌂⌂.┌┘.≈
  |≈≈┐..⌂⌂⌂≈|..≈≈≈...♣/⌂⌂▲▲○───┘...
  |♣.|.⌂⌂▲⌂♣|...≈..e♣♣E⌂▲e▲⌂⌂.....♣
10|♣♣|⌂⌂▲⌂⌂♣|...≈...♣♣⌂⌂▲^▲⌂⌂....♣♣
  |♣♣○⌂▲○───┘...≈..e♣♣e⌂▲e▲⌂⌂..♣♣♣♣
  |♣♣⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣.....≈..♣♣♣♣⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
  |.⌂⌂▲⌂.♣.....≈≈≈┐.Y♣♣♣⌂⌂▲M⌂⌂...♣♣
  |⌂⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣♣♣..≈≈≈≈└─────Y▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
15|⌂▲▲▲⌂♣♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈.......⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂..♣♣♣
  |⌂▲X▲⌂♣♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈≈V......⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂.┌──
  |⌂▲▲▲⌂♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈≈≈......⌂MK▲⌂○──┘..
  |≈⌂▲▲⌂♣♣♣⌠┌≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.....⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂....
  |≈⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣⌠⌠|⌠≈≈≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠┌──○▲▲⌂⌂♣♣♣♣♣
20|⌂⌂▲⌂⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|⌠≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂⌂.♣♣♣♣
  |▲▲○─┐@─┐⌠|⌠└─┬─────┘⌂⌂▲▲⌂o..♣♣♣♣
  |⌂⌂⌂~└┘~└─┘~~.|⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠⌂⌂▲▲MO.....♣♣
  |~~~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈⌠⌠⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...~..
  |~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈⌠┌─○▲▲⌂⌂.~~.~
25|~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈─┬┘⌂⌂r▲⌂⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠♠|⌂⌂▲▲▲○⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~┌──≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠|⌂⌂▲R▲⌂⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~|~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠|⌂⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂♠~♠~~
  |⌂⌂⌂~|~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠└──○▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈
30|○───┘~~~~~~~♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈

[Nhiphanter]

Turn 6

((No rp for this one, just the moves and such))

pops:
Hrafngard: 52
Björnholm keep: 22

map

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

   0    0    1    1    2    2    3
   0    5    0    5    0    5    0
   --------------------------------
00|⌂▲▲▲⌂●●●●●█████●≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
  |≈▲^▲⌂⌂⌂●●●●●●●●≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
  |⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♣♣.♣♣.....≈≈≈≈
  |⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.♣♣.♣⌂⌂⌂.....≈≈
  |≈.≈..≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.♣♣♣♣⌂⌂^⌂⌂.....≈
05|≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈..♣C♣C⌂▲▲⌂⌂...┌≈
  |≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈e─────○▲▲⌂⌂..┌┘≈
  |≈≈≈≈...≈≈≈.≈≈≈≈≈..♣c♣⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂.┌┘.≈
  |≈≈┐..⌂⌂⌂≈|..≈≈≈...c/c⌂▲▲○───┘...
  |♣.|.⌂⌂▲⌂♣|...≈..e♣♣E⌂▲e▲⌂⌂.....♣
10|♣♣|⌂⌂▲⌂⌂♣|...≈...♣♣⌂⌂▲^▲c⌂....♣♣
  |♣♣○⌂▲○───┘...≈..e♣♣e⌂▲e▲⌂⌂..♣♣♣♣
  |♣♣⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣.....≈..♣♣♣♣⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
  |.⌂⌂▲⌂.♣.....≈≈≈┐.Y♣♣♣⌂⌂▲M⌂⌂...♣♣
  |⌂⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣♣♣..≈≈≈≈└─────Y▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
15|⌂▲▲▲⌂♣♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈.......⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂..♣♣♣
  |⌂▲X▲⌂♣♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈≈V......⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂.┌──
  |⌂▲▲▲⌂♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈≈≈......⌂MK▲⌂○──┘..
  |≈⌂▲▲⌂♣♣♣⌠┌≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.....⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂....
  |≈⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣⌠⌠|⌠≈≈≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠┌──○▲▲⌂⌂♣♣♣♣♣
20|⌂⌂▲⌂⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|⌠≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂⌂.♣♣♣♣
  |▲▲○─┐@─┐⌠|⌠└─┬─────┘⌂⌂▲▲ro..♣♣♣♣
  |⌂⌂⌂~└┘~└─┘~~.|⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠⌂⌂▲▲MO.....♣♣
  |~~~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈⌠⌠⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...~..
  |~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈⌠┌─○▲▲⌂⌂.~~.~
25|~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈─┬┘⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠♠|⌂⌂▲▲▲○⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~┌──≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠|⌂⌂▲R▲⌂⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~|~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠|⌂⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂♠~♠~~
  |⌂⌂⌂~|~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠└──○▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈
30|○───┘~~~~~~~♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈

Turn 7

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

western Scout

Heimar was running through the woods when he heard a crack. Stopping dead on his tracks he observed his surroundings. Nothing particularly suspicious was seen, if not counted the humanoid stepping out of the woods.
Before the giant can act, the humanoid addresses him.
"Hello. We are the Elves of the flamewood and you are on our land. Whats your Buisness here?"
Heimars brains were driving around in fullspeed, trying to analyze the situation as best as he could, managing to note that the elf spoke in plural, and looks around himself.
After this he loosens the sword on its sheaf and addresses the elf "Your lands? What makes you think so? I didnt see any kind of borders"
"Oh i thought the river was obvisous enought. maybe you didnt notice our Markings either. Again please state what is it you are doing here."
The giants mouth curles up in wicked smile, showing his yellowing, large teeth. some of them are sharpened.
"Oh... Im just a simple hunter"
This didnt seem to move the elf one bit, as could be coincided from his words.
"We see but we didnt allow you to hunt in our territorys. The elves forgive you for this one time. We insist that we are going to our border now. After you crossed the river you are allowed to go were you want."
"Well... Id really like to hunt in these woods, lots of *game* you see, but if you insist i will make my way towards the north." As he was saying this, it was like he remembered something, he was on a scouting mission... He needed to know where did these elves come from. "Now before im ran away from these lush forests like a pesky thief, you must prove me the validity of your claim! How do i know you arent some raiders just bent on annoying honest hunters like me"
"We are not proving anything but we swear at our honor. Now move out."
The elfs last comment seems to anger the giant a bit. "Oh i see... that proves alot" Allthesame, he takes a step back, but does not yet turn his back.
Visibly frustrated, the elf asks once more.
"Please, we dont want to force you."
"Please? Are you somekind of a woman? Dont you have the backbone to fight me out, out of the good hunting ground you have done nothing to prove to belong to yourself?" The giant is already about to grab his weapon, when a proud face comes to him. "We can settle this in a duel, if you want. If you win, i leave, if i win, i can stay and get the rights to hunt for food in this forest"

Apparently, the elf had no sense of honor.
"To bad that this has come this way. It was pleasent to meet you" to the side. "Kill it."
The elf walked away and let down his hand.
Instantly, dozens of arrows whizzed out of the woods towards Heimar, So completely surprised that he couldnt even draw his weapon before his last breaths came.
The elf looked at the giant corpse as the rest of them came out of the woods, total 120 of them, and issued his orders.
"Make sure its dead and haul the body over the river. it gets an proper burrrial on the other side and an nice warning for others of his kind"
The elves proceeded on these orders by tying the corpse with 4 strong ropes and letting 4 of their large wolves pull them.

Some days later at the hunting party campsite.

One of the hunters came tumbling through the woods and shouted for the leader.
"Eiríkr! There's a huge herd of deers galloping through the forest! Now or never would be the time for a good hunt!"
"Well, lets get on with it then, everyone! Pack up your stuff and prepare to run for several miles!"
There was some general hassle and huffle, but finally they were running. The tracks were quite clearly visible, for the hoofs had trampled the ground more or less to mud.
after about a half hour of constant running and occasionally taking out some stragglers from the pack, the giants ran afoul of another track, going directly over the deer tracks.
Stopping to examine them, they soon conclude that the track is made by something very large being pulled.
Anything capable of bringing down something that large would be fearsome trophy indeed. This could just be what they were looking for, The Ultimate bloodsport.
Abandoning the deers, they rushed forward to find this great beast, and bring it down.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Later...
Eiríkr was starting to wonder about this hunt. They had followed the pulling tracks for quite long now, and he was noticing the signs that they were closing the river.
Surely no predator from watery enviroment would hunt that far inside the forest?
Suddenly the trees start to sparse and they get quite a clear sight to the river... and some people working.
"Hold up... They might not be friendly towards us. Who knows if they are enemies of Jötun, ready your weapons"
At the very moment the elves notice them, and an alarm goes out.
"I guess we will have to introduce ourselves then."
Eiríkr walks out of the forest, and surveys his surroundings. There are lots of these small humanoids running around. And... Amidst all this was a bloody corpse of an giant. And a one he recognised. Heimar, one of the woodsmen sent to scout ahead laid there, slain. Eiríkrs face turned into a cool grimace. "Who are you, tiny ones, and *Why* do i see a fellow of mine slain there?!"
One of the more hardy looking elves steps forward and speaks out.
"This one of your fellow friend has raided our land and refused to leave as we asked politly. The border of our land is this river. You can go unharmed and take the corpse with you if you want and we will forget that you hunted in our forrests."
"Raiding your lands? How often do raiders raid alone? Besides, this is *our* land by the laws of the storm god, and what makes you think we just wouldnt settle for driving you out?"
"Voral the nature is the owner of the forrest up to this river. We can go peacefully with each other or well or you end like your friend and we wont so kind to haul your corpses back over the river."
Eiríkr looked around, seeing that his men were ready and set for the battle. But... He had seen that these humanoids were here in great numbers. They wouldnt stand much chance. "Very well, owner of army, we will leave peacefully for now, but mark my words... The Lord of Storms wont take this insult lightly."
"Very well you can go."
The giants crudely kick aside the elves near them and march to the body of Heimar, lifting it up and wading into the river. Soon, the elves see them rising up at the other side and heading straight to the north.

summary:
-3 giants leave björnholm keep to construct a road between Hrafngard and keep.
-a serious incident occurs and the hunting party withdraws from elven lands.

pops
-Hrafngard: 56
-Björnholm keep: 24
map




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   0    5    0    5    0    5    0
   --------------------------------
00|⌂▲▲▲⌂●●●●●█████●≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
  |≈▲^▲⌂⌂⌂●●●●●●●●≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
  |⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♣♣.♣♣.....≈≈≈≈
  |⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂.≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.♣♣.♣⌂⌂⌂.....≈≈
  |≈.≈..≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.♣♣♣♣⌂⌂^⌂⌂.....≈
05|≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈..♣CcC⌂▲▲⌂⌂...┌≈
  |≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈e─────○▲▲⌂⌂..┌┘≈
  |≈≈≈≈...≈≈≈.≈≈≈≈≈..♣♣♣⌂⌂c▲⌂⌂.┌┘.≈
  |≈≈┐..⌂⌂⌂≈|..≈≈≈...♣/♣⌂▲▲○───┘...
  |♣.|.⌂⌂▲⌂♣|...≈..e♣♣E⌂▲e▲⌂⌂.....♣
10|♣♣|⌂⌂▲⌂⌂♣|...≈...♣♣⌂⌂▲^▲⌂⌂....♣♣
  |♣♣○⌂▲○───┘...≈..e♣♣e⌂▲e▲⌂⌂..♣♣♣♣
  |♣♣⌂▲⌂N♣♣.....≈..♣♣♣♣⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
  |.⌂⌂▲⌂.♣.....≈≈≈┐.Y♣♣♣⌂⌂M⌂⌂⌂...♣♣
  |⌂⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣♣♣..≈≈≈≈└─────Y▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
15|⌂▲▲▲⌂♣♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈.......⌂⌂▲▲k⌂..♣♣♣
  |⌂▲^▲⌂♣♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈≈V......⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂.┌──
  |⌂▲▲▲⌂♣♣♣♣≈≈≈≈≈≈......M⌂K▲⌂○──┘..
  |≈⌂▲▲⌂♣♣♣⌠┌≈≈≈≈≈≈≈.....⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂....
  |≈⌂▲⌂⌂♣♣⌠⌠|⌠≈≈≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠┌──○▲▲k⌂♣♣♣♣♣
20|⌂⌂▲⌂⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|⌠≈≈≈⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠|K⌂▲▲⌂⌂⌂.♣♣♣♣
  |▲▲○─┐┌─@⌠|⌠└─┬─────┘⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂..♣♣♣♣
  |⌂⌂⌂~└┘~└─┘~~.|⌠⌠⌠⌠⌠⌂⌂▲M⌂O.....♣♣
  |~~~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈⌠⌠⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂...~..
  |~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈⌠┌─○▲▲⌂⌂.~~.~
25|~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈─┬┘⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~~~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠♠|⌂⌂▲▲▲○⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~┌──≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠|⌂⌂▲R▲⌂⌂~~~~~
  |~~~~|~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠|⌂⌂▲▲▲⌂⌂♠~♠~~
  |⌂⌂⌂~|~~~~~≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈♠└──○▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈≈
30|○───┘~~~~~~~♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂≈≈≈≈

The picture of Hrafn!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Emperor_Jonathan]

The Monoglains.

The Map.
---------

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

0    0    1    1    2     2    3
   0    5    0    5    0     5    0
   --------------------------------
00|                           
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  |                           
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05|                           
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10|                           
  |                           
  |                       ▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣
  |                       ⌂M⌂⌂⌂...♣
  |                       ▲▲⌂⌂...♣♣♣
15|                            .♣♣♣
  |                    ..⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂.┌──
  |                    .M⌂K▲⌂○──┘..
  |                    ..⌂⌂▲▲⌂⌂....
  |                           ♣♣♣♣♣
20|                          ⌂.♣♣♣♣
  |                     ⌂▲▲⌂⌂..♣♣
  |                     ▲M⌂O.....
  |                     ⌂▲▲⌂⌂...~
  |                           
25|                           
  |                           
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  |                           
30|                            

The Cities.
-----------

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The race of Monoglains.
The chiefdom of Ynant.
Monoga, the capital X17Y23
Inhabitants: Before - 331
                  After - 407
Popcap: 690

The chiefdom of Nanyt.
Nanyt, the capital X22Y25
Inhabitants: Before - 520
                  After - 442
Popcap: 380

((-15%))

The Chiefdom of Tnayn
Tnayn, the capital X11Y24
Inhabitants: Before - 202
                  After - 172
Popcap: 35

((-15%))

Total Population: 1021
Total Popcap: 1105

[Armok]

((Polifar, Akroma, it would seem my IRC-reachable time doesn't even come close to overlapping either of you, I have honestly no idea how to solve this, PMs are just to slow if you have to wait an entire day for a response.  ))

[Akroma]

((Pm is the ONLY way to resolve it. If you think it is too slow, how about starting already instead of whining about how it is impossible.))