The Motu Pokapū

[lbj181]

An emissary was sent to Irakazu with gift of Denython best bronze statue and food. The emissary making proposal on behalf of the City Lords request.

"Greeting great Irakazu, we wish to request aid troops from yourside to assist in our humble cities. In return, we offer the knowledge of blood magic to your great country. We are looking forward to hear from you soon."

The emissary then waited in Irakazu until further reply from the leader of Irakazu .

[Gesar]

Masked Taras-u-didun stood silently beside the hero-saint of the Tanum, the stench of rotting fruit filling the air. He knew little of politics and war alike. His work was the will of She-Who-Sings, much like his predecessor upon these isles. The harvest and the waves had demands that Hukku's ashipu knew intimately, and would never be realized by her mate, the Halfhand God, or the Owl-Mother. These sands or any other, they all danced to the tune of the gods.

He recited, in the death-rattle of a man long since spent by plague:

"A pact of commerce, forging ties of a mercantile but not political nature, shall be made between the Seven Pyramids of Irkazu and a fleet of ship-masters from the Tanum Republic, represented by Lady Ondurdis and Lady Blēka, who together have entered a commercial félag for this purpose.

The God-Isles of the Seven Pyramids are rich in volcanic glass but poor in nutrition. To remedy this, the Pyramid-Men shall begin trade with the ship-masters, with goods exchanged at neutral meeting-points in calm waters. The Tanum shall offer whale meat and blubber, and oil rendered from the same, harvested in the northern wastes by the Free Phriman Tribes. For each large basket of meat or blubber and for each amphora of oil delivered to the Pyramid-Dwellers, the ship-masters shall be paid one larger item made out of obsidian, or five smaller ones out of the same. The prior includes include daggers, clubs, harpoons, plates, figurines, axeheads, and so on. The latter includes arrowheads, awls, fish-hooks, beads, small blades, and so on. Should the import of whale-foods be delayed or cut off, other foodstuffs may be exchanged as substitutes.

As a gift to begin this venture, the warlocks among the Children of Irka shall fashion an air-filled sphere, lowered from a ship by tether and allowing sight in the depths below, crafted using their own sorcery and glass fashioned out of sand from the Ku'lra Confederation, to be provided by the Tanum. In return, the Tanum will offer two shiploads of whale meat, blubber and oil, likewise as a gift.

This pact of commerce shall last for one year, or until the Seven Pyramids of Irkazu have remedied their lack of foodstuffs."

Elsewhere, in the capital, couriers ran back and forth, up the great stairs of the first pyramid-city. Such plenty required sacrifice, and soon seven large pyres would mar the skies of the southern sea.

[Gesar]

It had not been a fortnight since Enni returned to the First Pyramid, his sister given her own objective and unwilling to speak of any details through the crystal. A week of this return home had already been wasted, if anybody were to ask the awilu (they had not), but Irkazu was Irkazu. All knew the ur-Lord's desire in the matter of Denython's request, but the ashipu of the Owl-Mother were not the only witch-priests who had a voice in his decisions. The gods would choose as they would.

The first three nights were chaotic. Fierce arguments raged on the fourth and fifth steps of the Pyramid, and violence threatened to break out over whether or not the godless blood mages were to be afforded anything beyond sacred hospitality. On the fourth night, the ur-Lord himself descended from the Capstone Throne, proclaiming an end to the debate, by vote of the ashipu. He blessed the endeavor, to the surprise of none, and thus began the feasting.

To Hukku, they drank the fermented pulp of the sacred gourd, and decorated their guests with jewelry made from pale coral while children sang the old songs in the streets. For Nardimma, there was a grand hunt, and the captured jaguar's lifesblood was given up to the Halfhand God whilst the laws of the Seven Pyramids were recited seven times, its pelt made a gift for the emissary.

The sixth night was for Irka, and a favorite of every young man and woman: while the communal stone-houses of the Pyramids rang out with the cries of pleasure between sister-wives and brother-husbands, the ashipu worked their strange arts for the diversion of the young and the foreign, and a day of unnatural darkness was brightened with the eldritch art-fires of the magi.

And then came the seventh. There were no festivities for Anlil-Ban, only prayers for His forgiveness, that those who had not yet raised the Lion Under the World back to his temporal godhood would be judged worthy in the afterlife, and devoured quickly.

At the end, there was a feast, a solemn affair. The ur-Lord departed silently, with a brief nod in the direction of the three other high priests, who took only a moment to confer before Enni 'heard' the truth, an errant, insectoid whisper in his ear. The command was his, whether he wished it or not: the gods chose as they would.

And so he rose, clearing his throat once as his heart palpitated in mild terror. “Emmisary of the Thirteen Cities. I am Enni-kel-dan, Sworn Shield to the Ashipu of Hukku. Seven days have we prayed and seven nights have we communed, and the Word has been received.”

“Blood and bronze you have promised, and the gods have found you worthy. Our homes shall be yours, our spears will be your shield, and our arrows will strike down your enemies. So say the Imtal-ta-Lika, who have granted me and mine the blade of command.”

He raised a club-sword lined with obsidian, decorated with the feathers of exotic birds, the handle wrapped in the scales of a fallen Taniwha. "May Nardimma set his jaguars upon us at first arrow-flight if we should break this holy law. May Hukku cause our crops to wither and our canoes to lose sight of the stars should we stray from our course. May Irka curse us until our flesh withers into maggot-feed."

"This I swear by seven-times-seven. May the Lion Under the World never rise, and may I never know his halls, if I fail in this sacred duty."

[Master of Oblivion]

Aralu stood eagerly. Soon the prophet would speak; giving forth the messages of the gods. She could feel the tension and the excitement of the crowd as if the very air was heavy with it. Occasionally groups around her would break out in spontaneous prayer, reciting the slow verses the prophet had taught them. An old woman fell to the ground, tears in her eyes, praising the gods for giving her the chance to live in the time of the prophet. “Wake, to let us rest”, she said in between euphoric sobs.

Aralu could barely remember the days before the First Act of Deliverance. She wondered how her people could have lived in such an uncertain state. They had been ignorant of right and wrong and the true path of salvation, just as the rest of the world was. Aralu would save them. No the prophet and the Gods would save mankind from this fallen, dirty state.

Her musings were broken by a cry from the front of the gathered assembly. The voice of the gods was arriving! His fine robes fluttered in the light breeze and the sun reflected on his golden mask. Aralu wondered what beauty lied beneath the mask. Surely the Voice of the Gods was a beautiful men.
The Prophet reached the altar and the audience became silent instantly. “The gods have spoken to me. They want the construction of the Greatest Temple the world has ever seen. This temple will be the key for their awakening. They will wake to let us rest.”
Such beauty! The prophet’s will be done!

[BgKnight]

The Crystal War

The Haere Noa have long been a thorn in the side of both the Clans of Geloera and the Moeroa Kingdom for quite a while. Despite their ancestral hatred, the Geloera and Moeroa people had long ago realized that the Faction presented a bigger threat to them then they did to each other, and their rulers have secretly seemed to have come to an agreement between each other.

So when the Faction and the Five Banners declared the creation of the Confederacy of the Free People between each other, and the Crystal Spearmen and Bannermen landed in the Factions territories, the Clansmen of Geloera and the King of Moeroa declared their intent to form an alliance to fight this confederacy.

Too little too late, unfortunately.

Before they can organize effectively, the skies blackened in the morning, and hell-fire rained from the heavens. The horn was blown and the Headhunters and Crocodile infantry left their villages, to face a large army of 1000 crystal spear-men and 500 crystal archers.

A sense of doom washed over the Headhunters and Crocodile Infantry, as they saw massive rocks falling form the sky, and reigns unlike any other fall upon their villages, behind them. They knew, instinctively, that there will be little left of the villages now, and even less so if the Crystal Warriors had their way.

Instead of make them falter, however, this strengthened their resolve. By the time the Headhunters had scouted out the camp of the Bannermen, the fierce tribal fighters had gathered a massive following from all over the island.

In the early morning, a scout, dressed lightly and and wearing gem shoes infused with magic, ran ahead and warned the Bannermen of the impending attack. So, in the valley chosen by the Glass Army, the battle was joined.

As the Crocodile infantry, armed with the artifacts of their crocodile god, descended down the hill, they were met with the thunderous cries of the Glass Army, dressed in obsidian, glass and gem, magically infused to be made as hard as bronze, while being flexible like leather. As the melee was joined, the cling of magical armor crashing against holy artefacts thundered through the field.

The Archers, standing on the back, guided their crystal arrows into the Crocodile infantry with horrifying accuracy. Just as it seemed the battle was lost for the clans, the headhunter infantry, those who had honed their skills in camouflage and operated in those islands for ages, bust out of the tall grass to attack the Crystal Archers.

The battle descended into utter chaos in the back of the Glass Army. Unfortunately for the clans, they simply lacked the raw power of the Glass Army, with their Crocodile infantry folding soon after and the Crystal Spearmen turning their attention to the Headhunters, annihilating any remaining resistance.

The Island now lay bare for the taking, and the victorious Glass Army descended on the villages, crushing all resistance, but showing surprising leniency on the women and children who remained alive after the destruction. With one of the islands totally under the control of the faction, a Bannermen was dispatched to chain the small island wholly under Haere Noa control.


While the struggle with the Clansmen was going in the east, the Haere Noa initially planned to help the Glass Army in their conquest, were preoccupied by a preventative invasion of the King of Moeroa, who himself was leading the fight, realizing that unless the Faction is stopped for good, this will be his end.

However, the Faction, initially loosing several battles, was forced to retreat east, hitting the rocky shores, where they were expected to face their final battle before being destroyed. That was, until the second island was chained beneath their feet. Suddenly, the men and women of the Faction could draw from the power of the Island in full, and their Ruanuku were free to wield vast amounts of power. So when the king arrived to take his revenge, he didn't find a hodge-podge collection of troops awaiting their doom, but rather he found Ruanuku leading a motivated army, imbued with powerful magic.

In the ensuing struggle, the King of Moeroa fell and his troops were routed, chased back to their borders an then some, as the Faction descended on the capital of Moeroa, pillaging, but also asserting their rule over the second Island.

The Banners are expected to arrive to chain this island as well.

The Siege on Blood Island

As the Crystal war rumbles in the North, an announcement of an alliance with the Mayirea and the Confederation of the Free People reached the South, and sparked off a massive series of event. As a ship set off from the Banners, magic users to bind their two small islands even harder and to channel the energies more forcefully than the Mayirea can manage alone. As well as a collection of weapons and provisions, the race was on to silence the Mayirea before the convoy could arrive.

A broad coalition of people was gathered to help the Denython, slavers as they were. However, the problem with the coalition was very simple, lack of organization and more specifically, lack of cohesion in Denython.

You see, while the Council of the Cities will tell you that the cities are united in their struggle and have solved all their problems with gladiatorial combat, the reality couldn't be further from the truth. The Gladiatorial games was a good way to get the cities to declare a truce, but that's as far as it went, during the games there was a truce and cities participated in the games, but as soon as the games were done the cities were right back to fighting each other.

However it was true, that the cities were quick to realize that the external threats are far greater then their internal squabbles, but that didn't stop some cities to exploit this. As the Denython prepared for war, the city of Asopu, allied to the Irakzu, used its new-found alliance to further its power among the smaller cities and to claim that they, are, indeed, the natural leaders of Denython.

To show their natural power, they naval city dispatched a large force to head a naval group against the Mayirea, before the Irkazu support force promised had arrived and before the other cities were ready for the fight. While along they way they managed to pick up a large force from the rest of the cities, the command issues continued to plague the fleet as the ships entered Mayirean territory.

As they descended on undefended coastal towns, the Mayirea were quick to defend those towns, fighting the marines in pitch battles and generally pushing them out. As the struggles on the shores intensified, the city of Berlu, now seeking to put its own players in the game, gathered an army and descended upon the borders of Mayirea. 500 soldiers, 200 hoplites, 50 fire archers are dispatch to identify the captured deity and destroy the chains holding it. Again, however, they attacked without waiting for the Irkazu, who's Death-Seekers were experts in sniffing out gods and finding their locations.

So despite the Blood Ruanuku casting magic to conceal the infiltration of the army, its sheer size meant that it cannot go unnoticed for long. And soon enough the Abominations and the Mayirea leading them descended upon the army. Fierce combat and a valiant defense was displayed by the Denython men, but the citizen soldiers were ultimately outmatched.

Eventually, 1 battle ashipu, 120 Death Seekers, 300 awilu infantry, and 6000 spear-bearers arrive in the city of Asopu, their obsidian spears and their great jaguar mains being a great show to the people of Asopu. They are, however, purely a defensive force, and with the fleet out of the city and fighting on the northern shores of Mayirea, the small army of Asopu greets them with open arms and tries send them out to help the fleet. Instead, the ashipu remain as per their previous orders, in defense of the city.

The arrival of this force, lucky, means that Kingdom of Ziayah, which has long has issues with Denython, declares its neutrality in the fighting that has emerged over the Mayirea. It also signals a reversal in the fighting in the east, as the Berlu men manage to link up with the Asopu fleet, allowing them, after some fierce arguments, and a payment by the Berlu, to be withdrawn from the Mayirea.

In the struggle, however, the Mayireans have been placed under what is basically a siege, their ships grounded and their forces pushed inside their territories. The blockade means that the Banners might be unable to send the supplies and goods they had destined to arrive at the Mayireans.

Other News:

While the struggles are continuing in the east, the Blood Ruanuku of Berlu tried using his magic to brainwashing the three captured Zaiyah soldiers to enable them to serve the Berlu army with 100% loyalty. Fake memory, hatred towards Zaiyah kingdom and savior of Denython were to be implanted into the capture soldier memory so that they will serve Denython. Unfortunately for the Berlu, the while the brainwashing was successful, the demon-man was rendered dumb and mute, leaving an empty husk, much like the children born without a soul. The man could still be directed to fight, but no information could be extracted or used as a spy.

The King of the Cartodons has been invited into the Confederation of Free People alongside the Banners and the Haere Noa. To seal the deal, the Blue Banner (The Sailor), a former human inhabitant from Cartodon long long ago, is sent to broker the deal. However before his arrival, a large Shoal raiding fleet descends on the villages on the outskirts of the Cartodons, raiding and pillaging. This means that the initially reluctant king falls in the feet of the Banners the moment the Sailor arrives.

The Tripple Alliance between the Irkazu, Rikimen and the Knaerids meets in the capital of the Riki Empire to discuss the issues afoot. A suggestion emerges, the Tripple Alliance and the Tanum Republic suggest to become intermediaries for the Kul'ra-I'jur conflict, with the Trickster Dolphin suggesting to be the one to lead the negotiations. Both Kul'ra and L'jur embrace this suggestion.

Inside the Irkazu however, issues continue, as demand for their new knowledge of blood magic grows, so too will the blood cost. Dissidents are silenced among the ashipu by giving the supporters of the new trend more access to Tanum food and goods. This causes internal struggles, and some Ashipu are found dead on the steps of the pyramids, some from a suspected serial killer, another, much worse, from the hands of another faction. The unrest continues to shake the pyramids.

Moving on from the strait between Osidea and the Cartodons, the Shoal raiders hit the coast of Nu'kre, and turn southward again.


The Lwol create an inquisition among their population to fight godless thoughts. They use the force to fight, what they are calling godless dissenters.

They also start the construction of a grand temple of the gods. The temple is expected to be construed within the year.

The Lwol also establish a lodge, to call forth all those who worship the gods and are users of magic. Promised luxuries and privileges greater than elsewhere, some mages from around the world agree, but they are, mainly, novices in their magic skills. They are allowed to pursue their studies without suspicion or prejudice. But it is nobody's surprise that they are there to figure out, eventually, how to awaken the gods. That's why few agree to come, because outside of the Lwol death cult, very few are fine with the idea of dying to a waking god.


Lwol missionaries arrive in the Matriarchy of Wa'hine-i-Roto. The most faithful followers of the Lwol go to the Matriarchal islands and preach the Lwol's path of salvation and happiness. Speaking of service to the gods that will allow them to have victory over their enemies in this life, and eternal bliss in the next. The Matriarchy allows them to remain, while the matriarchal leaders feel the Lwol might be patriarchal, the religion itself doesn't feel patriarchal, so they decide to give the men freedom to preach.

Lwol Missionaries also arrive to the Kingdum of I'jur. The Patupaiarehe are confused, but allow them to stay, since the Lwol show no ill will. The missionaries speak of the gods awakening, and those who follow the gods being triumphant in the final battle, no matter their race or size. The Patupaiarehe, not very liked by humans, are surprised by this. Some even sit around to listen to the missionaries.

Trade News:

The Shoal's drugged up captains conduct commerce with the Osidean traders, they are successful in selling whatever they have to sell. So much so, that their coffers were emptied out as they set a path to raid again. Some captains have grown rich from these raids.

The Irkazu expand their trade in magic further, this time not searching for magical knowledge, but instead favors and goods. Producing a steady stream of goods flowing back to Irka while they exercized their magical gifts to whoever was willing to pay for it. Rumors arrive that they are attempting to synthesize the white lotus with magic, the drug used heavily by the Shoal.

Denython ships arrive in the Temples of Inys Nanron with bronze weopen, tools, and slaves. In return, the merchants acquire some of the exotic trinkets, animal furs and remedies of the Nanron. That same trading fleet then sets sail to Arenujalapura to sell and trade slaves and the items acquired from Temples of Inys Nanron. They manage to aquire some adveced weapon prototypes to bring back home, but the cities continue to squabble who will get the boons. Rumors have it that engineers have also joined the trade fleet to be brought back to Denython.

Reaching the center of the islands, the Shoal makes a 'trade loop', circling the sea between Bu'hersson, Tanum, the Realm of the Free, and Irkazu; pausing at the Eastern Tanum Republic, they barter with treasures and goods taken from the Skif'au, Nu'kre, and Cartodons before moving on and arriving at the Seven Pyramids, offloading many of their captives for sale and selling some of the MaTuatou's drug to the Irkazu.

The Shoal spread the word through their trading that the island on which the MaTuatou tribe lives is under the protection of the Shoal's captains, few will dare to attack the tribe now.

For Tanum, Ondurdis and Blēka have struck their félag, and signed a trade pact with the Pyramid-Men. Under this, they have agreed sell some of the whale meat, blubber and oil we began trading with the Phrimen tribes recently, in return for obsidian tools, weapons and artwork. Some of this will be used by the Tunam, most however are some sold to the Ku'lra, the Phrimen, and other trade partners.

The L'wol captives and their amours are returned, according with the concord to end L'wol-Tanum conflict, and Ondurdis the Archer and the Lwol Chief-Missionary overseeing the gifting and distribution of the bronze harpoons, knives, etc. offered as tribute by the L'wol to the tribes of the Phrimen, this boost the Phrimen's whaling capacity and strengthen the bond between Tanum, Lwol and the Phrimen, even though mistrust remains.

Hlin, after leaving Kul'ra, has reemerged further north, seeking contact with the King of the Mahayagah. She has brought her tribute and gifts, like hunting spears with shining bronze tips, arrows fashioned out of obsidian, and whalebone carvings. This has secured her the audience of the rowdy king, who has taken a liking to her.

Veorr the Ember Eyed arrives in Ku'lra bringing aid. He, and a set of Tanum farmers, use their techniques and skills to help the Ku'lra develop new fields for agriculture, among their own largely barren shores. Using kelp and other seaweeds harvested in their shallow waters, as well as a bit of divine sorcery and fertilizers brought over from the Tanum isles, they set about creating new, small but fertile, patches and plots of farmland. This seems to have reaped a vast success!

[Smyg]

They stood by, watching Their little brother set sail. The parents of the three hero-saints being unknown, they only had each other, and now the three orphans were truly divided for the first time. Ashen Blēka, with her big blue eyes, had hummed something about doing trade with blood-mages, and went south. Wild-haired Kārr-Bō with his sharp teeth was now setting sail, eastwards, as the sun set. The Van, an elegant ship built in the cover of darkness away from his sister and his sibling, moved further and further away, towards the land of the Wolf. It felt lonely.

Ourá looked at Their webbed fingers, down onto Their webbed toes. Some among the Tanum, in awe and with love in their voices, spoke of gills rumoured to be hidden in Their flesh, giving praise to the divine deformity. The tribesmen adored Their magicks, and Their way with the poisoned trident, the finest tool for hunting the sharks whose teeth they wore as necklaces and bracelets to honour Them. But Ourá had never felt there was reason for such love, such devotion. A freak cursed by the Sun, what else?

A shallow breath, then sudden speech into the falling darkness. "I am beautiful, like Blēka. I am daring, like Kārr-Bō. And I am strong... like Veorr." The affirmations, meant to bolster Their confidence, worked the opposite way, once the Ember-Eyed's name was brought up. A brief flush across pale skin. Ourá's own eyes, milky-white, eyelid-less and with slit pupils, simply so much uglier than the great red-haired warrior's brilliant fires, fell to the petroglyph-covered cliff below. Another breath, deeper this time, and They regained composure. "I am beautiful, I am daring, I am strong."

They were ready.

Ourá dove off the cliff, deep into the dark waters below, and swam out into the sea. Their tribesmen had been told their hero-saint would leave for a bit, to return with great bounties and tribute, but not to where. They didn't really know either.

[Smyg]

A Tanum merchant's artistic depiction of a Ku'lra diver, carefully sketched on turtle-shell with keen obsidian chisels.

The Ku'lra were Sons and Daughters of the Shallow Waters - very unlike the serpent-folk, the Taniwha, who thrived in the depths. Their lifestyle was one of both faith (as they saw many aquatic animals as spiritual beings, totemic symbols), defence (to avoid the pirates, beasts and Patupaiarehe of the surface), and sheer survival. Their island was one with scarce resources, especially after ancient raids by enemy tribes who burned the forests of the Ku'lra forefathers. Little grew in the sandbars, and with timber unavailable - and no whale-ribs to build huts from, like the distant Phrimen - the peaceful Ku'lra turned to the sea for shelter. With their weak but highly specialised shamanistic sorcery, and delicate craftsmanship, they built their villages further and further out in the shallows. In the end, the small enclaves of structures - rendered both airtight, air-filled and heated via magic, although always damp and cool - were fully underwater. Crude glass walls, forged out of sheer sand, made these dwellings, located only a few metres below the surface but well hidden, bright and entirely liveable.

That's not to say the Ku'lra were a race of fish-men, Veorr thought to himself. Their main industries may be fishing by net and triden, the hunting of turtles and other beasts, the gathering of crabs and shells, the harvesting of kelp and watery herbs, the scavenging of wrecks and oyster-shells for marine treasures... but they were still human. No gills, just excellent swimming and some equipment surprisingly advanced for their otherwise primitive lifestyle. No seafloor palaces, just scattered villages on sheltered reefs. And they did still spend a lot of time on the surface - planting, harvesting, gathering, trading, loving, birthing, dying, fighting, worshipping. They reminded him of poor Ourá. No respect granted to them by outsiders, yet so gifted. Some superstitious would think them beasts in men's form, like the foul abominations created by the Mayirea Wizards or the Cartodon King, the souls of sealife put where it shouldn't be. But to Veorr, they had become friends and kinsmen.

Before him, on the shore, stood a gathering of village elders, chief glass-builders and leading fish-wives, shamans carrying the totems of the Turtle, the Shark, the Squid, and so on... All those who held influence among the Ku'lra. All around them were fields, stinking of rotten kelp and ground-up fertilizer, blooming with purple yam, white gourds, green lime sproutlings, and other vegetables and newborn fruit trees planted by the Tanum farmers brought in by the hero-saint, to join him in forging a new source of food for the hungry Ku'lra. They had only managed to create a few new gardens yet, virtually from scratch with nothing but scraps and magic, but the results were very promising.

"Friends." There were strength in his words. The ember-eyed ox of a man gave off an aura of power, even with his enchanted club tossed in the sand by his feet to symbolize a peaceful purpose. All around, they listened to this foreign champion. "I come to you not as a merchant, nor as a warrior. I come to you as a kinsman, on a path to rediscover siblings long lost among the waves." He motioned towards the vegetable patches around them. "My people is not a warlike one, just as yours is not. While my crews help with the planting of these fields, my siblings are negotiating with King Krjnaer, to bring peace to these lands. In your hands you hold spears tipped with whalebone and obsidian, brought in by my cousins' canoes. Were I a greedy man, I would have you turned into our vassals, demanding tribute in return for all these gifts, and come as a conqueror when you rightly denied our right to your treasures."

Veorr pointed to the club at his feet, his "Crusher". What a silly nickname, it was long since it had crushed anything. "But I am not. You may receive or reject what the Tanum offer you as you will. A gift is a gift, given for the purpose of gifting. There is naught in my mind but care and concern. We are all Children of the Sun, you and we alike. Is it not the same Sun that shines upon our island farmsteads and gardens, as the one which makes your algae bloom, your kelp-field grow? The same Sun that has touched me and the rest of the Ten, as the one that guides you through the night by lighting up the Moon? We are kin."

The fire in his eyes - the literal fires in his eyes - did well to mark his sincerity. There could be no deceit in those flames.

"Kinsmen need to stick together. The world is a rough place, colder than the greatest depths of the mighty Ocean, and the Sun cannot warm us all on its own. We must huddle together, sharing the warmth in our hearts. Hear thus my plea, Men and Women of the Ku'lra."

Veorr went silent, briefly. Not for the dramatic pause, but to think about what he was about to say. Was it his right to propose such a thing? Was it the right thing to do? Ondurdis might disagree, as would certainly some of the others. But then he thought of the demonic beings out there, the treachery of men, the punishments of would-be gods. He feared the future more than he feared the anger of his friends.

"Gather your tribesmen from all the villages, friends. Hold a grand conclave, the first of many, and decide what tomorrow holds for a free and united Ku'lra Confederacy. Divided we all fall, but stand together and your own people will become your shield. Then, when you have made your choice, let me know - and we shall strike a concord, if you so wish." Veorr raised his fist to his heart, and bowed before the gathered elders. "Our friendship shall be eternal, sworn by the solar carvings and the sunken totems, and all of the islands shall know us as equals."

An immense silence followed. You could almost taste it in the air. The assembled Ku'lra were quiet for what felt to Veorr like hours, looking at each other, back and forth.

Then, finally, a man emerged from the group. A young shaman, carrying the Totem of the Turtle, who Veorr knew simply as Hlér. Remarkably blue eyes could be seen beneath black hair, still wet from the waves, and he wore a crude breathing-apparatus on top of a cloak woven from kelp-cloth. He spoke with a proud voice, eyes almost... shining.

""We shall gather our conclave, Brother Veorr. Return in a month, then the Ku'lra Confederacy shall strike our concord with the Tanum Republic... as equals."

All around, the Ku'lra raised their fists to their hearts, and bowed lightly before the hero-saint. Veorr gulped for air, having feared the worst. Maybe there was hope.

Spoiler

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[GM-approved action.]

[Smyg]

"So, you struck a deal with the Beast-King of the East."

Had Veorr been a man given to fear, he'd have a heart attack just about now. From the shadows in front of him, with no prior warning, emerged the clawed crone. "Hlin. Do not speak ill of King Krjnaer. A dolphin he may be at heart, but he is a worthy man. And we struck no deal with him, he was merely a messenger."

She laughed, her face covered in darkness beneath messy grey hair, so unlike Veorr's own, illuminated by his inner flame as it was. "Think you can trust the fairy-folk, do you?"

He shrugged. "Tell me, do you really think a war with the Patupaiarehe of the West would bring you justice?" The laughter ended. A hand, blackened by sooty scars and with sharp bird-like talons instead of fingernails, raised towards the sitting hero-saint, appeared out of the shadows. "Justice is a moot point. As for vengeance, only your corpse swinging from my mast would bring me the satisfaction I crave."

A sigh. "I didn't kill your husband, Hlin. He was as a father to me." Whereas Veorr had sighed, the witch-like elder champion hissed. "And you as a son to him. Before you let his death go unpunished."

He let the slight go unanswered. It was futile. Hlin was Hlin. The years would come and go, and she would never accept the facts. The Motu Pokapū was neutral ground, and although its neutrality had been broken once, two wrongs do not make a right. She'd fret and curse, call upon the Sun to blacken his eyes, then she would realize the folly of her words for the hundred time, set sail on the eight-oared Hāl, and go off to defend the Republic as valiantly as she always had. In her own way.

"Be well, All-Mother." He raised a clenched fist to his heart to salute her, but she was already gone.

[Coin]

The mason grunted, and with all the strength in his arms, brought the hammer crashing down on the boulder. The sound echoed through the valley - answered by a hundred other hammers, and a hundred other masons, all through this strange new land. There was plenty work for strong men in the virgin jungles of Inys Nanron's youngest territory. But for Yntol, this particular boulder would not budge, and so, he rested.

His wife, sheltering in a makeshift wooden hut, saw him sit and sigh atop the stubborn rock. She stayed her duties by the hearth, and, dusting off her apron, brought out a pail of water, her grin infectious. Yntol's poor mood and exasperation at the morning's slow work disappeared. For all this new land's blessings and burdens, he still took delight in what they had built.

All down the fertile green valleys, untouched by divine madness and ecological disaster, the seal-men built their homes and their temples. His own present work was for the temple being built atop a ruined fort - a fort some of the priests had taken to claiming was in fact a seal-temple in ages past. Each man of the district now raised a carved obelisk to the ancestors - decorated by the priests, to seem in one light as a man; in another a seal; and anything in between.

It was not without it's troubles however, this western land. Beasts stalked the unwary in the forests, and enemy remnants - those who had been destroyed so suddenly and with near ease - on occasion were heard of. But these both would be consumed soon, and the land known. Names already they had given all the hills, the glens, the rivers and beaches. Even the forest birds, which Yntol had not heard till they came here. Already, they were using saplings, seed and timber in the east.

In his home island, Yntol himself was a third son. Here, he was a warrior, a conqueror, and a builder. His wife would bear him many sons. Perhaps one would become a priest - the first from the new lands. They, his descendants, would one day look at the sculptures this generation built - and the seal-men would remember.

But first, he had a boulder to split.

****

There were few chores that Astar enjoyed doing around the house. His mother and grandfather chided the youngster often; for his ability to delay any kind of domestic activity seemed only to increase with age. Tending the fire, taking in fuel, watering the livestock and feeding the hens - all of these were invariably accompanied by a foul mood, a sarcastic response, and generally exaggerated weariness. Each of these reactions would also - though not always - result in his grandfather's equally weary resorting to caning Astar's hands.

But beachcombing was not such a chore, and lately he found his freedom to do so grown. With his brothers now old enough to do the more menial domestic labour, his grandfather encouraged his diligent survey of the tides after every storm. Razorclams, mussels, crabs and even the occasional turtle might come from his combing the rockier northern shore. To his south, great storms meant valuable driftwood to sell at marketdays. He had even found a giant treenut once, paying the entire village's tribute to the temple. The villagers had come to rely more and more on the beach in generations past as the knowledge of shifting was lost to most peasants, and despite the success of the chaining, the Order had yet to work their powers on repairing their soil here. The chaos of madness was not easily washed away.

But today, Astar had felt deep foreboding at being sent out at the crack of dawn. He trudged through the shingle, avoiding the well-picked limpet-beds near the village, and daring to near the headland where resided the local priesthead. Sometimes, an unlucky cetacean might wash ashore here while fishing the narrows. There was a stench of something washed ashore without doubt, and the gulls above screamed their delight for all to hear.

On the old volcanic beach - once site of a harbour - he found it. He mistook it for a rock washed ashore, at first; but nearing it, he recognised the flippers and the light pelt. A seal lay dead upon the shore: and it was of impressive size, too.

It was forbidden, not to mention immoral, to consume seal except on feast-days; but curiosity got the better of him. At worst, he might set a trap for the scavengers who would congregate here, and perhaps he'd see some larger great-gulls. The shifter hermits on the offshore stacks kept the giant birds as pets, (as shifter eyes, if you believed the rumours) but they were shy of landing anywhere unless the pickings were good.

The creature lay face-down in the sand, a long, dark, gash on it's side. It seemed aged, somehow; and larger than any he'd seen before. He thought it a bull, wishing he'd listened now to the priest's lessons on sealife that accompanied the springmoon. The carcass was not too old - but the smell was black and foul.

He thought then of the baithooks the tusks could make. The meat might be forbidden, but noone would know if he took the teeth, and he could double the catch from the long lines, ensuring a full saltlarder for winter. In a few hours the tide would be in again, carrying the beast away. Easy.

With a quick glance up and down the shore, he satisfied himself that noone could join him. He took his flintknife from his pocket, and clambered over the beast. Heaving with all his strength, he struggled to turn the dead animal over. Eventually, his every muscle aching, the animal turned over, exposing it's underbelly. Then he shrieked.

Astar's face turned pale at the symbol cut there with a knife - the name of the Forbidden One, the Chained God. For this animal had been a shifter of the Order - and met a grisly end. The heart had been cut out from the symbol's centre.

Too late, he noticed now the three cloaked figures who stepped from seal-form in the water. One, bearded and tattooed, resembled his grandfather, but it was on a sickle that this man's hand rested. The other two were much younger, and looked as terrified as Astar felt. The youngest spoke first.

"What now? We have failed, and the seal-men must have vengeance."

"Fool!" Replied the other youngster. "Do not speak of it. We must remove the evidence, and skin the perpetrator."

Astar, meanwhile, panicked.

"It wasn't me! I thought it was a normal seal, though I would never ea-"

"Stop." At the eldest priest's command, he found himself incapable of speech, and the man stared at him. "This is work fouler than any flintknife."

His voice, though rough, soothed the boy. He found himself suddenly drowsy, as the three stepped closer to him, lifting a blue hood over his head.

"The devotees of chaos have broken the calm, and their fledglings take flight. Fear not, Astar of Nyscreg, for the Seal has need of you."

The last thing he remembered was darkness, and a faint smell of herbs, before it all went... murky.

[Snacks]

On a spit of land off the coast of one of the Irkazu’s islands, a fire burned, silhouetting the forms of men and women gathered in the night- a congress of the Shoal’s elite captain and their officers. The pirates boasted, gambled, and fought- meanwhile, their captains mostly did the former. An dispute between several of the newest elites over the division of plunder was brought to an early end, to their frustration and the amusement of the elders, shouted down by an old but still powerfully-built captain. Nehmet, lord and master of the King’s Bane, took to the center of the gathering, scarred and grey in the way only truly skilled Shoalmen ever live to be, a giant and monstrous even among his already imposing kin.

“This is no time for such petty discussion, my brothers, though I admire your vigor. As you all know, it was I and my most trusted brothers who have called for this gathering- and Nehmet, who kills villages and takes chieftans’ daughters, does not stoop to bringing us together for merely the routine.”

He motioned to one of the captains loyal to him, whose officers proceeded to drag forth and throw to the ground before Nehmet an abused and wretched Shoaler, recognizable as one of the more prolific among those pirates inclined towards trade with those the Shoal visited…non-angrily. “Your discretion up to this point was respectable, boy, but just as I know what you have taken part in, you know the gathering you stand before and that you are bound by our people’s custom to speak only the truth to us. Now tell your betters of the words you spoke to the Osideans, Bu'hersson, and the Tanum and what your peers no doubt tell to traders of this island at this very moment.”

Once the muttering of the other captains fell to hushed whispers, the bloodied merchant began to speak, though his breathing was labored and evidently painful, “That the MaTuatou and the island on which they live… it’s under the protection of the Shoal.”

Nehmet chuckled, patting the merchant on the head before turning to his fellow captains, “It seems that someone wishes to be our voice, brothers and sisters! Who wishes to be King of the Shoal? Perhaps she should first speak for herself before she speaks for all of us?”

The assembled pirates broke out into confused chatter, only silenced again by the passing of another group- the dark-skinned captain of the Floating Garden and those loyal to her, as well known and respected among the Shoalmen as Nehmet, despite her being cautious where he was bold, and preferred to trade while he was off raiding: Methuophis, foremost among that faction of pirates known to their peers as the Book-lovers. “Sounds like you already have someone in mind, Nehmet. I won’t insult you or our brothers and sisters by denying it.”


“Yet you insult us by attempting to dictate decisions for us, king of stories and trinkets! Your closeness with the merchants does not grant you authority. What gives you the right?”

“My ship does. Each of us has the right to offer our protection if we see fit. And why would I not do so? The White Lotus is used by more than my men or the crews of those close to me, but the goods traded for it come from our coffers. Perhaps you have forgotten that it is also our way to come together for a cause that’s for the good of us all, in your haste to throw me to the sea, but I don’t think that you would so readily give up your easy access to the drug.”

He smirked, “you think me an addict, Methuophis? I could kills scores of men before I ever touched the White Lotus.”

A childish giggle cut through the tense atmosphere, as some of Methuophis’ officers parted to let a child- by far the youngest Shoalman at the gathering –pass through and join the woman. “But my lady has the flower, and all she needs to kill is you, honored captain. Or maybe just cut off some of your favorite parts like her grandmother used to do… you remember her, right?”

Nehmet glared at the girl and at his rival for a moment, “What do you get out of this? And what do I get? “

She smiled, “I get a chance to be the one who brings back the glory our ancestors knew- to make the words of the storytellers like this girl more than just our history that you ignore. And you, brother… you get a cut, but we shall need to come to an agreement. Back among the islands, in the traditional fashion. Is that agreeable?”

The old pirate thought it over for a minute before laughing, “You did always have some of the biggest balls in the Shoal, girl.

---

The ship was pitch dark when the Skif’au man was dragged away from his family by two of the pirates who had already taken he and everyone close to him so far from everything they had ever known. Those of them not killed, at least. He didn’t dare offer resistance- even if the enslaved Skif’au had been fed more than the bare minimum to survive during their voyage, they had all witnessed the fate of the first and last of their people on this ship to attempt escape, and had it explained to them that further mutiny would result in them being crippled and given to the sea.

Finally, his escorts came to a stop at one of the chambers belowdecks and threw him to the floor. Raising his head, he met the gaze of someone he now recognized all too well. The ship’s captain smiled at him from her bed, wearing not the fearsome armor he had seen the terrible day he had been taken but a simple robe, and attended to by several men and women: some clearly Shoalmen, while others were more exotic still. “Ah, my honored guest… Eblis of the Skif’au, yes? I trust you recognize me from my inspections of you and your fellow prisoners, yes?”

Hesitantly, he nodded, “You’re the one they call Methuophis- you rule this ship. You hold my village and more captive.”

She seemed satisfied with the answer, motioning him to stand, “Yes, and having seen the way you watch and listen, I suspect you’ve overheard more from your guards than just that. You may just be a simple farmer, but you’re perceptive, patient, you’re by no means fragile… you have traits I find worthy, Eblis.”

“…worthy of what?” he dared to ask as Methuophis paused, eliciting another patronizing smile, “To hear my terms for your release, Eblis. Not just that, but the release of your family, and more. Because my mercy is conditional, but unless you wish to be sold as slaves- to risk seeing your family taken from you –I believe you will see my conditions are worth it, and that you will be able to convince many of your people.” As he nodded his understanding, she continued, “We will give you and your people, those who choose to accept, a place to settle and begin anew- you will spend the rest of your days there, but you will be able to provide for yourselves in the ways you have always known. After all, you all belong to me now, and I do not simply permit others to harm what is mine.”

He looked at her, “and I assume we will be expected to provide tribute, as we did for our chiefs and king, yes?”

That smile, reminding him so much of the sharks the fishermen from his village brought ashore with them, shone in the dim light of the room, “Precisely. I have already sold your chiefs, and your king of course, to the Irkazu- their failure and pride made them useless to me, but you may succeed where they failed your people. Those of you who accept will provide your surplus food… but you will provide one more thing. Children.”

Eblis blinked, narrowing his eyes with reflexive disgust, “Our children? To do what, eat them?”

One of the guards struck him for his outburst as Methuophis laughed, “Oh, my, I haven’t heard something that funny since your chief tried cursing me. No, because I wish for the Shoal to grow, and even young men can be rather set in their ways and hard to teach our ways. If it makes you feel any better, the children taken from your island can live out their lives as you will. What I want is for your village to make more children.” She smirked, “Specifically, with my people. You will take wives and husbands from the Shoal, or lovers for those of you with families already. Those born to your new home will live their lives there- those born to us will know a life on the waves.”

They stared at each other for a time, Eblis choosing his words carefully before he responded, “From where I’m standing, it seems like I have little choice, but I can see the wisdom in accepting your offer… and so for the sake of my family and my people, I will do all I can to convince as many of them as possible.”

She nodded, looking to the guards and her attendants, “Leave us, the new chief of the Skif’au understands that I don’t need my men to defend me if he tries anything- or that his loved ones will be fed to the Seven Pyramids if he betrays me now… Now, let us seal our bargain, Eblis- the first contribution by your people shall be made by you.”

Before her people had even left the room, the captain slid off her robe and waited for him –scars and all- without a hint of shame. Eblis on the other hand, had to content himself with telling himself he had no real choice in the matter… and that he was only a man.

He sighed, stepping forward “…May I earn the forgiveness of my people.”

---

Nehmet stood on the deck of his ship, watching as more Cartodon villages burned in the early morning light. Entranced by the distant glow of the fires, the shouting of his officers directing their men to row ashore and begin taking prisoners was a distant murmur, and he almost didn’t notice the young man approaching with a tattered note. “I’m taking in the sights, my boy. What brings you here to take my thoughts from the coming pillage?”

“A message from one of the lesser crews, honored captain… it seems that Methuophis and her supporters broke off from the fleet again, but all of them this time, and she made a stop before returning to our waters: unloading Skif’au prisoners on the island of the drug-makers.”

He laughed, “That girl’s too caught up in the storytellers’ old tales about our people. Starting villages to provide you with tribute when there are ones already out there to take from? If she thinks these games are going to win her more support than the plunder I will bring home, she’s going to be crying with her book-lover friends before long.”

Taking the note from the young pirate, he pulled a knife and sliced open one of his hands, letting the blood pool in a cupped palm before spreading it around and pressing a bloody print onto the parchment. Handing it back, he nodded towards one of the canoes still up on the decks, “Tell the captain who sent this that he is one of mine, now, and once he takes his fill of plunder his crew will return to our waters. After all, we have a lesson to teach our would-be ruler.”

---

The sun shone brightly overhead as Methuophis and Nehmet sat down to parley on a tiny rock in the Shoaler waters, barely big enough to fit them and their entourages, all on edge and watching for a sign of treachery from the other. In the sea around them, the fleet waited- most ships flying banners marked with Nehmet’s standard of the Red Hand or Methuophis’ Third Eye. The fighting between the two factions of Shoalmen for supremacy had been fierce over the past several weeks, and though neither side seemed able to gain a clear advantage or deal the other severe enough losses, there were few neutral parties anymore.

The crystal ship floating among the fleet, and the stranger who sat at the table with the two captains was one of those few, though.

Into the middle of the fighting he had come, ignorant of its causes and also uncaring of the Shoalmen’s politics. His mission was, in the eyes of his masters, far more important- to put an end to Nehmet’s continued raids on the Five Banner’s Cartodon allies. It all paled, of course, compared to his own ambitions and those of his friends back home to be servants no longer, but masters in their own right- and his superiors gave him the opportunity he had so long craved, in sending him to this forsaken place.

Methuphis broke the current silence, “If the young Bannerman can reveal the secrets of his masters, Nehmet, what we stand to gain from working with him will change everything for the Shoal, you understand.”

The old man simply nodded, brooding. “Would we even be the Shoal anymore? I fear your ambitions and the outsider’s will sink us all, massive as they are.”

“Yet you haven’t laughed at us and walked away.”

“What we have been offered is nothing to laugh at… more wealth than any of us could dream of hauling off in a hundred years. I might as well tell my men to offer me to the sea here and now if I gave that up.”

“And to take it, we’ll want all our strength. With what we stand to gain, though, we could both declare ourselves victors and not be wrong.” She smiled in that smug way that Nehmet hated, “So what do you say- can we leave our disagreement in our past, and claim the wealth of the Five Banners for ourselves and our brothers?”

“…and for your new friends,” the little man from the Banners added excitedly.

Nehmet locked eyes with her for a tense moment before replying, “Yes. There’s been enough talk. Now we must all claim the rewards waiting for each of us.” Without a further word, he drew his knife and opened a cut on his hand, provoking a cry of shock from the Bannerman as the old Shoalman grabbed hold of a hand and cut it for him while Methuophis repeated the act with a blade of her own, taking hold of the now ecstatic and terrified foreigner, clasping his bloodied hand with hers as her rival did the same, sealing a blood-oath.

Soon a woman from Methuophis’ entourage, the eldest storyteller present at the meeting, made a cut of her own, placing her hand over the entwined captains and dignitary, as the crowd of excited Shoalmen made cuts of their own, making their own mark on the tiny, worthless rock that to future generations would prove a legend.

It was an appropriate gesture, really. After all, the Crystal Wars were about to get a lot bloodier.

[Gesar]

He had no name that he could remember.

It must have been centuries since he first led his people away from the fertile delta where the true gods had been born, but time had long ceased to have any meaning. There was only the gentle rolling of the tide of pain and pleasure, a goddess's immeasurable love bestowed upon him alone, and an empire that grew at an insatiable pace.

Like a plague, perhaps. His plague. For he had no name. He was merely the ur-Lord.

“No mask?” The actress at the center of the ampitheatrer turned to her counterpart, away from the yellow-clad 'stranger' on the stage. He processed this only dimly, despite the forced smile that jerked to attention his handsome face like a marionette on its strings; such was the exquisite agony of his consciousness. Forty-nine warriors, he reminded himself. Men sent to their deaths and celebrated with plays and song... If only he could push a bit more, reach beyond the shudders of power that chained him like a Banner-god...

“No mask!”

Where did it all go wrong?

His eyes rolled back in his head, senses overwhelmed with awareness. In that moment -how long did it last?- the ur-Lord of the Seven Pyramids could touch the feigned terror of the actors on the stage and the very real fear of the audience, just as he tasted the jade inlays of his chair, heard the vibrations of the wind gusting through his private box, saw the technicolor heartbeat of the ashipu approaching-

Where did I go wrong?

A web of lies and magic was poisoning the souls of the archipelago, a tidal wave washing over the lands -his lands- in which the Irkazu held sway, threatening to engulf the world with Her tender ministrations. And that sway grew day in and day out, bought with obsidian and blood and sold for spies, secrets, and servants. All for the devotion of his beloved people. Love. Where had that ever gotten anybody?

Approaching-

“Ur-Lord?”

And there it was. A lover's embrace and a mother's care, all at once, washing over him.

Where did I go?

Full, round lips flashed a crimson smile at the ashipu, an older man rendered young by Irka's blessing. Long lashes fluttered at his arrival, a coy look in its eyes. A feminine, lyrical voice reminiscent of chimes on the wind implanted itself in his mind, cool and confident as it declared:

“Jannah-ul-pan, you have received your wish: the command is yours.” The ashipu smiled a bloody grin, bowing once before being handed a small, intricately-engraved bronze box. “But I must ask a small trifle in return. Will you complete the task I ask of you?”

Jannah bowed again. There was no denying the creature he gazed upon, not for all the blood in Denython. She was the ur-Lord.

And so much more.

[lbj181]

Thirteen Cities of Denython

Denython Daily (Edition 2)

Denython Daily will be covering news from throughout the Kingdom.

Irakazu Reinfrocement Arrived at Asopu

Citizens of Asopu are happy with the reinforcement while other cities may not happy with it as the reinforcement currently only station in Asopu but not in other cities for defenses. Rumor was spread that soon, the reinforcement troops will be mobilized and unsure where about are they going to.

Emergency City Lords Meeting on the siege of Mayirea

Asopu did great with the navy blockade and raiding on the shore while Berlu did try to show their might by doing a land assult to free the diety. With little communication between both Cities lords, the result are medicore. A emergency meeting were held and it accumulate all thirteen city lords, although some issues like recent advance weopen / irakazu reinforcement on other smaller cities are debated, but they soon come to conclusion to solves the minors issues once the siege has ended. Asopu City lord and Berlu City lord are forced to come into agreement to work together to end the siege. Although some cities lord suggested that upon freeing Mayirea Deity, there are some possibilities to gain some magical knowledge of power to infuse other souls into the hollow bodies. All cities lord finally agreed to have Asopu to lead and end this siege with the help of Irkazu troops.

An emissary sent to Empire of Zaiyah

A new friend is better than an enemy, an emissary is sent to Empire of Zaiyah to propose an alliance treaty between both country. Elders believe is best to make allies of Zaiyah as they did faced Zaiyah armies before in olden days. The outcome of the emissary still unknown but many experts believe the positive feedback as currently Irakazu is supporting Denython which prompt the Empire of Zaiyah to avoid unnecessary offensive actions.

Slavery issues

As per the new slavery policy which provide option for slaves to choose their fate. To the slaves surprise, the response are quite well as the slaves are offered a second chance to decide on their lives rather than just living stock waiting to be sacrificed. To the country, several slaves are performing well in term serving the army as they are fighting as their life depending on it. Soon Denython will be expecting a new army unit formed by the slaves. An experience combat captain will be responsible to trained those survived slaves. Next, regarding the skill slaves which are sold as skilled workers produced less result as most slaves captured are either badly injured or of low education backgrounds. Several traders are exploited the new policy by using normal slaves to be sold as skill slave. Local authorities have to set up a slave division to oversees all slaves related issues. Those which are old, injured, young one are mostly be used as sacrifices. One of the cities lords from Cusai proposed to take in the young slaves to be trained as skilled slaves but the amount of slaves he can take in is limited. This does provide a little hope for the young one and he encourage other cities lords to do so. But most cities lords are busy with busy making money and unwilling to do so. However a few small cities lords are interested in helping the young one.

Peacekeeper Division - White Elephant are formed

All the cities lords decided to form an independent peacekeeper division named White Elephant. The division will be compromised from members and citizens from thirteen cities. The members choosen will be mainly single with no family members alive or orphan with no relatives. The division will be responsible to oversees the conflicts and fighting among cities lords or their respective people and to be submitted during monthly meeting among all cities. The division will comply all necessary reports and evidence to help solve the internal conflict among different cities.

[BgKnight]

MAP

"According to the Storytellers in the sacred Motu Pokapū, the Savage Expedition is a procession, or rather a squadron of ghastly ships and crews. They rush across the sky on the bony remains of ships. Clad in rusty remnants of armor, they wear jagged swords at their waists. Like comets, the Savage Expedition is an omen of war, which has been confirmed beyond all doubt. The spectral fleet ventures out in search of victims every several years, but its harvest was never rich as before the Crystal War, when over twenty ships went missing around the world alone after the Fleet passed through.

Now, with war on unimaginable scale enveloping the world, free usage of black and blood magic, and destruction, they have returned."

The Crystal War

The Glass Army, an unstoppable war machine made of enchanted crystal, glass and obsidian, had crushed all opposition in the east, the Haere Noa Faction now commanded the respect and power of one of the greater nations. It now chained its island, and its mages were worthy to join the Banners in their power and wealth.

It seemed like nothing could stop the Banners now, their army powerful, their feet prowling the waves and their mages helping the Cartodons, the Faction and reaching even as far as Denython where the conflict raged. But they had made one crucial mistake, the Banners had never allowed themselves to do in the thousands of years of their existence.

There was a reason they had survived so long and made their island so powerful, they rarely deployed their Glass Legions outside of their wealthy islands and while they meddled in external affairs all the time, they rarely led the wars themselves. But something happened, and changed, the Glass Legions were away fighting foreign wars, leaving a garrison force at home, two of the Banners themselves had left the island to lead troops or chain gods themselves.

One morning, the Red Banner, the Seer, having been one of the three remaining Banners in the glass palace, while doing his usual round of foretelling people's futures, was struck with a vision. The Savage Expedition ravaging the world and the Crystal Palace burning. As he rushed to warn his colleagues, he froze, looking out of one of the terraces, under the shroud of clouds and storms, a massive rag-tag fleet of all sorts of ships was heading towards the island.

How could he not have foreseen this?

And so, in the early morning, the Shoal descended upon the Banners, seeing the only way to unite the desperate factions of the Shoal was to invade a rich and powerful state, to plunder. The remaining Crystal Legions descended on the shore, backed up by the Ruānuku who had remained in their island, but it was too little to late, when the Crystal shield wall was formed and clashed with the Bronze Marines of the Pirates, the Shoalmen had already disembarked their ships and were spreading through the landing zones.

As the battle was joined, the thousands of Marines of the Shoalmen descended on the Crystal shield wall, like waves crushing on the shore. Spears, swords, weapons of all sorts clashed with glass weapons and desperate men and women clung to life as blood flowed along the shore-line. The powerful Ruānuku threw fireballs and thunder at the Pirates, who responded with whatever little magic they had. The archers of the Shoalmen, well trained in targeting enemies in the sea, had little problems pin-pointing and attacking the Ruānuku, still unable to pierce their magic shields.

The turning point came with the death of the first Ruānuku on the side of the banners. An explosion of magic and power overturned the Crystal line from the back, and Glass Legions lost the stability of the shield wall. Opening the way for the piercing bronze spears of the marines, who, with a victory cry crushed through the center of the Crystal Lines and descended upon those Ruānuku who couldn't escape from the back, essentially decapitating the command of the Glass Legion.

In the meanwhile, news spreading to the Glass Army deployed abroad about the going-ons back home, forcing the soldiers to drop what they were doing and board the Crystal Fleet headed back home. But to their surprise, many of the captains refused to return. It would soon emerge that the Captains of the Crystal Fleet knew what of the invasion, and a large portion of them had decided to lay down their weapons to the Shoalers. Some because of the promised riches, far beyond their ranks, others, because of closeness with the Shoaler captains, having sailed with them on numerous raids, others still because they had grown discontent with the hierarchy of the banners, seeing it as a stale and corrupt organization. And since most captains were specifically recruited outside of the Banners, they had no family back on the island, so their tie to the Crystal Palace was tenuous at best.

The only places where the fleet set sail back home, was in the capital of the Cartodons, where the Wraith, the Black Banner, was based. After consuming the soldiers who rebelled against the Banner, the Wraith used their blood to fuel powerful magic to bring his detachment around and force it to quickly return. For the Wraith held the key to the Banners' ultimate defense, the magical bomb set in the heart of the island, which could destroy the island in case of an invasion.

This little secret, was the turning point in the fighting, as the Shoaler Captains, already reaching the Crystal Palace, faced the power of the remaining three Banners in full, seeing entire divisions of the Marines wiped out before a squad of men, in a suicidal attack, executed an ancient ritual, sacrificing their lives to power a single arrow. This strong black magic gave this single arrow enormous power, when fired by the most experienced archer the Shoal had, it found its mark in the foundation of the Crystal Palace, bringing the entire thing down in a desperate gamble to slow the Banners themselves down. As the Palace was collapsing upon them, held only by their combined magic, and their forces were drained, the storms in the east cleared and the remnants of the Crystal Fleet emerged from the shadows, with the Wraith, with all its fury leading the remnants.

The Shoaler Captains not on shore knew what had to be done, so what can only be described as the mother of all sea battles was joined, thunder descended from the heavens, the Shoaler flagship, a monstrous Trireme crushed through the wave of wakas and headed straight to the Bireme that held the Wraith. The numerously superior Shoal soon discovered that their preferred tactic of raining fire upon the enemy until they burned, was at best ineffective, against ships made out of glass. Despite the materials being magically infused to act like wood or sail, they were, after all, protected by one of the most powerful mages out there. So as the Biremes crushed into ships smaller then theirs, they found the magical shields erected before them vastly increased the power of the crystal ships.

So it was all left to boarding, or more specifically, in the hands of the Trireme who's hooks had found the side of the Wraith's Bireme. The monstrous ship, despite all the magic and shields, by its sheer size, managed to pull the Bireme close enough to have its men board. The crystal ship's pristine deck was awash with blood, with everyone who got close to the Wraith shriveling, and the Banner drawing power from the blood. The Shoaler captain in the meanwhile was sliding through the bloody deck, cutting through the glass marines, fighting his way to the Wraith.

The sky darkened again. The clear weather brought by the Wraith could not be held up for long, with all of the Black Banner's magical power concentrated on the sea battle, it darkened again, lighting fell to the ground and dark clouds covered the air.

An eery silence befell the battlefield. News spread, it jumped from soldier to soldier, to ship to ship, between fleets, men and woman. The Crystal Palace had collapsed, the Banners had escaped with their lives, but they had parleyed with the Captains on the ground. The Banners had one task in the world, to further chaining and stop the gods from destroying the people upon them, and they had agreed with the Captains that they will continue to do that work and continue their practice, while the Shoal will be allowed to profit from the riches of the isle, provided they do not hurt the populace that submits and loot only those that resist.

With this accord, the Crystal War ended, and the confederation of free peoples suddenly had a new leader. The Banners had now pledged their allegiance to the Shoal, effectively making the captains the new masters of the Bannermen's isles. The Crystal war was over, but their work was just beginning.

The Siege on Blood Island; Part 2

The Mayirea couldn't hope to hold on for long under siege from all sides, and in this round of fighting, we finally see their inability to cope with the situation come to head.

The year stared with the news of the Crystal War reaching the south, and desperation griping the Mayireans. More troops are deployed by the Irakzu southwards, bolstering their regiment in the city of Asopu. After a tense meeting of the city lord, a tentative agreement is made that sees Asopu take command of the fighting, despite having almost no ground troops. This is seen as a massive insult on the Berlu, who command the biggest land force in Denython, however they begrudgingly agree to follow along with this, not because they are actually fine with this, but because of the massive amount of Irkazu men in Asopu.

After the pyramids of the Irkazu run red with blood, a ritual led by the ur-Lord him/herself draws power from the murder of dissidents and traitors, and those called traitors, this explosion of magical power fueled by blood magic, summons a manifestation of the Owl-Mother Herself, intended to show up in the dreams Mayirea guarding the Mayirea gods, the amount of magical power channeled by the ur-Lord sees his visage flicker and change, twisting into horrifying monstrosity before returning to ur-Lord's usual form.

This visage and monstrosity later appear in the dreams of many Mayreans, Irkazu, Rikimen, Patupaiarehe, Denython and even going as far as to reaching some of the Tanum men and women. It does achieve the desired effect however, as the Mayrean guards leave their posts, allowing a stealth force commanded by the city of Asopu, but compromised mostly by Berlu and Irkazu men, with the help of the Irkazu death seekers, to find the exact entrance to the cave system used to reach the heart of the god of the Mayreans.

What follows, is a brutal fight for dominance in the cave system under the island. After almost a day of fighting, the diminished ranks of the Berlu Bronze Infantry crush their way through to the chamber holding the heart of the god, and the blood soaked Ashipu begin a ritual to release the god. Thunder, lighting and destruction reign over the Mayrean cities and in the chaos the abominations are let loose. As the god's aspects are released, death reigns upon the Mayrean citizens.

By the time the Myrean army holding the line at the border of the Denython croaks and collapses, and the infiltration force of Ashipu and the Denython emerge from the cave system, they find chaos and destruction. The abominations ravaging villages, the remnants of the Mayrean army fighting pitch battles with wraiths, abominations, pestilence and death. Cities collapsing and hunger ravaging the land.

By the time the detachment that went into the cave system meets the united Denython force proper, the exact culprit of this plague of terror is revealed. As the forced link up and make camp in the devastated lands of the Mayrea, not sure whether to continue forward or let the Mayrea consume itself, the dark clouds hanging above the land split open, and from within, a fleet of floating, ghastly ships emerge. Far above the army of Denython, Irkazu, Rikimen and Patupaiarehe making up the united forces.

The silence only broken by a Patupaiarehe Shaman collapsing to the ground, screaming about the return of the "Savage Expedition". By the time the battle horns are sounded and the united force begins to assemble, the Savage Expedition's floating ships return to the clouds. In the next few weeks, as the united force re-assembles it men and creates solid supply lines to be able to campaign deep into Mayrea territory. The Denython, Irkazu, Riki and Patupaiarehe commanders argue furiously whether to continue the fight, occupy Mayrea, or withdraw. In the meanwhile, refugees start streaming by, attempting to leave Mayrea for Denython. Bringing stories of the Savage Expedition dragging men and women to their ships, outright consuming magic users and sharing the story of the remnants of the Mayrean fleet being literally lifted out of harbor and transformed into ghost ships by black magic. A shaman who managed to escape the Savage Expedition, under questioning by the command forces of the United Force, spits in the face of the Irkazu's Ashipu and Denython's Blood Mages, calling them foul beasts who's dark magic and blood magic unleashed these monsters to this world.

The Savage Expedition had returned once before, and after pillaging half of the world, they left. Glimpse of the expedition has been seen in times of war, but enough blood and dark magic was not spilled for their return, until this year.

Other News:

The City of Asopu's Navy, having spent most of the war patrolling the sea borders and prevent any incoming ships towards the Mayreans, start a hasty withdraw, disconnected from the Asopu ground command and the army deep in Mayrea territory, they prefer to execute their sacred duty to guard the shores of the city of Asopu, then continue operating deep in Mayrean Territory.

With the fall of their ally, the Haere Noa Faction have rallied all remaining Crystal warriors on their territory and integrated them within their Faction. They are now a powerful faction in the north, possessing three smaller gods under their control, chained. And having the stability, despite guerrilla attacks here and there. they seem to be careful, not moving without seeing what the new masters of the Crystal Island will do now.

Catapults and balistae begin their construction on the borders of the city of Berlu, facing Mayrea, but also conveniently placed to also be rotated and dragged to Asopu if necessary. Out of the ranks of the Berlu citizen-soldiers, a new breed of soldiers emerges, a force of magic sensitive archers, reminiscent of the Death Seekers of the Irkazu, armed with crossbows, they are kept within Berlu yet. It is quite convenient that the White Elephant division, is formed almost entirely of Berlu men, because of the sheer size of their ground forces, so they close their eyes to the

Diplomats are sent to the Kingdom of Zaiyah to propose am alliance between Zaiyah and the Denython. They are laughed off by the demon king of the Zaiyah, who makes it clear that he is no friend with the Denython as a whole, although he may find friends in some of the city states. He makes it clear that his neutrality in the conflict with Mayrea, should not be taken as him being friendly to the Denython, especially after the shit the city of Asopu has pulled off with his beast-men being ran through a failed brainwashing. Of course, as he boots out the ambassador, he keeps the gifts they brought with them, who were supposed to be given to him only if he accepted the alliance, but when surrounded by the beast men and the Zaiyah soldiers, the ambassador just dropped it.

The Cartodons are having a bad year, with raids increasing on their shores by the Shoal as their fleet was headed towards the Crystal island, and now the long-running insurgency in the forests in the center of their island has expanded, with what seem to be Irkazu, Rikimen and Patupaiarehe loyal to King Krjnaer attacking them from concealed positions and waging guerrilla warfare with the fish-men.

The arrival of the Savage Expedition has many leaders shook, with a mobs forming in several trading cities, threatening to lynch blood or dark magic practicing Ruanku, lest they draw the Savage Expedition to their lands. Whispers of the Ashipu attempting to infiltrate and influence society by peddling the White Lotus are not helpful, with fewer and fewer willing to openly endorse the Irkazu, Denython or the Bannermen outside of the safety of their homes. In turn that hits the magic trade of the Irkazu, while their drug remains popular, fewer are willing to contract the Ashipu, for they fear the Savage Expedition will take their children.

The captives from the Skif'au state, and some of the captains of the Shoal that refused to be part of the Crystal War, make their home on the western end of the MaTuatou Tribe's island, the rest of the Shoal left them supplies to get settled and start a village there. It is starting well, and with the remaining captains, it is basically there to hold up the western foothold of the Shoal.

Some Shoal captains pay a visit to the Rākau,seeking to gain some young god-trees. The Rākau, happy to spread their god, share the seeds with glee. It seems this is part of the Shoalers preparing for their status of a great power after crushing the Five Banners, a belief solidified after they sent emissaries to the Tripple Alliance, proposing negotiations to end the war with the Tanum as mediators. With the appearance of the Savage Expedition, this seems like a necessity at this point.

The Tanum hero-saint, Blēka - who has done much trade with the Seven Pyramids of Irkazu before has arrived on yet another trading expedition to the Irkazu lands. She provide tribute and loads up her ships with greats amounts of obsidian. A ship with some gifts also arrives to King Krjnaer's palace, in thanks of his aid in negotiations.

Thanks to the Tanum and King Krjnaer, the Mighty warrior, Veorr was able to organize a grand meeting between the Patupaiarehe and the Ku'lra, paving the way for a peace treaty, signed later that month. The agreement stipulations are yet unknown, but it is noted that the Patupaiarehe
are returning to the contested forests in massive numbers, but the Ku'lra villages are also expanding. Veor continues overseeing and aiding in the formation the Ku'lra Confederacy. An interesting stipulation to the agreement seems to be a Tanum-Ku'lra-I'jur defensive alliance, as negotiated via the Dolphin King. To better help the Ku'lra defend themselves at sea, now that they have made a pact with their neighbors at land, the hero-saint Ourá is beginning to train a new company of 'Sea-Walkers', light Ku'lra warriors equipped with diving equipment, able to strike from beneath. A unit of men and women is already assembled and drawn from the ranks of the Ku'lra.

Back in their homeland, the hero-saint Tama a Ivalde, using the knowledge he gained among the Children of the Serpents, has started building a few experimental ships, their application and what they are remains a secret. At the same time, little Kārr-Bō has set sail to the Realm of the Free, to learn more of the wolf men and live among them, much like Tama a Ivalde lived with the Children of the Serpent. Meanwhile, Ondurdis has left for the frigid north, to hunt with the Phrimen yet again.

Fewer and fewer Taniwha are seen around the islands, ancient, powerful and wise, they have seen the Savage Expedition ravage the land before and know what is to follow.

[Gesar]

"Come, Nga Tama a Ranga."

Drumbeats echoed across the four seas and the entirety of the Motu Pokapū, amplified by the unholy chittering of the fae friends of Irkazu."

"Heed the call of the Children of Irka, to arms against an ancient menace."

An unspoken obligation of the Triple Alliance rang in the ears of those who heard the canoe-bound heralds, backed with old magic. We are the children of the Owl-Mother, who protects her own.

"Heed the command of the Triple Alliance, to undo the follies of past and present."

The ashipu had dispersed to a half-hundred islands, calling upon the Tanum, Denython, and even the Shoal-men to join the Heavenly Alliance against its foes. We are the wrath of a lover spurned, a warrior maimed, a farmer with blighted lands.

"The First Pyramid takes up the white flag of purity in battle, and welcomes all who will fight against the advance of evil under the lead of Assam-ih-malkar."

There, the ur-Lord themself lit the first fire in the war-camps. There, men and women who had never carried a blade or rowed an oar were constructing their wakas and biremes, commanded to defend the Seven Pyramids and the world which cradled them. We are the Death Seekers, the silent chant told the minds who heard. And we have awaited this moment.

"We will dye the waters red with our blood. We will end this madness."

"It is our fate, our end."

[lbj181]

Thirteen Cities of Denython

Denython Daily (Edition 3)

White Elephant Division Internal Conflict

Asopu City Lords furious on the white elephant division which are suppose to oversees the conflict of all cities only make up of just Berlu units. Berlu City Lords just keep acting dumb on it as most of the land forces in Denython are belong to Berlu. After several meeting and argument between two cities lord while the remaining cities just on stand by mode and watch the agruments, both Asopu and Berlu agreed in reshuffle the members in white elephant division. Each cities will contribute 10 units of their elite of which match the requirement of the division to form and coordinate the division. The remaining cities lord has no saying in this but comply to their decisions.

Victory in Mayirea
Denython achieve his first victory against Mayirea with the aid of Irkazu , Rikimen and Patupaiarehe. Citizens rejoices as one of their hostile neighbors are defeated. As the siege ended, Denython make a public verdict to declare Mayirea defeat and request all scattered Mayirea troops or citizens to surrender and submit to the Denython. Denython promised of a new stable cities and life for those who surrender. Denython state claim over the half of the Mayirea lands while the other half are gifted to his allies. This end the siege of Mayirea and form new city name Maiya as the fourteen cities of Denython. Reconstruction of the new city Maiya is carried on while refugees are temporay placed under care in Denython region. Forces of Denython set up a camp and remain in Mayirea to welcome any surrender Mayirea troops and citizens. Surrender troops are offer a second chance to serve Denython and help to safe guard the new under construction city Maiya.

Alliance with Irkazu
Upon recent victory in Mayirea with Irkazu aid, Denython cities lords agreed that joined Heavenly Alliance to fight against evil under irkazu lead.

A new breed of troops are formed - Force Marksman
Due to the recent technology acquired, a new force marksman are formed. Berlu will start recruit and train his people to master this new breed of troops soon in the Berlu.