Little Empires 2

[SomeShadyGuy]

I think this place needs a bit more chaos.

Name: The Marr
Description: The Marr are a group of humans who worship a demon god Xul-Marr. They are thin and their skin has a reddish tone. Most of them wear just loinclothes. Their ancestors lived in the ashlands in their city Xul long ago, but were forced to retreat to the North when *insert natural disaster here*. Now their descendants have returned to rebuild their people's ruined city.
Diet: They prefer meat, but can eat anything other humans do. They use non-lethal traps to hunt as well as capture animals and people for sacrifices.
Starting tech: Their technology is at same level as most medieval fantasy settings, but they choose to have a more tribal way of life.
Supernatural ties/powers: By sacrificing people for Xul-Marr, they can summon demons to do their bidding for a short time or grant them temporary magical powers. However, Xul-Marr is very demanding god and will punish his followers if they fail to provide regular sacrifices for him. Sacrificing animals is usually enough to keep him content.
Supplies you brought with you: Spears, basic tools, salted meat, water, tents
Mode of transportation to the game map: Walking, with their things carried by a large demon (which will disappear back to demon realms once they arrive)

Bit of a mix of natives, colonists and barbarians.

[Jack Wetson]

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Early in the morning, the Advent get ready to mobilize various LAGOS modules. "The LAGOS has recharged it's internal power supply for the most part, even though we still don't advise using the rail gun" says one of the engineers. "Very well. We will proceed with the strategy as intended. The scouting group will be provided various beacons that will deploy Guard Towers around a large perimeter, while the engineers will call down a proper Security Office" says the Veteran, taking charge of the situation. The team of ex-convicts, now the Scouting Group, grab the designated beacons and set off to create the perimeter.

In the LAGOS, another group of renegades and civil engineers, regulated by another War Veteran, are being briefed on the situation by the ground forces, informing them of their duties in guarding the base perimeter. They enter their respective modules, as they are sent on their orbital drop. The various structures create streaks of fire across the sky, as they land on their positions with near pin-point accuracy.

[MasterBlade]

The whistling mines alow the Archanae acess to their deposits of ores they had stored in the deeper mines. Many are taken for a new project in the volcano's summit; what the Grand Elder described as "The link between the world and the spirits of fire, the Forge of Ifriit". The strongest of warriors work on the structure's construction; using crude tools and the heat of lava to mold iron over brick. These are used to build up the structure's base. No expense is spared to make the building sturdy; their location near the chasm leaves many points of attack. Their temple would have to be able to defend itself from ash beings to those angry with its worship. For a building dedicated to the grand spirit of fire, however, there could be no better place in the cauldron.

The western settlement continues work on their walls. Their entire workforce begins dragging logs from the lumber mill to the building site, stacking as planned. A structure like this would have killed the forest under normal conditions. Like their mushrooms, however, the archanae are careful to harvest without crippling nature. Whenever a tree is chopped, two are planted to make sure the forest recovers to its fullest. Grounds are not clear cut, but trees are taken selectively. In this way, the denizens of the forest have no qualms besides their respectful hunting.

With their new drones off to do the work of the elder, the southern settlement begins to quiet down again. One of the drones continues fishing with no avail in the hot spring, when be hauls up a strange shining rock caught in a strand on his net. Curious, he grabs a bowl and attempts to lower it to the bottom of the spring via a net. When he pulls it up, he discovers a large mix of the yellow ore in his grasp. After so much death and despair, their village's true specialty is revealed; they're sitting on a literal gold mine.

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The caretaker of the eastern tower is stunned by the sudden movement of the mushrooms around him. Shortly after he finished his sealing spiral, the smaller mushrooms of the area cam to life and began building things of their own. He had awakened powerful spirits here. At the moment they did not seem to take offence by his presence. Perhaps the spiral had cloaked him, perhaps they were light spirits supressed by the tower awakened by his work. Either way, he would need to tread carefully.

In an attempt to test the creatures' sentience, he goes to the south where one of the walking mushrooms is stacking stones. He takes a few from its work pile and makes a ring around the creature to see how he reacts.

[Palamedes]

The Ocalus launches after Haile and the colonists return (events from that meeting to come from Bram). This time, since they know more about the trip between Waykaria and the Cauldron, they head over the mountains to save a couple of hours.

Beneath them, the soldier regiment finds a strange, foreign tower with strange fungal colonies all over the place. They spread out to figure out if anything living is in the area. What they do find horrifies them. A spider-like monster is confronting a being appearing to be made out of the fungus infecting the rest of the tower. The men shout and form into their groups, but wait for the two creatures to make a move. It was obvious that something was going on before... maybe they'd deal with each other first.

The encampment is finished at the cruiser and the colonists begin setting up a proper wall. Several houses are completed, as well as two larger buildings for storage - one for food (the granery) and one for building materials and tools (the storehouse).

When the soldiers around the northern tower encampment report the snake creatures leaving, a small force is sent to investigate their dwelling area and learn more about them.

[Palamedes]

Wait crap. Gotta edit my post a little.

[Raziel]

Tavi and Anara spend the day teaching, but Osha and Kefri also join the class, for their journey. It was decided that they shouldn't leave until they have enough knowledge and skill to pilot the gliders into the wind if need be, or atleast close to it. They both catch on fast, and it is decided that tomorrow they shall be ready to go. Other various tribe members begin learning as well, and soon the whole tribe has a very rudimentary level of skill. Perhaps enough to fly an arrow straight, with some variants.

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Viry and Zuvir harvest a couple of plants that day, and begin to weave them into the lighter, stronger fabric. Viry names it wind silk, for its as light as a breeze, but as strong as a storm wind. They make enough for a couple of gliders or tents, and put the cloth into safe storage, for later use, possibly even as trading materials. The other nations seemed very interested in their glider cloth, and they should be able to learn more in exchange.

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After hearing some talk of mining from the other nations, the Aeri-Sen decide that they should do the same. They begin digging a small entry way into the base of the mesa with stone tools, while others gather wood for support beams. Still others find the long burning bushes from the nearby shrubary, and begin to prepare them as torches for keeping the mine well lit.

[Cetus Amicus]

Turn Thirty Six

The winds are everywhere. Dark clouds cover the heart of the cauldron.

EFFECTS

MasterBlade: The clouds are trapping heat at the summit, temperatures are rising fast. Better get out of there before everyone gets cooked alive.

Palamedes: The clouds and wind are making it difficult for the Ocalus to navigate, perhaps you should try gaining some altitude before the storm gets the worst of the ship.

THE MAP

MasterBlade: The lack of recent hunting has led to many of your people going on an all-mushroom diet. This doesn't seem good for their bodies or their psyche as many are complaining of stomach pains and others starting to space out in the middle of work.

NPC - Snakemen: Work continues on the temple. Many storage pits are being built as leaving materials lying around in giant piles has been deemed uncivilized and untidy. The foreigners continue to advance, the people have no means to defend themselves should they attack, has the sun god forsaken them? They begin to gather around the unfinished temple to pray for a miracle. From anybody.

[SomeShadyGuy]

I think you missed my entry.

[Cetus Amicus]

I think you missed my entry.

I think you missed my PM.

[Bramzter]

The day's in the Yarlian colony proceeded with their daily happenings, The Ararchnea Runaway was well treated and even traded some bolts of silk for various things and supplies, The merchants didn't really know where the strange silk came form but they figured they didn't want to know.

Progress was made little, the people being content right now and the leadership was just waiting for word of home, The first raft of trade goods was send out. From the badlands colony a cart with goods was dispatched to the arie-sen village to trade. However this was all disrupted when the lookout of the fort spotted something far off in the air, Going straight at the colony!

The horns alerted the citizens, Who quickly hid under the protective waters. The vizier who acted as the cities diplomat had gone out to greet these new arrivals along with armed escort of four yarlian swordsman, Two crosbow armed yarlians and one fire thrower, The airship's landing zone was viable and some balistia where pointed towards it if trouble would break out.

However the group that went to meet the landing party where relieved and a little shocked to see a familiar face in their presence. The vizier smiled and greeted the other Yarlian.

Haile! It is good to see you again my friend! Who are these people? You mentioned them in a earlier letter but we grew worried when no further news of you came trough!.

He turned to the others of the party, Good day Strangers, Allow me to welcome you into our city, Your ship gave our citizens quite a shock. Please state the business of your visit before we will continue however.

Underway to the city the conversation was split between the subjects of who the people were, the ships that seemed to sail within the sky and some local knowledge of the cauldron was shared. They were given a short tour around the city until one of them asked if Haile would accompany them to Waykaria, The mood changed form jolly to a somewhat more serious and tense

I cannot allow that one of my kin to go out into the unknown alone, We do not know your intentions so we will send with him a small company of guards, They are personal friends of Haile here. Just to assure nothing happens to him but enough of that my fellow colonists, In our culture it is rude to not give a small gift to a noble of a provice or country while visiting them, So i would like you to accept a few barrels of dessert wine form us as a gift to this 'Eminence'


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The Yarlain scouting party watched as the humanoid approached. They didn't seem hostile so they lowered their weapons.

Hail Traveler. We are fellowship of explorers. We are not of harmful intentions

((Nothing really changed so yeah no map))

[Palamedes]

At the Yarlian colony, much time was spent trying to figure out just what the snakemen... sorry, Yarlians, were saying. They were talking very fast after all, and even the colonists who had been working with Haile to translate the language were having great difficulty keeping up. Eventually, the gist of what they were saying was picked up, and several guards were allowed to accompany Haile as long as they left their weapons in the ship's armory (barring swords and the like), to keep any disasters from happening aboard the Ocalus.

Speaking of the Ocalus, it pulls above the clouds and continues to Waykaria. The soldiers beneath it finally reform, set up camp, and wait to see what happens between the spider and fungus monsters. Whatever was going on with the people back at the colony could wait. This was seriously messed up. Waiting for reaction from Blade and/or Pagan, will change when recieved.

Back at the colony the storehouse and granery begin to prove a success. As travel between the two buildings and, well, everywhere else increases, paths begin to form (not all of which would be quite so visible right now, but I figured this way I save time).

The wall around the fort is about a third of the way done.

The soldiers investigating the abandoned colony discover a little about the snake people's culture, and learn that with some touch-ups, their makeshift settlement could easily be converted for use by the colonists. They begin to do so.

[MasterBlade]

The dark clouds pose several problems and a few blessings for the Archanae people. Construction on the Forge of Ifriit is abandoned for the time being; the oven of a structure is smoldering enough without the increased heat; their workers escape to the Grand Hive to take break. Many workers escape to the cooler tunnels and mines, and few stay on the surface save for those defending the walls. Several guard garrisons take advantage of the increased temperature to search the ashes for animals weak and slow from the hot weather. Hunting tradition states that the stronger creature deserves its life. If a hunted animal cannot endure weather as well as the hunter, it is just as forfeit as if it were in peak weather.

The western settlement, due to being closer to the edge of the cauldron suffers least from the heat. Some lighter work continues on the northern wall by two of the Ash Hunters. The Renidab and Windshears escape the rising temperatures by hunting in the western forest. As a sort of game and proof of ability, a challenge is put forward between the two groups. The Archanae hunting principal of Chase and Overpower is tested against the Renidab crossbow. Whomever can bring back the greater hunt wins their little game. (GM can treat this as a battle and roll for who wins the contest)

Hunters of the southern settlement notice an effect of the mushroom diet on the younglings and begin to seek out prey to the edges of the ashlands. While they do this, their diplomatic party reaches their intended target; the Wend settlement. They hail the guard to let them in for the purpose of neighborly peace.

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(EDIT BECAUSE GOG DANIT PALA Y U POST >.>)

The Caretaker takes a break from his investigation to notice someone watching him in the distance. From their strange getup he can immediately tell they are the soldiers of some foreign nation. However, none of the elders' tales had spoken of someone quite like them. Like the Renidab, but different. They watch him from what seems to be a makeshift camp; aproaching would most likely end in unintended instigation. Instead he goes north and makes his own camp near the river. Taking extra care, he extrudes it a distance from the ground and fixes a door made from a thick cut of mushroom. When he is finished, he goes inside and stares back at the soldier to get a message across. He is a person, not a display piece.

[MasterBlade]

(Also Cetus, I just caught Baxbound's notice. There's no way I'm gunna be able to update for my people and his; can you put his settlement on an automatic development mode or something?)

(And someone fix the map; I need to go to work. :x)

[Palamedes]

Took care of it.

HEY YOU. GUY MAKING A MOVE NOW. YEAH YOU. PLEASE USE MY MAP FOR UPDATE PURPOSES, NOT MASTERBLADES.

[Cetus Amicus]

Turn Thirty Seven

The winds grow fiercer. The dark clouds grow and spread.

EFFECTS

MasterBlade: The heat is intensifying, nothing can be done in these conditions. No actions can be performed in the ashlands. The turn is, for the most part, lost.

Palamedes: The soldiers in the ashlands are feeling the heat, it would be a good idea to forget the weird creatures and book it before heatstroke sets in.

THE MAP

Palamedes: The Ocalus departs from the cauldron, estimated time of return is Turn Sixty.

MasterBlade: Your hunters find little prey in the ashlands; the animals sensed the storm long before you did.

[CONTEST]

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Archanae VERSUS Renidab - (Rolling: [48]v[11])

The contest was a joke. The Archanae bring in nearly a dozen tapirs while the Renidab come back with a few dead birds.

NPC - Snakemen: The temple is almost complete, the people gather to await the blessing of the heavens.

Several geysers have erupted, unleashing an enormous amount of water in the northern grazelands!


(Control of the Renidab will be transferred to GM next turn, as per request.)

[Qualien]

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Heads up in advance, I'm going to be off at a family reunion party from Sunday to possibly Saturday, and I will have limited access to a computer. So don't count on too many updates from me. (Not that it matters too much, considering the rate at which I make posts anyways. But it's still a good idea to let you all know, of course. I'll edit this with my move in a moment, just figuring it'd be better to get this out asap.)

[Raziel]

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Ugh, too may people, running out of colors, lmao

HEx1

Osha and Kefri take off early that morning, and decide to head west, towards the other badlands the Aeri-Sen know of, the one with the lake in the middle. They decide that one of the hills there will be a good place to set up, and with the fierce winds, manage to get there with enough time to set up a fire pit, and their tent. They leave a glider on the hillside just in case, but make sure it's tied down with some of the rope they brought with them. "I'll go hunting in the nearby area," Osha said. "Good luck," Kefri replyed, and with that, she trekked down the hill on foot, with atlatl and arakh in hand. She brought food back that night, and they feasted on well roasted meat, and then fell asleep next to each other, much like Anara and Tavi.

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"You're getting really good at this Yuri!"
"Really, you think so?"
"We know so."
"Truly, you'll be as good as us soon."
"Well, I did have two really good teachers..."
"Awww thanks!"
"Now lets try that excercise again"

Yuri was advancing in skill fast now, as well as age. Even though they had only known her for a little, she was near fledgling. And with her new knowledge, she seemed more... wise, and mature. She did not act her age.

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The second farm was growing quite nicely, along with the first, and Zuvir was growing as well. He was almost out of the fledglings, and would soon be a valued tribe member along with Viry. They both learned together at this point, and Zuvir put forth just as many new ideas as Viry for the farms and the cloth.

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The mine has been going well, and is well into the mesa now, and goes deeper as well now. There are more tunnels then just the main one as well, and it makes almost a wagon wheel, not quite reaching the edge of the mesa, with more layers as well. A layer upwards is started, and talk of digging to the surface is heard, as well as using the empty tunnels as storage, or even living space.

[MasterBlade]

(Probably going to have the runaway do a lot of shit this turn to spite the GM. :3)

(Oh hey, sudden ash storm centered around one building in the Yralian city. Freaky weather we're having isnt it.)

[Bramzter]

((Duly noted. :P))

((still waiting on word form the SULTANATE tho.. Travel takes thyme))

[chimericWilder]

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Sup guys. Im back, and i am totally authorized to be back by Cetus.

High Priest Char had been absent for a little while now, even as the construction of the temple neared completion. It was, then, that he was not present to soothe his people's fear of the huge black clouds overhead, threatening to block out the sun if it spread any further!

But that was intentional, because Char had a more important duty to complete: ensuring that what he had dubbed the vasiera reached the temple safely. They were the glass shards that would focus the light of the sun god, once placed in the temple, and they were the result of what the glassblower, Calde, had been working so hard to achieve. Char did not know how they were made - that was unimportant, right now, though he would have to ask later.

Right now, though, the clouds overhead were casting their shadow on the western clay oven, where Calde had set up, next to the geyser. Speaking of the geyser, four of them had erupted, bringing with them an unimaginable amount of water! That in itself was a miracle, but they had no time for that. Char needed to reach the temple before those clouds potentially blocked out the light. Calde ordered one of his workers to see to it that this newfound water did not ruin anything left behind by the clay oven, and then Char and the glasblower were off, followed by the rest of Calde's workers, carrying the precious vasiera glass shards.

Arriving in the village sometime later, Char and the others make their way to the temple, the crowd parting before them. Made of baked clay and finely carved with scrollwork and glyphs, the temple awaited only the shards they carried. It had talls walls, far enough from each other that they did not shadow out the sun, for the ceiling was open to the heavens. Within, old Jared waited for them. Unknown to the tribesmen, Jared was both a mathematician and astronomer, and he was to thank for designing the temple in such a manner that it would last. It was also Jared who had calculated where the glass shards should be placed and where the resulting lightbeam would be reflected towards, and to ensure that the shards fit his calculations and their purpose, he had informed Calde exactly how the shards should be formed, for they must gather the light, rather than split it.

Jared waved at the empty sockets on the walls, and after demonstrating how each shard should be fitted into its socket, the workers carefully placed each vasiera in its socket, before sealing it off at the edges. As more were placed, the dais in the middle of the temple was progressively lighted up by Taavende's rays of sunlight. The people anxiously await what comes next.

[Bramzter]

Just for fun I sought corresponding themes with several area's of the cauldron:



The Cauldron Zones:

Ashlands, The Deadly Heart of the Cauldron
The Geyser planes & The Westren Oasis, Disturbed Homesteads
The Upper River, Upstreams and Down agian
The Higher Badlands, Lonesome Metal Spires in the Sands
Lower Badlands, Productivity and Ambition
Eastern Forest, A Foothold into a Strange Land
Lower River, A Safe-haven in the Swamp
Expedition entrance, Craftsman of Far Mountains

The Words are links btw

Ill have a post up later tonight.

[Palamedes]

Nice Bram, they all fit very well (about a minute into mine feels pretty perfect actually). I especially like the titles you gave them all.

Anyways,

All of the soldiers flee the heatstorm, and return to the fort. Speaking of which, the fort's wooden walls are about two thirds of the way done. A couple new homes pop up and more resources are gathered but not much else of note occurs.

[Raziel]

Nice, that's awesome. I originally thought mine didn't fit, but a bit in, its pretty good. Well done.

[Bramzter]

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HE x1

Another Caravan leaves the city, They are send to investigate the tales of similar creatures akin to the Yarlian people living far up on the north. Two for runner scouts are sent out infront of the caravan.



However the trip got cut short as a Dark clouds were suddenly upon them, It was troubling most of the ashstorms stayed into the Dark lands which they called the volcanic territory beyond the mountains and the wend village.

The Caravan had to rush the nearby river if they wanted to get into a safe spot before the dark coulds rained down whatever they could be holding. They use the cart as shield for the coming downpour while they continue towards the near waters



The two for runners however reach a river in time before the coulds came upon them They would bunker down in the river for the duration of it.

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As always trade continues, The raft that was under way to the Wend's new trading post was going upstream smootly, and the cart of goods that was dispached to the Ariae-sen Mesa had arrived.




In the wend villiage however something curious happens, When hit by the clouds one of them refused to flee into the water and kept doing its duties despite the Looming darkness.

These dark clouds gave a sense of dread to everyone in the colony, However the Yarlian kept the spirits up, Proclaiming that everything would be just fine.

A buddy of his in the water shouted at him

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'Get out of the open you fool! We don't know what in those clouds!'
'No why should i run form some nonexistent danger! These clouds are not a sign of doom like everyone keeps insisting they are'
'They know more of their gods then you do! Don't be a fool and get to somewhere safe!'
'And what then? Be a Coward?! Not going to happen'
'Fine! Do whatever you like! We see who is right after this ends!'

And with that the Yarlian dove under again, while the other continued to help the Wend in the darking of the sky.


Map:

[Bramzter]

OH shi-

Forgot palamedes his post...Could someone fix it? I on a pc without proper editing software