LORDS OF THE EARTH CAMPAIGN 54

A team of expert rangers snuck into the Orcish encampment at the Purple Hills and liberated young King Merrimillien and Marcus’s own twin brother Natel. Both were spirited to nearby Sirion, and then by ship to Alqualondë.

Lord Alorien, Prince Marcus and Prince Kevin rode out with the Tirgonian and Skane armies to confront the Orcs (See The Tirgonian

He let it be known that if any of the lords of the forest regions east of Harkoria would bring their folk to Landegol, he would give it to them as their own fief.  But none of the folk of those sleepy woods desired to live in a place best known for slaughter and evil.

Cheos then bent his efforts to improving the loyalties of Sotoris and Phokas, his chief lieutenants.  By granting them each prestigious positions in Morthales and Erzerus, he avoided infighting on the Council.  After several years spent eyeing the Edgemoor mountains for signs of orcish incursin, Cheos at last turned his attention to a census in 2860, but such a brief period was far too short for the accounting of an entire nation, and so the census remained confused and incomplete.

Braal the Callous set out with fifteen hundred orcs and a like number of ogres to subdue Sothwood and Estwilde (See The Tirgonian War, above).

Meanwhile, Kron the Brilliant marched north with a mere five thousand troops to challenge the might of Tirgonia and the Skane (See The Tirgonian War, above).

Vabrak marched out with a thousand infantry and six hundred light cavalry to raid Bekanor, Aonach and the Eastern March. (See The Tirgonian War, above). He died in the Northern Edgemoors in 2860 during a fall from one of the many cliff dwellings.

Keltos recruited every possible taurid to serve in his army. In 2858, taurid scouts brought word to Keltos at Tathlann of a large Ascar army moving south through the Cendarinnes passes.  Keltos and his vassal Argous the Bull moved their combined armies to the hills of Orosel to intercept the attackers. Lady Klieo Longstride attended the Regent, hoping to learn something. The Taurids numbered more than eighteen thousand, of whom nearly fifteen thosuand were centaur cavalry.

The army that invaded Orosel flew only the banners of Ascarlon, but more than half the soldiers were orcs. This Dark Court army numbered more than sixteen thousand, including three thousand Ascar heavy elite infantry.

The Taurids had a solid advantage in maneuverability with their great weight of cavalry, but also suffered from the severe, almost pathologically incompetent Klieo, who rode about giving contradictory orders and countermanding the Regent’s instructions.  The Dark Court had magic on its side, causing its blades to be powerfully sharp, but it also suffered from what would eventually be seen as a divided command structure.

The battle joined, the taurids spread out, trying to use their greater numbers and maneuverability to turn the Dark Court flanks, while the Dark Court infantry tried to smash its way through the center of the Taurid line to strike at its command.  The large numbers of orcish light infantry were perfectly at home in the hills, using cover to snipe at passing centaurs with their horn bows.  But the powerful and well-trained centaurs were simply irresistible, and they slowly began to draw a tightening noose around the Dark Court army, driving it into smaller pockets and eliminating them one by one. Before the sun had begun to dip towards the west, the Dark Court forces broke and ran for the safety of the mountains.  Exhausted, the taurids did not pursue.

While the capital was being rebuilt, King Kendall ruled from the city of The Gate of Bells. Leeland Brownbarley governed Greensaddle until his death in 2857.

Hayden Blackkettle spent his time in the South Downs, trying to negotiate an agreement with Zim Beekeper, the lord of the Downs.  Zim remained the firm ally of King Kendall, but refused to subordinate his realm to that of Aelissia.

Ted “Dog” Plowman had more success in the hills of Dhalken.  Even though he died in 2857, he had already managed to convince the lord of Dhalken to

Bohemund ruled from Khairais and fathered a son and two daughters by his wife, Constance of Derandime. He named his older sister Sirienne as his heir and married her to Lord Phillip, elevating him to the royal family.

Lord Percivale spent many years questioning the criminal classes and magi of Quesante and Khairais, looking for the culprits in the terrible Abbey Murders of five years before. Meanwhile, Lord Gareth traveled to Mauredoc and lived their quietly for many years.

Prince Phillip traveled to Rhavais, where he convinced the eastern city to pay tribute to the kingdom.

Emperor Boru continued to pay the tribute demanded by the Dines orcs.  He himself ruled from the throne in Armorica, fathering two daughters before his wife Shallott died in 2858.

Boru hired the famous Runeknights adventuring company, charging them with recovering the lost Red Mace.  This they did by entering Dines and stealing it from the orc chief who was using it to crack walnuts (and the occasional head).

Sir Haden delivered the tribute to Dines and then traveled to Roldeinsport where he served as governor for three years.  Sir Richard delivered trade goods and building materials to Meergeld in the Llyran Republic before settling down to be governor of that city.  He returned to Armorica in 2860.  Despite being one of the crueler noblemen in Lorraine, he proved to be an efficient and effective governor.

Sir Draken traveled to the city of Lothian, where he died in 2859.  Before his death, he negotiated a tribute from the free city to the Emperor.  With him traveled Sir Dalarose of the Lonely Tower.  Sir Dalarose continued on to Sadok, where despite the religious and racial hatred between orcs and men, he managed to arrange a trade treaty.  Sir Dalarose then took his leave from the service of the Empire and retired to live out the remainder of his life at the Lonely Tower.

Queen Elevuil ruled from her marble throne.  She and her consort Xhantor remained childless despite their best efforts.

Vairë, Prophetess of the Long Barrows, spoke ringingly in the streets of Menelcandara against the heresy of the Way of the Sword.  Many of the people heard her and followed her teachings, but the majority of the teeming thousands in the great capital remained dedicated to armed struggle against the outsiders. 

To ensure that the continuing crop failures would not starve his people, lord Talorn put forth the power of the Elf-Lord into the land, bringing forth an abundance of fruits and grains.

Meanwhile, her court worked in secret on projects unknown. Some of what they were up to was tragically revealed when in 2858 the orcs of Dines captured Celebriän Elanessë, snooping around in their caverns.  The elven lord was roasted alive by the orcs in a public ceremony, and eaten by the tribe.

The Exarchate’s many wizards summoned elementals and beings from the many planes to aid in the improvement of many regions.

Candos died during a boar-hunting accident in 2857.  His only son, six-year old Bleobaris, was next in line for the throne and charismatic Sir Bradley was named Lord Protector during his minority.  But Queen Emily died a year later of a broken heart and shortly thereafter, all of Candos’s children “mysteriously disappeared”.  Absent a ruling family, Sir Bradley assumed the title of Exarch and seized command of the army.  None of the Crusader Lords chose to oppose him.

Grand Master Daresia founded an Order House in the strategic crossroads of Calodunum.  Master Claudius founded a massive plantation estate at Querenia. Before his death in 2857, Master Merenda founded an Order House at Risinum on the Sea of Serpents.

The Order Houses in Mynos and Kiril Zelen degraged and disappared altogether.

Master Domitius had a different plan.  The Orders finest general took three thousand light cavalry north over the Worldspine Mountains, aided along their path by the dwarves of Dhûnazhar, and struck north

Baron Gauros summoned myriad small batlike creatures to fertilize the fields and cart away rubble and lumber in their surprisingly strong grips.  Covens of Ascar wizards did likewise in Mahant and Dhurkun.

The Baron also took command of the combined Ascar army standing guard in Lorricar. This army had no opportunity to respond the Tirgonian invasion of Mahant, which was over too quickly. (See The Tirgonian War, above).

Squint Honeyeye wound up in the Rimehorns and attempted to entice the Blackspike orcs into an alliance.  The western orcs paid the emissary little heed.

Gulgash the Rude and his ten thousand orcs met up with Lord Mzegos of Ascarlon and his five thousand men.  They then marched south towards Brythnia. (See The Brythnian Confederation, above).

Warg the Unwashed died in Gargath in 2857.

In 2857,the Order of the Dawn raided the forest region of Brolok, carting off a the belongings of a few small villages.

The Imperial Flag

In Lederata, Prince Kargauth saw to the defenses until his death in 2859.

All the other strength of the Empire was bent to the invasion of Celendor, as general Durthaur and more than fifteen thousand hobgoblins moved to seize Annathel. (See The Celendor War, below).

The feudal lords of Jezul, Pukel and Cavakal all died of natural causes during the expedition.

In 2856, a raiding force of humans from the Order of the Dawn marched up out of the southern forests to raid Sauthor itself. The Sauthor garrison prevented them from doing too much damage, but the knights did cart away or burn many of the outlying villages.

The business of the Great Kingdom in these years was war, and bolstered by three thousand mercenary infantry, Councillor Gudge’s army moved to seize the Celendor capital. At the same time, feudal armies of Annvar moved on the elven woods of Pinnas and Orodel. (See The Celendor War, below).

Meanwhile, Councilor Alfajoriax traveled down the Wolf River to Silithos with several hundred workers and priests as well as a large shipment of gold.  When he arrived at the elvish city, he helped to found the first Dark Court religious fighting order. (See The Duskwood Reavers of Azhran, below.)

General Aeliniel aided the Annvarites in fending off Celendor’s counterstrike at Thuidhel (See The Celendor War, below), then moved back to the fords at Ithancelos. 

The human mercenary Nishraan the Clever took a thousand elves raiding into Daerui and Iathos, easily looting much of the wealth of those forests before their shaken garrisons could respond.

Founded in Silithos in 2857, The Duskwood Reavers of Azhran are a religious fighting order dedicated to the Dark Court.  Their name refers to the Pits of Azhran, mythical home of Malbor, the god of hate, malice and rulership.

In addition to the Order’s Fortress at Silithos, its initial holdings include an Oratory in the Annvarite province of Tusainiai and Order Houses in the Meledrian province of Belaira and capital city of Laurelindë.

GM’s Note: Since the process of the Reaver’s creation had begun before the switch to the version 6.0 rules, I allowed it to be completed by the version 5.10 rules, so long as the creation was complete by Turn 16.

In 2856, the Emperor’s eldest son, Saxonius the Younger, was officially named as heir to the Empire.  The following year his brother Vargus was named a Prince of the Realm.

In Echoriath, the Emperor took direct command of the army in praesentalis, which numbered more than twenty-two thousand.  He lived in peaceful command of his empire and household until 2860, when his beloved wife, Leucretia died at the age of thirty-eight, having suffered what the doctors described as “female problems.”

Prince Kaius, Strategos per Imperium, moved his eighteen-thousand-man army to Adoria to watch the empire’s heartland. He was joined in this by general Cyril, Comes per Eleucria

Legatus Basilikos and bishop Furius, Pontifex per Echoriath, traveled together to Eatris, where they treated with the local noble families and encouraged the marriage of a local noblewoman to Saxonius the Younger, heir to the throne.  Basilikos died in 2856, but Furius carried on in his stead, eventually convincing the Eatrisians to conclude favorable trading treaties with the Empire.

Grail teachers converted the spirit cultists in Hailh Endhor and the Patriarch himself traveled to Tathlann to teach Regent Keltos the ways of the Grail.  Patriarch Telerus was called to the gods shortly after converting the Brythnians.  Bishop Constantikos, last survivor of the old line of Conorrian Emperors, was made Patriarch, much to the displeasure of the current Emperor, Saxonius.

At the time, Constantikos (along with Bishop Dorus and the dwarven mercenary Khedem-Var) were fighting the Skane in waters off Tirgonia (See The TIrgonian War, above).  But after Constantikos retreated to Armorica, he left the Grail army in the command of Bishop Dorus and hastened back to Conorr to be crowned Patriarch.

In 2859, Emperor Saxonius sent his third son, Galetus, to become a Prince of the Church.  Some saw this as an olive branch to Constantikos; others as a cynical method of reacquiring control over the Church for his own dynasty.

Bishop Alious arrived in Armorica while Constantikos and Dorus were in Tirgonia.  He delivered a shipment of gold to the new Sea Emperor and took up the defense of the city.  Despite these overtures, Grail leaders found the populace very resistant to the founding of new Church sites in Lorraine.

King Thorin took command of the army in Khelem Vala, and sent his daughter Princess Thorinna to govern Khelem Vala in his stead.

Lords Roin and Bombur of Khuruk Tor traveled jointly to Kiril Zelen and there through good fellowship and wise counsel, convinced the dwarves of that land to swear oaths of allegiance to the king.

In 2857, a terrible fever raged through the populace of the capital, Khelem Vala.  By sheer good fortune, Princess Thorinna was on an inspection of the outlying defenses when the disease began its horrid lunge through the populace and her life was spared.  But not so the vast numbers of soldiers, smiths, crafters and ordinary dwarves who made the mighty city their home. 

Sages surmise it was something evil that had lain at the root of the mountains since the world was young, something that hid from the light of the sun and laid long buried awaiting the day when miners would

The Banner of Pelendur

The Shield of Pelendur

Meanwhile, Georgette’s son and heir, Gregor, traveled to Naugrias and negotiated a treaty with the lord of that land, marrying the lord’s daughter in exchange for promises of feudal troop levies.

Lady Chanrey traveled to Leucomagus and charmed the local lords with her cosmopolitan ways and ready gifts.  They agreed to allow Pelendur armies and trade to cross their lands at will.

After the debacle in Othona, Lord Forrester left Queen Georgette in the company of her son Prince Ulfast, and traveled to the city of Magrod where he once again tried to negotiate with the fierce hobgoblin count who ruled the city.  Pelendur’s brutality towards his Othonan neighbor was a significant stumbling block in the negotiations, and in the end the count was noncommittal, Forrester took this as a lack of opposition and claimed the city for Pelendur, at least on paper.

A very large sum of money was spent on the continuing cultivation of Oiothon.  Plans were drawn up but not executed for the cultivation of Halianis in Ianthe.

Spirits of earth and water were summoned to provide much needed public works in Oiothon and Nova Valis.  Their colorful and often chaotic methods of building were a source of alarm, amusement and even wagering among the Llyrans.

Many of the Republics admirals were involved in a massive reorganization of the largest fleet on Theeurth. Even Bishop Boaz traveled to the Conorrian Empire to escort the Republic’s fleet of airships home from Faucrion.

Pip Topkapi spent years poking about in Mons Llyrae, but few knew what he was looking for.

Maddari missionaries had great success converting the elves of Paraam and the women of Sandrettos to the worship of the mother goddess, though actual dedication to the strictures of parmaadan  would likely take far longer.

Many marriages were on the minds of the nobility, and the closer governmental and personal ties that went with them.  Sons of noble houses were bartered in much the same way as daughters were the world over.  Dawn Wolfkin, adventurous heir to the throne agreed to take a strapping lad of Sendorin as her consort (so long as he minded his place and stayed out of her way) in exchange for favorable trading ties with that formerly dragon-haunted realm.  These were negotiated by experienced diplomat Mira Lynxpaw.

Dawn’s brother Frederick was married off to the landress of Naidhan for an alliance forged by Joyce Thistledown and Agnes Otterskin with the elves of those southern forests.

Queen Rhia’s consort, the poet Derek Burrow, died in 2859, leaving the queen bereft and seemingly aimless despite her court’s attempts to amuse and distract her.

A strange magical blight has settled over the fields of both Lann and Madukkan, destroying many crops.

In preparation for tighter control over the Elekar, sultan Shazanon permitted Alzar and Har Jadme to go their own ways, retaining only the right to transit their lands.  The western district of Khars was also given its independence, but was forced to pay a tribute to the sultan every five years “for protection.”

Sultan Shazanon appointed his son Qadir heir to the throne, and fathered a further three daughters and one son.

The rest of Har’akir’s lords, expert diplomats all, traveled to the hills of Qadras and negotiated the region’s full entry into the sultanate.

Euristi and Pylus benefited from new irrigation, and several small villages cropped up. Along with the irrigation came a large investment in the cultivation of Pylus.

Admiral Tallius patrolled the Valesian Bight after trying and failing to interest the natives of Prophos to join the Empire. Admiral Ajax patrolled the Bardol Sea, flying the banner of the Red Pact of Vales.

The adventurers of the House of Blades discovered a strange madhouse in Hypylus which disguised a secretive occupation by a band of iskardakoi, blind humanoids from the depths of the underworld. They

Adnassuk, son of Adnas, was promoted to Prince in 2860, as was Captain Vysko, who married the dictator’s daughter Hussinys in 2859.

With the cooperation of the Holy See of Udjo, the Luxurites restored the cultivation in Habu, which did much to alleviate the chronic shortages of food in Thedelos and Merwal.

Speaker Haasta, enhanced by magical means, spoke movingly to the crowds in Merwal.  But the people of that great city still resented the manner in which Luxur’s armies had stolen their freedom, and his words fell mostly upon deaf ears.

Missionaries in Ezkita and Hassh’Met had little more success among the sauruses.  The lizard-folk were impressed by the Censer of the Void, through which the serpent-folk priests invoked the will of Udjo,  but the ordinary sauruses saw no reason to follow the alien god.

Captain (soon to be Prince) Vykso marched north with four thousand sathla infantry and seized control of the human province of Najat.  The Najatese fought back with a will, and even more so when they realized that the sathla had come for slaves, but their commanders could not compare to wily Vykso, nor their troops match the skill of the sathla.  By 2857, a chained column of human slaves was winding its way towards servitude in Badar.

Ssthaze traveled to Naqada and tried to canonize a monastery, but found the local sathla truculent and hard to impress.

Kos had more success in the Mykele homeland of Sia, where the populace enthusiastically supported the building of a monastery with sweat and toil.

The Holy See also helped to fund the cultivation of Habu.

Sauressh Isskor sent the holy relic known as The Dragonstone to the Holy See, and settled down, free of such concerns, to rule his nation and father a son.

Lord Vathek traveled to the Dark Court-dominated city of Mikkulizim and preached the word of Udjo.  He had some success, and a great many of the city’s lower classes have embraced Autumna. Lord Sssam convinced the sathla of Kilni to pay a tribute to the Serpentine, while the hero Vaasik the Grey convinced the lords of Ikka to conclude an alliance.  He also educated Kae’lee, daughter of Isskor.  Vaasik died in 2860.

The Sauressh sent out the Viper Squad, Mykele’s adventuring company, to seek out trouble wherever they could.  In the realm of Kuzsu, they encountered a temple to Tsathoggua, the loathsome Toad God, and defeated the hideous priests within. They returned with gold and magic from the temple.

Wallastre Zendowan and Azek Vahdin, the heir, both traveled to Naushqa and with a mixture of Thariyyan practicality and halfling good cheer, negotiated a treaty of alliance with the native nomadic tribes. This they cemented with a marriage between the Fezhir of Naushqa and Leila Vahdin, the king’s eldest daughter (just now seventeen and in the full blush of youth).

Sultan Ontzdamas built elaborate defenses around Uls Fakhar in the year 2856, but abandoned them thereafter to return to the city and help in its administration.

Admiral Yryons put to see with his score of warships and patrolled the Gulf of Thariyya on behalf of the Red Pact of Vales. Meanwhile, the various allies and feudal allies of the Kingdom traveled to Shood and set up defenses along the Hassar border.

Other than that, nothing to see here.  Move along.

Lord Miryn traveled to Threns where she met with the local princes and was treated with the respect due a clergywoman of her rank.

Jalak, adopted son of Kerendis’s king Jorald, came to Dammarask to take up service in the Primacy as a priest of Evaless, Mother of Monsters.

Queen Madariel

The queen returned from her long post-war sojourn in Nastaldo to take up residence once again in her lovely seaside capital of Lantar.  There, she also resumed direct command of the nation’s army and navy.  Her son and heir, Alitcean Searider, joined her and the port city was deliriously diverted for many months by the nuptials of Prince Alitcean and his Lantarese bride, Caladhal.  There were parades, parties, a fertility festival and a stirring martial display by the best units in the army.

Vaeril Fallingwater spent her time in Alako, working upon her wizardry and generally being mysterious.

Ebabarear Darkblow rode to Jebelem with a thousand crack elvish horsemen and guarded the northern approaches from encroachment.

She then used the gold she had raised through heavy taxation five years before to repair much that was broken in Ululor.  In addition, the queen and her lieutenant, Kabraaz, were both sorcerers and both invoked the spirits of earth and stone to mend much of the damage of the invasion.  Ululor, at least, began to recover from the smashing it had suffered under the heels of sathla soldiers.

Missionaries did come, as did the Autumna patriarch, but few converts were made in those first years.  The queen herself expected to be a target for conversion, but no attempt was made to educate her in the ways of the strange and serpentine god of the sathla.

Speaking of those farmers, they completed filling out their province with fine villages, irrigation systems and temples to the gods of earth and sea.

Mla*tak the Shaman spent years in Nyange, vainly trying to encourage trade from the tiny trickle of foreign merchants who reached the city from Kaznuma or down the Lethes river.

But perhaps the spirits were not so sanguine about the changes in Mekebele society, for soon a terrible drought had settled across the land.  Soil that had long known daily drenchings of rain grew dry and brittle and began to blow away upon the wind. Water holes drew in upon themselves and the courses of life-giving rivers remained dry for years at a time.  Crops and animals suffered and died, and soon the people were also dying of thirst and starvation. Among the dead were Lord Assani and Lord W’sani of Eura. Surrounded by water, Mekebele was dry as a bone.

Lord Tnute convinced the sauruses of Itu (who were also suffering from drought) to pay tribute to the

Banner of Khor-Naland

There was still enough gold in the Brass Tower to build smithies and barns throughout Ulhiya.

Dwarven missionaries to the Xulani tribesmen of Qiya found the humans easygoing and friendly but completely disinterested in the demanding gods of the Grail, with their notions of duty, sin and repentence.  The men of Qiya lived a simple life of subsistence farming and fishing and knew no need for stunty bearded gods who seemed mostly to demand a lot of kneeling and a certain uncomfortable distance from one’s female relations.

While King Belak ruled from the throne of the Brass Tower, Lord Dhokir assisted him in the administration of the country and Prince Bain governed the capital. 

Unfortunately for Uraji, his young bride Gulagan died in childbirth in 2856.  The baby, a daughter, died with her.  The king mourned for many years and did not take another wife, though he doted on his two small daughters, Gal and Shria.

Lord Turome continued to govern the city of Rendulha, but even the powerful magic cast over him by the shamans could do nothing to curb his greed and mania for high living.

Lord Gan traveled to Osaru on the Artaxes River and consulted with Tegus, the powerful chieftain of the forest people living along the river’s headwaters.  Impressed with Gan’s wisdom, Tegus agreed to an alliance between Osaru and the powerful kingdom to the south.

And indeed, there was some sense to that on the personal level as well, for the Emperor fathered two young sons, each prophesied at their birth to be strong warriors.

Lord Dhruzl traveled to Zalu to arrange a royal marriage between the Emperor’s sister, Xolani and the lord of Zalu.  This pleased the chieftain, and he agreed to give Zikuyu favorable trade contracts for Zalu grain.

Lord Thilivhali governed well in Mogollyu until his death in 2859.  Lord Olugbenga also proved to be an efficient, if somewhat stiff and correct, administrator.

Khalood’s son Aazad married a woman of Luud and also fathered a son. Prince Bharjas traveled to Hajaxtas and arranged a marriage between the sultan’s seventeen year-old daughter Ylayen.  As a result, the noble families of Hajaxtas split between those loyal to the crown and those with lingering Tas Dari loyalties. There was still simmering resentment among the peasantry.

In the elvish woods of Sartus, howver, Lord Fakhr had greater success.  Despite the differences in race and language, he was able to convince the elvish princes to agree to send feudal levies when called upon by Khalood.

At his direction, Lord Feantë put to sea with a fleet of warships and transports.  After stopping at Uthor Gil to pick up Lord Gilendyl and his mountaineers, they sliced through the southern seas, their swanships fairly flying over the white-topped waves. Beyond the Gates of Arthys, to the east even of Rajahdan, they fell upon the unsuspecting sathla natives of the Tasarwi islands like a storm of silver.

But a lack of suspicion plagued the elves, too, for the Tasarwi were great in number and well trained.  Better trained, if truth be known, than the elves themselves.  But Feantë was an ancient and experienced general, and his sleek ships and their crews were invaluable in driving the natives from the sea and harassing them along the shore. With heavy losses, Feantë took the islands and forced on them a tribute, to be collected periodically by the elves.

After recovering in Tasarwi for many months, the reavers loaded up their grey ships again and sailed west, past their old homeland and stormed ashore at Rhundal, the rich elvish jungles south of Ukanve.  Here their ships counted for far less, but the native elves were also less deadly than the Tasarwii.  In six short weeks, Feantë had subdued the elves of Rhundal with minimal losses to his own forces.  He then returned home to report his success to the Grand Duke.

Elsewhere, Lord Habnar was made governor of Olonár.  His energy and skill as a commander soon galvanized that sleepy trading village into driving new docks into the sea and creating warehouses for the increasing northern trade.

Shamans of Yezhu’u traveled to both Shoggen and Hydrsha to awaken the spirits of earth, water and tree.  They were successful in Hydrsha, where the trees themselves stacked fallen logs and the rocks arose and rolled out of the fields, arranging themselves in neat walls and cairns.

Meanwhile, other shamans moved among the demon-worshiping orcs of Torquas, debating and educating them on the power of the spirits and their connection with the living world.  Some of the orcs were quick to return to what were, after all, their own ancestral ways.  Many more rejected the spirits cults for the heady joys of the Dark Court.

Meanwhile, Lord Geneal spoke eloquently to the orcs of Torquas about the ancient grace of the spirits cults and their powerful mysteries. As in the countryside, there were many who listened.

Lord Norwalk traveled to the elven jungles of Deja to negotiate transit rights, but spent only a year in the region and was thus forced to return to Ukanve with little to show for his time.

Olaf became king while preparing to travel to Kachka.  The land was rife with rumors of rebellion and hostility to his reign, so he canceled his plans and remained in Vikitana.

During these years, the army of peasant laborers completed the cultivation of Afarees while other forces of peasants broke ground for similar cultivation in Balasir and Rachif.  Shanatar was undergoing a rapid shift from steppe to farmland.

In 2857, heavy rains in the Taklamakas meant flooding all along the Chamir river.  But it was particularly dangerous in low-lying Navoud, where the floodwaters rose to wipe out villages, drown cattle and inundate crops.  The steady labors of the locals were unable to stop the rapidly-rising waters and soon they were on the run for their lives.

The efforts of the God-King’s priests continued in Eumela, where the dedication to the distant and uncaring gods of the Dark Court began to seem far less relevant than the benevolent and immediate worship of the God-Emperor.

Lord Ferroi governed (if you could call it that) in Naifir. The conflicting array of ordinances and directives that issued from his office tended to bring the business of the city to a halt, and sparked a gang war for control of the bread supplies.

Lord Yulleran governed Feroe until his death in 2859, while Lord Tunnivarran governed in the port of Huzzein and struggled with brazen thievery, greed and corruption in his attempts to clean up the city’s vital docks and canals.

The two spent happy years in the palace, the perfect image of monarchs in their prime.  But there was a secret sadness in the royal household as the sultana failed to conceive a child.  No amount of passion, potions or magic seemed to alter this fact until 2859, when the sultana happily announced that she was with child.  Tragedy struck in the deep of the rainy season, when Falak miscarried and died in the process.

The Emirs grumbled, some of them quite loudly, about following a sultan from Mukatir, but Yaman’s grief-stricken speech at the the sultana’s funeral made him enormously popular with the commoners, who loved Falak deeply.  The emirs hid their objections and sent tribute to the new sultan.

Meanwhile, a powerful Merchant’s Guild took hold of the daily operations in the ports of Azhkatûm.  Falak (for she still lived at this point) wisely allowed them to pursue their profits and simply taxed them accordingly.

Emir Mustafa ben Shariz traveled to Navilok, where he negotiated with Emir Izz al Din and succeeded in extracting an agreement to pay tribute to the Sultana. 

This was a period of great uncertainty in Vaudan.  Vachim had ruled with an iron fist, and few could really conceive of the nation without him.  But Eldred, architect of the Crystal Ziggurat, had also built up a personal mythology which allowed the average peasant to see in him the continuation of his father’s works.  Eldred assumed the crown in peace.

Lord Mehrvand governed the city of Iljainu. Lord Tahmaseb governed in Nrinayri, proving himself to be an energetic reformer.  He cleaned up the city’s waterfront and built its first sewers.

Before her death, Queen Behnaz had hired back the Doomriders of Ul’il since no other nation had hired them.  On her directions, they traveled among the Taklamakan foothills, seeking noble deeds but finding none, alas.

Elvish philosophers moved into Suembut to spread the great news of Orithia – that all beings may attain divinity through rigorous self-discipline and understanding.  They were delighted to find that their fellow elves already practiced the Paths of Serenity.

King Kaedhrol ruled from Badmira, distributing soldiers among his retainers.  His son Auvo aided his father in the administration of the realm and also married a beautiful elvish noblewoman from Caam named Sirrka Kytölä.

King Noordhain marched west with his army and overawed the hobgoblin natives of Inni.  But his diplomacy was stymied by the presence of a negotiator from Kasadir.  The Innis managed to avoid entanglements with either large neighbor.

 Noordhain went home and did much the same to his harem, begetting a son in 2860.

His lieutenant, Gadai, marched north to the city of Kaletor with a few hundred of the king’s best cavalry.  There, he explained to the nervous city fathers that they would be far less likely to suffer any unfortunate accidents if they were to accept the full control of the kingdom.  Like the lords of Inni, they also readily agreed.

His son, Maejith, attempted a census of all the Kasadir people, but as he himself said, he simply “didn’t have a head for figures; it’ll all sort itself out in the end!”  He did manage to father two sons, however.

Lord Fonkh traveled to Inni where he found himself up his armpits in Uhejuans.  But he bravely continued to seek an accord with the Innites and as a result neither nation managed to stake a claim to the region.

Lord Chalyav led a thousand light infantry into the steppes of Bikoyleri, where they were opposed by a ragtag force nearly twice as strong.  After several violent encounters, the Kasadir troops broke and ran.  Chalyav had to escape by hiding in a bog until nightfall.

King Staarash named his queen, Conquakrox, a Princess of the Realm and his daughter, Hexoatl, his heir and successor.  With the succession thus assured, he traipsed off to the forests of Kaskino with most of his army where he tried to convince the local sauruses to join his nation.  Defiant of his military prowess, they refused.

The humans living further south proved more pliant, however.  Lord Hu-Adohi died in the midst of his negotiations with the hill-men of Pondu (he choked while attempting to swallow a piglet whole).  Staarash nonetheless decided to claim the region for Ahandu.

Ahandu’s only real diplomatic success was in the far southern coastal region of Chojde, where the shorefolk viewed the distant northern power as a reasonable counterbalance to the growing might of Choran.  They allowed Ahandu armies and merchants to transit their lands.

Saurus missionaries traveled to the arid steppes of Spanled and, gasping for moisture, tried to convince the horse nomads of the serenity of Orithia.  They were staked out in the open to bake to death as the horsemen rode away, laughing.

Lord Alsaid traveled to the land of Januaan, where the silk markets are held every year, and through subtle persuasion and an arranged marriage with the Emperor himself, convinced the local lords to allow the transit of Mogodorian soldiers and goods.

Lord Marakve attempted to create a census of the Mogodorian peoples, but found the task both bewildering and thankless. 

Prince Marahal traveled to the port city of Miyotla and by arranging his own marriage to Anweir, daughter of Vaeressë, convinced lord Vaeressë to become his father’s ally.

Lord Halath traveled east to Galahant and negotiated a trade treaty, permitting Suhanir to control the trade in Galahant’s fine dyes.

Lady Cerelindor spoke with bards, knights and priests to arrange a comprehensive census of the Suhanir elves, presenting it to her lord Valiel in 2860.

Allied lord Earellë was in Januaan when that land welcomed the human armies of Mogodor.

The king divided his forces between himself and his eldest son, Mardule.  Sendoor marched north into Mutuan with four thousand soldiers, including a thousand Drusai Guards, and flying before him the ancient Sigil of War.  Their spirits buoyed by the proud banner,  the king’s men quickly overran the paltry thousand militia who came out to oppose them, driving the evil men into the woods and then enslaving them and their families.  The captives were marched back to Haga to work as slaves in the large farms that dotted the rolling countryside.

Meanwhile, Prince Mardule followed much the same plan in Seklebatu, with three thousand light infantry and light cavalry. Mardule’s forces being lighter, they suffered the more, but in the end the result was the same.  He also drove before him a great many slaves to join the workforce in Haga.

Counsellor Belenor traveled to the land of Mumun and convinced Baron Miratt that the king would rather have his gold than his men.  Miratt agreed to pay Amantai an annual tribute.

Seeing that Miratt would not be joining him, Baron Janz of Jutuh abandoned his plans to invade Mensiar.

Lord Regent Renser ruled in the name of the king until 2858, when King Avedis came of age and assumed the throne.  Renser retired then to live in quiet enjoyment of his extensive vineyards. During the final years of his regency, he commissioned a number of forts in Fiereya, public baths in Lepreum and citrus farms in Vasithe.

Lord Feyd traveled to Ateside and convinced the recalcitrant lord Lasir’k to sign a treaty of economic alliance with Belgramma.

Lords Harlowe and Ashrak watched over the safety of the kingdom with their armies.

In 2860, the Sylvan Realm was joined by the great hero Elekar the Fox, one of the most noted diplomats and adventurers in all Theeurth.

Lord Karlos governed the city of Methedras while Lord Sembis governed in Orbelain.  Neither distinguished themselves overmuch.

Bishop Dargune Soulhammer, led three thousand lightly armed men into Tamaina to face nearly as many elves…in the forest. Soulhammer just barely managed to defeat the elves of Tamaina, losing roughly half his force.  He then attempted to round up the elves for enslavement.  The region rebelled violently, fronting another force as big as the first.  The fight was over fast this time, for Soulhammer was ready for them.  He marched the slaves and survivors back to Rabiate while the Quellende elves howled their impotent anger.

Queen Gathael withdrew into her summer residence in Siruvargal and remained in seclusion.  Rumor had it that she mourned the dead of the Ruanach Expedition, and feared to face their families for the shame, but many noted that she took solace not in the spirits but in a collection of red-robed priests of the Dark Court and spent her time counting up the riches of her realm and poring over the tax rolls. She found time to conclude peace with Ruanach and the Kolyut Hegemony, returning the land seized in Navikes.

Her son Nijon ruled the nation in her name until her death in 2860, when he was crowned king.  He married in 2856 and fathered a daughter in 2858.

Lord Riakak traveled to the silver-rich hills of Madarah and with the assistance of allied lord Zagadis of Siruvargal, convinced the Madarahns to market their silver through the ports of Threns.

Lord Kamer’t, the energetic and popular governor of Vaayil, suffered a stroke in 2859 and retired to his villa to live out his days.

Balegard and his son Jortak the Destroyer then traveled to Komirut in Aya to try to assuage some of the violent anger felt there against the crown.  Balegard died in Komirut in the rainy winter of 2856.  Without it’s dictator, the Hegemony began to tear itself apart. Ilgrist of the Nine Temples declared himself warlord, as did Jortak.  Zokar the Blind, lord of Kavijas took his people out of the Hegemony.  The land of Kebeliha rose in rebellion. 

Ilgrist and Jortak raced to the capital to attempt to seize power.  Although there was some fighting, Jortak had command of Balegard’s army.  The two hobgoblin warlords struggled each to draw the loyalties of the army to themselves, but in truth neither was particularly charismatic.  In the end, the army chose the devil it knew – Jortak was  successful, if not popular commander.  With the support of most of the army, Jortak had Vor arrested and beheaded.  To be certain of his position, he also had his own seven-year-old brother Bullgard murdered.

Luckily for Jortak, the commander whom the army really wanted was away on campaign.  Vor the Merciless was slaughtering the men of Memu hundreds of miles to the east.  Vor’s loyalties were never put to the test because by the time he rode victoriously back to Iratush at the head of a column of soldiers and slaves, Jortak was dead himself at the age of forty-three.  Some doubted that the two events were all that coincidental, but in any case the army now had its desired commander – Vor the Merciless ascended as Hegemon.

Such a good time did Efrites have in Navikes that he literally ate and drank himself to death.  He died during a particularly rigorous feat of gustatory excess in 2857.

Efrites’s son, Maglys, was crowned in Fashanru later that same year, and settled in to ruling his new kingdom.  Of greater note were his nocturnal endeavors, during which he got his astonishingly fertile queen with six children, two twins and four quadruplets (evenly split between sons and daughters).

Lady Evris, a respected sorceress, cast charms to protect the king, but could not protect him from himself.  She did, however, create the first census of the Sea-King’s reign.

The wealth of the city of Oprawa spread to the surrounding region of Angkon, and many of the former pirates began to till the soil and clear-cut the forest.

Dahlia herself ruled from Saumya, ably assisted by Prince Consort Fosca Proudfield.  The two both loved children and strove to have many.  The queen miscarried in 2856, but delivered a healthy baby girl in 2858 and a boy in 2859.

Dahlia’s cousin and heir Prince Crane stood guard over the border in Amovish, but died in 2860, leaving her son Tolman the Heir-Apparent.

The rest of the Ahumite leaders concentrated on spreading the faith of Nuree. Isumbras Lowstick traveled to the border jungles of Assa, where he performed miracles of faith, bringing forth water from barren rock and working to convert the sathla.  Haldred Earthcloak and Hamfast Roughbelly worked to convert the sathla leaders of Amovish, while Augustus Smoothskin preached to the sathla nobility of Sauryas.

While the Raj looked after the defense of his nation from Randar, his son and lieutenants governed the cities of the realm.  Lord Vangandek, governor of Garupal, proved to be both insightful and dilomatic, whereas Gordash, governor of Kemadha in the south was boorish, greedy and generally disliked.

Sathla missionaries in Viraben on the Virityal border found far fewer orcs willing to hear them than the last time.  The overwhelming majority of Viraben orcs remain steadfastly committed to the three-faced god of Nuree.

Emperor Vaasthek saw to his nation’s defense from Rajahdan while his son Loqgoq traveled to Gattapal to negotiate an economic treaty for the gold in the Gattapal hills.  In exchange he married a wealthy widow of Gattapal.  This turned out to be a brief bargain for her, for Loqgoq died in 2860 of spine fever

Lord Ulgrent once again tried to chart the devious waters of the Ruan Straits, but was once again turned back by treacherous shoals, perverse local mapmakers and steady northerly winds.

Lords Itzaquet and Szychall stood watch over the south from Assarat.

Lord Exchol, Varoon of Assarat died in 2856 and his son was not so close to the Emperor as was his father.  The alliance between the two became a mere trading contract.

Lord Tenqadohi, while visiting the capital of Jalahl, discovered a forgotten city below the capital, populated by a deadly blind race

Elven shamans invoked the spirits of earth and sky to improve the harvests and health of Lekandi.

King Galens Eagleheart led an expedition into the snake-haunted ruins of Isanio, seeking…something.

Elath Bloodspear watched over the lands with his small army, ready lest any of the wild sathla organize and rise up against the rightful rule of the elves.

Cruel and despotic, Lord Juelans ruled the capital of Suwelho with verve and energy, but very little pity.

Centralized Monarchy