LORDS OF THE EARTH CAMPAIGN 54

As king of an expanding realm, Gustav was faced with ruling a rude, wild folk over great distances and so ordered the creation of the office of ealdorman.  To these magistrates he gave wide-ranging powers to enforce the king’s laws, collect taxes and preside over local defenses.  Although there had always been ancient and strong families within the Skane Jarldoms, the institution of the ealdormancy was to be the beginning of a true Skane noble class.

For the first time in history, the Skane controlled more cultivated land than wilderness.  Though they still revered the old gods and reveled in wildness and tales of battle, they were in truth become a civilized people, as much concerned with agriculture and trade as with blood and plunder.

Hauge had no heir, but to everyone’s surprise the orcs did not immediately disintegrate as a political force.  There were many revenge killings and knives in the dark, as usual, but the adherents of Prince Tallo killed his most important enemies and Tallo was acknowledged king in 2876.

Dak the Handsome took command of two thousand troops and tried to raid the Bekanai steppe regions of Buidhe Creag, Aonach and Bekanor. Men on shaggy ponies can be difficult opponents for orcs on foot, and under Dak’s mediocre generalship the orcs accomplished little.  Still, it got them out of the caves for a bit, and that’s always nice.

Taun the Talker traveled to Ghedrosia as the Edgemoor dipomat, but did not talk particularly long,

Aeneas then ordered the sacking of all the Dark Court temples, the breaking of their altars and the ordered that the golden idols be melted down for his personal baggage.  The town’s populace was made to swear allegiance to the Lords of the Grail.  Those who refused were immediately put to the sword.  A few dozen faithful martyrs died for the Lord of Bones that day, but most of the city submitted meekly.

Back in Cadares, Prince Agathokles governed the city and fathered a daughter in 2877.  His wife died

Several of Boran’s vassals improved the position of his government in the provinces.  Frona Quickstep conversed with Karideas of Bodhria until he was suddenly called away to support the king (see below). Kallos Twospot convinced the lord of Lloricam to pay Brythnian taxes after a brief trip to the Firefall East to claim the territory and drop off a garrison. Eutropios Greymare managed to claim the lands of Hailh Endhor on behalf of the Confederation.

In 2877, a horde of eighteen thousand orcs slunk down out of Aurum and struck without warning the midst of a bitter winter. After overrunning Orosel, they marched into Tathlann, eager for blood and slaves. However, Boran and his vassals were ready.  While the orcs ravaged Orosel, the taurids converged on Carrenthium and prepared to meet the threat. 

More importantly, in a move perhaps learned the hard way from the Ascars,

Clem’s little brother Irving governed the capital and instituted a novel, if somewhat cheeky plan whereby he had workers cut open or collapse the flooded burrows of the old city (destroyed by earthquake a quarter century ago) and use the resulting canals for city transport.  Crowley Ratcatcher and Agatha Flycatcher governed the cities of Greensaddle and Gate of Bells, respectively. 

Hayden Blackkettle’s tomboyish daughter Iva was sent to the Gate of Bells to command the southern army.  A smart and aggressive leader, she was also a prickly and dangerous woman, prone to drunken fistfights in which she was known to fight very dirty. 

Lord Darras led a large raid on the warehouses of Khairais and encountered a surprising resistance from the locals.  In the end, he hung several dozen locals as traitors and heretics.

Lords Reginald and Cerwyn traveled to Larcogne with three thousand elite foresters and began to raid the adjacent mountains, harassing the Stoneheart giants from the rear. In conjunction, Queen Sirienne sent a large shipment of gold to Belfirth to support the Neldorean elves.

It was in 2880 when true disaster struck.  It started

The worst death toll was in Khairais, where so many died or fled that there were too few left to bury or burn the bodies, which became carrion for the rats, dogs and crows. But Rhavais was ravaged, and the smaller ports of D’Armand and Port de Brises were abandoned altogether.  The merchant fleets of Port de Brises were thoroughly ravaged, as were many of the military units around the nation, particularly those in garrison.

Queen Sirienne died in Khairais during the plague.  So too did her daughter Imogen.  So too did Lord Reginald, Prince Cedric of the Cavadhe and Lavaine of Lilloger. Prince Bertrand assumed the crown in a small and subdued ceremony.

The White Death hit neighboring regions, too, though it did little damage there.  Bruyenne and Artence suffered deaths, as did the Northern Stoneheart mountains and Huareth.

Empress Ysolde traveled to Malidisant and there made common cause with Duke Anton.  During their negotiations, the two fell in love and were married in 2880.

Lord Eaddwyn set to sea in a score of ships and with a contingent of marines he raided the forests of Hastaalm, in the former Daerond.  Forest tend to be devoid of much that is worth selling or eating, and so it proved in Hastaalm. Eaddwyn died of a stomach disorder soon after returning to Armorica.

Lord Vairë administered her realm from Menelcandar, while Lady Shantera commanded the home army.

They recruited two thousand elite elven archers and began a campaign designed to harrass the Stoneheart giants.  First, Queen Nereil marched into the Leosse Glades with ten thousand elves and set up a strong defense against the coming of the giants.  She sent rangers led by the Brown Parker into the Tarwood to scout out the giant positions and learned that the giants also had created strong defenses and were holding them against the coming of the elves.

Meanwhile, Rumil Ancalimë and several scouts watched the Dura passes.

In Daarlem of 2877, just as the allied armies reached the Riftmarch (See The Battle for the Tarwood, below), Queen Nereil led a raid into the Tarwood, more to distract the giants and draw their attention than for any gain.  Neither happened, for the giants stood fast to their defenses.

In Daarlem of 2878, just as the allied armies reached Manariyë, Queen Nereil moved against the giants in

Brave Sir Beau took a fast force of five thousand cavalry north into the South Akasian Hills, from where he could quickly react to any invasion.

But the Exarch was not without concern for the sufferings of the elves.  He sent a ship from Pontezium to Belfirth laden with treasure, that the elves might better support their war effort.  As usual, he also donated a sum to the Order of the Dawn.

Grand Mistress Praeclaria took command of nine thousand cavalry, including three thousand Knights of the Golden Dawn and rode into the halfling forests of Calodunum. There, she and many postulates of the Order attempted to found larger estates.  Alas, her time spent on the needs of her large military force precluded her from fully concentrating on the new estates, and the deal was not consummated – the halflings refused to let the Order have their estates.

Masters Benedictus and Giles rode west at the head of sixteen thousand infantry to confront the giants of the Stoneheart Mountains (See The Battle for the Tarwood, below)

Meanwhile, Lord Vabanne and Lord Mezger of Hildreth convinced the orcs of Dakhash to pay tribute to the marauding Baron in exchange for the promised labor of the enslaved tribesmen.

The second Ascar expedition was a spectacular disaster.  After easily beaching their ships in Sargari and quickly conquering the Valaskan tribes, Lord Erekhad and many feudal allies rode into Kandik at the head of seven thousand troops.  They had been outmaneuvering the hapless Kandiks for a week when five thousand harkeen marched, hopped and flew into the steppe, their wings buzzing and the light shimmering off their jewel-colored carapaces. Caught by surprise, the startled Ascar troops began a withdrawal towards Sargari, but the enraged

King Mankiller and Lord Splitface died in 2878, having killed each other during a duel over which was the greater warrior. After some tutelary bloodletting, a cunning beast of an orc named Wargest was acknowledged to have no challengers for the throne, and became king.

The Imperial Flag

The Emperor descended upon the peaceful men of Jurath in the fall of 2876.  The Jurathi had called upon their fellow tribesmen for aid, and the men of Lauroth had heeded the call.  Those of Yrineth chose to stay at home.  Thus it was that the Emperor’s eighteen thousand were met by the brave but doomed force of three thousand cavalry, whom he drove aside as one might swat a fly.

Soon both Jurath and Lauroth were complete wildernesses, populated only by the small garrisons of Carhallas troops the Emperor left, sifting through the ashes of Jurathi villages and farmsteads.  The humans themselves were driven by whip and lance into Adumar, where they were put to work building a road from Naurog to Lauroth.  Meanwhile, his own hobgoblins had laid a road through Naurog to the Manndaran river.

In Carcaroth, the Emperor’s son married and fathered a boy.  Maugroth IV’s wife died during childbirth in 2878.

With the Emperor away, however, the delicate power structure of the empire began to collapse.  Much of the Empire lay at great distances from Carcaroth, with miles and miles of steppe and unbridged river in between.  The Empire was held together by the will and administrative skill of the Emperor, and without him, rebellions sparked in Pukel and Zhagon.  There were riots in Elsend, but these were put down by the local governor…for now.

Lord Sariax led an assault on the elven woods of Pinnas.  Nearly the whole Thuidhel tribe rose up to repel the invaders, and the elves of Thuidhel threw out the Annvarite government that claimed to rule them. 

Sarias rode into the western woods at the head of six thousand light troops, including twenty-five hundred elite annvar jaegers.  They were met in the summer of 2877, by six thousand elven archers of Thuidhel.  The battle was fierce and without quarter, but Sariax’s leadership and the courage of the jaegers told in the end.  The elves slowly gave way and retreated stubbornly into woods.  Suddenly, silence replaced the din of battle, punctuated only by the moans of the wounded and screams of dying horses. Annvar had won a solid victory against elves in their own forests.

Lord Puchoniax lead four thousand cavalry across the Mannadaran river and into the fields of Gromon, ripe with summer grain.  The Gromon militia came out to meet them, armed with picks and scythes, but also with long knives and stout bows.  With these the the militia stood their ground against the Annvarite riders, driving them back across the river.

In 2878, a band of unknown brigands killed several priests and guards at a small temple in Asep and fled without encountering resistance.

The elves then had to put down an insurgency as they rounded up the tribes and took them back to Silithos as slaves.  Eldareth left a token force of five hundred archers in Falmallinar to hold the region for Meledrian.

Meanwhile, Lord Aeliniel rode around Nimbreth, speaking to all who would listen about the glorious power of the Dark Court. He had a lot of success, as the Nimbreth elves began to listen to his talk of how the elves should seize their true destiny as masters of Theeurth.  Bishop Killcrantor had no success with similar arguments in traditionally conservative Rainas.

The halflings built a new village in Tiringol and trained in siegecraft and magic.  King Borlath fathered a son and daughter in the Underhalls.

Tobias Bullroarer decided on more peaceful pursuits than in the past and traveled to the green hills of Tirondalas, where with many a mug of nut brown ale, he convinced the Stoutheart halflings to send tribute to the king.

William Shroud, the great halfling wizard, locked himself in his tower and communed with the spirits.  Of course “locked himself in” is a relative term.  William emerged for breakfast, second breakfast, dinner, supper, tea, and a late night snack.  But not lunch.  That, he had sent in.

Against this vast host stood the Lederata army.  Six thousand strong and well-trained, it stood no chance against the worse than three to one odds, even if the Conorrians had not brought their War-Wizards with them. Senator Madragar and Sagramakes of Eatris each summoned a terrible firestorm that swept through the hobgoblins in the moments before the legionnaires crashed into their lines.  The battle was over in just over two hours.  King Naudrath escaped with a small remnant of his army to flee into Lascuta, but Vargus was in total possession of the field. 

The city of Colanum refused to fight against the overwhelming Conorrian host and simply opened its gates and submitted.

Elsewhere, Kaius Varantius, son of Saxonius the Younger, came of age and was crowned Emperor.  He sent word to Vargus, naming him Princeps and ordering him to occupy Lederata in the Emperor’s name.

They recruited two thousand soldiers at the city of Connor and put them under the command of the mercenary, Joris.

Patriarch Galetus oversaw the creation of a monastery in the Conorrian city of Eleucria.  He carefully planned the sturdy, humble buildings and selected the abbot who would rule within its walls. 

Bishop Photius oversaw the movement of church hierarchy from Faloricum to Elenuil in Thariyya.  Contrary to popular belief, it was only the people that moved.  The elegant building, “Cathedral Grailius Deus(s) Faolricum”, remained where it had always been. Bishop Altair oversaw the same process at work in moving the hierarchy from Eatris to Uls Fakhar in Thariyya.

In the west, Bishops Alious and Adrastes tried to evacuate the city of Cruachan and the region of Nivaan.  The folk of both refused to rise up and follow the bishops, feeling that they had no place to go. Alious eventually wound up in Elenuil with the mercenary Joris, while Adrasetes sailed south to Landegol and remained with a small force of infantry.

The mercenary Joris sailed around in western waters, delivering gold and goods to Aelissia, Neldorea and Lorrain, the traveled to Elenuil, where he guarded the city with some eight thousand troops and more than a score of warships.

In the west, Church authority continued to decay as the Churches in Cadares and Quesante simply disappeared.

The rest of his court, including his twin sister Thorinna, Turok the Wise, Garag Bloody-Axe and Darak Iron-Helm traveled to the Ring of Karduk.  There, with the aid of the Crystal Brazier and with appeals to ancient custom and the brotherhood of dwarves, they convinced the lord of the city to swear fealty to the king.

The Banner of Pelendur

The Shield of Pelendur

In the north, motley caravans periodically traveled across the tower Taklamakas mountains to visit the halflings of Tiringol whenever the passes were clear of snow, but as yet little wealth flowed along that narrow and dangerous route.

Lord Cuthbert traveled to the oak forests of Vindobala where he meddled in the politics of the hobgoblins right up until the enormous Conorrian army drove straight through them.

Lord Argent conducted diplomacy in Keldior, arranging a marriage for King Gregor and elevated Lord Brickson to an ally of the king’s.

Meanwhile, Prince Ulfast and Sir Belson of Edhel Gorthas were also conducting diplomacy in the wild and sparsely populated forests of Durobrivae, arranging transit rights for Vigilum’s merchants and soldiery. Sir Belson died of a heart attack in 2879.  Belson’s son soon renewed his family’s oath to the king.

The Conorrian invasion had been presaged by mutinies in the Lederatan army and a foiled assassination attempt against Naudrath.

Prior to the invasion, Lord Mezger had moved south to Hydastes and convinced the Conorrians there to acknowledge the overlordship of Lederata.

Constans Pip set out to sea with a vast armada of over one hundred warships and more than a score of transports.  Leaving his ships behind in Halianis, he marched inland with five thousand troops, one skyship and one skyskiff to rendezvous with the forces of the Order of the Dawn and the Whisper Wood. Together they would confront the Stoneheart Giants and liberate Neldorea…or so they hoped. (See The Battle for the Tarwood, above).

Elsewhere, Tarsa ol’ Kenset put to sea with nearly thirty ships, including several skyships, and patrolled the waters around the home islands, flying the flag of the Red Pact of Vales.

Magus Lloyd Sanchola, who had gone to war with Constans Pip and had supplied the army with magically sharp weapons, died in in Manariyë in 2880 of exhaustion.

Maddari missionaries, never terribly popular in the eyes of men, found success in Socphares by stressing the caring, forgiving aspect of the Mother.  With time, the principles of Paarmadan would follow.  In Kumrat, however, suspicious men forbade their wives to hear any of the inflammatory words of the foreign women and shut their doors whenever the Ahurans approached.

Queen Joyce, although late in years, gave birth to a daughter in 2878.  She declared a contest to vie for the position of heir, with the theme of combat.  Each of the women of her court vied in the Grounds of the Royal Consorts at games of strategy and at tests of leadership.  So it was that Jesse Holly, a woman of low birth but great talent, was named heir by the queen in 2879.

Katelyn Sparhawk traveled to Naidhan to meet with Landress Kell, but the Landress was unwilling to tie her restive elven woods closer to the human women of Ahuran.  Jesse Holly spent many years with the elves of Haalthor, who were already close allies of the queen.

But the sultanate was wealthy enough to handle such expenses.  Indeed, the sultan granted a long sought-for license to the various merchants of Agazier to form a trading guild, the better to compete with their brother merchants from Valesia and Conorria.

Sultan Qadir

Emir’al Bev Bevan continued his distinguished naval service to Har’akir by enforcing the Red Pact of Vales.  His fleet of forty ships ranged about Roldein’s Gate and the Sea of Bells, flying the scarlet banner of the Pact and keeping order on the high seas.

The sultan gave his sister Ruwaydah’s hand in marriage to Lord Isaam, creating him Prince Isaam. The newly-elevated royal brother-in-law then mounted his magical flying carpet and traveled to Har Jadme, where, with the aid of Ridwa of Gon Bahar, he convinced the men of that eastern forest region to rejoin the sultan as allies.

In 2880, rumors reached the ears of the sultan that adventurers had breached an ancient tomb in the cave-riddled Adramagdus mountains and made off with some

Rumors reached Centauris of a wandering holy man in the Kherouf desert.  He spoke of the strength and power of the god Drauluin and many personages of note have consulted him because of the accuracy of his visions.

The sathla of Luxur continued to build their military, recruiting three thousand infantry and eight ships.  They also built a new port, Coilus, on the shores Cassar.  The Maressh tribes of Cassar were angry at this intrusion and there was some violence between natives and settlers.

Luxurite missionaries traveled to the Steaming Kingdom of Drormt and there converted the masses in Drormt and Ree’ka to the worship of Udjo.

General Adnassuk went on maneuvers with his troops.  He died in Thedelos in 2878, sparking a contest among his followers to lead the succession.  Magus Cheryk intimidated all into following him, but died himself the following year.  Speaker Haasta, a relatively inoffensive patrician, managed to seize control of the realm for himself at that point with the halfhearted acquiescence of the nobility.

Captain Ophidius and two thousand elite troops stomped around in Sekhem and Aysira, discovering a Fleshweavers cultic cell in Sekhem and putting all the heretics to the sword.

Speaker Shonyx and Speaker Haasta continued to conduct diplomacy in the great metropolis of Merwal.  The Valesian-speaking sathla of the east still did not trust the Mykelean-speaking generals in Thedelos. Shonyx died in 2879 and Haasta traveled to Thedelos to take control of the armed forces.

In 2879, a lone sathla traveling in the woods of Khent discovered a dull yellow lump in a pool by a woodland stream.  He recognized it

Barge-loads of gold was sent upriver to the poor sauruses of Drormt to help them build their own religious schools and to spread the truth of Udjo’s power. With them went the inevitable missionaries.  In concert with Luxurite priests, they converted the province of Drormt.  Missionaries had less success in the human realm of Egu, where the tribes and smallholders rejected Udjo’s all-embracing call.

After the loss of Lady Aloshes in Naqada, the Holy See put out a call for the destruction of all foreigners and foreign ideas within sathla lands. Pysus Holziz  summoned four thousand mercenaries and spread them across Naqada, asking questions until someone talked.  Then, the mercenaries descended upon a small village along the banks and killed all within – for they were all secret worshipers of the Dark Court god Andobulos – they were Fleshweavers. They were roasted alive on the altars of Udjo.

But then Sauressh Isskor died in 2878, and the Serpentine exploded into a powderkeg of varying interests.  A wide swath of the southwest erupted in revolution.  From Naszgiri in the north to Kuzsu in the south, this belt of jungles declared their opposition to the rule of Oroyon and the Sauressh.

Three factions formed immediately.  One around Isskor’s son, also named Isskor, was in Girudar with a small army.  The second, centered Isskor’s daughter Kae’lee, was in Vaasilos.  The third, also in Vaasilos, centered around Lord Careth.  Careth and Kae’lee were both supremely charismatic individuals, and both had fervent followers who immediately began a bloodbath in the diplomatic quarters of the western city.  These were swiftl brought to a close by the principles when Careth agreed to marry Kae’lee and rule jointly with her.  These two then sailed quickly for Oroyon.

Isskor the son was there first, however, and took command of the garrison, closing the port against all enemies. 

Isskor did not, however, know that his diplomats to Vaasilos had turned against him, and after assurances of loyalty, opened the port to his sister and Lord Careth.  Once

The halflings of Thariyya celebrated their good harvests and expressed their thanks to the gods by sending supply ships laden with grain across the Gulf of Thariyya to the Grail Primacy at Conorr.

Despite being only twenty-four years old, King Shadazar was consumed with worry about producing an heir.  He eschewed the usual political marriage and simply married one of his more distant cousins with good child-bearing hips.  Shadazar was a good judge of hips, for she bore him two daughters and a son in the next few years.

The national mania for defense continued with Prince Beyzr defending the capital and Sultan Ontzhamas maneuvering about the woods of Shood in command of several thousand halfling soldiers.

Wallastre Zendowan and Princess Leila worked to convince the lord of Al Muhd to pay tribute to Uls Fakhar.  At last the chieftain assented when he was permitted to marry his eldest son to the king’s sister Kelinas.

As he had for so many years, Admiral Yryons put to sea with a score of warships, enforcing the Red Pact of Vales in the eastern Valesian seas.

The Emperor himself traveled to Unaagh, a city still resenting its perceived demotion from the heart of the religious administration to just another provincial river port.  He spent five years in residence, being seen at the theater or riding through the streets, and meeting frequently with civic leaders.  This did much to improve his own popularity in the city.

Meanwhile, back in Dammarask, Elijah’s son and heir Razir ruled in his name and fathered two daughters.  Alas, in the absence of the emperor’s watchful eye, the edges of the sprawling Empire began to fray. The desert tribes of Sharar ignored the harried imperial governor and Ymars farmers in Carru revolted, throwing up roadblocks and cutting off Accolon’s large southward trade routes. There was also revolution in Eumana, but this was quickly and ruthlessly put down by the garrison and the Imperial Inquisitors.

Erikur Even-Handed and Bloody Lady Lenora worked in far-off Arbath to secure a feudal oath from the primary chieftain of the province.

Dhul Fiqqar of Dursarc died in 2877 after a severe bout of dysentery. Kalaam Cuu, the Emperor’s cousin and governor of Agharra, died in 2878 of a heart attack. 

Bishop Elian, a supremely handsome and charismatic man and a popular leader among the rich and powerful, established two monasteries at Unaagh and Gateway during a one-year stay at each city. 

Bisop Raulduin died at sea, the voyage too much for him.  His body was returned to Agharra for burial.

Drel Dorath, Prince of the Church, returned from annoying dwarves to the city of Riatus, where he attempted to found an abbey in the waning months of 2880.  However, he was not so fortunate as the great Bishop Elian.  In fact, his heavy-handed orders to clear a poor neighborhood for the building of his abbey sparked riots in the city, and Drel Dorath (just recovering from a dwarvish axe-wound) was freshly injured by the mob and forced to flee.

Bishop Jalak, while on a larger mission, stopped to investigate some local rumors in the city of Keystone.  Hearing of goblins in the sewers, he descended into those new brick tunnels…and disappeared.

Gezz Half-Shadow made no appearances in public until 2880, when he appeared before a crowd in Dammarask and gave it his dark blessing.

Queen Madariel

Sorcerers throughout the realm invoked ancient pacts with the forest fey to help invigorate and nurture the hearttrees in Beduina, Khithi and Jebelam.

Madariel’s elder son, Alitcean, traveled to Windan where he invoked the spirits of wind and rain to bless the growing things in the region and cause it to burgeon with fruit and useful herbs of every description.  He then returned to Lantar and aided his mother in the administration of her realm.

Alitcean’s cousin Vaeril Fallingwater likewise conjured elementals of stone and water in Balan, diverting small streams into beautiful pools and elegant millraces. She then went on to govern the new city of Lothorion.

Evarear Darkblow traveled to Daio, a region which acknowledged the queen’s hegemony, but no more. Through his logic, elegant manners and knowledge of local custom, convinced the elves of Daio to pay taxes to the queen in return for her protection.

The Queen worked for four years on a census of her people, and then marched into Likasal on the Upper Vine Sea and claimed it for Drormt.  She also founded a small town named Coqui on the hot and overgrown shores of the Lower Vine Sea.  The Drormtish had no rutters of the Upper Vine Sea, and so could send no ships to Nyange or Kaznuma, but the traders of Sendahl and Mekebele soon found the port and began to trade their goods for amber or hardwood from Drormt.

Meanwhile, Lord Kadoorp traveled to Ezikita and imposed a feudal oath on Lord Haloopt. The oath bound Haloopt to supply troops on the demand of the queen.

Lord Mudorpt traveled to Oiohutu on the coast of the Nekinet sea and claimed it for the Steaming Kingdom.  At the same time, Lord Yramt traveled to Narvan and negotiated the rights to trade across Narvan territory with Weshtayo.

Meanwhile, cultivation work continued slowly in Mbarre.

For the most part, the royal court concentrated on administering the realm and governing Bwayo or Nyange. One exception was Prince Mekend, who traveled to the ruins of Ser Medhele in Durudin and entered the long-abandoned catacombs for the mere challenge of the matter.  There, the adventuresome hero fought a colony of giant bats and retrieved a trove of valuable gems.

In 2880, Sendahlese ships began to bring Drormtish goods from the port of Coqui.

Prince Dhuzl tried to gain full citizenship for the folk of Foru, but his abrupt and brief style made this impossible.  Worse was in store for Lord Tnute who similarly refused to spend much time on his diplomatic mission to Garmazt.  The locals were angered by this slight and ceased to pay full tribute to the Empire.

Prince Dhuzl  and Lord Chisulo both died in a flu epidemic in 2879.

The great aqueduct of Kaznuma was completed, bringing clean, clear water down from the heights of Eura and into the port city. 

In 2878, The Company of the Silver Axe attempted to steal several juvenile mekebele leatherwings from the breeding pits at Awayal.  They failed to steal any, but were recognized.  They also fought and killed a large pair of mated leatherwings.

Banner of Khor-Naland

The king also caused missionaries to be sent into human populated Kamandi, where the men were surprisingly receptive to the foreign ideas of the Lords of the Grail.

Thulnor himself convinced Dignar of Hibru to accept full status within the kingdom as a great nobleman, his subjects to be Aurdrukar citizens.

Lords Dhokir and Rignus gained an alliance with the far northern Deephelm province of Lrandirla, securing the northern border against surprise attacks.

Far to the south, Lord Blorin continued to inveigh

In the older ports, a growing Sengkar navy began to take shape, with dozens of sleek, swan-prowed warships crowding the quays of Jarende, Xantotun and Valoralondë.

Prince Namaril the Hunter took command of the national cavalry forces in Ezrand while Talan of Mita continued in command of the smaller infantry forces.

The Weshts began a great project of clearing the forests of Tresalet and making way for small farms, logging villages and tiny hamlets.

Lord Kelmek traveled north to Osaru on the Artaxes river and charmed the local chieftains into declaring their allegiance to the boy king and pledging troops to hold the north for him.  Kelmek then returned to Ssru.

Trade began to trickle westward once again as the sauruses of Drormt resumed control of the Narvan fens.

The king’s brother Philani was killed when a large piece of palace masonry fell onto his head while he was praying to the earth spirits to quiet their rage.

Sultan Azaad made the very public announcement that he joined with Grand Duke Salene of Meneen in a mutual defense treaty. The two sides pledged their mutual support for each other.

Feantë then sailed north with the Meneen fleet, ferrying materials for some of the greatest of Meneen’s merchant families.  They landed at Olonár and established a merchant’s guild to bring in the wealth of north, west and east back to Yaz Meneen.

Also in the convoy was Lord Habnar, who left Olonár and trekked eastward through the strange but beautiful forests of Ivralit.  He stayed with the Ouellende chieftains and told them of the ancient and high culture of his people, the Sea Elves.  They agreed that the Meneen might visit at their will, and that goodwill ruled between the kindreds.

Princess Edova concluded an alliance with the lord of Kim Taba.  This sparse expanse of jungle may be worth practically nothing as a source of goods, but it formed a vital link between Ukanve in the west and the port of Eamata in the east.

For similar reasons, Lady Norwalk sought and received an alliance with the Iriol elves of Darja.  But Lord Retzak had no such luck with the elves of Olvia, who refused to recognize any Ukanvan sovereignty over their beloved rain forests.

Queen Eamata died at the ripe old age of seventy-two in 2879.  Her daughter Edova made a show of tears at the funeral, but few were fooled.  There had been little love lost between mother and daughter and there was noted pomp and celebration when the young queen assumed the throne.

Olga and Wulfdan then sailed to the other side of the Wolf River delta and were shocked to find that the dark elves of Meledrian had enslaved the men of Falmallinar only a few months before.  No one but small garrisons of elves were left to patrol the vast steppe.

Knowing his bloodline to be cursed with the Nun-gibilthar, the Petrification, King Vorin had no more children.  He gave the hand of Prince Torin’s widow in marriage to Prince Tolan of Khond-Zelen, raising him first to the royal family, then naming him heir to the kingdom.

Lord Bolan, meanwhile, improved relations with the humans of Kyuinachka, making them full allies of the realm. The men of Orodask remained independent for the time being.

The forced cultivation of the formerly elvish region of Mandek by elvish slaves and free humans was at last complete.  The elves worked the land as slaves.

Cultivation continued in Sourinn, where Prince-Consort Migdala went as a result of a divine order.  He did not question his wife-god’s orders (for she could make no mistakes and brooked no disagreements), but found that Sourinn was already a full part of the Empire, as he’d already known.

Lord Amir Driaz traveled to An’Hirz to convince Lord Yurin to bring his region back into full communion with the god-empress.  Though Yurin and Amir

Najya, being present in Jahali, seized control of the capital and declared herself regent.  Anbar ben Ramil of Navilok refused to recognize Najya as his superior and marched his armies home, while the desert regions of Mahan and Ahmuzay rebelled. Rabin ben Shiraz remained loyal.

Once in power, however, Najya was not about to let it go.  She replaced the palace guards with those loyal to herself and seized command of the army.  In just a few months, she declared that the late sultan’s entire family had never been at Azhkatûm, and had it fact been killed in the Mukatir fire…every last one of them.

Najya declared herself Sultana and braced for the results.  Most of the northwest rebelled against her will, but the urban south and Argabazos river valley was more concerned with the flow of trade and refused to join the rebellion.  In the end, the usurper Najya found herself queen of the richest portion of the Emirates, and in complete command of its army. Men gritted their teeth when dealing with this murderous old woman, but none dared oppose her power.

In 2880, the Gurek of the Red Stone, Farmuz’s national adventuring band, returned from deep in the desert to lay the fabulous Silverstone Amulet on the sultana’s aged lap.

His son Afshar was crowned after him, and quickly named his youngest brother Danush as a prince of the realm. Afshar ceased governing the city of Chegamum and took up the governance of the kingdom. Most of his court was likewise engaged in the governance of the realm’s cities, though those few with magical talent also aided the regions around them by summoning spirits of rain and sun.

It was, all in all, a peaceful time in Vaudan.

The slow cultivation of Inni continued as a few hardy souls from Shkoyemri trekked west into the endless grasslands to wrest a living from the soil.

Lord Feodan of Amak died in 2878 at the ripe old age (for a hobgoblin) of fifty-eight.

Maejith’s eldest daughter Zlawa, a wild child who had refused proper training all her life and grown up fighting with the common soldiery, suddenly returned and demanded to be made heir.  She informed everyone that she would be bearing no children and that her sisters would bear her heirs.  This was simply too much for the powerful Kasadir nobility, who refused to accept such a hellion in a position of authority, even if her father was blind to her behavior.  When they threatened outright rebellion, Maejith relented and refused to name his daughter heir.

Kasadir missionaries went even farther afield than Sekpata, traveling among the savage hobgoblin tribes of the steppe at Inkadyol.  Those who were not killed out of hand found that the language and racial barriers were almost insuperable.  Besides, the hobgoblins enjoyed their bloody spirit rituals and had no intentions of giving them up.

Kasadir continued to employ the Order of Havirj for its own secretive purposes.  The Order has not been seen in Kasadir for many years.

In the meantime, Lord Chiccgoq traveled to the city of Mihagga, where he oversaw the complete integration of the city into the kingdom.  Charged with educating Hexoatl’s daughter Mundiloq, he drowned her instead at Quetza’s order.

Lord Pahaux, a fine general but a rather timid and foolish soul, attempted to explore the Xiangyun Sea in nothing but a small skiff.  He was never seen again.

The Regent died in 2877 during a bout of typhoid fever that also took Lord Hethde of Bangaha and Jailur of Tekkur.

Queen Lisistrana was still far too young (only six) to rule, so yet another regent was acclaimed by the family, Lord Torek. Torek was already governor of Aone and quickly assumed power in the Empire.

Lord Hethde’s death had serious repercussions in Bangaha, where he left seventeen heirs.  They immediately fell to fighting viciously among themselves and paid no further attention to the alliance with Mogodor.

Lord Jailur’s son in Tekkur continued to pay taxes and tribute to the capital, but sent forth no more troops.

Thereafter, King Valiel put all the treasure of his government into building a strong and efficient system of magistrates to bind his nation together.

Lord Janz of Jutuh, whom Mardule had brought with him as an aide, died in Keama in 2877.  There being no strong heir in Jutuh, the Jutuh troops marched home.

Ledrick the Swift assembled the nation’s light troops at the capital and became governor of Mahlish.  He died in 2878 during one of many waves of the plague which swept through the city.

Nuitai priests of Orithia blessed the young general with Greater Shield, a complex of spells and prayers designed to protect him from the vile magic of Kuan Li Jiang, undead lord of Erdiyek.

This aid came none too soon, for when Kuan Li Jiang had summoned to him the awful shambling dead of his necropolis, they marched into Nuitai’s colony of Basirzos. There, Ranit and Ghavrit built elaborate defenses and braced to fight the invader.

As Ghavrit and the Forestors watched from hilltop forts and hidden redoubts, an army of skeletons, seasoned with the recent dead whose flesh had yet to slough off, advanced into their homes and farmsteads.

At the head of the army was not Kuan Li Jiang, but his ghoulish assistant Zhi Kwan Li.  While Zhi directed the efforts of the army, Kuan Li Jiang calmly unleashed necromantic energies not seen in Theeurth in seventy centuries. As a green miasma spread out from the unholy mouth of the lich, it

And not only at sea.  A large flotilla of river barges and pole boats regularly made the journey up the Gardagos river to trade goods at Vakla, and King Trelan added considerably to the size of that riverine fleet.

Admiral Phelan the Proud patrolled the waters around Choran with a small fleet of warships, while general Lan patrolled the landward borders.

Lord Drofu of the Storm Pang sailed west to Ketkume and through cunning diplomacy and subtle threats, arranged a payment of tribute to Choran each year. Drofu died in his quarters in 2879.

King Trelan the Bold also died, in 2878 at the age of thirty-four.  The great families met in secret and after many weeks it was decided to give the “kingship” (a titular position if ever there was one) to Lord Kerian. The families would have preferred to nominate

King Vo-Laareth returned to Suru’or and ruled his Empire, eagerly watching the happenings across the Sea of Frozen Stars in Erdiyek and Basirzos.  He fathered a son in 2877, but his queen Ni-Luento, died in childbirth the following year.

Ar-Giothen and Na-Tarnek sailed to Tekume’s human colony of Chobo and exacted a tribute after telling harrowing tales of those who had defied the empire. Ar-Giothen died in Chobo in 2879 of pneumonia.

An-Grothek, the great giant mariner, sailed around the northern seas, exploring as far west as the Permanga Sound in his small fleet of ships. 

Another mariner who made his name in this time was Bo-Volduk, allied lord of Tauntum.  He sailed west and was attacked by a human fleet out of Choran.  Bo-Volduk’s small fleet of three warships and a cog outfought the five Choran warships and captured their admiral, Phelan the Proud.  Bo-Volduk went on to lose most of his fleet to storms exploring the Sea of Shen’xi, and returned to the capital.

The road crews maintained their busy pace laying a broad paved road connecting the capital to the city of Lepreum in Rundar.

The king named his daughter Agatha as heir to the throne and fathered two sons in 2877 and 2879.

King Lochilann ruled the kingdom from Orbelain.  He and his new bride Siobhan had a son, the future king, in 2878.

Lochilann’s brother Cormac conducted diplomacy in Chemada, completing an alliance with that wealthy region.  At the same time, he brought in gold and domestic animals, encouraging the wild Chemadans to settle down and farm the rich soil of their land.

Lord Saerbrethach and Bishop Shaeloth the Shadowed sailed south in six warships to chart the bays and inlets of the Jaundor Sea.  Saerbrethach and his entire command crew died on that voyage when their ship struck a rock off the coast of Davashu.  Bishop Shaeloth was able to complete the mission and return with the precious rutter.

Lord Papichulk traveled across the Hecadian Straits to the elvish forests of Runambi and extracted a recognition from the elves of Nijon’s sovereignty.  Lord Burrostronium of Siruvargal was to have accompanied Papichulk, but died in port, leaving turmoil in his city.

With the death of Lord Burrostronium, there were many who repudiated the alliance with Threns, now seen as a pagan force.  The city dared not take the ultimate step of rebellion, but sent no troops or taxes to the capital.

Lord Sauvestron was inquiring about local conditions in Sukan one day when he heard the strange tale of a man who had murdered his whole family.  The next day the man was found working in the fields as always.  Before his neighbors executed him, he loudly swore his innocence.  Two months later, several hobgoblins from the Kolyut Hegemony were killed in a bar fight by a man whom all witnesses swore had died the previous week. 

Sensing something strange afoot, Sauvestron tracked several clues to a small village where he found a creature of sinister magic, an eidolon, a magical construct capable of assuming the appearance of anyone it chose.  Driven mad by its grief over the lost civilization of its creators, it had taken to murder.  Sauvestron managed, at great risk to himself, to deactivate it and return with its considerable hoard of treasure.

King Nijon’s final expansion was to his family, as he fathered two boys in 2877 and 2878.

Shart and Megar both marched northwest to Phinmai, then parted ways.  Shart marched north into Yekansi with four thousand infantry, while Megar marched west into Irnatra with seven thousand light infantry.

Shart proceeded to attack and enslave the Indahl tribesmen of Yekansi.  They were quickly joined in battle by the Indahl humans of Phinmai, who revolted at the mistreatment of their brothers.  Despite being one of the worst generals to ever command a troop, Shart was blessed with both well-trained troops and an unreasonable amount of luck.  He defeated the three thousand Indahls in two campaigns, successfully enslaving the Yekansi.  He had to fight the Phinmai again when he returned south and this time he won through sheer numbers, re-pacifying the restive province. Shart was killed in battle, though the battle was won by then.  The dim-witted general had muddled through his orders successfully, but at the cost of more than half his army, dead on the fields of Indahl.

Megar the Bull was a more cerebral commander, not prone to wasting his troops, but his orders were to accomplish a great deal in a short time and he could not afford to wait after each battle to collect stragglers or heal the wounded.  While Shart was enslaving Yekansi, Megar used the power of his army to force conversions upon the men of Irnatra.  Naturally, they objected and had to be brought to the bloody altar by violence.  That was okay with Megar’s hobgoblin troops – they preferred it that way.

Next, Megar and his army, who were about to march on Makuwai, received word that Hegemon Mordo was dead.  Knowing that the Hegemon’s son was a mere

The nation of halflings continued its monumental work to convert their sathla neighbors to the worship of Nuree. Isumbras Lowstick gave his last preaching the virtues of the Three-Faced god in the jungles of Assa, while Turuk Daggermaker labored in the sweaty Sauryas rainforests. It was in the east, in Amovish, where newcomer Poppy Artfulspark made real strides among the natives, converting thousands at mass charismatic rallies of ecstatic Nuree worship.

Meanwhile, Baris Dustybrook remained in Dhal, settling the terms of an alliance with the human region.

The region of Sukurem was cleared of its wilderness and put to productive growth and harvesting.  Mesora Slickbrook, sheriff of Sukurem, died shortly after seeing the cultivation complete.

Prince Drendak led raids into the jungles of Sapanju and Uttaya, and into the hills of Nachika.  He suffered a spear wound to the thigh in Sapanju that festered and eventually killed him.

The Emperor also had built twenty stout cogs which he directed to carry the produce of the Empire between its cities. He directed the redistribution of shipping all across the empire, and still had time to father three sons, ensuring the dynasty.

Lord Adoichi visited Virunir and Ammanit on brief diplomatic tours.  He managed to establish a vague claim of right to the overlordship of Ammanit.

Lord Kadath offered N’Basgus of Assarat some very significant manors in Rajahdan and Balrava in exchange for his oath of fealty to the emperor.  Kadath died of heat stroke almost immediately afterwards.

Lord Szychall, another diplomat doomed to die in office, failed to convince Inzixl of Gattapal to give up

The kingdom celebrated wildly at the completion of two large religious monuments, the Heart of the Dragon and the Horns of the Wyrm.  The Heart of the Dragon is temple complex in Iapsengi, the center chamber of which is shaped like the heart of a dragon. Temple priests man booming drums at all hours of the night, keeping the steady rhythm of a giant beating heart.

The Horns of the Wyrm in Warang are two, thin Ivory towers, each with a slight curve in the structures. From a distance, they look like two, fine horns rising out from the earth. Curved stairways are carved into the inner and outer walls of the towers, one set used for ascending pilgrims the other for descending.

Regent Augur Kril, with the assistance of Toras Una, Hursson Trak and Wano of Pekesedun convinced the lords of Iapsengi to join fully with Anku Elevya.

The Empire completed its colonization of Bukuturru.  The sauruses were allowed religious and cultural freedoms, but it was the sathla who held the land and all the government posts.

Lord Chan Tao and Zhiao-Than of Dentu conducted diplomacy with the lords of Mukarma.  Although the men of the region seemed favorably disposed towards the Lulipayat diplomats, they  surprised both lords by rescinding their feudal oaths and merely acknowleging Lulipayat supremacy. 

Meanwhile, Autumna priests worked to spread the word of Udjo within the human population of Mukarma.  Despite the religion’s racist overtones, they did remarkably well.

Zhiao-Than died in Mukarma in 2879.  His troops sailed home and no tribute was sent to the capital in 2880.

Lord Thesk and Daarlek of Mersemb traveled to the

King Alycor left Ushuqua to sail to the the land of Imochid, the easternmost point on Wayahapta sailing rutters and then marched overland to the wealthy province of Omasune.  There, he convinced the wizard-prince of Omasune to become a vassal of the halfligns of Wayahapta.

Meanwhile, Lord Mendrassu sailed to the Ryori Sea in three small warships and mapped the contours of the sea as far north as the Choran outpost of Tolnek. Mendrassu then landed at Yan-Kuei and laid claim to the city in the name of the Serenity.  The local merchants laughed.

Lord Harand traveled to Azuika, north of Omasune and conducted diplomacy with the human lord.  Unfortunately, the diminutive diplomat greatly annoyed the human chieftain with his squeaky voice, and was murdered by the Azuikans.

King Kodor assembled a census of all his peoples, establishing exactly what he could tax.

Meanwhile, Prince Xang Glitterdelve and Lord Sirom Stiffbeard traveled to Hidekeda and conferred upon its tribes full citizenship in the kingdom.  Lord Garf Ironfist and Kilor Blacklock did the same in Tomarom.

The court seemed to be gathered in the tranquil halls of the Crysanthemum Palace at Hitotome, concentrating on some great, silent project…

The foundries and guild halls of Komotsu were enhanced, bringing fame to the smiths and armorers of the city.

Emperor Koram IV formed a personal guard of elite soldiers four thousand strong at Komotsu, leaving the rest of the army to local leaders and city garrisons.

Meanwhile, Lords Edorel, Faressë and Findarwin governed the cities of the Jade Republic.

Lord Juelans found a kindred spirit in Lassesul of Kupenda, who agreed to become an ally of the king’s, thus paving the way for the Emerald Realm to expand into the wealthy valleys of Fuama.