Archon's Curse [Pathfinder Kingmaker]

[Imperator Pax]

Erastus 4713
Jaethal dismissed her retainers. It was no surprise of course that the crown had once against missed archerfeast, at the beginning of the month. There was simply too much to do. It wasn't intentional but it, the feast, came at such an utterly inconsiderate time in their calendar, by being held so early in the seventh month of the year.

... admittedly the Inheritor's ascendance was a feast day Eire made a point of making time for, but the human clerics and clergy of the temple of the Elk didn't take that personally. The temples had been raised by the Taldane empire of yore, and it had been rebuilt by the barony before the transition there was little they could say.

Eire could speak of stone age humanity and the development of tools, of pottery, and agricultures emergence, but he was quick to focus on metallurgy and engineering... and even now Vordakai looked to restore the ruins of ancient cyclopean empires; that included astronomical observatories.

That wasn't itself a problem but where Erastil's church did not seriously present an issue to royal authority even if there were some grumbling the Church of Pharasma and in her particular case that of the Kyonin branch of the faith more so than the Brevic one had surely taken note of the decrepit Lich's presence. The church had officially disclaimed the half elf Enneo... but frankly she was skeptical of their response. It was all to easy for Kyonin to pass off a half breed's actions as not sanctioned. Whatever the truth, it fell to here to weigh whether or not Kyonin might associate or possess any information about Vordakai and the empire of old, and whether they might act on it in any reasonable timeframe.

... but the elven court would most likely be patient, and likely waited to see if the kingdom would survive on its own before moving one way or another. Though unlikely to ever be voiced in public, in a century she suspected her former homeland might come to regret such a policy.

The lich gave a huff intentionally exhaling air from his atrophied lungs. He spread his skeletal hands and manipulated the magical map of the kingdom, and it was what the map highlighted which was why. "Your forebearers were quite busy." An image of another 'elf gate'...

Because of course they had, the connection Narland had to the first world was prevalent across the realm, and of course there was the nagging suspicion that the aiudara's origins weren't quite what Kyonin liked to claim. Some were very, very old, and attuned to the first world... and of course that seven arches continued to defy kyonin was a point of contention within elven politics.

She focused far to the east, and the grasslands where the gate sat on the map "There is one out in the wastes?" She didn't bother asking if the cyclops was sure.

"I have confirmed it, but it existed in the time before the cataclysm and there are at least two or three in the west near the branfeld mountains, where there is a powerful connection to the first world." He replied.

Of course that well beyond their legal border. It was beyond even that annoying piece of worm food that claimed to be their neighbor... in fact it was part of the area allocated to the group of mercenaries who had disappeared without succeeding. The Iron Wraiths, and the Issian expedition before them, had vanished... "We may have mistakenly ascribed the disappearance of the expedition to the Tiger Lords."

"I view that as plausible, though the human barbarians might still have been responsible. We simply lack the evidence to definitively say." The ancient wizard remarked.

Jaethal looked the map of the realm as the sandy floor shifted beneath them. The river was the lifeblood of the country. There was a fledgling road network but the small towns and settlements all connected to a next level up of planned fortified regional administration. For the west that wasn't an issue, the Narlmarch was seemingly easy to plan around, for the east though to the windswept wastes of the southeast that reached all the way to the padishah empire's borders and to the far west to the shores of the Castrovin sea.

"As one can see," The cyclops continued, "The boundaries of the first world are thin, more it is very difficult in some places to be sure one has not accidentally crossed over." Vordakai stated, "And this continues I believe from my scrying all the way to the sea itself."

"Does this relate to Irrisen's attack?"

"Irrisen is not the cause of it, but I believe the actions they take against us stirs the boundary between this world and the other. I would need to do more research to examine if it is deleterious to the realm, but it does not appear to be." The cyclops responded, "Admittedly though not intended for such, the creation of these towers," And the churches to which each was to be attached, "will allow us to better view the magic of the realm."

Jaethal nodded and rested her chin on a gloved hand. The idea was on its face simple enough. It built off of an existing system of governance. Eire wanted a what he called a 'town'/municipal, county, province system to organize the villages and population into the tower and church arrangement was an expansion of a fortified 'burgh' principle. It was complicated by the goal of integrating advanced magic into it.

The towers were supposed to provide rapid up to date information about events in their region. They were supposed to facilitate words of sending, report any magical activity and to support the church attached to them as a rallying point for rapid movement. More importantly given all the ruins and other potential resources for the kingdom the towers were to be tools of royal authority across the kingdom.

It was however simply a proposed system. The initial tower within Shrikewall had not had its design finalized and it could be years before they committed to that given the need for labor elsewhere. Eire after all needed only to have visited a religious site to teleport to it personally... but the tower & church apparatus were intended to function more like the auidara did being able to transport groups of people who hadn't been somewhere previously.

"The idea is sound." Vordakai remarked

It was of course not how it had been done in the ancient cyclops empire, especially since they didn't have the number of giant wizards for that, and nor was it how the kingdom of Kyonin was organized... though Jaethal appreciated that. The issue of course was the limitation, and what prevented them from implementing it. Eire was himself a wizard, he could cast both, which was all well and good in Jaethal's opinion, except of course even for an undead there were only so many hours in a day. Expecting a reigning monarch to have the time to undertake that was unreasonable... they just didn't have enough wizards.

Wizards took years to train up. That was without even considering newly taken on foreign obligations, which tied the kingdom to the wider world of northern Avistan.
--
Amiri kicked a rock, and watched it skip into the great lake. Summer was waning but the six bears ... the small group of them still with her childhood friend showed no signs of decamping. Amiri did not like these 'Jadwiga' ... admittedly even in the lands of the mammoth lords it wasn't unheard of for the children of great lineages to have certain presumptions, to use Jubilost's word, but the Jadwiga 'boyars' had been shocked to face real resistance in battle, much less to be defeated in battle.

It was pitiful. Indeed the truth was of the Irissen following it was not the human warriors who were the challenge but their haste to summon reinforcements from their giant members. The frost giants and also the winter fey had come to join battle.

The stone giants had answered the kingdom's call to battle, which Nilak had unnecessarily pointed out that being able to call giants to battle indeed giant families from both sides placed both kingdoms on a footing of status far greater than most great followings.

Normal chieftans did not have the ability to issue calls to war and have it answered by dozens of giant warriors. Then again, normal chieftans often did not have to contend with a rival doing the same thing. It was not completely unheard of in theory a powerful enough, a legendary kellid chieftan or more likely a great elected war leader might be able to muster the treasure to sway a giant tribe to fight but that was not the same thing.

Akiros had, in discussion, agreed that even in the southern lands it was unusual for human kings to have the ability to issue such feudal calls... but it was not unusual for Irrisen Nor was it all that strange to hear from Iobaria, though Vordakai had scoffed at the latter example given the state of the followings in the east... but then the old cyclops was perennially, another Jubilost word, dismissive of the state of the eastern lands he hailed from especially.

Nilak was shaking her head. "We'd just be a handful of faces in all of this. Every day more and more people seem to arrive."

It seemed like it would have been the same if they went and joined the tiger lords, which was the last thing that Amiri wanted, given what they had heard. The Tiger Lords passing back west had bragged about the size of the growing following of Armag Twice born and his power, as well as the tribute that Pitax showered on them as gifts.

With tens of thousands of Kellid warriors the six bear following would just disappear. She might not really understand the number a 'million' a million of anything boggled the mind, but that was how Akiros had described the nation of Andoran a 'million'. It didn't matter that was accurate or not when she had been travelling she had seen how easy it was to get lost in the throngs of people of the cities of the Inner Sea.

It was in this context that Amiri was coming to terms with the end of the six bears following, "That is all you'll be," But... Nilak had to balance what changes she could make with the fact that Armag was a great war leader, with a large host of tribes already flocking to his banner. That Armag and his tiger lords had likely already brought even even if just on the outside other fragments of Six Bears and more than that that as a Kellid leader he would better understand the reciprocity expected of a great chief. She started to bristle, "I don't want us to be enemies Nilak," But she could feel it in her bones Armag would need to fight, the Twice Born had to prove his mettle. It was the way.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Erastus 4713
Eire frequently had to remind himself that Golarion was not Earth, and that he was not having to fight through the sort of institutional rpoblems the cultural inertia issues of either real medieval earth, or that of of real modern or early modern social norms. He was free of the poppycock romanophile pop culture view of the renaissance, but he also didn't have for its positive effects early modern nationalist sentiment to contend with.

There was no catholic protestant split or for that matter evangelical monotheism in a world where the god swere a frequently interventionist portion of society and a society that at large had frequent use of magic. At the same time though he knew from Shyka's realm that it was the early 20th​ century on Earth. Leaving aside that inadvertent time travel Earth was still technologically more sophisticated than Golarion... and its developed areas had better infrastructure. Was that a realistic concern... maybe... Earth was going through world war 1 from what he had seen.

It was something that weighed on him even if he wasn't on Earth. There were limitations to what his books could provide, but there were still benefits. He looked forward to interchangeable parts, the proliferation of standard sized clothes, and expanding the use of palletized cargo... all of it would make life simpler and more efficient and keep prices down... he was thinking long term about middle class prosperity and demand for commercial goods... and thus being able to finance the realm on the basis of modern taxation systems.

It was similar logic which impacted his efforts to enforce a grid like structure of urban planning, and also to introduce universal and compulsory education. That was, the latter was an issue even without a catholic protestant split. Officially speaking he had the advantage that no one expected him, and indeed would have been shocked, if attempted to implement even a henotheistic state establishment of religion. As monarch it was his prerogative, and the expectation was, to patronize religious institutions and in Golarion that meant a pantheon and plethora of gods, as well as lesser divinities... and in some communities particularly of the Inner Sea that likely would have included saints.

As nascent as the monarchy was, as young as it was he had a much freer hand into determining how a royally sanctioned pantheon was arranged... and thus Arsinoe and the church of Abadar had been levying efforts to ... most likely convey similar importance to their church as the vault keeper held within in Brevic society. Arsinoe being from Absalom didn't change that, a new kingdom or at the time an independent principality was a new realm all the same. Even so, the Taldan Empire had not been the Roman Empire, Rome could never have concioused the idea of Absalom remaining outside of its power as it did...

Eire gestured to the map, "The situation with Irrisen is concerning," The news from over the border with Galt and the disruptions that the nation of revolution had with its own harvest mirrored that of presumably Brevoy and certainly that of Pitax. "Silver dragons have little to worry about the cold, but Galt is already politically unstable," but not necessarily enough to collapse it, but enough that it could be a problem if everyone as having the same problem due to the same proximate causes.

That was one of the things Eire found most vexing about Golarion, and Avistan it was that the old the tired old trope of pop culture history of earth's dark age of deluded romanophiles pretending or wanting to believe that agriculture had stagnated or even regressed seemed to be true here. Admittedly it was entirely possible to say the lack of progress of the last century or so was the death of Aroden and the opening of the world wound devastating large swathes of farm lands and the Chelish civil war wracking prosperous western avistan, but it still vexed him all the same.

"But still Mendev." Jaethal remarked leaning over the paper map, and table of letters.

"yes still Mendev," He replied, "We've secured our side and have a foothold there," And from the reports that trickled in from wider irrisen it seemed that the reigning queen really had bitten off more than she could chew. Thus far none of the winter queens retainers had attempted to overthrow her but who was so say how long that might last. "I do not plan to remain," In the crusader state, "for a protracted length of time, "

"We share no immediate land border with Galt, so I don't imagine it will be a problem." The undead elf replied, but we do need to discuss the issue of other threats to the border. There can be no denying whatever this tiger lord barbarian intends to do he has amassed a sizable number of kellid swords to his cause, enough that its drawing attention from the steppe and that can effect our southern borders."
--
A part of Eire wanted to focus on commercial matters on the commodities exchange. There was a certain degree of comparability there that harkened back to thoughts of earth. The reality though was that outside of the great trade of luxuries and rare items, not limited to the magical item trade, there had yet to be a commodity revolution in Golarion It was unlikely anyone would slap tariffs on the volume of jeans he could export, but they might still be subject to sumptuary laws and taxation that way by clerical or secular authorities.

There was little he could do about that with the vestigial and limited nature of diplomatic relations and conventions. He was a fish out of water, out of time in a way, where the cultural norms of trade and society had never had a peace of westphalia either. The church of abadar was unlikely to protest such taxes either not within foreign realms, they would have no reason to. Especially as that would most likely conflict with the autocephalous nature of the individual temples of Abadar's church.

As for the jeans... well he had to import cotton from down river. Bulk cotton wasn't that bad it was the kind of commodity that could be transported by large barges up river since the Sellen was readily navigable up from the Inner Sea but it did make the trade potentially at risk from any conflicts in the Inner Sea not just the ones the eastern nations were involved in.

Could the commodity revolution take place without the diplomatic reforms of Westphalian sovereignty, or the economic transformation? Eire knew that Narland still wasn't a fully monetized economy, that the realm was a gathering of what he still thought of as anachronistic bits and bobs including the geared water wheels that freed up manpower from the laborious process of grinding grain.

That did free up parts of the work force, as well as not making up the difference with draft animals. The geared water wheel like what Harrgulka had built insured more than a hundred kilograms of grain could be milled an hour in comparison to simpler grain mills that might need two men or a donkey to grind a fraction of that. That was part of how they kept ahead of the food production after all.

As he loomed over the magical map of the realm the thought didn't escape him, that in practical terms that food security was itself anachronistic. Western Europe had had its last famine in the 1950s, the soviet union had continued to be dependent on American grain into the eighties... if you could say the Yeltsin regime had fixed anything it was that it had put the agricultural system to rights... but then probably only because they could no longer plunder Ukrainian granaries.

.... and that was his more pressing concern. Neighboring states had become the more pressing matter, "A fight is surely unavoidable." Jubilost agreed with the conversation going on exclusive of his musings.

The conversation turned as Tristian made a surprising contribution, in sharing what he had learned, "The iobarians I spoke with," Who worshipped a somewhat more militant aspect of sarenrae among their list of gods, "Said that Armag is seeking where the original was laid to rest, to recover a magical sword placed in the tomb to be recovered when he returned to Golarion."

"Ovinrbaane?" the former werewolf questioned from beside Akiros. The sword was titled the enemy of all enemies, but it was already late in the year. The full moon had been the night before, and that meant that the eighth month of the year had only another week.

Eire's watched the ticking hands of the clock on the wall, but its presence did not change that the majority of people especially in the countryside lived according to traditional agrarian practices, and the calendar, and that those practices shaped what labor he could call for royal projects at any given time. "Jubilost I understand you plan to attend Armasse with us in Mendev?" He questioned.

"Ah well, I intended to make the trip," The gnome replied, "I'm sure it will be very interesting." Then coughed slightly.

"I see," He responded. Ovinrbaane would need to be researched... but that had been long after the fall of the Cyclops empire, and Maestro Pendrod was an expert in that field not in the Kellid zenith period before the age of empires that had been the Taldan heyday, "Can we conduct research to at least narrow down whether or not the Temple is or isn't within our borders through research over the winter?" He was relatively sure that was the case, but on the other hand he had no idea what was up with Drelev, and the hooktongue slough situation... and there was Ilthuliak presumably in the southern part of those marshes and who knew what else. "Once the harvest is concluded we will also look at what other labor can be redirected before Winter seriously impedes any work," But that would mostly mean redirectling royal draft animals and the growing pool of experts in crafts.
--
Notes: Ugh this past week okay this today, xenonauts p5 tomorrow, Rabid Fox Wednesday, hopefully Drow thursday, eminence in shadow Friday.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Arodus 4713
The Narlmarch supplied timbers to the realm at large; and theoretically might eventually export timbers in spite of Brevoy's market for export. Large kilns treated lumber and drying sheds protected both stock and boards from the frequent thunderstorms common to the Narlmarches. That was something that Brevoy couldn't or didn't do, because it was techniques centuries ahead of, born of the industrial processes of the 19th century of the British Empire, and brought to maturity for the first world war.

... a war that he had not forgotten was likely still raging on a distant earth...Eire wasn't quite sure about the passage of time.

From these sources, the lumber, supplied both the notched log cabins of local housing, to the finished goods of barrels, or the various shallow drift tinker boats of the river within the kingdom. Due to the geography of the Shrike, the waterfalls further north one could not take the river route much further north than Kressle's domain, but with much of the Kingdom's towns and settlements within easy reach of a major waterway it was practical to have river boats... and from the Shrike you could easily reach Mivon.

The river network was of vital importance

In less civilized situations he wasn't sure the beaver folk and the lizard folk might have really been able to cooperate as well as they were under the kingdom's auspices. The truth was the deepening of the rivers either naturally due to the spring thaw or by dredging required certain changes.

Truth be told Eire would have ideally preferred Roman concrete deep seating pylons in the water. That would have been his response in terms of central planning. Eldas's worshippers being relatively amphibious, coupled with the lizard folk also being relatively amphibious had integrated their existing construction strategies around that with little problem eldas was also god of masonry architecture.

Their success in the Narlmarches, where they did have a much more readily available supply of lumber to fell, had attracted Amvarean's attention. It was likely too late in the year now to start attempting project to repair the old Taldan canal but perhaps next year after the spring thaw the beavers could provide work parties and they could set lumber aside for that. They could look at what Amvarean wanted now, and spend the fall and winter months contemplating the matter, before reviewing the situation the ground in the spring.

Amvarean had a point that there would be use in bringing the old Canal back into service. It was well placed they could from there bring the nearby quarry into use and rebuild the old taldane castle form there it was all around one of the better options of a place to settle immigrants in the realm. Admittedly he hadn't really had the time, and the council was busy... there was so much to do, and the expectations of medieval kingship entailed making physical appearances in a far different fashion than modern heads of states.... and that was without even touching the frontier nature of the realm.

The people of the realm though more broadly were adopting to the sellen river network. To the great river system and its climate... more importantly than that was there was significantly less internal strife than he'd been concerned with. That didn't change though that land clearing, and establishing shelter and shops, and yes farms was time consuming even with the advantage of semi standardized building materials. Clay fired in tube kilns helped significantly, as did kiln fired wooden boards and posts of standard lengths but there was still work that had to be done in construction, and preparing a sight.

He was glad he didn't have to micromanage that level of construction, but it did still need to be done. As monarch he could lay out policy but there needed to be a certain local industriousness that addressed local needs that wouldn't be readily obvious to top level administration. That probably was further obfuscated by the baronial, and now royal stores of common production goods... the kingdom produced standardized clothing, jeans, in addition to building materials. There were royal granary stores that provided access to bread rations.

Those things supported a nascent urban worker population. It meant that people could focus on buying bread or clothing from the kingdom rather than needing to manufacture their own. That took labor out of the household and redirected it into wage labor based on clocks and fixed time.

"Well," he remarked, "That the boats have protected spaces to dock is the more important matter." It really was, the water furnished transit for people and goods. While the Candlemere-Tuskwater combined lake area were critically important Silverstep, and where the Shrike met the Thorn were also of significant importance, especially as both regions mines opened up to produce iron, gemstones, silver, and gold. Never mind any other products.

Valerie signaled her intention to speak, "Not to take away from her request, but this kind of work would also benefit the Temple of the Elk." which of course meant more than just the Temple of the Elk. It meant among other settlements the growing druid refuge, it meant Akiro's domain on the Thorn river. On the other side, that was one the Skunk River, there was the Adamantine Shield Fortress near the western short ... and for that matter there was the crashed ship site that Eire still had not had time to visit in person.

Valerie was right though. The shift, even before the Varnhold vanishing had already begun favoring east to west expansion, rather than the realm's northern brevic border... and he shouldn't have allowed himself to neglect the infrastructure of the northern Narlmarches It was also true that there was very little time left in the year for building and construction.

Armasse was fast approaching, it began on the sixteenth. Then of course there was all the labor called forth for the farms, and harvesting of wheat crops planted back at the beginning of spring. New Colton would also be bringing in its rice crop, as well as crops of corn and barley.

--
The Aldori city state to the south was still blocked from its more traditional route up river that would have let them trade directly with New Stetven. He had wondered for a realm that had espoused, and continued to espouse Aldori independence and being true brevic and whatever else how they rationalized that trade and how it had lasted in at least the time when House Rogaravaria had still had draconic power supporting it. It didn't make a lot of sense given that in theory Choral should have easily been able to mount an assault down the river network and subjugate the fledgling city state... but then again he probably simply hadn't cared to do so, and his heirs had let the matter lie.

He had more important things to do unfortunately than ponder history. Though, that was the interesting thing, he'd tried to run the math of maneuvering an army. It didn't add up. The valley of fire seemed to have been the defining military conflict of the war, or at least the piece de resistance. There was no equivalent in Brevic history, or in the foundation of the kingdom in the north... in fact the entire northern campaign seemed to be well maybe not completely fabricated but so far as he could determine it didn't seem like the Issian houses had put up much resistance to Choral.

Still... Choral had left the Aldori in Mivon alone. Just as he had left the Licenza who went on to ensconce themselves in Pitax. Beyond that, well Eire was staring at the map, but that wasn't what had as of late been bothering him.

He'd largely been operating on the notions of Westphalian Sovereignty but those principles didn't exist... frankly he didn't understand how Galt could have come into being given non of the trends should have existed to create ... well demon cultists wasn't a terrible explanation, or hags or whatever.. but that wasn't his problem.

No it was that he kept assuming that international principles, Westphalian principles were the norm, when there was no reason they should be. He'd made mistakes in how he viewed, and looked at the Technic League and Pitax's actions when frankly he'd been doing so from a modern perspective... and frankly there was no reason Mivon, or Brevoy... well it went a long way to explaining Jamandi frankly irritating behavior and demeanor at times.

That wasn't a good sign.

Eire regarded the pallets. They were roughly equivalent in size to US military pallets, even though he didn't have forklifts of the mechanized variety, but they were each rated for a little over a ton in weight, and the Enterprise's cargo hold was built to accommodate fifty tons. Lack of internal combustion engine driven forklifts were made up for with a combination of hand lifts but also the much more useful magical levitation. The only particular downside to the cargo hold arrangement was it wasn't really suitable for draft animals, such as horses. It had not been designed with such in mind, and attempting to modify the hold for such would have created headaches that they couldn't afford the delay.

Linzi bounced from foot to foot.

"It isn't the first flying ship." Jubilost remarked.


"But its our first flying ship." The halfling retorted growing defensive at the under cutting of the accomplishment.

Jubilost was right, and that was in its own way a relief. Alkenstar had flying galleys, and of course in the age before Aroden's raising of the star stone the empires in the south had always erected flying ships and structures, apparently even whole cities... which of course only gave him worrisome visions of Faerun's Netheril. Thoughts of Netheril just elicited concern about the Drow, and the under dark.

Not that Linzi didn't have a point. He would have liked to have more time to test, and insure the ship was properly fitted out before she commissioned, but the flight to Neroysan was a few days... and they would be there for perhaps a week or two and then they would return.
--
Notes: this takes us into the short excursion to Mendev and the start of the events of the Wrath of the Righteous AP, and the fifth mendevian crusade which will largely run in the background until its conclusion in 4718 with the closing of the world wound.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Arodus 4713

Pre departure​

Amiri didn't have the religiously motivated interest to participate in the expedition they were about to leave for, but then neither did most of the others... and while she had planned to go ... Nilak's intransigence, her stubbornness to stay in Narland in favor of treking west insured Amiri planned to get onboard the flying ship and visit the Crusader kingdom for the coming Iomedaen gathering of Armasse.

That Jubilost had assured her that they were safe wasn't really much of an assurance. It was a flying ship. She already didn't really like ocean going ships, not even having the water under you was ... disconcerting to use the gnome's words. The frost giant Kean... much as she didn't want to admit it was better suited to commanding the small garrison defending the portal to Irrisen if the witch queen's forces attempted to force a battle.

Amiri had thought Amvarean would have taken the position but the silver dragoness was planning to join them. Eranex would be remaining in Shrikewall with Valerie to manage all of the people who seemed to arrive everyday as Nilak had pointed out the week previous.

She looked over the waters and scratched at her shaggy loose braids of brown hair, as the first leaves of autumn sank down into the clear lake to rest on the bottom. In a few weeks the bottom of the lake shore would be a painted mosaic of red, yellow, and orange leaves.

People from all over continued to arrive, and Maestro Pendrod had commented in a discussion with Akiros that the harmonization between the giant deities, particularly those same ones worshipped by the kellid people, with other deities was fascinating. She wasn't sure why it was fascinating. The eccentric and bookish southerner hadn't explained that, but apparently it was noteworthy for how the following oriented its veneration of the powerful spirits of the world.

He was talking about the organization of religion. A subject that Amiri had decided long ago she preferred to leave to those with a tongue for it. Eire and Nilak could handle the gods, and prayer, and ceremony far better than she could, and besides Gorrum was a simple and straight forward enough deity for her needs.


Amiri paused to watch... she wasn't spying... Nilak get into another conversation with Tristian about the goddess Sarenrae. She still didn't think it would be enough to convince Nilak and the six bears to stay though... that was why Amiri was hoping that if she went to Mendev then Nilak and the six bears would be gone from the realm by the time they returned and she wouldn't have to watch them actually leave.
--
Amvarean's excitement was palpable reminding her half sister of days as younger dragons. Eranex though, while appreciative of the necessity of the crusade intended to remain behind. Narhold may as well have been the first realm if some force did some how manger to strike her down her she would simply revive... not a pleasant experience as she well knew but it was very, very useful. She needn't fear being struck down here... well that was something of a stretch, Eranex fully understood that there were ways to kill permanently within the first world's reaches but that required power over the first world.

... but if she were to enter the world wound she'd be cut off from those protections and vulnerable to attacks from demons. That was too risky given her responsibilties as given to her by Shyka as envoy of the Many to Narhold.

... besides though she hadn't mentioned it yet, she had seen glimpses of evidence that one of Baba Yaga's spawn was active on his mother's homeworld, a distant world far across the planes. Worse still they had colluded with their half sister the reigning witch queen against the ancient crone and archmage which entailed the curtain crisis in Irrisen and the summer snows.

Amvarean though was glad to visit the human crusade against the Abyss, there were numerous pure blood silvers there, and the prospect appealed for more to her than her half fey younger sister. Eranex wasn't wholly detached though, the world wound was an abomination it had twisted a realm naturally tied ot hte first world and exposed it to unspeakable horrors but her silver dragon nature was moderated by her responsibilities as one of the sidhe.

The undead, atrophied lich, scoffed rasping air through withered lungs, "You are making excuses." the wizard remarked glancing between her and them the undead elf inquisitor. "No doubt this is an excellent example of the benefit the land reaps from your sister's presence."

Eranex huffed. She hadn't missed that either. Far from it, she had serious concerns that the investment and time poured into nurturing and protecting the land would draw the black wyrm Ilthuliak from her domain and the witch had already succeeded in killing Amvarean once. Beyond the black dragon, and her foul breed's tendency towards destruction, the recognition of the land's contentment under draconic care would likely draw the attention of truly despicable members of the chromatic sept.

The Centaurs perenial concern over the threat of whites was merely prudent in Eranex's opinion, but she did not reiterate those concerns as Jaethal had decided to join the conversation putting the map folio aside. It wasn't of the realm... but rather of their enemy the realm of Irrisen to the North west of them. "I remain concerned about the issue of Kostchtchie, and his clerics intrusion..."

"He is active in Irrisen?"

"It would seem so... but we don't know if he's acting in concert with their Queen, and her schemes we are however sure that he schemes."

Vordakai huffed, "releasing his cleric while the legally proscribed course was perhaps overly generous, geass or not." The wizard complained, but he was prepared to concede that that might have had nothing to do with it at all. Whatever the case, whether it mattered or not it was something that had happened, "Should we expect further incursion from Irrisen?"

"Its impossible to be sure," Jaethal replied, "from what I've discerned , and Kean's observations from the other side it seems unlikely."

"They've devolved into civil war?"

"Perhaps not yet, but the violence reported in Whitethrone could hardly be concealed," And that Eranex recognized boded ill for Queen Elvanna or her daughters in terms of maintaining power, "The," the undead elf paused rolling her eyes, "Heralds of Summer's return," the broad umbrella of secret societies of rebels against the Jadwiga reign, "think they might finally be able to break the queen's hold on power, but there is no centralized resistance, and we have had little luck discerning a way to break the spell of winter," which Elvanna had attempted to unleash spreading Irrisen's ice across Golarion... on the other hand it didn't seem to be taking how she had wanted it, if the portals Irrisen terminus could be taken from Irrisen control.
--
Notes: Bonus segment, I kind of want to explore more of Valerie's family but we know so little of them, and for that matter Brevoy really needs a source book.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Armasse​

16 Arodus 4713
Mendev lay ahead of them, or more correctly the great capital of the northern realm. He had not known what to expect, or make of the Crusader kingdom at the edge of the world, on the very edge of civilization. The great star shaped fortress stood anchored by water its white walls stark and unyielding against the blasted landscape of the north.

Vasa Theodorovic was a cleric of Brigh, which made him relatively unique among taldans as the mustachioed cleric didn't serve a goddess who was particularly well known. Narland promised not just acceptance, but respect. Most clerics of good gods at least were respected because they could heal, but the realm was an oddity on the far flung rustic frontier... or it should have been that which was the distinction.

The arcano-tech engine rumbled noisly as the alchemic concoction that was gathered inside of its pipes as it was forced through a cylinder and then ignited to provide motive power beyond the standard trim and cruise speeds of adjustment.

Praise Brigh.

This great work was a grand combination of various metal working, wood working, and of course magical artifice. They had spent three days coursing through the air. It had taken them two days to cross the breadth of Numeria.

It, the trip as well the vessel, was of course also a statement of royal power. The king relied on the aid of elder fire elementals to take shifts serving as a key mechanism in the apparatus. The fire elementals took their shifts powering the apparatus rather than being bound in the kind of sorcery common in the geniebinding used by the Padishah empire... and that of course meant that as long as the ship remained in a holding position the elementals could attack hostile targets as if they were themselves a part of the crew, and the fire elementals struck with powerful blasts of solar light.

Vasa had seen this demonstrated so it was not itself a surprising turn, in the sense that it was a new capability. It was a surprise because several of the elder fire elementals were now firing solar rays at targets he could not see. There was a mounting din of combat, and the roar of dragons all around.

That was in the moment eureka erupted, realization that they were in battle.

They were in battle against the forces of the abyss... of course he had known that that was the point of the crusade but he had expected the tons of supplies primarily in the form of grain foodstuffs for the crusaders was a largely peaceful venture. That they wouldn't actually be on the frontline. He hadn't even really considered what the frontline might be, never mind the fanciful illogical descriptions and horror stories of the rumor mill.

A horrific screech echoed from the air around them.

"For Gorrum!" A proud barbarian voice shouted, which was chorused by other barbarians, "Get us closer I want to hit them with my sword!"

From the opposite direction he heard another voice, "Aetheric capacitors charged," A cleric of Nethys one of the southern ones with a prominent metal skull cap declared wrapping his staff on the planking, "Purge the demon."

A flash of magical energy rippled through the air of the port side and hit something beyond Vasa's sight. Vasa Theodoric was to busy staring at the several hundred meter long red dragon whose wings were bending as it dived towards the city. The great tyrant dragon made Lady Shaoyu, the king's ward, and for that matter the silver form of Lady Amvarean look small.

Vasa Theodoric watched as the elementals of the ship's complement sadled from the central engineering compartment and the ships's forward momentum came to a near halt. He held the bar of the railing to steady himself.

"Insects of terror," The dragon's masculine voice, speaking in draconic of course, spat contemptuously at the flying bug like demons. As he did so dozens of blade barriers formed from conjured silver long swords that churned biting into demonic flesh shielding the port side in a flashing metal protective wall. Vasa did not see much more. The ship began to pitch adjusting its angle to descend to no doubt obey Lady Amiri's command to allow her and the warriors to disembark.

... as if they weren't preparing to face demons in open combat. Theodorovic had not been precisely thrilled when there had been the threat of just Irriseni invaders back at high summer... and while he had volunteered for the maiden flight of Enterprise he had been laboring under the assumption that the flight to Nerosyan, the capital of Mendev, would not take them to the front itself.

He heard the barking of the Nethite cleric in the skull cap and the siege weapon scoured the air again shooting down at an angle through some kind of complex lens... the sparkling beam striking something he couldn't see from his vantage point.

--
Regongar watched the shadow's source as it glided almost serenely across the battlefield in the sky. The rippling portals of divine fire appearing in the sky were nothing he hadn't seen before, just never on this scale. He had wondered before if the red headed priest had been like him that was from a lineage of dragons...

"Well, that would explain why he doesn't burn." Jubilost muttered, "He almost as long as that bastion's wall..." Which was was probably three hundred meters easy, and that was even larger relative to the gnome, "And more holy fire." The gnome observed as wreathing flame scoured flying monstrous bugs.

"If it works why complain." The half orc grunted. As it was the demons were immune to his lightning, and resisted acid which left him in something of a lurch compared to the others. He was a little envious of Amiri's fey wrought great sword right now.

"I can complain about a lot of things," The gnome hurled a vile smelling concoction of herbs at the demon, "But not really about that."

"What is in that foul smelling shit?" He demanded wrinkling his nose in disgust

"Oh you know vervain, and a number of other herbs sacred to various good deities distilled in a solution of holy water, which we have no shortage of,"

The half orc grunted as Shaoyu shot after the other larger draconic form. Then, he shifted out of the way, "Ugh, bug guts." He muttered as another one of the locust thing splatted against the wall. Regongar watched the limbs spasm. "Oh shit who are these-" He didn't finish the question before having to parry an attack from a cloaked weirdo in a mask.

Jubilost backpedalled. "Oh dear cultists." He muttered.

"yah think." There was a bestial grunt as Amiri screamed a war cry slashed open one of the robes to reveal a deformed bovine esque hoof, "Hey he's not a bug person." She grunted, "Who the fuck are these guys?"

Jubilost rolled his eyes. "The bug demons serve the demon lord Deskari," He hurled another noxious compound, that exploded into a wave of blue white fire, "If I had to make an educated guess these are Cultists of Baphomet the bastard son of Lamashtu." That was apparently the wrong thing to say as one of the offended cultists struck out with his or her glaive.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Armasse 4713​

The noon day sky burned casting all beneath under the stifling summer heat. The sounds of battle were everywhere, and the screams of the wounded.... and worse noises as the demons fell upon the vulnerable of her city.

Queen Galfrey of Mendev prepared herself. She brandished her blessed long sword as the demon leapt its insectoid wings flapping to an audible hum. It didn't' even get close before it died. She hadn't expected it to, but instead of one of her arms men intercepting the beast from the abyss another struck. It jumped, and then suddenly the chitinous scales of the bug monster ruptured as long silver talons came scything into the creature from the side. Then with casual ease those same talons hooking into those penetrated scales, and the hand those talons were attached to twitched, casting the demon aside.

There was a solid splat as the abyssal monstrosity painted a formerly white washed wall in a stain of gore.

A cat playing with a mouse.

A not in apt description given the vaguely leonine face of the dragon's proportions its deep red scales were like looking into a forge. The color a sharp sharp contrast to the bright metallic gold that she was more used to seeing on a dragon its size. A bright silver pupil blinked long in their direction as the head turned to regard them, "For the grateful weight of the sword." The red remarked as a wave of legion archons emerged from under its wings to dispatch the remaining abyssal menace. The dragon's head craned slightly, "We are Eire of Shrikewall sovereign of the Narlhold, we greet you Queen Galfrey," Then almost as an after thought, stating the obvious, and in a more conversation tone, "though were such salutations under more preferable conditions."

The blonde queen nodded reciprocating the greeting. "Such is the burden of the righteous." She replied spreading her hands in the formal dialogue, a reciprocating welcome.

Scales disappeared receding into a tall humanoid figure. A man stood with prominent features and deep red hair had replaced the dragon's form in an instant. He was dressed in the vestments of a priest. They would, were she supposed, roughly in line with a cleric of the faith from Westcrown... when she had been a girl... when her father had still ruled Mendev a hundred years earlier. He favored a black cassock with red piping , and a sword belt accommodated a functional though not particularly unusual in appearance longsword. The man, the king before her could have easily stepped out of a tapestry of the first mendevian crusade.

Before anything else could be said there was another wing beat and a smaller dragon... relatively speaking as the younger dragon was bordering on huge. "I thought we were supposed to be attacking the demons." The young feminine voice protested in draconic to her elder heedless of her surroundings or of the others. "Amvarean says this looks like a full scale invasion from the worldwound."

Galfrey recognized the name as draconic though... she could not ascertain its meaning, and certainly did not recognize it as one of those who resided in Mendev usually. This suggested that ... her realm found itself hosting an entire draconic court... which was unexpected to say the least. An oversight, one of her retainers should have had the wisdom to comment on such guests coming.

There was a defining roar as a silver dragon dashed several demons from the sky. With a gesture the red head sent the archons off to join the fight underway over her capital. Not a particular surprise the rumors surrounding the impossible appearance of the strange cleric of the Inheritor attested time and again he had a natural amiable relationship with archons of all stripes. Given his patronage of the empyreal lords churches that made sense though, and no one in her court had made much more of it.

Having seen his transformation from massive red dragon to a mostly normal looking human, if one in outdated formal attire... Galfrey might have wagered that the rumors of his spellcasting ability, and genius were a product of being centuries old. Her train of thought stopped as Opaline, one of her councilors, interrupted them with a report from a runner from somewhere else within the bastion of Nerosyan.

She would need a word with Opaline, she hadn't expected to have her court pay host to a court of dragons regardless of their membership in the faith...and while she wasn't opposed to it someone should have at least thought to mention or make clear the details of a visiting court.

Her council bowed, "Your majesty if early reports are accurate it would seem the demons have managed to breach the wardstones." That should have been impossible, but it did make the most sense... and of course the bad news continued to pile on like rain with the implication that it was more than the forces of any single demon lord attacking her capital... and presumably the other holdings of her realm.
--
Amiri swung her sword down. The fey wrought steel bit and sparked through the ugly fly monster's face sending the semi skeletal half insectoid monster's body crashing to the ground. "Ha!" She barked a laugh in its direction though the corpse could not speak its wings spasmed buzzing a little longer before they became still.

She had been worried that this invitation, that the whole trip was just going to be boring that Eire would end up doing god speaker things talking to other clergy and they wouldn't actually get to fight. So much worrying that she had started to regret coming... but here they were in a massive castle besieged by demons and culists on all sides.

Jubilost ran up panting from the strain of his stubby little short legs, "We're rallying... well I suppose the literal army of angels showing up does help." He grunted shaking his head.

"And the dragons."

"Yes, yes." the gnome shook his head, He chunked another potion that exploded into a roaring cacophony of noise and heat at a skittering bug monster crawling a nearby wall. "Look at me I can breath fire." He rolled his eyes, "But certainly every little bit helps. "But between the lantern archons swarming out of every bellfrey it helps."

Regongar glanced at the cultists, "What are the chances these guys are immune to lightning?" He asked with a malicious gleam in his eyes.

It was telling that one of the deformed hoof footed bastards took a cowardly step backwards from the ranks rather than charging forward into glorious battle. "FOR GORRUM!" She bellowed her greatsword reaching out cutting at the coward. "Our Lord In Iron!"

Regongar bared his teeth and sucked in a deep breath before expelling a blast of lightning at the crowd of demon worshippers occupying the other side of the street. With that recommitment to battle both sides moved to reengage with their opposites, but the cultists without the element of surprise and with many of their demonic allies under fire from elementals, and archons, and angels were now decidedly at a disadvantage.

That regongar could fly was another advantage in their favor. She didn't really have any need to know who they were fighting. Deskari, Baphomet, who cared they were the enemy that was all she needed to know, their following against the enemy one that was the way of iron. Gorrum could watch their deed from the sky as they fought.
--
Notes: This is a hold over from a while ago, indeed this is a direct link to the original epilogue where Eire's draconic characteristics are significantly more pronounced, with some tweaks to reflect the more current build's draconic traits. In the original Eire's draconic form is more along the lines of what my Avatar is, versus in the current where the draconic form is more inline with the denser musculature and more leonine appearance of the orichalcum dragon, but this is position in the timeline is a in a way juxtaposed with the current power gain schedule... but its here for rule of cool and holdover from the previous draft.

And of course in the early drafts of the story, Eire assumes draconic form a lot more frequently relative to this iteration. Such as in the original iteration, the fight against Ilthuliak, which in the original version takes place in the first world is a red dragon versus a black dragon (Ilthuliak).

Spoiler

Spoiler

Post World Wound being closed, and Noticula ascending to godhood: One roasted goat later...
Galfrey: "I have a headache."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Arodus 4713
In Shrikewall, that was within the nascent nation of Narland the holiday gatherings and events of Armasse would have lasted the rest of the month. In part because that was the growing tradition and in part to ensure that also they were prepared in the event of further Irriseni incursions even if none seemed forthcoming... and in part because it promised him the opportunity to better prepare the ground work for an eventual standing army.

Eire watched the clean up. It was unlike the usual cleaning up after religious festivities and more like Irrisen's incursion. The irriseni even their evil winter fae were not so inherently polluted as the creatures of the abyss. The attack rather spoiled his ability to appreciate the great city that was the mendevian capital of Neroysan. He wouldn't have been surprised if the Cruxiform Cathedral was the largest dedicated temple to Iomedae , purpose built for the goddess. He wouldn't have been surprised if there were basilica to Aroden that were still larger but those had been erected in the old age, and in a period where there had been greater stability and finances.

Not that Aroden's death was solely to attribute to that, the decline in empires had begun centuries before that... on the other hand it wasn't entirely unlikely that Aroden's death had directly laid the foundation for the world wound's formation.

Beyond Neroysan's cathedral was the absurdly gaudy Starrise spire. He'd paid little mind to the pathfinder society in Brevoy, and had had even less contact with them since his coronation, but while the spire was defensive... it was also ostentatious to the point of being an eyesore. The Society was however a partner in the crusades. They were apart of an actual formal alliance treaty system that engaged its membership in collective defense... so there was no point in judging the spire.

While the Starrise spire had remained largely untouched apparently the other less obvious lodge of the pathfinder society had come under direct attack... the pathfinders had been responding in the city's hour of need. Much as had others.

"The Chelish mission seems to have aroused some ire of its own."

He rolled his eyes at Jubilost's tired crack, the gnome was bordering on exhaustion and hence his acerbic joking were less inventive than usual. "Do tell?"

"Apparently they," The smug gnome meant some detachment of crusaders, "can't distinguish between Hell's forces and those of the abyss so when the Chelish called devils to attack the demons of Deskari and Baphomet well. General ignorance fueled hostility, really what do you expect of musclebound meat heads." Jubilost snickered, "And the Chelish well amusingly the orphanage this lady Deckland went to the trouble of defending, had already been evacuated. She was defending an empty building." He chuckled ruefully.

"The building is intact?"

"By all reports,"

He nodded as the slight silver lining. Too many structures had been damaged during the attack, as it was Neroysan was overcrowded by both refugees and the visitors for the holiday. That of course was without even considering damage done in the subsequent opportunist looting by the seedy underbelly's denizens. That opportunism was terrible but predictable to an extent even if ridiculously short sighted. The real threat though was the fact that the city had been attacked from within... and from a combination of directions.

Baphomet apparently had assembled something called the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth that had been operating for some time in the shadows. The cultists took their societies name from Baphomet's domain... which was bad of course, but there were it seemed even more demon lords involved.

So many that it actually hadn't taken long for the demons and various cultists to actually fight each other... most over loot and potential slaves / victims. That had certainly helped the defenders but ultimately it had been the weight of numbers that had turned the tide.

The crusading army garrisoned in Mendev's castle knew how to fight demons, and caught by surprise or not they had rallied. The problem was as Amvarean had observed that the attack was not an isolated one. The loss of contact with other crusader fortresses and the cities they protected was not a good sign.

--
There could be no questioning that Mendev's patron goddess was Iomedae. The capital of Neroysan held the crucible cathedral which was among the most impressive centers of the faith, and also served as center of the fortress city's defenses. The diamond in the north was not consecrated ground in the sense of how church and temples were, but the city's footprint purified the taint of the world wound, preventing it from flowing down river. It didn't make it safe to drink from the west sellen but it did stop the corruption from flowing further south.

Mendev's capital of Neroysan was as new as the nation itself. For centuries before the opening of the worldwound Old Sarkorsis had been the northern frontier of Avistan a blending of Ulfen, Kellid, and Taldane. Nerosyan's pre world wound existence had been as a frontier trading port, and so far as old Sarkorsis had had a capital it had been the city of Iz. Mendev had been an Iobarian principality before the world wound, and it had not in 4606 when the abyssal gateway had opened, not transformed Neroysan and Mendev into its modern form, but by that point in time the nobility of Mendev had already been 'civilizing' as the Taldanes and Chelish might have thought of it. Their elite had already begun a process of adopting the customs of the church of Aroden and importing masonry architecture.

The first Mendevian crusade though had changed that as had the influx of Aroden's church before the great conversion that had assimilated much of the last azlanti's church and its power into Iomedae's church. Of course that act had also meant that ironically Iomedae's church had never developed an organic internal church hierarchy and given what Aroden's church had become that had not been adopted into the hierarchy of Iomedae's growing church.

Eire ran his fingers across the map, comparing modern Mendev and the Worldwound, to what had been a little more than a century before. There were similarities to the Stolen Lands, and he suspected to Irrisen, and more than that he suspected that the reported cyclopean ruins at Storasta might well be a mark far western border of Vordakai's people. More than anything though was the natural connection to the first world that had been somehow been twisted to instead connect to the Abyss... and of for that matter the elf gate in the north east of the country.

Galfrey of Mendev was immortal of sorts, but she was not connected to her realm as he suspected the Jadwiga rulers of irrisen were, or presumably their progenitor Baba Yega was, nor how he was connected to Narhold. Of course, Mendev was subject to substantially more invasive planar factors, the very world wound was an invasion from another plane and not one naturally connected here but rather the by product of the demon witch of Undarin tampering with the unhinged cosmic order. Areelu Vorlesh was not Baba Yega, but she was an archmage and most likely her demonic patrons and perhaps even her lineage had allowed her to make the shift from the first world to the abyss... but that was speculation and regardless of such it was not the immediate concern.

The worldwound's formation, how it had come to be, was not today's problem, but rather it was the safe guarding of the nation of Mendev and destroying the nearest threats to it. The gathering of the fifth mendevian crusade had invited much from the church's patrons, and the crusades patrons to provide for a renewed effort against the demonic scourge.

Even now, though Nerosyan proper had been resecured against the threat its knightly captains were reporting threats on the borders, and the continued loss of contact with distant holdings across the crusader kingdom. It would be dangerous to leave to relieve Kenabres while grindlow prowled from Storasta in the south and outlying settlements were threatened by the the inhabitants of the fallen kellid city about.

Storasta had been lost seventy years ago, the last remnant of old Sarkorsis... and while it was a ruined mess, it was ruined mess that provided a base of operations for which to threaten a city that was by medieval standards quite large. Neroysan, the modern Neroysan, was a metropolis approaching some sixty five thousand full time residents.

The capital of the crusader state could not be permitted to fall. Eire looked at the scrawl of parchment that detailed Mendev the world wound and northern numeria, and realized how used to certain things he had become in his brief time as king. How fast Narhold had developed and its institutions had come into place to provide to him most of the apparatus of state as he expected them. Then of course were the the parts he had gotten used to, that were wholly feudal in nature. Mendev was a majority human nation, and Nerosyan was probably more human than most great metropolitan regions of the world.

... or perhaps that was normal. Eire really wasn't certain, but regardless he knew he'd become far far more used to the fae, and giant presence of Shrikewall and its environs than he had realized.

--
Notes: This is going up today, in part this is due to the computer crash fucking up four days worth of updates wednesday morning, and in part because the Mendev expedition itself, honestly received less focus than the Numerian expedition in planning from a writing stand point. That isn't to say this series of segments isn't important, but Eire's visit to Mendev, and who he takes with him shapes international opinion such that that can be thought of in a pre modern context. Also in the current draft this also marks the first transformation into a giant dragon not in the first world and thus publicly thats relatively important in the long run.

While the fifth mendevian crusade will be alluded to and referred to in terms of the grain trade where foreign currency flows into Narland in exchange for the transport to Neroysan of grain and other goods this is really Eire's only visit and participation in the crusade until really the even of both adventure paths chronologically in 4718.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Rova 4713
They had ridden south first to Aaromor, before mustering for the attack itself. The cavaliers held one flank of the advance against Storasta's fell denizens. Mendev had not committed to the destruction of Storasta previously not because it was beyond their ability, but because they couldn't or hadn't deemed it mission critical. It would have required committing resources to destroy a base just beyond their ability to hold.

Today though was different, as fresh volunteers assembled for the now only weeks old Fifth Crusade mustered under the wasteland's sky. They had the numbers now, and they had an operational, and strategic reason to strike out at the lost city.

Plants withered under the baleful light of the solar corona. It was as if the plane of Axis itself imposed order on the tangled mass below, and smothered the magic of the enemies. Long silver swords danced through the air flying out and piercing demons, and fae, and other things pinning them to the wall as crusader infantry advanced in ranks.

He had agreed to this in recognition that Nerosyan and Mendev needed to march to ascertain their other holdings. That the crusaders could not do that with their south western frontier threatened by grindylows and scrags and the other monstrous creatures of storasta's ruined settlement. So he would do this, he was doing this and taking part in aiding Galfrey of Mendev to secure her realm, and for the crusade as a whole.

The reality though of Storasta as it was now. What the city had been reduced to. Its walls turned black by abyssal fire, and overgrown, overrun by assassin vines and tis grounds trampled by shambling mounds, and corrupted arboreals.

He exhaled. There was nothing that could be done for this lost city. All of it had to burn. Storasta had lasted eight hundred years before it had been abandoned in 4644... but there was nothing to save here on the banks of the Sarkora and West Sellen rivers. He was used to touching the divine wellspring of power, calling fire and having it respond... perhaps it was the proximity to the world wound but his connection to law align energy was much stronger. Celestial fire scorched the ground as angry rays of sunlight burned the earth into opaque glass fields.

Eire closed his mouth, folded his wings, and descended back to the ground resuming his typical human form. Fire burned from his finger trips and tore through the corrupted bark skin of an arboreal that strayed too close in its shambling movements... these were not winter fae but rather tree spirits tainted by the abyssal energies of the world wound.

All the more the pity since they were not doubly vulnerable to fire as Irrisen's native treant, conifer like shambling mounds, would have been.

--
On the day that the crusade was to be declared the abyss had struck them first though. At kenebres the demonic forces had worse murdered the city's ancient protector the Silver Dragon Terendelev, and word of that making its way to Nerosyan it fell to here to relieve the city.

That would mean martialing her forces, and riding out from her capital.

For Galfrey of Mendev the report was both reassuring and itself a reminder of how much effort the crusade has separated her realm from the typical matters of state. For the average kingdom it would have been unthinkable to completely miss the details of an emerging realm... and yet Narland had sprung up and avoided her notice.

Nerosyan was the gem of the north and its cathedral was the heart of the kingdom, though it was not the only cathedral in mendev... but that was exactly it. The missions to Brevoy and Numeria had yielded little in the way of the church's expansion. Numeria had a larger Iomedaen gathering faithful than Brevoy did but for the kellids of Numeria that was a matter of change and distinction between the two groups rather than integration into the existing order.

She had given up any hope of success in either realm, and hadn't expected a breakthrough to come from the river kingdoms of all places. Yet, there stood a cathedral of the Inheritor and a growing number of churches and temples raised to the gods of law, and good.

It was... not a miracle obviously... but it was an organizational achievement with few peer examples to speak of. Even Mengkare had taken time, he had founded the island nation of Hermea a century and a half earlier. Located in the seas off of Varisia Hermea though was more city state, even if it did demonstrate some of the same bountiful productivity in the fields of agriculture. Her Chancellor had already informed her that in estimation from talking with the Narland mission Eire's capital at Shrikewall had already exceeded Mengkare's capital of Promise, and that the urban centers around the river network and its lakes meant Narland's subordinate cities would soak up and grow rapidly to the point where their migrants would allow them to overtake the capital of Hermea in size.

That the Narland mission included the draconic ruler of the domain of Silverstep was another point supporting that. The Silver Dragon Amvarean claimed descent from the Silver Great Wyrm from whom the lake took its name, and her half sister Eranex served as the envoy to Eire's court from the court of Shyka of the Eldest. The recent visit of the Arcanotheign, the herald of Nethys, together only further supported the commonplace rumors that swirled around her fellow monarch's ties to the gods.

Some simply enjoyed naturally the ear of the gods.

Were it simply that well, even accounting for the autocephalous nature of the Inheiritor's churches in a given nation to extend diplomatic relations. One could hardly ignore a king who stood in heaven's good graces. The great impediment was her need to march on Kenabres, the churches had asked for contributions to prepare for the crusade... they might have recognized that the demons would not simply ignore their preparations and might strike first.

--
To be an arch dragon was to to forge a connection with an elemental force of nature. Shiny, sun ray like, flames descended from the red maw severing the connection of spellcasters to their power. That by itself would have been enough to turn the tide of battle for the crusaders who otherwise already carried the weapons necessary to overcome their base nature of abyssal resistance.

The Hellknight of the Most Blessed Order of the Godclaw Juvenzo Vestalis watched as unperishing silver flames disrupted the unlawful powers of the demons. Leechweed and other common hazardous flora were purged, vines overgrowing everything about the ruins of Storasta caught fire and ripped up those abandoned structures until the cleansing flame worked their way into the abyssal tainted plants as it seemed as if sunlight filled the gaps.

The truth was of course if they could succeed at purging Storasta of its vile denizens they had orders to put the ruins to the torch and burn all that remained in hopes of both the simple stratagem of denying the dwellings ot their enemies but also in hopes of making some effort of purging the ground. It was unlikely, or it had been deemed unlikely to Juvenzo's superiors, that they could afford the time necessary to cleans the ground with a powerful enough ritual of consecration... and if they could it was quite likely the demonic forces of the worldwound would defile this space again as soon as they withdrew.

The Order of the Godclaw differed from many hell knight orders. It was in its foundation a crusader order that traced its roots to the death of Aroden, and the opening of the worldwound provided the opportunity which gave rise to the Godclaw.

... and then a shadow fell out over the battlefield, but it was not the corrupted treant druid they had expected, but another dragon. Where the metal like scales of law looked as if it were the heart of a furnace the fiendish beast was known to the crusaders. This was Azrivauxus the green dragon was known to attack the crusaders stationed along the western sellen. They must have flown down the length of the river from the winged wood to meet the crusader here.

"Kill the druid here." The command from the King of Narland was reflexive, his eyes like molten quicksilver tracing the sky before sending a blast of magic denying solar flame at the Green beginning a fight that would lay waste to the last of the ruins of Sarosta and would also remove another threat to the Crusaders of Mendev when it was done.
--
Notes: i'm going to wrap up the Mendev interlude here I think simply because I did not plan for it to be especially long though this segment was going to be larger covering the campaign of Storasta to allow Nerosyan to send out relief for Kenabres, and also would have addressed some other things that will be mentioned later... but also that the Mendev segments have been sort of off and on in terms of what I was planning on covering in this expedition or how while still intended to tread lightly on the AP itself. This is also why the next section, at the end of Rova wraps up the events of the AP Reign of Winter without directly touching on say Rasputin and the sucession in Irrisen is only lightly dealt with.

However it does touch on foreign recognition of some of the perks, from the point of view of religious medieval / pre modern points of view lightly, due to direct exposure to Eire. We do miss out on Linzi's reaction, she lost a scene in all of this, we do not see more of cheliax at this stage but its important to get back to the kingdom.

 

[Imperator Pax]

23 Rova 4713
The days had been growing shorter for weeks of course. Weeks before they had set out, and did suspect that that might have been symbolically important to Irrisen's attack, but they had needed to make the journey abroad. Kings had a responsibility at a national level, they were not supposed to be common adventurers. Eire was relieved to be home, but that did not make this a time to relax. There was no shortage of tasks which required his presence and input. He was glad to be home, even in the face of that.

They had departed Mendev and the frontlines of the world wound on the Harvest Moon, which was of course also the Day of the Inheritor this year, and today was the fall equinox. "Our defenses hold?" He questioned. Eire had not originally planned to remain in Mendev as long as he had, but the sudden explosive nauseating pulsation of the demonic incursion and the disaster that threatened the crusade's efforts had forced him to remain for a few weeks, banking that they would be able to return soon and that the defenses would resist any attempt by Irrisen to retake their side of the portal.

Summer had ended the day before after all.

"Yes," There was a pause at the response implying there was more to the story. "Actually the portal has been closed."

He raised an eyebrow. "I was under the impression we had made no progress on sealing the gateway?" Admittedly much of their magical resources had been tied up on other projects throughout the summer season."

"No someone else did it."

"Indeed." Vordakai lumbered forward, "From what we have been told," He said with characteristic rasp, "the Queen of Irrisen has been dethroned, her mother has returned, and closed the portals across the world."

That was a surprise. "Baba yaga did?" Not an unwelcome one, per se, but still a surprise. It meant that the threat had been resolved... but it did still leave lingering concerns. The truth was Eire had been hoping to make the necessary bureaucratic arrangements first before trying to implement a standing army, and while he'd been thinking about it before riding off to deal Gragglebeard, Irrisen's sudden incursion more than anything was the sort of challenge to a state where having an army on hand from the start.

The cyclops lich nodded and confirmed that this had been confirmed by both the pathfinder society as well as by other sources. Apparently Queen Elvanna had been defeated, and Baba Yaga freed from her imprisonment... the situation beyond that was complicated. Perhaps the pathfinder society would be able to tell them more in the future, perhaps not.

Elvanna's children had as was Irrisen tradition, Jadwiga tradition had been installed in various positions, and apparently the prospect of Baba Yaga returning and disappearing the first generation was enough to prompt some to attempt side with their mothers plot and others to run. He had not expected a high level defection to include one of Irrisen's duchesses.

But he supposed one of Elvanna's daughters deciding to get out of dodge might well have inclined a second to follow her example once the apparent tide of the battle of Whitethrone had turned... if that had been what had happened.

He exhaled. "Petitioners to deal with then?"

Jaethal needled him that was simply part of the burden of being king. The elf wasn't wrong. This was indeed part and parcel of running a monarchy of a territorial kingdom right down to the expectation that he provide hospitality to displaced nobles at least to some degree, or have a good reason not, even without touching on any religious considerations.

--
Svetochka Elvanna had been duchess of Wintercrux under her mother Queen Elvanna... a position that had Irrisen history for the last 1400 years, and previous thirteen queens, held that she would have lost when Baba Yaga returned. To that end the duchess had likely been banking that running from her castle, Caramida Keep, in Morozny in wintercrux.

The former duchess was a blonde woman, with purple eyes, normally a proclaimed trait of Azlanti heritage, but typically the Jadwiga demonstrated a more akin to half elf lifespan... or at least a tendency to above average lifespan and a lack of aging. Eire suspected that that was a product of Baba Yaga's place in the family tree... at least he assumed it was probably part of an inheritable trait from what little observation he'd been able to make of the various Jadgwiga ... but so far almost all of them demonstrated some capacity for magic it seemed... at the very least a substantively higher rates than normal humans.

All in all the two century plus old witches, the duchess and her much earlier arrived half sister the former countess of Bozena managed to look only in their late thirties, and he was given to understand that Elvanna's oldest daughter Casioche was reported to look roughly the same, and the queen deposed now had herself remained comfortable in the early part of middle age at worst.

That didn't make them supernaturally attractive, though they weren't plain by the standards of Jadwiga women either. A century of rule, and of course the conditions of the Irrisen had likely largely stern and unyielding. Bozena had defected early, and with an exodus of peasants and retainers in no small part due to the threat of what brutality an Irrisen civil war would mean. Baba Yaga's victory was not even really a question at the time that the violence had reignited at the capital, and it seemed a similar calculus had been considered by Svetchoka as the prospect of her mother's missteps in making Irrisen vulnerable to foreign invasion.

Bozena had quickly ingratiated herself with Kanerah, the fiery tiefling, on the basis of a talent with numbers and management. A position that her half sister likely looked to secure as well. The process of resettling an Irrisen diaspora though with the portal closed was a little more complicated now. Eire recognized he needed to strengthen the prescence, with settlement, he had on his eastern frontier but he was a little loath to settle the populace on his far frontier especially the most recent arrival.

As it was the two half sisters were presently regarding each other with a cool silence. Eire spread his hands on the hardwood table as he sat down, "Since Aroden's death prophecy has been inaccurate," Perhaps because Aroden had been a god of prophecy that his demise may have very well had a massive effect on his tie to the domain.... or prophecy was effected by other factors ... given ancient cyclops recorded periods of ... disruption to foresight... he disliked attempts to tell the future, though he was willing to believe Durin of Sharp Fangs that a war coming... not necessarily because prophecy but... that it seemed pretty likely, "Still your mother has been dethroned by Baba Yaga," Or at least by agents of the 'queen of witches, "according to the Pathfinder society, the portals have been closed, and Baba Yaga has since installed a new queen, and departed Golarion." He really did wish that he had more details.
--

Maegar took a seat and that allowed them to begin. It brought the body into attendance to deal with the other issues of the realm. He had already spoken with Maegar, and Vordakai both about the necessity of shoring up the eastern frontier. He'd need to speak with the nomen centaurs, though in truth he was fairly confident that the tribe insured his north eastern frontier, coupled with the border with brevoy meant that was the most secure sector... but that wasn't why they were here.

Elvanna of Irrisen's actions, coupled with the World Wound crisis, and the fifth crusade, created a potential problem in the food supply. Armies on the march needed significant food stores, and the plan for the crusade had been to buy up stockpiles of grain ahead of the campaign. No one had expected Irrisen to then threaten the summer harvest by opening freezing portals and sending raiding parties to cause it to snow in summer in most places.

Brevoy, Pitax, and other river kingdoms had been effected. Further south Kyonin, Andoran, Galt, Cheliax, Osirion and others had all been struck by summer snows and the deleterious effects on agriculture, and disruption to trade. Food prices had already been elevated in response to increased demand... not that he suspected there was thinking of it in those terms, but not supply was also effected.... and summer was now over.

Iobarian wheat was what winter wheat. Or at least close enough in terms of effect that it could be used for dryland farming and be planted after the summer harvest. He'd already drafted plans for Bozena's decamped subjects to blow, with horses a new baronial farm in the kamelands estates to give them something to do before he'd left to Mendev... and now he was considering permanently encamping them in the kamelands and having them take part in the work of planting those crops as part of plan of settlement.

"Is brevoy at risk of a famine?"

"I doubt it... but winter will be unpleasant. There will be shortages" Maegar replied, as he recounted the contents of the letters he had received from home, "The church of Erastil in Restov is not happy, and the situation up north is even worse."

... and in politics terms it was more complicated than that, further complicated by the many kellid migrants across the plains and steppes. IF Pitax had been feeding them, and Pitax's crops were now subject to well crop failure due to weather and food prices increased as overall supply declined... that confederation to the west was going to start looking for food sources. It was true that Fort Drelev was between them and Pitax, but Eire did not fancy attempting to explain economics to Hannis Drelev in the slightest.

.. and he doubted the brevic noble would have listened to such an explanation.

The kellids used physical currency, so did iobarians... the problem was that they didn't mint their own currency. They used other peoples currency and thus as a medium of exchange was not quite the same as with sedentary people. Goods and services were the preferred method, when they weren't dealing barter and gift giving. He did have a use for barbarian goods and services... he needed horse trainers among other things, and it never hurt during harvest season to have extra hands around, or for more people tending flocks, but that ran into the whole issue of honor and respect across cultural lines. There was a balancing act in dealing with tribes and clans, that was different than contending with separate cultures of different sedentary populations.

"House Varn in Issia?"

"I've exchanged letters from my father," Maegar admitted, "But in truth the problem isn't our growing but what would be shipped north."

"Rostland will increase prices on goods shipped to northern markets, and issian longshoremen and the boat captains will mark up prices further." He replied.
--
Notes: this is an intermediary chapter as I said partially I want to contend with actual fallout of AP consequences in geopolitics, and also that how Pitax interacts with its neighbors.


Also my DM just informed me I can't have a dinosaur next level, you can have a dragon she tells me but I can't have a dinosaur (It'll be a young dragon, but I'm like... )

Like okay... and one of my players is just like ROFL at this.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Rova 4713
His return and the fact that it was the ninth month of year meant that there was no shortage of work compiled upon his tables. He would be busy for the next several days without even considering the summaries of the harvest, and how Irrisen's ill thought plan had effected Avistan at large.

The official ledgers of the kingdom provided a set of axes by which to organize projects. It codified what the kingdom did in a way that didn't exist in the typical feudal hierarchy and governance. Part of this was the allocation of resources through the exchequer for centralized planning of construction. Standards, ways & means.

There were broadly speaking three distinct architectural styles constructed by the royal exchequer... four if you lumped all the foreign imports... but that was a different matter. The could broadly be categorized by principle building material, wood, masonry (stone), and brick construction. These fed into also the grid system that among other intentions was designed to prevent fires from being able to spread easily, as well as otherwise maintain civil order.

In the first category were the timber frame homes, and other larger predominantly timber structures that were more accurately a combination of Germanic timber and log building styles designed to be produced quickly, while also integrated a handful of carpentry imports in their design. They were thus rather unique to the narlmarch and the area of Shrikewall's barony and its the subsequent areas under royal authority...

The second category were a distinct separation from the brevic style by virtue of using masonry stone working. It was in this category rested both the Royal keep, and the Cathedral of Iomedae on the Shrikewall promontory, particularly dominated by arches, and broadly appearing in the design styles of the inner sea. This was perhaps best demonstrated in the presence of depictions of both Alseta in the entry archways and over doors, as well as the frequently employed lion motifs of larger royally funded stone buildings.

The final third category were constructions of brick. It was made possible because of the use of tube kilns and a standard sized brick cutting apparatus that allowed the mass firing of uniform bricks for construction. These buildings, with a standardized construction pattern formed the basis of much of the commercial and mixed used buildings built in the patterns of linear settlement that followed the wide roads of the new Kameland towns. They were typically constructed with warehouse space behind the buildings for storage for workshops or the goods of the main nucleated type settlement of the new towns. This organization allowed that they could be built in close relation to Royal farms and the main roadway for simplified logistics in east to west.

In short the three types could also be grouped by primary usage, though not exclusive, wooden buildings tended predominantly to be residential buildings constructed from the baronial and then royal purse for subjects who needed homes and also served as small workshops for village goods. Masonry stone working was the favored construction style of state sponsored religious or main government institutions including reinforced military fortifications as the road network developed across the realm. Brick facilities were the material of construction for royally funded commercial ventures or crafts... at least that was broadly speaking the purpose. The brick row house's introduction was a direct outgrowth of material availability and the need to provide housing for the Irrisen diaspora. That diaspora from Irrisen represented a necessary religious component.

Pharsma, Desna, and surprisingly, but especially, Milani were the primary deities of the common people, the recently emancipated serfs. There was the green faith as well, but the druidic faith had its own separate rustic traditions. But more immediately, "Are these numbers accurate?" He asked

"They are," Kanerah replied, and there by it created roughly speaking a royal prerogative to raise temples to address the needs of the roughly thousand or so peasants.

The typical process of royal administration thuse was a subdivision of efforts. Milani was the easiest by far in that accounting. The branch of the Osirion Church of Pharasma was generally responsible for administration ... much as he had dispatched them to deal with Maegar's need for a church of Pharsma. That left Desna... because that either meant an elvish lead congregation, one lead by the Nomen who worshipped mother moon... there was no centralized national church in the Inner sea so far as he could find to serve as template to create and manage Desna temples leaving it a process of small congregations... which Eire found more than a little vexing.

.. but he supposed his own ideas of a national church were really the more out of place notion. He was still working towards that, but there were complications.

Amiri didn't understand it, but it would help keep things organized to have a basic framework of how different churches could uniformly operate according to the laws of the realm... preferably without the appearance of, or what could be misconstrued as, making them subordinate to Iomedae's church, or worse creating a significant doctrinal issue within the faith.

There was one more. Valerie shuffled through her papers, "There is one more."

Jhod nodded and spoke up, "Grandmother crow, Andoletta, she stands among the empyreal lords." The old cleric paused, "The Church of Erastil can assist the small congregation we have, she is frequently associated with the Elkfather, and their realms are neighbors in Heaven above." Jhod was happy to inform the chancellor of the realm, and that he could be of service. Paying appropriate respect to the deities was important, especially those with less formal church rites, and few clergy to draw upon, "Your majesty?"

Eire breathed. "I have a drafted a letter to Queen Galfrey regarding the favelas," they didn't interrupt his use of the strange word but it did occur to him that he had used it in communications as well with the queen of mendev and he hoped she had the reading comprehension to understand what he meant. "the masses of refugees who live in the shanty towns around the crusader structures we will need to take steps to resettle those who can be migrated beyond the world wound and the frontline... especially given the escalation of hostilities against the Abyss."

That was the use of the church model as well. He needed their services in labor terms to assist in social services... welfare. He had not considered that there would be effects of the winter on Avistani grain prices.. It would almost certainly increase push and pull factors of migration... they would need to be ready.

He stopped, and turned to regard the cleric of Erastil, " I am aware that some of your coreligionists do not like the idea of the winter wheat crop." It was a break with tradition, and Erastil clergy were by and large stodgy old farmers who already terribly thrilled by the way the baronial farms had been run when they had been first drafted and planned, "I was hoping for a few more harvests to see what grew best but we are going to have to open the granaries anyway in order to maintain food prices and support the increasing population. Feeding them will facilitate labor, which facilitate expansion, which will bring additional land under cultivation," And so on and so forth.

It was economics. The church of Erastil didn't necessarily have to like it, but it served the needs of the state. It was far from the only disagreement though that he'd had with one of the major faiths of the realm. Jhod was confident that given time his fellow clergymen would accept that these developments were sufficiently proven... other disagreements such as with the Church of Calistria would not be so easy to resolve.

Jhod, and Valerie were supportive of the ideas regarding farming. There was not any royal pressure to force, compel farmers, independent free holding farmers to change their farming methods. "I would think that the Church will be more largely involved in reaching out to the Irrisen folk who have arrived."

Irrisen was a land of constant unnatural winter. Erastil as a god of agriculture at least had had no sway after the winter war had ushered in the rule of the Jadwiga.

"Is the reason for ... this need for cultivation," Jhod was quoting him, without probably grasping the particulars of the terminology, "the reason for the crusade."

"In part." He answered. Erastil was a communal village deity of farms, and homesteads, and parish crofts, and not of cities in particular. That was one of the distinctions and disagreements between Abadar and Erastil was in the organization of settlements, "Greater producitivity will help to support efforts in Mendev yes, , but removing the numbers of dependents from the Crusade front serves other practical purposes by reducing the resources needed at the front, and allows a greater mobility to crusader forces in theory."

He wanted to draw down the refugees and displaced from the frontline to reduce the number of mouths needed to be fed in Mendev for food security reasons, but it would also mean that those populations couldn't be directly thretened by demonic attack.

It was one of the things they needed to outline in council regarding how to contend with permanent resettlement of refugees from the worldwound. He understood why it hadn't been done by the surrounding medieval, even the well formed borders of true territorial, kingdoms... because there was no national heavily centralized state to effectively organize or even more simply to think in that context within medieval territorial kingdoms dealing with international geopolitics of transit and the logistics of moving those people.

He was applying ideas that were at their fundamental core developments of early modern societies engaged in the wars of europe of the 1700s and beyond. He had a very different mindset than the territorial monarchs.

"Numeria sits between them and the realm." Valerie observed, which was arguably the largest logistical hurdle in movement of people and goods. The crusades had created an excellent market for Numeria's technic league, and the Issian houses of brevoy to apply surcharges and fees to the movement of goods to crusaders.

They were going to need more ships. In terms of capacity three hundred people and fifty tons was fine for a jaunt of some five hundred miles as the crow flew, but in terms of transport of people one ship would be far from sufficient. That would also mean the careful nurturing of specialized mana flowers to deploy those ships.

There was an explosion of activity from the doors, as Linzi pushed through them. The halfling was panting, and was mostly incoherent. "There's an emergency." Was about the most coherent thing she managed waving her arms holding a letter in one hand.

"I did not realize that this was underway."

Linzi swallowed down a gulp of water as she took a seat at the table. "Eobald... had been writing saying things in Pitax had been getting pretty rough lately... I mean part of it was all the Kellid tribes... King Irovetti has been hosting them for a while.... he's originally from Numeria so maybe he's actually one of them... but then the snows came... and there were winter fey attacks apparently and it was bad. So I might have said he could come here..."

"But?"

"apparently as they were crossing over the slough they were attacked by trolls, and only some of them got away."

"Baron Hannis always claimed that he was attacked by much larger groups of trolls than we could ever ascribe to Harrgulka..."

Eire nodded, "I'd go so far as to wager that Drelev probably went looking for trolls and found completely unrelated ones to Harrgulka and escalated things," And if that were the case that might explain why the hooktongue slough remained closed due to monster attacks after their own troll troubles had ended. Indeed it might have otherwise been comical if Drelev had kept stumbling into such problems and making things worse... if not for his own proximity to their realm.... but there was of course the potential problem that somewhere in the Hooktongue was alleged the Black Dragon Illthuliak.

... and of course Jaethal was entirely correct to remind them of the situation that might develop if Armag Twice born's great confederation gave the troops to march west in an attempt to supplant the reigning Black Sovereign, and Harrim wasn't wrong to highlight he could just as well turn the opposite direction, and come east.

--
Notes: As with Forgotten Realms, and DnD more broadly Golarion operates on a vaguely henotheistic system, this is something an attempt to elaborate more on religion while still contending with a vaguely modern esque church structure rather than going strictly back in antiquity. This does basically take a side line as we move on to the end of 4713 for the time being as of course the weather turns cold, and winter replaces fall.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4713
There were another few days until Ascendance Day, but in the mean time with the end of the calendar year approaching and they in the now last quarter of the year he was finally looking at the rolls that Kanerah had wanted him to look at, as well as the reports from Vordakai and those also from Maegar regarding their eastern frontier.

Having seen the crusaders though Eire had his focus in part elsewhere. The truth was while he'd always had recognized he was going to need horses for military reasons, mounted infantry, cavalry, scouts, messengers a mere two years earlier he hadn't readily appreciated the sheer breadth of the steppe to his east.

What he had never planned on was the notion of needing to recreate the byzantine military reforms that he half remembered from a lifetime ago... and most likely if he did get so far as to recreate those ... he was already expecting that they'd be mixed in with anachronistically more modern, by Earth standards, unit organization and the typical base ten of steppe organization.

Organic battalions at regimental and brigade level would also have to contend with the realities of what he had to work with. That meant accommodating for magic. That meant involvement also of organizations like the other churches but also arcane magic with regards to weapons of war, i.e. Siege engines or devices. That as with everything related to military spending promised to be expensive.

Eire circled the enchanted map, and its expanse of greens, browns, and blue bounded by the mountains that had broadly speaking previously divided his mandate from Maegar's Varnhold. There was a matter in anthropological conversations on Earth to assert strenuously that there was no such thing as 'natural X', be that farmers, warriors, or merchants in the group sense. That was easier to do when you were talking in an abstract historical sense of populations long faded and much harder when you were living among them, and indeed more so in a world of magic and active gods.

Leaving aside the decline of the Taldan empire, and the death of Aroden, for the moment the lack of a coherent 'shadow empire' on the steppe wasn't the sort of reassuring factor he might have hoped. There didn't seem to have been one during the Taldan ascent either, but he was cognizant that his development of an organized state and polity buttressing the steppe might express pressures on the nomads who otherwise were unused to or little recognized fixed territorial boundaries not defined by obvious terrain features.

Border protection was thereby likely to be a priority, and would have been even without those thoughts because it was what Maegar and Vordakai had both brought up before he had departed for the excursion to Mendev. Amvarean sheltered by the mountains to the Lake's east, and the natural water boundaries particularly to her south was less likely to have the same immediate concerns.

"I had been planning for a fortress," What would eventually become the Castle town and also subsequently the religious center and university town of Wintersun, "To permanently anchor the planar rift that Irrisen used to link the realms," In part due to the fact the natural ley line connected his realm to the first world, and thus from there to Irrisen, and it wasn't impossible that Irrisen could conceivably reopen that line of attack. It would have been stupid not to take precautions against such a threat.

Kanerah paused, and waited.

Vordakai merely nodded, but it was just as likely that the ancient cyclops had considered that up until now.

It was Valerie who made the observation, "While it is true that our population grows, the Narlmarches are difficult land to construct in, we have too many projects, and not enough manpower," While Olegton, and Tatzlford were growing they were slower than Trobold, which fell behind the likes of Hereford. The Narlmarch could be divided into distinct sub regions... what might one day be distinct counties but for now were just geographical regions divided by the rivers.

Tatzlford sat near the Temple of the Elk, but also sat near other settlements on the river including Akiros's hold, which had thus far developed a small number of kellid settlers who had joined him rather than proceed further west to join Armag and the Tiger Lords.

The north narlmarch ws just slower growing than its south or dire neighbors because the latter attracted more settlers from the Inner Sea, or at least from further abroad. "And there is Maegar to consider as well." The truth was the Varnhold, and to a lesser extent the southern portion of the mandate allocated to the Varnhold including the vast steppe needed to be settled but the kingdom was still young.

"Something to contend with after the thaw," And that would be after the snows came, since the autumn harvest had been run, and why they were discussing the iobarian winter wheat matter. "For now," Kanerah paused, "It is the influx of people that concerns me."

In a more established realm, if they were assimilating already existing villages, well they would have perhaps been most like Varnhold or perhaps tatzlford with hamlets and outlying settlements beside. There would be clergy, there would be village elders. It would have probably from these ranks Pharasmin and Erastilian clergy would have largely been drawn.

Instead there was the matter of what Kanerah had noticed months earlier. The migration of people with various individual needs and a far less organic support network in a faraway land. That presented a use or even need to the royal authorities to involve themselves far more noticeably at all levels of society. This was not the norm in Brevoy, or even comparatively more centralized centralized Mendev.

Eire scratched on the paper, it was paper not vellum, but efforts to make pens and good ink was an entirely different production issue, and having been on Golarion for several years now his ink from earth was largely all gone for the ball point pens he had brought. Thus it was somewhat difficult to graph even if he had had proper paper. Kanerah was right, though some of the population growth was distorted from the small scale of time.

The kingdom's foundation, the transition from barony to kingdom, had occurred so recently that it was hard to tell if there was a casual factor there or not. It was telling though in referring to what records they had kept, that they could identify the sources. Immigrants entering through the border with Brevoy across the greenbelt, and the Restov hinterlands had remained largely stable, while migration from the Inner Sea had doubled, then doubled again, and so forth.

Kanerah had noticed months ago when they were talking about several hundred in the course of a month, but they were in excess of that. After a moment Eire paused and asked for the documents pertain to the Varnhold. Maegar's settlement of the expansive steppe was more limited than Narland, and it more closely mirrored the demographics of Brevoy with a comparatively larger dwarf population, now approaching something like ten percent of the Varnhold.

Admittedly, that might have been temporary but Maegar had fewer elves and gnomes than Narland, fewer halflings. Then there was also that while the Varnhold had ruins they were far less clustered than in the kamelands and the narlmarches, and the Varnhold sat on the Iobarian steppe's western fringe.

Sketching the graph by comparison Maegar's Varnhold, discounting the centaurs of course, but even counting them he doubted it would meaningfully impact the curve, there was a stark contrast as while Varnhold's initial population, the demoblization or at least partial demobilization of the varnling host as a mercenary intuition and the migration of brevic families had meant a larger base population, it had remained largely stable in growth.

He was reasonably sure that he could intuit the growth curve of the Drelev Demesne to the west more likely mirrored the angle of Varnhold. "We will have to revisit this in the spring," He replied after a moment considering things, "and look more closely at Maegar's domain, compared to our own in terms of the percentage of the population living within towns, and the capital." He had almost said city... but they were going to need to to adjust if this pattern held.

"I'll need to summon Amvarean to discuss this."

The road to Varnhold had been the second major road project; the first after all had been the intention to link Shrikewall to Olegton and then to the south Rostlandic Road leading to Restov. Silverstep, by comparison, could easily be reached by river boats, and barges. Roads were inevitable to develop but the waterway was a natural expedient, and unlike with the Shrike there were no series of waterfalls to make it more difficult to reach the other end.

--
Notes: We step into a small mini arc next week, but for other updates, I plan, to start updating Eminence in Shadow Next week, ideally I'd be able to get the first new update up Friday, but I make no promises.

 

[Imperator Pax]

6 Lamashan 4713AR
In a week it would Harvest feast, and just under two weeks would be the Hunter's moon, and as a result he would have been perfectly happen to have otherwise ascribed Maegar's vassals talking about going hunting just fine as some other Erastilian holiday. Today was Ascendance day, and frankly there were a number of things he needed to do not the least of which was supporting Mouri's organization of hunting down the hag, even though they had rescued Linzi's mentor Eobald, who had been abducted as he had made his migration from the neighboring kingdom of pitax.

Regongar had reported that they had actually been ogres in the southern narlmarches, but giant kin were giant kin to most peasants... especially ones terrified and who'd rushed to the first sign of order and governance to report things. It was doubtful that the surviving hags would return to the dwarven ruins but at least Tulvak had escaped again... and of course it simply reiterated the need to take greater efforts to secure the frontier and better assert royal authority in the southern narlmarches.

Eire looked at the two Aldori sisters, and exhaled tilting his head. "Forgive me Lady Aldori, I could have sworn that you just suggested that a hunters guild, to which I have had hitherto no introduction to has just invited myself, and my retainers to a hunt within my own demesne." Harrgulka made some amount noise as he shuffled back slightly out of the way from where he'd been standing... slouching really by the great table. The troll was standing up as sweat started to form upon his brow. Eire continued, "That this guild has without my leave makes this invitation after having built a structure literally within my personal domain whilst I was engaged against the forces of the abyss, and then has the temerity to speak to me of interacting peacefully with my neighbors." He hissed as the flames in the room reached a fevers pitch. He exhaled. "Do I have that quite right?"

Maegar's retainers shuffled slightly.

It had not been a rhetorical question.

Eire wanted an answer, an explanation.

He paused, turned away from the two actual half elves to the silver dragon in half elf form. "Amvarean, has this grand ranger spoken to you perhaps?" Certainly Valerie had heard nothing he could tell that from her expression.

"He has not." The silver dragon replied her fingers tapped on the edge of the table.

If there had been some indication that Jamel Visser had been given some idea of permission, if this has been an invitation in Maegar's demense if this had been in the dunsward in the vicinity of Varnhold that would have been a completely different matter. If Visser was some member of Erastil's faith and this was being done as part of the Temple of the Elk's operations. If the ranger had been some friend of Oleg's. IF, IF, IF...

Anything any sort of explanation that this was a misunderstanding, and a series of miscommunications and signals to explain away the matter.

There were no forthcoming explanations.

"Nothing?" He questioned. "Very well let us to move on from the issues of sheer presumption, they say 'monster infested banks of the gudrin'." He raised an eyebrow, "Is there an explanation for this? Is this as serious claim, or artistic license, a flourish of words."

Amvarean scrutinized the 'invitation', "I cannot explain this. I might have surmised he was referring to some winter fey who managed to get through the portal from Irrissen but it has been weeks now any such threats should have been long quelled."

That was what he had thought as well. Certainly the war against the frozen north's ambitions would have made a probable explanation.

"Amiri, Regongar, Kundal,," He glanced to Akiros, "Akiros, if you would like to join them, you maybe go on this hunting expedition." Shaoyu started, "You may participate if you like." He informed his ward. "Amvarean, Jaethal and I will be investigating this matter of the realm so we will not have time to hunt in the more traditional sense." He waved off Jolia Aldori's attempts to vouch for Jamel Visser's character and reputation. "I am going to say mass. We will convene the council this afternoon."

--
Eire allowed the knight of Torrent to retake her seat before he looked around. Tulvak was proving very difficult to hunt down, but the coven that she had inserted herself in had been apparently fraying anyway... they were relatively sure that the other hags were all accounted for and dead. The ogres were dealt with as well.

Eobald had reiterated much of what Linzi had told him they had discussed anyway. Conditions in Pitax were complicated. Iorvetti was numerian by national origin and on good terms with the barbarians, but while the great chief and the petty king were jovial companions by all indication the same was not necessarily true of relations between city folk and parts of the tribal confederations...

There had been instances of violence before... Pitax's criminal element potentially or not. Cheating at dice, drunken brawls. Simple small things that ordinarily wouldn't have amounted to much suddenly meant a lot more with thousands of barbarians around. Then of course the snows had fallen at high summer... and the winter fey and boreal creatures and warriors of Irrisen had attacked.

It had given the barbarians a chance to flex their muscles and protect Pitax, but it had also damaged Pitax's crops.... which he had already known that. That had in the short term created complaints because of course Pitax's 'high culture' high status culture was more Taldan, based on oil cultivation for cooking rather than butter based cooking that was more prevalent across northern Avistan, but it had also effected other crops than just sensitive olives as the crisis had continued, and the snows had fallen throughout Erastus before the portals had been shut.

"Kesten do you have anything to add?"

"No your majesty not at this time."

"Tristian?" Also nothing. He sighed, "Very well. Winter is approaching, the natural winter, and the end of the year, is there anything in particular that springs to mind?" There was actually quite a lot, with the migration of people... the Irrissen, and their settlement, the migration of nomadic folk, the actions of the bellflower network, which continued to bring freed slaves up the river, and that included more than just halflings. Slavery was also practiced across the Inner Sea, and thus the prospect of liberty far away must have been a powerful pull.

Every winter as part of what was basically a matter of feudal holding court there were reports of the realm. I was not a parliament in the legislature sense, it did not pass laws, and it did not authorize the collection of taxes. That was somewhat precluded by the body of laws that had been drafted by when Shrikewall had been merely a baronial seat.

Such laws were intended to be exactly as they were written. They weren't byzantine... though if one didn't speak draconic one might be confused, but the laws themselves were also published in Taldane vulgar. A problem for those who weren't literate in etiher, he was willing to admit. The laws though were transparent. They provided a clear framework for how society was to work, how trade to be conducted what was and wasn't legally civilly or criminally permissible. Also given it was a base ten system with a clear understanding of Zero it was easy to make the tax system clear.

The Monarchy's courts were the courts of appeal to lesser jurisdictions. They furnished the methods to review grievances that he did not have himself the time for. The reason that Eire had not permitted the election of sheriffs, lay not in any opposition to recreating in Narland that anglo-saxon institution but because it was impractical. The migration of people into the realm was more akin to early modern migrations, rather than that of the era of migrations. The latter would have described the migrations of Kellids and Iobarians, who weren't actually coming to settle.

As a result the new settlements, the nascent counties of the Kingdom were paper constructs, rather than at this point authentic communities. Royal law formed a structural framework, and there in lay the matter of bringing the people together.

There was therefore no shortage of things to do, and as always the continual problem of taxes remained that of not having a fully monetized economy. That Cheliax's broadly feudal nature resulted in payment in kind by serfs and tenant farmers as a share of their crops didn't ameliorate his annoyance at the condition.

The end result was instead of taking a portion of the harvest, it was to be commuted to labor services at a market rate, to be provided outside of the farming season. This provided the labor to conduct work during a period where farmers would otherwise be idle, but it bounded into the matter of customary labor services that might contribute to undesirable social habits. He would have preferred being able to pay wag laborers to do contract work... but that of course wasn't entirely practical.

All of that moved things into the subject of integration of various different subjects, especially when the most recent word from Cheliax had been that at least one winter gateway to Irrisen as part of Elvanna's mad scheme had been opened on the fringes of the Ravounel forest, and that there were rumors another such portal had opened within the Chelish heartlands.

Eire flipped the heavy paper look at the next column of numbers, a break down in statistics of migrants. What he would like to do was to see slaves either turned into yeomanry, or businessmen... preferably than itinerant laborers, but that was something to require investment.

There was one other matter. He planned to inaugurate a Midwinter celebration this year, since it would be six months from the winter portals being opened, and it would commemorate the realm's victory against Elvanna of Irrisen's rather foolhardy attempt.

 

[Imperator Pax]

9 Lamashan 4713
Eire's opinion of the Embeth Travellers and their presumptiveness was not altered regardless of how gregarious the grand ranger was. He was not happy with the situation.

This was not acceptable behavior... and it was not made any better by the invitation of foreign nationals into his realm for this gathering. The Brevic nobles, and the pitaxian bard, and the mivoni aldori were were not threats per se, but it galled him all the same. It gaulled him a great deal that this sort of behavior was something that river folk presumed they could do... but then it wasn't just river folk since Jamandis' letters had always come off amazingly high handed to his own sensibilities.

The difference was Jamandi had actually done something to warrant some modicum of that behavior since she had sponsored the expeditions into the stolen lands, and helped supply the starting capital to support the fledling baronies that had sprung up. Eire had yet to hear a good reason why he should tolerate anything like that sort of behavior from the Embeth Tavelers.

That wasn't why he was here. He was here because Jamel had suggested that there was a monster infested portion of the gudrin between two of the key areas of development within his realm, which should have been impossible, but he'd had to pivot to first contend with the Irrisen incursion and then had to travel to Mendev and then been delayed in returning so it was entirely possible there had been a development.

Dinner proved to be a noisy affair since in addition to neighbors from Mivon Pitax, and Brevoy, there were hunters from various passing kellid bands, in addition to the aldori siblings of Varnhold. Whether intentionally or not, and Eire assumed it was probably not specifically aimed at the Kellid presence, the fare was simple... most likely Erastilian in motivation. It was nothing fancy, and resembled the general rostlandic fare of wild pigs, and hare typical of southern brevoy's hunting in late summer.

More surprising to Eire was Jamel's ability to supply tea and coffee as refreshements for after dinner. If the meal had not been fancy this was the exact opposite. Tea, and Coffee required specialist cultivation for their respective plants, and being able to provide it at a feast was a particular tell of connections.

It was also one that seemed to completely escape the kellid guests who were too busy trying mugs of cider, and largely ignoring the plates of fruit, in favor of the cheese. Linzi tugged at his pants leg, gesticulating towards the Pitaxian party, and the center piece of the group. "That's Annamede Belavarah." She half whispered clearly impressed.

Annemede was a beautiful woman of one of the Tian ethnicities, Eire wasn't going to speculate as to which because he didn't know enough about them, but somewhat strikingly she had a prominent blonde streak that ran through one side of the bard's hair. It was quite flattering he would admit that.

He didn't immediately comment as Maegar's retainers were presently disagreeing on suggestions for the name of the lodge. Neither was particularly imaginative, though accurate in description, Edina preferred Kamelands lodge, while her sister Jolia thought Gudrin was better.

If Eire were to wade in he would have agreed with Jolia's suggestion given the river's proximity, and that it was the less broad geographic feature. He had no intention of doing that though. Jamel Visser had finally decided to fill them in on this. Apparently a local, a riverlander, Vath Locher had washed up on the shore of the gudrin river having been savaged by a wyvern. Vath perished of his wounds before a cleric of Erastil had been able to reach the scene, and the Travlers had proceeded to investigate upriver discovering a hydra as well as a krooth

Wyverns would have been one thing. One or more, certainly could have been present. A krooth's presence wasn't that odd either he supposed though given the long tails and thick skins frequent warring he'd be surprised that the roving parties of lizard folks wouldn't have hunted the crocodile eaters to extinction decades ago.

A hydra though?

That was quite odd.

Jaethal certainly agreed.

Wild wyverns, or even singular could not be allowed to just roam the river that was going to need to be taken care of. "We will allow them a chance," He replied to the elf, "if this does not work I think we will need to invest some time during the winter months here."

Jaethal nodded, "I'm actually shocked you didn't invite the Irrisen along."

"I may resort to that if we require the manpower, but if there are wild wyverns I think I'll bring Hargulka, wyvern hide could prove useful to his trolls. It makes decent enough armor" Jaethal rolled her eyes, at the consideration, but he still thought it important, "... though if we could tame them that would be useful for the realm." He glanced to Amvarean, for the silver dragon's input but the conversation froze as Shaoyu and the others approached. "I trust you will enjoy yourselves, and be careful in the same measure."

Shaoyu diligently held up the signaling whistle.

"Then I wish you good hunting." He replied spreading his hands out. "This is unusual," Eire said returning the conversation, but again if this was irrisen related then the location was wrong maybe if they'd been closer to the narlmarch side of the realm... Elvanna's portals all largely opened wood to wood, something probably about ritual significance... and of course being close to the first world the realm had been less effected.... but it was possible at least the change in weather had forced some kind of migration... but the gudrin.

"They would have had to migrate somewhere up river." Down river would have been the tuskwater, the capital, the shores around it. "Which doesn't add up because upriver would Lake Silverstep," With its mass of fae, pseudodragons and the work Amvarean poured into it. "It would help if Eranex was here." Amvarean observed.
--
Morning came as they moved into the area that the monster infestation seemed strongest, and with it the next observation was the condition of the vegetation. In contrast to being unnaturally stunted from any exposure to Irrisen winter portal effect, far from it. The plant growth was deep and lush despite how late in the year it was. "The first world," Amvarean's comment about how nice it would have been to have her half sister along was even more true.

Eire released the leaf. "This potentially explains a hydra, the krooth too, I suppose." The wyvern could just be a fluke they lived in the mountains one migrating down river was an oddity but it could easily be a case of coincidence... or not he assumed wyverns could be found in the first world... but it certainly made more sense from a hydra to cross over suddenly than well this just happening to have one in the same vicinity all of a sudden.

The whole area was saturated giving the water alone the power to sustain creatures... not unheard of in the realms of the first world... it suggested that there was probably a portal nearby.

"The transmission along the leylines could have triggered a portal, perhaps there is an elven gate nearby." Amvarean suggested.

"Oh yes, how wonderful another one." Jaethal clapped her hands in condescending sarcasm, "The Kyonin envoy isn't already enough of a headache." The inquisitor groused, before adding, "Irrisen's attack caught the kingdom by surprise."

She meant Kyonin, she had used the elven word that referred to 'the kingdom', a proper noun, but that merely underscored the matter. "It caught everyone by surprise Elvanna's attack was nothing short of insane in terms of the scope of her ambition." Few would have predicted it,

"of that we agree." Jaethal replied stamping up out of the water, "I doubt it did all that much damage anyway but it must have been such a shock to the realm's pride to have some collection of," She wrinkled up her nose and let out a string of ... vulgar and slur ridden elven in a slightly higher pitched voice.

"Is that a particular quote from the envoy?"

"Yes."

He wasn't surprised Jaethal's relationship with the various elves of the kingdom were frequently rocky because of course most of them came from her own social class... not that he necessarily assumed they had known each other but things were somewhat tense.

... unfortunately because Jaethal was an elf, and of that social class, and of high rank within the kingdom she was also the member of the realm that elves tended to default to addressing when Eire was unavailable... which was frequent.

"If the creature is from the first world, I wonder how many brought cold iron weapons?"

The kellid warriors might have... given the traditional dangers of Numeria. He would have certainly hoped that Maegar's immediate vassals would have had the good sense to take precautions despite the expense of such weapons. Shaoyu, and Amiri both had cold iron swords.

Regongar did not... though his and Akiros, and Kundal all also had magical weapons. Eire was not sure if Akiros and Kundal had cold iron. The three of them turned due south. Amvarean beat them to the to the bowl shaped hollow dispersing fully mature trees with her wings as she landed and burying her claws into the bright red and green scales of the hydra. The adult silver dragon hurled the hydra away from the two bleeding Aldori half elves.

Jaethal glanced at them, dismissing their injuries with a muttered "they'll live," She spun her scythe as one of the hydra's heads spit and snapped in her direction. Eire raised a hand and removed the offending head down to the stump with a solar bolt leaving an exposed charred black stump of spine. "It doesn't appear to be of the feywild." She observed.

"That is odd." He said, agreeing with conclusion of the beast's nature.

Amvarean had resumed her half elf form dancing away from the riven scarred body and the burning stump.

They perked up at a ranting series of draconic echoed through the tributary flowing into the gudrin... the inflections were right to be a native speaker but... "The wyvern?" He questioned. A blast of lighting sizzled through the sky... probably Regongar, and the faint shout that was probably Amrii's battle cry though it was hard to make out.

The hydra with its remaining heads snapping their jaws attempted to slither forward, Eire swept his hand out in invoking gesture and white flame crackled from his finger tips. The water of the pool started to steam and hiss boiling into a sudden explosive plume of flame burning the hydra's scales away and leaving little but charred bones.

Amvarean said nothing of the spell, but Jaethal looked at the debris and viscera before regarding the two shell shocked Aldori sisters, before admitting that they were probably in a hurry.

 

[Imperator Pax]

11 Lamashan 4713
It had taken most of a day to trek back to the lodge. The waxing half moon beginning to rise provided some light, but more so from the cooking fires, and bonfires as a mix of Kellids, and Erastilian clergy stoked them against the growing darkness of night. It would be another week before the moon was full.

Amvarean was presently allowing, really encouraging, Annamede to flatter her with a song of gratitude for rescuing the Pitaxian bard from a winter wolf who had decided to slip through the portal from Irrisen and settle in the Kamelands while it had been opened. It had chanced upon the bard and her alleged protectors while she'd been composing music during the hunt and decided, probably quite rightly the donna would be easy prey for he and his pack of wolves.

Amvarean had parried the wolf's own breath weapon with her sword and would likely have the beast's pelt turned into a rimepelt at some point in the future. There was the strange wyvern hide that would also need to be processed skinned and treated to make armor which certainly justified this outing. The other hunters had roved around the tributary and had run into among other things carnivorous plants... which suggested probably a path to the first world somewhere... perhaps the green mother, maybe one of her druids had tried to counter irrisen's incursion by praying for her assistance or something... there were plenty of things to sit and speculate on. They would devise a more in depth survey of the region in due time.

His focus, in conducting such a survey, was to insure that there was not a repeat of this along such an important route within the realm. The Gudrin river was the arterial linkage between Lake Silverstep and the Tuskwater, and thus Shrikewall, and New Colton on the Tuskwater, and then Candlemere, Memphis, and the Lizardfolk village to the south.

That was where Eire's focus predominantly remained. He didn't care about the farcical hunt results, which naturally proclaimed the Embeth Hunters to be the victors, and frankly he'd have been happy to consider the task of administration and his tea until a sudden yowl of pain, and a crash as plates swept to the floor. One of the rostlandic men in the travelers ranks of companions had thudded forward and was clutching his chest. His flailing was punctuated by a discoloration in his flesh

... which of course eliminated a heart attack, but any further diagnosis was ended as vines and flowers erupted from a growing split in the man's tunic and his chest below as he fell backwards into a final supine rest. Legs clambered from the open wound, eight legs a long tail and a snapping mouth at the nearest guests.

Its color was wrong, but there was no questioning that being green didn't change that it was a basilisk. Then the room dissolved into full on chaos as weapons were reached for. By the time the cutting was done the room was washed in blood. Eire spared no more than a glance at the dead man's body.

There weren't a whole lot of potential explanations, but 'angry druid casts ritual magic' was certainly a pretty high one on that list. "When we leave in the morning I want you to bring Eranex to investigate the area."

"You believe this is one of the green mother's servants?" the dragon questioned.

"I want an opinion of someone who routinely deals with the first world. Eranex can bring that expertise to this matter, we will need to speak with the clergy of Erastil as well." They would need to investigate the whole site, but Jaethal already knew that.

"I will make sure the entire area is scoured." The inquisitor replied 'borrowing' a table cloth to clean a noxious green mix of blood and pile from her scythe. She tossed it aside with a sudden scowl after having thought about it. "If its ritual magic, this could be Tulvak." She suggested.

Eire paused... then tilted his head, as he weighed the matter, "She'd need a coven for that kind of magic, but yes, I concur that's entirely possible. I want both sides of the river scoured." He glanced to Amiri, and Shaoyu who were not in the slightest being discreet in their attempt to listen in. "When we return to shrikewall I'll see if there is any sort of scrying magic that we can rely on to find traces of this." They had too many variables... too many unanswered questions at this stage. They needed more information in order to move forward. He spared a glance over the broken remnants of the long table. "We will discuss this further when we return to shrikewall... in fact, I believe we will do so." Amvarean straightened as he produced the stone to send word to the Cathedral of Iomedae at Shrikewall.

He waited a few minutes for Brother Vaclav to reply and confirm... and then daylight filled the hall transporting them in a whirling column of summer warmth into the nave of the great church.

"Your majesty." Brother Vaclav stood with a dozen other clerics, and several hell knight armingers including two members of the order of the godclaw bearing sword and starburst pins of the Church of the Inheritor upon their vestments. The fraternity of Iomedaens all carried cinderblades at their sides.

"I trust missives to summon the council have already been issued?" He questioned.

"It is so, your majesty."

"Good please see to our guests accommodations and that they be available to answer any questions. Someone has violated the edicts of sorcerery and engaged in prohibited and felonious uses of magic for actions against the realm. I will need you to assist Jubilost in collecting their statements after I speak with him."

"Very good, sire." The dark haired priest replied bowing again at the waist.

He turned to the other priests, "Someone, or a party there of, has enacted magic that appears to summon monsters who may or may not be from the first world. The creatures are hostile, and by all indications unintelligent, but they take the form of many of the great beasts. A wyvern, and a Hydra, and a basilisk most recently. I will need a party of men to ride and secure the site, and have Jaethal's investigators thoroughly scour the area for answers."

Jubilost glanced through the doorway and then looked at, and commented on the mass of people.

Eire nodded, "There is a wyvern's corpse at the location, I need you to autopsy the beast," He felt Shaoyu start to protest, "But if it is at all possible preferably without rendering it useless for other purposes. In the interim." He waved to the other denizens of the hall. "Let us see if anyone has pieces of this puzzle." Eire knew that the Kellid tribes probably were not going to be thrilled with a professional investigation... and worse he knew he didn't have time to conduct it in person... and he needed Jaethal at hand else where, the best he could do to the participating hunters was to promise them a place in the ride against the responsible parties for these acts and seats in his hall for as long as they wished to remain with Shrikewall. The temple of Erastil could have a place in the investigation just to be sure that that was handled with concern to their own interests.

They moved to where they could have some privacy and closed one of the doors to one of the west wing chapels.

"Pitax." Jaethal remarked suggesting it before he could voice his own suspicions, but he had probably given it away by the sweeping look at the bard. "its possible, but I doubt these ones are anything more than spies."

"Its seems unlikely to be Annamede. Her guards are denser than rocks." He admitted, "As you say she seems more interested in taking notes, the monsters took her entirely by surprise, it is perhaps simply coincidental timing." He wasn't sure if Annamede's presence represented a return of Pitax sending agents or if it was just a coincidence. The tian bard's presence might be nothing... and that was why Jubilost would not be told of their suspicions until he had formed his own opinion.

If the gnome genius came to them thinking she was more than just a spy well... they would deal with the matter another way... and if she was just a famous bard, well they'd send her on her way.

Linzi rejoined them a few minutes later coming through the door with Regongar and Kundal in tow, but no sign of Akiros, or Amiri.

"They are rallying the guards." Shaoyu answered. "I want to ride with them back to the site."

He nodded, "That might be for the best." Eire agreed. "Let jubilost investigate the Wyvern, its one of our few leads." The Basilisk had not survived the fight particularly intact with so many blades aimed at it and in such close quarters. Reptilian limbs had been hacked off the beast's head was mush, the skull caved, and carved into complete disfigurement as raging barbarians had pounded it like a drum. "And if not feasible I will see to it you are suitably reimbursed."
--
Notes: This begins the long off an on matter of the bloom saga, using a mix of video game and P2 lore as well as intertwining it with other plotlines over the next few years in story, but it is mostly a side matter in the kingdom.

I am making the decision not to write up my planned Narland institutes midwinter festivities this would take place the winter solstice the 21st​ day of Kutona 4713 and to be entirely honest would probably borrow from Apsu,'s Time of reminiscence and Candlemark as well as earth's norse traditions of jul and midvinterblot celebrating the feast of a powerful king or jarl.... but with Iomedae as the central deific figure ... though I am sure that with both Amvarean and other factors Apsu's time of reminiscence would be zeroed in on as well.

 

[Imperator Pax]

15 Pharast 4714AR
People had had lathes for thousands of years before he'd arrived. If he had to 'invent' the thing he'd have probably gone insane at the prospect of introducing it. The lathe was a fundamentally ancient tool for crafts. The use of the disk and button method... not so much. Tanners, and planers and joiners and craftsmen of leather, and wood, and smiths, and glassblowers were all necessary, but their work could be improved and supplemented on with both standardized units of measurement, and standardized dimensions of screws and bolts.

The result was crafts work a thousand of inch in tolerance with hand tools. Not necessarily required for clothing or even personal armor, but a craft precision that translated to work in other fields, and important one for the complexities of magical airships... or even for that matter manufacturing standard wheel sizes for wagons, gear sizes for mill works, and clocks. Shrikewall's workshops were responsible for insuring the master plates and jigs for the lathes and the standard parts were standard and making sure the parts were interchangeable through certification.

Instead of guilds he needed a bureaucratic apparatus, not that he had guilds, and it might have been preferable to have a private sector development that he didn't have to manage, but he didn't have that. The frame work either culturally or legally didn't exist... if he wanted a complex urban society of producers, and institutions they were going to need a frame work...

... in short he was attempting to transform a frontier landscape and of feudal populations into the economic era's modern era... and the tools, and the tools to make the tools and the legal organizational framework would not magically make people become entrepreneurs. No he'd have to wait for that, have to wait until the society had developed enough where education was normal enough, standardized, to produce thinkers who could build off royal institutions of capital investment.

He still might have considered the issues of scale sooner. Each machine, lathe, the mills, well less so the drop hammers... but presses, and vices and files were all scaled for human hands. They cut in units of measurement yes, but the interface of labor to capital presented its limiting factor which was compounded in an ineffective time keeping society, and in trying to integrate production line methods of labor organization for volume.

The problem that Eire could already recognize was the lack of drive to improve... a monopoly would frequently develop various pressures in order to become self sustaining even if it became inefficient and unproductive.

So far as Eire could piece together Golarion had yet to develop institutions, and legal frameworks like LLCs, or stock markets... at least not in North eastern Avistan it was possible Absalom might have had capital brokerage institutions comparable to 17th​ century London or Amsterdam but he was skeptical given the otherwise limited banking apparatus throughout the inner sea... even Alkenstar's bank was only tentatively early modern era banking.... and its market position relative to the older style institutions proffered by the bank of Abadar was limited.

Then of course there were the factors of the inner sea that didn't have, that Avistan more broadly, direct earth equivalents.

Still Eire surveyed the metal working lathes, and the machines, and wished there was more than this, more that could be put into practice, but they needed time. The lathe was ancient yes, but there was a difference between needing a vice on your workbench desk in order to then hand fit parts you made to each individual item in pattern manufacturing... and interchangeable parts. There were other things he had had to contend with besides those. As long as the screws were interchangeable he supposed that was enough for what he needed for now... the vices and hand fitting would be fine

As winter had broken Eire had turned his attention to the growing challenges of his realm. Among those responsibilities were the kings horses. The necessity of the kameland farms to provide for the year round care of the animals which served various royal tasks.

The original draft horses for baronial farms before wild stallion herds had been found to be common to the Kamelands had been imported from the strong rostlandic farm horse. That working horse was sufficient in breed and temperament as a draft animal but simply wasn't commercially available to his needs. For Eire he needed both farm animals to do more than pull carts but also use the horse collar which were unknown in Rostland, and also he needed horses for military purposes... and that lead to selective breeding that would take years still to yield results.

The ability to provide fodder all year round thanks to rotating crops though, coupled with the expanse of the kamelands and its favorable climate was such that there was no such thing as having too many horses. Something that the passing barbarians seemed to have taken note of. For the eastern tribes in particular, but really most folk, a measure of wealth could be measured in the heads of cattle or the herds a powerful man or his tribe held.

Mivon to south was concerned over the recent swelling of barbarian ranks, but Mivon also had concerns over trade through the hook tongue slough. A disruption which had begun years earlier. A disruption which should have been brought to its end exception for new vexing challenges.

The sellen was the life blood of people from Chesed to Cassomir and in between sat the principality of the mivonese swordlords. To that end though Eire doubted that Mivon's complaints were not simply a matter of the rhetoric of the River freedoms. Noleski Surtova had decided to install a chain across the East Sellen River, and Eire truthfully agreed with the alleged Issian protest that Noleski was within his rights since the chain was within Brevoy.

This had nothing to do with the river freedoms. Eitehr the third or courts were for kings. Indeed he doubted the Mivonese were using the river freedoms as anything more than a cudgel to stir up complaints against the current occupant of the brevic throne. Indeed he suspected that given the disruptions to trade into the lake this was really more of a statement of royal power to Rostland than it was aimed at actually curbing trade along the sellen; whether that was mercantilism or something else he could say. The crown's claims was circumstantially supported by Restov's need to, expressed need during the crisis of Varnhold to cut ties citing increasing tensions north and south.

He allowed the Mivonese half elf depart the bravo paid little mind to Amvarean or the other apparent half elf's coterie of 'smolive and cacturne' Leshi as he thought of them. The events of High Summer abroad, the near disastrous opening of the Fifth Mendevian Crusade as Deskari's horde of chittering verminious legions remained a particular sour point. The forces of the abyss had slain one of the Inheiritors most stalwart retainers, the noble silver dragon Terendelev. To say that the Draconic community was unhappy was an understatement. It had taken time for confirmation that Terendelev had fallen... and the last few months had been exasperated by lack of progress and the confirmation that the balor had taken the body as a trophy when his forces had been driven back from Kenabres.

The flight of Iomedaen silvers watching over the Galtian border with thinly veiled contempt at the red revolutionaries blood letting were now well known to be questioning others of their kind and the church hiearchy where the priorities should lay. More specifically what forces could be prepared to best avenge the murdered paladin dragon. Silver dragons might not have been as chatty and loqacious as brass dragons, but the loss of Terendelev now apparently reached far beyond eastern Avistan.

"We should expect a more formal visit in due time." Amvarean remarked. "Indeed I would not be surprised if this extends to the dragons of the Inner Sea, and across the septs."

Shaoyu had already sworn vengeance repeatedly since the winter solstice, but he hardly expected the pride of most reds to warrant similar proclamations against the Balor Khorramzadeh. Eire had forbidden his ward from pursuing those oaths until she was prepared to lay waste to the city of Iz in the worldwound... a feat that she would not be prepared to undertake any time soon... which was why she was even now training.

The threat posed by the balor lord, the sudden demonic offensive had convinced him of the need to be prepared , better prepared if conditions worsened. If the forces of the abyss managed to force beyond the world wound and invade Numeria or even beyond.

Which of course suggested the possibility of what might, emphasis on might, have been responsible for the surge in monster activity several months earlier. That could have possibly been Lamashtu cultists. Kesten Garess had admitted that it was a known problem in the brevic back country... and the cults were particularly hard to root out to the north... but on the other hand it raised questions about the magic needed to do so.

"I will keep that in mind," He replied, the opening of the Worldwound had prompted draconic interest but not a cohesive response, that might change, or might not, "but with our growing population and the crusade, we need to expand the farmlands." Productive soil needed to be turned and brought into cultivation, and that meant more than just properly fitted horse collars it meant steel bladed plows, or at least cast iron... but that required other demands to be met to furnish that... and that meant he was going to have to go talk to the giants while Valerie, and probably the twins contended with the expansion of the royal granaries.
--
Popular noble, and small folk stereotypes alike aside Eire found very little issue with the 'primitive' giants... maybe it was simply that the preponderance of stone giants were on average more intelligent than hill giants but the native River Giants of the sellen river network were largely reasonable. They were quick tempered but that was a common enough trait across most races. Thus he actually was more surprised that the beaver folk didn't choose to live more along the the population of giants than the lizard folk... neither of which were more than small clans, but all of them were well suited to build riverine infrastructure and maintain it.

That was important, because the river giants, and the beaver folk came together to build dikes, and water pathways, and boats and barges to ferry goods. They kept those in repair. That was important, because that work also insured the clay harvested from the river banks went into the kilns, and it also insured Trobold had its access to the water ways and thus to the other settlements of the realm.

This was important because Trobold grew corn, that went out as animal feed, but it was also used to make what was effectively whiskey. That was popular, not just as a local potent beverage but also something that could be exported since... hard liquor transported well.

Eire suspected some of the success of the human church of Erastil was that it was coexisting alongside its giantish version of the faith here. The giantish pantheon and the draconic one were complemented by the a portion of the church of Sobek, and the eldest Ng along side a handful of the Emperyeal lords brought in as religious communities from the Inner Sea defused, but mostly it was the giantish pantheon and those gods worshipped by the kellids that attracted most trolls attention as they settled in permanent sedentary communities.

Grow crops, and particularly fodder, raise lots of pigs, and trade for things provided a flow of goods, if not necessarily an idealized flow of monetized trade. It was working, but it was incremental.... and as he noted the several months earlier Trobold was growing faster.

Part of that was that it sat on the southern border, part of it was it was still part of the lakelands of the Narlmarches, it had access to the river which then was a short boat ride to candlemere... and officially Eire measured his souther border was the southern shore of the lesser 'Mivon Sellen'... which was only little in comparison to the more massive and sprawling eastern... which was ironically to their west.

"I raise big, great stone home for gods." Harrgulka declared, in draconic, which was improving with practice.

It was a statement of intent. The troll chieftan wasn't particularly religious, but Minderhal or Erstig were perfectly acceptable deities for him to raise his holding's central settlement too.

More interesting for Eire was Harrgulka's progress to reconnect the road of shields. It was effectively a trade. Trobold's laborers put in part time as road crews and in turn he used the allotment of labor the river giants, beaver folk to provide the expertise for the docks, and warehouses on the shore that came from down the river. Chelish halflings smuggled to freedom might not choose to stay, but Eire would have been blind to miss that Harrgulka had no trouble encouraging orcs and half orcs to settle as the stone temple began to take shape. That in turn expanded royal control of the southern border, and made dealing with bandits much easier.

--
Notes: Spring of 4714 is currently in the process of revisions and thus I don't have a significant number of posts ready to post unlike with the previous year. Part of that is that ... the maps and the scale of the stolen lands and canon changes drive me up the wall... I am attempting to maintain an internally consistent set of placement but it would be nice if 2E could at least pretend to be consistent across its maps with important features like rivers.

 

[Imperator Pax]

17 Pharast 4714
Eire flexed his fingers Mendev had been the first time he had taken draconic form beyond dreams of the first world... but they were dreams that had begun many many months previous to that. It had felt natural... but he had other matters to contend with today... even if it did relate to his trip to Mendev... given the petition that occupied his table.

He had to admit the Order of the Godclaw had a fascinating history. A paladin of Aroden and his companions gathered over the course of his campaigns during the first Mendevian crusade had been sponsored into Hell Knight order status after that stalwart twenty year service.

Seldinin Choaz had converted to the Church of the Inheritor and had lead a wide ranging interfaith dialogue eventually codifying the pentarchy tradition that was the Godclaw. Perhaps equally as interesting was the participation of a member of the Brevic church of Abadar whose membership had insured that Abadar stood among those five lawful deities of the Godclaw pentarchy.

The order's presence had of course been predicated by their oaths to abide by the tenants of the realm's dragon law so long as they were with in the kingdom's borders. The prospect of permitting another order to actually settle, beyond Saeya Mouri's tiny chapter of the already small order of the Torrent, was not necessarily something he was wholly comfortable with, though part of that was the degree of zealotry that Godclaw demonstrated.

The truth was he needed professional soldiers to stand and that was the point of feudal arrangement. He did not want to think the crusade would fail or that the demons would manage to push through the defenders, but he would take steps as a precaution.

The formal process of Hellknights was... well he did need heavy infantry, that was not in dispute but expecting an applicant to defeat a devil in single combat seemed an extreme measure... and yet... and yet Eire recognized that it formed an important part of his available martial power. At least until such time as he could readily produce and equip a population that could provide a permanent standing army.

With the crusade underway he was prepared to allow the most religious of the Hellknight orders permission to operate. Part of that was the sudden shock of the demonic attack, it made sense to fortify away from Mendev proper, and also even though there were objections from the orthodox church hierarchy on dogma the Order of the Godclaw could be considered a successor branch of the faith from the church of Aroden.

He drummed his fingers as his next petitioner arrived, and it was a conversation to which he should have been expecting. Eire had attempted to avoid taking any undue stance against house Thrune, or Cheliax's many unpleasant policies. Cheliax was far away, but the church of Iomedae still had a sizable presence in the kingdom and he had to weigh the political repercussions... admittedly that mostly was abated since there was not a formal exchange of embassies. Even in Mendev the recognition between states was pro forma, that was done for the sake politeness rather than anything else... but it certainly didn't hurt that they shared religious affiliations.

He reached for the fountain pen, and signed the warrant. "In the mean time, we have the horse lords to contend with." That was actually an understatement. Numeria had recognized borders . They were of course largely natural geographic ones and as a result meant little when the clans went a raiding, but in tribal practice the Iobarians, the Kellids and the rest all ranged far and wide either when displaced by one another or when a great confederation was formed... but in this case the horse lords were largely a people who had adopted the swift ponies to the steppe.

That was the defining characteristic of the western iobarian steppe was the overlap of equine riders across the grassland and transitional zone of the forests that formed typically west of the mountains which demarcated Casmaron from Avistan.

"It is more complicated than that," Kanerah replied. The steppe tribes operated on a tribal gift exchange and hospitality culture, not terribly dissimilar to their more western cousins in numeria or the realm of the mammoth lords. Such tradtiions survived amongst Mendev, and Brevoy's more settled populations in modified form particularly in the rituals of salt and bread among host and guest.

"So far as they can be concerned particularly those who mean to cross through we represent the last safe route before the slough." Which was yet another other problem, while the forces within the slough continue to be apparently push south trolls, scraggs, boggards and other monstrous races made it difficult for what limited trade still tried to force through the slough and reach the growing horde under the Tiger Lord banner.

"I would have expected Mivon to be safe enough?"

"The southern sword lords are on their guard," Valerie remarked in response, "And while they haven't called up their militia that may just as well be internal political tensions... and Mivon was less prepared for Irrisen threat than we proved ourselves to be." As Amiri had pointed out, and other western Kellids including members of her Six Bears bloodline had coorborated it was very rare for a following to have even a few giants. Thus even with the abundance of food, most migrating tribes were less likely to try and force a confrontation as they passed through. If anything some chiefs probably did have to weigh whether they actually wanted to risk crossing into the slough or if they needed to push through more quickly to avoid losing members or even temporal power wholly in the face of a very centralized territorial kingdom.



--

The spring equinox was a few days away. It was a reminder of the changes going on. There existed the facts about the division of society... what too often was an over simplified view of western European feudalism... and such a simplistic view had a very hard time existing when it was staring you in the face day in and day out.

Eire spents hours out of his week scrawling away, at the system of organization, looking at how the world around him worked.

Especially with active gods, and being on the frontier beyond neat lines of feudal territories, what was more accurate was the division between the towns folk and the rural peasantry. Eire wasn't particularly confident in his own records given the growth, but he suspected that something on the order of a third of his kingdom were nominally 'urban dwelling'.... that was in part made possible by complex and centrally organized farming that stocked royal granaries.

That encompassed wage labor, and a monetization of the economy, but that wasn't his primary focus today. Nor was it the matter of active gods per se, in the way that in years future the Royal University would produce graduates of archivists, of effectively divine spellcasters in the vein of wizards as part of Narlands educated professional classes.

Today dealt with the invisible boundaries that existed really only on the maps drawn by supposedly civilized persons. The great steppe, or more correctly its inhabitants. Pastoral nomads, nomads in general, in the great steppe either Eurasia's pontic caspian or the great grass sea that dominated Iobaria constructed full time settlements. Even if they were small compared to fully settled full time agriculturalists. They settled valleys for much the same reason as others did, access to water, and places to grow wheat, for access to timber, for access to iron ore or other metals. It allowed a small community of full time producers. Where charcoal was made, and smiths made weapons and prestige goods.

It provided temporary stopover points across the steppe that were semi protected areas for the tribes, and for that matter caravans of merchants. He understood the broad geographical brush by which the east was painted by, and that included the mass expanse that was the nominal Varnhold, but the tor as a mountain range only extended so far south, before they descended into the broad river valley that the eastern most of the sellen river tributaries had carved out. The so called 'Little Sellen' was still a great river even if joined others to enter the much larger river network.

As a result not only was there a passage through there to the great steppe of iobaria but it was also almost certainly ideal for semi permanent nomadic encampments. Iron, ceramics, grazing area for animals because there were so far as he could see and had been relayed to him the Iobarian steppe was broadly equivalent to that of the greater eurasian steppe... except that it didn't end with a terminus to Tian, which was a separate land mass.

The Padishah Empire to the distant south was not his issue today, but any significant caravan trade might eventually attract more of their attention from overland... or not it was hard to gauge how far the great realms of the inner sea and further ashore would truly pay to matters this far north.

"We will," He remarked, finally starting to address the conversation, "Need to establish a border that enjoys some degree of tangibility." The Mivon Sellen River was as far south as he was comfortable attempting to project power, which was useful in that it gave him a prominent natural terrain feature to point to and say, 'this is mine', but it didn't magically secure his border... it also didn't deal with the river valley that lead from the source of the river in question, from its source waters that actually originated from the higher steppe and mountains somewhere in the dunsward to the east.

"Particularly for those following the migration of the mammoths."

"Particularly that," he agreed in response to Amvarean's observation. That was another headache about contending with the massive steppe. The megafauna which were still common enough across Avistan, and for whom hunter gatherers and nomads pursued. "There is also the White Stallions, and the other horse lords though passing through the south and the valley... and some sort of if not accommodation but workable solution needed to be made.

He moved to the drafting table that had been erected in Silverstep's hall, and outlined the already well known features of the eastern portion of the kamelands. The river would bound the southern expanse of any towns castle or otherwise. Further east though they could build a center and work out in a cruciform intersection, four way intersection, from there.

That did still leave the Varnhold, which was something he was going to have to speak with Maegar about as well. In the mean time though, he would focus on the south eastern Kamelands, and planning and drafting efforts to bring in and assimilate what Iobarians they could , while also building permanent defensive settlements

Eire moved his pen, the ball point trailing a fine trail of ink as he moved along the ruler's edge, the other side of his southern border was what some books referred to as the sellen hills... which understandable from a medieval conception there were a set of hills that other authors referred by the same name, except they were in Numeria, and adjoining parts of Brevoy and the river kingdoms. He supposed it was technically a sub region of the Kamelands and really in either case the change in terrain didn't neatly end at the river, since the narlmarches stopped along where the Shrike flowed south from Candlemere due to the geology ... the terrain.

All of that did have an impact on administration. The Kamelands, and particularly the shores of the lakes, more so than the riverbanks presided the best options for growth. Roman manorial farms had differed from their successors in that one was designed for market, and the other was in the early middle ages intended for self sufficiency.

The problem was that wheat had been the dominant crop and one farmed in a frequent labor inefficient way. He could see that with how brevic farmers on manorial states worked strips of land due to the use of oxen, or horses yoked similar to oxen. The result were long strips of land put under cultivation, but in large open fields even though they had access to what he would have thought of as new world crops. "You said there was an old Taldan castle?" he asked after a moment

"Yes, and the quarry which sourced the stone, to raise it." The silver dragon remarked in draconic, "I had planned to put it back into service as well, perhaps the small one," She meant the juvenile gem dragon she had found hoping to lay claim to the whispering grotto... a tangled fissure of caverns with abundant gemstones probably shaped by the same forces within the earth that had created the ironstone gully's high quality iron veins... but the truth was he had paid the little dragon much heed accepting Amvarean's vouch for the dragon's good conduct and having had to contend with preparations for the Mendev expedition.

"Should I expect something unusual?" he hedged. The Kamelands had their share, more than their share it seemed at times of fae wild activity. There was a holy sight to the green mother where the little sellen narrowed around a small island filled with man eating plants.... and that was just one example of frankly many. It was a factor of the kingdom... and it hadn't escaped him that man eating plants or not holy sight to an eldest was going to attract attention.

She paused and shook her head, "No, I don't believe so," She stated. "It is I believe likely, much as we see with Silverstep that there will be non human denizens, but in the case here, perhaps from the elemental plane of Earth." As opposed to the Leshy, and fae common to the great lake in the eastern Kamelands.

--
Notes: Anyway, what I am currently doing is fiddling with my map software off and on, particularly with regards to the Mivon Sellen River because thats really the important one and we're going to go from there. Geography is important, especially in pre nationalist (19th​ century nationalism) territorial boundaries, there can be a lot of growth and contraction, but especially as Narland goes through its CKIII Kingdom boons of population growth into it.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Pharast 4714
He had made a point of following up in asking how the diaspora was faring. Irrisen was famously the land of eternal winter after all. Countess Bozena Elvanna... or was it Jadwiga Elvanna... he was not abudnantly clear on the nuances of Irrisen society well regardless had chosen flight from her homeland.


She had decided that on realization that her mother the then queen of Irrisen was in active rebellion against her grandmother Baba Yaga. Upon hearing that Queen Elvanna purged the Iron Guard and bound the Crone's dancing hut, she had decided the best course of action was to decamp her entire domain of Bosorka for 'Greener pastures'. It was not that Bonvena had been a particularly benevolent ruler in her ninety nine years of rule, but she had made the decision better to take the nearly nine hundred people of the town along with her... to get while the getting was good and flee to the east.

She had made good on this by invading the neighboring county and and using the magical portal her mother had perhaps stupidly opened into the Stolen Lands and fled out into the bright summer daylight of the Kamelands. Queen Elvanna of Irrisen had had some cockamamie idea of 'global ice age' and what not that had resulted in her opening portals across Golarion based on using lay lines to try and project the 'eternal winter' of Irrisen farther than just the rule of the throne of Irrisen. Rather coincidentally this had permitted the Heralds of Summer through clerics of Pharasma and Milani to seek out foreign aid particularly in their case through the portal of the village of Kizobran.

Though not affiliated with the rebels Kataryne Vilimanov had been plotting her own rebellion, or reclamation of the settlement of Kizobran from the changeling who had been switched with her at birth. Only the outbreak of civil war in the capital and foreign incursions through the winter portals by Chelish, Taldor, Andoran and other armies had convinced Kataryne to accept her 'aunt's tutelage' in a foreign land than stay in Irrisen

The portals had all been closed and presumably Baba Yaga had done some house cleaning. Contact with Irrisen was limited by the distance entailed by such though Baroness Pavlina of Badelund had facilitated some resistance to the mad queen's schemes and attempted to provide succor to those effected. The Jadgwiga noble was their nominal contact at the court of Irrisen with the new Queen Anastasia a granddaughter of Baba Yaga installed following Elvanna's presumed demise.

The Baroness of Badelund hoped to sway the young queen to pursue more genteel and open relations with the nations of the south and of course that such trade would make everyone's lives easier. The thinking was that they would be able to address Elvanna's madness as insanity, and use that to mitigate the attempt to invade multiple realms at one time.

Eire turned his focus to the matter at hand. The settlement of the kamelands within the heartland of his realm., and particularly those vassals within it. Kressel, Svetlana's younger sister, followed basically a brevic model of tenant farming... in no small part a measure to satisfy both her focus on the caravan crossing of the river and martial pursuits... and in part because she didn't wish the trouble of aggravating her largely rostlandic subjects. Kressel however required her subjects, who were largely Erastil worshipping tenant farmers, to practice with the longbow as part of the feudal obligatory they owed her, and thus the realm. Being available for military service when she called was the primary tax burden on them with other value accounted for labor in place any portion of the harvests.

It was a fairly standard practice, since Akiros followed the same strategy for the most part and Oleg and the tatzylford wasn't much different. It was the two Irrisen... the two Jadwiga Elvanna within his demesne who were somewhat more irregular. Eire was, concerned that given its slow adoption he might have to actually order peasants to adopt three field rotation... which was going to be controversial. He knew that.

Harrgulka had had no qualms adopting and implementing a three field system... but the trobold's farming was also increasingly aimed at supporting cattle, and pig farming rather than being expressly about raising crops. A consequence of this was that while the troll hold had adopted the development it wasn't an amazing example to their neighbors, who mostly saw the trolls raising and feeding large herds of animals.

Harrgulka's decision though was an example that by slim technicality most of his nobles were following the adoption, but he suspected that was better explained by their disinterest. The Elvanna siblings were themselves an example of this. Bozena's choice to have her peasants adopt the three field agriculture system lay in needing them to actually learn from the ground up how to farm. A similar problem to that of the former duchess as well, but her sister had taken things a step further by enforcing a stringent centralization on her peasants by expending wealth to follow more closely to the baronial model of square farms and horses. She wanted her peasants focused on town based production more so than farming.

That as a result created small consolidated irrisen community, that was a more distinct series of feudal domains. Still the domains represented people who were productive, and that by itself was a boon. The fact that allocation of the strips for Bozena's peasants who had come from her decamped original domain had been easy to settle in fixed parcels.

An allotment of standard sized parcels allotted to each field system in the estate, and a common fallow field for for the Bosorkans. The problem of course was the lack of draft animals, which meant using strips of farming and oxen plows when those animals had been acquired. It brought the land under cultivation, and Eire had to remind himself that that was the priority in terms of settlement than anything else.
--
Spring's arrival allowed Eire to revist other matters. It allowed him to entertain petitions from Brigh's clergy regarding the evidence that the starfall had not deposited its strangest bounty to neatly within Numeria's modern borders.

Their interest, beyond the remains of the automatons that Akiros and his companions had destroyed the previous spring, lay in the remains of the ship those automatons had originated from. As Brigh's church had expanded they had the resources to allocate to other projects... and to be blunt the launch of the airship and the success of the voyage to Mendev had encouraged tinkerers and craftsmen to look at the church even though the airship was not a pure mechanical construct, relying heavily on magical properties.

Of course Eire wasn't entirely sure that was even an issue for Brigh's tinkerers... but he knew that in contrast to his recent focus on his eastern lands their attention hewed westerward, and particularly at the lost flying ship which had presumably brought the technic league to make ventures into the stolen lands... and not simply the expedition that had included Regongar and Octavia.

It was a pity of course that Regongar and Octavia couldn't be more help, but the truth was while they had potential as arcanists... as magus, and wizard or arcane scoundrels of other sorts if they chose to apply themselves they were not inclined to the scientific application Eire expected.

Still that didn't make them useless, their warnings might be enough, "Regongar is likely right besides further meddling by the league digging into the buried ship will require care." He remarked... never mind being immensely labor intensive. Last year the rains of spring, and probably the thaw too had caused a landslide that had brought a side of a northern hill asunder unearthing the side of a long lost ship. From its depths a pair of automatons had wandered loose only for Akiros and his companions to deal with the machines... but that sort of danger was only part of it. "That does not make me opposed to the exploration only that we will have to organize and exercise caution both in regards to avoiding hostile action but also damaging the surrounding area by excavating or what we are attempting to recover." He remarked... and that was one of the things he hadn't even considered to bring in all his books from earth... nothing on archaeology and attempts to safely dig up the past.... and anything on that account was going to be more than labor and time intensive... it would require almost certainly his presence at most stages... because while Amvarean could almost certainly manage the eastern and southern frontier in the Kamelands... "I'll speak with with the giants." Maybe Harrgulka as well since this very likely had the potential to be the sort of 'kingdom matter' he would be interested in participating... and there was no denying Harggulka was always interested in this sort of thing.

Land clearance was largely a matter of animal power. Again, iron, and steel blades on plows allowed teams of horses to clear land, and turn soil. There was still the matter of felling trees but once that was done most baronial, and then royal excavation of work sights turned to the matter of magic... which was an issue in communities human or troll that didn't have ready access to to a multitude of low level spellcasters.

They would have to be more careful given the crashed spaceship.

The stone giants were less technophobic than, numerian, kellids tended to be. They were still relatively conservative much like brevic erastillian humans but the stone giants were more willing to invest labor in new agricultural techniques as long they weren't the ones doing the experimenting. As far they were concerned as long as someone else had proved it worked then the matter was fine for them to put labor into widening the practice.

In much the same way he expected he could invite a party of maybe twenty or even fifty stone giants into the North Narlmarches and they would work from the Adamantine shield fortress rather than the temple of the elk.

There was however one other matter, "According to what little records that we were able to salvage from the road of shields each of the shield fortresses were meant to exploit their eponymous natural resources," He stated to the cleric of Brigh who had accompanied the Mendev voyage, "As I've already spoken to Valerie and Amvarean this has the potential to be extraordinarily important to the kingdom

 

[Imperator Pax]

20 Pharast 4714

The Spring Equinox brought with it the traditional, Erastilian beginning of the planting season... it also marked the arrival of news of incursions into Numeria, and Brevoy for presumably both forage, fodder, and booty by the kellid bands of the greenbelt. It was not strictly speaking an invasion, or at least in the sense of an attempt at conquest. The Kellid incursions disorganized and surprise raids, probably marginalized clans or figures within lower status clan groups on the outskirts of the confederation... but it was not a good sign.

It was probably not a single factor, but it was coming at a time that food stores must have been running low and that there was a need to establish the particulars of status. The reports of incursions into among others the Lebeda domain in western Brevoy were weeks old by the time they had reached Restov after all never mind their arrival to Olegton.

Eire regarded the map of northern Avistan, and the poorly maped expanse that was Numeria, "The Tiger Lords have long dwelled in the Sellen hills haven't they?" He asked.

"That's right." Jubilost nodded in agreement. "If we're lucky they'll be busy fighting with the other tribes in that blasted landscape of Numeria, but it will only buy some time, with all their numbers."

Something was going to have to give and it was doubtful the other two major tribes who lived in the hilly expanse east of the Sellen river would be able to stop Armag's confederation, especially if he had managed to unify the whole tribe of the Tiger Lords under his banner along with his confederation allies.

"He could be trying to challenge the black sovereign." Regongar suggested more interested than he normally was in the discussions of state.

The half orc had a point. It was a gross oversight, but that made a certain amount of sense. There had been political shake ups over the last few years in Numeria as well. Armag's confederation was in many ways just by existing a threat to Kevon Kul the black sovereign of numeria and the technic league... and the league had itself undergone a political shake up three years earlier with a new 'captain' rising to the post.

Eire should have considered that before hand. Armag very well could be looking to seize that kind of position, because the post of the black sovereign was as close to a recognized leader of at least Numerian Kellids as existed. Seizing the position, or being a viable competitor to the title would potentially allow him even greater fame and influence and would allow his host to expand even further.

Was that Armag's intention?

That was the harder question to answer. It was at least a reasonable hypothesis; at least given what all they knew.

... and even if it was wrong, if they could hypothesize that his was the intention of Armag twice born... "Then someone else could as well." Jaethal declared, "and that will make him enemies. Enemies which may even push him to seize such an ambition."

"It would be a challenge." Amiri agreed.

It would be a headache the world didn't need. The forces of abyss were engaged against the 5th​ mendevian crusade but he was surprised that the politics of chiefdoms and kingdoms didn't end just because there was an apocalyptic war on... they were lucky the pathfinder society had managed to end Queen Elvanna's plot but even so her scheme still had repercussions. Even as short as it had been the sudden snap of cold in high summer before the harvest had damaged the harvest causing food shortages across avistan over the winter, and that as they had observed on of the likely causes of greater raids by kellid tribes north west of them.

That was an interesting point in itself. The Kellids ... by and large didn't use cavalry, or even mounted raiders for that matter, which was arguably more surprising to Eire. That was a contrast with the Iobarians who adopted a more steppe model of warfare and more likely to employ lancers and horse archers.

He sighed, "Alright," They needed to put this to one side. Whatever Armag intended to do for the moment he was not their problem. Spring was here, and with it he had thousands of retainers who needed to be directed.... more importantly were the adherents of Iomedae's church who needed to be settled in the realm.... it went beyond that but he had ambitions to anchor the road of shields over the next year.
--
The Cyclops laid out his findings, and his conclusion, "I would think that at some point the elves reached this far north," He remarked, "But I suspect that an elf must have come north and attempted to make himself ruler of these lands after is that not accurate?" He wasn't really asking Eranex it was effectively rhetorical, but Eranex did confirm it all the same.

There had been thousands of years earlier, well before Silverstep had sired either Eranex or her sister Amvarean, there had been an elven Kingdom. It had grown from a small settlement called Rushwood who's founder had been called 'the Roadbuilder', and her son had been called the wise.

The truth... though it would take time to unearth, and exploration of the elf gates was more complicated than they knew. So long had the passage of time been that even for dragons it faded into whispers, and rumors... and even for Shyka especially for Shyka for who the flow of time was so disordered it hard to keep a clear picture of the Rushwood that had been so long ago.

That Vordakai's picture was incomplete, and had reached incorrect answers based on faulty information was not readily apparent. The core thesis was accurate. Once upon a time the elves had migrated north, and a small short lived dynasty had made themselves rulers in the stolen lands. He had never known them and Jaethal didn't know anything either.

The roads of Rushwood were not like the shield road of the dwarves built later.

"I see." Eire replied taking his seat at the head of the table, "So there is an interconnected series of elf gates across the stolen lands."

"Indeed, all the way to the border with Numeria and into Iobaria," Vordakai replied, "I am sure the elves were able to use them to establish themselves so quickly, and given their rapid decline," Relative to elven lifespans and dynasties, "Likely they were too few to withstand their own infighting or a serious external challenge."

The truth was more complicated, but their focus turned to still other issues. At the core of it was the sprawling numbers of ruins, they stretched across his whole realm, there were no shortage of ruins... and he had only had so many hours in the day. "The previous strategy of towers would, I believe," Vordakai rumbled, "Still remain the more prudent course."

Jaethal nodded, "It matters not if this kingdom was founded by forlorn elves by Kyonin's court returned, Kyonin will bristle and complain to see a human court holding a network of its own, and we can scarcely afford to raise the kingdom," the elven word, "to ire at this stage. We shouldn't bury the elf gates or any such foolishness but," She grimaced, "Perhaps our best solution is to invite Alseta's church directly into the fold, a sign from the goddess and her effective endorsement of the aiudara might be the only way to truly dissuade a negative response from Kyonin, as with such an endorsement would strongly discourage the court from allowing anyone from stifling our riverine traffic from the south," Because interfering with that traffic would be potentially seen as an affront against Alseta's domain as a goddess of trade.

"Maegar had expressed an interest in Alseta's church," Valerie remarked, "And my family maintained a guest house on the family estate, she is relatively well known minor goddess in Brevoy across the classes." Not to Pharsma or Abadar's degree but Alseta was popular in Brevoy, and in Taldor as well, which made her interesting among the the pantehon.

As an idea it probably hadn't been Jaethal's first idea, and she had probably spent a while considering it... and only finally admitting that it was probably not just viable, but probably their best option.

There were still other religious matters. There was distinction between brevic orthodoxy between the Erastillian Church of Rostland and the stone giant faith of Erstig plus both of their associated pantheon of deities. Both venerated the primordial megalceros, the 'super elks' for lack of a better description, but those were no longer common in Rostland since Choral's conquest... where as the stone giants used them to pull carts still in ancient rites. Then of course there was the use of the printing presses to produce the testaments of the church of Iomedae, which would be provided in a uniform format to all the churches of the Inheritor across the kingdom. It would codify a formal liturgical canon, but in a world of active gods that was something that much easier to maintain in an autocephalous series of national churches than it would have been without counting that Iomedae had only ascended to succeed Aroden relatively recently... and even counting her test of the star stone she wasn't a particularly ancient goddess.

--
Notes: we move into the month of Gozran next update, and from there progress into the war in the slough with the opening of the kingdom's first real case of hostilities and what that means particularly in a medieval, and realistic context.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Gozran 4714
Eire surveyed the tuskwater from under the shade of a cypress tree which common to the Narlmarches. It had taken years to really appreciate take stock of the riverine traffic he hadn't expected the long ships to be quite so ubiquitous but the ancient ulfen explorers had carried the ship design across to Iobarian in antiquity and it proved understandably a fine riverine vessel for commercial trade.

Even with the variety in size a longship could reach they were not the largest of ships, but even still they were common across the north eastern stretch of the river kingdoms. It was another reminder of the geography that shaped his realm though. The Shrike's series of waterfalls prevented ships from sailing directly to Restov, the Tors broke up the dunsward which were high plains from the Kamelands. Though he defined his legal border as the Mivon Sellen River the steppe grasslands east of mivon's eastern frontier were a no man's land of feuding tribes, and the Galtian border was far far to the south. A border he had little contact with directly, as the native kellid, or iobarian, or whomever traversed without concern for the claims of territorial kingdoms or other states.

For the most parts the Kellids passed without incident, and most foreign contact, most recognition from the nations of the inner sea stemmed from contributions to the mendevian crusade, or to a lesser extent in answer to the struggles against Irrisen's madness. For most part though the participation in the crusades, provided the great states, and the smaller ones to speak to one another on grounds of a pseudo equality without needing to extend any sort of formal embassy or such. It allowed Taldor and its southern neighbor to talk around their traditional border grievances since they were facing a common foe in the demons of the worldwound.

The world wound was a crisis that required attention and focus from large institutions, not something that dominated the global public... if such a thing could even be said to exist. Literacy in a world without the printing press being common, without standardized and regular schooling across the population or at least the middle classes meant that newspapers were not a common instrument outside of local publications within cities large enough to sustain them. Those required a a literate urban populace of a certain size, and also of a certain material culture. It was not a universal phenomenon.

Linzi wanted to introduce regular newspaper publications, beyond simply broadsheets ... and that was probably feasible in terms of paper production, but was there an audience for it? That was a question he had to consider.

There was no question that the printing press had been a good idea, but rather naturally there was an uneven level of development across the differing settlements... and if truth was told with a sprawling community developing around the two lakes the Tuskwater, and Candlemere, and then to the east at Silverstep perhaps newspapers simply weren't the right thing at the moment. He didn't like the generic label of 'the River Kingdoms', any more really that he liked the label of the Stolen Lands... but both of them were used, and calling the latter part of the former certainly met both the geographic characteristics and the unstable political situation of the latter.

AN example of this lay with the Thorn which in comparison to the Sellen proper was short and narrow, but it averaged sixty foot in width and thirty feet in depth. That more than sufficient for large river going ships, and that was a facet of all the waterways that shaped the geography of his domain within the Greenbelt. That distinction only reminded him of conversations regarding the rivers of the Sunsward particularly of the source of the Mivon river, but also the rivers in the north that he needed to have with Maegar.

There was a tweet softly from one of the branches. He fought twinge of nostalgia... a few years on Golarion had managed to break the espresso addiction that had he'd had fore more than three closer to four decades. There were still moments where he considered coffee, it was available as a trade commodity, but his desire habitual interest in caffeine was muted by the lack of selective breeding either tea and coffee had gone through here. Tea would most likely become the cultivated, and caffeinated, beverage of choice for Narland...

The small yellow bird sang from the branches.

"Kanaria? Do you sing of youth?" He asked idly, but the truth was his real attention lay in the surroundings and the shaping form of the skyline. The influx of settlers, forced him to adjust his plans. He had envisioned a city of brick and concrete, of vaguely classical, of Roman architecture of sorts, but more in a victorian era bend. He had planned to erect the beginnings of a national bureaucracy using large basilica type common halls of vaulted ceilings, and brick row homes, decanters of endless water, and magical lighting, but even with those visions they had been expectant of something akin to the growth of the English speaking colonies of continental new world.

--
Valerie accepted the cup of tea, which was itself a reminder of the urban differences between the realm she served, and the realm she had been born into. Brevoy was a land of rustic manorial estates, of a largely pastoral peasantry and that was true of the majority of Brevoy. Only on the lake of mists and veils was the emphasis on the wide waters and trade so much more pronounced than the heartland. The great houses of Brevoy, Roslandic and Issia alike, traced their heritage to the Iobarian great lineages.

Their history, Rostland and Issia, were as provinces of the Taldan empire, and with that had come manorial fiefdoms and the churches of Abadar and Shelyn that accompanied them. Those were not the only religious institutions brought by the taldan colonists. Alseta was one of those.

She was less happy though that Ser Freddero had written the church of Shelyn in Brevoy... not that she could have done anything about it... but she hadn't appreciated the freshly minted crusading knight writing to her family.

What Brevoy also lacked was a cathedral to Iomedae even though Mendev to the west held several cathedrals spread across the crusader kingdom in the face of Mendevian Crusades.

Even now she had reports of goods that came up the river, up from the Inner Sea and made its way beyond luxuries that were in high demand in Restov, and beyond, goods that passed from Osirion, and Qadira and made their way to anxious debutantes in her home country. The letter spoke of the upcoming Pharasmin holiday but it was really about the growth of sundries, and access to them, tho the beautiful possessions of brocades silks, and beads. Little attention was paid to other matters, or questions made of the realm at large.

Large... that was really it.

Kanerah pulled her own chair back, and the tiefling woman smiled as she sat down, "His majesty has outlined a proposal to reduce the burden on Mendev," and specifically the burden of the crusader kingdom's city states, "What that will mean is very likely a swelling of migration into the realm," The assimilation of which would fall to them, really to the two of them. Perhaps including Tristian, and like Harrim.. there were days where she wondered what things would have been like had the Sarenite cleric been granted Harrim's responsibilities... arguably speaking her distrust of hte dawnflower's clergy aside... he would have been the more orthodox choice.

Kanerah knew quite well that Tristian had strong views of his faith, but he wasn't confrontational, or if he was she'd never seen it. With an iomedaen consensus and royal support for the crusade though... and also a large Chelish population the church of the inheritor's clergy were quick to reiterate their martial committments and dedication. Even as they did so it didn't change the nature of the influx of people. She had no shortage of dark haired chelish iomedaen pages, and clerics to take notes on the influx of goods, and catalog the flow of people into the realm, and those people were moving from the capital and the lake into other chartered reaches, there were talks of dioceses and vicarages.
--

Notes Ironically most of the Greenbelt rivers are actually fairly deep, none of them are noted to be especially wide, but we only get averages for most of them, but if anything for rivers of their sizes they're relatively deep. (Admittedly the Shrike is fairly large, as is the mivon sellen whose source waters are also in Iobaria proper). But yeah /1E trivia.

 

[Imperator Pax]

14 Gozran 4714
Roy's warning missive had come by boat coming down the skunk river to reach Shrikewall. The most likely explanation was rather than going up crossing the old Taldan bridge that spanned the east sellen most likely the enemy had sailed up one of the rivers feeding the Hooktongue and into the mountains were before marching through and towards Tatzlford.

As for how they had about the pass... well that was relatively easily to speculate on as well... most likely the kellid tribes reported to be supporting Drelev's small collection of forces had shown them the way. Still that they had warning was enough.

It also suggested that this was not part of some wider offensive. Drelev might or might not have scraped together enough of his treasury to pay the tiger lords to aid his troops in a bit of chevuchee against the them, but this was not some case of the Tiger lords acting on some ancestral claims of lands along the East sellen river. This appeared to be the Tiger Lords, or some portion of the tribe hiring themselves out as mercenaries.

That was perhaps not good, but was not an exceptionally awful development. "If this is beginning its," Well not forewarning, "Its a demonstration that the raids into Numeria, and Brevoy are not isolated incidents." It didn't paint them anything approaching a conclusive picture about what might have been happening further west beyond the Hooktongue slough, but it did tell them it was probably only a matter of time before the confederation broke apart and began fighting across the region, or that Armag had to make a decision and pick a target to cement his status as war leader.

The pacing of this attack though suggested this was Drelev making the call. Hannis had probably called his banners at the start of the year and began mustering his troops, getting the logistics to cross the slough... that did raise the question of why it had taken this long for the person doing the warning to get cold feet, but at the minimum Drelev had probably been planning this for a month or so in order to get his troops into position... maybe there had been some delay in last minute negotiations with the Tiger Lords over payment and the actual attack hadn't been clear.

It didn't really matter at this stage, but it suggested a lot at the same time. Either way they'd need to investigate Roy's well meaning warner and find out what she had to say, and then they'd contend once they had arrived.

Arrival was not a difficult process, A whirl of sunlight carried them to Erastil's temple. Regardless of Evanore's complaints about the presence of Calistrians in her husband's town, it furnished a second religious site in the growing settlement. Tatzlford was predominantly a brevic expatriate community. A mix of humans of rostlandic and issian stock wishing to get away from their old home of a few hundred. There were a handful of half elves, and half orcs, a singular gnome. It was perhaps, Eire would speculate most like the town of Varnhold Pass, or even Varnhold in demographics. The small elven population wasn't unusual for a Brevic town, but perhaps only in the lack of dwarves living in the town. Eire would have guessed that as a result Tatzlford would be most like what Fort Drelev and its subordinate fiefs were like as well.

The temples to Calistria and Erastil allowed troops to transport directly to separate mustering grounds to prepare the defenses, and that was to be their next course of action. "We should have encouraged Tanner to start the stone wall sooner." Kesten observed, and perhaps that was true.

The curtain wall would have helped, but as it was given the course of the skunk river it would have only defended the main settlement... and it had made more sense to allocate stone works for expanding and replacing the existing skunk river bridge... which was wooden, though sturdy and safe at the time in order to facilitate more travel to the other side of the river. Both of the town's religious centers were on the western side of town over the river and in clearings outside of the main town, and that side of town also featured some of the more recent migrants.

Tatzlford lodge was fairly typical of a brevic church of Erastil with a large communal hall for old deadeye's clergy to address townfolk... or for that matter for Tanner to address his citizens now that there were too many town folk to fit in the town hall's smaller shrine to the Elk father. The lodge was different than the Temple of the Elk, which had been originally built by Taldan colonists was distinctly more southern in its character, with large columns forming an open air pavilion and large pools of water, surrounded by stone walls, and side shrines spreading out in front of the hill facade. Still the lodge was decently sized so far as temples to old dead eye went in the realm.

Since Erastil was patron deity of the town it had made more sense to transit here, rather than being perceived as paying over much attention to the temple slash bawdy house of the Calistrian temple further south. Not that a second column of solar flame hadn't deposited the other portion of responding troops to shore up the defense of Tatzlford.

"Your majesty, thank you for coming."

Tanner's captain of the guard, a man named Coren Lawry, was waiting with Latricia, Rezbin's wife , and the presiding cleric of Erastil of the community. Lawry was a simple man of rustic country stock and his experience with divine magic was limited to what his liege lord's wife could cast, so the ability to move troops was something approaching awe inspiring to the brevic gentleman. That was especially true given the numbers carried in solar currents from the capital of the realm, to here in the blink of any.

The Lord mayor of Tatzlford was a short man who since retiring from ranger profession had begun to put on weight as the sedentary life of town mayor allowed tanner to sit and eat rather than rushing from fire to fire... as mayor Rezbin also could afford to hire out farming his manorial plot so he unlike his captain of the guard was no longer actively engaged in farming his own lands. That wasn't to say that the mayor was fat, but the stress of government coupled with less activity and more intake meant he was putting on weight.

Seated with the mayor was a young noblewoman, evidence by her riding breaches and quality outdoor clothing and sword, at the table. She introduced herself as Kisandra Numesi, the youngest daughter of Lord Terrion Numesti... the Numesti were a noble house of brevoy that traced its lineage to a noble house in Taldan though Eire doubted that House Numesti of the south had much concern for such far flung rural cousins. Lord Terrion was a vassal of House Drelev and had moved his household to assist Lord Hannis in the colonization of the Hooktongue. He'd been granted lands and title and presided over a small manorial fief in fealty to Fort Drelev's rule... and up until quite recently had been among Hannis's commanders.

Lady Kisandra was able to fill them in on other details. Hannis had been forced to submit to Pitaxian overlordship under the threat of the much larger barbarian host, it being supported by Pitaxian gold and grain. This hadn't set well with Lord Terrion who had been denied the opportunity to put forward even a token resistance to the barbarians overwhelming numbers the previous year, and had been infuriated at the command that he, among other knightly houses of the Drelev domain, should provide hostages to 'Armag's savages'... exact quote.

If Drelev's forces had crossed the border further south in one of the passes they knew of, then this likely would have been prevented. Trying to press through the southern Narlmarches, coming against Hereford or Bronzeshield's more well patrolled hinterlands would have carried more forward warning... but most likely some barbarian ranger had decided to go overland and knew that this part of the realm was vastly less peopled than in the south. Similarly if they had tried to go the long way and sweep down from the north... they would have been seen well ahead of time and a host could have been assembled at the Temple of the Elk supported by forces Olegton and within Akiros's domain.

It was just unfortunate.

"The baron has consorted with a minor chieftan of the Tiger Lords to enrich themselves, and I suspect to prove themselves to their own masters." Armag and the Lord of Pitax, as she referred to Irovetti... it validated their working hypothesis, but the complication that Drelev had pledged fealty to Pitax was a problem that Eire hadn't contended even if it did make sense given Pitax's irredentist claims... and that most likely Hannis hadn't been as diligent in guarding against Pitaxian spies among other factors.

"I don't suppose you have numbers?" A single minor chieftan was unlikely, and indeed confirmed, to be able to provide a particularly large force of fighting men beyond his own personal retainers. To that end the Tiger Lords constituted about fifty barbarians, and with Drelev about another hundred infantry footmen, bowmen, and sergeants. That drelev had retained the services of a dozen trolls was perhaps the biggest surprise. Overall the army itself was manageable enough of a threat... and explained why Drelev had been able to muster them and deploy them without being detected without earlier warning.

In terms of size such a host, especially if it had reached with the element of surprise would have been able to overwhelm Tatzlford quickly under competent leadership. The town was not a fortified outpost, and was not as well defended as southern castle towns like Hereford or Bronzeshield, whose curtain walls and locations in high approaches seen off such an attack probably on their own without needing to summon reinforcements.

Drelev or the Tiger lords would probably have skirmishers out front assuming that this Ameon Trask had anything approaching sense and knew what he was doing in invading a foreign domain. That would most likely be the barbarians it was unlikely to be the peasant foot levies Eire simply couldn't see Drelev sending poorly trained retainers out ahead given Numesti's description of the force.... not when he could use the tiger lords as ablative meat to soak up losses on the attack.

Ameon though apparently the arrogant sort and planned to do little more than order a head long charge against the village counting on weight of force, and terror to carry the day... or at least that was what Kisandra suspected he would do. Eire really would have preferred this had occurred to the south, an attack on Hereford would have seen Ameon's blunt assault cut down on the killing grounds of the approach.

Erastil's favored weapon was the longbow. Doctrinally it was expected, though not a requirement that farmers and their sons learn to use the bow, actual adherence of course varied widely with individuals and in families, but here were enough longbows in the village to provide support to the town guard but not enough to protect against a hundred or so actual fighting men.

"There are no knights present?" He asked turning back to the conversation as various royal soldiery began to move. Jaethal and her own internal forces were being mobilized elsewhere and weren't present, and directives to mobilize Akiros, and Kressel had been sent out with orders to move the latter to reinforce Olegton.

It wasn't as if he had an abundance of proper knights either, but that Drelev hadn't sent any of his noble retainers along was perhaps a little shocking. On the other hand if Drelev was in the position of needed to imprison one of his own vassals then perhaps it wasn't that shocking. Whatever the reason they had a town to defend, and that meant last minute preparations to make ready.
--
Notes: what's interesting is that 2E seems to IMO correct or at least that in one of its changes, Fort Drelev's population is that it roughly doubles between 1st​ and 2nd​ edition's versions of the AP going from 1360 population, to 2758 in the anniversary edition. Tatzlford similarly grows in size from 186to 466 with the included details of Languages being both Common, and Hallit. The 2E stats for Drelev are really more what I think (or even the 1st​ Edition stats) that Varnhold should sit at, because the canonical portrayal in 1st​ edition is entirely too small.

What's also interesting is that 2E goes out of its way to include a mention of a shrine of Hanspur in Drelev which seems a bit odd, especially after it mentions that the priest has left after the baron surrendered.... though I suppose that could be paizo making a sinking ship joke and trying to be clever. [EDIT: apparently the rat's shrine is in AP4 of 1st​ Edition Kingmaker as well]

We will see more of Kisandra Numesti over time, and as an introduction, and an opening to feudal war fighting this is just an introduction but brings us into the content of Blood for Blood, which was largely skipped over in the video game... this is more exposition than I had wanted and I really need to make further revisions of Aemon Trask's foray against Tatzlford, but we will see if that happens given the holiday season.

 

[Imperator Pax]

15 Gorzan 4714

The whoops and fierce cries sounded nothing like tigers... in Eire's opinion, but the obvious point was to announce the arrival and call to battle among the barbarian as they advanced from the northwestern tree line. Their calls also seemed to be echoed by the trolls further back along the western riverbank though the green skins weren't visible they could certainly hear each other. This was probably not intentional, the trolls were most likely echoing the human barbarians on their own initiative, and as a result the Kellids felt the need to be even louder.

And to run faster, which meant they were breaking up into packets of men who could keep up with one another. This could have very well been an intentional tribal hunting strategy adopted for warfare ... or it could just be a terrible mistake.

It was probably both.

Eire crossed his arms over his gray double breasted tunic. "Not yet Shaoyu." He stated, but he didn't disagree with her complaints. This intrusion distracted him from his time spent cultivating the mana plants that were at the heart of the airships. Airships which would be necessary to ferry aid to and carry refugees from Mendev. He did not appreciate the distraction.

That was not the Tiger Lords fault, per se. At least he didn't assume that their attack was intentionally aimed at disrupting vital aid against an apocalyptic threat but it none the less annoyed him. "These interlopers must die." She replied in draconic.

"Yes." He replied. "But I want them destroyed in detail. That means allowing them to commit what forces they have before we deploy our reserves." That was why they were not revealing their preparations. Even if that was unfair to whatever levies had been conscripted to pad Drelev's commitment to this expedition it needed to be done. They were going to have to reinforce the whole western frontier, and push into the slough... they'd need to mobilize their own troops to do that. "We are war Shaoyu, strategy and organization of our logistics are what will carry victory."

As part of the royal reforms Armasse had been expanded to two weeks. That had not been done with the expectation of something like this, but frankly even two weeks was really insufficient to drill and prepare a military force. Really more than anything the expanded period was to make sure squires were up to being trained full time as potential professional troops, or priests, or other professions traditionally associated with the arodenite holiday.

Eire suspected now that he could see it with his own eyes that the lack of knights was an excellent excuse for Drelev to refuse any traditional ransom demands. Nearby there was a shuffling, Eire had called for answers to this incursion by using the ability to transport from religious sites, and thus it was in no surprise that most of the immediate response came ... well not from ecclesiastical estates, but from clerical orders... case in point while he might have liked the ability to summon a company of sorcerers to answer the realms needs at war the storm giants had answered his call with a small force of clerics of Bergelmir... not that he was complaining. he was grateful for the prompt aid.
--
There was a clap of thunder as one of the giantish clerics raised her quarterstaff and the heavens answered with a bolt lightning as wide as some men were tall. Giano didn't flinch, a handful of the giants were already readying their long bows, which added to the ranks of arrows that were to fall on the enemy.

This was not a battle of champions. The barbarians had not even attempted to invite that this might be addressed civilly, but Giano wasn't surprised by this either. He might have been when he had first immigrated from Cheliax the mercurial nature of the giants might not have met with approval, but they paid appropriate homage to the realm, and its diverse needs.

For the storm giants they had little issue cooperating with elves, of the race of men. They didn't perceive the call to arms in quite the same way. Storm giant society were not quite as nomadic as Taiga giants, but lived in dispersed clan holds across the mountains which divided Iobaria from northeastern Avistan. Similar though not identical to the clans of stone giants the eldest headed a council of centuries old elders, and they had originally come to seek out an ancient elf known as the storyteller. Their arrival in the 'west' to their perspective had carried them across the tors to recognize the growing Syrrissian congregation, and that had been enough reason to stay. The storm giant congregation of Sheyln was a noteworthy marker of the inclusion of the giantish pantheon in the community...

... which in effect made the attack against tatzlford a matter of hospitality and heroic virtue.

For those who had immigrated, particularly those immigrants who had departed from diabolist Cheliax their motivations for answer the call to arms were more feudal. Iomedaen clergy like Giano were acting in deference to noble station as well as to the religious dictate to answer to the communal defense.

There had been no time to call erastillian farmers from their crofts, and villages, homesteads and so forth to fetch their bows. Roy had needed aid. There had been likewise little time to muster horses and ride hard from the Kamelands regardless of the available river crossings.

... but at its heart Shrikewall's cathedral lay, and with it clerics answered with readied swords... what Eire had expected to do was to see what their neighbors had thrown against Roy's town, and that much of what he would do today was to weave the magic dancing between his fingers.

A rift to the plane of fire opened and a half dozen elder fire elementals emerged in and amongst the trolls supporting Drelev's mercenary ranks. The long serpentine bodies of flames shimmered in the growing morning sunlight.

Shaoyu's long sword flashed, igniting into fire as she charged forward even as the mercenaries turned to contend with the sudden blistering heat among their ranks. It was actually, he supposed, a wonder she had waited as long as she had before charging forward. Still that Drelev had sent none of his knights forward... struck him as odd... and he doubted there would be any attempt made to ransom mercenaries of any stripe, or those of lower birth.

He watched the melee begin, regardless of trolls, and giants on the field, there were still breaches and breaks in the landscape that showed. Whatever it was Aemon Trask had been expected it had probably not included giants, nor as like high level magic... perhaps he had simply intended to launch a raid hard and fast against a presumably unprepared and undefended frontier settlement. That was an accurate enough descriptor of Roy's Tatzlford after all.

Whether or not Kisandra Numesti was telling the truth about Drelev's intentions no longer mattered, Drelev had attacked, and Pitax was supporting him. White, holy light enveloped the first rank of his troops spreading from a center point as clerics of the inheritor brandished flaming swords.

Even as his fingers twisted into invoking gesture to call the magic, he somewhat regretted not bringing Regongar and Amiri to this... but all the same they would have their chance later... whatever Drelev's intentions had been whether raid, or start of conquest it didn't matter... fire boiled from his fingertips as a corona of solar flame answered his call. En masse flame strikes rained down on the back line of the skirmishers who had been in the process of moving back. If Drelev had sent Trask here with an expectation of an easy time of it, he was sorely mistaken.

 

[Imperator Pax]

17 Gozran 4714
It wouldn't occur until... later that he was treating the whole fiasco potentially vastly more ... well perhaps not 'serious' but in a vastly different strategic and philosophical light than it might have been viewed by others. By that point though the legislation and the memorandums, rescripts and forth were written and being released... but that was also to be part of the issue the response to the attack on Tatzylford was to spawn a flurry of written responses.

Eire folded Roy's original missive which opened with the pro forma salutations, lamenting the state he mayor found himself in... before following the usual letter format common to such...
​

'since its founding Tatzlford has faced many challenges, but recent rumors of a much more disturbing sort abound. A woman has come to Tatzlford bearing warnings that if they are to be believed indicate we may face a terrible threat. She speaks of armies of bandits, hordes of barbarians, and worse organizing to the west beyond Hooktongue slough. To date we have had no trouble with these elements, but this woman is quite convincing. She tells us an army is marching on tatzlford. If this is true we will need your aid in defending our homes. Please come as soon as you can.'​

In truth there were limits to how factual the missive was... or how much was license. The army Drelev had mustered was an army by early medieval standards especially by the standards of lesser feudal potentates. Horde was a stretch, but to Eire as much because it implied a much larger gathering... but he supposed that beyond the slough, and in Pitax was the 'horde' of the Tiger Lords, and 'armies of bandits' was frequently as much license against an enemy force mercenary or otherwise given the prevalence of looting.

In short as letters went it was formulaic, and generic petition for feudal authority.... and indeed to match that was the army. A few dozen longbowmen had formed the force of the attack, the skirmishers that would have opened any battle before hiding behind the safety of infantry... in this case a collection of swordsmen, and axe wielding tiger lords. The trolls though would have been the most dangerous portion of the assault... and it hadn't escaped Eire that Drelev's raiding for had entailed the greenskins...

... and if Loy had known that there were trolls when he sent the warning to Shrikewall they would have been better prepared, but he had come himself, and Shaoyu had accompanied him... but the trolls presence alone was more than enough to mark as a priority more sturdy defenses around settlements... it was just in this case it now effected his western frontier.

Tatzlford was too small to serve as his command post... no he would need to decamp either back to Shrikewall, or more realistically move to one of the shield fortresses, or to Hereford... which would justify the name the former elven castle had been given. The weather was fine, the spring promised to be fine campaigning weather... which was something else he needed to account for... such conditions more directly favored the attacking side, the one with the momentum... on the other hand if this was nothing more than a raid for plunder ... no he couldn't make that assumption.

Declarations of war were rare even into the latter half of the early modern era. For the most parts they were also for internal consumption, and belligerent states issuing them often did so more to elucidate their own grievances either to their own population, or to potential cobelligerents of either side to establish the 'justness' of their side.

He had no reason to expect Hannis Drelev to issue any such statement, especially with no established diplomatic relations between the two states. Jamandi's heir had wanted him to appeal to his mother, but he doubted Jamandi or Restov were in any position to do anything... especially given the Varnhold Vanishing, and that Drelev had apparently been forced to bend the knee to Pitax... and of course that was a by product of the growing number of restless barbarians who had flocked to Armag's banner in recent years.

In the video game Drelev had just disappeared from the course of events... and he had to consider what would be next.. Pitax, and Armag? Most likely... and most likely the both of them. He had no apparatus by which to call any sort of parliament, he was an absolute monarch in practice, and there was no legislature and the chambers of ministries were in their infancy. So that raised the question... did he ... as monarch issue a declaration of war? Did he need to elucidate on the tenants of Jus Bellum, to declare the justice inherent to the destruction of a hostile aggressor?

Eire frowned, and weighed his response.
--
Roy's town of Tatzylford was a few hundred families, roughly the size of the town of Varnhold Pass and much smaller than the growing settlement of Lake Silverstep that had more than doubled in the past year.

In the wake of seeing of Aemon Trask's small force those numbers had swelled. Not permanently, but in the following days gatherings of clergy, and other faithful to the variety of gods began to arrive from the metropolitan district of the capital. If anything Valerie felt out of place, a shared feeling if not quite identical to that of Amiri. Linzi was much to occupied writing everything down to feel out of place.

Red was the most common color. Clerics of Iomedae and Ragathiel made their presence known in prominent processions, but they weren't the only ones. Milani's clergy had arrived as well... and Valerie wasn't sure if the absence of Shelyn was anything to make of, in part because the Sarenite church was absent too... and that was more noticeable as the shaved heads of Osirian clerics waved hawk icons alongside them.

Then there were the arriving giants... she supposed if their numbers grew then Shelyn might be represented but that wasn't the matter... but the stone giants had arrived. The elder stone giant's massive elk mount had bellowed, and that had been impossible to miss. Valerie wasn't sure if that was reassuring or not to Roy's Erastillian coreligionists or not. Whatever they felt for Erstig, and the giantish iterations of faith the giants had come to answer and to reinforce the settlement that had to count for something.

"We're going to war right?" Amiri asked. She had thus far been circumspect about not having been brought along to fight Trask's gathered host against Tatzlford.

Eire nodded, "Yes," He replied simply.

"Then, what are we waiting for?" The kellid warrior asked... impatient but also curious. Valerie knew that Amiri was eager to fight, but also trying to make sense of... the air that lingered.

"I suspect we have more problems than simply Drelev, and that if the weather maintains its favorable conditions the campaign season this year will be long. Long, enough that it may force use into other considerations."

"The Witch," Shaoyu remarked in Draconic. It was halfway between a title and a slur.

Eire's face shifted, then nodded "yes, Illuthuliak likely makes her lair somewhere within the southern slough we've known that." Apparently word from an injured dragon who had returned back to Iobaria, he expression remained dark, "As for this yes we will see this insult avenged." He stated in draconic. "There are some other matters which will need to be put down," Things he would write up, and promulgate at the start of the month, stuff and things that would likely circulate out at the start of summer, but he would need to comprise a number of things and proofread them, review them, and such before he actually sent them to the printing presses, or even presented them to the council.

It would be those documents that provided Valerie with a bedrock to work from, as Shrikewall, as Narland prepared for war.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Late Gozran 4714
Eire had not had time to tour, in any comprehensive measure, the portion of his realm added by the absorption of Maegar's Varnhold... and he hadn't considered it a major priority. The mandate recognized for the Dunsward encompassed a truly massive expanse of 'unclaimed' 'unsettled' land to his east, and to Brevoy's south east.

Maegar's official northern border was the northern bank of the Shrike, where began the Rostlandic plain as dictated by ancient tradition... and if not for the series of water falls that marked the shrike's course as it tumbled south west the river would have been an ideal trade route for the Narlmarches to reach Restov.

Maegar did not have the resources to reach his recognized legal frontier in the mountains of the northwest, and certainly not to the truly absurd southern boundary of his charter of the waters of the Castrovin sea... but of course there were no civilized states closer and thus it fell to nature to set boundaries rather than the political zones of control established by men.

Galt's legal western border stopped at the Tor of Levenies ... far to the south of Vordakai's tom... indeed Eire could scarcely peg why Galt's northern frontier was as far north as it was. It failed to include the Creeper wood, or the territory of the lost city state of Nystara. It buttressed itself against Liberthane to the Northeast... but the north proper was open grasslands that didn't even connect Galt's northern frontier to the southern most boundaries of Mivon... a boundary for the Mivonese was anchored by their control of the great shrine to Cayden Cailean... which Eire presumed brought Mivon no shortage of pilgrims, and thus money into their coffers.

All the same his borders with Mivon were largely a matter of the southernmost tip of the narlmarches , and the Mivon Sellen River. He wanted to send Maegar orders to find the source waters of the Mivon Sellen in Iobaria and that he should establish a small settlement there... but that would have to wait. Now was not the time for that... even if it would have potentially secured them a clear marker of their southern frontier, and used the river as a natural boundary to protect the settlement while it grew.

He had asked Maegar to come and in part his expertise on holding Fort Drelev at bay, but that mostly about expertise on how Brevoy and its mercenaries and nobles waged war. He wanted to be able to put the town under a blockade if not necessarily a close order siege.

There was a knock on his door, and Brother Vaclav bowed, "Your Majesty, Lady Amvarean." The priest excused himself allowing them the war room.

"My sister and I have come to suspect that Ilthuliak likely has made arrangements with some power in the feywild," The first world, "Very likely that the Slough holds portals to their, though not it seems to any one of the Eldest's personal domains." That was a small comfort if at all.

The truth was that it made sense that there was a connection to the first world. "Jaethal believes there are undead as well, and Mbottu has spoken of the boggards and other races within the swamp," not all of whom were evil, but that there were certainly trolls, and marsh giants there... which of course brought with it other concerns.

In Eire's approximation, the armies which fought across Golarion were generally small. That was itself a reminder that for the political reforms which had allowed the developments of such as the levee en masse or the subsequent peace time conscription acts of Europe, of the drafts of the American civil war had not occurred in Golarion. It didn't matter that Earth had finished, he assumed, the first world war ... never mind the headache of that. The armies were reflective of this.... a gathering of two thousand fighting men was a colossal investment of manpower for all but the greatest nations of the Inner Sea... because of course keeping such a body of men fed and in discipline and generally fit to fight required more so than just that number. Aemon Trask's combined host of trolls, tiger lords, mercenaries and the rest was a good sized force by the standards that defined such things.

... and he supposed he would have to answer that in kind. Kisandra Numesti had stated with some confidence that Fort Drelev was a majority human settlement... no surprise there. That it was perhaps under three thousand in total population, did make it a sizable town, but Drelev had no complex bureaucracy to administer it. Drelev ruled through a small household staff... or had prior to bending the knee to Pitax, but that made sense he supposed.

It was a study in contrasts, Maegar had divided the Dunsward into plots of land around the Varnhold for his sergeants and lieutenants to establish brevic style crofts and homesteads. In a sense the settled mercenaries were more egalitarian in that dispersal as Drelev had granted outlying districts to his limitted number of feudal bannermen.

Bannermen who had been absent from the attack on Tatzlford.

Eobald, Linzi's mentor who had immigrated from Pitax, had remained in contact, and the situation with regards to presumably Irrisen but also just the growing barbarian presence in the vicinity of the city were taking their toll. Enough that a message had been carried out to Mivon that a forlorn group of desperate refugees were hoping to make their way to the east... it would have ben more sensible for them to after successfully departed Pitax to head south to Mivon on then come up the river if they meant to resettle... but he had assured Eobold that he would look for the caravan since they were going into the southern slough.

"You will send Tristian, then?"

"I think so yes." If not for the sudden request he probably would have asked the blonde priest to accompany Amiri, Maegar, and Regongar. So far as errands went it was likely to be much more inline with Tristian's skillset, and most likely if Tristian was able to find them, he could bring them back to the Temple of the Elk or some other religious site where they wouldn't be in the way of military preparations.

Harrim, the twins, and Valerie would all need to remain. There were still more discussions that needed to be had, before they could move forward beyond that basic framework. Drelev had been allocated a mandate, a charter from Brevoy recognize the slough as his... in theory the Iron Wraiths should have formed their barony on his western border... and from what he understood from talking to Kassil Aldori their charter would have extended to the Brantheld mountains, and to the border of Numeria... and very like created an inevitable border conflict with Pitax over that border, and the town of Mormouth, because the Charter as it had been drafted demarcated a western border for the Iron Wraiths barony as would have been the Sellen River.

... but the Iron Wraiths had disappeared into the area. They had never established a viable settlement , just disappeared into the western ranges of the Tiger Lords ancestral lands. To that end it wasn't clear who was responsible for their disappearance... but it didn't matter. Pitax had been responsible for the attack on Jamandi's manor home in Restov. They had sent Tartuccio, and after him, Grigori, and probably still otehrs, and they had mobilized against Fort Drelev sometime last year. "the mad queen of Irrisen," Amvarean remarked, "Her scheme must have caused all of them some trouble,"

"Yes, I imagine so," He agreed, whether or not that was the only reason was doubtful, "But from the sound of it Armag speaks of a conflict with Brevoy, not Numeria, and that will make things very difficult for us." He shook his head, "We will face that after, for now we need to organize to move against Ilthuliak."

There was no need to question Amvarean on that issue.

 

[Imperator Pax]

1 Desnus 4714
From the beginning of this journey into state building had drafted a number of ideas... to use magic, and enchantment to approximate the lessons of industry from Earth in the face of challenges. What was in front of him was only one of them. The steam built up and then caused the hammer to drop forcing hot steel into shape of the model, a workman sprayed down the steel with an alchemical mix as the hammer built up steam and reset itself, and then it came down again. It took several strikes, and moving the piece of metal to next mold to complete the pieces, but this was not only more effective in that it was faster it used less material... but of course this time last year they had largely been experimenting with the Enterprise.

The giant nodded at the progress of the steel works.

They had a much better idea of what they were doing now after they had built one. Enough that HMS Endeavor would have much greater cargo space than Enterprise, which had been limited by her single deck design to only about fifty tons of real cargo space. Endeavor with the additional decks could carry four hundred on top of that, and an additional sixty personnel in cabins.

... and if this process worked they'd be able to churn out parts to fit out Earnest as well, creating a standard class of ships. That had been planned as soon as he was sure that this was feasible with what they had available.

Enterprise, Endeavor and Earnest were supposed to fly north to Mendev carrying supplies... and on the return ferry refugees to settle here far from the crusade. They weren't warships, but all three ships together would likely have facilitated being able to transfer and army across the territory, across rough and impeding geography to take Drelev by total surprise... but the ships would be needed to support the crusade. It was aid he had already promised.

They would fight Drelev conventionally, or at least not with the air ships.

Eire departed and and moved from the workshop, and looked around for Jaethal. It took a minute to find her beneath one of the pavilions. "Pitax is having trouble," She remarked as he took a seat across from her, "The barbarians aren't popular, Irovetti is spending a great deal of money keeping the peace, and keeping them fed, but the rumor is that Armag always planned to raid brevoy he just isn't ready yet."

"Pitax is running out hard currency?" He asked hopefully.

"I don't' think its so severe," yet. "but Kaessi agrees he's certainly spending more money than he is taking in. Irovetti's rule has been characterized by spending for glamorous horribly gaudy attempts at being cultured." Which couldn't possibly be cheap, "Pitax has also alienated Brevoy since he came to power, though I admit House Surtova is equally responsible for tensions." In 4699 the Royal House of Rogarvia had vanished... the current ruler of Touvette had also seized power that year to the south of Pitax, and Kevoth-Kul had ordered the destruction of the Starfall Pathfinder lodge. All of that could have been coincidental of course but it was something he bore in mind. There was too much not known about how Iroveti had come to power.

Eire was completely inclined to ignore this card game foolishness as urban legend that was probably in Pitax's sense of humor supposed to be funny. "There is something else I take it?"

"You won't like it." Jaethal didn't wait for him to comment that he already didn't like the conversation as it was, "The reason Kaessi believes that Irovetti isn't scraping an empty treasury is that we believe he has run afoul of the Technic league by virtue of smuggling artifacts out of Numeria." Pitax was a smuggling center before he came to power, Irovetti was by all reports numerian by birth... two and two did add up to four.

Still, Irovetti's pitax was not a major productive economy. It was all well and good to talk about culture, and art, the schools, and Linzi's enthusiasm for such things was endearing, but he would have assumed that Pitax's majority of its gross domestic product was its agricultural sector.

Admittedly some of that normally was export of luxury foodstuffs for its high culture, but presumably the majority of its exports were revenues from more standard fare into Numeria, maybe even to Mendev. Countries that couldn't readily, or easily produce their own necessary food stocks sufficient to sustain their populations, or at least their cities.

Pitax wasn't a center of the mercenary trade, or a center of banking. It had its docks, and a series of ridiculously titled bandit houses and swathes of lands it exercised power over. Land that Irovetti had been trying to expand but that wasn't unique to irovetti. Pitax historically had had conflicts with borders with the Mivonese, who were a mercenary center. Pitax, more than Mivon was a crossroads of trade... that was probably still true, but it had been more true prior to Jamandi's sponsorship of the baronies.

That had probably irritated Pitaxian irredentism, but there could have been no predicting Narland's course of development... but here they were. Regardless, He handed the jacketed file over. It wasn't quite the type of file he was used to but the lacquered leather was as close to waterproof as was possible, and the sheets inside were safe. The ties were basically leather shoe laces though, which something of a nuisance to use properly.

"The defense of the realm act." She paused and read through the annex, "This outlines instructions and policies for-"

"Among other things the establishment of a national bank, and policies to provide notes, and credit..." And the other responsibilities of a central bank with clearly defined duties and responsibilities. There royal mint already produced coinage, but this would hand over the responsibilities to an actual central bureaucracy, "And make preparations for formalizing what we will need to do ahead of a major conflict," Planning War, Pursuing Peace... medieval... or early modern ish edition, really was what he was aiming for. "And as the first act states, establishes a Royal Navy."
--
The prospect of a royal navy was reassuring. It had a certain appeal... and

.. Were that it was that simple, airships or not Narland was always more likely going to be a territorial continental land based military centric state. A permanent series of royal regiments had always been a point of consideration, but it had been getting up to that point, building up the logistical means to support an army which had always been the impediment. He had no expectation of being able to sustain the rates of defense expenditures of medieval France or early modern Prussia. They certainly weren't there yet... actions against Drelev were going to be wholly feudal in terms of army composition, or otherwise turn into both sides hiring barbarian mercenaries.

... and of course that was another matter as well. Eire had a map of Avistan of the Taldan Imperial Period dominating the Kameland town's hall. Unfortunately Taldan written records weren't exceptionally useful.. by the time that Taldan fifth army of exploration had reached the point of carving out permanent settlements within the River Kingdoms they arrived in Iobaria to find among other people not just the Kellids but also Ulfen in the Lake of mists and veils, and oddly people they called Iobarians but sounded more like Tien Horselords like the Hongal ... which apparently there was a land route from Tian Xia that crossed the horse lords great steppes and probably linked Casmaron steppes to Tian Xia's.... and the subsequent two thousand years and the foundation of Irrisen in in 3313 had probably also changed the make up of the lands.

More to the point of his concern was that the Tiger Lords had at least in ancient prehistory laid claim over much of the Stolen Lands, and had in the time of Armag the Conqueror held rule over the sum of Numeria.... at least according to legend. That was its own complicated mess, that Eire had to contend with, but at some point it was generally accepted that during the centuries before the founding of Absalom that Armag had lead the Tiger Lords out from the realm of the Mammoth Lords, through Numeria and into Casmarron.

... where despite the argument over the warlord's soul by his Patron Gorum and Pharasma to whom he'd apparently given insult... a red dragon had proceeded to kill the great warlord without care to either deity. Gorum had snatched his champion's soul to deny it from Pharsma's meddling... and Pharsma had apparently shrugged and moved on.

The political crux beyond any religious arguing was that at one point the Tiger Lords had been the great royal bloodline of the great plains and steppes across the sprawling continental landmass. It was still a bit odd to see the sheer degree of irredentism related to the 'Stolen Lands' that existed in modern day Brevoy or Pitax given their respective age. The Tiger Lords, like other Kellid, and also Iobarian tribes claimed that at some point their ancestors had lived here. That these were ancestral lands, but at the same not in the same sense as more dedicated sedentary people with territorial irredentism as Pitax or Brevoy viewed land claims. For the largely pastoral nomadics this was more of a matter of reciprocity of traditional guest rights and hospitality.

... which of course entailed a nominal obligation to communal defense when a guest in a foreign tribe... or kingdom as the present case was. That entailed participation in that reciprocity by both host and guest. Armag the Twice Born claiming to the prophesied return of the champion of Gorum thereby presented a problem to pursuing such temporary reciprocity. It wasn't a good way to build a state, and outside of an immediate emergency was a poor choice for security.

There was a rap on the open door. It was not a normal or natural tradition, but a learned habit to those of north east Avistan. The Chelish were used to knocking, the Taldans as well so it was viewed as an urbane habit... something brought up from civilization in the south. "Kaessi," He said in greeting to the blue eyed tiefling, and then beyond her to the golden eyed Aasimar, "Arsinoe.," He remarked gesturing them into the study... he supposed a conversation with the church of Abadar was normal for this time of the year and frankly the recent acts, and legislations made that more so than most. "Recent events compel me to layout the process of a more comprehensive bureaucratic reform, and thus I am sure the discussions regarding the recent promulgations have aroused questions from the churches, and questions of where we go from here."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Desnus 4713
Amiri scowled. She didn't mind mud, but she didn't really care for it either. She was not some city folk, but this was not the battlefield she would have preferred to fight in... and of course she wasn't even sure that when it came down to it they would get a proper fight.

Insects buzzed in the late spring's warm air.... but it was fine weather for campaigning, for fighting, and fighting was what she was looking forward to.

She didn't really mind boggards or giants either. They took some getting used to, but Gary pretty well demonstrated they were fine. His old chief was a dirty coward... well leaving aside that it was a monstrous black dragon extorting tribute from the boggard village.

Not just the boggard village. The marsh giants were disgusting bastard offshoots of hill giants, just as stupid too. She had actually expected them to just basically be evil river giants ... that would have been easier.

Ilthuliak had apparently made many enemies in her thousand year life... which meant she had bullied and threatened many of the denizens of the slough, and narlmarches from hags, and trolls and giants and boggards and so forth to guard against potential dragon slayers. Jubilost had done a lot of searching around, skulking really asking questions about the evil dragon, and Maegar had told them all they could... and Maegar was actually here with them to help suppress the monstrous threat posed by the various monsters.

Gary was sure that his village and probably the other Boggard villages could be convinced to change side, and Harrgulka agreed. They just needed to knock enough heads together to make the frog people see sense and then they'd act right Amiri figured.

She understood the need to crack the skulls of the monsters south of the lake. It made perfect sense to her, Drelev was a sniveling coward relying on other stronger people to fight his battles while he hid behind his stone walls rather than riding to meet them. Iluthliak was a mighty black dragon she was the real threat... her and her giants.

So here they were going to fight giants, and trolls with giants and trolls... and then what? She wasn't quite sure only that well then they would come around through the south and attack Drelev. Regongar sat down, and the lord of Varnhold passed around him to take a seat. Harrgulka remained standing, enamored with a 'camp table' a big folding piece of carpentry stuffed with papers and maps. The troll king refused to allow it out of his sight since he'd been given it.

"I don't think I can get used to that." Maegar remarked shaking his head, "At one point we're in home camps, and the next the frontier," he coughed, "its, yeah, its something else... hard for me to get my head around it."

Amiri agreed, it was very strange to here to have entry into one temple and then in a column of divine fire be carried across the world to another one many days away overland. The reality though was that there was a space limitation to how many people could be transported... which was why there were talks about buildings and stone halls, going on. Amiri understood that much... it was the 'mechanism' of its acceptance the magic which she was less comfortable with not its results or its practical limitations.
--
Vordakai snorted as he moved another assembly in the machine, the astrolabe adjusted. It was offensive to his sensibilities to consider that they were at war with someone so categorically their inferior. He had never met this small human tyrant but all he had heard of Hannis Drelev filled him with a deep seated contempt.

... Calling it a war was surely an exaggeration, but the majority of the realm were those who lacked the talent of magic. This was a distraction the realm did not need... but if not this worthless petty tyrant than it would be his master... or the hordes of barbarians... and he did not need to divine the future to be certain that those conflicts would come in time.

He had given his word to help prepare things, which meant turning towards Casmarron, towards the barbarians, and to face the feral uncivilized descendants of the empire that he had seen collapsing around as he went into torpor in his tomb. The undead elf was likewise busy, she spoke of a developing religious fervor, but that did not surprise Vordakai. The ancient dragons of his day had always inspired human followers it was simply another instance of syncretism taking shape.

This kingdom would borrow and blend what traits it could from Azlant, from dragon kind, and with his learning the lessons of Koloran... perhaps the elves as well and also of course the modern humans. To that end he had a responsibility to make sure the great publications were coherent, and that they were understood by the realm and visitors alike.... not that he expected much trouble since he would not be alone.

Eranex had arrived from Silverstep, and there were a number of others who would form the committee responsible. He was grateful, as least as much as he could be, that there were no shortage of scribes who had made themselves available. It would make the process of relaying the dragon laws much easier to those who spoke Hallit... and many of hte new comers had a proper appreciation for erudition and logic.

"Ah Vordakai are you quite occupied I had hoped to make inquiries on how Old Koloran managed certain matters?" Pendrod questioned from the entry to the observatory.

The human might not have been the most powerful arcanist, but at least he could read and hold a civil conversation... even if he was a tad excitable at times. "I am nearly done," He answered. Maegar's resident scholar was the master typist for the committee that might have ordinarily been a task for the halfling bard but she was going west though Ervil would have her mentor Eobold's assistance with the compiling of the records... the Maestro would then bind the books and publish them in an accounting of the records of the realm. "I assume that the recordings are in, that there is something of note?"

"Oh yes, quite, I had hoped to speak with the Exchequer, but she is quite busy," Of that Vordakai had no doubt, the tiefling woman had very good reason to be busy given all that was ongoing, "I believe that we may see the most significant swelling of our ranks yet. If our computations of the numbers are accurate tallies, that there are some sixty thousand households in the metropolitan region of the Kingdom." He meant the greater vicinity of Shrikewall, so the capital, Candlemere, the towns on either east or west shores of the lakes. "Some of those will go on to people the road of shields of course," Of course, "But there are some twelve thousand more households at Silverstep and its surroundings between."

Vordakai knew that original plan to develop the kingdom... when it had been a smaller subunit had intended to emphasize the development of the dwarven road of shields on the then western frontier, but the thief stirring him from his slumber and bringing him into the day of the new modern world had changed all of their fates. That original plan had needed to change, in recognition for the realm's new, greater stature.

--
Notes: I am hoping to have Rabid Fox's update ready by tomorrow, but I also volunteered to DM so I may toss something else up and update Wednesday if its not ready.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Desnus 4713​

As a very part of its nature, from its giantish construction Shrikewall's citadel easily dwarfed the Ruby Fortress, it had fewer floors of course. The great vaulted ceilings were built to accommodate the builders of the citadel... and the fact that Vordakai did maintain a permanent residence in the capital proper. The ancient cyclopean had actually been late to today's proceedings, which was unusual but she accepted that... they were in uncharted waters so to speak.

Valerie imagined that it must have been nice to take to the campaign trail, the bards of her childhood always swung loudly the ballads of valiant fighting to be done in the fine weather of the spring... but she was skeptical... but even knowing what real fighting was like she still suspected that she would have preferred being out there. Kaessi didn't seem to have any such confliction in where she imaged needing to be.

Harrim wasn't quite so grim... well he was after a fact, but more that Drelev's stupidity had surely doomed his entire barony to an ignominious destruction and that the barbarians might riot and turn out of control when Drelev inevitably lost. Maegar hoped to organize a relatively classical siege and encircle Fort Drelev and with an aims to force terms, but Valerie was skeptical if Drelev's pride would allow that... and also that.. Maegar under estimated the religious dimensions of the situation.

Iomedae's clergy were furious, but his Majesty's coreligionists were not even the most bellicose of voices being raised. No those clerics of the archangel of vengeance were the most belligerent about what needed to be done... and while those were the loudest voices there were other supporters for the unfurling conflict.

There was a rattling exhalation from the undead Cyclops. "The towers were intended to provide us a large assembly area a magical beacon, to facilitate the movement of people." The limitation was the magical component. It was easier to call on divine intercession than it was for the arcane systems of magic to replicate the magical means to do so.

She had understood the plan. Valerie therefor would have assumed that... what they should have done was to endow a school for wizards, or expand the network of large temples if it was more practical to call on friendly gods. She didn't understand... and it was not because of the draconic script the laws, and commands were written in... "What do you make of this?" She asked the cyclops.

A single white eye looked at the front page on the stack, "Admittedly I have not had the time to review all, but from what I divine of the text it is a metamorphosis, he means to shape the growing towns and countryside into a coherent centralized state. It is what I make of the word; Imperium." She started to protest that such already existed, but the atrophied lich would hear none of it, "It is not the same," He stated ever dismissive of modern kingdoms like her native Brevoy and probably would have been dismissive of Taldor at its height compared to ancient Azlant, what he saw in these documents were a further reiteration that the law was not arbitrary, and nor were the instruments by which the state operated.

With a sufferance to her questions the cyclops showed her what he saw within the documents. There little power sharing with local notables, as in Brevoy... because there were no great families. His majesty, Lord Hannis, Lord Maegar had all had bare years to establish their landholds. The baronies should have been just that small baronies. Religion though, and the commitment to erect a religious foundation at the beginning of the barony had shaped everything even before the defeat of the Stag Lord. Eire had invited settlers from the far south... and she hadn't really perceived that as the basis of a new kingdom initially.

"This, bank it will be divorced from the matter of tax collection." The cyclops continued dragging a finger down the page, "The matter of minting currency is to be fixed, a money trust, and privately held reserve banks." It was a concession to the church of Abadar she assumed, without actually saying it was... after all the church of Abadar were the first ones she thought of when the topic of banks came to mind. The Cyclops coughed, "I do not expect Lord Maegar will necessarily have the same 'capital-stock' to endow his regional bank as Shrikewall will, or Silverstep."

"His majesty said something about the black dragon Ilthuliak before he left"

"I suspect he means to slay the Black, and to liberate from her hoard the funds necessary to expand the iron works." Vordakai observed matter of factly.

She appreciated the frankness of the undead ancient... looting the foe's treasury was a simple practical aspect of war and adding it to the realm was perhaps the most normal prospect out of all of this.
--
"Lord Hannis is a craven," And a lustful cycnic, opportunist and no doubt no shortage of other negative character traits. Eire didn't precisely doubt that Drelev had no shortage of character flaws but he was really looking for something concrete. They didn't need to have moral justification for dealing with Drelev they had that. All of Hannis's flaws might have been an indictment of moral failings but they hardly would get them across his castle's walls.

Kisandra Numesti however had probably been raised at a larger Brevic court. All the accusations she rendered were indictments of Drelev's failure as a member of a nobility that prided itself on martial pride, and vigor... and she was emotionally invested.

Irovetti had apparently been the instigator of the condition of hostages. Drelev had agreed, Kisandra's father had objected resulting in Lord Terrion Numesti being thrown in jail by Lord Hannis, and the hostages being provided to the Tiger Lords. Armag had apparently promised their safe return, and Drelev had apparently made good on attempts to earn Armag's favor with some Tiger Lord relics that his demesne had purloined from grave robbing...

... from the sound of it Armag was busy to the further west gathering warriors and speaking of plans to raid 'the north'. That sounded like he meant Brevoy, but they didn't have enough information one way or another. Kisandra seemed confident that Armag had united all of the Tiger Lords but Eire wasn't confident that she was all that informed about Kellid tribal society

The crux of Kisandra's argument, or at least its aim were the rescue of her kinsmen, and the deposing of Hannis Drelev. Eire also surmised that Kisandra wasn't ... was omitting some details and likely overplaying the prospect of popular support for overthrowing Hannis, but it didn't matter. He had already more or less resigned himself to needing to declare war and dispose of Drelev he just wished she had been able to tell him more about Irovetti's mercenaries.

"Thank you Kisandra, I have heard enough." Kisandra wasn't prepared to directly confront Drelev out of a probably reasonable concern for her family's safety, there was little reason to bring her along to Hereford then, "There is a church to Milani in New Colton on the west shore of the Tuskwater they will provide you lodging while I am away." He handed over the brief letter of introduction, and it was probably an abundance of caution but regardless he planned to keep things close to the vest particularly because he had other reasons he was going to have to contend with. "it will take me a few weeks to assemble," Something that Kisandra accepted on the face of it because that was in itself... quick by the standards of organizing Feudal tenancies to meet martial needs.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Late Desnus 4714
They had... no good maps of the slough's expanse to work from. The east Sellen meandered its way south from Lake Reykal. The expansive wetlands were a soggy depression with the narlmarches to their east. Gary's home village of Mbotuu was unfortunately almost directly across the lake from where Drelev had raised his 'stone home'. Not that there weren't plenty of other boggards across the northern expanse of the swamp... and really the problem were the south not the frog folk or that matter the marine megafauna.

"I am sorry Jaethal, mind you repeat that."

The elf gave a long shuddering sigh of annoyance, "I said," She declared, "At some point a trio of morons murdered a fellow cleric of Urgathoa so that she cursed them into becoming bog mummies." And apparently the evil trio of cursed priests had been drowning passerby in hopes of getting the Pallid Princess to forgive them.

Eire wasn't precisely clear on the nuances of Urgathoa's faith but he wasn't sure how that was supposed to work. Leaving that to one side, "And then they attacked you?"

"Yes."

"So you destroyed them?"

"Of course."

He nodded after a moment's pause, "Very good then, is there anything else?" Apparently they were unaffiliated with Ilthuliak but that was at best a small comfort... the local malevolent fey... including willowisps were likewise unaffiliated Most likely because they were too spread out for the Witch to bother with... and Ilthuliak would have been just as likely to kill the pixies as a nuisance.

The slough was prone to flooding and expanding, but in terms of navigable, just by geography there was only one route year round... but as they had frequently heard, not far up the Sellen river from Mivon's border monsters began to become frequent, and given the curves in the east sellen as it twisted its way towards Lake Hooktongue it made traffic dangerous.

"The trolls and marsh giants we expected, the boggards are quick to offer up treasure to a naga who claims to act as intermediary for the tribe from what I gather she was the inspiration for raiding river traffic."

"Traffic up from Mivon has basically stopped," He observed.

"Yes, and I suspect that it pushing the increasingly dangerous competition between the dragon's lackeys given another year I suspect they might have been pushed to mounting an attack on Drelev in hopes of loot or sacrifices to the black."

A very likely scenario... but Drelev had submitted to Pitax before that, and instead it seemed that Drelev had expected to win fame and distinction at their expense. "Can you deal with the Naga?"

Jaethal looked mildly offended, "As long as you can handle the dragon, in whose company she might be with."

"I will have Amvarean to support me against Ilthuliak, Shaoyu should be able to support you," And they'd have clerics with cinderblades to deter any trolls in service to the dragon. He had been hoping to spare Hulthrak, the stone giant elder, to prepare the siege of Drelev, but that might not be an option. "Her lair is close by?"

"A few miles north west of here its large obvious scar on the surrounding marshland." He'd see what she meant when they went up the crest of the narlmarch's foothills overlooking the slough before they came back down and into the slough in a few days. "The mummies erected a shrine to Urgathoa so we should have no issue returning here with at least a small party."
--
He'd said it before, and he'd likely end up saying it again, but was jarring to be travel across the land in the fashion that ... that defined this campaign... even if they hadn't actually done that much fighting yet. That punk Drelev had attacked Tatzford but clearly had bitten off more than he could chew... but that was the thing.

Maegar wasn't stupid, or ignorant of the ways of war. The ability to transport oneself from church to church was not a standard method in the profession of arms. Admittedly in Mendev there were those wardstone things that prevented teleportation out of the world wound but he doubted even the great crusader state to the west routinely relied on teleportation to this extent.

The one eyed bastard didn't think all that much of it, but well he was from an era when maybe that kind of magic was normal. Really, that the king and lich both agreed that there were improvements to the system as implementation of magic rather than pioneering some new development really underscored that there were two different discourses going on.

Part of it made him want to write to his middle brother who had gone into the clergy of Abadar, but on the other hand Maegar had his doubts that that would alleviate the headache. The Church of Abadar was a powerful force in Brevoy. There were other problems at home, and he had been trying to convince the twins to join him in letter writing to Brevoy. He knew that Kassil, Jamandi's heir, wasn't taking the barbarian threat serious... and the truth was... even though he hadn't actually said it out loud if Kassil wasn't taking the threat seriously it was because he was taking after his mother.

He didn't want to bring it up, but Jamandi Aldori was unlikely to consider the bandits massing in the west seriously. She'd fought against the Tiger Lords before, but when they had been disorganized, and disunited into groups under individual tribal chieftains... Maegar could already tell that this was going to be different.

The way he could piece it together, was that Drevlev must have done things like back home. He'd called his forces sending a notice out. His father would have done the same thing, and at that stage the Varnling host or another mercenary company would have arrived, and it was why mercenaries were the usually preferred solution even though they didn't come cheap. You'd hire someone like the Varnling host, they'd show up you'd tell them what needed doing and you didn't need to worry about marching, where as for if a feudal levee needed to be called those days marching would eat into the days of service owed to their liege.

Apparently if you were someone with the ear of the gods it was just a matter of asking politely for a ride across the land. It meant clerics were doing something much more than healing the injured as well.
--
Notes: Maegar's point of view is an emphasis on that Eire / Narland is still operating under a feudatory system, but also with magic. What I mean by this short segment is two fold, it is still feudal. The medieval campaigning season that predominated warfare in western europe relied on customary labor rights, weather conditions and other calendar factors.

Hence planning for a campaign would mean messengers going out during winter, with the intention of those levees showing up in the fall since local organization is going to be gathering that body of men and assembling supplies to go. The time of a feudal levy in the field was also subject to regional traditions fifteen days to three months similarly there is a disparity of troops supplies, some very wealthy fiefs in England only had to supply four knights and their retainers despite significant resources, while less financially capable regions provided more troops to the norman monarchs of the 11th​ century.

Speaking of the 11th​ century, by the time the population influx from Crusader Kings fully settles and specifically that population we will be talking about roughly the population of England at the time of the domesday book survey the difference being that Narland operates on generally speaking a centralized but 19th​ century agricultural model and that has knock effects. Here however we are mostly contending with the trends and practices of western European medieval warfare to an extent and one largely limitted to a warfare in line with early medieval trends despite the existence of some 'technologies' and the impact of magic.

 

[Imperator Pax]

10 Sarenith 4714
His seat, or at least the space in front of where he sat, at the table was occupied with binders, and loose papers. A myriad number of fountain pens, a replacement of quills, and an interim for ballpoint pens sat in a tray color coded. Iron black, navy blue, vermillion red.

Eire looked at the papers and frowned at the calculations drawn from them. Brevoy had perhaps four hundred thousand people, maybe half a million. Restov represented about eighteen thousand souls; at least in permanent residents. That was Restov proper not the surrounding rural population around the free city that kept it supplied with grain, and extra labor. That was the problem because it presented an issue in the event of

If the sounds were right then there was a war coming, and there was nothing institutionally functional about Brevic society that would allow it to respond to a steppe army riding into its society during summer when most of the labor force needed to be tied up during the harvest. It was also exactly what the barbarians would do, and in a purely short term conflict they'd have overwhelming numbers of forces forced into a very small area because Armag was bringing in barbarian tribes and clans from a wide swathe of territory from the realm of the mammoth lords as well as across Casmarron...

Individual tribal customs could very, but the nomadic collection could field almost certainly every man over sixteen and up to potentially fifty and that might very well yield across all tribes and clans, a force for the confederation in sixty to seventy thousand range. Even accounting that some of those troops would almost certainly be second or even third line warm bodies either too young or too old,, and then also another portion of troops that would be tied up with mercenary and guard work Armag had a body of manpower that created a significant problem.

That cut both ways though. The army couldn't be concentrated without supply. Coming into the countryside they would likely pick the Rostlandic plains clean.

Jaethal sat down completing the limited assembly of the council. "The tiger lords do traditionally herd sheep, but the majority of the tribe expects tribute of beer and meat from either the war leader or from whomever they have contracted to fight for."

That made sense. It also explained why Pitax's usual export of wine had decreased relative to the last few years. Wine was a higher social status drink and being able to provide it was probably who Pitax was keeping the barbarians plied without being able to send them to raid, and thus loot the neighbors, after the presumably lackluster outing against Drelev. The tiger lords were spread out across the eastern sellen hills, in Numeria, all the way to southern Pitax's border with Mivon, the latter according to the sword lords of the south.

Still that coupled with Irrisen's actions had to be serious constricting Pitax's flow of goods... Leaving that aside, "Kassil?"

"He remains skeptical of whether or not the Tiger Lords are a real threat," Valerie mulled over her glass of wine she held, and then continued, "and I wouldn't expect Lady Jamandi to be particularly receptive of words of caution either."

Pitax was a bandit kingdom, and a generation previously Rostlandic nobles in the south of brevoy had dealt with a previous Tiger Lord raid from the sprawl of grasslands that ran from the northern stolen lands to the sellen hills in Numeria... but that had been a completely different scale for both sides. He suspected that the Rostlandic fuedal order had probably attacked in early spring after planning the campaign over the winter, when they were most able to spare the manpower, and against a much smaller tribal force.

He looked at the map. "Valerie?"

"Restov is quite far to the east, it would make more sense to attack House Lebeda." A house famed for their wealth. She was right a simple look at the map that was a significant pivot east riding through the Greenbelt and if they road to the south rostland road then Olegton was litterally right there just there at the turnpike. "New Stetven would be closer."

He hadn't thought about an attack on Brevoy's capital. "How far is the Rostlandic plain across?" It was a non standard question. It was not the kind of thing a feudal monarch would have considered. It was.. it wasn't even an early modern question, but more of one of post Napoleonic geographic ideals, late Victorian notions about warfare and science.... and the answer was that the Rostlandic plain was immense. There was no geographic measurement because it was a colloquial geographic expression. You knew it when you saw it.. and thus it would be considered three hundred miles or more across or comparatively smaller , but Rostland was dominated by it as a geographic feature, and that farmland was productive.

Valerie was right. New Stetven was larger, closer, and wealthier than Restov.... that was both a facet of it being the capital but also geography with the riverine trade ... it was odd that New Stetven was such a hub of the antiquities and magical goods trade ... but it had been so since the days of Choral the conqueror and his red fortress's raising.

... now it was a wait and see game... if it happened, if Armag were going to attack Restov, and if that were the case then it likely implied someone had put the idea in Armag's head... and the most likely suspect to that was Pitax.
--
It was late in the day now. Afternoon mass had concluded, a habit he had not expected to actually engage in. The truth was the medieval habit of daily mass, or even religious ceremonies multiple times a day had struck him as probably too dependent on a complex urbanized, or urban adjacent literati. It required having enough priests and resources to engage in that... and yet here they were... and of course Golarion was a world of much more active gods.

Eire looked at the sword, the picture of pensive reflection. They would be dividing their forces temporarily... not for the purposes of strategic movement, but because they had distinct intentions. They needed to check any further Drelev incursions, not that they assumed any further thrusts were forthcoming, but in order to complete an effort that had been under planning for more than a year... slaying the wyrm ilthuliak... but now was priority to prevent the thousand year old dragon from taking advantage of the chaos since they were relatively certain that she had had a hand the pressure checking trade up the slough.

To that end there were several lesser objectives besides. Though foremost was slaying the wyrm there were marsh giants, and likely trolls a plenty present, and possibly the hag tulvak to consider... but also the boggard community Gary had been exiled from. All things which needed to be dealt with...

With war against Drelev now a reality he now had no compunctions against violating his neighbors territorial integrity at whim. There were other reasons of course... he needed to kill Ilthuliak for a variety of potential gains in killing the wyrm beyond simply eliminating a major potential security vulnerability to the fledgling nation.

Killing Ilthuliak would secure his western frontier against a powerful dragon, he was fairly certain that the black dragon had depopulated the dragons native to the river kingdoms hunting them down increasingly further afield and targeting both chromatics in addition to metallics. Ilthuliak represented a danger to the realm in that way, in that she was likely to come after Amvarean a second time, and probably Eranex.

Then of course there were other reasons to kill a malevolent dragon on one's borders... he could do with the social capital that would earn him with the abundance of kellid tribes in the region ... even though it might not stop them from attacking it would increase his social standing in tribal opinion... which was why he had comprised the party and the distribution of who was going where.

Yet, even with those matters aside there were still other matters... so much work went into administering a kingdom, or a country, and too frequently the truth was the bureaucracy was too small to efficiently handle matters... admittedly that had been a problem which had continued into the bother of 19th​ century European colonialism... and even American domestic administration particularly before Wilson. In the longer run that would further define his Imperial Core and the surrounding hinterlands.

Amvarean lifted up a carefully reproduced diagram of early 20th​ century traction engine whose belts turned a threshing machine. It was capital... it was a step forward to increase the amount a limited number of men and horses could do. The first baronial farms had relied on standing buildings using horse turned wheels to thresh wheat. Even this particular traction engine was unlikely to be carried out into royal service... he expected more likely that the boiling vessel would use spells like heat metal to and similar to build up steam pressure ... and would likely be much larger than those viable on the great plains of the United States ... of the current era.

Eire hadn't forgotten that it was only the year 1919 on Earth assuming that he had correctly pegged the date from what Shyka had shown him of the earth that currently was. "I have built these pumps using steam power to remove water from the mines in the south," South of Silverstep, "They have helped, and allow me to spare my wizards elsewhere, there still remains the need to speak with the horse lords of the steppe, but they are not beyond reason."

He had to wonder how much of that were the likes of the White Stallions, in particular thought probably the other tribes from Iobaria had enough experience with sensible law abiding dragons... if admittedly more likely Blues to interact with the realm... or just that the iobarian horse lords had no grievance by which to make trouble over. He supposed it was entirely possible that given the realm's condition, and that nomadic groups engaged in trade with sedentary people that unless they chose to side with Armag in... if there was a fight then he might not have to worry... and the truth was, "I don't suppose we might be able t coopt them into a conflict against Armag is we are pressed into one."

Amvarean paused from scrutinizing the diagram, "It wouldn't be unfeasible, the Iobarians have their share of worshippers of the lord in iron, but there are still others," Simply claiming to Armag reborn or even being the reborn champion wouldn't win them all over. It was not, ironies aside, a magical solution even if it did clearly help Armag to levy support. The dragoness paused, "Slaying the Witch would do much to draw aplomb from the tribes."

"Which of course we already planned to do," He replied as the tiny yellow bird settled on his shoulder its golden eyes reflected on the blade.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Sarenith 4714
Midsummer was still a few days away, but the swamp had grown oppressively humid as the longest day of the year approached. It was much much more humid than the narlmarches... probably as a result of the difference in elevation. Jaethal's description from the previous month was accurate. Illthuliak had shattered the area she had built her lair in, battering down trees and marring the landscape with acid, and likely turning the still water further brackish with magic... she had probably nested here for perhaps a decade and the dragon had demanded regular offerings of tribute from the evil denizens of the swamp... and most recently that had included the boggards of Mbottu.

Illthuliak didn't seem to have any greater motivation for the swamp... there was no sophistication to the extortion racket just threats. She demanded tribute because she was the strongest thing around, and even if she wasn't she likely would have terrorized the landscape... and given time she would likely have depopulated the area and had to relocate.

... and like most of her breed Ilthuliak was arrogant. She saw them gathered round, and said nothing, but her body language radiated disdain. The Witch flared her wings. The boggard chieftan paying her homage quaked, and the frog folk likely did not need the narration of the naga to suitably terrorized by the physical flexing the wyrm put on. Even the marsh giants quaked... never mind the dozen or so trolls; given her kind's acid breath which their kind had likely been on the receiving of before.

Shaoyu bristled impetuously before the much older dragon, but Amvarean steadied her, taking the place in front of the younger. Jaethal had her expression fixed on the naga narrating to the boggards, which in ordinary cases would have been such a clear insult from the elef that the black dragon would have, should have gone ballistic... but before Ilthuliak could react Eire had dropped the pretense, the masquerade of mortality.

His human or humanoid form fell away. Red scales flashed in the summer day, and steam hissed around his form as a square leonine head formed. Ilthuliak started to snap back, there was to be no talking in this, her short neck flexed backwards as the earth shook, but the glowing corona of solar flame was only the beginning, a signal of a fight between dragons.

From his jaws a blast of radiant light exploded axial energy underscoring the flames, Ilthuliak was fast for her bulk, the flames missed tearing through a wing, and scored across the back of her shoulder instead, but even so that was enough. The counter blast of her acid streaked across his scales, and Ilthuliak perhaps in a misplaced moment of triumph roared before the steam cleared, as one his mithril claws wreaked downwards nearly tearing through her eye.

The two tyrants closed but the battle around them unfurled. Amvarean had dropped her half elf guise and circled to one side to prevent any potential distractions. A priest of minderhal waded forth with his adamantine hammer to smash a particularly hideous marsh giant in the forehead before the other giant could defend himself. Jaethal attacked the naga, while Shaoyu watched the inquisitor's side and menaced the boggards with her flaming sword.

Eire circled the witch, waiting for the black to either close or attempt to cast magic. Ilthuliak had expected her acidic breath to do something... not harmlessly splash against his scales. The Witch was careful, more careful now.

Be it said, that conventional wisdom held that it was only with red dragons that blacks might consider the effort of restraining their ferocious tempers... but it was also admitted across golarion that reds and blacks rarely intersected. Ilthuliak had no expectation that she was about to face an arch dragon in battle, never mind one with scales of hearth tones.

The mud, and muck squished beneath her boots as she navigated carefully. Jaethal eyed the sorceress, it would have been too much she expected to hope that Eire could have scoured the whole area with heaven's fire and denied the enemy their spellcasters... she accepted that the fight between dragons was always going to be the main event. No one expected once the black dragon was dead there would be much concrete resistance to their forces... but she planned to try at least to kill the naga before that became an issue.

Amvarean watched the flank, searching for any of Ilthuliak's pathetic slaves to try and intervene... but secretly she doubted it would be the case. If Ilthuliak did attempt to flee she would follow, but blacks were not cowards. Ilthuliak might consider retreat from them, but the Witch might well make a defiant last stand even in the face of their power. She was after all still a dragon.

Ilthuliak's sudden shout of profanity drew her attention and it wasn't hard to guess the black wyrm had realized she could no longer work spells. The black from the periphery of the silver's vision lowered her head and charged forward horns barred

and the trap was sprung..

There was a shrill call of a bird, and an adult gold dragon stood in their midst wrenching the black back into the swamp with a crash... and expose Ilthuliak to a lethal stroke of mithril talons that tore out her throat...

The black's eyes widened malevolent glowing red orbs that slowly faded as she gurgled her last and thrashed back into the swamp. The gold disappeared back again into a small singing bird circling the crown of flaming horns that ringed Eire's leonine skull, even as he spoke up echoing across the field of battle.

"We are Eire of Shrikewall." He intoned in draconic, wings extended as he loomed over the swamp scar. "We are sovereign of Narhold." Jaethal would admit that some of what followed was lost in translation from draconic even as the sunlight filled the deformed landscape... the marsh giants fought on, but the stone giants had expected the raving mad men to fight on... and the trolls fought as long as the giants did and then some made to flee.

The boggards surrendered when their chieftain died, and Jaethal held up the naga's severed head.

"Not bad for a day's work." Amvarean observed returning to her half elf form.

Jaethal tossed the head into the mud, and she brought up the valid point that there were still other boggards, and other evil denizens in the swamp's expanse that would need to be brought to heel. There were tributaries who were no here, other predators on riverine traffic.

Eire exhaled taking a step forward and extending his hand, a narrow silver longsword manifested and he severed the remaining muscle and scales holding Ilthuliak's head to her body.

Ilthuliak had sunk much treasure in the swamp here. There were no living prisoners here, perhaps that was a small mercy. The murky bottom of the swamp had no shortage of hoards of corroded coins of copper and silver, and Ilthuliak's coin bed was largely gold and platinum Mithril, unlike nonmagical silver did not corrode, nor did adamantine, and Ilthuliak's hoard contained vast quantities of various crystals... including a ridiculously oversized piece of quartz polished to provide a mirror image.

The black wyrm had had a vault constructed for still other treasures but they would take the time to drain the swamp with magic to pick everything clean tomorrow. Amvarean would carry back what Ilthuliak had looted from her own hoard at least of the items that remained, and then they would push north.

M'bottu would need to be secured, and he supposed that meant placing Gary in charge of the settlement since Shaoyu had slain the chief, Sepoko, who had ordered Gary's death and lead to the exile's subsequent flight east into the Narlmarches.

... but among the treasures in Illthuliak's collection, unharmed after thousands of years plus however long it had been exposed to Ilthuliak's possession was an adamantine case inscribed with runes, and sealed with a complex... combination lock from the looks of it.

"We'll return it to Shrikewall," Eire remarked putting it aside, "When the fighting is resolved we will contend with it, and with any other items here." There were other matters to attend to, and they would gather all of this, and take it back.

--
Notes: I had considered how to do a dragon fight, and ultimately while there is brief mention of one from an outsider perspective during the mendev interlude, I figured the best way to handle this was that Eire had no reason to provide Ilthuliak with either a fair fight, or that Ilthuliak herself had no reason to attempt to organize such hence the progression here as it plays out.

 

[Imperator Pax]

21 Sarenith 4714AR
Eire regarded the summer sky and returned his focus to cleaning his hands. It was something of a pointless gesture in their present environment. The slough was a massive swamp. It did after all sustain communities of boggards, trolls, lizard folk, bog striders, and among others the now unlamented passing of the black dragon Ilthuliak.

He had spent several days travelling, largely by boat across the slough. A number of the genial River Giants ensuring that he was ferried wherever he needed to be. The bog striders were civil enough, and Gary promised to do his best to bring his people into the light so to speak. What that would entail, Eire couldn't say, but the boggard village was large, and on the opposite shore to the south east of Fort Drelev.

They were preparing.

The east sellen river's path north tracked westernly, but the river as it flowed south from Lake Hontogune had countless tributaries, and streams flowing together east and west. The largest of these was the Siltstrand river... but the Hooktongue slough river itself had many 'horizontal' tributaries that flowed down from the messy stone carsts that formed the boundaries of the slough.

At its widest point the Slough proper was probably only about fifty miles, but its north south preponderance was at least a hundred miles if not a hundred fifty count the eastern banks of the river as it pressed down into northern mivon. Lake Hooktonuge was much larger than the Tuskwater... or Lake Silverstep for that matter. It was a massive body of water.

Certainly it had looked big on the map but he had failed to grasp precisely how large the slough ws in comparison to his own major lakes. Lake Hooktongue was almost eight hundred square miles of surface water. That wasn't counting a thousand square miles of marsh and rivers to the south of the lake that formed the south of Drelev's eastern domain... and in that mire expanse it was no wonder that Drelev had not realized the monstrous creature so close to his castle.

Ilthuliak might have not have noticed the fort and its outlying settlements, not really. Why would she? The black dragon would have, surely, given time, but this lair had been a recent transition... by draconic standards... out paranoia or other facets the black dragon had been here perhaps a few years ... maybe even had taken up residence in a twist of irony as the charters had been inked... maybe a decade or so... Whatever the case it didn't really matter.

What did matter was the matter of the dragon's hoard. Specifically returning whatever had been looted from Amvarean when Ilthuliak had slain the younger silver dragon. That was somewhat complicated matter of the broader conflict. With Ilthuliak slain, it was time to deal with the rest of the slough, and that meant Drelev, and the barbarian chieftains he was using as he was.

He regarded the severed head of the dragon, and then looked back at his hand. Ilthuliak had been dead when he had conjured the blade encarmine. It had disappeared after he was done, but it had been substantially more powerful than the mundane swords he normally wielded.

Jaethal was presently glowering at the assembled clergy of the Inheiritor piping on about miracles, and divine will. She paused to comment on his previously hitherto unmentioned immunity of the elder black's acid, but he shook his head.

He shrugged

The elf blinked and he flexed his admittedly still dirty hands. The conversation started to turn, but were interrupted by the sudden squawking, and the noise from the banks of the great lake. "Dragon." The inquisitor said turning.

"Dragons." He corrected as the argument increased in tempo.

Jaethal frowned but didn't object the correction.

Someone was huffily calling Shaoyu an insolent child, and it was clear to Jaethal that the red was having none of such lecturing from the stranger. Eire was quite used to his realm's attractions of such oddities... maybe it was the stolen lands in general perhaps it was just the nature of Golarion, but it was abundantly clear Jaethal felt the same... or at least that she had reached the same conclusion.

What Eire did wonder was how much of the inherent strangeness of the Stolen Lands was of course also a by product of the First World, and how much of what his kingdom experienced might be influenced not just by that by his steady assimilation of those shards of power. Shards which came seemingly in relation to changes to the realm... he might have considered it more likely to have been his war against drelev... but in hindsight no killing a great dragon was more distinctive than waging war against an ambitious neighbor.

"Where is Amvarean?"

"I didn't expect her back yet." Eire replied drawing up. The truth was they were preparing for the advance onto Drelev. That someone could wander upon them though, that did concern him. Drelev had chosen in many respects an excellent location to build Fort Drelev... at least from the perspective of protecting it from the threat of the slough, of someone trying to cross the body of water from the east.

Maybe defending not so much, it seemed as if the curtain wall around the town was incomplete, but it didn't matter. Drelev had made a solid attempt to secure his demsense.... and the truth was Eire had considered that carefully... and probably overmatched that. Amvarean had returned to Silverstep in part to make clear to not just hteir own sedentary population but nomadic tribesfolk that Ilthuliak had been slain.

Shaoyu was in an argument with a Tian woman, but the conversation carried on in Draconic. In itself that was nothing, a substantive portion of Narland's population spoke draconic even if not as a first language. It was the preferred language of the court, and the first language laws were published even if Taldane, common, iterations were also issued from royal printing presses.

She introduced herself with a hint of pomp and circumstance, and he was rather relieved the lady sky dragon was a cleric of the Empress of Heaven, that was to say another Lawful Good goddess of the sword.
--
Valerie had expected his majesty to return. The evil dragon Ilthuliak had been slain, a reiteration of the crown's divine right to rule, a reiteration that the king protected the realm. She hadn't necessarily expected him to return with another dragon in tow. Vordakai didn't seem particularly surprised, "This is less of an issue, admittedly in my previous time the Sky Dragons were more likely to remain in the distant east, but much has changed I admit that." The primordial cyclops rasped.

As she understood in that era the septs had largely settled geographically in territorial boundaries much as humans did. Apparently in distant Tian Xia the 'Imperial Dragons' still followed a similar tradition whereby families of dragons were frequently active in the goings on of human kingdoms... and it made sense she would admit that the most religious of such dragons, the lawful good ones would come and pay homage.

"And her claims?"

"Ruling dragons would likely spread their offspring far and wide," Vordakai replied, "I suspect that we are as choice a realm as any with the crusade." He glanced to the Iomedaen cleric.

"The Inheritor has much in common with the Empress of Heaven," Vaclav remarked, "Their church and ours enjoy great commonality in doctrine, with the virtues of knights, and the way of the sword." And as he admitted, it was entirely likely that Shelyn's direct request the year previous regarding the Golden Grove, after the events there, to shelter the Sthenos that Shizuru had found an appropriately pious envoy to send here. "Though admittedly there is a small congregation of the goddess's followers already within Shrikewall."

Which, to Valerie, sounded all well and good, if didn't complicate things. She had already been dreading the increased presence of Shelyn's church, not just brevic pressures, but even the storm giants. All of that would still have been manageable if not to her liking but they now had ... not just the issue of Drelev on their border but further conflict with the barbarians and it seemed unlikely that ... "Do you believe this is a good thing?" She was asking Vaclav, but Vordakai looked prepared to give his opinion as well, which probably would be just as insightful.

"Of course," The priest replied, "His Majesty has commanded the creation of a standing army, I should think that the intercession of gods near and far is a sign of Heaven's favor to the great work of civilization."
--
Notes: As I mentioned some time back that Eire's acquisition of his floating lair from Dragons wouldn't occur until after Ilthuliak was dead, and this is the lead into that. Also Tian Xia dragon introduction which has been in the works for a while now. Admittedly that wasn't a major factor in some of the continuing changes to the 4714 content, which is still in progress, I m officially no longer with a back log of stuff due to other factors so yeah.

Also thing I found on youtube: