Archon's Curse [Pathfinder Kingmaker]

[Imperator Pax]

Spring 4715
The rains had born away for the day. Sunlight peaked in broad shafts through the passing clouds and reflected on the surface of the great lake, and lit the green suroundings. Eire surveyed the Tuskdale, the valley north of his capital... it was the view opposite to which he normally looked outover the great lake to his capital's south, and all the ships that frequently occupied it. He had good reason to be focused north for a the moment he sat above the great lake, high above on the floating island.

Whether an intentional quote or simply a fair comparison to the song, a silver dragon had called Narhold the green valley where dragons flew... and that was true. There was a flight of silvers even now aloft overhead the city proper... and they were not the only dragons present... though these young draconic paladins were only distant poorer cousins to Eranex, and Amvarean.

It wasn't just their progress through the sky as they took the spring currents toward. It was really the many pennants of encamped tribes, and clans in the valley that he was mindful of. More so than the dragons, or the burgeoning magical markets of goods, or of the latest immigrants from far off lands, or the displaced refugees of wars that had lasted generations. It was the latter though he was waiting to hear the report of, and what would occupy much of his coming week... and even that was likely too little for time, but his hours were squeezed as it was.

The reality though was what his core dominion, was the displacement so to speak of his core dominion entailed. The brevic population of Narhold, even including the Varnhold and the Hooktongue, was statistically tiny. Between the Narlmarches, and the Tors the current numbers of population now exceeded a million souls.

His bureaucracy administering the royal holdings had reached in conjunction with the official state church...and its office of doctrine over sixteen thousand individuals. The aforementioned Inquisition were administered alongside the communal ministers by five hundred man body of church officials forming a council of subordinate lords spiritual to whom might one day become part of a larger parliament.

That was on the side of government the population in the Tuskwater, Kamelands and Narlmarches having reached the numbers it had meant a gathering of burghers in addition to the formal civil service. Their ranks entailed mostly merchants involved in the carrying trade, or even those who provided the organization and capital for insurance companies to support caravans, to provide service centers and warehouses. They were the merchant companies who provided the export of goods south down the river, or across Avistan to sell to supply the efforts of the Crusade.... and it was in those thousand of burghers that pens scratched away that they extended the roads, and the transit of goods and that the mills which were turned by the river produced their goods.

It provided the other members of the council something to do. The twins, and Meiqi in particular had their time most heavily invested in the trade and work of civil servants. What they were less involved in was the flow of internal trade evenif still touched their respective spheres of influence... Narland did not have railways in the form of steam locomotives piling through the countryside laden with cattle cars. That would take time and infrastructure that Eire simply hadn't had... but its fertile grasslands, and farms produced fodder for herds that supported the urban working population throughout the year even during the cold months, and also provided more choice cuts of meat fresh to visiting dignitaries as well as the higher orders of society.

In previous years that had meant less, that had been less firm institutions of government to shape day today life, or such a readily constant presence of urban life as the cattle trade. There had already been state supported general stores stocked with clothes, and then with glassware, and earthenware and then metal goods which changed the dynamics away from that of the brevic village life. Fewer and fewer urban dwellers in the nascent Imperial Core were engaged in cottage industries and while a variety of alterations and repairs were made the pawn shop industry had yet to emerge yet into the major cities... certainly not in the way it existed in England... but even that was that cities in the vicinity of the great lakes were being laid out on organized typically square grids and districts rather than the sprawling emergence of smaller villages, and neighborhoods being subsumed into a larger municipal authority. .. and thus while a railway system was not yet within his means he could do as England of the 17th​ century and focus on the waterways which connected his great cities.

That connection linked them, and the rivers, and grasslands and abundant timber and stone of the mountains could all be concentrated as resources to build and expand. That prevented overcrowding which in turn prevented disease, or at least ameliorated the worst of such threats.

"The immigrants that will arrive, and have arrived, from Mendev have little frame of reference,"Galfrey of Mendev had reigned a long time, especially for a human monarch, and had spent her entire reign engaged as party to a war against the forces of the abyss... and that was difficulty upon difficulty to any government. But Mendev, old Sarkoris had not been an urban civilization... or at least had been a collection of disparate city states, and the process of wide scale urbanization had been a by product of the crusades and the devastation of the environment... and the world wound forcing the growth of the sprawling shanty towns in the shadow of crusader fortifications... which was part of the reason that Mendev's urban centers had the problem they did.

It was a wonder that there hadn't been a mass exodus of people... but that could be attributed to any number of factors including lack of leadership organizing one single flight... and the pressures of Numeria. Numeria wasn't quite as inhospitable as Mendev but was the most natural route to leave Mendev and that combination of natural, or local, threats both from Numeria's wastes and the warring kellid tribes were such that it wasn't a much better option than staying out and eking out a living.

It made a population of the desperate, but at least most of those desperate spoke the Taldan common tongue already. Not that Hallit wasn't becoming more common, as a vernacular spoken language, "We do not have the carrying capacity to bring as many as we would like." Tristian lamented, which was true. Aship, an airship ferrying supplies including holds of cows to the slaughter, could launch from the lake docks of the Tuskwater or Candlemere and fly to Nerosyan, and return with refugees but the Royal Navy was a mere handful of flying ships... and Eire had to accept that as the situation... "For those who do arrive, many more wait in cramped, and unsanitary conditions, your majesty." It had been several months. Rova was the ninth month of the Arodenite calendar which predominated Avistan and the majority of the Inner Sea. That had been enough time, with the solstice quickly approaching, for both Tristian and small investigative body to make their findings, "I feel we will have our greatest success in making clear the differences between our Kingdom and that of Mendev."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Spring 4715

The rivers of the Narlmarches, what had originally formed his kingdom's western border before they had moved into the Slough, and the range of Lake Hooktongue, which was a significantly greater body of water than the Tuskerwater or Silverstep never mind Candlemere, were not on the same size as the fast flowing shrike which like the East Sellen was a major part of the concourse of the sellen river network. The Shrike was fast moving, never freezing, and had its headwaters high and far away to the east in Iobarian. It also formed his legal northern border with Brevoy something which he had written about more than once.

The present rains were stronger thisyear, the winter had been at times bitterly cold, and he suspected that the present condition of the Shrike was that its headwaters werelikely being filled with melting snow as the equinox approached. Such deepening did not really do much in theory, the truth was the deepening of the shrike this year really only further segregated thedunsward from Brevoy, but it did nothing to stop flying ships from bringing refugees from Mendev.

Tristian had made the report, his report the day before.

The problem though was invariably a question of doctrine. Eire expected that Sarenrae's church would find willing converts and recipients among the new arrivals, but there wasalways the lingering potential issue of recriminations againsttieflings... and there was a marked difference in the manner of laws Narland and Mendev operated on.

In theory Mendev was a state at war, in a perpetual war against the threat posed to all of creation in the form of the world wound, but its system of jurisprudence lacked oversight overarching over its myriad jurisdictions. IN that way forall that it could be described as an Iomedaen militant theocracy it was still also a feudal state. One without fully centralized apparatus, and thus one prone to conflicts of local rights which created gaps in coverage.

"We hold concerns that the crisis which has opened the Fifth Crusade," The knight of the Godclaw remarked, "was the lack of clear guidance. That Demonic infiltrators from cults of Baphomet, Deskari and indeed corrupting influences from cultists of Sifkesh allowed the forces of the world wound to preempt the crusades efforts."

There was an indictment there and one hardly limited to fanatical zeal of the godclaw. It was more than a question of doctrine. There had been complaints of how the crusades had strayed, and of failings by authorities in mendev that had long preceded this disaster.

He didn't have time for that... never mind that such a debate would potentially, would probably even cause problems in his relationship with Mendev. There needed to be a united political front against the demons... the destruction of the wardstones the devastation entailed in the forces of the world wound preempting the opening of the fifth crusade was a problem.

To that end Eire knew that efforts of doctrine under taken, and even more so those which would be publicized would come under scrutiny. They would need to exercise care in what precedents they set as they moved forward... but yes there was a threat of demonic infiltrators and the inquisition would have to see to that. "You believe that we create vulnerability by bringing these people."

"In doing so the effort reduces the burden on the crusade, but such people have been exposed to theworst threat to the entire world. Some are surely servants of the abyss."

"Some, but not all. I will not issue indictments for an entire populace, if there is a cult to Sifkesh, we will find it, and destroy it." Eire intoned. "Justas we must take efforts to support the crusaders, and the burden of combating the forces of the abyss." It was more than that of course, and Eire wasn't operating on a misplaced from Earth's view of humanitarian or moral concerns. Mendev's outer slums were something that should have been taken care of before they had gotten this bad, but there had been no way to address them, "Once settled and integrating into civilized society we will move from there, with lawbreakers being punished accordingly." That of course was why there was a distinction in legal terms of crimes that merited fines, and community service, and those deemed heinous. It was also why he had insisted on the necessity of common law proceedings. "But weare far from the world wound, and the landscape is not blighted by the abyss's influence so we will constructed houses and provide the opportunity to make honest livings, and grain, and weapons and other goods will bolster Mendev's efforts against the demons."

"Of course your majesty. It will be so."

He paused, and when the knight did not continue, Eire spread his hands, "This is the point ser, where you outline what evidence your investigation has gathered that is strong enough to face the scrutiny of a grand jury convened by the crown."

"Yes, of course, sire." The knight paused, "The movements are on their surface not obvious, but the tone of such cultists are insidious. In Mendev perhaps it would be easily ignorable," The man declared turning back to his original complaint for a moment "but the self professed kingdom of the cleansed presents concerning, and dare I say it seditious tennants my lord."

And it would. Tristian at this point had written a memorial to the throne regarding what he had learned. The problem there was that Sarenrae was less explicitly concerned with law as a rigid concept so while his own report did highlight what they knew his report was less damning in tone. Leaving aside that the 'faithful' refused to name which god they worshipped...which in a realm as open religiously as Narland was an immediate red flag to the Godclaw knight it was more that.

To espouse a view that anarchy was the cure for society. It was one thing to say, or to argue that anarchy was somehow a good thing. Even that would have been enough to get them into trouble with hellknights or chelish authorities, or most of traditional taldane power structures. It was entirely another to beyond simple anarchy, which had some basis even in the middle ages on earth among fringe heretics... the lollards came to mind... but to advocate for the chance to 'cleanse' the very concept of law from land... well that was different, especially given the mix of existing anarchists but the criminal element associating with the gatherings.

In itself though, Eire had to point out that while seditious in character, a cult of Sifkesh as had been the initial indictment did not appear to be the likely case. More investigation was necessary, something which needed to be delegated as he prepared to turn the majority of his attention to the gathering of nomads. The rhetoric did not disqualify sifkesh, perhaps the hell knights simply had a greater focus on Sifkesh as the order of the godclaw came into conflict with them most frequently and it was ismply a case of target fixation... but as this threat had come from by all accounts displaced from Mendev and not Galt the political overtones seemed particularly insidious to the investigators given the outbreak of the fifth crusade, which continued to slog along as Galfrey brought her forces forward across the scarred landscape of what had been sarkorsis.

 

[Imperator Pax]

20 Pharast 4715
The equinox fell the day after the new moon this year. For all intents and purposes Fort Drelev and Varnhold were both roughly the same distance from Shrikewall. It wasn't the exact same, but frankly it was close enough... and of course beyond both stretched the plains and grasslands that continued to extend ineither direction until eventually the reached greater natural barriers... or in the west the borders of numeria situated upon that natural riverine barrier.

In the east beyond the Varnhold, and across the Dunsward the rising of the Noemen Hills as mountains blocked enough rainfall that despite the nearby castrovin sea the steppe was largely grassland as a result of the rainfall that was insufficent to support forests... on the opposite side of the Noemen in 'iobaria propper' the forests sprawled out thanks to rainfall. TheRiver Kingdoms though, and Brevoy were subject to rain that supported forests in contrast to the steppes.

There was a part of the natural geography where there was the nearest the two ranges, the Noemen, and the Tors, came to one another in the east. The landscape between the two was increasingly hilly and rolling, but there were also rivers tothe north... in short if there was any where to raise a fortification to gate keep in the south east of the realm with regards to steppe dwellers it was there and that was his priority. To assert sovereignty to establish his control, and the recognition of his control to the nomads passing through.

He needed to do the same for out west. In fact more so out west, for while Iobaria proper was an 'untamed expanse', a great sea of grass and trees and all similar manner of descriptions by Brevic scholars it was in the west that the bulk of the confederation Armag had assembled over the last decade hailed from... and of course it was to his west that Avistan spread out across.. but that was not the largest of headaches. No, there was the religious dimension that Armag was the reborn champion of his god, and in the intervening months Eire had pieced together that they the modern kellid tribe and his ancestral system had diverged in responsibilities and job duties... never mind comparing either of those to Eire's view of his duties to the state, or civil society.

That was the greatest hurdle to come over. The resolution to the crisis of the twice born raised shades of the resolution with Hargulka. The battle of champions and less so the clash of armies, which of course Eire had been rushing to construct astate capable of fielding a standing army, and a professional standing army as close to his view of what those should entail... and yet it had still come down a fight between kings, and divine champions.

That entailed all the implications ...

Both sides had assembled by different means large armies. Thousands, and thousands of warriors had flocked to the banners of both sides, and Armag had gathered the larger force there was no denying his steppe nomads had enjoyed a noticeable numerical advantage if they had ever been able to be gathered in one place. They had not, though the organization of those armies, which split them into wings, and camps and so forth meant that there had and were now lesser leaders to contend with.

Armag's ambitions to establish a territorial state had represented a split with tradition kellid, and tiger lord orthodoxy... in such a sense as that orthodoxy could be used in this context. Arguments of that nature aside, Eire knew, or recognized rather that there were already fractures as lesser chiefs had split off and moved south and west... and some had pushed further north... some might continue to plague Brevoy but he had made clear where he stood there. That was a brevic problem, and one Brevoy as a kingdom and that regional figures should have been better prepared to address given ample warning.

There were limited options to move forward if Eire didn't want to be put into the position of having to deal with border issue. Those smaller chieftains were going to have to be dealt with, and his frontier protected. That reality pushed him towards moving into the Brantheld and the glenebon uplands ... the territory which the fourth charter would have covered... but it was still and expanse. From the source of the Siltrastrand river to the brantheld range's rising in the west it was sixty or so miles across in breath.

What was worse was the Glenebon was as open as the Dunsward tended to be. The source waters for the Whisper and the Pitax river were in the west near the forest of Thousand Voices, and the Brantheld form a southern border to parts of Numeria but for the most part it was largely sweeping grasslands until one reached the Slough. There were no settlements of note. Not until one reached the 'Littletown', which was in the sphere of influence of Pitax. Eire wasn't ignorant that expanding to express suzerainty over the uplands would cause further trouble with Pitax, but as he view edit he had little choice in terms of geopolitics.

He was not going to try and translate those political ideas, into ones that might be understood by the various chieftains, particularly those of the Tiger Lords. He would extend Hegemony over Armag's tomb largely under the auspices of the existing royal structures that handled matters of faith... which might well have been easier if the spiritual guardian of the Shrinehad been willing to accept a position as one of his lords spiritual.

... but the ancient shaman had declined. That forced him towards secondary choices.

"Will this work?" He asked.

The silver dragonness, in half elf guise, nodded, "Investing the uplands and securing them is within our abilities," It would stretch a road further westward still, and the passage of goods as towns developed and traded would pay less and less attention to brevic trade. "The best course of action available to us is to coopt the Tiger Lords as sanctioned mercenaries, and fold them under our own wings."

They had discussed that as well. It had not been his initial choice of policy. The suggestion had come from below as a method of coopting much of the Tiger Lords. It had not been a suggestion from Armag though. Some of the more conservativeTiger Lords chiefs had hoped that a reckoning, and the resulting trial by combat would convince Armag to reject 'new ideas' of a territorial kingdom as the way forward.

His defeat had actually seemed to further cement that position. That defeat had also not undermined Gorum's faith, or engendered any notable successful conversions. Anyreligious dynamics to the war had not resulted in en masse conversions... which went back to the need to make accommodations to the faith of the Iron Lord even as he expressed political authority over it." There will be chiefs who will resent these steps." Chiefs who were gathered in order to be able to voice their opinion at a gathering of free men. They were no equals per se, despite the defeat Armag enjoyed greater status among his fellow Tiger Lords... he had been successful and was acknowledged as Gorum's champion... which did rankle some of the conservative chiefs.

Their best option remained however pushing an argument to be released to go elsewhere. For Armag, the Glenebone as a subordinate ruler seemed the most likely course. In away that made things simpler for Eire, and also more complicated...establishing himself as Suzerain over Armag had the potential and they enjoyed some experience. The Tigers Lords were nomadic, they drove cattle and sheep. As far as grazing lands went the glenebon uplands and lowlands well suited that life style.

That was complicated by what he would need to do. There was as they had already observed a precedent withHargulka... and Hargulka had been encouraged to raised homesteads, raise cattle, raise temples to the gods... but they still had so much more work to do... and the gathering tonight would be at moon rise in anticipation of tomorrow being the vernal equinox. They had a few scant more hours until all the tiger lord chiefs, and many many more Kellid and Iobarian chiefs joined them at the great table.

 

[Imperator Pax]

4715 Spring Equinox
Eire would have liked, had originally envisioned that with talks of the 5th​ Crusade being planned that trade across Avistan might have been the focus of his realm come this year's spring. It was not to be. He had to concern himself with more immediate neighbors not far distant Qadira even though Tristian's coreligionists and merchants made their way across both the Steppe and up the great sellen river network to Shrikewall and its neighboring settlements.

That was not to say he didn't still have to consider the great grass expanse to his east and south, and those nomads who roved Iobaria and whose clans held the valuable passes and oasis that allowed merchant caravans to cross the continent's breath. The majority of the folk who had rallied to Armag's banner had been nearer Kellid tribes. Given more time, Armag would have likely had more success apparently with the honor driven horse lords of the steppe... perhaps enough to swell his numbers and pour into the central River kingdoms or even to lay claim to the oasis city states if he could compel them to surrender without lengthy sieges.

The traditional campaigning season was fast approaching... and the truth was that it would very easy for a splintered confederation of barbarians to provide an easy opportunity for an enterprising lord to bolster his forces, and raid his neighbors. With the threat to Restov ameliorated for at least the time being, that was to say over the winter, it had been possible to confirm through the Free City that Hannis Drelev had been reported to have fled back to his family's ancestral lands. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that the main branch of the House comfortably might expend gold to give him the opportunity to try and reclaim 'his lands'.

That was a potential challenge. Kressel's report was only relevant because entailed part of the preparations for if things went south... but that seemed unlikely Still it was an abundance of caution if they needed to march an army forward and across the northern frontier.... but it was still unlikely. More likely rather than Hannis being able to march an army this year, there would be some acrimonious fallout with the Kellids and it was that which more concerned him. Narland's capital with the equinox had expanded its accommodations to make room for visitors as the spring thaw arrived. The valley teemed with pennants, and felt tents...and eyes drew to stare at the floating island that loomed in the clouds above the cityscape on the hill.

At least it was unlikely to go south in the immediate short term. He was hoping that the grandeur , and more importantly the martial prowess of his capital would keep things peaceful. Shrikewall , and the wider tuskdale were active. North of the city and ringing the valley were walls built by stone giants, and since the conflict with Ilthuliak river giants helped construct large piers and docks that penetrated into the great lakes. It provided a character to what was otherwise a very young settlement.

His giants whether they worshipped Minderhal or Erstig, or other deities had raised megalithic constructions to bolster his realm, and such gathering places were ideal to host western nomads, or their eastern cousins.

Armag, Dugath and a handful of other chieftans were considered those most likely to be reasonable and even that ran the problem of internal disagreements between Armag and Tiger Lord Traditionalists over what was the better way. Establishing a state supported mercenary band would have its advantages, but it was not quite a 'modern' foreign legion, but it would help alleviate pressure.

Armag had been trying to hybridize traditional tiger lord custom with his own personal view of how the law should exist, but without writing it down. That presented a problem, not that Hargulka had exactly rushed to promulgate a written legal code... and indeed if left to his own devices the troll would likely have ended up appropriate bits and pieces of the quite confusing rogavarian legal code used in Brevoy...but Armag had been trying to mix a nomadic culture's mores in with what he viewed as the best practices of sedentary territorial kingdoms.

Armag more than Harrgulka was less likely to accept the universal law code, and nor did he seem particularly likely to borrow heavily from Brevoy, or encourage brevic settlement. At least though he was likely to settle and build towns, and emphasize comprehensive agriculture. That was the easiest of the tasks east of the Brantheld in the uplands putting into place Imperial agriculture with the growing of multi rotation crops would support cattle raising. That could actually support, much as it did Harrgulka, the animal husbandry without the nomadic aspect.

Indeed as they prepared for the feasts final preparations Harrgulka was important to the argument towards assimilation. Harrgulka had adopted raising grain in particular in order to feed livestock, but raising corn to make mash to put in a still to make hard liquor. It was still an early aging process what would have been prohibited to be called whisky for the age requirement but it was similar enough... and those distilleries that Harrgulka had patronized encouraged had encouraged more brewing. His choice to do that might well lead to something more akin to modern Earth's Sake production given time to take root among the rice growing regions of the Imperial Core.

Shaoyu approached, bountiful confidence in her step, indicating that the last of the preparations were completed. Armag had a major advantage over competing sources of authority. His recent defeat not withstanding he was still a powerful warrior but more importantly he was Gorum's acknowledged champion."Amiri is very popular," Shaoyu declared, then after a minute, "though with the other Six Bears not so much."

"it is to be expected." A giant remarked, the particular frost giant who had at one point inhabited Amiri'ssword, bound there in spiritual torpor had yet to be actually settled. As it was he could not replace Eranex's position, nor did Eire desire him to, as envoy the Many's court. "It may present a problem."

"And how best would that be resolved?" He asked the frost giant turning.

There was going to be a question of attire. Some of the Tiger Lords, like Dugath had ranged quite far south, Amiri had as well, and was familiar with the costumes of many southern nations. He was familiar with what the keleshite adherents the Dawnflower wore and recognized Tristian's goddess. He was also familiar with the brocades favored by Taldor's wealthy nobles, and of the sterner fashions of Cheliax for which Eire's attire was closest to in character. But also that there was no question Amiri was Kellid.

Dugath had observed that regardless of religious difference no 'real chieftain', as the old chieftain had put it, would break hospitality this night. It was an assurance, but one that Kean reiterated was not more than a guarantee of tonight, "Amiri will likely face challengers in a circle of equals, tomorrow... not tonight," Kean declared, "The bolder fools might even think to challenge you, but Dugath and I are unsure if there are so rash of ones in this gathering of warriors."

"They would dare?" Shaoyu questioned.

"He has defeated Armag, that makes him first among equals." The Kellid notion of kingship was not the same as its southern neighbors Kean recognized that... "On the other hand chosen of Gorum or not, Armag is not a priest, one might expect that will provide time... but the out come of that might be instead of a duel a mustering of arms."

This was not just the opportunity to make friends, but also feel out and ascertain who might be future enemies, and to know what resources, and friends they might have. The opportunity to get all of them drunk of hard liquor or mead brewed from the honey provided by Calistria's wasps or on any of the beers brewed, or the apple jack or other beverage options. From there they would make the best of it, and if a fight came well...some of the inevitable fighting would be tiger lords against tiger lords or parts of the confederation quarrelling over resources, or just in the employ of bitter rivals.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Vernal Equinox 4715
The outdoor hall resembled the restored Temple of the Elk on a much larger scale... and even so it was veryvery noisy.

Dugath could drink like a man easily twenty or thirty years his junior. His companion Gwart had struck up a conversation with Harrgulka over religion, and the temples the troll had endeavored to raise as part of his own efforts... which had in turn drawn in Armag as well. They were all getting along well ,and so far so good. As Amiri had noted it was unusual at least in the land of the mammoth lords for any Kellid following to have such a collection of giants in its midst... but Kellid followings by their nature had to make long ranging treks to follow game.

Moving past a prominent cleric of Minderhall, who was engaged in a theological debate with a knight of the order of the godclaw, was a skullcap wearing priest of Nethys, who stopped to stoop bowing, "My Great King," The cleric greeted, his osirion accent prominent in his draconic formality, the cleric intended to depart for the land of his birth, to among other things, "When I return to Pharaoh I will speak of the noble endeavor against the demons of the abyss, and the necessity to support the crusade of mendev." If there was to be any foreign policy that Eire called for support from neighboring countries, much as free trade was important, it was to support his coreligionists and their comrades in arms in Mendev.

"Thank you." For as much as this gathering was about the Kellid, the tiger lord case, and the dissolving confederation coming apart, and all the warriors free to move about as bands, and warrior fraternities, it was still also a state function of his monarchy, and it was spring... and there was so much to do. In particular tonight there was another matter, among the many magical improvements to the realm's administration was the flowing sands and map that provided him information across his realm.

The magic though that allowed it to function was enough to recognize his hold on Armag's tomb, and the headwaters of the siltstrand, but not much further west. Only really a fraction of the eastern glenebon were detailed on his magical map. That made it ... not so useful in terms of planning for the Glenebonhe had to rely on more conventional pen and paper for that. For impressing the Kellids however even from the Siltstrand to the dunsward the present breath of the kingdom was more than two hundred miles across, and from north to south averaged over a hundred miles in most of the central realm becoming shorter in the glenebon, and taller in the dunsward and the great eastern steppe.

Vordakai had warned him that south of the Little Sellen moving north of the Mivon Sellen were no shortage of horse lords, which might create problems. The Tors of Levenies split the step, though there were a number of passes through the range... the pass to Varnhold was just one of the easier northern crossings. You could cross from the Kamelands to the Dunsward....there had been horse lords who had come from western Iobaria to pay homage Amvarean by come down from the headwaters of the Gudrin as it fed into Lake Silverstep. Those horse lords were represented here.

It was there, that Eire could ascribe names like Scythian, and Hun for the southern and eastern tribes even though that wasn't their names... but their costumes suggested they were Golarians distant cousins. To the north in Iobaria were those he found he associated Pechnegs and the like, and there were geographic, grazing, zones of control. That he recognized presented a problem in the long term just as he might face a problem similar in the west.

The Cyclops did have a suggestion. They had previous visited other cyclopean ruins and those represented good starting points. Most had been chosen for ready access to water, Cyclops society had been predominantly cattle raising magocratic city-states under a vaguely Greek style of civic government. Cattle raising required ready access of water, the construction techniques that the cyclops used emphasized quality stone and construction granite and marble and such. Amvarean had also apprised him that the access to the elemental plane of earth was more extensive in the south east of the realm. The Tors and the mountains further east also represented the largest populations of giants in the realm... and that entailed their respective churches looking for support in raising prominent temples in the south.

Amvarean, in half elf form, nodded "If settling Armag in the uplands works, we may be able to us it to push into the lands south of the Little Sellen, and lay claim to the southern Tors." Though hardly the sweeping forest of the Narlmarches the Tors of Levenies also promised access to timber on the mountains.

"To consider that we must settle Armag successfully first," He replied, and the truth was he wanted to avoid putting himself, putting the kingdom in a position where he might have a Cossack problem or some successor down the road might. "Integrating the tiger lords may prove problematic, "On the other hand he would never allow serfdom to take root, and that might keep him from having that issue... and besides a significant portion of the realm was urban, "Our only readily accessible source of coal is in the slough, which is another concern I have." He added after a moment, and on the subject of coal if not significant seams in the Narlmarches there might be access in the mountains inthe west or east but they had what they had in the vicinity of the east sellen river basin.

Amvarean joined him, her jewel likeeyes sweeping the crowd, the mix of furs and wool shirts, it wasn't quite cold at night any longer but the open air meant plenty of men had decided for cloaks, or even jackets. It was another way to tell affiliation. Eire's coreligionists took their formal attire in cue from his own dress. Black cassocks, red piping, very chelish colors truth be told. It was therefore something of an irony since Narland's textiles exported plenty of white cloth, and shirts, but it was not a popular color with his own clergy. As a trade good though it was a lucrative export. "Mivon agreed to the invitation."

The Mivonese Aldori presence was noticeable, even without the macho posturing between the competing Aldori branches. There was no Aldori branch in Shrikewall, but Varnhold had established a cadet branch of the Restov Aldori... the branch of Aldori who had stayed behind and knelt to House Rogavaria just a few centuries earlier. Equally so, was Pitax's absence from these proceedings... they had not been invited, but Eire had almost expected travelling bards to coincidentally arrive. Their absence though while perhaps a relief, would not make this night any less long. "Yes, hopefully, they,"And for that matter the Church of Milani, "Will keep their temper about them." It had been one of those things that Jaethal, currently ghosting wraith like through the throng had warned him of. She had also made observation that even as repairs to the road of shields continued fortifying his original western frontier, it was hard to miss that as a realm, as a predominantly human realm there were far fewer dwarves in his lands than was 'normal'... though Eire really had to wonder exactly what passed for normal in such situations since dedicated census tallies were not precisely common in Avistan or more widely acrossed the civilized realms of Golarion.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Vernal Equinox 4715
In Brevoy this gathering would have been unthinkable. Valerie was confident that the Brevic reaction would have been to try and scatter the the nomadic horde ... which she suspected would have resulted in a bloodbath for brevic knights. They just wouldn't have had the manpower to do so not against the confederation that had pulled in so many Kellids from Numeria... and that was something she recognized. Her experience told her that by forcing this into a battle between kings a protracted and costly campaign had been avoided... but also it kept the conflict from being forced to rely on dragons to settle it.

That, that was probably what had relieved Valerie most. The truth was while there were questions and letters from home, for the majority of the populace from the Inner Sea they were acclimated to the visitations of dragons, particularly the silvers. A silver dragon, or several, was looked upon as not the surreal experience it would have been in Brevoy. Nominally those silver dragons, with the exception of Eranex and her sister Amvarean, professed themselves as members of the king's own faith. For those whose had immigrated from the Inner Sphere that was sufficient. Nothing more needed to be said to them... but Brevoy had been forged into a nation by a king wielding the power of dragons and though the House that had founded the kingdom had disappeared dragons remained a prominent part of the national consciousness of her homeland.

She was not the only one whose homeland would not have thought well of this gathering, or contemplated holding it. Jaethal's stride was an almost imperceptible, graceful path weaving through the crowd... which could only ever be ill news. Brevoy remained largely dismissive and ignorant of the growing Kingdom. Part of that was the current King, the first Surtova to hold the throne in the red keep of the capital of New Stetven. His choice to chain the east sellen and cut off trade further south, and his decision to ignore the barbarian horde growing on his the rostlandic frontier both played significant roles... but even Restov which should have been their natural ally and confidant was ignorant

The truth was too few brevic families chose to migrate into the Narlmarches, but even so both the Hooktongue and the Dunsward were scarcely more enticing. Even immigration to all three of the baronies together was nothing compared to just immigration Taldor, never mind Cheliax.

Kyonin though was another matter entirely. Officially they had only limited contacts with the elven kingdom unofficially Jaethal was an exiled high official banished for crimes before Valerie had even been born. Truth be told, Valerie wasn't sure whether or not the reason it was exile was because of her rank, elven custom... or fear that Urgathoa might issue some terrible retribution for the elven court trying to kill her favored. Jaethal herself had dismissed the other idea, and from speaking with the church of Gorum they also stated that if Armag were to die Gorum would not seek revenge .... save if it was by some dishonorable or treacherous means and even then they hadn't exactly seemed too sure of how Gorum would express that displeasure. She supposed that lack of certainty was common to most religious institutions.

One of Ragathiel's paladins stepped aside to allow the king's counsel to approach her seat. "We have problems."

"Lady Jaethal." The paladin asked. His armor was a dark crimson enamel, and hitherto now his presence in full dress would have potentially been a sore point in any formal brevic gathering.
As Chancellor, she had come to accept the involvement of religion... and there were non religious reasons that Jaethal might reach out to her first rather than storming up to the king with whatever problem had emerged... but there was also a religious one. The church of Shelyn, and the goddess herself, had expressed interest time and again in participating in the realm's affairs, and its public life. The Stheno, the medesue like serpent women who worshipped Shelyn, were but one example and had come to make their presence known particularly in those cities south of the capital. They found time as weavers of artistic textiles, and other tasks in the city and its emerging artisan's quarter, including the brewing of beer.

"Do you recall," Jaethal questioned, she took a pause, "A few years its been, but Eire spoke of the under dark and elves who fled beneath the surface during the earthfall."

Valerie paused and racked her mind, she did... it took a minute because nothing had come of it since then, but more than that, "I do, but how might this involve the Church of Shelyn?"

Jaethal wrinkled her nose in vexation," Because," She stopped and Valerie felt it as well as a feeling of supernatural silence embraced the hall stifling like hot summer air. Conversations died, and Valerie watched as quicksilver eyes narrowed the King's head cocking up into the air. Eire was a tall man, and clad in dark plate with prominent protruding edges with crimson cloak the newcomer could have been a warrior of any of several welcomed here... save the almost miasma like aura of palpable malice. "Devil." Jaethal breathed the word in elven, but Valerie didn't need a translation...

The flames burned high, as Eire took the steps down from the high table with a slow methodical pace passing by Kanerah without glancing to the tiefling. Shaoyu however threw a look towards Kanerah before the younger dragon taking a position in front of her as the heat became even more oppressive. The hell knights and the paladins of Ragathiel had changed in posture as well.

The devil paid no visible concern to the potential challenge. The baritone of the man... male voice carried through the gathering, and the curtsey was mechanical in its precision, "Greetings Sovereign of this Realm, I have from afar to discuss a matter of considerable importance to both myself, and to my queen the Illustrious Mahathallah..." He paused rising, "Though you know my name, to others I am called the Forefather, and I what I desire most is a civilized conversation here at this gathering where you have welcomed so many others."

Valerie grit her teeth as the devil stepped forward. "What brings you here?"

"I came simply to pay my regards to a lawful ruler. It is my manner to conduct myself in this way."

There was a long sibilant exhalation from the king, "I find that truth to be tiring, you have made a grand entrance, and name your queen so quickly."

Jaethal had already begun to move, silent as the grave to the monarch's side, and though its quiet unnerved Valerie she also tracked the attention this newest arrival entailed from still others. The Order of the Godclaw in particular seemed particularly vexed by this, the paladin beside her's scowl told her enough of what the knight of the Angel of vengeance though as the king and the devil conversed. "Mahathallah is vassal to Asmodeus." He explained, "And It would not suprise me my lady if this devil does not conspire to provoke some breach of the king's peace by words alone.

A Godclaw paralictor nodded, "It is plausible the machinations of a deimavigga are often to sow heresy among the faithful... but if true he serves his liege this may reflect the interests of Law against the demonic forces of Chaos."

Ragathiel's paladin continued to scowl, "Such political measures could still succeed in sowing discord here." By this point Jaethal had reached the King's side, and she was not the only one. Tristian had come over as well, and Armag had moved through the throng the tall barbarian managing to look small compared to Forefather's some seven foot height.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Vernal Equinox 4715
Armag was no fool, his instincts had warned him that the small bird was not what it appeared. He did not care about the gathering for which Eire and his coreligionists had participated in It was not Gorum's way, but he did not foolhardily shun the affection the warrior showed the Chelish war Goddess, or that she reciprocated by paying heed to the gathering in her name. Too many of his co religionists too many of the old men of the Tiger Lords bridled that because Gorum did not ask this hospitality, and homage of them they should not... but they forgot too frequently as Armag knew that Gorum wore his armor so that when travelled in other guises he could test his followers hospitality. Those men should have known better for their long lives. Their host held the ear of his own goddess and thus might well travel in their midsts, and attract the attention of still others.

Kellid society was typecast as that of a warrior society for the majority of the Inner Sea but hospitality was sacred as was knowledge of their hosts traditions. The Tiger Lords more so than most epitomized that in how they served as mercenaries in the many mundane political struggles across the south of Avistan... Numeria was a rugged land that spanned a variety of threats internally, as well as those monstrosities or challenges that spilled out.

Such it was the way it had always been. That the domains of the linnorm kings had stretched once upon a time toCastrovin sea was 'known' for Iobarians were a variety of ethnic groups that included the eastern half of north men displaced when Baba Yaga had established Irrisen, and who, the Iobarians, had lost Brevoy for a time when Taldor had been at its height.


For thousands of years bands of mercenaries had sold their services across a continent marked by a million petty conflicts, and across thousands of larger ones. Armag had lived millennium before the founding of Absalom by the God of Mankind and had lead the Tiger Lords from the Land of the Mammoth Lords all the way to Casmarron.

He had those memories. Armag had spent the winter immersed in the memories of that era, and demanding that the chiefs who gathered acknowledge that this was not the ancient days. That the Tiger Lords must make changes to their practices and learn from the southerners if they were to become even stronger in the future.

Whether his previous life, or this one, Armag recognized for whatever power Hell wielded to take them lightly was foolhardy. He would not break the guest right, but he remained weary of the authoritarian hell spawn and whatever schemes the devil might be considering... though he also accepted that the conflicts between Hell and the Abyss did place his host and the devil on potentially 'cobelligerent', to use Eire's words, terms. The Devil even appreciated that distinction that they were not necessarily allies.

Armag was gratified to his instincts that the Devil in their midst regarded the golden bird that flitted around Eire's company was regarded warily. A careful regard he extended to the ageless elf as she glided into the inner circle oft he hall. Armag was no fool, Urgathoa's chosen might have longed for the soft comforts of city life, but the elf was not soft herself. Nor was the envoy of Shyka, the silver dragon Eranex, or even the boyish cleric of sister cinder underneath all his misplaced kindness.

All of them could live here for they dwelled in the stone camp of a powerful king. That Armag recognized. That he could have his farmers support such a host, such a broad supplicant base, of many giants especially was a demonstration of that strength. Armag considered the words that were said, and what similarities were to be made with the Tiger Lords, and Kellid ways. He had hoped to learn more from Pitax than he had, hoped to make common cause with the cheese and wine merchants to strike further against Brevoy and against the vendettas that had accrued against the northerners. House Rogavaria's disappearance meant nothing on that score, he had grievances with the lines of chiefs who had replaced the dragon bloods, and he was none too fond of the wealthy merchants of Restov... but he could also make peace. The tiger lords could understand, and he could make the other tribes who were willing to follow him into the future the necessity of such things.


Jaethal regarded the devil with a wariness. Urgathoa was silent as ever as the devil carried on the conversation... but Urgathoa was also not a demon lord. She had no place in the abyss... not that Jaethal imagined the realm of Hades was much better... but there was no immediate threat of conflict. For her part, Jaethal was aware that Iomedae occasionally and by the claims of church orthodoxy conversed with Asmodeus as the lord of hell. Chelish authorities were very reluctant to prohibit the inheritor's church their traditional remits despite the infernal victory of the civil war... as they had placed it in the official histories Iomedae ascension and success placed her in select company. That she was a chelish noblewoman by birth they claimed was further demonstration of Cheliax's promised superiority over other nations.

The elves of kyonin found this idea laughable... not that Jaethal herself nor any of the elves of the kingdom would have directly mocked the king's tutelary deity. Though there were times Jaethal would have liked if the arrogant bastard from her home might do so... there were easier ways to commit suicide... the Church of the guiding hand treaded the line occasionally, especially as the elven goddess's church was increasingly clashing socially with the growing Sheylnite congregation which was vying for greater prestige.

The devil's presence here created a problem for her. It complicated an already complex situation... but a threat of Soul Eaters was not something Jaethal was overly concerned with. No, she suspected as was her remit, and her nature that this warning was just as likely an excuse by Kanerah devil fore bearer to attempt to wheedle some bit of good will from the king... especially since she didn't doubt that the devil was here had been bid here by his own liege. That introduction concerned her as well since the Dowager of Illusions had departed Pharasma's service millennium ago...and beyond that it was not exactly news that the Church of Grandmother Crow and Desna were not overly fond of the cults of Mahathallah's hoarding of secrets.

The devil bowed, "The soul eater is a most potent example of its breed, and one which has survived much across the centuries, but the gathering astronomical portents suggest that it can be brought to its natural end at an appointed time and place. A confrontation which I can arrange."

Eire raised an eyebrow, "Very well, I recognize the place you speak of," Jaethal kept her face placid. The devil agreeably withdrew into the crowd, but the chosen of Urgathoa realized the that there must have been something the Devil had overlooked... or misjudged. The place was south of where the Gudrin river flowed into the tuskdale and in proximity to the growing south eastern settlements of the great lake. Eire turned to the Barbarian, "I hope that is the last of our unexpected arrivals, we have much to discuss." Which Jaethal felt was a great understatement... especially as she had not yet gotten the chance to discuss other developments that had been carried to her by her network of arcane scoundrels who served as her eyes and ears across the realm... and truthfully beyond it.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Vernal Equinox 4715
There was soft rustling of golden wings as hopped around to the king's other shoulder. Jaethal regard the canary with appropriate caution. It had not been something that had been discussed with the council... though she had via circumspect inquiry did recognize that Iomedae had had a gold dragon companion, and though less common than silvers there were gold dragons who considered themselves a part of the faith to which Eire himself counted himself apart. It had not been readily discussed with the council the circumstances of Ilthuliak's demise... no one had questioned the severed head of the black wyrm.

The severed head which Amvarean had presented to be seen by all visiting eastern chief tans. The Iobarians of Casmarron were long separated from their living cousins in the lands of the linnorm kings... but Casmarron was home to many dragons Metallic and Chromatic alike, and thus the tribes and clans were quick to pay heed to the death of the Witch.

Given that the Tiger Lords had already been fighting for Pitax, and also Drelev that had been the correct decision. Armag was a capable fighter, Jaethal wasn't so arrogant to ignore that detail, but when given the option the defeat of a black wyrm had decisively lead to favoring the kingdom. Ilthuliak's demise stabilized the southern marshes as well. There had been a slew of after effects to contend with... much work for her and her bureau .Just as she was sure that it had created work for Valerie as Chancellor of the realm.

"We will have to speak with Kanerah shortly." Eire remarked

His tone though suggested what he was actually saying was to tell him now what she had forewarned Valerie about. The truth was Lamashtu was not an uncommon cult in Brevoy, she was one of the more... 'popular' she supposed was the word .... and Lamashtu was a goddess not a demon lord and thus not quite the same issue as worshipping or offering sacrifices to certain other powers, which Eire acknowledged. "The Church of Sheyln has vouched for a cult of Nocticula, the cult of the redeemer queen."

Eire blew out a breath of hot air, so warm it came as a cloud of steam. For a moment Jaethal considered what she might do in Eire's position... but she'd never been put in this position she imagined. "And why?" The red headed man asked, "Would Sheyln want that?" She almost considered telling him he should ask Sheyln herself... the gods listened when Eire spoke... which was vexing at times. That was nothing new, and perhaps asking the Azlanti goddess might well provide them an explanation.... or saddle them with some expanded chore. Jaethal though had no explanation as to why the Azlanti goddess might want that. When it was clear she had no answer Eire shook his head, "We will deal with this later, you were right telling Valerie, I don't know what to make of this," He replied, "And for the moment we have more immediate issues. "

Eire surveyed the expanse, throngs of men. His objective was not changed by this news, or by forefather's arrival and visit. The Church of Sheyln and of Nocticula that was more problematic... the lady in shadow was a demon lord and though Eire would not profess to be an expert on the politics of the Abyss it created an issue given that cosmological divide.

The Tigers confederation of tribes would divide. That was a given. He had expected that in the wake of Armag's defeat in single combat... where some following tribes would slough off in expectation of better prospects. The more important divide, at least for now, was not those tribes who would pursue employment abroad. It was about the ones remaining in the northern river kingdoms and adjacent or within his own de jure borders. There was a division there to consider as well, the split between Armag's coalition aimed at sedentary reform, tribal chieftains and clerical conservatives and the mercenary confederation.

The last of which was the easiest to address though for Eire. He would need them to secure his western border, and possibly depending on other conditions his eastern one in order to secure the caravan routes that crossed the great steppe to the Padishah Empire. Securing that would mean another revenue stream for his realm to action, and he needed the caravans because he lacked the resources to support expanding construction of airships.

He didn't have the manpower to crew ships, or the volume of spell casters to support a professional navy as he envisioned it... and truth was from what understood of the geography, of the geology of Numeria his western border the Branthelds in particular might provide him the reserves of coal and iron he needed for still other projects. So his western border need to be secured... which also meant he needed to stabilize the internal divisions.

Eire moved with purpose to address the assembled, for he and Armag he met in a duel even if if it had not started under the open sky, had concluded there. And that Eire held Gorum's largest and most important Holy Site arguably in all of Avistan, word would spread of that, would reach the Gorumite clergy in Belkezen amongst the Orcs. Something to prepare for. The gathered were unlikely to care much for his discourses on economics, of how he would regulate how cities and settlements could charge taxes... there was no point in discussing such things.


What mattered to the warrior chiefs, and lesser petty kings Eire knew to be the prowess. That was the point of this feast to outline that he had commitments. "There is one other thing," Jaethal remarked keeping in lockstep as the approached the central hearth.

He turned, "Yes?"

"There is an option I believe for a western strongpoint," What she actually meant was a religious site to anchor the kingdom's forces... a church or temple. "It belonged to Cayden Cailean, but was abandoned probably for the same reasons as the Temple of the Rose nearer still to us." Cayden Cailen was hardly an unknown deity but certainly not one that the royal institutions actively supported the church of.

"Thank you," He replied. A temple, or in this case an abbey though was something, "I will consider it before I speak with Armag." Or for that matter Dugath, or Gwart or the other clerics of Gorum Kellid or not. A giant blew a great horn as he signaled to the stone giant druid he was prepared to address those assembled. After the blast a gathering of warriors voiced their support for his abilities, by listing accomplishments of arms... including killing the wyrm ilthuliak. Jaethal did not join him remaining in the throng of supporters, overshadowed by giants. Vordakai remained aloof from such barbarians proceedings, an aloofness that some paladins emulated, while others cheered the king as defender of the faith... even the ones who belonged to other churches, like those knights of Ragathiel, or those armingers of the Godclaw. The cheers were all but deafening as it built to its crescendo.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Pharast 4715
Valerie considered all the documents before here. All of them were documents printed up by a machine, to be recorded for posterity and reviewed whenever it became necessary. The timber born, the beaver folk, were working feverishly as it was their efforts went further this year in controlling the spring thaw but also to the labor of putting the flow of water to greater 'mechanical advantage'.

The king envisioned a realm which was linked by metal, and stone roads to reach where waterways alone could not. Some thought this allegorical, some presumed it a vision of what Axis must have looked like, inspired by the plane of Law. Arsinoe, the senior cleric of Abadar, had said as much.

Eire had spoken of such things before, of the necessity of good roads, and safe roads. She had consideredthat they had been making goodly progress. The realm grew. After ilthuliak had been slain the sky island had formed above the capital... and its presence drew more people in from the frontier...but not from Brevoy.

The ancient cyclopean lich made a good point, leaving aside any rumors of the flying ships constructed around the mana plants of the first world that Eire carefully tended, the seers, and shamans of the myriad races inhabit anting Iobarian might well have had visions of the sky island forming. Even if the island wasn't the driving factor, if they were drawn by the favor theking enjoyed from holding the ear of the gods, Iobarians coming east could from the steppe see the sky island in the far distance.

Valerie recognized that the kingdom had shielded Brevoy, unknowing as her homeland, oblivious to it as they seemed. Armag would have assembled a much larger confederation if he had been able to pull together the steppe lords, and even with just a small fraction of his confederation had been able to range through southern rostland's fertile plains. Ilthuliak's demise though had caused the horse lords to pause, even as Issia and Rostland's great names vied in the game of thrones and argued among each other turning increasingly insular away from the world outside. Valerie regarded the reports from the beaver folk, and their work in putting the waters to greater feats of engineering. Those were concerns, not Maestro Penrods obsession with tales of flying cities, which included writing instructions to the mission to Osirion, with the co signing of the Church of Nethys at Candlemere, to speak with Osirion's officials regarding some legendary flying tomb.

Her responsibilities were the here and now. It was spring for the year 4715 of the Arodenite calendar. There was no shortage of projects the realm was busy with. The beaver kin had settled the rich wetlands of the rivers and lakes, and in the shores and floodplains. Controlling that inundation meant being able to water crops of rice through dykes and levees... and from the ledgers a lucrative crop in terms how much could be cultivated. That was a detail made clear by the records kept by the kingdom.

The beavers would plant their crops in carefully irrigated paddies, and harvest in Rova and Lamashan like they had done this previous year. There would be grain, and corn to be harvested in thick rich black soil of the realm's eastern grasslands. It provided, or show she was informed, a protection against crop blight. It was a hedge against something that might stifle those who only grew one set of crop. It also insured there was plenty as the rotating fields of royal farms grew fodder for the herds of cattle, hogs and sheep.

Such efforts insured a steady flow of animals into the urban center at all times of the year. Those stockades kept all the social classes with an ample supply of meat at market. It was a statement of wealth... and it allowed the kingdom to feed its various denizens. Amiri had spoken of the appetites of giants, and how in the realm of the mammoth lords it was all but unheard of for a following to include anything but a handful of giants. For all the grumbling Erastil's brevic faithful would complain about how their grandfathers and their grandfathers had tilled long strips with the oxen, there was evidence presented in strong horses and deep cutting steel plows in even sided square fields.
--


Eire recognized that while he personally didn't need a heavy destrier that was not going to be true for the needs of the kingdom. He rode a horse with relative frequency, and he walked a great deal as did most of his realm, particularly the fighting portion of his population.

His textiles produced shoes, socks, and jeans designed to keep men in comfortable care in weather, and whether or not they were riding or marching. As spring set in, and the mud came his forces were beginning to assemble for what was intended to if necessary be an exertion of direct force into the southern brantheld to exert direct control over the remains of the White Rose Abbey.

He hoped that Jaethal was correct that the brewery that had been dedicated to Cayden Cailean would suffice for their purposes. If it didn't pan out that way, he would have to wait perhaps another month or two, and consecrate ground as a waypoint near the Brantheld mountains which would then serve as a frontier outpost for his airships as they made the flight across Northern Avistan to ferry supplies to Mendev, and the crusaders. That would serve a second function. It would shaves days off the return trip, allowing refugees from the shanty towns that sprawled around the crusader states great protected cities.

... if the Abbey sufficed it would be much quicker.

They would be able to settle the refugees when the ships returned from Mendev, and that would provide a seed population to people the countryside. This ride out would also allow the founding of permanent Tiger Lord settlements, and castle towns in the Glenebon. Those would in turn provide him the ability to secure his border with Numeria further west. The Tiger Lords, and the other Kellid tribes, spoke of mammoths, and smilodon and still other what he still thought of as prehistoric megafauna... that included apparently things he believed were descriptions of dinosaurs that were found more commonly as one entered 'Numeria proper'.

It was a detail to take note of, and it was something he would make better effort to document once he had erected the religious strongholds which anchor his ability to transport hither and to from his more established seats of power.

Eire raised hand in invoking gesture, and a curtain of divine flame wrapped around the gathered array of knights, and clergy. It lifted them away carrying them to Armag's tomb, and the greatest holy site of Gorum in Avistan. When had envisioned the matter of connecting the barony, it had been England ,and river boats, and ferries but Golarion was a world of magic, and of active gods and while travel by road was necessary it was not the only option. The aged tiger lord chief was waiting for them and nodded in greet. What remained of Armag's sundered confederation had divided into those last wings and followings which would remain within his borders. Dugath and his companion Gwart approached. The aged Tiger Lord nodded again, "You will have to host an all thing in the summer to speak law to the easterners," He remarked, referring to the Iobarians, "But Armag waits for you now."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Late Pharast 4715
They made their way along carefully laid granite sets of the roadway, a recent addition... one that had not been here when he had met Armag in the duel last year. It expanded upon the Tomb's many benefits. Armag's Tomb was located and well chosen for its ability to be support grazing stock, and the Tiger Lords would have no trouble establishing protected hill forts around the area, or in sewing grains like wheat and Barley here. The spring thaw had expanded the river but it was small in comparison to the likes of the Shrike.

It was however clear that between probably some kind of water conservancy work, and just the spring thaw the water was deeper. The Tiger Lords were expanding their presence here, and that also meant shrines if not full on temples to deities besides the Lord in Iron. Armag clearly had grand plans but Winter and the change in political conditions had effected putting such ideas into practice.

There were real questions about how Armag would pursue agriculture here. Whether he hewed closer to brevoy's communal plots of land, or followed an enclosed set of plots. Then, beyond that there was going to be how the land was worked, and what was planted. Rostland's broad largely flat fertile plains were a breadbasket to not just Brevoy ... the brevic economy was agricultural like most pre modern economies were. Its power structure medieval... the disappeared house of the king, of the 'dragonbloods' had left the Issian Suratovan dynasts in power on the tenuous connections of shared kinship to the Rogavarians.

Eire wondered how long that could maintain. He wasn't the only one The problem was the revolutionary change which had swept over the stolen lands. Armag's confederation being allowed to grow unchecked by the lack of a powerful northern monarchy would have effected the entire region if the Tiger Lords had been able to sway the horse lords of Iobaria. The population of the Kamelands was over a million now, a number that was difficult for a normal person to grasp... and that completely upended the idea that Rostland or Brevoy as a whole exerting pressure into the frontier. The mass movement of people over just the last two years changed the dynamics, and now with the tens of thousands of kellids who in settling either under Dugath a somewhat more conservative Tiger Lords principality, and Armag's followers who intended to push forward with a more radical view of constructing a new state. Most likely Armag would form the more northern state if they did settle along those lines... but even that was not settled as a question for age old questions of traditions sat open in the air.

So it was not just the ambitions of Issia or Rostlandic nobles... it was that for all intents and purposes after his Imperial core the tens of thousands of kellids were the second and third most populated regions of his realm... and they were well west of the Hooktongue county, or the Dunsward. Amvarean's suggestion was to balance matters by pushing east ward. It was a suggestion supported by Vordakai who wanted the realm to exert control over the ruins of cyclop's empire for which the various denizens of modern Iobaria had overrun or had left well enough alone.

It was the east that Eire had directed Minderhal's clergy next. That was in no small part their own preference as well, for it gave the stone giant clergy contiguous connection to the Kamelands populous urban centers. With few dwarves, far fewer than brevoy, the stone giants presented the best overland option... and they would take example from the road of shields.. and it was in the southern kamelands that Eire recognized the entrance to the underdark lay. A passage he meant to defend even he did not have dwarves aplenty in his realm ... and also that he wouldn't have been surprised if he needed to secure the road of shields from down below... and the shield castles were important examples of fixed fortifications and trade outposts.

Dugath, and Armag agreed that they should follow that example.

Eire settled into place at the round oak table a reminder that from the Kellid perspective he was first amongst equals... and indeed from Feudal perspective he was here to at least moderate the arguments between the two powerful chieftains.

The two members of Gorum's faith however disagreed on implementation of that example.

He accepted there were differences of opinions. Just as he recognized that part of that disagreement was he had not built the road of shields. Work to restore it had been labor intensive, and in the south had entailed asking trolls and kobolds, and then also the river giants and timber born to fulfill obligations of labor, and in the north efforts had focused on other contributions largely from immigrants more affiliated with churches friendly to Iomedae's own church.

That created problems. What was worse, was that Dugath and Armag's difference in opinion at least to Eire seemed to be slight. A matter of degrees, or perhaps tradition. Dugath wanted an approach of fortified camps, Armag wanted the same at least in broad strokes. For the more conservative Tiger Lord position it was that Dugath envisioned that these fortified camps would be the basis to raise and train a crown sponsored mercenary company, where as Armag while still agreeing viewed it necessary to focus on the broader territorial kingdom role.

Dugath shook his head. He had had the sides of his head shaved close, showing the sides of his skull with a flange of shock white, and gray hair combed over to one side. "Numeria has little trade with us, and trade with the northerners or the cheese mongers to the south is equally unproductive."

Eire wanted access to Numerian goods. It sounded like a fascinating land. An insane land of techno-savagery to be sure but Dugath was right there was little trade with Numeria... and the Brantheld mountains were a hurdle before one even considered Numeria's manifold perils and its rival tribes and it was that group... "It would be prudent," The aged chief declared to fortify the west, to withstand the wolf clan's efforts, and the black gars as well... there are others but the Ghost Wolves in the north will make a nuisance of themselves."

Armag didn't disagree. "We will build cities for our people Dugath. Our Lord in Iron wears a suit of protective armor, and wields every conceivable weapon forged from the ores of the earth. It is thus we must build cities to house great foundries to provide our warriors weapons aplenty."

Eire sat there as Dugath protested that attempt at a lecture. What followed was a rapid shift from Taldane into Hallit that Eire had a much harder time processing as the two chiefs attempted to use their religious grounding to argue their positions... for which if he were supposed to be brokering made his task harder.

Dugath pivoted abruptly, "RedHair," Which was the loose translation from Hallit, and actually had inclinations to the Kellid branch of Sarenrae's faith, "When you were a boy you rode horses, yes? You lived in a land of roads the kind you build now, yes?" They weren't questions so much as a rapid fire 'statements' phrased in ritual form as questions but more of 'this is the way for you, because it was the way of fathers and grandfathers'. "Our people range in the spring, under the open sky like tigers. We drive the herds from summer to winter camps so as not to overtax the land. What Armag would suggest is to simply ape the customs of one born far from our own. To do so would be foolish as it is not our way and we do not know it as one who grew to manhood with such lessons all around him."

"We Tiger Lords have journeyed far, from the roof of the world to the distant sea, For thousands upon thousands of years our people have both learned lessons and taught them wherever we have travelled. Such was it when I first lived, and such was it when you were a boy, such is it now in this life." Armag stated flatly, "It was from Others the tribe learned to forge Orvinbaane even though we already knew how to forge iron. It is by cities that we will forge much iron. Cities which will require changes to our herds, and to the way we conduct our camps."

Dugath gave a grumbling low growl. "You made promise that once that same sword had been recovered you would assist another in locating it."

Eire glanced to Armag. "Aye," Orvinbaane pulsed as he replied in the affirmative, "I made this promise, My word is my bond."Armag stated. "This will be honored, and such a search will require learned men, and those who practice magic beyond just that of clerics."

Eire realized now that part of Dugath's protest was that Armag had a much more academic, written magical society in mind for the future tiger lords. Not because he personally liked magic, or wizards, but that he saw it was a means to the task at hand. Armag still viewed the best way to handle laws as to speak traditions and refer back to them. People would hear the law spokenand have to commit such things to memory. It was still slightly more formalized than Dugath who simply wished to maintain the Tiger Lords traditions of having laws decided and arbitrated by councils of elders and chiefs with the consent of the clans at large.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Gozran 4715
Eire ran a hand through his hair as he inhaled the morning air. Many tiger lords had joined them on the ride westward towards the mountains. The spring thaw had slackened somewhat, and would continue to do so even as the temperatures rose. Parts of his kingdom didn't receive much snow at all, enjoying drier winters. Not so for the expanse of northern grassland, where it had been snowy, and the shepherds had been busy making sure cattle, the heads not butchered ahead of winter's chill, had forage to eat... but now that spring was hear an ocean of wildflowers bloomed across the distances, and game and plenty returned.

This procession was more like, was perhaps the most feudal expression of his rule he could think as he moved across the steppe frontier. The Kamelands while not too dissimilar were divided by several rivers flowing into or through great lakes and had been easy to seed populations across. While he had made visits to Varnhold along the road and pass that had been built while both had been baronies... but the influx of so many from the Inner Sea had changed the demographics, and while rich black soil had been plowed with an increasing number of heavy iron plows it had prevented the kind of manorial agriculture that predominated both Brevoy or for that matter Cheliax or Taldor to the south.

West of the source of the siltstrand all of this was open country. Seventy so miles south west was the source of the Pitax River, which eventually met the Sellen. Further west and not early so southerly, was somewhere high Brantheld Mountains the source of the Whisper River that flowed through the Thousand Voices forest. At confluence of Whisper and Pitax, on the eastern shore was the imitatively named Littletown, which had been a source of consternation and disagreement between Pitax, Rostlandic merchant interests.

Brevoy had attempted to exercise hegemonic claims over the stolen lands, the northern river kingdoms before, but it had never been a well formulated or acted upon policy. Brevic institutions were undernourished and limited in scope... and there was the change of dynasty. Irovetti coming to power in Pitax had given the city state ambitions or delusions of grandeur to exercise territorial claims on more than just Little Town, and the Rushlight lake north of Pitax proper.

Had Irovetti been able to promise Armag plunder it was probable that Irovetti might have been able to lay claim and hold territorial swathes, but the Glenebon expanse was home to few towns, and only limitted agriculture, regardless of its ability to support that... but for the Tiger Lords, and for other Kellids this had been a stopping off point, a passage way either north or South.

All such details were his concern. He would have to have extensive maps drawn up. The border with Mivon was an easy matter to settle. Pitax with Irovetti's schemes and ambitions and with his actions against Jamandi and his agents stirring trouble that would be something to deal with.

Dugath observed from the cream-colored horse, a contrast to the dark mounts most others in his commitatus rode, that Cayden Cailean was a popular god with many. His observation was also a comment that it had not escaped the aged chieftan that he was hardly the normal company for the pantheon of the kingdom.

The Kellids did not actively mistrust Pharsma, but Armag did distrust her clergy. He had yet to elaborate on that, but it would not have surprised Eire that her clergy had their own secrets. He could recall the issue that the rogue half elf inquisitor had had with Jaethal, and Armag seemed suspicious of other Pharasmin plots.

On the other hand it was also possible this was just a case of mortal clergy assuming they knew better than anyone else. Pharsma, truth be told, while not as hands off as say Nethys did not seem particularly proactive to Eire either. Her clergy made many claims, and she enjoyed a great degree of popularity with Brevic common folk, but the rostlandic church of Pharasma had not impressed him even if it was true that some of their ranks had moved to defend the Free City against its siege. That was commendable, his own coreligionists agreed, in spirit at least but it had contributed only a little.

"Rebuilding the abbey will be a start."

It was just a starting point. The truth was he wasn't sure what all they would build. Dugath, and Armag were in agreement that they would raise temple fortresses dedicated to Gorum in the Glenebon. What might achieve some mix between castle town and religious center. The grasslands would provide farmland, timber from the Thousand Voices forest... and if they were lucky ore from the Branthlend mountains... if they were very luck there would be no passages to the under dark. Branthlend Peak was not as he understood it especially high, though higher than any of its neighbors... from what he understood it was only five or six thousand feet. Vordakai could not attest to whether or not the range had access, but the Tors had provided the ancient cyclops access to the kingdoms of the surface folk in the nearest portion of the underdark but the serpentfolk had been destroyed before the star stone had plunged from space and destroyed Azlant directly and most of the other ancient empires as consequence.

With an eye towards the western expanse, Eire mentally recognized that somewhere in the slough was the lowest point of his kingdom. A curious detail, a foot note insome book not yet written or the like... and frankly even then... in a world there was still a place below what did the lowest point on the surface mean given the existence of the under dark?

The under dark aside the Abbey and the mountain to which it was in proximity to formed a clean western border. Whether they built a trade road to reach into Numeria, well he was less concerned with that at this point, just that they could link the western frontier of his realm with at least Hooktongue...that would be a step in the right direction. Armag hoped to settle the most innovative, and committed of his lesser chiefs to his vision. Dugath intended to run his potentials through an evaluation of the most religious and distinguished. Each of these sub chiefs would be settled to establish their own in time at least fortified towns.

Eire wondered for the moment how things might have been different had Jamandi not assigned them the Narlmarches and Kamelands. Regardless of other failings Hannis Drelev had made a good choice on where he had raised his castle town. Armag's Tomb while farther away from the great lake was still close to the East Sellen and besides that sat in proximity to a number of lesser rivers that flowed into the Hooktongue. The western Glenebon however lacked any of the powerful concourses of nature that defined the Kamelands... but there was the possibility that the Branthlend mountains might hold more than gold and silver, iron and salt. It might provide him with coal and if that were the case then he could bind more the realm together with overland routes in a few more years... but if not he would build fortified blockhouses and lay down roads in between the rivers, and eventually supplant those roads with canals once the kingdom could handle such programs.

The first steps though were securing the frontier by mapping it, and insuring that the kingdom could project power into the frontier lands... and for that the remains of White Rose Abbey needed to be found and inspected.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Gozran 4715
Valerie had woken this morning with the clock bell tolling the morning hour, rose washed her face in the magical basin, and dressed. She had paid no mind to the view her window gave her, as through the glass a silver dragon was alight high above the capital. There were things that she had never considered getting used to, and yet, here they were and so she put such things aside in favor of her usual morning duties. With the King absent in the west a variety of duties fell to her as Chancellor and others were handled by their respective counselors. Some were near, some had also left the capital.

The new year brought still new things to the realm's administration. For all that the year was twelvemonths in Brevoy winter came and there was a breach in the activity. Eight months of work throughout the year eight months largely determined by farming and the needs of farming. A space in time where for most everything seemed to have little. Farmers tilled what they could, and taxes were collected from the manors, who in turn paid homage to still greater houses.

Things were very different in Narland to Brevoy. Part of that was the difference in persons who lived in towns, which Eire had observed. The king made comparisons to other, no doubt far distant lands as he planned his towns, and cities. In Brevoy Valerie wasn't even sure if one in ten persons lived in her homelands great towns. Very, very few of those towns had populations that consistently numbered several thousand.

That was, she expected perhaps why Eire had appointed the dragon to the post that he had. To oversee a compulsory education. The crown's printing presses churned out instructional primers intended to teach children from all social backgrounds how to read, and do arithmetic. Eire did not wish to copy a system of complex examinations for all students but between encouraging private study and funneling magically adept students to schools of rhetoric and broader studies he had expressed that it would widen the professional middle class bureaucracy that would make administration of the realm easier.

Within the great hall, dominated by the swirling magical sand that modelled the realm, Meiqi was involved in a conversation that Valerie was well used to. The Sky Dragon and a questing silver spoke of their respective churches, and their respective patron goddesses. The mutual good will that the two faiths shared and the influx of various adherents to the Queen of Heaven's faith meant that Shizuru church had been brought into the favored circle of the Royal Church alongside the likes of Ragethiel's own clergy. The difference though was Shizuru's church had Meiqi to take place as secretary of the department of education as it had been rendered into common Taldane.

It was perhaps ironic given how martial Shizuru and Iomedae's faith were the the king had chosen the Sky Dragon... but even Abadar's clergy admitted that neither they nor, Shelyn had a viable candidate better suited. Of possible candidates Brigh's church might have been the only potential contender as no clear candidate had emerged from Nethys's ranks, nor from that of the Osirion god Ptah's priests; certainly not with so many having journeyed to Osirion as part of the mission to that country.

The work was focused predominantly on the Kamelands, though it extended into the road of shields line of fortresses and Hereford. Valerie knew that Eire envisioned the system applying across his direct holdings, across the entire realm, but the system of compulsory education was only likely to be effectively run within the towns. Varnhold, the northern band of the greenbelt, the slough's expanse, never mind further west simply couldn't support it.

It was why she, Amvarean, and Meiqi were all here. Harrim and Tristian did not need to be. For all the involvement of various faiths in good favor with the crown this was not really a matter of doctrine or law as Valerie thought of it. Besides, the truth was Tristian was too occupied with the investigation of some chaos cult to some demon lord... though in truth Valerie had hoped to speak with him about Shelyn's church thinking, what were they thinking, when it came to vouching for a cult to Nocticula who was almost certainly involved in opposing the Mendevian Crusades. Shelyn's church had gone to great pains to try and curry favor with his Majesty so this move was almost absurd on its surface... and yet they claimed it was still the will of the goddess. That vexed her, both as a person, and also in her capacity as chancellor of the realm. It was all a balancing act, her former faith's actions infuriated her with how arrogant or just stupid the decision was, and also that right now the crown was dealing with much more. Eire had ridden west to insure that the Tiger Lords would no longer be a threat to the lands. It remained to be seen how effectively they would settle the westerlands, and what would develop, and still in the mean time there was the enfeefement of the Lake Hooktongue County, of the youngest Numesti daughter, and the consecration of churches there.

That occupied Harrim's attention because it meant balancing the Rostlandic congregation of Erastil,the Church of Milani to which the new Countess belonged, and her personal support for the Church of Calistria. All three enjoyed some degree of royal recognition, though if Valerie were to voice her opinion she doubted that the King personally cared for her homeland's branch of Old Deadeye's faith.... he seemed more predisposed to that of the stone giants. Then as if those questions weren't enough Hanspur's small faith had departed Pitax's repressions in some numbers, and had returned which required evaluation as well.

All of which further delayed the work Harrim had laying in front of him in the southern Slough which was to be formed into several smaller administrative units. Ilthuliak's demise meant reopening the passage of trade from Mivon up the East Sellen river, even with the Suratovan chain across the river on the border with Brevoy. It also meant stabilizing the small holds and realms of... well largely non humans. Bog striders, Boggards, and River giants to name a few. Harrgulka had attempted to subjugate the handful of trolls of the Slough though some resisted his claims but that was not so much a religious question. Harrgulka would have the benefit of Regongar and Amiri to support his efforts in preventing banditry as the season turned and the slough grew hot and humid as spring came in force.

Amvarean had as she sat pouring, brooding over the milieu of reports appeared. She had the appearance of a fine boned jewel eyed half elf woman dressed in sky blue finery that was still practical. In short she would have blended seamlessly at court. "Shelyn's church, and this cult of redeemer queen they vouch for seek entry in my domain and that of the Slough." She remarked amiably enough. "And I admit that her church is quick to speak of their goddess as ancient and benevolent." Valerie could imagine, Shelyn had been worshipped by ancient Azlant and while far removed the pre earthfall church the Brevic church she had grownup apart of was loathe to let any forget that storied history.

"The Godclaw does not approve?"

"I imagine not," Amvarean replied, "They swore to uphold the king's peace," And thus religious toleration within reason, "but they are wary. For nowthough I should expect the Cult of the Cleansed occupies much of their Ire," The dragoness remarked with a wry chuckle, "Shelyn's church will have to explain itself."

Shelyn's church though had had other recent successes. It was a popular church not just with immigrants intowns who hailed from the Inner Sea, but also had won some favorable attention from the immigrants from Irrisen who needed to adapt to arealm of more than just winter's grip.

--
Notes: This is mostly to touch on what other counselors are doing as we will see Shaoyu and the Twins later .


Also, as I mentioned previously Paizo seems to have decided to replace Gorum with Arazni for the sequel (which will not be any time soon so all of this is tentative) what I am currently considering is instead of Gorum dying its Pharasma with Arazni replacing her in the pantheon. I think that makes much more sense in terms of domains in terms of lore but that won't have any bearing on Archon's curse or its progression. Its only 4715 at present, and even if I keep War of Immortals timeline of the Godsrain in 4724 thats almost a decade inthe future in universe. The godsrain does nicely line up for Eire being cast through the portal by Shyka, and Shaoyu ascension to the throne in his absence but its not going to effect this story's course.

Again I personally didn't like War of Immortals as a lore book so I may just ignore it entirely, I think itdoes a lot of stupid shit. (As should be obvious by this story, Ilike Osirion having 'Egypt's' gods, and I think there is too muchLovecraft in normal pathfinder, I don't care about the Dark Tapestry)/personal rant.

So laconically if Arazni ascends to the core 20 she'll probably replace Pharasma not Gorum here and if that the case it will only matter in the sequel story.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Gozran 4715
The kellid entourage had diffusedslightly as they moved. It was a process of pitching permanent camps,or at least camps where they could begin searching for good sites forcattle and sheep. That
was one of the few things that Dugathand Armag had agreed to was to lead the transition from semi nomadic lifestyle to one of permanent towns, even though that would mean changes in the traditional chieftain roles.

They were in one such camp, the pastureland here had access to the Pitax River, whose source was probably a few more miles north. When they moved on from here the Tiger Lords would move further north. The Pitax River was not unlike the Narlmarches, though it lacked the more expansive woodlands that defined the Narlmarches. A few miles further west was the beginningof the Thousand Voices forest, and to the north were the Branthlend Mountains beyond which lay Numeria proper. In truth Eire was casting an eye south towards the town, and petty kingdom that took its name from the River. As spring wore on, and as their presence became more pronounced he would need to begin to post sentries.

The Tiger Lords spoke of a wyvern of immense size in the mountains; Minognos Ushad the eater of kings as it were. It was that topic which had over shadowed most other talk, such as the split remains of the tribal confederation that had moved south, as well as other local tribes who Armag had not succeeded in swaying to his cause at least at the time of discovering his tomb. Then of course there was also the mastodon riding hill giants who competed historically with the TIger Lords, who had the nearest competitor for talk at the table beyond the monstrous wyvern.

The arrival of one of the centaurs as a messenger was unexpected, but not particularly concerning per se. Portents, and prophecies had been the hallmark of ancient cyclopean civilization... and so too was it form the Nomen centaurs who sought from the heavens signs from Desna in her aspect called mother Moon by the horse folk.

It was a comparison that Vordakai was on the fence about especially since the Death of Aroden and that prophecy had been made so much more uncertain. Truthfully Eire wasn't entirely convinced that prophecy had been all that reliable before ,but he withheld that... it had to have some practical value at least in the times of Vordakai's mortal life given how central it had been with the wizard dominated magocracy that had stretched to his east.

Mother Moon spoke of a rising power or powers, the Aecora had not been certain, but the vision suggested that there were powers stirring in the west... and opportunities from those. Dugath crossed his arms, "What do you make of it?"

"An Elf Gate is what she describes," Which they had expected on to be somewhere in the west based on what they had pieced together from from the records of a kingdom that was long gone, "Beyond that," Beyond the location implying something was happening in Numeria, "Something is going on in Numeria." A conflict between Iron Gods who hadlaid sleeping since the rain of stars four thousand years before Aroden's calendar had begun. The problem was even with the rivers that did flow in the western Glenbon there was unlikely to be the same degree of brick construction in this part of the realm relative to the Narlmarches or the Kamelands. On the other hand it might be in his interested to following George Washington's example and order stick and post buildings to be erected to keep costs down since there was timber to harvest in order to construct royal administrative centers. Still Eire could hardly deny he had become somewhat accustomed to the red brick row houses that formed neat lines in his core towns... along with their clock towers and other features. He had earmarked in his notes that while quick and inexpensive those facilities should be only temporary at until the economy could support efforts to build more sturdy construction. "We will ride for the Abbey first," There was no denying having the Elf Gate in hand would be great... and raising a temple to Alseta there would further reinforce his hold on the region, but nothing Aecora's messenger could tell them pushed them from their current course.

Dugath was not finished, "And that it connects to this gate of Dreams?"

That was another matter. The Dreamgate either meant it connected to Alseta's ring in Isger, or ... if Mother moon's message was to believed it it connected to the gate in Ravounel on the Chelish coastline... which assuming Cheliax were willing to to tolerate that connection might further allow immigrants from Western Chelish lands to leave the realm of the Infernal House of Thrune. "There are two possibilities I can think of, both of which have the potential for long term implications... but any Aiudara that we hold will attract Kyonin's look."

Dugath familiar with his plans nodded, "You will raise a strong," what the Hallit word literally meant though used to also meant great, "temple to Alseta," It was not a question, and then being accustomed to how Eire thought and planned for such things, "Perhaps also to the Wise One," Yuelral,"In hopes of her support for your wizards, perhaps also the Bronze Lady."

"Perhaps," He replied.

Dugath nodded. In contrast to Armag the older Tiger Lord chieftan was more restrained. Dugath asked questions but made no attempt to rush into cosmopolitan urban solutions. The surrounding highlands that they were travelling through was sparsely populated, and there was little here for which the Kellids needed to actually contest by arms. If anything Dugath was quick to point out that if Armag had desired it, there were no effective competitors and he could have easily taken and held the potential Barony of the Iron Wraiths's charter and faced no likely resistance.

This would not have won him fame though, and that was likely why Armag had felt the need to allow lesser chieftains to mount forays into the Rostlandic plain culminating in the battle on the outskirts of the free city of Restov. Had those chieftains succeeded then Armag might have justified invading further north.

But they had not.

Restov had ultimately mounted a defense but not one that had proven decisive. Dugath was quick to point out that while it was a viable argument to other chiefs that they had been defeated by a powerful territorial kingdom that was not Brevoy, and also Dugath was quick to argue that a noteworthy portion of Narland's army was assembled of Iobarian kinsmen of the Kelllids who split their time between pasturelands, and migrated between significant towns and trade cities. This arrangement was not much different than that practiced by the Tiger Lords, or most Kellids as like on Earth it was an effective method of supporting a population.

Armag was quick to rebut that it had not escaped him that the complex agricultural program allowed the sustainment of the military force Eire had called upon to face the substantial confederation built around the Tiger Lords. That was a hallmark of a settled territorial state. These arguments were just rehashing of the push and pull between the two Tiger Lord chieftains.

"For now we will go north and attempt to find White Rose Abbey." After they could then search for other noteworthy features of the western stretch. HIs priority remained being able to project power and influence into the region and for that without way stations for horses he would need a religious site with grounds substantial enough for his purposes. Really once they had a viable site he would need to return to Shrikewall, and so Eire elected to change the subject and quiz Dugath on what he thought about the wyvern threat in the mountains, and any other threats in that direction.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Gozran 4715
Eire did not personally consider the mountains they approached especially tall. Still there were stories aplenty of them and the forest that descended down its broad southern slopes. Ilthuliak had been born on this mountain, her mother Noarra had rampaged across eastern Numeria in response to the barbarian lord who was forbearer of the black gars leaving her. To this day though the Black Gars still carried the blood rage of black dragons in their veins, at least so the stories went.

Noarra had long since vanished into the pages of history. Remembered by the barbarians for the devastation she had wreaked across eastern Numeria, but as a threat she had been gone so long as that aspect was forgotten. Ilthuliak had probably slain or driven off any of her surviving siblings in the region and it was unlikely there were any adult black dragons around... indeed there were probably no dragons in the vicinity at the moment... but it didn't hurt to be wary of such.

He would once a royal presence was established in the west have surveys conducted to take stock of the draconic denizens of the Thousand Whispers, the mountains for wyverns and still yet other considerations that Golarion's environment made him wary of. He needed to know what his realm entailed.

Whether or not he considered the Branthlend to be a tall range did not matter. It was tall enough to create a rain shadow effect that blocked clouds and kept Numeria's eastern lands drier, as the river kingdoms were precipitously rained upon with the seasons. Over the mountains lay the Sellen River and on its eastern banks was the village of Mormouth. Ordinarily that would have been too far west for Eire to be concerned by the events of the past year and the de facto overlordship over the four charters expanse meant it was a concern.

Rostland, and Brevoy had never recognized Pitax's claim to overlordship of Mormouth, and the settlement was near enough to Numeria to be host rumors of being the entry point into the Stolen Lands for the Technic League , which was yet another reason to build watch posts as they established themselves. Though he had not directly stated it Valerie as Chancellor of the Realm had in effect confirmed the kingdom's position on the legal borders as that espoused by the four charters Rostland had recognized.

That created competing claims with Pitax that had already existed between the petty kingdom and that of Brevoy. It also in de jure terms meant that the Kingdom of Narland's legal western border was the Sellen River. It was still not quite as absurd as the Varnhold Charter's eastern frontier being put on the shores of the Castrovin sea. That though would be something he would endeavor to address through a combination of Amvarean, the Noemen centaurs, the Varnhold, and Vordakai and by leveraging the Iobarian horse lords.

As Eire moved up the hills he understood that the situation here in the west would be different. How different remained to be seen, but he expected that things would be different with the resources allocated to the east. He could not afford to spend an inordinate amount of time here that was why finding a suitable religious site was so critical.

Cayden Cailean was not ... was far from the orthodox first choice for a deity. If the abbey sufficed though then it would acceptable... and so they continued to trek north west up into the hills. Brevoy seemed on the precipice of civil war something he'd already been worried about before word had reached them about the debacle between the crown and house lebeda which had tangentially touched upon the politics of supporting the mendevian crusade. Brevoy had likely never expected the four baronies to unify, and certainly not this quickly, but that was what had happened. He needed time though to make good on those claims that made this apriority. The sooner he had a working holy site the faster he would be able to return to Shrikewall and push the kingdom forward into the next stage.

Jaethal had speculated, though had no documentation to confirm such, that like with Shelyn's little temple the Abbey of the White Rose had been abandoned because it was simply too far and across too hostile terrain from civilization. Perhaps had Mormouth not dwindled after Pitax's Civil War the previous century then perhaps it would have remained or could have been better supported. The same might have been said if Littletown weren't quite so little. It was just too small to support the distant abbey.

He crested the hill, a score of priests of the Inheritor following. Dugath had taken some of his grandchildren, all of whom were Amiri's age, to see about hunting wyverns in the peaks to the west. "There my lord." One declared gestured to a further hill. As the days had passed they had iffused their numbers into parties to contend with the variety of the landscape, and its untamed denizens. The Glenebon uplands perhaps for its proximity to Numeria, perhaps for just an oddity of Golarion's ecology was a mix of wandering woolly mammoths and still yet other mega fauna and included what Eire thought of as dinosaurs to a greater extent than existed in the Kamelands and beyond. "It does not look in such terrible condition as I expected."

The cleric was right. From the distance at least that appeared true. The abbey was on a foothill on the southern slopes of the still taller mountains. If the attempts at cartography were right, they were some eighty miles from Fort Drelev. Which underscored Jaethal's point, too many people came into the stolen lands and built these sorts of things only to abandon them in the face of the dangers of the monster filled landscape... and Brevoy while it had dispersed kellid and other barbarian confederations had never been able to exercise real political power to incorporate the region further south.

Something, that if Eire were honest was likely only now viable for the influx of settlers from the Inner Sea. He lifted his binoculars that had come with him from an Earth sometime in the future and swept the hills. The wild roses for which the abbey had taken its name were sprawling untamed but they were hardly the only untamed flora. He was grateful he had not included any clergy from Shelyn's church though depending on how things went the Ssthenos might well be welcomed into the abbey after it was secured.

He lowered the field of view. There wasa low stone wall that did appear intact, but what truly tickled his senses were the familiar tangle of magic that marked ties to the First World. "We will have to clear that track," The pathway was overgrown, "And be on your guard," He declared already regretting not having brought Eranex with him on this outing, Amvarean's sister would have been useful. "When we secure the," Dilapidated, "Gatehouse scour everything, and send a messengerto Dugath and Armag we will establish a camp here." He raised his field glasses again and swept over the architecture... he had little familiarity with Cayden Cailean's church, but the architecture was clearly taldane, of the empire that was past its heyday and still clung to old memories of glory. The bell tower's base looked intact, but the bell house at the top had toppled probably under the weight of winter storms and overgrown vinery... Irrisen's mad queen and herplot most likely had just been too much for the neglected abbey.

Cayden Cailean he recalled had been a god now for one thousand nine hundred and fifty years or at least would be in the last month of this year, one of his clerics made a similar observation that surely the accidental god's faithful would appreciate if the temple were restored by their patron's ascension day.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Gozran 4715
Holding slightly off to one side Shaoyu watched as the daemon recoiled a strained otherworldly wail as blessed silver and a flaming blade tore across its shadowy ilk. Her fellow adherents to the Inheritor swept like sunlight piercing the veil of darkness but her true target lay ahead of her. The elder daemon had been called to this place and with it a handful of lesser specimens of its kind. All such daemons invading the realm.

TO answer that presence, the Order of the Godclaw's armingers had accompanied her to put the beast down. Vordakai had given them as much information as he had available for the threat so they were well prepared. The Soul Eater reared back, as another blade found its way across its smoke like form.

Shaoyu saw the opening and unfurled the wings which extended from her human form's back. She flight and then charged downward. Long raking nails swung to try and meet her, but the flaming sword in her hands came down with a roar, burning the monstrosity from the swamps of Abadon that flooded the area with the tinge of a sulfurous miasma.

It thrashed.

She slashed it again, still aware of the tieflings that the monster had previously seemed desperate to get at, driven by its vile demonic hunger. With brutal single mindedness it tried one final attempt to dive for one of the sweet teeth, their patron was too slow, but Shaoyu was not, with a roar of righteous fury she exhaled a blast of cleansing flame that crawled up the daemon's back as it tried to fly towards the young tiefling and the armingers moved inward hacking and slashing at the partially incorporeal spectre with blades that cauterized smoky appendages.

Finally the ancient soul eater gave a last shriek and expired its maimed stump of one arm extended defiantly in an attempt to strike. Shaoyu huffed at its persistence, and at the effort that she had needed to win the battle... but she had also been advised on the wisdom of meeting a foe with a preponderance of force. Too overmatch an enemy could insure ones own casualties were fewer, and thus conserved strength for future battles, and built experience to be learned from for future engagements.

"Concentrate your forces while the enemy is preoccupied," She muttered to herself, and regarded the bend in the river, and looked over the grasslands of the south.

"Adroit wisdom, my lady." The Inquisitor remarked. She nodded curtly to her coreligionist, and deferred her claim to its origin. "The king's learning is a credit to the realm. We are blessed with a monarch who holds the ear of the gods." There were some vocalized agreements, but most ofthe armed party gathered from Narhold's great congregation of the Faith's militant arm were tired, or injured from the purging of the lesser Daemons to be quite so articulate. Neither Inquisitor nor Royal Ward commented or addressed the priests ability to strike without trouble unworldly, otherworldly beasts who were incorporeal to most physical blows.

Her eyes swept the south as other clerics moved to assess and tend to the injured... she did not consider this a perfect victory. It had been her command, and Kalikke and Kaesi's secret had been exposed ... she had been warned to be wary of treachery. Their ancestor had conspired to reveal, and thus violate the terms of their pact with Nethys, them. It infuriated her that she had not been able to prevent this.

Shaoyu accepted that humans learned their basics slower than Dragons. She had envisioned that this would be a simple enough bit of errantry. Ride off into the countryside slay the monster, return home to the warm cheers and congratulations of her co religionists. She was fond enough of Ragethiel's church in a normal moment, but now, now she wanted to gather them in conjunction and and rend 'the forefather' into bits and pieces for his temerity... but that was not her remit. She accepted that Kalikke, Kaessi and the Sweet Teeth trio were all safe.

The devil would rue complicating her simple quest, but with a final glance into the distance she decided to make good on her instructions to return to Shrikewall's cathedral as planned. With a huff of sparks she rounded on her coterie of armed retainers, and glanced to the blue eyed tiefling in particular. "We must return to the capital." She declared evenly, and a poise that she could fake at least... her original plans had been to discuss how they might endeavor 'more' in the south... and truthfully she had been looking south at the mivonese border which was even ...but in particular in seeking out the elven tribe that Amvarean had spoken of... and also because Mivon was 'close' by draconic reckoning.

It hadn't escaped Shaoyu how easily Kellid, and Iobarians had moved across the borders and steppe land. Though she disliked the native riverlanders almost disrespectful aphorism that 'courts were for kings' she recognized that lines on a map were impositions of society on the unruliness of the world around them. It was a realm prone to misfortune to be open flatlands with not natural boundaries, and she supposed that was the lesson Eire elucidated by going west with the Tiger Lords to fortify the realm's claim all the way up to the Sellen River.

As they gathered up she clasped her hands, and the whole party left the south behind in a whirlwind of heaven's flame to return them to the place of her birth. Linzi was excited to see them though her exuberance was tempered by the smothering presence of the elder dragon. Meiqi stood among a throng of administrators from the church, and looked over her party critically. From Old Scyamore down to New Colton Meiqi had gathered alchemists and encouraged the various assembled to form some sort of orderly assembly. Part of that, Shaoyu understood, was the kingdom's need for alchemical reagents both collecting basic materials as well as more refined products. It was boring work from Shaoyu's perspective, but it had been insisted it needed to be done, and drudgery or not Vordakai, Amvarean and Jaethal all concurred it was important.

The dragoness, in human form, closed her fan and scrutinized her closer, which compelled Shaoyu to scowl, "You are in an unseemly mood." She remarked shifting her weight, leaning over, then straightened to regard the armed men and the tieflings, particularly the twins. The two shifted themselves. "I believe it would be prudent then to discuss the developments," The party separated and it was a brisk walk to where Valerie handled matters of state in Eire's absence.

She was unsurprised at duplicity on the devil's behalf, and welcomed the reprieve from the discussions of more mundane matters of the kingdom's business. "His Majesty," She continued further, "has made progress," Indicating the swirling magical sands which tracked the tendril like movements of the realms progress as the parties moved through the glenebon and towards the mountains which formed the border zone with Numeria in the west...

 

[Imperator Pax]

Desnus 4715
He had returned to the capital to say mass for Remembrance Moon... another arodenite holiday, this one to commemorate the Shining Crusade, that had passed to the church of the Inheritor. His return though meant turning his attention to the great works in the capital as well. Vordakai watched puddling process with obvious interest, indeed far more than most of his council regarded the process. Given available resources, and truthfully a comment from Meiqi about the processes used in Tian xia to make steel he had remembered about the Heaton process. In the long term, much as on earth furnaces for making crucible steel here Eire suspected would convert to Bessemers process but Heaton's process of using saltpeter extracted from bat guano to burn off impurities.

Pig iron, cast iron puddling then nitrites to clear the impurities. It was an exhausting workload but it was a vital step. IT was important to him, but Eire also recognized that until quantities of steel were produced it would not be much more than an oddity outside of his Kamelands territory. Still, the furnaces here would produce steel for weapons and armor. That was something they could do now... and in truth Eire recognized he was perhaps still trying to move too far too fast.

He had a suitable enough transport system not just for the Kamelands but also across the area of all four charters. He could move resources from the center to east or west to various centers quickly overland or by river. Varnhold, Olegton, Nettle's Crossing, the Noemen centaur hill forts, Fort Serenko, The Temple of the Elk, Armag's tomb and the other settlements of note across the northern frontier include the seat of the County Hooktongue, Fort Drelev, could all be reached east to west via a combination of riverine and road travel. That was an accomplishment by medieval standards in terms of kingdom organization, and yet that interconnectivity along his northern realm was nothing compared to the density of the Kamelands and Narlmarches that formed the core which benefited from a far larger population base.

That interconnectivity of trade within the kamelands reinforced royal authorities. Eire could observe that directly in the comparison between travelling to either of the two baronial settlements which had been successful. It was economics...that was what it boiled down to... and he had now a nice clear natural boundary to mark his western frontier legally. He had already drafted statements which would reiterated by the Church of the Inheritor for publication expressing the border as the Sellen...things were not so easy in the east because he had no way to express power all the way to the castrovin sea... the caravan routes or no.

The Tors of Levenies formed his original eastern border stretching south ... and they had finally managed to locate anthracite coal. And wyverns. The latter enamored more of his vassals more than his fascination with rocks and mining... and Vordakai while willing to hear him out spoke of reports of carvings and cave art within the honeycombed caves running through the mountains as no doubt being cyclopean in origin.

The deep tunnels almost certainly breached into the underdark, which would mean more fortifications. More emulation of the shield wall fortresses would follow, but they might not have been hippogriffs but wyverns were the first real discovery of creatures that might form flying cavalry. He intended to combine the resources of the kingdom, its agricultural resources to sustain such flying mounts with the martial aptitude of his steppe subjects as well as to seek volunteers from other subject populations.

"I would set our target for having results by Armasse," He informed the council as they began to move away from the iron and steel works into the spring sunlight. Eire had already been informed that Wyverns could be tamed and ridden by multiple people... what he was really hoping was to instil a military formation and organization. The objective of timing was to hope he could demonstrate for the populace at large during the kingdom's annual drill. "I have also spoken with Armag regarding the reports of wyvern flights in the west." The settlement of the Tiger Lords and their confederates had nothing to do with the plan, it was that the Tors were closer to his own base of power. "I may need you to prepare to deal with that Amiri." He informed her. The truth was this particular bit of kingdom management was less of an interest to Amiri, or Regongar or Ekunedayou so most likely he would dipatch them westward to provide royal support an expedition for dealing with any Wyvern threat that might exist in the Branthlend. He could not excuse Shaoyu though, as his ward she needed to be here for the tasks which built up the kingdom's future.

She understood that, but also there wasthe recent issue with Forefather. Still this, industry was what wouldincrease the wealth of the kingdom. "Steel will make weapons?"

"Yes," He replied to his ward's more statement than actual question, "But with coal and steel we can make other things as well. Much of the farming of the Kamelands occurs on large centralized incorporated holdings. The use of heavy steel plows, but because they are relatively large it will be feasible to take the steam engines to power still other farming machines." Even ones that relied on wood would work, but, more importantly, "Those farms require far fewer farmers, are square and not rectangular, are undivided." In contrast to most farming dependent on oxen, "This supports a much larger urban population, and that population has other needs beyond subsistence."

Shaoyu nodded, "Giants eat a lot." She didn't explicitly name the trolls, "Keeping them provisioned in the field is difficult, was likely to prove difficult for Armag in a sustained conflict against the Realm." Her rendering of 'The Realm' was in Draconic, but Realm was a near enough taldane translation... though as Vordakai would comment later there was an Azlanti word that better reflected the concept that the draconic word encapsulated in its meaning. "Wyvern born cavalry would require significant food stuffs."

"Yes," He agreed, "I imagine so," Eire was certain, but he suspected that pigs would be the most efficient foodstuff in order to support a flying cavalry force... but he was also in no rush, "but in order to support such we need to expand our ability to support not just our cities, but also our presence along the borders."

The young dragoness nodded, and she was correct to observe that the thoroughfare built to link the road of shields fortresses was about seven meters wide built with granite set stones, and graded to allow rain to flow off. This line of fortifications though was in respects not the border, "But the dwarves built them for their mineral wealth, which must be transported elsewhere."

"Hence the rails, and the metal boxes," He replied, the railways didn't need to be particularly long, and while he looked forward to steam engines, "Smooth rails of steel and steel wheels allow horses to pull much larger loads to yards." But first, Eire turned back to the large cauldron and the process of burning off impurities in the iron, "First we must expand the steel we can produce, and in the production of quality goods we will bring prosperity to the realm."


"And wealth will support a powerful army, insuring that prosperity." Shaoyu acknowledged, reiterating to him the frequent adage of wealthy country strong army that Eire hoped while a similar expression already existed in Meiqi's native Tian Xia that would not lead to mistakes akin to Japan., or for that matter the rampant neo confucian derived chauvinism that had existed in Joseon Korea, or Qing China ... but such thoughts also returned Eire's awareness that Earth was out there, and that it was the early 20th century on that distant blue marble spinning somewhere far off in the dark. Shaoyu unaware of these thoughts pressed on by annoying she would study other distant realms to see who had had success with raising mounted cavalry, and how they had achieved such success.