Archon's Curse [Pathfinder Kingmaker]

[Imperator Pax]

Rova 4714
Eire had spent most of the waning days of summer, and early fall in the academic considerations of the economy of his state. Particularly on the unique characteristics that compounded the matter of the division of labor in a society where its 'racial make up' did actually entail tangible measurable differences... An individual giant was stronger than an average human, or an orc, or so on. The problem lay in the dimensions involved in simple tasks of labor moving of supplies the human domesticated field animals horse or oxen made things much easier, and indeed giants domesticated oxen, the native wild aurochs common to northern Avistan served as the beast of burden but it was a less efficient one.

The giants as a result of their size had a harder time developing animal based labor saving systems, even if it wasn't impossible for them. Horses didn't work for giants in the same way they did for humans, or that dwarves could rely on smaller donkeys. What Giants were used to doing was manufacturing metal tools, to a degree, arsenical bronze, copper working, iron. The problem was the caloric intake. It was much easier for giants as solitary communities to remain nomadic, or semi nomadic ranging across the land as they had for thousands of years. The transition to settled agriculture had been a much harder one than for humans, and humans hadn't exactly had it easy.

To that end thassilon had represented a bringing of giants into the fold with other races. Thassilon had been a human empire first and foremost, and as Vordakai was quick to point out an empire of human wizards. On the other hand the dragon realms hadn't been adverse to bringing giants into the fold... and of course the serpent folk had employed giant mercenaries from tribes and clans... and the giants had in the form of the cyclopes empires had managed to establish first city states and broader civilizations with complex tool use, urban apparatus, and organized states on the imperial model.

... but then the earth fall had happened, and everything had been thrown back.

Minderhal's clergy were quick to insist that from their god's perspective, Giantkind had benefitted from Thasilon's power. There were giants who disagreed with this, and there were those were ambivalent, but the result was that Minderhal's clergy supported Imperial rule. Part of that was of course Minderhal was a Lawful deity and the tenants of the faith included community living, rules based systems and that the community was safer as part of a larger entity that was more stable.

Minderhal's clergy were happy to participate in enforcing the law, and as part of the organized state church. It wasn't that the giantish Erastillian congregations did, but Minderhal's church was more inclined to assimilate faster into the hierarchy of urban and sprawling central administration.

Had Aroden, God of Humanity still lived and Iomedae not succeeded the last Azlanti Eire considered that this might have had consequences... but there was no longer a centralized Arodenite church hierarchy that wielded power. Iomedae's church was regional, based on local rules, local rulers in a given kingdom. He didn't have to contend with doctrinal protests from Westcrown and of course that presumed that Westcrown might have objected at all. This far north, this far east they might not have.

It had been of course as a result of this lack of centralization, central religious authority that the order of the godclaw had formed its pantheon by syncretic interfaith dialogues and assimilation of sarkorian traditions to smooth the differences between dwarven, brevic, and other traditions to make a coherent martial doctrine around the Five. The Godclaw was a knightly order, which had largely been born in a time of not just chaos but when Arodenite traditions of knighthood had still been strong, still strongly tied to the Arodenite faith.

The priest of Minderhal stood to his left, an adamantine maul hanging from his armored waist. The armored priest was silent as the knight of the Godclaw rose from supplication. One of Mori's fellow knights of the torrent had vouched for the man, and his wider coterie. Knights from Torrent, and Gate had journeyed from Mendev as part of a detachment, not so much an embassy to carry word from QueenGalfrey's court of ... well of heresy. "We pursue a cult we believe dedicated to Sifkesh," A demon lord who had long been the enemy of the Hellknights, as it had been heretics dedicated to the demon lord who had provoked the founder of the first Hellknight order to break with the church of aroden leading to the religious authorities of Westcrown to pronounce him the moniker Hellknight."They claim to be pious religious denizens speaking of a kingdom of the cleansed, preaching anarchy and not needing the laws of the land."

Eire nodded.

This was... not all together unexpected. There were not shortage of chaotic deities worshipped in the riverlands who's congregations might be vulnerable to the machinations of demon lords, and the truth was the influx of refugees from mendev's slums had always had potential issues. "Tristian will assist you on this," He said waving a hand, adding him to Mori's own place in the investigation.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the doctrines and ideas of the godclaw, and nor was it he didn't take this problem seriously, but this was his realm. The Godclaw and the Torrent, and their companions here were here with Mendev's sanction, but this was his realm. If, as he was keen to establish, they were heretics, heresy was treason against the crown, fermenting anarchy was rebellion, and the kingdom would deal with such.

On the other hand it hadn't also escaped him that the Church of Milani might object to his personal opinion. That was plenty of reason to send Tristian on this task, and not for example the Chelish born Vaclav... or for that matter any of his chelish coreligionists. He would need more information of course... he had little immediate reason to doubt the coterie's claim, they came with a letter from Galfrey and her chancellor vouching for their concerns.

He frankly doubted the Hell Knights would lie about the threat posed by cultists of Sifkesh, but he did still reserve the right to manage the investigation and insure his realm's laws were to be upheld and took primacy over charged. Tristian would hopefully be sufficient presence along with Mori toreign in any concerns of excesses or failure to follow Narland's standards of justice.

Regardless of however this investigation turned out he was going to need to involve Tristian in the discussions that would follow. Eire knew his focus needed for the moment to be on preparing the kingdom for war, but the investigation would also require speaking to Harrim as head of the religious and interfaith dialogue of the kingdom of large, as well a conclave that would include Vaclav and the other iomedaen clergy of note within the capital.

 

[Imperator Pax]

8 Lamashan4714
Amvarean's personal demesne around the great lake welcomed steppe guests to the opportunity to the broad grasslands that met the foot of the mountains and the safe water...and that her presence as a silver dragon mediated disputes.

Silverstep's great expanse reflected the full moon high above, two days previous had been the Inheritor's Ascendance Day feast marking the day that Iomedae had ascended to divinity through successfully passing the test of the star stone in Absalom. He mulled on that. Amvarean's domain played host to many from the steppe to his east.

The steppe was a matter. It wasn't just the original Varnhold charter it was also Vordakai looking out towards the expanse of what had been Koloran that stretched into Casmarron. He didn't have railways, the metalworking, the ironmongery necessary to produce the volume he would have needed simply wasn't there. Much as he looked towards some kind of industrial revolution it would not be next year or the one after , but he needed more.

What his towns did have were clock towers... and for now they were on a single time zone. That made things useful for organization, magical words of sending and messengers sent from temples allowed him to coordinate time and actions in a way that would have been difficult. The fact they had already set a kingdom wide time zone meant there would be no local time zones... but if they continued to expand into Iobaria's untamed wilds then at some point he was going to need to demarcate an easterly time zone.

The threat from their west needed to be resolved first. He looked towards the bonfires and the bombastic drums reverberating as the the strings on horse head fiddles and lutes were picked. They had been in discussion now for weeks, month seven, much more serious ones now. Amvarean had of course taken Ilthuliak's severed head to bring to the east.

The nomads already used a decimal system. From ten to ten thousand nominally. They could understand what he was doing in a sense. There were further details though. Finer details. Squad Company... Regiment Division.

Battalion, two battalions of five hundred, or five Companies.

At the moment it was unnecessary to provide more to the system in other ranks. Sergeant was fine enough a grade... and the general ranks didn't need to be delineated. Captains, Majors and Colonels would suffice for field grade commanders. A field command better suited Amiri, which was why Amvarean was here organizing things, besides of course she held silver step.

Amvarean had been busy insuring that word carried, she stood beside him in her half elf guise. Maegar was in Varnhold of course, but the situation in Rostland seemed to be worsening, and the Aldori seemed to have made no preparations, "The Tiger Lords incursions push farmers from their fields, and further south across the river." She remarked.

"I know," He had heard as much, and there was no indication that Restov or Brevoy as a broader whole was paying much heed to the Tiger Lords. "We will need scouts to patrol the frontier," and unfortunately as open and even eager the Nomen centaurs were to ranging it was less than practical to mobilize them across his entire northern border. Especially not this late in the season but arguably the bigger impediment was the terrain encompassing the northern slough, which was arguably the most vulnerable in this particular crisis.

And while hiring on tribes to defend the northern frontier would have been possible it was still the matter of moving horsemen from the steppes in the south through the marshland into the western rostlandic plain.... or crossing his eastern core and making a narrow trek across the rostlandic road.
--
Shrikewall, and Silverstep were both situated on great bodies of water and protected effectively from attack on three sides. Shrikewall had the added benefit despite its wider frontage of being on the promontory between the shrike and skunk rivers, while the Gudrin formed Silverstep, as a town's, southern boundary.

There were both rapidly expanding large towns, Candlemere and the shore towns along the Tuskwater and Lake Candlemere shores were similar but the capital and Silverstep were much more prepared to mass and assemble troops. In that they were medieval feudal strongholds, and the riverine access which allowed shipping through the Kamelands was part of that... but that same expanded river travel network also had more early modern trends...with magical additions.

Eire had wanted to expand the divine transportation network with an arcane system. Not simply coopt the Elf gates those were useful, could be useful but were far too limited. No, while they could be put to use, and of course their archaeological provenance was important historically... the ancient elf settlements in the lands could be investigated... it was simply more obviously practical to raise temples , consecrate ground and transport forces that way.

Amvarean understood this. An arcane solution, a system of great towers and assembly points that could teleport in a similar manner was more of an investment than they could perhaps afford to make at this point. To that same point, Eire knew that the steel production wasn't sufficient for the hundreds of miles of track a 19th​ century rail network would require... even if they did have everything else that would need to go along with that.... and frankly given the distances involved while that would help mass mobilization of the population would be more feasible. In the long term of course Eire envisioned a railway forthe economic carrying trade, one complementary to the river, but it would have to wait.

What Silverstep had going for it was in contrast to Shrikewall was it was better suited to preparing royal cavalry for muster, and Silverstep being further in the east was better positioned given the temple network capabilities to prepare troops before deploying them...

... and of course in that Silverstep's steppe was a series of squat brick towers around wide yards that brought men to assembly, facilitated the distribution of woolen coats, standard trousers, belts, and other leather goods. All this under the rampant lion banners that flew from the towers. It marked a shift from how things had been done previously, Armasse was over....these were no longer calls to the peasant population at large but the organizing of formal battalions for drill.

For a conflict he didn't want, but would he expected have to fight anyway. "The Tiger Lords are quite occupied in the glennbon highlands, we think perhaps as many as twenty thousand are encamped there" No doubt drawn from many kellid tribes, and clans who had flocked to Armag Twice Born's banner.

He nodded to the silver dragon's observation, "Your sister has some idea I assume?"

"They seek orvinbaane, the sword of Gorrum's champion Armag," The original of the tiger lords from thousands of years previous. Leaving aside that it was bragging rights, the great sword was a powerful magical weapon, "It was buried with him after the red slew him."

Yes, that was the reminder. That for all the Gorum and Phasasma quarreled and the goddess had coveted to reap the champion's soul it had been a dragon unaffiliated with either deity that had slain Armag in the days of yore.

Eire flexed his hand, as a flight of archons glittered through the air above them, "Continue to prepare the troops," It was at this stage, really all that they could do. The clock tower announced noon for all to hear as the bells called.
--


Notes:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cv8jwxgM2Q

Well, I've fallen behind due to real life I need to redo the next segment, really I need to finish rewriting pretty much the whole end of year segments 4714 as we move into the Siege of Restov but requires balancing real life, so I may take a break from this and post scraps to buy breathing room in hopes of being able to pad my pipeline of stuff ready to go up.

 

[Imperator Pax]

12 Lamashan 4714
His return to his capital was heralded by the now common sight of the whirling column of fire, but that alone did nothing to state his temperament or the irritation that burned within at the abrupt recall. The only indication of his vexation was the temperature of the hall, and the brightly burning fire of the lights.

Kassil Aldori was just the messenger though, though they could have done without the all but shouting, "Your grace! We need to head to Brevoy immediately! Swordlord Jamandi requires your help fighting off a sudden attack on Rostland! A treacherous invasion of barbarians has caught the swordlords off guard -- it is presently only skirmishes but very soon there will be a major battle on the glenebon uplands. Restov is calling for help and i trust you won't turn back on your old allies when they need you more than ever!"

Eire forced a breath out as his eyes surveyed his court. The hall was occupied with plenty of southern ethnicities, but also a range of kellid and iobarian folk. Kassil was every bit the young bravo of Restov, dressed like a young Aldori ... and stood out even without the shouting from the sharp divide in clothes between visitors from the tribes. "A sudden attack you say," Eire's voice was cold and hard aloof, "I told your fool of a mother no less than thrice the danger Armag posed, and that Restov would be wise to take precautions" He remarked, and of course that was the problem, Jamandi was one sword lord among the Aldori and not head of the family in Restov... how much sway did she really have, "more than that I would suggest you never take that tone with me again."

Amiri's expression told him everything he needed to know though about the Tiger Lords opening hostilities, she braced her hands on the long oak table "So they've finally made their move, then," She scoffed, but refrained from doing anything like kicking the ground. She clearly wanted to do so, but stood firm, "The rest of my tribe is probably with them." but fundamentally she agreed with the need to act... even though he supposed that wasn't really in question, it was just her phrasing, "We should to scout their positions know or else we'll see the Tiger Lords smash the brevans about for sure,"

With the majority of the court's humans chelish in ethnicity there were not protests from the gallery in Brevoy's defense at the statement. With a significant number of Iobarians and Kellids among the ranks there were however plenty of jeers of agreement to her comment while his co religionists remained stoic and waited.

"Armasse began two months previous," He remarked, "An opportunity as good as any to prepare the community to rise to its defense," For all though that Brevoy did talk about its Taldane heritage or at least their noble houses, Abadar and Gorum were more important and had been even before Aroden's death... and his comment would have ordinarily found its greatest receipt among his coreligionists, "Armag's alliance with Pitax represents a threat to the realm, his presence in glennbon highlands alone represents a challenge to peace that can hardly be permitted to leave be," Which wasn't entirely true, quite frankly even after folding the Drelev demesne he wasn't inclined to view that a priority but it was still something he needed to, in a realist political sense at least make clear he was aware...or at least in a mass mobilized politically active middle class that would have been something... but in a strictly feudal sense the bigger issue was Armag's alliance with Pitax because Pitax had given them grievance.

That was something that applied to beyond simply the Iomedaen community of his capital city, and had abroad near universal understanding from the populace. It was entirely possible that Jamandi, and her heir for that matter simply did not, could not grasp the changes around them. For all the Brevoy did claim to be a 'civilized' nation, that it celebrated Taldor as its parent and that Taldane's traditions shaped Brevic ones it was very clear that it was in the sense of the medieval conception of succession from Rome despite the evolution of political systems to current needs.

Feudalism was a system of the division of labor. It had a political component, could impact political thought. Narland was vastly closer to an early modern absolutist state and though young its social culture reflected that with its immigrants from across the Inner Sea adopting to the prospect of written legal codes, and a bureaucracy that could rely on have explicit recordings, and a justice system that operated on trials which were carried out by royal not local sanction. There were in other words no competing centers of authority at a large, the law was a royal matter outside of strictly local ordinances for market conduct and such as were found in Olegton.

Amiri though wasn't wholly divorced from Restov's situation. Armag had done plenty to get under her skin, and the most galling was of course that most of the surviving six bears had flocked to Armag's banner. Amiri was offended by this, and it was a sentiment shared by some of the other kellid tribes who had left their own tribes and clans to flock around her leadership, but it as not truly a civil war notion.

Eire nodded, aware for once the candles burned higher in his hall... but Armag had perhaps fifty thousand swords, comparable to the Magyar host which had taken the field in the middle of the tenth century and had made it all the way to western France ... could Armag hold that much space, no probably not he probably wasn't trying. Booty and plunder seemed a much more likely explanation, glory, not territorial expansion.

That much he was willing to wager on. Nothing that they had heard from the gathering tribes suggested territorial ambitions in the state building sense. Armag's relationship with Pitax was strange by modern earth sensibilities but made sense in the context, and interplay of nomadic confederations and sedentary city states.... but Armag didn't seem to be interested in settling down or establishing a state along territorial lines.

That was something of a relief, but it didn't change the facts either.

This was not earth. Armag's host was large, but not impossibly so, but it would have magic users to some degree... it was better to fight outside of the kingdom's borders than within it. Eire did not want to be put into a position of needing to trade land for time, "I am prepared to allow you to range in advance of the force," He replied, "To ascertain Armag's positions," knowing what the tiger lords were really trying to do would be useful, critical even. "We know he set his camp in the glenbon uplands," they had this confirmed since the Tiger Lords had taken Drelev's hostages to this central location nestled in a canyon according to what Drelev had recorded if only to assuage his own bannermen and avoid further problems with them. Drelev had actually compiled quite a lot of notes on his erstwhile allies. "What we do not know is if he has crossed into Brevoy in person." He wanted to know that. "I will prepare the army to march, and I will ask those to join us as move north," by which he meant, what he actually meant was to call giants, and trolls and boggards if necessary to secure his western flank along the slough as his retinue moved. He would send word to Maegar and the Nomen on how he wanted them to deploy...

--
Notes: The forefather, and Tristian plotlines will come up in 4715 at different parts, in the 2E remaster of things Tristian's plot is called out for how people didn't react well to it in the video game, but yeah we move into the full blown twice born crisis. Next segment I'm pretty much rewriting from scratch but I think I can get it finished this week.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
It took only a handful of days to make the necessary assembly of men in the north of his realm. Admittedly part of that was the use of the Temple of the Elk, Olegton was simply too small and lacked the religious institutions to be the primary point of arrival in the north... but they did end up marching the force from Olegton.

What Olegton had been prepared to handle was the massing of supplies ahead of the army's arrival its large stockyards and warehouses prepared to receive food stores prepared for campaigning of the 19th​ century, even if canned goods were still in their initial infancy... and even that was overshadowed by stocks of spare boots, and clothes, since clerics abundant with the massing host were prepared to support the army's food needs with divine magic where it was necessary.

"For the faith," The cleric greeted.

He nodded to the Iomedaen dressed in black armor, with crimson highlights, "for the way of the sword." He replied.

"The army is prepared your majesty."

The statement brought a cleared throat a rattling harsh noise from Vordakai, but really it was just the cyclops complaining in audibly about their lack of wizards. There was no real solution to that, especially not for this campaign.

If they were fortunate they would have wizards prepared to negate enemy missile fire, to defeat or turn away arrows from at the very least his core of heavy of heavy infantry. Defending the cavalry being readied for this expedition would be difficult even under ideal circumstances, and the truth was he was hoping to protect them more effectively by using them to attack the flanks of Armag's force as his heavy infantry drew them in.

... but that also assumed that they could array into a pitched battle, which was not a given. Eire was not sure he could afford or that he wanted to rely on attritional attacks to wear down the tiger lords even if that were feasible.

The norman invasion of england had involved eleven thousand normans, flemish and bretons. A sizable force to transport over the channel. There was no channel to cross in this context. No channel to force him to use ships to cross the sea. The rostlandic plain offered few natural barriers to impede movement. Limited sources of prominent quarries also made stone castles rare in Brevoy.

He actually allocated a few more days to prepare the army. What he actually expected was that next year...especially next year would be the need to use Armasse to assemble more comprehensive rolls for martial assembly There was good historical precedence for that back on Earth, the Select and Great Fyrds of Anglo-Saxon England came to mind without even considering much later more modern pools of conscription. Even without firearms something akin to the Reforms of Charles XII had viable utility...but Narland was much more urban than 17th​ Century Sweden and in part that was why he'd been able to rally the troops for this expedition.

Because the majority of the manpower, lack of wizards or not, lived in the vicinity of urban centers with large religious sites that he could use to whisk them north in columns of divine fire.

The assembly here would allow them to cross the Rostlandic plain from a base of supply and enter Brevoy in force moving where they needed to be, "Has there been word from Amiri?"

"No, sire." Another priestanswered.

The iomedaen cleric was one of many of his coreligionists but there were few of Gorums clergy here. Officially Gorrum's clergy had declared that even if Armag were as he claimed the reincarnation of Gorrum's ancient champion it did not require them to give them his loyalty. To the point it was obvious that Sarenrae's clergy actually out numbered the lord of iron's sworn, and they while numerous were not in the greatest number one could count upon one hand. They did expect that Milani's faithful might rally to them, but they weren't taking it as a given... if the everbloom's church did move to support them then that would be good, but Olegton would serve as the logistical hub to keep the army fed and supplied. More to the point from its position north of the narlmarches proper it was better situated for overland reinforcement from nearby more established, relatively speaking, holdings within the narlmarches than say moving to support the former Drelev demesne.

The lack of response from Amiri was something to be concerned about. "and we're certain of the Tiger Lords encampment?"

"We are." The priest replied.

Vordakai shifted.

If Amiri had been able to make it back then she would have had more information for which they could have worked from.. and the truth was he had been hoping that information would have provided the necessary weight to emphasize whether or not he should expend effort to raise military fortifications north of Olegton. That was a concern since Olegton was the only major settlement this far north... and major settlement was a stretch in comparison to the much larger nascent cities of his Imperial Core.

"We should pass word that we will move forward." The Cyclops rumbled, choosing to speak in draconic to emphasize what he actually meant was that they should inform the dragons among his court that they were preparing to move.

Valerie as chancellor needed to remain at Shrikewall. He had almost left Shaoyu in her care, but the truth was he could hardly spare his ward. Jamandi's heir, Kassil, had ridden back to his mother. Amiri had ridden north with Regongar in tow. Tristian was occupied with his investigation, Harrim as chief minister of religious matters was needed at the capital, just as the twins were for the economy. If this lasted long he would need to deepen trade with the southern lands.

No, Shaoyu and Amvarean both were needed here on the front with him. Eire could accept that. It was why he had sent Jubilost, Octavia, and Ekundayo to the west to meet with Gary, and the bog striders as well to assist however they could with Kisandra Numesti command the Hooktongue territory.

It was a division of labor he had to accept. It was why Jaethal, and Maegar were both absent his war camp, and why he had brought scores of Iomedaen clergy with him. This was not supposed to be a crusade, but one might have easily reached that conclusion.

Eire nodded finally in response to the cyclop's statement, "We will do that, we need to locate my wayward companions." And even in that there was politics todigest. Politics for settled peoples, politics for nomads under the eternal sky. Politics for Taldane stock. Politics for Kellid folk.

He was nominally only going to investigate amiri's absence... admittedly with a very large body of warriors with him, but he had not informed the Tiger Lords of hostilities. He doubted, Eire doubted rather strenuously that if Armag Twice Born intended to raid, and or extort Restov and its hinterlands that conflict could be avoided, but well they would inform Armag of that face to face... and if necessary face to face in the context anywhere from one to four dragons taking the field to press their advantage.

He mulled it over, but that was of course a nuclear response, the truth was with a professional army in the process of forming Eire hoped that his assembled ranks could carry the field in a pitched battle with only a minimum of dragon fire, and that it would be human arms which won the day.
--
Notes: We continue with the Twice Born crisis, next segment will most likely pick up chronologically in a day or two from this one with a look at the Army of Narland.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
Lion rampant banners streamed as thousands of horsemen waited under the morning sky.

The stirrup alone did not make as critical transition to mounted warfare as it was sometimes given credit for. That was a simplification. Yes, it had certainly helped but changes to organization and the pairing with a saddle design... and of course selective horse breeding all came together to form the heavy cavalry revolution.

More importantly was what a mounted cavalry force allowed in terms of mobility, which had been another lesson of the Norman ascent to influence in western Europe. Mobility was important but it also had to be supported by other arms of battle. Proper screening, and coordination facilitated battlefield success that was not a modern invention it had been true of the distant past of earth.

Interlocking, cooperation, arrangement between combined arms was more successful than piecemeal assaults. Eire hadn't had time to engage in the production of mass production of crossbows ... it was possible, certainly his metal industry had the potential to cast the parts for crossbows , and a lathe used to build the stocks in common standard dimensions... but there just hadn't been time.

No the contingent of archers would be predominantly mounted skirmishers for the campaign. Some actual horse archers recruited from the steppe nomads others simple bowmen arrayed with horses who would dismount as skirmishers protected by heavy infantry. The heavy infantry would most likely form the center of his formation safeguarding the light foot bowmen and allowing the cavalry wings of the army to be prepared to make exploit

Those horse archers, and the contingents of Iobarians and Kellids, and parts of feudal levies answering the call to arms were select choices. Just as it was a choice to not concern himself with siege weapons for this campaign. The truth was while they might be useful, the arcanotech weapons under construction for the still developing flying ships of Narland's Royal Navy were better suited aboard ships... and of course also spell casters could serve as living siege weapons if need be.

Eire was also cognizant of the small yellow bird circling to descend to loft upon his shoulder as he inspected the troops. That was important... this inspection was important as he and Amvarean and Shaoyu rode down the ranks in the recently established mustering grounds. It was horses that would allow them to move, it was horses that would allow them to move wagons full of supplies, wagons more in the vein of the late 19th​ century armies made possible by standards and measures, and by massive water turned mills driven by the shrike river that the towns upon the river that housed those mills. They were horses simply because the kingdom's reserves did not have an abundance of mules to carry on labor tasks for the logistical burden... that was a facet of moving this quickly.

A fact he was aware of but one that in the medieval context of feudal levies had not translated. Charlemagne's army would preferred to march quickly, to move and live off foraging of the land but they were going to move into an area nominally friendly, and one likely already plundered by the tiger lords so he would prepare his baggage train accordingly. Especially in the face of needing to position his forces where they could swing into either the glenebon highlands or north east towards Restov.

"Has there been any update?"

"The impression is that Armag is not with the force on Restov's hinterlands." Amvarean answered bring her bey forward and closer to his own black, "Regardless it represents a serious commitment of his forces from the reports." And that of course was one of the factors of a nomadic tribal society mobilized for war compared to that of a sedentary feudal one. Armag had a much larger body of capable military age men to leverage that weren't absolutely necessary for sustaining the division of labor. That came with a nominally more egalitarian division of labor, but Feudal society did by contrast provide other economic activities, in theory the mobilized milites component of feudal professional soldiers should have access to heavier mounts, better equipment ...but that wasn't necessarily a given especially given the ability for the nomads to mass significantly greater numbers... and especially if Brevoy's elite couldn't coordinate their arms to leverage their own organizational advantages.

Abadar was arguably the most popular deity of brevoy's people, at least of its ruling class. In theory Brevoy should have had the resources to outfit its skirmishers with crossbows, whether or not Brevoy had the organizational doctrine to protect them with heavy infantry ... that was not something that Eire could speak on. He had spent a year in Brevoy, but he had never seen it prepare for war. Abadar's favored weapon was still the crossbow, and in theory Brevoy's number of crossbows should have been a useful component, and a not insubstantial one, to its feudal levees... and in particular for Restov to call upon in the situation at hand.

... but Restov had not communicated what preparations it had made. He supposed that the most likely explanation for that was that they simply weren't considering the matter of manpower like he was... or that the sword lords of restov had too many competing personages with individual retinues and that the free city simply did not have a coherent plan. The latter was nota good thing, but it would be understandable in the context of the situation.

"We should expect that the bands will be spreading out from Armags camp." Amvarean observed.

"That is most likely where Amiri is," Especially if she had gone specifically to confront the remnants of the Six Bears for choosing to side with Armag. "Then you believe we should ride into the Glenebon Highlands."

"Relieving any siege of restov while noble does not address the underlying problem. We must confront the Tiger Lords, and establish a boundary that cannot be crossed." They had to make their intentions known.

Eire recognized that. He would still have preferred having nice topographical maps of his surroundings, but that was a modern development that even in Narlands hinterlands he didn't have. It was something to do it was something else to do, but they would march to war with this army without those sorts of maps. Still Amvarean had a point, "We will declare our position, and be in a position to respond quickly," He responded continuing to carry the conversation on in Draconic as they moved passed the ranks of armored men.

There would little to no chance of concealing an army on the march. Even the comparativeness lateness in the year for marching an army of this size would, especially with the wagons laden with supplies would create a visible cloud of dust. Eire expected that even without the complex baggage train, if reports of Armag's host was accurate the same would likely be true, but as a precaution much of his light cavalry once they crossed the border would be dispersed in a manner of cavalry usage of the war between the states. It was to screen and move around the flanks to find and locate the enemy, to harass and aggravate them while the bulk of the armor was brought around to meet them. After that the plan was to provoke the enemy into attacking the center most block of heavy infantry... but that assumed Armag's host consented to give battle which he recognized was not a given in their situation

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
Thousands of feet marched to the beat the drums keeping the men on foot inline... and while that organization dated to or predated even the medieval period the march base was based on the armies of the civil war. So to were the equipment and packs that the men carried, the ones not outfitted with early style bergen style rucksacks, using bent branches for the frame, even if those were far more limited. They were allocated to specialty troops, and he didn't expect that to change, even if next year, or the year following he might see the royal army's professional troops outfitted with entrenching tools for the times when there were no druids or other magic users to facilitate preparing breastworks.

That would not be this campaign.

They had departed from Olegton in the knowledge that other troops would be moving to join them. The brevic hinterlands in the south rostlandic plain were already beginning to see peasants pushed south fleeing the fighting, or really theplundering ongoing. Troops would move up to garrison Olegton and reinforce the defenses, and those would be the first real truly serious defensive works around the northernmost town of the kingdom.

Something... loathe as Eire was to admit it not readily factored into his planning for the realm. Olegton had been an early project that had fallen to the wayside of his planning, and his aims to build the kingdom. Not that Oleg minded, and as lord mayor was effective it was just the town had been subject to benign neglect being allowed to largely take shape and grow more along rostlandic and brevic lines ... and it was true Tatzlford was also more brevic in character, more akin to Varnhold in that respect or he supposed less so but still similar to the drelev domain on the lake than they were to his imperial cities.

The sheer difference though had surprised him when he'd arrived... and not just for the the reasons of religious institutions that were more prevalent in the southern portions of his dominion. That was something that would have to be addressed , especially if the crisis continued. He was hoping to force a swift resolution, but that assumed, was contingent on the enemy doing what they wanted... and that wasn't , was never a given.

The Rostlandic plain offered no real barriers to an invading army, or even just an army on the march even during the rainy season it was rarely prone to storms that might turn the land awash with mud, and winters except in the north rarely camecold enough to seriously imperil a prepared traveler. That wasn't to say Brevoy didn't have its share of bandits, and outlaws, but those were hardly a concern in the present situation.

"What do you believe is Armag's ambition out here?"

The uplands, the slight rising of theplains made no apparent better option for a base than that of the hinterlands. Brevoy's southern extent was lightly settled, and the lowlands that abutted it were largely empty grasslands. The uplands were a series of rugged hills and dense undergrowth, not all together dissimilar to the Narlmarches. "Ordinarily this would be a defensive hedgerow, but that does not seem to be the case." He paused, "Amvarean, how close are we to the Tiger Lords?"

"They're near enough, their ancestral lands are not too far from us," Which was relative, yes it was true they could march that way but close for dragons was always a question of wing flight. "All of this is land that the Kellids would say with truth that their ancestors walked in Armag's time."

He nodded, acknowledging the statement... and of course that it brought them potentially back to another argument over Stolen Lands, this or that who and by whom. Gorrum's champion had predated the founding of the city of Absalom. "And what is here that draws them?"

"I would suspect the tomb of that Armag," The silver dragoness replied, "And if history records truth then where Orvinbaane his great sword lays resting."Golarion had no shortage of magic swords, and it was no surprise the weapon of choice for the tiger lords, or most Kellids or iobarian warriors of note... and of course that was true of more southern nations. Ancient Azlant, its descendants in Cheliax and Taldan, Sarenrae faithful amongst the padishah empire, and people further still.

The sword was the weapon of heroes after all.

"We will need to cross the East Sellen River if we keep this course," He replied sparing an eye to the army on the march. Not that crossing the river would be a problem, it was just going to be ironic if they made the march alongthe Taldan road only to then swing south to the western border of where Drelev's influence had come up against where the Tiger Lords extended. It didn't matter, if that was what needed to be done, then so be it.

They road on for several more hours. The outriders turned and signaled they had spotted flags, and it was as the sky descended in the western horizon that the first banners stood on the horizons. The familiar masses of tents encamped of Kellids and Iobarian folk spread out. Shaoyu was static at the sight that splayed out before them. It was, she was right, what they had been looking for.

They were close to the Brevic border, but still yet beyond what was formally under Brevoy's crown at least so far as the Rogavarian dynasty that had disappeared more than a decade earlier had laid claim and to and actually administered... but it was close enough and near enough to the old Taldan road that the gathering of barbarians would have had an easy enough time to ride across the border... and likely in years previous for brevic nobles to ride down and disperse gathering, but much smaller, barbarian hordes before they could become much trouble.

... they were too late for that. If this was what it appeared, to be one of the outer tribes of Armags confederation, then no simple collection of barons and their heavy horse supported by peasant levies would have the weight to push them aside and drive them from their camps. On the other hand, as Amvarean was quick to make note of, "They do not appear hostile," And with reason, if Armag was still hosting visiting warriors.

"Then they may permit our passage," Though also likely would the army loose what if any element of surprise that they already had. A part of him regretted not bringing Akiros with them that might have benefitted them here to speak with the tribe here... or not it might it might have meant nothing but it might not have hurt their chances. "Or they may challenge it," He acknowledged, but this camp if he didn't misjudge seemed to be recent... and that was part of why he suspected it was one of the outer members of the barbarian gathering around Armag.

A confrontation or safe passage was possible for any number of reasons.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
Kellid society did not have uniform gender norms... the best example of this were Amiri's insular Six Bears tribe that stratified women and men into expected roles even if they didn't rigidly enforce it. That was perhaps the most important fact in comparison to other southern and more sedentary community the rigidity in enforcement was often a privilege of wealthier more sedentary societies with more complex organizational hierarchies to justify such practices.

The Kellid tribes simply had a different view of how to employ the division of labor than more urbandwelling societies, and that was often a by product of what resources they had to use. For Amvarean, and for the surroundings of Lake Silverstep the iobarians who came to pay her homage were of a people used to at least to one deree or another contacts with dragons.

The Kellids of the Lands of the MammothLords were not that different. In the land of the Mammoth lords dragons a known thing. A powerful force to cajole or offer bribes for protection from or protection by. Had Ilthuliak cared to do so she might have pressed down upon the river faring kellid tribes demanding tribute, and like Amvarean her gender would have been irrelevant.

Eire knew that their entourage musthave attracted some attention. Gorrum was a popular deity among Kellids, but hardly to the extent of the exclusion of all others. Though some of the barbarians here were grim faced and on guard most were not hostile... for the moment they were all guests and fair travellers beneath the open sky. The guest right would hold until it was broken, and more importantly their hosts were quick to speak.

Irovetti of Pitax was the one who put the idea, if the idea had really even needed to be put at all, in Armag's head about raiding Restov. There were any number of reasons for Pitax to want the barbarians to sweep north into the rostlandic plain... Pitax probably wasn't even having to pay all that much since such a campaign was likely intended to be self funding from the rights of plunder taken from southern Brevoy.

... and if Armag's host could actually sack Restov, or just force a payment of tribute to lift the siege then that was probably far more in value than Pitax could hope to pay from its treasury to encourage the raid. It was dangerous though...yes Brevoy was divided and the monarchy was weak and how supported it was was always a question, but it was a gamble to roll the device both if Brevoy did rally, or if Armag became too over mighty. Just because 'the Twice born' hadn't demonstrated an inclination to turn on Pitax didn't mean it was somehow impossible.

If Eire was already considering such he had to assume Pitax's petty king had that in mind... and if Irovetti had thought about it... well it was possible he was hoping that Restov took care of the problem... but all of that was less important in the here and now. Amvarean tilted slightly, "I am disappointed by the lack of Brevic response to such actions, I did not think I would say this, and certainly I do not do lightly, but I rather miss the Rogavarians." She remarked in draconic. Eire nodded in acknowledgement, though he could not comment on the missing dynasty of Brevoy, which had all disappeared before his arrival on Golarion, "And these scarred sisters they speak, more Fae I assume, I wish that Eranex had travelled with us."

The comment prompted another nod. TheScarred Sisters disfigured and veiled were with Armag, another partof his entourage... but one that didn't ... well wasn't so strangefor the Kellid tribes... Armag had grown his confederation and seeking the advice of wise women and potent spellcasters wassoemthing that could be understood. "I would have liked thatRestov had made good on their bravado, but we cannot depend on that." And as for those disfigured sisters... "we are here," He stated in draconic with emphasis... and the force assembled had noshortage of cold iron weapons that were faerie bane. Even facingnominally normal human warriors it would have been stupid to not take some precaution against meddling by the first world... and while lacking the truly impressive rivers of his own domain the rivers thatflowed into the tuskwater the grasslands west of the eastern sellen teemed with smaller waterways. He paused and turned to regard the stone giants beneath the lion banner, "They are not alarmed or surprised by our companions."

"Armag must have gathered giants of his own."

That had been rumored for months now, and of course there had been a handful of hill giants at Pitax. Enough of them to siege Restov? Perhaps so given the reaction. There had been skittering talks of Numerian weirdness as well... nothing concrete but all the same the plunder needed to satisfy such a force was not an encouraging development. It didn't matter if Armag was overestimating his own strength, or if he actually had it, "That may well explain his willingness to attempt it." And... the truth was, "We're going to have to expand the army," And probably the navy for that matter, the truth was it had been the establishment of the Royal Navy which had been a priority in this year's legislature. "And consecrate more temples." Specifically in the north of the realm.

Amvarean nodded, "This was known," the Silver replied, "the Hooktongue will require much of our time this coming year."

There was a shuffling from the kellid ranks as men reached out clasp one of their number as he moved forward through them. The figure made his way through, with a small entourage of other men. A priest of Gorum stood near in lockstep, and with a nod the cleric stepped, "Hail, I am Gwart, and I travel with Dugath of the Tiger Lords," The man who had been greeted by the throng of barbarians, who was dressed in a flowing cloak made from the hide of a smilodon of unusually large size.

"Well met," He replied, but what he really wanted to ask was what really brought the two here, and now. Dugath was a man in perhaps late middle age; one in excess of six feet in height. Old enough to be graying at the temples, but more silver fox if such were appropriate... and what he and his coreligionist had come this way with was the matter, the same matter that they had come this way for.

"I know of the Six Bears, and I know Armag trusts the wisdom of his witches who have given him shelter, and the promises they make to help him recover his sword," He shared a look with Amvarean even as Dugath spoke, "But while he places great confidence in their talents, they are not Kellid... not even humans, but women from the first world... and his actions are not of the Way. They wish him to erect a holding and rely on magic as the Taldan people do... as you have done." Dugath was merely stating what he believed... it wasn't an insult though he did seem to disagree with the course of action.

"I have seen no evidence Armag wishes to establish a territorial kingdom." Eire remarked.

The man nodded, "Armag himself has resisted their suggestions but the promise of plunder and controlling the wealth of great stone cities is a tempting one to any man, and their aims are to make him a king. To take and hold cities, and to command laws into being, which have never previously been... for what I presume must be to help them with yet other tasks, for they would have him conquer and wage war against the neighboring lands though for what purpose I cannot say."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
There was a pause in the conversation as Dugath took sight of what was around them, paused to allow men to exchange cups of wine, and beer and small plates of bread, and salt, and cheese, and cured meats.

Dugath had no doubt seen his share of armies over his life, but it was clear the cleric of Gorum was not quite certain what to make of the uniform fabric and colors worn by the assembled ranks. Handmade, homespun garments could affect the appearance of uniformity, they could, but there was a starkdifference between what a uniform machine needlework process looked like en masse. The chieftan nodded towards the stone giants before returning his attention back, and beginning to speak again, "Armag should be marching on Restov, or marching here to meet you," Thebarbarian remarked with a frown. Should was the operative word in the statement, "Were Armag in his right senses he would see that, and we might have an alliance or have battle... but we have neither." He finished in not quite halting common but some something of an odd accent.

That left the question of where was Armag, "Where is Armag?"

"We have found the lost tomb of the Armag who was," Dugath responded, stopping and gesturing to Gwart who nodded at the acknowledgment.

The other cleric of Gorrum nodded once in Eire's direction, "It is a great edifice, a mighty temple that our lord in iron commanded raised to bury Armag with Orvinbaane." Gwart's comment was the same, in content, that Dugath had said several minutes earlier, "It is a great sword, a powerful magical weapon and would be a potent symbol of Gorrum's favor to recover it."

Eire did not much associate with Gorum's church. Even in Brevoy the year he had spent there the household churches of the nobility had not been something he had frequented. "You have said," He remarked looking to the both of them, "That he means to take the sword, and the he appears to be interested in establishing a territorial kingdom, "And he knew that that terminology was probably lost on the two... it was a description from social science within anthropology, history, and sociology that had emerged in the 20th​ century on Earth from medievalists, and of course as had been pointed out it was not so much that Armag wanted to but he was being encouraged to do so... but even that raised questions... "I have heard this before."

"Hargulka?" Shaoyu said speaking up. Amvarean didn't interject but glanced to the young red, "This is no accident then."

It wasn't. Hargulka had had no scarred nymphs to aid him in establishing his kingdom but then he had never gotten to such numbers, and he hadn't been resistant to the idea of breaking with tradition either. Hargulka and several of his trolls were enthusiastic of building a complex society around sedentary urban settlements particularly because of what they could trade and make... but he doubted that had been the priority... or the goal.

The conversation paused, diverting to the subject of the last of the four attempted expeditions, the fourth would be barony... that of the expedition mounted by the Iron Wraiths mercenary company, which should have been able to establish itself, and of course in realpolitik Eire recognized would have created a buffer state on the border with Pitax capable of blocking the petty kingdom of Irovetti from making claims without running afoul of its border with the other aldori state. They had never gotten off the ground though.

Dugath nodded, "Perhaps not, when Amiri of the Six Bears arrived it was no secret what you had built, there had been others of her following before who had come to Armag's banner. Armag had questions for their shaman Nilak when they arrived," The statement established that Dugath had either been present, or had been informed that Amiri had at least reached Armag's camp... and that was good news of course, but it had other implications... not the least of which was the reasonable assumption that Armag was expecting them. "You have the ear of the gods, though you are not kellid many would recognize your kingship. More than would recognize either the man who rules in Pitax or the usurper in the north who does nothing to stop the army marching across Rostland." And then of course there was Numeria, and the Black Sovereign who was the last immediate monarch of note, the only of the three between Pitax, Brevoy and Numeria who was a kellid.

Gwart began to speak again, "Armag is unsteady, unsure or at least is unclear to the following what he means to do. There is confusion, as Dugath has stated we should be either allies or honorable foes, but Armag for all the questions he has asked of you has indicated neither course to be his preference. He vacillates on a decision without seeking counsel from chieftans or shamans of the tribes gathered under his banner. It is not right."

Eire didn't have any difficulty guessing that had Armag been leading the march on Restov, or leading the raids into its farmlands... Dugath would have been more inclined to support his erstwhile high chief. It was not that Dugath opposed the incursion, it was that Armag was not leading from the front, wasn't there for the fighting. "You want me to confront Armag."

"Yes. He must be made to see sense." Gwart agreed quickly. "We can show you to the Temple where he has withdrawn to," It could have been a trap, surely that would have been reasonable plan, and yet it didn't feel like it. Gwart and Dugath were fed up with their leadership, that was obvious... and Dugath was unwilling or for some reason of personal honor to challenge Armag for leadership, "He is there with your companion and the other Six Bears, along with the..." with the scarred nymphs who were even now trying to shape what Armag did.

"This will not stop the army that is marching on Restov even now."

Dugath nodded, "It will not. I will make no oaths to stop it. They have not met us in the field, and Armag has given the young bucks leaves to clash and loot and plunder. If they are defeated it is on their own mettle being lacking. Armag must be made to see sense, if you wish to stop them from attacking Brevoy you must prove stronger, or convince Armag to lead the army in another direction."

Numeria. Numeria was the easy choice point him westerly and see how that played out. It was tempting, it was sorely tempting... if things really were that simple. Eire really doubted it really was that easy. Amvarean looked prepared to protest, but the silver dragoness remained silent. "We will go to this tomb of the original Armag, and speak with him," And prepare the army to turn and strike any attempt to envelop Restov in a siege.

Gwart nodded seemingly relieved, "The sisters speak of another sword that they have asked Armag to find on their behalf. They have told us little of it, only that it comes from the first world, and has been lost since the time before memories."

"Another sword?"

"Yes. Armag has promised to seek it out once he is reunited with Orvinbaane, which I assume if he does not have it yet, he will have it soon." So there was another magical sword then besides just the ancient greatsword of Gorum's champion... that was lovely. Dugath seemed uncomfortable with the trade, or leading Armag to his previous life's sword, in exchange for finding another lost artifact sword.

"When Armag was buried the sword and tomb were set behind barriers and traps to test the mettle of anywho would enter, to keep Pharasma's mewling whelps away from Gorum'schampion it is another decision that is not proper. Armag challengesthe tomb with outside held, found the tomb with the help ofoutsiders."

"You have asked me for help."

"It is not the same." Dugathreplied, "I ask you to confront him with words or steel. This is not a trade, and I ask it under the open sky, and with the sun in the heavens surrounding by many warriors to hear my words and know I do not speak false. I do not ask you to help me bypass the challenges decreed by our lord in iron."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
Dugath was as good as his word. Knowing where they were going had made navigating the hills and streams easy allowing them to reach the massive sprawling temple edifice. Eire did somewhat as an academic curiosity how quickly the ancient kellids had been able to raise this temple, and by what means... but he supposed that if the story was true and Gorrum had directly commanded the complex built to house the remains of Armag then the ancient kellids had probably had few political resistances.


Of course if duplicity was involved Dugath would certainly prove to be in for an unfortunate and unpleasant, and likely very short reply. The army assembled was formidable, and Amvarean remained with it, which was in furtherance of their position. Not only could the army recall back to the temple of the elk if it needed to Amvarean was an adult silver dragon, and one without her sister's weakness to cold iron.

If of course the intention, to which might simply be paranoia, was to separate them from the army... well that wasn't going to work much better. The army though would have encumbered them in moving across the terrain... would have delayed them, and the truth was keeping Armag from his army and leading from the front would weaken his position as high king if he meant to keep it without some justification... it would give more conservative chieftains in theory more leverage to resist Armag's reforms.

Dugath seemed as good as his word though. There was no sign of treachery, and no magical communications had signaled a problem... and if Amvarean had had to recall the force the flames reaching towards the heavens would have still been noticeable. It also hadn't escaped Eire that Armag's array of clans and forces besides were arranged in a similar base ten formation of manpower... there were broader differences of course, but perhaps the issue at large was that the kellids must have also surely taken note of the detail.

What they could actually do with that information, with that detail, was debatable, but he doubted that it had escaped them. More immediate of a concern was the encampment around the entrance of the great stone complex was the presence of other clan leaders from the Tiger Lords, and of course the hostages from Drelev's domain.

Eire had counted at least a hundred tents there were probably more than that given the size, not all warriors of course, but perhaps upwards of a thousand people gathered here today. Armag's hostages from both drelev and presumably other forays by other lesser chieftains were largely urbane aristocrats, 'city folk' as the kellids referred to them. They were something to note, but hardly his priority. They were also not the only 'foreigners' present, or freely moving about... that was good.

None of the assembled warriors protested Dugath's arrival, or raised the alarm, but Eire recognized that they weren't going to be missed entering the encampment either even with the din of black smiths working the ore taken from the local hills. That might have even been the reason the Tiger Lords had long ago originally settled or laid claim here was to have the ore to extract to feed their blacksmiths and forge weapons. The smiths hadto form a substantive minority of the camp's population from the smoke and noise.

It was not a city. There was none of the complex administration that actually separated the definition of a city from a town... but it was definitely within the boundaries of the definition of the latter. Eire recognized that in that sense it was , or it would have conformed to the likes of the migration age settlements of the steppe. That wasn't necessarily a good thing, he didn't like making comparisons to the huns lightly.

If Armag was intending to establish aterritorial state... this might arguably be the best place toestablish a capital, and the attendant base of power, both from ageographic standpoint, and from the basis of an existing holy site.The goegraphic basis was easy, towns and cities were best establishedwith ready access to water and other natural resources... thelocation met that. It was in a defensible location, and that wascertainly a plus. For a political center of power the tomb, and itsreligious signifiance to both the Tiger Lords, and Gorum's churchwere all major benefits.

... and there was one other matterwhich was at the forefront of the site.

The tomb, the temple and its environs, was an almost ideal site to assemble a large army... and it was consecrated ground. Armag might not have the magical ability to transport an army here, and Dugath might not have realized that but as an assembly point the area had the space for a vast number of warriors. An assembly point that even without magic would have allowed the formation of an army to move in any direction almost... a detail that had likely been just as true in the time of the First Armag, and the Tiger Lords campaigns of conquest in that era.

This was the ancestral land of the Tiger Lords, that much was clear.

"Where is Amiri?"

"With the other Six Bears gathered here." Dugath replied, before repeating his earlier attestation that Armag had had questions about Narland too which Nilak previously had been asked, and that Amiri had been asked about. Those questions were largely innocuous. Not terribly different than the questions that Hargulka and other trolls had asked. How did you build a kingdom. Armag didn't have so much of a focus on literacy.;.. he seemed to prefer the idea of an oral tradition with memorization of the law code that 'readers' could recite... but there was an idea there of a legal code which would give Armag powers and authority more than the usual Kellid war leaders. That was what Dugath was worried about of course, the assumption of such powers by decree. In theory, "He has brought the champions here most likely to support him but has not asked even them to raise their voices in support." What Armag didn't seem to be as interested in were the specifics of some of hte reforms, the hows of production per se... but that was something to consider later.

Eire nodded and looked across to the felt tents gathered by the river and to the herds of animals that were grazing and drinking from the river. This was good pasture land. Choice pasture land, especially since it was likely a simple matter to drive the animals into the uplands to graze them over the winter... Eire doubted that the winters here were particularly harsh. The Branthelnd mountains to the west were probably more so, but here... here he imagined was a fairly mild environment...

As if reading his thoughts or more likely taking in his gaze, "It is good land." He remarked, "Many Tiger Lords have died on it, their blood watered these fields and Armag himself fell in battle against a great tyrant dragon in the time before."

... Eire nodded again, acknowledging the key point. That what had stopped Armag the Conqueror and his campaigns in ancient history had not been Pharasma's church or their supporters. It had been a red dragon unaffiliated with either deity... and he suspected that it was very likely that Dugath had weighedhis decisions based on the legends, and signs and omens and so forth. Dugath in that respect might have have been better informed than most of Eire's own peasantry, or his neighbors... which raised questions of its own, but from the ride here Eire suspected that the Tiger Lords contacts in Numeria extended beyond and north to Mendev. Gwart certainly seemed to know a great deal about the crusader kingdom.

Barbarians were not stupid, and it would have been a mistake to imagine their political systems and society to be simplistic... or that they weren't capable of talking to other people.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
If this had been Shrikewall, they would have ... well there would have been significant differences... if this had been his capital the most immediate differences would have been the grid... but that wasn't to say that it was disorganized. The base ten system by which the nomadic warriors organized their society delineated a series of 'neighborhoods' for lack of a better term regarding the clustering of herds, and workshops and felt tents.

The Tiger Lords had not been here long enough to have established agriculture, nor to establish significant protective works, but there was space to do so. It was a town in the sense that it lacked the complex bureaucracy that Shrikewall as an urban center had... religious diversity in religious establishments in stone had nothing to do with that.

Masonry architecture had nothing to do with that. The great edifice to Gorum's champion was a sprawling structure that descended into the earth, and the hillside, and its footprint was significantly larger than the Cathedral of the Inheritor. It had a much larger footprint... and that reflected their differing conceptions of how society interacted with their major religious buildings.

Dugath lead them into the commons of the barbarian camp. Drelev had been driven from his holdings, but the barbarians kept the hostages without consideration for the change. That was probably just as well given the five hostages still had family living there. But the hooktongue barony was also not Shrikewall... Drelev had never completed the ... indeed had murdered or been complicit in the murder of the Erastilian clergy... the large stone church that would have been his seat's religious center.

Shrikewall's cathedral, and lesser religious institutions meant Eire's court predominated with clergyand laity of note. It was in that if not in the organized aspect thatthe kellid faith in Gorum held similarities. Iomedae's was a church of the sword, and martial fraternity. While it was likely some ofDugath's coreligionists might have been dismissive of the book learning undertaken, and the study of logic, and reasoning they hadmore in common with the way of the sword than they did the effete and courtly rights that had been imported from drelev's urbane taldane imitations of his ancestral lands from brevoy in the north.

Somewhere within the massive structurewas Armag, supposedly seeking Ovinrbaane and to commune with Gorum. As a result a number of Tiger lords and other barbarians waited. The Kellids when they had built the structure had obviously built it for humans, the ceilings were largely a uniform twelve feet high... not nearly tall enough for stone giants... and while the oxidized streaks in the stone walls gave it a macabre appearance looking like blood they also held magical resistance to attempting to transmute them. That nature seemed also to discourage the fey sisters advising Armagfrom venturing into the complex.

"Chieftan Dugath." The nymph remarked her eyes narrowed.

"Witch." He grunted back.

The exchange was a simple and terse onethat largely amounted to the acknowledgement by both parties thatArmag had not returned. The nymphs, not being worshippers of Gorum had been reluctant to follow... which obviously suited Dugath just fine. There was however no requirements, and certainly no force barring non gorumites from entry through the great archway around which the commons had been put up.

There could be no doubting the two nymphs had recognized them. Attempts to maintain that masquerade would have been absurd in the clustering of kellid warriors and the introduction The nymphs didn't not respond... at least not the way Dugath had probably hoped. Eire suspected that the aged warrior had weighed that the nymphs might have potentially broken the guest righto attack them giving him honorable opportunity to kill them before they could confront armag within the sanctuary over that very action... but the two fae made no move to bar their collective entry.

"The challenges within are not sodifficult," Dugath remarked, "But they come from a time inthe people's history where magic was more accepted." That much was clear. Gorum's modern church, at least amongst taldans where there was an organized hierarchy of religious leadership and canon disdained necromancy.

When this temple had been built in the wake of the first armags death... the kellids had no objection to interning their honored dead in a broad and sanctified necropolis with the intention of those skeletal champions being set aside for use in an undead army. Likewise as they passed through the hallways were constructs, golems, and beasts and vermin. Eire half suspected given the lack of resistance that they faced either Armag's presence had disabled most of the traps... or possibly more likely was that this was intended as some Kellid test of kingship or chieftain ...worthiness of leadership that was divinely engaged. It also seemed likely that Dugath had been deeper in the sanctum than he might have implied to Gwart even.

Perhaps demonstrated by his familiarity as they made their way into a chamber dominated by two great flowing fountains. A series of sculptures and frescoes that were replete with tiger lord motifs in decoration but hardly the high art one associated with the likes of brutal nomad barbarian mercenaries. Perhaps once upon a time there had been a culture of art... orperhaps in Armag's day the Tiger Lords had been so expansive that the first Armag had had no trouble rounding up artisans from his conquests to impress them into the service of constructing such edifice.

Dressed in a cloak of roc feathers was the timeless form of a bronze skinned man. His exposed skin painted with woad that was a bright blue, and his armor was dragon hide from a black dragon. "Hail Elder Zorek." Dugath greeted.

The gray haired priest grunted, "You bring blooded warriors upon sacred ground Chieftain, Gorum welcomes all into this hall who bear weapons into battle, and do not shy from standing beneath the harsh light of the sun!" He boomed. It was not a familiar greeting, or sermon, but it was also delivered in Hallit... it almost certainly had a close enough iteration in modern Gorumite professions of faith.

Even so Eire had never heard Gorum associated with a clear solar motif. It wasn't impossible of course and in the Tiger Lords of old... in a bygone age it certainly wasn't impossible for such. Clearly much had changed given that necromantic energy he had sensed as they had made their way through the sprawling hallways.

The exchange in Hallit continued between chieftan and cleric, and Zorek turned his eyes away from Dugath after it concluded. "King in the East then you come to ascertain where your neighbor stands, why do you enter this chamber?"

Eire raised an eyebrow, even if somehow the ancient guardian were ignorant of the army marched across the upplands... which Eire doubted, he had even less reason to suspect that Zorek was ignorant of the stone giants whose height had precluded joining them within the temple. "I come to speak to Armag, to state plainly if he means to make war against me he shall have battle." The hallit translation of draconic was hardly great poetry... a bard he was not... but it was still the truth and that was what the old priest was looking for.

"Young Armag has taken up Ovinrbaane. Talking will accomplish nothing." He replied. "To convince a champion of Gorum you must prove that yours is strength is above all." That was no surprise... not really... it was just poorly timed given the magical word of sending that informed him that Jamandi had gathered a small force of outriders and located a barbarian encampment a few days from Restov that was likely intending to strike the free city soon.

The good news was that Zorek had no interest to bar their way, the interior of the sanctum opened into an ornate chamber dominated by a massive black sarcophagus... the solar motif was here light blazed down from a central octagonal focus in the middle of the room that outright made the room hot.

A heat that the large barbarian did not seem to notice as he stood before the black sarcophagus grasping the great sword.

"Eire," Amiri declared, "The sword, its like mine." She stated, "it has a soul in it."

... well, that was interesting. Thewarning was all that she got off before Armag turned and raised themassive weapon in a salute that looked entirely too easy. Dugath hadalready stepped aside, a gesture mirrored by Zorek. Armag unlike the priest it seemed had no interest in words or polite conversation.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
Amiri's brief time among the tiger lords had been one part honored guest and equal parts captive as well... it was not even that they had been aware of or preparing for the outbreak of hostilities with her own adopted tribe. She had not expected, or seriously considered an alliance with the Tiger Lords. The previous example of Hargulka's Trobold stood forward, as did Armag's poor choice of allies in Pitax and the actions of the city state hung in the wings of any considerations. Still there might have been the chance that Armag would turn east to Numeria. Peace might have been a possibility. Two powerful tribes might decide to simply pass warily around the other if elders or other proven wise ones could turn enough heads. She had counted on that though so much as that Armag intended to make good on the boasts he had made across the past few summers... and indeed had made grand sweeping claims about what he meant to do with Orvinbaane in his grasp.

Amiri had therefore paid attention to the sword, or the topic of it once brought up... and indeed it came up with great frequency.

The nymphs, the scarred witches from the first world had been almost as equally obsessed with it... and the prospect that in exchange for helping Armag secure the ancient weapon he would help them locate another great sword which had longbeen lost to time. She did not consider it spying. The witches were not secretive about such things, at least they had the decency to speak plainly and openly around the fire of what it was they were searching for.

Armag had received tribute of booty and plunder from the forays into Brevoy to the north. Most goods were ceremonial tokens of honor. Taken weapons, and seizures of casks of beer to venerate Gorum in their success. Amiri had seen how the noble, hereditary houses, lineages of Brevoy had venerated their Lord in Iron and Armag's practice was closer to those the Mammorth Lords...it was a more kellid tradition but he was somewhere between those of her own tribe and those of the brevic nobility.

She wouldn't have drawn those comparisons as readily a few years ago, but the time she had spent observing Armag's proclaimed kingdom had given her much to mull over, and patiently observing wasn't so alien to her. Amiri could be patient amidst the carousing, which was what dominated the majority of the time she had spent with the Tiger Lords. There was no denying Armag was strong. He lacked any of the obvious supernatural signs of power that characterized Jaethal or Eire.

Amiri might not have been a god caller and certainly did not wish to be, but she recognized that Armag clearly enjoyed Gorum's favor, but he was far closer to be a formidable mortal warrior than either Urgathoa's favored, Jaethal, or Eire. Both of whom were more inclined to dour moods, Armag could be naturally convivial and gregarious but he was more mercurial... which of course could simply have been a facet of his age.

Armag had been ecstatic to enter where his body his previous body had been laid to rest. He had no trouble with the tests of strength and endurance, nor of questions of strategic thinking that Amiri admitted would have given her pause. They were all of them far more complicated tests than it was to be a chieftain of the mammoth lords. These were the tests of a king.

The land of the mammoth lords and its followings lacked the traditions of kingship in the ways of old kellids from before. The truth was that such practices had fallen out of favor after Baba Yaga had established her kingdom of Irrisen and the more easterly kellid lands had been conquered by Iobarian or Taldane force who had their own ideas of how to rule, even though the Iobarian people were the more similar of the two. At the time though that the first Armag had lived, the Tiger Lords had been the rulers of a powerful confederation of nomadic, and semi nomadic warriors before Taldan ascendancy, and had been able to ready and able to bring foreign traditions to meet their needs.

Armag's tomb had been constructed and built to impress any who looked upon it. At the very heart of the tomb was the inner sanctum of a temple to Gorum. Amiri knew she would never be like Octavia, or for that matter like Nilak, but she had learned to recognize magical phenomenon that he she had seen previously. Or at least similar ones... Armag's grip on the greatsword had been an example of such.

Ovinrbaane could have easily been, before that a magical sword... just a magical sword.

Armag even before, in the few days previous, they had entered the tomb been vocal in how he disliked that Brevoy's king refused to ride down from the north and face him. It was truth that Armag was not physically in Brevoy, but the Suratova dynast had not stirred armies to come to the South's aid. The raids over the border into the rostlandic plain were with impunity. It was also clear that Armag was increasingly dismissive of Pitax as a partner or ally. The kellid warriors had had no shortage of cold iron weapons so when the portals to irrisen had brought hostile winter fey through at the height of what should have been summer Armag's warriors had showed themselves as fighting men.

Armag after seizing Ovinrbaane had shook, convulsed frothed even at the mouth before righting himself standing firm and proud... and ready to face another king in battle.

Armag for his part had not had to wait long within the sanctum of Gorum, which of course provided food and drink for those who waited there.

Amiri had been expecting Eire, but she also expected a much more formidable party. The interior spaces of the tomb were too short for giants, but she had expected Jaethal, and Amvarean to both join Eire, much as they had gone to battle Ilthuliak in the deep depths of the Hooktongue. It was impossible to miss their absence here. Armag had wasted no time before charging headlong. She'd barely had time to get the warning out.

Ovinrbaane glinted its blade hueing red in wave of baleful magic that crashed against the wall as Eire whirled out of the way. The bellowing roar shook the hall as the Tiger Lords war leader turned again, by that point a long silver blade had formed inhis hand. There was no denying Armag was strong, even if Ovinrbaane was not obnoxiously heavy it was still a long piece of sharpened steel and one that should have been more difficult for a normal man, even one six foot and change to swing that easily.

If Armag was surprised at the supernatural alacrity with which Eire moved he didn't show it, and for Eire's part he recognized Ovinrbaane's slash had likely been intended to suppress magic... which Eire doubted would work but it was the exact thing he would have tried in the face of a potent magus or other arcanist.

Armag had no time for words. Just another bellowed shout that shook the walls... and one that this time brought with it the mountain like forming supernatural presence of a watching god. They had Gorum's attention.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
Armag's defiant roar echoed around the sepulcher.

Direct action, the intercession of a god, could take many forms on golarion. Their presence could be made known through any number of ways to which people could become aware. Shrikewall's church of the Inheritor, the nominal national and patron church of the realm had its great success in part because of its immigrants but also because the Cathedral and Royal Churches could demonstrably show they had Iomedae's attention. That as King Eire enjoyed the ear of the goddess, and he had to wonder if Kellid gatherings... if Gorum had made his presence known before this to the assembly of chieftains...

It didn't matter. Gorum probably hadn't made some grand show of giving Armag kingship.

There would have been no reason for the temple full of tests that they had had to make their way through toget down here... and besides Armag hadn't found this place until recently. He'd been assembling his coalition for years if Gorum had confirmed that he was his champion then he still needed to secure his mandate by winning. That was the obvious orthodox position of the faith the Tiger Lords belonged to.

Gorum was more hands on than Nethys, but that wasn't saying much.

The barbarian chief raised the weapon causing to swirl again with chaotic force.

Disrupting magic... it was first time getting a good luck at the weapon.

It was adamantium. Sky metal as it was frequently named. Numeria wasn't that far after all, and Armag had originally been active a thousand years before Absalom's founding and the start of the arodenite calendar. That meant he had lived still three thousand years after the rain of stars ... which itself had occurred a thousand years into the Age of darkness when the Starstone had impacted Golarion.

Armag's weapon was magical, there was no questioning that, but it had been wrought... Eire would have laid treasure that it had been probably made for a giant originally from salvaged material from Numeria's surface and that it had only later come into the first Armag's possession. They too had most likely worshipped Gorum since for its size the markings were those of Gorum. Slayer of all Foes or something to that effect in Hallit or Giantish.

The scrawl was ancient, but the tiger lord motifs were equally undeniable, whether they had been added on Armag's acquisition or if the original giants who had crafted the massive weapon had included the smilodon in that past epoch of history.

Like Amiri had warned him there was asoul buried inside of the blade, a rampaging bestial force snarlingfor the chance to vent its rage. With every swing the soul and the aura around the sword grew a brighter more vibrant red form around the kellid warrior wielding it.

Eire raised a hand. A flight of silver long swords materialized and surged forward slashing at the red aura and biting into the barbarian's skin. The magical blades leaving burns behind where they passed... a sudden familiar recognition. Not of cold iron as a fae of the first world would be vulnerable, but akin to a lycanthrope. Not akin... just not the curse.

The aura bled, shifting from a formless miasma around the barbarian into a shape. A raging dire tiger... a smilodon... a sabre toothed cat of great proportions. Armag's eyes were bloodshot, red feral streaks forming across his cheekbones. The kellid warrior lept wielding the massive adamantine blade through the air with a terrific howl.

Eire moved rather than meet the charge, and Armag crashed into the wall behind him with a great ringing crash as the adamantine weapon reverberated like a gong. Armag's bare feet slammed into the metallic wall, flakes of rust filling the air in a cloud and giving the very air a coppery tinge. The frenzied madness in his expression punctuated by glowing bellicose eyes. The marks on his face having extended to around his bulging biceps, and his forearms.

Armag was merging with whatever was inside of his sword... becoming something more than just a man. There was no sign of rejection, no sign that the lycanthropy was a cursed affiliction, as if the soul inside the sword was reattaching itself like a long separated limb. Armag bellowed and kicked off of the wall, but Eire had already seen one charge.

Tiger faced Dragon.

Orvinbaane flared into a sweeping wave that filled the chamber. A vertical column of divine fire appearing above it and forced the sword into the ground. The flame had no lingering kinetic force so as quickly as the shockwave faded Armagwas already trying to swing it back up and towards him, but at that point more silver long swords had manifested. Orvinbaane's aura tried desperately to corrode them away, but one got through, then three then an increasing number overwhelming the protective shroud biting into the spiritual mass's bestial form and then into the warrior beneath.

Armag as merely a human warlord had been strong. Probably the peak of his age range, a big man, with along history of physical exertion, and hardy living. As an apparently natural dire were tiger blessed by his patron deity they weren't talking human strong man contestant they were talking giant level strength. The fact that there was no curse or disease afflicting him meant that strength couldn't be taken away by magic.

Eire though was no more mortal than, was even less mortal than Gorum's champion. The dire were tiger's fist split his cheek below his eye, and blood erupted into flame. The conflagration did nothing to diminish Eire's own vision, and while Armag's fist bubble under the magical heat, didn't slow in his attacker in trying to raise his sword. Another long sword manifested slamming downward into the middle of the chieftain's foot pinning him to the ground for a moment as Eire slammed a fist into the grinning rictus of the half transformed lycanthrope's face. His other arm looped going to crush the other man into his grasp and moving to sweep him off balance.

They slammed into the floor with enoughforce it would have shattered non magically reinforced stone or other building materials... but in laying down this structure Gorum had clearly expected such a clash to take place. It was built to withstand the battles of such champions. Dust fell form the ceilingas they wrestled, but by turning this into a grapple Eire had eliminated Orvinbaane's threat of extending armag's striking range. Armag could also, or refused to, not release the weapon which lefthim with only arm to effectively strike with, which allowed Eire touse his magic to bolster where he needed... and in this case simply batter Armag against the wall.

A lesser man would have been unconscious if not dead of course. Eire wasn't actually sure that between a barbarian's rage and the lycanthropy he could actually knock Armag unconscious but he was also reluctant to rely on any of the magic he might ordinarily have summoned. The tight confines of sepulcher would have meant his flames would have easily reached any of those not participating in the duel.

Armag bellowed aimed a head-butt that was probably meant for Eire's nose, heedless that a broken nose would have meant more blood which have become fire, if he hadn't ducked his head down to meet him half way.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714
Armag's transformation pushed him well beyond human limits. Even without losing human form, or becoming more readily bestial the war god's blessing made him tremendously strong. Even flailing around Armag left wide pockmarks in the iron ore laden walls of the tomb, but the Tiger Lord chieftain refused to relinquish his death grip on Orvinbaane. That was his mistake. For all Armag's strength his unwillingness to recognize his weapon was a burden meant that for every cut and scrape he managed to inflict inthe grapple was in turn a burn he received as Eire's blood ignited into fire in the air. That was magic, and whatever protection against damage Armag enjoyed it was less effective a protection than it would have been against a man with a sword.

Dugath and his fellow priest of Gorum waited in the wings. Neither cleric would interfere even if Gorum had not been present observing the contest between leaders. Dugath might still have preferred the contest take place beneath the open sky, before all the warriors settled in the hundreds of felt tents around the tomb...

If Armag were defeated here then hisburgeoning absolute power could be checked. Dugath knew there wouldbe those who stayed, but some tribes would depart if Armag's aura of seeming invincibility were shattered. Dugath doubted, from what heunderstood of what Amiri's description of the Eastern King's realm that many kellids would readily accept the territorial monarch astheir war leader unless of course he was suggesting a campaign of hisown.

If that were the case then it was different, but the eastern king had already brought the sniveling Drelev to heel in a swift campaign in the longest days of the year. That prowess was to be respected by all those who practiced arms, but given sedentary rulers it seemed unlikely another campaign would be forthcoming... and that was what Armag had promised to his massing followers. Thus many would depart in hopes of earning booty as free swords in the west or would strike out to attempt to raid north or south on their own.

Most of the eager young warriors would depart. Those, including Dugath himself, who remained would have greater freedom to speak in the circles of equals. To decide their own course of action, but Dugath was not naïve. There were some among the elders, chieftans, and shamans who foolishly believed that Armag would lose any support he enjoyed if beaten. Dugath deemed this unlikely, he had seen far more tyrannical war leaders hold on to power... and he was not without support.

There were warriors who believed their station would be improved by adopting lessons learned from the southern lands, and their people. If Armag survived, as this contest seemed vigorous but not likely to be lethal to either context and underneath Gorum's gaze, then he would still have a following. That was an outcome Dugath could live with.

For Amiri the battering bodies and grapple was perhaps the best resolution of this, besides that she too might have preferred that such a dispute be in the public eye. Shaoyu would have agreed that would have likely been best... it was Gwart who reluctantly disagreed, if only as he put it, "It would in a crowd be too easy for persons to involve themselves." Under Gorum's watch that would be chancy but it would only take the attempt to risk the eruption of riot, or of open fighting, and thus a full onwar between the gathered parties.

That would be the ultimate method of arbitration. Narland had mustered its army in preparation for a full on war, and if needed their numbers could withdraw from the field. Shaoyu was silent that they could also return here if they so desired. Just as the young dragoness silently considered that if they were given battle it was very likely that they could hold the temple long enough to bring reinforcements from Shrikewall and the other great churches to the inheritor pouring martial clerics of the Inheritor, the Avenger, and still other deities to hold this far distant holy site.

Armag's focus in so far as his thrashing could be said to have focus was in trying to break free from what would have been a bone crushing grip. Eire refused to allow that, but recognized that Armag had a better chance of succeeding than his previous strategy... and it would risk the conflict becoming that much more bloody.

The difference was that Eire had the ability to fly. Even partially transformed the divinely ordained champion of Gorum did not have the ability to fly, and so there was a potential option there... unless of course being a dire were tiger insured that Armag always landed on his feet. Eire doubted that, but it was also the sort of thing he wouldn't readily put past Gorum's blessing... or that Armag had had the foresight to actually be in possession of a magical item conveying feather fall. Even among Armag's bellowing, and the bone rattling impacts as they crashed and dashed into walls and the ornate floor of the sanctuary he was cognizant that the world he dwelled in, and had these past years would offer magical protection... though he was also aware that Armag had also taken no protection, no precautions against fire.

It was that oversight that was perhaps most which was causing the barbarian chieftn to flag, and to considertrying to break free of the envelopment. Armag knew he that he was encumbered by his great sword, and that if he was to have any hope of victory he would either have to release it and focus fully on the context of strength, or he would have to break free and turn this into a conflict of blades. Even then, even with Orvinbaane free to be used Armag might have taken too many burns and was too winded for that to decisively carry against Eire.

It did not stop him from trying to do so. Armag had never willingly surrendered, or accepted defeat. Not in this life, and not previous. The Tiger Lord fought on his muscles bulging Gorum's blessing starting to manifest into the hybrid form finally. The transformation and the growth made the grapple untenable, and forced his hand. Eire took to the sky in a burst of speed the whipped the air as he flew up over the black sarcophagus and into the streaming sunlight that entered the ancient chamber.

They hurtled into the sky until Eire could see the bend in the river and the small fires of the camp and then he flipped and hurtled down into the grazing pastureland away from the majority of the kellid tents. There was still the risk of casualties and uninvolved parties, but no longer in the tomb Eire had no qualms calling forward a corona of solar flame to envelop his body as he plunged back down to the ground.
--
Notes: formatting Correction pending, we will wrap up Lamashan 4714 finally in the next update.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lamashan 4714 Conclusion
Even though it was now late in the year, and though rains had not yet turned to snow but it was around the corner, and would have dissuaded most feudal armies from marching as the peasants were needed to make repairs, and winter proof their homes and slaughter and smoke excess herds to make it through the cold dark months of the year.

It wasn't quite the same for the Kellids not bound to small estates. They were much more mobile, and not tied to the land or civilities of a campaigning season.

The assembled tribes had no shortage of warriors, and clerics who had seen battle. Most all, indeed closeto everyone in the population had seen battle at least from afar, andcertainly seen its aftermath that prepared them for some of thenoise, for the strangeness of signs in the sky above them... but for most they had never see the conflict on this scale.

Orvinbaane knew its owner. The great sword returning from where it had sunk into the river, and that had allowed Armag a fighting chance since Orvinbaane allowed him to deflect at least some of the columns of heavenly fire that the multiple flame strikes reigned down as Eire mounted the assault no longer having to consider potential collateral. That Armag was a furious rampaging hybrid well was not necessarily to the Tiger Lord's advantage either.

It would only occur later, that Gorum had allowed them to depart the surroundings they had begun the battlein. Perhaps because he was taking Armag with him as he flew, and thus was not abandoning the fight, or perhaps the god had had no intention of limited the fight to the confines of the sacred space.

Armag was free of the grapple, but no longer had, or demonstrated none of his ability to think as he rampaged... and Eire merely raised a hand floating above the bank where the river bent. Fire burned from his finger tips. It was no trouble at all to unleash the spell. More columns of divine fire rained, Orvinbaane raised to parry and cut through the onslaught...but it cost him nothing to maintain the barrage even as it buffeted the chieftan hither and dither.

The Kellid War leader swung for thefences, furious and desperate to land a blow and draw blood. The great sword offered some protection so long as Armag's instincts were one with the artifact then he could cut through spells. Even with superhuman reflexes the Tiger Lord simply couldn't react fast enough to the spell fire, and he couldn't close with an opponent who could fly rather than was dependent on running and jumping.

Eire had no qualms pressing that advantage in mobility as he blurred into the open air, Armag could have cut through still higher level spells. Eire had access to other magiks, but Flame Strike was so second nature, so intrinsically associated with Clerics and the Monarchy of Narhold it flew from his hands or tore through the air from silver longswords conjured around him as if by instinct.

The corona of flame burned through the overcast sky of the waning afternoon. Bits of steam forming as sunshine penetrated rainclouds that would have been an afternoon shower. It was amidst a sudden muggy embrace that Shaoyu and Amiriwere able to land among the slowly advancing, careful strides, of the stone giants moving towards the river bank. The wizened priest ofGorum who had met them within the sanctuary of the tomb followed flying under his own power. Dugath, and the remainder no doubt having to make their way by foot back to the entrance.

Armag struggled on. Defiant, but fatigue and exhaustion took their toll.

Orvinvbaane absorbed the blows it could. Long swords struck, raining from the heavens until the dire were tiger more strongly resembled a porcupine. A storm of swords that showed no sign of ceasing and Armag's supernatural regeneration began to falter, leaving an opening as his speed slipped away. Eire struck, descending as a flaming meteor again that tore into the earth as he descended kicking Armag meters away from his great sword and leaving the concussed barbarian chieftain unconscious and pinned under a mass of broken river stone and uplifted earth.

That was it, Eire stood alone on the river bank bloodied, scraped, bruised, but almost whole. Certainly far more intact than his opponent. The stone giant elder strode forward, the druid glancing to the flying cleric of Gorum and nodded, "Your chieftain will live."

"Yes." He replied in giantish, "This is so. Gorum is fulfilled by this conclusion." The priest declared as more people from the mass of felt tents began to congregate around the devasted bend in the river. Some of Armag's closest companions moved to help the unstirring war leader back to his own tent.

There was no hostilities apparent. Even without intercession between clerics, or elders the broader population at large had no interest in disputing the outcome of a conflict between divine champions or their own disputes. No one was prepred to confront Eire or his companions over the fight... which left really little to do. While no doubt Restov might have liked if he would have ordered his small army to lay waste to the camp, Eire was not here to fight Restov's war for it... though that was likely to still involve itself.

More pressingly what he wanted for a kellid acknowledgement of his realm, even if not necessarily the territory that would have constituted the last of the four planned, sponsored, baronies in the northern river kingdoms. That would however have to wait, Armag was unconscious, and while had the opportunity to dictate terms a more binding option would present itself if he held talks later and with a council of the various leadership. Armag and Dugath would need to be present... and, "We need to rejoin Amvarean," He told Shaoyu, "any discussions with the Tiger Lords, or determinations of where we stand can wait until we can concentrate the whole force." It wasn't impossible that the Kellids had draconic speakers, but it was a quick statement to outline what he meant to do... which was not to overstay their welcome.

The Gorumite Holy Site was here and thus he could exercise it as an assembly point for the army, but for now he would need to rejoin his half of the force with that Amvarean had split off to ride north east across the Rostlandic plain.
--
Notes: We proceed to the wrap up of the year, with the Battle of Restov clearing the field, and then the conclusion in late Kuthona of Narland's festivities of state.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Kuthona 4714
It had taken several days of marchafter relocating the army from Armag's tomb, and the sprawled Kellid settlement that had grown around it after rediscovery to make their way into the outskirts around Restov. That had entailed marching from Olegton, and the reminder of its comparative lacking of ecclesiastical facilities, but at least it had easy access to the South Rostlandic road. Eire understood that he was rolling the dice. That it was possible that Armag might choose to muster his supporters and leverage for an attack... but he doubted it. He was banking that the show of power between the two would keep the Tiger Lords from committing to an offensive against Narland while he swung north east to join Amvarean and lift the siege of Restov so that they could retire for the winter... and if come spring ... well Spring would be a new year.


Eire had no objection of waiting until the spring thaw. If Brevoy did nothing over the winter months, made no effort to be prepared for hostilities then he would wash his hands of the affair, and focus on his own northern frontier, for now though they maneuvered through the later afternoon twilight. "The restov camp?" He questioned.

"Not far my king," The horseman acknowledged, his common taldane accented heavily. Amvarean's iobarian retainers had fanned out screening the flanks and motions of the host. "The Aldori are skulking in the woods." His intended meaning was probably less negative than the translation, at least from his body language.

The Aldori position was at least well chosen. Jamandi had chosen a rise overlooking the plain, the trees obscured observation of her position, but her lookouts could spy from the westerly approach and see that and the south... though even withthe low light vision of elven parentage Eire doubted that spyglasses were especially useful at the distances the plain extended to so latein the year, and at the present hour. The Aldori had however had the good sense to establish their observation post without streaming brevic banners from low heights of the hill, and thus there was little chance of their position being detected by happenstance.

If the Kellids were smart they too would have deployed outriders, and scouts ahead of the main line of advance, but the Tiger Lords had had only limited cavalry. Not that the Aldori seemed to have committed much in the way of mounted troops either. Restov which lay silhouetted by the free city's walls sat there. The rain of the last weeks of the month previous had come and as peasants had sought shelter behind those walls been churned to muck... but only on limited approach to the city's gates, of which there were several on this side alone. Neither Restov's town militia or the approaching tiger lords formed a significant bulk of their numbers with troops ahorse.

As it was, counting the assembled Nomen centaur contingent Eire placed his hoofed ranked at upwards of sixty percent of his available strength. One in ten of his ranks were clerics of the Inheritor or paladins or clerics from churches supported by the crown. Of the leg infantry assembled that forty percent the majority of those were in heavy armor. That was important to his strategy, as he had invested the abandoned Fort Serenko, with the bulk of the clergy spending time converted the old border fort into a place of the faith. He had drawn his stone giants to bring up heavy river stones and build breast works.

Serenko would never be in the same style of his Imperial Core's churches, the great timbers raised to support the roof, and the expansion of the palisade were more Iobarian in character, and less masonry driven... but it was holy ground all the same. A scratch force had been left behind to hold the site, but their orders had been to signal to Shrikewall if seriously faced with a challenge from the Tiger Lord bands operating in the Rostlandic plain.

With an abundance of outlying farms, hamlets, thorpes, and the larger settlements that filled the plain the barbarians had made no attempts ... in fact that was little evidence of their use of the South Rostland Road, and no attempt seemed to have been made to strike Nivakta's crossing on the Shrike River. That was a small mercy of course.

Eire directed the horse force to move into its shielding wing. By preference he would have liked to havehad the Shrike in front of him. Restov had been built north of the Shrike originally and it had grown over the centuries even as Taldor declined to encompass the South Rostland road that had been laid north of the river's rapid course through the land. Eire would not have been surprised if any pickets or partisans reporting to the aldori misidentified his massing horsemen with their emphasis on fast ponies and bows from the steppe as likely tiger lord confederates. Thus far none of his rank had been attacked, and thus they had been able to advance in good order, and without delay.

"This will not do," Amvarean remarked as they moved north and then west, and then north again navigating the approach of the hill. The dragoness was right of course, the Aldori were swordsmen, and fine ones certainly. Their retainers were largely more of the same, with some light spearmen, and handfuls of household guard with axes. The Aldori spanned the races common to Brevoy, orc, human, elf, and dwarf such was Sirian's legacy of adoption.

Jamandi must have gathered at least some volunteers for her expedition from other segments of the city.There were clerics of Pharasma and the Church of Erastil present. Then there were some slim pickings of bravos and craftsmen who had armed themselves, but Abadar didn't seem especially well represented. It was true that the half elf would likely put up a daring and spirited defense, and had a thin materiel advantage, the boon of operating closer to her lines of supply but that meant far less than those advantages might convey in other times.

The result of any battle here on the plain was likely a bloodletting. Even a victory at the tactical level might be a strategic defeat if it only drew more barbarian attention to Restov. "It will not," He agreed in draconic at their horses continued to make their way up the slope. Jamandi had posted thin lines of pickets, but even gathered together a decisive result was unlikely to be achieved from their numbers. Eire had no flying cavalry, no griffin knights or spell casters mounted upon rocs or still other impressive demonstrations to make. "If Jamandi is lucky she can prevent a break through of Restov," Even if she were defeated out of sight from Restov's walls then the other Aldori might still ferment a defense until a large enough barbarian host could levy an assault, but if her force was overrun and a retreat attempted to withdraw into the city, the Tiger Lords might well be able to push through and seize a gate in the chaos.

"The Tiger Lords brought hill giants with them." Amvarean observed, "The gates may not be enough, they may not need to weight."

Already the thin curtain of brevic men were eyeing his close retainers with concern. Nervous at the stone giants, and their massive primeval elk mounts. He caught the skaldic loan word of Jotun, from a few men as the congregated in a mass that while it reassured them would have have made them easy prey in a fight. As it was the hill giants might ordinarily have bowled holes in the lines of restov's defenders by hurling stones from their slings to devastating effects... that was one of the things that Eire had become... accustomed to in the world he lived in. "We will keep our own close," He stated, and did not continue with what he had been about to say regarding their strategy as burnished steel breastplates, and bright red stood out among the fur lined cloaks of the Aldori standing at the copse of trees near the summit. "Direct the army to prepare to array for battle." He ordered the dragoness, if the kellids, and aldori had not begun skirmishing they would do so soon. Eire dismounted from the horse handing the reins to a more junior cleric in his ranks who had dismounted quickly as Amvarean turned to move back the way they came. "You are not behind Restov's walls, Jamandi, that is imprudent given the equality of numbers my scouts have observed."

The half elf Aldori blustered some, and indeed her rhetoric made sense for an Aldori, a member of Milani's church to stand and fight, even if it made little tactical sense...there was honor involved certainly but the barbarians on an open field would have been a mess, "Without reinforcements it would be a near thing," She conceded, "But you're here."

He was... and apparently so to was Natala Surtova, but without a royal guard, or force of troops to reinforce the free city. "So I am, I directed you thrice to rally troops, this is a pittance," He reproved, ignoring the bristling of young bravos, who were decades Jamandi's junior "And will not serve you well, you will form on my eastern flank, I will bring my nomen foederati around to my western wing," He had never intended to have the Nomen on the side of the army nearest the Free City's walls, Amvarean's Iobarian horse lords... the human ones would have the dragoness minding them... but there was still the chance they could still be mistaken. "We will force the Tiger Lords to battle, and we will there after retire for the winter."

If Jamandi had been prepared to protest his dictates as her younger 'cousins' among the Aldori were preparing to do, that was itself curtailed as a gnomish cleric of Pharasma began to rapidly whisper to the half elf... no doubt relaying her observations of the composite of his retinue... and the banners which streamed from his gathered ranks.

As for the Surtova observer, it was irrelevant, he was here to secure his northern frontier from raiding parties, and any monstrous confederates the kellid warriors might have gathered to their own ranks.
--
Notes: This became a two parter, and I will fix the formatting shortly.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Kuthona 4714
Surrounded and deep in the formation the heavy infantry were all in black uniforms under a deep gray sky the approaching midday sun occluded by clouds. An easy solution, Eire had not needed to emphasize camouflage, for which a gray or green would have worked nearly as easily when it came to industrial dye making. The provisions which he had allocated and supported for the march were enough, they were a natural outgrowth of Shrikewall's cloth industry. He longed to return home to Narland, and to his milltowns even now.

Nylon was beyond him of course. Cotton had to be imported from Osirion, but that was surprisingly easy, especially as it could be then re exported as a finished cloth or even as garments back to the Inner Sea for a profit. The water powered spinning machines were under royal control and organizations and it allowed him to manage a trade. For the army it meant the ability to produce uniforms, and for the crown at large providing clothes to royal employees and subjects in the service of the crown.

The retinue spread itself ahead of the largely denuded landscape. Centuries of Taldane farmers around Restov had driven their oxen in long rows across the shared communal farms. The fertile plain with its ready access to water had allowed the commons to support the city that had expanded even as Taldan Imperial power receded from the region. What that meant was that in the intervening centuries and without a strong imperial order to exercise control, most of the farmsteads had sprawled outward, there was little order to the landscape as the population had expanded tocarve out new farms and toss up homes.

It made all together sense why despite being a free city Restov was a sight of Erastil's worship and less so Abadar... and why Pharasma was important to the locals. Also, that Brevoy's relative lack of quariable stone precluded abundant masonry architecture given those limited sources had to be shipped over the country side which had few roads, and even fewer good ones.

It was a gray late morning, of poor light, and windy. The horse mounted archers which comprised the bulk of his mounted forces were mounted upon light steppe ponies. If it began to rain, Eire expected that he would need to keep his heavier horse in reserve, but largely break an offensive he didn't see the barbarians... no, the kellids coming from the west able to successfully make.

Amvarean had vouched for the Iobarians for the White Scars tribe, and for those more southern whirling dervishes whose people were coreligionists of Tristian. Not that he'd necessarily needed the silver dragon to do so. His greater concern was the discipline of the formation to actually do what he needed to do particularly if he couldn't commit heavier horses to the field without overly serious concerns of the ground washing down. He intended to keep his heavy infantry in the core of his formation. Amvarean's gathered horsemen however wore the same uniform trousers and jackets and breast plates even if their banners remained those of clan and kin. If one were watching from the protective curtain walls of the free city while a mass of black their banners were those of iobarians and their horses swift small mounts.

In contrast to their ranks were the heavier horse. Lancers, and men with swords, and maces atop much heavier mounts. Their banners were those of Ragathiel, Iomedae, and supplemented by others including a small gathering of knights of the godclaw here to stand in defense of the faith. An offer Eire had accepted even if he didn't really see how this could be construed as a holy war, or that Iomedae's church was under threat from Gorumite worshipping Kellids gathered under the tiger lords.

Further bolstering the ranks of the heavy horse were the stone giants atop their great primordial elks. They were fewer still in number than his heavily armed priests, but their size and their raised totems made the heavier formation of cavalry much resemble to the untrained observer a mix of the nomadic, and barbarian folk mixed in with a gathering of civilized southern arms. The great volume of horseflesh though, and its preponderance in composition of his ranks made his core look smaller than it was. It gave the impression his iobarian numbers were larger than they were, even though yes, his troops mounted were the majority of his force.

"It is a sizable nomadic force," Less than a tomen of course, but the chieftain who had moved to reave through Restov's country side in anticipation of the wealth of the fall harvest had probably plowed some force that size at the beginning into the rostlandic plain, and most of that number was now threatening to place the free city under siege. "They're congregating may push them further still," Amvarean declared. If they waited a few more days, and battle wasn't joined the Tiger Lords might exceed seven thousand men. "The scouts say some thousand men joined them today," That was expected to be an accurate number for the banners observed two separate gatherings of five hundred men split into a left and right flank moving eastward towards them.

That would complicate the situation if those troops which were still in the enemy's rear were brought up into close ranks with the vanguard of the enemy. He did not want the enemy to be able to commit its reserves, but he also did not want them to be able to mount an effective retreat, "Do you believe Restov capable, or even willing to run them down if we allow them to flee?"

"No, I do not." Amvarean replied.

"We will attack, if they escape us we will not pursue. I will not have the army strung out over miles this far north," He ordered. "Sound the horn, and signal the wing to move to within arrow's flight." His infantry had the advantage of brass pipes, and drums to arrange commands. You could not readily organize cavalry like that, not with brass drawing and forming for instruments like the trumpet currently beyond their means. The command to direct the horse archers issued with a sharp note, and then a long call... perhaps too much like a moose, but unsurprising given the birch wood for which the horns had been made.

It took minutes for the joined ranks to begin to move. The ground was as he had noted was churned by the laden wagons that had retreated to the city's wall. Other horns called preparing the other wing of the army to assemble itself in preparation for the call that it would drive on. The clusters of horse were based into groups of ten, the same with the nomadic infantry they were opposing. They didn't march. The kellids were already in a loose formation and been covering the landscape around them in long lines of advance... it provided them some incidental protection against archery but that was a coincidence.

It also wasn't especially great protection as the light horses rode across their flank in a sweep crossing and then bringing their rain across. Part of his eastern flank would push within, as close as, thirty or forty yards as they moved between the Tiger Lords and the distant city wall. Those horsemen would continue to ride north, where upon eventually the White Scar tribesmen would round perhaps a mile beyond the enemy to reassemble. The tactical effort was to either distract the enemy or if the enemy became enveloped, that was to say subject to being rained divine fire upon by his heavy infantry to then harass their rear ranks with another number.

It was that which he had been concerned to ask Amvarean if the horse lords could manage, the coordination from that. He intended to make use of such things as the parthian shot, of course. It was too useful a tactic to ignore, but he also suspected that the steppe nomads strategy would be well known. It went by a different sobriquet here on golarion but the loosing of arrows as one rode away from the enemy's numbers was known to Avistan's eastern lands prone to facing the steppe people on their ponies.

The rain looked as if it would hold off, but he couldn't be sure of that. If it did break that way he would make one decision, and if it didn't he'd make for another. If the Kellids charged the Aldori on one flank, they would have to come across his center mass... if they pushed for the center he would bring them into close order... and his priests would push down the hill reigning flame strikes while his druzhina like heavy cavalry would run them down, driving the tiger lords with the lance.

That would prove likely decisive.

"We will see what they do now."He remarked adjusting his grip on the reins of his horse, as he surveyed the moving body of horseflesh as they pitilessly released their arrows into the front and middle ranks of the enemy. This harassment of their numbers could take potentially hours, or the enemy could fall back or advance swiftly and make the whole battle a matter of hours. They had to wait to see what the kellid chiefs would choose to do... but from the calls, and wild hooting of the enemy ranks, the first mass of tiger lords was going to advance and chase after the lighter wing of the cavalry that was moving across the farmland... and if they did that then they would separate out, the van coming too far forward to b e supported by their middle ranks, never mind the most recently reported arrivals at the enemy's rear. "But I am reminded, that a great chancellor and statesman once remarked that the great questions of the day are answered by iron andblood." Eire turned his quicksilver eyes around the ranks of gathered black cassock clad priests. "We must be decisive here gentlemen, secure a victory and return home. A lengthy campaign is not to be desired,"

The front rank of his heavy infantry was to be supported by unengaged clerics providing healing, and support by magical means... and if it came to it the army could be recalled back to what had been Fort Serenko or further afield back in the Imperial Core. The kellids by comparison if they broke here would have a long march back westward.

 

[Imperator Pax]

21 Kuthona 4714
The shrike's fast flow kept the river traversible. The tuskwater dotted with ships below the capital's promontory as bell tolled. Today was the festival of Wintersun. Unique to the National Church of the Inheritor of the Kingdom of Narland. From the towers, and steeples of martial buildings, and the churches banners streamed against the gray sky of winter, and the hard sunlight of a relatively chill day. Eire could not take the time to attend the winter festival and throngs of men and women in the streets. The snowfall in abeyance.

The Church of Aroden had had a patriarch, and a center of the faith at west crown, who had stood foremost among its ranks. That was not one of the traditions inherited by the faith upon Aroden's death by Iomedae's church. There was no single unified church of the Inheritor but rather many individual national, and regional clerical institutions of signiifcant power, and influence and today was a reminder of that. Cheliax, Andoran, Absalom, the great crusader states, and the border regions in between them all had local church leadership. Eire sipped the mead, and looked over the map, if there was any aspect of the sword goddess the nascent Church of Iomedae of the Kingdom of Narland that stood foremost it was her role as goddess of civilization.



Civilization in the sense of urban dominated, rule of written law, complex economic structure civilization... not the more generic a collection of people with a distinct culture. The rule of law was important, more importantly legal transparency and confidence in the system were important because they would support reciprocity. Urban in that Eire was not dependent on feudal gentry and their estates in a military sense. "The recent unpleasantness will require us to make certain developments within the countryside." Specifically the first... well railway was technically accurate but not in the sense of being self propelled. They'd use external horse driven power and the actual steam engines would be in the mines, but the rails themselves were intended to bring goods en masse to the river ways and down into the Kamelands and the capital region. "We will construct fortified blockhouses," Storehouses and fall back points on the edge of plains and steppes.

The difference from what he had shown to Maegar was that this railway network was more in line with actual carriage beyond just the area of extraction. This would go to towns. The Kameland urban area of planning was intended to cover ten and twenty square mile areas of preplanned urban settlement to support long term national development by stockpiling ores for smelting...they were the sort of thing unlikely to be targeted for the theft in the way cattle might be.

They still were dependent on cotton imported from Osirion to produce finished clothe, and from the surveys that wasn't likely to change but urban planning in the kamelands suggested that mulberry, and tea trees could both be cultivated alongside apiary produced honey... he had ideas for commodities but it would take time to set up, so they needed a well developed internal transportation network, and something that could transport goods overland from waterways, and to the rivers. Such a scenario of planning was feasible in the Kamelands but not so much for the Dunsward... they'd need more capital investment...

The problem was that 'recent unpleasantness'.

The papers ruffled. Paper documents were another emphasis for which Narland did not share with Brevoy, nor Mendev.

Today's gathering was being done with only part of the body of the council. Part of those w others who would otherwise attend or sit in. "The barbarians wouldn't know what to make of this sort of thing anyway... but," Valerie looked around. Kassil Aldori was absent, he had returned from Restov and he could sit in on the meeting once as Valerie hinted, Armag, and the other barbarian chiefs arrived... but it was complicated. Thankfully Maegar wouldn't be here until tomorrow, and Aecora Silverfire would be arriving from the east as well. Tomorrow's meeting would include the Numesti household, and Arsinoe from the Church of Aroden, and a growing list of others...

... but that expanded list represented part of the problem.

"Do we have some idea as to the population?"

Jubilost had wanted to dismiss a grand confederation claim of three hundred thousand... what would have been roughly equivalent to the Germanic migration invasion of the quote unquote 'dark ages' of earth... the problem was that Armag Twice Born had through various means invited a variety of different clans, and tribes, and ethnic groups both Avistani Kellid groups, and Iobarian nomadic horse lords to at least hear him out.
Three hundred thousand was high, but it wasn't outlandishly so for a great steppe confederation in the historical sense... not when it was drawing from Numeria, the land of the mammoth lords, as well as the eastern steppes... and possible the north from the world wound sarkorsis tribes as well... the same tribes whom Eire was in the process of attempting to relocate south, to ameliorate the great humanitarian crisis of a hundred year long crusade against a portal to the abyss in the material plane.


Eire wasn't particularly worried about carrying capacity. England at the time of Caesar until the Norman conquest had comfortably been able to sustain a population of a million and a half, it was only by the time of the norman conquest, and in particular the increased centralization that those conquests had brought that that population had begun to grow again. Brevoy was agriculturally productive for how primitive its early medieval farming institutions were, but that was nothing compared to the productivity that the Kamelands Royal farms and the broad grass pasture land could support with proper management. He simply needed to create the structures to establish stability, to be able to promise stability from people migrating from the perceived declining stability of the inner sea realms.

He had no interest in getting into a border dispute with Mivon, he certainly didn't want to accidentally instigate one by trying to encamp a large barbarian population in the southern kamelands and rely that they'd recognize that the importance of not crossing the Little Sellen River, which formed the greographic boundary in the south east... a border which he wasn't quite respecting in the far east either. The truth was Mivon's real eastern boundary of influence was the town of Jovvox.

He couldn't settle any perspective barbarians in the slough... and truthfully with the conflict with the marsh giants resolved he was hoping to convince the river giants to pledge fealty and with the boggard and bog strider insect folk open the slough up to potential polders for rice cultivation.

"The uplands," Valeriesuggested, reiterating again the point they had discussed. "With lawful overlordship over three of the four charters, the realm has made facto claim to the glenebon highlands all the way to the west. It is unpeopled, and reaches all the way to Numeria." The former paladin of Shelyn remarked matter of factly. The only downside to that was that the Tiger lords had launched across that frontier to raid the lebeda lands to the north which had started the avalanche of the brief war... but it was also in close enough proximity to the Tomb of Armag, which was a great holy site of the Gorumite faith now that it had been found.

Admittedly unlikely some faiths merely holding the site wasn't likely to be a massive pilgrimage site... in the traditional financial sense of holding such... but it would likely be an impressive claim to fame and power regardless of the general Gorumite tenets of living in the now. There was still an appeal to ancient victories, it was nature. There was no gorumite pontifex maximus though, never likely would be the gorumite church was not going to intercede regardless how popular it was among Brevic noble houses to stop the barbarians. It wasn't what the church was in its tennants.

The end of the year was around the corner, and what Eire expected in the new one was that once spring came again that there would be a renewed flurry of activity. Now would be the time to plan for that. It was for that reason he needed the council gathered. It was why he had assured Maegar that he would expand the road to Varnhold. His idea was roman in nature, but interchangeable with the Taldane road construction of the empire that had likewise declined into its dotage.

More than that though, were the numbers of reports. Jubilost had wanted to dismiss the number of the confederation and most would likely remain beyond his borders, but Eire had the more pressing issue of a kingdom that even without migration from Mendev's slums was already more than a million settled in his imperial core. The spring of the coming year was going to be a great work to reinforce his kameland expanse and the sprawls of farms and settlements around the great lakes of the kingdom... which would mean including the Hooktongue and House Numesti in the coming year. "Yes with overlordship secured we can lay claim to the Glenebon... though I would not be so hasty in calling it unpeopled, Valerie." He replied, and turned to look at Amvarean, who had warned him already that if the confederation broke some where likely to move west into Numeria, and others would likely seek money and food from Pitax to his south. "I want to fortify the Silstrand River, and western reaches of the Hooktongue," And that labor would likely come from the monstrous races of the bog, of all alignments really. There was hope that with Ilthuliak slain, and her tributaries no longer obstructing the East Sellen that trade might reopen along the northern reaches of the East Sellen River, but that would depend on if Brevoy's useless sovereign raised his chain.

That was deemed unlikely... and given the penchant for usurious tolls and fees on river traffic that passed through points controlled by Issian lords it might not even be worth it. The numesti overlords of the domain might be better off buying and selling goods south down the great river than trying to trade with Brevoy.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Spring 4715
The city around them was already awash with visitors even inspite of the sheets of rain coming down, which was itself a reminder. Jaethal as Royal Counselor was not without its share of controversy. Part of it simply came from the controversy of being an elf it made things awkward her history with the Kingdom of Kyonin down the river... but many were not wholly comfortable with Urgathoa's hand selected chosen...regardless of how silent a goddess she was.

Eire frankly found it less troubling for that reason. Urgathoa was no more talkative than frankly Gorum or Nethys. Churches of whom were far more represented within the conclave of religious institutions which comprised the kingdom and who enjoyed much greater popular support. For Jaethal it was a little more startling that the gods actually listened when Narland's king spoke. The Kellid shamans, and clerics of Gorum had acknowledged the contest of kings as having held the lord in iron's attention... which was of course useful in that it likely would make her job easier in terms of peacemaking... even if she did not look forward to the discussions to come.

For Valerie as Chancellor... she found herself in an equally unenviable position of being separated from a church that was quick to see, to curry favor with the kingdom and its people. The success of the late fall campaign only redoubled that. Shelyn's clergy had little interest in losing ground, in terms of pursuing royal favor to Gorum given the prevalence of the latter both among the Kellids as well as being one of the more common faiths among the Brevic aristocracy.

"They needn't be so concerned,"Jaethal remarked with a bored condescension to the observation of the clergy's concern, "Shelyn's churches are more likely to find themselves appealing to those who arrive from the Inner Sea." The kingdom was predominantly urban, with noble feudatory ranks few and far between. The western Hooktongue domain, and Varnhold had far clearer brevic roots, and traditions, but were dwarfed by the influx of migrants who had settled and without Chelish authorities to dissuade or outright discriminate against the church and its artists were likely to attract the urban crowds in throngs.

Clock towers tolled in the morning even through winter and had made it feasible for construction to be organized, and that meant roads were laid to create houses in rows made from bricks. Those homes in turn made it feasible to raise theaters to attract townsfolk to the performing arts, and galleries to show compositions, carefully erected gardens and public spaces for beer, and bards in the open air. It was not something that the Crown directly organized at that point, Valerie knew that the row houses, and the clock towers some purpose and created neat orderly districts of the townsfolk without requiring walling sections off... which given the pace of growth would have quickly sprawled beyond such borders ... but the crown had left the organization of art, and theater and music to the newly settled populations.

All of that work was less interesting to the Kellids. Or to Gorum's church who had little need for theking's printing presses which produced en masse the liturgy and tracts for the church. Eire had spoken also in support of formal institutions of learning, but Jaethal suspected regardless of what opportunities Eire might have viewed as possible with the influx of refugees and such, but Jaethal half suspected that the majority of them being humans had caused him to potentially overlook the differences of those who weren't.

As as part of the Kingdom's Council Jaethal, and Valerie both were privy to announcement aimed at a formal education system, a compulsory education system. For half elves, and humans that would have been one thing, even for dwarves and orcs it might be feasible but it was clear it had been developed with humans in mind... and even then called for mandatory education within the realm's urban domains.

What was worse for Jaethal was that it struck her as one of those good idea's that dragons all immediately latched on to because of course the dragons had agreed with the proposal. The cyclopean lich had also concurred, separately, as the printing press prepared new text books for use even if it wasn't an explicitly magical curriculum it still suggested the ability to support the burgeoning literate population. That a majority of publications, including the church liturgy were in draconic was likely to insure most of the educated townsfolk would have passing familiarity with the language was already likely to be complemented by the familiarity of the language among sorcerers; who were the most prevalent of arcanists far outstripping wizards except in the townships around Candlemere where the ratios were closer.

It was the sort of detail that Jaethal kept track of. What she had been less prepared to contend with was the volume of numbers. A detail that while had been discussed had exceeded all reasonable expectations... and Eire had made clear that he intended to encourage Mendev that it was in their interest to evacuate the slums that had grown up around the crusader strongholds in the face of the Fifth Crusade's explosion of violence. The eruption of the 5th​ Mendevian Crusade had been a focus on the Church of Narland up until the incursion of the eastern wing of Armag's horde into southern Brevoy that had culminated in the siege of Restov. As it was even now, Jaethal was privy to the internal discourse and letters sent by the church abroad as well as their part of the mobilization for the war which had stretched into the expedition of late fall that taken the army assembled from the highlands into the Rostlandic plain, and the environs around the Free City of Restov.
What had previously been the focus of domestic policy, and foreign policy, were now forced to contend with other matters... Jaethal recognized that the burgeoning urban population wanted, whether or not the Chancellor was keen on it, the church of Sheylns... it was not much different from how the Church of Pharasma's presence had been desired in the Varnhold to the west...and Jaethal recognized that Eire was quite likely to nudge the Osirion congregation to manage the Pharsmin churches within the hooktongue.

With the spring rains and the thaw approaching its zenith she expected that monarchy of Narland would announce the next round of objectives, and that, "He means to meet with the barbarians as well." The blonde remarked interrupting Jaethal's ordering of her own thoughts. "We will likely face issues from Restov."

That was true, and most probably in oraround the approaching spring equinox. That Armag wasn't deadreminded her of the resolution of the situation with Hargulka, but it also wasn't identical. Hargulka had had a great many trolls, and more now, as well as gathered other supporters but he had not had as long to bring themunder his banner. If Hargulka had been allowed the time to build uphis ranks it was likely he would have branched out to recruiting barbarian tribesmen or trying to contest overlord ship of theboggards or other swamp dwelling giants... but Hargulka had not hadthe time to do htat... and Armag had had existing kellid tribes tocall upon to gather up into his horde. "Let the bravos grumble,"Jaethal murmured in a dark low tone, the truth was the young Aldorifor in contrast to her the half elf sword lord was young "Jamandiwould have done well to heed her elders caution."

"I didn't believe you supported his majesty's intent to break bread with Armag and the Tiger Lord Chieftans?"
"I support his decision," Jaethal replied, "I simply expect there to be misunderstandings, and that Amvarean's eastern horse lords may yet cause us further confusion."

Valerie found that she didn't disagree. The Iobarians had been a presence on their southern, and southeastern grasslands as the monarchy had established the estates for royal horses, and there had been talk before the Varnhold crisis when the undead Cyclops had stirred but Amvarean's presence along the shores of the lake had changed things. Ilthuliak's demise had also kept the peace with the Iobarians... and if Valerie were honest had likely been the defining event which had kept the shamans, for whom Vordakai was tolerant at least of, from endorsing Armag's claim ofruler ship over the tribes of the eastern horse lords. Instead with Ilthuliak dead, and with Eire cemented in power with Amvarean on his eastern most great lake the Iobarian horse lords were much inclined to pay homage the King of Narland.


--
Notes: Power went back on yesterday(Sunday) so we will be resuming the pre storm regular update schedule hopefully through the month

 

[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.