Nationstates – A Heresy of the Heart IC

[Jingo Jaden]

GM is Jingo and Co-GM is Goldenspines. Enjoy yourselves.

OOC/signup thread 'still open' - http://www.christiananime.net/viewtopic ... 42&t=64904

Empowered now at your creation
Your future will yet chain you down
Will your reflection be damnation
Will madness be your crown

Current Map -

'Borders to be added once nations starts to formally forge themselves, so far, you'll have to content with a capital and some small villages/towns' :p

OP

History is embroiled in conflict. A proclamation written by the blood of people upon a parchment of iron. Ever since social contact first was made, distrust, anger and dreams of superiority has manifested itself on the ire of all sentient beings. Such base tendencies are often defined as barbarism, but can just as easily be defined as authority, justice or privilege. Yet power which is craved by all groups is engraved in unity and stability, and to form a grand compromise between the basic and desires of those with might the ideal of order came as the first light of civilization. The concept of order is however written in restriction and often sullied by corruption. However decadence never fails to provoke reaction. From simple houses made of wood and straws peacemakers and dreamers would emerge to stem the tide of history, yet also from these humble dwellings conquerors and great generals would also emerge, utilizing anything from iron knives to great steel dreadnaughts will emerge in time to assert authority or be the vanguard of liberty. However when only the bare basic of life is the aspiration for most, the dreams of a fair rule stands forever removed from the concern of most. For this is an age of survival, where diplomacy is the voice of moderation, yet, with not all desiring to be moderate or modest, the die is on the verge to be cast over this brave new world. Shall the destiny of a few ensure the prosperity of all? Or will be ambition of the great overshadow the needs of those least able? The history is now yours to write.

Yet our story starts with a humble letter.

'Salisius was a wondrous place for a city-dwelling human to find himself in. While more scared than awestruck by this beautiful city laying close to the most astonishing inland sea he had ever witnessed, daring after laboring hard to get so far to permit himself a mouthful of water, he quickly chose to ask certain questions of who was the authority of the region, and, after several inquiries, managed to decide on the one who would be the most suitable to deliver the rather special cargo towards. It happened to be a letter which as written by someone who had knowledge of the region, and who sought an audience. The traveller who was more scared than awestruck by the local residents, tried as effectively as he can to simply find the target to hand the letter towards and then leave. Making his path towards Korea before handing the letter over.'

'A courier arrives in Basius, having been on the move for several days to your capital. While the strains of his journey seems clear having braved both the numerous bandits and other perils on the open lands. Granting himself no respite, he makes his way towards the authorities in question, handing what seems to be an ever so strange letter, proclaiming it to be from a known explorer who's deeds are known far and wide, yet, while this is disputed, the patrician's merchant seal on the letter is not. Bearing the sigil of the house of Johannes, a relatively newly established Noble in the great city of Ironhold. While not knowing the full contents, he humbly mutters that it is the message sent from Johannes, whom seeks a venture that might be of profit for both.'

'As fortunate was not the path of a rather grizzly old figure of a man, who was sent to deliver a message to the mysterious leader of Sarabant. Here, certain precautions were taken, the letter for example was not so much a letter, as it was a row of iron bars with crude letters hammered into them. Yet, this was an innovative solution if anything to brave both the great cold of the mountains, and the melting fires it kept within. Red sprites would marvel at the sight of this old man, one of them getting close enough to briefly light the end of his beard on fire for a short while, yet, dutifully, and half way confused, his breath having a stink of wine about it, yet, strictly made his way towards an alter that seemed appropriate to leave the message, before, as promptly as he arrived, would turn around and head the way he entered from'

'The region of Amberdose seemed much like a cultural settlement at this point, yet, by voyage of sea came a rather humble craft which had braved the waters, lead by a single traveler who, apparently on note of friendship, would deliver this message while seeking to gather more information about the customs of this region. Though, his entry was informal, partly due to him being soaking wet due to the unforgiving waves and his feeble idea of a boat, which seemed more like an innovative raft with some cover, he presented himself briefly and with great respect before Kiritail, giving a certain letter with a peculiarly detailed seal. \

'Yet even more humble stood the traveler who had ventured as far as to Nonian. Traveling by simple staff he ventured deep through the mystical woods, being surprised at how peaceful the populace seemed. Though, being an experienced traveler, he made his way directly towards the one creature which astounded him the most. Being Gregor, understanding that it would be hard to read a human-sized letter, he permitted himself to break the seal, and openly read out the following proclamation'

From – Johannes the Explorer

‘My treasured friend. For 40 winters I have journeyed across the known lands far and wide in hope of creating the first compendium of creation. From the great mountains of the north which in defiance stand reaching out towards the stars, to the mystical white forests of the south. I have set foot underneath the earth to the great chasms and caverns underground, and braved the unexplored deep jungles that lay beyond currently charted territory. All in a desperate search for answers and secrets. Be it in regards to that which lies beyond life, or secrets to ensure one never departs from it. Yet despite my many investigations I have yet to uncover any major secrets of note, save one although its certainty is far from authenticated at this very point.

However the voyage that I stand on is one of never-ending proportions, and each new discovery diminishes my stamina bit by bit. I am no longer the young man who set out for this quest of discovery, but simply an old man, with an old ship who never found his home, or never had the required peace with self to find a home. It is a malevolent feeling, to be someone short on rest, to see so many different communities knitted together with seemingly little effort, yet my own existence, often greeted as that of an outcast and not that of a traveller which I identified myself as. Yet perhaps, vanity has overshadowed my own perception of who I am. I find myself at a spiritual deficit as far as engaging in the exploration I once held so dear to my heart, not so much in fear of the great danger that lurks beyond the known, but the knowledge of the comfort which others share even when they do not stand inhospitable to my very person. Yet, there seem to be a conflict beetwen the native communities, and the ever migrating settlers who invoke what is universally known as the right of free passage. Yet the intermarriage of cultures and settlers has breed over several decades of conflicts, sometimes even violence among tribes and other mixtures of collective identification. Yet with conflict comes achievement, and the world seems to be forging into something different, as if an era has passed and a new one is about to dawn. The ones identified as settlers now look to leaders, to guide them towards greatness beyond survival.

The new settlers proclaim this to be the mandate of heaven, and what is little more than tribes are now forging into ever more complex municipalities. Whose creeds and laws work either with or in stark contrast to their natural habitats. Villages are formed where in the past only primitive nature resided, and now rules, ethics and laws seem to be an invisible force guiding thousands towards ever more complex leadership. Yet such is not always appreciated by those which identify themselves as natives, and it is not uncommon for settlers themselves to create conflicts with natives who seek to develop faster. Such tensions have given rise to the concept of borders, yet such seem to only expand near the most advanced towns, and do not always stand respected upon travellers who still invoke the rights of old. In certain cases, even wooden walls stand formed as a stern warning to whoever would seek unwelcome entry. Yet even in the most isolated region of the world, merchants and trade stand the least respected, but often the most welcome of strangers. Expanding an ever more intricate, yet unregimented ecosystem is that of magic, while rarely utilized to any significant degree, still presents an ever increasing influence. With both power and rights, yet also the suspicion of the common creatures, it generally isolates more than integrates, but the extent such can be practiced is impossible to even imagine.

It is therefore I send with you this invitation to meet me in a tavern known as The Gauntlet which is in the human quarter in Ironside. Forgive the harsh conditions in the region, but know that it will serve as an experience of what’s to come.
The world is fast changing, and I am slowly fading. Yet hopefully, the knowledge I present will live on, so that my memory will be remembered, even in another time.

[goldenspines]

In the far north western regions of the north continent, the still young and detached nation of Amberdose stands. On the far west side by the sea, lies the 7th colony of the great race of Kodora, lead by the esteemed Kiritail. This female Kodora was about to leave for her tri-annual journey to the Great Meeting of the Leaders in the central part of the nation when she received a curious visitor from the sea carrying a even curiouser letter.

Kiri had only heard descriptions of humans, but had never actually seen one. The other Kodoras hid out of the sight of the drenched stranger from the sea and watched nervously from behind boulders and trees near the sea coast.
The human, while visibly nervous, still seems cheerful and friendly. Kiri was not familiar with humankind customs, so for all she knew, this could be a declaration of war. But by one person? Shivering like a wet rat, no less. The snowy mountains chill was felt almost constantly through the year, though it never bothers Kodoras for obvious reason. Nevertheless, the human smiled as best he could and informed Kiri than he had brought a letter. Even through the sounds of the crashing waves, the human could hear the chattering of the other Kodoras who hid as their ears perked up and they stared at the letter that Kiri now held.
Kiri sniffed the letter cautiously and examined the seal, eyes all a glow. She shifted her gaze back to the shivering human and smiled before making several flicks with her tail. Promptly, two male Kodoras bounded from behind a boulder and came up behind Kiri. The human shifted even more nervously as Kiri spoke, "You have traveled quite far in dangerous waters, human. Come, I will not let you freeze until I know whether you are my friend or enemy. We do not have much to offer in hospitality, but you may warm yourself by our fires." And with that, Kiri, still holding the un-opened letter, and the two male Kodoras turned and motioned the human to follow them.
When they reached a small opening in the colony where a large fire burned brightly and by this time, the rest of the Kodoras had returned to their dwellings or were warming themselves by a fire since evening was coming soon. The clearing was surrounded by large boulders or sides of massive cliffs that had been carved into to make multi level houses. each house had it's own fire and chimney, but the large fire in the middle of the clearing was where Kiri chose to sit and invited the traveler to sit as well. The Kodoras continued to peer curiously at him, but made no move of aggression, but rather cautious curiosity.

Kiri then opened and read the letter.

Once she had read it to herself, she then read it out loud to those close enough to listen. There was quite a lot of whispering after she had finished.
Kiri crossed her paws and stared at the letter. It was even more confusing than the traveler from the sea. What did it all mean? She looked at the remaining male Kodora sitting by the fire (the other had gone back to his dwelling at the permission of Kiri), and he simply lowered his eyes, as if to except any decision that Kiri made. She had been hoping for some strategic advice since this particular Kodora (named: Toroclaw) was her trusted friend, fellow warrior, and a skilled strategist.
Kiri sighed and stood up. She then trotted over to a 4 foot tall platform on one side of the fire and let out a long yowl. Within seconds, almost all the Kodoras were out of their dwellings and gathered around the big fire, their eyes and ear focused on Kiri.
Once everyone was gathered, Kiri began her announcement, "My dear, fellow Kodoras; swift and strong as the sea currents and the mountain winds that carve them, curious seekers of the truth, listen to the words of your leader! I have received a letter from our strange visitor that is from an even stranger man who calls himself an 'explorer'." There was some soft chatter from the Kodoras at the mention of this word, but Kiri continued, "I do not know why I have received this letter nor the full reason it was sent, but it cannot be by mistake. I intend to travel to this Ironhold to find out the answers behind this letter and perhaps unlock and great future for us all." More chatter erupted from the crowd, but it was soon silenced by the male Kodora, Toroclaw.
"We have no reason to doubt you ambitions, Leader Kiritail, nor will we ever let ourselves believe you will put us in danger. Do not worry yourself about us, but be more worried about the leaders who you must meet on your journey to Ironhold." Toroclaw finished, and Kiri picked up on what he was implying.
"It's no secret that the other leaders do not view the world as I do." she smiled playfully and flicked her tail, "But I will not let that deter me from my curiosity. It is our most valuable trait, after all!" There were many meows in agreement and some cat-like "laughs" as well.
After the crowd quieted again, Kiri continued, "Thus, as planned, I will depart for the central part of Amberdose tonight for the Great Meeting; and from there on, only fate will know." and with that, Kiri bowed her head to the other Kodoras and they did the same. She then leaped off the platform and went to the traveler, who by this time was becoming dry at last.
"Forgive me, my friend, but you caught me at as a bad time since I am due to leave quite soon. Or perhaps it was good timing." Kiri smiled, "Yet, I cannot afford to offer you much more hospitality beyond a night's rest. I will have Toroclaw escort you back to your boat in the morning. I bid you a safe journey." Kiri bowed her head, turned to Toroclaw, who gave her a nod of approval, then she ran off to her own dwelling to pick up her small pack or supplies and a few weapons for the trip ahead.
Once she was ready, she let off one last yowl and set off into the night. Kodoras always travel at night, since they can not only see very well, but they can move swiftly and unnoticed under the cover of night. Kiri had traveled alone each time she had gone to a Great Meeting, yet this time was different. She had more of a spring in her step just thinking about the new and exciting things she would discover. The letter was a key to an unknown world. It was safely tucked away in her small pack in order to show the other leaders. While she knew their views all too well, Kiri maintained the hope of a further united nation in Amberdose.

[silvanis2.0]

An electrical stir seemed to follow the path of the strange traveler as he passed by members of Koema's tribe. When he reached her, she took her time sizing him up before carefully taking the letter from him with a gloved hand. She did not open it, rather, she beckoned one of her tribesmen. He was a solidly built Rhythian and had a kind face, if a little weathered from age. He nodded politely to the traveler and stood beside Koema.
"Please read this gentleman while I speak with him, Lysan," she said.
"Yes, my Balanced One," he said, bowing his head and then turning his attention to the traveler, "this will not hurt. Please be still and relax as best as you can."
Gently, he placed one hand on the man's forehead and closed his eyes in concentration. He nodded silently when he felt the hum of the man's electrical impulses beneath his fingers. Koema asked the traveler many questions about where he had come from, who had sent him along with the letter, and how he had come to know of her home. When the majority of his answers seemed satisfactory and Lysan had confirmed that the man was telling the truth to the best of his ability, Koema opened the letter.
Its message was somewhat disconcerting. Such strife had not yet reached her home, but the letter made it sound as if it were waiting just beyond her doorstep. She eyed the traveler again. She would not let this unrest make its way into her tribe. It seemed the best way to fight it was with understanding. She placed a gloved hand on his shoulder and smiled.
"Please, make yourself at home. Our food, homes, and sea are open to you. I will send you with a reply to your master tomorrow."
She gestured for another one of her tribesmen. He was much younger than Lysan, but was no less capable. He shrugged a his long reddish braid off of his shoulder and stood at the traveler's side.
"See to it that our guest is comfortable please, Yor."
Yor narrowed his eyes and Koema nodded almost imperceptibly. As he had guessed, he would be not only giving the stranger a tour, but standing ready to incapacitate him if he tried anything. The young Rhythian smiled and clapped the traveler on the back.
"Right this way, friend. Let us find you something to drink."
Koema withdrew to her home with Lysan in tow. The wooden construct was wrapped around a large tree which acted as its roof. Koema leaned back in a wooden chair and gazed up at the leaves while Lysan read the letter. She knew that it would be wise to bring the matter to the other tribal heads. This was a matter that would concern all of them. However, it could take dozens of moons to plan a meeting and the letter seemed to call for more urgency. Not to mention that there was a certain allure to something so adventurous. The sound of folding paper drew her out of her thoughts. Lysan sighed and leaned forward in his chair. Koema could almost see the cogs in his mind whirring.
"May I speak, my Balanced One?"
"Of course, Lysan. That is why I brought you here."
"You must speak with the other tribal heads. This is a grave concern."
"What of the meeting with this stranger?"
Lysan fell silent for a moment. He knew where Koema was taking this, and he knew why.
"My Balanced One, I know that emotion is pulling you now and that it is not a mindset that I can rightly understand," he said, choosing his words carefully, "but please consider the good of your people. The tribal heads must know of this first."
Koema steepled her fingers and looked up at the leaves once again. Finally, she stood.
"You will meet with the tribal heads in my place. You will bring with you the letter as well as one that I will write, and you will record all that they say to send to me in Ironside after the meeting. Does that sound reasonable?"
Lysan sighed heavily, "Yes, my Balanced One. I shall prepare your supplies."
She smiled, placed a hand on his shoulder, and gave it a small squeeze.
"Stop fretting, my friend. It is not becoming for someone so logical as you."
He smiled begrudgingly and left to pack her things.
Later that night, Koema found Yor and the traveler on the beach. The traveler was admiring the moonlit water while Yor yammered on about nothing in particular, dragging his feet through the shallower parts of the water. She cleared her throat. Yor immediately stepped out of the water and straightened his posture.
"Will you two do me the honor of accompanying me to Ironside?" she asked, shifting the pack on her back.
The three set out that night, with Koema astride one of the prized white bucks afforded only to the Balanced Ones. Her companions rode as well, but on smaller bucks of a dun color. On the swift hooves of deer, their adventure began.

[Xeno]

The guards initially noticed the strangely attired man walking through the trade center on the outskirts of the city. It wasn't uncommon for people to travel from nearby unincorporated villages to do trade, but his clothing clearly indicated he was from somewhere far away. They intercepted him before he could make it to the lower quality houses that merchants reside in, just inside the trade area. After a brief period of inquiry they confiscated the letter from the courier and escorted him to the capitol building.

The Senate building was not very large, but it was as grand as Basius could afford to make it. There are three large stone pillars in front leading up a flight of stairs that enter into an atrium. From the decently sized atrium there are four chambers that can be entered in to. To the left is the head magistrate's office, to the right is the chamber of consuls, immediately ahead the Senate chamber, and in a small corner on the upper left of the room led a door to the pontifex maximus' personal chamber. The courier was brought into the main Senate chamber where he was confronted by twelve stately looking men sitting around a large wooden table; all of them were adorned in red and white robes, each having a slightly different emblem sewn onto the left breast, symbolizing the original tribe or village they were meant to represent.

Senator Augustus, an elderly gentleman with a harsh and raspy voice, spoke first, speaking directly to one of the sentries "Why have you disrupted us? Can you not see we are in the middle of deliberations?"
"We intercepted this man walking through the market place sir. He says he is a courier from Ironhold and comes on behalf of a Johannes. He bares a letter with the seal of that house," the sentry replied.

The senator snatched the letter from the sentry's hand and read it once over, then turned and took it to the table and read it again aloud for the rest of the senators to hear. They all began asking questions as to what it might mean. One of the other senators looked to the courier with questioning eyes, "I don't believe you. Not for a moment. You mean to tell me that you traveled all the way from Ironhold, just to deliver a message for someone that no one has ever heard of?" The courier simple nodded yes, and muttered "and the he believes there would be great profit for both you and him."

Senator Augustus was about to speak again when a door opened and Emlen entered the chamber, "I heard there was a courier in town, I had no clue he had come all the way to the Senate."
"Emlen, this really is no business of the religious sect. I would remind you that it is not your job to be a politician," said Senator Acrisius.
"But it is dear senator. I'll remind you that I'm not only am I you chief priest, but I think you specifically were the one that moved for me to be made a promagistrate after I had you appointed to the Senate, and we also both know that I would be in your very spot if weren't for specific favors being owed. So in a way, I very much am a politician. Now tell me, what exactly has our courier brought that has caused the huge ruckus outside the capitol building?"
"Some self-proclaimed explorer from Ironhold has sent a letter inviting us there for a meeting. Seems to be beating a war drum, yet at the same time like he wants to be the centerpiece or something. It all seems quite lofty, but intriguing," billowed Augustus.
"The entire Senate can't go to this little meeting of his however. We need to be here to run things," stated Senator Ovid.
"I think Emlen should go," sneered Acrisius, "he seemed more interested in what this courier had to say than the rest of us did. So why don't we let him go find out. Besides, he's not overly involved in the operations of Basius. And if something were to happen to him, we cant just have another consul elected, and one of his cardinals can assume his position as pontifex."
"I agree. We will send Emlen, however we do need to have representation of the ruling body at this meeting, so you are going with him Acrisius. Maybe the two of you can sort out your differences while you travel," said Augustus.
The remaining senators all quickly agreed to this situation against Acrisius' pleas and it was decided that the senator, pontifex, and courier would leave for Ironhold the next morning at day break.

_________________

That night Emlen sat in his house, a humble stone hut that he believed reflected well the position he was in, despite his own personal desires. While packing his items for the journey in the morning he began thinking about how he had arrived at where he was now. All the lying and cheating, the hopes and dreams he'd crushed of fellow countrymen, and on occasion the mysterious disappearance of a few people. He knew that if this Johannes was really what he said he was then there would be more of this to come. It might even have to start at home.

[Davidizer13]

The morning sun beamed through the barred windows of Vantari's room, at the top of the keep. Already, he was up and awake, stretching with his back towards the window, letting the light draw him into the day to come. He stepped down the stairs with an extra spring in his step, towards a half-finished mosaic in the wall of his great hall, built out of chips of rocks that would eventually depict his vision of the falling star, the gift bestowed upon the world by the benevolent divine.

The rest of the hall, however, was a picture of disarray. Sprites lay on the floor where the sun shone through to the floor, napping away - one had even taken a place on the blackened anvil that served as Vantari's throne. For a moment he thought of pushing them off, but seeing the contented smile on their face, he moved on.Or at least he would have, except that he looked again, and saw that the sprite had something in his hand. Vantari tugged it away to study it - a series of iron bars in a ladder shape, roughly embossed with letters in the Sprite language. The sprite on the anvil woke up. "What is this?" Vantari asked him, running his fingers down the runes, slowly reading the message.

The sprite rubbed his eyes, then studied the bar. "Oh. That. Some guy came by and left them here. Kind of a weird thing, huh? All those scratches and scribbles, the lines..."

"Who? What guy?" Vantari pushed. "Tell me more!"

He scratched his head. "Let me see, it was a human. He was old, and... Hey, Friava, wake up!" Another sprite slowly sat up on the other side of the room. "The boss wants to know about the guy."

"What guy?"

"That's what I want to know!" Vantari stammered, impatiently.

"You know, the guy, the human."

"Oh yeah, he had that iron metal bar thing." Vantari waved it in the air. "Yeah! That! He smelled kinda funny too. Humans smell funny, right?"

"We set him on fire."

"You what?" Vantari looked up from the bars.

"Not all of him, just his beard. We got a little close. He tripped over Mavina, and she caught fire when they fell over."

"How interesting," he said, no longer paying attention to their arguments, how they recounted the events of the day. The message had engrossed him, promising wisdom and order, power, the turning point to their quest. Finally, he looked up and said, "We must go."

Nothing happened - they continued as if nothing had happened, with more sprites awakened and involved in the discussion. Vantari tried again, this time from atop the anvil. He tossed a fireball against the wall, the fire scattering the floor and walls - instantly the room went silent, every sprite staring at him.

"Friends! Our hour of destiny has arrived! The sprites are one more step closer to the treasure our god has brought us. We have a path, we merely need to reach it. Together, we will bring about the divine blessing we so richly deserve! We will be secure, will be... I don't know, let's just go! Gather the tribe, we go to Ironside!"

"The whole tribe, sir?"

"Everyone. We must go immediately! We will get there as soon as possible! Prove our worthiness!" With that and a shout, he leapt off the anvil and out the front door of the keep. A couple sprites followed behind, half-heartedly, as he padded ahead, calling his nation to action.

[Jingo Jaden]

'Goldenspines'

Upon being told of the hospitality he would be granted, the traveler seemed more than merely content. He gave a polite bow, though, upon reflection, seemed nearly afraid of what he had done since he knew not the customs of the Kodra, nevertheless he replied with a rather hazy voice, as no doubt some of the cold of the waters had gotten the better of him. "Your generosity is very much appreciated. One night should be more than the time I need tor repair my boat and sail back to Ironside. The explorer, Johannes, paid me himself to deliver this message. He very much hoped that you would accept the invitation, and, of course, he also instructed me to say that you shall be well taken care of once you arrive. He knows how to make others feel welcome at the very least." After having barely managed to press these words out, he made his way into more or less the center of the colony. His legs had suffered some rather nasty wounds on his journey, and had likely been soaked for days causing some rather foul blisters which had to be removed. He wore a peculiar contraption on his feet, called sandals, which on the path had also suffered some damage, most of the lower part of his pants had suffered some structural damage as well, but, it was easy to see that despite his appearance, he was someone who was familiar with the sea. He enjoyed looking at the fire from a distance, and clearly was far more cautious than most would have been, yet, the time for joy of exploration was now over. He slowly unsheathed his knife, perhaps the only valuable he had on his person, and went through the painful measures required to make his feet seaworthy so he could journey on'

The next day he bid his farvells to this strange kind, having managed to spend some time on repairing the raft which he would largely paddle towards his intended destination. There was a melancholy quality about this traveler, but, nevertheless he seemed content, knowing he would have the means to provide for himself and his loved ones upon the completion of the mission. As he sailed away, he cautiously waved his hands towards those who watched him drift out until the mist consumed him. Saying with what little voice he had left. " Good tidings on your kind! " Until the voice, like his presence, could no longer be found.

'Silvanis'

As his head was examined, it was easy to see that this was no hardened traveler. Far more he was a young whelp who circumstance had dictated would have to find his way. He seemed frightened by the questions alone on his journey, to the point where one could doubt his trustworthiness, yet, despite seemingly evasive, he eventually seemed to answer all questions related to his travel truthfully. More than anything he was afraid that he had wandered in the wrong direction and into a less hospitable camp, but as time went on, he became more and more docile. It was easy to see that the travels had made an impression on him, and he had even mentioned had the misfortune of an encounter with a lone Green Sprite on his travels. It seemed contended with giving him a horrible nightmare which he thought was the limit of it's abilities, yet, when in fact he had been fortunate that the green sprite had not called upon the nearby colony, in which case his existence today would have either been unlikely or unfortunate. Upon further inquiry, he revealed that he was an apprentice of the newly founded explorers guild, though, in all honesty, he joined it out of necessity and debt. All of his emotions from this point on turned particularly sour, and, after a while, he seemed too tired to talk. It was at this time he allowed himself to go outside and rest his feet in the calm, mystical waters. It gave him time to pause and reflect, but also to catch his breath as it had been a slightly traumatic journey. Though, the inland water was quite the sight to behold. He had never seen anything reflect the blue skies quite like it, allowing himself to also rest his legs in them, and finally breathe cautiously once more.

It was at this time he was approached by Koema. Once she had told him of the proposition, then his emotions were stuck between worry and relief. This caused him to take some time to reflect on the proposition, before he finally raised his voice in a comically confused tone. " I would be honored to escort you back.... umm... Though, for certain reasons I've just encountered I think it would be wise to stay clear of the great jungles and forests. While quicker, the routes have proven themselves filled with more unpleasant surprises than pleasant ones." After he had finished speaking, he looked up at the sky, as if hoping to something the return to Ironside would be simpler than the path he took from it.

'Xeno'

The traveler was by no standards of the imagination either a skilled wordsmith or a eminent figure, yet despite all his rather amateurish entry had some ring of truth too it. His reaction when senator Augustus expressed his doubt about his mission was akin to someone who had just had the death sentence fall on his head. Being pale and not well built, he nearly collapsed to the floor while he was muttering to himself at first, frantically in fact. Repeating a list of names to himself, and Johannes was indeed one of those. Yet, when Emlen entered he quickly came back to his senses, and made a successful attempt at getting back up from the floor, pretending as if he had bowed. As the politicians were talking amongst themselves, the way his insignificant self was in the background of their little talk must have had a unintentionally comedic value to itself. Yet, he was shortly informed that he would leave with the Senator and Pontifex to Ironhold. Ironically, despite his poor entry, he had already arranged for a galley to help them cross the straights over to the continent where Ironhold, known as the pearl of the world was situated. More humble than ever, he bowed and accepted his mission to escort them to Ironhold. Doing his very best to articulate his arrangements, which sadly was still not all that well presented.

'Davidizer'

The travelers exodus from the location turned out to be far harder than his combined trip, as the red sprites had an incessant tendency to get a bit too close for comfort. Unlike the other curies, this man was a seasoned traveler and had a tendency to swear like a drunken pirate. He was naturally in a more paranoid state after part of his beard had caught fire, and several close calls later. At times he was flailing so fast with his hands that, if by accident he had struck a red sprite, it could have lead to some serious injury, but their naturally superior reflexes mixed in with his inability to properly co-ordinate anything other than a map, his insults and a jug of Ironhold firewine ensured that the whole debacle passed without incident. Although, some of the red sprites may have picked up on a few words they could not properly define.

He was even more shocked however, when he saw that the whole collection of red sprites sat speed towards Ironhold. For a moment, all he could imagine was one gigantic inferno spreading out of control, and how he best could say he had no part of it. He had already experienced their indiscretion at close range, and in parts of the wooden boroughs near the poor quarters where he spent most of his life, well, there would not be a great chance of surviving a fire or two if they indiscriminately flew in to said quarter. Fortunately the outside walls had to agree to passage before one could come within line of sight of the wounder-able areas, unfortunately however, the outside walls were a glorified wooden palisade if anything. His answer to this problem was much the same answer has he employed to any of his issues, pulling up the jug he had been transporting this way, and ensuring that little more than a drop remained of the firewine. It would be a dry, sober walk back to civilization, yet, for now at the very least he could enjoy the bliss of utter ignorance of the situation.

[silvanis2.0]

Koema, Yor, and the traveler rode through the night and into the next morning before camping and regaining their strength. They stuck close to the beach, as the traveler had suggested, and were able to avoid any trouble with stray sprites and native animals. Yor was put in charge of preparing food, a task he was particularly good at, while Koema and their human friend plotted the course toward Ironhold. The next several days progressed in much the same way until they reached the eastern coast of the inland sea and had to divert their course into the forests and toward the eastern oceans. Their deer made the forest path faster but also more difficult, as forest predators and night noises made them skittish. The three camped only during the day while they made their way through the vast forests and jungles, not wanting to be caught unawares by nocturnal threats.
The routine worked rather well for the most part, save for a small group of particularly curious jungle cats and a small colony of sprites that they narrowly avoided. Koema and Yor passed the time by asking their human friend about Ironhold and what the humans were like there. Koema had read much about human culture, but she had never actually experienced it first hand. Yor, on the other hand, knew very little about anything outside of his own people and any information the courier could give kept his interest. Unfortunately, this kept him pestering their friend with new questions until Koema stepped in.
Finally, the group reached the northeastern coast and stopped for a few nights to ease their tired muscles and forage for supplies. It had been a long time since Koema had ridden so far so steadily, and she was certainly paying for it. She welcomed the reprieve, resting her tired body in the cold water when she could and gathering what information the courier was willing to give about the guild he had spoken of. Yor celebrated the last night of rest by putting together a hearty meal of fish, fruit, and dried seaweed, all the while chattering away to either himself or the others about the adventures that must lay ahead in Ironhold. When the next morning broke, the three wasted no time in picking up the trail again, eager for whatever was in store at Ironhold and a chance to sleep indoors.

[goldenspines]

"You must be insane and have mouse for brains!"
Kiri had been getting used to these downgrading comments from her fellow leaders since she was considered "weak" as a leader (though she could take any of them in a fight any day, except maybe Mizuclaw, he was taller than all the other Kodora, but still quick and the leader of the 2nd colony that borders the east side of Amberdose).
The most recent comment had come from a recent leader elected to the 4th colony, a male Kodora that had a bit too much cocky attitude about him, Kiri thought.
"Now now, no need for insults." the oldest of them all, the leader of the 1st colony, spoke up, "While I agree Kiritail's idea seems far fetched and foolish, we cannot stop her if she wishes to go on some suicide mission and shame her kind." he grinned.
Kiri winced. That comment cut deeper than she thought it would. Before this, she had presented the letter and why she wanted to travel to Ironhold, as well as all the benefits that would come from this for their kind and their nations.
Most of the leaders laughed at her, hissing through their teeth; then the insults came. After the leader of the 1st colony spoke, all was quiet; Kiritail was pondering over what she should say. It seemed like the nation would never be united if they all continued to live in the dark and not explore the rest of the world.
Just then, Mizuclaw, who had been previously sitting calmly and not participating in the abuse on Kiritail, slowly stood up to address his fellow leaders, "Two days ago, just before my departure for the great meeting with you, my fellow leaders," he gave a small bow, "I and my own colony witnessed something rather peculiar by our borders. Much like Kiritail's visitor, these creatures seemed to be what you describe as "human", though a bit different. Their skin glistened like the sun on the waves at dawn and while we did not get too close, there was something odd about them that make our fur stand upon end."
Mizuclaw paused, as if deep in thought. All the other leaders were caught in suspense at his words. Perhaps they were surprised that someone more than Kiritail had seen the outside world, or perhaps the unsettling fact that there existed a world outside of Amberdose that was coming too close for comfort.
Mizuclaw twitched his nose a few times and continued, "These creatures did not attack use as I thought they would. Instead, they continued past us and went south," Mizuclaw turned to face Kiri, "towards this Ironhold described in Kiritail's letter."
Kiri's ears twitched nervously. What did this mean? Had others around the world received the same letter? The letter did seem to be written in that way, yet... Kiri's tail then started flicking excitedly, her curiosity growing stronger.
Turning back to his fellow leaders, Mizuclaw continued, "Now, my brothers and sisters, we have been chosen to be the greatest of our colonies; lights in their darkness to guide and protect them. There is no enemy we will not devour for the sake of our own Kodora kind. Yet, while our system works now, I fear the world may start changing much faster and leave us behind. While we have only seen a small taste of the world outside our borders, how many more secrets and surprises await us? I have a proposition for you all. Let Kiritail journey to this Ironhold and find the truth behind this letter and learn new things about the world. And if she returns, we will listen to her ideas and decide the best course of action. But if she does not return by the next Great Meeting, we will assume her dead and then we may call her an insane fool with mouse for brains." he grinned at Kiri, who could not help but smile herself.
There was awkward shuffling among the leaders as Mizuclaw sat back down. Finally, the leader of the 1st colony stood up and addressed everyone, "All those in favor of not only letting Kiritail travel to this foreign land but also withholding all judgement about her strength, character, and intelligence until she gets back or doesn't return by the next Great Meeting please say 'aye'."
The vote was unanimous and thus Kiri made no delay to set out, but not without a final gift from Mizuclaw, who gave her extra supplies as well as some hand made paper for her travels, asking her to either draw or write about what she sees in her travels. The 5th colony, which lies in the southern tip of Amberdose on the south eastern peninsula by the sea, was where Kiri headed next, accompanied by the leader of the area, Sakapaw, the youngest (only 16 years old) but by far the most clever and fastest of all the leaders. He and his colony not only tolerated water like the rest of the Kodora, but they loved it and thus swimming was one of their favorite past times, even in the dangerous sea. But along with that, they also built boats in order to find deeper water to fish in. Thus, Sakapaw offered the use of one of his boats for Kiri.
Once departed from the shore, Kiri used the small paddle included in the boat to quickly travel across the sea to Ironhold.
With a full night's sleep, the trip across the sea took about 2 and a half days. Kiri decided it was best to make land on the outskirts of Ironhold. She hopped out of her boat and pulled it to shore. There didn't seem to be anyone around, but that was no guarantee that her boat wouldn't be stolen while she was away from it. Luckily, on the outskirts of Ironhold, there was a area of brush and some trees. With some work, Kiri could hide her boat in there. Not the perfect plan, Kiri knew, yet it would deter any random passerby from taking the boat, at least.
Her boat securely hidden, Kiri put on a cloak given to her by Mizuclaw ("You may draw too much unwanted attention in the world of humans."), then made her way into the city of Ironhold.
Even from where Kiri had landed, the stench of the city was overwhelming. Kiri knew the smell, but only in small amounts, not like this. It was of death and of blood. It hung over the city like wet fur. Kiri had to cover her nose as she continued through the outer rings of the city. There was hardly a human, or anyone, in sight and if Kiri did see one, they didn't make eye contact, but rather shivered; in cold or fear, Kiri could not tell. She quickened her pace in search of someone who could tell her where The Gauntlet was.
As she came closer and closer to the center of the city, she turned a street corner too quickly and bumped into someone. Kiri sprang back in a full defensive position only to see a small child-like...bird? who had fallen on the ground and now getting up, rubbing her forehead.
Noticing the scary looking cat in front of her, the child spoke up, “Oh! Goodness! I am so very sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going. I mean, you see, I don't normally walk around like this. I fly and well, this is strange, could you stop looking at me like this? I don't want to be eaten.” the child looked like she was about to cry and Kiri relaxed her posture.
“I'm sorry, I should have been watching where I was going.” Kiri said, “I'm a stranger here and not used to this...terrain.”
“O-oh, I see.” the child with the wings said. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, “Oh! I see, yes. Sorry, but, yes. A-allow me to introduce myself. My name is Glint Faar, I'm an administrator of sorts, or rather a diplomat for Ironhold.” she gave a small curtsy to Kiri.
“Ah, wonderful!” Kiri probably looked far too excited, “I don't suppose you could tell me where The Gauntlet is? I'm suppose to be meeting someone there.”
“Ah, yes, it's actually very close. Just continue down this street, take the fourth right, go down about two more streets, past the butcher's shop then take a slight left and then a hard right and you're there!” Glint smiled and the two sat in a few seconds of awkward silence until Glint suddenly remembered something else, “Oh, but you'll have to excuse me. I have to finish an errand.”
“No problem and thank you!” Kiri called out to Glint as she was trotting away. Kiri then followed the directions that Glint had given her and found The Gauntlet, which had a decorative sign that contrasted with the rest of the plain looking street. Kiri gulped, gathering all her courage and strength and opened the door to the tavern.

[Jingo Jaden]

‘Silvanis’

The sun had not been kind to parts of the coastline environment, as what was once grassland had been decimated by the scorching heat. It was not uncommon to see minor forest fires on the path, and camping over the night it had kind of a odd beauty about it, depending on the distance one had to the flames themselves. The moon and stars were did little to grant illumination as the limited visibility was far too absorbed in the fiery spectacle. The traveller was no great philosopher, but watching the reflection of it in Koema’s eye one night from a hilltop, even he could derive some greater understanding of its more aesthetical values. Yet, day arrived as surely as night faded away, and eventually they arrived to a great river, which had two small human villages on both sides and this was the first time either Yor or Koema had ever seen the large, wodden beast known as trading ships. The current was too hostile and deep to cross on foot, so eventually, the traveller, with the help of some bronze currency, managed to convince one of the nearby captains to ferry them over the river so that they could enter into the mainland. Here, going past the busy trading port, they saw large stretch of farmlands, most of them had humans toiling their seemingly endless stretches, but it was not uncommon of several other species, especially cattle folk to do the same. The agricultural traditions on this land was very well developed, and the traveller made note that so much of this land had become factories for food which was regularly transported to Ironside, and there was some truth to this, for the longer they stood on the path, the more often they would see wagons filled with goods of all kind, in great caravans, made their way towards the city.

Eventually the horizon revealed a vague figure in the great distance, and instead of sticking to the road, the traveller made a gesture to observe from one of the nearby hills. Shortly after this revealed itself to be a worthwhile endeavour, as the sight was unlike anything seen in the homeland. On the outskirts, there seemed to be thousands of very small houses of different kind, some stone and others wood with several great channels going deeper into the city. Yet, closer to the centre these small buildings became increasingly larger and more grandeur in their design. Great monuments and large villas, while far less than the more humble housing on the outer rings, still did not fail to enthral the imagination and steal ones breath. However, the closer towards the very north end of the city it got, the more in defiance to the heavens themselves the buildings stretched. There was one great tower in particular which was had several massive iron chains that stretched from each corner of the city and stood far taller than the rest, and the traveller explained that this was the personal residence of the doge himself as well as the royal observatory, though, knowledge of what his was stood absent from his lips, so there was not much detail to go into. After this short delay, the party continued on a downward slope that eventually lead to the main gate of the city, from there,

'Xeno'

The envoy had for some time traveled with Senator and Pontifex on board a rather humble galley of kinds. Yet, it proved all to obvious not to be a desirable vessel to find oneself in as either storm or rain would embrace her, having anything, but water-tight planks guarding the section where the main crew did row. It took a few days, but eventually, the grand city of Ironhold stood in full view as the boat made it's way closer and closer towards it.

Yet, the port was not as welcome as it looked from a distance. The air was nearly putrid, and the water looked anything, but healthy. This seemed to do in large part to the cisterns which had their water flow into the ocean itself, which polluted not just the waves, but the air around the entire dockyard. Even the environment around it had a slight green tint too it, and it was not an uncommon sight to see a civilian of kinds lie resting on the pier, but it would be difficult from a distance to tell if they were actually dead or not. However, that which certainly was dead was the bodies which occasionally floated down the great central river. It was a common dumping ground of bodies which had either died in feuds, or were simply too poor or uncared for to receive a proper burial. While not extraordinarily numerous, it was not uncommon to see at least one body flow down this river every 30 minutes. Yet this was always ignored by the hardened dockworkers, most of them carrying barrels or crates of one cargo or another. Yet, while the piers themselves were used mainly for civilian purposes stood more impressive in number than structure, the military dry-docks nearby was an entirely different matter. Housed in a massive clay building with bronze-outlines, a central tower, followed by a circular wall that allowed for the ships to get in, but housed the fleet both from storm and from the citizens in general ensured that no sabotage could ever come to one of the several mighty fleets stationed in the grand city. Yet, despite the impressive numbers of galleys it would house, it would do little to alter the generally foul entry that a citizen-level docks would present. The envoy had already arranged a portion for the ship to be anchored at, it was not impressive to say the least, as it sailed under the roof of a rather large building that had 4 other ships stationed inside it which stood in the process of unloading their cargo. This caused several hours of discomfort and nothing could quite quell the wretched smell, yet, eventually the ship docked and some paperwork later, everything seemed ready to go to journey into the city itself.

The streets had somehow managed to outgo all expectations of misery that could be found on the docks as they ventured through a particularly vile part of town. This area was generally reserved to released convicts or those which had their citizenship revoked and as such most houses stood in desperate need of repair. The wood on most of them had collected one form of mould or another and there was a particular sense of danger on the street, as almost everyone encountered had one form of knife or another tool on their person. The regional square of this city had some horrid spectacle on sight, as an individual was held by what seemed to be a mob of discontent individuals from a variety of different species, all stood screaming the same word. “Helvgatt, Helvgatt!” while the individual in question was seemingly beaten and escorted towards the entry to the cisterns. At this point the envoy did little to answer any question upon the situation which had just taken place, but instead muttered to himself. ‘”No grave too deep for those who steal light.“ The envoy stood perfectly aware that the area they had entered hardly offered the environment that was suited for respectable statesmen, but equally he knew that he was not to answer for the lack of preparations by the always enthusiastic Johannes. However, at the outskirts of this regions before the city walls there was truly a macabre event at display, yet one done in the name of order. It was uncommon for 5 royal guards to find themselves in this portion of the town and their armour made them easily stand out from the city militia, being adorned in steel armour and capes of blue silk with white outlines. Yet their current activity seemed to be anything, but noble. They were rounding up convicts from the barracks jail and had herded 25 or so individuals towards a great oak tree outside what seemed to be a respectable city hall of kinds, but, the great rope which had them all tied closely together left few illusions of what was to happen as they disappeared from sight. Now, standing before the gates towards a more central portion of town, one of the guards at the checkpoint raised his voice the moment the envoy came close saying. “Proof of citizenship or status.”

“Papers for second-degree citizenship, proof of innocence and seal of the explorers guild, led by the noble Johannes.” The envoy said rather enthusiastically, yet the guard, as unamused as someone who had been verifying papers for the most of his life, simply waved them inside. This portion of town seemed somewhat more tolerable, and buildings made of clay or stone was a welcome change from the putrid wood, and the streets were not so much a ditch now as they stood a collection of stones. However, it was still easy to see that such streets would not be particularly safe at night. They then made their way closer towards what seemed to be a larger building which had no illusions of quietness about it. As inside it seemed to be full of life and the smell of the famous Ironhold firewine would be unmistakeable. The envoy had finally brought the pontifex and senator to the intended destination, though, was only too aware of how the trip must have seemed for statesmen. Yet, as he had during most of the travels, all he could do would be to present his awkward smile as they stood at the entrance of the door.

More to follow

[Crossfire]

OOC: [goldy note] As a disclaimer, I don't want to make a habit of and probably won't from this point edit someone else's post, but due to some timing errors on my part, a few events got out of order. Thus, I will copy/paste them here. My part in pink and Crossfire's in tan.

IC: Perf, the green sprite, sped through the air towards the nation of Anliser and the Jurisdiction of Richkanor. Flying over the ocean was so boring, but if she didn't fly this high, the sea creatures would think lunch was flitting around overhead. She only stopped once to ask a local inhabitant on the mainland where she might find his majesty, High King Elhirrim Liser. Once she arrived at the palace/castle, she announced her presence as a messenger and diplomat from Ironhold. Perf held her resolution so make sure she wouldn't be turned away.
Once brought in the presence of the High King Elhirrim Liser, she gave a very deep bow, her wings slightly extended.
"I greet you, High King Elhirrim Liser, and congratulate you on your recent victory." she grinned, her pointy teeth almost glowing,"I bring a message from the city of Ironhold, and some words of advice." Perf bowed again and handed a letter to the High King.
Once Perf had given the High King enough time to read through the letter, she continued, "The words of advice come from my master, the most esteemed leader of Ironhold, Great Doge Basil the serene. And I quote," Perf suddenly stood up straight and her eyes drooped slightly, almost comically if you looked at her too long, "'High King Elhirrim Liser, it is indeed very pleasant to have such a strong neighbor, yet least the trade routes of the great Ironhold get..." Perf looked up as if trying to remember,"'spooked, we extend a hand of peace and harmony to you and hope that our further interactions will be happy ones.'"
Perf finished and went back to her playful and sneaky looking self, "But between you and me, High King, you can use all the military you can get these days in this dangerous world."
Before taking off again, Perf bowed again and waited for a response from the High King.

The look on Elhirrim's face was not that of a happy man. "I... thank you for delivering this message. However, I must say that I... hrm... am not necessarily pleased by this decl-"

Elhirrim was stopped short by Armiser, the chief advisor of Elvonmere. "Such words bring a sudden weight, messenger... 'Perf', was it? I'm afraid we cannot make a sound decision upon this first reading. As you may well know, we are a... careful people, and your admittance is a rare honor that should not be taken for granted. We will contact you once the High King has made a decision regarding this... matter at hand. However, I can justly say that we, the Tel-Liserans, harbor no ill-meaning towards Ironhold and its rulers... but know that our rights to the land are not to be trifled with." After a brief moment, Armiser went back to a casual smile and pleasant tone. "I apologize, but it may take a while to come to a conclusion. We must gather representatives from all over the land including the- ah, province of Richkanor." He then signaled a servant over. "Please, take this- some of the finest mead brewed in our lands. As a token of... understanding between the High King and the Great Doge Basil of Ironhold."


Perf's antennae twitched curiously while listening to Armiser and when he finished, she gave another bow, "Of course, naturally you all would need time to consider such an sudden message. While I can't say The Great Doge is a patient person, he is rather...serene." Perf giggled, "so please take your time, as long as we know we have no ill-willed neighbors, there will be no trouble. Boring, just the way people like it. Oh, and thank you!" Perf grabbed the mead greedily and escorted herself out of the palace, jumping into the air and zooming away, still clutching the mead.


“What do you mean we violated the law?! This is our kingdom, and we’ll see to our own rule. Who are these people from Ironhold to tell me how to govern my rightful lands?” bellowed the young king of Anliser. Discussion regarding foreign delegations was no easy topic in this keep, often resembling a battlefield by the time a resolution came to hand. As with most talks regarding other countries, a conclusion resulting in a declaration of war is not uncommon in Anliser’s capital. But today is an exception for that rule.

One of the King’s advisors wearily raised his head. “Rest assured, my lord, it is merely a suggestion from the region’s largest trading port, and I believe it is currently in our best interests to…”

The High King hastily interjected. “Trading routes be damned! We, the Tel-Liseran, have survived off of our land since its inception, and by the divine, I’ll keep it that way. I won’t have those northern slobs threatening their way into a negotiation. If they want Richkanor, they can take it over my dead body…”

“Sire, it is most unwise to speak ill of those in Ironhold… noble-blooded or not.” spoke the chief advisor, and Elhirrim’s closest friend. A man of great composure and foresight, Armiser is one of the few men permitted to speak openly to the King, be it in the form of Tel-Liseran politics or private matters. If he had something to say, people were made sure to listen. He continued on; “Even a soldier requires the assistance of his page if he wishes to march beyond the horizon… and believe me, Elhirrim, this time we need the help of outsiders if we wish for our country to survive. Never mind the economy, though, the political and personal ramifications of not attending this meeting could be of grave consequence to your lineage. Ask yourself this- do you want to come across as weak in the eyes of this world?”

The chamber went silent, save for the crackle of fire. Elhirrim stared deep and long into the hearth’s glimmer, taking solace in its warm embrace. After some time of thought he turned to his advisors, with a similar flame in his eyes. “We will set sail for Ironhold. If the rule of Liser falls into decay, I will be solely to blame for this decision. Let us pray that tidings will turn out for the better of Anliser and her people."

[Jingo Jaden]

'Davidizer'

While the journey was a particularly long one, it did serve to gain some knowledge about the different biomes which the world had to offer. Even though the fire-sprites were perfectly familiar with the massive snowy peaks and the harsh, jagged landscape that surrounded it. They soon traveled south to the great marshlands. it was a particularly vile bog that could be smelled from miles away, and it was sparely inhabited by diseased and often deranged human tribes living in a odd conjunction with the surrounding countryside. While the tempature of some of the more heated bogs was enough to grant some rest to the red sprites during the journey ahead, some of them simply seemed to..... disappear, but the many viles that haunted this region. They had also come in contact with several strange, green, bug-like sprites, which, out of fear seemingly attempted to keep their distance from the red sprites, who so attached to their leader did not wander too far from his reach. Yet, direction was not an eay thing to gain from this place, as the sentient creatures who still roamed this strange land generally ranged from confused to mad. Yet, it was not the sentient creatures that posed any danger, at least not any organized danger on this journey, as it was the more primal creatures that roamed the lands. The great styx spider was a particular offender, being stuck in it's web could easily hold even a strong human, and the web's subtle silver lining all too often confused and enthralled the poor red sprites. A situation in which rescue would be most unlikely.

Despite these initial dangers, after some weeks of wandering the marshland became less dense, giving way to beautiful green tracts of land among the somewhat arid landscape. A particular green bed of crops instantly caught the attention of the red sprites, who in their innocent hubris ensured that a fire soon ensued, which rapidly engulfed the farm and the odd, wooden structure next to it. Thankfully, it seemed no one was at home, and there were some slight signs of decay that otherwise might have pointed to the fact that it had been abandoned for some time. It became, however, abundantly clear at this point that the danger of their fires was a real force to be reckoned with. Yet, with fortune, a road was found close to the sea-bed that offered very little flammable material in it's proximity. Yet, civilization started to become more and more apparent, despite it's small size. More of these farms became sighted in greater and greater clusters, until, eventually, what seemed like a small coastal settlement came into view, and before they could get close enough to start a potential inferno, a very old wizard which had appeared had managed to enthrall their attention with an odd spell, simply creating a great deal of colors which stood irresistible to the red sprites. Before, casting a second spell, which made their made their fires seem liquified to their bodies. Once Vantari arrived, the old wizard explained to him that it was a common spell to cast around settlements in case of a rouge red-sprite getting a bit too curious for their own good. It was easily reversible, and simply ensured that they would cause no collateral fire damage. He enchanted a amulet which he then handed over to Vantari, and told him that by simple use, he could active and deactivate the spell on them, ensuring that they would not have an unfortunate occurrence take place.

To the horizon some galleys were spotted. And these offered great oppretunity, the locals explained, of reaching Ironhold in only a few days. One paticular old sea-dog which had never seen a full colony of red sprites before, offered to take them there for free. And so they journied across the oceans, and for once the normal curiocity of the red sprites were repleaced by a daunting fear of being caught by the waves. To a red-sprite, rain would feel like a cold blizzard, and the waves, while adding a cold environment to their fragile bodies, would spell certain death should they fall into. Thankfully, the ship was genuinely strong and had been used to transport much cargo, so beneath the deck was relatively safe for them. Some days later, the city of Ironhold came into view. The old captain was a bit of a sea dog and instead of going into the docks, he simply had the galley driven close to the beach. From here, it was just about an hours walk towards the door. Though, the red sprites could have spent an eternity marveling at the great city. Flying high above the walls, they quickly came into contact with other sky-kind faeries which attempted to escape their endless persistence. Yet, they were industrious little things, and in their endless inquiries, one finally managed to find the tavern they had been directed towards. Giving a signal call for others to follow suit. They had arrived.

'Crossfire'

The envoy sent from Ironhold had not been particularly kind towards Anliser. Yet, if there was one thing Ironhold had developed a repution for, it was ensuring that no regional wars would engulf trade routes. Other than that Ironhold was a relatively isolationist city, distanced from the outside which they viewed as barbaric and unworthy for all other than their merchants. The diplomat had encountered some scorn on her own, as was expected in heated negotiations. However, with little effort it seemed as if she had sealed the deal she was hoping for, and the great trade ships of Ironhold was once again free to set sail through the nearby settlements which had been conquered. At the very least, the revered diplomat had spent her time giving some form of praise for their recent conquest, though, it was never in the Ironhold tradition to encourage such ventures.

The winds and waves did indeed pose a significant challenge for the humble sea vessel that had been put into test for this journey. While the ship was sturdy, it had yet to discover the secrets which allowed it to truly get closer to the wind which made the journey a potentially dangerous one. As the currents eventually increased in their favor, the journey took a few weeks shorter than expected, but nevertheless, Ironhold, the great city was now in view. However as the vessel approached the most obviously large dock, a smaller vessel, a canoe of kinds with golden ornaments intercepted them, warning htem that it was the Patricians docks. Yet, upon further investigation, the guard commander realized he was dealing with foreign dignitaries. Conjuring the decision that if the doge by any chance had sent for them personally, it could mean his head if he gave them disrespect, whereas at worst he would receive jail if the guilds took it the wrong way. He allowed for them to eventually dock in the finer quarters, and grand it was. The grand spires arched outwards to greet any ship which would arrive, yet, on closer inspection, they all had ropes attached to themselves, which hauled in the larger ships when required. There was also fine merchandise in sight, at outrageous prices one should say, yet, the food was entirely free and grand it was. Food placed in patterns as if it was art, composed of exotic food and tender meat. With fruits and herbs from the corners of the world. However, time was of the issue, and an escort granted them his expertise as far as hunting for taverns. This one he had frequented himself many times in the past, and as such, gladly escorted them correct path. While the tavern was far more humble than the great towers in the royal quarter, the atmosphere seemed right for something big to happen.

'More to follow'

[Jingo Jaden]

'The meet'

The day had finally found it's end, and as the sun was setting on the horizon it was business as usual in the gauntlet. At the ground level mead and fire-wine was being served to all kin and creatures seemingly without stop. The building revealed an impressive stockpile of different brands, but this was not a spot where people would ponder too much about the quality of the goods. The orders placed generally went to either the cheapest or the strongest the house had to offer, and it did boast an impressive punch to go along with the somewhat reasonable price. It was a sizable building, with 3 floors that all had the same counter in which people could order from. Yet, as it stood. Johannes was nowhere to be seen. While he had not been too revealing about his apperance on the letter, depending on who one asked, it was either 'the owner?' or 'the fat human?' that was replied. And while there were no shortage of fat humans in sight, most of them had either passed out or were about to do so. Other revealing sights included a fairy which seemingly had passed out in the cup of mead, a group of cattle-folk which kept making incredibly annoying sounds as they conversed in between far too much drink and an actual Minotaur who was eating seemingly without stop. The waitress was a rather short, stubby elf which was a rare to those who had not enjoyed the city life. If anything she had still retained the legendary balance of an elf, as she carried seemingly towers of plates and cups of mead that seemed to defy gravity in itself. Yet, when she heard of the inquiries, she made her way over and replied with a very kind voice. " The owner, I am afraid, has just passed to the other side."

At this point, there was a sharp silence in the tavern, and a gentle feeling of dread. This caused the waitress to look around herself with some level of bewildered irritation, before she replied. " Don't worry you lot, only to the other side of consciousness!"

She made small, rapid steps towards one of the empty tables, and started ferociously kicking someone who seemed to have been sleeping under it. " Wake up! Wake up you fool! You have visitors!" She screamed, and, despite ones worry about the health of the poor soul, his hangover eventually gave in to pain, and he made his way out from under the table and stood up, it was clear from his expression that he shunned the light as if it was the plauge at this point, yet the waitress offered him no respite as far as the situation went. His eyes were pinched nearly entirely shut, fighting to adjust within the ungenerous time-frame he had been granted. It was during this the waitress raised her voice and said. "Your guests have traveled from all corners of the world and you cannot even look the part? How typical of you Johannes, no regards to the feelings of others."
Johannes mumbling became increasingly audible as time passed on. " All at once?" He said with a tone mixed in with despair and surprise. The waitress nodded her head up and down in short, angry motions and replied with an affirmative tone. " Yes, all at once."
" Heavens have mercy, and I have not even prepared a single seat. This tavern was supposed to be reserved, but I must have forgot thanks to the mead. Friends, friends, gentlemen and noble women!" He grinned as he became increasingly more conscious and mobile. Walking behind the counter before continuing. " I know you have traveled far, and, thanks be to entities beyond the great darkness, I have been robbed of a proper introduction, or at least, one which saves me some minute portion of pride. So, a trip through stormy mountains, green marshlands and not the least challenging aspect, which would be Ironhold itself, I am left with criminally little to show for it. However, all shall be rectified now that you finally have arrived. You may not know me, but I assure you I know a great deal about all of you. I know of the place of your upbringings from when i was an explorer myself, and I know of several of your individual accomplishments. It has become clear to me that you are more than mere aristocratic settlers, and, not attempting to make fate laugh by announcing it's plans, I have something both to ask and show for you, yet, since you've taken on such a hard travel on so little faith, It would be woefully rude of me not to show first." After saying this, Johannes made his way over to a door which lead to one administrative branches of the building. A relatively humble office. Ordained seemingly by trophies from his explorations. Now despite the nature of Johannes, the collection was at least moderately impressive.

"Now, my friends. For the first order of business, though I apologize if this is partially self serving. Is to present you with this book, which is a humble compendium from most of my explorations." Johannes said has proceeded to lay out several, large leather-sealed books with a simple bronze mechanism for opening and closing it. Upon some basic inspection, the book was shown to contain both several above intermediate illustration, maps, and even designs of contraptions such as basic oar-based ship designs. " Now be not frustrated, as these books contain several secrets your nations could make some use of. This is my gift as much as it is a guarantee for my legacy, so to speak." Johannes said as he coughed a few times. He then continued ever so optimistically. " Now, i will not attempt to hold you in hostage as far as time is concerned. Time is precious as we all learn with age. However, I also promised ventures for mutual profit. Sufficed to say as the leader of the exploration guild, i am in charge of ensuring certain exports. Not of currency, but of knowledge. There is more to this world than what meets the eye, as I will demonstrate." Johannes then made his way over to the shelf, and pulled out a very peculiar-looking stone. At first, it seemed just to be a rather large gem, but if one absorbed it closely, it was as if it linked up with ones vision, showing both nether-worlds and nirvanas, giving unfilled, Un-chronological displays of events which stood hard to phantom. Yet, not allowing ones curiosity to be too sated, Johannes quickly put the gem back where he pulled it from before saying with a sly smile. " Exploration is the fruit that grants the greater outcome as far as experience goes, yet, there are even things which I cannot phantom. However, should your nation get an overabundance of currency, I would be happy to take it from you in return for even more secrets."

OOC - Player bonuses - Johannes comendium offers a +1 military, +1 administrative and a +1 economic points for a period of no more than 3 rounds. Very soon a pm shall be sent around detailing the bushiness that is at hand.

A menu of kinds will be created soon with greater emphasis on how a nation can use their respective economies.

[silvanis2.0]

Koema was wary of the strange vibrations coming from the stone that Johannes had shown. It seemed both dangerous and compelling at the same time; an unhappy mix. Yor edged his way along the group to get a better look, but immediately went back to Koema's side when he felt her scowl at him. She leaned close enough to him to whisper and not be heard, "Read the air, please, Yor. I wish to know what this man's intent is."
Yor held his hands out with his palms up and closed his eyes. There were vibrations from everyone in the room, making Johannes' hard to discern. Eventually, Yor dropped his hands and subtly shook his head. Koema frowned and gingerly pulled off one of her gloves just far enough to reveal her palm. She held her hand low, as inconspicuously as she could, and tried to sort out Johannes' vibrations from among the others. She got small bits of it here and there, but there was too much interference to read it properly. She slipped the glove back on.
"Our generous host offers much to us," she said, striving to keep her voice neutral despite her misgivings, "but what does he desire in return? Such treasures surely come with a price."
Yor read the air again in hopes of a spike in Johannes' electrical signals.

[Davidizer13]

Vantari's eyes locked on Johannes' stone, colors and images flickering rapidly within it, and as the leaders of the other nations conferenced with their advisors, Vantari remained transfixed by it. His head swum with the possibilities - with it, the treasure he sought could be located, and their quest would be complete, or at the very least, he could know what to look for. He studied the cabinet Johannes had placed it in, the wonders he had seen seeming to burn through its door and into some empty space in his consciousness, burrowing into depths he never thought existed. Whoever had given such a boon to a mere human was a fool of the greatest order! He barely heard Johannes' words, about wanting something called "kerensi," probably some word from Ironhold's language unknown to the sprites. The more he got, Vantari reasoned, the more he'd be willing to show off his stone. As the other nations debated their choices, Vantari began his interrogation, questions in rapid-fire. "How do we get kerensi? How much do you need? Do you eat it? Will we be able to look at your stone again?" All the while, his gaze never left the cabinet.

[goldenspines]

OOC: Apologies for the super lateness from me. Real life got more hectic than I expected. x.x But thanks to the people who have posted so far! Hopefully everyone else will jump in soon as well.

IC: There were so many new sights, smells and sounds in the tavern that Kiri could hardly stay focused on any one thing. Until a voice stood out above the rest and Kiri noticed that there was a small gathering of people to the one side of the room near some empty tables. She came closer to the group to see where the voice was coming from only to find out that she couldn't see past any of the rather tall figures. After some failed attempts to squeeze through the far too interested creatures before her, she bounded up one of the walls nearby and leaped on top a support beam overhanging the small crowd.
The voice came from a man who had introduced himself as Johannes, and when he finished his speech, Kiri still felt the burning of the mysterious stone's glow in her eyes. She should have known things were going to get much much stranger ever since the letter arrived to her colony. This may be the chance she was looking for to unite her kind into a full blown nation. But she must be cautious. Strange things like these cannot be approached lightly; like fire, it's not wise to reach your paw in too far, no matter how cold you are.
Still from up top the beam, she spoke up to Johannes, "Your offer is a curious one and I would like to take you up on it, for now, at least. My kind strive for knowledge to fulfill our curiosity. Though....that stone; are there any things we should be...wary of when using it?" Kiri flicked her tail and narrowed her eyes slightly. She didn't want to seem too anxious to get a hold of the stone, yet there's always a catch, even to such great deals as these. Surely money is not only what this man wants.


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Glint, after running a few errands, finally ended up back at the tavern she had previously guided the cat creature to. Unlike a few hours previously, the tavern was now bustling with people of varying intoxication. This all made Glint very nervous as she shuffled into a corner, trying to remember what to do.
Just then, the door flung open and Glint's comrade (or promise-ee for Glint), Perf swaggered in, looking slightly tipsy herself, with an almost empty bottle of expensive mead in her hand. Glint rushed over to Perf, "Perf, are you all right? You're a bit late, you know, it's not good to keep everyone waiting." Glint faded at the end of her sentence as Perf looked at her and flicked her on the forehead.
"Aww man, who cares, Linty! People can wait; especially the old windbag Johannes. He'll talk both your ears off and sell them to the highest bidder if he had the chance." Perf took another, which is the say the last, swig of the mead and them took a deep breath, "Aaah yes, that hits the spot." she handed the empty bottle to Glint, who looked at it puzzled, and then walked over to where the small crowd was standing around Johannes, "Okay, folks, it's showtime!" Perf jumped up on the table in front of Johannes and spread her wings for dramatics. She surveyed the people all looking up at her. Good, almost all the nations' leaders are here. The Doge wasn't kidding about this.
“Greetings leaders, from far and near across the world, my name is Perfiliousryegostingamarkham the 27th, though please call me Perf. The little squirt over there,” Perf pointed behind the crowd to the puzzled looking Glint, still holding the empty mead bottle, “is my, er, associate, lint, er, Glint. And we represent the Great Doge Basil the serene as administrators and diplomats.”
Glint took this as her cue to scurry up to the side of the table that Perf was standing on, “Um, er, actually, the Doge's full title is 'The most serene Doge of Ironhold. Arch-patriarch of the council of ten, Ruler of the black sea and all waves beyo-” Perf flicked Glint in the forehead again.
“Shut up! I. am. talking.” Perf growled, almost stumbling off the table, but caught herself and puffed out her chest more, “Now then, where was I? Oh yes, the Great Doge wishes to welcome you all to the lovely city of Ironhold and hope you enjoy your stay. But let's get right to it, shall we?” Perf's eyes narrowed and she grinned a lot wider than anyone though her mouth could go. Perf surveyed the room again, making contact with the leaders of each nation. One leader per nation, the Doge had commanded. Perf then raised her hands above her head, rubbed them together and with a flash, went around the room and flicked each of the leaders in the room on the forehead, and then returned to the top of the table and flopped down with her legs crossed, still grinning.
“Oi, waiter! More booze! All this work takes a lot out of me.”

The effect of Perf's flick was instantaneous and only few could stay standing upright while feeling it. Whatever Perf had done to each leader, it felt as if their whole bodies were burning, from that spot on their forehead, to their faces, all the way through their limbs to their toes. And even when they looked at their hands, it was as if the flesh was burning off their bones, the embers dripping to the ground. Yet, the horror was all over within a few seconds; their bodies un-scarred, and all that remained of the burning pain was a weird tingling feeling in the limbs and one's chest.

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*~Perf has granted each of the nations' leaders Immunity to Time. If you are a leader of a nation, you got this!
The leaders who received this “gift” will not age anymore (yay!), but they still can die if killed by someone (booo!)~*

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