Chronicles of Aldelor IC

Chronicles of AldelorAct 1: The Beginning

Nations rise.

Nations fall.

New nations are built from the ashes.

Such as been a cycle that’s existed in Aldelor since its creation. With every new nation, the world sees another shift in the fabric of time. New ideals are brought to Aldelor. New homes are built. Species that were once few in number begin to flourish. Alternatively, the birth of a new nation could mark the end of a species as well. One can never know how things will play out among Aldelorians.

For the fairies, the choosing of a king is a coming of age ceremony. It is when a fairy makes a bond with their chosen monarch and leaves the fairy realm to find a new home. A new source of strength. As such, a fairy always desires for their kingdom to grow stronger. They will search high and low for the person they believe can build them their desired kingdom.

“With all due respect, M'Liege, can we get this shindig started already?”

Well, some of them anyway.

A half-hearted glare directed towards the smallest of the fairies gathered, the Fairy King rose from his throne. Raising his scepter, the winged male spoke in a voice that wasn’t extraordinarily loud, let could be heard from every single corner of his realm.


“The time has come, my Fairies, to welcome new kings into our sacred land! Call them--your chosen monarchs! From wherever they may be and whatever race they hail, bring them to our realm so that new pacts might be made and a new chapter in Aldelor's history might unfold!”


GM Message: Teleport your character to the fairy realm and rp out your king's meeting with your fairy. The fairy king is in the throne room as with many fairies. However, your characters do not have to be in the throne room if you don't want to be (the fairies can hear their king from anywhere). There's a picture of the fairy realm in the lore page. You can also add new areas to the fairy realm if you want. I'll allow a lot of creative freedom so long as nothing goes against lore (or each other's posts).

Arc 1 will end in 25 posts

Lillare found Mergim gazing at the surrounding island from the balcony just outside the throne room. She seemingly glided beside him and lifted her pale hands to rest on the balcony rail. They stood in silence a moment, admiring the view.

"Your homeland is beautiful," Mergim finally said.

Lillare noted the unease in his voice before nodding appreciatively. "It is, but this chapter of my life is over. My home—now and forever—will be by your side in the Froreland."

"Won't you miss this?" Mergim asked while motioning to the lush tropics of the island. "It's what I imagined paradise would look like for warm-bloods."

She shook her head. "For fairies, paradise comes in many colors and temperatures. Besides, there's no purpose for me here, and fairies need purpose more than we need clear blue skies."

"Are you sure you've chosen the right purpose?" Mergim asked. He watched the fairy closely.

Lillare grinned and nodded. "As sure as I've ever been in my life." Her voice sounded as if she held back a giggle.

Mergim's expression suggested he wanted to share a smile with her, but he never permitted it. "Why me? I've never governed a clan, yet you picked me to rule every dwarf?"

Lillare turned and faced the befuddled dwarf. Her violet eyes conveying utter admiration for him. "I've watched you, Mergim Neverthaw: your mind is sharp, your body is strong, but it's your heart that steers you. You're assertive. Brave. Merciful. You have everything required to be great leader, and now you finally have the opportunity."

Mergim nodded to himself. Not with vanity, but with acceptance. "What now?" He asked before exhaling out the last remnants of his self-doubt.

"Now you must meet the others. If Cryogane is to prosper it will need allies."

Mergim stroked his beard in contemplation for a moment before smiling warmly up at the fairy. "Thank you, Lillare, for everything."

"You're very welcome, My King."


24 posts until the next Convergence of Kings

In the kingdom of Arran'ak things went well the crops grew and the people worked. It would be the very model of a truly successful kingdom if not for the fact that many that did the labor were dead. Arran'ak was a kingdom run by the dead, where ancient masters taught new pupils in arts that would normally have been lost and where the farms were not tended by a sizable portion of the population, but instead by skeletons of generations past. If there was such a concept of modrenization then Arran'ak would likely be a poster child, for thanks to the dead the living were allowed to seek out more skilled work and had time to be educated in many subjects by teachers who could have very well invited the concepts they taught. This was a land were all were welcome where human, elf, dwarf, undead, and all others could live an join in on a shared culture.

Still death could not be eternally pushed back for everyone and thus today like any other day in any other nation people died. Still in Arran'ak this was not a cause for mourning, there would be no burials or wakes, the dead would soon enough be back amount the living. The bodies were taken and bathed in special alchemical baths that stripped the flesh from bone and left a clean skeleton. The bones were then inspected and reinforced as needed before a necromancer would give the dead bones the energy to move once more. This could all be done locally for necromancer were not in short supply and the raising of skeletons was a simple task. A harder task was calling the soul back which often cost a modest price to pay for reagents and time. Many times the soul came back as a ghost yo continue amount the living while other times they refused and were allowed to rest. Today was no diffrent and in towns and villages the necromancer went about thier tasks to bring the dead back while midwives helped new mothers bring more life to Arran'ak.


23 posts until the next Convergence of Kings

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[div class=fyuri11wrapper][div class=fyuri11imagebox][div class=fyuri11overlayparent][div class=fyuri11overlay][div class=fyuri11header]CYNINGDÓM OF ALBION[/div]

[/div][/div][/div][div class=fyuri11parent][div class=fyuri11content]
Dorzmary castle was not what you would call the beating heart of the empire, located deep in the eastern provinces, characterized by their murky marshlands and a lack of sufficient workable land; Dozmary was never destined to be a hub for trade or commerce. If it had any purpose at all, it would most likely have been to simply mark the easternmost extent of the empire. Yet it would be here, in this deep and forgotten footnote of the annals, that the imperial aristocracy made its last stand.

Like most of his brethren, Cynricus had come to this new land with hopes of plunder and adventure but most of all with hopes of finding somewhere to settle and raise a family in, away from the horrors of home. It soon proved to be anything but, years of mass migration and endless infighting had created a chaotic free for all, even the few settlements that had been carved out of the remnants of the empire were in near constant war, surviving, not off of the land but by raiding and pillaging each other, their own kin. Cynricus didn't know how long this could last, but it was not his job to know, he was just a lowly man-at-arms; sworn to do do the bidding of his Jarl and his bidding quite clearly was to take the castle at Dozmary.

Cynricus, in command of a couple dozen men was asked to cross the lake on its eastern side which formed a sort of natural moat for the castle. His job was to essentially test the defenses of the castle's outer walls, it was a simple scouting mission, something he'd done a million times before. This time however, it was different, by all accounts it was a swimmable distance from one side of the lake to the other in fact the lake wasn't even that deep, but about halfway through the swim a strange thing happened. The water started to get progressively darker and his body seemed to be getting heavier with each stroke, until it finally felt as if he was carrying a bundle of rocks across with him. As Cynricus turned to look for the rest of his group he saw in horror as they were violently sucked into the now pitch black water one by one, until only he was left. His descent into the dark waters was less violent and yet it wasn't free of the accompanying fear and panic that goes through one's mind as water floods into the lungs. It was in this pitiful state of his that the lady made herself know, she was like nothing he'd ever seen before; a young woman of somewhat unworldly beauty, untouched by the water around her, clothed in all white, with a narrow golden fillet holding a white veil on her head.

She did not open her mouth and yet he heard an almost deafening voice coming from no definite direction, "Let go my child, the pain will subside; there is much we must do now." and with that his vision dimmed and consciousness faded from his grasps.

When he finally awoke he found himself in another realm of truly unimaginable splendor, this was no longer the savage battlefield he had been in; lush green forests stretched as far as the eye could see,massive structures unlike any, man had ever or could have ever built touched the very limits of the sky and creatures big and small of a description unknown to him and he'd suspect anyone back in Aldelor dotted the land.

"Where am I?" he whispered into the air, half out of bewilderment and half out of fear, not expecting any answer.

"Why the fairy realm of course my King." replied the courteous lady, who had for all this while waited as the bewildered man took in the sights and sounds of this new frontier.

"King?" asked the startled Cynricus in an almost pleading tone.

"Yes my lord, you have been chosen, welcome to the Convergence".

[/div][/div][/div][div class=fyuri11credit]code/design by @Fyuri[/div]


22 Posts until the next Convergence.

The leviathan were tired, hungry and scared, but above all tired. There were so few of them left now. Their father, god and guide, was dead. The greatest and oldest of the kings and keepers of the word's oceans, the black serpent Levi'anth, was dead. The blue and green serpents had killed him. The blue Epsil'tal had then turned his hate on the leviathan. So few were left. And now the green serpent Sel'vetal hunted them as they fled. It had not attacked to wipe the remaining leviathan out entirely, not yet, but if they stopped or slowed, it would strike again and again. But they had no destination, no end in sight or mind to their fleeing through open ocean, and they were slowing, wearing down, tired.

A black ribbon flitted around and through the stream of leviathan. It was unlike any fish or prey any of their kind had seen, but that was to be expected. Before their home had been turn apart and burned they had never before swam through the open waters. It was only natural for prey and predator alike to be new and strange. The stream of leviathan did not change course upon this thing joining them, but individuals did snap at it in the hope of catching it between their teeth and have even a small amount of food inside their vacant stomachs. In fact, each and every leviathan that the thing came close to made some attempt to catch it, if only for a moment before it darted away and their will to give it chase fell limp.

It darted through the water and settled in to swimming just in front of yet another leviathan, well within range for it to lunge forward and swallow the thing whole. Xir'ain eyed the black thing and then dove down just enough to get it out of his face, showing no initiative to go after the strange black ribbon. It paused in the water, then darted closer, as if taunting him. The leviathan swam around the annoying thing, and the thing stood still in the water until another leviathan made a snap at it and the black ribbon broke apart to slip through its teeth. The many black ribbons encircled the one that had ignored them, coalescing into the shape of a small black fish that swam just next to Xir'ain's hungry mouth. The mouth opened, "I do not know what you are. You are not a prey fish. I know that." The shape changed into a miniature leviathan that looped around Xir'ain's jaws before slipping away and again changing shape, this time into a black figure that stood just before him, somehow moving with him despite appearing to not move at all.

"Why do you not chase me like the others? Do you not hunger?"

"You swim too fast to catch. I watched the others try. It is a pointless game. And I sense you are inedible."

The dark fairy sat down on his jaw. "Is that so? Surely if I'm right here it is worth opening your mouth to find out for yourself, no?" She ran a finger along the line of Xir'ain's deadly mouth.

Xir'ain shook the fairy away. "Even if you are a prey so kind as to swim willingly between my teeth, you are too small to feed the rest. If we are to starve, I would not wish to live just longer enough to watch my brothers and sisters die before me."

The dark fairy reformed on the end of Xir'ain's face and walked up it like it was stairs. "What if there was a way you could save your people?"

"I would ask the price of being saved," Xir'ain said with narrowed eyes.

"No price. After all, you would be the one doing the saving."

"What would I have to do?" Xir'ain did not trust this strange creature, but if there was a way to save his brothers and sisters from a slow death of starvation and exhaustion overseen by the ones who had killed their god, he would do whatever was needed.

The black fairy smiled, a wide smile full of shark-white teeth. "Rule them," she purred.

"I am no king," Xir'ain spoke back, and at that the black fairy chuckled softly. It was not the deep rumble of a leviathan's laugh, but a much shallower sound that came from between smiling teeth. Astarot place her hand on the black skin between Xir'ain's golden eyes.

"You are."


Xir'ain was no longer swimming through the open ocean. Instead he was seeing whites and greens, the colors of bones and seaweed, but not belonging two either of those things. He lacked the ability to understand his own surroundings. He wished to flee this place, to thrash as a cornered animal. He did not understand this place, and so he feared it in a way he had never feared anything before. No, he had feared one other thing in this way. The fire that flooded his home and burned the water. He had not understood it, only that it was something to fear and hate. That was how he felt now, as if everything around him was fire that would burn him without him understanding how or why.

But as much as he wished to flee, his body did not respond to him now. He found himself to be coiled around something, a dark finger attached to the strange final shape of that black thing, and he was unable to move.

Astarot wore her king as a ring, so that he may observe and she may not have to deal with the comments of her narrow-minded peers. No doubt they had all chosen the standard types for their kings: heroes of human or dwarf or elf blood. They had no imagination. She absently traced a dark finger around her king's form as she blew open the doors to her own king's throne room. The room was already packed full of those witless fairies, ditsy on pollen and impotent magic. Astarot slowly panned her king around so he may look about the space, remaining silent as she ignored the stares of the crowd of forgotten fairy and moved with unhurried steps to the foot of the Fairy King's throne. She bowed, but kept her hand uncovered so that her new king may observe her old king.


21 posts until the next Convergence of Kings

Herphaeus Magnus remained seated within the room, slowly writing down his new insights and understanding of the secrets of the universe. While the faint noise and the smell of alcohol that seeped into the room is mildly disturbing, it's not like Herphaeus has much of a choice when it comes to his accommodation. He doesn't have much coin with him and this is the cheapest room he could afford after all. The scholar sighed once again before diving right back to his work, or he would have if he wasn't suddenly blinded by a bright light, before emerging in what seems like paradise.

Herphaeus briefly looked around his new surroundings, finding himself right in front of a truly majestic building of marble, gold and precious stones, surrounded by lush vegetation from all corners of the known world. 'Is this the afterlife?' he pondered. 'Is this what was awaiting all of us after death?' He then found himself looking at a white-haired woman, an extremely beautiful one at that too. Maybe she's an angel, waiting for him so she can guide him to his next life? While the thought of death is disconcerting, considering the fact that he is no longer able to continue his pursuit of knowledge, his sheer curiosity for what awaits him has driven him to act.

"Greetings, I suppose that this is the afterlife?" He waved at the angel, at least he hoped she is, and greeted her. The angel seems a little bit shocked before she shook her head. "No, young one. This is not the afterlife, and you're certainly not dead. In fact, you're in the realm of the fairies." Herphaeus was perplexed, why would he be summoned to the mythical King's Cradle? He dared not think about the possibility of becoming a king, for he lacked the charisma necessary to lead an entire kingdom. There must be another purpose, perhaps one of academic importance. That must be it, he must have been summoned here to discuss matters of scholarly pursuits.

Herphaeus took a few deep breathes to calm himself down, before asking the angel-now-revealed-to-be-a-fairy. "So, for what purpose had I, a mere scholar out of the hundreds within the lands of Vethenia, been summoned to the mythical lands of the fairies? Is it to reveal the mysteries of the cosmos, or perhaps to decipher the mysteries of the arcane magics, or..." Before Herphaeus can continue his rant, the fairy interrupted him. "I'm afraid that the purpose of summoning you here wasn't as academic as you had expected, Mister Herphaeus. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Messaline Weiß, and my purpose is to assist you during your tenure as king as your companion fairy."

Silence loomed for a brief moment as Herphaeus contemplated the implications of Messaline's words. "Am I hearing it right? Me, a king? I'm sorry but I'm afraid that I lack the skills required for me to become an efficient ruler."

"While you might not be as skilled in politics as the rest of the new kings summoned here, I have chosen you as my rightful liege lord due to your other qualities, such as your dedication in preserving and spreading knowledge. Now, would you be kind enough to allow me to finish the bonding ritual before we go ahead and meet up with the other chosen rulers?"

"Oh, okay. Uh, just,just, just, go ahead and do, do the thing, thing" Herphaeus stuttered.

"I, Messaline Weiß , vow to serve my rightful liege lord, Herphaeus Magnus , and assist him in all matters of governance during his tenure as King. I shall do my best to preserve the security, prosperity and sovereignty of the kingdom my liege lord, and to serve his heirs just as I did with himself." Messaline knelt down before the shocked Herphaeus and made her vows, before staying silent for a moment. Not knowing what to do, Herphaeus could only continue to stutter, forcing the fairy to nudge him to accept her vow of loyalty. "Do you accept my vows of loyalty, my lord?"

"Uh, of, of, of course!" stuttered the man.

As soon as Herphaeus finished his stuttering, the two are briefly surrounded by a glow, which faded as suddenly as it appeared. Noting that the bonding ritual is completed, Messaline stood up, before she was confronted with a question from the still stuttering Herphaeus. "Sha....shall we meet up with the other...er cho...chosen rulers, You....Your Ladyship?"

The fairy shook her head. "I'm afraid that your current state has rendered you unsuitable for conducting diplomacy for the time being, my lord. I would advise that we first return to the mortal world for you to regain your composure before attempting anything else."

"S...Sure! As...as you wish, You....Your ladyship!"

"Well then, my lord." said the fairy before yet another bright flash of light blinded Herphaeus.


20 posts until the next Convergence of Kings.

There were probably worse things in the world than suddenly being hit with a bright light while picking flowers and suddenly finding oneself in a different environment, but, for now, Annabelle couldn’t think of any. She was in a throne room, grander than she had ever seen—not that Annabelle had ever seen a throne room before. Even while visiting Candor Castle to see her mother, Annabelle had never set foot into the chamber where His Majesty conducted some of his royal proceedings. It wasn’t a place for a girl like her.

She'd arrived in time to see a black figure bowing to one who stood on a dais with an elaborate throne. Well, stood wasn’t exactly the right word. More like floated, really. He had no legs to speak of. If she had to describe him, he looked like what she’d imagine a mermaid would look like…with wings. And a crown. She took a step back as black eyes, which had been peering at a ring on the black figure’s hand, shifted over to her.

It wasn’t the only one. She felt many curious eyes on her, which made her face flush the shade of her hair. Even more offsetting, was the obvious fact that none of the creatures appeared to be human. There was no one way to describe them. Some were large, some small, some floated, some didn’t, some humanoid, some weren’t. There was even a blue dwarf in the crowd. Annabelle had seen the occasional dwarf when she visited the capital, but she’d never seen a blue one before. Of course, the 15-year old girl wasn’t nearly worldly enough to know about all the races beyond her homeland.

Had she been kidnapped by a group of goblins or something?

“W-where am I?”

She jumped when a voice answered near her feet. “Why the throne room of His Majesty— Protector of King’s Cradle, Lord of the Sacred Land, King of the Fairies—Auberon, of course.”

The tiny green-dressed figure was too small for her to have noticed right away. However, it was his words that made her eyes widen. “…You must be joking,”

“No joke, Lass. It’s your lucky day~! I, Luxus, have picked you to be my Queen!”

Annabelle didn’t know how to respond to that. She had heard of King’s Cradle, of course. All citizens of Candor had. However, she always believed it to be a myth. A story parents told their children to put them to bed! How could a mystical realm where kings are born be real? She had never once seen a fairy in Candor. No one has, except for old crazies who claim to have seen one traipsing the streets. Those were the same crazies who swear the world end in 10 years. Annabelle pinched herself.

“It’s true, My Dear. ” Auberon lifted a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm, so that makes six of kings this time. More than I’d expected.” The Fairy King smiled. “Well no matter.” He addressed the three ‘kings’ in the room in a language that sounded different to each on. The fact that one of them was a ring didn’t even faze him. Astarot liked to do things her own way. “Welcome to my Kingdom! My name is Auberon, King of the Fairies. You were all brought here because my former subjects deem you fit to rule over a realm of your own. Whether it is due to your bravery, loyalty, kindness, intelligence, charisma, cunning, or accomplishments, matters not. You’ve be chosen to create a kingdom for the fairy to live in and draw power from. Should you choose to accept the responsibility, a magical bond will be created between you and the fairy that chose you. It’s a fairly simple ritual, but one that has been practiced in my kingdom since Aldelor’s creation, and can be done in privacy if you’d like. Messaline is already finished with hers, in fact.”

“Already? Let’s not dilly-dally then!” Luxus hopped onto Annabelle’s shoulder.

“W-wait! I’m still confused…”

“It’s not complicated, Lassie. You just need to make promise with magic to build me a kingdom and I’ll make a promise to help you. The rest is just ceremonial stuff—swearing under a rainbow, over a tree, exchanging blood, etc. Gods, I’ve seen my friends do some crazy sh*t!”

“But I’ve never built a kingdom!” Annabelle was close to hysterics now. “I don’t even know magic! How would I even do that?”

“Sweating the small stuff will only give you wrinkles.Just trust me. You’ve got what it takes,” Luxus winked at Annabelle, tipping his hat to the 15-year old girl. “And there’s no one I know that’s luckier than I.”

Annabelle looked to the Fairy King, to the others in the throne room, then back to Luxus. She didn’t know where the small fairy’s confidence came from. Her a queen? It was almost laughable. There wasn't an ounce of royal bearing in her. Though, one thing was clear. Luxus believed in Annabelle...more than she believed in herself.

“This is a once in a life time opportunity, Lass, but it’s an important decision so I’ll give you time to think about it—whether or not you want to become a queen.” Luxus looked to Auberon. “That’a okay, isn’t it Your Majesty?”

“You two can stay here for as long as you like—until you’re ready to complete the ritual.” The Fairy King replied. “However, once you leave, I don’t expect to see you back for another 10 years.”

This was true for all of his fairies. While Auberon was more than willing to help them in any way he can, he had no plans of coddling them. They had their own kingdoms now.


19 posts until the next Convergence.

Astarot remained silent and cold throughout the meeting and turned and streamed out as soon as propriety was fulfilled. Her own kind disgraced themselves and their duty. More human kings, even worse than she'd expected. The humans thought themselves the sole owners of their world, and her king's and peoples' affection for them was plain to see. If the fairy thought humans the rightful rulers and owners of the world, surely it was meant to be so? Foolish! Idiots, stupid idiots! They ignored their own biases in the name of freedom of choice, ignoring the world's needs. She thought of her own kind and grew angry, only lightened by the weight on her finger.

Xir'ain was released from his inanimous state inside the round room of an ivory tower. To one side there was the door in and opposite an opening that acted as a window and source of water for one of the three small waterfall that poured down into the shallow pool that took up the center of the space. Two other waterfalls poured in from identical openings halfway between the door and far side.

The black leviathan roared out and thrashed now that his body was his own again, able to move and stretch as he erupted back to his full size that took up nearly all of the space. "Explain yourself!"

Astarot sat on the lip of the pool, now overflowed. "Did you not hear Auberon?" She asked with a distant tone. "I am the fairy Astarot. I have chosen you to become a king. In return, as your kingdom and your people prosper, my own power will grow as well. It is a simple contract." Her eyes shone in her dark face. "You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Accept."

Altruism, to waste energy that does not benefit yourself, is not a concept the leviathan would understand and one they could not trust. But for one to benefit themselves by benefiting another, that was symbiosis, and that they understood. The smallest cleaner fish could be eaten yes, but no amount would fill the stomach, so it was good to let them swim in and back out of the mouth while they ate stuck bits of food from between the teeth. The cleaner fish got food to live, and the leviathan were no longer annoyed by the stuck bits of prey. That this back fairy would help his people if he became their king was something Xir'ain would not believe, but if she gained something from doing so, then he could understand. She needed a king for her own sake, to gain more power. Xir'ain did not trust her, he trusted in selfishness.

"Very well! I will lead my people!" His roar shook the water and walls, and then he growled, "So long as they still live to follow."

The black fairy smiled. Obedience was a virtue, in small doses. "Look," she pointed the finger her king had been wrapped around as a ring towards the ceiling, but there instead was a perfectly round mirror, its size and position a perfect match to the pool below, suspended from further up by heavy chains. The leviathan's thrashing had shaken it, and the mirror swayed slightly still. Fairy and leviathan stared into the eyes of their other selves, and then the other's other. When mirror Astarot moved her pointed finger, and the mirror world rippled and distorted to show something else.

"What is this?"

Her king's question confused her for a moment. "It is the ocean," she finally answered. "Seen from above, this is how the ocean appears." This seemed to trouble her king, but he remained quiet now. The surface of the ocean rushed past until the edge of land came into view and the motion slowed and stilled as the mirror's scene settled on a small island. It was almost perfectly round, with a ring of low peaks along its outer edge, the center fulled with dark green vegetation, and in the very center of the bowl there sat a dark circle. "This," Astarot floated up between Xir'ain and the shown island, "will be your new home."

"This is not home!" Xir'ain grew angry, thinking that he'd been fooled. "My home... my people live in the depths! The abyss! The oceans! This is..."

"Land," Astarot gifted him the word he needed.

"Land! Land is not our home! Do you joke to me now?" Xir'ain glared at Astarot, her own gaze even and incomprehensible to the leviathan. And then he fell, down into and through the shallow pool, away from the sight of the island shown in the mirror above and towards the real thing below. He plummeted through something more slippery and formless than water, but soon returned to the familiar feeling of water as his body plunged down into the water in the island's center. Xir'ain thrashed about in the dark waters, more searching than lashing out, though he wouldn't have minded hitting what he'd lost.

"I am here." Astarot bled through the dark where before there had been only water. "Welcome home, my king," she said in a soft purr.

Xir'ain looked about. Above was a round circle of light, but the dark water seemed to reject the light even as it was pierced by it. The pool of water did not shrink below the surface, rather seeming to grow wider as it extended deeper. The water was lightness, but for the leviathan that had been born in deeper waters where light had never once reached, this watery darkness was a familiar comfort. Xir'ain turned from his fairy and dove deeper. There was room here. Enough room. He reached the very bottom of the cavern, where the black water rose through cracks between black rock. He circled the walls of the space. He was troubled by something.

"Where is the prey? I see no prey fish here, no smaller creatures."

Astarot rose like a darker cloud from between those cracks in the rock. "There is food to be found just above the surface. This island has many creatures you may consume to survive."

"The surface... the land. We cannot hunt in the... land. We hunt in the ocean."

"You cannot hunt in the ocean now. In the ocean you are now the hunted. If you stay in the ocean, the sea serpents hunt you. They will not stop until every single one of your people are dead. This place they cannot reach you."

Xir'ain was pained by her truth. His people were of the ocean depths, but the abyss had burned, and the open ocean had brought with it the wrath of those other sea serpents. She was right. His people needed to survive, even if that meant leaving the oceans. He roared into the dark water, full of sorrow for his dead god and rage at those who had done it and now hunted down his kind as prey, but mostly regret for the choice he made for his people to live.


Astarot lifted her hand from the head of her king, leaving a dark imprint that disappeared beneath his black skin. Xir'ain's yellow eyes opened, and he was back in the open ocean among his brothers and sisters. They had stopped their endless swimming through the wide-open blue waters. Some spoke to others that he'd "returned." From their perspective the strange black thing had touched Xir'ain and he'd simply vanished, and now he'd reappeared just as inexplicably.

"Brothers and sisters!" Xir'ain roared for all to hear. "If we continue as we are, we will reach no safety! We will die, to hunger as soon as the one who hunts us!" The leviathan with the energy growled or whimpered at his words, though all knew it to be true. "I know where we can make a new home! Follow me! No matter what, follow me now." He nearly begged, but his pride caught before he could. But it was as good, for the others felt as hopeless as he'd said. Any who claimed something better than directionless wandering would be the one they followed.

Xir'ain looked to Astarot, a black ribbon in the water about his head. She became a black fish that was split open by the too-large mouth of a shark. "Very well done," the grotesque thing complimented him. "Have them swim in a line behind you, head to tail, one by one. Lead them, and I will open the way."

The leviathan did not understand the point, but they did so, and followed Xir'ain as he led them along the same direction they had been headed. But while Xir'ain had been away, the leviathan had barely moved ahead. They'd allowed their inescapable pursuer an excuse to catch up and cull their numbers again. The emerald serpent Sel'vetal moved lazily through the water as it approached, its size betraying the speed and ease at which it had caught up to the leviathan upon sensing their hesitation to keep moving. Miles of open ocean were erased with a single movement of the serpent's body. It would overtake the leviathan, and when it did many more would die, as many more had died already.

"Fear no death! Fear no serpent's maw! Fear no more!" Xir'ain roared to keep his people from fear, even though he himself was filled by it. He feared that his people would die. "Follow me, and without fear, live!" Astarot looked back at the line, grinned a smile that Xir'ain had already learned to mistrust, and darted away through the waters ahead as a thin black ribbon. "No matter what you may see, follow me!" That was what Xir'ain called out just before he was swallowed up by a massive gaping maw.

The entire line of leviathan was swallowed up by the black serpent. Sel'vetal cried out and turned away. What it had just seen was impossible. Levi'anth was many days dead. The black sea serpent was dead! Yet it had appeared now before its eyes. The leviathan were forgotten, or thought dead, swallowed up by their own god. The emerald serpent swam away from the specter of the black serpent, vanishing into the endless open ocean. Which was well, for the specter was gone as well, the great black illusion dissolved by the water.


In the realm of fairies, a place where only they and their chosen kings may go, every living leviathan did pass. They fell in a swallowed chain down through Astarot's mirror and into the bottomless pool below on their way back to the mortal realm, finally finding themselves in the black waters hidden within the heart of an island only known as Blackwell by the few who knew its secret. But now the island was home to another secret: the leviathan live.


18 posts until the next Convergence of Kings

17 posts until the next Convergence of Kings.

Richard Aldolf had found himself walking through a majestic forest that was property of the fairy, Lizbeth who was levitating beside him.

"I'm still dazed that you would choose me to be your monarch. I'm hated by many, especially by those I've conquered."

"It's better to be feared than loved my lord. Those who love you will take advantage of you and your kind hearted nature. If feared, no one would dare rise against you." she then turned to face Richard and was moving backwards in front of him while conversing. "Being a leader is not about commanding ones approval my lord, but that of respect. You've accepted vilification to bring peace to the land and those you care for."

"Continue."

"I'm saying you should nurture them, not spoil them. Those who are loved, spoil those beneath them and when a spoiled child doesn't get what he wants, he won't need you and take what you have. However you shouldn't mistreat him either. This are the methods you've abided by and it is the result of your conquests and labors. It is why I have chosen you, as you are not swayed by emotion and you have lead people nearly your whole life. That is why I have chosen you."

Richard looked down to the ground smiling and then looked back up. "So what will you do while I rule?" he asked to which Lizbeth dropped to the ground and bowed before her king.

"I shall be your most trusted advisor. To assist you in maintaining your power over Fenrock. It is you that I trust to help bring peace to Aldelor."

Sylvio threw a 10 face dice Reason: Population Toyal: 8
16 posts until the next Convergence of Kings

Kul'tir had long known of the snake people that were hidden below the mountains to the west. They were once nothing but folk stories and myths. A vile race of monsters that had been driven deep below the surface and locked themselves behind massive doors of stone. Kul'tir had investigated these stories and found those massive stone doors. Still he had waited long years before attempting to throw open those carved doors. In the depths he had found not monsters if chaos but another race consumed by fear. They were weak then and were weak now, but they could be made a power in their own right and a steadfast ally. Still the first step was to get them used to interaction with the outside and to establish trade woth the hidden snake folk.

To that end Kul'tir had assigned a caravan crewed only by the undead to go down and start relations. The undead were immune to the gorgari's petrifying gaze that had gotten them branded monsters. This also might make them feel more welcoming for it was not thier ancient enemy that came 5o spoke but fellow monsters. The caravan would soon be on its way with goods ylto sell abd coin to spend.


15 posts until the next Convergence of Kings

Luxus was still on Annabelle’s shoulder when the redhead stood before a large, shimmering lake, at the center of some forest, skipping stones. The little fairy had been chatting non-stop ever since Annabelle left the Fairy King’s castle to explore. About what? She wasn’t sure. Something about fairy’s gold? Admittedly, she’d only been half paying attention to the leprechaun that had chosen her. The other part of her brain was busy trying to organize her own thoughts. She had a lot to take in. Everything she once thought legend was turning out to be true.

“…Does that mean a fairy really exists in Candor?”

“Sure it does,” Luxus chirped. “As sure as Azalea exists in Arran’ak, Tirius exists in Candor.”

Annabelle’s eyes widened at the mention of the cursed land, full of walking dead. She’d head all sorts of stories from merchants that traveled to her town—a home for evil sorcerers, oathbreakers, and hellions. Ruled by a king whose very touch was death itself.

Luxus smirked. “You’re awfully sheltered, aint’cha Lass? Well, that’s okay. Everyone’s got to start somewhere~”

“I’m not sheltered!” Annabelle replied defensively. “And don’t call me Lass! I’m Annabelle.”

“Whatever you say, M’Queen~”

Back to the crux of the matter. Annabelle sighed and threw another stone, watching it skip along the surface. “Have fairies ever made mistakes before?”

“Sure they have! There was this one time a fairy chose a horrid king that took his people to war against a larger empire first chance he got. Poor, poor thing. Didn’t even live long enough to reap the benefits of her kingdom before she kicked the bucket!” Luxus shook his head. “Why?”

“…I think you made a mistake. There’s nothing special about me.”

“True that.” Annabelle blinked as Luxus continued happily. “Compared to other kings, you’re far behind. No dignity. You’re not especially intelligent. You’ve got thin arms. You don’t know an ounce of magic. And you’ve got the confidence of an ant from what I’ve seen…”

“…”

“But that’s only for now! Who knows what the future holds?” Luxus grinned. “Besides, what sort of queen is expected to do everything? Just find people to cover for the qualities you lack! That’s what most kings do.” His voice sweetened. “Think about it. You’ll have a fairy by your side. I know all about kings. I’ll guide you. In a year…maybe two…(or ten) you’ll be rolling in riches! You’ll have the authority to order others around. You’ll be the ruler of your very own kingdom where you can do whatever you want—accomplish all of your dreams! Tell me that doesn’t excite you.”

“…it’s your funeral if I fail.”

“That’s the spirit~!” Luxus hopped off Annabelle’s shoulder. “Now take my hand.”

Obediently Annabelle crouched down and took the fairy’s tiny hands between her fingers. “Make me an oath. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it has to be true to your heart”

Annabelle closed her eyes. She thought about it, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t think of anything grand. “I, Annabelle O’Faris, daughter of Kirk O’Farris and Isabelle O’Farris, swear to do my best to become a worthy queen…”

Suddenly, she felt a tingle from her fingers where she touched Luxus. The fairy continued when it was clear she had nothing more to say.

“And I, Luxus, former denizen of the Fairy Realm, former subject of His Majesty Auberon, swear by my magic to assist Annabelle O’Farris in her endeavors; That my life be tied to the kingdom she shall build. My strength, its strength. My wealth, its wealth. My luck, its luck. So mote it be.”

The air in the forest hummed with energy as Luxus finished. Then, between them, a golden four-leaf clover roughly Luxus’s size, sprouted. Startled, Annabelle stumbled backwards, slipping on a smooth stone and falling into the lake behind her with resounding splash.

“It’s a symbol of our promise.” Luxus giggled. Tugging the clover free from the ground, Luxus used the flower as an umbrella as he watched as his queen surface. Not like he had the strength to help pull her out anyway. “My magic makes clovers grow, dont’cha know~But enough about that. Let’s get you out and dried off before we start talking about how to make you a queen.”


14 Posts until the next convergence.

Annabelle was still wringing her hair dry as she followed Luxus. She didn’t know how long she walked or where they was going, but she had decided to trust Luxus. This was his home. He was the one who chose her. Therefore surely he knew what he was doing…right?

The trees grew thicker and the path more difficult the deeper they went into the forest. More color began appearing as well. Flowers Annabelle had never seen before, strange plants that she would have never thought existed, grew in abundance. Annabelle couldn’t help but gawk at everything in wonder.

“It’s due to the high amount of magic that saturates the area,” Luxus explained. “Now, c’mon. It’s just a little further.”

She noticed more clovers and more clovers the further they walked as well.

Eventually, they stopped at a cavern where the clovers seem gathered. The entrance to the cave was blocked by a locked gate. Luxus rummaged his pockets for the key, which grew as it flew out of his hand and slid itself into the lock for which it was intended. Once the gate was unlocked, the key shrunk itself and floated back to Luxus’s waiting hand. Annabelle would’ve made a comment on that bit of magic, but what she saw in the cavern made her jaw drop.

Gold.

Pots and pots filled to the brim with gold coins. Not just that, but jewelry and other assortment of gems stored in chests as well. It was enough to feed her family for generations to come.

“Welcome to the end of the rainbow!” Luxus beamed proudly. “I’d been saving up for this day. A king without wealth is nothing you know. Er…well…queen, but you get the picture~With this, you can buy yourself your own land and hire your own workers! You can build a kingdom where people would want to live! No need to worry about expenses. With me as your fairy you will never be short.”

“This…wow.” Annabelle didn’t know what else to say. She couldn’t even count how many cows she could buy with this amount of money. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would ever see such a sight.

“Money doesn’t make the queen, but it certainly helps,” Luxus said brightly. “You still have much to learn about what it means to rule a country. Fortunately for you, I'm willing to invest.”

Annabelle nodded, walking over to one pot and running her hands through the contents to ensure that they were real. “Where do I start?”

“We start by shopping for a land of your very own. Where do you want your kingdom to be? What sort of terrain do you want to live in? Where do you think we’ll make the most profit? Depending on what you choose, we can make a deal with an existing ruler, or simply buy off the land from its inhabitants. You’ll have to be persuasive in order to get people to sell the property they are living on, so leave the talking to me. Though, it'd be easiest if we can find uninhabited land for you to start constructing…” Luxus hummed as he thought.

Annabelle hadn’t a clue how to choose land, let alone deal with kings. It was nothing she ever thought she’d have to worry about. “…can I let my parents know about this first?”

“Of course! How could I forget? Your family must be informed of your new status!”

Luxus snapped his fingers. In an instant, he, Annabelle, and all the treasures in the cavern were teleported to Annabelle’s home in Candor. Or, rather, former home.


13 Posts until the next convergence.

Nation's Stats
Population: 2
Economy:0
Military Might: 5
Technological Advancements: 5
Citizen Happiness: 0

Click to expand...

Amber Oak Sleeps. It is not abnormal, that is how he spends most of his time. Some say it is a matter, of age. A hundred year nap becomes nothing once you have lived long enough and days and weeks can be just as stressful just as quickly for a king. So as per usually it is the fairy who acts in his interest, not the king by any means, but his right hand man is nearly as good in the day to day matters.

The Fairy leads a treeant and a group of dryads, in a special project that has been worked on for a long long time. A single tree, grown into a shape, a circle around the capital. A wall, ten feet thick of living wood, and a dozen feet tall, and not just any wood, the hardest wood they have cross breed with the fastest growing. A regenerating wall, and living, with a creeping thorn vine growing over it, which is of course poisonous to skin contact to most things.

The treeant rips great beams from the ground, and the dryads follow behind taking down the wood panels that were secured in place to shape the tree as it grew. Board by board, the tear it down. Removing what looked like a wall to reveal their true protection, like them it is living wood that will secure the capital and protect them. It will also be living wood. Just like the dryads that will stand ontop of it. Living wood on living wood.

The Fairy nods his head proud of the progress, his manus opus in many ways. A wall that will repair itself, a wall that will kill enemy's who touch it. A wall that one day the dryads will learn to command the vines and the wall will become as much a weapon, as it is a defense. The fairy smiles to himself and touching the wall, there was another point to making it living wood. A reason smaller, but not nothing. With his touch and a flicker of will he is on the other side of the village.

Now, among other things he can move instantly from any part of the wall to any other, to rally, to lead, to fight. Once towers are grown that will be even more important. Still even now, it means something.


12 Posts until the next Convergence of Kings.

The dryads are celebrating love. A festival of music and dance. From sun rise to sunset the day is spent spreading joy and happiness.

Gifts are exchanged. Normally hand carved trinkets, flower arrangements, meals or written works. What can be better than a hundred words written to ones love?

This day of love is not like other holidays. It follows no schedule,instead once a year when spirits are low or boredom fills the air. The treeants will declare the festival will take place in one week. Suddenly ensuring everyone is busy preparing and excited for what is to come.

So when the day is come it is filled with gifts and dance. For many a young men though this is a test. The have this day to prove themselves and declare their feelings. For at sundown the second part of the festival starts.

The walk of courtships. All the young single men of the village must wander the city. They may only be invited by the young single women who stand outside of their doors. The women invite them in for dinner and possibly more. The gifts and song and declarations are made in hopes that the one you have your eye upon will invite you.

For the ladies it is a chance to be obvious for the blind young men. Many people simply enjoy the night and go on with their lives for many though the find they never truly leave and start to build a life together.

The men who receive no invitation must sleep in the dirt or trees and must work to prove themselves for next year.


11 posts until the next Convergence.

Xir'ain had followed Astarot through that strange place and into a place perhaps just as strange, but to him it shared many similarities of the waters he'd been born into and so there was a comfort within this unnatural black water. He'd followed her all the way to the bottom of the space, and turned to watch his people follow through the hole in the world to join him here. They looked about and explored the space, but always with one eye aimed his way. The dark fairy was unseen in that dark, but her voice whispered so close it was as if she was the black water streaming up around him. "Speak, my king, their king. Take up the role you've committed yourself to. They've followed you once, and as now, forever more."

He shook his head and ignored the voice. The attention of every leviathan followed Xir'ain as he swam up through their midst towards that single bright circle high above, where he stopped and turned back. "Astarot," he spoke quietly, so that only she may hear him.

"I am here," she spoke as her strange shape bled out of the water.

"Land," he repeated the world she'd given him, "What is it like? How do I hunt there?"

"You will soon see, and you will soon learn. Why ruin the experience by having me spoil you?"

Xir'ain accepted that he would get nothing useful from the fairy. She was right, he would soon learn the answers to his questions for himself. He spoke to the leviathan below, "You are safe here. Rest now. I will return with food." They watched as he turned and launched himself into that circle of light.

Xir'ain crashed down onto the rocky shore of the black lake. After struggling to right himself for a minute he managed to move his long body in a way that pushed him away from the edge of the water. At that point he was still mostly upside down, and it was only after Astarot grew bored of watching her king struggle and she deigned to take on the shape of a snake to demonstrate how the leviathan should attempt to move about on land that he finally managed to right himself and move away from the edge of the water. Xir'ain looked back, but quickly turned away again. To think that such a small circle of water now housed his people, it filled Xir'ain with unpleasant feelings that he lacked the will to dwell on now. "Astarot," he spoke slowly, as if uncertain as to his next words.

"I am here," fairy stood upside down floating in the air above the leviathan's head.

"The thing you did to me before, explain it."

The fairy morphed, bulging from the middle and collapsing so that its head and feet were now perpendicular to the ground so it may look down at Xir'ain easier. "Thing I've done? I'm certain I've done many things, you will have to clarify your asking."

Xir'ain struggled to piece together his thoughts with words. "I... I was small and unable to move. In the room of colors and strange faces."

"That." Now it was the fairy's turn to chose her words with more care. "I made you into something else, a ring."

Xir'ain accepted that and said no more about it, though he still did not understand it. He was silent as he lay down on the ground as flat as his long body could become.

"What's this?" Astarot was unable to figure out what her king was doing. He'd just stopped moving and lay down. "Sleep?" It seemed an odd time for it. Suddenly the leviathan surged forward, cutting across the ground and foliage. There was a cry, but it was cut off as soon as it sounded. Astarot zipped after her king, and found him wrapped around the struggling body of a massive deer. Suddenly she understood. He'd listened to the vibrations on the ground to quickly locate a meal. Her king had only touched land for the first time moments ago, yet he'd already worked out how to adapt his hunting methods from the depths of the sea to something that would serve him outside of the water. A seed of pride grew in her dark breast, the thrill only compounded by the fear that tinged it. Just what sort of monster had she brought out of the depths here?

Xir'ain pulled his long tail out of the animal's chest. The point dripped with crimson blood, he'd pierced the heart rather than crush it. "What is this thing?" He asked his fairy. "It is made of flesh, but it has rock on its head."

"It is a deer," she answered him, "one of impressive size. That is not rock on its head, but something close to bone. It grows from the creature's skull."

Xir'ain absorbed this information as he had everything else and asked nothing more. He dragged the thing back to the water and to his people within. He was greeted with joyous celebration, though most of it was for him bringing food to the starved leviathan. He left again to find more. One... deer would not be enough. Astarot remained in the water and watched the leviathan feast, as well as those that refrained from joining in ripping apart this first meal. They saw her, but their eyes followed Xir'ain as he left to bring more food to his people. Astarot grinned and disappeared to rejoin her king.

As Xir'ain located and killed additional beasts around the black lake, it quickly became apparent to Astarot that her king was a predator far above anything present here. The largest beast he encountered was a massive black panther. The thing hissed and roared and circled the leviathan until it felt ready to pounce. It thought itself above the black serpent that had appeared in its domain, and it would die with that idea intact. The animal died mid-pounce as Xir'ain's blade-like tail pierced through its chest and heart and brought its body down onto the forest floor.

Astarot clapped as she settled on the dead cat's head. "Very nice," she purred, morphing into the thing's shape as her words transformed into the sounds it had made. "You know," her voice snapped back to normal, if the voice she used was even really her own. "I may have been a bit unpleasant to you earlier. You have my apologies." Her form dissipated and reshaped into a flowing fish-like shape, and then quickly settled back into that strange four-tailed shape she seemed to favor. Xir'ain wondered about it, it was the same shape as the many inhabitants of that colorful room. Was there some meaning to it? He wasn't able to ask as the fairy continued, "Let us begin again. I am the fairy Astarot. I would like to serve you and your future kingdom, if you would allow it."

Xir'ain stared down at the tiny fairy. She'd scrunched up her body in a strange way, what he failed to recognize as a bow, but her lowered head was something he knew as a show of respect. "You do not need to ask as much. I doubt I could prevent you from doing what you wished. You've already done so much by saving my brothers and sisters from certain death, and even should this new home fail and we perish here, your help will not go unappreciated, if by no one else by me alone. I will do everything in my power to make my people and my kingdom strong, to repay you." The fairy stood looking into her king's golden eyes. "What is it?" Xir'ain finally asked.

"Your name," she said. "You've yet to tell me it."

"It is Xir'ain. The dark water in motion, the black current. It is what I am called."

"You will be a good king, Xir'ain," the fairy's voice said as her body disappeared completely.

Xir'ain waited for her to return. He'd barely met her, yet he'd grown to expect her presence. Suddenly this place without water, that moved quickly and without current yet somehow heavy and immobile, where seaweed grew in strange forms and his body stuck to the earth, this place felt so strange and foreign to him in a way it had not with Astarot and all her seemingly infinite wisdom and power at his side. He dragged the massive black cat through the forest back towards the lake to feed his people. It was the largest of the prey he'd killed, and he struggled long and hard bringing it back. Eventually it and he dropped into the dark water.

He was met there by his brothers and sisters as their attention moved from Astarot's wide grin to himself. A large female leviathan moved closer and roared. "The king of us! Xir'ain! King of leviathan!" The other leviathan joined in, and the panther's body had to be retrieved later once the leviathan slowed their cheers for their new king, for he had forgotten it and let it go in his surprise.

Astarot disappeared once more into the black water, the last part of her to fade out of view being her cheshire grin. Convince the leviathan to accept Xir'ain as their king had been unimaginably easy. It was to be expected really. The leviathan knew nothing of the fairy that chose kings, but they had been close to giving up, and in following Xir'ain had witnessed the form of their god appear to swallow them up and bring them to this new place where they were supposedly safe. That much, and him hunting alone and bringing his people food when he himself was just as starved as any of them, the word of a fairy was hardly anything compared to that. They already thought of him as their leader, possibly chosen by their god to take his place, so something greater than a simple king. Astarot was content with her work, so she left her king to accept his coronation by his people.


10 posts until the next Convergence of Kings

Herphaeus sat in silence within a decently sized room, with Messaline standing right beside him. In front of him was a table with a map of the region laid on it. For the past few weeks, the two had went from village to village, trying to persuade the people to join their nascent kingdom. However, as of now, only a dozen villages had agreed to join, the rest fearing the wrath of the city states too much to risk it, despite it being the only chance that they could escape their tyranny. The newly crowned king had a frown on his face as he stared at the red flags pinned onto the map, each symbolizing a potential enemy, and there's way too much of them for the man to be comfortable with the current situation. Something needs to be done.

"My lord, it seems that you are in a state of distress." said Messaline in an attempt to break the silence.

"Yes, Your Ladyship. There's too many potential enemies for me to not be distressed. The city states could crush us like an elephant crushes an ant, I can't possibly think of a scenario where we would survive their armies!" Herpaheus pointed at each individual red flag with a look of despair on his face.

"My lord, I would suggest raising an army to defend the realm, as well as the construction of new fortifications to protect pour borders."

"But our people are just villagers, they can't...." Herphaeus was interrupted by his companion fairy before he could finish his sentence.

"Are villagers not human like those living in the city states?"

Herphaeus stayed silent for a brief moment, realizing his folly, before responding weakly. "I...I suppose you're right, Your Ladyship. Forgive my mistake, I'm just......stressed out, by all this 'kings and armies' stuff."

"It's fine, my lord. There's a first time to everything. I'm sure that you will improve over time."

"To be honest, I know nothing about raising an army and building fortifications. I'm a natural scientist, not one of those military engineers in the cities."

"If you don't mind it, I can aid you in these matters, my lord."

"Yes, thank you, Your Ladyship!" said the man as his frown turned upside down.

9 posts until the next convergence.

Things were happening, it seemed new kings and queens were on the move and it seemed that after so long the scattered city states would once more be brought back into the nations they had once been. Even the old forest king was apparently starting to awaken, it seemed a new age of kings was close at hand. This meant that the games of state craft would once more need to be played and often the best way to secure the future was to make sure you had strong ties. Without being able to marry into families or marry off children the best way for Kul'tir to gain such favor was to make sure his presence was felt from the very start. There was news of a nation slowly forming to the the north, long had that been a collection of ever bickering states conquering and liberating one another almost constantly. Still if unified and given a decent cause to remain together they could become a reasonable threat. there was also the old forest king, the only being that was not a fairy that was older than Kul'tir himself and always their relationship had been icy given the forest lord's rather narrow view on what was and what was not natural. Still the forests to the south were and had mostly always been quiet and Kul'tir had no reason to think that now would be a sudden expansion of the forests thus little need to reinforce that boarder. The gestating nation to the north was without a doubt the greater wild card as often his people could be made a good target given people's misunderstanding of life and death and how one might circumvent eternal sleep. Still there was some good news as The dawn queen had been located early, she was not yet of age but she had shown every sign of finally having been reborn. Kul'tir had waited so long for her to finally return like she always did and despite his joy he knew this would again be temporary. Anyen being so tied to the powers of life and nature she could not be brought back as lich or specter always she must be born live and die then return, and to Kul'tir the decades spent with his love were always so brief compared to those times without. Still this was a time for celebration the dawn queen was returned or at least soon to be returned, springs would be warmer harvest greater and once more the one that could calm even the greatest of the eternal kings rages would return.

To deal with the nation Kul'tir wrote a letter, an invitation for a meeting and an offer of aid. The armies of Arran'ak were available for a very reasonable price, less than it would cost to hire and outfit mercenaries. This offer was not to actually make money but rather to make sure everyone in this nascent nation knew the role that the kingdom to the south had played in their founding creating a debt of sorts. In the game of states gold was rarely the best currency favors paid to those in power and to future rulers were often worth far more than cold hard coin. Thus runners woudl be deployed through out Arran'ak and to the slowly growing kingdom to spread word of the dawn queen and to offer aid. Meanwhile Kul'tir himself would raise a group of undead just to make sure he would have enough to loan out.


8 posts until the next Convergence

The runners would make good time spreading the news of the Resurrection of the dawn queen. Every village would start to organize small events and feasts. This was just the start of course but still this was not the major festivities. These would be small local events to praise that the dawn queen had returned and that the lands would blossom with life and the harvests would be more bountiful . Still the real celebrations were to wait for years till the dawn queen was ready and fully awakened. thus in 15 days news would spread and festivities could start.


7 posts until the next convergence.

6 posts until the next Convergence of Kings

A man burst into Herphaeus' room, his face dripping with sweat. "Sir Herphaeus, we have someone from the city states, they want to trade!"

"What?" Herphaeus stood up from his chair with a shocked expression on his face.

"It's true, sir. He's standing right in the center of the village waiting for you!" The man pointed behind him at the door.

"My lord. I would suggest seeing what he has to offer." Messaline chimed in.

"Yes, of course, Your Ladyship."


"So, you're Herphaeus, leader of these villages?" A fancily-dressed man briefly examined the scholar before saying. "I came here as the representative of the the Most Serene City of Direnzzes to offer you a deal. Our glorious city shall offer you our finest guns and the service of our fine engineers and in return, we expect nothing but your cooperation in our war against the city of Littocenes."

Messaline leaned in to whisper in Herphaeus' ears. "My lord, I would advise inquiring for further details, this seems too good to be true."

"Is there a catch to the deal?" Herpaheus asked.

"Your military are expected to defend themselves against the armies of Littocenes on your own. The Most Serene City of Direnzzes also expects material aid in the form of food and raw materials from your villages. Your forces are allowed to keep any villages they managed to conquer from Littocenes, however, in the most unlikely case of them managing to conquer the city of Littocenes proper, you are expected to hand it over to the Most Serene City of Direnzzes."

Messaline once again leaned in to whisper in Herphaeus' ear. "My lord, I would suggest accepting the deal, as there could be no better alternative for us in our current state."

"Sounds good enough for me."

"Great, I shall be going to bring the good news to our Most Serene Mayor. Farewell, Herphaeus." The man said before making his way out of the village.


5 posts until the next convergence.

Just as promised by the city of Direnzzes a while ago, a shipment of guns, as well as a few engineers had arrived at the villages. Herpaheus immediately distributed the guns to his soldiers and asked them to begin training with them, while the engineers were assigned to build fortifications around the largest village under Herphaeus' rule, Cantobreses. This freed up some of his men to construct more fortifications around the other villages. With his military strengthened, Herphaeus had his men set out to conquer a few villages on the outskirts of the Littocenes' sphere of influence.

Meanwhile, a messenger from a nation far north has arrived in Cantobreses, promising mercenaries for a cheap price, almost too cheap to be true. Herphaeus, under Messaline's advice, decided to consider the offer before he could make a decision.


4 posts until the next convergence.

ARRAN'AK


Word would come from the nation to the south they had need of aid and had sent a decent sum of gold, it was no where near what normal mercenaries would demand but the dead needed little. The lands would take an army to take over and an army this new king would have. Kul'tir had raised a massive force and already they were equipped for war. They would be put on ships and sent to the south.

Sending 8 Mm to vethnia

This did illustrate one issue none had thought of the world was fast and while sea was faster than land it was still slow there had to be a better way. The skies they must sail the skies and that would bypass all hazards. They would need a flying ship. Thus all the scholars and mages of the academies through the land were asked to research such a drvice.


3 posts until the next convergence.

The Jade Empress spent quite a lot on building this Impressive Library and University, even if it didn't turn out the way she hoped, it would be there for the Future whenever they will have need of it. The Jade Empress Addressed her Crowd. "Today is an Auspicious Day! For we have established a Grand Cathedral of Knowledge! An Edifice, meant not only to store the Previous navigational charts and ships logs we all have need of, and the many books we stole that forced us to build a place to put them. But it is HERE, where the entirety of our People, will be lifted up from Ignorance, and a New Age! So it is my honor to be present for the GRAND OPENING! Of the Wan Shi Tong Institute of Learning!" Yuan Feng-Long was pleased with just how quickly the Wan Shi Tong Institute had Grown. It had very quickly become a very fine Academy, with a particularly strong course in Naval Warfare, and Military Engineering offered, In no small part due to the experience of the commanders and the large library it contained. Not only that, but it also offered a surprisingly advanced course in Medical and Alchemical science.

1 posts until the next Convergence of Kings