[ - Author's Note - ]
Well once more the time has come to unveil... the results of the last poll. So, let's start.
Collected at last place we have three banners; Houses Insidiae, Ferrocor and Ardon with... zero votes each. Womp-womp. With Insidiae and Ferrocor I made both early on when I was starting to work out how many states Eostia would have and Insidiae was... thrown together. It is, honestly, one of my worst. Ferrocor I wanted something that would look cool and boast nice, primary colors. And then we have Ardon; I wanted something that would be how I envisioned Tiffany's Aunt would see herself and her house; grand and pious. Yes; it is meant to be more ironic.
Tied second from the bottom with one vote each (2.78%) is Houses Hurguard and Ambacht. With Hurguard I wanted something that was as basic and bland as possible while still looking distinct and unique. I think I pulled it off, anyway. Ambacht, I think I mentioned this, I made it to reflect Longroad so I made it tall. Then taller. Then taller... Yeah. It stands out, I think.
Next is House Bhlis at two votes (5.56%). I wanted another pink one and something with a rapier on the front of it. I like how it came out; feminine in a way.
Tied for third is Houses Guildford, Excelsior and Stolzerlowe with four votes each (11.11%). For Stolzerlowe I wanted a mostly monochromatic look with something to give it a splash of color; it gives it a very militaristic look. With Excelsior I wanted something night themed and found a clipart of a winged blade with a star in it; it seemed perfect. And House Guildford was made to try and reflect how I envisioned Rad to be; the rings representing the guilds and the gems and crowns signs of wealth and power.
And so tied for second is House Daphne and House Xill with five votes a piece (13.89%). Daphne was made during that chapter and I wanted something related to the name; hence the tree and laurels. Xill is the one that surprised me; I put little thought into it beyond 'make shield with a bow and quiver on it' and made it unimpressive on purpose and brown because I needed some brown. That it got so high is a surprise to me.
And at first place is House Solrex with ten votes (27.78%). I wanted to make an overly grandiose, religious one; hence the symbolism and the various golden shades. Well... I guess a lot of people loved it!
On another note; this chapter will push the fic (At least on FFDotNet) over the one million words mark... A hell of a milestone, huh?
Well with all that done let's get into it, shall we? What's on the agenda this time?
More lore via the Eostia Historia, James and Lulu spend some quality time together, we meet another of Kuroinu's canon villains enters the picture and we pick up with a couple others. So; let's hop in, shall we?
[ - Act II - Interlude: Sifting Through Sand - ]
The Economics of the Slave Trade
Some people ask me why the Trade of Slaves is so important to the various Traditionalist states in Eostia. Can't these states just pick up slaves from nearby areas or inside their own realms and sell them within?
Yes, but you must understand there are certain complications with two major ones to consider. First is there the matter of the fact that the slaves, obviously, do not want to be slaves and these slaves will wish to break free and escape. Because of that if their home is simply a state over then there is more hope and reason to try to run and escape. Moving a slave several states away from their place of origin then prevents them from just returning to their home if they escape, stranding them in an unfamiliar location; more so if they can be moved across the lake to a new nation. Why escape when there is no place to escape to? On top of that most of the population of slave states will turn in escaped slaves if they can; even if they oppose the institution they'll do this because a peasant will want the reward for it. Indeed, Elddale and Jetra both had problems where peasants would break out slaves, report them and 'help' in their return for the reward for turning them in. Additionally it makes it harder for any family or friends of the enslaved to find and rescue them, which is another consideration.
Second is the tastes and needs of the owners. Dark elves and high elves are highly prized as slaves, triply so if they are full blooded. Much of the reason House Blitzhaus has risen in recent times is that they were able to capture a handful of female dark elves and a pair of male ones. While it took over a decade to achieve tangible results the pure, dark elf slaves they sold made them a king's ransom in the first year alone. Additionally they made great heirlooms; elven slaves have been past down from father to son (And sometimes with mothers and daughters mixed in) for generations.
Of course their ability to... produce stock was slow as elves harbor young in their womb for three years as opposed to nine months and they require another year to regain fertility. In addition they didn't want to risk selling too many too quickly lest they reduce the price too much. Regardless of the means of obtaining elves of all stripes are always popular and exporting them to other countries has proven highly profitable.
Meanwhile in regions with hard labor such as farming and mining halflings and dwarves are popular to put to work, the men in particular. Halfling females are also popular with a subset of people with... certain sexual tastes. Of course some aren't satisfied unless their flesh is truly young and even of-age halflings aren't to their liking, but many find themselves satisfied with them.
Catalans are also uncommon as slaves but hardly as rare as elves. They're popular with those seeking exotic slaves and those more interested in a collared pet as opposed to just a sex slave, although sexual use is usually still on the table. Jerius has followed Elddale's lead and breeds them as slaves and while not as profitable has ensured good gold for them.
And of course humans are the most common race for slaves; the cheapest and most populous in terms of those collared. The trade still drags them around as there are preferences. For sexual use there is a preference for body types, hair color, age (Usually younger) and skin tone. For labor it's often men and larger or less attractive women set to work. And of course there's arena slaves fighting in various coliseums such as the Bloodstone in Anvil's Sanguinis City or the Redsands of Maros' Burnside City.
And there are the various female monstrous races. Slime girls are impossible to keep as their liquid nature means containing them is nigh impossible. Others however can have tastes to the right person; centaurs are popular to train and ride and in some distant country centaur races are popular. Harpies are another popular one, and easier to breed; however Eostia has laws to prevent keeping harpies as slaves and a treaty with the Harpie Tribes. Breaking it usually involves the slaver being handed off to the Harpies. What do they do with them?
Who knows?
Mermaids are a popular choice but requires specialized areas to host one so only a handful are ever seen in captivity. One of the rarest to find, however, is the deertaur; smaller then their centaur counterparts and much tamer as well. A few, other rare ones are kept but those are the most popular ones save in southern Sererus where lamia are quite popular.
In the end the economics of slavery is based on two major points; ensuring the slaves don't have a place to run to while being discouraged from escaping to begin with and that they are cut off from help while shipping them to where they will sell the best for their sellers.
~Dominic James Pencraft, The Eostia Historia
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As per your request I have readied some documents on the Baronies of Maros and Bongal as well as the County of Kissam. Once more excepts of the Eostia Historia by Dominic James Pencraft will be used as a means to ease you into the information and topics you wish to learn. I hope you enjoy.
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Pictured on the top of the page is the Emblem of House Pugnator of the Barony of Maros
The shield emblem is circular with a thick outline of dark brown, a wide ring of dark gold within and a small ring of dark brown before a background of gold. In the center of the emblem is the head of a red goat with blue eyes, dark brown curled horns with dark red highlights. Above it is the image of a dark red fist with red highlights punching to the right with a matching one under it punching left.
Considered by some to be the home of boxing and by many as the territory most associated with it House Pugnator has been trying to elevate the sport within Eostia for decades; even hosting large, grand boxing tournaments of their finest combat slaves; with both a sizable pot of coin and freedom to the one who ends these contests as the victor.
Indeed; House Pugnator is the only Traditionalist house that will release slaves on a somewhat regular basis; arena slaves who prove themselves highly able as well as slaves pressed into combat on the north border who go above and beyond what they are called to do. This has caused an interesting effect within the slave population; they are the most highly motivated slaves in Eostia and are quick to both improve themselves and be useful to their owners of their own accord; especially any slaves pressed into military service or arena combat. There's also a pride in slave owners who's slaves have earned their freedom and will press them to combat roles so they can earn their freedom and obtain that pride.
This had caused Pugnator to butt heads with other Traditionalist states over the, well, 'traditions' of slavery. Indeed some people think that if the Garan conflict were to end House Pugnator might reduce their barony to a limited state and even, perhaps, an abolitionist one. The thought likely terrifies House Stoneshard as an abolitionist Maros would sever them from the Great Slave Chain of Eostia.
Beyond this Maros is well known for good stone quarries which are often sold to neighboring Yerical and Albia for defenses, hardwood used in spears and furniture and a small, moderate yield spell stone quarry.
~Dominic James Pencraft, The Eostia Historia
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Pictured on the top of the page is the Emblem of House Copperbark of the Barony of Bongal
The main body is an orange circle with a thick, black outline. At it's upper left, upper right, lower left and upper right are four circles with a matching outline and dark gold inside. These four circles bear matching red Celtic knots with dark red outlines and background. The orange center circle bears a large, brown trunk made of Celtic-like knots and several, small green leaves. On either side of the tree are gray hammers with golden Celtic designs on them and an inset gold line.
House Copperbark started as a mining focused set of halfling minor lords in Bongal's center and south. What information there is before 101 AF is sparse so much of their history is unknown to most scholars. That said as minor lords go they were fairly unremarkable until the Great Pox; the Reaper of Noblemen who shook up much of Eostia at the time. The ruling House of Axeworth fell ill to the pox to the last but a handful would survive. That said being cored they opted to abdicate their rule reducing themselves to minor lords as a means to recover and taking the territory Copperbark once looked over for themselves while raising the Lords of Bronze to the rank of local lords in their place.
Now Baron Tennet Copperbark would take Isis Axeworth as a bride to allow the bloodline to remain in power, even if their name did not. To cement their fortunes Tennet took a gamble to find new ores in the then untouched northwest near where the borders of Longroad the Ansur proper met. He had hoped he would find more copper that was the namesake of his house or at least tin.
Instead he found a different mineral; mythril. It was only a small vein but there was enough there to mine and sell or form into weaponry. Tennet himself asked for a warhammer to be forged of the finest of the metal mined in his own barony and had it heavily enchanted as both a personal weapon and heirloom for his line; dubbing it Earthsplitter. He would use the economic gains to invest in his territory and from 1001 AF to 1176 AF Bongal was a county but would fall back to barony status.
This has made Copperbark a longtime member of the Monetarists within the Council of Lords as they seek to regain that status of county. And they just might; recently Baron Surus Copperbark sent miners back into the northwest to seek out and find other possible veins of mythril and after five years one vein was found and by all accounts it is a much larger one.
Time will tell if Copperbark will return to the status of counts of Bongal. In regards to the military they operate with a lean towards crossbows backed by pikes with a heavy use of arbalest style crossbows as well as an odd, eastern one that while not as powerful can rapid fired to fill the air with bolts. In addition they enjoy using smaller cannons loaded with an odd round that splits apart once it leaves the muzzle and sends small balls into formations; it's proven a devastating weapon against the Aberrant.
~Dominic James Pencraft, The Eostia Historia
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Pictured on the top of the page is the Emblem of House Ceannard of the County of Kissam
The shield looks somewhat like a four leaf clover; with four, rounded extensions making the frame. A dark gold outline and deep green background is the main colors while in the center is a small, crossed Celtic knot. Four red axes are on the banner outlined in gray with a gray Celtic knot on the heads. Each axehead is set to one of the bulges of the emblem; off set to their left with the butt touching the shaft of another. To the right of each axe head is a butterfly made of a Celtic knot and outlined in gray.
Kissam was once the home of the only dwarven local lords of the Eostia in their current history; House Hammerhead. Proud and mighty they let things get to their heads and when Garan started to attack; the whole family opted to charge to the north with hammers and axes in hand, singing merry war songs and launching themselves and their army into the fray. On one hand they fought well and beyond what many would think they could do.
And then they died to the last in the first Garan attack; and by all reports they laughed and sang to the last. House Hammerhead was always considered a bit too lustful for war and glory and this ended them in the first Garan incursion.
House Ceannard was appointed soon after and despite being abolitionist even the Traditionalists supported the move as the house's current leader, the famed halfling commander Conrad Oxo Ceannard, was known for being a level headed, calm and adaptable commander who knew when to attack and when to retreat. While not a tactical genius by any means he would outmaneuver his foes by forming a highly advanced scouting division known as the Pathfinders; cross trained in eastern ninja tactics, standard wilderness survival, rogue and thievery skills and when possible magic centered around the gathering of information and intelligence. The Pathfinders are often halflings but due to the nature of the Dread Field high elves and even Eostian dark elves are employed to scout and uncover the enemy locations, movements and plans.
Indeed Kissam was under threat of being reduced to a barony but Conrad's exceptional service prevented it and Eostia's own intelligence service, the Blackwatch, would even bring in members of the Pathfinders to train their own members in their tactics and operations. Indeed much of Conrad's standard tactics involved a mix of heavy infantry to anchor and defend points, archers and crossbowmen to pelt foes at range, mounted archers to harass, light cavalry to skirmish and heavy cavalry to assault. Count Conrad Oxo Ceannard was the man who wrote the book on what would be called 'Combined Arms Warfare' where units of varying types would act in unison and in the aftermath generals would study there tactics and make sure all House Regulars were required to understand how to perform within this doctrine.
Thankfully this army is maintained by iron rich deposits within Kissam along with a few gold mines. House Ceannard is known for churning out level headed warriors with solid tactical discipline and while they never created a true genius of warfare they've always provided solid, able commanders with disciplined forces backing them.
At the very least I've never heard of a Ceannard cheerfully singing as he or she charged headlong into the fray without care or concern. In the words of Conrad's less famous but still able grandson Victor Ceannard 'the point of warfare isn't to send your soldiers die; it's to make the foe send their soldiers to die'.
~Dominic James Pencraft, The Eostia Historia
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Kaguya ended up calling ahead to us; she would be delayed by a few days due to some issues in Arrona that were personal to the local lords, House Kabutomushi. As such we delayed our departure from Brell for the time being. So; how were we using the time?
Riri, Ur'Akara and Cress were managing the Catalan Quintet, as we were calling them, and took them out to get some new clothes. Riri was taking the lead with Cress backing her up; pressing them softly to pick their own styles and clothing. It was a way to start weening them towards independence; to make choices not to benefit others or their wants but to benefit themselves and their own wants. I was honestly proud of my little Riri; she's come so far now...
Finlay and Edda were with them as they would be escorting the Quintet to Mungale and as such needed to know how to best handle the lot. In the meantime myself, Aeris, Lulu, Miria and Makoto hopped on a ferry cog to travel to the mouth of the Engvall River and Port Bluekeep; Brell's most important naval port for both merchant and military reasons and home of something a bit different; the Spell Sands.
The Spell Sands were just off the beaches of Port Bluekeep and Lulu wanted to see if she could snag some spell stones from them. Normal quarrying wasn't possible because, well, it's underwater and while magic can do a lot it has limits. That's not to say the stones under the lake were unavailable to people; if you could reach the stones you could collect them and they were right there; shining on top of the sands under the clear water. If you could swim to them, with say... an Aqua Breathe spell you could collect as many as you wanted; although the County did tax you a light fee for it. Lulu, Aeris and myself would go hunting for stones. As for Miria...
There's a lake. With fish in it. She's a cat girl. You figure it out. Makoto was staying with her; opting keep watch on the beach.
Aeris would swim off to be on her own... and I couldn't help but notice she and her tiny, green, leaf patterned bikini would swim over to where a few other men were diving for stones... and she was clearly trying to get a rise out of them... I guess what they say about elves are true; An elven virgin is a prude until her first time and then she's a cock hound. And with Aeris... yeah...
I also noted it only refereed to elven women. No idea about elven men.
That left me in my dark blue trunks and Lulu naked save her C-string (So more or less just naked... and just slightly less so then normal) swimming under the effects of Aqua Breathe spells I had casted and sifting through the sands. We both had a pair of leather pouches on belts at our hips to collect our finds and I also had a belt over one shoulder connected to my hip with a large, hemp sack at my back; just in case. I had already picked out some good, raw stones already and even found a very high quality one just smaller then a golf ball. What I was hoping to find was a larger stone; something fist sized or bigger of acceptable quality; I had no current use for it but it was better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it. Of course I had to find it first.
The lake's sands would shift in hard storms or simply with normal currents covering and uncovering spell stones. As such what was around one week wasn't there the next but something else could be. "If you don't mind the question why are you hunting for stones?" I asked; Lulu was about seven feet to my right; hands on the sands like myself and legs lightly kicking to help her stay down; by contrast I used some water mana manipulation to keep myself near the lake floor. I found another good one; the size of a small marble but great quality. I set it to my pouch and saw Lulu did the same with two smaller stones. Of course none of these stones were perfectly round; some were round-ish, others being closer to a pointed head in shape and some jagged with hard points and lines.
"Ahhh... well I met Blake von Adelle sometime ago and we got to talking." She let off as I blinked at her. "He's a weirdo; the weirdest of the weirdos but he knows his stuff so I asked if he could come and do some enchanting for the Golden Axes. He agreed if I could supply the stones and traded some weapons to him. We have all the stones we need but if I could find some great spell stones then he could make a real nice weapons! Or maybe armor... Maybe not for me but the Axes. I want to be sure they come home if we have to fight Garan again."
I was a bit surprised she and Blake had hit it off but maybe I shouldn't be; she's a bit of a weirdo in her own right; but like Blake not in a bad way. "Well we've met and I agree; he does know what he's doing."
"Yeah!" She let off; plucking another stone from the sands. "And I'm guessing you have some plans as well." She said as I nodded.
"Yeah. One idea I have is to use small, cheap stones that peasants might be able to afford to make simple games." I said as she blinked at me. "Nothing as complex as the chess board; that'll be something that requires better ones but simple ones people can play with one another."
"Ohhh, that's neat! Send me one when you make it; I wanna see!" She let off as I chuckled. We were silent and searching for a long moment; plucking the odd stone as we found them before she spoke up once more. "Do you think that project you have your people working on will pan out?"
"Mostly sure. They seem confident, anyway." I said as I picked up a red one and pocketed it. "I don't want to give too much away but if it works I'll have something akin to flexible spell orbs."
"Flexible spell orbs?" She let off, blinking. "But... how?" She let off as I looked to her, winked and tapped my nose with a finger. "Nigghhhhhhhhhh! No fair!"
"Like I said until it's done and ready I want to keep it under my hat." I let off as I chuckled.
"Well if you can do that... I mean... so many things that need large stones to power might become much cheaper to make..." She let off, humming a bit. "...We could even make a true revolution of industry if you can..."
"Well I don't want you getting your hopes up too high." I said before smiling. "Ohhh, here's a nice one!" I let off; it was a jagged stone but the size and shape of a knife handle. A good find.
"Lucky!" Lulu let off with a giggle. "Oh!" She let off; finding one about the same size. That would empower a weapon or suit of armor very well.
"Good find." I called back as I kept searching. As I did a crab took note of our approach and unburied itself from it's place in the sand and moved to scurry off and away. I paid it little mind; finding a small, lower quality one. Still I grabbed it; might be handy. "Mind if I ask something?"
"Shoot!" She said, plucking a stone from the sands and setting it into a pouch as I looked to her.
"How did you end up as a Shield Princess?" I let off. One did not simply apply to the position; Celestine was the one to pick them based on advice of others and her own desires for who should be set to the title. The position only opened up via death or retirement; usually the first sadly.
"Well you remember the last Shield Princess of Ansur; Linux Stoneblade?" Yes; there was a woman named Linux here. She was a dwarf and known for carrying a sword that would make Cloud Strife whistle in respect from it's sheer size. She was better known as Linux the Dragon Slayer, a title earned by slaying Hagrid Goldtomb in single combat; the only known Garanian dragonborne. Claims vary but it is said only Olga Discorida was more powerful then her so the loss of Hagrid was a severe blow for them; to the point Garan fled the Seventh Battle of Maros Fields when she fell.
However... "After the last incursion she lost both a leg and a lung; and while she had a prosthetic for the first she wasn't able to be properly healed fast enough to repair the lung so she was forced to retire." She said sadly. "When I heard of what happened I fashioned a mythril leg with orichalcum joints for her; I wanted a proper gift from the family for her service and she was impressed I could work with orichalcum at all. Then she brought over Claudia so I could make her a sword and then I challenged her to a spar. I don't think she expected me to be so strong for my age and I gave her a good run; knocked her on her ass once too! Once... She still trounced me at the end of it." She let off with a giggle. "She stuck around for a while longer to spar more; I didn't know until later that she was testing me. Then a month later Celestine herself visited to talk with me and after a day invited me to join based on what both Claudia and Linux told her."
"That's... quite the little tale..." I let off. I found another good one; the size of a large marble. Pocketed.
"I know. Can I ask you something now?" She asked as I nodded once. "Am I pretty?" I turned and blinked at her as I paused my movements. She squirmed a bit as I directed my gaze right at her.
"Not that I won't answer but where is this coming from?" I asked her. "I mean you go around topless; you don't seem that concerned about your looks."
"Oh, I am proud of my looks. I have to beat men off of me. Halfling men." Ahhhh... I think I saw where this is going. "But... you know, I don't want to limit my...ummm, limit my... options to just halflings; maybe I'll find a nice human man, or a dwarf or an elf... ... Okay, maybe not an elf." She let off as I chuckled. "But I do know human men like women to have... you know..." She said, gesturing to her chest with cupped hands. I got the message.
"Yes, you are pretty although to be fully honest you're more cute then pretty." I let off as she pouted in thought. "That's not a bad thing."
"Yeah; well when people call something cute it usually means harmless." She huffed.
"Finlay and Edda are also cute. So is Miria." I said as I started to search once more. "Would you call any of them harmless?"
"Fair, but still..." She let off with a huff.
"You're very cute and very pretty; don't worry about it." I told her with a chuckle. "Unless you become vain; then I'll worry." I let off as she giggled lightly...
As we moved another crab stood up from the sands and ran off; but as it did I got a glimpse of something where it was... Moving over I pushed the sand aside and tried to grab what was there... Only to need to dig some more sand away; catching Lulu's attention before I finally freed it from the sands; a large spell stone. And by large I mean large. It was the size of a gallon jug of milk in size and was of solid quality; not overly high quality but it was quality and huge. To put if simply it was about what I'd need for my mid-scale toy wagon test (Not that I'd use it for that; again plans) and I could already think of a few things for it...
After all if what I had being made worked then I could put this in my full scale project when I got to it and do so much more then I would have otherwise... I was giddy; I only wanted a large one just in case but holding something this size gave me ideas..."
"You lucky jackass!" She let off; hands moving to her hips. "The jackiest of jackasses!" There was no sting as I pulled the hemp sack from my back to deposit it. "That's an amazing find!"
"Hell yeah... and I'm still gonna see what else I can find!"
"Gahhh! Well I'll find a bigger one then!" She let off.
She didn't find a bigger one (Although she still lucked out with a stone the size of a one liter coke bottle of good quality) and I gave up a few smaller stones and a pair of golf ball sized one in tax to the collectors when we were finished.
What amazed me was that when they weighed the big stone I found it was... only the tenth largest one ever found in the sands... but they also said 'befitting of a Noxdecus' which confused the hell out of me... until they told me that the largest stone ever found, one that was 'bigger then four horses' was discovered in these sands... by one Gandal Noxdecus some nine hundred years ago...
So that's where that huge stone on our tower was found! Which begged a new question...
How in the name of fuck did he get it all the way from Brell to Mungale!?
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Someplace in the Barony of Blackcut
Cave Hidden in the Woods
Early Evening
Candles lined the cave's chamber that had been formed with magic and... other means, both on the floor and on shelves carved into the walls in three layers. Enchanted wax would ensure the candle would never melt away and the flames upon them wouldn't go out; at least not without something to put them out. Chalk infused with powdered spell stone was used to form a magic circle on the floor with runes rimming the edge; glowing an ominous red color color; but with that luminescence going straight up as opposed to all possible directions. Two figures were within the chamber.
The first stood outside of the circle of glowing chalk and from head to toe he was clad in white bandages, strips of cloth wrapping around his whole body making him look not unlike a living Mummy save the clearly normal lips and eyes visible under gaps within the bandages; gray eyes and olive toned skin peeking out with a passive, stoic gaze. Over the wraps of white strips was a black cloak that covered him from the neck down. No emotions was visible on his face; even if unmasked from all that covered his face an body no expression or movements of his body would betray his thoughts or feelings.
As for the other figure.
"NOOOOO! MAKE IT STOP! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
"Your wants are insignificant to what your sacrifice will create..." The man said as he looked to the person within the magic circle.
Within the circle was a woman; an easterner with long, shiny black hair that would have fallen to her waist. She was nude and immobile; shackles around her wrists connected by short chains to a collar about her neck and a second set of shackles connected to the collar with chains around her knees that pulled her legs back and apart. Even if her legs weren't bound, however, her ability to move would have been utterly hindered by her stomach. At a casual glance it would appear she was overly pregnant with a belly that was stretched a foot and half from it's normal position with stretch marks ringing around her belly's skin with some of those marks slightly torn; some bleeding and others showing the lower layers of skin; as if the skin was being pushed or pulled apart and the force doing so didn't care of the limits of the flesh in question.
She screamed in pain and squirmed to try and fight what was coming but the man knew she would lose that fight. "Be grateful... you will birth something of true greatness and I will learn more when the time comes for the ultimate creation!" He let off; a hint of emotion entering his voice finally in what one might call subdued glee.
Her only answer was another loud, shrill scream of agony.
The wrapped man kept watch for a long moment before stiffening and looking over his shoulder. "Who comes here?"
"Oiy, relax will ya!" He heard as a man walked into the light of the chamber. He was a rough looking man; a six foot one man with a thick, thick brown heard and shaggy hair of the same color. He was muscular and wore a black gambeson without sleeves showing muscular arms with several small scars up and down the limbs with red gloves over his hands. Red pants were over his legs, tucked into black, leather boots. A spear on a strap was slung over her shoulder. He looked to the woman with a mix of fascination and sadistic horror in his brown eyes. He would look to the wrapped man and pulled a letter from behind his back. "You're Shamhaza; right?"
"I am he." The wrapped man said as he looked to the letter; the mercenary crossing over to pass it to him.
"Spell paper letter; must be important. Not sure why it didn't go to you directly." The bearded man said as Shamhaza unfolded the paper.
"The sender must know how my work distracts me." He said as he started to read. "If you did not deliver it yourself I was more like then not to ignore it." He said as he hummed. "Interesting..."
"Yeah? What's it say?" The mercenary let off, a hand reaching up to scratch the side of his beard.
"One of our allies is under the impression a lordling is a potential threat to the operations of your master." Shamhaza let off as he sighed. "I am being tasked with his elimination with a promise of regents I use and gold as reward. I will accept this task gladly."
"Nice. ... So..." The man let off as he looked to the woman once more.
"ARGHHHH! IT HURTS! IT REALLY HURTS! STOP IT! LET ME LIVE!"
"What is going on here?" The merc asked as Shamhaza turned to face the woman fully once more.
"From where I hail we call it Sanran no Tan. An... inexact translation would be something akin to 'Birth of a Silkworm Egg' but it isn't a thing that would make sense to someone not from the east. Here you may call what is being made... a Spawnborne." Shamhaza told the merc.
"Like... dragonborne?" The man let off as Shamhaza shut his eyes in thought for a brief moment.
"I imagine the spelling would be the same, yes, but otherwise the two are unrelated." He admitted as the woman's belly not started to move and squirm before one spot pressed up; stretching slightly and tearing the skin around the point. "Ahh... the spawning shall be ended in but a moment..." The mercenary moved to watch with him as the spot now less pressed up and more seemed to punch up, as if something was hitting her from the inside... just before two, black, fang like pincers cut from the inside of her belly to the outside before something pressed up; the woman's screams reaching a crescendo as her belly burst open and what seemed to be an arm thick centipede crawling out; it's body covered in what seemed like black, stiff plates and deep red legs. Two green, compound eyes looked to Shamhaza as it squirmed and pushed out of the womb of the woman and tore her flesh further before it's full, four foot length slipped from her. "Magnificent..." He let off as the chalk ended it's glow the massive bug crawled towards him and moved to climb up his leg until the bandaged man could pet it's head. The hint of a smile was the only emotion he allowed himself to outwardly show along with his admiring tone as he saw the beast for the first time.
"It's friendly?" The merc asked as Shamhaza shrugged.
"Tame would be more acute." He let off as the woman stopped her screaming but not due to death; rather she would shudder and whimper before letting off a long, choked cry as a cough send small hints of blood spitting out of her lips. "It will behave as needed. Indeed; the task I have been given will be an acceptable test of my creation's abilities; once it has feasted enough to grow truly strong." He said as he turned to leave, the centipede crawling after him. "There is a small, isolated village that will be useful for him to feast."
"...Glad I ain't fighting him..." The mercenary let off before hearing along, pained cry from the woman. Her distended belly had been torn open and looked like a peeled, bloody fruit that fell to her torso's sides, over her groin and her lower chest. The cavity that was the remains of her womb started to fill with blood as tears spilled from her eyes.
"Hahhhh... Please... kill me..." She begged as he huffed.
"What a waste of good pussy..." He huffed before turning and leaving after the bandaged man.
The woman would be left to her own whimpers and pains while bathed in the light of the room's candles...
[-]
Duchy of Anvil
Castle Anvil, Outside of Sanguinis City
Office of Alundra van Bludhorn
Alundra sat on her chair as she took a long drag of her pipe behind her oak, dark stained desk with a layer of gold set across the top. The room's wealth continued from there; rich, silken red curtains, a rack of five dozen vintage wines, another rack of other fine drinks, sturdy, ornate book shelves with tomes and tales that were often rare first editions and four lights set into the ceiling made of fist sized, golden spell stones. Indeed her office was luxurious and comfortable all in one.
Seated to her right was her first born son Kaiden who sat with his shoulders straight and eyes forwards. At six foot three and baring blonde hair that was slicked back in short spikes, a strong jaw, a wide nose and piercing green eyes he looked as intimidating as a lord should. More over was his outfit; a six inch tall, metal plate with the Bludhorn banner held to the center of his chest by black straps crossing over his shoulders and attaching to the belt at his hips, a brown loincloth covered with a brass colored chain mail overlay over his groin with brass colored plates at his hips. Matching pauldrons were strapped to his upper arms that covered them and his shoulders, gauntlets that covered the forearms and back of the hands with fingerless, red gloves under them and matching red boots with brass colored plates over the shins. Ending the look was the face shield that was held to his head by a thick black strap; it covered his forehead, nose and cheeks in a fashion not unlike a Spartan's helm but bore short bull horns that stuck out from the sides and pointed forwards. Commissioning the mana armor for him was quite expensive but well worth the price.
Standing before her was her chief spy master and two of his aides; each holding their composure but clearly in fear of the Duchess and her son. To her that was good; maintaining rule by love was too troublesome and respect was preferred but fear was rather effective as motivation as well. "Report..." She let off, looking right at the man in a well fitted, brown jacket.
"We've gathered and complied all the information we could muster. While we know more now then before there are still gaps, however. To begin; he dined in Aurum Forum City with Baron Stolzerlowe and a friend of his; Michel Pantielle. Both claimed a mostly normal conversation was had and nothing worthy of note. That said Minister Sombra was reported to have asked about details on an individual; one James Noxdecus."
"A name I've heard too often recently..." Aludra let off with a huff before taking another drag of her pipe.
"We also know Victor or Sombra hired an additional band of mercenaries; although the reasons are unknown to us." The spy master continued. "In addition we know that at a pub in a mostly unimportant hamlet a woman attempted to poison James Noxdecus and failed. Upon failure several of the hired mercenaries began to attack and were put down by his escort. Based on this we can only conclude that Victor was aware Noxdecus was in the region and moved to attempt to assassinate him." He said as Alundra frowned in thought. "However all movements of Victor from there becomes unknown. We don't know what happened after that attempt on his life; or rather we have a very good assumption and no means to prove it."
"That idiot..." Alundra let off with a huff as Kaiden frowned.
"It sounds like Victor charged in and bit off more then he could chew." The Heir of Anvil let off in a deep, rumbling voice. "So; James Noxdecus killed him." He huffed out deeply.
"I doubt it..." Alundra injected as she took another drag of her pipe; her son turning to look at her as he gave a 'huh'. Once she had blown the smoke out she continued speaking. "No; if what Arnold told me of how he fought the Mandervilles he would be too reluctant to kill Victor outright and too wary of the blow back. If anything he would invite the attack if possible and attempt to use it as a means to undermine our house by capturing him and providing evidence of Victor's assault. In that case Victor's death ensured we dodged a large Fireball."
"Indeed..." The spy master said with a nod. "Regardless of who started it a dead noble would be frowned upon by the Council so he will be unwilling to press the issue. Although if he has evidence that Victor attacked first he would pocket it I imagine, likely recorded with his voxlux. What I do not know is how the Freebirds come into the picture or came to assist Noxdecus."
"Are you sure they do?" Kaiden let off as the man nodded.
"There are two pieces of evidence that suggests so; and one of which is that we have confirmed for a fact that Mahadh has for a fact joined the Freebirds." Alundra snarled softly but withheld words as he kept speaking. "The other is that the blonde Freebird who's eye was destroyed in the arena has returned to their service... and while she bore an eye patch for a time she now has been seen with two eyes. I can only assume this was caused by an enchanted spell stone eye; modified with an illusion spell."
"And what is Noxdecus if not a highly talented enchanter?" Alundra let off in a huff. "Either Noxdecus and the Freebirds consorted before Victor attacked or the Freebirds attacked Victor as he battled Noxdecus."
"Indeed... This is all we have to report." The spy master sighed. "While we do not know who exactly killed your son we are sure James Noxdecus played a role within it; possibly an unintentional one. More likely the Freebirds or, as the rumors say, an escaped slave is to blame."
"Gah!" Kaiden let off, slamming a fist to the desk as he rose to his feet. "We must answer this slight! We must find a way to take the head of James Noxde-"
"Kaiden." Alundra said firmly as he flinched but looked to her as she calmly took a drag on her pipe. Once she exhaled she spoke once more. "While revenge is all good and fine striking at Noxdecus is something we cannot do; not yet anyway." Her son frowned but said nothing as she spoke. "Understand; his status as nobility renders him mostly immune to retribution and the usual assassination carries a risk. Moreover if he has evidence he will unleash it if we force his hand and likely entrusted it to someone just in case. However... this is why I choose a quarter elf to give me the seed of which to birth you; you'll have a longer lifespan then even I shall and will be able to employ a most excellent talent; patience." She said as a nasty smirk came to her lips. "After all... Garan is overdue for an incursion. A little... misplaced intel to an enemy unit could led to... tragic consequences. However more to the point the real revenge must be exacted from the Freebirds..."
"While I do not disagree..." The spy master began, giving her a worried look. "House Ambacht will not let you and yours to do as they wish in Longroad. I am not sure of what moves you can make against them..."
"We need to know more of them first..." Alundra let off with a huff. "We need to send agents into Longroad discreetly. Perhaps find a man to slither into their ranks... Once we know their location we need only acquire enough mercenaries to render them to ashes..."
"Gah... I would rather rend the lot of them asunder myself..." Kaiden let off with a huff. "But I am forced to admit this situation requires... delicacy."
"As I said... patience." Alundra said with a smirk as she leaned back into her seat. "After all when we hammer them all it will be when they will least expect it..."
[-]
Federation of Rad
Aurum Forum City, Noble's District
Late Evening
While boasting the homes of nobility was one major part of any Nobility Distinct what most outside of that class of people was unaware of was the markets within them. Of course who could sell wares within these districts was heavily restricted and usually limited to the higher echelons of the middle class and those who were considered upper class but not yet nobility. These sellers would sell only the finest of goods and wares ranging from food, clothing, art, foreign oddities and even the finest of weaponry and armor.
And yet no matter where you went if there was gold to be earned with trade you could find a black market; be it a shady man in a dark alley selling a powder that would make you happy (For a time anyway), a man with Dominous vodka kept in his backroom behind a hidden door or just the farmer who would sell some moonshine for a few extra copper or just a fun romp in the hay.
Lorcan Pugio snorted as he hid in a shadow within an alley of the distract; the only difference with most nobles is their idea of 'contraband' were things like... ramen... Or... barbecued chicken wings... Or heavens forbid, a Conrus Sandwich!
Yes; some nobility feared they would be judged for eating such common fare. Never mind that even commoners could only afford such fare now and then.
That wasn't to say actual illicit items weren't found within nor any fences; men and women who would buy valuable, stolen goods for resale. And one such fence was in the basement of the Pantielle Emporium of Fine Goods; the building opposite of the alley he was in. It was a rich looking building; a pale red set of walls with a pastel purple roof and golden trim with gold colored designs set to the white pillars that was at each corner. In addition just under the peak of the roof was the emblem of House Pantielle.
The main body was a large circle with gold trim and a pale red background and four, triangular points sticking out from under it; the same trim but pastel purple in the background. In the center of circle was a round, white gem with gold trim and above it to both sides were the silhouettes of young, small angels bellowing on trumpets. Under the gem was the name 'Pantielle' in an overly fancy white font with a gold outline. Honestly; what house used such garish colors?
He snorted once more; nobility. Finally he spotted his mark leaving the store; some pudgy, idiotically dressed goofball son of a rich, mercantile minor noble. He could only guess what he was doing in the building but based on rumor selling odd items to the fence. Supposedly the fat noble was a capable thief and the General's new best friend thought he was a good one... and somehow Grave agreed with him. Lorcan wasn't so sure but he wasn't there to question the boss just do the job he was given.
So as Michel Pantitelle walked from the store Lorcan moved to follow him, drawing his cloak around him. The fat idiot hummed as Lorcan prepared to make his approach. He would need some place darker and quiet. Still; even if the job was a cakewalk he took it seriously; matching his footsteps with the target, staying silent, keeping to the shadows as best able and managing his distance from the target. Soon Michel was whistled softly as opposed to humming before moving to duck into an alley.
Perfect.
He silently rushed to follow; it was hard to find a better place to approach. He entered and...
A clean alley. No boxes or crates, no refuse or homeless, no trash or drunks... and no nobleman. Lorcan blinked; he couldn't have gotten to the other side of the alley so fast. He just... seemed to vanish. He frowned and moved down the alley looking over the walls of the buildings flanking him; nobles loved the idea of secret passages... and he had to admit that sometimes it was useful. He looked for signs of such; an odd pattern of dust, strange scuffs, a boot mark that led into a wall...
As he was half way down before something hit him in the upper back; two feet. He grunted but rather then land on his face he tucked and rolled, coming up to his feet and drawing his falcatas... only to see the smirking, idiot nobleman standing there; arms crossed over his chest. "Huh. You're a tad more clever then I expe-gahi!"
Micheal had drawn a pair of daggers from hidden pockets in his pants; stilettos with blades that sprung up from a pair of long handles and attacked; forcing Lorcan to block a slash, defect another and plant a front kick into his abs. "Owwie!" The fat noble let off before shifted his weapons to reverse grips as he grinned in a nearly feral and wild manner; one that looked at odds with his goofy appearance.
"Peace." Lorcan let off, crossing his weapons over his chest; a stance that would let him defend with ease and hindered his means of attack. "I came to speak with you; not mug you."
"Hooooooh...?" Michel let off in a drawl before smirking wider. "Don't care; I hate being followed!" He let off as he charged.
"I'm here to recruit you, you idiot!" Lorcan let off deflecting a double slash with one blade before backing away from a headbutt of all things... and took a kick to the chest as the fat noble somehow back flipped to nail him with the strike, grunting and glad as his gambeson took the worse of it.
"I work for myself!" He let off, landing in a three point position; readying a charge. Lorcan sneered; but he was well briefed on him. He was a talented fool but still a fool.
"What if it lets you fuck Maia of the Shields?" The agent let off as Michel started to charge... then planted his foot to the ground and skidded to a stop. With a flourish he spun his knives and retracted the blades into the handles.
"I'm listening..." The Pantielle noble let off as Lorcan sighed.
Talented or not; he was going to be a headache...
[-]
Kingdom of Feoh
Lancefort City, Red Light District
Late Evening
Albert Arcturus winced at the sound of a body slamming down the stairs. John Maddax was a good man although he enjoyed drink and whores a bit too much. He had told him once it would be the death of him... Ironic then that it would now be used as a cover for his death instead. Breaking his neck before the hard push was quick, easy and painless. A mercy to help cover the tracks of himself and Beardsley as he tossed the bottle of wine after him. To any who stumbled over him there on that empty street it would appear a drunken man had tripped and fallen down the stairs.
He swiftly and silently leapt to a nearby roof, quickly moving down to dark alleys, onto roofs and back again until we was able to walk back into a park as he huffed softly. A copy of the Statue of Deborah the Daring that was in the back of Fortress Feoh's courtyard stood there near the park's center; plaque and all. He would step up to it and look up at her. He took in a deep breath as he read the words upon the plaque once more.
"You speak so much of leaders and leadership... but you and yours never really were, were you? You were all too happy to give your power piecemeal to others." He let off with a huff. "Never centralizing that power... Never doing as the Imperium did... letting the fools guide themselves... I never understood it..." He said starting to pace back and forth; eyes on the statue as even as he turned. "But Eostia has never spread it's influence like it should have... Never brought it's enemies to heel, nor put them under it's boot... Never sought out glory... I understand now... I didn't make a mistake with what I did; just how I did it..."
It was almost twenty two years ago now... There on the fields in Arafe was Hagrid Goldtomb; one of the most powerful commanders in the military of Garan and was leading the attack on Feoh that incursion. Against the orders of his brother he moved to challenge her and remove her from the field... and life itself... He sent his men to guard his flanks as he moved to fight her alone... only for the drow to defeat him in solo combat; kill and maim some of his men and in the end he required his brother to inject himself and nearly lose an arm doing so to fend her off. Indeed, what he did was foolish; but only in how he attacked. He should have gathered a few more men first, acquired supportive mages to assist him and had someone flank her rear. He fought her as a knight should have; honorably.
These drow neither had nor deserved honor. No; instead he should have followed the Unitum Imperium's old motto, the one that saw their empire grow across the continent from north to south and hold more land then any other nation before or since, more then Dominious three times over... Gloria Exercitus.
To the Glory of the Army.
Both he and his brother were well versed in the history of the Imperium; their tutors explaining both the Legacy History and the Kaiser History and while he knew well that the Kaiser History was a patchwork of truths and falsehoods he always was fascinated by the character of Emperor Viturin Kaiser and his line; the potential of the Imperium to expand and bring it's great culture to all was there since the start but it was Viturin that finally brought it out and showed how far they could reach. That wasn't to say he agreed all the man and his line had done; suppressing the Larentian Church was a foolish move and the line of succession was never clear enough leading to two power vacuums after the deaths of Dominic the First and Victor the Second leading to a barely averted fracture of the empire the first time and the First Age of Conflict in the second occasion.
Such strength needed to be balanced by wisdom and as such leadership needed to be consolidated into the hands of a man with the strength to collect power into his hands and ward away his rivals and the wisdom to properly groom and prepare someone to assume his power someday while dedicating both his strength and wisdom towards expansion and asserting a greater culture onto the lesser nations; as Viturin and Dominic the First had done. Indeed; strength and wisdom were not enough as a great ambition was required as well.
Years ago Albert thought he was that kind of man but while he had the ambition needed he lacked both in terms of strength and wisdom. His brother Aston showed greater strength and wisdom then Albert had but he lost the first to illness and his children lacked much of the second and all four of them lacked the ambition needed.
Beardsley meanwhile... while he lacked the strength he clearly had the wisdom and ambition needed and found a man who may or may not have had the wisdom but by all accounts bore the strength and ambition needed... and could collect around himself those who bore that wisdom to make up for the shortfall.
His brother would never agree; of course. 'A nation must have a strong base by splitting the keys of power apart as to form a greater, flexible foundation. To gather all the keys of power to one, brittle and top heavy throne is to invite disaster and tyranny' was something he said once. Too humble a man to be the leader that would bring regions like Dominious to heel and not enough ambition to be a leader like the emperors of eld.
He huffed softly. Of course to become King of Feoh himself now once this storm came..? He had the ambition to rule once more; the once forgotten embers rekindled having been smothered since that failed battle... although never fully gone.
A new Imperium would come; likely not bearing it's name or customs but much like what it was in spirit... But did he now have the strength and the wisdom to rule now..?
After a moment the voxlux pinged in his pocket and he withdrew it. Seeing Beardsley's face he answered. "Yes?"
"I apologize; my return will be delayed a bit more then I expected." The elderly man said with a huff. "A minor discrepancy in the books had to accounted for. Speaking of accounting how is the affairs on your books?"
"Cleaned up." Albert spoke in a somber tone. Beardsley was paranoid about saying too much over the voxlux; as useful as it was it's creator was a foe now... and the risk of certain words triggering something was too great. That said it was sad that such good men needed to be sacrificed for a greater dawn to come. There were three men he had helping him; John was the last.
Maxwell Winters took a trip out to Pulca to see if Beardsley was connected to what happened in the election. His death was yet to be reported in official channels as he was doing so quietly and off the books. It was a matter of time of course; an agent of Beardsley took care of him and mocked the death to look like a mugging in the wrong part of town.
Leon Doxford was the one checking the books for him. He took a horse to see family in a smaller city in the kingdom... and then something spooked the horse and made it dislodge him and crack his head on the ground. He would be found by a passing merchant some hours later; dead.
Both he and Beardsley knew that these deaths could be seen as suspicious; three agents of Feoh dying within the same two week time span? Two to accidents and one to a mugging? No one but a fool wouldn't suspect something foul was afoot but there was nothing that would point in a direction. All the notes and evidence was given for the one who was best suited to guard them; Albert Arcturus himself.
Ironic, in a sense.
There would likely be a heightened level of alert for a time but with nothing pointing in a direction nothing would come of it; an investigation could only go on for so long before manpower had to be moved to something else. All they needed was to remain low for the time being.
"Good to hear." Beardsley said with a soft sigh. "We will speak in a few days time when I return. For now just maintain affairs as is until I return."
"Of course."
"Until then." The elder said as the call ended and the device set aside. He gave the statue one last, long look. "Rest assured Daphne; a better age will rise soon." He said before turning and walking away.
[ - Author's Note - ]
Welp... That's a chapter... and that's three collision courses James is heading on and Alundra, while keeping herself restrained, has mostly pieced together what happened in Longroad and while she's not moving to stab him in the back she is selecting the right knife and sharpening it. And in the meanwhile Albert is sweeping things under the rug as Shamhaza is preparing to challenge him before anyone else can.
The new Straw Poll is up so come vote for the Best Ansur Banners; the second last of the banner polls. You can find it at strawpoll(DotCom)/polls/wAg3ADLmMy8 or up on eostian on Twitter.
So next chapter we're off to... Dayhill and not the Magistracy of Thorn. But we're still going to meet Kaguya! So until then leave a comment about what you liked, didn't like and drop a vote in the poll.
Until next time everyone!
~~Eostian Scribe