[b]Bohaddon[/b] [hider=Nation Status] [b]Current Leader/Government:[/b]Ducis Alta [b]Settlements Owned:/b] 2 [b]Provinces Owned:[/b] 1 [b]Population:[/b] 160,000 [b]Standing Army:[/b] [indent] -/ - /<6,000>/ - /<1,500>/ - /<200>// -/ /<7,000>/// [/indent] [b]Population Happiness: 60%[/b] [b]Imports:[/b] None [b]Exports:[/b] Slaves, Iron, Bronze [b]Wealth:[/b] Average [b]Alliances:[/b] None [b]Trade Pacts:[/b] None [b]Cease Fires:[/b] Bahaporian (unofficial) [/hider] --- [centre] A Change In Tactics [/centre] --- The only sound that filled the small, wooden home was the scratching of a quill on parchment. The hand of the Ducis moved furiously over the fading parchment as she wrote replies to foreign dignitaries; it had been some time since she last addressed the outside world, and she was finding the exercise refreshing. Sighing, she rested her wrist for a moment, and glanced briefly around the room. It was a simple affair, sparsely decorated and with little adornment. The smouldering embers of a dying fire, lingered in the hearth, clinging to what life they had left and in the corner a mouse gnawed quietly on a crumb from some long forgotten meal. It was an acceptable abode she supposed; comfortable, in its own plain way. She picked up the quill again, and prepared herself to return to writing, when a small knocking alerted her to a visitor. Rising, she moved to the door, and opened it wide, glaring at that which dared interrupt her business. The worn face of Tulius greeted her, with a more than apprehensive look. He seemed to take a moment to prepare himself, mentally, and perhaps physically, for what was to come. "Ducis, I have the first reports from the war...." He spoke slowly, delaying the inevitable as long as he could. "It's not good." And with that confession, the words spilled from his mouth, tumbling over one another in an effort to escape from the prison of his throat. "3,700 men lost, and the entire navy destroyed. We took one fort with minimum casualties, but the others remain in enemy hands. The attack on the Lake Guard was ineffective. And that's not all. There are troubling reports from the South. Hightower has fallen. Our southern guards are reporting small bands of lizard raiding parties stealing away slaves in the night. They grow bolder by the day." Tulius froze, his voice lost once again in fear. Silence invaded the space between the two, as the Ducis stared at him, emotionless and cold. Tulius feared she may have died on the spot, until she erupted into a symphony of rage and anger. "What?! How can this be?! Our men, my men, defeated by some abominations against humanity! What madness is this?!" She screamed, spittle flying from her wet lips. "And now you mean to tell me that some scaly bastards have taken over the home of the 9th Legion?! Truly the gods must hate us all! But no matter! We shall drive them back, and make them fear our name again! The north can wait, this act is a breach of the Empire's honour! Withdraw our troops from the northern border, and order them to attack this lizard host in Hightower!" "Ducis I..." Tulius thought carefully about his next words, for his life hung in the balance. "The troops are weakened. They cannot defeat this host of lizards in their current state. If we stand any chance of beating them, we must better our forces." The Ducis gripped the hilt of her sword, ready to end the life of the man who dared defy her, until a cruel snarl carved it's way across her lips. "Order the overseers to round up the weakest of our slaves. They shall form a new regiment in our forces; the Honour Guard. Train them until our forces are positioned along the Hightower border. Then send them into battle first, let them take the brunt of attack and tire the enemy, before our own forces swoop in and wipe every one of them from the face of the earth. Inform the slaves that should any one of them survive the battle, they will be granted the great honour of training more of their brethren for future slaughter. I expect my orders to be carried out swiftly Tulius. Dismissed." Tulius hurried away, his whole body sighing with relief at the prospect of living to see another sunrise. Once he was out of sight, the Ducis returned to her writing and composed two letters, to be sent to their respective recipients immediately. [hider=To Bahapore]To whomever commands the Bahaporian forces, "I am withdrawing my men, for I have decided to spare you this once. Do not attack or provoke me further or you will not live to regret it." The Ducis [/hider] [Hider=To Frewyn] Toryllis Brosca, I am pleased to hear that humanity has triumphed in the lands west of us. And indeed it fills me with joy to hear one speak with a passion to rival my own, about human superiority. While we are interested in your proposals, past events leave us in doubt of your trust. You abandoned the old empire in her time of need, how can we be sure you will not do the same to us? Provide us with military support in our campaign against the lizards to the south-east, as a sign of your commitment to our new relations. Then you shall have the alliance and resources you desire. Ducis Alta [/hider]