---

With the arrival of these strange new humans in the east the people of Titania clamor and protest seeing the large pillar of light on the sea as an omen of evil demanding for the banishment of this new form of threat. While religious leaders reach out on to the populous fueling and capitalizing on their fear of the unknown using the gods as their tools of manipulating the populous in order to strenghten the power of the church or the religious sect of the nation.

While nobles rise up to the occasion using this as an excuse to raze pillage and loot what they deem as the bringers of these apocalyse of which many of the clergy calls it. Creating an orders of which designed to abolish this threat once and for all. As the Elven nation of Etelrin calls forth its allies to the defense of Titania as they mobilize their constructs towards battle. While the orcs to the south march gears up for what they call as the holy defense of the eternal mother bringing forth their beasts of war.

While diplomats and runners rush to their allies and counter parts using the grandeur of their respective empires as weapons. As they call for aid and request their hand in what they call as the purge of the world eaters. For far and while they traveled carrying their valuable partchment carrying the signature and insignia of their leaders as denial to join would mean war again't this superpowers. Still the Councils for the defense of Titania as they would soon claim it to be was still unfit and unready to face them with their numbers along even with the orcs and Elven constructs make up the bulk of their forces.

As the council of the elves and its alliances compete with the orcs for the title of the savior of Titania

---

The new people celebrate under the sun of their new home as they finally escape their dying planet. They sing and dance as they build anew in the coast of this new land despite their lost in the past they move on and force themselves to build their tomorrow as they labor and build their structures. While their ships and leaders keep vigilant for they knew that they are the last bastion of mankind and their survival hangs on the balanced as they drill the soldiers and ready guns for what is to come as the Naga while not been aggressive has cost them a few of their ships.

Still as they expand and build they are bound to see their new neighbors. As the local travelers would soon see what was happening to the east as they start construction of the foundation of their new home. While slow at first especially on the serpent isles the locals would know what arrived in the should as these new men clear and build with tools and beast the likes they have never seen before. Erecting buildings that seems to rival the houses of nobles and lords. Yet behind their awe and wonder a hint of terror rises as the new comers expand in a rapid pace one of which no one can every anticipate.

=-=Year 833, Summer=-=
=-Jollas-=

A pillar of light streaks across the sky, inviting the Jollian peoples to watch the show from their homes and from the shoreline. Human and Beastfolk, Animal and Monster all pause to watch the strange light appear and disappear, wondering to themselves if it was magic or the end of the world. Zealous prophets in the cities proclaim that their visions had been fulfilled, as mages look on and whisper to one another, unsure what they were witnessing. Nobles and their families gathered on the wall with their guards and servants, and shortly there after riding out to the hermits and temples looking for answers but none could be given. The Cults of Kasta proclaim that their god had killed a mighty beast with his spear, slaying it with a single blow. Other cultists proclaimed that Kasta himself had been killed, his blood gushing out in the streak of light over the waters. Regardless of what, the show of light became the talk of both the educated and illiterate for weeks at a time.

One prophet named Zdzisław Mika, a distant relative of a influential Valk family in Loskadia had traveled abroad looking for answers, and within a month found it. Tales of strange human-like men on ships made of steel, the size of castles, floated on the waters and traveled between land to land, spreading plague and misery in their wake. Zdzisław had traveled across the western lands, traversing with diplomats and proclaiming himself an ambassador of Jollas, calling for a destruction of what the travelers were being called; 'World Eaters'. He spread rumors and tales wildly, declaring that they were dark spirits of the waters who kidnapped children, ate sentient beings, and practiced necromancery. After a time, he returned to Jollas demanding to speak to the high authority, the king himself.

Jollas had little to no interaction at first, if any, with only vague reports of Otum merchants seeing strange iron ships the size of 10 whales upon the waters, followed by smaller ships, and were avoided like any sea monster. One Otum who was invited to court even claimed to have traded with the ships, but it had turned out to be just a rumor. Tymon II Banaszynski, King of Jollas, allowed the wandering 'diplomat' into his court to explain himself. When he was told by Zdzisław of the supposed atrocities of these 'world eaters', the king didn't particularly look convinced. When pressed, Tymon II was rather annoyed that the appearence of these 'world eaters' shifted from being human in form to being spirits, being demons to being evil gods. Tymon II heard enough, and stood before his court.

"I am a man of many deeds, but I will no longer listen to speculation and peasant religion, I here proclaim this. Someone bring me a 'world ender' so that I may see them for myself, see if they are deserving of mercy or death at the hands of Jollas and her people! Bring me proof I can see and touch, for I will no longer bare rumor!" Tymon II proclaimed before his court. His courtiers murmured amongst themselves, and the older prophet Zdzisław was invited to stay in court as the only 'capable' witness. In court, the faithful man intermingled with the king's courtiers, and became popular with his stories about extreme things these travelers did.
_______________________________-

Meanwhile in southern parts of Jollas, pressing political matters had been becoming and issue between the Dujals of Loskadia and the Beast Isles over the ownership of New Strekkad. In the past year, The Beastfolk had been building up New Strekkad, opening a new temple of Gula to sponsor his cult, and a oppossing temple to Nulla had been also built outside the city as well. The city had become very rich, and attracted a larger number of human merchants looking to exploit the city's cheap Beastfolk labor and struggling craftsmen industries. These new merchant elite formed a local society known as the Neus Volga which bribed the city's Valk to ignore their political machinations into allowing them to become city council members. While not very unified, most were members of the Cult of Kasta and regularly were involved in many of the city's affairs.

The Dujal of the Beast Isles eventually caught wind of this and while he had first tolerated the merchant take over of the city, his Spion soon learned that the merchants were spreading rumors that the Otum were plotting to banish the city's other Beastfolk and Humans in order to take it over. The Spion also informed the Beast Isle Dujal that the Loskadian nobles had been preparing at the border as well. Mislav Poljak was frightened by the prospect of such a take over, and invited the Dujal of Loskadia to a private gathering hall in New Strekkad in an attempt to diplomatically deal with him. Mislav had nearly made it to New Strekkad when his entourage was attacked by Souden mercenaries, only being saved by his contingent of his own Bolam mercenaries who travelled with him. Unable to prove the mercenaries were hired by the Loskadian Dujal, he entered the city and took control of it's court from the Valk.

A week later, Arminas Kucys, the Dujal of Loskadia, arrived with an artist and the two talked in length. Mislav accused Arminas of hiring a rich group of merchants to take his city, but Arminas pressed for proof which the Otum could not give. Arminas then offered a insulting sum of gold for the city, in which Mislav refused. The two insulted, with Arminas being witty and Mislav being easily fustrated, all while a artist painted in along the court. Arminas then insulted Mislav further, declaring he in good faith came to New Strekkad to defend the good name of his family while the Otum had come to accuse, and left in rather dramatic fashion, taking out his ornate sword and sticking it to the ground of the court's hall. The artist left with his patron, and shortly there after did Mislav figure out why the dramatic Dujal had even bothered to bring a artist to the meeting.

The week, Mislav began recieving angry couriers from various Loskadian nobility, mocking him and proclaiming their support for their own Dujal. Apparently, the artist, a well known and upcoming artist in Jollas named Pranas Milius who had showed his work in a local villa to a gathering of nobles from across Jollas, depicting the meeting between the nobleman and the Otum. Mislav was presented as a insane and deranged creature with a hunchback, surrounded by demonic figures and fae abominations, while Arminas was depicted as noble young man, sword in hand, challenging him. This publicity stunt wasn't really to challenge Mislav's authority, but to raise money it seemed, as Mislav's embarressed Spion who had not predicted this admitted that he heard rumors that Arminas had made a huge amount of money from this venture, making dramatic rumors of Mislav in order to garner attention. It was obvious that Arminas wanted new Strekkad, but for what purpose Mislav nor his courtiers knew.

In the meantime, Mislav shored up the city's defenses and began gathering levies from the countryside. His Bolam mercenaries were then commanded to being ransacking the homes and estates of the Neus Volga group, having them formally banished from the Beast Isles as foreign agents. These merchants complained to Arminas who informed them he could not do anything, due to laws set in place which gave the Beast Isles Dujal the authority to trump even the king's own laws. Mislav ordered a group of soldiers and knights to then patrol the border, but had no will to bring a iron grip to the city. Loskadia still had troop camps on his borders, and were soon met with troop camps of Bolam and Otum, and Kobtum war camps found in the deeper forests. As a consquence of this, the Neus Volga merchants lost most of their investments and put many businesses in New Strekkad out of business and in the hands of less competent merchants, who were soon devoured by the Otek Merchant Guild who simply sold the properties for a quick amount of coin.

Adm. Wolff stood on the bridge of the Enterprise and looked at the slowly growing settlement before him. It had been two months since they landed on this island that they now call Wolffstown, a play on the old English colony of Jamestown. In that time, they had shelters set up and the beginnings of farms taking root in these new lands. Initial forays deeper into the island revealed that a lot of the life was a lot bigger than back on Earth. They occasionally caught sight of giant crabs, and some strange plants that were a lot like potatoes and rice in the old world. They seemed to be safe for consumption. Regardless, they had to rebuild and establish infrastructure. For now, the USS Enterprise served as a giant, floating nuclear power plant. But work was being done to see if the settlement can have power independent from the carrier. But a source of energy would have to be found such as a large river, coal, or oil. For now, steam engines were being used to provide some mechanization and power since wood was plentiful. They had begun to make charcoal from the trees in a rather primitive manner.

Regardless, with a settlement established, the USN could focus on expanding. Their basic needs were being met and they seemed to be safe on this island. The USS Wilson and USS Mercy had just set off the other day after unloading all the equipment and passengers that they carried. They were going back to the old world to pick up more settlers and equipment like solar panals and machinery if possible. Granted, they had stripped a lot of what was left in the old world before coming, but these finished goods were very valuable seeing how a lot of people were starting from scratch. In fact, the USN was blessed to be able to provide power without relying on fossil fuels. There was another blessing as the USS Mercy was equipped with some of the best medical equipment in the old world. Thus, the settlement quickly had the most advanced hospital in the new world as much of this equipment was taken off the ship and into the new hospital of Wolffstown.

But, having a source of oil or even coal would be extremely helpful. Thus, the Marine Expeditionary Forces were sending out platoons deeper into the island to scout out the area along with some of the Engineers and Scientists of the USS Laramie. Not to mention that the Enterprise was also using its two UAVs to provide aerial recon around the region as well. Thus, with their new homes established, the men and women of the USN were working on making their new homes a better place.

---

Summary:

The USS Wilson (Destroyer) and the USS Mercy (Hospital Ship) unloaded all their equipment and non-naval personnel and have left to go back to the Old World to pick up more people and equipment.

The USN's Expeditionary Force is patrolling around the new settlement of Wolffstown and sending scouts, led by Capt. Abrams, deeper into the island to find more resources with the scientists and engineers of the Laramie. They have aerial support from the USS Enterprise.

The civilians work on establishing the settlement's infrastructure and stable source of food.

England wasn't made by its people, it was made when the Normans, Vikings by any other name who had been such a thorn in France's side they preferred to capitulate and give them land rather than fight, invaded this island. The French themselves? Gaul became France when german Franks invaded and took over. Russia was no exception to this historical pattern of strong invaders making a land their own when the Varangians invaded and formed what would become the Great Princedom of the 'Rus. Of the Russians.

And today was the day Titania fell to this pattern as well.

This tantalizing crumb of history was lost on most if not all but General Tolstoï as she flew in a gunship above 'Geological Formation B48', a rocky fjor hidden from praying eyes. She watched by the tiny window as bellow in difficult terrain and gray weather the Myr, Vostok and Novoprospekt unloaded its cargo of machines and men and they began a long trek toward 'Mountain 511'. They were tired, they were hungry but they were also ecstatic. This grey landscape with beyond tiny green valleys and white mountains were like paradise compared to the place they came from. A new beginning. "Strela-7 is in flight, I repeat, Strela-7 is in flight, going to M511 from GFB48... So this is home uh?" The pilot said with a smirk.

He turned around to look at the passenger, the general among them. "General!" Inexpressive, Tolstoi turned around to look at the pilot, who continued. "General! We made it! But to you the honor, should we name our new home Veronikagrad?" 'Veronika's city'. Those around her were stressed, she wasn't known for her sense of humor and visibly this pilot didn't know that. She however, smirked, and answered. "This fjor... The Vostok will be disassembled, it will be Vostok harbor. Out settlement... It will be called Holmgard." The pilot turned to look at his copilot who merely shrugged, no one knowing what the hell this meant. "Correction Novoprospekt, we are heading to the settlement of Holmgard from the Fjor of Vostok!"

"Roger that 10/10 Strela-7, onward to Holmgard, good luck and god be with you!"

______________________________

Holmgard or... whatever name these 'Dwarves' gave to this city, it would be their new home. From the outside, there was naught but a gate, a large and impressive gate cut in the very stone, no doubt an impressive fortification by all standard, dwarfing most if not all stoneworks of Earth. This mighty fortress however had fallen in a night, its garrison ready and battle hardened after many fights with tiny green monsters the men called 'Goblins', no match for the elite spetsnaz.

As the report went, they infiltrated during the night, they weren't even subtle as they burned out the goblin burrows but yet the stunted folks hadn't expected anything. The entry was violent and made on multiple point on the upper levels as Gunships assaulted the Gate, distracting key elements of the enemy defense. The elite commandos then made their way down, terminating any potential hostile as they went with grenades and flame throwers. No survivors. The lower levels however, had been sealed.

Veronika and her entourage arrived now as she could see the men priming explosives on what was an entrance to the lower levels. They'd send it crashing down and gas everything down bellow, no point in falling in an easy ambush. As the situation was explained however, Doctor Volodin who was admiring the frankly ingenious device they all stood before (This gate was made of solid granite and must weight several tons!) Turned his eyes to what he at first thought was a continuation of this mechanism to see it was something... else. They were in the middle of an enormous plaza with support beams all around but this metal construction held reservoirs of water and a small table with primitive oil gauges and a lever. He was no engineer but simple logic told him this looked like... He pulled on a lever, curious, and the entire 'Plaza' they were on began to move, downward! A massive elevator! Surprised, he stepped away as the body guards of the General pulled him toward the center. "Get back! What have you done?!" All around them screaming as no one quite understood what the hell was happening and the platform lowered itself, the strangers in this city throwing beams of light from their gun's mounted flashlight into the increasing darkness.

Around them, a much more developed architecture! Windows, doors, bridges and... little men with beard. "Target in sight, instructions?!" The elite spetsnaz turned toward their veteran commander who himself seemed about to speak but turned to Veronika, the General and commander in chief, not daring to speak as the, surprised, merely looked in facination at these Dwarves.

Finally the elevator stopped and around them, these little things, some with armors, most with weapons, looked at them. "GENERAL, ORDERS?!" Said a practically panicking soldier but Veronika held up a hand to stop them from shooting. These people... females, young ones, old and unfit to fight and in their eyes... fear. "They are no menace, look at them..." She simply said with a soft voice, the corner of a smile on her face. She stepped forward and looking around, saw one. He was old, with a grey beard and a massively ornamented armor and a crown. Their king. Her heels clicked on the stone floor as she moved out of the group. Her face the dwarf thought, it looked like a snake. Just when he thought to himself he'd move to strike the next step the viper thought, she stopped. "Aslanov!" She screamed. "YES GENERAL?!" A voice answered above their position. Red dots danced on the bodies of the dwarves, some trying to 'get them off' by ruffling their clothes. "Let them learn of the faith of their soldiers, if you would." The sound of heels clicking on the ground and seconds later, an armored body falling on the ground between Veronika and the dwarven king. The dwarves took a step back as she, defenseless in nothing but clothing, moved forward and bent down to take the weapon, a hammer, that this dwarf clung to even in his death. The dwarves could see the holes that had ripped through his heavy armor. Taking the hammer, she looked at the king... and dropped it. It was all she needed to do and quickly, the king did the same, his few servants following quickly.

With a satisfied smile, Veronika turned toward Leonid. "Decypher their language, learn what you can. Put the king under arrest, the others put them to work." The bearded and terrified scientist silently nodded. "And Doctor!" He looked up timidly. "Next time... a warning, before you touch anything suspicious."

_____________________

This city, it had probably taken centuries, millenniums even, to build! So much labor, sweat and blood. Even for humans with their engineering, this would have been no small task. And now, just like that, it was all theirs. The dwarves collaborated. Oh there was a couple incidents, especially when what could only be seen as burial tombs were destroyed as in such a massive hall they would build the foundry, nowhere else would do, but after a demonstration of the Human's awesome powers there was no more resistance. These creatures were smart enough to realize their lives were forfeit the moment they stopped collaborating. At the moment they didn't know the true extend of what they had found, this city, it was connected to rich mineral deposits stretching well beyond the human's imagination! But for now, they'd satisfy themselves melting armor and weapons to shape as drills and other tools... along with the small mountain of gold in the Palace of the King. Though to be honest, General Tolstoï would have preferred an equal amount of food. The dwarves had some agriculture but this couldn't feed everyone. Other methods were needed.

_________________________

And one such method was, well, piracy for a lack of better word.

The man of interest in this particular story however was a Jollian quester, a man of ambition who heed the call of the king in hope to receive riches and notoriety to better his life. What the king wanted right now was information about the World Eaters and this he would provide by going Eastward! The captain of this ship was a merchant who wouldn't risk going to the East most islands where the World Eaters were told to have already established their dominion, but he'd take him some of the way and after, well, the quester was a resourceful man, he'd improvise! What he didn't think though, was that the World Eaters would find him.

"KRAKEN!"

Sleeping under the deck, the man's eyes went wide open as he rushed to his sword and above deck. Krakens in these parts?! Didn't the naga keep them subdued!? He went to the deck with the rest of the crew as around them the sea churned and bubbled. Soon, next to them, a tower of iron emerged. It went higher and higher and higher until suddenly, a fortress of metal emerged! He like the crew stand in awe as forms could soon be seen on the tower. Out of nowhere, a voice boomed, talking to them in a strange language. Someone went to his knees and began to pray, dropping his weapon. Another joined him and then another. When there was the sound of thunder and someone fell dead in a puddle of blood, all did the same, dropping their weapons and kneeling. The figures began to descent the tower...

_______________________

Summary:
-The Vostok is disassembled in the fjor for parts to be brought to the new settlement.
-A minor dwarven hold is subjugated in a night, its warriors slain and population subjugated.
-The food situation continues to deteriorate, becoming critical.
-The Myr and Akula are sent home to fetch reinforcements.
-The Novoprospekt is sent to scour the sea for trade ships that can have anything useful, especially food, and takes a ship with a Jollian questor on it.

Klak stood within a sentry's balcony atop the highest spire of the Red Hive some three hundred feet above the desolate badlands or even the hive's outer minarets. An incredible vista of the twilight desert was afforded to Klak and his entourage of fellow bugmen; the reds and vermillions of the setting sun set the craggy hills ablaze, hoodoos and mesas cast long black shadows across the glowing desert. But it was not the impressive sunset that had attracted the bugmen to this perch, but an even more entrancing phenomenon in the darkening skies to the east.

Set against the faint twinkling of dusk stars was pillar of light far to the northeast. A column of pulsing white-blue lit the eastern sky with a faint glow. The bugmen watched the display in enrapt silence, their antennae quivering with in some combination of awe and trepidation. The silent undulation of the glowing pillar reflected in the eyestalks of the gathered bugmen as they watched lambent pulses travel up and down the length of the pillar. The Light in the East began nearly a fortnight ago, but a dust storm over the region had all but obscured the display until this evening, and only now could the bugmen of the Red Hive clearly view the phenomenon. Merchant caravans had already brought word of the occurrence from foreign lands, but Klak wanted to see the object of such crazed rumors for himself. Laying his own eyes on the Light had only generated more questions in the mind of Klak the Dreamer, Steward of the Red Hive.

"Akarat," Klak broke the silence at last. "Do your eyes still see? Can you see this Light?" A withered and ancient bugman nodded in affirmation. He was held upright by two strapping nymphs as his legs and right arm had been reduced to withered stalks hanging limply from his torso. Even his antennae had fallen out, but his eyestalks remained, and they were fixed upon the Light.

"Yes, Dreamer. Not much of me works anymore but my vision remains. I see the Light."

"You are the oldest and wisest of this Hive, quite probably the wisest of all our kind left in the world. In your many years, have you seen or heard of anything that even resembles this?"

"I have heard pulsing lights in the lands of unending winter far to the north and south," recounted the bugman historian. "The humans call them 'aurora'. But those are transient and fast moving, lasting for an hour or so at most, not at all like this pillar of light that has shone for many days now. It is the closest thing that comes to my mind, but this Light is not an aurora; I confess that I do not know what it is."

"The humans say that the Light is an omen; that it portends the arrival of invaders," Klak continued. "World Eaters, they call them. Could this be a sign that the Ghul have returned to this world?"

"It would be unlike the Ghul to announce their arrival," said Akarat. "There was no such omen when the Ghul attacked. And even if they had, what would they return for? The Hive Mothers..." Akarat clenched his mandibles together in something of a pained grimace, as if the very thought caused him pain. "The Mothers are gone, and our kind numbers less than one three-thousandth of the population before the Great Sorrow. There is nothing left for them to gorge themselves upon on this world."

"Ghul or not, the rumors tell of invaders from beyond this world," a lithe and powerful nymph spoke up. "And if there is but a kernel of truth to these tales then this world faces a grave threat indeed. We must look to our defenses as our race has not fared well in the face of invaders from beyond the world."

"This is not our world to defend anymore, Warmaster Shkun," said Akarat. "This world belongs to humans, orcs, and elves now. If the tales are true, let them die in defense of this world. Our Hive's tunnels go deep and far, and the aquifer has never once dried. Why fight when we can simply retreat into the deepest reaches of the hive and wait?"

"Wait?" Klak asked.

"Yes," said Akarat. "If the rumors are to be believed, we must preserve ourselves and the Brood away from any conflict. Let the World Eaters come and go as the Ghul did. We cannot spare a single soul. The Brood is finite as you know; each one of us is irreplaceable. Let the World Eaters lay waste to the realms of elf and orc."

"So that we may resurface and lay claim to our doomed world? What will we do then, once the world belongs our moribund race once again? Wait some more, I suppose? Ever since the Great Sorrow, our kind has waited, waited without purpose. For thousands of years our kind has been waiting to die. We have rationed off the Brood, hatching each egg only when absolutely necessary to prolong its life. But we are only postponing the inevitable. No matter how much we conserve the Brood, no matter how much caution we take, some dark day in the distant future, the last egg will hatch, and with it goes our entire race."

"It is not entirely hopeless, Dreamer," Akarat. "I have heard rumors of a hive deep in the lands of unending winter, where their mother was preserved in ice. If she can be recovered-"

"I did not think you capable of such foolish optimism, Akarat" said Klak. "Frozen or not, the Ghul would not have left a Hive Mother uneaten. There are no mothers left, no royal brood. We, the Red Hive, are all that is left. If we continue to wait, we will die. Slowly and controlled but it will be a death all the same."

"These World Eaters are rumored to command magics that leave even the magicians of this world stupefied. If this is true, then perhaps their magic can return the Mothers to life."

"Forgive me, Dreamer, but that seems an even unlikelier possibility."

"I will not disagree, Akarat. But we must try every opportunity, no matter how remote, lest our kind continue to wait in vain. Some rumored ruin of a hive in the frozen antipodes will be going nowhere soon. But these World Eaters? They may represent an opportunity our kind will never see again."

"Warmaster Shkun, you will prepare a party to seek out these World Eaters," Klak ordered, gesturing to the pulsing light in the east. "They shall see what they are capable of. If possible, they will reach out to them and ascertain their intentions."

"As you wish, Dreamer, though I fear that I will be sending these warriors to their doom."

"So be it. If that be the case, our Hive - our race - is lost regardless."

Argos had been peacefully sleeping in his hut that day unaware that the world was about to change on its head. He was the Alpha otherwise considered the leader of the werewolves or shadow strider tribe to be specific. They were a tribal race that coexisted with the nature around them. They had shamans and potion users that helped in protecting them along with warriors and hunters that helped keep them safe and provide the meat for their dinners. As the alpha, he was the strongest of all of them and was honor bound to keep everyone safe from whatever dangers that may come.

However, that duty has less meaning in peacetime since he mostly dealt with watching duels that sprung up from different disputes and organizing the tribe so they don't starve by overpopulating. Their kind can produce like crazy if not kept in check so it was the duty of the alpha to make sure that not everyone mated at once during a heat cycle. His duty was to keep everyone safe and to keep everyone except for the head shaman away from the tree of the eternal mother for if she falls the entire forest falls with her.

As he woke up he went and ate breakfast before he left and went to his throne made of thorns, wood, and the bones of previous alphas before him. It was a large throne obviously meant for his large size and as he sat there he watched everyone go through their lives peacefully. Then a young shaman came over saying she had important news. She said that something horrible was coming and that they should prepare. Something so horrible that her fairy could sense it and be actually shaking in fear! That was saying something! He then ordered for the hunters to go out for longer periods so they can develop a stockpile and for the warriors to train their apprentices longer than usual. He had a feeling that whatever was coming wouldn't be seeking peace and if it did then they needed to show they had the upper hand.

Before he knew it they were treated to the sight that Argos had never seen before. Argos watched like all the others as they saw the pillars of light in the distance. He knew and he didn't even need to see it know that like him all of his tribesmen had their fur standing on edge. We couldn't tell if it was from fear, excitement, or something in between. Pillars of light were a sign of something but of what nobody, not even the shamans with their great wisdom could tell. They all began to panic asking the shamans for answers and even talking to him directly asking what they would be doing and if they were even safe here.

Argos crossed his arms and stood tall before he gave a loud roar snarling at them and they all understood that he wanted their attention and he wanted them silent. When they calmed down Argos then said "Calm down! I saw it too, stop whining like little pups who got lost in the forest! We can handle anything that comes our way! Nothing that could have come from that pillar will be able to break us! Remember what you are! We are the mighty shadow striders! WE DO NOT GIVE UP! WE DO NOT SURRENDER! AND WE WILL STRIKE FEAR INTO THEIR HEARTS!" He called out then gave a loud howl and soon everyone in the tribe followed in melody and a loud howling could be heard from miles around. Anyone who has been around them for even a small amount of time would know that when the shadow striders howl it means that they are preparing for something big. This was there home and they would die to the last pup to protect it.

_____________________________________________________________________

It's only been two months since the Japanese people arrived and built a base over here. They still remembered the time when the admiral decided to change the course of their ships and enter the enormous gate portal as their last hope of survival. At that time, the ships were completely seal off from the outside to prevent unknown danger and nobody was allowed to stay on the deck of the ships. But soon enough they were surprised by the new strange land, everything looked so similar yet so different to the old world. Giant and bizarre looking trees, bird-like creatures flying into the horizon and many more came into their views.

When the scientists found out that the air outside was safe to breathe in, the government sent a few scientists along with a squad of soldiers out to conduct experiments and observation about whether this land was habitable or not. After a week of observation and studying of the environment, extraterrestrial life was found and photos and videos of it were sent back to the headquarters for discussion.

The Japan government made a decision of not interrupting the normal life of those creatures they found unless the creatures try to provoke the people of Japan first. Instead, the scientists and researchers were allowed to observe and study from a safe distance.

_____________________________________________________________________

DAY 60
Factory sector, New Kyoto

Before the sunlight even starts to shine on the new strange land, the loud whirring sounds of machines could already be heard coming from the factories of New Kyoto, Japan's main colony base. Tanks and transport vehicles were being built within those semi-auto factories, and hopefully, it will become a fully automated factory soon. 

"Okata, how many can you guys build in one day?" The head inspector for one of the factory asked.

"With this current state sir, maybe one or two AIFV and about five transport trucks at most?" Okata looked around the factory and counted the workers that were available at that moment. "The others were ordered to build new infrastructures sir, only these people left."

"That'll do. Send them to the south gate once the vehicles are done." The inspector headed to the next factory for further inspection after confirming the numbers with the workers.

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High Hall of Japan, New Kyoto

A handful of men, each with slightly different uniforms was sitting around the hollow square table in a long rectangle room that was shut off from the world. The meeting room has coordinated wooden and glass furniture and the light was provided by table lamps and two ceiling lights.

"The bridge to the south-west will be done within a week sir, if not two weeks the most. The inspector for the bridge construction project answered. 

"What about the outpost?" A tall man in his 40s looked at the inspector.

"Admiral Takahashi, we'll fully establish the outpost within a week after the bridge is done."

"Let me know when the bridge is done asap. You're dismissed."

The inspector bowed to Admiral Takahashi and the rest of the members before he left the meeting room and closed the door behind him.

"What about the primitives tribes that were already here before us, Dr.Yokono?" Admiral Takahashi asked the lead scientist.

"Sir, we could not get near them so far. They'd always vanished into the woods before we could even reach them. I say that there's nothing to worry about, for now."

After a few hours of meeting with the leaders, the government decided to establish an outpost at the south-west side of their main colony once the bridge is done.

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Summary:

-Building AIFV and transport trucks.
-Building a bridge to connect the mainland and the colony island.
-Studying the life of the primitives passively.

=-=Year 833, Summer - Fall=-=
Language of War

As summer in Jollas slowly turns to fall, new issues began to arise within the nation as the difficulties between the two feuding Dujals of Loskadia and the Beast Isles soon came to a head. Along the western borders, each side had occupied old abandoned forts and castles with fresh garrisons, but it was clear that both the Souden and Beastfolk had no interest in raiding or skirmishing, as neither lord openly declared for one side. As it would seem, Dujal Arminas Kucys had second thoughts about pushing a claim on New Strekkad. What had appeared to be a merchant scheme to unite the peninsula under a Loskadian banner seemed hampered by the 'young and naive' Beast Isles Dujal, and even commented to his courtiers that perhaps he would make peace with the angered Otum.

Yet this was not meant to be, as during this time, the western border between the Beast Isles and Loskadia erupted into conflict. A small team of 23 Kobtum mercenaries had gone beyond their border to a common Souden village they would normally visit, but ran into garrison of guardsmen who chased them off. Rather then return to the village, the garrison guard chased down the Kobtum on horseback, riding hard into the forest and over the border, cutting down 7 of the mercenaries in their pursuit until they cornered them at a ravine. Trapped, the two sides skirmished unsuccessfully with one another, injuring but not killing one another. Yet, human reinforcements grew as the pursuers sent a courier to other camps demanding assistance, gathering a pretty sizable force, but had not known that the Kobtum sellswords had done the same.

The small skirmish at the ravine grew and grew until small armies began to grow and challenge one another in the open fields near by. Barely over 17 Kobtum mercenaries became a force of 100, which soon became a 1000, and suddenly a huge host of 12,000 troops had gathered into a pitched battle at the riverside. The battle spilled over into a glade and became intense during night time raids by both factions, with the human forces numbering 14,000. Neither side was well led, leading to pointless melees in the forest, and ambushes became commonplace. Mercenaries on both sides regularly changed sides, to a point where they almost became a third faction within themselves simply out of confusion. However, during the coming weeks, the battle turned more formal and became to be led by more organized commanders.

A Kobtum tribal elder and a Otum Valk gathered what remained of their army, 10,000 and slowly marched on the 11,000 humans commanded by a Kucys relative. The human commander had organized a cavalry division and led the charge personally from two flanks, allowing his infantry time to form up from their camp and march out into the glade. Much to the humans own surprise, as soon as the cavalry neared, the Beastfolk led a rather sudden and hasty retreat back into the deep forests. Not wishing to waste a good route, the human cavalry blindly followed the Beastfolk back towards the sight of the original battle at the ravine, cutting down slower creatures. Yet, as the cavalry continued their route, the human infantry moved at a snail's pace, unsure whether to follow. Their officers decided they would send out some scouts and ask their commander if they were needed, and slowly advanced towards the ravine.

Yet, as the Cavalry was forced to dismount near the more thicker woods, battling lone groups, the human commander looked about his surroundings, as if. . .it was constantly changing. The cavalry split up and could not find neither their counterparts or many Beastfolk. It was when a sickening scream followed by a loud snap did the humans know what was happening. The commander yelled for a retreat from the forest, but noticed as twisting wooden vines and plants began to crawl across his body at a demon's pace. The commander tried to cut the vines, and his men tried to help, but they too were overwhelmed. As the vines began to pull apart at the commander's limbs, arrows began to rain down on the Beastfolk from the forest above, spears came out of the waters of the ravine, and Bolam charged blindingly into the confused groups.

The spellwork of the Kobtum elder, a druid, was one of legendary work. Beforehand, the Kobtum and the Otum had planned this ambush as the battle in the glade had intensified, and caught the entire hostile cavalry by surprise. Over 2,000 men and their horses were slain, including the enemy commander, with a very well timed ambush. As the Beastfolk re-entered the field of battle, the commander's broken and dismantled body dumped from a cart onto the glade's field, the men lost heart and fled back over into Loskadia. Despite the chance to decimate the forces, the Otum commander refused to give chase, believing it to be dishonorable and cruel. Regardless, the Beastfolk having won the Battle of the Black Glade, the army cheered and reported their progress back to Dujal Mislav Poljak.
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No longer able to ignore the victory, Mislav Poljak sent a ultimatum to the hostile Dujal of Loskadia, demanding that he step down from his throne and begged for the forgiveness of the gods, but most importantly he made a quick and swift peace with him. However, a couple weeks later, a messenger came with a morbid gift for Mislav, the tails of 7 Otum who were living in Fiskvach and a message declaring Mislav a traitor, a heretic, and so forth. It clear that this was a threat more then a declaration of war, with Arminas wanting a white peace rather then a embarrassing peace. Mislav talked solemly with his advisers at New Strekkad, worried deeply for the Otum lives that still remained in Fiskvach. Yet, his advisers sorrowfully told Mislav that regardless of what he did, it was now likely their lives were very much forfeit. Mislav weighed his options, and declared in Strekkad before his court that he intended to march on Fiskvach, and burn Arminas out of his 'nest of rats'.

Following his declaration, his generalings wasted no time sending for officers to carry out the task of rounding up levies. Across New Strekkad's counties and districts, sons and fathers were gathered by officers and gathered near the armories and barracks of New Strekkad. On the islands themselves, the Otum Valks sent reinforcements via boat, being their more elite infantry. Beastfolk mercenaries, once a more neutral force, eagerly gathered in new Strekkad to declare their allegiance to the Otum Dujal. Yet neither of these things were as importent as when a united group of Bolam clans of New Strekkad personally made their trip to meet Mislav, bowing to him humbly, and offering their services as warriors to fight Souden. Mislav decided to skip many of the processes and wished to march swiftly to Fiskvach, as he did not want to give any opportunity to the Souden to raise their army more then it most likely had.

A large procession of soldiers marched from the city of New Strekkad, as the gates widened for Mislav, his generalings, and New Strekkad's human Valk and his own generalings, carrying the Beast Isles banner A host of Beast Isles knights had gathered to Mislav's banner, but more had gone north to support Arminas. 25,000 soldiers were gathered, with the high intention of using the western roads to swiftly make their way to Fiskvach and challenge the Loskadian army to a pitched battle. Mislav confided in his officers of his worries. Loskadia had nearly three times the people despite being poorly managed and lacking a great deal of proper roads and farmstead, many of it's people still lived as tribal pagans. Loskadia's army would be twice or maybe even three times as large, with Mislav commenting that even with his own army, the Loskadians could still easily turn a Otum and Kobtum army to route and slaughter his most elite soldiers with ease. However, what Mislav had on his side was tactics beyond the age and skill of Arminas, who he was convinced relied on cheap tricks and popular charisma to win his battles.
____________________________

What Mislav could have not known or even predicted was just how much trouble his rival was in. Arminas, before even chopping off the tails of his Otum 'guests' he invited to his court, had been sending out for his generalings to gather Loskadia's army in Fiskvach. Yet, as he did so, days swiftly turned into weeks, as his Generalings slowly and with great regret brought back into Fiskvach only handfuls of soldiers. Arminas at first cared very little for this, up until the soldiers were coming back with only a couple farmers boys or with no one at all. Arminas soon found himself at the gates of his city, with a worried expression as he barely only gathered and measly 3,000 troops to his cause, most being poor farm hands and undisciplined rabble. If Arminas had not known better, most of these soldiers were common thugs and bandits, who only came because the Generalings had arrested them.

Arminas called a emergency meeting with his generals, trying to figure out what was going on. His generalings explained that the Valks they visited were not only upset, they were furious or simply absent. For years, the Valks had little control over their own lands, often warring with the local elders and tribal villages which refused to bend to their will. Arminas, who was often busy in his court with his arts and schemes, had not even noticed that his own vassals were struggling, but this mattered little to him and he quickly declared them traitors. He personally went to local Valk, demanding that he, his people, and his family support his war, but the Valk hid in their villa estate and refused to come out. Arminas then laid siege to the small keep outside Fiskvach, but to no avail, his army was already suffering from poor morale and his Generalings didn't have the time to drill them properly for war.

Many of the vassals it had seemed were unresponsive, and Arminas's advisers were suspicious of this. It was entirely possible that the local Valks were being blackmailed or held captive by Bolam clans, or worse, the Souden backwater villages which wished to see Arminas overthrown. Regardless, Arminas figured he could not waste time besieging his own vassals, and told his Generalings he wanted a army by any cost. However, they also informed Arminas of other problems, much to his increasing ire. Another issue was that apparently, the local cults had been denouncing Arminas rather publically, especially in the rural areas. When Arminas demanded to know why this was, having personally donated a great deal of coin to the temples, it was apparently due to personal tastes that Arminas had which offended the cults deeply. Coin apparently did not make the cults more favorable towards his reign, but perhaps had even soured it, with his 'gifts' seen more as bribes. Arminas could at least understand this and changed the subject with his generals, for his also could not swiftly restore his standing with the Tresist cults.

One Generaling however did speak up, saying in a rather concerning and even perhaps treasonous voice that Arminas, and his father before him, had laxed the will of the Generalings and officers alike. Apparently, which was partially true, Arminas and his father had a deeper interest in arts and court politics, lavishly spending money on finery and making expensive trips to Kolum. Where they got this money from was 'borrowing' it from the treasury, and occasionally defunding the Generalings. This had the result in which most Generalings unable to perform basic tasks, resorting to training the otherwise pious and slightly pacifist Souden with sticks. There were plenty of young men to train for the army, but most didn't have the proper training for service. The generalings could barely bring the levies into line without them suddenly breaking ranks and trying to sneak their way back home. Arminas listened to the generaling, and only gave a nod. Later, he recalled his officers back to his court with a new emergency plan to build a army.

He divided his generalings into three groups, sending two to forcefully bind local men both old and young and bring them back to the capital even if the Generaling knows that they have no proper training, another group was sent to advertise in the northern villages and bring further volunteers to fight 'the Beastial menace', and another group had the odd mission of kidnapping village elders from the deep forests. Naturally, while two groups in swift time brought in a great group then before, the kidnapped elders were brought personally to Arminas who offered them freedom for their support. When one elder threatened that his village would rather support the Beastfolk, Arminas had the man's throat cut, and then made the same calm offer to the other elders who eagerly begged for their lives and agreed to send them young warriors to his aid. Within a week, the 3,000 men became 10,000 without the aid of Loskadia's vassals, but were poorly trained and ill disciplined.

Arminas got short word that the Beastfolk army had crossed into his southern lands, conquering territories and looting villages for supplies, with their march intended to take his seat at Fiskvach. 10,000 levies and no knights were not going to stop 25,000 beastfolk, and Arminas knew this. Arminas called for allies, but he had no word as of yet, even being desperate enough to send for a magical message to the Dujal of Karlemgrad, who laughed so much over a spectral vision with a court mage. The Karoe Warlord had been eating in his hall when a ghostly vision appeared of Arminas calling for his help, but while the Karoe Legedari panicked, the warlord demanded his court mage to remove the vision so he could continue on eating, more annoyed then scared like his fellows. Without much options left, Arminas called for the Black Knights to appear in his court.

Who appeared in his court was the Black Knight leader, the young, dashing, and arrogant Gausbertus the Black and his squire, the equally young and dashing maiden Vincenta Kanapkiene. Arminas and Vincenta's eyes met briefly, remembering olden times. Arminas had saved Vincenta from bandits once during his adventures in his youth, and the two had a very active (but often open) relationship. Yet, Vincenta was far more free spirited and a lover of more violent tastes, tastes which did not interest Arminas as he grew up. He, and she, remembered when Arminas did one last ride, bringing her to the hall of the Black Knights to help her escape and disastrous arranged marriage to a farm oaf, and the two had since parted ways. Now, she was a proud member in the Black Kights, and the second apprentice to it's infamous leader.

Gausbertus was a different sort entirely, and neither he nor Arminas liked one another. Gausbertus was a Karoe, a Legedari in his youth and a fervent monster slayer. He claimed he slew a hundred wendigos with a swing of an axe, but often described them so wrong it was laughable. Gausbertus was a very skilled swashbuckler, but a poor soldier, the perfect leader for the Black Knights who lived freely in their den of debauchery. Gausbertus didn't bother to bow to Arminas, and grew annoyed when Vincenta did make a slow and humble bow to him. Arminas smiled, and drew straight to the point, standing and greeting the two personally.

Gausbertus demanded that Arminas got the point of why he was summoned to court, but he already knew the answer. Arminas needed mercenaries, in which Gausbertus was only willing to offer 500 of his 3,000 troop for a extra 'annoyance' sum. Gausbertus however taken aback when Arminas wished to buy all of his services, with a 'desperation' payment to be made upon competition. Arminas offered the lands around the Black Knight's land, meaning they would gain the formal ownership of it's farmsteads and peasantry, which amused Gausbertus to no end as he shocked Arminas's courtiers and advisers with his lecherous remarks on what he would do the locals. He however did not accept fully, for the lands he would only give 1,500. Arminas and Gausbertus insulted each other back in forth until Gausbertus came to a more final offer. Gold, land, slaves, and 'a woman of noble birth'. Gausbertus wanted 1 in ever 10 Beastfolk captured in this war as a slave, remarking that he always wanted to 'train a Bolam to dance', but his demand for a young maiden as a concubine nearly had him thrown from the court. Yet, what was even more shocking that Arminas agreed to the offer, putting up an potential heir as part of the agreement. Gausbertus tried to bargain, claiming that Arminas was probably sterile anyway, and his once half hearted cruel jest soon turned to a serious discussion. Ultimately, Gausbertus agreed to the full offer and shook on it.

Gausbertus stayed that night in the castle, given finery and entertainment, including the presence of Pranas Milius who got drunk with the Black Knight leader and went on a painting spree with him. Meanwhile however, Arminas and Vincenta happily enjoyed each other's company and discussed current events. Arminas had been without a wife and his father never bothered for a betrothal since Arminas had no trouble finding young noble women to date or have a relationship with. Vincenta and Arminas drank together, and even remarked to have a little song, with Arminas eventually changing his tune, demanding that Vincenta not go into battle with him. Vincenta argued with Arminas, who eventually relented, remarking that their relationship had long since passed. The next morning, Vincenta and Gausbertus left to gather the Black Knights for battle, with Arminas watching half naked from the balcony of his room as they left, his face sour and for once in a long time, regretful and serious.

The next few days, guards outside the city were shocked when 3,000 black clad knights entered the city gates with black banners and yelping wildly as they entered. Men and women, young and old, the Black Knights arrived and pledged themselves to Arminas's service, and each was granted stay in the city. They partied for days until the local city council had enough, demanding Arminas either left with his new army, or they would personally throw them out. Arminas chose the former, gathering 13,000 men to him and marched out of Fiskvach and towards the approaching Beastfolk army from the Beast Isles. As they left, the army sang a rather morbid song.

'In place ye high and dale
there be pikes from yonder pale
heads of Otum
traitor all
their faces seared
and skulls be bald
invaders be, soon to fall
Bolch be burned
Borrow buried
Beasts and all
deserve the noose!'
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Mislav's army had been raiding the southern parts of Loskadia, cornering and besieging castles and smaller villas, and forcing their surrender. By the time Mislav was approaching Fiskvach, he nearly had just an equal army of prisoners. He bargained with their families, but instead of getting their gold, he demanded food and supplies, as well as to denounce Dujal Arminas before him. After having done this, the Beastfolk army was well supplied and healthy, but it's movement was slow and difficult to maintain. Bolam regularly ventured out, usually never to return, to raid the human settlements for beer and supplies and then make off with their ill gotten goods back to their clans. A southern Generaling had also taken on the nasty habit of slaughtering and beheading Otum prisoners, putting them on pikes on the main road, knowing that Mislav would stop the army to give proper funeral rights to his slain people. Eventually Mislav got the better of this murderer, and his head stuck on the spear of his banner.

Mislav was swiftly informed on his way to Fiskvach that a huge army was approaching his own. It was Arminas's army, and much to Mislav's surprise, as his army was camping on the road, he stared out to only behold a army which was far smaller then his own. His scouts believed the army to be 10,000 or 16,000 in size. Mislav was cautious, for he saw black banners from the distance to his own camp, and sent out skirmishers and scouts to prod the enemy army for weaknesses. Arminas and his army was building a pallisade on the road, building reasonable defenses to prevent the Beastfolk army from a open field battle, but in doing so, his army was also stretched thin. During the night of the 2nd day, Mislav ordered a attack on one of the pallisades and had no success, and it annoyed the Beastfolk to no end. However, the supply lines had been secured at least, which gave both armies plenty of time to plan their attacks.

On the 4th day, the Beastfolk awoke to horns blows, with the main human army advancing out of their main camp. In the front were the Black Knight mercenaries on horseback, and Mislav ordered a counter quickly. He had a vanguard of Bolam clansmen in the front to midicate the main attack, and Otum and Kobtum archers and spearmen in his flanks. Beastfolk armies lacked efficient cavalry divisions, and the one division he did have was in his reserve, being made up of human knights from the Beast Isles. Battle begun with a charge of the heavily clad Black Knights, followed by two divisons of infantry charging behind them. Mislav and his commanders were at first confused, but soon were dropping their jaws when the Black Knights drove past the main line of Bolam clansmen with incredible ease. The Bolam Vanguard was felled quickly, and their strikes mattered little, and soon the line fells apart as the other Beastfolk lines advanced.

The Bolam stood, but not for long, as the cavalry broke through and into the Beastfolk reserves behind them, which was another group of younger Bolam who stood no chance. Luckily, several armored clansmen and older veterans of the clans were there to drive away the cavalry, but the huge host of human infantry broke into the main lines of the and began a slaughter of the Beastfolk Otum and Kobtum who could not keep up with the human infantry. Despite being far worse in discipline and training, the human infantry could easily crush the Otum, who could only keep up by resorting to ranged weapons or by hiding behind a group of human Beast Isles infantry. As lines were mowed down by cavalry and infantry, the army began to route. Mislav, trying to rally his people, had only one last trick up his sleeve before the battle could end.

Hiding in the forests was a reserve group of Bolam mercenaries of his own, mostly Loskadian Bolam clans who had swore themselves to Mislav. They were hidden in the forests, and were now suddenly enforcing the left flank of the army. While the right flank collapsed entirely, the left flank of the army held and forced the battle ti quite literally turn. Again the Black Knights charged, but their charges were now far less successful and claimed fewer lives, as the Bolam often retreated into back rows while Otum pikemen came to the front. The Beastfolk changed tactics quickly under the direction of Mislav and the New Stekkad Valk who rallied his knights and chased down the back rows of the Loskadian archers, his fresh cavalry crushing the flank of the Loskadians. Arminas was in the thick of battle, nearly losing his own life until a Black Knight had saw him fighting a desperate battle with a Bolam and saved his life just barely, rushing to his aid and forcing him onto his own horse and slapping it to drive it away. Arminas's last sight of the brave soul was the enraged Bolam ripping his arm from his socket.

The Battle of Fiskvach was over, and 9,000 souls laid dead on the field of battle, most of them Beastfolk. Most of the Loskadian army fled back to Viskvach, gathered their things, and forcefully marched to the sister city of Neulbach on the otherside of the mountains. They were half way to the city when Arminas got word that the Beastfolk had laid siege to his home. He rode in silence the entire way, utterly humiliated and all his desperate attempts to build his army had been for nothing. Mislav's army was now outside the gates of his capital, and would soon be defiling it with their greedy paws. Yet, the Beastfolk camp was not exactly happy either. Mislav's general were furious with him, despite their numerical advantage, they had lost a great deal to a open pitched battle, and blamed Mislav for the disaster. Mislav marched to Fiskvach, watching over very injured Beastfolk who lost far too much for this campaign of his. His army was outside the city, and was building siege towers in short order. Mislav retreated to his tent, sending a letter back home to his wife and children, complaining of the weather, a sign his wife knew was a sign of his depression.
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In less then a couple weeks, Mislav was being approached by the city's council and agreed to open the city gates for the Beastfolk in return for their safety. Mislav however had no intention of deals, putting the councillors in chains and demanding the gates be opened to his army under threat that the councillors would be killed. The gates opened shortly there after and the Beastfolk army entered the city. Mislav's more elite forces led a siege to the inner keep, but their time getting into it was just as easy, bribing the local guard and some Black Knights trapped there with mercy with the Otum provided freely for entry. These guardsmen and Black Knights were escorted outside the city, as Mislav moved in, his generals and vassals beside him as he entered Arminas's court with triumph. Mislav ordered parts of Arminas's extended family in the castle be taken prisoner, but disaster came when Arminas's mother died while being collected. The elderly woman had a heart attack when a Bolam tried to force its way into the room and she died shortly there after. Mislav was presented with the corpse, cursed to himself, and had the family released instead to honor funerary customs. Arminas's family escaped to the court in Neulbach to bury Arminas's mother there, but also spread rumors that Mislav had poisoned her as well.

Mislav ordered his army to lock down Fiskvach and put it's noble families under arrest, but led to a group of Bolam to the city's treasury which was stored in a small arts academy. Amongst the treasures there, several famed paintings and statues could be seen amongst chests of gold and precious things. Mislav ordered this treasury pilfered, along with much of the academy's students and teachers, to be taken back to Otek instead. Mislav then ordered the building burned, and demanded the head of the painter Pranas Milius. The only member of the court who had been taken captive was an annoying philosopher named Giedrius Jurkynas who spewed atheistic ideas which offended Mislav deeply. Mislav had the man placed under house arrest, even though he grew to be popular amongst some his generals who found his idealism 'quirky'.

As Mislav was staying in Fiskvach, he had been planning to chase Arminas until her surrendered, but took a great deal of personal pleasure to humiliate him. Yet, what happened next was never his intention. During the end of the week of the occupation, Mislav's Bolam allies raided tavern after tavern, and eventually began to raid the noble distilleries in the city itself. Souden workers and peasants were fighting over beer at first, but soon racial tensions spurned into a race riot. Bolam guards seized the oppurtunity to avenge years of oppression, and led a purge of some of Fiskvach's districts, dragging peoples from their homes and killing them on the spot. Mislav was informed, but he had been personally terrified to confront his allies and sought out a different way to handle it and sent word to the Order of the Hunt who had a barracks near by.

A messenger was sent out, and 80 cavalrymen rode in, led by the brown clad Renatas Liachtas who entered the city and challenged the Bolam pillagers. Renatas quickly restored order when his men uses crossbows to kill several of the looters and rallied some Bolam chieftains to remove these genocidal vandals. Renatas had been informed that monsters were killing peoples inside Fiskvach, and soon found he was duped into cleaning up Mislav's mess. The Huntsmen angrily confronted the Otum, who were already beyond furious that Beastfolk were pillaging the city. Renatas and Mislav met into a more private conversation, with the Otum wishing to just return to his capital in peace and not wishing further harm, and Renatas eventually agreeing to help the Otum achieve peace so he could continue his work in peace. Mislav allowed the Huntsmen to claim control of the city in his absence during the war, knowing he was subjecting the populace to perhaps a far worse fate, considering the ever dwindling reputation of the Huntsmen. Already, many of the philosphers and educated men that Arminas invited to live in Fiskvach were fleeing, perhaps in part due to Mislav's warnings.

The personal feud had a huge diplomatic impact in Jollas who were shocked that the Beast Isles would not only have the audacity, but also the strength, to challenge any of the Dujals. It had been assumed that out of all the vassals, the Beast Isles was perhaps the weakest, but two victories and taking Fiskvach had caused rumors to spread in the court of the King. Annoyed more then concerned, King Tymon II sent two messengers demanding Mislav and Armenias to show up in Kolum to answer for the personal feuding, and by order, that both armies were to hold a truce under pain of treason. Both Dujals answered the call, especially when both got word that Tymon II's generalings were already forging a army near Kolum to deal with both Dujals, with possible support coming from Karlemgrad. Mislav was especially concerned that this may be a trap, sending word to his generalings to return to the southern tip of the border and to leave a garrison in the mountains to prevent Arminas from simply restoring himself swiftly into his capital.

Camila Winona stood in the center of the airlock as the room around her slowly drained. Once the water level was down to her knees, she removed the helmet of her atmospheric diving suit with both gloved hands and transferred it to a loose hold against her side; nestled safely in the crook of her left arm. She adjusted her hold as she went to remove the rest of the bulky uniform with her free hand, moving to stow said articles in a repository concealed inside the wall, leaving her as good as naked in a regulation wear skintight white jumpsuit. Often working maintenance duty alone, at the beginning of every month she routinely volunteered to evaluate and preserve the structural integrity of the modified submersible platform that shielded their fledgling colony from the crushing icy depths of the ocean ever since their expedition's arrival two months ago. Besides the obvious protection the electrified armored hull of the vessel offered as a presently non-lethal deterrent to the occasional overly curious native, it also served to dampen seismic disturbances and provide appreciable insulation as well as allowing their ever expanding community to tap into an inexhaustible source of water and most importantly, oxygen. Not long after only her ankles remained fully immersed, a stinging antibacterial aerosol suddenly shot over her body to the floor, cleansing herself and the enclosed module alike of foreign contaminants as it propelled excess moisture down the drains in a great rush of air that made her ears pop.

Dr. Baxter greeted her the very moment the inner doors to the outpost proper opened up before her. "I trust your swim was uneventful?" She inquired, tilting her head at a curious angle.

Winona took a moment to regard her before answering. It never ceased to amaze her how the woman could manage to look so composed after her long supervisory shifts in the factory, fluttering between work stations for hours on end as she did. She casually shrugged her shoulders, attempting to come across as noncommittal. "Nothing much happened," she began to sign, "locals usually keep a respectable distance, and the external systems have held together pretty well as of yet."

"A shame for the former," Baxter replied. "I've been running myself ragged cataloging all the scrap we pulled from those six United Nations wrecks that sank from the battle at the gate. If we could just initiate diplomatic relations with the natives we wouldn't have to resort to such lowly scavenging." She grimaced. "At least we've hit the three hundred mark today for the robots. We're only at eighty percent efficiency on the assembly line for now I'm afraid, but I took a trip to the mines to set up some charging stations so they don't have to make a trek to the nearest industrial electrical outlet every time they're low on power, and I have to say, they've made quite some progress down there since I last checked. Soon we won't have to rely on what salvage we can dredge up and what's left of our three dismantled submarines for resources."

"Maybe some of the automatons that need to come back for repairs can start fashioning building materials and simple tools out of the rubble we discard before returning to their duties so that we have something to trade for the day we do open ourselves up to first contact." Winona excitedly signed.

Baxter nodded at the sentiment, allowing herself a rare smile. "We need to start making a good impression somewhere. I can't fathom a better place to begin than quality exports."

They'd arrived nearly two weeks ago and in the time since, shockingly, nobody on either side had been viciously murdered yet. Of course for all that Sarina wasn't a politician she could see why the situation was so touch and go. The language barrier was bad enough, and that was discounting the rumours that the expedition fleets were mythic 'world eaters' bringing death wherever they went.

Then again, perhaps that wasn't so inaccurate. Oh Amelia had been in seemingly endless negotiations with the governing guild of the city they'd docked off, promising them the danger they'd heard of was exaggerated and that the Vanguard fleet came in peace, but there was a reason Sarina had demanded as few of the passengers went ashore as possible.

Disease was a hard thing to contain, and even with just Amelia and a few guards going ashore Sarina worried things would go badly, quickly. Perhaps not for the... Inhuman species that lived in the city, but the fact there were normal people on this side of the gate was as intriguing as it was terrifying. If Amelia got sick the medical staff could treat her, even if the bacterium or virus was foreign, but if she spread something so simple as the common cold to a people whose biology had never encountered it?

It didn't take a dedicated biologist to know what would happen. Nobody really knew the exact numbers, but it'd been mooted nine out of ten natives in the new world died from disease when the Europeans started colonizing the continent. Even if it was only half that here, the damage would be irreversible. The island they'd anchored off was small, but from what Amelia had said it had tens of thousands of inhabitants, perhaps as many as a hundred in total.

They'd deplete their entire stock of medicine in a week if the worst happened. Worse yet, against Sarina's urging, Amelia and the other members of the High Cabal had opted not to inform the islands inhabitants of the danger. They felt the risk was small enough that disrupting negotiations wasn't worth it. Idiocy.

Sarina's macabre musings were disrupted by a gentle tap on the shoulder, her head jerked up and she looked back to see Kevin smiling knowingly at her. Ah, she'd zoned out again. What had they been doing? Oh, yes, tyring to avert that whole worst case scenario by cultivating penicillin. Not that it was the most effective medicine against some bacteria, but hopefully Humanity had left MRSA back on Earth. Hopefully.

With a sigh she brushed her light blonde hair out her face and asked Kevin, “Is the Penicillium growing as fast as we expected?”

The somewhat portly man grimaced before replying, “No, the fermentation tanks were built after we came here, they're to specifications but I'm afraid there will be a bit of trial and error maximizing the molds growth. Thankfully we have more than enough equipment to extract the Penicillin here on the Prometheus, but unless we move production to a larger facility, we just don't have the space to make what we'll need.”

“So,” Sarina guessed at his meaning, “You think we need to move production onto the island? Don't you think that would just make everything, well, a tad more urgent?”

Kevin only shrugged, the older man was shorter than Sarina, but sitting as she was he towered over her. She wondered if Oswald would have ever tolerated that, the Captain did have a fixation with being larger than life to his subordinates. Before the line of thought seized her attention Kevin spoke, “It's a risk we'll have to take sooner or later. I don't think this world has much uninhabited land, and I'd rather work with a native population to minimize our impact than risk infecting some mainland nomadic tribe which goes on to wander into a major urban centre.”

She couldn't argue with that. Still, the antibiotics were only the start; the team dedicated to vaccines was struggling to make do with what they had. Without a way to safeguard against.... No, Kevin was right. They'd spend an eternity in these ships if they refused to take the first step. People would die, Sarina knew it, but she'd joined the Vanguard knowing that building something new, something better, wouldn't be bloodless.

She'd already stood by while Oswald sunk half the ships the UN had assigned to their group. Sarina scowled and met Kevins gaze, they both understood the need to rush. The other expeditions would be coming, and long before they'd be ready to fight them off at that.

“Ok,” She hesitated, “I'll tell the rest of the High Cabal. Ideally we can set up a camp away from the population centres, at least until we have enough antibiotics, and if we're lucky, vaccines for the islanders.”

Kevin nodded and went back to monitor the fermentation chamber, the first of many. So much to do, and no time.

No. No time at all.

Chancellor Veronix looked out into the vast expanse of clear ocean and blue skies in this New World. Not many had expected Man to destroy Earth, but Man had proven too much for even Mother Nature to handle. Thus here they were, settling into lands that they had no clue or information about. Like the early pioneers, they were sailing into uncharted waters and lands. Already they had gotten news over the radios, how some of the other vessels had discovered life. Sentient life, that seemed pulled straight out of a J.R.R Tolkien book.

Still, no matter where man went it seemed chaos and destruction would follow. As the infernal Russians had already taken a rather direct and brutal way in handling interactions, as judging by the sound of gunfire and explosions in the far distance. Something that had been absent in this world, since their arrival.

Still, the Europeans were at least willing to learn from their mistakes in colonizing their own world. As they were this time willing to extend an olive branch of peace, instead of the typical march and boot of slavery. Since as history had shown, those oppressed would sooner or later rise up. The scouting party had already reported back contact with short, stout men in suits of armor - dwarves. The Chancellor almost didn't manage to hold back her ironic laughter, when news about such a thing had come through. Even more so, when video images had been uploaded. Whatever the case, if they had somehow entered a Realm of Magic and Fantasy - she hoped that Humanity had a chance for a 'happy ending'.

On the top of the mountain passes, the dwarves take ready making sure the guns were polished and clean and the men vigilant and far from being surprised. As those from the outside would only see a massive steel door, craved into the very mountain securing the pass towards what sits on the other side or its fabled city of dwarves where its respective king and kin sit and lie, in order to prevent the great forges from dying. Yet as the people of the underground labor, those on the top made sure no one was going to disrupt their way of life as an upcoming caravan signal for entrance wanting to get to the other side as quickly as they can.

As customary they were halted and the means of payment started with the merchant bowing and exchanging a few of its wares for passage, which the overseer nods to the guards opening the vast gates wide enough for the caravan to enter, as the beast of burden which took the form of a large buffaloo carried the carriages into the mountain and towards the dwarven pathways.

Unbeknown to the dwarves, they had been watched constantly by several Kommandos in the areas. While the dwarves would see nothing, in truth with binoculars they had been watched constantly. So far, it had been simple recon. Getting to know how things acted and were done. Thus, while the dwarves might have heard about the World Eaters, they likely hadn't had any issues with them as far as things were.

Although, the situation would soon change. As on this day, the European Coalition had landed - with information in tow. Thus, for the few guards stationed outside the massive gate - it would appear as any ordinary day. Until they heard the rumbling of something - on roads meant only to handle beasts, they would soon see a metal carriage approaching. A sleek thing, with blue and gray mixed in it. They could also see the gun mounted on top of the thing. A gun much, much bigger than anything the dwarves had at their disposal. A sight of a World Eater caravan. Soon enough, some stepped out, easily towering over the dwarf and any previous merchants. Despite looking human, they were much taller than the humans that likely passed through the pass.

Instead of fighting, the human, wearing armor from head to toe - bowed before the dwarven guard. Indicating...that they wanted to talk.

At first the dwarfs returned in kind as the vigilant guards of the gate house had burst into action aimming and arming their cannons and muskets in hand as they prepare for a fight with this new enemy they are dealing with. Confident that the strength of their gate was enough to brace and weather itself from a shot from the new vehicle that has graced their home. Still as they halted their advanced and revealed themselves the dwarves were ready to shoot until that is their bow showing that their interest never lie with blood and steel but, word and barter as the overseer climbed down and went to do his job.

He climbed down towards the company of the elite pikemen that guarded the gate which urges them to stop and bow down in kind. "What do you bring human?" he speaks in semi-gruel Jolfan that he gotten from his years of being a merchant asuming that they were somehow part of the empire but, to no avail making him assume that his accent made him far from understandable making him submit and hand out his hand towards the questionable humans as he bet that they had knew what it meant.

While there had been questions about what to give the dwarves. That didn't suddenly destabilize their economy or introduce technology that might render their way of life useless. Soon enough, the most simple and easiest gift was soon presented to the overseer. Namely, the usual thing of gold.

Although, the size of which was given to the overseer might literally make his eyes bulge out in size. As once the gold bar had been deposited into his hand, he could almost feel the weight pulling him down. As it might be the first time the guards would witness to having their overseer pulled down by the weight of the gift. Since a standard gold bar, was around twelve kilograms. Part of the many wares that the Europeans had cleaned out of their banks. In case it could be used for trading or industrial development.

Once the gift had been presented - the human in question pointed to his head and mimed the image of a crown. Indicating, that they wanted to head on to meet the King.

As the men would see the simple gift of pure gold was enough to cause a confusion and not needed the need of miming due to the instances of such a gift the overseer retreated back towards the gate and into the mighty elevator in order to consult his king which sits on top of his throne. His palace guards making sure that the overseer was far away and not able to barge inside and create chaos but, rather allowed the other to be done with their king's audience. "My lord strange men have come giving us pure gold for passageway." He says as it was his time to meet the king bowing down first before he spoke and shown his proof a gift that shared a large glint from his eyes.

The toll that they paid had given him great interest on meeting this new man and with a simple flick of his fingers his entourage has arrive towards the surface and now infront of the caravan. the king which had the longest bread and glittering armor from the rest and his size was enough to earn him the alias the gold king. 'speak your name." he ordered as he examined the caravan.

The answer that came to the King was a mixture of gibberish in all honesty, as was his own words to the soldier in question. Although luckily, the more advanced humans had methods on doing and translating. As he tapped his wristpad and had some words come up that would soon translate out to the King.

"....come....peace...trade...prosperity...ore...." he replied, hoping that what he had said to the King made sense and that diplomatic understanding did exist in this world. Since the last thing the European Coalition needed was to go to war with their neighbors just after they had come from a world that had been utterly devastated by two World Wars already.

The king sighed he had to admit that even with the gear he understood little to no towards his words though it was now evident that he didn't mean violents in his words due to the unhostile nature of his actions earning him and his men a much more favouable position from the king himself. An sentiment that he knew rare from the people of this world earning him good will. "Bring me a book and allow these men passage as an means of this new relationship." He announces turning to his people then reply towards the negotiator relying on the gestures of his hands and the tone of his voice to relay his message of trade and peace before turning towards the diplomat infront of him and bowing slightly to relay that his answer was not blood and steel but, rather respect.
Causing his people to freeze in disbelief knowing that his king had likely been spreading Information about their race as a book if deciphered can give out an expression of what dwarven life, custom and how their society as an how works though being a king's orders they had little to no say in the matter making them dash back within in search for what he wanted making the guards outside and the king wait for minutes on end before a book of little info was brought with it being a simple book of the dwarven culinary arts a book that revealed the lovers of the bellies of these strong yet tiny men handing like a sacred gift as it sat ontop of a soft cushion and handled with grace giving the impression of a book of legendary worth as they present the book towards the diplomat not revealing its real contents.

"You and your gold are welcome to pass from my mountain and until you learn our language then we shall offer more and make more complicated agreements." He says with joy ending with a bit of a chuckle before pointing towards the gate then the book brought besides them.

The humans accepted the book, thinking it more valuable than it seemed. Although, they didn't go through the pass. They merely packed up and were ready to head back the way they came, before the human replied. "First...contact...will...return...later. Thank...you..." he finished speaking, before jumping back onboard his metal caravan and literally moving back the way they came. Through the land like they were a majestic feline.

Leaving the dwarves, with the knowledge that they had new neighbors in the region.

---

The war never started with muzzle flashes and blood rather the first skirmished happened in trade and influence as the invaders tried to interact with the locals their goods rigged with taste and offered a taste of the unknown as like their creators are mysterious and far from the understanding of the people of the planet.

Their food unparalleled and unrivaled in taste and texture which contained in steel and iron while their goods or produce hinted a world of taint but quality. Still as the elves and orcs march and prepare for the war to come. Many of their civil servants have arrived in the halls of the kings and queens of the individual races of Titania. Their eyes eager and far from doubt as they try to spread the glory of their ways. As the massive beast of the orcs and the mechanical servants of the main force of the councils started making ready for war keeping a close eye towards the frontier which leads towards the east where the invaders are said to come.

While the men soldiers set up camp in the borders a shocking reaction camp as Dwarven volunteers emerged from the mountains as news of the first mountains cities have fallen to the invaders. While far from a proper army these men of stone were armed with hammers and skilled workers able to maintain and supply the growing demand of the two coalitions with arms and equipment especially the esteemed and powerful guns of the individual Dwarven kingdoms. As the atrocities and tales of the vile nature of the invaders stemming from the aforementioned Dwarven news of the fall of one of their kingdom to a new race fuel to the growing fire of which was full public support for the war to exterminate this new enemy.

---

@Slagar

While the political crisis ensures between the different nobles and kingdoms of the massive empire in the highlands. A new threat would soon have emerged as a ship of iron and steel washed ashore towards the ancient kingdom of men. It was powered without sails and paddles as it continues on and on towards the great blue. Their men and women slaughtered and dismembered leaving behind a trail of body parts and blood giving the country of feud and blood an opportunity.

While most have been death a soul has lived to tell the tale of what happened though now shaken and silent as the horror of what he had lived through was too much to bare for the shriveled old man which cultch towards his weapon a rifle with a few rounds left with dear life hoping that he was far from danger as the blood of its kind lay out to dry as no one had bothered to mop it all up as guts, and parts spread the metal flooring of the strange ship. Still like the crew on board the ship was not spared as multiple bullet holes and craters lay around its hull a testament of how durable and powerful their ships were.

As the lonely ship stands alone within the sands of the empire within the poor region of Loskadia where the Kucys rule. As the poor yet traditionalists people of the land would soon see the marvel of progressive and modern ideas with their own eyes a new world that they could or could not take.

While towards the north towards lower Jolfa would see another similar turn up as the navy would soon enough a ship of steel which towers from the other ships of wood. Yet aside from the previous one was now far damaged and full of people as its long nose barrels survey the area as the destroyer is fixed towards a direct coarse towards the region of the capital showing no signs to stop.

---

@gorgenmast

As the aboriginals would soon see that hiding was no more an option as within their lands the orcs stir and make ready for war as the great bazaars would soon she a massive increase towards precious minerals like iron and steel as orchish traders flock towards the massive bazaar to trade and make deals towards many of the aboriginals which a certain flock of orcs would demand to see the leader of the dying race.

Armor of black iron and weapons of war at their collective hands while a clocked figure tails very closely towards the armored men as within the darkness of his garments hides the tint of cold red of his eyes as the suspicious creature would be protected by an entourage of armed warriors at all time as they navigate the intense labyrinth of which is known by most as the great bazaar of red hive.

---

@Jangel13

The forest under the wolves was protected but, now they could feel and hear the cries of nature as strange men and strange machines emerged towards the eastern parts of the forest cutting down their trees in alarming numbers for a time until they would soon stop as they haul the logs into fine lumber for their growing colonies of man.

Yet still as they prosper they would soon return disrupting yet again the status of these mighty woods with their industrial tools which shames the long tested axes of the people of the land which brought enough time for the mighty wolves to catch the culprit but, now that their lands get reduce a new form of settlement would soon have emerged from the clearings. Home for a few families at a time as they attempt to settle the land.

But, as the loggers would soon fail these men would farm and gun for sustainability as the low population meant time for them to take care of the environment rather themselves as few of these new settlement exercise excessive cutting down of trees.

---

---

As the days pass and becomes weeks the next month of existent arose as new sets of problems dominated the new cultures and colonies of these new nations. With the loss of the SS. Hope and the SS. Prince all that was left of the vanguard would be the enduring and mythical SS. Goliath which was the cruiser which was the smallest and the least powerful from the floating city and the floating fortress which the two held with no contest yet they were gone and now the cruiser was now docking towards the individual ports.

Asking for food and fuel for protection with its commanding artillery guns which mounts the deck of the vessel. Effective at range these ship had been taking up the role as the guardians of the colonies rather than its conquerors as the crew still held the principles of the old government and keeping the flames of a unified government of the old world that they left behind.

---

@Heyitsjiwon

As the two ships sail on and towards back to earth in an attempt to ferry more supplies and men back to the new world they would see an odd sight. As the Mercy would soon see an encroaching beast of the land make up their ways their position. It was large easily the size of their vehicle as it watches the ships enter and gate observing with its upright body before diving once more down to the depths of where it calls home.

As the ships disappeared into the portal and towards the new world they would see the tainted skies of the planet as the stormy winds and rain pours towards the crew men as they get reminded of the horror of what their planet became. As the ships would soon drop anchor at an junkyard’s port where iron pieces and scavengers travel and hunt for scraps now the remains of California now in ruble and far from the glory days.

Still in their island they would soon see a disturbance in the environment as strange new creature would soon reveal itself with crocodiles the size of buses and snakes as tall as man have started to emerged from the wet land characteristic of the island though docile at first when the humans have started to expand the creatures have turned hostile attacking and eating the settlers that camp out too close to the flood plains while also camping out in the outside free to the attacks of the large birds that wear the leafs in order to blend in with their environment.

While this was far from the norm as success has been found towards the northern part of the island where the efforts to tame the land has yielded promising results. While the marines sent to the south had yielded a surprising find of oil deep within a cave in the wet lands of the serpents and crocodiles.

---

@hivekiller

The Japanese would see their land unlike no other as once they have started to properly survey their land they would see the ruins of an old civilization now covered in muck and green now forgotten like their people. While the land of which they found themselves were a mix of an tropical and forest area which had given birth towards creatures of complete mystery like the towering turtle which had the sizes of small cars while large eagles patrol the airs as they eat the massive buffaloos-rhino crossbreeds that plague the new lands but, unlike their old lands these lands did not flood and overflow in times of rain.

Still as they surveyed they would see hills and other various woodland areas where they can set up shop while various faunas scattered around the land in with testing can be identified and determined if they are fine to eat or not. An unfortunate trademark would be the unsafe beaches of the islands as large aquatic beings like giant crabs and other various coastal creature patrol the sands and far from the touch of most of the people.

Still as they build their massive bridge and expand further west towards the main land they would see mighty trees that rival even their tanks as the plants themselves rages towards the heaven. While get source of lumber for the empire they would see that they were not alone as green men and other various large creatures patrol the land and their hostile nature has been far from diplomatic.

---

@6slyboy6

As the crew traveled and make due towards honoring their contact with the Russians they would soon see a multitude of ships modern and fantasy around there area which now stands at where the majority of trade happens. Seeing the arrieval of ships fulls of supplies or men which aside form a small patrol boat here and there are close to unguarded. While a galleon of some sorts are now besieged by three to four partrol boats which unleashes unrelenting fire from its guns towards the broadsides of the ships only to get peppered with hastily loaded cannon balls revealing that their shots are going through the crew making the ship surpressed and unable to retaliate towards the patrol boats as the men on top get slowly gunned down by the unrelenting bullets of the faster and more agile ships.

While multitude of ships traveled full of easy goods and materials for the ever expanding ship of the free. Though as they would soon see in the horizon a small fleet of container ships and other various smaller vessels patrol the seas and with them their most powerful vessels which are a destroyer and an cruiser one of which is definitely higher than the other as its massive gun sits calmly on its deck as it watches the waters guarding the ground of makeshift vessels near it as they rushes back home.

---

@Cifeiron

As unbeknownst to most as the free cities sunk and landed on top of the ocean floor it was never just on top of the ocean floor but, within it as its robots and people worked tirelessly to dig further and further into the sand and stone in order to expand and continue to prosper down on their domain of water and darkness as outside the submersible platform on top the light that the outside world offer was limited or non-existed.

Yet instead of an dead trap or a prison the people of the free cities started to expand further into and into the ground ejecting the residue of their clearing efforts into the ocean waters flowing until disappearing deeper and deeper into the abyssal depths. Though wanderers in the shape of humanoid creatures comb the outside structure only to receive a small deterrent which takes on the form of an quick and simple shock promptly sending the creature away back to the darkness.

While as they dig and construct the structures that will form the bulk of their future the miners would soon found strange and well known minerals ranging from diamonds, silver, iron, copper, oil, and salt while purple orbs lunge into the walls are one day found by the miners and further examination would results in finds have resulted that if electrocuted will cause the material to float and levitate.

---

@Pelagius

As the vanguard would soon see their island was not just unique but, strange as islands who were not held by the ground exist floating and containing a patch of flowers full of medicinal properties while the trees danced by the strong gush of winds that periodically reveal and emerged from time to time as the people of the revolution would see relics and the ruins of a temple of old in its place who after examining the various craved images contained many pantheons of gods and goddesses an testament of the old which had failed and now under the foot note of history which now reveals that books were kept around the limited shelves of the temples.

While the hills were rocky in nature and dug most likely to build the civilization that stood in the past now nothing more than stacks of stones and written in parchment and other various materials. Still they would see that they were not alone as serpentine creatures with legs and arms patrol the island while large birds constantly circle the grassland primary island.

While the larger variants of the floating rocks had a strange purple rock sticking towards it as they fly higher than the others now slowly being pushed by the strong gust of winds in the horizon.

---

@NecroKnight

As the people of Europe would see a revival of their delicacy as large straws of barley grow in their island as these have the tendency of making more flour as they grow up to the height of the trees. Still as they would see the dough that they produce were much more flexible and moldable then what they had in the past while the potatoes that they used to have was nothing more than growing on the trees ripe and with a sword can effortlessly remove from the tree which now combined with the sap was juicier than the root crop giving it an wetter and sappier taste to it.

Still as they build and expand their settlement the dwarven king would not be a man without honor as a few dwarven merchants came by often as they exchange gold for materials the colony was lacking not in order to make a profit but, to make sure that a creole was created and developed between the two nations at hand. An bigger investment as the king found promise with the new people within their lands while also planning to establish more laws and lenient laws to stir the new market.

=-=Year 833, Fall=-=
The Deep Forests

While business in the south was concluding, more fresh events were brewing in Upper Jolfa. The Dujal of Upper Jolfa, Jarosław Barna, was hosting a tourney for his vassals outside the city of Banzrech. The Banzrech Tournament was a large gathering of knights, lords, and their peasantry to watch mounted champions face off in skillful practice much to the amusement of crowds, and for the knights to face each other in grounded combat and smaller contests to prove their skill across all of Upper Jolfa and before it's Dujal. Yet, much to their disappointment, the Dujal was nowhere to be seen during the festivities, his Admis however was mostly holding sway over the entire tournament. The Knights were being festive as ever, but the Dujal was close by, dealing with another matter entirely.

The Dujal was hosting the games for several reasons, firstly being trying to forcefully marry off his ever increasingly rebellious daughter, Wera Barna. In the weeks before the tournament was even announced, Wera had tried to confront her father over his missing son, demanding a place at the court of Upper Jolfa, which he had refused. When he instead insisted on forcing her to marry via the grand tourney as a prize to a winning knight, Wera had argued for over a day trying to get him to relent, making a scene as much as she could. She had only stopped when her ever fearful mother was abused by Jarosław in front of Wera did she relent. Wera was present at the games, and again showed her rebellious intentions, being of poor manners and worse language. Yet for the rowdy knights of Upper Jolfa, this wasn't exactly seen as in poor taste, but some even outright encouraged it, much to Wera's disdain.

Secondly, the tournament had masked a more secretive meeting between Jarosław and one his more hated rivals, the Valk of Bulgodia. Bulgodia was a minor, but important, southern province which was ruled originally by the Wicinski family. Mysteriously, almost overnight, the family's vineyards and storage were set ablaze, ruining their already shaken finances and were then hit with a number of family tragedies after many botched offers to sell their land. In the end, a weak willed younster had sold both land and title to a little known group without the Dujal's permission known as the Purplefeet Band, under the control of Witold Jonak. Witold was name which Jarosław had personally known, being a failed Spion who used unsavory tactics to gather information and launch espionage campaigns from Loskadia, serving many lords. Jarosław had known him from his days trying to gather information in Upper Jolfa, but was captured and tortured by his father for spying, only let go when he revealed who he was spying for. He had no doubt in his mind that Witold had personally tried to weasel land out of the Wicinskis.

Jarosław however was a little worried, the Wicinskis were a powerful family, and of the 3 'great southern families', they were perhaps the most well known and most loyal. These rich families ran their territories like guilds, with the Wicinskis have had a successful winery, the other two had equally successful trades. These Valks provided 'gifts' to the state of Upper Jolfa, which effectively were bribes, which kept the Barna family afloat, rich, and happy. In return, Jarosław would grant them both political and economic immunity. If one of the families wanted to extort a spiteful neighbor for example, the Dujal would always side with the rich families. Thankfully, the southern Valks were the only ones ever effected by this corruption, as their interests were never laid beyond the northern forests and hills. Yet, with the Wicinskis gone, so were the 'gifts' provided by the families, and it was very likely Witold's doing.

Jarosław and Witold met in Jarosław's countryside tent, a huge yurt which held much of the luxeries of a small castle room. With him was his favored slave, the Bolam 'Big Iron', otherwise known as Irons. Irons was a large Wildar covered head to toe in a expensive gladiator armor which protected him, and he wielded a fairly large claymore which he sometimes used to lean on. Despite having been born broken by slavery and his loyalty to the Dujal was without question, Irons still wore unchained shackles and it added a certain level of intimidation whenever someone was in his presence. Irons was always present in meeting such as this, perhaps acting as deterant against anything stupid. When Witold and his own entourage entered the room, it was perhaps Jarosław who was a bit more concerned.

Jarosław himself was a older man, with a very flat face and had a permanently ill look about him, but the person who stepped into his tent even made the Bolam beside him cringe. Witold was a fat man, who walked on a cane and smelled reeking of all sorts of foul things, clearly having not bathed in the time he came to the tent. What was worse yet, his dress was flamboyant and ugly, resembling a blackish and purple dress with silver lining, which was considered unpleasing to see. Witold came with a entourage who even common bandits would mock, city thugs who had clubs rather then swords, since Witold thought swords were far to expensive. The Thugs were not very much informed on the Bolam who knelt in the tent, kneeling on a large sword, and it clearly terrified them deeply to see the armored creature so close. Witold did not look terrified, which did concern the Dujal deeply, especially as the fat man made a mocking bow and greeted him with humor.

Witold made it clear to Jarosław he had no intention of 'continuing a failed system' of granting gifts for paltry returns, when Jarosław made it equally clear that as Witold would be admitting to usurping the land from a Valk family and disobeying Upper Jolfan laws, Witold proclaimed he would be going shortly to offer himself as vassal directly of the king. Jarosław and Witold insulted each other back and forth a few hours, which was ended with Jarosław threatening the upstart to revoke his claim anyway and have his soldier arrest him. Witold made a counter offer instead to Jarosław, saying that in return of restoring the natural order, he would need 'further guarantees' from the Dujal. Jarosław did not really like his money situation one bit, nor did he want to disrupt the balance in Upper Jolfa over a personal rivalry, and with certain reluctance, accepted Witold as his vassal. Witold demanded that he be given some permission to fund a forestry encampment in Upper Jolfa as his first major request, and in return, the king could be given 40% of the profits. Jarosław was suspicious, but agreed non the less. Witold left with a smile, much to both Jarosław and Irons's cringe.

The tournament went smoothly, but there was a clear noticable cultural difference between the northern and southern Jolfan peoples. While those in the poorer northern settlements were rowdy, cheering with open arms and smelling like piss, the southern Jolfans were less excited, cheering more for the brave stunts and acting done by the knights to court Wera Barna. Wera grew bored of these knights quickly, but one figure attracted her attention greatly. A knight in rustic armor had rode into the camp later in the day at exactly the time the sun touched the land in the distance. He had a green shield depicting a tree, his helm had 'horns' of sticks, and he didn't use neither saddle or bridle. The knights called him the Green Knight, and when he rode, he rode very hard and spooked the other horses. No one really paid attention until he dismounted a popular young southern knight. However, when Jarosław made his seat and had his Admis inform him on the completing knights, he was surprised to find a knight who was from Bulgodia. Jarosław soon knew what was up, and tried to find means to dishonor the would be knight, a older but oddly not very skilled man who won his bouts through mysterious means.

His vassals called him out on it, and succumbing to public pressure sat down in his booth above the crowds. The Green Knight was late for his bout, but when he showed up, the Bulgodian knight looked very shocked to see him. The Green Knight, his helm still covering his face, made a silent but humble bow to the Dujal and his rival, and the two took their places. The two did their rounds, with a clear winner being the Green Knight. The Bulgodian knight lost, much to Jarosław's delight. Jarosław demanded the knight reveal himself and his lord, but much to his shock and horror, as the knight dropped his helm, he revealed himself to be a young looking Leshari, twigs and leaves appearing on his face. He gave a wide smile, talking like a old man, he seemed genuinly happy that he had 'joined' the 'festivities' near by. Jarosław and Wera were silent, but as the 'Green Knight' turned to face the crowd, the Bulgodian knight took his chance and tried to stab the Leshari, making a rather stupid mistake. The crowd went silent, wind blew, and wolves howled in the distance. In but a moment, the Leshari was back on his horse and riding away, but not before a small swarm of rats and moles bursted from the ground, overran the knight, and ate him alive infront of the Dujal. The Dujaless screamed in a panic, and Irons held both Wera and her mother close. Jarosław said nothing, looking down at the rapidly being destroyed body of the knight. Wera looked at her father, terrified that he was smiling delightfully.
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Jarosław decided not to pursue Witold or his attempts to steal away his daughter, discovering that many knights had been threatened, bribed, or were sabotaged before meeting the Bulgodian knight. The Leshari disguised as a knight had killed attackers who tried to beat his legs and the legs of his horse in a very similar manner, a horde of bound rats and moles had devoured the corpses of two thugs and dragged their bodies into the dirt. The Green Knight was gone, but when Witold sent ambassaddors to sooth things over with Jarosław, he didn't even mention the incident. Wera for her part was entirely forgotten, but some 'possible winners' tried to claim her regardless. Wera again was locked out of court life much to her dismay, and was left doing 'womanly things' till her father would try to marry her off again, but such attempts would be considerably less when paired with the final moments of the tournament.

Witold, as promised, sent a small legion of lumberjacks north along with many guards, into a land called Cosmodia, a northern most province. It's very poor Valk was forced to allow the lumberjacks to given camps, and provide additional laborers, with Witold being granted a 'order of emergency' to refill the country's lumber warehouses. Witold's men started chopping down trees and hunting wildlife, but were warned by the local Valk not to venture too deep into the deep woods, or they would face the wrath of the druids and gods who lived there. Naturally, the thugish guards cared little for this and mocked any attempts to moderate them. When some Cosmodian villagers returned from their camps injured or dead from beatings, the Valk demanded answers, and only got back injured or dead courtiers. When one of the courtiers who ended up dead was one of his own brothers, he relented and sent complaints to the Dujal, but was mostly ignored.

The lumberyards got more and more workers, more and more supplies, but those supplies and those workers were not acting in good faith and began unloading a sum of cages, shackles, and branding irons into the lumber camps. Witold had been harvesting lumber, but he had a secondary business, planning to hunt slaves amongst the distant northern Bolam clans which prowled the north forests. Hunters went into the forests, but few returned and often empty handed. The foreman of this operation became more and more convinced that he was digging deep into Fae territory, and sent warnings to Witold demanding Huntsmen assistance. He instead got a order back with a more thuggish foreman who fired him and took over his job, ordering his laborers to dig even deeper into the forests and to begin hunting Bolam more actively.

The slave hunters eventually caught up with two rivaling Bolam tribes, capturing their young and dragging them back to the forest camps. Noticing that they were being hunted, the two clans moved westward to find safety amongst other clans, and eventually brought their attention to the good Valk of Mutherma, Aleksy Sobiech. Much of Mutherma's territory was the deep forests which housed the nomadic Bolam clans, and Aleksy was deeply troubled by them being hunted. He laid traps for the slave hunters, but his own ambush party was ambushed on their way from capturing some hunters by a angered Leshari which attacked them. The group dissipated and the Hunters got away and back to their camps. The Slave Hunters this time went out with a fully band of over 200 into the deep woods as a army, and devestated a smaller Bolam tribe living in the woodlands, but also greatly angering many of the Fae spirits in those lands.

The Bolam gathered warriors, and drove off the slave traders from their deep forest camps, and angrily protested the local Valk for assistance. Aleksy responded by gathering a small host of 500 men and marching them alongside 50 Bolam warriors into the deep forests with the assistance of a local druid. The Druid made offerings to the Fae, even communicating to a Lady which lived at the borders of the woods, blessing the troops with grander speed in return for stopping the loggers on her eastern bounds. Aleksy became more disturbed as they passed through many fae 'kingdoms', especially as they came upon a entire secret Bolam grove and settlement called Bollok, where Bolam druids communed with a council of Leshari, Umbras, and guarded by armored Faen. The Fae informed Aleksy and his generalings of what disturbed their forests, and the Bolam warriors who had been with the Valk, were making offerings to their 'forest gods'. Aleksy was offered the services of a Leshari, but he was so disturbed by the Fae's appearance, he preferred to just drive off these interlopers rather then accept the Fae's help any further.

As Aleksy was journeying into the deeper woods, and encamped at a clearing. In the middle of the night, the Valk's scouts heard commotion and found a small army of slave hunters were camped near by as well, perhaps by the Fae's own magic moved nearby. The Valk's men were informed and began slowly and silently putting out their camp fires and arming themselves. Aleksy and his men began to surround the encampment in groups of 25 covering the north, south, east, and west sides of the camp while the rest were put into the reinforcement positions. The slave hunters were tormenting and prodding at a young Bolam with a hot poker, tied and panicked, and were far to busy with themselves to notice that their camp surroundings were far different from their original camp. Aleksy and several Bolam warriors led a charge into the camp, surrounding the slave hunters and butchered them, but his east flank which he was leading fell and many escaped back into the forests. Many fell further to Fae horrors which lurked in the deep woods, especially when Aleksy pursued a larger group of slavers who fled into a Wendigo's lair, and were utterly slaughtered.

Of those 200 men, only 75 ever made it back to the lumberyards, and Witold Jonak was now there personally to oversee the operation. Witold listened with great annoyance that a northwest Valk had defied him, and more angry that his very illegal operation had failed so miserably. Witold decided to round up some men from the local villages, much to the protest of the Valk of Cosmodia. He forced them to work harder on the forests in order to make up for his 'loss of profits' and then marched a small band of mercenaries to the court of Mutherma. Witold and Alesky argued for hours, with Witold complaining about the loss of his men, and Alesky complaining about the bullying of the Bolam. Alesky agreed not to press the liege lord in return for Witold never to bother them again. Yet, as Witold went to leave, several thugs under his command had secretly hidden in barrels of mead which were brought in by a well bribed merchant, and beat the Alesky to death while he slept, and left disguised as guards. Witold was far off by the time anyone could send out riders for him, and had left the county is a more undesirable situation.

Witold set a more permanent outpost near the lumber camps and returned back home to deal in further business, ordering another group of unsavory mercenaries to round up Bolam tribes. Another group of 150 slavers entered the land and began kidnapping Bolam, sending them back to slave markets in Kolum much to the dismay of the Beastfolk there. Yet, their Fae overlords grew ever more aggressive and ever more spiteful, and began lashing out more violently. Yet, the cutting down of trees began to send many Fae from Jollas into northern borders and beyond, causing a cascading effect of Fae entering the Mother Woods, aggressively expanding their dominion over southern end of the forests there. The cruelty of Witold's men grew tiresome for many, especially when a number of Bolam game forward to the Dujal. When the Dujal became informed about the actions of the loggers, Jarosław allowed the complaining warriors to go home with some of Irons's old armors as a 'gift', and promised to take care of the issue. The Dujal sent a strict warning to Witold, by interrupting slave merchants and 'freeing' the Bolam, bringing them to Banzrech instead, where they could be sold to more local folk in the city for a more direct profit.
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The ships landing on the shores of Jollas had very little impact outside of some general amazement, with some going into the hauls of the ships to loot and pillage them. Those that landed on more distant shores became infested with monstrous creatures, especially becoming lairs to dragons, causing some to fear the wrecks. Merchants from Jollas who were more brave enough looted the ships and bodies landing on their shores for trinkets to sell. The only real foremost interest in the wrecks were the Otum who could recognize the ruined vessels as actual ships. Some Otum merchants made more pernament outposts in the Loskadian wreck to study the wreck, with often unuseful claims about its origins. The northern wreck was less fortunate, becoming the lair of several monsters, including a decent amount of Haunts, a large number of territorial dragons, and in the deeper bowls of the wreck was a Host swimming menacingly about, collecting bodies.

The dwarven king would find many of his investments pay dividends almost immediately. Since as it turned out, despite the Europeans being a small group they expanded almost ten times faster than anyone else he might have witnessed. They started building, they started constructing a village, then a town in less then a few days. They possessed great ships, that seemed to be producing out metal materials that were used to make such things.

They started making stone roads, that were very smooth and solid for any caravan to go over - increasing the time that was required to go from the Kingdom to the European settlement down to merely hours instead of half a day through the forests.

As it was the dwarven king would develop an strange curiosity for the new worlder as he would call it while the rest of the world called them the world eaters an title exclusive only to them but, as the king believe that they were indeed the bringers of the end of the world they were also instrumental to its rebirth as it carried with them knowledge and techniques that were previously unknown to the people as what would take months of dedicated toil for the rest of the the people of the land had been done in a few weeks at most an remarkable feat that even the king himself acknowledged while his people toiled and guard their way of life.

His fascination had evolved to the point of tasking the construction of an system of watch towers built in order to record their progress employing scribes in order to see the following improvement of their society which their data complied would be later transformed to pen and paper by the record keepers which laid down the progress as now much more profit had been accumulated by his accommodating trait which had left an good mark in their relationship seeing it in an improved infrastructure on which their people would enjoy.

Needless to say, his scribes would be requiring to replace their parchment and ink rather constantly - since the New Worlders seemed to be expanding at a much faster rate than could be possible. They had their strange machinery, uproot the trees yet also plant things in return. The traded ore, was feed into strange machines on the shore - that churned out metal and other building materials. If they ever wanted, the technology alone could throw the entire dwarven economy on it's head in a single day.

Although for the most part, the New Worlders kept to themselves and didn't bother anyone - unless they were bothered back in return. As they seemed to pick the fruits growing on the trees with much gusto and even trying to plant more of them around the island or their surrounding area. As well as the yellow fields, were picked clean with rapidness, not even common from hungry animals. But they always made sure to plant more. It would soon be likely, that this entire island would be filled with crops that the dwarves might use occasionally - compared to the New Worlders whom seemed to be picking it like winter was coming.

The dwarven king would stop to see how they were coming as the vast expansion of the local fruit trees had lended an massive inscrease stock for their massive underground storage areas and with the improve roads had invited more merchants and other various wanderers towards the area now seeing the massive influx of people traveling in the area in an active effort to spy onto the moderns only to end with fear and confussion seeing the technology only to confuse it as advance magic.

Still the dwarven king would love the strange machines that continues to crack up their production of produce using their much more lax trading policy to start buying materials for their growing colony and with the massive increase of the crops made the king order the develop an orchard to be made outside of the gates in order to produce the crops in much more quantities and to develop and make much more de-stillaries back towards their underground cities urging large sums of dwarves to work outside. Yet that would not be his only action as aside from a few guards or so the king marched forth towards the city to satisfy his curiosity under the guide of a diplomatic visit

In the city, he could see how quickly everything had changed. Where once had been dirt and trees, now stood structures and fortifications. All of them were crafted using either metal or liquid stone, that the New Worlders possessed. Many had written down, how the humans mixed gray dust with water and then spun it with strange machinery - once deposited it hardened quickly and could be shaped into almost anything.

The seaside itself had grown, as now a dock had been constructed. While not as eye-catching as those in the elven lands, it had an unique prospect to it - as instead of a work of art, it was a work of ingenuity. As machinery hauled off cargo that seemed impossible large or big.

Still, many people watched with some interest and curiosity as the dwarven king arrived. As much as his people and everyone else on Titania, were awed by the New Worlders - the reverse was also true for these new humans. As he soon enough got the chance to meet with his opposing counterpart - the Chancellor. The woman in question, as tall and beautiful as any elven. Although that was the normality for nearly all of the New Worlders, as she greeted the stout man. Surprisingly in his own tongue.

"Welcome, to New Paris..."

He upon seeing what he assumed as the female leader of the new worlders would bow and greet them in his own language hoping that the simple cook book from before was enough for them to understand simple gestures and conversations in order to somehow create a relationship with this new people of the land. Marveling at the rapid expansion of the world eaters which even seem to rival their own kind when settled and protected. "I am king Vantrin the Third or the Gold King." He introduce himself to her as his fascination towards the new people would grow as he examines the new structures that had been erected and constructed while seeing the new fruits that they had started growing and building.

He would judge and he would come out impressed with looks alone as he had found himself within New Paris. "It is a wonderful city." He followed with a large grin his bread unlike the woman seen before and an object of pride for the king himself. As he liked the fact that she had an understanding of his language despite her accent he had understood it clearly making him nod in wonder.