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Round 2 Events







The last two months have been something of a mixed bag, and in more ways than one. The 2 destroyers you wanted are approved to have come through the gate in the 2 months, but won't exist IC until we get the details worked out.

Despite continuing trade with Addacia, a small group of the slavers you have been trading with by this point have become a bit too wary of you and your people over time. Tales of the devastation of the capital of the Qalyxhian Elves has by this point well spread to them, and your attempts to build up rapidly have not gone unnoticed. Thus a few have begun to hike prices for less slaves (if not stop trading with you) due to these things and other unsavory rumors. At the moment your trade of slaves has been reduced to about 75% of what it once was. The short-wave radio you gave Addacia was also accidentally dropped in the water and lost in the depths amidst all of this by a frightened flunkie.

Likewise, your hauls of fish are distinctly below average. Not enough for your people to starve, but you are notably tighter on how much you can viably trade with Addacia at this point in time.

Your harvest of tropical crops has not exactly gone ‘as planned’, as a minor plague seems to have begun to sweep over the edible plantlife in the area you live in. Strange, black, almost goopy-looking fungal material can be found growing on the plants and decaying the edible fruits and plants locally. It is a rather localized thing at least, and as other nearby locals assure it will only last for a minor time period...though they warn you to not try to eat the fungus either.

Seems it comes out and grows in great bursts every so many years, messing up a local area but eventually going away naturally. This means fishing is the more viable food-gathering option, and trading for food from other land areas is feasible, but anything you ‘might’ attempt to harvest from the land at this time will not be seen as acceptable in New World Markets due to the risk the fungus on it poses.

Whilst work on constructing bases of operations both major and minor have laid their foundations and begun to build up somewhat, though are a good ways from complete, which is a good start to expanding operations at least.

Yet your attempts to bulldoze the jungles to get more farmland have ground down to a temporary halt as issues from these operations are brought up. Dangerous animals, stirred up by your work, have begun to steal food from your people in the night. They avoid the fungus-infected local fruits and such, however, and more so like to slither and mull and sneak about your docks at night to try to get into food containers for something to find anything they can eat. Some try to rest in the nooks and crannies of wherever you might be storing food. Some are poisonous, others venomous, and most are overall a bit too dangerous and hungry to just shoo away like a harmless pest. It is a problem you now face, and if allowed to continue could potentially spread to the population if these creatures are not handled well.

However, you have also managed to announce to the rest of the nations here from Earth that you basically are guaranteeing Addacia against other Earth-sider nations and any of their negative actions against Addacia. However you also notice Addacia seems to be preparing for...something? Either way they seem to be making naval preparations and reinforcements that aren’t entirely settling or unsettling either direction. More of their ships sails on patrol and more of their troops patrols the shores for sure. Their trade with you remains in place overall, but how will you handle this?

Yet on the other hand the nation of Rumayana has, as of late, sent a diplomatic envoy to discuss potential relations with you!






Your efforts to establish a military base away from your ‘city’ in order to store vehicles, house soldiers, and contain military supplies has gone splendidly well! In record time you have managed to build up most of a facility and get many supplies and personnel and the like put there. Whilst not fully-fleshed out, the basic structure and security measures ensure it is a fortified position at the very least. A nice local advantage.

Further, a merchant from Astrya has come to your people to try to make a bargain. He comes with an offer to sell some seemingly live fish from a few water-filled wagons he carries! The name it has locally is “Kireetak”, a very gamey and salty/mineral-y fish due to being a bottom-feeder in the shallows of the saltwater ocean ‘peninsula’ of water that juts into the lower Astryan lands. Apparently some local from that particular area of coast, such as the merchant’s family, have farmed and fed this type of fish on food scraps and such to fatten them up as reliable water-dwelling livestock. If you bought these, then over time you’d surely be able to supplant some land farming with this and better make use of the ocean space around much of your border.

But despite the friendliness of this merchant and his deal, the Kingdom of Astrya has blocked you from further land expansion. Any farther to the south and you would immediately barge outright into Astryan lands! Their people seem wary enough of you and other “Outlanders” thus far, given the stories and rumors about other Outlanders thus far, and an armed border has been formed with your people to maintain security. They don’t seem to be more than standard feudal-type troops, but they have begun to slowly build some kind of wooden-stake palisade and simply-made watch tower on the border to mark where their own territory begins. Some of your people find this...uncomfortable, and the warhawks of your government seemed to gain a little traction and increased ferocity from this. However, the Astryans do not seem to be preparing for any sort of offensive war at all...rather just building up a general manner of increased defenses as if they actually fear being attacked.

The Romulus has managed to, however, make contact with the Addacians and Astryans. The latter are willing to...begin talks of negotiation, but you can tell they are nervous about you regardless due to activities on your land border. You also find some loose unaffiliated groups and tribes and villages and towns and the like in the land between Rumayana (who has sent a diplomat to try to forge relations with you), Addacia, and the Nilberg Confederacy. Some along that line of coast are outright hostile to you, others are willing to do a rather small amount of trade to avoid getting the ‘look’ from their own neighbors, and a few simply handed over a small tribute of supplies for you to leave them in peace. You haven't seen deeper inland in that particular area, but at least you know what is there and have a better idea of how not everyone hates you at least.






Over the last two months, your people have found themselves sitting upon a future bountiful harvest indeed! Initial farmland distribution and sowing efforts have begun to show rather exceptional potential, proving that the grounds you are on are very fertile and cultivate-able indeed. However, unless a small bit was initially planted on first arrival it will take time for all the new land crops and farms to grow food in proper enough amounts. However, the promise of a superb later harvest this year seems very much certain at this point in time. All you have to do is wait for it. However, this has led in some part to some civilians scrambling to become farmers...and one or two areas of illegal planting that have been discovered outside of any designated places by overexcited people among other such little issues now trying to squirm out of the woodwork after the news of the fertility of the land got out. It isn’t too much problem with these small ones, but if left to their own devices it could spiral further perhaps. However, you also find a great abundance of edible fish living in great schools off of your shores to boot! What luck!

Likewise, one day you found that several great ships were sailing up to your ports! Upon them were not soldiers, however, but missionaries from the nearby Kyrosian Empire preaching about the “Great Will of Kyros” and trying to spread their religion to the people. They also brought several gifts for you people and government, including a bit of food and even several artistic items or fancy jars for storing things and ornate religious depictions otherwise. While their ships are reminiscent of iron/bronze age sailing vessels, and their art at least similar to such artifacts of Earth’s ancient history, it seems to be a friendly welcome nonetheless. A religious welcoming, but a warmer one! A few of these missionaries have even petitioned to stay among your people to help educate and teach more about the land you are on.

However, your presence has angered a rather large gathering of tribes just beyond your northern border. Where you live was once the sacred grounds of their also-tribal ancestors, and beyond that was seen as an area they could migrate to in times of famine or great danger. With some kind of local tribal war having seemingly occurred near them, your people settling in the lands they have has cut this confederation of tribes off from a safe haven. Whether you want to attempt diplomacy or not, they and your own population have begun to get very very heated on your borders and the issue is beginning to rapidly spiral. Some on either side have stolen food, burnt homes down, and even killed a few of each other in the process. None know who first incited the violence, however, but it isn’t looking good. Even a few living on your side of the border have also fallen suddenly and very strangely ill, and no medical means can seem to pin down or stop the cause beyond treating symptoms to some extent...there seems to be no scientific means to explain it really.

If war were to kick off, you would naturally have the superior weapons...but the number of these tribes confederated together just beyond your border is deep in at least the 10’s of thousands.






Your 1 whaling and 1 transport ship have arrived after these two months, and a canning facility has been just barely brought into a basic ‘operational’ capacity at the least...but that is perhaps the one good thing that has happened in these last two months.

Your attempts to improve existing facilities continue to just drag out longer than planned, remaining in-progress as a mixture of terrible weather, a misallocation of resources, unpredictable spots of terrain or wildlife, and other little troubles plague efforts like a disease. You can see hope in the distance for it to get better, but the start in these regards is still rough even if it WILL still be finished at some point in the future.

However, one big problem has opened up right on your doorstep to boot. On your northernmost island, a strange rippling portal tore open in the air. It happened out of the blue and in the middle of the night, and out of it came streaming crimson red hellish-ooze and a stream of demons. In other words, that island is now the source of a small but very real demon incursion into the New World. That isn’t very good. The numbers of demons would come to overwhelm even your modern weapons as they died by the droves, but in the end the island would be unable to be held. A few hours later anyone left from that island, armed or otherwise, would soon come fleeing back to your main base of operations on ship and in a messy/wounded hurry. Any locals there and citizens left behind have been most likely slaughtered or worse by this point.

On the bright side, you will eventually finish improvement of the facilities, and your fishing capacity has been increased alongside transport capacity as of most recently. You seem to have some decent relations with the Dominion, but for the most part locals living on your islands have basically turned their attention wholly to the demon inclusion...and for a good reason. A few demons have begun to adapt to the water that you can see from long-distance observation, but not many. Yet if the portal on that island is not taken care of and these things and ooze keep streaming out things could become that much WORSE. It is a major problem even New World nations can’t abide, as it will become a threat to more and more as the incursion expands...albeit much more slowly than it ‘could’ have due to its size.

So in this silver lining you will find some temporary allies who would be more than happy to take on the demon inclusion to help stop it. The Gatekeepers have even already sent word that a ship will be coming within the month to provide bombardment support, and sent out a small bounty of 2 free medium-sized ocean-sailing troller fishing vessels each to all human nations that send support to this event. You simply have to hold on for dear life until reinforcements or non-enemies come to fight the incursion.






Whilst attempting to deal with the issues surrounding the King of Qalyxh and the elves, you have managed to send a diplomatic party to approach the humans now occupying the capital (will be posted in collab). However, back home there is a mixed bag of events that have been going down among your people.

Your people have managed to produce a minor food surplus, whether it was through fishing, farms have an abnormally higher output of crops, or even harvesting efforts in some areas going just a little beyond the normal. It isn’t much of a surplus at all, but it is one that at least actually somewhat helps much with the refugee situation and feeding your own people. The price of food has become lower in your lands somewhat for the moment being as well among merchants, which has further pushed just a small few farms out there to plant more crops slightly late or at the last second with hope for an even better harvest later on this year.

However, on the other hand some of the elven refugees have begun to create…’issues’ within Rumayana’s population. Whilst many have been trying to participate or work with things, some groups of others have begun to pop up with rage in their hearts. “Down with the humans” some cry, “We need to go to war against the barbarians!” cries others. It has created a moderate, but not major, bit of social unrest coursing among some populations of the immigrants. It isn’t a major movement, but the risk to your own people is apparent as the unrest of a number of immigrants rises and rises even now.






Your move to send merchants and diplomats and envoys to contact the Outlanders in the occupied Qalyxhian Elf capital of Ocia has been sent...but the result have yet to be seen and the fleet yet to come back (aka: ping me and we’ll do a collab of that event for this turn).

Likewise, your attempts to reinforce the coast by bolstering naval defenses and ports and making fortifications and towers and stockpiling food and other resources in limited ‘war’ preparations has been going along very well by this time. Being so large-scale the process isn’t yet totally complete, but it has definitely had some rather good effect and is very much visible by now. Some citizens have increased fears or reassurances based on what you are doing, and the issues with any slavers (see Spiff’s events at the top of this post) have come to your attention to boot.

This doesn’t help as you find yourself in a below average status in fishing and food harvest at this point in time...not enough to endanger the population in any notable way food-wise, but enough to make them even more wary and nervous alongside the war preparations and the Outlander rumors and the like. The price of food has also gone up some locally to boot. However, a few independent villages to your north have begun to open up more for trade and have an abundance of food. It won’t solve all of the below average harvesting/fishing results, but it will ease it a bit more moving into the future.
@princess@FunnyGuy Well...whew...here goes something! >_<


@FunnyGuy Says the Discord link is invalid. Would you be able to get me, another link? :O

Leave for work in an hour and a half, but will be back a little late tonight. XD
@FunnyGuy@princess Just a curious passerby wanting to ask some questions and toss around some ideas to get an idea of things here, if that is ok. :D

1) What's the current arc going on in the RP?

2) And...ah...what idea among the below might seem more appealing than the others? Or, er, the most workable? Some of these are probably cheesy or have some trope, but aren't meant to be memes as much as concepts I wanted to ask about to get an idea of things here:

a) A pureblood vampire who has been around for a good and long time, but until recently has been trying to keep themselves out of the action for the time being through negotiation or otherwise. Ultimately gets wrapped up with some people somehow (like a love interest or someone from another faction they could accidentally/otherwise befriend and such) and get pulled into things? In essence, a loner who basically comes out of the loner shell going into the RP due to circumstances and becomes an active part (even if as part of a friend group or such they are in).

Or basically "former ancient vampire loner who decided to be obtuse and adapt to modern day, wanted to live a simple life but instead ultimately gets pulled back into old feud and such by new people they've befriended or fallen for or the like".

b) Something that amounts to "ancient Mesopotamian priestess, some ancient member of a witch bloodline, was kept in a long magical stasis in some old stone coffin or sarcophagus or such...and gets woken up in modern day somehow after the coffin was dug up and taken to the USA by some means". She then proceeds to get caught up in whatever is going on with one side or another. Or essentially "A Witch Out Of Time gets pulled into mess in the modern day" to sum it up even more simply.

c) Person turned into or born a vampire in far back ancient times, only for their super overprotective sire/parents to basically die and them be left in the care of a vampiric servant/caretaker. Caretaker and those they have turned in turn over the time period have been keeping the vampire fed over the centuries or two millennia or whatever it would be, before ultimately the latest one moving to the USA and dying in some local conflict. Their charge, who was to be kept isolated as their parents and caretakers were overprotective, basically emerges from a very long time of isolation and being basically kept a prisoner in a stone coffin or such to "keep them out of harm".

Thus the old "is rather old but also very very new to things" vampire emerges into the world and goes about on their own with a relatively innocent perspective.

d) An individual who was born a witch, and kind of gets found out as one by others, but also has to deal with the fact that their are beginning to see a stream of memories and such over time that are not their own. Magical knowledge they shouldn't have, but on occasion seeps in. Turns out they are the product of their bloodline ancestor's somewhat messed up attempt at reincarnation, using a magic ritual that cost them their life very very long ago to basically reincarnate in every other magically-inclined member of their bloodline going onwards.

So now said new witch is having to deal with being a total newbie, being in the middle of the conflict stuff in some manner or another, and then the whole "I want to find a way to not lose my mind and self to this reincarnation spell cause oh hell that would be bad". Doesn't make them super powerful overall or in general, they are new despite an odd stream of the old memories and such beginning to funnel in bit by bit here and there (etc), and it is a struggle they'd have to deal with (not just some 'super boon' with no consequences, they have to fight to retain their self and find a way to keep it in the end).

3) How are you all doing this fine day? I hope well. Forgot my third question so put this one here instead. (TwT)
Ishara





A stern warning indeed, warning of the commitments they had made back at the ceremony last night. They wielded power that many did not, and likewise had the responsibilities that came with it. It brought back recollections of her stepmother's constant reminders over the matter, pushing the importance of becoming a Sorcerer but also that it came 'at a price' at times. It was a responsibility, she'd said, and with this great power came great responsibility of an equivalent level. Likewise there were ramifications for not living up to those...or worse.

More so, however, Ishara seemed to listen to Magus Dagon with a look of serious and rather rapt attention as he spoke even before that final part of his words thus far. If Sekhandur and some others were any indication of a noble's or Sorcerer's potential pride, then it wasn't surprising to hear such things be said. She had not wanted to make assumptions yet, as she was new after all, and yet Magus Dagon seemed to speak about things as they were to them in plainness. The man had already left her with a good impression the prior night to some extent, but this seemed to hammer in a sense of respect for the one who was to teach them. Of course this would not amount to simple idolization and blind following, clinging along like a lost puppy who saw a cool person walking down the road, as his seeming looking inwards at one's own faults and the faults of where they worked was a valuable thing to be able to do. After all, an institution nor an individual could improve unless it was from being to effectively admit to and address those thing that were 'going wrong' and such.

Even the Crimson King probably had-...

...Mmm, she was thinking too hard on this. Far too hard.

"Hmm...if Studying the Hall of Prophecy is a good exercise, then where would be best to study in regards to our own...ah...personal education? Er. Studying and the like outside of formal lessons I mean."

For a second she tried to find the right word, ultimately stumbling into it with a silent relief washing over her mind in the process. So many things to ponder, so little time! Of course she didn't want to seem like she was rushing, but at the same time having a good place to read up and study would be beneficial to her learning in her mind. So it was only natural she ask about such things!

Leannah





Looted. Nothing of interest with the tapestries, not even so much as anything left on what she assumed was the old warden's desk and effects. Hell, someone else could have popped in here a long time ago, or even as recent as herself and anyone else on these premises waking up from a certain moon goddess' offer. Either way it had been just one little monstrous abomination in here, which was a relief, but at the same time it left her with not much choice of what to do. The thing was still out there, and from what she could see in the window it was not too happy after-...wait did Malphas just fly? Ok, even she had to admit that was kinda great to be honest. Guy seemed to have his own attitude, but he'd just proven his little stunts could have good effects potentially at least. Gave her a little more faith in him, at least, though her situation wasn't much helped at the moment.

...Heh, but of course it would be like her to think of this as a 'backup' plan. Would be a hell of a way to go out if it went down as she thought, but all the same it was her terms and also kinda badass in concept.

Soon, behind the angry and roaring Guardian that was looking for its other quarry, Leannah would pop back out of the tower's entrance door. Except instead of running away from the monster, she was running toward it at top speed. Her breathing was controlled, her eyes locked onto her target with unwavering abandon, and every muscle in her body channeling the fullness of her might at its very peak as she would throw the spear at the Guardian's head with the precision of an Olympic Champion and the might of a battle-ready martial arts master. After this, she was blitz toward the Guardian with the intent to leap up on it and do battle with her fists and body.

Screw this thing, she was going to kick its ass, die trying, or something!

República Democrática Reformada do Brasil







Nation: The Reformed Democratic Republic of Brazil, aka “República Democrática Reformada do Brasil”

Map:



History: In November of 1917, large-scale riots of all political parties were in full swing across Brazil. Nationalists, socialists, and others railed against a government that, differing from popular opinion, had declared war on Germany on October 26th, 1917 to try to divert local attention from the government's own problems and failings and "fry a bigger fish". This ultimate failure of an attempt would, however, simply stoke the civil riots and anger against the government to even greater heights. As things only seemed to get worse for the next few months, the government's grasp on things would begin to wane...until finally in February 1918 a 'change' began. In the Rio Grande Do Sul, a Populist by the name of Rafael Faria-Jaeger led a famous speech where he gathered up support and convinced over 5000 soldiers alongside socialists, nationalists, and others to defect to his cause.

Expounding on the need for Brazil to "return to its own internal affairs" and make its people stronger by uniting them together, he captured the eye of the Brazilian people and began to exert a greater influences on the tenetes (basically a term for junior officers in the Brazilian Army) as he rallied them under his banner too. More and more as he went about giving speeches, forming great marches, and speaking to the ills suffered under the existing government as he kept his hotbed of a broad-band political party together through his direction towards solving Brazil's internal problems. Eventually this would lead him and his followers to snowball to the point they would seize power in May 1918, taking over control of the country from "those who sought to destroy our people" as he would put it in his inaugural speech.

Under Rafael, Brazil would begin a decades-long move to reform the government itself, look after its own internal matters, and develop/industrialize the nation both on the coast and in its interior. While naturally the coast had the most pronounced effects of these years of reform and industrialization, the furthering of development and education deeper within Brazil's interior had its own noticeable effects as mining and agriculture grew into various towns and areas that fueled the growing amount of jobs and improving conditions/wealth of the nation. Many a man could find "Honest work and a full stomach!", a motto the new government's reforms and development pushed out, and the emphasis on ensuring the well-being and prosperity of a united Brazilian people would ingrain a nationalistic sentiment into the public mindset as the years went by. Likewise the opportunity came early on to silently and softly nip the influence of the coffee magnates in Brazil when Rafael was in power, especially with them weakened in the wake of the Coffee Market Crash of 1917 after the UK banned the importation of coffee during the war.

By the time of the early to mid 1930's, President Victor Fidalgo would rise to power and ultimately take an interest in empowering the military of Brazil in particular. He had spent years before as a politician and before that a sailor, reflecting on the past issue of German Indiscriminate Submarine Warfare that had taken the life of his brother and father during the earliest years of The Great War. In this regard President Fidalgo had been haunted for years, until he came to office and resolved to reform the Brazilian Military and arms business as a whole. No longer would his people be so behind the likes of other nations, but would be prosperous and mighty to defend their own interests! The other nations could do so, so why couldn't they? In this he would build on existing reforms, expanding the Brazilian arms business and forming his own more powerful version of IMBEL tied to the Ministry of Defense.

His actions would push Brazilian weapons and ship development into new heights, as well as increase profit with new arms licensing agreements from overseas. Yet ultimately whilst President Fidalgo wouldn't transform Brazil into a militarized nation akin to a "North Korea", but his efforts in the long term would instead see the Brazilian "barco subaquático" (underwater boat; nicknamed "S-Boat") rise to prominence in the Brazilian Navy. Likewise his actions would create better ships, along with Brazilian-invented arms and licensed pieces making greater profits overseas (especially in Africa and Europe) and locally.

Now currently under President Gustav Corderio, who was only just elected to office back in November 1954, Brazil has by now been shaped into a nation that carries with it a sense of great national pride and unity throughout. It has retained a strong arms industry still to this day, among other profitable industries such as rubber/synthetic rubber and metals, though it has likewise become a more humane society than many other 'great nations' out there. Eschewing colonies and the adoption of any "racial theory", the nation's treatment, acceptance, and representation of all of its minorities and native tribes has been smoothed out over the decades with no small amount of effort. Brazilians take a point of moral pride that, unlike the decadent Europeans and Americans or even the Argentinians, Brazil has survived and thrived through the greater development of its coast, at least better and noticeably improved development of its interior, and its effective handling of all peoples.

Even so, with a distaste for the USA, the growing tensions, and witnessing the expansion of Argentina...even Brazil's people and their government have begun to play their cards more purposefully. Expansion nor alliances are not out of the question, nor is going to war if they felt they needed to for one reason or another. Only time will tell, however, if they will reach out into the world in one manner or another: Trade or tricks. Peace or war. Alliance or denouncement. Whatever it may be that they do, will the world be ready for it?

(Economic Note: Brazil's military production has also been selling guns to decolonizing peoples in Africa, and would prob sell to groups or mercs or the ilk under the table if it meant out-competing a rival or enemy nation. Sell to smaller nations to fuel their conflicts to the end that our interest are upheld, or simply to make a profit, sell to bigger nations who really need supplies and we have the production facilities to make those orders happen. Prob would sell to any 'friends' as well, in terms of international relations, to make bank and such as well.)

(Other Note: Maybe Brazil has become oddly obsessed with trying to turn every type of ship into a submarine-style submersible boat. Imagine the attempt at a submersible aircraft carrier or such things. XD)
Leannah





Ah.

As she caught her breath, the catgirl felt a certain mixed sense of emotion flutter through her. One one hand this thing was, on a less time-sensitive look at it, ugly as all hell. And yet it evoked a certain sense of pity as well, as if in some capacity she wondered if it was some kind of unfortunate soul from some point in this place's history. She really had no way of knowing, but one other thing was for sure at the moment: She was trapped in this tower and the monst-...Guardian. Yes. The Guardian was still out there, probably. As would be the other two dolts of their 'group', which is what she considered it for the moments it had lasted at least, and Donovan somewhere on the opposite side for all she knew. It was a mess, plain and simple, and yet something seemed to prod at her mind a she looked about herself at the foot of this tower.

Well...first rule of survival and RPG's might still apply here: Search about and make use of what you can. Well, within reason in this case.

Maybe there was a switch for this Guardian to be turned off with, or hell even some kind of warden's key that could let her sneak around some to get to that gate if it was still intact at this point. Or something. Either way, she would withdraw her spear from the gross monstrosity and hold it again by her side for now.

For a short time, Leannah would then walk over to the ruined tapestries and try to see if she could glean anything from them. Hell, she'd even look to see if anything was behind them. It was a silly notion, and yet the worst thing she could do right now would be to panic. Well, panic more at least.

She would then cautiously take a look back at the staircase leading up, clutching her spear and taking a deep breath before continuing on upwards. She would be on high alert for this place already, given what had met her immediately upon entering, but all the same she was doing her best to control her breathing and keep a sharp mind about her.

"...Damn magic world science experiments."
~Of Flames and Fantasy~


-Act 1: A Brave New World-





The Gatekeepers


-New World Side Headquarters, The Gate-


...Six months Earth-time. Six whole months had already gone by in a flash after the operation's true purpose had begun in earnest. It would take this long to really settle the colonies, that was something they had already anticipated, but even so it was hard to process it had been this long. It felt almost like two months ago that they had finally opened The Gate, and the various groups had funneled in with their pre-approved colonization groups and supplies. Since then regular check-ins were undergone according to procedure, and likewise they had been busy themselves. Infrastructure building, resource harvesting operations, research and development programs to study and understand this world better, and of course keeping the gateway secure as they monitored the rate of Earthside atmospheric decay.

As of today, all the colonists had been given the communication that the planet had only six months left before the atmospheric decay reached the 'critical point' where super-rapid collapse was inevitable. Faster than the original timetable had calculated, but all the same a trivial matter at this point. Finally the channel to funnel in more supplies was being opened to the colonists, at least now that Phase One of the colonization process was complete. Of course it would take time to get other things through, and at a reasonable cost due to the ever-deteriorating situation Earthside, to get more things through...but that was the price to pay for survival. Nothing came for free.

Even so...

*Knock knock*

"V-Vice Director Callahan, I have the compiled scouting and research reports you asked for!"

Near the top of the New World side's Gate, a man in a well-tailored black suit sat at his desk. In his mouth was a vintage cigar propped in, its lit tip emitting only a faint trail of smoke at this point. His face had moments ago seemed to be at a point between exhaustion and some sense of momentary morning peace, though as the rap on the metal door rang in his ears his look changed to one of mild irritation and a little bit of resignation.

After a moment, and another timid knock, he would take his legs down...before snuffing out the cigar in an ash-filled metal tray next to the keyboard and projector for a sleek holographic computer that he'd become intimately familiar with using in the past few months and before. Too intimate and too familiar, really.

"Roberts, go ahead and come in already." the man grumbled, rolling his eyes and letting out an exasperated sigh.

After a moment, the metal door slid open with a futuristic 'whoosh' as a thin and lanky man in virtually generic white-collar attire stumbled into the room. He seemed to be a bit nervous, though as 'Roberts' looked up as Callahan beckoned him over. Quickly nodding in return, the smaller man brought over the papers and folders that were clutched tightly to his chest and set them on the desk proper.

"...Zimmer been running you ragged again carrying crap to the department heads?"

Roberts seemed to tense up an instant, though after looking back at the closed door he returned his gaze to the Vice Director and gave a quiet nod.

"Jesus. Last messenger Zimmer sent had a nervous breakdown, and that was the third one this month. Had to call in the Director on it. Might step down there myself at this rate," Callahan said, speaking to the more timid man as he picked up the folders and papers and began to thumb through, his eyes tightly scanning each page for key words, until eventually his eyebrows perked up on a particular page, "Ah...so they already have 'it' coming in soon. Gonna take a hell of a shot to get it up there, but the guys at the observatory are going to have a field day with this.

...Roberts, get yourself some synthetic coffee, take a second to breathe, and then go tell Astrology Chief Hansen I need to see him right now. The timetable for 'that' has moved up."


"Y-Yes sir!"

After making a hasty salute, Roberts beat a quick retreat out of the office without so much as another word.

Even so, the moment he was gone Callahan leaned back a bit more in his chair once more, eyes staring at the ceiling for a moment before giving a light shake of his head. For a moment he leaned over, then, cracking open a metal desk drawer and pulling out a smaller cigarette out of the open pack in there. He'd had the 'big cig', as he so called them, now he just needed something to take the edge off somewhat more gently. This stuff had been made from grown stuff on a patch here in the New World, bit of turf brought in to test out crops and plants and all of that. Was a small experiment, but one that had given him a few others some packs that no one else here was going to have already.

"Can't blame em', gotta have insurance in case things get a bit too spicy for the Director's tastes," he said, talking into thin air as he moved to light the cigarette...a faint purple smoke rising into the air this time as it began to burn, "Well, not like anyone has much time to get stuff in here anywho."




The Triarchic Republic of Grenacie


-Port City of Grenadacia, Southwestern Coast-


Throngs of people seemed to push through the cobblestone streets and the air above, whether it was men headed to work, mothers heading to market, or even merchants pulling through carts loaded to the brim with exotic wares. Whether it was the dauntingly-sized minotaur, flutter of a flying Drakki, or even the slight wet slap of a merfolk's feet, however, it was a kind of noise that wasn't uncommon here by far. Every day people went to work, or came back from it, or otherwise went about their business in this port city. Even those from beyond Grenacie were a common enough sight here as they came to trade or peddle goods or get about other business, and it wasn't uncommon to see humans and elves and the like around the place who either now lived here or were just staying for a time.

...Despite it all, Mialana felt a light nervous tingle run down her back as she rode along on her familiar. Even with her traveling cloak fastened tight about her, it was hard to avoid the stares from the locals and visitors as she moved along. She'd just arrived here last night, and frankly the journey here had been tiring enough as it was! Find a ship willing to take her, blow some of her allotted money on getting good passage, and then after the long days at sea simply getting a bed and some hot food at a local inn had been a welcome sight.

Even so she had a mission to get done here in Grenacie. Or rather, she had something to do to the south of it. Initial about that strange archway of iron and steel seeming to float on the water of the ocean itself was odd enough...but since then other word had gotten around. Humans, but not ones that anyone else seemed to know, in rumored ships of giant metal that moved over the water faster than any vessel should be able to. Then there had been the sight of the fleeing Qalyxhian Elves, fleeing of all things, and passing along stories of 'barbarians destroying the capital in one fell swoop with abominable magics the like none had ever seen before' along the way. Not to mention those that sat right off of Astrya's own shores, clustered there and seeming to do trade with the Empire at least. It was a very jarring thought that such alien magics and humans from another plane could arrive here, and be so potent despite them being so few (or many depending on the story) and yet it was all the same something she had come to confirm to the south of Grenacie.

A few were prepared to go beyond Astrya's borders and investigate the 'newcomers', perhaps see what they were about if possible. Yet among this group she and some others more were being sent to investigate other reported sightings of 'similar' foreign humans. Not many Battlemages to spare for this, but all the same it seemed to wise to not try to 'spook' the newcomers after a naval power like Qalyxh was shaken so terribly and forcefully.

"...Hanya, what do you think?" the younger Astryan Battlemage softly muttered to herself quietly, looking up at the semi-cloudy with a pondering look in her light-purple-colored eyes.

Most might not think such a hulking beast a being capable of thought, and for the most part she and Hanya had to roll with it when traveling unless they truly had to prove a point. The top and front of his head had three sets of curved, blade-like horns, sharp as much as they were 'stabby' as another fellow traveler had recently put it. His skin was orange-colored and his body fleshy like unto a human...albeit without light hairs on said skin. Or any hair really. Also he was admittedly far more densely muscled. His jaws were as strong as hardened steel, and she'd seen him bite with such power through an enemy knight once it was like they were a fragile twig! Even his four bright green eyes with vertically slitted black pupils in them, two on either side of his head, were something normally menacing to those not familiar with the existence of Astrya's Battlemages. In fact, his hunched-over body, razor-sharp clawed feet and four-fingered hands, and large Indajah-tier height was something to behold even among other familiars by far! Definitely an outlier, but not very rare either among Battlemage familiars.

However, Hanya was most definitely abnormally intelligent for a monster. Plus he was the one who had become her familiar in her youth at one of the Astrayan Battlemage Academies. Plus as mage and familiar they shared a-

'Mmm, if they become your foes then they will become mine. That is all I care for, little mage. Even so, if they are as mighty as you've heard then perhaps I might find a challenge to make against one there to pass the time.'

-...a mental link. One which Hanya had often shared his thoughts and the like most unprompted and at his leisure.

Mialana suddenly looked down at Hanya, a light pout on the black-haired female human's own face as she hit her familiar's back with her right hand balled up into a fist. To Hanya, however, that might as well be a light tap.

'We're not going there to pick a fight, you know. We're just meeting our merchant contact on the edge of the city as planned, and then he'll lead us close enough to the settlement that we can make it ourselves. Then we see what the truth behind all of this is.'

'Suit yourself,' the familiar communicated back, giving a huff aloud otherwise the sent a few of the more timid locals almost leaping to get out of his way, '...Heh.'




The Kyrosian Empire


-???, City of Neveria, Eastern Coast-


None could hear the screams of agony beyond those thick, stone-lined walls so deep underground...and yet that was so much part of the fun! Not as splendid and glorious as the voice of the Great One, oh not even close, and yet he could oh-so abide his time among those that had been condemned for the greatest treason. Yes, to fall away from the Great One's vision and the true path was something abhorrent, dastardly, oh it made him want to faint simply to imagine such a concept! It could not be abided, and so it further brought forth an indescribable rage from within him! Hot like the branding iron! Hot like the metal-spiked prison some were placed in over great bonfires in his humble little dungeons, even! No, it could only ever be as hot as his passion for the Great One's will that rang like a siren's song throughout his whole being!

Of course, today's flesh-puppet for him to use was a fun specimen that had been taken away in the night from a small village. His family had reported him after his tries to sway them, and oh how sweet their rewards would be to the gaze of the Great One! Yes indeed. However, this man's musculature was something best put to use grinding the limbs of some foolish fools among fools. His self had been lost long ago, eaten up like a snack before his fleshy form was made use of. Ah, but those screams as his very soul was devoured bit by bit had been like the sweet sound of a child's peals of joyous laughter.

"Master Azael! Master Azael!"

Ah. Finally, the remaining news from the scouts he had sent out. The human messenger, adorned in black bloody-red robes with a crimson slitted pupil and eye on the back, approached him with a sense of reverent haste. Azael turned from his position at the grinding rack, a tool of his own invention he was proud to say, watching the man take a knee in his presence. It was enough to make him remember his own devotion to great Kyros and smile even wider and wider, oh blessed be the Great One's revered name!

"What is the news? Yes? Have the others returned as well? Hmm?"

The man looked up at him, a great smile on his face in turn as the scars drawn back along his cheeks on either side of his mouth seemed to turn upwards with the corners of his mouth.

"It is as the Great One said to you, my divine lord! They have settled in those places spoken of in your glorious communion with His Voice! We have sent a most detailed report of their ships and what we could discover to the Great Palace, just as requested!"

"Ah, it is as He said! Oh indeed, I shall delved into your minds later to pull out the information for myself of course. I must ensure all has been send in exact detail to the Great One! But yes, my child, you may rest for now. May the True Path guide your footsteps!"

"Glory to Kyrosia! Glory to the Great One!"

For a moment, the follower's eyes seemed to turn pitch black entirely, no pupils or the like to be seen, before he rose up and ran off in haste. Yes indeed, a fitting sign for his children that had been created to follow him along this eternal path! He could do such to them, make it manifest...even so he would freely admit it was lesser to what the Great One had done to him personally. And yet how bright that darkness writhed within him even now! Oh, he could almost hear that blessed voice again it made him so ecstatic!

But...hmmm, yes in time the Great One's vision for these newcomers would be made manifest to them. It was the truth of the matter, and none could deny it. And if they tried to, he would be there to set it right. Ah. But for now he would need to return to his current subject. Yes, these spiked rollers were not going to shred the flesh from the rest of this arm anytime soon, and the magic was only going to keep the unbeliever alive and awake for so long!

Eventually more word would come, and he would act on it with all his might and power. The will of the Great One be done!
Ishara





To say the previous night had been eventful was something of an understatement. She had run into everything from the White Seer, to her predecessor and former top student of Pesedjet, to frankly speaking getting to talk to the other members of this Fellowship that had planned to invite her for apparently some time. Listening in on Sorcerer Dagon's conversation had been less a thing to answer questions than frankly speaking create even more of them, and beyond that it had been a long night of conversation as her mother and her mother had apparently gone about speaking to other and at times later on pulled her in. It had been enough to try to let all sink in, but even so she still felt it wasn't quite all sunk in as of yet. Even now she felt her mind drawing at the strings of last night's conversations at the event and even after it with Radaam and Khaemtr at Khaem's place, especially oddly in regards to this Fellowship she'd been accepted an invitation to so quickly! She'd done her best to talk of that, but between the excitement and nerves she'd worried about seeeming like a mess.

Yet going to Khaem's place she had obviously said hello to the elderly groundskeeper as always, though barely remembered to send her mother's regards as she'd been told to do before leaving last night, though it was when the three of them as Noviates sat around to talk that things had gotten...interesting. Khaem's tales of his family were rather unsurprising to her, though she knew how much it seemed to weigh on the boy in general. The family this, the family that, and yet frankly in her eyes all she saw was Khaem himself. Sure his work ethic and hers, ah, 'differed' somewhat...but even so he had gotten himself here. She respected that! Even so, she had also done her best to attempt to soothe the more than obvious nerves and overwhelmed feelings of Radaam. Not that it wasn't new to him and...ah...goodness it made her feel a bit awkward to make someone else so awkward. Did that even make sense? Maybe. Frankly speaking to someone from a differing social circle entirely was not something she'd assume was easy. Like, for example, when she and her birth mother had gone to an event held by the 'workers' of another temple in order to foster good relations. Talk about stepping into what felt like another world!

Though...for her the night had somewhat ended when Khaem cut in sharply about her lack of a tutelary. It had been enough to make her leave the room, though later she heard that Udjebten had promptly moved into Khaem's lap and berated him. It was somewhat of a sensitive subject for her, as...well...for someone dubbed a 'prodigy' she lacked the one thing all those other prodigies and even other students otherwise already could do! Such a dumb little detail, and yet people seemed to hold it over her! Or at least it felt like such. The pressure to succeed in that area was intense, she'd even had nightmares sometimes about it with people laughing down on her! Frankly she was at the point of "giving it one last try" before giving up on the matter, such was her feelings about it, and luckily she knew that one last try would be coming.

Even so, as they were guided on a mini-tour on their way to see their master Ishara did her best to soak in the sights and events. Especially the rune-operated magic door! There would be much to explore and read about on her own later for sure! Yet perhaps the best part was when Khaem pulled her and Radaam back into a group to examine the other Tutelaries along the way. Not because it was an activity that fascinated her as much per say, but frankly because it felt like a movement back to 'normal' rather than a continuation of the prior night. She still felt slightly awkward about it, notwithstanding her usual move to not mention last night's 'incident' to avoid confronting it all over again, but more and more she felt some sense of ease. Besides, after a few minutes she'd come back and they'd kept talking! Ah, that was good. Yes.

Though as the older magus spoke to them, offering to let them get comfortable and even have something to drink, the green-haired girl's smile seemed to perk up slightly more. Yes, they'd be getting started in all of this! So much to do, learn, and see! Yet it would be rude to not accept such hospitality given by their master.

"I'd happily accept your offer for some tea!"

She spoke politely in response as she took off her sandals and cloak and placed them in the appropriate spot. Even so, she did intently listen in to Khaem's questions as he rambled them off to Magus Dagon. Some of those things she was curious about as well! Besides, what better way to start the learning but with a cup of soothing tea?

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