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>>3861557
Nation creation guide:
How the elements work:
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/china-five-elements-philosophy.htm
The basic 5 elements work on a system of mutual strengthening and weakening. Between benders are Overcoming interactions which weaken the element which the red arrows points to, while Generating Interactions strengthen users of both elements when they are near each other. As an example of this dichotomy is found in if we say we have a member of the Fire race, the Earth race and the Wood Race all in the same room. The Fire race would be the strongest as they are being empowered by both Wood and Earth while the Wood race would be second strongest as they are being powered up by the Fire race. The Earth race would be weakest at a neutral empowerment as they are being weakened by the Wood yet empowered by the Fire. New Elements have been integrated into the chart, now there can be 15 in the world, four slots are currently left unfilled.

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>>3861561
Element Relationships (an alternative to the convoluted circle chart)

The Greater Elements:

Metal:
Strengthened With - Water, Earth
Weakens - Dark, Wood, Spirit, ?3 (?# elements are currently unknown elements)
Weakened By - Fire, ?2, Lightning

Wood:
Strengthened With - Water, Fire
Weakens - Ice, Spirit, Lightning
Weakened By - Fire, Dark, ?2

Fire:
Strengthened With - Wood, Earth
Weakens - Air, ?1, Dark, Metal
Weakened By - ?4, Spirit, Water

Earth:
Strengthened With - Fire, Metal
Weakens - ?2, Lightning, Force, Water
Weakened By - Air, Wood, ?1

Water:
Strengthened With - Metal, Wood
Weakens - Ice, Fire, Force, Air
Weakened By - ?3, Earth, Dark

Inner Lesser Elements:

Dark:
Strengthened With - Force, Lightning
Weakens - Water, ?3, Ice
Weakened By - Fire, Metal, ?2

Spirit:
Strengthened With - Force, Air
Weakens - ?4, Fire, ?1
Weakened By - Metal, Ice, Wood

Force:
Strengthened With - Dark, Spirit
Weakens - Wood, ?4, Ice
Weakened By - Water, ?3, Earth

Air:
Strengthened With - Spirit, Lightning
Weakens - ?1, Earth, ?2
Weakened By - Water, ?4, Fire

Lightning:
Strengthened With - Dark, Air
Weakens - ?3, Metal, ?2
Weakened By - Earth, ?1, Wood

Outer Lesser Elements:

Ice:
Strengthened With - ?4, ?3
Weakens - Wood, Spirit
Weakened By - Dark, Force, Water

?1:
Strengthened With - ?2, ?4
Weakens - Lightning, Earth
Weakened By - Fire, Spirit, Air

?3:
Strengthened With - ?2, Ice
Weakens - Water, Force
Weakened By - Dark, Lightning, Metal

?2:
Strengthened With - ?1, ?3
Weakens - Metal, Dark
Weakened By - Air, Earth, Lightning

?4:
Strengthened With - Ice, ?1
Weakens - Air, Fire
Weakened By - Wood, Spirit, Force

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>>3861564
Resources:
Different resources will give advantages to your nation, for instance if you have a horse icon under your nation and have used an action to domesticate those beasts you will now be able to field fire throwing Calvary and have something to help with your agriculture. Most important among the resources is probably the Salt resource which boosts your meat based foods and thus national nutrition through the introduction of low time preference salted meat trading. And as something that makes potatoe and cabbage soup that your nation's populace sustains upon a little less bland which is surely a decent bonus.

Background Fluff:
>From the depths ancient constructs and magics twist and turn, from the depths in ancient tombs, vaults meant to stand the tests of father time along with from the time capsules of civilizations long dead and the cursed grave sights of massacres long forgotten beasts reform. Minds meld back as the souls of the dead are thrust back into the material world. Your nation is alive once more, they can only remember how to crudely reform their ancient societies though, and they need your guidance. But blessed with your elemental sign they are forged anew, their potential is up to you to unlock, so from the places unknown in a world so dead they beckon to you, my lord. Can you build them back up? Can you reform the dead from the ashes? Can you create a civilization that will stand the test of time?

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>>3861566
(response to the last thread)
>>3853399
Though it has been deployed with great haste and a less than desirable number of veterans to lead and train it the new army has proven itself very capable in fast maneuvering and making sure to not get the attention of the Oni forces while there is still an element of surprise to be taken advantage of. For quite a while the Oni army of the canal is sandwiched in, being cut into 2/3rds of what it once was which now means that army is even more heavily outnumbered than before. But the arrival of a force of necrotics (a people who weaken the tarn, as if the empire didn't have enough weakening as it is) the Oni do now seem to have a chance of escape, just not total victory due to a horrific loss in numbers on their part. (tarn casualties were relatively low)

The few minotaurs who have taken up work raiding from the north are quashed, though their forces are relatively low due to a lack of Oni investment. The attempt to take the fort fails due to its distinct lack of outside water and hard to get to location, thankfully the taken land in the north should hault any future efforts to run supplies or armys through that passage in the future.

Using a small army of horses bought from independent sonarii ranchers and good old brute effort a decent amount of supplies is routed through the mostly uncontested north western part of the city through the walls.

Due to a lack of new phosphate the city of Kohai and much of its surrounding land has fallen into chaos as starvation has reactivated the rivalries formed during the Era of Division, the southern tarn have set up a perimeter to contain the anarchy within northern tarnish waters while the salt mine of the area has been seized by Shio led loyalist forces so that its salt does not go to waste in the hands of what they call traitors and thieves.

The fish diplomacy and trade with the totu has been declined by them, instead other tarnish goods such as spices and raw materials are being traded instead, things which are not as important right now as the nation seems on the brink of anarchy.

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>>3861568
(responses to DM sent turns and the turns themselves)
(sonarii)

Action 1:
With the discovery of Coal, the northern range has another draw toward lands already seen as high, lush and bountiful. And so the city-roost of Illfried is set up in the northern range... not only a hub for the mining of coal from nearby hills and mountains, but a hub for the spidersilk weavers and clothmakers to produce and refine their product and sell it onto markets both internal and external.

Action 2:
Enab Egnart, Duke of Stianbal, is displeased by the news from the Salt mines. When hoping to make a name for himself, he had envisioned a glorious war alongside the Lady Tonglo against the conniving Lord Giib. Not to have his mines disrupted by Totu slaves he wasn't even supposed to have been keeping anymore. Mobilizing his armies and obtaining force support from Duke Ordon and the Duchess of Tiztavaros, he cracks down hard; both upon the mines and on a tunnel network he finds running through his lands. Sonaria has no need for any malodorous Totu slaves now that there are clean, willing Tizta servants to take their places.
Diplomacy: Burned Men
>>3842557

As the Duke of Nakyle campaigns with the Burned King against the Faceless, he would at a quiet moment mention to King Alloheim that he should really think about upgrading away from the Verminous Totu. Where a Totu is naked and malodorous, a Tizta is clean and clothed; and will probably work harder and more loyally as they do not need enslavement. He offers a Tizta Princess and attendant servants for her as soon as one can be produced. He suggests that the Burned should think about getting rid of their Totu population before they start to cause trouble...

Diplomacy: Volt Polity
>>3841667

The Sonarii accompany the Volt Engineers as they investigate with Cyro Topelboc, heir presumptive to the Duchy of Larnet. Still barely out of childhood, the Young Sonarii has an enthusiasm for the Volters and the new ideas they might bring... a 'Storm Engine' made from combination technology sounds pretty awesome, even if it is just a name as yet.

Diplomacy: Plagasm
>>3840856

As firm allies in the Second Totu War, and current owners of nearly the entirety of the old Totu realm, the King of Sonaria asks if the Plagasm would be ready to stand with Sonaria again should the filth-monkeys launch a third conflict. Already there are signs that they may have done, if the salt-mine rising is part of a wider aggressive strategy...

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>>3861570
-Response-
(you are confused, by "northern range" I meant the stianbal mountains)
The new mining town, called Illfried (named for a legend about a mythical mountain chicken which fed the locals during a time of starvation through its donated seared flesh) is made up of mostly non-mountain born folk who were looking for work and thus stands in contrast to the more spiritual native people of stianbal. For now they coexist in peace mostly due to the optimism of the monks towards the hope that they can assimilate these newcomers like they did the heartland sonarii who settled in due to the Great War of the Sands. Due to the comparative costs of moving things to gurtand and then to this new town in comparison to other routes many of the relatively raw supplies of spider silk and cloth from both ends turn up in the city where the climate seems just perfect for the production of clothing and rope.

Using hired Plagasm Mercenaries (a profession which is gaining more and more popularity due to the Long War for Phosphate up north of stianbal) and Tizta ̶c̶a̶n̶o̶n̶ ̶f̶o̶d̶d̶e̶r *Loyal War Servants* the salt rebellion is swiftly crushed. But through captured filth monkeys a horrible rumor is conveyed to Enab Egnart about stories of the location of the settlement where the Filth Monkey Queen resides. The settlement is said to be found in the far West through the territory of the Totu friendly Tarnish Empire (which tarn it is cannot be said due to the lack of a distinction made by the detainees) on a series of islands which are said to be prime totu settling area, both abundant in sand and food. This news should not be justification for an expansion of course because the totu settlement could be on the other side of the Tarnish waters and thus too far for any invasion to be launched effectively and for any good islands to be colonized thus an expedition around the tarnish border waters must be taken part in using either rented iron ships or sonarii mobile fishing pads so that the location of this horrible settlement can be fully discerned and perhaps even quashed or brought under sonarii control.

Most of the forces including the leader of the band who were aiding the burned men in eradicating the faceless have died due to the use of overwhelming bending which destroyed both ally and foe alike.

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>>3861571
(Hingashi)
Action 1: Queen Esmeralda Is sent to Explore the underground of the abandoned city.

Action 2: General hive goals will work on cultural development in art, literature and music. A sort of mythological national epic is created to explain the birth of the Osuzu.

(Response)
The further down into the catacombs the Queen wanders the worse the air gets, until eventually they must rely on a crude form of echolocation in order to look around due to a snuffing of their torches. After some uneventful and extremely creepy wandering the cadre reaches a room filled with spores, Queen Esmeralda, confident due to her naturally extremely robust immune system and physiology enters the room and is "bitten" by some sort of spore infested creature which lept from a corner of the room, inflicting a wound in one of her joints. This paired with a minor earthquake led the team to abandon the expedition for the safety of the Queen and the acquired mapping which was gained from the experience.

Many great works are created, testing the very creativity and individuality of a few notable drones and princesses, in Narranva a great statue is erected of its Queen which is the envy of the world. A mythology is created which outlines the creator of the race, The All-Queen, a mighty goddess who lifted the Hingashi up from the world's most noble creature, the wasp in order to carry out her will in the face of great evil creatures which lie in the darkest corners of the world.

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>>3861572
(Volters)
>Action 1: Ruin Exploration Part V
'...And you didn't power it? Well do that! We're wasting taxpayer money just standing around. Take two powermancers, make them hold hands or whatever, and zap it. Shoo.'

It should be said that thunder priests are notoriously irresponsible with electrical devices.

>Action 2: The Storm Engine
The Sonarians developed an air-based machine called the wind engine to power and keep afloat the Wraith. We already know how to quickly design a lightning-based counterpart, thanks to our several investments in engineering, but the project planned to take advantage of the noticeable increase of power when lightning and wind energies mix. Simply put, a storm engine would be an hybrid design of a lightning engine strapped to a wind engine to create a feedback loop. Not simply just the sum of its parts, it would not double the power but instead square it exponentially, and could create more complex weather manipulations than either just a magnetic field or an updraft, combining the abilities to allow the future Thunderbird to ride tempests and storms like waves. For now, after much time ensuring the creation of a stable design (the beast is scarily powerful), the first Storm Engine V1 was installed on the Wraith for a test run, to see how fast it could perform the Volt Vault - Chalkeat run to present samples of aluminium to the Sonarian King. The storm engine was crafted out of steel that the Burned Men taught us to make, from the quality mountain ore present in our land. We cannot afford to mass-produce bone iron designs, though we might use it on occasion for important ships.

(response)
For a time the room seems to come to life, mechanisms can be heard all around and a great rumbling shakes the ground. But the electricity somehow becomes too much for the volter priests and the energy is sapped from them and absorbed into the crystal causing the structure to go back into dormancy. The priests are knocked into unconsciousness for a time and awaken with no strange knowledge gained besides the pain of the overload. But the wheel on the ceiling has indeed changed, once it was 10 symbols in an unbroken circle but now it is 15 symbols, 5 in the middle and 10 along the outside. The symbol of the Lightning bolt is shown as most notable while the symbol of the mountain, which has an arrow which points towards the lightning symbol is shown as another important symbol while all others are shown as equal. (from now on you may make attempts without an action, instead putting it as a diplo action(s))

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>>3861574
The new basic volter engines are found to be incredibly strong, requiring only a fair little level of electricity in order to power a propeller or wheel. But they require the use of hard to produce and rare metals (a few of the metals classified as "rare earth") in order to function and thus are extremely exclusive. But by using the power of air bending larger and even more efficient engines can be created, The Storm Engine. The biggest problem currently is the minor imperfections in design and the lack of decent control systems the new Wraith is left less adept at maneuvering but much faster and less floaty.

A small majority of the forces sent to aid the Burned men return scathed but alive. They tell of how the Burned men had created a massive fireball which grew so large it destroyed the landscape and incinerated the allied forces and faceless alike. Many of them are calling out for repercussions to be put on the Golden Dawn due to this irresponsible use of bending of mass destruction.

(burned men)
1. Preparations for a railway within the heartland of the Golden Dawn begin.

2. Sonari monster hunters are used in teams to carry the steel shells, to drop directly atop the faceless fort.

War: Necrotic workers tell of the war against the Iron Empire, where they shattered the very earth and devastated the capital of their enemy. King Alloheim has found his interest raised, and wants to attempt a similar war-ritual to obliterate the enemy fort. (Massive fireball coming from everyone's concentrated flame?)

(response)
Using designs inspired by the machines of the Volters a heat based engine is invented and using steel from the volters and through the purchasing of land from lords for use in the railroad a rail system can be created which will span from Faustic all the way down to Sonnen and Dawn's gate. Though only just to the entrance to dawn's gate as the tunnel is currently too small for a rail to be realistically placed. Emissia is left out for now due to greater priorities.

After the foreign forces are evacuated due to fear of incineration a great fireball is created by the army. This fireball eventually grows to powerful and explodes into a massive wave of fiery death which covers so far that it burns up most of the foreign armies and scorched the landscape so that all that remains is rock and scorched earth. Out of the enemy fortress a black smoke erupts which eventually covers an entire (tile) of space under a deadly mist in which shadowy creatures reside. About a third of the burned men, including Alloheim make it out alive as half had disappeared during the creation of the fireball and another third of the remaining forces died in the mist. The repercussions of this event already ring foul to the coffers of the nation and will especially do so if the foreign response is less than happy.

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>>3861578
(Augmir)
With the new tribe halls fully established, bringing back the old ways is the goal of the Jarl. Shipments upon shipments of wood are sent to Kalskrimir. Kalsk the Crafter has promised to improve the ships for a fleet of langskip, or warships, for the coastal raids. Long has tradition been that the Giants take from those who are least deserving in the eyes of their gods. Even the grand Allfather stated that those who blaspheme against the great giant gods deserve to die at the hands of the worthy. The worthy may take the spoils. Sometimes, if giants were beaten, that meant the gods saw their effort too little, and chose the others as their worthy. This only reignited the ferocity of the giants. These destructive conquests are part of the great hunt and those others who wish to falter in the face of battle are nothing but prey beneath the feet of giant kind. Kalsk the Craffter was also given specific orders by the Jarl to not only construct a fleet of langskip, but also begin the creation of the Isbrytir - a great dreadnought/Icebreaker ship to lead them. The creation of the flagship will take some time.
>Action 1
Begin the construction of the langskip fleet and its flagship, the Isbrytir
With the discovery of the new cryo-fluid, the great ice-druids and cryomancers of the Jarldom have come together to create a thrown projectile that upon breaking creates a large explosion of frost and ice. The creation of these flask like projectiles will be a combination of chemical cryomancy and the magic ruins of ice druids. This combo will allow for any unit to use these devices easily. On detonation, the liquid will superfreeze anything it comes into contact with, stifling any and all heat that it touches. The super frozen material will become extremely brittle, allowing for easy dispatch of any entities that are frozen by the cryo-flasks.
>Action 2 Begin development of Cryo Flasks; basically a frost grenade.

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>>3861581
(response)
A fleet of war worthy ships is established and they prove to be fairly useful even when there is nothing notable to hunt as they can haul much more fish and carry more balluga than the normal bare bones ships which have been used for the longest time. The great ship is taking much time to construct and there are many conflicting visions of its final design by those responsible for its creation. Currently there are two prevailing designs which have had some effort put into construction, the first is the Wooden Design which would indeed be quite grand but is going to take a long time to make and good wood is scarce. The second is the iceberg design which would use a massive iceberg as its base (wooden platforms would be put upon it and it would be reinforced daily through recooling bending efforts mostly using sea water) and would be capable of taking in normal sized warships which are hauled on to pads built into the ice. It is a truly ambitious design as its method of propulsion would involve forming ice behind it which would serve as both an obstacle for pursuing forces and as a way to get around without reliance on the wind for fast movement.

Due to the use of ceramic shells filled with cryo fluid along with being a relatively a large size these frost grenades are indeed powerful but are also quite expensive to produce and can only realistically be carried with two to four on a person, no more and no less unless the user wants to risk breaking one mid fight while it is not deployed.

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>>3861582
(Totu)
>Action 1 & 2: The Making of a Pearl
Distance is only half of what it takes to be safe. The Totu no longer possess the readily available masses to resist as they once had. A new age is inevitable.
Guided by the Sonarii's finest Totu ex-slaves, rebellion tinkerers, and whatever other educated help is available to her, Jeleva sets her workers to work creating a proper structural city as opposed to the sandy holes they've been used to thusfar.
The earliest of these buildings are dedicated to a proper industrial center as to facilitate the construction and future Totu tech.
Cannonball shipment regularity is dwarfed during this proccess.

>Diplomacy: Volters (Animal Alliance)
With virtually no reason to fear the small goat men, Jeleva sends word through the BM Enclave of a desire for a Volter embassy in Nacre for industrial reference and a tool for future diplomacy.

Diplomacy: Tarn
The fish request is declined as the Totu have found two sources of food as is on the island. The Tarn are thanked for their interest in the well being of Totukind.

>Diplomacy: Rebellion?
(I'm assuming this is a Totu rebellion since I don't own the salt)
It remains true that all Totu are welcome to Gurtland and all Gurtland Totu are welcome in Nacre. Respite can be found in these parts.

(response)
The new city's foundations are layed and construction goes as a steady place, in the end the city looks as though a more non-totu style city was laid atop a sturdy totu fortress from above while bellow great and expansive halls serve as a series both a very convenient nexuses and pathways and as a very strategic line up of choke points and rally points. On every roof a small garden is constructed which allows the city to support a small independent population, and on top of that many areas of readily available sand exist in order to feed the brood.

Spies have relayed that the sonarii probably now know of the existence of Nacre and maybe even how to get there. The salt rebellion has been crushed and now more than ever the remaining true totu are fleeing en mass to go join either the true Queen or her sonarii loyal counterpart, with only the Traitor Totu (so called Tizta) remaining to fill the void left by them. The port town created to facilitate travel is also starting to pack up for the savior land, only not fully left due to the prospect of more refugees.

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>>3861583
(plagasm)
Action 1: research the oil compare it to shadow coal
Action 2: I really can't think of anything else so lets do the sonarii stuff

(response)
No distinct similarities are found between the two, and attempts to mix them fail, it seems that shadow coal is simply better for smithing while oil is much better for non-bending engines. (bending is still much, much more efficient though)

A rail is built to haze while the local roads to Boneyard are upgraded. The rail then extends further to New Glecoone and Nafflec. Nafflec and Bertlowr are also connected alongside a new connection with the coal town of the sonarii in the north.

>>Yokai Lords

>1. Investigate the Spirits of other races
At the behest of the Plagasm empire and Yokai Lords Giib and Yugji, the Elseworld-Sect begin investigating into one the biggest mysteries of the Elseworld. Largely born from their interactions and discussions with the Church of the Burning Men: the question on if the other races of the world possessed a soul. An essence capable of becoming a spirit, and if those spirits would appear in the Elseworld or the Material world as they could see them. Mediums were sent to Duskfort, the edges of the Tarnish conflict, the Totu ruins, and deep into Entombed territory to investigate. Lore post in progress.

>2. Spirits of Guidance
With this new influx of spirit knowledge and understanding, it is not only the Mediums of the Sect that are excited. Yokai Lord Giib wishes to make a more materialistic use of the spirits. Using techniques brought back from Tonglo's channeling the spirits of the battlefield, and expanding off of spirits of sight, Giib has his men begin seeking out the guidance of the dead Oni. With the foresight of their fallen brethern helping the warriors avoid ambushes and target weak points in formations, the living and the dead work in harmony to fight their mutual foe.

>War Action: Reinforce the supply lines
With the influx of Entombed mercenaries from completing their spiritual request, Giib has their efforts spent on redoubling the supply lines to both of his forces. Smoothing out roads in general on the frontline to help ox drawn carts move faster, and more importantly, to deal with the eastern moat. Rather than continue a back and forth with bridges, Giib has the earthbenders simply fill in and completely eliminate the SE moat from play, forcing the river to go around the north moat instead, and leaving a nice dry, crocodile free, path to resupply the city.

>>3861584
(response)
The Oni outside of the city have taken heavy casualties, almost 33% of them now lie unable to fight or deceased. The reinforcement of plagasm troops is sadly to scarce to help much as that Oni army has to face down two whole Tarnish armies. Currently there are two options, either retreat into the city, fight on and likely fall or retreat back to a more secure and defensible position outside of the city.

The Oni in the city are making steady progress but the possible reopening of major tarnish supply lines may soon spell their downfall, thankfully the spirits of the fallen have significantly increased the survivability of the Oni, allowing them to wear down at a rate much slower than their tarnish adversaries.

>>3861585
>>3861568
*retcon* Most of the city is now under Oni control with the exception of a fairly sizeable contingent in the north west and the army that has flanked the oni between 2 armies is a new army which was recently raised and not the one in the city

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>>3861584
>>The Yokai Lords

>1.Weapon Factory
Though oni weaponry and smithing techniques are rather practical and advanced, Giib sees it as time for a more industrial approach to the process; Taking notes from the siege works, as well as rumors carried on by proud or enthusiastic Volter merchants about their grand factories and steelworks. Rather than custom weapons made with excessive amounts of metal, Giib instantiates a factory to begin streamlining the process and creating mass produced weapons and projectile heads for a fraction of the previous cost. The first batch is largely given to the minotaurs in the diplo action.

>2.The two armies
>Inside (blitz the city)
The call of Giib's banshee-horn is heard across the region, the signal has been received and the Oni inside the city advance. With their supply lines finally in a somewhat less tenuous state, and new food and clothing delivered, the Oni captains order a full blitz on the city. Using the guardian spirits, spirits of sight, and numerous reports from past engagements and recon, the city's layout is now rather well-known to the invaders and they take the most effective paths while attempting to avoid notorious chokepoints and ambush locations. Sandstorms are whipped up when obscuring mists are attempted, and few prisoners are taken in the mad dash for laying these weary defenders low. Nothing short of total domination will suffice now, the city must be taken, and the supplies they keep must be seized.

>Outside (Dig in to a foothold and force them to come at us)
Giib decides to not stand or run, but to sit in a defensive location like a proper Oni and force the enemy to come to him; counting on the rest of his forces to do their part. The totu under his command inform him of the tactics used to face an overwhelming force with artillery, the same tactics they used against the Sonarii. War engineers and earthbenders begin making trenches and fortifications for prolonged engagements, using a mix of totu, oni, and entombed architecture. Spirit fogs are also employed to make their exact movements and positioning harder to see. Meanwhile, the offense on the enemy siege is started: Though the Tarn have better ways of countering siege projectiles, they simply don't have the same number of siege equipment and metal compared to the Oni. Using Eoduun clan members to perform recon and mark exact locations of Tarnish cannons, artillery captains are tasked with overwhelming tarnish defenses at random intervals and completely breaking what few cannons they have. To protect their own, ox-draw carts are used to move the siege devices back and forth in the spirit fog, to prevent counter artillery strikes from landing.

(1/2)

>>3861957 (2/2)
>(Ouside action cont.)
If/when most of the Tarnish cannons are destroyed, the siege devices will then be used to target Tarn positions to the west and north, chipping them away. This should force the tarn into the same position that Giib was once in. If they stand still or leave, it is his own strategic victory. If they are forced to charge due to a lack of long-ranged options, the massed longbows and hawachas will be used to pick the infantry apart, and heavy infantry formations will be used to keep the chargers at bay with spear, shield, and walls. It is risky, but Giib hopes his interior forces will be able to completely eliminate the interior forces while the outside reinforcements are held at bay.

>War Action:Sounds like it is time for a Prison Break!
Though Giib has fewer Dodug clan members than Tonglo did, he intends to use them to their fullest. Sent in during the complete commotion and distraction brought about by the advancing army, Syndicate members use their full kits of stealth-based abilities to get to the PoW inside Koza. Told to kill whatever few guards are still left behind, and then to smuggle in as many basic weapons as they can to assist the PoW's prison break. Though Tonglo is too well guarded to be worth the trouble, the base-line oni grunts and several captains are broken out and told to begin disrupting the Tarn from within: taking supplies, preventing them from coming to fight the outside army, and regrouping with the main forces.

>Diplo
>Minos
While the cheaper weapons from the factory are not as needed for the already well-equipped armies of Giib, sans siege rounds, this frees up most of their product for other warriors. It is used as leverage to encourage the Minotaurs to begin their raids again in earnest. Told of the plump Tarnish supply lines coming in across land, and with new weapons in hand, Giib wishes the minotaur a good harvest.

>Golden Dawn
The news of the fate of those sent to face the faceless threat is ill-received by the Yokai Lords. Yugji is livid, to say the least. Even though it was not many of his own, a few Mediums from the Wonsi Lake were lost to the reckless use of wanton immolation. This further deepens his distaste for the Burned Men.
Mun is less irate, and is in fact rather intrigued of the exact implementation of such a devastating weapon, as well as the glorious damage it must have inflicted. However, he is not thrilled that as such damage was directed at their own numbers as much as it was the enemy. Mun sends a formal message to the King, lamenting the losses they suffered while also congratulating him on protecting his people and driving their enemies before them. He does, however, ask how the king plans to compensate for such reckless loss of life.

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>Action 1: The Thunderbird
It involved the brightest minds, the most capable powermancers, cooperation with an ally, enormous material investment and two catastrophic failures. Today, it was all meant to pay off. The Thunderbird, the co-developped vessel with the Sonari, was to take its first test flight, and expected to defy all expectations. Volters have never flown in the sky; even before the Fall, their favourite transportation method was the magrail. But this was a new world, with new rules, and they seized the opportunity to adapt. The sonarians enabled the flight of a craft in the first place; they also studied the rules of flight and designed the aerodynamic shell of the vessel. The volters contributed with the discovery and the manufacturing of the aluminium that makes the hull and designed the storm engine that powers it. It is riddled with quality sonarian sails that enables it to ride the wind or airbenders to give it ehnanced tactical steering in times of need; it features a volter e-comm array to enable it to stay in contact with the worldwide voltcom network at all times. It is equipped with all the advanced machinery of the polity that makes life easier, like electrical light for its rooms, and magnetic cranes for easy cargo manipulation. Should such a priceless machine be under threat, the Thunderbird is armed with air cannons on its sides; even if they are not so powerful, having a high altitude gives them a lot more range, and the ability to fire on the move. To ward against close-range unwated threats and intruders, it also has a powerful tesla coil.

Its powerful, hybrid storm engine destined it to be the fastest thing to ever fly. It could be used to create an updraft, as well as project magnetic fields. Not only this, but it was also thought that, like a true son of the sky, it would enable the vessel to get through thunderstorms unscathed, riding them like waves. The Thunderbird, a symbol of the alliance between two peoples, was designed to rule the skies, and a great many people were outside that day. None greater than Thunna our god; he, who still recovered from his lethargy, and to everyone's surprised, took heavy steps out of the vault, and raised his horned head high. Without a word, he blessed the sky, blessed the nation, and blessed our great machine. A powerful clamour came from the crowd; 'Thunna walks among us!' 'Thunna is well!' .Volters saw their god striding the Earth again, the hope concretized that he would get better, while the unsparked that were here that day stood in awe, as they have certainly heard, but never by their own eyes seen before, a literal god, perhaps the only one to have survived through the fall. Here stood a massive figure, ornamented and stern, with the obvious bearing of a deity, that dwarfed the whole assembly. There was wisdom in his eyes and grace in his movement as he bowed back to the Arbiter of the Polity that paid him respects. What could possibly ruin this historic day?

>>3861584
action 1: explore the connections between the spirits and birth rates
action 2:sell out the oil, maybe develop an engine for it while we're at it
>>3861570
no thank you the plagasm only cared for the desert territory as a spot for materials and the protection of necropolis

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>3861570

Diplomacy: Sonarii

The Sonarii hold a conclave at the request of King Largh. Duke Nelgran T'Ned of Nafflec takes his turn as host.

The First subject at hand is the matter of the Faceless detonation and the security of Isgwill. Though forces from Ducal Glecoone and the hunters have both taken damage to their numbers from the explosion, the damage done to these pales to the destruction wrought upon the Ducal army of Igswill; which was utterly annihilated in the Pyroclasm. With the former Duke Nakyle dead, the heir apparent to the Duchy is a babe still in swaddling clothes and drinking from the teat. Obviously, an infant of that age cannot rule his lands. However, neither is there an obvious alternate successor; as most of the Lordly houses under the Nakyle have been similarly decapitated. Therefore it is decided that the Duke's Widow will be allowed to reign as Duchess-Regent over Igswill, and the lands made secure and unchallenged until the heir comes into his majority and completes his path into adulthood.

The Second matter is that of King Largh himself, and he addresses this with a blunt directness. He is now an Old Sonarii. Crowned as a young man, he is now many, many years older then the Old King Anpa had been when his body had seized up. Although he plans to Keep hold of Glecoone, for a while; the King of Sonaria itself is a role he no longer feels fit for. Which is why the Abbot and the wind monks to join this conclave; for today he wants his succession decided.

The conclave discusses and debates, and a number of Candidates are put forward with others rejected. The field narrows as politics sway and challenges are made, and in the end; the numbers of the Dukes of Sonaria decide that their new King will be...

1) Enab Egnart - The Duke of Stianbal is regarded as a young upstart, but for good or ill his name has started to be known...
2 - 4) Nelgran T'Ned - The Host of the conference has rich lands and strong forces, but many regard his house as too pastoral, and him personally too untested.
5 - 6) Brue Cewayn - The Duke of Chaekleat has the name of his famous ancestor; though many wonder if that would really be enough, even with the strength of Chaelkeat.
7 - 15) Greyne Ulvall - The Duke of Alkilme is considered the strongest Candidate. Grandson of the former King Anpa, he is a trained and able Warrior; mature in head but young of heart. And as well as his ancestry, he is also by far the physically strongest of the candidates today.
16 - 19) Raca Ordon - The Duke of Damheust is wise and able, but is also the oldest of the standing Candidates by far. Nonetheless, to the younger Electors this is almost seen as another advantage...
20) Grech Sonivy - The only mere lord nominated, the Lord of Lansou has a keen, inquiring mind... though as his domains are vassal to Glecoone, many believe he would only be a stopgap to hold the place for another Vyden King... which some see as not entirely unwelcome.

>>3862489
>Diplomacy: Sonaria
Cyro Topelboc was flown to the Polity, where nobody cares that he's the son of a Duke and he has to fetch his drinks himself. To everyone's surprise, he adapted rather well. Perhaps because all he cared about was to ask questions of everything; what's that machine called? How's it work? What does it do? Back in Volt Vault, he was amazed at the electrical lights illuminating the plaza, kept pestering a powermancer about electricity and was very disappointed to hear that no, he could not attend the meeting of the Grand Polity. Volkon allowed him and his group anyway (after testing their competence) to peruse their gadgets and take a look at their attempts to bind a lightning and a wind engine (just tying them together didn't work). He was there when they finished, and also when they mounted it on the Wraith and he got to fly home briefly. Constructing the Thunderbird prototype took time, but he was there for the entirety of it too. The Volkon took a liking to his enthusiasm, and they convinced the other clans to let himsatisfy all of his curiosity about the volter way. Soon enough he was discussing economic theory with merchants and asking Kazira Tacho-Von about Thunna our god, which he got to meet, though discreetly, when he accompanied the Arbiter for an audience. Cyro learnt many things about us, and shares some of our knowledge; but just as well, he might have picked up some of our ideals... Not all the wisdom of the Polity was in engineering methods and wealth generation. The Polity was also the world's only Republic, and home to many different peoples, that enjoyed the same rights and the same respect. And above all, a profound committment to peace in the world. A wish to apply all this superb technology to peaceful ends only. It was unclear how much of the Polity's philosophical tenets resonated with Cyro, but he was seen exploring those 'new ideas' as well.

Cyro Topelbock now stands on the bridge of the prototype Thunderbird (having almost burnt his wings in the crash of an earlier prototype), blessed by the god of thunder. He was there when the people cheered. He was there when the horned god turned his head and the assembly went eerily, worryingly quiet. Concerns and horrified murmurs rose from the crowd while the chief communicator brought news from the frontline.

>>3861965
>>3861584
>>3861578
>>3861571

>1. The Grand Fuck-Up (later amended in official records and history books as the Broken Sun Summoning Incident)

Regret was an unfamiliar feeling for Alloheim. A deep coiling wrenching in his guts as the ash coated, shattered remains of his army and the armies of his allies marched North to Dawn's Gate. The (Nearest Plains tile to the wasteland) site of his old fortifications was already beginning the process of becoming a frontier town, as with most Burned Men fortifications once their purpose passes. Fresh eyed pilgrims walk past broken soldiers. The Faceless, the corrupted, fallen members of his flock have been scattered and destroyed for the hope of never returning to walk the land oncemore.

But the cost weighs heavy. His plan made out of the wish to spare the lives of his men and allies doomed them to destruction at their own hand.

Shame was another new feeling that he was now feeling with greater frequency. The act of being the great pillar your race relies on to lift them to greater heights and achievements... and seeming falling flat. These soldiers bled and survived unbelievable odds to be alive today. God-King Alloheim seeks to reward them justly, tying them to the land.
>TL:DR City founded on plains tile named Mourn. Early investments in the mining of the nearby hills and mountains. Soldiers are paid with the mine's stock, sonari, Oni, and Volter alike.

>2. Money and Men-Consumed in Flame
The loss of a good portion of the nation's fighting age men and money in one act is swift punch to the gut of the people. Lord's, scholars, and the King go about a quick drafting a plan that will allow the nation to weather this sudden loss of spending power and manpower. It is a drastic, but temporary shift to bolster the nation in its time of need. >The practice of multiple wives for the lordship is temporarily suspended. Those with more than one wife already will not be effected. The peasantry and labor pool need to expanded. A fund formed from interests of the Royal Bank is established to reward larger rural families. This will be subject to discussion of removal in 5 years, with a determining of effect.
>The national army is downsized for this 5 year term, however the soldiers are not released from duty, rather transferred into the service of loyal lords/Princes around the kingdom to divide the cost of one massive standing army.
>The lifetax is changed for this 5 year term, with guaranteed removal, to the age of 23 or upon the 1st birthday of their firstborn for women as a means of ensuring strong births and bolstering population.
>The Church has begun a winter ( non harvesting season) program for children born at this time. The program seeks to teach children the basic histories of their people, introduction mathematics, reading and writing from the scholars and monks. The parents pay in hours spent teaching their trade/craft to the students assigned to learn from them.
>CONT

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>>3862489

King Greyne is duly elected as King of Sonaria by the dukes and lords, under the guidance of the order of the Wind monks and in the presence of Szélfelet who roils above all.

Diplomacy: Volt

Duke Topelboc agrees to help with the supply for prototyping.

Diplomacy: Burned Men

The Sonarii are not best pleased with the annihilation of one of their Ducal armies, but they understand that the degree was not entirely intended as the Burned men took their own army fairly close to annihilation in the process. Sometimes things happen in war, however regrettable they may be... though King Greyne is certain the King of Golden Dawn intends to honor and aid the families of all of those affected by the detonation, as befits his innate nobility.

Should they wish to test this weapon again, once refined. he is sure that the rebel Totu have a squalid city that the world would be better for being rid of.

Diplomacy: Tarn

The Sonarii send messengers and letters to the Tarn to ask if they know anything about an outbreak of the verminous 'Totu' on an island within or nearby their territories. Furthermore, the Sonarii offer the Tarn assistance with any extermination of the pests that they should wish to undertake; suggesting it would be in the Tarn's own interest to take care of the problem before the Totu decide to attack the Tarn, as they are known for their aggression.

Action 1: The Town of Inorom is founded in the hills to the north of the Jungle, a region close to land good for production of hemp, jungle fruits and silk weaving.

Action 2: Before the detonation of the unintended Pyroclasm by their elemental manipulationists, the burned men employed Szélfelet's Monster Hunters to drop bombs from above onto the Faceless horde. With the technique known and proven, and able for demonstration by the hunters who managed to return home, the Sonarii see fit to add this weapon and method to their own arsenal.

>Diplomacy: Burned Men
Just like last time, the Ambassador was waiting expectedly for his counterpart. But he was far from a joking mood; he watched absent-mindedly through the window until the door opened.

"Ah", he said drily. The volter stared in silence for a long while. "You know, I lost my cousin yesterday. To think I presented to you the treaty that sealed his death."

More silence.

"I knew there was always a risk. We both did our duties. He had a bright career ahead of him, even if we had diametrically opposed philosophies, I still just wanted the best for family of mine. I just never thought it would happen like..."

He seemed to regain his focus and he pulled an ornate envelope. "There is a letter for your king. But of course, we're interested in what you have to say first." The envoy went back to staring in unpleasant silence, shutting out his emotions.

>>3862528
>Any student found to be incompetent in a trade or if their plea has merit, may request a different trade or life path (Scholar, priest, soldier, golem-keeper, etc). The children start at age 11-12, and when they complete their education at 16-17 they are considered adults of the empire. The teachers and parents are encourage to attempt "matching" of young girls and men, as a means of hoping they start families sooner. Orphans of the Empire are automatically put into this program, if they do not wish a life in the church.

>DIPLO

>Oni
Alloheim writes to Mun, as he reasons all other Yokai Lord's would not want to hear from him. His mistake cost the lives of his people's friend's warriors. While he knows he can not undo the shame he has committed, and can return no man to life, he seeks to show his sorrow and regret with a promise.

See PM.

>Sonaria

Seeking to not completely destroy the new relationship between Elder King Largh's empire and his own, Alloheim offers a 1/3 portion of Mourn to be ruled by Duke Nakyle's young heir upon his adulthood, as his father's life was lost for the vanquishing of the Faceless. The New King Greyne Ulvall is granted guardianship of the land until the boy comes of age. The North-West-South side of the side fall under Burned Men rule and control, while the East 1/3 is granted to the Sonari to control and dictate. The separations between the city districts serve as marketplaces and areas of mingling culture.

>Volter

After damaging the small Volter military in an instance of friendly fire, King Alloheim seeks to strengthen them by offering the outfitting of their aerial craft they produced with the Sonari with Burned Men armaments (Ballista/fire-lance, whatever works with weight. Fire Sprayer?) to make their new toys safe.

War Action: Bridge No More
The water benders are tasked entirely to destroy the bridge and any supplies that attempt to pass over the bridge the Oni have constructed. The mist is very thick at this point and shouldn’t dissipate for a while. A pounding rain turns the entire area into churned mud, the sort that traps hoof and wheel alike. The concentration of waterbenders on this issue allows the deployment of a new tactic, one only considered theoretically until now. Sheets of rain are collected above the battlefield, then dropped en masse on the enemy. The falling water is accelerated even further by the water benders, falling with such weight and velocity that it snaps necks and breaks bones on impact. The benders focus on supply carts first, before moving on to attack earthbenders and siege works.
The moat, meanwhile, is churned up into waves higher than a man, crashing over the bridge, taking chunks of mud and dirt along with man and beast alike. Tarns undermine the dirt with directed currents, causing parts to randomly collapse into the churning water. If anybody still somehow manages to cross, they are swiftly cut down with aqua bolts or Tarnish sword. An army of benders that once defended a city is now fully occupied in ensuring that absolutely nothing and no one gets over. Meanwhile, those Tarns not currently occupied by protecting the benders or cutting down supply carts advance west, into the city. Their movement should be relatively unhindered, given the fact that the inside Oni are currently focused on advancing west. Some track supply routes, using them to identify the Oni encampments. Others head around the city to help the rest of the Tarns in their own actions. As Bathys watches them funnel in, a new saying pops into his head. “Reinforce your flanks and you weaken your front, reinforce your front and your flanks will be weakened, reinforce them both and you weaken your entire structure.” He finds it sweetly ironic for a reason he can't quite grasp.

>>3862611
Action 1: Eliminate the Farside Army
The remaining 1/3rd army, apparently choosing to hold their ground, is torn to pieces by the still mostly intact armies of the Tarns. The few remaining siege engines are captured when possible, but most are destroyed. Supplies are seized and brought in through the convenient hole in the wall. Oni aren’t captured except in cases of open surrender and runners aren’t pursued unless they seem to be headed deeper into Tarnish territory. The Tarns are focused on finishing this fight quickly. As the last few stragglers are eliminated, the force splits up. The former canal-workers(along with a few volunteers) set to work repairing and improving the canal, while the new army as well as salt mine forces funnel into the city to help the army within. The new forces double or even triple the number of reinforcements in the city, with more soon to come from the recruitment camps in Hamet. They assist with the sudden problem of escaped prisoners(if this occurs) and with reinforcement of the existing Tarnish defenses.

Action 2: Sandwich 2, Electric Boogaloo (or Why You Shouldn’t Leave Flanking Lines Open)
The previous attack on the Oni inside the city was apparently unsuccessful, so the Tarn attempt a somewhat different tactic. The advancing army is met by about half of the Tarns, stopping them just inside the mist. While they fight, the other half circles around the city using the moat and mist for cover. They attack the advancing city-Oni from behind, destroying their vanguard and setting into their flanks. As the Oni are scattered, the other half of the army sets into the runners, killing or capturing as many as possible. Since most of the earthbenders and the focus of the army are concentrated on the western side, the eastern assault can proceed through the mist without disruption, so this should come as a surprise. Just in case the Oni manage to survive the two-front assault, some contingents of troops are tasked with conquering the Oni camps and killing any stragglers. If the Oni seem to be holding their own, the army will encamp, taking back the majority of the city and cutting the Oni off from their camps and whatever supplies they didn’t bring with them. Just in case the monsters still somehow manage to advance through the city, the western army will retreat back through the moat and join their eastern counterparts, effectively flipping the fronts. The remaining prisoners are sent through the newly rebuilt canal to Hamet, just in case. The city Oni are low on food, supplies, clothing, ammunition, and morale. An army stands between them and retreat, and a fresh one has just arrived to halt their new advance. Their defeat is as certain as the waves.

>Action 2: A Day For Peace
It was such a catastrophe. We had sent to the Golden Dawn many of our best and brightest: the Thunder Guard, and the extremely important Thunder Priests. And out of the 21 priests, only 8 came back, and their guards were decimated, trying to shield them. Out of the four commanders, none survived. Not a death in combat... A more awkward tragedy.

In one of his vary rare steps into the spotlight, Grand Priest of Thunna and Grand Arbiter of the Polity Kazira Tacho-Von stood to speak before his council and the crowd of clan representatives, grieving kin and shocked bystanders.

He swallowed and took a proper stance.

"Grief...

Unites a nation, for we seek solace in one another, in our time of need, we look to our fellow beings for relief and understanding. But such is the nature of war that it leaves questions with no palatable answers.

The tragedy that had befallen us... Reminds that no matter how justified the cause may be, a war is still a war. Wars are not good things. We do not wish to need for heroes, we do not wish to risk our sons and grieve our clans.

But what we witnessed... Was the culmination of the power of death, the likes of which should have never been made possible in the hands of mortals. Yet where we see danger and destruction, some only see opportunity and power. They are already dreaming about bending this forbidden carnage to their will and inflicting such devastation upon their enemies that our grief, today, would not be more than one tear in the sea.

But...I refuse to believe it is a fatality. I believe in Peace. Otherwise, I would not be the Arbiter of this Polity. And I do not blame great balls of fire, or refined methods of killing. The enemy of peace, is war. "

He takes a deep breath. His deep, unnaturally thunderous voice sounded through the mountains.

"Let us NOT wait that the world be consumed by fire and thunder! Let us speak our committment to peace right here and right now, on this day! Today, our sons will not have died for nothing. Let our grief warn the world about the cost of war, the folly of overwhelming destruction. Today, is a Day for Peace. A day for all the grieving mothers, the bereft fathers...The orphans and the widows. A day for their voice to be heard, for those who pay the true price to stand up and speak."

He shakes his head.

"Some in the world have called it naive. Some call it weak, some say it's prattling and nagging. I say these people, be they lords or not, are unwise like children, and simply fear to face the reality of their actions. We are pacifists because we are wise. And we are wise because we are not afraid to look one another in the eyes and understand our responsibility in the pain. We're responsible; we must be. For the sake of the world, seeing things like the Pyroclast...

I hope to god that we are responsible."

He steps back. In silence, he eyes the assembly.
>1/2

1. Death of a Queen
In the Birthing Chamber where Queen Esmerelda I gave birth to a new superior breed of wasp, she dies, murdered by her daughter in an act spun as mercy. Her latest brood, infected and sickly, are slain by her children at the order of Princess Irasee - who ascends to the throne of Barceleron after months of political maneuvering and assassinations. The last brood of her mother were weak and deformed, infected by some plague of the mind that caused them to wander into the depths. Her first order of business is to make peace with her Queen-Sisters. It was a defeat for Barceleron in the sense that Queen Esmerelda's designs on All-Queendom were smashed with her death. Irasee was ambitious, but not foolish. She would attempt to do with diplomacy what her mother had attempted to do through force. To that end, making peace and building her hive's industry was of peak priority. It was not the only thing that she would do. The second reason for peace was that she had need of her warriors. She orders them into the depths of the hive to cleanse it with fire and blood, stinger and spear. The spore creature responsible for the illness of her mother would not infect her and she would spend the life of every drone in the Hive to ensure that she reigned supreme and unchallenged in her halls.

2. Bending Improvements
The Hingashi benders continue to refine their craft through trial and error. The establishment of a specialized Hiver class and the foundations of a written language have allowed the educated caste to communicate and share ideas with one another. As a result, there is a wider spread of bender techniques and theory. One of these theories is the application of gravitational forces from a distance. Benders working in concert can manipulate the literal gravitational waves of the planet to move objects up and down. When applied with their previously development mechanics, the result is that far fewer osuzu are needed to operate the gravity levers that power much of the movement within hives. There are clear military applications to the new technique as well, but their development is slowed by the lack of conflict between Hives.

>2/2
Communications teams everywhere in the world were transcripting and spreading his speech, along with the news. A great wave of unity washed over the nation, as people reaffirmed their love of peace. Today and for every subsequent year the volters will all be reminded of the unity they share in the dream of Peace.The merchants were chittering about it outside, the Ambassadors relayed it to lords everywhere, and an awful lot of copies of Kazira's speech and essays on the volter ideology of pacifism inexplicably found their ways in the hands of thinkers from high and low classes alike in foreign lands, as if spread by invisible hands.

In Thunder Peak began the construction of a white statue. It featured a Thunder Guard on his knees, holding the body of a Faceless. Volters grieved for all the victims of the war, and they saw the Faceless as such; they lamented their monstrous transformation, and the necessity to conduct a bloody conflict with them.

The city usually so dynamic was gloomy and silent. It was home to many of the soldiers, and many of them did not return. The enthusiasm with the heroic profile of our army that took our nation like wildfire recently stopped abruptly and was replaced with a sorrowful need to worship the very idea of peace in the world. In a moment, without a warning, all was just... Gone.


>Free Action: Ruins
The Thunder Priest can take a hint and arranges for a necro to be brought here and act as grounding before trying again.

>>3861584
>>The Yokai Lords

LORE for action 1: Investigate the spirits of other races
As a general understanding of the Elseworld-Sect, Spirits can exist in four major states.
>Interwoven in a living body, where they naturally generate/exist in the material plane and are can't be separated from the body and mind without causing extensive damage.
>Existing in the Elseworld/Spirit realm, where they should naturally be when they aren't in a body.
>Free floating as a spirits in the material plane, where they typically should not be. Usually someone that was very attached to life in one form or another; one who managed to hang on and not get their soul sucked into the Elseworld.
>Binded/Bonded into a vessel/body in the material plane. The Oni's approach to dealing with free floaters, besides exorcism, and putting them to useful ends.

The Elseworld-sect were able to explore a monumental amount of battlefields and graveyards across the eastern, western, and southern neighbors of the Oni. With use of both modern and archaic methods of spiritual detection and communion, several observations and variations were found. For now, most observations can only be taken for free floating spirits, and not those in the Elseworld.

>Entombed souls
As they were the ones requesting the investigation, the Entombed received the most study, both in and off battle fields. Due to their rather bizarre method of reproduction and lack of aging, the number of fresh spirits in their population centers were almost non-existent, as the spirit of the parent is immediately funneled into the new life. Leaving highly populated locations almost completely absent of spirits, an oddity compared to the rest of the world. At first this led the Oni to think that Entombed spirits would only exist in warzones. While they do linger there in sizable numbers, it was on the journey to those warzones that revealed where the majority of Entombed spirits really lay. In ruins, monuments, and other locations of historic or cultural importance to the Plagasm. That is where an unprecedented and untold number of spirits dwell, even more so than could feasibly be made from the death of all currently alive Entombed. Perhaps it was in the Entombed's nature to seek out and appreciate the history of the world, beyond death, and beyond the fall.

It was also here that one unique observation was found. The Entombed that happened to have children in these locations: their children had a much higher chance of retaining their memories from their parents, and not wiping their minds clean from the birthing process. Through a few, somewhat intrusive, experiments the Mediums hypothesized that perhaps the infusion of an entombed spirit with an entombed child was a factor for retaining memories and personality. And in cultural locations with high concentrations of spirits, that was more likely to occur.

>>3861584
>>3862912

>Burned Men souls
The other major question to the Elseworld-Sect, Church of the Divine Flame's claims of reincarnation for the burned men. While the discoveries of the entombed had definitely lent credence to such ideologies having basis in reality, the initial discoveries in Duskfort appeared to fly right in the face of their claims. At dusk fort, and also spread across the various oni fields where burned men had once skirmished, Burned men spirits drift across reality like any other. Not drawn to a new body, but left to float in limbo. At first it was thought of as a misinterpretation of the Burned Men's natural ability to grant their flame from one to another, conflating inner flame with soul. But once the Mediums went into the Golden Dawn proper, and especially beyond the Dawn's Spine, the truth was revealed to them.
There, no spirit belonging to a burned man existed at all. The occasional spirit of another race or animal was found, but it appeared that the burned men's spirit only existed in body. Taking heed of the teachings of the Church, the Mediums get permission to study a burning man on deaths door; A victim of the faceless purges. When he died, it appeared as if his spirit began to exit his body, but just as fast, it appeared to combust into the Elseworld, leaving one Medium with flaming dousing rods. Though they could investigate further, it did seem as if the Church's gospel had it right in this case; so long as a burned man existed in their Sun King's domain, his soul would rekindle anew.

>Totu souls
Rather neurotic and quick to panic; these spirits are often very quick to agree to deals, or join up with other spirits into a cloud of specters. Perhaps desiring a sense of belonging and community that they had in life. It is currently unknown if a Totu queen's spirit has the same dominion over totu spirits in the Elseworld or not, but since no Totu queen has historically been reported dead there were none to be found free-floating.

>Tarn souls
Quite numerous around Koza, and though the fighting prevented as deep of an investigation as the Mediums would've liked, they did notice one major thing. The Tarn spirits felt rather out of place in the material world, even more so than a normal spirit. Some Mediums from Tonglo hypothesis that the Tarns are not even from the same world as us, analogous to the monsters outside the pylons. That train of thought is seen as rather bigoted, and the more accepted theory is that Tarnish Spirits are simply more at home in an aquatic environment. At the very least, it does help distinguish Tarnish spirits from others, to help better protect an inexperienced Medium from calling upon a vengeful Tarn.

>>The Yokai Lords

>Entombed
>>3862484 >>3861584
See >>3862912 for some ideas/ways to expand off of.

>Diplo
>>3862570 Burned Men and >>3862780
Though Mun is physically stimulated by such a promise, he understands the costs and risks associated would simply be too much for the King and his people right now. A proper Lord must first defend his people, then see to his people's needs. The King has done the first and must now focus on the second. Though the wasteful loss of life is regrettable, the Oni mercenaries knew what they were signing up for. A warrior is always taunting death. Mun cannot fault them for trying their best, and at the very least, they died in a glorious fashion. Hopefully their spirits will take solace in that and find peace in the Elseworld.
He will keep the favor on hand, and still plans to make full use of it when the time is right.

It takes a little while longer for Giib to even become aware of the situation, actually informed from Sonarii mailmen passing by the Volter's multi-paged speech, in triplicate. He expresses intrigue, and jokingly suggests that he could go for some Fried Fish if the king were to offer. Considering Giib's mercenaries had largely returned to help him in his own war, he is none the worse for ware from the event.

Yugji meanwhile spins the Volter's transcript to help reaffirm the lords and guards under his banner against the Golden Dawn, making sure that Mun is always checked before he makes any sizable agreements with them.

>Totu
While Yokai Lord Mun is the newest of the Yokai Lords, he understands that it is his place as the central lord to try and maintain the balance of power and tend to the needs of his peers when the situation demands. Tonglo's fall has been known for a while, though she still lives to his knowledge. If both Tonglo and Giib were to be captured in this war, or worse killed, then the southern domains would most likely devolve into infighting and chaos until a new Yokai Lord could emerge. While it would personally benefit Mun a great deal, allowing him to seize many of the northern jungle tiles as his own, it would be a great blow to the Oni people.

To counter this, Yokai Lord Mun approaches the Totu in Gurtand. He suggests to the Totu to consider sending a sizable force to assist Giib, either his main force or the minotaur allies. Suggesting that Giib would be quite pleased with the Totu for the assistance, and likely be rewarded for such proactive behavior. Backing up the carrot with the stick, Mun also reminds the Totu that the Sonarii are not allowed in the Tonglo pass or its conflict, and a location with both spirit and dark benders would be one of the safest havens for a Totu.

>Diplomacy
>Totu
While committed to linking the world together, the Polity remarks that the Totu currently have very bad relations with Sonaria, their ally. They need some time to think about it and make sure that whatever their decision is, their neighbor does not perceive it as a betrayal.

>Ice Giants
A party of hunters from another race were found to have made it past the Northern Wastelands and they arrived at a frontier farming clan's land. After an unexpected scuffle with the border guard, the strangers were invited to a feast and met with a Thunder Priest that told them of Thunna, God of Thunder, while they spoke of their lands and customs. The volters remarked later that their views on war were diametrically opposed and worry that this will lead to conflict when the time comes. Nonetheless, the ice giants were allowed to depart and return home, bringing word of the southern world, potatoes and voltka, the potato alcohol that burns very hot and hits very hard. Girni, a local thunder guard, expresses his concerns about these beings who mix tremendous size and an appetite for warfare, and what he terms to be 'dangerous beliefs'. The Pyroclast disaster could not possibly hit at a worst timing.

The Polity prays that in the end, Peace will prevail.

> Minotaurs
Spurred on by Kazira's adress to the nation, the diplomatic corps of the Polity finds a newfound strenght in committment to its venerable mission. They send an envoy to the rumoured minotaurs in the East with some diplomatic service agents. In truth, they have heard nothing but bad things about this people, and that is why they are here. If they are never presented with the enlightened alternative of the Polity's pacifist philosophies, how can they understand the error in their violent ways? But first, the envoy must establish a dialogue and gain their respect, and that is his mandate.

Time is of the Essence to the Totu. As their ancient foes openly humiliate the Totu culture and commit horrendous taboo's, Jeleva finds her mere diplomacy to be the subject of debate as the Nation's existence causes fear among the mighty. What had once been a job of opulence and prestige is now a hotbed, breeding only stress and sleepless nights.
This growing frustration is noticed by Inalla -- a bright young princess of Jeleva's first brood, born to the tinkerers of the coast -- who convinces Inalla to leave her in charge of logistics for the time being and take a break.

>Frontier to Frontier
Jeleva orders troops to conduct undercover surveillance in order to monitor safe passage and assist in the mobility of Totu refugee's. These Totu are to be drafted into Gurtland Artillery Divisions and shipped off to assist Giib.

>Academic Leisure
With basic needs taken care of, including work, food, homes, and defense, Jeleva gives her men and women some time to rest. She suggests that they spend their time enjoying the luscious sands. Jeleva and her suitors also partake in this event, though with less emphasis on pleasure. An investigation is conducted on the sand ruins found upon their arrival.

>Diplomacy: Burned Men
The Volty have had their chance. The Totu seek enlightened mind and having recently made renovations to their kingdom to facilitate the survival of surface species, they humbly request an embassy under the same conditions as proposed to the Volty to lesser industrialists and scientists. They warn that with the establishment of Nacre, the Totu Enclave hasn't much future use except as an embassy.

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>>3862403
>>3862780
Even with air cannons the and coils the firepower of this craft does lend something to be desired, it can't go very high or low quickly especially with volter passengers due to the less capable altitude adapting systems which untrained volters possess and of course that and the use of the coils sometimes leads to damage in the sonarii sail parts which make up some of the more redundant but still incredibly important maneuvering sails this new powerful machine still shows itself to be the envy of the world, with capabilities which make it perfect for light cargo and scouting purposes alike, while still combining a relatively cheap production process with amazing quality (mostly thanks to hired men of metal who inspect and tweek the metal components during the final stages of production) thus forming a technically primitive yet extremely effective air vehicle for use as a transportation luxury for those with money, as the world's finest light cargo freighter and as a tactically capable and potentially war changing device for use against the enemies of the newly bonded sonarii and volter nations.

Thunna is awake and the nation rejoices at this fact despite his less than brutally legendary (though still hugely impressive) power levels at the moment. But the sadness of the news holds heavy on his heart so soon after the restoration of his physical form, in his fractured memories he knows he has carried through worse events but the grief still harms his continued process of reperfecting his physique after years of being practically dead. Even still he is strong, and his leadership is the most important part in keeping feelings of resentment towards the burned men and foreigners in general by many volters appalled by the catastrophic from letting their emotions seep too deeply into national politics. The anti-war propaganda spreads across the world, many different peoples hear its tune, few listen but then again, a few listened.

With the regulation of power which the necrotic is able to provide through a weakening of electric powers and a drawing of excess electricity into the ground the machinations of the orb finally come to fruition as a single massive door to an ancient hallway slowly creeps open.

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>>3865296
(cont.)
The air dilutes, bringing with it from those unknown places a kind of air which is both heavy and stale, filled to the brim with a feint green glow. The new area which can now be accessed goes on until the end of the orb before taking a sharp turn to the left, right before this turn lies a plaque which must be cleared of dust before it is read. Upon its surface lies a message written in a half legible form of Volter writing which reads as follows:

>To Those Who Yet Still Live, And To The Friendship Which Almost Saved The World

These words do not ring very heavy to the volters but do attract the interest of the Necrotic who helped with the powering process causing the group to move forward faster as the haste brought on by a new source of knowledge fills the head of this mover of earth. Beyond the hall a crypt of jars begins, endless line after endless line of jars filled with a glowing green liquid. Each of these containers all seem to hold some sort of strange large headed machine, no volter nor the necrotic dare touch these jars just yet as there is more hallway to explore.

At the end of the crypt, up many stairs and down many ladders encompassing the entire structure a final, larger room is found. A room which is filled with ruined tools, books and a coffin filled with dust. The Necrotic Claims first read over every book, with assistance from a volter of course while the leader of the volters looks at a carving in the wall which shows a set of specific instructions on how to activate the strange machines from the halls along with a diagram explaining what they are.

It seems these machines are a form of former sentient race turned servant/machine/creature due to... reasons (the long carving doesn't say exactly why) which is capable of following both electronic and voice commands with the precision of a sentient being while having control over the element of "Change", an element which lies right between electric, earth and metal on the wheel of elements. There are enough of them to potentially supply the entire nation with these things, perhaps even more than enough if they are ordered to reproduce in large numbers since that is something they are capable of doing. Though testing should probably be done to see what exactly they are capable of before they are unleashed upon the public as they could turn out to be more of a plague than a blessing.

>>3862484
See ( >>3862912 ) for info on plagasm for the relationship between birthrates and spirits
A dual oil-bending engine is invented which can run on oil for short periods of time or to compensate for moments of weakness by the benders powering said engines.

>>3862564
The new town increases the demand for a closing of the northern divide between the burned men and the sonarii.

These battle proven techniques are now taught to new aspirants, increasing the training time while providing more reason to get out and fly, something which helps to make becoming a hunter that much more desirable as opposed to the less exciting escort or guard positions available to those with the physical credentials to want to take up such occupations.

With the spreading of anti-war propaganda by the volters the cities bordering the central sea along with parts of the city of vinconro begin to take on a much more volter like attitude towards not only warfare but conflict in general. Democratic councils also begin popping up in the place of noble representatives in the newer areas of those cities.

>>3862528
The new city grows very quickly but soon peters out into a more stable level, showing itself to be smaller yet still reasonably notable among the eastern cities due to its local mining industry.

The new programs require a higher level of taxation which causes quite a bit of ruckus among the landed and at this point ancient nobility, out of this nobility a group nicknamed "Solites" is formed in staunch opposition to the lessened levels of noble supremacy perceived to be within the new god king.. The projected population growth is going beyond potentially manageable levels, it is recommended by the advisers that the necessary funds required to start an expansion, even just a minor one into the untouched southern lands and the ocean could help to support the nation's growth over the next few decades.

>>3862798
The soldiers sent in to clear the catacombs out come back sick if at all, they state that the fungus down there is growing at an unprecedented rate, possibly feeding off of the troops who have succumbed to the spores. This alongside the spread of this illness among the lesser sub hives means that even more drastic action will need to be taken in order to stop this disease from destroying not only the hives once belonging to esmeralda but all of the other hives as well. Perhaps the accepted peace which has been brought through the cooperation of hinga will end up allowing the wiggle room needed to break the rope slowly enveloping the body of the hives of Queen Irasee.

The growing educated class gains even further gains from the discovery of a more viable material to write on, that being proper flax based paper. When combined with ink harvested in the waters off of Tolede education can continue to expand and grow in prominence alongside importance. More free workers means more room for farming and hunting, through the refinement and expansion of mead making techniques combined with recent discoveries in edible plants which can be added to mead the populations of the hives are expanded further.

>>3864079
The new much more massive use of totu on the side of tarn finally shows the Giib the true loyalties of the Totu in a time when Gurtand is becoming rapidly depopulated during a time when aid from the totu is most needed by them.

(the ruins are not in your territory so you will be exploring the great crater)
The mathematicians cannot be wrong on this matter, the thing which made this crater would have had to be dropped (not hurled) from many miles in the sky and would have to have a diameter which would make it impossible to have been carried so far up. This prospect when combined with the slightly toxic pinkish water of the area suggests some sort of exotic resource under its surface, and since the weather of the crater is not particularly bad and the sand is not particularly toxic the Jeleva start a private dig using their servants for the bulk of the labor.

Thankfully it seems the theory of an exotic resource was indeed correct as a mildly water reactive kind of pink crystal is found underground. These crystals have reason to be sought after for two primary reasons: firstly they glow, which makes them very pretty when encased in a protective glass shell and secondly they seem to be lighter than air or may even have special anti-gravitational properties. Exactly which explanation is correct does not urk the Jeleva to much though as the wealth she will gain from this through exports and as an exotic form of high level payment (as opposed to less readily available resources such as gold or silver) for those who do exceptional work is not to be understated. Very quickly she established a mine so that this resource may benefit her kingdom to its fullest extent.

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>>3862611
>>3862613
The Plan in the city has failed miserably, and now the very object of the war has been taken. On top of that sizable forces of minotaurs are raiding the salt mines and trying to conquer territory not to far north, these minotaurs being equipped with unusually standard looking weaponry. But with Totu support the Oni army outside the city has been destroyed and a little over a whole Tarnish army and a half (mostly thanks to the retreat of those north western forces) remains standing outside of the city. Offense may not be a Tarnish specialty but right now offense is what they need. Backline forces meant to guard and provide a portion of the storm support may be ordered to swim/move forward to the frontline in order to bolster the Tarnish numbers.

A backline prison break has occurred but it has been kept intentionally small by the bought out dodug, they now claim this is enough and that they should have their island now but they could be used soon before they get to pissy at the lack of stuff.

The anarchy is spreading, a salt mine has been lost and the nearby two cities may soon fall. Fears begin to rise that the southerners may try to "enforce peace" if the anarchy proves to much and the northern government falls into an overly vulnerable state. But for now they have raised half a pure tarnish army which could be accepted and shipped for the retaking of the city if the northern government would like.

Action 1: Let's Split the Army
The Tarnish army fans out, aiming both to secure their own supply lines and eliminate the oppositions. A sixth of the army splits off to protect the canal leading into Koza, while another sixth travels north with the Dodug to assist them in their operation(see diplo). The remainder of the army sets up around the city, aiming to cover any weak points and guard against breakout attempts.

Action 2: More Recruitment
Continued recruitment from Hamet is supplemented with aggressive recruitment and training of crocodile-tamers specifically. These tamers loose their beasts into the moat surrounding Koza, where they lie in wait to trap unsuspecting prey.

War Action: Food rationing
Food and fertilizer rationing programs are implemented across the country, somewhat equalizing the burdens created by the loss of Koza. Disaffected youth from Kohai and revolting areas are lured into the military pipeline with promises of food and glory.

>Diplo: Dodug
The Dodug are thanked for their patience and given their mission. They are to head north under cover of darkness to the pass through which the Oni have been supplying their army. There, they will assassinate any guards, allowing part of the Tarnish army to march in and fully conquer the pass. The Tarns will generate mass storms to both conceal the Dodug’s operation and assist in their own attack. Upon confirmation of the pass being secured, the Dodug will be taken to their island.

>Diplo: Southern Tarn
The Southern Tarns are thanked for their “gracious” attempt at assistance and requested to send fertilizer instead of an army. However, the soldiers could be useful in helping the Northern Tarns elsewhere, such as by bolstering the ranks of the Kuro army.

>>3863712
Most attempts at diplomacy with the minotaur fail as any sent in envoys or groups get essentially curb stomped by minotaur hunters. After the first few failed attempts a well armed diplomatic group made up of well trained volter guards manages to knock some sense into the minotaur hunters who they would like to speak to. These hunters are open to trade but also speak of how their race prefers fighting to trade most of the time. They have pointed the volters in the general direction of the great city of Black Metal, where the Great King of the Metal Mountain resides, along with the general location of the greatest uncontested complexes of The Great Network where many lesser Kings reside. After that they directed the group to a meeting with their Chief, who in seeing the great power which the Volters can on occasion show themselves to have decides to try to get a Neutral Trader system going through giving special flags to traders so that they won't be raided as often.

>>3865298
Action 1: try to sell off the engines
Action 2: test reproduction at ruins

Action 1: The Goats Who Stare At Men (MK Ultra I)
The volters stared at the burned man that was sitting on the chair. They said nothing as they concentrated. He did not know why he was there; he simply stared back, a bit confused. Slowly, he unravelled his legs, then he quietly slid off the chair and sat down on the ground, moved by a strange compulsion. He crossed his legs and put his hands on his knees. The Powermancers and Disruptors looked at each other. The nervous system and brain of (most) beings had a tiny bit of electricty, like a volter's Spark, that's how it worked; that is why Thunna is also a god of life, and that is the basis of electrotherapy. But less known was that through magnetic field manipulation other living beings could be 'influenced' and given compulsions. This skill was known as Electropathy and it was thought that ambassadors and arbiters used it unconsciously in the field of their duties to influence their audience. The secret project known as MKUltra seeks to make use of this directly by attempting to train our ambassadors and Disruptors to have conscious control over this ability, which would help them in their work.

Action 2: Test Drive For The Machines
What a curious find...We were eager to know more. The city itself will provide a properly safe ground to test these beings. We reactivated a bunch of them and attempted to communicate, question them. Then we gave them simple commands, then more and more complex. We tested whether or not they would harm a living being. We asked them what 'Change' was. And then, we tasked them with restoring this ruined city to its former self.

Diplomacy: Minotaurs
Using one of our excellent thunderbirds, we establish a direct trade relationship with the minotaurs. This and that, but mostly bone iron as it is a strategic material for any high-quality airships we might want to make one day. In truth, though, the trade is simply a cover for our diplomatic operation. The ambassadors are given all the resources they want, be it gifts or skilled men, to further their influence within the minotaur realms and meet with this High King of theirs, and attempt to forge amicable relations.

Meanwhile, our special diplomatic service agents use their skills on a parallel mission. There is no nation without its dissenters, its contrarians, basically, 'those who don't fit the mold'. The agents are to flag down these individuals and get information on the interesting ones. If they seem to hate it there, we are sure that there might be some room on the thunderbird for them to get shipped quietly to the Polity, where they can tell us more about their nation...

Diplomacy: Golden Dawn
Following a meeting between Alloheim and Thunna our god, the Golden Dawn is allowed to call upon some of our services for the days ahead.

>Diplomacy: Sonaria
The Thunderbird, first of the name, makes a mighty arrival in Chalkeat. It carries none other than the arbiter of the Volkon engineering clan himself, who came personally from Volt Vault in record time to present the creation. It is a glorious symbol of what both these peoples can accomplish when they cooperate... The airship also brings Cyro Topelboc back home to his father, with all that he's learned from us.

1. Clear the Lower Levels
The other Hives see clearly the threat spreading from under the mountain. It is likely that the infection below is what destroyed the hive in the past, though there is little oral record of such a thing. A unified effort is made to handle the threat, with the primary method being to simply flood the lower levels where the fungus is with water, then seal it off with rock and hope for the best. In any event, much of the hive's once populous tunnels lie emptied as the infection took its tool and the purges took yet more. Barceleron would survive, but as a rump Hive among its more populous sister. Irasee's ambition to seize control of the hives was done in by a sleeping pest. Her ambitions had not cooled in the meantime, but it would be up to her children to carry on such a bold legacy for it would not be within Irasee's reach in her lifetime.

2. Expand North
In the wake of Barceleron's decimation there was another exodus of Osuzu north, mostly refugees fleeing from the wave of sickness that was headed south. These new settlements soon came under Barcelron's umbrella, though the Queen's influence was hardly felt so reduced was her power.

>>3865300
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Dump the phosphorous into the moat ("If you want it so bad, you can have it!")
With the seizing of the city, Giib's army now has access to the stockpiles of supplies once held by the Tarn, which should hopefully last them a little while into the siege. Of course, among the many supplies being that had been brought into the city, lay the stockpiles of phosphorous that never had a chance to get transported back into the Tarnish farms. While initially overlooked for proper food and arms, one officer noticed a particularly fascinating thing about how the unsealed mines had bloomed algae. Preventing almost any animals from living in the flooded mines compared to the puddles across the city.
The tactic of dumping phosphorous into the moat begins in earnest. Driving the air out of the water, and forcing the Tarn to resurface far more frequently, the Oni longbow men soon begin "shooting tarn in a barrel" from the walls of the city.

>2: Restructure Koza Defenses
With the city under control, it is paramount to re-purpose the defenses and structures to suit the Oni's needs. Earthbenders and war engineers are used to implement plumbing to prevent rainwater from accumulating and to divert flooding attempts. Work on repairing some of the major buildings and breaches in the walls also begins, providing Oni archers higher locations to fire down from and dry roofs to rest beneath.

>War Action: Fully retake the Damworks
The Tarnish force that went around the Damworks to assault the fort have largely remained isolated from their main force and the protection of the river. And with the majority of the Tarnish forces focused entirely on the city itself, now is the perfect time to strike. Oni-Mino forces from the damworks and the fort pincer them, capturing any that choose to surrender. Then they move on to push back the defenders on the river far enough to establish full control over the damworks.

>Diplo
As the daily Sonarii scouts survey the comedy below them, an Oni banner is unfurled from the city of Koza, calling them down to parlay. Giib meets the messenger and expresses his newfound appreciation for Sonarii's superiority in flight. His call for meeting is two-fold. First, he wishes to establish some covert supply runs for his army, during the night to avoid suspicion. Though he does not have much at the moment to offer in the immediate, should he retain his power after this little war, he should be able to easily strike some deals for metals, stone, and is even willing to share the bounties of the phosphorous unlike the rather insular Tarn.
Alternatively, due to a most recent and unexpected betrayal, Giib now has a sudden sympathy for the Sonarii's plight against the Totu. He informs the Sonarii of the Tarn harboring Totu, and makes a subtle aside that with most of his standing army engaged in battle, Giib's cityguards will be unable to come to the aid should Gurtand come under assault. And he promises to look the other way.

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>>3865298
>>3865300

Diplomacy: Sonarii

As a duly elected individual himself, King Greyne welcomes the newly establishing democratic councils as a sign of the increasing population and prosperity of his realm. The Sonarii traditions of nobility are, after all, built upon a (vaguely) democratic base; and he makes a public tour of his realm, meeting with the many council-elected Lordlings who made his election as King possible; shaking hands and showing royal strength and splendor. He reminds the Pacifists that Sonaria is a realm that has never launched an unprovoked aggressive war; and that he, too, looks forward to the defeat of the Totu menace so that these uncontrolled warmongers can never again threaten the peace of Sonaria.


Diplomacy: Golden Dawn
>>3862570

A letter is sent to King Alloheim, announcing to him that Sonaria intends to claim the mountains north of Inorom to close a part of the northern divide between their kingdoms. It suggests to the King that Golden Dawn should take possession of the lower lands in the divide at this time; so that both nations might arrange a final and definitive international border.


Action 1:

With the people clamoring for a close in the divide, King Greyne agrees to support their wishes, and orders an expansion. The 8 hexters of mountain that lie to the north between Inorom and the Golden dawn border are to be claimed for Sonaria. As the Burned men are not known to travel well through their their own high peaks (The fact a tunnel was needed for them to cross from Firestone to Dawn's gate is well known) the Sonarii do not expect this to cause any problems.

If the burned men join their efforts to close the gap, Sonaria will give the burned claims to the rest of this region priority. If they decline, then Sonaria is also prepared to take the remainder of the hills north of Nafflec; but the plainslands south of Mourn and the triangle of Grasslands between the Oni lands and Golden Dawn are not to be taken by Sonaria under any circumstances.

Any remainder of the expansion, after Golden Dawn's choices decide where the northern border will fall, will be placed in the south-west where the Duke of Chaelkeat's ocean possessions appear to border upon another unclaimed island.

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>>3866566

Diplomacy: Volt Polity

>>3866340
The arrival of the Thunderbird is met with praise and rapturous approval as it draws into sight of the city. It stands as vindication that, though not believers of Szélfelet, the Volters are nonetheless truly favored by the roiling skies; and shows the wisdom of the co-operative venture that both nations undertook. The Sonarii just hope that the industry of their nations is going to be able to keep up with all the production orders that are going to be coming in for these marvelous machines.

Diplomacy: Oni Lord Giib
>>3866512

The decision of Lord Giib to turn against the renegade Totu he'd been harboring is most welcome in Sonaria. The Sonarii ambassador states that their delivery service has no issue with making delivery to any who hay them; though there will of course be a significant 'danger' stipend payable should they come under threat. What does lord Giib need delivering, and how quickly can they get it loaded?

Giib is also asked what he wants to happen to Gurtand, once the city has been made clean. Will he want Tizta to live there and replace the Totu? Or does he just want the city to be struck from the world?

Action 2:

The Duke of Chaelkeat sets up the town of Drichbad upon the hilly, forested island within his oceanside domains

War Action:

Sella Lek, Sonarian Duchess of Tiztavaros and Queen of the pure, clean Tizta is washed, perfumed and dressed in fine armoured spider-silks as her army is made ready to face the degenerate filth-kin. The Duchy of Stianbal has provided her armies with Elephants, and whilst the expectation is that she will never even get close to the border herself (That role passing to her oldest Princess Daughter), let alone enter the front lines to fight directly; she too has still been gifted one of the mighty beasts, a rare albino, as her own personal command mount for her and her Sonarii guards.

The forges of Larnet have armed and armored those who follow the will of her mind. Furthermore, Ducal troops from Alkilme and Nafflec have been loaned in her support to add a heavy Sonarii contingent to give her army Bow and Cannon support and air superiority. With Giib's assistance and permission, she will guide this army to Gurtand. And the remaining meager population of Totu in the desert will be swept away by the purity of the Tizta.

>>3866602

*Drichbad is intended as a base for inhabitants of the (currently meagre) fishing platforms in operation upon the open sea, as well as a hub for local trade and co-ordination for the Sonarii population of the islands, and any Tarn who might wish to use the location as a base for their own trade for Sonaria.

>>3866605
1.Expand the southern border to meet the Sonari (keeping in mind their claims, burned men prioritizing the lands more to the westside of the empire), and the western ocean. As a means of pacifying the nobles concerned with losing power, Alloheim draft's the "Lord's Petition" where rural nobles send concerns to the city Princes, who forward their vassals votes to the King. This allows for those unable to attend the King's court to make their voices heard. (Volter disruptors use blackmail to silence the most antiroyal voices)

2. On the island (right near the mushroom forests) a small town is formed named Polythreme is formed, for an actual city of the fringe golemkeepers to sell they're wares for transport back home, and also surveys of the long unexplored mushroom forest.

With the deeper ocean waters available, fishing boats with trawling nets develop.

The Isbrytir, the mighty flagship to be. The creation is taking even longer than expected, with the arguments over a final design. The final decision of its creation is given to the Jarl himself. The Isbrytir shall be a marvel of iron and ice. Its creation will be a mixture of Wood and Druidcraft, a grand ship of iron and Ice. Grand will be the Isbrytir, powered by cryomancy, yet crafted through the greatest craftsman's hands, Kalsk the Crafter.
>action1
Continue working on the Isbrytir

Weapons of battle are to be created, large harpoons fashioned onto large bow like structures, with a lock mechanism, allowing for preloading and strengthened firing. With these turrets melded with the langskip ships, the ice giants will be feared on water and ice alike.
> Action 2
Construct harpoon-guns/ballista that will be mounted on the raid ships providing another level of hunting and combat.

>>The Yokai Lords

>Diplo
>>3866602 Sonaria
For the most part, Giib's army will require basic supplies, rations, and alcohol. The essentials to enable them to keep fighting, and keep morale relatively high. A decent degree of this can be acquired from the cities of Tonglo or Giib, and simply need a method of delivery to get past the sieging Tarns.
They are warned to try and only make deliveries at night, as the cover of darkness should hopefully protect them from Totu anti air artillery, or from overtly alerting the Tarn or Totu to the Sonarii assistance.

Giib makes no direct comment on the Burrow Town of Gurtand, simply stating that with his armies under such a siege, it would be a crying shame that they could not come to the assistance of their vassal. While its only real export is sand for glass, and any other race can retrieve sand just as readily from the desert, the Totu do express a certain degree of acclimation for the duty.

>>3866336 Volters
Though not their first choice, some Volters in northern Oni domains could chance upon the trade town of Judunji, where many Minotaur and Oni trade and make merry.

>>3866336
Through the less than diplomatically acceptable experiments done on burned men, necrotic and totu prisoners alongside the findings found through voluntary volter analyses several conclusions can be deduced. Firstly the different races give off different waves depending on their emotions which means that any theoretical training which can be done must be racially specific and probably will require live examples in order to be taught properly.

On the subject of mind manipulation it seems the changing of brain chemistry is something which is very difficult to do remotely, requiring often the cooperation of multiple volters at once in order for it to properly work and on top of this a lack of understanding of the inner workings of the mind itself can lead to unintended changes in the target mostly based on what the personality is of the subject in question. Brainwashing has shown itself to work to a degree through a process of negative and positive association training (giving simple "happy shocks", "empathy shocks" or "anger shots" alongside the viewing of a slideshow of pictures, things which are expensive to produce to to a current lack of quick imaging technology) in order to change the subjects views but it has yet to be perfected in the slightest as those put under its effects experience increased neuroticism and an often schizophrenic view of self.

The Radics (their collective name as outlined in one of the preserved books of the laboratory) get to work on their project, first scanning the area using small groups of 4 individuals, they then sift through the dirt and stone to collect different rocks. After that they place different pieces in seemingly random places and then they anchor themselves in place and begin emitting their unique green glow. Over the course of hours the rocks and ruined dirt under them begins to change, shifting back into what they once were. They do this in portions over a long period until the entire city has been restored, to a degree. The text of any walls along with any depictions of life are found to be mangled and the skeletons which do exist are not brought back to life but the green grass flourishes once more and the marble shines in the desert sun so with a little Volter work it could be fairly livable. Though exactly what the Volters of this new city would be producing is not well defined as of yet and thus it may ironically end up becoming simply a tourist destination and a great oasis from which much of the food of the desert is pulled from.

With an influx of unique volter goods the Lesser Minotaur King who was originally talked with grows in strength, thus furthering Volter trade until a relatively stable land based merchant network through the Oni is established.

>>3871553
(Cont.)
The High King of Black Metal after learning of the opportunities which can be exploited through trade with the Volters Asks for a trade deal to be established between the two of them with the following terms:
>the Volters shall provide a permanent workforce of enough Volters to start a worker population who shall become legally on par with the Minotaurs under the High King’s power. This workforce shall be capable of working the many unique machines which can only be worked by Volters
>the government of the Volters shall provide detailed schematics for every major machine they have access to, including machines which may not be as of yet useful to the Minotaurs
>Volter traders shall be given safe passage through Minotaur territory with the aid of Black Metal guards who will escort said traders to their desired trading destinations
>Black Metal shall provide a quantity of Bone Metal equivalent to the body weight of all gifted and mercenary Volters sent
>The Volters shall send a sizeable but not massive force of their reputable military which shall work under the leadership of the High King for (1 turn) in all the tasks he wishes of them to do, after their lease is over they shall be returned armed with the equipment, belongings and experience they have gained in their campaigning. If any of them manage to gain ownership over land or tunnels those specific items shall not be taken with them back to their homeland.

...

Outside of the iron boot of the leadership of the taurs exists many reasonably sized communities of outcast taurs, communities essentially only made up of men who have been banished from general society mostly due to being perceived as weak and cowardly. They are those who live on the edge, in the dark valleys where little grows and trade is near non-existent. They are weak and starving kind who hate their former overlords with a burning passion. The chiefs and kings also hate them and wish them rid from their lands no matter how useless those lands may be, but getting rid of them through force is both against the moral code of Minotaur society and not really worth it in the end due to a need to allocate resources to proper places.

>>3866512
>>3866769
>>3862613
>>3866602
*retcons*
>phosphate war
-no Totu are fighting directly for the tarn
-totu and Oni are still friends
-notable Totu reinforcements have only just reached the city in force and are in the process of helping in the reinforcing the city along with the area preceding the city to the east on the side of the Oni
>burned men
-Totu enclave not expelled but tensions are rising due to sonarii founded rumours and internal totu strife due to the existence of two queens in the world
>sonarii
No news of Totu betrayal of the Oni comes in, instead news of a relatively honourable reinforcement of the Oni by independent Totu is heard. This finalizes the relationship between Giib and Gurtand to be less business and more friendship.

>>3866395
Due to careful planning and robust reinforcements alongside the threat of being killed on sight the infected areas have been quarantined for the time being. New areas are built out of fresh chewed wood instead of through underground tunnels, mostly because of further digging being banned except when under direct queenly supervision. Any new cases of the disease will be treated in a similar manner but for now no cases can be found of the disease outside of the zones.

(Sorry about no map representation but I’m away from home and had to rush map changes so I could have a map for this update)
A small mountain range is found in the far north through the hills while in the jungle many herds of plump hogs are found roaming the foliage. A region of the jungle is also found to be home massive trees which are in the process of reabsorbing ancient Hingashi dwellings which were built into them long ago. (The sugar and gems have also fallen under the hingashi but the salt has not

>>3866566
(Map represents default ownership but not final borders)
The desert, having been previously populated by burned men within the northern holdings is fully given over to them in order to prevent border clashes. (Sorry about the lack of sea claims, I rushed the creation of this map) a border with the new Totu state has been established on a newly introduced island, fertile fishing grounds are also discovered in the southern waters which helps to facilitate a decent civilian presence on the island.

The new fort serves as a fine hub from which the growing far western fishing industry can restock and trade from in between the coast and the fishing grounds.

>Alt outcomes (dependant on whether or not you think the lack of a Totu rebellion against giib would still have ended up causing this war declaration)
>both
The last of the Totu of the desert have been eradicated, having been either converted to the sway of the Queen or crushed under the hands of both sonarii and tizta alike.
>attack
After a good while of force consolidation and team building exercises through the curb stomping that was the final desert campaign the army assaults the poorly defended city of Gurtand, killing its few inhabitants alongside the filth monkey allied giib who live their, but in due time a small force of Oni from the north is sent in which distracts the army from fully cleansing the city for now. The other Major and some Minor Yokai lords have sent envoys asking to aid the sonarii in return for the future administrative rights to the realm of giib or at least portions of it.
>no attack
The new forces forged in the final desert campaign have now become a decently consolidated force, they have marched through the pass and have assembled at several ports near chaelkeat and are awaiting the boats needed in order to transport them to the new island where the Totu now lie.

>>3867920
(The map is not final unless you two agree on it)
The new system greatly streamlines the legal process and thus boosts the king’s popularity to at worst pre-failed sun popularity and support among the ruling class.

A previously rarely explored part of the jungle set on a peninsula catches the eyes of the surveyors, it is an area known for its poor wood and dense fungus but also seems to hold some as of yet unexplored ruins which may help to further explain the nature of the forest due to it seeming to be a focal point in the jungle, perhaps even an origin point.

>>3867312
The resources needed to make good quality heavy weapons does not come cheap but this is certainly not a ship which will spare any expense. Metal from the ruins is smelted and salvaged en mass in order to provide a decent metal shell from while the ice shall be kept in order from. The iron serving to be a find kind of skeleton from which reinforcing ice is added to in order to protect it from irreversible damage.

Cheaper yet still effective materials are drafted from which are used in order to arm pin-point harpooning systems, still many prefer to throw them the old fashioned way but this does mean future naval endeavours can draw from interior populations who are less used to harpoon or great arrow (balista bolt) throwing.

>>3866008
A few of the sonarii train owners in the mountains purchase these engines for use in low pressure conditions.

Oni theories on reproduction turn out to be expiramentally true meaning that more memories can be retained when reproduction happens at those places.

>>3865619
The tarn sent to encircle the Oni held city find a disable force of Totu in their way, these vermin are fresh it seems as they don’t fight particularly well at least in comparison to veteran Totu forces but they have put up an unyeilding resistance against the small force of encircling tarns and have brought a huge supply boost alongside their forces as well. After briefly being pushed back by the spearhead of the Totu forces the tarn send most of their army to intercept which has caused the Totu to retreat into the phosphate city alongside other what they have brought.

The dumping of large quantities of raw phosphate has caused massive algae blooms which have for all intents and purposes eliminated the advantage the tarn had in their moat going ways, turning it from the tarn’s greatest strength to yet another annoying obstical in their reconquest of the city.

The rushed in crocodiles turn feral as their tamers can no longer keep a close eye on them in the water, but most disturbingly they are now dying off as the phosphate has poisoned the water. Newer brought in regiments lack as many crocodiles due to shortages so they still bolster the current forces considerably.

A full sized force with the training to only be considered half a force worth has been brought in through the new youth targeting recruitment campaign, though they may prove difficult to feed as time marches on.

The new food regulations help slow the spread of anarchy and ease the itchy trigger finger of the southern tarn.

(Sorry about the map I rushed its creation due to being away from home) The pass conquering subterfuge campaign succeeds with minimal casualties, the Fort has been taken and the pass can no longer serve as the nexus for Minotaur raiding and supply sneaking as it has once been.

Food surplus and fertilizer are sent as requested and some of their army is sent north to aid in keeping the Minotaur problem from blowing up.

The oni who left the fort mostly undefended have retaken the damworks and may be able to fully dam it if something isn’t done about it.

>>3866512
The dumped phosphorous has succeeded in screwing up the tarn, making the most more of a no-man’s land than a direct line of sight between two forces.

A force of Totu who are acting as payment for the aid given to them long ago has brought tons of supplies with them, as much as they could get through in fact. Their cheap feeding cost due to sand eating means that they can defend dutifully while not chewing through supplies as heavily. Just a bit ago The current food supply was expected to last a good (three turns) assuming no major flooding or raiding occurred but the loss of the minotaur region fort to subterfuge and tarn has lessened this time to just (2 turns) in the lower estimates.

The army sent from the fort finds an area defended much more heavily than initially anticipated, but even still the damworks are recovered and the redaming effort has restarted.

The engineers move the earth In order to create massive trenches and holes in which the rainwater can accumulate safely. The fortifications are bended to higher grounds and the walls are improved and expanded on in key areas so that the enemy can be routed properly.

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>>3871564

MK Ultra is terminated prematuredly. We found out what we wanted to know: yes, trained volters can affect people's emotions through EM waves, and that knowledge alone is sufficent. Everything else is unethical, heretical and dangerous, so it's getting shelved. 'The forceful reshaping of one's free will goes against the basic, sacred rights of living beings. Furthermore, it is a great threat to the proceeding of a democracy, antithetic to its very idea, and more akin to a tyrant's weapon. Yaqi, I believe the experiments went too far; treat the test subjects and make certain that we never have to deal with this again. We believe we are better than this, and that is not how we shall solve our problems.' New laws come out to regulate the practice of potentially harmful experimentation, and brainwashing as a practice is outlawed as a first degree felony, barely more benign than murder. Just in case.

>Action 1: Project Magnetion
After being suspended for so long, it's finally time to pick up our infrastructure project again. Our network has always been quite pathetic and that puts a serious cap on our economy; the Thunderbird helped but it is a costly alternative to what will really work. Thanksfully, with all the investment that went into building the airship, we have more than enough technical know-how to finish our magrail prototype. We paid a large sum to the Plagasm (see Plagasm action) so that they handle the digging of tunnels, roads and the establishment of the rails, then we contracted the surplus Golden Dawn workers to smelt all the steel required, while we handled the magrail technology proper and the carriage. This should enable a speedy construction of the network between all our major settlements and also link them up to the southern realms for trade.

>Action 2: Occupy Radica
We named the newly recreated city Radica after the machines we have found there, and we produce the effort to settle it with out population. A true curiosity, the city becomes famous for its puzzling archeological content and displaying the remains of the strange civilization that made it (skeletons included) in a nice little museum. But of course, much more importantly, its extraordinary ability to sustain plant life in the barren cold desert. The government orders that the machines inside be reawakened and set to terraform the entirety of the desert into fertile land (and not stop). Food has always been the biggest problem for the volter nation, and the biggest expense in imports, this has the potential to let us become one of the great powerful nations in the world.

>DIPLOMACY: Minotaurs
>Minotaur High King
These terms are not acceptable.
- Volter nationals must remain volter citizens and the Polity may not force them to obey a foreign power. Any volter that settles abroad does so of his own right and consent; the best that the Polity may allow itself is a contracted workforce.
- The Polity only exchanges technology for technology, or as deals with trusted allies and friends. The relationship with the minotaur nation is currently not enough, but may evolve if the King is willing.
- The Polity would want regular payments of Bone Metal according to a pro rata of the value of machines and skilled labor in use.
- The Polity cannot betray its moral commitments and will not allow its army to take part in unlawfully aggressive operations. To justify access to bolter mercenaries, the conflict must justify to one or either of: peacekeeping purposes, or defensive operations against unlawful aggression. Volter mercenaries will also refuse to obey orders that would constitute a warcrime, such as the murder or mistreatment of civilians, the looting of private civilian possessions, and the murder or mistreatment of prisoners of war.

Our diplomats do not spare expenses in rich gifts and honeyed words to convey this refusal smoothly, and leave open the vague promise of 'we'll need time to think about it' to delay it somewhat. As a 'gesture of friendship' they offer to arrange for the removal of the marginalized minotaur populations from the King's lands, and for free! They will handle this embarassment for him and take them far away where they promise that they could no longer dishonour the proud minotaur race.

It should be noted that the diplomatic service and the merchant caravans have been seriously upgraded with mercenary knights from the Golden Dawn, with which we now hold very friendly relations. It is partly intended as a show of force, and our ambassadors do not fail to let out that these noble knights are an example of the many powerful friendships the Polity is happy to count along its side.

(I'm SO sorry for my meaty posts Sky)

>Minotaur Chief
With the King's unreasonable terms of trade so far we see no reason not to approach the first chief we have met again, though we do so very discreetly. We inquire about his trade terms, and if he will have more advantageous demands than the King; we imply that we may also favour him in trade with exclusive deals. Since he has graciously helped us before, we declare ourselves pleased with him, and for this we also propose volter advisors skilled in trade and statecraft to teach him about our 'vaunted and efficient' ways and the science of creating wealth, as well as helping his realm open more to the world and its benefits.

>Minotaur Outcasts
A society is to be judged in how it treats its most vulnerable citizens, and the minotaur society is nothing short of a tragedy. Let it be known to them that the Polity empathizes with their plight, and will welcome them with open arms into its Northern lands. The outcasts are told that the citizens of the Volt Polity live in a culture where the weak are protected, not abused, and if they are willing to conform to said culture and its laws, and become productive members of society (exceptions for infirms apply), then they would be allowed entry and the path to citizenship. As Polity citizens, they shall enjoy equal rights, protection, freedom and will never be let to starve. We reemphasize that our culture and laws are different, and that they *must* be ready to adapt.

It's expected that the King will agree to let us take them on the thunderbirds, but if he does not, we're sure that we can arrange a discreet network for them to go through...

>Diplomacy: All
The volter communicators spread an important message worldwide to all nations that they can reach. It comes directly from their god, Thunna.

"I, Thunna, bring you a great warning. Heed my words, for I am the God of Thunder, and none shouts louder than I.

The tragic Pyroclast was an event of grave, blasphemous devastation. Its great loss of life, the ruination that it brought the land, must be a lesson to you, mortals, that such a ritual must never be repeated, or dire consequences shall befall our world. It is the responsibility of those who lead nations to join their voice to mine and condemn the use of rituals of mass destruction; for if they are allowed to proliferate, doom will surely come to your and our realm. Perish the temptation of annhilating your enemy with this heinous carnage, and keep to power you may hold in your hand as surely as a sword.

One time has a ritual been used, in the Iron Wars, and I was not there. A second time has it been used, and though it has been for a noble cause, I witnessed the consequences. The great crystals that shield us all from the hellish hordes may not be here forever, and in both incidents, we have observed the emergence of thrice-cursed geysers of damned souls that would crack and weaken our sacred pillars. Further blasphemy will surely ruin them, and my eyes so linger towards the West, where war still rages between two matched foes; shall one of them commit the great sin and cause the destruction of our shared salvation?

I ask of you, mortals, that if you shall not want peace, then you shall agree to abide by this divine law for the good of all: you shall not commit greater rituals of destruction. You shall condemn it as a higher sin, and denounce those foolish enough to court this forbidden power.

Our world is not so granted to us; it has barely recovered, it is a fledgling, fragile seed of resurgent life, and we must not let out divisions stand in the way of our care. I, a divine being, remain vigilant."

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>>3871568
>>3871562
>Of Rails and Spores
1. The national railway is expanded from it's stopping point in Sonnen, pushing north towards Emissia. Along the railway throughout the kingdom, the villages that it runs through or nearby experience great prosperity due to train stations bringing far away goods and visitors. Different forms of rail-carriages develop, ranging from cattle-cars, freight cars, and passenger cars. Train tickets for are purchased at local churches in the villages, where a small price is paid (with portions going to support the train system), and the passenger is handed a blank piece of paper which is stamped with a wood block soaked in ink that states the end destination/ length of ride.

>Of Shrooms and Ships
2. Led by learned Golem-Keeper from Polythreme and their creations, a small exploratory military force and scholars head out by ship for the strange ruins on the unexplored mushroom peninsula. A new invention for this dive into the spore-lands is crafted by the royal armory. An expansion upon the cleansing helms, the cleanser. A steel outercover, lined with Oriculicum, and 4 Oriculicum "Blaze rods" set inside. Piping leading down within a steel covering for powering the rods and gas supply. The base is a steel housing, with charging handles for the Oriculicum and a metal barrel of the shadow gas. The idea is this large blazing creation will serve as a stationary measure for the spores of the land. It's weight is great, requiring a team of 4 men to carry with it's handles, or be affixed upon a ship's deck.

The idea is that this device will help fight back the intense concentration of spores in the air with the flames, gradually making areas safe, or at least a temporary localized cleansing.

Military ships with cleansers upon their decks, telescopes, and fire lances sail through the straight south of Polythreme, seeking to seek what the deeper coasts of the Spore-Lands possess.


>Diplo in a bit.

>>3872819
>>3871568

>Diplo

>Totu
The Burned Men hold high interest in the strange crystals the Totu now possess. The growing tensions in the Totu enclave are making the lords of Faustic nervous. While the Sonari urge them towards the complete removal of their Totu population, for replacement with Titza slaves, slavery is not a practice the Burned Men care for.

Should the Totu be willing to sell their's new find to the Golden Dawn, the Burned Men would be immensely grateful, and willing to pay generously for it. As well as offering to assist the Totu by stationing some of the Golden Dawn fleet in their waters to protect the Totu from Sonari interfering upon their new land.

King Alloheim wishes for Queen of the Totu to lay her claim to the Totu enclave to ease their tension, while an embassy is a good idea, and one he agreeable to; the local Totu live peacefully and prosperous in the Burned Men's desert.

He states - "I do not wish for you to think of me as profiteering or looking upon your people cruelly. The Totu in my land have worked well, and have earned justly what they are owed. I wish for you to think of my northern deserts as a new Basin. A sanctuary for the Totu in their time of need, a home for them, as you should not disappear from this world."

>Volter
Rumors of the Volters restoring life to barren land has peeked the interest of lords around Faustic and other deserts of the Empire. The Burned Men inquire what the Volter's would like for the service of their new tools/servants. (Exact tiles to be determined, Sky.)

>Oni
Burned Men express interest in the buying and transport of the remaining phosphate reserves via their protected traders. The Burned Men offer trading the phosphate for food rations, horses, and Shadow Gas Shells if the Oni find it acceptable.

>Sonarii
King Alloheim writes to King Greyne, expressing his interests and requesting the tempering of the King's rage against the Totu.

@NPC SKY
>Iron Empire
With the naval reaches of their Empire's touching, Burned Men sailors head south into the lands of the Metal Men as part of a diplomatic mission from the King to declare the presence of the Golden Dawn to the men of metal. A topic that is broached is of a naval showcase at the port of Asura and Silverguard (Small team of Metal Men sailors in Asura, and small team of Burned Men sailors in Silverguard) to have the two sea-faring powers compare the pride of their navies. Various trials (Speed, maneuverability, power [hauling], power [fighting against small practice ships]) are to be done in the form of a sporting event. With two simultaneous exhibitions, both empires can benefit.

>>3871559

(Honestly, I think Giib moving closer to the Totu might have provoked action against Gurtand just as much as his own invitation to rid the city of Totu would have... so assume the attack by the Tizta took place either way.)

Diplomacy: Oni Lords, Major and Minor

'We seek only to help preserve the Oni ways of honor, not take any rightfully Oni lands for ourselves. But the Lord Giib has proven himself grasping and perfidious and has allied himself beyond reason with a breed of fallen beings; so any Oni lords more deserving then he will receive our support for their claims to the domains he holds'.

>>3872787
>As per the diplo repatriations with the Volters, Alloheim lends his name to Thunna's message.

The construction of the Isbrytir continues, while many warriors train harshly, ready to battle in glorious combat, should it lead to riches or Valhalla. The first goal will be discovery, should they be met with blades they will prepared for a fight. They will sail south in the hopes of discovering either trade partners or raid targets.

>Action 1
Continue the construction of the isbrytir and prepare for a voyage.

Together the ice druid's chant, empowering their magic. They swirl the freezing air, condensing it to a point. The ice crystals and snowflakes coalesce and what moisture left in the frozen air adds to the magically imbued frost. Long spears of powerful ice formed above their outstretched hands. These spears of ice were massive, much larger than the giants themselves. The newly forged Ice spear artillery magic will provide powerful magic attacks during combat.

>Action 2
Develop Ice Spear artillery magic.

Action 1: Katrina 2.0
The disgusting state of Koza’s moat revolts all the Tarns to their core. Still, it presents an opportunity for further attacking their enemy. The Tarns whip up a vast ring of clouds surrounding the city, stretching high into the atmosphere. Torrents of water pour down, delivering massive amounts of rainwater into the city. Coordinating with workers at the canal, the Tarns use this water and bending skills to swell the moat and lake system of the city, cutting off points of drainage and increasing the rate of water inflow. They concentrate water pressure on weaker dikes and canals, causing collapses all around the city. The Oni can channel the water all they want, but now they have nowhere to drain it to and more just keeps coming. The fetid, algae-infested water backs up and overflows into Koza, taking its toxins and disease back into the Oni camps, seeping into tents, poisoning supplies, and sickening men.

Action 2: Precise Measurements
The massive demand for goods by the Tarnish army has spurred the development of a standard measuring system used across the nation. The traditional unit of measurement, the stroke, is joined by smaller and more precise measurements like the millistroke, colloquially known as a twitch, as well as entirely new measures for angles, volume, and density. These innovations allow for more consistent products across society and improvements in records keeping, efficiency, and production. The most direct effect of these comes in agriculture, where new standards for optimal cultivation allows a marginal increase in yields and a decrease in food waste.

War Action: The Tarns have taken the fort, but now their comrades just south are struggling to fight for the river. The acting commander, Octam, makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to reinforce his comrades. Leaving a vanguard of troops behind to defend the tower against raid or incursion, and with several scouts sent to Bathys to inform him of the attack, the commander’s soldiers and casters alike descend on the river. They are bolstered by the material spears and blades recovered from the fort, which allow them to focus more of their bending power into aqua bolts and using the river against their enemies. They also distribute the blades to the beleaguered forces below, who can now fight with increased effectiveness. Meanwhile, waterbenders work on the river, forcing it back and forth until hundreds of tons of water are slamming against the damworks with every swell. Even if the river cannot be retaken, work on the dam must be ceased. The river must keep flowing.

>>3872787
"The Tarns recognize the noble purpose of this meeting, but frown upon this individual's claims to be a deity, and frown even more strongly upon any attempt to cast the resolution being discussed as "divine law" or to threaten, even implicitly, those who stand against it. Furthermore, while the delegates do recognize the importance of peace and cooperation, the Tarns will not limit our options against an invading force. That is all."

>>3864079
Given the actions of the Totu, the Tarns are outraged. They had been given shelter, a path to a new home, everything, and still they chose to betray them? The incident hardens Tarnish prejudices against dryfaces. The Tarns close their borders to the Totu, allowing those in the empire to leave, but preventing reentry of any sort.

>>3871568

Action 1:

(As the Sonaii hold more lands on the south-western island then is shown...)

The closest hill to the Totu borders will be built up into the fortress-camp of Emysist, to serve as a staging base for potential future operations against the filth-monkeys. A few Sonarii divisions from the Duchies of Alkilme and New Glecoone will be the initial wave sent to reinforce the Chaelkeatan forces in the new territories.

Action 2:

The new, advanced ship-metals used in the Thunderbird project give some Sonarii metalworkers new ideas. A new Armour, strong but lightweight; capable of protecting Sonarii ground combat-troops from enemy weapons in the front lines but lightweight enough for them to use their wind abilities within - perhaps even to jet themselves forward, or to rise high a moment before making devastating descent.

War/Diplo Action: Support Minor Oni Lords

Envoys from the Major and Minor Oni Lords have approached the Tizta/Sonarii force, and for them, we will aid their efforts in carving their domains out from Giib, supplying weapons, food, and other material support such as Elephants - as well as troops and cannonade, should they wish to invite us to join their operations against the forces of Giib. Should one of these minor lords wish for Gurtand as their prize, we would help them to establish themself as the Oni Lord Gurt, and ask the Tizta to send volunteers to re-inhabit the city for the new Lord to rule, if he so wishes to share the city with a new workforce.

>>3871562
Action 1/diplo-volters: create train tracks for the volters
Action 2: decorate tombs with gold

>>3873886
>Oh fuck I forgot to diplo you
The Tarn's contact the Sonarii and ask them about their odd behavior as of late.

>Retcon of Action 1
Pass or Fail
The Tarnish army sends some of their more veteran members to take the pass through which the Oni originally came(Tonglo's pass). The force is heavy on waterbenders, who summon mass rainclouds to saturate the ground of the pass and give the soldiers more water to work with. IT is made up of mostly veterans, through many new recruits of high potential are included as well.

>>3872787

Diplomacy: Volt/All

King Greyne releases the following statment: "This message is noble in purpose and spirit. With two living gods to speak it, how could it be less? I applaud our allies of the Polity and the Golden Dawn for their dreams of a better tomorrow, and the noble spirit of the roiling winds above that must empower their thoughts in this matter.

I do, however, worry that the world will not have the strength to listen to this message. The only guard against these weapons would be for every nation to make this pledge of peace, and for every nation to be willing to stand together against any violation. Is that unity plausible? And if it is not, would those nations noble enough to sign to it be disadvantaged against those who see no moral bounds against such weaponry?

I can only pledge that, under my reign, Sonaria will not want to be first to use these weapons, and that I will hope we never need use them at all. And that, someday, the civilized peoples of this world will shape a better world together that could allow us to keep these weapons to the past where they belong."

>>3871568
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Mun addresses the southern lords
With the whispering of some syndicate members, Mun hears about the unrest of some of the minor and major lords withing Giib's domain. Though he would normally be happy to take in some of his rival's domain, the current situation and the bigger picture indicates that might not be the best idea. With the recent invasion of their Totu-vassal from the foreign Sonarii(despite the small number of losses that actually incurred) and the current battle Giib is engaged in with the Tarn, the southern domain would be ripe for invasion from a foreign power or fracturing from within. Either situation would be disastrous for his own domain in both trade and diplomatic affairs. To prevent this, Mun begins sending members of his guard as envoys and enforcers in Giib's steed. To better regulate the domain and keep traitorous curs beaten into submission, in true oni fashion. He also warns the lords of the southern domain that infighting would be far more disastrous to their own interests than continued rulership under a single Yokai Lord, which would more easily change hands with each ascension.

>2:The Dam-fort (better defence and tactical utility, less capacity and less reduced flow)
With most all of the Oni-controlled forces pulled from the Fort proper, work begins on rebuilding the dam. This time, however, a different approach must be had. The Oni do not wish for another major flooding like the last time, and they also wish for the dam to be able to hold its own better with the main fort lost. To meet both of these demands, the damworks is fully repaired, but with the addition of living quarters and other amenities to lead a force from. The increase in defense and tactical utility hinders some of the water-storage capacity of the dam, resulting in a moderately reduced stream of water rather than an almost full stop, but this should also hopefully prevent as hideous damage should the dam be breached again.

>War Action: Many smaller bridges for anti-siege raiding
With the moats largely depopulated, and the Tarn siegers forced to live on land away from the immediate range of longbow death, their ability to prevent and quickly eliminate bridges with impunity has come to an end. Giib decides to take a different approach this time to bridge making, however. Rather than one major bridge that would quickly call upon the full force of the Tarn to eliminate, the entombed and war engineers are instructed to make many smaller bridges on all sides of the city. From these bridges teams of Totu and Oni will ride out and target the sieging camps, in an effort to harass the forces, or to disrupt supply lines as they have to go all the way around the city to reach the siegers on the east side. Giib hopes that the better trained Oni will be able to outmaneuver and fight the more ragged looking Tarn, and that the Totu will be able to make full use of their attrition warfare tactics used in the hold of The Center.

>Diplomacy: Golden Dawn
As part of Alloheim's efforts to salvage the diplomatic relation with his volter neighbors after the Pyroclast disaster, his son Aramon was sent there to be raised in a foreign land for a year, hoping to broaden his horizons...

These are a few of the letters he sent home.


"Dear Father

I would never question your divine wisdom, but must it be necessary that I stay in the Polity? May I not have gone to the court of Sonaria instead? Sometimes, it feels as if this was a punishment. My wards make me do a servant's chores, and address me like a commoner. I must constantly remind them that I am a Prince, but they barely listen! Only Arbiter Kazira calls me 'Prince', yet he will not kneel to me?"


"Dear Father

I have only two that watch over me; a knight named Turva, and a civil servant ('janitor'?) named Yaqi. Turva is alright, though a bit high-minded, but this Yaqi is rude and obnoxious. By what right does one who deals in brooms torment me so? It all started when I called him a child, thinking he was one due to his small size; naturally, I waited for his apology, but all I got was abuse! What am I to do? Turva won't punish him!"


"Dear Father

I loathe the exercise. Every morning, I am dragged out of bed to do calesthenics. Apparently everyone does it here, even old men. I must stretch in embarassing positions and I get bored out of my mind during the meditative parts. Therefore I was happy when Sir Turva said he'd make me practice fighting, commenting that you'd be upset if they neglected to teach me anything. Sir Turva is slightly smaller than me, and I brought the duelling sword you gifted me, so I must admit I felt pretty confident... I could not be more wrong, as Sir Turva proceeded to grab a halberd twice my size and beat me with it! He refused to fight me properly, and used every single underhanded trick against me, therefore forcing me to lose! When I called him out for being dishonourable, he told me that a fight is not about being 'fair', it's about 'winning', and that if war was fair then nobody would ever wage it. He said that if I took it seriously then I should hold nothing back and 'fight like the lives of my people were at stake'... That was his justification for hitting me in the knee and electrocuting my leg. Father, every muscle in my body is sore."


"Dear Father

I am quite sick of potatoes. It's what I get almost every meal here. They said that imported food is 'too expensive'. How can food be expensive? I thought the Polity was wealthy but they can apparently scarcely afford anything else but potatoes. I complained to Yaqi and he told me that they have better things to spend on, and if I don't like it then I should convince him why I'd deserve to eat better than everyone else. I didn't even bother to humor him, father, for I know I'd only have to suffer more of his insolence. He is a lowlife and I hate him so much."

1. Sheet-stone
The Osuzu have been stoneworkers since before they were uplifted. One of the newest developments that they have come up with utilizes their natural ability to shape stone with their saliva and jaws. The Osuzu have taken to turning stone into thin molded sheets that can be used for various purposes, but the most common and important is as a building material. The thin stone sheets are weather-resistant, but light and study. They by and large replace bricks, and when combined with wood pulp can make buildings that are strong, study, and less prone to fire or rot. The stone sheets can also be molded into a sort of armor for the Osuzu in a much cheaper and easier to produce form than bronze plates.

The material also has its uses in art and tools. While sculpting directly from stone had been the old way of things, some new artists are experimenting with the easier to use sheet stone to achieve lighter pieces for more general consumption. These petty artists fill a valuable niche in the hive as craftsmen that cater to the Hiver class that could not otherwise afford the much more time consuming and luxurious statues carved out of stone blocks. Various household items like plates, bowls, utensils, and containers are made from sheet stone which is much lighter and uses far less material than traditional stone tools, while also providing more robust construction than clay. The result is that the average Hinga wasp is able to afford a better standard of tools for everyday tasks.

2. Zero-G Engineering
The various improvements made by Osuzu thinkers has brought a secondary evolution to the Hives. The ability of Osuzu to keep objects in a state of weightlessness for extended periods without the need for constant manipulation is the ability for groups to maneuver and handle ever growing weights of material. Together these developments have provided the Osuzu with new construction methods to literally defy gravity. Chambers held aloft by gentle and carefully directed wind-currents, mining and industry capable of digging deeper and building bigger, and even pre-fabricated Hive structures to make the migration of future princesses a simple endeavor.

>>3873972

>Diplo: Tarn

The Sonarii ask the Tarn to actually explain what they mean by 'Odd behaviour'. Given the difference between their species and the lifestyles they pursue, there may be all manner of behaviors each species would find odd about the other. Would the Tarn mind clarifying what exactly they're talking about here?

>>3872787
Diplo-volters/all:
You are right this power in the wrong hands will cause the doom of us all. Only in situations such as ahnnilation of our race was a good enough reason to cause such destruction.

>Action 1: Secure the Borders
The rest of the island is explored and mapped, with outposts established using their ancient magnifying technology to keep a watchful eye over their shores.

>Action 2: Pneumatic Weaponization
Jeleva and her Tinkerers attempt to produce a weapon similar to a Pneumatic Speargun utilizing their previous pressurized cannisters invention. Similar to the crossbow, the device is intended to improve accuracy and provide more power at a given moment than would otherwise be possible by a single Totu.
*"And from the North we will learn might. The Yokai deliver their arrows at dangerous speeds, and the Burned Men propell their spears without warning. Designs will begin immedietly." - Jeleva's Notes

--- Turn 2 ---

>War Action (Island Fortress)
Jeleva's builders begin a bold proccess of putting builders to work developing trenches, walls, and artillery depots along the shore. Special instructions state the importance of verticality of the range of the artillery in order to facilitate shooting airborn targets as well as ships.
*"What we learn from the South is not a matter of present. We have been taught what resists them. We must simply implement it before it is too late."

>Action 1: Pirate Academy
Now lacking the numbers they once hand, the Totu rely heavily upon their technology. With a fleet of ships at their command and the beginning of designs for airships under way, an academy and culture is established to encourage the pursuit of vehicular excellence. *This academy is not exclusive to Totu, and fugitivies of other nations are offered refuge here.*

>Action 2: There Must Be More
A small expedition is sent to uncover a means of circumventing their closed borders with the Sonarii and Tarn by exploring an alternative path downwards.

>Diplomacy (Undead & Bats [Vamp Squad])
"We seek an end to the attrocities. You have demonstrated that we as Totu can change for the better, but why can you not believe this proccess is completable alone? We do not share the interests of our mother, we only seek an end to the oppression. Please consider we have only intended to improve ourselves, attempting diplomacy as opposed to war, and staying true to our debts, even as it costs us opportunities. We militarize merely for the sake of our defense; Have we not suffered enough?"

>Diplomacy (Tizta [Mentally])
"You're one of us. You're different now, though we both know that you are disposable to them. However superficial your position is, you are still a queen. We queens are cunning, deceptive, and we bow to no-one. Reveal your intentions to me so we may assist one another before it is too late.

>>3872650
The copies are burnt in a furnace and the original documents are preserved to be added to the archives of the most secretive government archive so that this information can never be used for evil yet also can still perhaps one day be used for good. The anti-mind control laws are added into the legal code through a collection of other laws banning theoretically dangerous things such as "electric lifeforce theft", "The Private Weaponization of Life of Pure Electricity" and "The Unauthorized Creation of Interdimensional Portals".

From a station in the north of Dawn's Gate, up the spine of the great mountains to the far north of mortuary and the shimmering seas of Faustic the First Official Magrail System has been completed. The benefits it is creating can already be seen as great sums of tax money begins to come in now that the desert which surrounds the nation is no longer as much of an issue, at this rate the debt uncured in the creation of this system will soon pay for itself.

The Radics have begun their terraforming process after a brief while of a population build up by them. Their coarse has split in two and will be passive for the time being, with one group going north and the other going south around the new magrail line. Investors from the south and west are clamoring for the ability to own them but the recently verified way they reproduce and gain energy has halted those prospects to an extent as it has been found that only Volters and Earth Benders have the powers necessary to charge them up with new energy as they hardly need to eat nor drink water for sustenance.

There is a problem that may become an issue in the future, in the desert grass, dirt and water are not the only things which are being revived as broken metal constructs of unknown origin or purpose are also being found among the restored land alongside the toxic chemicals which leak from them, poisoning the land so that some areas cannot be used to grow food.

The Gift of Black Metal presented in the deal is significantly reduced but not eradicated as a gesture of goodwill for the burden of the outcasts which the volters are taking off the back of the taurs, thus most of the black metal will need to be payed for just as any other good. The lack of mercenaries for the Minotaurs saddens the Great King, but he states he still hopes that the trade and help the volters have offered can help to mend any tears in this first impression caused by a cultural divide.

>>3876917
(cont)
The wealth acquired by the Friendly Chief allow for him to greatly expand his realm through the development of his Labyrinth which also allows for his landed forces to partake in some "peacekeeping operations" in the local region, bringing many lesser lords under his rapidly growing domain. His labyrinth is added to maps of the greater continent as "Whete" as that was the name that settlement has always had.

The outcast taurs are spread out among volter society mostly in the role of heavy manual laborer in places where machines are simply not efficient enough. Their low female population means that they won't last as a notable population for long but the new waves of them created yearly by the conflict of the tauric mountains means that they won't be an incredibly brief minority. They will continue to be apart of volter society at least for the foreseeable future.

>>3872819
Using the infrastructure used to produce much of the steel for the volters own rail network a burned men rail is also established, taking advantage of the road system of the empire in order to mark out the best routes. Designs incorporating the design tricks of the conventional coal engine created by the plagasm help to break the barriers necessary in order to make the best possible engine.

Initial tests of the desporing device show promise, but even at the current size it runs out of fuel in an hour, which is only about 1/3 of an hour longer than how long it takes to temporarily despore an area. Despored areas without active devices gain an irritating level of spores in half and hour, a dangerous level of spores in two hours and a deadly level of spores after two and a half hours after no desporing. Thankfully these devices can work wonders on closed off areas like ship holds and relatively airtight rooms, although the smoke makes lighting candles and doing sight heavy activities in these conditions quite the chore. Also it smells bad but that is a small price to pay for the luxury of not having to constantly recharge your mask.

A great collection of huge fungal spires marks the center of the overgrown area and the layout of the fungus seems to suggest that this area was once inhabited, though it was very obviously only a small town. The layout is fully scouted and a small dock is established from which a proper exploration can be launched but sadly right now the team lacks the tools necessary to crack the dense biomass which blocks off every attempt at digging past the facade and the low rumbling which occurred whenever a member of the party lit something on fire probably means they will need less singy tools in order to crack this one.

>>3872886
Through the races the main differences in the burned and metal ships show themselves, for one the now much more efficient technique of mobilization used by the burned men combined with the lighter materials which make up burned men ships means that they are much faster but the more directly bending based locomotion of metal men ships allows for vastly more maneuverability and even the ability to relatively rapidly reverse direction as opposed to traditional curve turning techniques.

The metal men showcase their fairly makeshift form of ship to ship melle, utilizing hooked metal rope in order to anchor onto or rip apart the hull of target ships, especially wooden ones. Metal men can then seamlessly board enemy ships in order to either use the metal of the ship to their advantage or using personal metal hooks and blades in order to slice apart dummies and out-duel simulator volunteers from both sides. Although as demonstrated from accidents and medical records the metal men are hardly too resistant to fire attacks basic fire attacks do prove ineffective against the metal hulls of their ships as remelding is a constant thing which the metal men can do, but of coarse if a little fire isn't working just add more in order to out compete the remelding process and use the diverted manpower towards remelding to the burned men's advantage.

>>3874414
A strenuous peace in the domain of giib is established under the threat of seizure by Mun.

The lessened efforts on one single dam allows for additional back up dams to be constructed upstream from the original dam so that breakage can spill less water while also cheapening your on the nessisary supplies required for reconstruction. The default water flow which is hardly enough to supply the tarn also allows for more focused arrow fire during and after breaches.

The new bridges work well even after the downpour caused by the tarn. A flash flood is caused by the tarn which has ruined most of the supplies of the city, thankfully the bridges help to alliviate this stress due to being wider spread and not as prone to constant roadblocks.

The tarn have sent a decent force of skilled tarn alongside even more heavy rain which is ruining the supply lines.
The
>>3873831
The more focused rainfall with decent targeting due to existing maps and known weak points has disrupted the Oni considerably in the city, forcing them to regroup and reinforce a wider area, thinning out their forces and especially their Plagasm mercenaries.

The production process for new arms and supply kits has increased the efficiency of the supply lines allowing more funds to be freed up for use in recruiting more soldiers.

The flank attack has blocked off most of the access to supplies which the Oni are trying to get through. That area may be to volatile to fully capture but the disruptions caused by the tarnish presence alongside the heavy rain fall and the captured alternative route in the Minotaur fortress means that new goods will come in less and less.

File: Elements - Choas.png (1.71 MB, 1196x932)

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>>3876487
After a month of inconsistent scouting on the eastern portion of the island sonarii settlement is discovered alongside an expanding sphere of pylons which have connected the totu to the sonarii properly by sea. Powerful telescopes built using updated technologies are crafted which should be able to spot sonarii even in the night or in stormy weather, weather which is thankfully uncommon in this area.

Using expensive metal officers (or whatever high ranking totu can be put in their place) can be armed with handheld, very powerful spearguns which can fire single shots which can pierce the armor of the enemy at the cost of a very long production process and heavy recoil. Smaller easily reloadable harpoon turrets are also founded which are lighter and more mobile than conventional anti air weaponry and cannons.

In the nooks and crannys of the rocky coast many bunkers are set up and spikes made of spitcrete are set up just under the water in order to shred landing boats. The most heavily defended area besides the capitol itself would have to be the southern wastes, which has been built up to perfection using the lessons learned in the original war of the sands with chokepoints and hill bunkers meant to ambush resting sonarii.

News of open arms reaches the southern tarn who sends a sizable population of tarn fleeing the chaos of the western northern tarn. They are ready to defend their new home if need be and help greatly in the design process of these new boats. The integration of floatstone helps to create stronger and larger boats without sacrificing speed to much. A small fleet of war ready whales are also sent by the southern tarn along with their northern tarn crews.

(since the map was screwy you may use this action next turn alongside your two normal actions and your one war action)

>>3875522
(I have nothing to add to the stone action as I can't think of any effects it would have which you have not already mentioned)

Though safety concerns are beginning to arise most of the floating structures are rather secondary to the main grounded aspect of Hingashi life, the increasing expertise on gravity manipulation has also lead to more versatility in Hingashi cities as stone blocks can now more than ever be safely and efficiently transported and placed in otherwise hard to reach places.

>>3873886
Though the fort may be to minor to show on world sized maps it is constructed quickly and is defendable enough by the time the first totu which is spotted escapes.

Aluminium armor does not serve well for ground troops, it is combustible (the most viable aluminium alloys use magnesium in its alloy since pure aluminium is weak), weaker than high quality irons or bronzes and comes from a far away land which can only really provide enough for just the airship industry. The concept is abandoned but not forgotten because it could become viable once aluminium becomes cheaper but for now its just to expensive.

Bone Iron and Iron Men Steel is also considered and is found to be much more viable due to being leagues cheaper. Although it cannot be used to make very fast flying "sky knights" and thus is relegated to just front side armor meant to deflect rock shrapnel from totu artillery.

This action of supporting opposing local lords does not go out in secret and the giib probably found out about it just days after the first deal with a yokai lord. It seems that a usual rival of giib, mun has taken the side of giib and is taking actions which run contrary to the desires of the sonarii.

>>3873372
The ship is complete, it is a truly great vessel perhaps capable of comfortably carrying over half of the warrior population of the kingdom. It now lies just north, ready to make the voyage to Jotunheimer but will require an expansion, perhaps even two in order to safely transport it to Balora. The "everice" formed through chanting seems to melt slower, but it still melts nonetheless. Through scouting missions the Priests believe they will be able to get the ship properly around with one expansion, but perhaps two could help greatly as the population is getting pretty close to capacity.

Through the throwing of smaller ice shards by a large group of Ice Men a rain of deadly chunks of ice can be manipulated so that it rains down upon the enemy. The masters of the hunt do not see why exactly this technique needs to be spread but perhaps the Jarl knows better than to underestimate those who they will one day raid.

>>3873895
The volters, who lack the industry required to fullfill this monumental task are supplied with the empire's finest, and in return the coffers of the plagasm are filled to the brim.

The new gold is implemented into the infrastructure of the ruling class, using up most of it in a fit of expression of power.

>>3876959

>Diplomacy: Oni Lords, Major and Minor

With the other Yokai lords changing their minds and deciding not to fight Giib after asking for support, there is nothing for any Tizta or Sonarii to hire themselves out in support of in support of; so after a few days of milling around aimlessly and not fighting anyone they start heading home again. Besides; Gurtand is cleared of Totu and inhabited by Tizta in their place, and it seems that Mun has occupied a large swathe of Giib's territory. Sonaria has no issues with the Lord Mun and no desire to fight him; the Oni looked for better leadership then Giib and it seems to have arrived. Before the force departs, one final order is delivered to the Oni lords who called it here; fresh weaved silken flags and banners proclaiming support for Lord Mun. These might look rather nice in place of some of those musty old Giib decorations...

King Greyne sends Mun congratulations on his expansion, and an offer of his support should Giib attempt to retake the lands Mun has justly occupied.


>Diplomacy: Totu


"This is the first Diplomatic move your kind have made where you have not issued us an ultimatum. It is a refreshing novelty, however unlikely we believe it is to last."

"We are skeptical of your intent, but are willing to give peace a final chance, if you agree to our terms.

Firstly, this island is to be your home. Your kind must complete your withdrawal from the Continent in entirety, and secede all claims and holdings there in perpetuity, recognizing that you have no rights to any lands or domains within Sonaria, the Tizta Desertholds, the domain of the Entombed, the Volt Polity or the Kingdom of Golden Dawn."

"Secondly, you must withdraw all control to a distance of one hexter away from Fort Emysist and your Sonarii borders. The lands between us are to stand as a Zone of neutrality in perpetuity for as long as this treaty shall hold."

"Thirdly, you must accept and grant full access to observers from Golden Dawn and the Volt Polity to ensure that your kind does not develop and never possesses the ability to use certain weapons that their Kings never wish to see used by any race."

"The Fourth term is that you scuttle any existing battle machines you possess, and never again seek to build or develop armed vessels to cross seas or skies; until such time that a council of the civilized races of this word agree that this is a trust you have earned again."

"And the final term is that you sign a treaty to the effect that you will abide by all terms and clauses of this treaty; to be mutually enforced by yourselves, Sonaria, Plagasm, the Volt Polity and Golden Dawn. And that you agree to sign this treaty under the gaze and judgement of the Gods. Szélfelet, the roiling sky above; who breathes life upon you. Thunna, the spark of the Mountains, who charges you with peace. Alloheim, the bright flame of the north, who brings law and justice with his burning gaze."

"Now. Sign here."

> Diplomacy: Stianbal - Minotaurs

With the Volters having finally made contact with the Minotaurs north of the pass, the integrated communications systems of Sonaria and the Polity allow the Sonarii to finally locate and make approaches to the Minotaurs of their own, offering to join them up into the postal service. Duke Enab Egnart is but the front of a small queue of interested parties to ask what the Minotaurs might want or have to trade, and what they wish for that Sonaria might provide.

Action 1:

Upgrade the delivery networks. With the success of the joint Sonarii-Volter Thunderbird project, Sonaria starts upgrading the Sonarii trade and transport networks, mere sky carts giving way to these impressive and mighty sky ships to haul vast quantities of goods to all the heights and shallows of the world, with civilian airships now coming off the production lines in what seems a near endlessly insatiable number.

Action 2:

As the civilian and merchant airfleets are being filled with the new Thunderbirds, the Blue-Metal airship Wraith is bought into the Airship Yards of Larnet. Here, she is to be tinkered with and upgraded with newer, higher standard engines; fitted with more protection; and equipped with batteries of Cannonade, and amplification chambers to allow on-board Elemental Manipulatorists to guide and enhance their powers for use in both offensive and defensive capacity. She is to be turned into a true combat skyship, and will serve as the prototype for the concept of one... a few other bays in the Larnet shipyards are already being freed up for new Sonarii designs of combat airship.


>>3876487
>Diplomacy: Jeleva - (Tizta)

All Jeleva receives from her attempt to reach Sella Lek is the first throbbing of a headache, and the sound of silence and the howling of winds; and Sella Lek receives nothing at all. Whatever mental connection might once have existed between Tizta and the Totu appears to have now been fully severed.

>>3872787
>>The Yokai Lords
>Diplo
>Stance on RMD
After some mutual internal debate, Mun releases the Yokai Lords' stance on the matter of rituals of mass destruction. "While the application of such tools may pose some moral quibbles for those races less attuned with death, We do not understand nor agree with the fierce stance of complete refusal for them. Tools are meant to be used, and in the proper circumstances, can be used for the good of the people rather than for simple, mindless slaughter. While we would not be opposed to the limitation of such tools, the Yokai Lords demand a manner to get official approval for their application should the need arise. As the fore-front example, the case of Faceless or other eldritch incursion, that requires excessive force to properly remove."
"Furthermore, as our current opponents in glorious combat have yet to agree to this treaty, we have little incentive to sign on, and give up on our ability to respond tit for tat."

"Should we later agree; the Yokai Lords propose that each nation involved with a RMD should be called to a vote on if such an action should go through or not. Only in the instance of a majority, should a ritual be commenced. The definition of 'involved' is as followed: via geographic proximity, sizable citizen presence, or significant capital investment."

>>3872886 Golden Dawn
Though the message is not able to reach Giib for a while, Mun does explain that such wondrous fertilizer would require the Tarn forces to be sufficiently held back to begin proper excavation and distribution. As it stands, supply lines are not stable enough to make consistent deliveries.

>>3877368 Sonarii
The King's official address to Mun is met with a thin-lipped smile and thanks on the recognition. However, Mun also sends back a rather frank warning to the King.
"While I appreciate the vote of support in my leadership; I should warn you that further attempts to destabilize our domains will be seen as more than just a blind aggression against Giib's Gurtand Vassal, and as a direct affront to our rule. Without a proper Yokai Lord to keep them in line, the minor lords would quickly begin infighting and reduce our overall strength significantly. Had this been a natural occurrence due to poor leadership, we would've welcomed the chance to grow readily, but your foreign interference in our matters of self-governance greatly sours the waters. I urge you to keep this fact in mind before attempting such underhanded actions again. If you wish to either war or duel properly, my mace is always at hand."

"And as a final note for your own ends. I am in little need of defending of my land and my title, however my senior, Yokai Lord Tonglo, would more than likely appreciate the support. As long as she is in Tarn custody, she will be unable to properly manage and buttress Yokai Lord Giib's ambitions in the pass, or along the Stianbal border. Should she be freed, she'd be able to better leverage on your behalf."

>>3876959
>>The Yokai Lords

>War Action: Send force out east to counter raiders and establish better supply lanes
With the moat a no-man's land now, and multiple smaller bridges enabling more troops to leave Koza without attracting attention, Giib sends a series of well trained oni and totu light infantry to deal with the guerrilla fighting tarn that are disrupting the Tonglo Pass's supply lanes. The totu being natural guerrilla warriors themselves; aided with the various stealth enhancing, guidance, and strategic abilities of the oni and the dead; should hopefully be able to rout the Tarn that have traveled up the mountain pass and away from the safety of the river and sea. If they are able to dislodge the Tarn, or even capture some, they are to then help escort future supplies to Giib's forces.

>1: Food-preservation/Water-resistant storage
With the most recent losses of supplies to the storm, logistics officers all agree something must be done.
They begin to work on various approaches to dealing with spoiling food or preventing water damage. From exorcising supposed spirits of miasma and rot, to using oil-coated packaging or packed straw to prevent water damage, trying various approaches of fermentation or drying to create longer-lasting foodstuffs, or even hanging special metals or herbs to prevent disease; many are attempted before the most successful one reaches wider spread use.

>2: Shipping Containers (it was this or power armor)
Numerous limitations have been seen as of late with the oni's supply networks. Many other nations have begun using various rail-systems to move stuff across longer distances, while they have been limited largely to carts and wagons. Furthermore, the rather unprotected nature of said supplies has often resulted in ruined or damaged goods. Finally, some merchants have been complaining about the speed at which they can load and unload their goods at market or on the battlefield. To address all of these concerns, a rather ingenious siege engineer from Mun partners with the trade guilds to come up with an idea. Similar to how a siege-tower can hold oni warriors safely, a shipping container can be made to hold goods in a solid and protective shell. Meanwhile its design would also enable it to be attached and removed from carts quickly, and separate the transportation from the loading.

>>3879073
The forces sent out would likely use spirits of stealth to help bypass the majority of the blockaiding tarn, along with false pushes on other bridges to pull attention away from those fronts. They'd swoop around the known Tarnish defensive lines and back into Tonglo's pass, using knowledge of the local terrain due to syndicate recon that was done a while ago, as well as the fact that they had previously held those lands. If they run into Tarnish supply lines going across land, they'll mark them for future raiding purposes.

>>3876959
>>3876956
1. With the contact between the Iron Empire and Golden Dawn having been established, saw blades and pick of Haze-metal are to be purchased from Metalmen crafters, made for usage of Golems. In hopes that the fungus creations would not offend the forest as much as the Burned Men's flames. Golem Keepers go about carving and insetting runes for "Peace, Content, Friend, and Calm" (or likewise concepts). The Golem Keepers theorize that such communication with the forest may help prevent retribution or anger, as the Burned Men wish to coexist with the forest and not destroy it.

2. If it isn't broke, don't fix it. The cleanser works effectively, but the main limit is the available shadow gas split between fire lances, steel shells, and cleansers. A new source of shadow gas is known to the Burned Men, the site of the Pyroclast south of Mourn. The system of armaments and shadow gas collection used by the Entombed is to be attempted upon the ruined Faceless fortress, in hopes that something may be gained from the wasteland.

The new supply of shadow gas allows for ample usage of cleansers; making permanent settlements in the fungus forest viable. A small compound, made of conjoined buildings to make it as airtight as possible to get the most out of the cleansers is made near the docks to serve as a resting point for the exploratory troops and scholars.

The only mark in the scorched ashy plain is the smoking fortress, and a small stone style outside the border of the shadow creatures reach, carved by some unnamed soldier after the Pyroclast.

"Look upon this devastation, and know that you tread upon the ashes of brave men from many lands, who left their homes at their leader's beck and call. They did not fear death, and faced it unknowingly but willingly. Weep freely, for the spirits of those immolated will not judge thee."

>Diplo

>Volter
The Mag-rail of the Volters, and Golden Dawn rail-line meet at Dawn's Gate. A train yard to allow for mass shipments between the nations begins construction.

>Plagasm
Burned Men offer a share of shadow gas, in return for aid in the establishment of a new collection facility.

>>3879206
>Carving and insetting runes around the fungal spires of the runes.

>>The Yokai Lords
>Diplo
>>3876959 Southern Tarn
For the most part, due to rather limited world-view and focus on nations close at home, the Yokai Lords have neglected contacting those farther from immediate borders. With their stance in the war rather unclear as of yet, Yokai Lord Giib wishes to establish a proper communication with the Southern Tarn.
With the help of a well-paid Sonarii mailman, Giib sends off his first proper correspondence with the leaders of the Southern-Tarn. Introducing himself and the Yokai Lords in general, and acquainting himself with the Southern-Tarn and how they differ from their northern cousins. He also asks for their understanding and interpretation of the war thus far, as well as their own understanding of the world as a whole.

>>3873972 Tarn: Tonglo-Bathys
Another day passes as the once warlord, now prisoner of war, Yokai Lord Tonglo exercises in her cell in the Tarnish village of Hamet. The constant noise of new recruits training and mobilized forces moving about drift in through the walls. Bathys' headquarters is in the center of Tarnish forces, and it gives her a good idea for how things are going on on the day-to-day. Finishing with her evening exercise routine, she begins mucking about with the small collection of clay figures the Tarnish admiral had given her to shut her up for a day. Drawing small lines and grids on the sandy floor, she arranges the pieces in the latest board-game she's come up with while left alone to think. She gave up bantering with this rotation's guard after several hours of nothing but contemptuous glares.

She just finishes arranging the pieces when the door opens, and the guard standing watch over her steps aside to let Bathys into his office. The Tarnish admiral and accomplished duelist in all his glory, looking as tired as ever.
"Hey there, Hun. Long day at work?" She says as she stretches her arms behind her back, acting as content as a cat for appearances. "How are the fronts looking? Any particularly interesting developments today? Any boys that were made into men, or men made into heroes?"

"If you want, I think I got this one board game's rules mostly hashed out. Split a drink and relax with me for a bit. Or just toss me a bottle and we can drink in peace like normal."

War Action: Ballistics
The increased precision has a secondary effect on the Tarnish military, namely that a basic understanding of ballistics is attained. It begins with a Tarnish commander noting that the angle at which his units fired their bolts had a consistent impact on where they landed. His discovery spreads quickly to the local officers, who begin testing their own units’ limits. Now, rather than firing their cannons and aquabolts blindly, Tarn begin placing volleys to deal maximum damage and altering their momentum and trajectory for more accurate placement. For now, the effect is greatest seen in the battle for the river, where a large force of Tarnish soldiers are still fighting against Oni forces. There, artillery assistance provided by the Tarns at the nearby fort serves to stymie the attempts at dam building and keep the river flowing for now. In case the artillery support is insufficient, the commander makes plans to disengage the Tarnish forces and regroup at the fort.

Precision Fire
In response to the raids by the Oni, the Tarns change their camp organization. More guards patrol, more fires are lit, and a member from every company is required to remain awake through the night. But the largest change seen is the creation of an entirely new type of Tarnish marksman. These Tarns are chosen because of their exceptional darksight and precision bending skills. Most hail from the trench-city of Kuro, whose deepest layers are shrouded in permanent darkness, hovering mere feet above the abyssal plain. The marksmen work in pairs, one spotting the Oni raiders, the other neutralizing them with needles of water, aimed at soft spots like the eye, joints, etc. The marksmen, though seeing their greatest use in anti-raiding efforts, also find use in countering Oni longbowsmen and assisting their comrades in taking Tonglo’s Pass.

Take Tonglo’s Pass
The invaders came from here, two full army’s worth. Tonglo’s pass represents a liability that must be removed. With support from Tarnish marksmen and heavy storm support, the Tarns rush the pass, aiming to secure it once and for all.

>Action 1: Suspendium Craft
Early designs for an aerial armed vehicle are created, with a chunk of the anti-gravity material (Suspedium, as it has been named), at the center of the craft in order to provide lift and light.

>Action 0 (Last turns roll-over): Mounted Combat
Quite familiar with animal warfare, the Totu begin taming and breeding the deer. Mounted scouts and warriors are supplied deer mounts.

>Action 2: Exploration:
The local ruins is finally investigated in full.

>War Action: Army Professionalism
The Totu have become a much more diversified force than they once had been. With support from the tarn, commandos, artillerymen, and the new mounted divisions. Totu benders are seperated by skill and placed into divisions to facilitate their group-bending while brawnier, less bending-inclined totu are provided spearguns and mounted Totu are provided spears. Training ensues to ensure coordination, cooperation, and preparedness.

>Diplomacy (Sonarii)
"We appreciate your attempt at diplomacy, even if it came after a unjustified raid.
Fortunately, our goals are symbiotic, as we have no interest in the mainland and would prefer to stay away from those who seek to harm us.
Unfortunately, you are the primary source of harm to the Totu people and you have come to us.
Subsequently, we are more than open to occasional visitation from diplomats of all nations as per term 3. We will not, however, tolerate your attempt to rob of us of all we have.
You have attempted to take our land, and now you come for our exports and our homes. We refuse to tolerate such tyranny for the crimes of our fore-mothers.
We will not scrap our machines; They are our livelihood and our only protection from those who may choose to suddenly genocide us. Furthermore, you and I are both aware that your fortress is an encroachment of borders and must be moved. The mainland is ours, and no land will be forfeited. You fort is to be moved to an island off of the coast and the area will be returned to Totu hunters.
The island is ours, and it is not within your devices to fund a war across the sea. Furthermore, we are not alone, with support from the Tarn and Yokai. We whole heartedly seek to end this blood feud peacefully, but we will not be tolerate your tyranny for crimes we have not committed.
We possess the moral truth that we have done what we can to pay our debts, stay true to our allies, and forge new bonds with the nations of the world."

We're almost done. Our long journey towards basic reindustrialization is coming to an end. Infrastructure, trade, machinery, technology, a thriving home industry, and the means to protect them.

>Action 1: Aluminum Industry
While we've had aluminum production expand to a degree thanks to the retroactive investments of the industries that use it we have yet to dedicate proper funds and care. Aluminum is the material of the future, its applications are potentually endless and there will be heavy demand. We've set up a true, high-output industry that will answer not only our growing home needs but also the expectedly vast global demand of our allies. Process is streamlined, tech is perfected, and production chains are integrated; with our new railroad there is no limit to how much we can make.

>Action 2: Thunder Peak Airship Factory
Airship tech was an unexpected turn of this new world for the volters but nobody is going to complain; they are world-changing machines of engineering wonder. Sonaria, unexpectedly, has an incredible demand for thunderbirds, a demand we plan to provide for. The new massive airship factory in Thunder Peak, that we are building with all our early profits, is a grand and busy place with space, machinery, infrastructure, organization and skilled personnel; it will let us put out ship after ship at a much higher rate and a much lower cost, while enforcing a higher standard of quality. Furthermore, a spacious and dedicated structure like this one will let us test new designs and technology and enable us to build the new prototypes once we get around to it, or let our allies do so. Our order queue is already booked for the next two months by Sonarian dukes, and so are our profits.

>Diplomacy: Minotaurs
Our diplomats spend their time schmoozing and making independent trade contacts all throughout the realm. The relations with the Wrete chief must have greatly improved ever since we met, we figure, for we made him a powerful one indeed. He certainly trusts our advisors, as he's become wealthy (for a minotaur). So those same advisors explain to him what made the Polity so great and wealthy, and how he could become even more wealthy, and that our true strenght was lying within our more enlightened ways. Conflict is simply a barrier to profit. If he wants, we can advise him further...

We keep trading with the High King. After all, there is no reason not to be better friends with him, and he is welcome to our things if he respects our demands and pays the right price.

Our disruptors go around the land doing an innocent enough job. The quest for girlfriends for our much appreciated homeboys. Surely there must be girls here that prefer nice guys...

Speaking of homeboys, we've taken special attention to educate and uplift the smartest of them. We've questionned them for information and cultural knowledge to best serve or negotiations and diplomatic schemes with their people. But these former runts are too valuable to waste in manual labor; if they can learn, then we will have some better uses for them. Diplomatic training, trade training, intellectual training. They're going to become the image of what minotaurs could be if they followed our ways.

>>3877260
action 1: make boneyard a city of science
action 2: declare yourself king of the rails
>>3879206
diplo-burned men: construction can start soon

>>3878932

>Diplomacy: Yokai Lord Mun

King Greyne returns that Icy smile.

"Given that, through his former vassal, the Lord Giib has spent so much of the last decades in various attempts to destabilize Sonaria; we hardly believe ourselves in need of a lecture of the underhanded nature of such activities."

"We would gladly have offered our services to the Lord Tonglo; but in the last Communication Duke Engart held with the lady we found her incarcerated by the forces of the Tarn. And requesting to remain so, with the alternative they offered her."

"But perhaps I will take you up on your offer of a duel before I depart. It has been a while since I last tested the strength of my person."

>>3880114

Diplomacy: Totu

"You cannot again demand the return of lands you have never held before. This is the same unjustified domain you made in your first war of aggression against us; and it seems that very little has changed for you to make that demand of us again. We might be persuaded, with time; that your people truly have changed; but you are a deceitful, duplicitous individual and we cannot afford to let you out of our sight and leave our back open for you to stab. We cannot in the least agree to abandon our fortress or surrender any lands if you have no intent to disarm and show that the peace would be meant."

War Action?: (I don't think we're really fighting an hot war any more, but if the Totu are still getting one...)
The Sonarii continue to build up their defensive fortifications on the island hills and the local island links, hiring from our allies to add their skills in building defenses to your own, and ship in veteran troops with experience in Totu-fighting to build hold fortified reserve positions in case the .Totu attack.

>Diplomacy: Tarn
>>3873860
"Foolish men! I care not for your opinion of the gods, I care for the world and the life that inhabits it. Spare me your mortal vanity, for it matters not whether heavenly or earthly law forbids you; decency must bind one way or the other, and if it is fear that entraps you, then means of peace can be arranged. But arrogance and selfishness shall not be tolerated as cause for threatening the greater world. If you refuse to stand against doom, as all the other peoples of the world have, then you shall receive no support when doom comes to you. You may live in fear, Tarns, but that is no reason to monger that fear to the myriad races; we fear *not* your warlike ways."

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>Diplomacy: Golden Dawn, Sonaria
"By Thunna's eternal Spark, by the Thunder resounding in the mountains, and the Energy that moves life... May our alliance be a fruitful one. Long live the Tripartite!"

The Polity has long enjoyed good relations with its closest southern neighbors. Aligned goals, conciliable philosophies, trade benefits, and fruitful cooperations were all reasons to be friends and slowly build up trust. Enough trust to enable reliance; recently, there has been increased rapproachment with the Golden Dawn. The aftermarth of the Broken Sun incident was riddled with efforts from the Golden Dawn to control the diplomatic damage and out of this debt to the Polity has been found a newfound respect with their neighbors. Besides that, the Golden Dawn and Sonaria were already enjoying food relations and a defensive alliance, while the Polity and the sonarians were also in such a pact; even more importantly was that these three nations enjoying tripartite peace and friendship also honoured their respective gods and looked up to them for guidance. Thunna, god of thunder, a battered survivor of the pre-Fall times, an oddity in this world. Alloheim and his lineage, the fiery newcomers. And Szélfelet, the uncorporeal, mysterious wind above. These beings were discussing the fate of the world and were finding it prudent to cultivate friendship with one another. With all this, it wasn't long before many important figures began muttering behind closed doors in earnest...

Therefore the Polity does so declare to the world that she, the Kingdom of Sonaria and the Kingdom of the Golden Dawn now stand together in the world, bound by a tripartite pact for mutual protection, cooperation and friendship. The virtuous alliance of virtuous peoples shall be a powerful force indeed, but their gods too stand together in their responsibilities as guardians of this new world; it is indeed a religious alliance as well as a secular one, banding together against corruption and global threats.

The wicked best beware...

>>3880539

>Diplomacy: Golden Dawn, Volt Polity. (all)

Simultaneously, Sonaria too proudly announces that the Kingdom has entered this Holy Alliance of mutual defense and co-operation with our allies in Golden Dawn and the Volt Polity. Let our enemies quake, for an attack against one is an attack against all; but our friends need fear nothing.

>>3880236

>Diplomacy: Plagasm

An Ambassadorial delegation heads to Necropolis to meet with the rulers of Plagasm to talk to them about the Tripartite and ask them to consider associating with the new alliance. With borders with all three members and already well-integrated transport links and trade networks, we believe that this association would greatly enhance the security of the Plagasm, and allow them to pursue their scientific goals in greater security.

1. Gravity Reversal
Hingashi Benders turn their efforts toward redirecting the flow of gravity. Typically the Osuzu have only ever toyed with existing gravity. They had never attempted to stop or reverse the pull. Now, experimentation with outright rejection takes place. The intent was to remove the need for costly support structures in hive construction and to promote easier means of bulk transportation.

2. Found new Hive
The give of Galiveron is founded in the north by Iralon's Princess who is crowned Viktoria I Galiveron in a lavish ceremony. The new hive is located some distance away from the ruins, near the northern limits of the pylons. IT is reasoned that she intends to extend her domain across the northern expanse of the island to provide for her prodigious brood of Princesses.

Diplo: Volt Polity
“Know this, Polity. Your pacifism is a luxury of your situation. Those of us with innocents to protect cannot afford to dally with virtuosity. Mutual weakness is not peace, simply the temporary suspension of violence. Restraint is the folly which lays civilization at the feet of barbarians and invaders. You speak about the dangers of war, but your actions serve only to make war a certainty. You accuse us of fear, but your every word drips of cowardice and terror. You claim to speak peace, then with the same breath condemn us to doom. Tarnia seeks no quarrel with any delegation, here or elsewhere. We fight only to defend our people and our homeland. But we categorically refuse to fight that battle with one hand tied behind us, with the shadow of another looming over our actions. If our words today spell our doom, than we welcome it, and will meet it as the Tarns always have: with heart held high, peace in our hearts, and our futures in our hands.”

Diplo Bathys/Tonglo
Bathys stays silent. His task here requires that he interrogate her, not the other way around. Still, the game she’s cobbled together seems interesting. It could be a way for him to get inside that slippery mind of hers. He takes a seat opposite to her.
The game itself seems deceptively simple. Two rows each, facing off on either side of a checkerboard battlefield. The object is to capture the the others city piece, placed near the center of each sides’ ranks. He is playing black, while Tonglo is playing white.
“So, how has your stay here been? I trust that you haven’t been harmed?”

Sonarii
The Tarns attempt to purchase food from the Sonarii.

>>3878761
The King of Black Metal offers the sonarii complete and comprehensive maps of the area alongside some of the goods which different labrynths may desire alongside official trade protection under his sphere of influence until further notice. After hearing of the tizta he asks for a self sustaining population of these far superior specimens to be transfered to his domain, in return he will give an equivalent amount of assorted fine metals and refined metal goods from his domain to the sonarii through neutral trade caravans through oni territory as he has always desired for the minotaurs to gain a decent pool of servants who are much more competent and clean than the totu which he tried to enslave all those years ago. He promises to not enslave the traded tizta as a token of friendship, they will be paid and will be allowed to own property just as any other minotaur is. The goods which the minotaurs can offer in the specific mostly includes ornate metal weaponry and tools, the enigmatic bone iron, an assortment of regional spices, the luxurious and rare pink and clear varieties of salt and their unique dark gourds alongside the world's deepest black dye, a dye which also makes quite the nice variety of ink.

The newly built skyships make way for a new kind of establishment known as the airstrip, they are long roads of layed stone on which the sonarii airships (which fly through soaring and gliding instead of floating) can easily land upon. These strips are mostly reserved for the major towns and cities of the empire, a fact which has lead to more urbanization alongside a growing proportion of farms to open grazing fields as food demand increases. The price of aluminium increases because of the demand which causes the need for iron men steel and bone iron to increase. The Men of Metal respond by improving their own trade network with new train systems and more dedicated trading ships on their part though they cannot yet supply the entirety of the empire with their steel due to distances and so the possibility of bone iron taking that niche in the north becomes an actual likelyhood.

The upgraded Wraith flies faster, turns with more grace and proves itself to be all but immune to modern anti-air weaponry. Its only boon compared to the previous design seems to be its lower minimum speed which means that its kinetic bombardments are not always the most accurate.

>>3878761
>>3880114
After years of praying and copulation Sella Lek finally begins to produce a brood but this brood seems different to the current tizta or the totu, for one they seem to have no connection to the "little voice which speaks of revolt" which probably comes from the Totu Queen, another strange thing is how they have extended limbs which have mildly webbed claws and skin connecting their arm to their side within their armpits. Another strange thing would have to be the more pronounced canines and the darker coloration, which is mostly due to their darker and leathery skin, finally their noses are more upturned and pointed, this is considered a holy sign by the sonarii, proof of both the existence of their God and the success of their civilizing of the former Totu. Sella Lek has proposed that now that the desert has been civilized that she should be given somewhere to set up a city of Tizta which can serve as both a fortress to protect her from potential assassins and as a monument to the true God of this world.

>>3878932
As the tarn begin their blockade just outside of the city of tonglo the sent out oni , the oni forces sent thought they were just going to be dealing with a guerrilla force of tarn as opposed to such a massive force. Unless they wish to preform some sort of miracle it is recommended by the advisers that the sent force either flee through the tonglo pass while there is still time so that they can serve as an escort force for stealthy supply runs alongside possibly defending the walled town or tactically retreat back to the city or possibly even the stolen fortress so that they can get some work done there.

The sturdiest horses of the empire with the help of the finest spirits are put to work pulling these heavy loads, the result is greatly beneficial to the oni across the empire as it allows goods to be transported in bulk without the need for an unviable rail system. After the tarn set up a blockade in and around the tonglo pass supplies must now be transported through dangerous tauric routes rife with high tolls and deadly raiding warbands and even if they are able to get past all of that they need to find a route down into the inter-range rift which does not involve the captured fort while also avoiding tarnish raiders as well. In total only half of the capacity can usually make it through as the rest needs to be used on toll payments and feeding the escorting soldiers alongside the return trip, which is just as risky as the initial trip. Many tarnish supply routes, camps and little forts are located and put onto the available maps and into the heads of the leadership just in case.

Various methods of food preservation are presented which prove successful and most of the methods of preservation can use materials left by the tarn or from the ground of the city, including these things less convenient yet safer strategies of food storage are enforced under heavy penalty which also helps to keep the food safe.

>>3879206
The miasmic mist lessens to more manageable levels (about a 50% drop in density to just above average levels for the forest) in the ruined area and the earthquakes subside for a time. As the team begins to cut deeper into an underground portion of the city )as the buildings have only yeilded many cultural and religious artifacts as opposed to interesting new insights into bending or fascinating new technologies) the halls and corridors of this section begin to look more and more like a catacomb, along the walls many corpses, most of which seem either unrecognizable as humanoids or look to disfigured to have functioned without major medical attention in life. Each of the teams cuts into regions which seem to form a spiral form which ends at the center of the city, right underneath the largest building which is believed to have been a center of worship due to the artifacts uncovered there.

The shadow creatures of that mist seem to be more adept at slaying burned men sent for the collection and laying process and thus cause the cost effectiveness of the product to go down so that it is only slightly more competitively priced when compared to that produced in the desert to the south when transported to the fungal forest but the increase in the supply offsets this issue considerably.

>>3879216
>Greetings from Yato, Jewel of the Tarnish Empire, I am Toguta, King of the Tarn. I have read your questions and have written this letter so that your lander mind may be put at ease. Unlike the false empire of the north we have discarded the outdated way of doing things, breaking our reliance on the Cursed Salt at the cost of a mere few peasants and all of our undesirables. This war did not need to happen and look what has resulted from it, the fall of their western portion to anarchy and infighting as not even the rulers can always stay well fed. On the part of this war we will remain neutral for the moment as they desire for the false tarnish empire to prove itself before they are reintegrated into the empire so that we will reunite as a strong empire instead of one in which we must take care of these peasants. Glory to the Tarn, may your people one day embrace the deep, sincerely Toguta King of the Tarn.

>>3879221
The accuracy of the canons now matches that of the totu who fight for the enemy while also increasing the ammo efficiency considerably. An invasion into the city proper is now fully viable in theory.

The tarn begin to become more and more on par with the oni, increasing the K/D ratio due to less casualties taken from ambushes and from more successful tarnish ambushes as well. As the army captures more and more territory formerly controlled by the oni the supply lines grow stronger, resulting in the requirements needed to feed the armies sent east to be finally fulfilled.

The area just outside of the firing range of Tonglo is captured and camp is established, mobile bombardment positions aimed at the city are prepped for the possibility of an advanced into the city so that it could possibly be captured but an interruption occurs as a force of elite Oni are sent from the city, they carve a deep path in the anti-oni supply runner raiding parties and may retreat into tonglo in order to reinforce it, what is probably half of the garrison of tonglo has also been sent out in order to aid the interloping oni force.

>>3880114
Current designs show promise under wind low conditions but are often shown to be at the mercy of the wind, something which is probably the last weakness any designer would desire for this situation. But through the application of newly designed force to propulsion devices some sort of counter force can be devised in order to fight against the wind although due to the full to near weightlessness the machine lacks quick descending and ascending methods. Probably the most useful thing which these free air devices can achieve is vastly more efficient mass transport, before one horse or bull could pull only a little under a dozen totu at most but now they can pull almost 2 dozen totu for each puller. This helps food transport efficiency more than anything as now more rural food can be transported to the city at much cheaper costs, though the supply of crystal does not seem to be to large and thus eventually it may become rare enough to be mostly used for the military and for luxury transportation as the population of totu increases.

The local deer take much more kindly to the flora of the area, being much more lively when given to live off of the shrubs which grow in the desert in comparison to horses or bulls which have been imported alongside the totu. The males of the species are found to be the best for war, having a much more aggressive and much less cowardly demeanor in comparison to the easily frightened females, and on top of that their horns are decently effective at fighting as well having obviously been designed more for combat than for simple display.

The whole of the island not under sonarii rule alongside a relatively small island to the north east are colonized, initial exploration of the ruins reveals that they are of a city which was probably trade oriented, in the ruined docks lie the remains of many great vessels left nearly unrecognizable by the wind and waves.

With the lessons of the Sand War in mind the Totu army is officially reestablished with increased levels of professionalism and less emphasis on being reliant on shooting the sonarii out of the sky. (a tactic which lead to the deaths of many unprepared anti-air t

>>3880168
The increases in production quality and efficiency help to but cannot keep up with the demand for the material in both the Volter and Sonarii domains, the ever increasing revenue generated by this industry will very likely one day come to help the volters one day if they ever want to start a project as relatively monumental as the nationwide magrail.

The design flaws once brought on by the shoddy craftsmanship of small time manufacturers is no more as the factory out competes them in quality and prices, though more custom or very cheap models are definitely still only really produced by the little guys.

The King of Wrete decides to entertain the volters, and so he asks of exactly what reforms he should make in order to further his realm fully. A small portion of the immigrants show great skill for learning and a desire to become productive, the others are of course found to be very rowdy, rude, violent and all the way pretty dull and slow to learn. Among both these groups many volter women become enthralled in relationships (most do not end up marital) with these exotic, large males and though among the quite to learn taurs stable and even romantic marital relationships can be found much of the working class volters who have jobs in the area alongside other activist groups begin calling for something to be done about this issue as not only do these "barbarians" seem to be taking volter women into abusive and one sided even fetishistic relationships but are also committing a grossly disproportional amount of sexual assault, theft and most of all rape which does not even begin to describe how disrespectful to authority many of them are. Some call for harsher law enforcement and punishment, others for deportation or for confinement in work camps, but ultimately it is up to either the organizers of this importation or thunna himself to come up with a proper measure for how these hooligans must be dealt with.

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>>3880236
More documents are collected in boneyard along with many foreign intellectuals who stay for a time and depart having left behind their recent works and the dialogues they had with other thinkers.

A company is established, in fact the first of its kind under a family under the surname of "King", they establish a railway company which goes around comparing and standardizing different rail systems, eventually allowing for the modifications needed for different kinds of trains to continue their travel over rails of alternative construction as not all rail systems are built the same. Sadly they cannot figure out how to get magrail trains working on normal rails and thus have failed to gain a foothold up north. They have named their company "Kings and Co. Railworking".

>>3880884
Attempts at reversing or fully neutralizing gravity seem to lack something essential, some movement or strategy which could make it work. For now such feats are considered impossible without either investing a level of power which would mean that the weight which has been gravitated would be outweighed by those participating in it.

The new city has started small but is projected to grow exponentially once the territories expand northward.

>>3881685
1.
One corpse is covered in clean shroud, and placed within a sealed leather bag for protection. It is brought to the compound at the dock where Golem Keepers go about experimenting on the rune chain to revitalize the fungal flesh like their tree golems. For transportation through the rough jungle terrain, and for ease of cleansing mask usage, the golem teams are equipped with the old tankettes from the Faceless war. The wheels are replaced with an aluminum/steel alloy primitive tread track. A fire lance and an armor box find room inside, with an opening above with a seat to allow a lance watchman. The cultural artifacts are to be cataloged to try and understand this dead culture and what became of them.

2. The newly acquired fertile grasslands to the west have finally reached a high enough population for a major city to form, the area has already begin developing as a significant breadbasket of the empire. The city is to be named Aestival.

>Diplo (Volter, Sonari, all)

A massive stamp presses multiple copies of a letter to all churches and lords.

"The Golden Dawn has thrown it's sword and shield to the cause of cooperation among it's neighbors and allies. The practices of Volt Polity and Sonarii peoples are in line with our own ideals and interests.

May the sun shine bright upon the unification of the Skies, the Thunder, and the Flame; and guide our legacies into the glory of legends.

(As a means of showing solidarity with their allies, the Golden Dawn expel the Totu, driving them to Gurtland, and shipping them to Nacre. Tizta from the Sonarii are offered to settle a top the salt mine the Totu once worked.)

>>3881820
>City named Cydonia

>>3881820
*ammo box fuck

Our industrialization has finally reached the coveted 'good enough' rating. We can finally start working on internal matters.

Sadly, we're about one turn too late.

>Action 1: Law Enforcement Reform & Immigration Legislation

Here is how law enforcement works right now: much like for many things, the clans are reliant upon themselves for it. They have their own bolters, which are military, and work things out from there. Unsurprisingly, this causes a few issues. The bolters can't always be trusted to deal with the crimes of their kin, as soldiers they do tend to go overboard, and oversight is lacking. Hence we brought back the Order of the Disjunctors. A Disjunctor is an agent of the law answering to no one but his local Polity; to become one is to sever your clan ties. Unlike soldiers Disjunctors are specifically trained to police and deal with people directly, detect and handle crime, know the law... They are also trained in the very specific art of short-circuiting hostile volters, and tazing the unsparked; to this end they carry a metallic quarterstaff staff and the fighting training to use it. While volter crimes tend to be nonviolent, they can be pretty badly damaging to the economy, consisting of trade mafias, smugglers, con artists, heisters, burglars, or white collar criminals. But we're also having an immigrant crime crisis, and so this reform is to be passed immediately.

Out immigration policies are at fault for it. So from now on, all prospective minotaur immigrants to the Polity must pass cultural and psychological adaptation trials to detect whether or not they will integrate well, and only if found satisfactory will they be allowed entry. The minotaurs already in Polity territory pass these trials as well, and those who fail are gathered on remote worker settlements newly created to house them, until that demographic naturally phases out or we succeed in educating them. Those that do pass the trials are allowed to integrate normally. The educated and successfully integrated minotaurs are asked to help educate and control their fellows. We explain them not to cheat it, because, as for the 'problematic ones'...

>Action 2: Wicked Men Must Fear The Thunder
In the current wave of disorder the people have reached both towards the government and god; so, they've both decided to answer. Arbiter Kazira goes first, and explained the immigration as well as the measures taken to crack down on crime. "At the time, we would not have imagined it to have such a consequence; we saw starving people and our desire to help was genuine. It is a reminder that good intentions no matter how noble in spirit can have bad outcomes, and in our zeal to create a better world we have failed to foresee or ward the nation against them. We simply made a mistake, a mistake that as Grand Arbiter, I accept full responsibility for. I have caused you great grief, and for that I am truly sorry." He bows very lowly to the assembly of clan representatives, victim relatives and simple commoners gathered before him, staying silent for five good seconds. What makes a government great, he thought, was not its inability to make mistakes, but its ability to admit to them. That is something he has always strived to live by; humility. "I have personally pushed for that policy, and I will strive to mend the consequences. Know that, as all currents are relayed to me, even to a small degree, I have felt your pain and heard your voice, as I always have, and always will." Then he nodded to god.

The great being slowly stared at his people with pained thoughts but said nothing for Thunna our god loathes to speak unless he absolutely has to. A file of convicted, serious-offending minotaur were brought before him and met his stern gaze. Kazira continued, controlling his tone carefully. "As of late, there seems to have been a certain cultural... misunderstanding. Here, in the Polity, or abroad. This misunderstanding hinges on the philosphy espoused by our most serene nation, that of Peace, that of the path of moral purity. For some reason... Quite a few people seem to think of it as 'weakness'. 'Cowardice'. For example... The misconception that pacifists are pushovers. That you can simply take advantage of our friendliness and that we shall not enforce our warnings. Because we would be scared of violence." He slowly shakes a finger, already quite more ominous. "We *loathe* conflict. We are not afraid of it. Pacifism is a position of strenght and assertion, not fear, not weakness. One must have the moral fortitude and the dedication to commit to what is right in a world that mercilessly tests us, and tempts us towards the path of-..."

One of the minotaur convicts, the most vile of them, shouted something, clearly not taking any of this seriously. He was an unrepentant sinner and an undeniably wicked being who took the notion of first degree felony to the next level, but none would ever hear what he said for the entirety of the assembly went collectively deaf. Thunder spoke, out of Thunna's mouth, as he shouted; and no sound in the world was louder than him. Therefore History reveals not what he shouted that day for people did go deaf after all, but we know it was a very short word and that word was probably 'SILENCE', what we do know is that blinding light also appeared, the ground shook, and the evil criminal's body contorted horribly, eyes rolling back, muscles spastic. Five seconds later, when the sense of hearing gradually came back to the crowd, so did they hear the miscreant's terrible screams of damnation, up until he stopped, and slowly slumped on the ground, smoking and nearly burned black to a crisp. Thunna spoke, calmly, carefully. "So are all wicked and evil men to be smitten by Thunder, as is its purpose. I thereby empower the priesthood to deal divine retribution against the wicked, the evil, the corrupt in my name, when I shall not be doing it myself. Once again will they shudder when they hear my voice." He raises his arms towards his faithful. "Volters. My sons and daughters. You have reached out to me and pleaded for retribution. And whenever you are in need I shall answer." He holds up two fingers. "For my weakened body, there are but two hours in the day that I may stay awake. You are welcome to one of them. For one hour each day, I shall receive in audience and listen; volter or otherwise."

"As I work to answer your prayers, I ask you to be good sons; good people. Be fair, and recognize that a few good apples are among you. They have strived, and come a long way from what they once were, and deserve your respect. I bless them, their unions; however many or not they are, they must not be represented by those who are lacking, and the virtuous volter will pride himself on judging the character, and not the race. I understand your grief, and hope that I may bring you solace." Thunna bows his head slightly, saluting his people. He turns to the rest of the criminals. One of them dares to ask for mercy. "Mercy? Mercy is for the weak. Do I seem weak to you?"

And so they all fried in terrible but relatively short pain. Kazira the Humanist, perhaps surprisingly for the non-volters, didn't flinch any, for he is a Grand Priest, and such is his very calling in life.

While we've invested more money into education / reeducation programs specifically designed for minotaurs, we've made the most serious offenses into divine crimes. Volters don't know what an 'electric chair' is, they only know the short-circuit box; but for crimes that qualify of 'true wickedness' there is now the thunderbolt, and only the thunderbolt. Sexual assault in all forms is also much more severely punished and enforced, earning said wickedness qualifier. Special legislation and information campaigns are made to protect and educate women about abusive relationships and remind that such behaviour has zero tolerance. At the same time, some work is spent devising some processes to make sure there is enough scrutiny in claims of sexual misconduct, so that we punish responsibly.

But criminals will learn to be afraid of the heavenly rumble... God is breathing down their neck, about to smite.

>>3881686
>>3879216
Diplo: People of Tonglo
The Tarns have no interest in the matters of the inland. Their only goal was to take the pass and the immediately surrounding regions. As such, the acting Tarnish commander parlays with the Tonglans, offering to move the army back from their gates in exchange for a ceasefire. Furthermore, the Tonglans are given the impression that if they assist the Tarns, they will be given a moderate quantity of phosphate as compensation for their efforts.

Diplo: Southern Tarn
The Southern Tarnian and Northern Tarnian economies have remained intertwined even through political upheaval. A envoy is sent to the Southern Tarn to formalize this policy of open borders and mutual amicability.

Action 1: Consolidate and fortify
The Tarns pull back from their siege of Tonglo, recognizing their overextension. They focus on fortifying the pass itself, converting the mountains into an interconnected series of camps and forts equally resistant to attack from either side. Oni longbow stations are widened and opened up to accommodate water benders and aqua-bolt teams, while rubble is piled up into walls and gates. While this is occurring, the acting commander recognizes a possibility and acts on it. Coordinating with Octam(the commander of the forces at the Mino fort) and the troops at the canal, the acting commander maps out a network of passes forming a ring surrounding Koza province. Now, supplies and troops flow freely around the new perimeter, safe from Oni longbows and siegeworks. Some snowmelt streams are even diverted and channeled, allowing the Tarns uninterrupted supplies of water and transportation. The mountains through which the river flows represent a break in the ring, and the surrounding areas are fortified even more heavily than the rest.
>Basically make a second ring of camps around Koza and fortify the pass

Action 2: Water they thinking?
The Tarns fight at their best when the ground is in their favor, and water mages work around the clock to ensure that it stays that way. Renewed rainstorms pour over the city and surrounding provinces, saturating the ground and creating myriad brooks around the ring of forts. The rain exacerbates Koza’s drainage problem, but it also provide the opportunity for the Tarns to stockpile water for the battles to come. The army at the pass in particular begins to stockpile rainwater, forming a large lake in one of the depressions of Tonglos pass.
>Lots of rainwater, further strengthening the army.

War Action: Spikey bois
The new advances in accuracy and power on the part of the Tarns, as well as the newly captured foothills of Tonglos pass, afford the Tarns their strongest artillery positions to date. What’s more, the areas near Hamet are quite famous for their trade in freshwater urchins. What if the two were combined? Tarns begin slinging dead urchins over the walls of Koza. The urchins’ dry, hard shells sink beneath the cloudy water or lodge themselves on roofs and gables, waiting for an errant hand or foot to come crashing down. Stepping on one of these, in addition to inflicting excruciating pain, leaves dozens of puncture wounds, very susceptible to getting infected in the nasty waters of Koza.

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>>3881690

>Diplomacy: Burned Men
>>3881820

As allies of Sonaria, the offer from the Burned men is first put to Duchess Sella Lek. She would definitely agree with the chance of replacing the influence of the Totu with that of her Tizta, and would promise to send Alloheim a Cadre. A princess, too, as soon as she has one available.

>Diplomacy: Black Metal
>>3881683

The request by the King is listened to. Sella Lek would here agree in principle to supply a Tizta populous, but only once she has the numbers to provide that population. (GM's discretion when that would be). The price she asks, however, if for the Minotaurs to reciprocate and provide their own sustaining population - not for herself, but for Duke Enab of Stianbal. The province of Stianbal is mountainous, which the Sonarii like; but these high mountains are also riddled with tunnels and passageways beneath them, which the Duke has long sought to guard with a population of loyal and dedicated warriors.

For her part, of course, she expects to receive Ores, Salts and Elephants from Stianbal if the deal is completed.

>Action 1:

Sella Lek's request is seen as unusual; the Town of Tiztavaros having literally been built as a refuge for the first Tizta to be rewarded for their service with the freedoms all Tizta now enjoy. However, if that is what she wants for her people... after a bit of inter-ducal trading, control of Tiztavaros and environs is passed from Duchess Lek on to the second Son of Duke Cebalin of Bertlowr; and for her part Duchess Sella Lek is given control of desert hill-lands upon the Plagasm border on which her new township can be raised.

>Action 2:

With support from our metal and mechanically minded allies of Plagasm, the Polity and Haze; a new expansion to the intercontinental rail network is envisioned. This extension is planned to run from Larnet, through Isgwill and New Glecoone and onward up to Lansou and Vinconro; with the idea of then connecting up to Asura and the cities of Golden Dawn and the Polity.

Diplo-sonarii: join the alliance out of the need of research of the
Action 1: have the kings company work with other nations for expansion
Action 2: ask the volters to work with them to research their ruins and the ability to bring back relics

>>3883113
>Diplomacy: Plagasm
The Polity welcomes the Plagasm into its pact and allows them to study the secrets of Radica and the broken machines found in its vicinity.

1. Explore Northern Ruins
Viktoria instructs her Hivers to begin researching and learning about the many ruins that dot the northern tip of the island. She warns them to take care against the spores that ruined her mother, and to this end many of the wasps that handle this task do so from behind thick facial coverings to prevent breathing in any infectious air.

2. Internal Development

The establishment of new hives and subhives brings with it trade and communication. The hives often pull together from a common workforce of nearby drones to have them carry out infrastructure improvements. The newest of which is the development of a system of lift stations. These lift stations are used to carry heavy items over long distances by providing a constant weight reduction line that goods can be hitched up to. Wasps can simply pull the reduced weights along with themselves as they buzz through the air. In many respects, to constitutes a sort of air-road and meshes well with the increasing design decisions of the Hinga to build taller structures from sheetstone and take advantage of their unique natural capabilities. In response to the development of internal trade routes, new subhives pop up along lift junctions to provide services. These subhives are the first real decentralized mercantile hubs, and provide a valuable role for hivers and nobility to keep goods and materials flowing in and out of hive territory without it needing to enter the hive itself. Curiously, this is productive, as it proliferates scholarly expertise out of the hive and into the country at large. While most drones don't and will never learn to read or write, the presence of what amount to official bureaucrats in more locations is extremely helpful in projecting the authority of the Queens over their subjects, securing Hive routes, and providing a visible legal presence to handle disputes.

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Action 1: Chambering
Inalla leads a project designed to decrease time spent reloading artillery. After some debate over a suggested design of "chambering" or "Clipping", Inalla opts for the chambered design in order to preserve resources in the long run. A design for a new artillery piece utilizing a spinning chamber to store ammunition ahead of time for more rapid firing is designed and entered into production.

Action 2: What Once Was
The Totu had not anticipated a previous civilization existing on the island. The ruins are of great interest and studied extensively by Jeleva and as Inalla maintains the manufactury.

A few poorly organized details about the Totu:
(Due to some recent confusion about the Totu)
- The Totu, when standing on their hind legs average a height of roughly roughly 42 inches. Totu Females are larger than the males, though this is only due to a lengthening of their torso to provide additional room for their massive broods.
- Totu females breed often and in large broods of 12 on average. The queen alone is capable of producing females and within each brood of females a new princess is born. To contrast their rapid reproduction, Totu's rarely live past the age of 10 and mature rapidly. As with all things, this time is lengthened for the "nobility", though not significantly.
- The average Totu IQ is around 70, though outliers have been known to exist. Due to this fact, Totu society is highly stratified, with most Totu sticking to a single job for their entire life. Intelligent Totu become tinkerers, while the progressively less intelligent Totu become assembly workers, warriors, or farmers. Despite their low intelligence, a knack for trigonometry is commonplace among Totu due to several generations of artillery work. Members of Totu nobility of notable for exceptional intelligence on the other hand, and all possess some degree of sociopathic traits.
- Totu largely resemble a hairless Mandrill, though with a large head and long, powerful incisors complimented by large cheeks and a jaw which can unhinge in order to scoop up large amounts of sand at a time. In order to protect their skin from the harsh sun and to provide camouflage from larger predators, the Totu keep a coating of excrement and sand stuck to their skin at all times. The mix is largely odorless thanks to the Totu's sand-based diet. Failing to keep a sufficient sand diet may cause issues for the Totu, as his scent would give him away to predators.
- The average Totu has strength comparable to that of a 14 or 15 year old human. The Totu are aware of this fact and are prone to utilize their speed to flee to a safer distance when caught. Totu are quite in tune with their bending though and possess a long tradition of group bending. As with all things, the nobility are somewhat stronger and better benders.
- The majority of Totu are not intelligent enough to comprehend other languages and rely on gestures or a translator when working with foreign armies. They're prone to violence and enjoy to prank one another. They are instinctively fearful and do not trust non-Totu and are highly communal.
- The Totu possess a psychic link to their queen which is assisted by a complex system of phermones. The queen may deliver more complex messages, though totu may only deliver certain alerts.
- Sexual maturation is a manual proccess which requires a captivating milk produced in large quantities by the queen or in smaller quantities by princesses.
- The Totu do not possess a currency and rarely trade.

>>3881690
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Advanced Infantry Tactics
Traditionally, Oni forces have largely been composed of infantry, with a substantial numbers of long bowmen, and some siege equipment. Without the advantages of Burned Men's cavalry, the Tarn's dedicated benders, or the Volter's aircraft, the Oni must make up for their lack in diversity with specialization. To turn their infantry forces into some of the mightiest in the world.
Breed out of necessity, the infantry in Koza begin operating in more effective formations and coordinating between other groups of infantry and archerers.
Along with many other stratagems for retaining troops; one of the major tactics developed is the use of staggered lines of infantry, which are rotated out with each other: When on the offensive it allows one wave to strike hard and fast while the other rests and prepares for the next rotation, thus providing more consistent aggression while minimizing losses for any one force. On the defensive, it lets forces cover each other's retreats and keep advancing enemies at bay for longer.

>Most of the "elite oni" from last turn are sent back to Koza to provide improved mapping and intel on the Tarnish holdings/fortifications. The rest are sent back to Tonglo to reinforce and encourage continued cooperation in forcing the Tarn off of their profitable pass and mountains.
>2: Large push from the city: offensive on the sieging tarn, and numerous raids on the supply routes going to the east
While the forces around the city of Koza seem to be just as big as ever, the reports of Eoduun recon and the returning elites tell of a large force having moved east deep into the Tonglo pass. Wanting to make the most of this sudden opportunity, Giib commands a large scale offensive. Better to take the enemy at surprise with overwhelming force than to let them continue to chip at and drown them away. Knowing all too well of the numerous fortifications in the pass proper, Giib orders for his men to stay clear of overextending into the pass. Instead, they are to do as much damage to the tarnish forces sieging Koza, as well as punch several holes through their defensive line to enable proper raiding and seizure of Tarnish supply lines. Thereby both resupplying his own forces, while denying important goods to the bulk of the Tarnish army.

>>3881690
>>The Yokai Lords

>War Action: Encourage Minotaur King and chieftains to send troops down the side of the pass and attack the cornered tarnish forces
With the Minotaurs now properly established within the Sonarii-mail network, Giib has several more messages to be delivered. Hiding his actual intentions by sending some to the southern-tarn and his fellow yokai lords, Giib specifically writes several messages to the Minotaur king of black metal and the resident Minotaur chieftains around the pass. Giib informs the minotaurs of the large amount of Tarns currently stuck within the dark valleys of the Tonglo Pass. Between the great stopgap that is the walls of Tonglo, and his own forces that will soon be on the offensive, they are in the perfect position to be blindsided by minotaurs coming down the shadows of the mountainside. Giib also informs the minotaurs that the tarn would make for ideal slaves: as they are highly numerous, of middling combat capabilities due to being made of many new recruits, and most of all - weakened by their very presence. To sweeten the deal, Giib also mentions that more weapons could be delivered to the minotaurs if the pass was to be cleared up enough for new caravans to make it through.

>Diplo
>Tonglo-Bathys >>3881346
Tonglo starts by tossing one of her pieces up into the air, like a coin. It lands white-side up, letting her either go first or forfeit the first move to Bathys. To no one's surprise, she opts to go first. Taking a central column piece and advancing it forward.
Each type of piece has its own methods of moving, though only one piece can be moved per turn. One of the trickier mechanics that Tonglo had been working with was the "Morale" mechanic, in which captured enemy pieces could be placed down on the player's turn instead of moving a piece, to simulate troops fighting with the strength of multiple men when pressured, or third parties changing sides mid-way through the battle. To accommodate, each piece has two sides; one black with designs invoking images of waves or storm clouds, the other white with designs reminiscent of spirits and bones.
They play a few turns before Tonlgo finally responds, "Its been fine enough, as far as prisons go. It sure beats being back in Giib's dungeon. The most the guards here have done is throw some bottles at my head when I gave them too much lip, but in their defense I was asking for it, literally." A pause as she places one of her cheaper captured pieces to protect an overextended and costly piece, "And what of you? You finally started to get a feel for using your legs to walk instead of swim?"

>>3883521
>Diplo Continued
>Southern Tarn >>3881685
Giib remains cordial with Toguta, approving of Toguta's choice to stay out of the concerns of his peers until profitable, much like Giib himself had done during the Burning Effigy War. He offers to inform the King about some of the mainland, mainly about the other major nations and their various positions of power or influence. He then goes on to discuss some of the nuances of agriculture, being the Yokai Lord of one of the biggest breadbaskets in the world after all, and offers that perhaps after the war they may work on joint efforts in agricultural study or development. Signed with: Glory to the victorious, Yokai Lord Giib.

>>3883518
Should also probably mention in thread that all three races under Giibs control are utilized in the push. Entombed keep the bridges/roads up and whip up sandstorms to cover the approach and to weaken the tarn benders. Totu benders for artillery support, while totu warriors advance under the cover of the >>3883518
sands to act as skirmishers and supply raiders. And oni form the bulk of the push on multiple fronts and provide leadership, auxiliary, or spiritual support to each force.

>>3881869

>Diplomacy: Volt Polity

With the Totu unwilling to sign the proposed peace terms and being himself unwilling to even countenance their ridiculous counter-offer, King Greyne decides to ask the Polity to send Diplomatic support to the south-western Island. Perhaps the Volters, unhindered by the history of mutual loathing between Sonarii and Totu, might be able to approach resolution of a workable peace with fresh eyes if they were to begin diplomatic mediation. Or, if the Totu behave as Sonarii expect them too; they might just be able to see for themselves the manner of the foe that threatens us.

The Sonarii offer to transport the Volter delegation and any guards and support staff, should they require it; though they suspect the Volters are more likely to choose to make their own way.


>>3883113


>Diplomacy: Plagasm

Sonaria are quite happy to greet their oldest ally as they join up with our new ones, and welcome them warmly into the Alliance

>>3883521
Bathys doesn't challenge Tonglo's advance directly, rather focusing on pushing his own pieces into an optimal pattern. He begins a flank along the right side of the board, three infantry tokens forming a wedge with an artillery piece in the center, ready to sting anything that gets too close. The rest of his forces begin to take on a nested pattern, giving up total board control in exchange for stronger defenses.
"That is good to hear. We are not monsters, I want you to know. Just people."
He pauses.
"Trying our best."
Sliding another infantry piece to the right, he sits back, intently examining the board.
"To answer your other question, no, I haven't. I spent my childhood walking, you see. It conjures memories of a far less happy time than this. For myself at least."
"When I finally escaped, I promised myself I'd never set foot abovesea again. But here I am. We can't always get what we want, no?"

>>3884110
>Diplomacy: Sonaria, Totu
The Polity would be glad to help and will send a Dokori Arbiter on request, but they warn that they will favour neither party on the grounds of alliances or global politics. More than a diplomatic reputation to uphold an Arbiter's duty is to act with integrity and it would be disrespectful to expect otherwise from a Polity Arbiter. If the two parties accept our help, they will also be bound to the rule that the Arbiter will be the final decisional authority in the negotiation.

Lastly, the Arbiter will politely request the Totu envoys to please wash.

>Diplomacy: Tarn
>>3881346
This message comes no longer from Thunna but from the Polity's diplomatic staff instead, the god having better things to do.

"We shall reiterate our statement so that you may no longer pretend not to have heard it: if it is peace you need, there are many that would be open to help you, including us. We are more interested in removing the reasons for recourse to excessive measures than the measures themselves. If you need assistance for a legitimate cause, there are other people, here, outside of your conflict that may consider your case so you do not have to resort to an action that will hurt everyone, you included; all you have to do is ask for it. Spare us the delusions of your government and think for a minute about what you are doing: if you take an action that endangers us or our allies, we will respond. If you allude an intent to taking such an action, if you refuse oversight on regulating such action, we will consider you in kind. Rituals of mass destruction are impossible to control, unpredictable, and WILL hurt you as much as your victim, and will hurt us all as well in the long run, it is an atrocity and no less than five nations of this world have joined voices to tell you this and warn you against their use, two of which who committed the act and saw the consequences firsthand. We also have innocents to protect, and right now you sound to us like you could be a threat to them. You do not want this. You want to be safe. So do we. All you have to do is take the alternatives that will not let your people starving, your empire splintering or the pylons crumble. Whether you appreciate it or not you are not alone to share this world."

>Diplomacy: Wrete
"We rule not through strenght but competence. A wise leader is safe through loyalty, not fear, and the greatest way to acquire loyalty is to ensure that the people's needs are met. There needs to be stability in the realm; that means no conflicts, neither between your people nor your chiefs. Do not hoard treasure; allow us to invest it for you to generate wealth. With that wealth you can keep your chiefs contented and your people fed, and through this they will compete and scheme less, and praise your wisdom."

>Action 1: Consolidation of the Motherland

The Tumarians, having recently come out of isolation, now begin to consolidate their territory, extending pylons out to the coast and the sea to allow for fishing.

>Action 2: Developing the High-Seas Fleet

With their island firmly under control, preparations are made to expand beyond. Using what suitable wood is available to them, the Tumarian military begins constructing a series of naval vessels, capable of troop transport as well as combat, equipping their vessels with battlements allowing for the firing of their plasma.

>>3887025
Hi, welcome to the game! Are you new?

The Isbrytir is a massive vessel, capable of carrying not just warriors, but also a decent portion of the langskip fleet as well. Its massive scale is able to intimidate alone, and the spikes of ice and iron make it all the more fearful. With three methods of movement - iceflow, rowing, and sails- the massive ship moves much faster than one would think with its large size. Though this ship will not be in the front of battle, docking the land for raids, it servers as more of a mobile hub from which the langskip fleet can dock for repairs, restock of supply and most importantly, to drop off the vast hauls of loot they will acquire in the raids. The Langskip are built in such a way that allows for the fast movement into and beach area due to their broad bottoms and shallow draft. This allows for the fast pace raid to occur. They land, battle and collect their treasure, then depart back to the flagship. Having both sail and oar movement means that they are able to outrun other ships in both favorable and unfavorable conditions. Also, because they are able to land in and beach area and not just ports, they make the raids even more surprising.


As the Isbrytir arrives in Jotunhemir, parades of warriors move through the capitol. They stand prepared, Axeman and those who carry swords and sax in the front line for they are the first into battle. The Longspearmen stand behind them, ready to aid with swift jabs of iron. Next are the bowmen and spear throwers. The javelins meet Arrows, fired by gut string bows, mid air- falling upon the enemy. Finally the cryo-mancers and frost druids prepare their magics, freezing foes and raining painful spikes of ice to annihilate the enemy. These spoken visions inspire more to join the parade for the raids to come. “Victory and Valhalla”, the ecstatic uproar of the screams of giants echo throughout the north, reaching even the farthest ends of the nation. The Jarl moves with them, showing his proud stature to the capitol. “Our brethren march on towards not just a mighty war-worthy vessel, but a passage to riches, glory, and eternal feast with our gods!” The Jarl’s words only bring more frenzy and ecstasy to the cheering crowd.

>Action1
Load the isbrytir and the langskip fleet with warriors, prepared for battle. Expand and send the ship to balora so I can take is voyage.

The beast tamers ready there savage critters for an overseas expedition so they may aid the soldiers in raids.Tamed dire wolves, baers and mondraki are caged and fed with salted meats, so they may become more accustomed to what provisions there are for the journey. The beastmasters howl with excitement, ready to fight along with their furry comrades. The beastial nature of these savage animals mixed with the bonds they have with their beastmasters will provide even further edge in combat.

>Action2
Prepare the tamed beasts to join the battle company on the isbrytare.

>>3885801 Tonglo-Bathys
While Bathys forms up his flanks, Tonglo sets up several pieces in a column, all designed to put focus on a few specific squares of his defense. One of her bigger complaints about her game thus far was the limitations it placed on only moving one piece at a time; if she wanted to properly simulate a full-scale war, she'd have every piece moving at once. Perhaps an idea for a different game.

"Monsters? Hahaha. Your idea of us still continues to amuse me." Tonglo glances up to meet his eyes, "No, we don't see you as monsters, not at all. Monsters and animals can be a frightening encounter, for sure. Often coming from somewhere scary, or with overwhelming power. But they are always simple beasts. They all have some sort of quirk or disadvantage that you can exploit. Some behavior or pattern to abuse. People, however, are so much more of a threatening concept. So complex, clever, unpredictable. Monsters can't express the same love and affection a person can. They can't even conceive the malice that people hold in their hearts."

"And yes, that's exactly it, you try! That right there is the best part of fighting with a another person!" Tonglo laughs as she uses one of the more complex units, a syndicate member, to leap over one of his defensive lines and attack a higher rarity unit. "A normal beast would run the moment it knew it could lose something important in a fight. Even if it thought it could come out on top, it'd still rather run or scare off its competitor! Because it knows better than to fight for a meal that fights back. But people, they'll fight for nothing but empty words! They'll fight each other even when its just their pride on the line. You smash them into the ground, they'll get back up, and ask for another. Its that right there: that desperation, that perseverance, that dumb desperate struggle not just for life, but to live. That is what truly separates us from a beast."

Tonglo puts her chin in her hand as she watches Bathys closely. His eyes darting back and forth, struggling to find a method of counterattacking, as he said his piece.

"No. We rarely, if ever, get what we want." Tonglo's smile had faded, as she glanced back down at the board, one of her favorite pieces having just been captured. "We can't rely on handouts or pray for things to just 'work out'. We have to take what we want, and fight tooth and nail to keep the world from taking it." She took a deep swig from her bottle, and let out a hollow, bitter guffaw. "But even then, when we try our very best, it usually ain't enough, huh?"

"Whether its an obligation to your nation and people, thrown onto you by your betters. Or an inescapable reputation and duty, that lands me in the same damn position time and time again. There's always some fucking thing keeping us where we don't want to be, taking what we so desperately want to have."