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>>3767352
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 10 in the world, two slots are currently left unfilled.
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.

=======================================================================================================================================
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 your, 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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>>3767365
(continued)
(starting template)
Starting Location:
Nation Name:
Capitol Name:
Race Name:
Race description/links/abilities:
Element:
Elemental Passive Ability:
Summary of Nation:
Fluff (optional):
Starting Crop: (pick an irl staple crop and slap it in here, keep in mind your crop might fail early on if you decide watermelons are a good idea in the dry plains, I will use this crop and your nations biology and culture to figure out what variation of a government they will use)

Elemental Passive Ability:
EPAs are an exception to the rule. They are an elemental based trait which allows for strange and unique abilities to manifest, for instance if you are the metal nation you can give your dudes the ability to eat metal and integrate that metal into their physiology, you want bones of steel? Feet of mercury or the density of lead? Just do that and watch as your mines run dry from over consumption and your enemies die of mercury and lead poisoning after they go in to take your land! Or perhaps you give your men of metal a sixth sense which allows them to sniff out metal both underground and above, or instead you could allow them to become one with their metal weapons, allowing you to forge shells of metal which they can grow into over the course of a few weeks. The abilities are vast and full of potential so use them well.

=======================================================================================================================================
Discord: https://discord.gg/v8DCrWu

It's here use it

The Last Few Threads:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3636731/
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3678802/
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3723090/ ( >>3723090 )

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>>3767369
Responses for the most recent turn:
>>3765120
The project to pierce the range is restarted at the point where the falcon flew in, following the general directions illustrated in a later letter. Though sadly the expedition has run into very odd problems, in the rock large anomalies in the stone seem to have taken root recently, large chasms and perfectly smooth orbs of stale air in the rock, these aberrations can range from the size of a grain to a diameter matching that of the length of a great ship of the sea.

These abnormalities have forced the size of the dug tunnels and thus the buttresses involved to become larger as to facilitate the movement of new materials with which to form bridges and larger machines with which to dilute the air with.

The new pasteurized milk improves the quality of life for the burned men greatly, as its relative cheap nature when it comes to preforming the process means that even those in the cities can afford milk not spoiled and longer lasting cheeses as well.

>>3765811
The demand for the fine marble of the city brings the wealth and resources needed to justify importing food to the once small city, and so now it can grow to a respectable size which gives it enough influence, political leverage and prestige to be taken seriously by the other city lords.

The lady mystic of the lake emerges, telling stories of the realm she beared witness to.

She describes the feeling of entering the elseworld, of the feeling of the force which keeps us all down turning to the other direction, and of the sight she saw once she regained her composure with the help of the spirits. She tells of the feint noise of chanting that could be heard to what she assumes is the west, and of the great screams of distress coming from the north. Along with fainter noises of metal scraping against metal, flapping wings and the sounds of men of the trades past the screaming and turmoil.

She gives word of what she had seen once she opened her eyes, above her she could see a great void, desolate of stars say for a few stars about as bright as the north star, she tells of what she could see around her, spirits dancing in and out of the surface of the plain of existence, overshadowed by brighter lights in the distance which look like souls. She could even make out the nearby town which she grew up in, still just over the horizon and bursting with the light of those who live.

(cont.)

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>>3767377
Through this town and the relatively barren expanse she could see in the other direction she discerned the four directions. In her speaking she describes the great weight she felt pulling her back towards the overworld, as though she was underwater in a suit of burned men armor of lead. She states she could only stay in this realm with the help of the spirits, whose presence she could feel keeping her lifted up, even then she only got to stay for a mere few minutes, the most monumental few minutes of her life perhaps but only a few none the less.

After she had finished telling her tale she also had one more thing to say. To the west she saw a great red light, not a pretty or bright red but a darkened red wrought with a pale afterglow of orange and white, looming and horrific, this sight was the last she saw in the realm sadly, and she has had a hard time keeping the memory in her mind for some odd reason.

Thankfully she had her com patrons to rely it to, she then states she has forgotten what she is saying and is in the mood for some meditation.

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>>3767377
(relying player actions and diplo)

---Sonarii---

Diplomacy: Multiple treaties are signed with the Plagasm to open our borders for mutual access, and with the treaty signed to bring their regular forces into the war against the Totu, discussed and ratified in the discord, to replace the Earthbending mercenaries we can no longer afford, as well as to act independently and seize Totu lands on their own remit for their own possession.


Action 1: With the mineral riches of and around Larnet, Sonarii smiths experiment more with metallurgy, trying to fashion weaponry that is both stronger and lighter for their military forces to use, and if possible that can be used whilst on the wing as well as on the ground.

Action 2: The Pig native to the lands around New Glecoone is found to be an incredibly tasty beast, and so domesticated as a source of delicious meats.

War Action:

With Plagasm Earthbenders carted in to provide their new devastating Earthbending Earthbreaking technique to their Sonarii allies as replacement for the mercenaries, the offensive upon the Center begins. Plaguism Earthbenders and Sonarii Airbenders will provide support to an offensive of Oni, Plagasm and Sonarii combat units. The Duke of Damhuest, Arbar of the house of Ordon, will command this offensive due to the histories of his house in fighting against monstrous beasts from below the ground, and Duke Trayth and the armies of house Egnart will be at his side. The Dukes of Chaelkeat and Alkilme will also send their forces to support this offensive, harrying the areas around the city to cut off potential reinforcement, take out positions of Canonade and provide swift strikes into any flanks or pockets that might develop.

---Totu Krurt---
>Action 1: Scorch the Scortched Earth
The Center had only existed as long as the war has. Hardly a loss, the Totu collect their resources and escape to the capitol. Their tunnel homes had existed for their protection against predators, though the sheer defenses surrounding the capitol was plenty of protection to exist above ground now.
As they fled the city, a few grunts and laborers remained to surrender the city. As the Sonarii attempted to enter and claim the loot which no longer belonged there, the blockades which once prevented the vermin and gas are unbound to make a death trap out of the city. The same technique is ready incase a cave-in is attempted, ready to release the vermin to the surface.

(cont.)

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>>3767384
>Action 2: Mobilized Deployment
The Totu turn the salvaged Sky carts of the Sonarii into sleds to mount their artillery onto. These sleds are led by elephants to improve the speed and responsiveness of the Totu artillery. No encampments are safe as the artillery can constantly linger just within range of bombardment.

>Diplomacy: Guardian Spirit
The Totu accept the Yokai's offer and urge them to move quickly.

>Diplomacy: Fillibuster
An emmissary is sent to the Sonarii to negotiate surrender. He puts up a fight, realistically attempting to defend the interests of the Totu but eventually caves to whatever demands the Sonarii have.
He takes as much time as possible to stall the negotiation and in the end, has no offical power to do anything about the war, existing soley to stall the Sonarii and their troops.

>War Action: Offensive defense.
The totu have held their defense to such a point that where-ever there is walls, there is victory. The Totu continue to expand their defenses out to The Center so that they can re-take the city once it has been abandoned or safely fire upon any who attempt to linger.
A focus on wiping out earthbenders is employed.

---Plagasm---
action 1: set up a village/research station near the portal exit, call it mortuary.

Diplo/Action 2: if we will attack the totu we get to keep the land we conquer (and the domes we previously had before the expansion)

(OP here) I have put the second part in parenthesis since the domes belong to haze, who is as of yet uninvolved in this war.

>>3767389
(responses to relayed player actions)
---Sonarii---
Bronze, which is heavy and old fashioned is abandoned in favor of much lighter iron. All new units entered into the war and all available for a quick regearing are armed with iron weaponry and chainmail/cloth/leather armor along with the occasional iron helmet as to stop anti-air weaponry from taking down sonarii in one shot too easily.

A lighter yet still strong kind of wood is also shipped from the plagasm for use in the production of new sky carts, which must be bulkier lest they fall to anti-air emplacements.

The new pork is quite good while fresh, but beyond a day it spoils quickly even when cooked.

The coalition stands victorious over the defenders of the city, now only a massive collection of ruins remains, though a sizable potential army still exists in the ruins and thus a small portion (about 30%, mostly the majority of the Oni forces and non-sonarii) of the combined army must stay behind to make sure the enemy stays down and bleeding in the ground after a brief assault.

Though disaster had struck the corpse kickers, as a noxious gas erupted from the ground, killing all in the local radius of the city, and surrounding the city in a haze of fog.

The generals count their lucky stars that their remaining forces had been moved out in time to march and soar east.

The great mine to the east also fell to the gas, a small consolation to the loss of much of the army. Scouts also tell of massive caravans moving from the Oni lands to the enemy capitol.

---Totu Krurt---
With the opening of the deathtrap came the cutting off of the major northernly route along with the nexus of the great mine due to a great error in the maps or planning of the queen, though which is to blame is hard to tell.

The supplies from the Oni alleviate the major issue of starvation for the most part in the capitol, and at the cost of a few useless shinnies as well, truly it is a wondrous deal. Though with the loss of the underground route to the north overworld caravans must be used which could be vulnerable to enemy attack, especially considering that the sonarii are an airborn race who would probably love to let their soldiers feast on some exotic foods from a far off land.

(cont.)

>>3767390
Thankfully the anti air emplacements along the route alongside mobile units have kept minor sonarii actors from raiding caravans in the meantime.

Speaking of the new mobile artillery already stone and metal designs are coming up, though the problem of wheels getting stuck in the sand is a problem for smaller units, requiring the purchasing of expensive wooden wheels from the Oni. Though the main source of elephants still exists in the grasp of the empire so the problem of getting more elephants to pull these emplacements is not an issue right now.

Due to the overflow of the dark mist a defensive line is instead drawn over the hills and between them near to the capitol, allowing for more defensive structures and emplacements to be rapidly set up. New units of dedicated metal spike launching artillery are drafted up, designed to devastate the deadly necrotic units of the enemy, though metal is currently scarce in the empire say for what was taken from the mine, merchants and overwhelmingly from the corpses of enemy soldiers and launched metal rounds.

Less hastily built defenses are also built up north of the dark haze, and many backline harassers are sent out from there to disrupt enemy supply lines from the mountains. The Oni mercenaries are very expensive to upkeep but prove devastating against the overconfident Earthbenders. New mercenaries join from the Oni through word over the merchant lines.

---Plagasm---
The Research station and mining nexus of Mortuary springs to life, the metal it brings in from the otherlands gives the state immense wealth, this allows a substantial force of Metal men to be hired as mercenaries for the war.

A line in the sand has been drawn in the north, guarding the enemy's capitol. The generals feel that a full offensive must be taken soon while the opportunity is still ripe. (I recommend you discuss the angle of the offensive or a long term strategy with Grenoll)

The results of the testing by the men of metal on the blue metal comes through, it has three very interesting properties which have been reported, firstly it is the strongest metal known so it can hold a sharp edge indefinably. Second of all it cannot be easily bent by metal men, requiring the use of hazy water to be bent, that is the third property. Due to this it can only be altered in the monastery of haze, making the product very expensive but worth it for the pure power it brings to the battlefield.

Due to its high refinement and shipping cost it will only be possible to arm a select few with this metal.

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This is an anchor post, please reply to this post while stating which nation i had to post the actions of you are diplo-ing with.

>>3767391
War action: try to destroy the totu underground (Oh I finally get to use those anti-necrotic
Action 1: give the blue metal to the elite troops
Action 2: start a further exploration of the tundra

>>3768122
This is plagasm, sorry

>>3767394
Starting Location: Mountains (can't find a good spot, so it doesn't matter where exactly)
Nation Name: The Twisted Turns
Capitol Name: The Great Network
Race Name: Minotaurs
Race description/links/abilities:
A bovine type of race. Specialise in brute strength and live in mountains, creating vast labyrinthins as a form of defense and expansion to their Cities. Due to their attunement to the Earth, they can easily navigate in the Labyrinths.
Living underground and barely migrating, they have a severe fear of heights (acrophobics) and have evolved to adapt to the low-to-no light of the deep. The male/female birth ratio heavily favors the male gender, but have evolved to be able to impregnate other races (and the offspring being primarily Minotaur, with very minor traits of the Mother's race).
They are very hot headed and very often go into Blind Rage when enraged in battle, fighting to the death and never routing (which pumps a lot of the Earth element, boosting physical abilities on top of their natural high strength)
Element: Earth
Elemental Passive Ability:
Earth Sense - a type of sense that lets them map out the immediate area to navigate and to determine any nearby disturbances, like movement.
Blind Rage - the connection of the Earth boosts their fight or flight senses (never flight), making them even a bigger threat at their verge of death.
Summary of Nation: a tribal sort of nation, having chieftains and shamans (who are the ones that can use the Earth properly). VERY rarely leave the labyrinth, only assigned "hunting" parties leave, gathering mates and stronger weapons (preferably war axes, war hammers and halberds). Sustain mainly off of the Geothermal plants underground, them being herbivores.
Starting Crop: Plants that grow off of the Geothermal heat (energy) of underground magma/volcanos, has a similar look of Onions, but much bigger and a bright red colour. The higher the heat, the more "meaty" layers.

>>3767377
>>3767377
> Of Tunnels and Construction
1. Using mixtures of sand from Faustic, minute amounts of lead, and fire blasting a stronger material for the expedition construction is formed, also finding use for highrise construction in the cities.

2. The strange runes from the jungle once discovered in Burning Effigy War are studied for effect.

>>3767394

Action 1:

Salt from the mines of Larnet is transported by cart or sky-cart to the growing city of New Glecoone. And here grow up salteries and smokeries, to transmute the pork into more sustainable forms of preserved meats that can be transported back to Larnet and beyond in their turn.

Action 2:

Cannon captured from the Totu are studied by the Sonarii. Though they have no direct way to replicate the Totu elemental effect, they believe that with use of their Airbending powers a similar effect might be generated to propel a lethal projectile or stream of powerful debilitating wind.

Diplomacy:

Sonarii representatives approach Lord Tonglo again, making offer of new meats, metals and weapons for increased Oni support against the Totu.

War Action:

With the Duke of Damhuest and his direct forces stuck in oversite of the ruins of the Center, Duke Trayth of Stianbal takes command of the mobile elements of the Sonarii and allied forces. Launching a Pincer northward from the desert hills and another eastward from the border mountains, with heavier elements following behind to secure, he aims to cleave the hill-line away from Totu control and take control of the Pachyderm assets as well as disrupting or closing down far-stretched Totu transportation links in the area.

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>>3768348
(all instances of "Earth" are replaced with Dark until the elemental passive ability)
Dark Sense - This is a psychic ability which allows for the minotaurs to see the areas around them in much the same way that a bat can, except instead of sound transmitting the information it is the lack of light which allows this ability to function, and this means it is far more precise, allowing a minotaur to "see" everything within an individually determined radius (as a rule of thumb the farther a minotaur tries to use this ability the more limited it becomes in the precision it brings)

Though it is limited by its purely dimensional transmission, giving a slight sense of the general feel of an object and its shape but not any chemical, heat or color based readings, this means that minotaurs must utilize light sources in order to read.

---

Blind Rage is bumped down to a racial trait that is probably only mildly related to the abilities granted by the power of dark.

Your staple crop will be named the Vanta Gourd, this food comes from a hardy plant which yields gourds similar to squashes except for its dryness and juice which can be refined into a dye of purest black.

The plant cannot reproduce without the aid of a minotaur and a minotaur only, as its reproduction is tied to the powers of Dark.

---

The powers of dark allow for a few different basic varieties of usage, each of which a user can only use one at a time.

>Shadow Reflection
Shadow Reflections are mirrors of the user, like an image in a mirror they look just like the user but switch along a vertical access (so a taur who creates a reflection who has a scar on his left eye will in the reflection would have a scar on his right eye)

Using this ability drains the user's strength by 33%, transfering it to the reflection, any more reflections will split that 33% into as many parts as there are reflections, though more reflections will require more focus on the caster's part.

These reflections are also very light, which means they can move in a manner just as agile as the original caster, but when they near beings not of the caster they begin to fade, losing their form into a brief haze of dark mist before dissipating completely.

>Shadow Warriors
Perhaps the opposite of shadow illusions when it comes to function and form these creatures are also mirrors of the caster, but instead of looking like the caster instead take the form of vaguely minotauric figures wielding weapons comparable to the weapon or weapons of the caster.

They can only be cast in dim light, gaining more power the darker their fighting space is, they cannot leave the dark vision of their caster lest they dissipate into nothingness.

(cont.)

>>3767394
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Expand West
Along with the many other existential and otherworldly revelations the trip into the Wonsi Lake provided, it also gave the Oni a definite interest in what lie beyond their borders to the west. With the petitioning of both Yokai Lord Yugji's desire for more farm land, as well as Yokai Lord Tonglo's request for more mountain terrain, the borders of the Oni pylons are pushed further west, as far up the mountains as they can go.

>2:Aqueducts off the mountains
Using the drastically increased stone and rock from the quarries of Tonglo, the construction of aqueducts begins. For the most part, these stretch out into the grasslands to better irrigate the rice fields and other farms. However, Yokai Lord Giib requests an extra long one to be established, going out to the edge of his lands to both irrigate his farmlands, as well as keep the expanding deserts from taking his jungles.

>Diplo
>Sonarii >>3768982
While the wool has been exceptional for clothing, Yokai Lord Tonglo has yet to hear back from the various forces she'd sent to the Sonarii. When the representative arrives, she asks them what became of her men. Upon hearing of their demise, she demands extra remuneration before even considering sending more forces to assist the Sonarii. If these fees are paid, she'd then offer new forces in exchange for metal and salt.

>Totu
Yokai Lord Giib is exceptionally impressed by the Totu's tenacity. If the queen was not able to hold her hill, why let any other sit on its peak? Such spiteful thinking is not quite appreciated by the more steadfast Yokai Lords of Tonglo or Yugji, nor the more honorable Mun, but are quite an amusement to the Yokai Lord Giib. As the Totu already owe the Oni quite a bit, the Yokai Lord offers a small 'favor' to the Queen. He is willing to take a princess and her suitors under his care in the northern deserts shared by Oni and Totu. Far away from the conflict and southern armies, the princess could act as a reserve should the worst come to pass.

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>>3769442
(continued)
Unlike reflections they do not lose consistency or form unless they are struck in a way which would kill the caster (or are recalled) and have just as much strength as the caster, if not more in the darkest of darknesses.

Just like their kin the more warriors summoned the more strain is put on the caster, this means that if one wants to summon more than one they need to be strong will and in a state of pure concentration, unless this is an incredibly strong willed individual in which case the maximum cast is two.

>Dark Projection
Using this ability the light coming from an area can be sapped, forming an area of darkness comparable to a forest under the light of a full moon, this film of darkness can be amplified through larger groups of taur combining their efforts in order to amplify the range of the dark blanket.

Shadow Manipulation:
Through the puppeting of one's own shadow objects can be moved and disrupted, though this technique is limited in its combat uses due to how it is fairly useless in the shadow and weaker in the light.

>Dark Strength
Using this ability a taur can increase his own natural strength and the durability of his armaments through the absorbing of the lack of light around him, turning a scrawny boy to the strength of a man and a man to the strength of two. Though this can be broken if the user forgets about the battle or enters the light.

----

>your borders
The nation of The Twisted turns is currently in dispute with the Oni on whose land is whose, small conflicts between settlers and recently established proto-labyrinths has taken place on numerous occasions.

You may now begin, remember, diplo actions do not take your two actions and if you and your friendly neighbor end up at war you will gain a "war action" devoted entirely to your war.

...

To the south lies a great mountain, though it is not large it is rich in something for it is a mountain filled to the brim with Iron, Lead and Silver, materials which the taurs have only a basic level of knowledge on how to smith it.

The metal mined from this mountain seems to have a minute effect of "anti light", where it seems to emit an effect similar to that of a shadow haze but in a more arcane form like that of a torch to light.

>>3768122
Through the digging of tunnels the alleged tunnelway of the Totu is discovered, though it is heavily guarded and filled with monkies.

The line is traced pointing towards the great mine, and along the way the tunnel is collapsed as to stop it from being used by the Totu.

Most of the officers and high ranking people of the military are armed with at least one instance of blue metal gear, it is indeed an excellent metal but its cost still hold it back from being a pure upgrade.

The (1 tile) of land available for exploration is mapped and charted, and the metals it holds are exploited to the maximum capacity available.

Many new animals are cataloged, though none are particularly interesting say for the saber toothed cats which stalk the wastes, those animals who are prized for their exotic fur coats and long canine teeth.

A few experiments with the pylons are conducted and it is concluded that an expansion which would expand the lands by 19 times could be successfully conducted if the state could fund the expansion ritual.

>>3768652
The new cheaper fortifications can be readily introduced and thus speed up the construction of the tunnel, it is estimated that by (next turn) the other side of the range will be reached

After much time of study a breakthrough is had. It is found that when certain runes are arranged in a certain way a fungal tree can be turned into some sort of golem. It can only follow straightforward commands given to it through pen and paper but it can be controlled nonetheless.

These certain trees feel warm to the touch, though their resident fungi stop them from being a good idea to used outside of the fungal Forest.

>>3768982
The pork still spoils easily but it is found that it can serve as a good filler meat for mixtures of salt, berries and beef which are both long lasting and nutritious.

A prototype design involving metal balls and a very long metal tube are created, though this version is hardly the game changer than a proper artillery piece could potentially be.

Instead the role of artillery can be taken up by earth benders who can fire rocks and large boulders at enemy positions without needing an expensive frame.

The elephant nursery is captured, and the food supply lines from the Oni are targeted, leading to large casualties on both sides over meager levels of supplies.

The raids are successful though due to the relatively massive levels of mobility among the sonarii. The generals estimate all northern Totu territory can soon be fully neutralized by (next turn).

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>>3769448
On the western borders clashes with strange bovine men occur, these men live in the darkness and are strongest there, hunting during the night and staying in what can only be described as mazes during the day.

Though sonarii math is not perfect the aquaducts are finished and a proper aquaduct is constructed for Tonglo and smaller ones help the local agriculture considerably, though north of those mountains word of attacks by strange bovine men are also heard.

*a new turn dawns*

>>3769606
War action: try and cut off their food continue the tunnel offensive
Action 1:support the expansion ritual
Action 2: give the blue metal to the sonarii maybe they can find a use for it

>>3769532
Action 1:
Send a small team to survey and start setting up a mine (in the design of a labyrinth) on the Metal rich mountain. Determine which of the 3 metals emits the most "anti light".

Action 2:
Start focusing on expanding the Vanta Gourd farms, dedicating farmers who are above average in using the Dark.

>>3769609
1. (I'm assuming the tunnel will continue without a turn dedication, if not this turn will be dedicated to that.) Due to rising water concerns in Faustic, schematics and early construction begin on a long range aquaduct from Ashpyre at the Crown Prince Alloheim's request.

2. These strange fungal tree golems are to be used to gather simple material (lumber, stone, ore) from the unfriendly fungal jungle. While their fungal nature is a concern, a trade known as the Golem Keepers arises, Burned Men who are willing to live far away from most civilization to tend the golems and collect and sell the fruit of their labors. Equipped with carts, horses, and cleansing helms, it becomes a lonesome, but profitable trade.

>>3769609

Diplomacy:
>>3769448

The terms with the Oni Lord Tonglo for future mercenary hire are agreed upon by the visiting Duke, and the remuneration for her losses are paid in plentiful quantities of Stianbal Salt and many Elephants. Furthermore, the forges of Larnet will provide plenty of metal for her and the hands of warriors she sends to join us.

Action 1:

Having received a gift of a strange blue Metal from their Plagasm allies, the Sonarii begin making experimentation on the material and the various quantities, from the mundane of trying to fashion it into weaponry, to the obscure of buffeting it with winds, testing if it floats on water, and exposing it to all number of other known substances from blood to vegetation to urine to tomato sauce.

Action 2:

The Sonarii lands are far extended, even for a fast-moving race that can increase this speed with tailbending and gliding along established sky wind-routes. To enable communication between these settlements, and make the distances seem smaller, the Sonarii develop a postal service so that their people might never have to lose contact with one another.

War Action:

The Army of the King has spent a little time out of the field, repairing and replenishing their numbers in the east. Now they re-enter the war, King Largh taking lead of the war-flight in a series of fast-moving northern offensives to try and shatter the residual hold of the Totu upon the north and break any remainder of their supply lines.

>>3769609
>>The Yokai Lords

>Glassblowing
With the steady income of sand from their own deserts, as well as the trade by the Totu, the Oni now have a good amount to work with when it comes to fashioning glasswork. Specialized furnaces and kilns begin to pop up in various Oni towns and villages, designed to turn sand into glass, and glass into various useful things. The finest quality glass is used to make bottles for the Elseworld-Sect's closely guarded Raw Spirit

>Stone walls for Yugji and Tonglo
With stone coming fast off of the moutains of Tonglo, Yokai Lord Yugji sends a messenger to request enough stone to build a wall for his major fortifications. Angered at the damage his Fort Town had suffered in their last war, and another potential one on the horizon, he desires Yugji to have great walls of stone to prevent entrance of all unwelcome foes.
If there is enough time and material after the order, Yokai Lord Tonglo also begins construction on stone walls for her Fort Town's very defensible position.

>>3770085
A fortress is raised in the north by the source of the elephants , serving as a concrete base of operations for the blockading of Oni territory and supplies.

A species of large (about as heavy as the average necrotic) slow moving and heavily armored crab which grazes on the abundant local seagrass is discovered, their mannerisms are found to be vaguely like that of cattle and thus they could be used as a source of exotic meats and a good food item to go with whatever agricultural base can be established in that area.

Abundant sources of ice and snow are discovered which dwarf any other known sources. Along with this a cold desert is also scouted out which likely leads to an even greater desert expanse.

The sonarii find no way to use the metal.

>>3770106
A great mine is set up, the metal extracted from the mines is spread across the labyrinths through trade. Greatly improving the stonecutting and weaponry of the chiefdoms.

A more organized system of gourd farming is established, now instead of leaving them to fester in the wilderness previously useless land is cut into and exploited for its potential.

>>3770133
The methods once used to construct accurate balistas are redeployed for use in the construction of the Aquaduct.

It is a long and arduous building process but in the end it is worth the trouble, as now the city of the sands has the water it needs to thrive.

Though the outsides of trees may be covered in lichens and molds the cores of these ancient trees are of a very high quality indeed, along with this the hills and even the few ruins rumored to dwell in the forest yield many interesting artifacts and metal trinkets.

Sadly only a tiny population can prosper in the jungle as the skills and wealth needed to even start thinking about becoming a Golem Keeper is too much for the vast majority of the Empire.

Sadly horses cannot actually live for very long in the forest due to the spores, thus begins a trade of golem keepers who act as middle men between the outside world and the isolates.

>>3770341
One single thing is found about the metal that was not already known to the plagasm, its presence calms the winds of the great windy rock, allowing for many isolated areas to be explored which could not before due to the intense winds.

In these crevasses an ecosystem is found which harbors a kind of dog sized scorpion whose venom temporarily neutralizes the powers of those who get it in their blood, the length of time in which the individual will be powerless are dependent on the ammount injected, with a full bulb (currently the only way to harvest it is from the corpse of a scorpion, and only a few hundred of the adults are known to exist, with repopulation of 33% of the population taking about a (turn), 33% being the maximum death toll expected to be easily recovered from) neutralizing a subject for a whole (quarter of a turn).

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>>3771037
(continued)
Though the journey is long and comes with a hefty price for letters between distant parts of the empire the service proves highly successful.

Using the necrotic armies as a backlines to clean up what if left of the enemy forces the northern part of the enemies empire is thoroughly crushed, though it is done with enough haste that an enemy resurgence could be possible, thankfully no usable underground tunnel of the enemy is found, though an attempt at finding one has lead to yet another whole (tile) of land being put under the black mist along with the loss of a small but noticeable chunk of the allied armies, mostly necrotics though so the sonarii morale isn't hit very hard.

>>3770903
The new glass is indeed a mighty trade good, many from far away lands come just to bear witness to the mighty industry.

Stone from Tonglo improves the walls of both cities until they are on par with those of the castles of the burned men.

>>3770133
The tunnel is nearly complete

*a new turn begins*

>>3771124

Action 1:
The power-sapping poison sounds a very potent tool, but the current population of the Scorpions stands too low for harvesting to be easily recovered from. One bad year, or another cataclysm, and the species could be forced to the edge of extinction. So instead of harvesting right away, the duke of Alkilme has his people prepare controlled enclosures and habitats in the mountains of his Duchy where, it is hoped, the creatures can be farmed and harvested without great disturbance to the natural population or consistent disruption to the holy Great Wind Rock.

Action 2:

Long-term vassals to the house of Vyden, the House of Nakyle share their origins and have intermarried with the dynasty on occasion. In old Glecoone, they had been carers and keepers of the Vyden herds. But old Glecoone is gone, the lands itself and the declining herds seceded away. Now, on the eastern plains they find new grazing lands, new herds. And find themselves able to rise in status. The town of Isgwil is founded, adjacent to the herds of horse, and between the towns of Larnet and new Glecoone enough to serve as a midway rest-stop and roost-site for travelers.

War Action:

The noose around the Totu starts to pull tighter. Fast-moving patrols and armies on the wing under the command of King Largh sweep across the north and around, rooting out isolated pockets of the filth-monkeys as the line on all sides pulls closer about Basin of Bellow, doing their utmost to deprive the last underground hovel of the Totu of resources and sustenance. Soon, they are sure, the final assault will be ready to launch upon the Basin; and when it does, the Sonarii will be able to make their strikes from any direction they should choose.

>>3771037
Action 1: start looking into what it can be done with the metals, especially the gray one (iron). See if it can be used for strong weaponry.

Action 2: start exploring East during the night time

>>3771124
>>The Yokai Lords

>Marriage of Yokai Lords and Mediums
Yokai Lord Yugji and the Medium of Wonsi have been the two major driving forces in the Fort Town of Yugji, pulling the ransacked city back together both in the material and spiritual domains. Having worked together for years now, their familiarity eventually blossoms into a relationship. A month after her journey into the Elseworld, they are married and bonded together in body and in spirit. Thus, begins a trend among Yokai Lords in Oni society. Yokai Lords will often marry with a Medium of the Elseworld-sect; for a multitude of reasons. Primarily, as a spiritual adviser, someone to handle the most serious of spiritual matters in their domain, and as a bridge between the Yokai Lords and the Elseworld-Sect. Secondly, as a show of strength in spirit binding and bonding.
Many of the Yokai Lords soon look to see if their offspring have any new or previously overlooked spiritual powers that could be utilized.

>Expanding Oni Cuisine
Yokai Lord Giib and his domain are the most well fed and provisioned of the Oni, with many different sources of meat, rice, and vegetable. However, despite these new sources of sustenance, Giib is unsatisfied with their meager preparation. Though a glutton, he still prefers things to taste good and provide all that they can in a meal. He tasks the chefs of his realm to broaden the horizons of Oni Gastronomy and Cuisine. With the rampant discoveries soon making their way across the rest of the nation as people find more interesting dishes than boiled rice and egg.

>Diplo/Mercs
>Sonarii and Totu
Though there was much to be gained from such war profiteering, Yokai Lord Giib decides it is best to cut his losses before the majority of his caravans and mercenaries are raided on the northern path. And seeing as the Totu queen has fallen silent while the Sonarii bash upon their walls, he sees little reason to stick around. Signalling to the Sonarii that they are taking their leave and wish for no pointless bloodshed, the mercenaries and trade caravans begin to pull back up to the northern deserts and Oni territory.
If allowed by Totu, or if they are just able to take one, the Oni also smuggle a Totu Princess out of their camps and up to the northern deserts.

>>3771124
1. Begin the proper buildup of Faustic to the acceptable empire standard.

2. Consider the potential of combining the runes of Red Mound and the fungal jungle, but have it contained lest an unfavorable outcome should occur.

>>3771037
War action: continue attacking the tunnels, make a push with the sonarii
Action 1: use the blue metal to make digging equipment
Action 2: farm the crabs

>>3771870
Small populations fed using farms given sustenance through grain are established in the caves whose conditions are good enough to support the scorpions. Though the farmed scorpions are only slightly as large as the rats even when fully grown. Though this is probably a more sustainable option just incase.

The new town grows to dominance as a new crossroad of the sonarii empire.

The city and destroyed though the once queen has gone into hiding, and many princesses have been taken captive.

Now all that is left is to draw the new borders.

>>3771924
Through experimentation and trial a new metal is created and spread effectively, though its properties are likely based in superstition Bone Iron has now become a new norm, created through the combination of Iron and ground bone this metal seems unusually strong and even a little lighter.

Though many proto-labrynths have been decimated due to the expansive easterners hunting parties exploring the east come across a strange and foreign culture, one where conflict is seen of as sport and more centralized tribes have taken route, some minotaur take to raiding these settlements, while others decide to trade.

Due to local conflicts much of the plains is now in the firm grip of the unusual Oni peoples.

>>3772997
The new marriages go off without a hitch. Any effects other than cultural to emerge out of this practice have yet to be seen.

A few jungle spices are tapped which lend to new and interesting types of cuisine, these spices include: Pepper, coffee and nutmeg.

A totu princess is successfully smuggled into the scant deserts of the Oni and beyond. The retreating Oni mercenary army is under strict orders to retreat and thus is luckily let go without conflict by the Necrotics. Though a small portion of the spoils of war were taken together during the deal.

>>3773089
Though its industries are quite petty compared to the rest of the empire a proper investment in archetexture is put in by the King's court, allowing many large structures to flourish in the desert.

(the runes used to power golems are already fire runes, so this action will be going into the tunnel)

>>3773119
The enemy capitol is taken down with swiftness, and even a few princesses are captured though the queen is nowhere to be seen.

Through the copying of sand monky designs larger cooperative building machines which dig using blue metal tipped drills are conceived, allowing for stone digging which is much faster and more precise.

The Crabs help with the self sustaining aspect of Mortuary, helping free up portal space for other kinds of shipments and tourisms.

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>>3773089
In the final breach the King was ready, his entourage ready for the long travel ahead. The final swing is struck as the path for his majesty is made ready, outside on the other edge of the mountain was not the village, forest or generic natural scenery that had been expected but instead an entire mountainside of stumps. Strange perhaps but not out of the question, for perhaps this lumber was needed for some great work of architecture or to feed the wood demands of a nation of steppes, plains and deserts.

In the first day's journey no sentient life was seen and the natural world seemed in a state of total exploitation.

Swamps lied drained, roads covered every mile cutting the ground into neat fully equal squares, old run down farms and metal refineries lied everywhere. No birds sung their songs and no cows brayed their moos. The closest thing to a deer found then was a skull on the side of the road.

On the second day a man was met, but he was different from a normal burned man for his face was covered in a smooth silver mask and his clothing was of a fair quality for peasantwear. He could not talk and it seemed all he could do was wander and sometimes go to briefly tend to one of the overgrown fields. As the troupe moved on more and more corpses they would find on the side of the road, many seemingly having died in the process of burying other deceased burned men, all of course share the quality of a smooth, fused mask and high quality clothing.

The journey was getting eerie to say the least and food supplies were running low, and by fear for his life (something which the King does not feel often) the troupe then returns to the tunnel. Scouts are sent out in order to assess these strange lands, they tell of well plowed fields out farther past where they turned back alongside mention of a city by one scout, though that scout states that the locals seem to become more aggressive the closer one gets to the city along with how he could see many leaving the city in wandering yet orderly lines. With all staying on the left side of the road from their own prospective, he also reports these people capturing his companion and how he narrowly avoided being captured himself.

*A new turn dawns*

>>3773336
Action 1: Expand on the Vanta Gourd farming. Extract the black dye to start colouring armors and clothes. Find a better use of the dye as well.

Action 2: Start making and distributing Bone Iron tools and weapons. Look further in to the refinement of Bone Iron and its uses.

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>>3772997

>Diplo: Oni Mercs
>>3773336

The Sonarii are pleased to see the Oni mercenaries breaking their ties with the dregs of the filth-queen's armies, and let them leave without incident.

>Diplomacy: Plagasm
>>3773119


With the Totu all but a broken people, King Largh meets with the representative of the Plagasm to hash out where the borders will fall in the aftermath. He brings with him a map of the desert lands, and the areas of control he expects each to fall under in the peace. As well as the lands conquered directly from the Totu by the Plagasm, which were promised as their price for entering this war, he intends to throw in the open desert lands between them to give necropolis control of a solid, continuous block including the ruins of the Totu civilisation. His one ask is that the Plagasm do not try to hold the valley of the Elephants. They were conquered from the Totu by the Duke of Stianbal's pincer movement, not by a Plagasm offensive; and so rightfully belong to the Estate of Duke Egnart.

Action 1:

The lordly house Cebalin, the holders of the midwater fishing platforms and the fishing industries of the inner sea, are granted Ducal status and stretches of stony land on the western shore of the inner sea right next to the new Plagasm border. Here they raise themselves a more solid roost, the town of Bertlowr. As well as a hold for house Cebalin and homes for the families of the fishers, it is also intended as another convenient rest-stop for travelers between the western and eastern side of the Kingdom.


Action 2:

With many hundreds of Totu surrendered or taken captive, the Sonarii begin to test to see if there are ways to break these Monkeys of their unclean, filthy habits and raise those who prove themselves worthy and amenable as a devoted servant race to the Sonarii.

War Action:

With the Totu broken and on their knees, the armies of most of the Great Sonarii dukes begin returning their duchies. Command of the armies in the field, such as they are any more, is given to Duke T'Ned of Nafflec. As well as T'Ned's ducal forces, these armies comprise of lowborn warriors eager to prove themselves, later sons without inheritance prospects and the Oni mercenaries already paid for; and without prospect of further pay it is expected the Oni, too, will soon depart. Whilst they remain, however, Duke T'Ned will keep his army hunting the last few un-surrendered stragglers in the northern desert until the Totu have been entirely subdued.

>>3773657
>>3773471
Diplomacy: we accept the terms of the sonarii
Action 1: expand agricultural efforts in our new territories and around
Action 2:explore the totu ruins

>>3774805
*around necropolis

>>3773471
1. Whatever dwells on the eastern side of the mountain from where Dawnfort once was is clearly malevolent in some nature. The tunnel is sealed with iron and lead gates and manned by guards. A falcon is released on eastern side of the mountain. Bearing the king's seal and the message "To the Phenic Remnant, what has become of you? Please tell us of what uas happened since you were lost behind the mountains. "
One of the corpses is to be recovered, and mask removed for study.

2. The Royal Family begins a project- The Royal Peasant Treasury. It allows for the peasants of the realm to build funds over the course of their lives with skill and frugal practices. Registries are tightly kept and checked by men of the church who are compensated for their time. Common practice is to save for the future and rainy days, many men having their sons set to inherit their accounts. Payments are done through local churches, and records sent through paper notes by falcon. Withdraws are done by falcon mail, and the coins will arrive by protected locked carts.

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>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Center of the Duality (culture)
This world holds many things which appear to be in pairs, or in perpetual opposition. The most apparent for the Oni being: the divide between the world of the living and the world of the spirits. But upon further reflection, many other dualities seem to exist in this world. To the east, where the sun rises, a great nation of fire resides; while to the west a nation cast in shadow that seems to rise when the sun sets behind the great mountain range. To the north, a lush jungle of inhospitable, choking spores; to the south, a barren land of sand and burrowing monkies. The Lake Wonsi and its primordial nature of conflicting ideals highlights this even more so.
And in the center, reside the Oni. Mediums between the living and the dead. Buffers between several nations of conflicting elemental affinity. While originating in Yugji due to its heavy influence with the Lake, Mun soon becomes the home of this new cultural movement for the Oni.

>2: Structural Engineering
With the construction of the aqueducts taking many attempts and trials, a few of the more clever masons and bricklayers begin to piece together how structures behave under different kinds of conditions and stresses. They begin experimenting with miniature structures of sticks or brick. Soon a more established understanding of statics, structural engineering, and design is uncovered.

>Diplo:
>The Twisting Turns >>3773566
With another national conflict seeming to be brewing, the Yokai Lords send their head guards to the Fort Town of Mun to discuss strategy and possibilities. Each of the Yokai Lords have differing opinions on how to go about this.
Yugji, being perhaps the closest and most exposed to the bulk of the shadow bulls, desires to reach a compromise with them. He is willing to offer the northern mountains and pass to the Minotaurs, as they are too far outside of his reach in the first place. Though he does wish to hold as much grassland plains and hills as possible.
Meanwhile, Tonglo and Giib both desire at least a few of the mountain hexes to the north of Tonglo, both to secure borders and to secure the aqueducts for irrigation.
Mun is undecided on exactly how much land he can seize on the plains bordering the sharp mountains. And is willing to wait for the initial delegations to hash out in the north and south before coming to a decision.
>An initial offer of border establishment. Oni get the northern plains, and the southern mountains circled in red. Minotaurs get the mountains and mountain pass to the north circled in blue.

>Sonaria >>3773657
With the war over, and mercenary payments declining, Yokai Lord Tonglo pulls her men back to the lands of the Oni. Well provisioned from the war profiteering, she is quite pleased. She offers the Duke of Stianbal to let her know if they plan to have another fun time in the future.

>>3773566
The use of Vanta Dye in clothing for Dark Strength specialists is discovered to increase their power outputs, with this knowledge in mind a vanta dye paint for metal and wood is crafted in order to maximize the dark color's of a dark strength specialist.

It is learned that the bone dust used in the creation of bone iron should be proportionally 1-4% of its weight, preferably around the range of 2-3% of the weight.

Due to this new knowledge the quality of Bone Steel becomes generally better, but the highest quality bone steels stay just as rare.

>>3773657
Though travel is limited to large movements across the great divide travel over water towards the new town shows itself to be incredibly popular with travelers going to Stianbal and the middle range.

Through a well used whip and a strict hierarchy of sonarii above Totu their lesser tendencies can be repressed. In their former civilization they were workers, laborers and soldiers and now they can be used as both just as effectively.

The few holds still remaining along with other assumed destroyed settlements are scoured and looted for all they have.

>>3774805
Using the now subservient Totu population the old agricultures of these lowly creatures can be tapped for what they can spare. Their hardy nature in the desert makes them readily available and cheap citizens, giving taxes and providing for Necrotic society in ways more efficient than standard necrotics, though their bending around necrotics means they lack the skills needed for decent manual labor of stone ironically enough.

The Totu technologies and records are captured in what remains of the old capitol, their major technologies, drills, totu style archetexture, spit concrete, desert agriculture and writings are all now in full view of the Earthens with access to them.

Sadly the great mine and the second city of the totu still lies under heavy mist and thus cannot be scoured safely if at all in the meantime. Along with this most of the Queen's palace was destroyed in the siege and thus its mysteries now lie hidden from all.

...

The nobles of the empire are in disagreement over how the Totu should be treated, some think that the Sonarii tactic of enslaving them would be very useful in the exploitation of these new wastes while others believe they should still be ruled by the necrotics but should also be free to practice their "filthy lifestyle" (in the words of the sonarii) along with the reinstating of multiple puppet queens to govern the regions of the desert.

(you may choose which side of the coin you would like to flip to in a diplo action instead of a conventional action)

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>>3775178
The falcon receives no response, even when one was sent from the great tunnel it did not return.

The corpse is male, middle aged and shows signs of poor nutrition from a diet of grain and wildberries (judging by the stomach contents) and even what seems to have been a rat somehow swallowed whole. The musculature shows signs of a lifestyle of heavy walking without the usual combination of grueling manual labor often associated with the peasantry and factory workers.

The mask is fused to the face, and no signs of skin lie under it though the skull shows no signs of malformation. The mouth seems fairly normal as well so the method these people use for consumption seems to be out of reach currently.

Strangely the corpse's skin seems to be more similar to that of an adolescent than that of a normal adult, being smoother and more feminine. Though this may be a result of their strange lifestyle.

>>3775212
(I have nothing to add to this first action)

With the dying of the great war of the sands the libraries of the necrotics and knowledge of the sonarii can be brought back by the travelers of the Oni, through these means along with experimentation the architectural prowess of the three remaining great empires of the world can be focused in and perfected in the domains of the Oni.

---

The Second Iron Empire:
Action 1: The borders of the plentiful areas of fishing are pushed

Action 2:
A new city to facilitate the new trade generated by the connecting of the known sea is founded

---

Event:
The great storm which once divided the tarn closes back, uniting the realms once more

>>3775178
In order to drive down the costs of falconry supported fund withdrawals higher calibers of coins are minted and a nationwide full standardization of all currency is preformed.

The routes of banking falcons are also standardized in order to keep down the costs of units meant to stop the possible poaching of these messengers by thieves.

>>3775688

Action 1:
The Sonarii make some limited expansion, with the Duchy of Bertlowr claiming the remainder of the inner sea and that last grey land coastal hex against it, whilst the forested land that is home to northern chickens is just too tasty to resist for the Duke of Nafflec.

Action 2:
With the great storm having died down, the Sonarii can finally send a return expedition to the ancient ruins north of Damheust. There are further mysteries to this place, perhaps the mysteries of the mist itself; and Duke Ordon wishes to try and find them, leading the expedition himself. With him come his personal guards and scholars, as well as a delegation of Wind-monks, and a couple of very well washed and cleaned Totu servants who have been dressed in Sonarii woolen cloth.

Diplomacy:
The Necrotics, Oni and Tarn are all invited by the duke to join his expedition with scholars of their own.

>>3775803

Additional Diplomacy:

Duke of Ordon > Haze:
Haze would also be invited to send scholars to the expedition.

Sonaria > Plagasm & Haze:
Reports that the Iron Empire is becoming more active again are concerning to King Largh. Their ships have been seen in waters off the New Glecoonian coast. He asks his allies for their assessment of the threat, and if there is any action they believe would need be taken.

>>3775688
1. Whatever happened to the Burned Men beyond Dawn's Reach (a name assigned to the quickly birthed mountain range by local peasants.) Strikes a cord among a portion of the men of the church. These men while keeping an anchor in the spiritual, find patronage from the Prince of Firestone. After the cadaver (corpse without flame) was sent to the Great Temple for study and research, these men set out to establish the Healing Ray College, seeking to record and seek treatment for mortal ailments of the people of the Empire.

2. Rumors from frontier farmers passed from Oni sake traders bear news of a great war to the south and a shattered race that thrives among the desert. A ridet and entourage is sent with royal gold through Oni lands to loo for possible refugees that may be interested in settling in and around Faustic, as they may aid in taming the arid land. They are to be treated as citizens of the Empire. Expected to pay taxes in labor, and carry respect to the King and obey his law. Otherwise they are free to organize as they will.

>Diplo:
Oni: The God-King Angstrom, troubled by what he seen; travels to the one people he knows to have a connection to landbof the dead. The Yokai Lords to the East and their fort of Yugji, with it's lake that has connection to the afterlife. He goes seeking the counsel and wisdom of the sages and the Oni on the happenings behind Dawn's Spine.

(Basically Oni, respond how the King will be recieved. He comes in with his retinue looking for advice and counsel, not war. With royal gold to boot.)

(Ooc, forgive me for typos and any parts that are incoherent. Rough night.

>>3775607
Action 1: Start sending exploring parties West/South-West. Rumors of "Fishpeople" are getting some of the Minotaurs restless and curious.

Action 2: Some curious Minotaurs gather a settler party and get blessings from the Chieftain. The Chieftain agrees and the party sets out. They pass the Metal Mountain and decide to set up an outpost near it (NorthEast of the Salt tile). They will be mainly overlooking the Metal Mountain, named the Black Metal, taking a similar name for the Outpost/Settlement.

Diplomacy: Oni
The Chieftain, Ring Horn, hears of the easterners wanting a proposition of refining their borders, the Chieftain accepts. Though the southern mountains are given with a pained heart, conflict is not needed for this culture of violent creatures.
Curious about the culture, the Chieftain, with an escort and his Head Shaman venture out to meet the Oni towards the city of Yugji and discuss in person.

>>3775688
>>The Yokai Lords

>Study the Coal
Long ago, coal was uncovered in the hills of the Oni. Though it is known to burn hot and bright, there is still much unknown of it. From its behaviors with other materials, to the disturbing screams hear from some mediums in it presence. Many different tradesmen and sect members of Mun begin to study this material for what it may hold for them.

>Divination of the Dead
With the request from King Angstrom, the Elseworld-Sect and Priestess Yugji begin to push their spirit bending in new directions. Attempting to heighten the Oni's ability to perceive and interact with the world's spirits. In general to find out more about the world, and in particular to aid the King in the mystery of Dawn's Reach and the Dawnfort.

>Treatment of the Totu (free action)
Yokai Lord Giib is the main benefactor of the eloped princess. Though the Totu are encouraged to keep a low profile for the time being, he is more than happy to let the princess lead her people as she becomes a queen. Instead of controlling the normal Totu monkey, Yokai Lord Giib instead tries to provide the queen with ample food and culture from the Oni.

>Diplo
>Golden Dawn
>Traveling through
The Burned men are steered away from Yugji, as there is still animosity from that Fort Town. Instead they travel along the Lords' Highway from Mun down to Giib, paying tolls on occasion as they enter a new lord's land. From there, they can continue into the southern deserts. Giib to an extent, but definitely Mun, would be full of traders trying to pawn off tourist and local goods to the travelers.
>God-King
It takes some serious debate and even a little bit of threats from Yokai Lord Mun, but Yokai Lord Yugji finally relents to the pleas of the Burning-Men' King. While Mun is not able to accompany the king or send guards, the Elseworld-sect helps keep the peace. The promise of gold also helping to alleviate tensions. Yokai Lord Yugji is less gregarious with the king compared to the first time they meet, at least until they get a few kegs of sake in on their negotiations. He also makes sure to keep his wife, Priestess Yugji, far away until the actual ceremony. The Oni agree and begin to study what might've happened with Dawnfort.

>Sonarii
The Elseworld-Sect sends a few mediums to participate, and a few architects from Tonglo also accompany them. The mediums would try to use their new divination in the ruins; while the architects are curious about ancient structures, seeing as the Oni have none in their own borders.

>Minotaurs
While it takes some time before the guards of the Fort Town allow the strange bull-horned men past the stone walls, the Chieftain and his retinue are allowed in. Yokai Lord Yugji is more than happy to talk with them after the initial proposition of border was established. Offered food and drink, the Yokai Lord asks the Chieftain what they want to know.

>>3775607
Diplo: I call heads or 1
Action 1: start calling the blue metal something else like hazemetal or soulmetal
Action 2: test the propertoes of the royal milk

>>3775803
Oh wait didn't see this yeah bring our greatest scholars

>>3777222
>>3775688

Nice dub trips, mystical. The entourage sent south will try to buy some samples of coal as well exotic goods to bring back with the Totu.

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>>3775803
The Empire's lands are consolidated due to the closing of the great divide. Though the frontierlands still lie relatively untamed outside of the (tiles) near the cities.

The ruins are found as empty and abandoned as when it was first discovered, but a labyrinth is found which the exploration team cannot yet navigate effectively. Sadly all efforts to mine through the walls also fail due to the extremely strong stone which makes up the walls.

>>3775834
haze accepts

>>3776078
The medical practices of the empire are improved greatly. Now using a mix of working medicine and mysticism the many aliments of the empire can be soothed much more effectively.

A small colony of Totu is established around the northern salt mine of the north. Their labor proves an effective replacement for the burned men who once toiled in terrible conditions in order to excavate the salt which has to be sold initially at lower prices than the eastern mine.

No Totu princesses were among the small group of refugees.

>>3776999
These fish people's lands are easily conquered as they are weak especially on the land. A large amount of desert land is conquered from these fish people. Even still they seem to not care enough for some of the merchants to still be open to trade with the Minotaurs.

The new city grows as the newly captured salt mines are reaped for salt.

>>3777222
When mixed with the juice of the vanta gourd a new material can be created, Lurid Scoria. This sludge like liquid with the consistency of a thick honey can amplify and channel the energy of darker spirits incredibly effectively. Banshees, thieves and horrid beastial spirits all increase in prevalence as they are now noticably more powerful.

A great psychic barrier is found by those trying to go into the red zone of the spirit world, making the long journey required even through the world of spirits one that is in vain.

The relatively fertile desert which lies in the Oni controlled sands is brought to life under the guidance of this now Queen. The great city of Gurtand is founded, already it has reached great heights using imported necrotic labor and Totu hands and Spit.

>>3777314
The necrotic court finales on the sonarii opinion. The totu are lesser right now and must be tamed and civilized.

The term Hazemetal catches on

Royal milk has the strange ability, especially for totu to increase the opinion of the Queen who produced it, along with this it is incredibly delicious.

--------

The Second Iron Empire:

Action 1: Expand in order to regain what has been lost of the great fisheries.

Action 2: The Iron Navy is improved through the fashioning of engines which run on metal bending.

>>3777823
Action 1: Start farming the salt, look for any uses outside of food production.
Try to preserve Vanta Gourds with salt for trading/preservation.

Action 2: Some of the Minotaurs have seen that the Black Silver enhances the Dark Vision ability, so they line corners of the Labyrinths to expand their sight underground. (Silver is used for mirrors irl)

Diplomacy: The Yokai Lords
The Chieftain thanks Lord Yugji. He asks about the local area, the world, asking for a copy of any maps they have. A question about culture is raised, seeing as scouts reported a lot of violence first hand. Other than that, the Chieftain doesn't have much to discuss and prefers to listen.

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>>3777823

Action 1:

The Duke of Damhuest, Ament Ordon, is disappointed to find the ruins abandoned, having hoped to find some untold secret or even relics from the first expedition in his father's grandfather's time. But with so much scholarly knowledge from about the world already gathered in the ruins, he decides it cannot be wasted. Ordon University is founded and funded by the Duke, and given the ruin site as their own on which to raise themselves a campus.

Action 2:

From the southernmost point of the Continent the new ships of the second Iron Empire can be seen upon the ocean. With the agreement of Alkilme's Duke Ulvall, it is decided to build a Fortress-Town upon the tip of the peninsula to watch over the Southern seas and protect our own Southern fishing-grounds.

Diplomacy: Plagasm
>>3777314

Sonarii have little use for roads, as the Skyways that cross their domains link their towns far faster and more effectively for any who can fly. However, they are aware that other races are more limited in those regards. To that end, offers are made to the Necrotics to allow them to build roads of their own across the Sonarii landscape to connect their territories.

Diplomacy: Plagasm and Oni

Sonaria has found herself in possession of a stretch of open desert directly between the Oni town of Giib and the Plagasm northern borders. This land is not wanted and not needed for any Sonarii purpose, so it is decided to offer it to the highest bidder... however small those bids might be. In the unlikely case that the bids are judged to be of equal value, then the Sonarii will go with the Plagasm bid (and if no bids are made, then the land will default to a gift to the Plagasm).

>>3777823
>>The Yokai Lords

>Animal Carts/Pens
While the Oni nations have extremely diverse and bountiful sources of food, it is not always easy to get some of the more spoiler-prone foods to the farther reaches of the nation. Namely animals. Several traders from Mun devise a new system of carts and pens to help transport and keep animals safe. Chicken in particular are transported all over the Yokai Lords' domains, as their cages are far smaller than those for cows, and providing a good source of meat, egg, and feather is greatly appreciated.

>Tonglo Expands
With the mountains on either side firmly in a state of control or non-interference, Yokai Lord Tonglo decides it is the perfect time to finally push her small domains boundaries further down the mountain pass. She wishes to take as much of the pass as possible without overextending her forces. She is also very interested in getting one of the two sources of cows in the nation.

>Diplo
>Sonarii >>3778144
Yokai Lord Giib, though content to remain in his jungles, expresses interest in bidding for the land. It would make an ideal present for his Totu Queen. By strong-arming some of the Oni merchants, he places the initial bid of a few [turns] payment in glass. Showing that between the three of them, the Oni can make the most use out of the otherwise useless wastelands.

>Golden Dawn >>3777743
The Oni explain all they can to the King about the situation in the burning lands. They also mention that they'd seen the great red zone in the past, though assumed it had been in the opposite direction. It is certainly a worrying thing to behold, and several members of the Elseworld-sect mention they would not mind that particular zip being popped. Though Yugji is less than wiling to give martial support to the King, it is possible the other Yokai Lords would sign on as mercenary forces to assist the King.

>Bull boys >>3778118
The Yokai Lord explains the rough geographical lay of the northern lands, primarily his domain. He also provides a copy of a basic map, giving the Chieftein rough knowledge of the location of western Golden Dawn, southern Fungal forests, northern Sonaria, and most of the Totu deserts.
The Yokai Lord explains to the chieftain the general philosophy of Oni rulership and conflict. To hold land is a constant battle between peers, and a Lord is only truly recognized if they can hold their hill and protect their people. Before the rise of the Yokai Lords, feudal battles between Lords and their guards to seize the fort or food of another was almost a constant. Even now, the Yokai Lords are always wary of the others, with trust between them held with the thought that if one were to attack another, the rest would pummel the upstart into submission. Trade agreements and Mun's mediating also helps keep things civil.
The Oni respect those that stand up for themselves and the people under their control, and are always willing to defend their land in both life and in spirit.

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Starting Location: Northern Mountains
Nation Name: Volt Polity
Capitol Name: Volt Vault
Race Name: Volt Goats

Race description/links/abilities:
Volt Goats may be small, but through their bodies course a high voltage. Able of electrokinesy or lightning sprints, it's not a good idea to pick on a race of caprines that ram with the strenght and sound of thunder; though they are perfectly content to be left to their peaceful designs. Volt goats trade and deal in energy, either destructively... Or nicely, as the best electrotherapist you'll get will be one of them. He'll get your Voltage flowing again.

Element: Thunder

Elemental Passive Ability: Voltage
Summary of Nation: We've emerged from our vault by the guidance of Thunna our god, and the Polity has to figure things out from here. We still like our calisthenics first thing in the morning, it keeps the Energy flowing conductively.

Fluff: We're in quite a panic as we've noticed our favourite food, ferro-turnips, completely fail out here. All we've got left are the mountain potatoes, and our philosophers are thinking hard about the political influences of squashed mountaiters on the government.
Starting Crop: Mountain Taters

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Volt Vault opens. Volters awe themselves at the sight of majestic mountains once again.

Calesthenics First, Hard Work After

Action 1: Calesthenics Are Mandatory
The Polity has made calesthenics mandatory! Not that Volters didn't know calesthenics were good for you, in fact, essential, for a health bodily circuitry, and to keep the Voltage flowing nicely, but in light of our pioneering situation, the Polity has demanded to truly embrace the betterment of physical form, from the highest level of society to the lowest. Workers, farmers, managers, and first of all the Polity itself, all meet first thing in the morning for stretches, exercises and meditation. For only then can we achieve Supraconductivity, and currently lacking any infrastructure, Volters must rely on their personal Battery for the tasks ahead. We end with an unbroken chain of conduction between all, a symbol of our unity.

Action 2: Potatoes Everywhere
Ignoring the superstitious cries of several wacky thinkers that complained Mountain Taters would turn us into 'communautarists', the Polity saw fit to demand all available land to be farmed for taters. They hope to secure surplus storage of food at the earliest convenience of the hard workers channeling their Energy into the crops. "It's imperative!", they said.

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>>3778458
>>3777823

>Of Faith and Flame
1. Due to the strained morale of the soldiers guarding Dawn's Gate due to the knowledge of the horrors on the other side, and usual anxiety, a new member finds their place among the Burned Men's martial forces. The Flamekeepers are priests that hold a separate rank from knights, wielding knowledge of the holy word to bolster the morale, secret flame bending techniques, and the King's seal. Only the most trusted and worthy priests are allowed to burn their red and gold robes, and don the black vestments and chainmail of the Flamekeepers.

>Beyond the Spine
2. The war of reclamation has begun, while the answers were sparce, the King has the confirmation he needs to know this travesty can not stand and must be rectified. Taking Oni mercs, and Golden Dawn forces, he plans to set east of Dawn's Gate. To purify the land of its corruption, and if possible save the lost souls. Should those that are tainted be beyond salvation, the lost brother's suffering must be ended quickly. Overgrown fields are to be burned, alongside corpses.

>Diplo:

>Oni:
The King takes what Oni are willing to come along, as their martial prowess and spiritual connection will come to be an aid.
(The trade missive returns with coal and chickens, if allowed, seeking to make use of their goods.)

>>3777823
Diplo: give the sonarii architectural designs
Action 1: look for points of interest in the artic
Action 2: put a trade embargo on weapons for the 2nd iron empire

>>3778118
It is found that Vanta Gourds preserve well, but also loose out on any ability to be refined into edible flesh and vanta dyes when preserved with salt, along with this the gourds can only be very well preserved with the salt if the dye is not separated, this simple fact changes the trade of Vanta dye entirely as its extraction means that the food produced will need to be eaten quickly.

Due to the cost of silver only the richer tribes can afford to line their labyrinths.

>>3778118
>>3778458
Due to stubborn tribes unwilling to leave their well kept labyrinths a zone of disruption erupts in the Oni held mountains.

>>3778144
It seems the southern tarn have preformed a ritual similar to the one done on the coast near the original city of the tarn.

This has resulted in a whole (2 tiles) of space becoming flooded and turned into marshlands, which also resulted in the deaths of many sonarii in the ensuing carnage.

The new center of education finds the local bugs of the temple an ample source of food, exports of the insects help keep it independently funded while the sons of wealthy sonarii find their father's money lining the pockets of the teachers and heads of the university. Thankfully for now the academy is fully dedicated to intellectual pursuits.

A fort is constructed in the sands, feeding on imported grain, tomatoes and the fish of the nearby waters it watches the coasts diligently.

>>3778458
The new invention allows for a more centralized and streamlined form of meat production, pushing more Oni towards the major cities as ranchhands are needed less and less.

Many (tiles) of land are conquered with little resistance, now it seems the forces of an insignificant city called Hamet are trying to stop Oni raiders from taking any coast.

>>3778884
>>3778922
The policy of Calesthenics helps the Volt Goats in their effort to become more accustomed to the mountains after their years of being underground.

Stones and dirt are rapidly collected into walls and turned into terraces in order to take advantage of the relatively unusable land of the slopes, but right now the goats can only colonize near the many valleys and rivers of the landscape due to dietary needs and of course the need for water in this dry range.

Clashes with strange and powerful earthen creatures occur in the northern range. Their presence weakens bolt throwing and drains the energy of those who oppose them, they can talk and do seem open to compromise but many Volter tribes find the prospect of stealing their amazing metal weaponry and items too tantalizing.

(I would like to know the initial governing system of the Volt Polity along with the familial structures and the level of unity evoked by the faith)

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>>3779478
The new priestly units help to consolidate the infantry of the empire which have gone unnoticed in favor of their more glorious looking kin in the fire calvary.

(since this is a technically internal war you may not yet have a war action, but if the war heats to a hot enough temperature I may tell you if you may gain one)

In order to facilitate troop movement through the still relatively narrow tunnel along with not overworking the good air generators and ending up with some asphyxiated soldiers a temporary fortress is established near the tunnel exit.

>>3779504
The nuance of necrotic design is adopted by the sonarii who in order to employ these techniques hire necrotic workers for stone moving.

A few relatively exotic species are discovered whose furs are very valuable, firstly there is the seal, whose babies furs are very desirable. There are also polar bears, arctic foxes and walruses, all of whom give interesting and lavish white goods which are the bane of all who look upon them.

The embargo causes the Iron military to strengthen its presence on the land border.

---

Iron Empire:

Action 1:
Conduct a ritual which should double the available iron.

This has created a great volcano in the heartland from which a large amount of iron can be tapped, at least for right now.

Action 2:
Build a great Iron ship, its hulls shall be thick and it shall be powered using the finest of metal benders.

*a new turn has begun*

>>3779722
>>The Yokai Lords

>Defense in Depth
Despite the tremendous headway, Yokai Lord Tonglo is concerned about the potential push back should these strange fish-men rally together. As such, she orders the construction of numerous walls and keeps to be built from the foot of Tonglo all the way down the mountain pass. Designed to protect from those coming up the mountain pass, these structures allow smaller groups of Oni to fight off larger hordes of enemies while they can rally their own forces.

>Break bread with the native Minotaurs
While her concerns are primarily focused on the mountain pass, Yokai Lord Tonglo cannot neglect the mountains she has earned, nor their bountiful resources or inhabitants. In order to make the process smoother for herself, she tries to invite various chieftains and elders from the mini-labyrinths. If they are content to be under her rule, and provide labor for future mines or quarries; she is more than happy to let them stay and provide food and protection.

>Diplo
>Golden Dawn >>3779478
As of now, all of the Yokai Lords express low-to-moderate interest in fielding significant forces for the King. Other than a handful of mercs, not many conventional forces will join just yet.
The Elseworld-Sect is willing to send a few forces of specialized Mediums, largely concerned and curious about this red glow they are divining.
Yokai Lord Giib is always happy to sell food for profit, if the Golden Dawn needs more rations on the other side of the mountain range.
Yokai Lord Mun would be the most interested in fielding significant forces, as he is not as concerned about enemies on his borders like Tonglo, Yugji, or Giib. Both conventional and spirit-bending, should the King desire it. However, his interests lie in the 4 hill tiles currently bordering Oni and Burned men borders.

>>3779722
Action 1: Set up Vanta Gourd farms in a ratio 3:1 (Food use:Dye use). Start preserving a third of all food use Vanta Gourd farms for trading uses.

Action 2: Set up a squad of the best Dark element users from all of the nation and have them start expanding and researching on the use of the element on practical needs.

Diplomacy: The Yokai Lords
The Minotaur Chieftain Ring Nose thanks Lord Yugji and offers a trade deal of the natural Minotaur plant: Vanta Gourd. A plant that can be used to extract deep black dye when fresh, or used as a food source. Offer food or the dye to be traded for something they can trade.
The Chieftain also suggests a spar of one of the Oni fighters against one of the Minotaur warriors at Dusk.

The smaller tribes littered across the mountains near the Yokai Lord Tonto's reluctantly accept the Lord, but word of Chieftain Ring Nose being in Oni lands ease the tribes and they accept. IF the lord is accepting of the tribes and their food needs.

>>3779756
1. The initial push into the lost lands of Dawnfort begin. The King uses the frontier fortress as a staging area for prowling the countryside using hit teams of knights, and roaming squads of infantry lead by Flamekeepers. The primary goal is to avoid the inhabitants if possible while gathering information, but if things come to blows, there will be no mercy to make sure word can not spread... assuming these men can still speak to one another. Should a patrol or squad get pinned down, they are to release a falcon due for the fortress for re-enforcement.

2. Coal is searched for in the many hills of the kingdom, to since its high temperature flames will prove useful for higher quality iron. The search also leads to improved mining standards (bracing, air flow, shafts.)

>Diplo:

>>3779935
>Oni:
Memories of the horrors of the bottled spirits of the Oni still strike the dreams of the veterans of the Burning-Effigy war. (Boots coming loose in mud, new swords snapping, horses bucking, etc). Perhaps the Oni have a method of trapping good natured spirits for use? Also the Burned Men are willing to open trade either in material or gold for the coal of the Oni, at-least till they find their own source.

>Totu Enclave
The Totu in the sands around Faustic are encouraged to come into the city for a celebration of their arrival, as their presence has freed up many much needed hands for the city from the salt mines.

>Sonari

Attempts to contact the Sonari are made through the Oni. Emissaries are sent to border dukes.

>>3779722
>>3779756

> Diplomacy: Yokai and Plagasm

The desert auction for the five squares between the Oni and Necrotics was not envisioned as a particularly complex affair, but though the Oni submitted a payment offer in the form of glassware that appeared the only one, what seemed at first to be a gift from the Plagasm is later revealed to have been their own bid, to great consternation as it has already begun to be implemented within the Kingdom by the time that the Sonarii auctioneer is notified that this was supposed to count. Is there any way to count it now? Was the Oni bid the only legal one, or did the acceptance of the technology render it valid? And how can we assess the value of this prize in comparison now it is already known? The Sonarii king charges one of the foremost Wind-monks with the responsibility for trying to untangle this legalistic knot; an ascetic who has given up even his own name in the service of higher powers and now just goes by the moniker 'Sky' to signal his openness to the winds and subservience from lack of desires.

> Diplomacy; Southern Tarn Conclave

Though the ritual of the Tarn is not judged to have been hostile in intent, the results have been calamitous, and a sternly worded representative wings his way over to give complaint. Through their thoughtlessness the southern Tarn have caused calamity in the Sonarii borderlands, and the Sonarii expect the Tarn to make restitution for their carelessness. The Tarn, they hope, will make promises to help clear the flooded fields and make them productive again, and provide some recompense for those who have had lives broken, ruined or lost by their carelessness. If they would then wish to aid the Sonarii further by providing some irrigation processes to the more parched Sonarri lands, that would be a separate agreement, and any alternate offers the Tarn might wish to make instead will be considered; but the Sonarii will expect some form of apology, as benefits one neighbor to another...

>>3779756
diplo: volt polity, trade iron weapons for artic goods
action 1: build armory and defenses
action 2:realizing there is much more to the seas production begins on a better necrotic boat

>>3780832


Action 1:

A site is sought to build a statue, a grand statue of celebration and triumph to commemorate the victories over the foul Queen who once held the Toto hostage to her belligerence; a statue that will stand high upon a hill or mountain and look out over the terrain for miles around. The base of the statue will depict the Totu queen herself - foul, bloated and Elephantine-featured as she squirms in her own waste amidst a pit of naked, pitiful, filthy and bedraggled Totu slave-wretches. And above her, proud, well-muscled and majestic, will perch the statuesque form of a Sonarii Warrior upon her, driving a blade through some part of her corpulent anatomy. But the Sonarii will not be alone on the plinth of victory - A Necrotic will be modeled on one side of the Queen, breaking the ground beneath her to trap her in place, whilst on the other a Oni will be passing the Sonarii a blade to arm him for the kill. And behind the Sonarii two Totu figures will shelter for the protection of their overlords; clean and well-dressed in woollen garb in contrast to their deformed, naked, filthy brethren in the pit. The ends of the plinth will be modeled with the crests of every house or tribe or organisation that fought the foul Filth-Monkey queen, whilst the sides will bear the names of the lost, a memorial to the dead and the victory they won us.

Action 2:

Fighting the Tarn would not be ideal for the Sonarii, and hopefully it can be a future that the Sonarii will try as much as possible to avoid. Nonetheless, King Largh recons, it is not inconceivable that the Tarn might attack, and that it would be better to be prepared for future war that might never happen rather then complacently waiting until the moment occurs. In Stianbal, a few select Airbenders are put to work trying to devise methods of drying and desiccating the air itself, in the hope that might make the very environment unpalatable to the moisture-dependent Tarn, whilst in Alkilme another group of Airbenders and a few 'Clean' Totu with force-manipulation will try and work on other ways to defend against the threats of the water.

> Diplomacy: Burned Men

Should the Oni allow the contact tot ake place through them, the Sonarii will receive them cautiously, and ask them to introduce themselves.

The Polity has a plan to create our first Spark on the world. Some have suggested testing if potatoes can hold and store a Current but this was brushed aside in favor of another strategy. A healthy can hold a higher Voltage. A healthy mind can control a higher Voltage. The way to go is obvious.

Action 1: We Know Our Chemistry
Nourishment and exercise are not enough to create a Spark. A volter's body needs nutrients, electrolytes, and to ensure our supply, the Polity has commissioned the creation of a new Clan, the Katon, to control the production of electrolytes our civilization will vitally need. The Katon clan has organized a prospection in the entirety of the mountain range to find all the deposits of sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium and more. Finder gets more potatoes!

Action 2: Our Dreams Are Electric
Long have we rotten inside the Earth, where no Spark can fly free in the sky, but now we are outside, and we stand on peaks once again, close to the realm of storms. Ours is a beautiful landscape of chiseled stone, falling snow and great heights, and it makes it all the more easy to Isolate the mind and let go of unneeded Tension. By its will to see all Volters achieve Supraconductivity, the Polity has decreed Electromentalism to be a discipline considered now a basic skill for all, and adults and young alike will be taught Electromeditation, Electrokynesy, Electrocommunication, Electrolevitation and even Electroportation. All Volters shall become the masters of their own Currents.

Diplomacy: Orange Dudes
North of Volt Vault we've encountered live beings! Or so we thought. In fact we're not quite sure whether they're alive or not, all that we knew was that they looked really freaky, like dead things that suddenly weren't dead anymore, that they interfered with our Sparks, and one of them told our explorer "HEY SHORTY, WANT AN IRON SWORD ?" (more or less). Our volter did the sensible thing and ran away immediately... Not that we have anything to trade anyway.

Thunna said that we should be wary of dead things with metal swords, then went back to sleep and told us to wake him up only if something REALLY bad happened next time.

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>>3779935
Huge legions of tarn supported by rolling storms (presumably created by tarn) steamroll the invading Oni using numbers and shock. They have currently haulted their reconquest up to the phosphate mine (perhaps due to the new fortifications) and have sent a diplomat demanding the city of Tonglo give back her stolen territory and become a tributary to the Tarnish Empire.

With some decent trade offs the minotaurs are appeased, pledging their allegiance to Tonglo, though they are currently not available for any drafting efforts and will need to be paid all the same if Tonglo wants to hire them as mercenaries.

>>3780169
The high preportions of dye plants brings in much money from trade.

More group focused ways of amplifying the dark element is discovered.

>>3780732
The once citizenry begins fighting back with vigor, though a small city is managed to be crushed by the army. Fields are burned and masks are obliterated. This little war is going well. Infantry block tactics prove effective against the hobbles though as of yet the army has not been able to push through to the former city of dawnfort.

Coal is found in the southern hills.

The celebrations in faustic go without a hitch, though the burned men of the city find the mannerisms of the totu quite strange to say the least.

>>3780832
The legal teams end up at a compromise since both seem to hold equal weight the plagasm will receive the eastern part of the deal while the Oni will get the western portion at the gain of a lesser glass deal.

The southern tarn claim ownership over the flooded tiles along with the nearby coast in the claim that they are the owners of the sea and that the sonarii should have had better communication on their end since the local authorities were notified in advance. In return for the recognition that they are the true state of the sea they will send one tarnish legion to aid the sonarii in their next war.

>>3780840
Defenses and armaments for mortuary are constructed and transferred respectively.

Designs based on metallic ships are drawn up and boats fit for arctic farming and fishing are made from local wood.

>>3780854
The statue is built near the salt mines of the north, both a popular tourist attraction and the centerpiece of the totu population in the sonarii empire.

Large wave creating totu and sonarii groups are formed in order to disrupt any possible attack by the Southern Tarn.

Any attempts at drying the air fail except for measures created to deflect incoming tarn created mini storms like those seen in the north in the Tonglo-Northern Tarnish War of Conquest.

>>3781032
the remaining ancient and fragile records of the actual vault of the city of volt vault are tapped in order to figure out the ways of obtaining these rare minerals and how to extract them.

And thus the general population becomes a true jack of all trade. But even still are masters of none.

(you don't yet have contact with the burned men since you don't border eachother)

>>3781084
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Mountain Mines
With the mountains around Tonglo now open and cooperative, work begins on establishing mines throughout the region. Using both Oni labor, as well as native minotaurs, much work is able to be done. The overhead produced from the minotaurs goes back into paying Giib for food for the miners.

>2: Tonglo Smithies
With more people coming into the cities, and more metal than every being extracted from the mines, this is the perfect time for an industrial boom in Tonglo. Ore refineries and smithies begin to blossom across the mountain fort town, turning it into a production capital for the Oni. Just in time for war to begin.

>War Action: Will o Wisps
The request of the Burning Men to bind more 'good natured' spirits is met with some amusement, considering news of a war brewing to their southern borders. Still, before war becomes a precedent for the nation, the Mediums of the Elseworld-Sect begin to try capturing creatures that might provide some sense of utility or levity to those around them.

As such, the Will o Wisp is found and bound. While the wisps are allowed to spread out, a central vessel is used to keep them in the general area. Will o wisps generate little motes of ghostly light around the area, lazily dancing and floating about. While not hot to the touch, the light they produce can help others see at night with minimal upkeep or relighting. They also have a tendency to change color to different auras or environmental factors.

>Diplo:
>Tarn
Yokai Lord Tonglo laughs at the little fishmen, claiming that if they couldn't stop the Oni from seizing the lands the first time, it wasn't really theirs to begin with. Hoisting a giant iron club, she considers such a generous offer of vassalage with all the tact of an Oni warrior, "If you want my city so bad, then come and take it. I'd like to see you try."

>The Oni allow the Golden Dawn to establish communications with Sonaria, with road tolls of course.

>The Twisted Turns
The Yokai Lord accepts, offering a wide variety of food sources to the Minotaur in exchange for Vanta Gourds to make more Lurid Scoria.
He also proposes two new offers to the Minotaurs. Firstly, that instead of just a single duel, a tournament or festival of warriors would be rather enjoyable for the Oni. One that could last for the span of a whole day, from dawn to noon to dusk to midnight.
Secondly, he discussing the possibility of a new fort town being established on the hills to the North West of the north western mountain under Oni control. To establish a closer connection and a trade access between Minotaurs and Oni.

>>3779722
>(I would like to know the initial governing system of the Volt Polity along with the familial structures and the level of unity evoked by the faith)

The Polity is the governing council of Volt Vault. It is formed of elder goats of wise counsel, gifted powermancers and influential clan representatives, all gathered to commune and attune the interests of the people as one. The Arbiter of the Polity for now, Kazira Tacho-Von, is an aging Grand Priest of Thunna, and favors no political Current besides ensuring the welfare of all Volters and Thunna, and takes cleverly balanced stances in most matters. But with the creaton of clan Katon, the Polity's Current is starting to take an industrialist bend.

A polity, more generally speaking, is any council of volters. By holding physical contact in a circle and using electrocommunion, they attune themselves to the same frequency by creating a Current as they think and work together for common goals. An Arbiter is sometimes named to control the Currents and Counter-Currents, whether to help it be established evenly or whether to Short-Circuit it. The Polity with a great P is in charge of the welfare of all of Thunna's people.

Volters organize themselves by Clans, which are like great extended families each with their own Current. Oftentimes, especially during expansion, new clans are created, sometimes by the Polity's request, as is the case with clan Katon, which controls the future of our electrolyte supply. This is a stable and efficient way of tying personal stakes with professional ones.

Thunna our god lives among us. It was he who sustained us with his Energy while we waited in Electrostasis deep withing the Vault. Though he is now diminished and sleepy, soon we will be able to give back what he allowed us to borrow. 'Faith' in Thunna is not a conception, given that we understand him to exist, but there is the matter of the strenght of our Connection with him, as gods are special beings, and do not always see and perceive things as we do. The more harmony there is with him, the closer our bond. Having greatly expended himself for our sake, it is now us, though under his guidance, that shall care for him.

>>3781084
1. Expand sea routes with other nations
2. Start underwater expeditions

We somehow cannot find any briny water in these mountains from which to extract the delicious salts we need. The Polty must adapt.

Action 1: Expand East
The written knowledges advises that if we may not access land salt in the mountains, then we may acquire salt from sea water through a relatively simple process of separating salt and water. All we have to do is reach the sear. From the heights of Volt Vault, we see what we desperately need, and we also see other beings, far away, too close to them. We also see the sea on the other side. Clan Katon advises the Polity that it is better to have secure sources of vital things where there is no one to contest them, than close to others. The Polity agrees and decides that Volt Vault must expand, Eastwards.

Action 2: Found the Science Clan
It is a harsh land, sees the Polity, in which we have not produced the earliest Sparks, nor were lucky to dwell next to what we need. But by Thunna's grace, they said, that we will not let this be an obstacle to our Spark, and where there is no way, we will find a way to make one instead. Volt Vault is a repository of great knowledge and our people are wise, very capable and conductive, and the Polity wants to encourage more Sparks, more solutions, more ideas. They have requested the creation of another clan, Takon, whose purpose will be to concentrate and spread education and wisdom throughout our people, as well as handle our precious knowledge records. Arbiter Kazira belives that the Spark of Wisdom is one investment that takes time, and as such, is best invested in immediately. There will be a place in our society to anyone that shows promise.

>Im back! At least for now, at least.
With the great crisis over, the Southern Caucus slinks back into the fold. As apologies, they offer vast amounts of fish and assistance with restoration efforts. With most attention focused on rebuilding and reestablishing the infrastructure destroyed by the Great Fissure, their reacceptance occurs mostly without incident. Still, the trust between the two factions is permanently marred, and resentment boils beneath the surface of the other caucuses. The Southern regions become synonymous with betrayal.
During the Great Fissure, the city of Shio was deprived of food for nearly a decade straight. The already overpopulated city fell into chaos and rioting almost immediately, as did much of the previously wealthy Western caucus. They say the fires burned for two weeks straight before the rains put them out. The current city is a burned out shell of its former self, fit for nothing but roaches. For now, most government functions have moved north to Kira.The Northern caucus becomes the most powerful caucus as the Western caucus slides into irrelevance.

>Diplo
The caucuses meet and exchange information for the first time in nearly a century. Upon hearing about the various interactions with the land races, the need for a systematic diplomatic effort is decided. An emissary is sent to the Sonarii first. The previous diplomatic ties that existed there ought to help smooth over any conflict.
>>3780854

Turn 1: The areas taken by the invaders are not particularly crucial to the Tarns, who generally dislike staying above water for extended periods of time. However, it's the sheer gall with which the invaders march into the Empire that enrages noble and commoner alike. The caucuses take the rare step of electing a dictator for the purposes of pushing back the dryfaces and reclaiming the lands that they have stolen. His first order is to recruit an army from every corner of the empire. Woodcutters, farmers, fishermen, nobles; all of them line up to serve their nation in a time of crisis. The Tarn's extensive experience with the creation and maintenance of blades will help them significantly in this effort.
>Muster Great Army

Turn 2: The great current systems are replenished with new magic, bolstered and made as strong and fast as they were before the Great Fissure. Particular focus is placed on the currents that lead into the Inlet, which will grow important in the conflict to come. The army cannot risk another logistics failure.
>Rebuild current system

>>3782787

War Action: Using the best known maps of the area, Bathys the Dictator places his army just east of the sheep fields.The army waits beneath the waves for two full weeks, monitoring the dryfaces, keeping track of their patterns and activities. To ensure that their presence and numbers is not revealed, soldiers are sent out into the sea to resurface and breathe. Finally, Bathys gives the go-ahead. A negotiation party is sent forward to meet with the dryfaces, demanding their immediate surrender and cession of all lands previously belonging to the Tarnish empire.
>>3782058
>>3780169

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>>3781084

>Cartography:

The official cartographer is reminded that the image attached indicates the entirety of the five hexes that were put up for the auction...

>Diplomacy: Tarn:

>>3782787
The Sonarii explain to the Northern (or only) Tarn the flooding caused by the southern Tarn conclave. Whilst most of the land afflicted was indeed Tarnish land of one conclave or another, their flooding also affected a hexter of coastal farmland in the northwestern Duchy of Damhuest, and destroyed many lives there. Though the Sonarii accept that the flooding was accidental as the southern Tarn's own lands were the target, they believe it would be a generous expression by the Tarn to offer some recompense to the afflicted individuals, and to assist with some reconstruction efforts to restore the productivity of the inundated land.

>Diplomacy: Haze:

With the Iron Empire active again, the Sonarii send a diplomat to assess the state and condition of Haze, their current political climate and what threats they might see posed by the Iron Empire. Does Haze consider themselves able to hold their own lands?

>Diplomacy: Minotaurs
>>3780169

Sonarii scouts observing the conflict upon their borders fly high over the disputed zone, bound by the treaty with Tonglo not to interfere themselves in this war between the Oni and Tarn, but watching the movements made on the ground below with a detached interest. When the pass is crossed by a few of the bolder scouts, however, they note the position of new rows of monolith standing on the far side of the shifting lines of control in the pass itself, and land into the mountains past them to try to meet with this new northern presence...

>Diplomacy: Burned Men
The Dukes on the border receive their guests with some interest, and try to make them welcome as they wonder what they have come to discuss.

>>3782833
>Diplo
The Tarns offer their sincerest apologies for any damages caused. They explain that the Southern regions of their empire had gone rogue and acted on their own accord. In order to make up for any damages, the Tarn offer to recognize the current Sonarii borders and to send a group of watermages as soon as possible to help fix the land. Unfortunately, most of the mages were engaged in cleanup operations, but the Tarns earnestly promise that the situation will be resolved shortly.

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>>3781084
>>3782833

Action 1: The Duke of Stianbal begins raising a Fortress-roost in the Mountain peaks north of his city, closer to the borders with the currently contested lands of the passage. Whoever wins that conflict, he does not wish the north of his domain to seem immediately vulnerable to them.

Action 2: The Sonarii lands have long been home to troupes of travelling players who put on shows - Dramas, Tragedies, Comedies, Musical displays and the rest of a full gamut of theatrical performance. But these companies have grown and become more adapt and professional over they years since their inception. Now, the Sonarii begin to build specialized performance arenas for these shows to allow for more complex items of scenery and protection from bad weather. The 'Stage' is hexagonal to allow for great vertical and horizontal movement, and scenes are as likely to be performed hung from the upper boards as they are standing upon the lower. Similarly, the viewing surrounds are comprised of both standing 'perches' and hanging 'roosts', to allow Sonarii viewers to view the performances from their own preferred position and angle of comfort.

>>3782791
I should mention that Bathys was waiting for a full moon.

>>3782833
>>3782058
>>3781084

1. Coal used for the fires of the Foundry Lords is in high demand. Many miners find a great deal of wealth due to their trade. With the hotter flames, the new iron has less weight and greater strength. Steel.

2. An elder noble, injured in the Burning Effigy war, seeks to drill new knights in the methods and doctrine of war, and how to lead effectively. In Emissia, the Stonewall Military college is constructed.

>War: (if no war action yet, use my 2nd)
Dawnfort: The King, emboldened by his success, splits the Oni mercs from his army sending them south and then east while the bulk of the army marches to Dawnfort. The Oni are to stage a seperate attack on the southern side of the city, and free to take any loot they can claim when the time comes.

>Diplo:

Oni: The emissaries thank the Oni for their work, and the Burned Men have great affection for the bound light spirits. A healthy trade/tourism of Burned Men seeking the spiritual lanterns to resale in the homeland, or personal possession. Uppermiddle class and noble houses soon possess them as charms/pets/lightsources. Typically placed by the front door.

Sonari: The messengers merely wish to tell of the Golden Dawn Empire, and express good will to a fellow strong noble kingdom and to make sure the Sonari people understand the Burned Men borders. A scholar that was part of their group remarks upon what a blessing it is to fly naturally, as the Burned Men contraptions are not even close to reaching the bat peoples born prowess.

>>3781084
Action 1: Feeling curious and courageous, more Minotaur scouting and expedition parties venture North-West and South-West (due to going directly West is going into water) into the "Fishmen" lands, greedy to take more lands.

Action 2: The dark element users that have gotten together continue working on expanding the area of expertise.

Diplomacy: The Yokai Lords (Yugji)
Ring Nose is surprised, but accepts. His escorts into the Oni lands volunteer to attend the tournament. The Chieftain proposes that the tournament starts at High Noon and ends late at night.
The idea of a fort town is foreign to the Chieftain, but due to the hospitility and acceptance of the Lord, blessing is given.

>>3782058
The more exotic rocks which only exist deeper into the mountains are exploited alongside the rich marble deposits just over the first set of mountains bordering Tonglo.

With the help of some burned men immigrants alongside conventional oni techniques a great smithery is founded in tonglo churning out new weapons and army which can be helpful during the swift storms.

Will o wisps are purchased primarily to help keep down the costs of the imperial roadways.

>>3782550
A small merchant fleet is constructed with inspiration from the engines of the burned men in how they move around.

Tarn are hired to do the exploration, in their journeys many ruins are discovered and artifacts recovered. These items are then taken and integrated into the governmental museums and private collections.

>>3782552
The Sea is located and now has a small population devoted to the arduous task of extracting salt. Sadly due to the lack of reliable agriculture besides fish and small farms located around springs these few communities can only extract just enough salt to both stay materially wealthy and to export salt to the richer tribes of the mountains.

Sadly it is found that potatoes preserve extremely poorly and thus salt is used mainly as a seasoning and in the preserving of meats.

The new clan of Takon takes up its primary residence in the halls of the Volt Vault, preserving the bunker and using it as a place to store the new scrolls which have been produced using pulverized wood.

A larger force of new soldiers is mustered up for whatever is desired of them by the establishment.

The reformed current system ends up diverting more energy towards the empire proper and less into the traditional diverting routes from before the fall which had been maintained from after the empire regained its legs.

The Southern empire has sent its demands that the former system be restored on threat of embargo as they control the trade with the known world and the northern tarn.

>>3782867
The new fortress is built upon a monastary, upgrading the roosts and expanding the food storage areas.

Along the border and in cities near the sonarii empire travelling carnival troupes move from town to town and city to city helping to show the nearby world what the sonarii can be like along with helping to spread sonarii culture and art.

>>3782972
Minotaur tribes drive a bloody path through the north, massacring the minuscule settlements which dot the landscape. Though they come into conflict with an army of tarn on the defensive.

A new cooling aura version of dark projection is invented in order to snuff out the torches of the enemy using focused attacks on light sources. It is highly specific and only cool enough to snuff out fire and is hard to do but it works.

The previously passive tarnish army has seized an area of the southern Taurs in a counter attack against the invading tribes, taking hostage many small labyrinths.

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>>3782932
Steel weapons enter in the war through the tunnel.

(no war action yet, you get it next turn)

From the north and south enemy hordes march against the flanks of the army, overwhelming smaller checkpoints in the north and south. Now the Fortress of the tunnel is under siege and new supplies are thinning as it is getting too dangerous to move goods.

The army has surrounded the great castle of dawnfort which was not there before. From its depths a seeming endless horde of bodies keeps blocking the path of the army, eventually the bodies end up clogging up the walls and ash covers the ground from the burning bodies.

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>>3783165
>Tarn are hired to do the exploration
...alll right, guess i know the Plagasm now.

Turn 1: The Tarnish armies practice coordinated movement and tactics, becoming even more solid at working together as a unit. Recruitment continues.

Turn 2: Defense forces are mustered at Kira and Hamet, as well as the surrounding areas. The Minotaurs will not find raiding as easy as they did before.

War Action: Seeing no response, Bathys chooses to go ahead with the previously ordained plan. Half the army is sent onto land, crossing inland in order to secure the salt mines north of Hamet, as well as to cut off the raiding parties that have been reported in the southwest(see >>3782972). Behind them, the other half of the army works to flood as much of the coastal region as possible.

>>3783183
In the northwestern front, the defense forces advance conservatively, focusing on opportunistic attacks and piecemeal capturing rather than mass land grabs.

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>>3783165
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Upgrading the Lord's Highway (also reminder to add it on map, as I hadn't noticed it was missing until now)
In recent years, much foot traffic has been coming and going through Oni Lands. The tolls gates have been flourishing, but a similar burden has been put on the well-tread roads.
To accommodate this, the existing roads are improved, and several new routes as expanded off into further stretches of the nation. Mainly: a dedicated route from the villages of what remains of dusk fort, to allow Burning Men to travel through and pay more tolls. A proper highway road to Tonglo and Gurtand on Yokai Lord Giib's request. And a road to where the future fort town will be, to make construction easier.

>2: Improved army coordination
Yokai Lord Tonglo is the youngest of the Yokai Lords, and is consequently one of the more un-meditative of the lot. Hearing of her new found foes to face, Yokai Lord Mun takes a trip down to share some important wisdom with his peer. The biggest advantage the Burning Men had over the Oni was their coordination of troops. More so than their numbers, or their cavalry, or their advanced bending prowess. It was a hard thing to drill into the Oni warriors at the time, but establishing proper coordination and troop management was what allowed him to lay a proper siege and take Duskfort. The Tonglo Pass and its already established fortifications provide an immense force multiplier, and it would be wise to adapt her forces to it.

As such, the Oni begin further military coordination, especially focused on defending and holding their fortifications.

>War Action: Binding Spirits of Guidance
The Longbow has been one of the Oni's most advanced weapons. Providing fantastic ranged support for any melee forces, while also providing the punch to do lasting damage.
For the longest time, the only spiritual advantage the longbow forces had received were spirits of sight, and on occasion spirits of stealth. Now, a new type of binding would be applied to the bows and arrows. These spirits will take hold of the arrow as it leaves the bow, and once in air, redirect the arrow's path to strike true. For the most part, the spirit is bound to the bow itself, with arrows having binding runes carved into them to allow the spirits temporary control over them once in flight.

>>The Yokai Lords

>Diplo
>Tarn >>3782791
Unfortunately, Yokai Lord Tonglo, being the young spitfire that she is, does not have the same tact and way with words that Yokai Lord Mun does. While he was gregarious and affable with the King during the Burning Effigy war, Tonglo takes the "protect one's fort" far more aggressively than most. Also desiring to become fully self sufficient, and not reliant on Giib's handouts and strong arming ways, she is highly dependent on this conflict earning her the land and resources she needs.


When the negotiation party arrives, she still meets them face-to-face with her guard, and offers them drinks of sake. Miffed that the so called "dictator" isn't giving her the time of day, she takes the demands with little seriousness nor tact. Well buzzed, she lays down the long and short of her view of things. She wanted the cows and the pass, and the Tarn seemed to hold little desire for land. So she took it. And now that it is hers, she'll be damned if she gives it up without a fight. Such is the Ooooniiii way.
Swaying a little too and fro, slamming a hand down on a Tarn's shoulder for support, and bringing them in close; she points out that they have the entire ocean at their disposal, and she's only interested in the land she can walk on. But if they want to bring the beach-front property up to her, she won't say no. She manages to get through her part with only 1 or 2 belches interrupting her train of thought.

>Totu Queen Gurtand
With the awkward bidding war concluded, Yokai Lord Giib presents the newly claimed desert [tiles] to the queen.

>>3783165
>A larger force of new soldiers is mustered up for whatever is desired of them by the establishment.

>The reformed current system ends up diverting more energy towards the empire proper and less into the traditional diverting routes from before the fall which had been maintained from after the empire regained its legs.

>The Southern empire has sent its demands that the former system be restored on threat of embargo as they control the trade with the known world and the northern tarn.


I don't think that's me...

>>3783182
>Rallying of Reserves
1. Riders from the west end of Dawn's gate are sent into the Golden Dawn countryside to hire/conscript local peasants to aid the King.

2. The previous military action

>War:

Dawnfort: The King calls his armies back to establish a corridor, withdrawing from the walls and consolidating the front-line. A new found tactic against these hordes is for infantry to rest atop carts with spear planted around to direct the rushing bodies. Archers stand atop the cart with Flamekeepers, and the sword and shield infantry defend around the cart. Cart formation depends on the amount of time before attack.

>>3783165

Action 1:

The Elephant was a formidable weapon in the services of the Filth-Queen during her wars of aggression. Thankfully, the lands from which the Elephants were drawn, and their domesticated population, were captured by the armies of house Egnart in the second war. Now the Lords of Stianbal set them to work for Sonaria instead; to provide raw muscle and lifting power in the construction of Sonarii buildings and the shifting of terrain, and to be a battle-mount to allow even Ground-locked elements of the Sonarii armies to fight from above their foes.

Action 2:

The Sonarii work to improve the co-ordination of their armies. Forces from each Duchy will be sent out to other far-flung duchies and lordships across Sonaria to help train and support the local forces, so that all may learn from each other's ways of war. The unity of the battlefield forged in the Totu wars must not be lost; for the weakness of division was what led the filth-monkey armies to attack Sonaria. By standing together, flying together and fighting together, we are all made stronger.

Diplomacy: Tarn
>>3782865

The offer of assistance from the Tarn to clean up the messes made by their southern kin is welcomed and accepted.

Burned Men:
>>3782932

The Sonarii listen as their visitors tell of their lands, and return that expression of goodwill. As the scholar remarks upon the blessing of flight, a Sonarii monk would chuckle. Szélfelet may have blessed the Sonarii with natural ability, but in striving for flight through works of industry the burned are forging their own blessings from above.

>>3783165
>The Southern empire has sent its demands that the former system be restored on threat of embargo as they control the trade with the known world and the northern tarn.

What? I know I’ve been gone for a while and I’ve been trying to roll with the punches up until now. But I honestly don’t understand: where is this coming from? Tarns have always been isolationist. We recognize the Sonarii but we’ve never even met others, and we definitely wouldn’t have trade with any of them. Can you provide links to where this stuff happened?

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When Katon clan prospectors went South to find salt, they found instead humanoids made of flame. They came back immediately to tell the Polity that it is surrounded now on two sides by 'Others'.

Action 1: Settle Iolyte
Salt for a few is not good enough. "Electrolytes are a basic need for a Volter, and thus, a basic need is a basic right", so spoke the Arbiter. "All without exception must have cheap access to sea salt". To make this a reality, Energy and resources are diverted to augment the few exploratory salt farms into the Polity's first new settlement, able to support itself and the salt production for all citizens: Iolyte.

Action 2: Create Industrial Miner clan, Anion
An income of metallic minerals is of utmost importance. Not just to grind it into powder and put into our food as supplements, but also to create all the tools, infrastructures, power nodes and one day machines that a Volter civilization needs. Conducive of Energy, we can never have enough metals, and so much so that the entire industry deserves its own clan, the Anion. It immediately prospects for deposits.

Diplomacy: Burned Men
>>3783704
After very, very cautious deliberations the Polity reluctantly concedes that it would be in our interest to at least attempt to see whether these... Flaming beings, were monsters or not, since they now block our expansion. One of the Polity conselors that voted in favour of this, Ichion Dokori, was allowed to leave Volt Vault and travel there to wait ostensibly at the border with an official party. Should they reciprocated peace, he was ordered to introduce us, study them, and demonstrate perhaps a trick of electrokinesy or two (sitting suspended in the air by the force of your mind always makes you look important). He was allowed to exchange news; tell them of our craving for salts and the living dead encroaching to our North, and politely ask for their stories. We have little in the way of wealth and diplomatic gifts for now but we provided him with a small magnetic amulet to give, a trinket that sticks itself to metal. Ichion Dokori is to tell them it is a 'relic', and not a trinket though.

>>3782550
The Tarnish workers in the Plagasm are requested to recruit mercenaries and forces to assist in the Tarnish War effort.
>Perhaps you could consider this compensation for the new trade routes?

In general, the mercenaries and Tarnish citizens scattered among them any nations are encouraged to recruit foreign mercenaries to help with the war effort. Those that are current nonengaged are recalled to help train the rapidly burgeoning army.

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>>3783182

>Damheust:

Damheust was the first city of the Sonarii, but the lands about her are high and harsh, and the population is sparse. Whatever ancient line might have held Damheust in the ancient days, they did not long survive the re-emergence as the city declined and fell, even her very ruins becoming corrupted. The current Ducal Damheust was founded by the house of Ordon, who led the re-conquest and reclamation efforts of the old city from the under-kin.

The land of Damheust is sparse in many areas, with the only good farming land sited along the short extent of coast. The mountains are home to the main mining areas in the south, and the hills are home to populations of shepherds and their flocks. The population of sheep in Damheust outnumbers the Sonarii population of the Duchy by at least 2:1, and it is joked by the Sonarii of the other region that they are the first choice in regional brides. However, Damheust is not without her treasures; Ordon University, sited high within the restored confines of ancient ruins in the high hills, is the premier educational institution within Sonaria. And Damhuest city, situated high atop a mountain, stands as a proud fortress to house Ordon and a museum and memorial to the history of the Sonarii people. Below the modern Damhuest city lie the origin caverns, the caves in which the Sonarii of old sought refuge when the old world ended.


>Chaelkeat:

Chaelkeat is one of the richer, more prosperous and more populous Sonarii duchies. With rolling green hills and abundant forests, home to chickens, deer and (?), virtually the whole of the Ducal lands are pleasantly inhabitable and easy to farm, with the Duchy producing large quantities of food that not only easily sustain the population in good health but are also packed for export across Sonaria and beyond. The history of Chaelkeat is also the history of Sonaria itself, as it was control of the Chaelkeat salt-deposits that led to the rise of the house of Cewayn, the line from which Brue emerged to organise the new traditions of Sonarii Kingship and unite the Sonarii people in the civilized ways. The lands of Chalkeat are still ruled by descendants of the Cewayn line, and the city of Chalkeat is home to the tomb of the Sonarii Kings.

Much is made of Brue by the Chaelkeatan Sonarii, with statues of the first king erected in prominent locations throughout most areas of the duchy. Inhabitants of the other duchies characterize Chaelkeatans as obsessive and liable to turn any question or subject into a matter of what King Brue would have done. However, this obsession with their founder also leads to Chaelkeans being ascribed the quantities of loyalty, courage and self-sacrifice that border on the fanatical. Though the Dukes of Chaelkeat are traditionally strong contenders for Sonarii Kingship, they have also historically been the most ready to put aside their own claims and steer the Kingship elections in pursuit of Sonarii unity.

>>3784245

>Alkilme:

The Duchy of Alkilme is a land that embodies the characteristics of both her neighbors. However, the population size of Alkilme is closer to that of Chaelkeat then Damheust, as in the south, the waters off Alkilme team with fish for the Sonarii to capture and feast upon. The Eastern mountains were once part of the great Sonarii plains before the cataclysm shook this land harshly and the desert crept southward into their foothills. There is now little food that can be easily grown; instead it is here that the Sonarii of the duchy farm Nulscorpions for harvest of their power-neutralizing venom.

The most prominent physical characteristic of the Duchy, however, is the great Wind-Rock of the southern coast. The wind-rock is regarded as a holy site to Szélfelet, and the Monastery of the wind-monks built nearby is the strongest repository of air-bending knowledge and practices within the kingdom. The status as a holy land has shaped the character of the people of Alkilme, and they are seen as more religious in nature then the Sonarii of the other duchies; with other Sonarii tending to regard Alkilmeans as having little sense of humor. This extends to the line of the house of Ulvall, who are regarded as well meaning, but somber and overly pious.


>Stianbal:

The Duchy of Stianbal is a mountainous land trapped between desert and dry coast, high and quite parched in all but the most secluded of valleys. Those natural resources the land does possess are those taken from the ground; metals in the hills and mountains, and salt from the desert. For much else, the Stianaballans are forced to rely on trade. The mountaintops are home to many monastic retreats for observation, contemplation and the practices of air manipulation; though many do not entirely tow the official doctrinal line and a few are entirely non-conformist sects.

Stianbal has been a home to both war and treachery in recent years. In the years of turmoil in the great cataclysm the land was usurped from the house of Tevir by a monastic pretender who seceded from Sonaria then turned to the worship of strange and distant gods. This ultimate rejection of core Sonarii ways must have turned something in the heavens against the duchy, for they then came under immediate attack from the desert kingdom of the Totu. Despite their heresy, the Sonarii king came to the war on their behalf... only for the Monastic pretender to then turn his coat even more completely and sign a treaty to aid their invaders against their fellow Sonarii. Though the house of Egnart - descended from the Tevir through the female line - were eventually able to launch a counter-coup that restored the duchy to Sonaria, the duchy is still considered to have something of a reputation. Inside Stianbal lands, the effigy of the monk-king is given yearly to the flames as a rejection of his vileness and treason; but in the lands outside of the duchy Stianballans are still considered sly and unworthy of easy trust.

>>3783165
Action 1: see how hazemetal would work for transportation like boats
Action 2: create foundries of our own to match the industry of the burned men

Diplo:volt polity
Make some kind of walk-in museum near them, let them get near it tell them about the nation's histories and bring some artifacts

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>>3783183
The new members of the army are refined to be nearly as effective as the established army

Larger military forces crush the small attacking warbands.

The salt mine is secured and the minos of the mountains have retreated and are kept up where tarns dare not tread.

On the Oni front a defensive line has been established while the bulk of the army focuses on minotaurs.

>>3783339
The new highway connects the empire quite well, improving the trade along every axis.

The Oni army digs in just as hardly as the Tarn do, if not more so.

Spirits of guidance bows and rune arrows are quite expensive so quivers full rune arrows are both considered wasteful and prestigious but still every oni longbowman who is worth his stripes has at least one rune arrow on hand in order to secure himself at least one kill and only the poorest among the poorest detachments lack bound bows themselves.

>>3783704
New soldiers are raised in droves, they are currently awaiting orders near firestone.

(both actions are responded to using the above sentence)

In response to the new techniques the enemy hordes begin hurling rocks at the infantry and carrying shields made of different materials in front of them and above them.

>>3783866
Elephant lead pullies end up replacing hired earth hands in many distant parts of the empire.

The military shuffle helps to maintain unity.

>>3784072
The maximum local population capacity is soon reached in Iolite and now salt is much more widely available. Though without some sort of new food source these new mines cannot supply everybody with the perfect amount, especially up north.

The new clan grows to dominate the metal rich areas of the empire.

>>3785763
It could work if enough could be aquired but right now it simply costs to much to be realistically cast into a large militarily viable vessel.

The empire could never hope to match their output in efficiency but the army is now readily supplied with the metal recommended by the generals.

>>3785763
>>3784246
(diplo)
The Second Iron Empire is in a state of starvation, its once prosperous population now wanes at the sight of no bountiful fish. The Iron Guide has now asked both of you kingdoms of kind people to give what you can at a discount in order to stop the poor Iron nation from starving.

Haze is already sending some supplies but are waiting for the response of the plagasm in order to follow through with more aid.

>>3786234
Action 1: As much as the gall of Duke Tonglo irks the Tarns, they must acknowledge that their opportunities against the western dryfaces are limited. Fighting in hostile, mountainous regions for land that was ultimately worth very little seems unpalatable to even the most bloodthirsty general. For now, fortifications are built surrounding the salt mines and a garrison of troops stationed there to deter any retaliation.

Action 2: A canal is built between Hamet and the salt mine, enabling rapid transportation or troops and resources back and forth.

War Action: The Great Army works its way north along the coast, conducting opportunistic strikes where the enemy appears vulnerable. Their primary goal is to help reinforce Kira's defense forces.

>>3783339
>>3782972
Sorry, forgot to ping

>>3786234

>Diplomacy:
Plagasm, Haze and Iron Empire.

The story of Iron starvation rings false to the Sonarii. Not only have the Iron made tenfold expansion to their 'fishing' fleets, but farmland from Plagasm was seceded to the Ironmen for the express purpose of feeding their people. The Sonarii suggest that the peoples of the former alliance act in concurrence, and send in observers to assess the truth and causes of this situation before any granaries are opened.

They also suggest, tentatively, that Haze does not seem to be suffering from this lack of food despite their smaller area of both land and sea to harvest from. Haze and the Iron were once one people. If the Iron are now unable or unwilling to feed their people, perhaps unity should be restored by a partial or full submission of their lands and people into the structures of Haze? Haze is clearly proving themselves to be stronger in organisation of their people.

>Action 1:

The Sonarii continue to make advances in medicine, learning how to treat more severe wounds and ailments, enabling them to preserve their strength for a greater length of time until a greater age.

>Action 2:

A new expansion is launched along the coast and into the deeper forests north of new Glecoone. The Sonarii chosen to lead the accompanying expedition to survey these domains expedition is Grech of house Sonivy, a veteran warrior enobled for services in the Totu wars.

>>3786234
Diplo: 2nd iron empire: sure
Action 1: to help with iron men starvation lets finds a crop that can go grow in salt water
Action 2:develop a way to make artificial islands to make a way to colonize the oceans

>>3786234
1. The new soldiers are put under the command of a newly taught commander, and sent to reinforce the King in the East, to push back the hordes from around the fortress and strengthen the supply lines.

2.The empire's navy has long been pushed to the wayside, new schematics for mounting balistas upon their decks are drawn and tested as they would aid against the monsters outside the Pylons.

>War:

Dawnfort: With information gathered by military scouts, horde formations and movements allow for mounted knights to sweep into the rear of hordes that have infantry patrols pinned down. The added men and supplies aid in pushing out the corrupted a more firmly set line. One golemkeeper and his golem is transported in sealed cart to the front line to test the tree-creation martial abilities.

>Diplo:

Voltic: The Burned Men regard the goat-like people upon the mountains shrewdly. A local noble tells of the long history, religion, and discoveries of the Golden Dawn.

>>3786234
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Plumbing
Slowly, news has come in about the massive tidal wave against the Sonarii from the fishmen. Supposedly these things could control the waters to such an extent that they could bring the wrath of this "sea" down upon them. In order to adress this, Yokai Lord Tonglo gets her architects to design specialized channels and waterways to redirect water safely and cleanly. While initially implemented on the defenses of the pass to prevent total flooding, these designs later pass onto the other Fort Towns to better their infrastructure.

>2: Develop new metal/alloy (steel, or some other cool thing if you want)
With the Foundries of Tonglo running at full tilt, the Oni smiths begin experimenting on the various metals and coals they are able to procure from the mines. Iron, copper, and bronze have all been well and good thus far, but perhaps there is a more useful metal for weapons or tools.

War Action: Train Totu-Oni coordinated teams.
The Totu were known for how well coordinated they were when bending together in groups. And because of the presence of both air and force, the Oni had never been more powerful than when they were fighting in the southern war. Desiring similar feelings of power, the Yokai Lords and Elseworld-Sect see if they can establish a coordination in fighting and bending between the Oni and their Totu vassal.
If the program is a success, the Oni promise the Totu Queen of Gurtand food and drink in exchange for battle thralls.

Potatoes and salt licks for everyone! With the basics cared for, we have started to generate surplus Energy, which we can now put to use.

Action 1: Revive the Order of Powermancers
A Powermancer was a Volter particularly gifted and trained in the generation and manipulation of raw Voltage. In times of peace, they were essential to productivity, receiving and redirecting Energy in their workteam or powering machines and such. In times of strife, they were the centerpiece of Energy rituals, power feeds, electrocommunication networks and generally any action involving power. We will revive their honoured Order and teach again to a new generation the Movements of Power, and recruit anyone who shows promise, while ensuring they get prioritary access to everything they need to Generate. Then we will release them in every corner of society. Let every work team be led by a Powermancer.

Action 2: Reinstall the Church of Thunna
Thunna our god saved us at a great cost to him. The once powerful and energetic entity now languishes in near-constant lethargy. Anxious to see our god restored the Polity has allowed the Great Priests of Thunna their pick to train whoever they see fit into Thunder Priests and safeguard the our with the divine source of thunder power. For a start, the Church has instaured a Power Tithe, a tax that is collected from everyone in voltage, and is then given back to Thunna our god, inside Volt Vault. Although it may not seem like much, our god stays awake for a few more minutes each week, enabling more of his guidance to be bestowed on the Polity.

Diplomacy
>>3787601
Grill Boys:

Ichion Dokori, the envoy to these so-called 'Burned Men', is ecstatic to be given a complete lecture of such an exotic nature, and successfully stayed awake for most of it. "You said you have great and fertile lands", he said, "and we are tired of Mountain Potatoes. If you could provide us with a variety of plant produce, we would reward you with some of our metal ore. Because we are sick of potatoes. Sick!"

"And while we are at it", says the ambassador, "I am anxious to meet more of the world. And my clan, the Dokori, cannot pass through your great and fertile lands without your permission. Surely, you'll agree to let them through? Yes?"

>>3785830
Undead:
A mustered force of local clan bolters raid the small military building constructed at their border. They give it a thorough inspection and also follow the tour guide; there's a lot of "ooh"s and "aah"s as they reckon the whole historical shebang, cautiously test the voltage of the displayed artifacts and ask questions to the 'museum' director. "Are you a monster that comes to kill us?" they ask, and after the report reaches Volt Vault that the answer would be a matter of global geopolitics, the Polity suspiciously dispatches a member of the Dokori clan, now facto appointed with diplomatic duty to the museum to tell the 'Plagasm' that we will attempt to overcome our fear of voltage-weakening undead in the name of diplomatic decency. Which was not popular with everyone back at the Polity.

Korion Dokori, the ambassador to the Plagasm, spoke thus. "We notice you too are a small nation. While you block our way to a mountain range we consider ours, and we distrust your elemental advantage, we live in a world where other, bigger nations have awakened sooner than us. Perhaps small nations like ours should find common ground in that precarity and band together to stand a chance?"

"We've considered your trade offer. Sadly, we currently have nothing to give you. But we are willing to promise considering to trade our next new resource to you as a goodwill gesture."

>>3786307
Due to the sonarii desert in which the enemy army may one day try to cross in order to bypass the salt mine's defenses the current fortifications are maintained.

Through the diversion of a river which used to flow south of the phosphate ruins the canal is successfully constructed.

The enemy coast is now entirely desolate of taur tribes, though a few inland proto-labrynths still remain.

>>3787021
A rare cactus from the desert is found to be capable of healing wound and stopping infection, they are rare and currently unfarmable but they could one day serve to mend the wounds of those rich enough to afford them after duels or light fighting.

A tastier, larger yet more aggressive species of hog is found in the northern jungle and reports of a golden mountain and the ruins which surround it return back as well.

>>3787038
A species of endangered catfish found in the waters of the far north alongside the sprat of the Tarn are both fish which could be farmed in unused coasts, though importing the resources necessary to get a sprat industry going would be fairly high.

The new sand banking technique is tested near boneyard leading to a bridging of the land in the straight through small islands, though there is no total land bridge between them now.

>>3787601
A hard supply line is created through the reinforcement, now decent rations and even a few unimportant letters can be sent through the warzone to the siegers of the castle.

Several designs compete and in the end one comes out on top, without the need for bulky wheels which slow down the process of aiming these balistas can serve their duty well on the ships of the empire who ever wish to leave the pylons.

The golem has shown itself to be very expensive but nigh invincible on the battlefield, cutting bloody swathes through hordes and squashing these creatures as easily as one can crush a grape.

>>3787694
The more robust infrastructure leads to more permanent stone buildings with less pronounced traditional peaked wooden portions.

When smelted with Vanta'd Coal iron can be turned into black iron, which though being slightly heavier has mild dark spirit amplifying effects and is much stronger.

Ancient pieces of antique artillery are dusted off and copyed, and with a little training they can fire off artillery barrages with ease. Though their weakness to the waterborn seems to be their downfall as they take heavy casualties from a relative few enemies.

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>>3787854
Using a system of code now large groups of powermancers can send messages to other large groups using a code which is translated to words. This is the first of the old ways to be rediscovered.

It seems that something is interfearing with the god as his messages are often jumbled up or include gibberish. Normally his messages are perfectly understandable for a mortal receiving word from a god but on occasion this interference picks up and ruins good words.

Thunna has sent a few messages stating that he does not know why that is happening and wishes to send messages confirming or correcting any errors caused by this presence in the few minutes he is awake on the next week.

>>3787881
Diplo: volt polity
"Our nation will provide access to the rest of the artic to expand in exchange we will get a cut of the artic resources."

>>3788919
Action 1: start developing and exporting the catfish to be used for 2nd iron.
Action 2: ask second iron for use of their navy for exploration and possible sea battles.

>>3789536
Diplomacy: Plagasm

"A kind offer. But we think we'll manage without."

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Diplomacy: Yokai Lords

As they were granted pasasge through Northern Lands, a small group of midget goats with huge horns, crackling and humming with electricity, is spotted standing at the edge of 'Yokai' lands, awaiting to be picked up by anyone who looked official enough.

The leader of the group introduces himself as Voliran of clan Dokori, the diplomatic clan of the Volt Polity, a re-emergent power in the mountainous North. "We have come a long way", he says, "to meet and greet all the races of this world, that we may one day do honest business. It is a pleasure to meet you." Voliran sticks his hand out to shake in friendship, and the resulting electrocution was diplomatic history.

"My apologies. We tend to forget you foreigners do not share the Voltage. We would exchange more with you, if you permitted us to settle a permanent embassy in your capital, and allowed my clan passage to meet other powers; then we hope we can learn more from each other. What do you say? Will we be acquaintances?"

>>3788919
1. The golem's effectiveness on the field of battle can not be understated. Frontier golem-keepers are offered a commission to safely bring their creations to the frontlines to aid the war effort.

2. The pylons, which have long protected the people of this realm from outside demons, operate on unknown means and principles. A study is conducted on one of the pylons nearest Red Mound.

>Diplo:

Polity: Allowed through Burned Men lands under armed escort, partially for their own protection, and to prevent them from possibly riling up peasantry.

Oni: Rumors of the Oni's battle against the fishmen has reached some border lords. While the Burned Men doubt they would be much use against those that dwell in the deep, they would be willing to offer support in tactics, training, and planning.

>War:

Dawnfort: As the front line strengthens, and more men come to the fray, while the hordes starve due to the burned fields it comes time to press on again to take the castle of Dawnfort. Siege ladders, rock throwing golems, and the men of the realm must see the heart of the corruption fall... or burn.

>>3788919

Action 1:

A few Sonarii in Larnet have been continuing work on the prototype cannon they devised (>>3769606). They know the device has potential, and keep on testing and practicing new ideas, metals, alloys, manipulation methods and techniques to try and produce an acceptable device that can defend the high walls of Sonarii roosts against foes from afar.

Action 2:

Grech Sonivy's expedition sets out again with replenishment and reinforcement to conduct a more thorough and detailed search of the 'golden mountain' and the ruins surrounding the site. As well as his household troops, scholars from Ordon university attend to learn and record what they can.

The recent diplomatic exchanges made have alerted the Polity to one thing. If it does not claim the resources of its area, others will. Other empires are already encroaching on our area and precious salt mines volters would have used are in the hands of foreigners. Our territory must be claimed and secured for the peace of mind of future generations.

Action 1: Expand North-West
To secure our presence North-West, the Polity grants free land to any clan willing to go settle and farm it. To ensure the best outcomes for society at large, only poor clans can benefit of this, allowing them a chance to upgrade their fortunes. They are granted a tax break until our next settlement will be founded, essentially existing only to support themselves.

Action 2: Expand South

Same thing, but South-East. Volt Vault is about to get a lot less crowded.


Diplomacy: Burned Men

Ichion Dokori seals a trade treaty with the westerners, allowing our ore to be traded for their coinage and then this coinage be traded for their various grains to feed our nation. Goodbye potato fries, potato bread and potato dishes every day, and hello Energy pies, Electro-tarts and Pulse Flan, making a grand and welcome reentry in the everyman's cuisine. Potatoes are now for poor people.

>>3788919
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Fort Town Judunji (NW hill tile of NW mountain)
Following Yokai Lord Giib's example, Yokai Lord Yugji decides to field his own subservient Yokai Lord and town. Designed to defend the northern pass from either fish, fungi, or minotaur; while also providing a safe and bustling trade location to better bring in the Twisting Turn's goods to Yugji's hands. It is largely a trade-focused town, using the surrounding rock to build up to the more recent Oni architectural standards.
Yokai Lord Jugunji is far more meek than his southern contemporary, willing to err on the side of his sponsor more than Tonglo is to Giib. Though he is also far more adept at diplomacy and trade, a perfect candidate for one of the major importers of Minotaur goods.

>2: The ascendancy of Yokai Lord Mun
Though Yokai Lord Mun has long been held in high esteem by the people, the Elseworld-sect, his guards, and his peers, he is not endless. Being the first and oldest of the Yokai Lords by a fair margin, the time is fast approaching where he must step down. Privately to his Medium wife, Mun has thought that he should've passed on the torch for years now, as his body is slowly declining to the point where he'd be hard pressed to fight an honest fight between his best guards.
As such, to start off the old tradition from the Oni's oldest teachings, Mun begins a tournament for ascension. Many different Oni come to pay their respects, and stand forth as potential successors to the Mun name. From the strongest of his children, to his most outstanding officers and guard captains, to many outsider Oni, and even some from the neighboring domains. They all compete under the watchful eyes of Mun and his advisers, challenging each other in might, brawn, diplomacy, guile, spiritualness, and many other factors required for being a Yokai Lord.
Once one is finally selected, Mun takes the Oni into the center of the town. There he removes his name and bestows it onto the new Yokai Lord Mun. Then, as a final step, the Elseworld-Sect performs a monumental bounding, tying the past Yokai Lord Mun's spirit into the city of Mun itself, joining with it the many other Lords that had once lead the Oni.

>War Action: Eoduun Corps
With the multiple discoveries of how the Vanta Gourd dye blends with coal and iron, a new group of troops is developed to make specialized use of these properties. Donned in light and quiet armor, given vessels inscribed with Lurid Scoria bindings, and armed with Eoduun Steel knives, daggers, and bows. These troops are trained extensively in subterfuge, reconnaissance, and stealth. Never meant to be used for direct offensives unless actively told, they begin to simply scout their opponents and deliver intel to their Yokai Lord.

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>>3790544

>Diplo
>>3789962 Volt Polity
Waiting at the borders for a good while, Voliran would eventually end up following some random Burned Men and Oni merchants along the eastern road towards Mun. Here, the Yokai Lord ascendancy would only just be starting to begin its preparations. After an incident with the guards that almost erupted into a fight, the shocked guard would be brought in to be tended too, and the elder Yokai Lord Mun would come out to greet these strange bipedal goats.

While more than happy to chat and share drink with the foreigners, Yokai Lord Mun harshly declines the proposal to "settle" anything of theirs on what is his fort town. He is only able to entertain Voliran for a short while, before excusing himself to continue preparing for the ascendancy.

The diplomatic envoy would be able to travel along the Lords' Highways, subject to the appropriate tolls to cross into each Yokai Lord's domains. They'd not be required to be escorted, but would still have to follow the laws of the land less they be jailed at the Yokai Lords' discretion. In Mun they'd also be able to find basic maps and descriptions of the various lands of the known world. Including the Twisted Turns to the west, the Tarn to the south-west (though encouraged to avoid that area for the time being due to armed conflict), and the Sonarii and Plagasm to the south.

>>3790052 Golden Dawn
As one of his final negotiations, Yokai Lord Mun encourages the ideas of mutual training. Proposing a series of "war games" for both sides to practice new strategies and combat between the two with minimal losses. This would be passed onto the border lords and his own guard captains to consider.

Diplomacy

>>3790599
Yokai Lords

The diplomatic party thanks Lord Mun for his "spotless" hospitality and departs, leaving him with a magnetic amulet with the insigna of the Polity as a gift, and promises that there will be "more chances to work out an embassy plan" another day and that they will keep him "updated anyway, but it will take longer for the messages to come."

>>3790301
Sonarii

Lokan Dokori, diplomatic envoy of the Polity to the Sonarii, tries to figure out how to impress a race that flies. He resolves to demonstate his ability of magnetic levitation and sits in the air near confused locals until someone more in charge picks him and his party up. "Greetings from the Volt Polity", he tells them. "We are diplomats from the far North, and have come to meet you and learn more about your people. I am Lokan of clan Dokori, and I humbly request your authorization to set up an embassy in your capital to enable Communication between our great nations. Your mere presence makes my horns crackle in trepidation... Surely, it is a sign from the Sky that we should be be friends?"

>>3786307
Tarn

Despite finding evidence of activity on the shores of the region, Irion of clan Dokori could not find the 'Tarn'. 'Aren't they meant to be fish-people?' said a member of his cohort. 'Shh', answered Irion, 'it's probably a very rude thing to say about them.' Moments later spent lobbing pebbles into the sea the diplomatic party figured out the Tarn has a settlement just right over the next hill, so they just went there.

Irion brought the Polity's greetings to the decidedly fish-like Tarn and told them of the Volt Polity, a re-emergent nation that dwells securely atop a far-away, Northern mountain. "We are glad to meet you. Our mission is a diplomatic purpose, and we've come all this way to ask permission to set up a permanent embassy between our peoples, that we may learn more about each other and perhaps one day work. What would you like to answer us?"

Diplomacy
All
>>3790599
>>3790301
>>3786307
>>3790052
>>3789536
The representatives of the Volt Polity, the various members of clan Dokori that met abroad with each of the major powers of the world that received them, demand a special audience with each.

"We, the Volt Polity, have now met with all the nations in the world...The active ones anyway. The Burned Men, the Sonarii, the Yokai Lord, The Tarn and the Plagasm. We want to thank you all for your decent treatment of our envoys, and helping our quest to Connect the world; but above all, we want to talk about an ability we have been meaning to demonstrate. The volters that surround us Dokori envoys are called Powermancers, volters particularly gifted in the generation and manipulation of electric Energy. These escorts in particular are specialists of an Electromentalist skill we call 'Electrocommunication'. By sending an electromagnetic pulse through the sky in code, they are able to communicate words to another group of receptive Powermancers far away across our world. All along our journey, we have relayed our situation to the Polity, and the Polity told us what to do as if the council was here with us. By having an embassy in every nation, or at least an access agreement, we have now the ability to enjoy direct diplomatic communication with the whole world at a moment's notice."

"On this day, in the name of global Connection, we want to make our Network available to you at our expense, that you too may Connect freely and instantly with whomever nation you wish that hosted us, defying distance and landscape by to the grace of Thunna. Our messages must stay simple, but a Transmission is enough to tell of any significant event. We volters have learned of Yokai Lord Mun's Ascension ritual, for example, and have decided to make the day of this event coincide with ours, as we will prove our power by retransmitting live a transcript of what happens in Mun. The Volt Polity thanks you for your attention. Will you attend?."

>>STATE OF THE NATION: Yokai Lords: The Nascent Age (For recap)
Most Oni scholars agree that the Nascent Age began at the founding of the first recorded rice farm and watch tower in the Mun region, and lasted till the ascension of the first Yokai Lord Mun. This document's purpose is to summarize the physical state of the various Oni domains, the personal aspects of each Yokai Lord, and the diplomatic connections between the various internal powers.

>Mun
The central and oldest region of the Oni. Temperate and varied in geography, its location and history has made it the hub for culture, religion, and internal trade. The Fort Town Mun houses many different industries and trades, as well as the Temple of the Elseworld-Sect. The construction of roads between the north, east, and south have greatly increased its power near the end of the age.

Yokai Lord Mun was considered the epitome of an Oni Lord. Powerful, respectful, strong willed and amiable. Having lead the main force in the Burning Effigy War made him beloved by both noble and commoner alike. Largely coasting on his success in war time, in peace time he was able to herald and fund numerous developments across the domains, while also making sure none of his rivals became too strong or too weak.

On the whole, opinions on Mun are rather positive. The commoners, Sect, and local lords all greatly appreciate what he has done for him. In terms of Yokai Lords: Giib sees him as a competent warrior and leader, though also his greatest rival; Yugji feels rather envious of Mun's success and his lack of hardship from the aftermath of the war, but still appreciates what he did for Yugji and the Sect. Tonglo sees Mun as an idol of sorts, and wishes to emulate his success in her own war.

>>3791245
>Giib
The main power in the southern regions. It has seen numerous population booms, and continues to be the most populous and well fed part of the nation. The amount of vegetation in the area has made it the bread basket of the Oni.

While Yokai Lord Mun is typically held as the paragon of Oni ideals, Yokai Lord Giib is seen as just as successful with far less honorable means. Taking full advantage of his domain's natural resources, and using it as political and economic leverage, he is well known for strong-arming many other lords into his way of thinking. He is also the most shrewd and clever of the Yokai Lords, often throwing two opponents against one another or letting others take the brunt of the damage instead of his own people.

While fat, selfish, and distasteful to be around, Giib cannot be discounted as a leader. His people love him for his agricultural investments, and for keeping them out of any direct wars. The Sect is rather neutral on him, though disproves of his focus on the material over spiritual. Mun similarly thinks he is a competent leader, but often feels the need to remind him of his boundaries. Yugji dislikes him in terms of policy, but doesn't interact enough to have firm thoughts otherwise. Tonglo, however, is greatly annoyed by his constant meddling, wishing for more autonomy.

>Yugji
The northern region of the Oni. More spread out than Mun, but less heavily populated than Giib, it is only thanks to recent agricultural and ranching developments that it is on roughly equivalent population compared to the other two main domains. Alongside Mun, Yugji has become one of the focal point of the Elseworld-Sect. In no small part due to the Wonsi Lake, a large, crystal clear lake of Raw Spirit. Surrounded by the bones of giant beasts, and overrun with spirits and specters of all walks of life, this nexus of spiritual energy has drastically altered their history.

Yokai Lord Yugji was once a calm and collected man. However, with the ransacking and pillaging from the Burning Effigy war, he has become far more morose and grim. It is only thanks to the Sect and his wife, the famed Wonsi Medium, that he has able to become more hopeful about his city's situation.

Due to his poor performance in the war, it took the marriage and several decades of treatment before the commoners and lords began to respect him again. Similarly, many of the other Yokai Lords treat him with a degree of inferiority. He has by far the best relations with the Elseworld-Sect, however, as he has spent numerous years helping and funding their endeavors.

>Tonglo
A small mountain pass on the edge of Giib's land, it has soon grown to encompass the surrounding mountains as well. A center for industry and mining, its growing population still requires substantial assistance from Giib's farms.

Yokai Lord Tonglo is the youngest and most brash of the lot. Eager to prove herself, and more importantly, establish her Fort Town as more than just a vassal of Giib.

>>3788923
Action 1: If the Great Fissure ever comes back, the Tarns intend to be prepared. Utilizing the extra manpower provided by the army which just arrived, a canal is constructed connecting the bay northwest of Kira to the Great Inlet, southeast.

Action 2: Regular border patrols out of Kira are set up, searching for and dispatching any minotaur raiding parties. The area of Kira is set up to be better defended and more capable of repelling invasion.

War Action: After ensuring that Kira is well protected, the Tarnish army travels back along the coast, focusing on securing their current holdings and fully capturing contested areas along the coast(the electric blue tiles). They are in no rush, focused on thoroughly clearing and garrisoning provinces.

>>3789554
Small populations of catfish develop inside of artificial coastal bays constructed for farming purposes, Tarn who have migrated to the great bay are enlisted to help with herding and feeding. By (next turn) they will be a fully viable agricultural population.

The Iron Empire cannot offer their greatest ship, The Iron Maiden in any form of service alongside a foreign power but they can offer some of their lesser and older models in service as a form of payment for food imports though they will need to be manned entirely by men of iron for power efficiency reasons.

>>3790052
Only a scarce few golems can even be paid for with what is currently demanded of the tunnel in the supplies needed to be brought through, a few advisers to the king recommend using them in some form or manner in the great castle of Dawnfort where the blanks seem to be coming from.

A temporary observatory is set up near one of the pylons, and in the great time it is constantly observed several behaviors are noticed and cataloged using an antique yet very high quality totu telescope.

Firstly the pylons do not lie perfectly stationary in the air as they bob up in down in a very slow fashion over the course of a lunar cycle, going down once the sequence restarts by around 35 metres and then reversing its force right when the time comes for the lunar cycle to begin reforming a full moon. By the end of a lunar cycle it has reset into the original position.

Another oddity in sync with the lunar cycle is what occurs in the presence of a full moon and a new moon. As in the light of a full moon feint glowing can be seen on its surface forming a pattern not discernible as any form of known rune while a reverse effect occurs during a new moon where these runes seem to begin emitting a light haze.

Sometimes when no one is looking a great sound like that of rolling thunder can be heard from the pylon or beyond it in the same upward direction yet strangely enough this sound does not seem to come with any form of liquid vibrating effect or seem to occur alongside storms or anything associated with storms.

Many metals and even a single volter were brought in to test it for any strange effects but even the strange artifacts of magnetic metals did not seem to be affected by the pylon's presence.

As the army breaches the outer walls everything seems to be going just as planned, and further past that into the inner castle all seems to be as expected until men begin running into two major strange phenomenon.

The first are the flesh growths, strange but harmless and easily burned growths of an unknown mammalian meat. Tests show it is not of human origin. The second phenomenon is known as the scrambler, as many squads who find themselves isolated will end up either presumed dead or in totally different parts of the castle, one team even describes charging towards an enemy line then retreating only to end up in a quaint little former sewer where the exit leads to the outside.

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>>3790301
A final design is reached for use across the empire, through a series of long metal tubes multiple benders can channel their energy into a compression blast which can send lighter and heavier shells and arrows long distances.

Many skulls of different species adorn the archetexture of the city of gold. It can be said that not a single wall does not have an engraved bony visage marking it.

The underside of the city is covered in a forest just as lush as what lies outside of it. The golden towers stretch for miles making for a truly strange sight at night.

In the underbrush a deadly fruit can be found, it only seems to grow in this city as it is not seen anywhere else, the fruit is a kind of grapefruit of a bright yellow coloration which through a single ingested drop can cause at best intense stomach problems to at worst death through the rupturing of the stomach.

A general map of the city is forged this expedition, though the lesser city to the east has only been explored through fly bys for the most part.

Many entrances to long winding tunnels or perhaps even mazes are found bearing even a few intriguing artifacts such as a perfectly preserved head of what seems to be a minotaur or some kind of large bovine along with fragmented pottery inscribed with runes which are as of yet unknown among the known world.

No large beasts roam the underbrush, the largest creatures around seem to be the local Serpent Eagles.

>>3790562
The new fort town helps facilitate the trade between the otherwise isolated taurs and the Oni.

These new corps help break the stalemate of the little war of tonglo's.

>>3791585
Due to the immense labor involved in constructing such a great canal through hills the canal will not be completed (unless you put another action into it)

The few proto-labrynths of the plains are scoured.

Most of the cost is secured with the exception of some hardier and more well put in labrynths in the forests and hills by the mountains.

Through luck or the exploitation of the movements and positioning of the tarnish defenders the invading oni manage to rapidly secure about (2 tiles) of land and have turned the former fortifications into defensive positions for themselves. Currently the only thing stopping them from retaking the phosphate mine is a river which divides the land.

>>3790544
Tales of strange ruins reach the more populated north and a species of giant soft shelled crab is discovered in the bay.

Demand for a new major salting town emerges in the western bay.

>>3791944
Action 1: continue studying artificial islands with that we can create dry farmland for use by the 2nd iron empire
Action 2: study 2nd iron' s ocean for migrating fish schools

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The Polity must attend to home matters before continuing its global strategy.

Action 1: Settle Kazval
The Polity wished to have sea access to the Western Sea, and there is increased salt demand in the Western wing. So the Polity decided to establish a third settlement called Kazval, with its own polity like Iolyte. Now representing the polities of other volter settlements at its council, the Polity makes itself known as the Grand Polity.

Action 2: Domesticate Giant Crabs
The (Grand) Polity recognizes the potential of giant crabs. While volters don't eat meat, it can be sold to the neighboring Golden Dawn as luxury, and the money traded back for whatever the Grand Polity needs (namely grain). That is however part of the benefit, and there has been experimentation to know if crustaceans could perhaps be tamed with a series of 'gentle zaps' to pull heavy weights in the salt mines of coastal towns...

>>3792061
1. The golems are to be put to use dismantling the castle from the outside in. Hopefully once the bricks of the forsaken keep fall, so will the eldritch effects.

2. Continue cataloging the strangeness of the pylons, perhaps see if we can predict when they will "shut down" again.

>War:

Dawnfort: The troops are to form proper siege camps, and fight back enemy combatants while the golems work on destroying the castle, and aiding in manners of logistics.

>Diplo:

Oni: The local lords agree to the training deal.

Voltic: okey

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>>3792061
Though the canal is a vital part of the Tarns' plans for self sufficiency, ultimately it proves too long to complete for the army alone. With regret, the half-built canal is left as is. Perhaps when the war is over, focus can be returned to completing its construction.

Action 1: Water-benders from Rakka are recruited to help with the capture of the last few coastal tiles. They summon great deluges, using the water to destabilize and collapse the walls of the labyrinths and drown any of the dryfaces that live within. When possible, they convert desert and forest tiles into swamps and wetlands.

Action 2: The defensive militia at Hamet sallies forth to defend the phosphate mines. Contract soldiers are called from Ansei to help fill in the back lines.

War Action: Months of campaigning up and down the coast has turned this army from a ragtag band of odds and ends into a smooth and capable fighting machine. Benders work in tandem with swordsmen for maximum shock and awe. Ranks form and march on a dime. The army was on its way back south when the news reached them that the provinces were seized. They quickly swim double-pace to help retake the front. During their time fighting the minotaurs, the Tarns have learned that the best way to combat dryfaces is with a single coordinated assault, before they are able to set up their defenses. The dryfaces are raiders, at their best when they are given the elements of darkness and surprise. So attack in broad daylight, with all the force one can muster. Don't get overextended, because they'll flank and tear the formation to shred. Conservative and brutal, that's the way. And this will be no different.
>The army attempts to retake the tiles immediately surrounding the phosphate mine.

>>3792061
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Set up training camps, and train with the Flaming Men
The new Yokai Lord Mun, unsurprisingly a child of the senior one, gathers his guards discusses policies of war and dominion. Less experienced than most of the captains, this is the perfect opportunity for the young Yokai Lord to sharpen his horns and build rapport between him and his men. His father left big shoes to fill, and a Yokai Lord cannot afford to slacken in the defensive departments.
The Oni forces begin drilling with the Flaming men to better both armies. With mundane club or spear, bending prowess, and tactical and strategic cleverness. Especially ways to combat more mobile forces, as the Oni lack any dedicated cavalry on their own.

>2: Experiment with new weaponry
The Oni siege towers and hawacha, the flaming men's balistea, and the various force/air cannons from the southern wars. The Oni have used and fought with various contraptions of war. However, many of these pieces are artifacts or remnants of a more desperate, and a less prosperous, time. With far greater access to the materials, craftsmen, and book smarts, Yokai Lord Tonglo commissions a new weapon of war to help them fight the Tarn and their superior numbers.

>War Action: Send the Eoduun Corps to scout out the ruins and mobilizing fishman forces (in stealthily stealth manner)
The immediate benefit of the Eoduun Corps has pleased Yokai Lord Tonglo to no end. Having more accurate intel on the enemy forces has quickly let the Oni take back the fortifications they'd initially installed on the mountain pass. While she is eager to see just how much chaos these spies can do, the head of the corps cautions against revealing their presence to the fishmen.
Instead, he suggests that they try to find out the cause of the sudden defense of the otherwise ruined city. Fishmen have been mobilizing on their eastern border, and he wants to know why. Figuring out if, when, and where they plan to attack will be paramount for not being caught off guard.
As such, the Eoduun begin sneaking into the ruins and Tarn camps, figuring out as much as they can in time.

>>3792061

Action 1: The exploration continues, this time focused upon the ruins of the eastern lesser city.

Action 2: The secrets of glass taken from the fallen Totu realm are finally made use of, the Sonarii starting to make their own in workshops in Stianbal and Bertlowr. With their air-manipulator powers, glass-blowing would come easy and all sorts of intricate glass vessels would soon be designed.

Diplomacy: Minotaurs?

Again, the Sonarii try to reach these rumoured Minotaurs.

Diplomacy: Volt
The Ambassador to the Volt is met by a Sonarii Monk, interested to learn more about this race. They demonstrate a potential to... hover? He is not sure if it is 'true' flight or not, but it leaves the ground. And they appear themselves to worship the sky, in some manner... does Szélfelet bless this race, as he does the Sonarii? They would ask more about the Volt religion. Do they, too, work to earn the respect and give favor to the lord of the roiling skies?

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(A Polity Arbiter)

>>3793222
"Certainly. Let me consult with my superiors."

The Dokori liason sits in the middle of a circle of his cohort, that he calles 'Powermancers, and specialized in Electrocommunication'. They all join hands and begin to concentrate as electricaly current courses through the assembly. It reaches a point when power forms a visible halo and a series of quick pulses is sent straight upwards, dissipating in the ether. Not too long afterwards, a few pulses come back the same way.

"I was just in Electrocommunication with the Grand Polity back in the Thunder Mountains. They have approved your request for information."

The Dokori ambassador explains what his race is about.

"Us volters are mountain dwellers under the stormy sky. Ours is the blessing of Voltage, the electrical Energy granted by Thunna our god. The Spark you see over my head represents the awakeness of my Spirit, and through this I am Connected to all others as well as Thunna our god. Us volters may not look like much, but we are blessed with this powerful gift, and many an enemy has underestimated us in their foolishness. Voltage can be employed either to harm or heal; it Powers our every move and thought, and we are able to transmit it to one another or use it to perform Electromentalism. The skill that seemed to impress you the most is called Electrokinesy; it is the Power to manipulate the gravity of oneself, another or an item through the exploitation of its inherent magnetic field, or the projection of an artificial variant.

"The only limit to the versatility of Thunna's gift is the Conducivity of our target. And my horns may look unwieldy to you, but... They project a powerful magnetic field, that I can bend to my will. Here, let me Balance the room for a minute. How do you feel? Calmer? Now you understand! The Complexion of my horns represents balance. They have grown such from a lifetime of acting in accordance to that concept, and mediating disputes. A Volter in the business of aggression, which we would call a bolter, would have jagged and aggressive horns, and short too, as he is a lot more interested in shooting out his Voltage in raw bursts than keeping it around. It is why I, of clan Dokori, was chosen as an ambassador."

"You asked about our god. Thunna our god is the Supraconductive god of Thunder. Thunna blesses every volter with a Spark, and guides our hand from his streamlined thought. It was he who led us inside the Vault, Isolated from the evils above, and then sustained us with his Power while we languished in Electrostasis. Thunna is with us, we see and talk to him. But our concern as volters is to remain Connected with his presence, even at a distance. The Polity has authorized me to confide that it has be quite hard ever since we left the Vault, as the Electrostasis left him Unenergized and tired. Thunna languishes inside Volt Vault now, and we long to feel his Energy again, striking us to glory from the sky."

>>3793222
Satisfied with his exposition, the Dokori liason shifts his Current towards an inquisitive atmosphere.

"We welcome your interest in understanding our race, and we wish to extend the same courtesy. Regardless of the Polity's diplomatic needs, we are very much interested in your people's history, especially one that seems to go so well with Thunder. And we do so love to see you soar into the air. It has... An electric appeal."

>>3792459
Through the cross referencing of land levels before the fall and pure theory craft a set of around (4 tiles) worth of arable land can be constructed for the men of iron. Taking up a total of (8 tiles) filled with these islands, this gesture if successful could help both empires consolidate their funds over the long term along with forming a bond between the two empires which would contrast the war which was supposed to have sullied the relationship between the two peoples for all time.

Essentially this would save the empire lots of grain in the long run which would otherwise be spent on burned men.

More islands could possibly be built but this plan is already in the range to take a massive chip out of the economy so any higher could be dangerous.

No theorized migrating fish schools of note not already known to the iron fishers are found but ruins to the north and east in the sea are found.

>>3792490
the golems are few in number compared to the massive size of the castle but they attempt to destroy it from the inside out nonetheless, sadly any sections that do collapse do not seem to be affecting upper sections somehow and it is theorized that flesh is the thing holding this fortress together. Though the stream of horrors coming out from the keep seems to be decreasing.

A single golem has very likely been destroyed, now that the enemy has found a way to destroy them the clock now ticks on the possibility of cracking this fortress.

Using old maps found in some of the overgrown rooms a route to the inner sanctum of the castle has been drawn up.

The Oni mercenaries who were hired for this occasion seem to be extra decent at diverting the attention of the hordes.

>>3792727
The coastal taur are exterminated but in the hills in the former land of the empire many labrynths are found to be too far from any major water source to be reliably exterminated. The army pushes a little bit into territory not once owned by tarn in order to stop taur raids from the hills. Raids from the mountains remain a problem especially in the newer areas and less militarized zones. This has kept many civilians from colonizing near the mountains or away from the coast in general.

The combined ranged weaponry of the Oni has rendered a decent offensive nigh impossible even with the greatest summoned storms. It seems every day the Oni bombard yet another position into irrelevance. The second siege of the mine has begun.

>>3796483
Where would a new player start on this map?

>>3796483
Rip, only got through half an update before passing out it seems.

>>3796591
All new factions have been taken, so you won't be able to choose your own element. However, there are two different AFK factions you can currently take over. And potentially reflavor a little, considering they've been afk since near the beginning of the game. There is also the slight possibility of taking over a splinter faction from an existing nation, but you'd be bound more heavily by their lore.

The two current AFK nations are the:
NATION NAME - CAPITAL - RACE - ELEMENT - COLOR
Alliance of Spores - Psilocybnia - Cordysians - Fungus/Wood - Purple/Purple
who left like a turn or two into the game, and can probably be completely rewritten. Only hard and fast rule would be you are element of wood.
The Iron Empire - Steelhold - Homo Ferrous - Metal - Grey/Gray
who left after a quick war with the earth and air nations to their west. Lore would be a little more locked in to accommodate, but they are otherwise pretty bland and blank slate right now.

There is also the Totu, which were monkeis with the element of force. They were wiped out in game, this thread actually, and their player hasn't really done anything with the remenant. Depending on what OP says, you could also possibly play as them, but with a lot more limitations.

>>3792470
The new city's salt provides much needed support to the northern area of the empire.

Giant crab meat sells well and brings much gold into the growing economy. Helping many tribes who farm these crabs to become fully established fiefdoms and communities in general.

>>3793132
The armies are found to be most effective when used as a majority burned men force with a minority of oni used to disrupt enemy lines. Though Oni longbowmen are still unmatched among the light ranged units of both empires, serving as incredibly potent dragoons and heavy mounted archers.

A new system of force storage is thought up, through the construction of sturdy steel cylynders which are filled with compressed air provided through the force of the totu now hwatchas can be loaded up with a potent barrage which is fairly easily reloaded and ready to use before any battles begin through a spirit bound system which allows the cylinders to release their air properly without major disfunction. This can also be adapted to fig more mobile horse pulled carts which are mounted with either miniature heavy hwatchas or cannons which are reloaded using a rolling cylinder mechanism.

This new development coupled with the large quantities of iron coming in from the taurs has allowed a bombard and siege strategy to take route which allows the Oni to use their most potent advantage to its fullest extent. It is even better that burned men can be available for hire in order to melt down used shots so that they may be turned into new ammunition.

The Oni are able to watch from the hills and manage to send in a few into the camps, nothing is found regarding a possible offensive but the defensive points are throughoughly mapped out so that the siege weapons can be placed properly. Sadly there exists the great canal which has allowed much water to be diverted around the area, allowing the tarns their own most potent advantage in that water can act as both a deterant and a deadly weapon at the same time.

Lighter bombardments have begun as the army is now in position to attack, already skirmishes have begun between scouting parties and the tarn have sent storm after storm in order to disrupt the oni camps, the oni are thankful for their will-o-the-wisps as they provide a light which is far more reliable in these conditions than simple torches or lamps which can be snuffed out in the storm.

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>>3793222
Lots of stone archetexture is uncovered of a more primitive nature, pyramids with ruined or collapsed towers dominate the landscape. Unlike the golden city this city is filled with large fauna, many bigger than any other specimens ever seen before. There are hippos the size of small whales in the massive river system, turtles the size of warthogs, warthogs the size of small rhinoceros and most deadly of all Serpent Eagles whose wings are as wide as two sonarii tall. These beasts are quite the exotic find indeed. At the center of this strange city lies a pool of blueish purple liquid. In it grow crystals similar to those rumored to be past the portal of the necrotics, though they are more like brittle quartz than fine iron or copper. The lake tastes incredibly bitter but it seems the closer one gets the larger the local wildlife seem to be. Even the trees and vines around this strange lake are truly a sight to behold.

A distinct sonarii glassworking style soon emerges, much more smooth and round in form these glasses are also very often paired with tinted glass and decoration in the glasses and jars made with it. The sand of the desert between stianbal and the heartland is found to be the best to use for this style of glass.

>>3796591
you can take any of the nations mentioned in >>3796806 provided you craft up a little writing piece based on what exists on them in the other threads (both have their primary lore in the first thread and some stuff about the iron empires is in this most recent thread, you may consult me if you wish to play as the iron empire, you will need the permission of the totu player if you want to take over that nation, the minotaurs may also be available but perhaps not as the player is merely out of ideas right now) or you could create your own distinct element, but remember >>3767365 , and now all slots are taken (left empty slot is now dark (minos) and the bottom one is electric (volters)) if you would like to talk about adding in a new element please join the discord and discuss it in my channel and with me. Sadly I need to sleep now so that is all. Also for starting locations the prime location is the island off the coast of the northern part of the continent. There is land to colonize south of it and you will be receiving decent neighbors. If you would like to make a new wood nation please again talk in the discord, no new metal nation though.

>>3796591
the discord link is found here >>3767369

>>3796483
1. The empire's old attempts to master the sky's finally have use in retrieving tax payments from the Totu in the northern deserts. By using the flying contraptions to pull skids of material across the sand, many horses are saved from being lost to the waste.

2. The inner sanctum of Dawnfort must be reached. The army uses the maps and moves as one, no man left behind. Golems are brought with.

War:
Dawnfort: The Oni Mercs are to begin scaling the castle and causing chaos outside, while the Burned Men go into the breach; hopefully to draw horde attention and weaken the Remnants.

>Diplo:

Oni: The Burned Men request permission from the Oni to bring back force/air cannons or spirit hwatchas to their homeland.

Mino: Burned Men finally introduce and greet Minotaurs after contact via Oni.

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>>3796862
Action 1: Now that the coast is secured, the Tarns see no point in pushing further. Garrisons in contested areas are ordered to pull back and fortify the provinces already under Tarnish control.
>Reinforce Tarnish provinces along the Mino-Tarn border

Action 2: These dryfaces are much different than the other ones. They have pushed the army all the way back to the ruined city. Still, the citys ancient walls hold strong for now. Ensuring that they stay that way is a top priority. Dedicated supply lines are established from Hamet north. The provinces to the south of the city are reinforced and guarded. The city itself is strengthened for an assault. Walls are repaired and fortified with black rock from Kuro. Guards are placed overlooking the foreign lands.
>Defend the old city

War Action: Preventing encirclement of the abandoned city is a must. Approximately half of the Tarnish army, along with reinforcements from the saltmines to the northwest, strike at the mountainous province that separates the two. The double sided assault will hopefully overwhelm the intimidating Oni defenses. The remaining half of the Tarnish army encamps at the abandoned city, helping with fortifications and repelling any sieges.

>PS: On a scale from “mild” to “devastating” how bad were the Tarnish army’s losses?

>>3797465
Adding to the war action that the moat/canal at the city is deepened and enlarged.

>>3797518
Correction: looking back, there’s no canal between Hamet and the old city. Amending this to constructing a shallow moat around the city.

>>3796483
Action 1: Check out those ocean ruins in the north and east
Action 2: tidy up funds for the island creation

Time for the Strategy!

Action 1: Develop Electrocommunication Emitters

The Polity tasks clan Takon with the creation of a prototype Emitter, a rod of metal used to send and receive pulse messages over long distances. This should greatly reduce the amount of Powermancers needed for Electrocommunication, and therefore, cost.

Action 2: Establish Electrocommunication Network

The Polity prepares the way for the emmitter prototypes to enter production, and plans to have one emission node in each of its major settlements, but also, through our embassies, or our diplomatic contacts and some land-leasing, in the major settlements of every civilization that allowed us in.

>>3796483
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Banshee Drums
Legends of Yokai Lord Mun's siege on Tonglo tell of the Oni participating in party, music, and dance to both maintain their morale and intimidate the besieged. Several of the captains of Tonglo's forces begin experimenting with binding banshees to vessels designed to make noise. Enabling Oni musicians to be heard all around, or orders from drum beats heard from miles away.

>2: Fort on Minotaur mountain NE of ruins
Yokai Lord Tonglo is skeptical of her chances of fully immulating Mun in his siege of Duskfort. The Oni are just not in a position to completely surround nor cut off the supplies to a race of fish people with ocean bordering their Western flank. A traditional siege will not work, nessessitating a full offensive.
The ocean she can do nothing about, but in order to pass through, something must be done about that river dividing their forces. Tonglo uses a series of bribes and promises of protection from the fishmen to allow her to build a fort on Minotaur land. It will be manned by oni and any Minotaur looking to defend their Homeland.

>War Action: Dam/redirect the headwaters
With the fort holding the mountain, Tonglo begins the redirecting of the headwaters, preventing the river from dividing her forces and denying the fishmen a powerful source of bending material.

>Diplo
A few siege devices are brought to duskfort.

I'll provide better reasoning later, but non of the Yokai Lords approve of the Volt's communications network yet.

>>3796862


Action 1:

The treasures of the golden city and nearby ruins continues to intrigue the Sonivy expedition, which has set up a growing base camp in the most inhabitable area of the ruins they found to date. From here, their scholars continue their surveys and explorations as the expedition numbers and their settlement continues to grow, drawn by the mysteries, the rumors of treasures and massive beasts, or just the prospect of new open lands and ancient building works to be claimed. Translating some of the ancient runes is seen as an early priority; who knows what guides or warnings might have been left around the vast expanse of the city in the form of ancient, unseen words?

Action 2:

The Serpent Eagles are truly impressive beasts, their skill and flight at their size surely another of Szélfelet's blessings. The Sonarii at the growing base-camp settlement seek to find ways to bribe and tempt these creatures into service and tame them.

Diplomacy: Volt

The Sonarii are a little disappointed to find out that the volt do not seem to be brothers beneath Szélfelet. Nonetheless, they thank them for their description of their faith. Whatever their power, it does seem to come from -something 'above'. And they begin preparing their own delegation to head to the Voltlands to explain themselves...

The Sonarii also consider their own view of Electrocommunication. Whilst not opposed to the idea, as they like the thought of messages soaring the skies, they would want the system tested thoroughly to ensure it does not imperil flight through the same skies. They also suggest expanding their postal services into Volt lands...

Diplomacy: Plagasm, Tarn, Oni, Haze

The Sonarii also suggest expanding their postal services into the lands of their direct neighbors, should any wish to join and be connected by the network.

>>3798222
Diplomacy, Sonarii
"Of course, you may settle workers and offer a postal service in our lands; the Polity welcomes free enterprise. But be warned that you will encounter competition from our electrocom network. The Polity has considered your request for testing and will ensure that electrocommunications present no threat to Sonarii fliers. We will also receive your delegation when it is ready."

>>3797329
A very small community of sonarii forms in the northern desert based around providing the transport service for skids.

The bulk of the sieging army is lost in the assault, as the remainder of the army continues fighting into the inner sanctum even so after a full day of near constant fighting only a sliver of the sieging force remains alive while in the castle. As the soldiers keep fighting and the golems continue leading the spearhead the walls become more and more fleshy eventually coming to the point in which enemy husks start emerging from the walls themselves in goey but surprising ambushes. Thankfully these "newborns" are incredibly easy to kill.

The leader of the charge still lives (whether or not he is the king is for you to decide) fighting flesh with fire and continueing to act as a stable and reliable spearhead himself in contrast the the golems which lead the other detachments.

The ground begins to shake and shatter as the stone loosens and the flesh tightens. This shaking continues for several minutes until it stabilizes into a slower, breath like pattern of tremors.

Above ground the remaining forces are defending the main camp in wait for the return of the castle bound battalions. They watch in awe and fear as the outside of the castle begins to grow more and more fleshy, some even claiming the top most tower (still untouched by burned men) seems to now look vaguely like a blank face.

The castlebound continue their assault, and eventually whether by luck or fate several of the now pitifully sized detachments have met up in what looks to have once been the throne room, the so called king of dawnfort seeming to have fused into his throne. His body now being host to a massive slowly beating heart, surrounded by many of smaller beating hearts in the walls.

His face seems to be contorted into a sickly smile, as though he is holding back a look of disgust or disappointment.

As quickly as the leader of the inner army takes a first step on to the higher platform which houses the throne heart the single seemingly vestigial eye pops to life, darting around quickly before landing on the leader.

The leader takes another step and now it seems the heart has been kicked into overdrive, its veins glowing and pulsing with heat as though they were filled with molten iron.

The leader rushes, drawing his personal blade and activating the red metal which allows it to burn brightly as a great and vile quake fills the area.

Outside the faceless are in retreat, something fairly unusual for their kind, they run for what remains of their fortress, crawling not into holes to hide in or passages with which to retreat into but instead they climb over the rubble and walls. They scale with an inhuman grip, like giant spiders they flee up the walls.

The inner area of the fortress begins to move, like a lining of dirt of a sleak metal ball the brick and mortar sheds off to reveal a fetal like form.

>>3798686
The outer walls not yet demolishes fall in its path, like castles of sand to a child they crumble.

Its form is naked and hideous, it towers over everything as a true giant among ants. Its head is bulbous and disproportional and its gait looks like the first steps of a baby, except with much more sure footing as though a man were thrust into a body not his own.

In the inner sanctum the leader and his men are facing their greatest challenge yet, that being trying to stay standing amidst the unpredictable movements of the beast along with the few faceless which have wandered into the room.

The heart now beats with a fast and hard pace, and the room is getting more and more like the inside of a blast furnace by the second already having killed the few oni in the room from the overwhelming heat.

The walls of the room begin to blister as well, tightening the ceiling and beginning to absorb objects not in a state of constant movement.

As the seconds tick by the throne and heart begins to sink into the ground and bone growths begin to emerge in order to cover it.

Right before the heart sinks into the ground the leader manages to regain his composure, raising what is left of his blade and plunging it into the accursed heart.

To his horror the flesh only falters for a mere few seconds before rapidly forming up to absorb the leader himself. Through the blade the leader can feel himself weakening, his very fire being assimilated into the essence of this monstrosity.

But before he can become one with the evil one he musters the willpower to enter the state of soul blazing, burning away his own fire in order to conjure up the fire and heat he needs, and with that his story ends.

The monstrosity was rampaging through the camp, massacring the burned men and oni alike as though they were insects. But just as he arose he fell as his chest emitted a great burst of light and smoke.

The giant falls to the ground, his head turning to mush as the force of his fall obliterates it’s oversized head, crushing many soldiers but ceasing to remain a threat to the golden dawn.

From the chest a constant emotion of burning light can be felt. A heat which is quickly rendering the local area as quite dangerous for those oni who do not prefer a death of heatstroke.

Though this battle is won the war is not yet over, despite the desires of everybody the faceless still roam in their hordes around this country and several small settlements still seem to produce them. Though their numbers are manageable enough that full scale military operations of the kind just taken out are no longer as necessary. (War action removed)

>>3797465
In order to allow more troops on the Oni front in the long term the sparsely populated desert mountains between the salt mine and the phosphate mine are conquered and a proper anti-raiding front is established so that minotaurs will not be able to disrupt the lines behind.

The ancient city's fortifications have been left mostly untouched over the years, and thus with the addition of some of the more rapid fortifications of the Tarn a highly defensible city rich with water is created. Against any normal army it would be a bastion to behold.

Instead of letting the water run to the sea the water is instead diverted so that it can flood the city, turning large portions of it into lakes and areas of extreme moistness.

The retreat was relatively swift once an order to withdraw to a more defensible position in the face of these hard to counter tactics emerged so casualties were noticeable at first but in the end fairly acceptable and not a huge loss.

>>3797681
due to the ruins being past the pylons no teams can be able to explore them thoroughly, though a brief overview of what exactly the ruins are is discovered, with the eastern ruin being a formerly underwater city and the northern ruin being what seems to be a devastated fortress.

The funds are now willing but the mind has yet to give the order.

>>3797819
The specialists required in message sending is now firmly cut in half, this allows many of the medium sized communities to get in on the communications network.

Communication seems to get shakey or require more power with more distance, though this isn't as much of a problem even in the mountains the far distances of the embassies means that message sending requires a very large number of powermancers.

>>3797925
Though the prospect of getting one's ears blown out is quite a bad thing an intelligent use of these instruments can allow for much faster communication between artillery detachments even during volleys.

Though the redirected river does lead to logistics problems due to unexpected flooding and a disruption of the roads built for this war the depletion of the enemy's water resource will surely be worth it.

The new fort nestled in a valley just an hour's ride from the sight of the phosphate ruins attracts many minotaur from the north, these minotaurs will work for free as long as they get to pillage and take what they can get from the enemy. Though they are only about one tenth as big as the current combined army of tonglo and thus are only a nice hideous, blood stained mace to go alongside the jabs of the artillery divisions and the slashes of the blade of the oni.

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>>3798222
The runes which can be translated are found to be some sort of guiding system for a city wide airway, complete with gale producing stations and intersections. There also seem to be different districts though due to a lack of references they are hard to figure out the meaning behind.

Thick fungal growths line the walls of the in tact areas which could hold translatable runes.

In some areas bellow the undergrowth explorers go missing. These areas are marked off with signs and avoided until the rest of the safe city has been explored.

The Greater Serpent Eagles are found to be impossible to tame, they seem to be bold, brash, proud and very moody. Until they can be better understood through experience or luck they will likely remain untamed for the time being.

Attempts to bring these creatures outside of the lesser ruins fail until sufficient purple liquid is obtained and brought along with these creatures and added into their daily water. This currently means they cost money only a great noble can hope to afford without diverting too many taxes to reinvest into the realm and thus leaving his holdings vulnerable to strife and poverty.

As of the current size of both networks even in the overlapping realm around the border between the Oni and burned men the danger of being harmed by electrically sent messages does not seem to be an issue, the worst that has occured is when a sonarii carrying a vast quantity of copper and zinc relative to his other non-living weight thought it a good idea to swoop above a rod during the sending ritual, he spent a good few weeks in recovery and is perfectly fine but his left leg will never be the same again, as it still shakes when he is not paying attention on occasion.

Haze accepts whole heartrendingly and the iron empire (with heavy restrictions and a can-revoke-privileges-if-need-be policy of course) accept the services of the Sonarii.

>>3797465
>>3797925
The bombardment of the Tarnish Phosphate Mine continues with minimal movement on both sides, only the slow draining of the local water and the constant threat of a lucky rock breaking something important still looms over the battlefield. The armies of tarn are now in position to get something done as they are now in their fullest gathering around the mine and around it along the mountains, to the south and to the west.

>The Death of Asura

The young Asura was the youngest son of King Angstrom's fourteen beloved children. He was born while his royal father was in the frontier city of Duskfort, and was subsequently doted upon by the ladies of court. He grew quickly, dwarfing those his age, and was said to be blessed by god on high. He carried within him a truly golden soul, always cheerful and kind to the servants of the Royal Palace of Last Hearth. He was despised by the aged scholars due to his tendency to skip studies for more hours in the training yard with young squires and knights. He grew to great strength and size, dwarfing his elder brothers by a foot.

When his father returned from the frontlines of war, he embraced the son he never knew and wept tears of joy and sorrow upon meeting the man that stood before him. King Angstrom promptly granted Asura leadership of the city guard of Last Hearth, and the King's law was kept with honor, mercy, and sternness in equal measure. As Captain of the Guard, Asura kept his men in line and order. Angstrom and Asura enjoyed a close but cold relationship due to their respective duties, and the distance Angstrom had in Asura's upbringing brought the elder King great shame for his failure to his youngest son.

When King Angstrom once again called banners for war, to purge the corruption to the East, Asura was the only royal son without a family of his own and sought to join his father in the field of battle. To do his duty, and to truly prove himself within his father's view.

The fighting was brutal, and the two Royals dined beside their men, on the same rations, and covered one another's weaknesses in planning, logistics, and battle. When the reserves were called, and Dawnfort's walls were within grasp, the two men were stalwart comrades. King Angstrom's laugh lines upon his aged face, long left unstressed, were soon carved deep upon his face. It was as if the ancient King was young once again, conquering with his son. The knights, flamekeepers, and infantry were joyous when the two joined into the fray of battle, for they knew they were in the hands of their chosen Divine ones.

When the time came after many months to breach the inner sanctum of Dawnfort, Royal Captain Asura planted his sword into the ground before Angstrom, begging for the honor of leading the charge while his father organized the forces outside. The King released a deep belly laugh.

>1/2

>>3800906
2/2

"You wish to insult you aged father hmm Asura, you think I'm too old and brittle to slay like I once used to?" The military advisors and relevant knights chortled in the background. "Go forth my son, I have enough honor as it is, bring me the lord of Dawnfort's heart, and remember; I love you with the certainty that the Sun will rise come tomorrow, and I couldn't be prouder of the man you have become... even without me to guide you."

The King watched his son disappear into the bowels of corruption and darkness, the flicker of flames glinting of his runed armor, blazing sword held high as the knights and soldiers of the realm fell in formation behind him.

And then the world went to hell.

The King did his best to lead the men through the chaos when the massive abomination emerged from the castle's ruins, and the only thought he had was of his son's fate. When the aberration was consumed by an inferno originating from it's heart, the King felt a glimmering candlelight in the vast void extinguish, and fell to his knees.

When the madness of the battle had ended, the King told his advisors to handle the management of the men as he retired for the knight. He slumped to the ground before his battle altar and wept deep hot tears of fire, cursing darkness and this cruel fate he has been given. Though many around heard, none dare speak. For what does one say to a God when they weep.

>>3800816
Action 1: The Tarns understand that their primary advantage against the Oni lies in the steady supply of water to the shallow moat surrounding the mining complex. To ensure that the moat stays filled, they construct a branch of the canal that flows into the moat surrounding the mines. The moat itself is deepened and enlarged.

Action 2: The Oni’s use of bolts from the sky is judged to be a leading cause of the Tarn’s multiple losses in the area. The benders and monks stationed in the city are ordered to devise effective countermeasures against the sky-bolts. Preliminary ideas include pouring water over the walls which a bender can hardened during an assault, or special units intended to charge out into the field to disable the contraptions that summon the bolts.

War Action: Under cover of night, a group of Tarnish soldiers and a few benders are dispatched down the rapidly dwindling river. Their mission is to scout out whatever mechanism is being used to cut off the water and, if possible, destroy it. The mages stir up the riverbed, cloaking the Tarns in the turbid water, while the soldiers move quickly and quietly to the head of the river.

>>3800789
The Polity is ready to offer its services... For a fee. Thanks to the elecom network, the Polity is the first to know about any news, any weather forecast and any event in most of the world, no matter the distance. And plans to use this advantage, for its benefit, and to a lesser extent, to others'.

Action 1: Officialize the Financial and Mercantile clan
Clan Ertz didn't wait for any governmental deicision to create itself. The most open and free-minded of all clans, it simply thrived on entrepreneurship and the personal freedoms guaranteed by the Polity. Strenghtened by a lack of control, that should however not mean a lack oversight, and so it was decided to strenghten and officialize Clan Ertz as one of the greats that have a representative sitting at the polity. For clan Ertz is the clan of merchants, and the Polity has a great need of their self-made men, their expertise, and their investment treasury.

Action 2: The Volter International Trading Network
With a clan of merchants to carry out the deed, a diplomatic presence abroad, the elecom network to back it up, and some monetary capital from the Golden Dawn to finance it, the Polity enacts its scheme of setting up its trade network abroad. Thanks to financial news accurate by the minute, volter merchants can buy cheap surplus goods, snatch the best deals, and sell them back when and where they are needed days, even weeks before competition ever knew of the demand. Working through the embassy services in every city, merchants in different nations can cooperate and coordinate better. With instant communications, volter merchants can hear of a famine in Faustic, a grain surplus in Chaelkeat, and set up a contract from one city to another immediately, ensuring a healthy profit for them, and the prosperity of those nations that accepted the presence of volter embassies.

>>3800816

Action 1:

As discoveries keep being made, the house Sonivy expedition continues to grow in size and scope, with the discovery of the natural airway system seeming to show that this city of old was meant for Sonarii habitation. House Sonivy now have the power to claim themselves lordly status, and do so; naming the inhabited areas of the ancient city that serve as their new, growing town 'Lansou'.

Action 2:

With the scorpion farms of Alkilme now up and operating, producing consistent quantities of the power-neutralizing venom, the Sonarii experiment to see if the Venom can be transmuted into a gaseous form that still retains potency when inhaled or ingested. With their glass-work, they have containers that can hold the substance, in whichever state it takes, until the glass is broken or unstopped and the venom can be left to take effect.

Diplomacy: Volt.

With the Electocommunication proving safe except in cases of gross stupidity, the Sonarii give it their blessings to be deployed through their lands. Although they will, of course; continue to monitor closely, and reserve the right to shut it down again if problems do develop at a later date.

>>3800789
>>The Yokai Lords

>1: Whispering Rocks
With requests of these 'electromagnetic communications' as well as air-borne mail, Yokai Lord Mun begins to worry about their own internal communication networks. Besides couriers and messengers running up and down the lord's highway with a toll pass, the Yokai Lord's ability to hear of their constituents' condition is sorely lacking. With his connections to the Mediums of the Elseworld-Sect, he begins to commission a device similar to the banshee vessels for communication.

Operating in a similar manner, yet inverse in volume, spirits are bound to standing stones. Arrayed in a series down the Lord's Highway, these spirits can 'whisper' messages to each other in sounds that only a spirit can understand, daisy chaining all the way from one end to the other. At each end, is a larger standing stone where an operator can declare and record new messages as they come and go. Due to the cost of the stones and the time required to set them all up, an initial trial run is ran between Mun and Yugji, the two fort towns with the most Mediums and binders.

>2: Rally the Minotaurs and Giib to Tonglo's aid
Yokai Lord Tonglo has heard many tales of the salt mines to the north from her Minotaur compatriots. Along with the secrets hidden within the ruins (which Corps members seem to indicate has something to do with food), there is much that she could gain hold of that Giib would desire greatly. Using the prospect of salt and other treasures from the ruins, Tonglo petitions Giib for soldiers and supplies. Similarly, she extends her blessings out to more Minotaurs for aid in raiding and additional forces to her conventional army, offering looting privileges, food from Giib, and metal tools or weapons.

>War Action: Initial Push on the Ruins
With the river stymied, and the fort established, now is the perfect time to build some forward momentum on this war.
Tonglo uses a multifacited approach: using Corps members to recon and sabotage what defenses they can for the approaching army, while her infantry forces march ahead, to establish fortified positions for the siege devices.
While the Minotaurs can begin their assistance immediately, Tonglo wishes to set up a solid angle of attack; so that when the armies of Giib finally arrive, they can swoop in to smash their opponents to pieces.

>>3802390
>>The Yokai Lords

>Diplo
>The Golden Dawn
Hearing news of the King's victory over the "Red Glow", Yokai Lord Mun sends his own congratulations on protecting the King's people and dethroning an unfit ruler. He is more than willing to let the King continue using mercenaries and Mediums from Mun to root out the remaining faceless.

>>3797819 Volt Polity
>Mun is concerned that the broadcast of the ascension ceremony was sent to the wider world, and how such culturally important performances and celebrations could be received by other. As such, he is quite hesitant and unwilling to support Ecomms. He is also concerned about the security and trustworthiness of this overly friendly race. Their extreme eagerness and seemingly forgetfulness puts him ill at ease.
>Giib is the most considering of the technology, always eager to have an ear to the ground about what those around him are planning. While he does not yet give permission for an embassy/emitters to be set up yet, harboring similar concerns about security and the volter's extremely eager attitude, he does listen into how the project goes for those in the Golden Dawn and the Sonarii. He will have to see how the communications network works out in the neighboring nations before considering further.
>Yugji, and by extension Judunji, are more spiritualist in their ways, further encouraged by the Sect. Combined with the desire to protect their precious Lake Wonsi from tourists or prying eyes, they also decline.
>Tonglo, upon hearing the use of Ecomms to deliver information instantly, instantly refuses. The last thing she wants is intel effortlessly leaking into the fishmen's webbed hands about their forces and capabilities. She also immediately bars any Volter communication groups from traveling past her fort town and towards the coast.
TL;DR, no comms in any Oni holdings yet. Giib is on the fence. Tonglo isn't letting more volter communications teams past her town.

>>3798222 Sonaria
The Yokai Lords Giib, Tonglo, and Mun agree to the use of sonarii born mail in their fort towns. As at the very least, mail is more tangible and predictable than instant, invisible communications.
Tonglo still stresses that the Sonarii agree to the strict non-interference with the conflict in the mountain passage. Giib and Mun, meanwhile, offer food and board for the mailmen to extend their range of operation, at the cost of a tax to make up for the Sonarii bypassing their tolls.

>>3802427
Diplomacy: Yokai Lords

A (paper) message from Ambassador Dokori

'To the dear Lord Mun'

'You have obviously noticed the eagerness of our diplomacy corps. We, the Volt Polity, are Pacifists. We do not like conflict, war, or enmity; as traders, we gain from making many friends, or rather, we lose from failing to make them. Our people are held within the civility of a society through communion, representation and the guarantee of personal freedoms, not repression, and we seek to preserve the Peace Atop The Mountains. It is through Electrocommunion that all volters remain in Tune with each other, and Thunna our god.'

'Should this fail, and we were to let conflict dictate our course, our Current would change to War Voltage (which is quite painful, as it forever keeps you on edge and ready to Bolt), and when Sparks are flying there is very little to hold them back, as Energy only every courses through the Path of Least Resistance. Thunder, when unleashed, strikes like the hammer of a god, brings untold destruction, and leaves nothing in its wake.'

'We humbly wish to avoid that.'

'The current Polity and its arbiter Kazira Tacho-Von are much more comfortable seeing the gift of Thunna our god being employed as the Energy that stirs life, sacred Networks to bring all peoples together. Through friendship with all, Volt Vault is safe from within and without. Besides, trade is always good for everyone, no matter how you look at it. '

'Please, do not be alarmed by the demeanor of our people, if it seems to you to be overly friendly. It takes dedication to a certain way of life for one to grow horns that are attuned to facilitate it, and we would rather cultivate peace than war. Perhaps the lords of your realm, renowned for their spirituality, would understand our need?'

'Respectfully, Ambassador Voliran Dokori'

'(Congratulations, by the way. I hear your ascension went well?)'

>>3800789
Action 1: start island creation
Action 2: expand water borders to get to ruins

Can one still join?

>>3803630
Yes, see >>3796806 and >>3796862

>>3800910
1. The Oni mercs and remaining soldiers set to the task of disrupting and destroying the remnants of the faceless in the countryside, while immigrants come settling the safe zone around the fortress.

2. The Dragon's Tongue, a new weapon of the Burned Men comes into play against the faceless. Horse drawn, it is a sealed, armored cart, with a 5 men team inside. Out the back a pipe attached to a powerful pump, and piston, sprays a mix of dusted Oriculcum and pitch. Coating the ground, typically used to seal off faceless villages to prevent escape.

>Diplo:
>Minos:
The Great Network's architecture is requested to be studied by the Burned men, for ideas of catacombs adn sewers beneath their cities.

Oni: The King thanks Mun for his contributions, and invites him to the capital once this war is over for celebrations between the two people.,

>Polity:
Small messages, minor news may be transmitted by electro, but bank statements, and nation sensitive info go through falcon mail of the king.

>Plagasm:
Missives are sent to the earth benders, requesting skilled workers for the tunnel through Dawn's Spine.

>Sonari:
Requests of the Totu Krut enclave near Faustic of a princess of their own to continue their numbers reach the local lords ears. A letter is sent to the sonari on reaching a deal with this.

>>3803630
I am making a new thread you will be able to easily join with more placement options then. Please join the discord even before the new thread comes up because I will be online to talk to until then so that you can formulate a viable nation and idea before then with my full approval