Iraeka has agreed to try and train at the university to see if anyone can be taught her particular set of skills. However, I did have the foresight to actually ask her how she was trained. For this reason I have made her training a part of a military affair, people studying at the university should not even be allowed to train with her. The drow are a bit harsh and apparently she likes to go with the ‘learn by doing’ approach. Mark my words there are going to be corpses in the snow by the time she’s done. Don’t worry I only let the peasants join her training, so it won’t be much of a loss.
Also involving her, she doesn’t really have any useful contacts with house Vaslochar. She likes to keep away from them for the most part. Though in regards to demonology she points out that because they control the church they likely also keep all of the best notes locked away in there should any pillaging opportunities arise. She also reminds us that Eilsath are mercenary in nature, if we were to contact her mother with some sort of trade they could likely be convinced to send any Vaslochar writings to us they might happen to ‘stumble’ upon.
Though I would personally advise another route. It could take awhile before tensions get high enough between them now that Ghaun is gone there is less desperation for space. However, if we want to know about the drow demonology we should have the Katara come up here. Both the drow and Katara are matriarchies tied to dark powers. The blackguards in particular have direct association with a demon king. Nina is shockingly proficient in demonology already given her position within the hierarchy, if we could request her assistance I feel she would be the most capable of converting a ‘diplomatic visit’ into knowledge we can use.
In regards to all the new villages being built, I will bet you mana that everyone of those people are about to die if you don’t send an army to protect them. The outpost at least you sent some staff with and a militarized governor to direct it. The other two villages are just bait with no trap to spring as it is.
The excavation team has gone through but not come back yet, mostly due to Hillevi becoming spontaneously obsessed with archeology and combing through the whole city. Found some loot though, so that’s nice. However, they are a long way from home and though we gave them the mana needed to come back the stone will remain where it is. If we want to reposition the stone we will need to take the long road to do so, not to mention every time we use it where it is we will need to send mana to power the return trip. The ruins themselves are east of the elven gate to the forest, on the other side of the mountains. So keep in mind there are orcs in the way of the return trip, or the badlands which could be just as bad while transporting a valuable artifact. On the flip side, could flank some orcs if we wanted.
Also with the ten monks we got from Oda still on payroll we technically could try to build a monastery up here. Though honestly if you want a military that doesn’t cost so much mana to maintain we’d be better off capturing orcs or enlisting more of Eilsath. That or just some humans from elsewhere. Ansa could visit Faelyn to see if any arrangements could be made, as I suspect that woman will at the very least know how to find mercenaries from the badlands to work for us full time.
In that vein of thought, I have adjusted your sponsorship numbers because we can field more then 13 people for the price of the sponsorship. Its 90. Fortunately we don’t need to send a military to escort the ladies to the badlands given they’re all inclined to combat already, so I’m sure they’ll be fine.
Ylermi noted a peculiar series of events happening around Uudistar. The observation lab for the monsters has not figured out how or why but bits of beast keep turning up in the lake. They haven’t observed carcasses being thrown in so they aren’t really sure where they’re coming from.
Former military, then officer of the city guard, now the governor for the new outpost we’re constructing. Hannes was mostly hanging around Uudistar and was there as artillery crew during its construction phases. So he seemed a natural fit for the outpost due to the familiarity of the major threat out here in the frozen north. He’s a decent enough guy, very calm, likes tea. He graduated from the university several years back, he used to be a bit of a bookworm. Interesting to see how he has changed since then, I suppose contact with monsters does that to about anyone. Except me, since I grew up around a monster far worse then the beasts.
Also we do technically already have a female manifester, you could just drop her off on her return trip after the war, if she survives contact with the orcs. However, I must point out one problem with sending someone to the coven. They don’t use science in their magic, and more then half the people who join die during initiation. This is not a factor controlled by any variable we understand, so a powerfully talented wizard has the same odds of surviving the coven’s initiation as a small child. Largely due to the conference with dark spirits that are involved. Let us remember that Ankathi watched her daughter be murdered by those spirits, and if anyone would have had an edge in becoming a full member of the coven that must have been it. Speaking of the devil, she’s in the city right now and I need to go see about this whole orc specimen business.
Greetings keeper! It is a glorious day for the Oda people. The research team, if thats what we’re going to call them, are working on the weapon you mentioned. As for making a boat larger, that seems a fairly reasonable thing for them to attempt though these do get expensive once they start getting really big.
We’ve had the haven begin construction a bit to the west of the Katara’s location.
As for the upgrades to the buildings, nothing that really needs be done. The monastery in particular is already huge and serves a purpose that wouldn’t be upgraded through magic. Its really just a place for monks to train, all development in that field can be left up to them. The shipyard itself perhaps someday as new technological innovations are made requiring them.
The scouts have ventured into the abandoned docks more fully on the island to the south. It appears it was once constructed for a singular use. No infrastructure around it, and no signs of being intended to be a permanent facility. There is no road leading from it to anywhere, though by following the most naturally available path the scouts discovered a cave sealed with very large and sturdy stone doors with markings that appear to be in the aesthetic style of Cayetano.
Serizawa has contacted the northern village. The place seems to be hostile, several people attempted to attack him and steal his boat. When he got the hint and started to sail off they then tried to destroy his boat. Obviously not the most friendly people. They are reminiscent of the last northern village that the nalkas encountered.
As for turning the fishing village lake into a mana lake, I have no idea how we would do that in any reasonable amount of time or effort. Ecological science is not my strong suit, maybe after we build the haven we could eventually get a bit more insight on how that might be done.
Also we don’t really need to hire any of the Sohei just to train more of them with Yuzuki as it were. Mostly because as members of the temple they’re already somewhat obligated to do so if she tells them to until they find some job potentially roaming around.
Iwanagi’s contact reveals that the inhabitants are definitely rather naval focused. The outpost definitely seems newly constructed. They have extensive ship docks and have walled off the area around the coast, a fleet sits in the harbor with some sort of flagship that is absolutely colossal. You could fit a city block in that thing, and Iwanagi reports its guns are so massive in size that he could fit a dawnbreaker’s cannon inside the barrel of theirs. The entire outpost is even more technologically advanced then the nalkas, perhaps even a rival for the badlands. Though he couldn’t understand the language they were speaking, they had some people available to translate. Apparently they come across the sea from the east, and while they were amicable to meet him the people translating made mention that Iwanagi should start running. None of the natives in this outpost lived here before it was built, nor did they want to be there. They describe the foreigners as underhanded conquerors, notably they were all too interested in the prospect of trade with us and kept pushing for as many details as they could get.
As a potentially important note, the monster classified as the eighth bounty has been spotted very close to Sarkisa. Notably, with several friends.
In possibly related news the construction of the road to Tethalyn has been halted, the entire road construction team has been found either dead or missing. So assumed dead. Those who found them report significant evidence that the monsters of the jungle got to them, said evidence including a good few dead monsters so I would call that fairly convincing.
As for the war, another few hundred teams of our civilian army have been slain. No commander to show for it though, now that Nina’s flank is less of a surprise the orcs have been reacting to it. Given she is well outside the range of the elven artillery, as not to get hit by it, she has little help or cover while a rather large horde of orcs is fighting her back. Though she has managed to inflict very significant damages, we now know those damages don’t count for much if she can’t catch the commanders.
The city is on the verge of falling as well, the elves are preparing to retreat. The Archdruid reminds us not to lead the orcs away from the path to the sanctuary again if we aren’t prepared to finish that fight on our own.
Ryo is still exploring the badlands but reports that it is growing difficult due to roaming bandits, Nyssa has been experiencing similar issues.
Ankathi has made her way to Jamsa and is…doing whatever she’s up to over there.
Oh and some of our people are now headed to Maji under the Nalkas sponsorship to see about this tournament it appears. You may wish to send someone with them before they get eaten on the way or something.