Jordy:
Work on colonizing the new area is proceeding as planned, though slowly. The snow and mountainous terrain definitely hinders us in expediting the matter. To go with that, Sakki reports alarmingly high monster presence as the area is one of their primary food sources to be found inland given the difficulty we give them over Jämsä. Considering what we once knew of our geography, these three lakes are the only ones to be found for several days journey. To the east of us lays just a regular lake, in theory we may be able to better protect our lands if we take control of this lake and the coastal reefs that are also rich with mana. Simple ecology demands the slow but inevitable starvation of the beasts if we do so, which will afford us to invest military efforts elsewhere. Though we will have to fight for this lake, and as the beasts go hungrier by the time we completely control the mana of our area, the last one will certainly be a war with the wild life for it. Just a thought.
In the meantime, we’ve lost a few soldiers on the journey to settle the lake already. As was aforementioned, its going to be a violent effort. A handful of laborers dead as well. To conclude Sakki’s findings, he spotted a colossal monster visiting the lake once. We don’t really have a grading system, but I would say that it is one grade lower then an elder dragon. It is strange we have never seen it before now, and it must roam in the areas we do not have presence. If it is engaged with our current army, losses are projected at eighty percent. The problem is if it visits the lake again.
Moving along, Jonne has found the coast line rich with mana in his initial report from his journey. His skeletal raven will not be returning any further messages to him though, so he is liable to continue his coastal journey for the time being. It knocked over some of my papers. Interacting with our neighbors through laborer’s work on the road has made us aware that all three tribes allied to us are considering a trip to investigate the Badlands. We’re going to have a few less allies soon, so I would advise preparing to have no one to rely on while they’re busy recovering.
In regards to the mines, if we can mine it we’re doing it. The issue lays not in building more of them, but increasing the available work force. Unfortunately up here in the north we have few neighbors to enslave, especially with the able-bodied male prisoners being sent to Katara. Not that we have many to begin with anyways.
This concludes my report, now if you’ll excuse me, the chef has prepared an undead raven for me and I am interested to experience what he could have possibly made out of it. If I die from this meal, I would like to be reanimated as a zombie and have the chef fed to me please. I, being of sound body and mind, do declare this to be my will should I perish.
Sam:
Greetings Keeper! It is a glorious day for the Oda people. The expedition continues to circle the island, though they have found evidence of actual civilization. There is a city large enough to be spotted from sea a bit inland. A large channel of water runs in, it could likely be docked with. We have avoided contact for now in order to finish circling the island.
As requested we have expanded our people to the mountains nearby, our population has become fit to do so. Soon the mine construction will be complete and I am positive we will find strong returns upon the start of our work.
One of our people visited the village Shime found, with some finesse they managed to receive a confession that mana was richest on the far side of the lake they dwell upon. Near the transition to the badlands. The village has expressed some interest in our monastery, Shime left quite the impression on them. With the size of their population, it may be possible to add them to our growing kingdom. They are not far from our borders and have much to gain from such an arrangement. They are fearful for their lives against the constant threat of the monsters, even if they were to all migrate to our city for safety they would leave behind the infrastructure for our bolder citizens to replace them. If you so wish, please allow me to act as ambassador to convince them of such an offer. It would go hand in hand with your desire to increase the monastery’s recruitment efforts.
Speaking of villages Shime found, she came across another one upon a hidden oasis to the north east of the fishing village. It sits in an amazing location, the border area between the badlands, the frozen north, and the western forests. Giving them access to a wide variety of resources. Though it would seem they are very unfriendly, having denied Shime entry or even the opportunity to trade for supplies. Even threatening her! The scouts say it seems they are paranoid of outsiders because they frequently interact with denizens of the so-called Badlands. A nasty bunch it sounds like.
Oh, lest my memory escape me, allow me to introduce your newest agent. As per your request we asked the grandmaster to provide us with an able bodied sort to travel the world and venture into the unknown.
Iwanagi is a perpetual ghost in the woods. The grandmaster assures me that if all you desire is to know what is out there, Iwanagi has mastered techniques that render him nigh uncatchable. He has specialized his whole life in the discipline of the wind and waves. He would make a good sailor too. He is a prime candidate to escape the clutches of whatever hungry beast might be out there.
He is a capable fighter but I’m told that in terms of sheer power, he will not compare to Shime nor be anywhere near approaching the elf’s combat ability. But he is faster on foot, can move through any terrain with ease, and won’t get caught up fighting every monster he runs into along the way. We can’t send people to escort him since his benefit is that he cannot be caught, any scouts assigned to assist him would certainly only slow him down or be left behind. Though unlike Shime, he can speak so it isn’t as terribly necessary.
Tess:
As requested, the docks have begun to see reconstruction. This has displaced some of our fishers though as they cannot work in areas under construction and the supply of fish thus dwindles. As it is the…commoners meat I was told, this may upset some of the populace while it is under construction.
The army is moving south as requested, though it is a long journey to catch up to a single witch moving with just a small team. I will inform you soon as they find anything of interest. Unfortunately, they lost some soldiers in their encounters with the monsters of the wild along their journey.
Construction of the new village will take a little more time then normal. While the new army has set about to clearing the path, the problem is the river itself. It is home to some extraordinarily powerful monsters as it is wide, deep, and connected to the ocean. Along with that, it is so large near the area most convenient for a crossing that construction of a bridge would be a serious undertaking. We could wait until the shipyard can produce ships to ferry people across, or begin the arduous process of placing a bridge. As an…option… our allies may be of use here. Oda command the waters for the whole alliance, they may be better prepared to fight the river and have the tools to build upon the water with greater ease. Nalkas sorcery is also very advanced and while our architects are going a little crazy trying to figure out how to even physically get the material in place we know the Nalkas to be masters of engineering. I cannot imagine they would object to assisting, it isn’t like we’re asking their people to die for us. Just allow us to commission some skilled tradesmen.
Also to your request, we have raised a second army of equal strength to what we had.
This is Marilena, she was a member of the soldiers we collected. She stood out a bit, namely in that she was already trained. Prior to volunteering for the recruitment she was something of a hunter, but she specialized in hunting people. Many would-be slavers have met her. The soldiers we raised seemed to consider her the boss automatically, she carries herself in the way you would expect of a leader and her comrades simply fell into line. She isn’t as rough as Talia, there is a gentle and refined side to her. A kindness that prevents her vision from being clouded with rage and bloodlust, keeping her fit to command, and offering her a level of finesse and grace that sees to the swift execution of her enemies.
((Commander bonuses: +1 movement, +2 vs people, +1 morale))
As for a new agent that we can send afar, we found Areti in the outskirts of our city. She’s a veteran of our warriors, she’s been part of the military and then later the scouts most of her life. She is generally always in a bad mood and shouldn’t be asked to do anything diplomatic if it can be avoided, but her accomplishments make her stand out. She’s a brute, but a loyal one. She uses nothing more then conventional weapons and a few magic baubles to give her the strength she needs, a true embodiment of the word knight. Most people, especially the younger ones, have no idea who she is anymore. Just trust me when I say that before your time, she was one of the greatest. Though, I advise against meeting her in person. She may not show you the respect you deserve, and I would rather not have an incident between you two unnecessarily. Not to mention she’s always one step away from pummeling people and the palace guards will certainly do something to evoke her ire…like ask her for her name.
Johnson:
Hello my Khan, it seems the nearby village has yielded some interesting trade. They have little in the way of gold, but as such they very much desired it. They had mana though, and that is just as good as currency these days, we negotiated favorable trades. They know little of the value of their own possessions.
Unfortunately, they definitely did not have the loud lead flinging toys similar to Ryo’s. I have asked him where he got such a thing, I know of guns but his is the only one I recall seeing that didn’t throw crossbow bolts instead. He said he got it in a trade with people who had come far from the east, perhaps that is where we might best find more.
As another aside, the katara army has deviated from their course. They suddenly fled to the south for reasons unknown, as such we will not be able to rely on them to tell us what awaits in the badlands to the east. We asked about the village for details of the eastern land. They seemed quite concerned, though they are peasants who live every day in fear of the most basic monsters of the forest.
However, I inquired about Ryo’s weapon with them. Apparently they have those in the Badlands, and that is why their people fear to venture into the place. They speak of violent bandits around every corner, armed with weapons we have never seen before. A race of people so volatile that even the monsters do not venture there, a land where monsters of even the largest sort are hunted as sport to fulfill an ever and all consuming greed that has given rise to the most eclectic bazaar ever heard of.
Sounds like our kind of people to me. I suggest we send someone into the lands ahead of us, to find the bazaar and waste as little of the caravan’s journey as possible. There is profit to be made, and I find the anticipation eating away my patience.