Ansa has returned with our…guests. They are a definite mash of available races as reported before by Gideon. We couldn’t help but notice that for a force of scouts they are seriously well equipped. Their gear does still say ‘scout’ but the quality of it and their weapons are undeniably leaning on the expensive side. They were quite amicable though Ansa says she has a hunch that is outside their normal behavior pattern. While they’ve been nothing but polite, she says they are clearly more gangster’s in fancy suits rather then knights in shining armor.

After spending some time with them, they were quite curious to tour the city and learn of who we are. Not that we could do much to stop them given they are quite numerous and obviously well suited to gathering intelligence given their true profession. After some negotiating, Ansa has brokered an initial deal to trade metals from our mountain mines to them for pure mana. Exploiting the fact that the badlands considers this the real currency over gold. Though, this led to further offers of interest through our new contact who has access to the trade routes of the badlands. ((Market now available in buy section))

Diplomacy is an ongoing matter, I can’t help but shake the feeling they’re sizing us up a little bit. Doesn’t help our army isn’t here right now either.

In other news the manhunter has captured two orcs and thrown one in the river. It was able to swim, then he proceeded to drown it and bring the other one back towards Tethalyn. Sakki died fighting the orcs alongside the Katara though it appears his drow friend did not and is now somewhat horribly lost in the middle of the forest surrounded by orcs. So she’s probably on the way to being dead.

Greetings Keeper! It is a glorious day for the Oda people. As per your advice, Yamoaka turned his ass around before all the fighting down there got started. As for discussion with Amare, we’re not really sure if she’s up for recruitment given that she’s an elven princess, heir to the archdruid, and now a witch of the coven. Starting to wonder if thats a good or bad thing. As for the process of becoming one with nature, she informs that it is a bit of a spiritual journey for enlightenment- kind of. It is a little difficult to force someone to become a druid. By her account both her and Neyth started down the path by way of walking into the woods one day and just really “digging it”. More specifically it helps to expose people to nature in order to nurture said interests. She says if you want to find people among our population suitable to becoming druids, it is best to build the haven first as if baiting a trap and let people just wander into it. Some of them will take a keen to it and start down the path of their own accord. When things flow somewhat naturally, that is when the wilds start to take more notice.

We’re just waiting for the Nalkas to send the relic down. Some day they’ll write that in their plans I’m sure. As for the navy, well…we found an artillery mage for you.

Her name is Isayama Eiko, despite being young she seemed to have quite a sense of direction very early on in her life. It seems strange but she actually can cast artillery scale magic, she professes her love for the art exceeds all other passions in her life. Ever since she was a child all she wanted to do was cast the biggest most powerful and destructive spells known to modern arcanology. She’s quite energetic, perhaps a little silly for the military environment given her age but she was literally the only person we could find within our population capable of casting such a high level of magic. Though I get a feeling there is something off with her that she isn’t telling us, but she won by default. For some reason the king of Nalkas just started snickering.

Our trading routes have improved thanks to contact with Pulauli, though it seems they are somewhat indoctrinated to the kingdom of Cayetano already as it were. So not quite as likely to join us, unless we put some effort into seducing them to our side over theirs.

I feel I should warn you that the dawnbreakers may have range enough for coastal bombardment, but scorching rays don’t penetrate water very well. So if the 8th bounty comes towards the fleet its up to the hunter ships and its more standard weapons to deal with that.

The scout ship is starting to look around the island it found. Seems to be more of a archipelago so far as opposed to the singular large masses of the other two we know about. As far as the scouts have reported, things seem very quiet on the island but there is a dock somewhat hidden away in one of the bays. There is no city attached to it nor obvious roads leading away from it, not to mention it is fairly decrepit.

Iwanagi found another coastal town in his adventures.

Yuzuki is on her way back from the battle between the orcs and Katara in the forests, somewhat wounded though she escaped earlier on before the orcish final push. Hopefully she makes the rest of the journey home on her own just fine.

Well that was bloody. Pelagia, Marilena, Euterna, Despoina, Inabi, and Eamon are all dead. Areti is missing, Ankathi was captured, KouKou ran before the fighting even started so she is okay. While the fighting was dramatically favorable to us in considering k/d ratio thanks to the river, the victory itself has gone to the orcs. On the other hand we have significantly weakened the orc commanders in the center area of the forest. Another battle like that and we might be able to wipe them out.

Though, Amare came by to ask if we noticed anything strange but unfortunately we haven’t had enough experience with them to contemplate the matter any. Apparently they have never taken a prisoner before, and she is very curious – and nervous- about them taking Ankathi of all possible people.

Though we feel this might have been because during the battle she was sadistically torturing and taunting them to try and get them to suicide into our troops across the river. Which did technically work, we just got overrun anyways.

In related news, the warchief has been regrouping in the ruins of Wynolwind. Though that has been a bit of a bloody attempt due to the people who stayed behind to make that difficult as possible. Most of the city is in ruins thanks to them setting fires and explosives. Reportedly about 600 of their men died to the sabotage efforts. Though the elves that stayed behind are definitely dead now.

Nina has started walking back home of her own accord in the absence of standing orders seeing as she is all alone now anyways. Apparently now that she is alone she is having some trouble with monsters along the way. We’ll just have to wait and see if she makes it.

In local news, our defeat to the orcs and the results of our losses has shaken the population. Approximately two thousand of our citizens have left the city. Notably holding spears and headed in the direction of the orcs. This has somewhat hurt our local economy but not much we could do to stop them since well… they had spears.