Chapter Fifteen

The Constellation of Illmanar decide to split into two groups so as to spend the winter more productively.

Koljazar and Benin, accompanied by Rabaht head to the nearest large city. A mighty and ancient place, part of the spine of the Turkhanate. They set about hiring a recruiter in order to find some new peasants and then pay a visit to the mage lord of the city. The meeting is pleasant as the young mages regale the archmage with tales of their failures and successes, as well as the details of their new land. Unsurprisingly the Archmage seems to have heard all of this before. Pleasantries asside, the Magi set to work and request that they be taught new spells in order to assist with their efforts at colonisation. Initially cold, the archmage seems more interested when the Magi promise to share any information they should get from the tower that is currently home to some kind of drake and possibly a demon. After making this promise as well as the promise to share any information about the teleporting person who appeared at their Harvest festival, the magi learn Woodform, Fly and Haste. Puissant magics indeed.

Back in Disp'anad, Hamar works with the knights of Illmanar and takes them exploring and hunting suggesting that the way to get close to the mages is to become a knight, thereby laying the foundations for some sense of aspiration amongst the Compact's hired mercenaries.

Nazeem, meanwhile, spends his time speaking to the Headmen of the towns and villages, gathering information on what improvements need doing and he decides to increase asgricultural capacity to the point where the Fief can at least support themselves without needing to buy in grain (indeed, much of the grain purchased from Zunshit for resale to the dwarves is eaten during the long winter months). In his spare moments Nazeem also tinkers with a prototype of an underground greenhouse for sale to the dwarves.

All remaining mages also revolve in and out of Baranul'an where they spend some time patrolling and firebaling any orcs that might show their faces near the occupied human lands.

Taking a break from these activities the Fief mages set off for the South and sit on the edges of the Elven forest playing music and amusing themselves in the hope of attracting the attention of one of the forest dwellers. After a while, an elf appears and seems confused by the humans who sit by his forest playing music while one of their leaders strides about in a coat made from the skins of sentient creatures. Nazeem explains that his lands are wild and untamed and that he has adapted himself to them in order to better understand them. This seems to satisfy the elf but it is rather difficult to tell given how alien these creatures are. Nazeem then suggests that he be allowed to offer the elves a gift of Turkhanate art and literature. The elves have little interest in human affairs but Nazeem thought that they might appreciate the influx of new ideas. The men of the Turkhanate wait a few days and eventually a delegation of elves appear and accept the gift. They offer nothing in return but the Magi take it as a good sign that a more senior elf has deigned to take an interest in the offerings of humans. Diplomatic contact having been made, the men of the Turkhanate return to their lands.

Upon returning, a not unproductive effort is made to teach Hamar some new spells.

Benin and Koljazar later return and bring with them 50 new peasant families as well as tools, tradesmen and spells.

Plans are drawn up to use woodform to lay roads and build houses.

The mages then prepare to pay a visit to the Dwarves.

• Chapter Sixteen

 Create your own free wiki!HelpPublic, not yet premium Privacy Policy RSS