Archon's Curse [Pathfinder Kingmaker]

[Imperator Pax]

Spring 4715
The rains had born away for the day. Sunlight peaked in broad shafts through the passing clouds and reflected on the surface of the great lake, and lit the green suroundings. Eire surveyed the Tuskdale, the valley north of his capital... it was the view opposite to which he normally looked outover the great lake to his capital's south, and all the ships that frequently occupied it. He had good reason to be focused north for a the moment he sat above the great lake, high above on the floating island.

Whether an intentional quote or simply a fair comparison to the song, a silver dragon had called Narhold the green valley where dragons flew... and that was true. There was a flight of silvers even now aloft overhead the city proper... and they were not the only dragons present... though these young draconic paladins were only distant poorer cousins to Eranex, and Amvarean.

It wasn't just their progress through the sky as they took the spring currents toward. It was really the many pennants of encamped tribes, and clans in the valley that he was mindful of. More so than the dragons, or the burgeoning magical markets of goods, or of the latest immigrants from far off lands, or the displaced refugees of wars that had lasted generations. It was the latter though he was waiting to hear the report of, and what would occupy much of his coming week... and even that was likely too little for time, but his hours were squeezed as it was.

The reality though was what his core dominion, was the displacement so to speak of his core dominion entailed. The brevic population of Narhold, even including the Varnhold and the Hooktongue, was statistically tiny. Between the Narlmarches, and the Tors the current numbers of population now exceeded a million souls.

His bureaucracy administering the royal holdings had reached in conjunction with the official state church...and its office of doctrine over sixteen thousand individuals. The aforementioned Inquisition were administered alongside the communal ministers by five hundred man body of church officials forming a council of subordinate lords spiritual to whom might one day become part of a larger parliament.

That was on the side of government the population in the Tuskwater, Kamelands and Narlmarches having reached the numbers it had meant a gathering of burghers in addition to the formal civil service. Their ranks entailed mostly merchants involved in the carrying trade, or even those who provided the organization and capital for insurance companies to support caravans, to provide service centers and warehouses. They were the merchant companies who provided the export of goods south down the river, or across Avistan to sell to supply the efforts of the Crusade.... and it was in those thousand of burghers that pens scratched away that they extended the roads, and the transit of goods and that the mills which were turned by the river produced their goods.

It provided the other members of the council something to do. The twins, and Meiqi in particular had their time most heavily invested in the trade and work of civil servants. What they were less involved in was the flow of internal trade evenif still touched their respective spheres of influence... Narland did not have railways in the form of steam locomotives piling through the countryside laden with cattle cars. That would take time and infrastructure that Eire simply hadn't had... but its fertile grasslands, and farms produced fodder for herds that supported the urban working population throughout the year even during the cold months, and also provided more choice cuts of meat fresh to visiting dignitaries as well as the higher orders of society.

In previous years that had meant less, that had been less firm institutions of government to shape day today life, or such a readily constant presence of urban life as the cattle trade. There had already been state supported general stores stocked with clothes, and then with glassware, and earthenware and then metal goods which changed the dynamics away from that of the brevic village life. Fewer and fewer urban dwellers in the nascent Imperial Core were engaged in cottage industries and while a variety of alterations and repairs were made the pawn shop industry had yet to emerge yet into the major cities... certainly not in the way it existed in England... but even that was that cities in the vicinity of the great lakes were being laid out on organized typically square grids and districts rather than the sprawling emergence of smaller villages, and neighborhoods being subsumed into a larger municipal authority. .. and thus while a railway system was not yet within his means he could do as England of the 17th​ century and focus on the waterways which connected his great cities.

That connection linked them, and the rivers, and grasslands and abundant timber and stone of the mountains could all be concentrated as resources to build and expand. That prevented overcrowding which in turn prevented disease, or at least ameliorated the worst of such threats.

"The immigrants that will arrive, and have arrived, from Mendev have little frame of reference,"Galfrey of Mendev had reigned a long time, especially for a human monarch, and had spent her entire reign engaged as party to a war against the forces of the abyss... and that was difficulty upon difficulty to any government. But Mendev, old Sarkoris had not been an urban civilization... or at least had been a collection of disparate city states, and the process of wide scale urbanization had been a by product of the crusades and the devastation of the environment... and the world wound forcing the growth of the sprawling shanty towns in the shadow of crusader fortifications... which was part of the reason that Mendev's urban centers had the problem they did.

It was a wonder that there hadn't been a mass exodus of people... but that could be attributed to any number of factors including lack of leadership organizing one single flight... and the pressures of Numeria. Numeria wasn't quite as inhospitable as Mendev but was the most natural route to leave Mendev and that combination of natural, or local, threats both from Numeria's wastes and the warring kellid tribes were such that it wasn't a much better option than staying out and eking out a living.

It made a population of the desperate, but at least most of those desperate spoke the Taldan common tongue already. Not that Hallit wasn't becoming more common, as a vernacular spoken language, "We do not have the carrying capacity to bring as many as we would like." Tristian lamented, which was true. Aship, an airship ferrying supplies including holds of cows to the slaughter, could launch from the lake docks of the Tuskwater or Candlemere and fly to Nerosyan, and return with refugees but the Royal Navy was a mere handful of flying ships... and Eire had to accept that as the situation... "For those who do arrive, many more wait in cramped, and unsanitary conditions, your majesty." It had been several months. Rova was the ninth month of the Arodenite calendar which predominated Avistan and the majority of the Inner Sea. That had been enough time, with the solstice quickly approaching, for both Tristian and small investigative body to make their findings, "I feel we will have our greatest success in making clear the differences between our Kingdom and that of Mendev."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Spring 4715

The rivers of the Narlmarches, what had originally formed his kingdom's western border before they had moved into the Slough, and the range of Lake Hooktongue, which was a significantly greater body of water than the Tuskerwater or Silverstep never mind Candlemere, were not on the same size as the fast flowing shrike which like the East Sellen was a major part of the concourse of the sellen river network. The Shrike was fast moving, never freezing, and had its headwaters high and far away to the east in Iobarian. It also formed his legal northern border with Brevoy something which he had written about more than once.

The present rains were stronger thisyear, the winter had been at times bitterly cold, and he suspected that the present condition of the Shrike was that its headwaters werelikely being filled with melting snow as the equinox approached. Such deepening did not really do much in theory, the truth was the deepening of the shrike this year really only further segregated thedunsward from Brevoy, but it did nothing to stop flying ships from bringing refugees from Mendev.

Tristian had made the report, his report the day before.

The problem though was invariably a question of doctrine. Eire expected that Sarenrae's church would find willing converts and recipients among the new arrivals, but there wasalways the lingering potential issue of recriminations againsttieflings... and there was a marked difference in the manner of laws Narland and Mendev operated on.

In theory Mendev was a state at war, in a perpetual war against the threat posed to all of creation in the form of the world wound, but its system of jurisprudence lacked oversight overarching over its myriad jurisdictions. IN that way forall that it could be described as an Iomedaen militant theocracy it was still also a feudal state. One without fully centralized apparatus, and thus one prone to conflicts of local rights which created gaps in coverage.

"We hold concerns that the crisis which has opened the Fifth Crusade," The knight of the Godclaw remarked, "was the lack of clear guidance. That Demonic infiltrators from cults of Baphomet, Deskari and indeed corrupting influences from cultists of Sifkesh allowed the forces of the world wound to preempt the crusades efforts."

There was an indictment there and one hardly limited to fanatical zeal of the godclaw. It was more than a question of doctrine. There had been complaints of how the crusades had strayed, and of failings by authorities in mendev that had long preceded this disaster.

He didn't have time for that... never mind that such a debate would potentially, would probably even cause problems in his relationship with Mendev. There needed to be a united political front against the demons... the destruction of the wardstones the devastation entailed in the forces of the world wound preempting the opening of the fifth crusade was a problem.

To that end Eire knew that efforts of doctrine under taken, and even more so those which would be publicized would come under scrutiny. They would need to exercise care in what precedents they set as they moved forward... but yes there was a threat of demonic infiltrators and the inquisition would have to see to that. "You believe that we create vulnerability by bringing these people."

"In doing so the effort reduces the burden on the crusade, but such people have been exposed to theworst threat to the entire world. Some are surely servants of the abyss."

"Some, but not all. I will not issue indictments for an entire populace, if there is a cult to Sifkesh, we will find it, and destroy it." Eire intoned. "Justas we must take efforts to support the crusaders, and the burden of combating the forces of the abyss." It was more than that of course, and Eire wasn't operating on a misplaced from Earth's view of humanitarian or moral concerns. Mendev's outer slums were something that should have been taken care of before they had gotten this bad, but there had been no way to address them, "Once settled and integrating into civilized society we will move from there, with lawbreakers being punished accordingly." That of course was why there was a distinction in legal terms of crimes that merited fines, and community service, and those deemed heinous. It was also why he had insisted on the necessity of common law proceedings. "But weare far from the world wound, and the landscape is not blighted by the abyss's influence so we will constructed houses and provide the opportunity to make honest livings, and grain, and weapons and other goods will bolster Mendev's efforts against the demons."

"Of course your majesty. It will be so."

He paused, and when the knight did not continue, Eire spread his hands, "This is the point ser, where you outline what evidence your investigation has gathered that is strong enough to face the scrutiny of a grand jury convened by the crown."

"Yes, of course, sire." The knight paused, "The movements are on their surface not obvious, but the tone of such cultists are insidious. In Mendev perhaps it would be easily ignorable," The man declared turning back to his original complaint for a moment "but the self professed kingdom of the cleansed presents concerning, and dare I say it seditious tennants my lord."

And it would. Tristian at this point had written a memorial to the throne regarding what he had learned. The problem there was that Sarenrae was less explicitly concerned with law as a rigid concept so while his own report did highlight what they knew his report was less damning in tone. Leaving aside that the 'faithful' refused to name which god they worshipped...which in a realm as open religiously as Narland was an immediate red flag to the Godclaw knight it was more that.

To espouse a view that anarchy was the cure for society. It was one thing to say, or to argue that anarchy was somehow a good thing. Even that would have been enough to get them into trouble with hellknights or chelish authorities, or most of traditional taldane power structures. It was entirely another to beyond simple anarchy, which had some basis even in the middle ages on earth among fringe heretics... the lollards came to mind... but to advocate for the chance to 'cleanse' the very concept of law from land... well that was different, especially given the mix of existing anarchists but the criminal element associating with the gatherings.

In itself though, Eire had to point out that while seditious in character, a cult of Sifkesh as had been the initial indictment did not appear to be the likely case. More investigation was necessary, something which needed to be delegated as he prepared to turn the majority of his attention to the gathering of nomads. The rhetoric did not disqualify sifkesh, perhaps the hell knights simply had a greater focus on Sifkesh as the order of the godclaw came into conflict with them most frequently and it was ismply a case of target fixation... but as this threat had come from by all accounts displaced from Mendev and not Galt the political overtones seemed particularly insidious to the investigators given the outbreak of the fifth crusade, which continued to slog along as Galfrey brought her forces forward across the scarred landscape of what had been sarkorsis.

 

[Imperator Pax]

20 Pharast 4715
The equinox fell the day after the new moon this year. For all intents and purposes Fort Drelev and Varnhold were both roughly the same distance from Shrikewall. It wasn't the exact same, but frankly it was close enough... and of course beyond both stretched the plains and grasslands that continued to extend ineither direction until eventually the reached greater natural barriers... or in the west the borders of numeria situated upon that natural riverine barrier.

In the east beyond the Varnhold, and across the Dunsward the rising of the Noemen Hills as mountains blocked enough rainfall that despite the nearby castrovin sea the steppe was largely grassland as a result of the rainfall that was insufficent to support forests... on the opposite side of the Noemen in 'iobaria propper' the forests sprawled out thanks to rainfall. TheRiver Kingdoms though, and Brevoy were subject to rain that supported forests in contrast to the steppes.

There was a part of the natural geography where there was the nearest the two ranges, the Noemen, and the Tors, came to one another in the east. The landscape between the two was increasingly hilly and rolling, but there were also rivers tothe north... in short if there was any where to raise a fortification to gate keep in the south east of the realm with regards to steppe dwellers it was there and that was his priority. To assert sovereignty to establish his control, and the recognition of his control to the nomads passing through.

He needed to do the same for out west. In fact more so out west, for while Iobaria proper was an 'untamed expanse', a great sea of grass and trees and all similar manner of descriptions by Brevic scholars it was in the west that the bulk of the confederation Armag had assembled over the last decade hailed from... and of course it was to his west that Avistan spread out across.. but that was not the largest of headaches. No, there was the religious dimension that Armag was the reborn champion of his god, and in the intervening months Eire had pieced together that they the modern kellid tribe and his ancestral system had diverged in responsibilities and job duties... never mind comparing either of those to Eire's view of his duties to the state, or civil society.

That was the greatest hurdle to come over. The resolution to the crisis of the twice born raised shades of the resolution with Hargulka. The battle of champions and less so the clash of armies, which of course Eire had been rushing to construct astate capable of fielding a standing army, and a professional standing army as close to his view of what those should entail... and yet it had still come down a fight between kings, and divine champions.

That entailed all the implications ...

Both sides had assembled by different means large armies. Thousands, and thousands of warriors had flocked to the banners of both sides, and Armag had gathered the larger force there was no denying his steppe nomads had enjoyed a noticeable numerical advantage if they had ever been able to be gathered in one place. They had not, though the organization of those armies, which split them into wings, and camps and so forth meant that there had and were now lesser leaders to contend with.

Armag's ambitions to establish a territorial state had represented a split with tradition kellid, and tiger lord orthodoxy... in such a sense as that orthodoxy could be used in this context. Arguments of that nature aside, Eire knew, or recognized rather that there were already fractures as lesser chiefs had split off and moved south and west... and some had pushed further north... some might continue to plague Brevoy but he had made clear where he stood there. That was a brevic problem, and one Brevoy as a kingdom and that regional figures should have been better prepared to address given ample warning.

There were limited options to move forward if Eire didn't want to be put into the position of having to deal with border issue. Those smaller chieftains were going to have to be dealt with, and his frontier protected. That reality pushed him towards moving into the Brantheld and the glenebon uplands ... the territory which the fourth charter would have covered... but it was still and expanse. From the source of the Siltrastrand river to the brantheld range's rising in the west it was sixty or so miles across in breath.

What was worse was the Glenebon was as open as the Dunsward tended to be. The source waters for the Whisper and the Pitax river were in the west near the forest of Thousand Voices, and the Brantheld form a southern border to parts of Numeria but for the most part it was largely sweeping grasslands until one reached the Slough. There were no settlements of note. Not until one reached the 'Littletown', which was in the sphere of influence of Pitax. Eire wasn't ignorant that expanding to express suzerainty over the uplands would cause further trouble with Pitax, but as he view edit he had little choice in terms of geopolitics.

He was not going to try and translate those political ideas, into ones that might be understood by the various chieftains, particularly those of the Tiger Lords. He would extend Hegemony over Armag's tomb largely under the auspices of the existing royal structures that handled matters of faith... which might well have been easier if the spiritual guardian of the Shrinehad been willing to accept a position as one of his lords spiritual.

... but the ancient shaman had declined. That forced him towards secondary choices.

"Will this work?" He asked.

The silver dragonness, in half elf guise, nodded, "Investing the uplands and securing them is within our abilities," It would stretch a road further westward still, and the passage of goods as towns developed and traded would pay less and less attention to brevic trade. "The best course of action available to us is to coopt the Tiger Lords as sanctioned mercenaries, and fold them under our own wings."

They had discussed that as well. It had not been his initial choice of policy. The suggestion had come from below as a method of coopting much of the Tiger Lords. It had not been a suggestion from Armag though. Some of the more conservativeTiger Lords chiefs had hoped that a reckoning, and the resulting trial by combat would convince Armag to reject 'new ideas' of a territorial kingdom as the way forward.

His defeat had actually seemed to further cement that position. That defeat had also not undermined Gorum's faith, or engendered any notable successful conversions. Anyreligious dynamics to the war had not resulted in en masse conversions... which went back to the need to make accommodations to the faith of the Iron Lord even as he expressed political authority over it." There will be chiefs who will resent these steps." Chiefs who were gathered in order to be able to voice their opinion at a gathering of free men. They were no equals per se, despite the defeat Armag enjoyed greater status among his fellow Tiger Lords... he had been successful and was acknowledged as Gorum's champion... which did rankle some of the conservative chiefs.

Their best option remained however pushing an argument to be released to go elsewhere. For Armag, the Glenebone as a subordinate ruler seemed the most likely course. In away that made things simpler for Eire, and also more complicated...establishing himself as Suzerain over Armag had the potential and they enjoyed some experience. The Tigers Lords were nomadic, they drove cattle and sheep. As far as grazing lands went the glenebon uplands and lowlands well suited that life style.

That was complicated by what he would need to do. There was as they had already observed a precedent withHargulka... and Hargulka had been encouraged to raised homesteads, raise cattle, raise temples to the gods... but they still had so much more work to do... and the gathering tonight would be at moon rise in anticipation of tomorrow being the vernal equinox. They had a few scant more hours until all the tiger lord chiefs, and many many more Kellid and Iobarian chiefs joined them at the great table.

 

[Imperator Pax]

4715 Spring Equinox
Eire would have liked, had originally envisioned that with talks of the 5th​ Crusade being planned that trade across Avistan might have been the focus of his realm come this year's spring. It was not to be. He had to concern himself with more immediate neighbors not far distant Qadira even though Tristian's coreligionists and merchants made their way across both the Steppe and up the great sellen river network to Shrikewall and its neighboring settlements.

That was not to say he didn't still have to consider the great grass expanse to his east and south, and those nomads who roved Iobaria and whose clans held the valuable passes and oasis that allowed merchant caravans to cross the continent's breath. The majority of the folk who had rallied to Armag's banner had been nearer Kellid tribes. Given more time, Armag would have likely had more success apparently with the honor driven horse lords of the steppe... perhaps enough to swell his numbers and pour into the central River kingdoms or even to lay claim to the oasis city states if he could compel them to surrender without lengthy sieges.

The traditional campaigning season was fast approaching... and the truth was that it would very easy for a splintered confederation of barbarians to provide an easy opportunity for an enterprising lord to bolster his forces, and raid his neighbors. With the threat to Restov ameliorated for at least the time being, that was to say over the winter, it had been possible to confirm through the Free City that Hannis Drelev had been reported to have fled back to his family's ancestral lands. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that the main branch of the House comfortably might expend gold to give him the opportunity to try and reclaim 'his lands'.

That was a potential challenge. Kressel's report was only relevant because entailed part of the preparations for if things went south... but that seemed unlikely Still it was an abundance of caution if they needed to march an army forward and across the northern frontier.... but it was still unlikely. More likely rather than Hannis being able to march an army this year, there would be some acrimonious fallout with the Kellids and it was that which more concerned him. Narland's capital with the equinox had expanded its accommodations to make room for visitors as the spring thaw arrived. The valley teemed with pennants, and felt tents...and eyes drew to stare at the floating island that loomed in the clouds above the cityscape on the hill.

At least it was unlikely to go south in the immediate short term. He was hoping that the grandeur , and more importantly the martial prowess of his capital would keep things peaceful. Shrikewall , and the wider tuskdale were active. North of the city and ringing the valley were walls built by stone giants, and since the conflict with Ilthuliak river giants helped construct large piers and docks that penetrated into the great lakes. It provided a character to what was otherwise a very young settlement.

His giants whether they worshipped Minderhal or Erstig, or other deities had raised megalithic constructions to bolster his realm, and such gathering places were ideal to host western nomads, or their eastern cousins.

Armag, Dugath and a handful of other chieftans were considered those most likely to be reasonable and even that ran the problem of internal disagreements between Armag and Tiger Lord Traditionalists over what was the better way. Establishing a state supported mercenary band would have its advantages, but it was not quite a 'modern' foreign legion, but it would help alleviate pressure.

Armag had been trying to hybridize traditional tiger lord custom with his own personal view of how the law should exist, but without writing it down. That presented a problem, not that Hargulka had exactly rushed to promulgate a written legal code... and indeed if left to his own devices the troll would likely have ended up appropriate bits and pieces of the quite confusing rogavarian legal code used in Brevoy...but Armag had been trying to mix a nomadic culture's mores in with what he viewed as the best practices of sedentary territorial kingdoms.

Armag more than Harrgulka was less likely to accept the universal law code, and nor did he seem particularly likely to borrow heavily from Brevoy, or encourage brevic settlement. At least though he was likely to settle and build towns, and emphasize comprehensive agriculture. That was the easiest of the tasks east of the Brantheld in the uplands putting into place Imperial agriculture with the growing of multi rotation crops would support cattle raising. That could actually support, much as it did Harrgulka, the animal husbandry without the nomadic aspect.

Indeed as they prepared for the feasts final preparations Harrgulka was important to the argument towards assimilation. Harrgulka had adopted raising grain in particular in order to feed livestock, but raising corn to make mash to put in a still to make hard liquor. It was still an early aging process what would have been prohibited to be called whisky for the age requirement but it was similar enough... and those distilleries that Harrgulka had patronized encouraged had encouraged more brewing. His choice to do that might well lead to something more akin to modern Earth's Sake production given time to take root among the rice growing regions of the Imperial Core.

Shaoyu approached, bountiful confidence in her step, indicating that the last of the preparations were completed. Armag had a major advantage over competing sources of authority. His recent defeat not withstanding he was still a powerful warrior but more importantly he was Gorum's acknowledged champion."Amiri is very popular," Shaoyu declared, then after a minute, "though with the other Six Bears not so much."

"it is to be expected." A giant remarked, the particular frost giant who had at one point inhabited Amiri'ssword, bound there in spiritual torpor had yet to be actually settled. As it was he could not replace Eranex's position, nor did Eire desire him to, as envoy the Many's court. "It may present a problem."

"And how best would that be resolved?" He asked the frost giant turning.

There was going to be a question of attire. Some of the Tiger Lords, like Dugath had ranged quite far south, Amiri had as well, and was familiar with the costumes of many southern nations. He was familiar with what the keleshite adherents the Dawnflower wore and recognized Tristian's goddess. He was also familiar with the brocades favored by Taldor's wealthy nobles, and of the sterner fashions of Cheliax for which Eire's attire was closest to in character. But also that there was no question Amiri was Kellid.

Dugath had observed that regardless of religious difference no 'real chieftain', as the old chieftain had put it, would break hospitality this night. It was an assurance, but one that Kean reiterated was not more than a guarantee of tonight, "Amiri will likely face challengers in a circle of equals, tomorrow... not tonight," Kean declared, "The bolder fools might even think to challenge you, but Dugath and I are unsure if there are so rash of ones in this gathering of warriors."

"They would dare?" Shaoyu questioned.

"He has defeated Armag, that makes him first among equals." The Kellid notion of kingship was not the same as its southern neighbors Kean recognized that... "On the other hand chosen of Gorum or not, Armag is not a priest, one might expect that will provide time... but the out come of that might be instead of a duel a mustering of arms."

This was not just the opportunity to make friends, but also feel out and ascertain who might be future enemies, and to know what resources, and friends they might have. The opportunity to get all of them drunk of hard liquor or mead brewed from the honey provided by Calistria's wasps or on any of the beers brewed, or the apple jack or other beverage options. From there they would make the best of it, and if a fight came well...some of the inevitable fighting would be tiger lords against tiger lords or parts of the confederation quarrelling over resources, or just in the employ of bitter rivals.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Vernal Equinox 4715
The outdoor hall resembled the restored Temple of the Elk on a much larger scale... and even so it was veryvery noisy.

Dugath could drink like a man easily twenty or thirty years his junior. His companion Gwart had struck up a conversation with Harrgulka over religion, and the temples the troll had endeavored to raise as part of his own efforts... which had in turn drawn in Armag as well. They were all getting along well ,and so far so good. As Amiri had noted it was unusual at least in the land of the mammoth lords for any Kellid following to have such a collection of giants in its midst... but Kellid followings by their nature had to make long ranging treks to follow game.

Moving past a prominent cleric of Minderhall, who was engaged in a theological debate with a knight of the order of the godclaw, was a skullcap wearing priest of Nethys, who stopped to stoop bowing, "My Great King," The cleric greeted, his osirion accent prominent in his draconic formality, the cleric intended to depart for the land of his birth, to among other things, "When I return to Pharaoh I will speak of the noble endeavor against the demons of the abyss, and the necessity to support the crusade of mendev." If there was to be any foreign policy that Eire called for support from neighboring countries, much as free trade was important, it was to support his coreligionists and their comrades in arms in Mendev.

"Thank you." For as much as this gathering was about the Kellid, the tiger lord case, and the dissolving confederation coming apart, and all the warriors free to move about as bands, and warrior fraternities, it was still also a state function of his monarchy, and it was spring... and there was so much to do. In particular tonight there was another matter, among the many magical improvements to the realm's administration was the flowing sands and map that provided him information across his realm.

The magic though that allowed it to function was enough to recognize his hold on Armag's tomb, and the headwaters of the siltstrand, but not much further west. Only really a fraction of the eastern glenebon were detailed on his magical map. That made it ... not so useful in terms of planning for the Glenebonhe had to rely on more conventional pen and paper for that. For impressing the Kellids however even from the Siltstrand to the dunsward the present breath of the kingdom was more than two hundred miles across, and from north to south averaged over a hundred miles in most of the central realm becoming shorter in the glenebon, and taller in the dunsward and the great eastern steppe.

Vordakai had warned him that south of the Little Sellen moving north of the Mivon Sellen were no shortage of horse lords, which might create problems. The Tors of Levenies split the step, though there were a number of passes through the range... the pass to Varnhold was just one of the easier northern crossings. You could cross from the Kamelands to the Dunsward....there had been horse lords who had come from western Iobaria to pay homage Amvarean by come down from the headwaters of the Gudrin as it fed into Lake Silverstep. Those horse lords were represented here.

It was there, that Eire could ascribe names like Scythian, and Hun for the southern and eastern tribes even though that wasn't their names... but their costumes suggested they were Golarians distant cousins. To the north in Iobaria were those he found he associated Pechnegs and the like, and there were geographic, grazing, zones of control. That he recognized presented a problem in the long term just as he might face a problem similar in the west.

The Cyclops did have a suggestion. They had previous visited other cyclopean ruins and those represented good starting points. Most had been chosen for ready access to water, Cyclops society had been predominantly cattle raising magocratic city-states under a vaguely Greek style of civic government. Cattle raising required ready access of water, the construction techniques that the cyclops used emphasized quality stone and construction granite and marble and such. Amvarean had also apprised him that the access to the elemental plane of earth was more extensive in the south east of the realm. The Tors and the mountains further east also represented the largest populations of giants in the realm... and that entailed their respective churches looking for support in raising prominent temples in the south.

Amvarean, in half elf form, nodded "If settling Armag in the uplands works, we may be able to us it to push into the lands south of the Little Sellen, and lay claim to the southern Tors." Though hardly the sweeping forest of the Narlmarches the Tors of Levenies also promised access to timber on the mountains.

"To consider that we must settle Armag successfully first," He replied, and the truth was he wanted to avoid putting himself, putting the kingdom in a position where he might have a Cossack problem or some successor down the road might. "Integrating the tiger lords may prove problematic, "On the other hand he would never allow serfdom to take root, and that might keep him from having that issue... and besides a significant portion of the realm was urban, "Our only readily accessible source of coal is in the slough, which is another concern I have." He added after a moment, and on the subject of coal if not significant seams in the Narlmarches there might be access in the mountains inthe west or east but they had what they had in the vicinity of the east sellen river basin.

Amvarean joined him, her jewel likeeyes sweeping the crowd, the mix of furs and wool shirts, it wasn't quite cold at night any longer but the open air meant plenty of men had decided for cloaks, or even jackets. It was another way to tell affiliation. Eire's coreligionists took their formal attire in cue from his own dress. Black cassocks, red piping, very chelish colors truth be told. It was therefore something of an irony since Narland's textiles exported plenty of white cloth, and shirts, but it was not a popular color with his own clergy. As a trade good though it was a lucrative export. "Mivon agreed to the invitation."

The Mivonese Aldori presence was noticeable, even without the macho posturing between the competing Aldori branches. There was no Aldori branch in Shrikewall, but Varnhold had established a cadet branch of the Restov Aldori... the branch of Aldori who had stayed behind and knelt to House Rogavaria just a few centuries earlier. Equally so, was Pitax's absence from these proceedings... they had not been invited, but Eire had almost expected travelling bards to coincidentally arrive. Their absence though while perhaps a relief, would not make this night any less long. "Yes, hopefully, they,"And for that matter the Church of Milani, "Will keep their temper about them." It had been one of those things that Jaethal, currently ghosting wraith like through the throng had warned him of. She had also made observation that even as repairs to the road of shields continued fortifying his original western frontier, it was hard to miss that as a realm, as a predominantly human realm there were far fewer dwarves in his lands than was 'normal'... though Eire really had to wonder exactly what passed for normal in such situations since dedicated census tallies were not precisely common in Avistan or more widely acrossed the civilized realms of Golarion.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Vernal Equinox 4715
In Brevoy this gathering would have been unthinkable. Valerie was confident that the Brevic reaction would have been to try and scatter the the nomadic horde ... which she suspected would have resulted in a bloodbath for brevic knights. They just wouldn't have had the manpower to do so not against the confederation that had pulled in so many Kellids from Numeria... and that was something she recognized. Her experience told her that by forcing this into a battle between kings a protracted and costly campaign had been avoided... but also it kept the conflict from being forced to rely on dragons to settle it.

That, that was probably what had relieved Valerie most. The truth was while there were questions and letters from home, for the majority of the populace from the Inner Sea they were acclimated to the visitations of dragons, particularly the silvers. A silver dragon, or several, was looked upon as not the surreal experience it would have been in Brevoy. Nominally those silver dragons, with the exception of Eranex and her sister Amvarean, professed themselves as members of the king's own faith. For those whose had immigrated from the Inner Sphere that was sufficient. Nothing more needed to be said to them... but Brevoy had been forged into a nation by a king wielding the power of dragons and though the House that had founded the kingdom had disappeared dragons remained a prominent part of the national consciousness of her homeland.

She was not the only one whose homeland would not have thought well of this gathering, or contemplated holding it. Jaethal's stride was an almost imperceptible, graceful path weaving through the crowd... which could only ever be ill news. Brevoy remained largely dismissive and ignorant of the growing Kingdom. Part of that was the current King, the first Surtova to hold the throne in the red keep of the capital of New Stetven. His choice to chain the east sellen and cut off trade further south, and his decision to ignore the barbarian horde growing on his the rostlandic frontier both played significant roles... but even Restov which should have been their natural ally and confidant was ignorant

The truth was too few brevic families chose to migrate into the Narlmarches, but even so both the Hooktongue and the Dunsward were scarcely more enticing. Even immigration to all three of the baronies together was nothing compared to just immigration Taldor, never mind Cheliax.

Kyonin though was another matter entirely. Officially they had only limited contacts with the elven kingdom unofficially Jaethal was an exiled high official banished for crimes before Valerie had even been born. Truth be told, Valerie wasn't sure whether or not the reason it was exile was because of her rank, elven custom... or fear that Urgathoa might issue some terrible retribution for the elven court trying to kill her favored. Jaethal herself had dismissed the other idea, and from speaking with the church of Gorum they also stated that if Armag were to die Gorum would not seek revenge .... save if it was by some dishonorable or treacherous means and even then they hadn't exactly seemed too sure of how Gorum would express that displeasure. She supposed that lack of certainty was common to most religious institutions.

One of Ragathiel's paladins stepped aside to allow the king's counsel to approach her seat. "We have problems."

"Lady Jaethal." The paladin asked. His armor was a dark crimson enamel, and hitherto now his presence in full dress would have potentially been a sore point in any formal brevic gathering.
As Chancellor, she had come to accept the involvement of religion... and there were non religious reasons that Jaethal might reach out to her first rather than storming up to the king with whatever problem had emerged... but there was also a religious one. The church of Shelyn, and the goddess herself, had expressed interest time and again in participating in the realm's affairs, and its public life. The Stheno, the medesue like serpent women who worshipped Shelyn, were but one example and had come to make their presence known particularly in those cities south of the capital. They found time as weavers of artistic textiles, and other tasks in the city and its emerging artisan's quarter, including the brewing of beer.

"Do you recall," Jaethal questioned, she took a pause, "A few years its been, but Eire spoke of the under dark and elves who fled beneath the surface during the earthfall."

Valerie paused and racked her mind, she did... it took a minute because nothing had come of it since then, but more than that, "I do, but how might this involve the Church of Shelyn?"

Jaethal wrinkled her nose in vexation," Because," She stopped and Valerie felt it as well as a feeling of supernatural silence embraced the hall stifling like hot summer air. Conversations died, and Valerie watched as quicksilver eyes narrowed the King's head cocking up into the air. Eire was a tall man, and clad in dark plate with prominent protruding edges with crimson cloak the newcomer could have been a warrior of any of several welcomed here... save the almost miasma like aura of palpable malice. "Devil." Jaethal breathed the word in elven, but Valerie didn't need a translation...

The flames burned high, as Eire took the steps down from the high table with a slow methodical pace passing by Kanerah without glancing to the tiefling. Shaoyu however threw a look towards Kanerah before the younger dragon taking a position in front of her as the heat became even more oppressive. The hell knights and the paladins of Ragathiel had changed in posture as well.

The devil paid no visible concern to the potential challenge. The baritone of the man... male voice carried through the gathering, and the curtsey was mechanical in its precision, "Greetings Sovereign of this Realm, I have from afar to discuss a matter of considerable importance to both myself, and to my queen the Illustrious Mahathallah..." He paused rising, "Though you know my name, to others I am called the Forefather, and I what I desire most is a civilized conversation here at this gathering where you have welcomed so many others."

Valerie grit her teeth as the devil stepped forward. "What brings you here?"

"I came simply to pay my regards to a lawful ruler. It is my manner to conduct myself in this way."

There was a long sibilant exhalation from the king, "I find that truth to be tiring, you have made a grand entrance, and name your queen so quickly."

Jaethal had already begun to move, silent as the grave to the monarch's side, and though its quiet unnerved Valerie she also tracked the attention this newest arrival entailed from still others. The Order of the Godclaw in particular seemed particularly vexed by this, the paladin beside her's scowl told her enough of what the knight of the Angel of vengeance though as the king and the devil conversed. "Mahathallah is vassal to Asmodeus." He explained, "And It would not suprise me my lady if this devil does not conspire to provoke some breach of the king's peace by words alone.

A Godclaw paralictor nodded, "It is plausible the machinations of a deimavigga are often to sow heresy among the faithful... but if true he serves his liege this may reflect the interests of Law against the demonic forces of Chaos."

Ragathiel's paladin continued to scowl, "Such political measures could still succeed in sowing discord here." By this point Jaethal had reached the King's side, and she was not the only one. Tristian had come over as well, and Armag had moved through the throng the tall barbarian managing to look small compared to Forefather's some seven foot height.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Vernal Equinox 4715
Armag was no fool, his instincts had warned him that the small bird was not what it appeared. He did not care about the gathering for which Eire and his coreligionists had participated in It was not Gorum's way, but he did not foolhardily shun the affection the warrior showed the Chelish war Goddess, or that she reciprocated by paying heed to the gathering in her name. Too many of his co religionists too many of the old men of the Tiger Lords bridled that because Gorum did not ask this hospitality, and homage of them they should not... but they forgot too frequently as Armag knew that Gorum wore his armor so that when travelled in other guises he could test his followers hospitality. Those men should have known better for their long lives. Their host held the ear of his own goddess and thus might well travel in their midsts, and attract the attention of still others.

Kellid society was typecast as that of a warrior society for the majority of the Inner Sea but hospitality was sacred as was knowledge of their hosts traditions. The Tiger Lords more so than most epitomized that in how they served as mercenaries in the many mundane political struggles across the south of Avistan... Numeria was a rugged land that spanned a variety of threats internally, as well as those monstrosities or challenges that spilled out.

Such it was the way it had always been. That the domains of the linnorm kings had stretched once upon a time toCastrovin sea was 'known' for Iobarians were a variety of ethnic groups that included the eastern half of north men displaced when Baba Yaga had established Irrisen, and who, the Iobarians, had lost Brevoy for a time when Taldor had been at its height.


For thousands of years bands of mercenaries had sold their services across a continent marked by a million petty conflicts, and across thousands of larger ones. Armag had lived millennium before the founding of Absalom by the God of Mankind and had lead the Tiger Lords from the Land of the Mammoth Lords all the way to Casmarron.

He had those memories. Armag had spent the winter immersed in the memories of that era, and demanding that the chiefs who gathered acknowledge that this was not the ancient days. That the Tiger Lords must make changes to their practices and learn from the southerners if they were to become even stronger in the future.

Whether his previous life, or this one, Armag recognized for whatever power Hell wielded to take them lightly was foolhardy. He would not break the guest right, but he remained weary of the authoritarian hell spawn and whatever schemes the devil might be considering... though he also accepted that the conflicts between Hell and the Abyss did place his host and the devil on potentially 'cobelligerent', to use Eire's words, terms. The Devil even appreciated that distinction that they were not necessarily allies.

Armag was gratified to his instincts that the Devil in their midst regarded the golden bird that flitted around Eire's company was regarded warily. A careful regard he extended to the ageless elf as she glided into the inner circle oft he hall. Armag was no fool, Urgathoa's chosen might have longed for the soft comforts of city life, but the elf was not soft herself. Nor was the envoy of Shyka, the silver dragon Eranex, or even the boyish cleric of sister cinder underneath all his misplaced kindness.

All of them could live here for they dwelled in the stone camp of a powerful king. That Armag recognized. That he could have his farmers support such a host, such a broad supplicant base, of many giants especially was a demonstration of that strength. Armag considered the words that were said, and what similarities were to be made with the Tiger Lords, and Kellid ways. He had hoped to learn more from Pitax than he had, hoped to make common cause with the cheese and wine merchants to strike further against Brevoy and against the vendettas that had accrued against the northerners. House Rogavaria's disappearance meant nothing on that score, he had grievances with the lines of chiefs who had replaced the dragon bloods, and he was none too fond of the wealthy merchants of Restov... but he could also make peace. The tiger lords could understand, and he could make the other tribes who were willing to follow him into the future the necessity of such things.


Jaethal regarded the devil with a wariness. Urgathoa was silent as ever as the devil carried on the conversation... but Urgathoa was also not a demon lord. She had no place in the abyss... not that Jaethal imagined the realm of Hades was much better... but there was no immediate threat of conflict. For her part, Jaethal was aware that Iomedae occasionally and by the claims of church orthodoxy conversed with Asmodeus as the lord of hell. Chelish authorities were very reluctant to prohibit the inheritor's church their traditional remits despite the infernal victory of the civil war... as they had placed it in the official histories Iomedae ascension and success placed her in select company. That she was a chelish noblewoman by birth they claimed was further demonstration of Cheliax's promised superiority over other nations.

The elves of kyonin found this idea laughable... not that Jaethal herself nor any of the elves of the kingdom would have directly mocked the king's tutelary deity. Though there were times Jaethal would have liked if the arrogant bastard from her home might do so... there were easier ways to commit suicide... the Church of the guiding hand treaded the line occasionally, especially as the elven goddess's church was increasingly clashing socially with the growing Sheylnite congregation which was vying for greater prestige.

The devil's presence here created a problem for her. It complicated an already complex situation... but a threat of Soul Eaters was not something Jaethal was overly concerned with. No, she suspected as was her remit, and her nature that this warning was just as likely an excuse by Kanerah devil fore bearer to attempt to wheedle some bit of good will from the king... especially since she didn't doubt that the devil was here had been bid here by his own liege. That introduction concerned her as well since the Dowager of Illusions had departed Pharasma's service millennium ago...and beyond that it was not exactly news that the Church of Grandmother Crow and Desna were not overly fond of the cults of Mahathallah's hoarding of secrets.

The devil bowed, "The soul eater is a most potent example of its breed, and one which has survived much across the centuries, but the gathering astronomical portents suggest that it can be brought to its natural end at an appointed time and place. A confrontation which I can arrange."

Eire raised an eyebrow, "Very well, I recognize the place you speak of," Jaethal kept her face placid. The devil agreeably withdrew into the crowd, but the chosen of Urgathoa realized the that there must have been something the Devil had overlooked... or misjudged. The place was south of where the Gudrin river flowed into the tuskdale and in proximity to the growing south eastern settlements of the great lake. Eire turned to the Barbarian, "I hope that is the last of our unexpected arrivals, we have much to discuss." Which Jaethal felt was a great understatement... especially as she had not yet gotten the chance to discuss other developments that had been carried to her by her network of arcane scoundrels who served as her eyes and ears across the realm... and truthfully beyond it.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Vernal Equinox 4715
There was soft rustling of golden wings as hopped around to the king's other shoulder. Jaethal regard the canary with appropriate caution. It had not been something that had been discussed with the council... though she had via circumspect inquiry did recognize that Iomedae had had a gold dragon companion, and though less common than silvers there were gold dragons who considered themselves a part of the faith to which Eire himself counted himself apart. It had not been readily discussed with the council the circumstances of Ilthuliak's demise... no one had questioned the severed head of the black wyrm.

The severed head which Amvarean had presented to be seen by all visiting eastern chief tans. The Iobarians of Casmarron were long separated from their living cousins in the lands of the linnorm kings... but Casmarron was home to many dragons Metallic and Chromatic alike, and thus the tribes and clans were quick to pay heed to the death of the Witch.

Given that the Tiger Lords had already been fighting for Pitax, and also Drelev that had been the correct decision. Armag was a capable fighter, Jaethal wasn't so arrogant to ignore that detail, but when given the option the defeat of a black wyrm had decisively lead to favoring the kingdom. Ilthuliak's demise stabilized the southern marshes as well. There had been a slew of after effects to contend with... much work for her and her bureau .Just as she was sure that it had created work for Valerie as Chancellor of the realm.

"We will have to speak with Kanerah shortly." Eire remarked

His tone though suggested what he was actually saying was to tell him now what she had forewarned Valerie about. The truth was Lamashtu was not an uncommon cult in Brevoy, she was one of the more... 'popular' she supposed was the word .... and Lamashtu was a goddess not a demon lord and thus not quite the same issue as worshipping or offering sacrifices to certain other powers, which Eire acknowledged. "The Church of Sheyln has vouched for a cult of Nocticula, the cult of the redeemer queen."

Eire blew out a breath of hot air, so warm it came as a cloud of steam. For a moment Jaethal considered what she might do in Eire's position... but she'd never been put in this position she imagined. "And why?" The red headed man asked, "Would Sheyln want that?" She almost considered telling him he should ask Sheyln herself... the gods listened when Eire spoke... which was vexing at times. That was nothing new, and perhaps asking the Azlanti goddess might well provide them an explanation.... or saddle them with some expanded chore. Jaethal though had no explanation as to why the Azlanti goddess might want that. When it was clear she had no answer Eire shook his head, "We will deal with this later, you were right telling Valerie, I don't know what to make of this," He replied, "And for the moment we have more immediate issues. "

Eire surveyed the expanse, throngs of men. His objective was not changed by this news, or by forefather's arrival and visit. The Church of Sheyln and of Nocticula that was more problematic... the lady in shadow was a demon lord and though Eire would not profess to be an expert on the politics of the Abyss it created an issue given that cosmological divide.

The Tigers confederation of tribes would divide. That was a given. He had expected that in the wake of Armag's defeat in single combat... where some following tribes would slough off in expectation of better prospects. The more important divide, at least for now, was not those tribes who would pursue employment abroad. It was about the ones remaining in the northern river kingdoms and adjacent or within his own de jure borders. There was a division there to consider as well, the split between Armag's coalition aimed at sedentary reform, tribal chieftains and clerical conservatives and the mercenary confederation.

The last of which was the easiest to address though for Eire. He would need them to secure his western border, and possibly depending on other conditions his eastern one in order to secure the caravan routes that crossed the great steppe to the Padishah Empire. Securing that would mean another revenue stream for his realm to action, and he needed the caravans because he lacked the resources to support expanding construction of airships.

He didn't have the manpower to crew ships, or the volume of spell casters to support a professional navy as he envisioned it... and truth was from what understood of the geography, of the geology of Numeria his western border the Branthelds in particular might provide him the reserves of coal and iron he needed for still other projects. So his western border need to be secured... which also meant he needed to stabilize the internal divisions.

Eire moved with purpose to address the assembled, for he and Armag he met in a duel even if if it had not started under the open sky, had concluded there. And that Eire held Gorum's largest and most important Holy Site arguably in all of Avistan, word would spread of that, would reach the Gorumite clergy in Belkezen amongst the Orcs. Something to prepare for. The gathered were unlikely to care much for his discourses on economics, of how he would regulate how cities and settlements could charge taxes... there was no point in discussing such things.


What mattered to the warrior chiefs, and lesser petty kings Eire knew to be the prowess. That was the point of this feast to outline that he had commitments. "There is one other thing," Jaethal remarked keeping in lockstep as the approached the central hearth.

He turned, "Yes?"

"There is an option I believe for a western strongpoint," What she actually meant was a religious site to anchor the kingdom's forces... a church or temple. "It belonged to Cayden Cailean, but was abandoned probably for the same reasons as the Temple of the Rose nearer still to us." Cayden Cailen was hardly an unknown deity but certainly not one that the royal institutions actively supported the church of.

"Thank you," He replied. A temple, or in this case an abbey though was something, "I will consider it before I speak with Armag." Or for that matter Dugath, or Gwart or the other clerics of Gorum Kellid or not. A giant blew a great horn as he signaled to the stone giant druid he was prepared to address those assembled. After the blast a gathering of warriors voiced their support for his abilities, by listing accomplishments of arms... including killing the wyrm ilthuliak. Jaethal did not join him remaining in the throng of supporters, overshadowed by giants. Vordakai remained aloof from such barbarians proceedings, an aloofness that some paladins emulated, while others cheered the king as defender of the faith... even the ones who belonged to other churches, like those knights of Ragathiel, or those armingers of the Godclaw. The cheers were all but deafening as it built to its crescendo.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Pharast 4715
Valerie considered all the documents before here. All of them were documents printed up by a machine, to be recorded for posterity and reviewed whenever it became necessary. The timber born, the beaver folk, were working feverishly as it was their efforts went further this year in controlling the spring thaw but also to the labor of putting the flow of water to greater 'mechanical advantage'.

The king envisioned a realm which was linked by metal, and stone roads to reach where waterways alone could not. Some thought this allegorical, some presumed it a vision of what Axis must have looked like, inspired by the plane of Law. Arsinoe, the senior cleric of Abadar, had said as much.

Eire had spoken of such things before, of the necessity of good roads, and safe roads. She had consideredthat they had been making goodly progress. The realm grew. After ilthuliak had been slain the sky island had formed above the capital... and its presence drew more people in from the frontier...but not from Brevoy.

The ancient cyclopean lich made a good point, leaving aside any rumors of the flying ships constructed around the mana plants of the first world that Eire carefully tended, the seers, and shamans of the myriad races inhabit anting Iobarian might well have had visions of the sky island forming. Even if the island wasn't the driving factor, if they were drawn by the favor theking enjoyed from holding the ear of the gods, Iobarians coming east could from the steppe see the sky island in the far distance.

Valerie recognized that the kingdom had shielded Brevoy, unknowing as her homeland, oblivious to it as they seemed. Armag would have assembled a much larger confederation if he had been able to pull together the steppe lords, and even with just a small fraction of his confederation had been able to range through southern rostland's fertile plains. Ilthuliak's demise though had caused the horse lords to pause, even as Issia and Rostland's great names vied in the game of thrones and argued among each other turning increasingly insular away from the world outside. Valerie regarded the reports from the beaver folk, and their work in putting the waters to greater feats of engineering. Those were concerns, not Maestro Penrods obsession with tales of flying cities, which included writing instructions to the mission to Osirion, with the co signing of the Church of Nethys at Candlemere, to speak with Osirion's officials regarding some legendary flying tomb.

Her responsibilities were the here and now. It was spring for the year 4715 of the Arodenite calendar. There was no shortage of projects the realm was busy with. The beaver kin had settled the rich wetlands of the rivers and lakes, and in the shores and floodplains. Controlling that inundation meant being able to water crops of rice through dykes and levees... and from the ledgers a lucrative crop in terms how much could be cultivated. That was a detail made clear by the records kept by the kingdom.

The beavers would plant their crops in carefully irrigated paddies, and harvest in Rova and Lamashan like they had done this previous year. There would be grain, and corn to be harvested in thick rich black soil of the realm's eastern grasslands. It provided, or show she was informed, a protection against crop blight. It was a hedge against something that might stifle those who only grew one set of crop. It also insured there was plenty as the rotating fields of royal farms grew fodder for the herds of cattle, hogs and sheep.

Such efforts insured a steady flow of animals into the urban center at all times of the year. Those stockades kept all the social classes with an ample supply of meat at market. It was a statement of wealth... and it allowed the kingdom to feed its various denizens. Amiri had spoken of the appetites of giants, and how in the realm of the mammoth lords it was all but unheard of for a following to include anything but a handful of giants. For all the grumbling Erastil's brevic faithful would complain about how their grandfathers and their grandfathers had tilled long strips with the oxen, there was evidence presented in strong horses and deep cutting steel plows in even sided square fields.
--


Eire recognized that while he personally didn't need a heavy destrier that was not going to be true for the needs of the kingdom. He rode a horse with relative frequency, and he walked a great deal as did most of his realm, particularly the fighting portion of his population.

His textiles produced shoes, socks, and jeans designed to keep men in comfortable care in weather, and whether or not they were riding or marching. As spring set in, and the mud came his forces were beginning to assemble for what was intended to if necessary be an exertion of direct force into the southern brantheld to exert direct control over the remains of the White Rose Abbey.

He hoped that Jaethal was correct that the brewery that had been dedicated to Cayden Cailean would suffice for their purposes. If it didn't pan out that way, he would have to wait perhaps another month or two, and consecrate ground as a waypoint near the Brantheld mountains which would then serve as a frontier outpost for his airships as they made the flight across Northern Avistan to ferry supplies to Mendev, and the crusaders. That would serve a second function. It would shaves days off the return trip, allowing refugees from the shanty towns that sprawled around the crusader states great protected cities.

... if the Abbey sufficed it would be much quicker.

They would be able to settle the refugees when the ships returned from Mendev, and that would provide a seed population to people the countryside. This ride out would also allow the founding of permanent Tiger Lord settlements, and castle towns in the Glenebon. Those would in turn provide him the ability to secure his border with Numeria further west. The Tiger Lords, and the other Kellid tribes, spoke of mammoths, and smilodon and still other what he still thought of as prehistoric megafauna... that included apparently things he believed were descriptions of dinosaurs that were found more commonly as one entered 'Numeria proper'.

It was a detail to take note of, and it was something he would make better effort to document once he had erected the religious strongholds which anchor his ability to transport hither and to from his more established seats of power.

Eire raised hand in invoking gesture, and a curtain of divine flame wrapped around the gathered array of knights, and clergy. It lifted them away carrying them to Armag's tomb, and the greatest holy site of Gorum in Avistan. When had envisioned the matter of connecting the barony, it had been England ,and river boats, and ferries but Golarion was a world of magic, and of active gods and while travel by road was necessary it was not the only option. The aged tiger lord chief was waiting for them and nodded in greet. What remained of Armag's sundered confederation had divided into those last wings and followings which would remain within his borders. Dugath and his companion Gwart approached. The aged Tiger Lord nodded again, "You will have to host an all thing in the summer to speak law to the easterners," He remarked, referring to the Iobarians, "But Armag waits for you now."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Late Pharast 4715
They made their way along carefully laid granite sets of the roadway, a recent addition... one that had not been here when he had met Armag in the duel last year. It expanded upon the Tomb's many benefits. Armag's Tomb was located and well chosen for its ability to be support grazing stock, and the Tiger Lords would have no trouble establishing protected hill forts around the area, or in sewing grains like wheat and Barley here. The spring thaw had expanded the river but it was small in comparison to the likes of the Shrike.

It was however clear that between probably some kind of water conservancy work, and just the spring thaw the water was deeper. The Tiger Lords were expanding their presence here, and that also meant shrines if not full on temples to deities besides the Lord in Iron. Armag clearly had grand plans but Winter and the change in political conditions had effected putting such ideas into practice.

There were real questions about how Armag would pursue agriculture here. Whether he hewed closer to brevoy's communal plots of land, or followed an enclosed set of plots. Then, beyond that there was going to be how the land was worked, and what was planted. Rostland's broad largely flat fertile plains were a breadbasket to not just Brevoy ... the brevic economy was agricultural like most pre modern economies were. Its power structure medieval... the disappeared house of the king, of the 'dragonbloods' had left the Issian Suratovan dynasts in power on the tenuous connections of shared kinship to the Rogavarians.

Eire wondered how long that could maintain. He wasn't the only one The problem was the revolutionary change which had swept over the stolen lands. Armag's confederation being allowed to grow unchecked by the lack of a powerful northern monarchy would have effected the entire region if the Tiger Lords had been able to sway the horse lords of Iobaria. The population of the Kamelands was over a million now, a number that was difficult for a normal person to grasp... and that completely upended the idea that Rostland or Brevoy as a whole exerting pressure into the frontier. The mass movement of people over just the last two years changed the dynamics, and now with the tens of thousands of kellids who in settling either under Dugath a somewhat more conservative Tiger Lords principality, and Armag's followers who intended to push forward with a more radical view of constructing a new state. Most likely Armag would form the more northern state if they did settle along those lines... but even that was not settled as a question for age old questions of traditions sat open in the air.

So it was not just the ambitions of Issia or Rostlandic nobles... it was that for all intents and purposes after his Imperial core the tens of thousands of kellids were the second and third most populated regions of his realm... and they were well west of the Hooktongue county, or the Dunsward. Amvarean's suggestion was to balance matters by pushing east ward. It was a suggestion supported by Vordakai who wanted the realm to exert control over the ruins of cyclop's empire for which the various denizens of modern Iobaria had overrun or had left well enough alone.

It was the east that Eire had directed Minderhal's clergy next. That was in no small part their own preference as well, for it gave the stone giant clergy contiguous connection to the Kamelands populous urban centers. With few dwarves, far fewer than brevoy, the stone giants presented the best overland option... and they would take example from the road of shields.. and it was in the southern kamelands that Eire recognized the entrance to the underdark lay. A passage he meant to defend even he did not have dwarves aplenty in his realm ... and also that he wouldn't have been surprised if he needed to secure the road of shields from down below... and the shield castles were important examples of fixed fortifications and trade outposts.

Dugath, and Armag agreed that they should follow that example.

Eire settled into place at the round oak table a reminder that from the Kellid perspective he was first amongst equals... and indeed from Feudal perspective he was here to at least moderate the arguments between the two powerful chieftains.

The two members of Gorum's faith however disagreed on implementation of that example.

He accepted there were differences of opinions. Just as he recognized that part of that disagreement was he had not built the road of shields. Work to restore it had been labor intensive, and in the south had entailed asking trolls and kobolds, and then also the river giants and timber born to fulfill obligations of labor, and in the north efforts had focused on other contributions largely from immigrants more affiliated with churches friendly to Iomedae's own church.

That created problems. What was worse, was that Dugath and Armag's difference in opinion at least to Eire seemed to be slight. A matter of degrees, or perhaps tradition. Dugath wanted an approach of fortified camps, Armag wanted the same at least in broad strokes. For the more conservative Tiger Lord position it was that Dugath envisioned that these fortified camps would be the basis to raise and train a crown sponsored mercenary company, where as Armag while still agreeing viewed it necessary to focus on the broader territorial kingdom role.

Dugath shook his head. He had had the sides of his head shaved close, showing the sides of his skull with a flange of shock white, and gray hair combed over to one side. "Numeria has little trade with us, and trade with the northerners or the cheese mongers to the south is equally unproductive."

Eire wanted access to Numerian goods. It sounded like a fascinating land. An insane land of techno-savagery to be sure but Dugath was right there was little trade with Numeria... and the Brantheld mountains were a hurdle before one even considered Numeria's manifold perils and its rival tribes and it was that group... "It would be prudent," The aged chief declared to fortify the west, to withstand the wolf clan's efforts, and the black gars as well... there are others but the Ghost Wolves in the north will make a nuisance of themselves."

Armag didn't disagree. "We will build cities for our people Dugath. Our Lord in Iron wears a suit of protective armor, and wields every conceivable weapon forged from the ores of the earth. It is thus we must build cities to house great foundries to provide our warriors weapons aplenty."

Eire sat there as Dugath protested that attempt at a lecture. What followed was a rapid shift from Taldane into Hallit that Eire had a much harder time processing as the two chiefs attempted to use their religious grounding to argue their positions... for which if he were supposed to be brokering made his task harder.

Dugath pivoted abruptly, "RedHair," Which was the loose translation from Hallit, and actually had inclinations to the Kellid branch of Sarenrae's faith, "When you were a boy you rode horses, yes? You lived in a land of roads the kind you build now, yes?" They weren't questions so much as a rapid fire 'statements' phrased in ritual form as questions but more of 'this is the way for you, because it was the way of fathers and grandfathers'. "Our people range in the spring, under the open sky like tigers. We drive the herds from summer to winter camps so as not to overtax the land. What Armag would suggest is to simply ape the customs of one born far from our own. To do so would be foolish as it is not our way and we do not know it as one who grew to manhood with such lessons all around him."

"We Tiger Lords have journeyed far, from the roof of the world to the distant sea, For thousands upon thousands of years our people have both learned lessons and taught them wherever we have travelled. Such was it when I first lived, and such was it when you were a boy, such is it now in this life." Armag stated flatly, "It was from Others the tribe learned to forge Orvinbaane even though we already knew how to forge iron. It is by cities that we will forge much iron. Cities which will require changes to our herds, and to the way we conduct our camps."

Dugath gave a grumbling low growl. "You made promise that once that same sword had been recovered you would assist another in locating it."

Eire glanced to Armag. "Aye," Orvinbaane pulsed as he replied in the affirmative, "I made this promise, My word is my bond."Armag stated. "This will be honored, and such a search will require learned men, and those who practice magic beyond just that of clerics."

Eire realized now that part of Dugath's protest was that Armag had a much more academic, written magical society in mind for the future tiger lords. Not because he personally liked magic, or wizards, but that he saw it was a means to the task at hand. Armag still viewed the best way to handle laws as to speak traditions and refer back to them. People would hear the law spokenand have to commit such things to memory. It was still slightly more formalized than Dugath who simply wished to maintain the Tiger Lords traditions of having laws decided and arbitrated by councils of elders and chiefs with the consent of the clans at large.