Turn #14, Late Spring of Year 2
Lull before the storm.
It has been a quiet Spring season, and there are no travellers bringing word from afar of events in distant lands this month.
My force at Pythium continues the siege of the citadel into a seventh month, while the defenders within must surely wonder why my army does not storm through the breached gate.
Jorgun equips a newly-fabricated magical Horror helm, increasing the potency of his fearsome presence (to +5).
Tahmar arrives at the Alps, while Bdvar reports from Tesifon the presence of approximately 30 light footmen. Ualgo arrives at Pythium with reinforcements of 5 Jotuns, bringing the total troop strngth at the siege to 34 Jotuns (not counting leaders).
The number of dissenters declines by one in Gwyrth and Bel, and by two in the Iron Range, Feral Woods, and the Well of All Waters. It rises by one in Eribon. My faith takes root in the provinces of Isurian (#47, just south of Helmshire) and Fas Dir (#34, 2 provinces southwest of Isurian, spread there by way of the Wailwind Waters). Influence that I suspect is from Atlantis causes the level of faith to drop to 40% in independent Zenthra, while it grows to 40% in next-door Jotunheim itself.
The Seithkona Modgunn joins the coven at Jotunheim, which achieves mastery of the fourth rank of 'Construction' and first rank in 'Conjuration' magics. Studies continue in Conjuration.
My realm has:
- __8 Provinces (+Pythium under seige)
- 280 Treasury.
- 471 Income. (-1)
- 195 Upkeep. (+17)
- 126 Resources in the capital. (unchanged)
- _39 RPs
Gem income is:
- +3 Water (09)
- +0 Earth (01)
- +3 Astral (42)
- +1 Death (01)
- +2 Nature (23)
In Jotunheim I recruit a Seithkona to join my coven, as well as a Jotun spearman and four Jotun huskarls (w/spear). I recruit a human scout in Eribon. These preparations drain the treasury of all 280 coins.
I command all seven of my Seithkona to manufacture various magical items: 1x Pendant of Luck, 3x Lucky Coins, 3x Amulets of Antimagic. 35 of the astral gems in the treasury are set aside for this task. The items are intended to be distributed as follows: Pendant & Amulet to Jorgun, Coin & Amulet to both Bove and Grymis, Coin to Urd. The Coins/Pendant will allow me to queue some other spell in place of Personal Luck for Urd and Jorgun, and to give Bove and Grymis luck as well. Preparing to face a pretender, I feel it may be useful to improve my commanders' MR, hence the amulets.
Tahmar, in the Alps, continues on the route back to Jotunheim, to pick up reinforcements. Ualgo and Urd leave the siege of Pythium and move to the lab in the adjacent Feral Woods to pick up the magical items that will be fabricated. From Tesifon, Bdvar heads further east into the wastelands of the Three Pillars (#60), a land that may possess a hidden magical site. (it's a VP province, and most have magic sites in them on the Orania map)
My prophet Grymis manages to sway the Last remaining adherents to snake-worship amongst the inhabitants of the farmlands surrounding the citadel of Pythium this month. Alas, it appears the Pythium pretender must possess worshippers elsewhere since I still feel his presence within the citadel. Rather than storm the citadel, and take losses I'd prefer to avoid if there's another viable strategy, I decide to make the attempt to eliminate the Pythium pretender by stamping out all traces of his faith. To this end I send Grymis into Eribon, which I control, with the intent of extinguishing the slight negative dominion there (-1). My avatar moves west from the lab in Feral Woods to the plains of Ultima Typhia (#111, and also with -1 dominion), which are reported to contain some 30 heavy foot, fanatics, and archers. This may be my wyrm's most-challenging solitaire battle, especially if the report has underestimated the numbers of the defenders.
PS - All provinces with positive dominion, except my capital and the adjacent Iron Range (both at Cold-2), remain at Cold-1.