[Arryn]

Turn #28, Summer of Year 3
A bleak summer for Ashikaga.

This month, no travellers bring word from afar of events in distant lands.

In Kepess, which proves to be the final Ashikagan-held province other than their capital, my wyrm has at Last cornered the elusive Ashikagan hero Li T'ieh-Kuai. With this immortal is a senin master, a hatamoto, 2 samurai horsemen, 1 tribal cavalry, 6 samurai swordsmen, 12 ashigaru spearmen, and a yamabushi monk. Throughout the one-sided battle, as Jorgun snacks on samurai, ashigaru, and fine horseflesh, Li T'ieh-Kuai tries to Paralyze my avatar no fewer than 8 times, without success. The Ashikagans, including all three leaders, finally rout after the wyrm eats the Last of the horsemen. It avails them naught as they are killed ignominiously as they flee through territory under my control. Thus ends the current incarnation of Li T'ieh-Kuai. I expect that I shall be seeing him again, in a few months, when my armies beseige Ashikaga itself. Jorgun adds 12 more kills and 13 more trophies to his record from this most recent battle. I am very pleased in my unbroken series of successes, and in learning that the Ashikagans had already discovered two magical sites within the province. One is a Painted Cave (1 astral pearl) and the other is Glen of Verdant Greenery (1 nature gem).

Contrary to my expectations, Ashikaga refrains from conducting any raids against me this month. It appears that months of repeated bloody losses have taken their toll and they no longer desire to continue expending their brave men in futile gestures. Rod the Scout reports approximately 70 heavy footmen, archers, and fanatics in the independent farmlands of Summerlands. Bdvar spots about a half-score reef warriors and spearmen in the Atlantian-controlled plains of Namor. Vanheim is in possession of the forest of Illidar (#87), and the wastes of Agenor (#114). I had thought that Man was only at war with Atlantis, but it appears that they have a much larger foe in Vanheim as well. If the Vans continue to expand, at the pace they have for the past few months, it may prove difficult to attack Man without going through Atlantis, or worse, Vanheim lands first.

My researchers achieve mastery of the sixth circle of Construction magics, and the fourth circle in Enchantments. The magical items that will be necessary to boost Skade's skill from the current 3N to the 5N required by the Gift of Health ritual can now be forged. It is expected that the fifth circle in Enchantments (which allows Gift of Health) will be reached in the coming month.

My realm has:

• ___7 Dominion max.
• __10 Temples
• __26 Provinces converted
• _712 Treasury.
• 1130 Income. (+42)
• _367 Upkeep. (+17)
• _141 Resources in Jotunheim. (unchanged)
• _196 Resources in Pythium. (unchanged)

• 18 Provinces controlled
• Jotunheim: Dom=7, PD=25, Unr=0
• Zenthra: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
• Eribon: Dom=3, PD=10, Unr=0
• Gwyrth: Dom=3, PD=10, Unr=0
• Iron Range: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
• Saetica: Dom=-1, PD=10, Unr=0
• Black Alps: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
• Ancyrna: Dom=2, PD=10, Unr=0
• Bel: Dom=2, PD=10, Unr=0
• Pythium: Dom=5, PD=10, Unr=0
• Robber Home: Dom=-3, PD=20, Unr=2
• Hoburgdorf: Dom=1, PD=20, Unr=0
• Feral Woods: Dom=2, PD=10, Unr=0
• Ultima Typhia: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
• Well of All Waters: Dom=6, PD=10, Unr=0
• Kepess: Dom=1, PD=0, Unr=12
• Melma: Dom=2, PD=20, Unr=1
• Herghendorf: Dom=-1, PD=20, Unr=0

Gem income is:

• +_2 Fire (04)
• +_0 Air (--)
• +_6 Water (12)
• +_3 Earth (05)
• +13 Astral (28) (includes 7 Clams)
• +_2 Death (02)
• +_8 Nature (39)

Magical knowledge (stars denote schools being researched):

• 7-Conjuration
• 3-Alteration
• 0-Evocation*
• 6-Construction
• 4-Enchantment*
• 0-Thaumaturgy
• 0-Blood Magic
• 167 RPs (of 189 available at labs)

I recruit another 6 Jotun spearman in Pythium, and I raise 15 provincial defenders in Kepess. These preparations drain the treasury of 300 coins.

Having eliminated most of the unrest in Melma and Robber Home, I raise the taxes in these two provinces back to normal, while reducing taxes to zero in Kepess.

The Norna Skade forges a Moonvine Bracelet, at a cost of 20 nature gems and 5 astral pearls. The Skratti Tunne forges another Clam of Pearls, and I allot 10 water gems for the task.

Erkeborn begins building a temple in Robber Home, while Gunderik does likewise in Melma. Geiserik, in Herghendorf, preaches. Clodomir and Gunthamun preach in Saetica, while Donner, Adaloald, and Albrecht preach in Hoburgdorf. Ualgo heads back to Pythium to pick up the next batch of reinforcements. In Pythium, Tahmar and the priest Konrad head to Saetica with a half-dozen Jotuns in tow. Rod the Firbolg and his army, in Hoburgdorf, go back to Saetica to rendezvous with the reinforcements from Pythium. Bove patrols Robber Home for another month, while Grymis continues to preach there. Bdvar heads into Illidar, and Rod the Scout continues southeastwards into the forested farmlands of Pirenna (#112). Oedre remains ensconced atop the Rim Mountains and my wyrm Jorgun moves east to Robber Home.

[ February 26, 2004, 05:31: Message edited by: Arryn ]