Happy New Year, New Game, New Players (Finished: Dojango/Mictlan Wins!)

[Torgon]

The terrible armies of the pale giants pressed ever inward. They besieged the very gates of Fomoria. Balor looked on and saw the ruin of his kingdom, the ruin of his people.

He called out to the other peoples of the world for aid against these terrible beasts. No doubt you have already seen their banners in the very seas next to your own lands. Soon, if no help arrives, they will also control the lands of Fomoria. He even called out to his old enemies the Tuatha of Tir Na' Nog. True, they had warred on multiple occasions, but he would rather have his people ruled by the Tuatha then these hideous monsters.

However, he did not place all his hopes in aid from other nations. The mages of Fomoria were crafting another plan as well. It was the last hope of the nation. If it failed so would the fomorian people

[Excist]

Fomorians retreated like the baying sheep they resembled before the advancing armies of Pale Ones. Swifter than could have been predicted the walls of Fomoria stood besieged with the kine hiding inside like a bizarre petting zoo or one of those traveling circus freak shows so popular in the East.

Mandred, seeing the rebuke of Fomoria's hubris was going smoothly, turned his attention to the South where his messengers brought troubling news of rampant bandits disrupting trade amongst the conquered surface provinces and drunk, mad barbarians invading the southernmost lands. Mandred conscripted some Mercenaries to hold the siege while he took his swiftest Ancient Ones with him south to protect the Temple of Kolermegor while Seal Guards maneuvered to reinforce the rest of Agartha's borderlands against the madmen of Marverni.

When praying at the Temple of Kolermegor Harrow-gor came to him as if in spirit; as if in dream; and somehow simultaneously as if in the flesh.

"Too many Seal Guards have left already and they continue to wander to the surface as if on their own" Harrow-gor whispered/shouted with his dreamy non-voice.

"This was your will! I don't understand." Mandred responded, shocking Earth Reader Apil'Adad

"It is NOT my will, but it IS the only way. But, I had not anticipated that they would abandon their duty so quickly. The preparations are not complete. So, I have been forced to enter the Umbral Plane." Harrow-gor's mental voice boomed.

"Are you sure this is wise? Every one of our neighbors has turned against us and none give us solace. We need you now more than ever." Mandred beseeched.

"Have faith in the god that you have chosen and all will come to pass as it must. I WILL provide help. From within the Umbral Realm I have access to leylines of extraordinary power. When the need is great, take the Obsidian talisman that I have given you and press it against any solid rock of granite and shout "Locus Shadox Interminus" Teach this to the Oracles that you have entrusted with the holy obsidian and tell them to use it sparingly and only when great need is realized for this is both powerful and dangerous."

When the time came and the Marvernie barbarians crested the hill Mandred did as Harrow-gor had advised. slowly the granite compressed and solidified even as it flaked and chared until there was an Obsidian likeness of himself with black voids where eyes should have been. At first he didn't even notice, since his nightvision was so good, but when he realized that the world once again lacked the little color Pale Ones see and he saw his barbarian foe grasping around in the dark he realized that the Sun was gone. His Ancient Ones charged forth ripping the heads off the little men like they were statues of clay and the little Pale One miltia barely could keep up. Although the foe had numbered in the hundreds his small band of warriors killed them without taking a single casualty and the remaining third fled in disarray.

Mandred's only comment was thus: "Praise Harrow-gor"

[Dogged57]

Well, that's depressing to read

Especially when I can't check on my turn for hours.

[TigerBlood]

Come with bright eyes a-flashing
Come with your jaguars crashing
Come rend the sky asunder
Come with the fire and thunder
Break all that lies before you
Take all that dies around you
Ride with the Dogs of War
Fly with the Hounds of Hell
Take me to the Wild Hunt
Break me with the Wild Chase
Take me with the Wild Hunt
Take me riding wildly with the Wild Hunt now
In darkest green you move now
With oak and ash and thorn now
The cloak that's swathed around you
Denies I've finally found you
I've sought your untamed rage
Within the hearts of men
I've found both love and cruelty
In equal parts within
Come with those bright eyes flashing
And with your jaguars a-crashing
I feel I've always known you
And leave the dying day
But who knows who is hunted
And who shall be the prey?

-Natural Selection

[Nosantee]

If I may make a suggestion.

Since we're at the 20 turn mark would it be to unreasonable to ask we begin 36h turns? Anyone else with me?

[Excist]

Judging by the portions of the map that I can see, I don't think anybody's nations are overwhelmingly large that they are getting bogged down by micro-management.

If anybody is starting to feel this is the case, let me know. I would rather change the timing based on need rather than at prescribed turn intervals.

Anybody else voting for longer turns at this point?

[Immaculate]

i agree with nosantee. But thats more a function of my long work days.

[Excist]

36 hour turns proposed and seconded. Resolution is passed.

[Excist]

Mandred marched through the Marverni capital taking stock. Chubu, Oracle of Fires plodded along at his heels, 'It was wise of you to let the Ancient Ones vent their wrath on the people of Marverni. Their anger was almost unmanageable at the unceasing barbarian attacks against the pioneers in the outer provinces. Nerves were raw and many Pale Ones were losing their temper and fighting to the death over minor trivialities. Very wise indeed.'

Mandred spared one short glance behind him, 'Wise? They left me no choice. A week-old Olm could have made that call. But what concerns me is that this pulls us away from our Path. Harrow-gor has already committed himself to the Spectral realm and we need to do our part in the physical realm. We cannot afford these delays or Harrow-gor will be lost to this world forever.'

Oracle Chubu frowned and paused, but then decided to press on, 'Yes, but as I was saying. The people are angry. They want justice. Will you give the Marverni peasants to Rhuax to judge? The warriors have fought well and demand to see their enemy put on the coals.'

'They have already pillaged the countryside and despite our orders to police and assume peaceful control of Marverni's survivors have taken it upon themselves to make an example of any of these men that look a Pale One in the eye and as soon as no commander is around they are forcing themselves on their human womenfolk. It is an abomination! The enemy is all but vanquished. We are better than this. We cannot afford to become the monster that we fight. I would have expected this behaviour of the Marverni, but not our own. Nevertheless, we have bigger concerns ahead of us.' replied Mandred.

Chubu frowned and licked his pudgy lips, 'Yes, but...surely...' and got no more out before a breathless scout named C'teem burst into the Marverni throne room at a run.

"The Fomorian provinces are rebelling and the Fomorian host has revealed itself again! They have annhilated our besieging army with fearsome weapons of war and are heading straight for the Agarthan Capital as we speak!" the scout reported grimly.

Mandred turned his glare from C'teem back to Chubu, 'I don't want to hear anymore talk about bringing back the Old Ways of Punishment and Retribution. Take a Fist and subdue the last of Marverni's lands. We are needed up North and soon.' To C'teem he said, 'Enlist Wyrmlin and Gregor to defend the northern borderlands. Pay whatever they ask as long as they will leave the mercenary life and join with us. We will be there as soon as the southern border is secure.'

[Nosantee]

Tir na n'Og
Military Update

We have finally managed to break free from our imprisoned little state in our corner of the world, and we couldn't be happier. Our best men have begun traveling along the water sides and are claiming more lands in the name of The Scaled One. We will make swift use of their resources and continue a grand campaign until they are all ours.

In the movements we have encountered the people of Agartha an have unfortunately taken a few lands that they view as theirs. As much as it saddens us we simply cannot return them and we have nothing which to pay them back with. They are ours now, and hopefully they will not raise to the situation of starting another front on their many wars it seems they have.

With much chagrin, we view the Formorian defeat as something that is a good, however we are left with the new neighbors that they are unsure of. We still wait for more development.

Our Helheim friends continue to be great allies and brothers in arms. We hope we may make future pacts and rule the land side by side with the claim of the land.

Finally, with our most feared item coming up, we have discovered Marverni. Not so horrifying, but they are under siege by Himnom! The greatest threat to the land that exists as it is. Already we are mobilizing to fight them. We send this message, give us their intel and weaknesses. We will exploit, we will help you to defeat the giant menace!

Cartography updated. The world is clearer, and only continues to brighten as our God ever inches towards his return to us.