Total War: Seas of Change IC

[A_Dinosaur]

Kahealahana Holt
Encryption 0

Ophae

Spoiler

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We are honoured that you would begin our mutual relations with such generosity. We of the Urkit Council will gladly accept and will do our best to reciprocate in turn.

[Let'sGetKraken]

Spoiler: to GM

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2 Wayfinders (Ruling Caste) and 2 supporting villagers spent to chart a route to the Red Sea.

[GameOfChampions]

Opae

Spoiler: GM Message

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The Opae ride their drones to the Green Sea, travelling the Middle Sea and into the transitional seas. They know they have arrived when the smell of fertile lands and seas hit their nose. They arrive to a sea filled with seaweed, reefs, and algae everywhere. The paddles of the boats tangled practically every other stroke.

The Lush Sea, The Breeding Grounds, Enthome, The Green Sea.

---

The Endless Gaze

Spoiler: GM Message

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On the other side of the Sea the Gaze band together and bravely set out to travel over the edges of the map and into the distant, and deadly, Red Sea. They know they have arrived when they feel the ever present heat surrounding them, steam clouds in the sky, and islands full of lava in the distance. They had done it.

The Boiling Sea, the Land of Lava, Dragonhome... The Red Sea. They found it.

[mjorkk]

Opae
Message Encryption 0

Spoiler: IC Fluff, for Kahealahana Holt, but open for anybody to read.

Show

A combination of traditional ships and mind-controlled whales arrives on the shores of Kahealahana Holt, and while the whales are truly mindless slaves, with no more autonomy than the boats joining them, the musclebound complex warrior drones they carry are in-fact quite gregarious and personable, if perhaps single mindedly focused on the perfection and sculpting of their bodies. Outwardly, though they all have a shrimp in their brain, they are a cosmopolitan bunch, composed of a multitude of races, sparring and training daily unless given direct orders, which they follow with surprising efficiency. As for the simple drones, while significantly dulled in personality, as if high on too much kava root, are always smiling, and performing their duties to the letter... perhaps sometimes too much to the letter when left unsupervised. However, all of the drones, complex and simple, seem happy, and while they don't proselytize, if anyone questions them on it, they are more than pleased to pontificate on the bliss that comes from knowing your role in life with exact certainty, and never needing to fear death.

[GameOfChampions]

Turn 2

The seas rouse themselves as Tribes once more take to them both on the water and under it. Tribes sail through the Middle Sea and explore the islands once more in the aftermath of the Great Storm. Powerful Monsters, Ancient Curses, and Divine Remnants abound as the tribes make landfall.

Yet the complications of the islands are not the only things to occur in these dangerous Seas, the Children of the Sun come out of the Primal Storm looking for blood.

The Colony of the Great Turtle make their way peacefully through the Middle Sea, trading bits and pieces with others in the Sea and living with their great protector. As they sailed the Middle Sea between the islands they found themselves set upon by a fleet of war canoes from all angles.

The Children tie down the great turtle with ropes and board the shell. They kill the few who resist them and in the tribes surrender they liberate the common folk of the colony to join them in the greatness of venerating the sun.

---

This new half of the year sees the winds rising once more. The Primal Storm may have been the greatest of its kind but there are constant storms from the depths of the Divine Sea, home of the living storm.

Despite prayers and sacrifices from all over to Tahiso the storm does not stop growing. The storm will continue but in his magnanimous benevolence the Great Tahiso has revealed that the storm is coming.

Related to the oncoming storm the whale pods are surfacing in large groups, feeding in the shallows so as not to need to surface during the storms. The whale pods are favored by the great Tamihiro but are also sources of large amounts of food and ivory to the tribe capable of taking them down.

Be careful not to anger Tamihiro too much though, the taking of his children is never well received.

Spoiler: The Coming Storm

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The storm comes once more. After all parts of the EoT are resolved the storm will take effect. The base effect of every storm is the tribe loses 1d4 villagers and 1 Building is broken (Requires 5 Craft to repair). If a tribe has no building it loses a caste member at random.

Every Storm also has a special effect added to it from the list below. Each effect only happens once a game.
- Storm of Wrath
- Storm of Scouring
- Storm of Exploration
- Storm of Plenty
- Storm of Challenges
- Storm of Gods

Spoiler: Whale Hunt

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Tribes can dedicate 4 Wayfinders/Warriors to hunt whales, each one giving 10 food and 1 Ivory. However the tribes can only hunt 2d4+1 whales before the Tamihiro decides to punish the entire Middle Sea, even if they did not participate.

---

Leaderboard

Rank	Conquest	Exploration	Prosperity
First	Alu'Li Hunters/Children of the Sun	Raxitakra/Endless Gaze	Kahealahana Holt
Second	Coral Singers	Kahealahana Holt	Alu'Li Hunters
Third	Raxithakra	Children of the Sun/Alu'Li Hunters	Raxitakra

The Tribes in first Each gain 1 VP.

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First Place with VP is the Children of the Sun

---

EoTs due Sunday Feb 24th at Midnight

[bladescape]

The Raxithakra

The breeze changes once more. The tides skip and churn as the storm approaches. It was not the true storm, but that did not change the danger. The elders watched.

The Breezespeaker spoke.

Beneath the waves dark stone speckled with light surrounded the central meeting hall, as the Raxi gathered en masse. Their people murmured with the tide as the rocks shuffled around them. So soon? Was the storm undone? Was the dream too early?

The faithful did not agree.

Echoing amidst their midst was the song of wonder, and of worry.

Encryption 0:

Spoiler: To the Endless Gaze

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Your Warrior and Trader, returned without harm. They dreamt of calmer skies, and return refreshed to see madness once more.

We hope your gatherer returns as soundly. The advance was there to explore, and had not expected to encounter others.

I assume you, as well, explored seas beyond the scope of our own. Would you see slight if we enquired which ones? You may request a more... secure dream if it suits you.

Spoiler: To the Children of the Sun

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Oh worshippers of the burning sky, we see your hunt and spoils.

We hope your gatherers returned safely, we had not intended them harm, they merely tried to take that which we were already taking.

May your dreams be as bright as the sky above when you bow.

Spoiler: To the GM

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2 Wayfinders + 2 Townsfolk for Red Sea
2 Wayfinders + 2 Townsfolk for the Black Sea

Do I get maps of these as well or is that only at EOT?

[St. Justicar]

The Children of the Sun

The isle of the sun was alive was celebration. Bonfires and cooking pits dotted the beach as servants and aspiring humans alike celebrated the great fortune the tribe’s canoes had returned so heavily laden with. Rich aromas of spit pig and roasted fowl mixed with the sweetness of fresh and stewed fruits. The strong wines had been broken out hours ago, and now joyously discordant music and singing echoed out from a dozen different groups. It was a raucous celebration, a day and a night of true delights before the weather turned and the storms returned.

The experience was quite different for the spoils taken in that glorious victory. The former riders of the Great Turtle had been dragged from their beds amid noxious smoke and predawn light, then beaten into compliance with club and spear butt. All those who now stood upon the beach had submitted quickly – their more courageous brothers and sisters had been left with their huts and tents as funeral pyres.

Those with talent or skill had been quickly separated out by the priests who accompanied the raid. From the rest, the victorious chiefs and warriors each in turn chose a new servant to adopt into their household, who might now tend their fires and prepare their meals.

The more prudent and obeisant among them already rushed around, serving their new master and their companions’ food and drink and performing whatever dance or performance was demanded of them by drunken celebrants. The prouder and less pragmatic amused in less harmless ways – hot coals and fire-cracked turtle shells played prominent roles, for the most human among the Children had grown inured to any mundane heat, and so were entertained by the vulnerability of those within their power.

Eight Cormorant was a war-chief and, if not the foremost of the Children, was skilled and well-respected enough to have no issue gathering up young warriors in his raids and schemes. After this great victory, he was easily the most famous and fearsome man on the island, and the gifts of fine and polished shells he distributed now won him many friends. So, despite the lack of official ceremony or council, the crowd gathered around his far was large and eager to hear him speak.

”Is it not lovely to be the hands of justice? Xiyah itself offered the turtle-dwellers the chance to offer up gifts and aid in building its house on the mountain. For their blasphemy in refusing, they suffered. For our piety in going out to retrieve Xiyah’s gifts from them regardless, we are blessed with gifts of our own. Do you understand me, son?”

The youth next to him by the fire was grown but not yet a man – his skin unmarked by tattoo or scar, his blood unthickened with humanity – but he was hale and well-built, and would surely be a fine warrior once initiated. He nodded as his elder spoke, but could not hide the confusion upon his face. He nodded at the captive even now approaching with a plate of fruit and berries.

“So they have been cursed? If Xiyah took offence, wouldn’t it be more....obvious?” He gestured up at Xiyah, glorious and radiant as it swam through the sky. “The priests have a thousand stories about it’s might and greatness, not so much of it being sneaky or subtle.”

Eight Cormorant laughed. It was a loud and good-matured sound, the thick and vital blood in his veins giving his good humour a strength and echo beyond what mortal lungs would allow. “If a god takes personal offence at you you’ll only wish hot coals were the worst to happen to you. They’re being tested, that’s all. Some have the stuff of real humans in them, most of the rest will be more workers and thralls enjoying the peace and security of our island. Maybe the rest of the turtle-riders will come to their senses and we can send the more disappointing ones back to them. Who knows?

Whatever the youth might have said in reply to that was interrupted by the tray of fruits finally arriving. Then a pair of other aspiring young warriors got into a proper fight over some youthful triviality, and the whole conversation was forgotten as the fire stood as one and rushed over to cheer and clap as they drew first blood.

* * *

The ceremony at the peak of the Mountain of the Sun was far small and more selective in its celebrants, and far less enjoyable for those honoured with the chance to participate.

The house of Xiyah was still far from deserving of its glory, but it was at least no longer an insult to presume it might accept the hospitality. Fine scrimshaw of horn and bone was laid over each window, casting the mud-brick interior in dancing shadows that, when the sun favoured them, evoked various great myths and legends which aspiring priests would learn by heart to regale the other Children with.

But those peripheral rooms were for priests and visitors. The innermost sanctum was more tomb than hut, the fine carvings on its clay walls left obscure unless they caught Xiyah’s interest – for the only illumination was provided by a single opening at the very centre of the ceiling, cut in such a way that there were only an hour or two on a clear and sunny day where there was light enough to work within it.

Three Eclipse and their most favoured acolytes were gathered for the first such auspicious day and hour since the tribe’s warriors has returned victorious, and they were assembled to offer Xiyah its rightful share of the victory. The platter in the centre of the room was fireglass, an ancient and sacred relic from Xiyah’s first visit to the surface of the world – now it was piled high with fine bone and shells, food and drink, dried skin bearing the tattoos of particularly fearsome warriors who had fallen in the raid. The first and finest share of everything, for what else would suffice?

The ritual had begun at the moment of dawn, the doors leading out of the sanctum sealed shut with hot mud as the last celebrant entered. By the time light began to fall within, the air was already heavy and fetid, salty sweat and sweet decay filling every breath and adding to the sense of holy delirium. There were drums and pipes and singing, heavy wine without food to balance it, repetitive chants that emptied the mind and called forth the heart.

As the first light fell, each priest in turn drew a knife across their palm and offered up the wound; the blood bubbling and hissing as it rose into the light.

Three Eclipse was last, as was only right, and made their offering just as Xiyah reached its zenith in the sky. More was taken of them than their juniors, a wispy spiral of red-brown smoke rising up from their hand until they grew faint and needed support to hold their arm out.

Perhaps for a moment they felt fear, a sick worry that they would be emptied out and left a bloodless husk as punishment for presuming to demand the attention of the Sun.

Then the light grew brighter. Like a midday falling star, growing more and more brilliant with each moment. A drop of Xiyah’s own blood, shed in answer to their own – a liquid and molten light, so brilliant as it fell through the sanctum’s opening that it blinded every celebrant.

Then all the offered blood gathered up within the air fell onto it, and the room was filled with steam as if water was poured on a red-hot stone. The light cooled enough that those gathered could just barely stand to open their eyes and look upon it. A solar egg in one moment, and in the next a fully grown bird unfurling its wings. An eight-winged raptor of fire and light, gaining substance as the hair grew hazy and scorched, and the smoke from the immolating offerings below it were added to its claws and feathers.

All gathered were feverish and faint, sweat pouring down their bare, burning skin from being so near a shard of the divine. But Three Eclipse kept their composure and supplicated themselves, and all around them followed suit.

The bird opened its beak, and down on the beach and for an hour’s journey across the water a great, reverberating cry was heard.

The captives grew fearful and confused, but every true devotee of the Sun only redoubled their celebration. For if Xiyah had taken notice of its children, then they were blessed indeed.

Encryption 0

Spoiler: Raxithrakra

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No offence was taken, there was bounty enough for all. But our number grow, and each mouth requires fruit and meat to fill it – if you return to Rolling Hills Isle this season, we shall not be so gracious or gentle.

But if you desire friendship, perhaps we can meet on more friendly terms. We have a great bounty of resources, and not enough skilled hands to work them, as well as a brave wayfinder to chart a path to emptier and richer waters – what labor would you ask in exchange?

Spoiler: Great Turtle Colony

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Oh squatters upon the shell of the great turtle,

I am glad that you were so forthcoming in providing gifts for the glory of the sun when its children arrived to collect them. You were in fact over-generous – our beaches teem with villagers of no blood or talent. Do you desire their return? Some exchange might be agreed to.

[A_Dinosaur]

The Kahealahana Holt
Encryption 0

The trade winds billow fair, a boon before the storm. At every corner of the Middle Sea Ilowai come and go aboard outriggers or on the simple strength of their swimming, offering trade in food or goods to those who would wish it. At the Kahealahana Atoll itself, the island bristles with new souls and new skills, Patrol riggers of warriors new and old pull closer to shore and the craftsmen of the holt begin their preparations for the coming season.


Opae

Spoiler

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Your warriors were a grand boon of last season, please, if you need resources for any of your building project or storm preparations, let the Urkit council know and we will do our best to provide it.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

To All

Spoiler

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To all those looking for resources for the coming season, the Kahealahana Holt can provide a wealth of resources from across the isles. We seek traders and warriors this season, and will offer fair prices to any who are interested.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Sunken Eyed Raiders

Spoiler

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Greetings once again to the fearsome folk of the waves. Our trading of last season was a boon to both of our causes I hope. We come seeking much the same this season, as there is always the need for more trade. Would you be willing to trade more food for the services of your trader? We have resources as well should you need them.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

To GM

Spoiler

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Looking to chart a route to Bamboo Island, Lone Prak Island, and potentially Rolling Hills Island as well depending on the costs of the others. Could I get the wayfinder costs to chart those routes?

[A_Dinosaur]

The Kahealahana Holt
Encryption 0

The Children of the Sun

Spoiler

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Greetings Warriors of Light, we of Kahealahana seek trade after the success of your most recent conquests. We have resources and potentially even warriors should your cause need their services. We are seeking traders and craftsmen, would your folk be interested in such a barter?

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Coral Singers

Spoiler

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Greetings Sculptors of Beauty, your generous gifts last season have encouraged many of the holt to think of further tribute in hopes of similar gifts from your halls. We have priests and resources, potentially even warrior mercenaries if your halls seek war. We seek the talents of your traders, or potentially your incredible craftsmanship should it be available.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Undying Congregation

Spoiler

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Greetings once again to the Great and Terrible Congregation, last season the shifting currents prevented sacrifice to be sent to your halls, but perhaps this season we can acquire the services of your traders and craftsmen in exchange for resources? We grasses and shells abound that would surely decorate your shrines in ways pleasing to the everlasting gods.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

To GM

Spoiler

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Gonna Chart a route to Bamboo island and Lone Prak Island for two wayfinders each, plus 2 dreamers to each to uncover any complications. Chart a permanent route to skull island for 1 wayfinder.

[Eldan]

The Coral Singers

Shelter
To save the world from the storm, they first had to secure themselves. A logical conclusion. But planning soon showed that to be effective, it would have to be errected far above the tide line, where coral would not grow naturally. There simply was no time to dream the building in segments and carry it uphill, so instead, some ingenious planning had to be done. Soon, protected in a little valley between the island's highest hills arose what looked like a whale's ribcage, or the skeleton of a vast hide boat. Massive curved spars, twice the height of a man, grown from porous white coral, light enough to be carried by one man, but tall enough to errect a building. The walls, though, had to be made from other materials. Painstakingly. And so, seashells were layered, one on top of the other, row after row, threaded on strings, an entire hall of overlapping scales, large enough for an entire tribe and all their most valued goods. It would weather this storm, and whatever else would come.

The Holt [0]

Spoiler

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His Grace shines on you this turn, for we have decided to bestow upon you two great opportunities. First, you will be allowed to host one of our traders this season, and he will bring with him a most generous gift, intended to spread the beauty of the Lord of Corals to another island.
Additionally, you may send a delegation of your most high-ranking priests, who will be allowed to set foot on our island, to witness and perhaps even assist in the blessing of the Lord of Corals.

-Hawea Coral Dreamer

OOC: Trade to be made is 1 +1 craft good and 1 trader for 2 priests and 1 crafter.

[GameOfChampions]

Turtle Colony
Encryption 0

Spoiler: Children of the Sun

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We will never deal with you Children of Blood. Your disregard for our lives only heightens our fury. We shall bring you down or stick in your maw while you devour us at the very least!

Spoiler

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Shockingly they don't want to trade with you

Spoiler: All

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We would request all who care for love and order to send us warriors or villagers please. We wish to defend our way of life from the bloodthirsty Children of the Sun. We cannot promise to repay anything but you will have our loyalty and friendship.

Spoiler

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Please. Anything Helps

---

Sunken Eye Raiders
Encryption 0

Spoiler: Kahealahana Holt

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Greetings,

The trade last season was good. We would be willing to send you our trader again but would request instead a warrior of the Holt to join us for a season. Possibly instead a powerful weapon to enhance our own warriors.

Spoiler

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Instead of food 1 Warrior or a Weapon item for the Trader this turn.

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The Undying Congregation
Encryption 0

Spoiler: Kahealahana Holt

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OUR GOD DESIRES ONLY BLOOD TO DECORATE HIS TEMPLES AND WE SHALL DRENCH THEM IN IT. WE HAVE BONE AND IVORY TO GILD AND NOW REQUIRE ONLY ETERNAL RED WATER!

SEND US YOUR SLAVES, YOUR OLD, YOUR YOUNG! WE SHALL BRING THEM PURPOSE!

Spoiler

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They want only villagers. Caste members to sacrifice work too but I doubt that'll work.

---

Kahealahana Holt

Spoiler: GM Only

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All routes created.

Lone Peak island has a powerful and ever hungry energy coming off of it... waiting for blood to feed it. Its a powerful source coming from the center of the island.

Bamboo Island seems to be totally fine. Nothing detected by the dreamers.

Spoiler

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Lone Peak has a complication that costs 3 Warriors to defeat now and will grow more deadly at a rate of +1 Warrior a turn.

[St. Justicar]

The Children of the Sun

Encryption 0

Spoiler: Turtle Colony, All

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Let it be known that the floatsom and barnacles who infest the shell of the great leviathan have insulted and blasphemed against the Sun, and spurned offers of reconciliation in good faith. Xiyah’s rays shall bleach and blister their flesh, and the spears of its children shall pierce their hearts and pluck out their eyes.

Spoiler: Kahealahana Holt

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A trader for a warrior we can happily arrange. For anything grander – what sort of resources do you have? Ivory, jade or obsidian we would pay dearly for.

Spoiler: Undying Congregation

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Your god is shadowed and noxious to the senses, but you at least know the worth of life. The scavengers atop the great turtle clearly do not – what can you offer in exchange for the villagers they do not care to ransom back?

Spoiler: All

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Victory brings riches, but on occasion riches without use. From the Great Turtle Colony we have plucked a fortune of blue shells (tier 2, Way, Trade, Dream, Craft) , for which we have no immediate use. If anyone wishes to acquire them, all fair offers for trade shall be considered.

[Eldan]

To the Children of the Sun

Spoiler

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Since your hands, after being turned to war, are too crude to be worthy of such fine raw materials, what is it you desire? The Lord of Corals has many bounties.

[bladescape]

The Raxithakra

To the Children of the Sun:

Spoiler: Encryption 0

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Hunters of the Burning Sky, we sojourned there to feast before delving to deeper spoils as the dream bades. We have no interest in the small isle. Your obsession with it has been noted.

Our craftsfolk will be busy with the storm this tide. And our wayfinders are beyond these seas. We could perhaps trade in sea routes, as we are busy remapping the five oceans streams, an endeavour we are progressing steadily along.

To the GM:

Spoiler: Private Request

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Thesikathrix (VIP Way2 = 4 strength route mapping) + 2 Dreamers will be exploring the route to the Island of the Great Tree.

[Writtensanity]

When the day is a dance close to the edge of death, you should spend your evenings dancing in life.

A great pyre is burning on the beach of Alu'li. A massive torch of wood slathered in the oil and blubber of the fish-like monster that the gods had brought to stand against the Hunters. Near it, a set of carvers works in a quiet trance, peeling skin and sinew from the skull of the monster, both harvesting food and making a trophy.

It was a night of celebration, one the hunters sorely needed, but even then, with the darkening sky on the horizon it was clear that the great storm would never truly be over. Waves had been climbing higher in the past days. The dreamers said that it was an echo of old disasters, the priests had started claiming that the tide would only be stayed with blood.

It hadn't taken long for the people to take a side. More monsters would be slain, that was how the Alu'li had always pleased the Gods, and maybe this would be how they could do it in the future.

The call to the hunt would echo over the canopies of Alu'li.

Spoiler: To GM

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Spending 1 Dreamer to add encryption to my messages.

Looking to spend my 5 Wayfinders to make routes to Dragonhome, Burning Crystal and Salamander Island in the Red sea. (If the numbers work)

Encryption 1:

Spoiler: To the Children of the Sun

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Our dreamers have seen your call out to the sun.

We offer a bounty of Ivory. Cut from the gnashing tusk-teeth of a seabeast. You said you would offer great wealth for such a bounty. What do you offer for our trophy?

[Let'sGetKraken]

The Endless Gaze

Encryption 0

Spoiler: To the Raxithakra

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All is forgiven. No blood was shed.


Another missive will reach you soon, regarding your request.

Spoiler: To Everyone

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To all who travelled wide, or have dreams of seas beyond our own - the Gaze shares freely, and hope you do in turn. We went to seas of fathomless cold and unceasing flames. We sailed to seas White and Red.

And we now ask in turn - share which seas you have explored, if any. We may share in the glory together. Should we journey on and find that we are not the first to discover a sea, when we could have been warned, as we have in turn, we shall be displeased. And so will the Eyes Above.

Spoiler: OOC

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So, if two factions explore a sea in the same phase, they share the VP received. If people share what seas they explored, we can all share the VP for exploring any remaining ones. For only 5 wayfinders, you can claim a VP - in concert with others, of course.

And should your wayfinders be spent... well. We could be persuaded to share, perhaps.

Oh, and should the Gaze explore a sea this turn - as it will do this turn - and finds that it was discovered last turn, it will noticeable cool relations with the Endless Gaze.

[St. Justicar]

The Children of the Sun

Encryption 0

Spoiler: Coral Singers

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We would exchange them for coral of equal weight and richness, should you have it. Ivory, Jade or Obsidian would be equally welcome. Else, we might host some great delegation of craftsmen who come to receive it, should they stay to offer their skills for a time as well.

Spoiler: Raxithakra

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We would be greatly interested in a path to one of the further seas, to be sure. What sort of price would you desire for it?

Spoiler: Hunters of Alu’li

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We offer in exchange a great bounty of blue shells, gathered with patience and care by the scavengers who live atop the great leviathan who shed them. They catch the light most mesmerisingly, and are well-formed to be worked into tools and trophies both. Would you prefer payment in some other form?

[bladescape]

The Raxithakra

To the Endless Gaze:

Spoiler: Encryption 0

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We sailed White and Green last tide. We will be charting the Red and Black this tide. This is in response to your global dream

To the Children of the Sun:

Spoiler: Encryption 0

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Perhaps resources should you have too many to spin? We have uses that are not form-making. Otherwise spare villagers for us to use to harvest that we have found. Perhaps other requests depending on the discoveries of our dreamers soon.

(OOC: As far as I can remember, me "giving you the route" would only reduce the cost, instead of actually giving you the access. Confirming with GM rn but take that into account for costs.)

[GameOfChampions]

Undying Congregation
Encryption 0

Spoiler: Children of the Sun

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THE GREAT ONE BELOW ALWAYS THIRSTS FOR THE LIFEBLOOD OF WE MORTAL SCUM. SEND US YOUR UNWORTHY THAT THEY BE MADE GREATER WHEN THEY ARE BESTOWED TO THE UNDYING ONE BELOW! THE GOD BELOW THE DEPTHS SHALL BE TOLD OF YOUR OBEISANCE IN OUR PRAYERS WHILE THE OTHER HEATHENS OF THIS SEA LANGUISH IN FORGOTTEN CORNERS PRAYING THE GOD DOES NOT REMEMBER THEIR DISRESPECT WHEN HE RISES

WE SHALL SEND OUR MEMBERS TO PREACH AMONG YOUR CONGREGATION WHILE THEY DO YOUR WORKS.

Spoiler

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They will trade use of a Trader or Craftsmen for a villager to be sacrificed.

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Alu'Li Hunters

Spoiler: GM Only

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Each of those Islands will cost 2 Way to get to from your home island.

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The Raxithakra

Spoiler: GM Only

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The route is completed and the dreamer sent senses a hungry great bird roosting in the branches of the great tree.

While en-route to the island the great explorer discovers a current to the Purple Flowering Island in the Black Sea.

[bladescape]

The Raxithakra

To GM:

Spoiler: Private

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1 Way + 2 Dream = Frozen Plains Island (White Sea)
1 Way + 2 Dream = Dragonhome Island (Red Sea)

To the Children of the Sun:

Spoiler: Encryption 0

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We are in need of one single warrior, and know your forces are archons of such martial discipline. Would we be able to trade routes or something else for them?

[A_Dinosaur]

Kahealahana Holt
Encryption 0

The Coral Singers

Spoiler

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A gift of crafting goods from your hall would be a rare honour indeed, our priests shall sing your praises to the gods and our craftsmen will help with whatever fabrications your halls require in this exchange.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Children of the Sun

Spoiler

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The Price you offer is fair, but would you perhaps accept a bounty of 1 coral instead? Our warriors are called away to dangerous isles this season to protect hunting parties, and thus are mighty precious to the cause of our holt.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Endless Gaze

Spoiler

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Alas our wayfinders have already set sail for the living sea, though surely we are not the only ones to chart it. Safe waters and kind winds to your explorers this season though.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Sunken Eyed Raiders

Spoiler

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A fair price, though we could equally offer 1 ivory, a tier 2 resource if you would trade it.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Undying Congregation

Spoiler

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A sacrifice then, 1 villager for the services of your craftsmen. We have a few among us who surely deserve to meet your thirsting gods.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

[St. Justicar]

The Children of the Sun

Encryption 0

Spoiler: Raxithakra

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We would be happy to exchange bone or grass for the current to a distant sea. Our warriors alas are needed in service to the Sun – we could offer one, but the price would be steep. A route as well as the services of one of your Dreamers for the season, say. [Ruling caste warriors are a very valuable resource, sorry]

Spoiler: Undying Congregation

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Expect your sacrifice on the tide then, and we shall await your craftsmen on the same.

If you are willing, we would happily provide twice the sacrifices for both potential payments (2 villagers for crafter AND trader)

Spoiler: Kahealahanna Holt

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Coral for Cerulean Shells is a trade we would be happy to accept.

Spoiler: GM Only

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Spending 1 Wayfinder to create a trade route with the Undying Congregation

Also spending 1 to make a route too Coconut Island as well

[Let'sGetKraken]

The Endless Gaze

Encryption 0

Spoiler: GM Only

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2 Wayfinders (Ruling) and 2 villagers used to chart a route to the Black Sea.

2 Wayfinder (Ruling) used to chart a route to Peaks of Ice Island. 2 Dreamers used to identify complications.

2 Wayfinder (Ruling) used to chart a route to Falling Lava Island. 2 Dreamers used to identify complications.

[A_Dinosaur]

The Kahealahana Holt
Encryption 0

The Children of the Sun

Spoiler

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Alas, our need for coral outweighs our need for blue shells. Perhaps commerce will flow on another occasion. We wish you safe sailing through the coming storm.

The Undying Congregation

Spoiler

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The hour grows late, and our trades unconfirmed. I will call again in the coming season to see if there is still sacrifice required.

The Sunken Eyed Raiders

Spoiler

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The hour grows late, we will send a warrior in exchange for your trader. May your campaigns find success through the coming storm.

[mjorkk]

Opae

Message Encryption 0

Spoiler: To the Kahealahana Holt

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We thank you for your offer of trade, though this cycle we have little need of your resources, beyond friendship. We do think fondly on the time we spent with you through the bodies of our warriors, and it was very enlightening. Your inclination towards storytelling and collective action through trade showed us that sociality tempered by what you call "the market" can be not dissimilar to our own eusociality. The immortality of telling stories of the dead, and of and social memory is less complete than our own, but it is not entirely as... suicidal... as we once thought. We do not have the resources to do this at the moment, but in the future, we would be interested in strengthening the bonds between our eusocial hive, and your social hive: there are many more toxic social hives roaming the seas who engage in antisocial behavior from which more healthy hives must be protected. (OOC I've been planning to ultimately forge an alliance in the long run since turn 1, and at-least RP-wise, you are my closest ally.)

Spoiler: To Sunken-Eye Raiders

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We also learned of you through your trade relations with our ally. Your sociality is not a healthy hive, but one based on a slavery and predation far more vile than what the single-minded hives accuse me of. Unlike you, we will not force any of your individuals to join our hive, as we respect individual autonomy, but we no longer respect the validity of your social hive, and hope that the wiser among you see the wisdom in joining the hive's immortality. Look at what happened to the denizens of the great turtle, and to your own victims from even smaller tribes. If you believe that you can escape this fate inevitably, you are fools. Sapient beings should cooperate, not predate upon each other. Please see reason.

Spoiler: GM Only

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END OF TURN SENT

[GameOfChampions]

Turn 3

Kihawahine, The Boiling Dragon, raised his head and smelled the air. Usually it was a calming scent of brimstone, ash, and heated stone. Now something was changing it! What was disturbing his lands?

Kihawahine shifted his body and in one smooth motion launched himself upwards, erupting out of the top of the mountain like an eruption of living lava. The great dragon spreads their wings and catches the air, gliding through the air and taking in the spits of stone and mountain in the ever hot sea beneath him. What was that below him?

Are those humans? What were they doing in the Red Sea? Didn’t they all perish in the banishment from the god sea and some big storm a while back?

Hmmm, maybe they have tribute to present to him. The great dragon swoops down to a canoe of humans looking at a massive river of lava on an island. They could figure out tribute later, right now the great dragon was hungry from his nap and needed a snack

---

Whetuga pauses as he finished pulling up his mussel rope, they had laid a dozen thick ropes in the middle of the bed of mussels before leaving for a year as they slowly made their way around the fertile sea. By this point a whole slew of mussels should have grown on the rope but the rope only had a small group of baby mussels not even worth eating.

This was not the first time they had come to a farm and found there food sources already gathered in the last few weeks. Someone was taking their food before they returned to farm it themselves. They had been the only ones in the Fertile Sea for so long, were the new people coming terrifying monsters that were going to kill them all and eat them? Kidnap them and enslave them?

Maybe it was time to start hiding their farms a little more carefully and gather a store of food for trading and/or bribing purposes.

---

Gunnbjorn snaps the thick spinal cord of the seel and slurps down the marrow and juices within. One of the younger cubs snuffles towards the open spine and Gunnbjorn snarls at him, it was his meal and the cub would have to go hunt his own prey. The bear man tosses the rest of the bone into his mouth and crunches down, grinding the tough spine down to nothing, as he gets up.

He gives a loud howl to gather the tribe to him. All over the ice flow the bear tribe gets up from their naps, their meals, and their rough housing. The alpha called.

Gunnbjorn leads his people on the hunt, food was running scare and they needed to find more so the tribe could survive. They take off at a run, a combination of bipedal and all fours, moving over ice flows, islands, and water. The seals were avoiding their routes, the whales had gone deep into the sea, and the herds had been thinned by them already.

The hunger would undo their very tribe soon if they didn’t find anything to eat.

Then they found a sign, a broken canoe with two drowned bodies in it. They had not seen anything like this on the frozen sea before, the Ever Hungry was the last tribe to survive in the Ever White.

There may be fresh blood coming to the sea. Right now though, the tribe was hungry and they had found some food.

---

Oraga dips his paddle in the inky black sea, his canoe slowly sailing along the water without leaving a ripple in the water. He and another pair of canoes are slowly moving through the water, communicating through gentle taps on the canoe rather then talking.

In the distance he sees a torch on another light… another victim joined the sea.

---

Swim… sea depths…. Food

Eggs?... Female?… dead fish

Big wave!... Fun tides

New friend? Little person!

Little person followers? Shell? Shell!

No Dive… paddle water

Shell shedding… followers… shaping

Little person on head… keeping safe

Canoes… pointy things… followers gone! Attack!

Swim away!... little friend safe!
Pointy things return!... Everyone gone!... Little Friend?

Save Little Friend!... mouth!... dive deep… safe.

… where go?

---

Spoiler: Friends are... Turtles?

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The Fall of the Turtle Colonists has seen the great turtle flee with his little friend, the only survivors. They are looking for a new tribe to join to protect them. The tribe able to dedicate the greatest amount to bribe or protect them will be the new home for the Turtle pair.

Spoiler: OOC

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You can dedicate Warr/Way/Traders to gain the Tier 1 (Way) VIP. Losing bids are dedicated to stat development of players choice next turn.

Spoiler: Friends are... Desperate

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NPC's are revealed in the other seas. One in each sea. Actions with NPCs this round are twice as impactful as normal to relations.

---

Leaderboard

Rank	Conquest	Exploration	Prosperity
First	Children of the Sun	Raxitakra	Coral Singers
Second	Alu'li Hunters	Endless Gaze	Kahealahana Holt
Third	Coral Singers	Kahealahana Holt	Alu'Li Hunters

The Tribes in first Each gain 1 VP.

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First Place with VP is the Children of the Sun

---

EoTs due Sunday Mar 16th at Midnight

[A_Dinosaur]

The Kahealahana Holt
Encryption 0

The rain’s percussion had settled a steady stream into a narrow gully where Pocza and Ewip had settled their snare spot, and from the top of the bank Locja could see the two sullenly pulling up the stakes and moving them higher up out of the softening mud. With the new context of his scouting, details of the island suddenly stood out sharply, bizarre that they had not already been noticed, the trees with bleached bark, the strange lack of ground ferns, the abundance of bird and bug song, but the utter absence of scurrying creatures that should have thrived in such a nominally lush grove. Digging one paw into the earth behind him for balance, he slid down the bank, extra careful to avoid touching any protruding roots or hanging vines now. At the rustle of his decent, the other two warriors snatched up slings and spears before relaxing at the sight of their missing member.

“Have you spotted our quarry Loc?” She had to shout slightly over the rattle of the downpour. “I’m getting mighty sick of this rain forcing us to remake our traps every hour.”

“Ae, I have spotted it Ewip, and the good news is you’ll need not set anymore snares,” He splashed into the swelling creek with a slight leap, swimming to the other bank to join the others. “Bad news is that we may not have too much time to kill it. There is a great hollow thing at the base of the mount, and our quarry spills out from it. No landshark or Terrorbat as we had thought, it is some great plant thing. I watched it all yesterday until the eve, and in just that time more vines and growths emerged. Its already devoured much of the islands life, and it seeks ever more, look.”

He gestured to the dead trees, and saw the pieces falling into place for his companions, many oddities from past days of scouting and setup slowly coming together to form a complete picture.

Pocza spoke, coiling the now useless snare rope. “If it is a plant creature, I would say fire, but this rain is going to douse that strategy. We could probably get Lurao and Holt Ref to boil salt for us, but that won’t do much to the bark and skin of this thing.”

“I had the same thought,” Locja said, Lurao was a Coral Singer who was helping to survey the island, and Holt Ref was the Ilowai family sent to help him. “But I think it might be like a bottle gourd, just by the leaves and fruit, and those have tap roots. If we can dig it up and salt it, it will whither within a few days.”

Ewip chuckled, “So what? We get some shovels and start scrabbling at the base of a plant that had the Kahealahana dream lodge puking their guts out?”

Locja grinned, whiskers twitching. “Not quite what I had in mind, don’t pack that rope quite yet Poc, I have an idea.”

Players:

All

Spoiler

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The Kahealahana Holt once again ply the waters, having survived the latest surge of storms. We seek trade, as we always do, though this season it is the services of craftsmen from all seas that we seek. We can trade in resources abound, or the services of our own fine folk should your islands require them.

The Opae

Spoiler

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Allegiance is a fickle thing, though your willingness to help our folk and your trust in our handling of your warriors those seasons ago is worth a great deal in our eyes. There is no question that dangerous hives and holts do dump their poisons into these waters. Alliances require investment to maintain, and while our holt simply cannot spare the people to upkeep such a thing right now, it is certainly something that we can build together in later seasons.

For this immediate season however, is there a project which you seek help on? At the very least we can arrange some favorable trades, if not much more.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Coral Singers

Spoiler

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Greetings once again oh magnificent shapers of beauty. The season was kind to us with regards to resources, and we have bounty to offer as tribute if your halls would grace ours with their blessings once again. Or perhaps you still require the services of our priests, their numbers continue to grow as they find purpose working the blessings of your songs, and we have 3 available to trade should such a host be required.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

The Aluli Hunters

Spoiler

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Seasons ago, we approached the shaded beaches of your islands, seeking trade, we approach once again, eager to trade for the services of your mysterious craftsmen and to know the secret of how your prosperous reputation has grown so quickly from what we knew of your folk such scant seasons ago.

The Urkit Council of Kahealahana

[bladescape]

The Raxithakra

The seas churned once more, but as the waves settled, the school bustled with activity. The wavefinders went forth once more. The craftsmen rebuilt after the storm ripped through the extensions they had made outside of their shelters. It would not be the last. It was not the first. It was yet another on the tide curling around them. The Dreamer had told them there would be more. They would be ready.

The Dreamers collected together, a spoke of the wheel turning. Each echo of the others speaking was just another that the Raxi heard. Each request and dream on the tide another to give to their dreamer.

The Path stepped forward amongst all, the tide bringing tale of task unfinished, a map incomplete. But soon.

Soon.

The dream echoed and the words of the Raxi filled the seas...

To all Players:

Spoiler: Encryption 0

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The Raxithakra have explored many of the seas now. Our dreams have scoured edges and sailed tides. Our path has paved ways and broken boundaries.

We seek trade. We are willing to pay in maps. Whether it be to the distant Seas or to a specific island. Unfortunately our trails are of those beneath the sea, so while our map of currents will aid you, you will still need wayfinders of your own.

In return, your skilled and able-bodied clansmen would find use in our tribe this tide.(I'm offering to give -2 Wayfinder discounts on Sea Charts or Islands. This is obviously valuable for reducing your costs overhead, so I'm looking for stat trades where possible. Maybe a bundle of items. Warriors/Craftsmen are the most needed this turn.)

To the Kahealahana Holt

Spoiler: Encryption 0

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Greetings Hunters and speakers. We also seek trade, however our interest in sending our Craftpeople abroad this tide is low. Would there be any other interest you have? Or perhaps the trades we have sent in the dreams of all may interest you.

To the GM:

Spoiler: Private (GM)

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Thesikathrix + 2 Dreamers to explore the path to Dark Ritual island.
+ Free chart path
+ resource (Trait)

[St. Justicar]

The Children of the Sun

The greatest warriors among the Children lined the beach, facing Xiyah as it completed its leisurely swim beneath the horizon. Their canoes say in the surf, each laden with the food, water and tools they might need for their voyage.

Between the men and their boats stood Three Eclipse and a half-dozen of their most favoured acolytes, each with a knife of polished stone in one hand and the hair or scalp of a bound and kneeling captive in the other.

”Xiyah is kind and merciful, and as dutiful children we are the same. We have offered the scavengers who soil the back of the Great Turtle reconciliation and friendship, that all slights might be forgiven and a the path to a new future found.

They have spurned us! They have blasphemed! They care not for their cousins or for their future!

It is your duty to answer them. You are the favoured children of the sun. Your arms are strong, and your blood is bright. Reduce all they are to heat and light, and exult in the glory you find in so doing.”

Now they brandished the knife, their grip on the captive on his knees before them tight enough to keep the panicking man from doing more than lightly wriggling.

”The barnacles and scum refused to ransom their kin! They care no more for their siblings and cousins than one barnacle does for another! And Xiyah is merciful, but it is also just! If they care so little for the lives of their tribe, then the warmth of their hearts shall guide us to their homes.”

Seven knives slashed across seven throats in perfect time. Seven somewhat less favoured acolytes knelt before each, holding up heavy wooden boils to catch every droplet of blood that sprayed and pour from the victims’ throats.

Even before Three Eclipse touched it, it caught the light of the setting in the strangest way. As Xiyah faded from view, it became more and more clear than it had actually begun to faintly glow in its own right.

It was the work of at least an hour to daub each warrior with the correct patterns of bloody war-paint, the glowing sigils on their face and chests that would guide them unerring to the turtle and ensure their spears and arrows found their mark – the light shed blood’s light made the whole labour strange and joyful. Truly, Xiyah had seen, and approved of what they did.

The canoes left soon after the last warrior was adorned.

* * *

Those who made their lives atop the Great Turtle had already suffered one deadly raid in the weeks before – most were ready to run as soon as they knew the Children returning. Of course, when the raiders arrived with the rising sun, many didn’t get a chance to put any such plans into action.

It was barely even a battle, really. Blood shed and lives lost, but only from one side – riches won, but little glory.

Still, riches aren’t nothing. The Children of the Sun helped themselves to everything they could carry, brought the most skilled and treasured tribesmen and -women with them with polite but firm directions, and the rest they could catch with kicks and the flat of spears.

Their canoes slid back into the waters heavy and overladen, a dangerous risk as the skies grew dark and the waters choppy. Still, one well worth it for those who returned to the Isle of the Sun safe and weighed down with trophies.

And whatever rot and ruin they left in their wake was soon swallowed by the waves, as the great turtle at last grew tired of the surface and returned to its home within the depths.

Encryption 0

Spoiler: Undying Congregation

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Greetings, supplicants of night and rot.

Our arrangement this past season was satisfactory for us. Have you sated your dire patron and won the fortune you seek?

Spoiler: Sunken Eye Raiders

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Greetings, oh sharks in the skin of men.

Our warriors will soon sit idle, without enemy to defeat or trial to surpass. A problem you are well aware of, I’m sure. So I ask in the spirit of friendship – have you any appealing purposes to which they might be put?

Spoiler: ALL

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Our offer from the season past remains – we have an abundance of blue shells, and would much rather possess coral, ivory or obsidian to offer up for Xiyah’s glory. Failing that, other offers might be accepted as well.

We have need for wayfinders and dreamers as well, and could offer less resources or the services of our own in exchange.

[mjorkk]

Opae

Message Encryption 0

Spoiler: To the Kahealahana Holt

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We understand. Hive-like structures do not evolve overnight, or even over single seasons, through the eusocial signal you call "trust." As such, we come once again with an offer we believe to be more than fair. Our number of complex drones has grown faster than expected, and the ability of our simple drones to maintain them has suffered. We understand that you could make use of construction drones. We would be more than willing to lend out the services an able bodied team of construction drones (1 unit) and in exchange all we would require is that the "villagers" you have who serve as simple drones for your hive maintain its health during your time of use. If you were to offer us a pittance of resource for the trouble it would further build our trust, but this is not necessary. (OOC: Offer 1 Crafter in exchange for you providing that Crafter's upkeep for the turn. If you also wanted to throw us a bone in the form of a tier 1 resource to be nice, that'd be cool... get it... because bone is a tier 1 resource :D )

Spoiler: Raxithakra

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We hear you speak through the dream clearly, and it is fortunate that you do, because we have a glut of warrior drones and little to do with them, but have yet to explore the seas as much as we would like. If you could provide us with information regarding routs to the white sea, we would gladly be willing to lend you the services of one of our warrior drones. Do not be alarmed by its appearance: its modifications give it the strength of many men. We do ask that you do not dream at it too hard, as its consciousness exists partially within the hive and its connection to the hive is maintained through the dream: doing so might disrupt its effectiveness. (OOC: You said you need warriors. If you're able to give us a discount on exploring the White Sea, we'd lend you a Warrior )

Spoiler: Endless Gaze

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We encountered your villagers on Iron Rock island, and we have no desire for physical conflict between our peoples. We offer a compromise regarding the island: We have no need for its food, but would very much like to continue harvesting the blue shell present. If you leave our simple drones harvesting blue shell alone, we will gladly leave you all the island's remaining resources. Having to send complex drones to police the harvesting would escalate the situation, and we would both lose more than what the island is worth. (OOC: This one seems pretty self explanatory, even in IC talk.)