Conquest of Huskagar

[Lego]

A meeting and a feast.

Though rather primitive, the Iswandi were still competent builders, more than capable of building large structures. No finer example is the Islala caste, set a top a mountainous boulder said to have been put there by the gods themselves. The entrance and lowest floor is carved into the boulder itself, and the same can be said of the stairs leading up to it. truth be told this structure had existed for many hundreds of years. None of the tribesmen know who was the original builder, and simply credit it to the gods, similarly to the boulder the structure is built into. There's no questioning, however, that this castle had had many builders of many different origins add onto it over the years. Islala castle is a melting pot of influence and culture from throughout the continent, but it was never finished. The castle had always had something very clearly missing, weather it be a few doors, a wall, roofing, or just about anything else. But now, finally, under king Ulgandu's leadership, the castle had been completed. It stood triumphantly a top the great boulder, as a reminder of Iswandi dominance. To celebrate this occasion, Ulgandu had decided to throw a grand feast for all the kingdom to attend. Ulgandu had been preparing a great store of food and drink for many months prior to the completion of the castle, and had already planned the whole evening out months in advance.


Ulgandu was sitting on his wooden throne, deep in though. His loyal military adviser and guard, Zurgane stood beside him.


"Sir!" Ulgandu was suddenly snapped from his thoughts, only to see a guard standing before him


"What is it?" Ulgandu asked


"Your advisers have arrived, sir. I was sent in tell to you." The guard explains


"And why could they not come in and tell me that themselves?" Comes Ulgandu's second question


"They wished to be respectful, sir."


Ulgandu scoffs "Ha! You'd think by now they would have learned that a warrior king is not one for formalities!"


"It is of no matter, Ulgandu." Zurgane speaks up in his deep, yet smooth voice "If they wish to show you respect, let them do so as they please."


"If they wish to show me respect, they may do so in the ring!" Ulgandu shouts


"Calm yourself, Ulgandu. If you really want to challenge them, you can do so during the feast. It will make a good entertainment for your people to watch." Upon hearing Zurgane's reasoning, Ulgandu sighed and and slumped down in his chair


"I guess I should know better than to argue with you by now, Zurgane. Alright, I shall wait for the feast before I decide to challenge any of them." Ulgandu turns back to the guard, who had been standing there quietly the whole time


"Tell them that they may enter." Ulgandu said to the guard. And so the guard left, to let in the advisers


The meeting

The advisers entered, dressed in formal attire, which wasn't really that formal. There clothing was normal reinforced leather, but was dyed, rather than having the normal brown coloring that normal Iswandi armor has. Each one of the advisers had a different colored leather piece. Bundi Mthethwa was colored in yellow, Curyabena Ikawla was colored in orange, Mbulwa Cariba was dressed was colored in purple, and Kuringa Ilgane was dressed in green.


"Greeting." Ulgandu said


"Hello, your majesty." Kuringa said


"Come now, you know I despise that title." Ulgandu responds


Kuringa corrects himself "Yes, sorry sir, I always forget your hatred for formalities."


When Kuringa finishes talking, Curyabena steps forward and pushes him out of the way. "Ulgandu you bastard! How are you?"


"Good." Ulgandu answers "And how about you, Curyabena?"


"I've been great, but I'll be dammed if I don't miss the wars. I still remember fight alongside your forces during the siege on Bulagane. Ah, what fond memories."


"It was not such a fond memory for me, I assure you." Mbulwa speaks up


Curyabena walks back and puts his arm around Mbulwa's shoulder "Oh come on, lighten up! You have to admit that it was pretty great when we disemboweled your tribe leader!"


Mbulwa just shivers


Ungandu turns his attention to Bundi, who had been standing in silence


"And what of you, Bundi?"


"I'm just here to give my report, as usual." Bundi responds


"Good, good. Now quickly, what do my advisers have report? Make it fast, as I have a feast to plan."


Bundi steps forward "Our economy is at an all time high thanks to trade with these outsiders. We have enough to purchase more muskets, more musket balls, some more 'frigates' and maybe even a few rifle, if the outsiders are willing to sell." Bundi explains


"Sounds good, thank you for your report Bundi. Now, Kuringa, what is it that you have to report?"


"Not much sir, but I have received word of a tournament being held on an island by clan Dracos."


Ulgandu stands up from his chair "A tournament!? By gods, when is it?" Ulgandu exclaims


"It's been going on for a day or two now, sir. We wont be able to make it in time I'm afraid." Kuringa responds


"Dammit all, just when I'd gotten my hopes up." Ulgandu slumps back into his throne


Curyabena once again comes forward "Why not invite the winner her to fight you here personally?"


Ulgandu sits up in his chair "Yes... Yes! Do it! Zurgane! Send a messenger to this 'clan of Dracos' at once! Tell them I personally invite whoever is victorious in their tournament to my castle to fight me."


"At once." Zurgane leaves, presumably to find a messenger to deliver the message


"Well, now that that's settled, what do you have to report, Mbulwa?"


"Nothing much. There's been no unusual activity or anything to report, it's just the same old same old." Mbulwa responds


"Well alright, thank you all for your reports. You may leave now, weather to return home or join me for the feast is up to you."


With that, the advisers leave. Ulgandu heads off as well, presumably to make some final preparations for the feast that evening

 

[General Deth Glitch]

Akin to a God

The messenger could feel the lack of respect from the 'Dock Master' and so felt no mutual respect for the man. However he did feel that the man would be true to his word and take them to the Emperor of the Brutii. The messenger had come to expect the varied levels of class disparity from the many nations he had visited for his lord but upon entering the city this felt different, almost inhuman and barbaric. Its not that he was under and delusions or thought that class differences could be abolished, not, indeed he understood their purpose for if all were to be rich then who would tend the farms to feed them. The city he saw made him doubt even that. The poor were treated like animals while the wealthy watched on, almost enjoying their power over the lower classes. The rich didn't even feel the need to remove themselves from the poor, rather letting them rot before their eyes for some unhealthy form of entertainment.


Seeing how the troops treated the poor, but thinking that the soldiers must be barely more well of then them, for the most part at least. Instead of stepping beyond his position the young man decided rather to admire the buildings, yes there were shacks made of rotting bits of bark but alongside them were ornately crafted master pieces with more colour then one would find in all but the Temple of Fire, within his own clan. Then they arrived, soldiers as well dressed as Inquisiti, if not better, lined the walls, standing stone still and starting straight as an arrow. The Messenger and the Inquisiti stood with the backs straight and attempted to appear like they belonged in such a setting which, while they did, was still feeling unnatural to them both. The four soldiers accompanying them however felt no obligation to appear formal and walked in a relaxed way looking left and right, both admiring the craftsmanship and working their minds on defend-ability, weaknesses. Anything they just stood out to them, not that much did. Then they reached the throne room, a great red blanket of sorts was laid out before them to reach up to his throne, the whole room, the building and everything tried to present him as a god, but when they saw the man it was clear he was merely mortal, no simple man or weak serf, but not nearly formal enough to be a god, indeed he seemed far too human in how he sat about his throne.


"Indeed, your divine lordship. Our Lord Draco wishes to invite you and your people to a tournament. We entreat you come and take your finest men to prove themselves against our own and other clans of the area, it is also wished that talks of alliances, especially against this outsider threat be made during this time, our two noble clans must make effort to show these aliens that the Clans of Huskagar are mighty and will not be commanded by these distant fools!" Said the Messenger

(sorry its kinda short and I haven't responded to all but I have some theatre to direct and boss about!)

 

[Elendithas]

Clan Adumal, likely the most peaceful mixture of undead and living there has ever been. As usual, envoys have been sent by way of boat to some of the nearest nations to talk diplomacy, the initial four being Clan Halshki, Clan Alfher, Clan Sondheim, and Clan Argos. While most would likely prefer that any and all undead stay as far away as possible, Otiian has taken to sending only undead messengers to the nations of Huskagar, claiming that it were necessary the living become accustom to the dead being amongst them. Unfortunately, the fact that 'envoys are sent regularly' means to the undead that they are sent about every eighty years or so gives plenty of time for the living to weave stories of horrible creatures of death walking the streets at night and forget the truth of the matter. They come seeking continued peace.


@General Deth Glitch


Meanwhile, in the company of Otiian, The Eye saw someone approaching. A small group of men bearing the colors of the Dracosi "Adumal," The Eye called out in a raspy, quiet voice. "What do you see?" Otiian asked, his own voice being quite deep and gravelly, monstrous almost to the ears of the living, floating closer to The Eye. The two were currently in the highest room of the spire which sat in the center of Necropolis, the capitol of Clan Adumal's lands. In the center sat The Eye, heavily covered in dark robes with a cowl covering his eyes, leaving only the bottom of his nose and below of his face visible. Otiian floated above the ground, leaning over him as he approached, his own clothing consisting of a long robe made of the darkest black fabric available and covered in golden ancient writing. A hood from the robe shrowded most all of his face in shadow save for the bottom of his chin and a peculiar purple glow from each of his eyes. "A messenger from Dracosi lands upon the shores." He said. This was certainly an oddity. Very few messengers made the journey to Clan Adumal given the stories around it, and even less were from respectable clans such as the Drasosi. "Then I suppose I'll have words with them." Otiian said, looking up and raising his arms slightly before the glow in his eyes dimmed. Near the Dracosi envoy, the ground begun to move as though something were coming out of it, and in fact, something were. A corpse as most would consider it, was crawling from the ground, taking a fairly long time of doing it before it stood some ten feet in front of the messenger. "Well, what is it?" The corpse said, its mouth remaining completely still as the voice of Otiian was essentially broadcast through it.


(Operating off the assumption that clans in the West includes Clan Adumal, sorry for adding to the number of replies you're doing)





@Leusis @player2 @ColonelScout312 @Four The Magician


Meanwhile, the envoys sent by Otiian to the aforementioned clans were relatively close to the capitols of the nations, walking at a slow pace through the streets under the guise of being an older citizen. These undead were different from the one that Otiian had possessed to speak with the envoy. They were completely alive in a sense. They were far from rotting, still being completely cold to the touch and showing little signs of life aside from moving about, though they retained their consciousness from life, being the same person as they were before having died. To further conceal their appearances however, they wore long hooded cloaks, each of them bearing the colors of whichever nation they were to contact. Each made their way to the closest place where they could meet with an individual who had the authority to discuss matters of state, saying the exact same words no matter where exactly they were. "I come from Clan Adumal to discuss political matters. Assuming you don't have the authority to make agreements, I request a meeting with someone who does."


(Sorry for the vagueness guys, just didn't want to do four different descriptions for basically saying hello)

 

[Leusis]

Phobos the Great

​

It seemed to be time for Phobos to take charge while his older brother, Deimos was off dealing with a foreign diplomat. After all, whenever his older brother was off doing whatever it was he did, Phobos was in charge. Exiting the courtyard where he had been sparring his brother he put on a tunic so that he looked more appropriate when entering the palace. Stepping passed several armed Sacred Guard he stepped into a large circular room which held many decorations but only a single table and chair. Sitting down he would begin moving and reading several stacks of documents, trying to do the desk work his older brother often left for him. Phobos enjoyed this however, it made him feel as though his older brother trusted him with some aspect of the kingly duties. Sadly however, Phobos was interupted by several nobles entering the room accompanied by guards, requesting to speak with the king. "Sorry, the king is currently out, speaking with a diplomat, I however can see to your concerns". His voice was kind, but demanded nothing less than complete respect, the nobles were taken back by the fact the king was gone.


"Phobos, spies on Akyagia have reported that the mercenary faction that has joined the invaders are being marched upon by Hatsura forces. It seems that one of the great clans has been pressured into open war by these people, I assume you know what this could mean". Phobos slowly shook his head in disappointment, he indeed knew what this meant. If a clan such as Hatsura could be provoked by these invaders, that meant they were a threat, even to the powerful warrior society of Argos. "I understand this well, I shall send diplomats to each of the great clans closest to us, perhaps we can work out some form of alliance with them, so that we can defend and defeat a powerful enemy". The nobles all nodded in agreement, asking for support from other clans was shameful, and somewhat showed weakness, but it was necessary in times such as this. Only early on in Argos history has the society deemed itself in a state of emergency so great that it need allies. Calling one of the nobles closer Phobos would quickly write a message, giving it to the noble so he could give these instructions to the diplomats.

Call of the Dead

@Elendithas​

"Sir" a duo of guards spoke as they entered the room, holding the doors open for what seemed like an old man to walk through. Phobos, listening to the man speak instantly understood what he was, or, more than likely what he was, undead. Waving the nobles and guards off they would all exit, leaving only Phobos and the diplomat from Adumal. "I see, and exactly what terms do you wish to speak with me about, sir?" he spoke calmly, not giving a hint of worry, regardless of if he really was. After all, what leader wouldn't be worried about a diplomat coming from a land known for its outragous military might. As well as this, the nation was known for terrible crimes on other clans, so in truth, he only assumed this would end with war between Argos and Adumal.

Diplomatic Relations

@Lego @ColonelScout312 @Bobisdead123​

Rushing from the stables the diplomats would ride their steeds to the closest dock where they would be met with a dozen immortals each and board their ships, fast vessels meant to arrive at their destination as quickly as possible. It was when these diplomats arrived on the shores of their designated targets, stepping off their boats to converse with whoever stepped forward first to greet them. "Hello, I am a diplomat from the clan Argos, I am here to commence diplomatic relations with your highest in command. If you could please take me to them, I would be very grateful".


(I will add in a response to @General Deth Glitch once he responds to me.)

 

[Lego]

@Leusis


The arrival of this messenger from a far off clan came as quite the surprise to the citizens of Bulagane. It's not like the native Bura weren't used to new arrivals from far off lands, but these new visitors seemed more odd, more... "exotic" to what the the natives were used to seeing. The people also seemed to take a very quick dislike of the immortals who had been sent to escort the messenger. This dislike came from the stench of death that hung about the immortals. Never had they encountered soldiers of this stature outside of their own homeland; men who who reeked of blood. The natives knew in an instant that these men were trained killing machines. Many of the Bura, who had no understanding of the language the messenger was speaking, perceived his words as a threat and began readying their weapons to fight off these supposed invaders. This simple diplomacy mission could have very easily become a declaration of war, had Nbulwa Cariba not just returned from is meeting with Ulgantu


Nbulwa was an odd case among the Iswandi people. He was a highly trained and was just as deadly of a combatant as any Impi, but Nbulwa was not man who rejoiced in war; but rather, he was a man who rejoiced in words, a diplomat. Nbulwa had a calming affect about him. From his cheery smile, to his soft voice, to his well cut appearance, Nbulwa was able to calm down many of the locals simply by walking through. Ulgandu had made frequent use of Nbulwa to quiet skirmishes among tribes and other officials.


"Hello, sir. I see you've made the long journey to visit the people of Iswandi. We here in Bulagane are honored by your presence."


Mbulwa stepped forward and presented him the messenger his Iklwa. This was a universal sign of goodwill, apologies, and forgiveness among the Iswandi people. Of course, unless the Argos had previous knowledge of Iswandi customs and had informed the messenger of this, he would have no idea what Mbulwa's action implied


"My name is Nbulwa Cariba. I am an the overseer of this city, and an adviser to our king, Ulgantu. What is it you seek?"

 

[Leusis]

@Lego


To the immortals that followed the diplomat they could only tell one thing about these people. They were odd, in every fiber of the word, their language and dress being the weirdest of all. Lucily however, the diplomat who was sent here knew the common language well enough to understand their arrival caused much unrest. As well as this, he understood their basic customs, as any diplomat should when entering foreign lands. Having the immortals stand firmly but without a hint of agression the diplomat waited for a higher authority to arrive. Luckily, before the natives could prepare their spears for combat, a man arrived, seeming to be much more professional than the rest. He spoke calmly and gently, similar to how the Argos diplomat did, and through those soft spoken words the information of who he was had been given. What had also been given was a short spear, an action that was slightly familiar to the diplomat. Taking it in hand he knew the basics of what it meant, and in return he calmly unsheathed his xiphos, a short double-edged sword and presented it to the man, as a sign he was returning the courtesy of goodwill. "A pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Alastair, I come from the clan Argos, I seek to reach out in diplomacy for our warrior king, Deimos". It was at this time that the leading immortal guard slowly scanned the crowd of individuals who had gathered. They seemed harmless enough for now, though underestimating a populace was never something a trained soldier would do. Him and his fellow immortals remained on guard, firm and unmoving, after all, if things went south, there was only a dozen of them, and even with their immense martial prowess, they could be easily crushed under the never ending sea of locals.


"It would not be too large of a burden for you to take me to your ruler would it? After all, I was given specific instructions to only speak with that man". His words were firm, though they showed not a single hint of disrespect, this man, after all was their life line to a diplomatic meeting with the king. If he was not able to remain on this mans good side, it was likely they would be returning back to Argos without even meeting anybody of greater significance.

 

[General Deth Glitch]

The Dead and the Dragon

@Elendithas

The Messenger, given simple orders, go west. He followed his orders, met with the leaders of many minor clans and may of them were willing to accept the invitation, more to show the mightier clans they exist rather then a hope of winning. He, however, was not told how far to go and in the last clan he visited was given information about Adumal Clan, though not the information the messenger might have liked. So he commissioned a merchant ship, took his followers, the four soldiers and the Inquisiti, and set sail for Adumal. However, upon arriving, he was greeted with something that was horrific and unbelievable to him. Before his eyes a corpse rose from the very earth he stood upon and simple said "Well, What is it?" Such.. normal words.. so.. human. As soon as the corpse rose however the four soldiers set about forming up and were soon formed into a small shield wall infront of the Inquisiti, the actually important member of the group leaving the messenger standing alone and unprotected. "My.. erm.. My Lord Draco Dante, would like to invite your lord to a tournament to test his skill against other clans and show the foreigners that we can work together" he stuttered

An Alliance with Animals

@Dtheraider

They kept on route to the land of the Slyferox and as the closed in on their shoreline a pair of small ships began sailing either side of them, apparently guiding them as they would drift close if they were 'going the wrong way', at least that is what


it seemed like to the Messenger as his skilled Dracosi crew appeared to understand completely and followed these two ships as they went.


As they hit land they were greeted by one of the Slyferox people, the soldiers immediately felt like their wolf pelts perhaps should not have been worn and would perhaps been seen as an insult, for the common folk of Dracos referred to the Slyferox as the Wolfmen, not entirely in a rude sense, for the Dracosi know how to admire skill and truly did admire the tales they have heard of their prowess at the art of hunting. The young, inexperienced, messenger jumped the gun and immediately announced his purpose and a rather quick rate. "My lord wishes to invite you to come visit our mighty land of Dracos and partake in a tournament of skill and ability to show your strength against the other clans of the area and perhaps become allies against the.. er.. the um.. other people.. the strangers and such and create a good relation between our two people and the tournament and um.. yeah" he went on hurriedly, before the Inquisiti interjected. "Sorry, the messenger wishes to speak with your lord and invite him to a gathering of clans, so we might prove our skill and talk of a unified future against the foreigners." he said much more calmly, allowing the men to perhaps understand the information better and respond to it

The Naked King

@Leusis

This messenger was old, not beyond soldiering age, but certainly not young. Stepping off the boat he felt almost insulted to be greeted by a man wearing only a loincloth. True this man looked mighty but everyone around them appeared to be clothed and yet they are greeted by a man in the nude! This upset the man so he spoke brashly and out of turn "Sir, may I ask you cover yourself!" He said rudely "And then could you show us to your lord where I might have words about your-" The Inquisiti cut him off "We are honored guests, Messenger! The messenger will apologise or face the wrath of Dracos herself!" the wrath of Dracos, of course, being the Inquisiti's own wrath. The Messenger stayed silent for a time before saying "I apologise for my actions, I have a message from my lord for your lord, might you perhaps take us to him?" he asked, this time in a much more civilized tone.

Chores of the Chosen

@Four The Magician (and other tournament members to a degree)

His lordship rolled to the side, dodging an attack from the soldier he was training with and immediately responding with a blow to the mans leg's, knocking him over so that Dante could get onto his feet and then placed his blunted axe on the mans neck, denoting Dante as the victor. Then he saw Elessar marching over to him, a rare sight to see the Minister outside of the Red Palace, which would explain the small contingent of guards tagging along on either side to make the silly man feel safe. "Draco's Chosen, messengers have arrived from the west and I believe you may want to hear them yourself, before the ministers have their way for I feel they may not agree with your wishes." he said looking around to make sure there was no one aiming a bow at him.


"Can you not see that I am sparring with my men" Dante responded, looking over to Damon, seeing the more reasonable minister having a casual chat with some soldiers, probably about fighting techniques thought Dante. "Continue practising, I will see what is so important that Dracos sends her loyal Minister to leave his Palace and speak to her chosen?" he said jokingly, patting his friend on the back and accompanying him back to the Palace


Upon arriving he saw a small band of men and immediately recognized them as 'Mountain Folk', scouts from Clan Alfher. "The message they have for u is about working with their lord against the foreigners and protecting the coast between themselves and ourselves from the outsiders" Elessar said on their behalf as Dante walked into the hall "Tell them that such a matter would require great deliberation" adding more quietly, so that only Elessar could hear, and even then barely "and see the outcome of this tournament, for what is life if we have no foes to test alongside our friends" He then raised his voice again "Have my personal ship escort them back to their land along the coast, for it will be quicker that way, and return them a message of good will, also evaluate the strength of the clans along the coast and look for signs of the outsiders. I feel an alliance would be necessary should we feel the land is at risk, though I would like proof your lord would be willing to leave his mountain hold to march to our aid" He said, directing the last part to the scouts.


"You ended my merriment for this?" He sighed "You could have managed this yourself you doddering old fool" he smiled at the last part. "I need to practice my melee, the other clans should be arriving any day now" He said, returning to the training ground which was already looking transformed with newly crafted stands for the more common folk, new banners and heraldry had been made and specific sections were designated for the major clans, the minor ones being expected to share the main stand. New arenas were set in place for the three sections of the tournament, with a large section for the larger group battles, made specifically for the large clans to test their troops, with the other two smaller sections for individuals to test their physical or magical ability. Dante nodded to a soldier and stepped into the smaller melee square to continue sparring

 

[Spacekitty]

The Draconian diplomat cleared his throat, straightened his robes, and began to speak. At first Antonio continued his facade of being uniterested and bored, but as the diplomat continued to speak he was so intriguing he let the facade drop, ...somewhat.


"Indeed, your divine lordship. Our Lord Draco wishes to invite you and your people to a tournament. We entreat you come and take your finest men to prove themselves against our own and other clans of the area, it is also wished that talks of alliances, especially against this outsider threat be made during this time, our two noble clans must make effort to show these aliens that the Clans of Huskagar are mighty and will not be commanded by these distant fools!" The Dracosian messenger replied confidently.


"A tournament and possible alliances?". Antonio thought to himself. Although he had no interests in allying himself with weak clans the tournament alone would be immensely beneficial to his Clan's reputation... If they won of course.


Antonio placed his golden goblet on a silver platter convientely held by a well dressed thrall. He stood up and addressed the diplomat.


"Thank you for the invitation, me and my finest warriors shall attend this little event. We look forward to claiming victory over all other clans".


Antonio looks over at a rather large man standing quietly off to the side. The man is Pino, the Brutii's leading general, and their best fighter. Antonio motions to the man who walks forward with his hands held behind his back to stand next to Antonio.


"This is Pino, my lead general and greatest warrior. He is the face of your defeat. Along with him I will send our lead mage, Franco." A rather small man in a flowing black and gold trimmed cloak steps forward with a staff in hand. The staff is made of polished Oak with a large diamond on the top.


"I of course, must remain here to attend to my large empire. Pino will serve as my diplomat in this event".


He motioned to several guards off on the side of the room, who immediatly surrounded the Draconian part of either side.


"Now, please take your leave. My champions along with their guards shall follow you back the your homeland, where I assume the tournament is taking place."


With that he motions to the guards once more, who began leading the Draconians out of the palace and back to their ship, with the Brutii Champions close behind.


@General Deth Glitch

 

[Spacekitty]

Assini stood atop the middle tower over looking the dock. He chatted with the 3 guards stashiomed there, not really paying attention to the dock. Not that he gave a shit what happened there as long as he didn't get in trouble. Suddenly, a horn blew in the first tower. The sound was high pitched and was sent in a 2 medium length bursts. "Another fuking diplomat? God dam it..." he said more to himself to the guards, who simply shrugged their shoulders. As the ship sailed closer to the dock, he recognized it as an Argonian ship. The Argonjans were somewhat respected by the Brutii for the reputation of their soldiers and leaders, especially their elites.


As the ship sailed up the channel, the port was once again cleared of civilians, the gates closed, and guards lined up at the dock's edge. Assini climbed down from the tower at a reasonable pace, but he it was obvious he was in no hurry. Still, he arrived just in time for the to see Argonian ship dock.


An Argonian diplomat stepped the boat and proclaimed confidently; "Hello, I am a diplomat from the clan Argos, I am here to commence diplomatic relations with your highest in command. If you could please take me to them, I would be very grateful".


Assini sighed. He hated having to lead people all the way to the palace. He much rather stay at the port and do, well... Nothing. Still, he tried to appear as formal as possible and said;


"Very well. Follow me please".


As he turned around to lead them to the palace, he wiggled his right fingers and the gates opened. He and an escort of guards led the Agronians through the same Market place, pushing aside the poor and excusing the rich. They once again passed the homeless on the streets of the wealthy and the driftwood shacks.


They reached the rich part if the city surrounding the palace, where a large drunken brawl was taking place between two rival taverns. The brawl had spilled out into the street, and Assini and his men had to push through the crowd watching the fight and the fighters themselves. Of course, he didn't try to break up the fight. That would be the job of the local barracks, who were currently busy placing bets on the fight. Assini shook his head but said nothing. He merely continued to lead the diplomat to the Palace.


As they approached the palace gates they opened and out stepped the Draconian diplomats, accompanied by Brutii guards. (@General Deth Glitch). Assini said nothing as he lead the Argonians past the group and into the courtyard.


He slowed his pace to allow the Argonians to bask a bit in the beauty of it all. The colorful display that was the garden and the shimmering ponds that rippled mysteriously.


As they approached the Palace gates one could swear they heard a sigh as the palace guards opened the gates to allow them entrance. Once inside they passed through the long and narrow hallway and once again Assini was in the Palace's main chamber, where the Emperor sat lazily on his great throne.


Upon their entrance into his throne room, Antonio looked up with interest. He had not expected more diplomats.


"Welcome, what brings you here?"


@Leusis

 

[player2]

Foreboding

​

Nirith sat on his wolf, overlooking the lands below, his face lost in thought as he held the rein in one hand, his other resting at his side. His face was contoured and marked with dark lines which only set in deeper the more he thought about the knot that was growing in his stomach. He felt something was wrong, the same feeling that had saved him in many battles seemed to linger over him hauntingly. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he suddenly jerked to the side, anger flashing across his face before he realized who it was that had grabbed him


The violent expression that marked his face quickly softened as he looked to Halith, a worried expression painted on her face. With a small smile he gently pushed her decrepit hand off of his shoulder. She tightly pursed her lips, her harsh snowblue eyes piercing him for a long moment, before looking back over the edge of the mountain wistfully.


With a sigh Nirith grabbed the reins of his wolf, the beast letting out a low growl as its head jerked up from the grass it had been sniffing a moment before, mumbling something under his breath as turned around and returned down the path they had came from. He still had not figured out what was troubling him so he put it to the side, figuring he would get to that bridge soon enough. In the meantime he decided he should see his brothers across the water to see if they felt the same.


As the sun set he and his party made their way into the village, dismounting early on as to not disturb the peace, whatever peace there was. People bustled around, children playing in the twilight hours, farmers drunkenly making their way out of the city the best they were able to, men and women cooking large pieces of meat on a spit roast beside the diry mud roads. He smiled once again, as he passed through the city, because despite not having the luxuries that were spoken of in foreign lands his people were happy in proud.


Much to his surprise there was already an envoy from Adumal waiting for him at the doors of his Grandhall, which only seemed to sour his mood. The people of Adumal were not particularly disliked by his people, but they were a tad strange and always seemed to be ostrasized by the Halshkis. To his dismay Nirith found he shared most of the same ideas about the Adumal as his people, though he most often tried to overcome those, at least in face. Holding his smile he greeted the envoy.


"Hail man of Adumal! Sorry for my late arrival but I assure you now that you may be allowed into my house to share my hearth." With that he opened the grand wooden doors and made his way inside into a large room. The hall was at least 40 ft long and 20 ft wide, held up with thick, intricately carved wooden pillars.


The room was adorned with five tables, a large center table with two on each side flanking it, a throne at the end of the room and a numerous amount of doors cut into the walls where servants bustled in and out, quickly and silently setting out plates, drinks and other edibles. Nirith walked to the throne, taking off the thick fur that adorned his shoulders and laying it on the armrest before sitting down and adressing the envoy.


"So? What have you been sent here for man of Aldumal?"


@Elendithas

 

[Lego]

@Leusis


Mbulwa received the sword with a smile, happy that this 'Alastair' knew enough of Iswandi culture to know how to return the favor


"Ah, you wish to see Ulgantu then I presume? If that's the case, I'm more than willing to take you to our capital to see him. He's in the middle of preparing a grand feast to honor the completion of Islala castle, a centuries old structure that had remained unfinished till just recently. If we leave now, we should reach the castle in time for the feast."

 

[Soviet Panda]

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So, this was the fabled land of Huskar. How disappointing. He expected something much... grander. Instead, it was much like any other island, a lot of dirt and a lot of trees. Filthy, really. An unorganized mess, with the people living here little better then animals. He had already seen some of the locals on what could be assumed a smaller island fishing with spears on it's coast. But they quickly disappeared as soon as the Forerunners were spotted. It did not matter, this land was going to be civilized, and their people along with it. Whether they wanted to be civilized or not.


But that being said, the captains could not agree on a place to land. A few would say it was safe, and many more saying it wasn't. They had scoured every inlet, every cove, every possible safe haven that they could land. And always they would decide that it was better to look somewhere else. Well, he was having enough of that. They had turned into an inlet with a river flowing out to see from an unknown source. And there is where Sir Alexander put his foot down. "We are landing here. It's as good as any other place." he told the captain of the ship he was on, the lead ship might I add. And shortly after his little out burst, boats filled with men of the line were rowing towards the shore to make sure it was safe. And soon after the flood of settlers followed. Here, the Egla Empire would begin in this new land. Humble beginnings, but beginnings none the less.

 

[Leusis]

A King Scorned​

@General Deth Glitch

​

The diplomat had the gall to speak in such a way towards the king of the land he was visiting. The oddest part of it however, was the fact he seemed ignorant enough not to know he was speaking to Deimos himself. His vision narrowing on the older man he knew he could not take such disrespect, especially in his own lands. His right hand quickly closing into a fist, two sacred guards would thrust their spears at unprecedented speeds, slicing through the air. Each spear tip passing only milimeters from the mans throat they overlapped each other and the wooden poles pressed against the sides of the mans neck. It was obvious that he had offended Deimos. However, luckily for him he was not one to kill a man for something so petty, however he would make an example out of him. "I leave my palace during my daily training, rushing over to meet a Dracosian diplomat before I am even able to properly clothe mysef. I do this to assure you would not have to wait in order to begin negotiations, and this is how you greet the king of Argos?" Deimos spoke with a tone that demanded only complete respect, something that was difficult to achieve when wearing little more than a loincloth. However, quickly he relaxed his right hand, causing the Sacred Guard to quickly remove their spears from the mans neck, standing firmly behind their king once again. "Now, let us start over, I forgive you for your rudeness, I only hope you can forgive me for my agressive behavior. Why is it that you have traveled here to speak with me?"

Journey to the Feast

@Lego

​

Alastair would smile as they man spoke of leading him to their king, though he did not know how long the journey would be. "Please, lead the way, I do hope we arrive during the feast, it would only set a good mood for negotiations". It was then, and only then that the immortals seemed to relax, only enough however to march at a quick pace so they could arrive at the castle with as much haste as possible. "Do tell me however, what is your king like?" Alastair asked as he followed behind Mbulwa. "I have heard few things about him other than the fact he is supposed to be a great warrior".

Greeting a King

@Bobisdead123

​

The Argos diplomat would nod as the man from the dock began leading him into the city. The dozen immortals following behind they all seemed rather unimpressed by everything they saw. Not only were their less fortunate civilians living in squalor, they were also out of control, even forcing them to step through a brawl in the streets, something that would have never happened back in Arcadia. The oddest part was the fact that it seemed no guards wished to hault the violence, showing nothing but incompetence. It was only when they reached the outside of the palace that things seemed more pleasant, but the cause was obvious. By the sight of the houses this was obviously the more wealthy section of the city, meaning the difference between the poor and rich was incredible. Watching the palace doors fly open the diplomat and his guards took notice of another individual, being followed by what seemed like several Brutii guards, as well as Dracos. Noticing the clothing he wore it was obvious he was a higher ranking official from Dracos, likely a diplomat. Passing by the Dracos diplomat he would give him a nod and a smile, to give him a greeting in passing. Stepping into the palace he immediately proceeded before the king, his immortal guard still following closely behind. "Hello king Assini, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Kadri, a diplomat from Argos, I wish to negotiate some sort of agreement between our two great clans. If it be an alliance or a simple trade agreement, I have been given permission to accept or deny all terms I do not see as beneficial to my clan".

 

[Lego]

@Leusis


"He is blunt, and hates formalities. He'll most likely ask that you just call him Ulgantu, rather than sir, or any other title."


Mbulwa begins to pick up his pace somewhat, motioning that Alastair and his guards do the same. As he walks, Mbulwa begins to explain more of Ulgantu's personality


"He also values fighting prowess more than anything else. Titles are absolutely worthless to him. If a man comes to him as a lord, and he cannot fight, then he will be considered little more than dirt. With this is in mind, do not be surprised if he challenges you, your guards, or even your king to fight him in the ring. If you're not up to snuff, the possibility of a relationship between our kingdoms still exists, but it will be very limited."


Mbulwa pauses for a moment, then continues


"However, if he does consider you up to snuff, you can expect great relations with him. Ulgantu is fiercely loyal, and treats his friends very well."

 

[Spacekitty]

(Kings name is Antonio)


"Hello king Antonio, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Kadri, a diplomat from Argos, I wish to negotiate some sort of agreement between our two great clans. If it be an alliance or a simple trade agreement, I have been given permission to accept or deny all terms I do not see as beneficial to my clan".


Emperor Antonio smiled. An Alliance with these warriors could be very beneficial... Antonio stood up from his great throne and walked down to stand just feet from the Argonian diplomat.


"Greetings Kadri of Argonia, welcome to my humble city. I hope you fared well on the voyage here.". Considering this enough formalities from an Emperor such as himself, Antonio decided to go straight to the point.


"As for an alliance, I was considering such a thing myself. As you know, the Brutii are a formidable fighting force, forged by years of conquest of this very island. In our final conquest though, the price of victory was great. We lost tens of thousands and our army, while still the most powerful in all the land, is a mere half of what it use to be. There we lack sufficient numbers to further our expansion." Antonio smiled. "But that's where your great warrior people come in. With the strength of your powerful warriors backing my legions, our people could spread from these mere islands to the islands surrounding us, and even to the mainland itself. I urge you to consider this proposition, your people would gain much from it."


@Leusis

 

[player2]

Bloodsnout Trials

​

To the west of the Grand hall Grath sat patiently at the edge of his camp, the northern winds pushing against him violently as they were fueled by the various mountains they came off of. To the side he could hear the mumbles and grunts of his men as they prepared the camp, the crackle the small fires that had just started and the whipping of the banners that marked the entrance to the camp, each with dingy yellow sculls from campaigns past posted on the wooden frame.


With a gruff sigh he looked back, his small beady eyes registering almost every action in real time as he stood there for a long moment, his thick hide boots covered in a ever hardening layer of snow. Snorting he finally took a step forward, leaving deep footprints in the snow as he walked through camp. Over the main fire was a large deer that they had caught in the morning, two men working the spigot as it was slow roasted. As he made his way past men broke away from the group until there was a rather large following behind him, each with rough faces and rough greasy hair, their lips curled upwards into a sly sort of smile between their small whispers and anxious looks.


At the top of the hill sat two men, each standing about a foot away from each other, their skin blue from the cold as they were barely covered. Their faces were contorted into determined and animalistic glares as they clenched their teeth, waiting for something to happen. Across from them was two more men, dressed in furs with swords at their sides and scared expressions on their faces. He glanced over to the four of them as if it was no big deal, his course never changing as he walked to the small group standing in front of them. Only then it he seemed to register them, a harsh expression playing on his face.


"Five days you lived without clothes in the mountain wilderness, subdued to the challenges of the mountains and your peers but you have not yet earned your right of man yet again. You must take these furs." He motioned deftly to the men standing beside him, in which one of the let out a low pitched whine, his body shifting away from the group for a moment before he stood his ground again, clenching his teeth. "With your bare hands...Those who live shall feast." With that he turned, stepping to side to watch from a few feet away.


Almost instantly the first man lunged forth, hands outstretched as he let out a guttural cry, Letting out a loud yelp the other man drew his sword, slipping it into the soft naked flesh resting directly below the ribs and watching as it pushed out the side, a splatter of blood staining the white snow. Despite this the other man still pushed him down with his weight, a puff of snow flying up as the two hit the ground. Once they were down the aggressor quickly started to relentlessly pummel the other with his fists, a pool of blood forming as the life liquid flowed from his hands and the sword wound as well as the multiple injuries being sustained by the armed man.


His companion fared better, having charged along with his opponent and running his sword through the other with enough momentum to not only stop the other but also push him back as he continued to move forward. Of course it attacked him violently in its death throes, blinded by adrenaline, leaving multiple bruises and deep scratches, but in the end he was the victor. Panting loudly he leaned over, quickly pulling the sword out of the body before turning to his friend, who at this point was dead. His attacker seemed to be grabbing as much blood as he could, weakly wiping it all over himself as he tried to get warm before keeling over, reduced to a whimpering mess as the adrenaline faded away.


The one who survived quickly made his way to Grath, his eyes wild with a mix of fear and passion as he looked up at him expectantly, to which the harsh Bloodsnout leader pulled him into a tight embrace for a moment before raising his fist to the sky and yelling out., which was imitated by the crowd behind him before they dispersed down the mountain once again, all in good spirits as they prepared for the upcoming feast that was to be held.

 

[Cyratis]

"Hmmm, very interesting indeed, would you care to go on?"


Said Ritsu, as he knelt on the edge of the grassy hill in a wide open clearing in the middle of a vast sea of trees which made traveling for his mostly mounted army slow. But that was in the back of his mind know as he interrogated this foreign spy whom he caught skulking through their lands, his folly was not in being aware of the more feline mounts used by the Hatsura who could sniff this mans strange scent as easily as a shark could smell blood within water.


This man was bound to a tree and surrounded by 5 of Ritsu's personnel guard as well as his own personnel antlered lion mount, who served as a great motivator to get the man to talk. "Yes yes, they are going to bait you into charging and then barrade you with gunfire yes! now please I've told you everything I know now please just let me go"....Ristu was facing away from the man, but upon hearing this he stood and turned with the utmost gravitas. Being a natural born general, Ritsu has a sort of air about him that garnered the respect of his men and the fear of those who were at his mercy. "You think I will waste this opportunity? not all battles are fought on the field of war you know, in fact the most important actions are most often acted out outside of it". Ritsu held out his hand and one of the Generals personnel guard stepped out from the trees, he was carrying a thick leather sack that was dripping with blood which he handed to Ritsu. "I know it is often hailed as a negative trait, but your lack of backbone has save your life this day, your compatriot was not so lucky...." Ritsu then opened the sack which contained the severed head of another spy who was nowhere near as willing to talk as the one before the general now. It was clear that whoever possessed this head before decapitation did not meet a pleasant end, as severe scarring and bruising covered most of the victims face.


"I am not here to lose, tell your superiors that when you meet them".


Ritsu said leaning uncomfortably close to the hostages face. Ristu than gave the order to untie the man to his guards which they carried out, they than held the spy in place, forcing him to his knees and fully exposing his back. "And one more thing, and this is the most important message, so I will make it permanent to make absolute sure your masters see it", said Ritsu as he began to carve a single word into the mans back, ignoring his screams of agony.


This one word, was "Leave"...

 

[Leusis]

A Warrior King

@Lego​

"I see" Alastair spoke simply, soaking in all of the information on the king Ulgantu and committing it to memory. "I assume then that he will get along very will with our king, Deimos. He is rather informal when it is not necessary and he himself is an extremely powerful warrior, so powerful actually that he is considered to be the strongest in the world by the clans who have seen him in combat. It is truely amazing, he treats a dozen soldiers as if they are children with sticks, and is strength is such that he can stop a heavy cavalry charge before throwing the horse itself to the ground". Alastair was obviously enjoying telling the tales of his ruler, as any person who lives in Argos would. After all, it is believed that Deimos, just like all kings before him were chosen by the gods for the purpose of defending their native land. "Tell me, if your king is a warrior as well, is he the best of your people?" he questioned the man, wondering if this individual, Ulgantu was anywhere near an equal match for Deimos in a duel.


Conversing with Mbulwa for however long it would take them to arrive at the castle, it is likely that they would discover many things about each others culture. How the Argos people are seperated into three classes, the nobles and king, the warriors, and the helots who are essentially peasants. As well as this it would be likely that Alastair discussed his peoples religious views, how they believed the world was created by a pantheon of several gods, who each control a single aspect of humanity. Such gods were the god of war, knowledge, harvest and so on, so many in fact that many Argos citizens couldn't even name every single one by memory. Alastair would also discuss how every citizen of Argos is schooled for a minimum of five years, learning basic math, science, history and geography so that they could prosper during life and be more useful to the clan.Kadri's advantage in negotiations

Negotiations Begin

@Bobisdead123

​

This emperor seemed quite easily excited by the prospect of an alliance, but still spoke of how his clan was the strongest. This spoke volumes to the experienced diplomat, first of all he was very confident in his military, but also that it was nowhere near as powerful as he thought. For if it did hold such strength, then he would not have started discussing an alliance with such haste. This however was to Kadri's advantage in negotiations, as his excitement for an ally could be played upon to assure a more beneficial arrangement. "It is true, Emperor, both of our people could gain a great many things together, however, there is far more that your people could gain. After all, as I'm sure you are aware, our warriors are of a higher quality, though far fewer in number. If we were to ally with your people and join your wars it could be assumed that any loss we sustained during your campaigns would harm our military greatly. This is why I will ask only one thing of you if this alliance is to be set in stone. I wish for our forces to only be a rear guard in your campaigns, and thus assure that our losses will be minimal, while still helping your expansion greatly. However, do not expect us to simply allow your army to take extreme losses, as we fully plan to reinforce your army whenever battle is turning particularly bloody for your forces. We will also expect you to join our own army on the front lines during our campaigns to bolster our ranks. This, to me seems fair, as your military and civilian size is much greater than ours, and the training of your soldiers takes less than half the time for our own".

 

[Lego]

@Leusis


"Ulgandu is considered to be the second best warrior of the Iswandi people. Our greatest warrior is Zurgane, a legendary general and warrior of the Iswandi people. Zurgane trained Ulgandu and taught him everything he knows, and was one of the pioneers of our current combat style. However, Ulgandu is still able to do something no other Iswandi can; last more than a few minutes in the ring against Zurgane. Now, the reason Zurgane is not our king is simple."


Mbulwa pauses again, as if to think of how to articulate his explanation


"Is that he is not of the mind to rule a people. Fighting prowess is all well and good till it comes to diplomacy. Zurgane is, simply put, a fighter, rather than a talker. He's a terror on the battlefield, one that have witnessed first hand, and can command an army to great effect, but he cannot back his actions with words. That is why Ulgantu is our king. It was through both military prowess and shrill diplomacy that Ulgandu was able to unite all the Iswandi tribes together. He might not be the greatest fighter, or the greatest diplomat, but he strikes enough of a balance to lead men adequately."


For the rest of the journey Mbulwa would nod, or respond appropriately to whatever topic the diplomat chose to speak of. He responded to the description of the Argos' class system by explaining that the Iswandi had no class system, but rather determined a mans standing by merit. Any man who was poor was so because he hadn't worked hard enough, and that any man with standing had done so because they worked for it. Going into the topic of religion, Mbulwa explained that the Iswandi too had a pantheon of gods, but didn't have nearly as many as the Argos. He explained that the Iswandi had two major gods, Ulwa, god of war and destruction, and Isha, god of peace and creation. He then described the three minor gods, who were designated by Ulwa and Isha to rule over specific aspects of the world. He described Kika, god of the sea, Lala, god of the earth, and Ubru, god of the sky. Mbulwa went lightly into some legends surrounding each of the gods, but choose not to go very much in depth on any one of them. Upon the topic of schooling being brought up, Mbulwa explained that the Iswandi were schooled from the age of five, when they also began their warrior training. He explained that the Iswandi were schooled in reading, writing, arithmetic, military science, and primitive biology, and were taught all of this alongside their warrior training. He also explained that upon knowledge of some of the advanced subjects that outsiders spoke of, the Iswandi were beginning to add such things as science to their schooling. Mbulwa went on to explain that there were no definitive amount of of years a student needed to be schooled, but that a student could stop their schooled upon being deemed knowledgeable in all subjects.


Time seemed to fly by as the two diplomats talked, as it seemed almost like it was in an instant that the group arrived at Uluru, the Iswandi capital. Mbulwa lead the diplomat and his escort through the gates and into the city itself. The streets were busy, but not even close to as busy as Bulagane, the coastal city that the diplomat had first seen.


"Uluru is usually much busier than this. I'll assume that this means the feast has begun. Give me a moment and shall run and inform Ulgandu. Please, take a look around the city and see what it's like. You might get some hostile looks or curious folks approaching you, but I'll make sure I tell anyone I see not to be wary of you, and that they tell anyone they see the same thing. You shouldn't be attacked, so long as you don't do anything menacing."


With that, Mbulwa leaves to inform Ulgandu of the diplomat's arrival.

 

[Leusis]

A Horse and a Child

@Lego

​

Alastair looked around closely as they entered the city, it seemed not to be too primitive, bus definitely not up to par with Argos. After all, every building within the Argos capital of Arcadia was made of white stones, each building being at least two stories tall. Nodding to the man as he explained where he was going Alastair would look back at his guards. Raising a hand to signal that they could do as they wished they all seemed to relax slightly before spreading out through the street. Several men simply walkeed over to a nearby building and leaned against it. All of them however still payed close attention to their surroundings. As for Alastair he would use his basic understanding of the language to greet several civilians around him, explaining who he was and why he was here. Of course, they understood, but for the most part they still seemed wary of coming near any of the guards. That was of course until a small boy approached the captain of the guards, looking up at the tower of muscle and armor before him.


Slowly bringing himself to a knee so that he could get to eye level with the boy the captain slowly reached into a pouch on his hip. It was then that a young looking mother turned a corner on the street, seeing her son standing before a killing machine. Hustling over to her son as quickly as she could she obviously feared that this could only end with harm to the boy. However, the captain only pulled a small wooden carving of a horse from the pouch, giving it to the child with a smile. This was his hobby when out of his homeland, creating small carvings that he could then sell when he returned home. This carving however was a gift, a gift that proved that these men were much more than machines of war and obedient dogs. They were men like any other, the only difference was they had the discipline to do whatever was ordered of them by those they allowed to be their leaders.

 

[Lego]

@Leusis


The houses were all wooden, made of the distinctive jungle trees that were scattered throughout the kingdom. They were all made sturdy, and many of the individual homes had distinctive marking on them. Some were of weapons, some were of people, some were ornate designs, and some appeared to be family crests. There were too, some recreation and food stops as well. With his basic knowledge of the language, the diplomat could make out words saving "Tavern" on a a large, two floor building just near the entrance to the city. Further down the road could be seen a sign reading "Fight club". The use of this facility should be rather apparent. Near the center of the city was a large open circle, with signs near all entrances saying "Market". As with any other market, the place was bustling, and had many different shops lining around the the ring. There was a shop selling exotic goods, a blacksmith, a leathersmith, multiple food and drink stalls, a wood carving stall, and a few different stalls for various work guilds.


Down the center strip of the city were various more signs reading off different guilds. "Leatherworking.", "Metalworking.", "Hunting", and "Archery", among various other places.


The child's mother nods to the head of the guard in thanks for his gift, then hurries her child off down a side street, presumably back to their home.


After several minutes, Mbulwa returns, baring a cheery smile. "The feast is well under way, and Ulgandu is in a very good mood. He says both you and your guards are welcome to come and attend the event. Follow me, and I will take you to the castle."


Mbulwa turns, and begins walking down the center strip of the city. He motions for you and your guards to follow.

 

[Leusis]

Alastair, nodding to Mbulwa hurried along behind him, waving for his guards to follow. Picking up their iron shields and spears again they quickly caught up, moving much more swiftly than one would expect even the most physically fit men to when wearing heavy armor. Approaching the castle Mbulwa had spoken of before they entered the city, none of them could really hide their surprise. It was a grand building indeed, much better than anything they had previously seen in this country. All of them didn't really even expect these people to be capable of such a thing, but it seemed they were indeed capable architects. Following the man who lead them into the castle their senses were flushed by the sights and sounds of a feast. Many men drinking and eating as they laughed and conversed with each other, it was a happy sight, seeing that these people were able to celebrate just as well as they could build grand castles. Assumingly approaching the king of this land Alastair would calmly approach "Hello Ulgandu, I am a diplomat from the clan of Argos, I have come to negotiate and celebrate with your people". Speaking in a very relaxed manner he would take the closest available seat to the king after both of them greeted each other. "My guards have come to celebrate as well" he spoke, looking to his captain and gesturing for them to do as they willed. Rather slowly the guards dispursed throughout the festivities, hardly able to communicate with those around them, but still seeming to get along. This was of course due to one simple truth, all men here were warriors, and could of course bond over that fact, just as allied soldiers from many nations do.


"I would like to speak with you about an agreement of sorts, if that be trade more military, either is open to me to accept. Of course, I believe it would be beneficial for our cultures to experience both of these areements. I was told however, that you are a warrior and you pride yourself on that fact, as you should. I've heard you are only second to your very respectable general. I also heard that you only seek friendship with the strong, something I assure you every Argos warrior is".

 

[Lego]

The walls of the great feast hall were leaden with decorations with decorations of all kinds. From intricate designs of battles, to simply hunting trophy. The feast table was filled with a huge variety of both food and drink, both foreign and native, and the supply of food and drink was incredible. Despite the feast going on for at least a few hours, the table still had food to satisfy hundreds upon hundreds of men. Ulgandu had speared no expense for this event


Around the room both men and woman were dancing, drinking, eating, and even fighting. Many of the guest were noticeably drunk as well, as their speech and movement was very slurred. Iswandi alcohol was very potent in its affects, and very fast acting, and despite the peoples built immunity to the drink, it still didn't take much to get any of them drunk.


As the diplomat approached the supposed king, he noticed a large beast of a man standing just next to him. He stood over seven feet tall, and had many large scars strewn all over his body. His demeanor was very calm, and he stood like a rock, never flinching at any of the activity going on throughout the room. His eyes constantly scanned the room, watching each and ever little thing that happened, his assegai clutched tightly in his right hand. As the diplomat sat down, the mans eyes darted to this new visitor. He starred him down for at least twenty seconds, before returning to scanning the room as he had done before.


"Yes, welcome to castle Islala, my friend. Your assumption is correct, as I am Ulgandu. The man standing next to me is my guard and military adviser, Zurgane Kalla." The man nods


Both men nod along to Alastair's words


"You tell me that your people are strong, and from the look of your guards I do not doubt it." Ulgandu points across the room to where an Impi and an immortal had gotten into a drunken duel. The immortal was able to knock out the Impi quickly, and with relative ease "However, what of your officials? What of your king? How would they fare on a battlefield? Would they hid behind their troops like cowards, or would they willingly fight side-by-side with their men on the front lines? And how about you, diplomat? Are you able to hold your own in a fight? Would you fight alongside your guards if a fight broke out? A man cannot truly call himself a man, and a warrior cannot even be considered a warrior until they've been in the thick of battle. To be splattered with both the blood of your enemies and your allies is the true mark of a warrior. Do your officials have that mark?"

 

[Leusis]

Alastair listened as Ulgandu spoke, his words were that of a warrior, he knew for a fact the soldiers in the Argos military wer strong. However he wished to know about men such as Alastair and the king, the men who in many cultures did not partake in battle. "I personally was not raised learning the art of war like many of our warriors, in fact I did not even take lessons in combat until I was already a man. I grew up a scholar, politician, and diplomat, my sword was my words. However, as expected from any member of the government or military, I am expected to kill and have in a few situations. Of course these were not grand battles, but instead small skirmishes that happened on the road between nations. I have only killed a small number of men, and you could say I am indeed a warrior, but a poor one at that compared to the real warriors of my society".


"As for my king however,he is the greatest warrior among our military focused society. As I told Mbulwa, he could strike down a dozen men as if they were children, men from battle have even reported that he is able to stop a heavily armored horse at full speed and toss it to the ground. He is considered to be a man chosen by the gods, just as all the kings before him who were just as powerful. And as for the nobles of our clan, they are old, likely previous warriors but in no condition to fight, they mostly focus on assuring the country is running as smoothly as possible. Sadly however a good number of them still wish for a glorious death in battle, but placing them in the front line is dangerous and can not be permited. As you know, a formation is only as strong as its weakest link". Alastair spoke in a relaxed manner, he had no fear of this man or his extremely large guard, they were obviously civilized and had no reason to harm him. As for the immortal who had engaged a native in combat Alastair sighed, knowing this was a very rare situation where they could let loose he could not blame them for any trouble they caused.

 

[Lego]

Ulgandu was enthralled by the diplomat's tales of their kings exploits. He was, however, visibly disappointed in the description of the Argos higher-ups. It was clear that Ulgandu understood that that a country must be made to run smoothly, but his warrior mind still saw these actions as cowardly, and the noblemen as weak.


"To me, your officials sound weak. No amount words will save you when the enemy is beating at your door. Your king, however, I find incredibly interesting. I make one request of you before I allow diplomatic relations to occur between our people. Bring your king here, and let us see his abilities first hand. If he is half the man you say he is, then i will be more than willing to begin relations between us. To gain an accurate measure of his fighting ability, he will fight our greatest warrior, Zurgande."


Ulgandu turns to Zurgande, as if to ask if he objects. Zurgande simply nods his head in agreement to this proposition. Content with the response, Ulgandu turns his attention back to the diplomat


"Does this request suit you?"