Community June 2024 Isekai Hell Community Event “A Day in the Life of” Submissions

[TheTimePiece]

Submission Deadline: June 22nd 11:59 PM EST

1000 words max.

Link the character sheet of your chosen character who will be receiving rewards from event on your submission.

 

[LightningJay]

A Day in the Life of Varian Blackthorn, Leader of the Obsidian Wolves​

Link to character sheet: John

Dawn
The first light of dawn had barely pierced the thick canvas of Varian Blackthorn’s tent when the mercenary leader stirred awake. Unlike the grand marble halls of the Eastern Empire, the mercenary camp was a practical assembly of tents and makeshift fortifications. It wasn’t the nicest place to be, but boy did it serve its purpose well. Varian got up quickly, his mind already filled with the day's tasks. The cool morning air was filled with the sounds of the camp waking up: the clink of armor, the crackle of campfires, and the low murmur of voices.

The mercenary leader put on his well-worn armor, its blackened steel a testament to the countless battles he had been through. He tied back his dark hair and stepped outside, sharp eyes surveying the camp just like a hawk. His band of mercenaries, the Obsidian Wolves, were a disciplined and loyal group, motivated by gold and the promise of victory.

Morning: Training and Strategy
The first order of business was to oversee the morning training drills. Varian walked through rows of soldiers as he corrected their stances, offered new advice, and delivered harsh reprimands when appropriate. Their band were known for their efficiency and lethality in battle, and he was there to ensure that none of them lost their edge.

"Focus on your footwork, Darius," Varian said, as he corrected a young recruit's stance. "Precision is key. One misstep can very well be your last."

After the drills, the mercenary leader headed to the command tent where his lieutenants gathered around a large map of the battlefield. The ongoing war with the Fae Nation was at the forefront of everyone's mind. The Fae had an entire arsenal of mystical powers and a deep connection with nature. Conventional military strategies would not suffice in the war against them, and so they couldn’t afford to slack off with their preparations.

"Our scouts report increased Fae activity near the southern forest," said Leona, one of his trusted lieutenants. "It seems they're preparing for another offensive."

Varian studied the map carefully as the gears grinded in his head. "The Fae rely heavily on their magic and the terrain. Because of this, we need to disrupt their natural advantage. Sabotage their supply lines, set traps, and use hit-and-run tactics to keep them off balance." He commanded the others.

Noon: Negotiations and Deals
By midday, Varian was preparing for a meeting with emissaries from the Eastern Empire. Despite his personal indifference to the empire itself, he knew the importance of maintaining a good relationship with their employers. The Empire's gold funds their operations, and the mercenary leader was nothing if not pragmatic.

"Remember, we're here for the gold, not their glory," Varian reminded his lieutenants before heading to the meeting.

The emissaries arrived with their usual pomp and circumstance. They discussed the terms of the contract, payments, and the upcoming battle plans. Varian listened attentively, taking into consideration what his troops were lacking.

"We will need additional supplies and reinforcements," The mercenary leader stated plainly. "Our current contract covers basic necessities, but if you want results against the Fae, we'll need more."

The lead emissary nodded. "We will be happy to oblige, although you better bring those results you’ve promised us." A dangerous glint could be seen from his eyes, as if threatening the mercenaries.

Varian smiled inwardly at the threat. Seems like things were getting fun now…

Afternoon: Battlefield Command
In the afternoon, Varian led a reconnaissance mission near the front lines. The forest where the Fae held their ground was a treacherous place, filled with hidden dangers. Varian moved silently, his senses attuned to the slightest changes in the environment. His goal was to gather intelligence and identify weak points in the Fae defenses.

The air was thick with magic, and the forest seemed to pulse with a life of its own. Varian knew that underestimating the Fae would be a fatal mistake. He signalled his men to halt as he observed a group of Fae warriors moving through the trees. They blended seamlessly with their surroundings, their movements graceful and almost ethereal.

"Now’s our chance," Varian whispered to his second-in-command, a grizzled veteran named Thorne. "Prepare the traps and set up ambush points along their patrol routes."

Evening: Reflections and Plans
As evening fell, Varian returned to the camp. The day's activities had been taxing, but there was still work to be done. He gathered his lieutenants for a debriefing, discussing the information gathered and planning the next steps. The atmosphere was tense but focused; every decision could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

"The Fae may have caught wind of our involvement in this war," Varian informed his team. "We need to be ready. Increase the patrols and fortify our defenses."

After the meeting, Varian finally had a moment to himself. He sat by the campfire, the flickering flames casting long shadows. His thoughts drifted to the broader implications of the war. While he was loyal to his men and their mutual goal of wealth, he couldn’t help but ponder the futility of the conflict.

The Eastern Empire sought to expand its territory and influence, while the Fae fought to protect their ancestral lands. Both sides had their reasons, and Varian found himself in the middle, driven not by ideology but by the promise of gold. He knew that in this war, as in many others, there were no true winners.

 

[Maxxob]

Bartholomew Purrington: The Sly Merchant of the Republic
​

Link to the character's sheet: Adelhein

At first glance, one wouldn't imagine the cunning that hid behind the little amber eyes which the beastkin possessed. Of short stature, barely 5ft, its round, fluffy body made Bartholomew seem more like a pet than an actual individual. Being one of the higher-ups of the Republic Merchant's Guild, he was an antagonist to the realm's values: his strength was not noteworthy, nor was he just, far from it. But then again, would anything else be expected from one of the members of the nation's most scorned faction?

Still, his shrewdness and willingness to go to any lengths to turn a profit made him quite the player within the realm. His mind worked in a single-minded manner, a single purpose driving his very existence: gold, preferably Rykes rather than BeastYen. And what better way to accrue currency than providing whatever was demanded and needed by his nation's warring neighbors?

Whenever what could not be found within the realm was requested by the warring nations, he tried to act as a sort of middle-man. Sometimes with his connection within Ryke, albeit that was rarer, as the nation already shared borders with both The See and the East Empire. However, the same couldn't be said about the Grand Duchy, The West Empire or The Kingdom. There were always those that, whenever their palms had been greased enough, would forgo their moralities.

Every waking hour was spent signing papers, sending his trusted workers to haggle with sellers, making sure the caravans of goods were protected by hiring enough mercenaries. And, thanks to the Guild's savvy knowledge about the local laws, even flesh was traded. After all, what bad was there in 'outsourcing' hired workers to the East Empire? He couldn't be blamed if they liked the nation so much that they never returned.

The whole situation was excellent for Bartholomew for, as long as the crucible of war burned brightly, as he hoped it would for many years, there was a fortune to be made. And he was willing to squeeze every single coin until one of the warring nations, or maybe both, became undone.

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

Bruno Gandolfi: Merchant of Ryke
Link to Izuru Sheet

MORNING
His 3ft frame leaning over the side of his massive king sized bed. Bruno Gandolfi the Gnome Merchant listened to the reports of his dull eyed assistant Hortensia as his servants prepped his clothes for the day. As the head of the Gandolfi Merchant Group, part of Rykes Merchants Guild. He always made sure to be properly informed of any big changes on the continent. According to Hortensia, the situation with those idiots from the Empire and the disgusting Fae were continuing to tear their nations apart. Not to mention that hordes of insectoids popping up out of nowhere. At least they had the decency not to lie about how utterly revolting they were.

"President, how should we address the situation with our supply shipments. Currently both the Imperials and Fae are partaking in our products. It would be only a matter of time before they notice"

"This is why you're stupid, Hortensia. Stupid and ugly. No doubt they've noticed our products going both ways, much like you. However what other choice do they have? War is costly and supplies are finite. Unlike your dead parents, they still have families to feed. Desperation IS the foundation for opportunity after all. Now fire these servants, dock their severances as well"

"At once President. Although these were interns so the most I can do is change the wording of our recommendation"

The gnome who runs a successful business is truly the most victimized. President Gandolfi looked on at the eyes of the heartbroken young human girl who had busted her hump to get that recommendation. Recoiling in contempt for attempt at guilting him into feeling bad for her inadequacies. The girl was promptly removed from the premises by one of the Half-Orc guards.

LUNCHTIME

Cutting into his steak with a knife freshly sharpened by the beam of a mages light magic. President Gandolfi popped the piece of meat into his mouth and smiled at the way it melted into his palette. Lunch was a very important time for a gnome merchant as it represented their re-fueling in order to face the rest of the day. Speaking of meat, the Half-Orc farm was progressing quite nicely. Orcs as a species were strong and quite useful as shock troops to any who could acquire them. However they lacked critical thinking as well as the ability to produce desirable results. Half-Orcs were much more useful as their ability parameters were only slightly lower than pure Orcs and they followed orders far more concisely.

"Hortensia why is that one screaming? Haven't they been fed already?"

"President. This one was caught trying to escape the compound"

"Escape? To do what? Nothing exists for these things outside of these walls"

It was true, a fact of life as true as the blue sky. These Half-Orcs were born inside this facility from breeding programs President Gandolfi spent a lot of rykes on. Anything they could call a life was owed to him, a debt he would always collect on. Once wrenched from their mothers. Gandolfi Half-Orcs were trained to serve as bodyguards or disposable human shields for the Gnomes of the Gandolfi Merchant Group. It was true that their kind were small and lacked the strength of larger races. Hence why repurposing these green-skins was absolutely necessary for their work.

"This latest batch will go to the East Empire Merchant Companies. There they can be distributed among the mercenaries fighting on the front lines. Some may argue for green skins not counting among beastkin... but aren't they all beasts regardless? Even someone as dumb as you could see the pointlessness of the argument, Hortensia"

EVENING

"Gentleman. I'd like to propose a toast to our latest venture with the supplies sent through the Duchy to the See of Fae!"

"HEAR HEAR!"

The merry atmosphere that filled President Gandolfi's office was not unwarranted. The Imperial war machine had trampled upon the trees and verdant foliage that the fae so adored. Not only would this hamper their ability to feed themselves but also created an unrest due to the deep connection those fools had with nature. The Grand Duchy of Roran could be considered a main supporter of the fae. All he had to do was grease a few palms to get a letter filled with UTTER BULLSHIT sent to the duchy merchants. Arranging their supplies as Care Packages. The Gandolfi Merchant group was putting forth the front that not only did they care about the See of Fae as a whole, but the common fae citizen as well.

"Dear god your assistant is ugly, President. I suppose all mutts look the same but I'd have hired another gnome"

"Hortensia is indeed hideous but at least she tries to make up for her low birth with some level of competence"

"Truly you are a gnome of the people"

"HA! Like any of these things I deal with on a daily basis could be considered PEOPLE. OHOHOHOHOHO!"

NIGHT

"Hortensia. Try not to chase a cat down the street and remember to wake me at the exact same time tomorrow"

"Yes President. Would you like me to call for one of your nighttime companions?"

The president was unmarried at this current time. Money was his mistress and the pursuit of it the extent of his love-life. He'd had a few flings in the past, with the few gnomes who'd caught his attention. Sometimes he would even catch up with them at family gatherings. Taking a lover from one of the other races was out of the question though. He'd sooner allow himself to be kissed by one of those giant bugs eating people in their homes. His purer genetics would be sullied just from breathing their air.

Slapping Hortensia across the face for not making herself scarce when she should have. President Bruno Gandolfi went to sleep in hopes of waking up to repeat such pleasant days once more.

 

[Lolory]

Madame Dahlia Oakwell, Head of The Peony Guild​

Link to CS: Elvyra Highwater

---

Dahlia Oakwell was in a sour mood that morning. Her maids had been late waking her up, which meant she’d been late getting to brunch with her associates, which meant they’d be gossiping the rest of the day about her, which was even worse considering the rumor mill wouldn’t let up after her recent stint in the Azuran City dungeons. Granted, she had been released after a few months of rotting away on a stone cold slate bed and in rags, and her father had returned from his business trip in Widersia to beg and plead the royal court to release her after a shorter sentence, but the mark of being imprisoned still haunted her.

And to make matters worse, they were close to losing the one asset the Oakwell’s had left after her whole “Valeria” fiasco, getting caught red handed selling an illegal drug to the same hypocritical nobles who were talking about her behind her back all the time; The Peony Guild. It was a merchant guild that specialized in Luxury goods, specifically perfume and other light scents. Thanks to the war, it had capitalized on that niche market, since The See’s and Empire’s borders had been closed to many ports. The Peony had sponsors, but that week they’d lost their last one.

I cannot believe I have to debase myself further…begging this insipid, old fogie to keep The Peony alive after everything I’ve done for him! It made her blood boil just thinking about it, as she practically marched her way to Count Dermarov’s small townhome. It was small, and quaint which was quite unfitting of a Count. She’d heard he owned small land somewhere in the Ryken countryside, and that he was even friends with royalty. Those were all things she couldn’t confirm, however. What she did know was that he was one of her highest paying customer during the Valeria craze. He’d even been at that party that she had thrown that led to her downfall in the most ridiculous way possible. And when he opened the door to greet her, he had the smuggest smile on his wilted elderly face.

Dahlia smiled tightly at the elder and was glad that she at least towered over him considering he was of Dwarven descent. She didn’t think she’d be able to handle it if this old man was taller than her while he gloated about her going to prison over something he participated in.

“Ah, Madame Oakwell! I’m so glad you could come here, have a seat, I’ll set some tea for you!” He said with a smile, though Dahlia knew it was fake.

“Let’s get to the point, Dermarov.” She pushed past him and took a seat on the plush feathered sette. “What do you think you’re playing at here? Pulling your sponsorship from The Peony isn’t what we agreed on.” Her voice was laced with anger as she glared at him openly.

Dermarov chuckled, “Oh is that why you seem so upset today, dear Oakwell?” He continued his way to the small open kitchen where he began to prepare the tea. “Well, I just presumed that it’d be a better investment, considering your…past history with the Azuran City guards. I’ve been looking to other guilds to fund, you see.”

“You’re full of shit.” She said viciously. “You just don’t want the Guards to investigate further and find out your part in the Valeria growth project. To think an old man like you would be so spineless-”

“Is it cowardly to think ahead, dear Oakwell?” he set the tea cups on the table softly, as he ignored the obvious hatred pouring from her very being. “I told you before I agreed to sponsor your guild that I’d only do so because I thought it was a good investment.”

“And because you like to drug yourself on saturday evenings.” She said with contempt.

“That too.” Dermarov smiled shamelessly. “I admit, I will miss the Valeria you used to supply. But I’ve got greener pastures to look forward to. New investments to make.” he stared at her pointedly this time, his smug demeanor growing larger. “You’re quite familiar with them too, I bet.”

Dahlia paused and thought for a moment, “You’d seriously take your money and run to one of my competitors!? Just to keep your own hands clean? Why you-”

“Are you familiar with the name Highwater?” He asked her. “Now there’s a young lady who knows how to run a business, and a discreet one at that.” He laughed boldly at Dahlia’s enraged face.

Highwater. Elvyra Highwater…? That conniving, no good, lying- “I’m sure you’ve heard, but the war has drastically impacted the Luxury goods coming in and out of the Fae See and Empire for quite a few months now…but with the help of my new friend Highwater, she’s been able to secure me quite a few goodies! Much stronger than Valeria, anyways.”

Oakwell silently seethed. Why is she always meddling wherever I’m trying to do business? It’s like that blood sucking vamp lives to ruin my life! I hate her! The nerve of her to try and steal my sponsors right out from under my nose! I bet she waited until I was imprisoned to do this little stint of hers, that bitch!

“I’m leaving. This conversation isn’t over with, though.” She’d have words with Elvyra first and return to make this smiling old fool pay. She got up and left his townhome, a determined and angered glint in her eyes. The only thing on her mind was how to make that Vampire pay for involving herself in this at all.

---

Spoiler: lil extra lol

Somewhere Elvyra sneezes in her office, and looks around confused. Is someone talking about her right now...? How strange.

 

[Elvario]

Character: Character - Characters

Messages for the Elderflower domain.

She sighed deeply as she grabbed her head. The last few weeks had been a near constant headache. “You, grab me some water.” She pointed to one of the servants. “You, start writing down what I'm about to tell you. Then make sure it gets copied and sent to everyone within my domain.”

Sitting down and taking a deep breath, she spoke up whilst a servant started writing.

“To all my loyal subjects,

We're all aware that times have been difficult and harsh to you. With the war against the eastern vermin draining our resources and the bugs they so foolishly unleashed running rampant, nobody can be faulted for panicking amidst this tragedy.”

She paused for a moment, as she was brought a cup of water. Taking a sip she felt slightly better. It was just cold enough, having had an ice elemental keep it at the most pleasant temperature. It was also enriched with minerals. Whatever kept her going in this rootless period.

“Even so, it is exactly in times like these that we must all do our part. After all, we are better than them, which we can show by standing as a united front against them.” She firmly believed that, as a species unlike any other, unique in the world and created above all others, unity would bring them victory.

“To those unaware of it, some of the bugs are said to have even reached Ryke. It shouldn't be long before the nation starts to take heed of them. We must ensure they know it is the vile East Empire that is to blame for this.” She disliked making allies with a nation that had Humans in it, but if that was what the future would bring, she would not deny their aid.

“Although our scouts suffered losses on some fronts, it is but a minor set-back in the bigger picture.” She hated that news. That day had been one of the worst. It made her wish she could root in the rotting corpses of these foul creatures that dared to defy them. Breathing in a rich, carbon-dioxide filled breath of air and breathing out pure oxygen, she regained some composure.

“Some of you have questioned where our heroes have gone. I can say that one, at least, is still tirelessly fighting for our cause. Deacon Masa has reported that the Hero of Wisdom has gotten rid of a Plaguebearing Heart in the Lodeli woods.” The day she'd gained that news, she'd wanted to try find the hero to ask them to move to the frontline. She'd failed to get someone to find her. She hated how their heroes were wasting their time on trivial issues, but such a sentiment wasn't one she could share with her subjects.

“We've also heard odd rumours of one of our heroes working with the enemy against the threat of bugs. Whilst this is odd, I believe that any annihilation of bugs is in our interest, regardless of the way it came to be.” That news had been even more outrageous. It made her realise the Spirit King should've never given mere Humans such titles, though she would never dare say this aloud or think such a thing in his presence. As the Cardinal of Nature, all she had to do was obey. It didn't make her feel any less angered by the subject.

“Finally, I believe it is important to note that some beast mercenaries from Kuridan have come to our aid. The Eastern Empire has long enslaved their kind, which I believe to be the motivation for them to seek us out as allies. Whilst I realise, like most of us do, that they are not of equal blood and nature to us, I do believe they are far superior to the vermin that is humanity. Therefore, I demand all my subjects to treat them with enough respect to garner their favour in the war against the Eastern Empire. Whilst we are vastly superior, we are still taking losses. Fae life is a long and extended one. It is better for a dozen Beasts to die than to loose a single one of our kind. Any aid we get from these more expendable races must be valued. In fact, I do not mention them as a 'dozen' arbitrarily.”

She realised she turned some eyes by what she was saying, but she continued regardless. “I have come to believe that saving a dozen [Beasts] might be worth the life a [Fae], should circumstances warrant making such a calculation. This, of course, is for the pragmatic reason that we desperately need their numbers in the ongoing war. I wish to state this; A death to save enough beasts to provide our nation these numbers, is a death worth dying for the sake of our nation.” She gritted her teeth. She disliked having to balance Fae lives with Beats ones, yet it seemed like this was the best option to turn the tides.

“May the Spirit King guide us,

Cardinal Elderflower of the See of Chearon.”

She stated the closing lines of the message she'd have her subjects take to heart. “Sent a copy of this to all deacons.” She instructed, before waving the servants away.

She walked outside, taking in the sun. “You there, did the soil I ordered arrive?” She asked, upon which the servant nodded. “Good. Do not disturb me for the next few hours, unless it is a life-or-death situation or an order from the Spirit King himself.”

She headed to the greenhouse. She couldn't help wanting to take root there on occasion, letting her mind rest as she rooted in soil brought in from places through-out the world. Taking in new nutrients and gaining energy in the light of the sun. She needed it more than ever in these troubling times.

 

[Femboy]

Caskhild, Head of the Duskwark Underground Merc. Guild
Character Sheet Link

The underground Merc. Guild's work had been going rather swimmingly, ever since Caskhild had somehow ended up in this different reality he had been working to get a force of power in his own hands. Though, with how strange of a place it felt getting accustomed to, he had to take a drastically different approach. Finding nice respite within the Republic, starting his own Mercenary Guild within a small underground subset of caverns allowed him to make small sanctuary and place of business for those looking to offer their services both regular and controversial. People looking for dangerous work or to use their talents which are deemed troublesome by society would always find refuge and purpose within his own, of which he was spending the day in solitude grinning and humming to himself.

"Hm, hm~... " he hummed to himself, hearing a knock on the shoddy makeshift door. Giving a glance to it and straightening his face, his clawed feet still remained propped up on his desk.
"Come in" he blankly answered, soon enough adjusting his eyes to the beastkin girl who was basically working as his secretary at this point. She was a sheep-beast, some bounty hunter had come across her alongside her work and brought her back one day. After some convincing and assistance, the girl had made a great personal assistant to himself ever since.

"Sir, I've got records of who's been in and what they've been up to as you asked. You haven't been out doing things much recently, I don't mean to be rude, but are you working on something? You're not usually this isolated... " she asked, offering him the notes she had accrued. He briefly looke down at something on his desk, before taking them.

"It's just a little something I've been thinking about. While I haven't been turning my head to much outside of the Guild's range of business, it'd be nice to get our hands out of shifty content. I'd like to work up a military, though I don't feel particularly... attached, to any of them I've looked into, but that got me thinking," he began as he gestured to a map of the Second Continent that he dragged to the center of the desk so she could better see.

"Isabelle, you know about the war going on between the Fae See and the Eastern Empire, surely? I've been thinking, wouldn't it be great if we expanded the reach of our provided services to these two warring sides if at least one of them?" he suggested, thinking over it to himself. Isabelle, the sheepkin in question, held her tongue as she mulled it over herself. Caskhild would choose to continue speaking whilst she thought about it.

"These two are fighting against eachother, correct? Say we boosted our capabilities and outside support by siding with at least one of them, we are proven worth and betterhaps get some of our risky people out of trouble, if at least I keep my name clear so I'm able to better handle and do things around the place. I'm thinking that's maybe how we can move a little underground business into the spotlight and sunlight, quite literately. It'd also give us an opportunity to move and set up some shop in another region, I can expand my own domain. I trust you can manage a place, but keep rough-housers out of trouble? I'd have to see about moving up in militarial power and such, or find someone worthy to help keep control whenever I'm not around. Such a shame the family isn't around, I'm sure one of them would've made all this new-world shenanigans a lot easier... " he voiced his thoughts, mumbling and trailing off a little as he leaned back. There was definitely something to capitalise off of the war going on, he couldn't see a better place to try and make a powerful name for himself rather than toiling around in the dirt for so long.

The people who he had utilised their services to gain a following of Mercs and mystery adventurers to help strengthen his underground mercenary guild were useful and had stuck around, though it was only a matter of time until he'd have to potentially think of moving out of such business if he wanted to make a name forged of gold for himself.

Sitting up slowly, he considered his options.
"Make sure to keep records of Mercenaries and all people that come ago, and check in with me whenever you notice something strange or a name you don't highly recognise. I'm gonna go peer about for a little bit, I'm sure Ryles and Kharamoora are hanging about between their own work, tell 'em I asked them to help you keep an eye on the place while I'm out. They'll listen. Gonna take a little trip to the history books, look for some names in either of these regions, all that. Gonna see if I can prove some use of myself to either of these factions, though I'm sure the East Empire'll not want to listen to a word I say. Gonna check in with the Fae See to give a looksie on contributing to the War Effort, maybe get something done and in the works with myself and-or the Guild, but no guarantees. Maybe I can find word about close ones somewhere, haven't heard a thing but I feel like they gotta be here somewhere, hopefully nothing bad happened to them... " he thought for a moment. Sighing and standing up, he shrugged.

"Beats me, anyway, you heard what I said. Go on, I'll be back in due time, whenever that is".​

 

[DarkKitsune]

OTHER INFORMATION:

This is an entry for ‘Day in The Life of’ june 2024 isekai hell event submission!

Character. This time the rewards Shall go to my character Eriedeth Pip.

I’ll be using a made-up member of the Widersian Parliament for this entry.

Within the country of steam and clockwork in its beloved capital of Clockhaven, orange lights lit up the city from the numerous lamp posts. Smog bellowed from the local chimneys blocking out the light of the flickering stars, resulting in the appearance of a darker sky. Sounds of engines and machinery echoed throughout the night sky. In a tower with a window overlooking it all, was a member of Widersia’s Parliament: Cyrus Harrison. Seated at an oak wood desk, the black-haired human propped his head against his left hand, as his right hand scribbled on a piece of paper, his dim green eyes focused on the slip of paper, his handwriting written neatly as ink flowed smoothly from the nib of the pen. The Methodic sounds of pen against paper echoed through his office, accompanied by the weakened noises of Widersian Machinery.

In Widersia, power was for the most part equally distributed between the three factions of Nobility, Merchants and adventurers' guild, respectively. The only faction that lacked power was Widersia’s churches. As most of the country believed solely in the innovation of scientific invention. All had been well til recent months, while Widersia’s military was preoccupied with keeping the small country’s defenses up against the warring nations it was seated between, while that had taken up most of the time of Cyrus Harrison’s time. The numbers of cases rising in recent months can’t be ignored, as these cases have become more frequent and difficult to handle without proper laws and precautions in place.

As of recent months, varying cases of product theft have been reported. Inventors accusing other inventors of stealing their work and the like. Stations like these often took more time than it should to resolve regarding the methods the parliament had to use. In the next weeks, there was a planned meeting to introduce the exact bill he was drafting at present: a bill that made a set of laws that was dedicated to preventing the theft of work. It worked more as a safety precaution. The human referred to them as ‘patent laws’ and ’copyright laws’.​

​

 

[Moonberry]

Character Recieving Pts: Aedrianna Belmonte

A day in the life of the Queen of Rotia

It was a warm day. The summer breeze was blowing in with a sweet scent. Eliciting memories of childhood days spent amongst the royal gardens with her mother. Carefree days, when the weight of the whole continent was not resting on her shoulders. A young woman- with an elegance that some might say was natural nobility- strode down a stone corridor of the Rotia Palace. Hornbach was busy this time of year. The Spring festival had been a success, and now it was time to tend the fields, and fatten the livestock. Fall would be upon them soon enough, and the preparations for the Autumnal Festival would be quite the headache. She was a young queen. Some might say inexperienced. Many expected her to falter, in taking up her father's mantle. But she could not. The blood would run cold before she would hesitate. Because hesitation on the battlefield was death. And to Live as the ruler of Rotia, is to constantly live in the battlefield.

"Will your majesty be following the schedule today, or perhaps your royal highness has other plans?"A voice broke her from her thoughts, though her steps never faltered. Her eyes flit back towards the one speaking. It was her fathers oldest advisor. He was a loyal servant to her house. His words were always filled with some other hidden meaning. And he seemed to be keeping up with her marching. Where as her enterouge of servants and guards all seemed to be lagging behind, and struggling. After a moments consideration, she turned her head forward, even still as she continued to make long determined strides. Perhaps it was evident that she had her own plans. If so, than she needn't deign to answer such a frivolous question.

"We will hear the schedule that is planned Cedric. There is simply something that requires attention first. "

"As you will, Your majesty. The first on the itinerary-" He began to drone, and she had already started to drown him out. Eventually her march brought her to the western hangar. Cedric was still speaking, even as they walked through the hangar and down the stairs into the underground part. The area was spacious. And the building was made so that the roof would open, to allow the Royal fullers quick access. "And at fifteen hundred hours your majesty, you have tea scheduled with her grace Lady Thalia Fiore, the grand duchess of Claweridge" That grabbed her attention.

"Tea? Truly?" She finally stopped, turning slowly. Cedric came to a clean halt. Whereas the servants and guards that were hurrying to catch up, all stumbled to straighten and appear presentable.

"Indeed, your Majesty. I believe she wants to talk about the prospect of marriage, with her son Axel Fiore." Cedric pushed his spectacles up as he spoke, avoiding eye contact with her. She held him with a long gaze, for a quiet moment. Then eventually released a sigh and nodded.

"That is well...Thank you Cedric." She turned her head forward then, looking at the grand fuller standing before her. It was an older model. Her father had used it for a good portion of his life. Fighting countless winters against the monsters that threatened the life of their people. Not to mention, if Rotia were to fall, the whole continent would soon succumb to the darkness that plagues the shores of Rotia. She smiled up to the behemoth mechanism A Giant that represented everything she and her family stood for. Last winter had been her first winter with the masterpiece. It had been hard. And scary. No matter how many times you train and prepare. The real thing is always hard.

She preferred to do the maintenance herself. Just like her father. However much her servants and advisors disapproved of it. It was a relationship. You had to know the fuller, to be able fight with it properly. Another example of life or death in Rotia. She set to work diligently, climbing up onto the side bars to sit in the cock pit. "What do you have to report on the requests we sent?" She called down from her perch. Cedric adjusted his spectacles, seeming a bit hesitant to respond.

"As it were your majesty.... I have received letters from each of the recipients of your requests. There are a multitude of excuses. All of which pertaining to the war between the See of Chaeron and The Eastern Empire. It would seem Ryke has its hands full trying to deal with their own monstrous bugs. And Neither the See nor the Eastern Empire will agree to work alongside each other. And both have threatened to consider Rotia hostile, if we accept aid from their enemies. There is no return letter from the Republic, nor the Western Empire. Widersia has stated that they would be willing to aid, however the movement of troops through the warzone is near impossible. It seems the Duchy may be able to send a few new weapons to use against the Winder Horde. However, they lack military strength to extend themselves so far." He finished his report with a half bow. There was a long moment of silence after he finished. Then eventually the sound of a tool being used to twist and tighten something started.

"It seems we will be alone again this winter. The oracles have claimed this will be the longest and hardest winter in a century..." Her voice echoed eerily in the Hangar. Seeming to come from the Fuller itself, with her own person not being visible from where Cedric and the others waited to attend the Queen. "So be it. We shall fight the Winter Horde, as we always have. Alone. However,.We believe that our neighbors may need help learning how to play nice. Perhaps we shall teach them all a lesson.... Next Summer." Her words hung in the air, a silent promise to the future.[/color]

 

[TheTimePiece]

Character Receiving Points: Yukan Koyake

Gima Koyake, Current Shogun of the Nara No Nox Shogunate​

It was a sunny morning in the Nara No Nox Shogunate in the capital. The current Shogun Gima Koyake, was a youthful Tanuki beast man from the Koyake clan who had gotten his way from being an assumed underdog into beating his opponents in the tournament of power allowing him to take the throne. His strength had gone well beyond his age.

As of the current day he awoke in one of the nicest Emperor style futons which the capital had to offer, composed of silk and wood, reinforced in the beast man style, only the sort of which the most affluent could afford. He was part of the clan who had some more human qualities than beast, spotting recognizable signature Tanuki Ears and Tail, while looking more like an athletic man for the rest of his body. Next to him in bed was a most desirable to many Concubine who he had spent the night with. When he woke up, he let out a bit of a sigh,

“Must the day’s responsibilities start? I haven’t finished having my fun..” He’d grumble a bit, before reluctantly casting her away. He would then stand up in his well secured with guards and lavish room, going through his morning rituals of preparing for the day, staying barefoot.

While he looked in the mirror he spoke aloud to himself. “This war business..does it really matter all that much in the end? Whether the Fae See or the East empire wins..as long as we’re kept out of it, why does it matter?”

“I suppose it doesn't’ hurt to be ready to try to be on better terms with whoever wins, but neither of them understand what it truly means to be a beast..Even then I guess the East Empire winning the war is the worst case scenario, which in that case I should prepare for the worst case response, that the council decides to become aggressive..but the Empire..they think of us as mere slaves and second class citizens..Hah..they better know enough to stay away from our nation..if they know what’s good for them..with them being weakened after the conflict with the See After all, they’ll be far from full power when all is said and done..so if they’re foolish enough it’ll be on them..”

“ I’m also not sure why they all bother me with such trivial matters..people starving here and there, not being able to afford landlords..It’s pretty clear the strong were meant to dominate the weak..that’s how it’s always been in nature, as long as I can keep living a life of luxury because of my strength? Why should I worry about those who..are simply beneath me.”

“I’ll just do enough to keep them placated...I just wish they didn't all want so much of my precious time...” He spoke once more before letting out a soft sigh, and making his way outside.

After having a nice high quality prepared breakfast, Gima would then make his way out to attend a morning meeting, his sandal bearer bringing him his sandals before he stepped outside.

Upon arriving at the meeting he heard his council on the state of affairs in the Nara No Nox Shogunate territory as well as relevant details pertaining to other Shogunates, where afterward he would have lunch with important figures, after that point he would try to avoid doing lots of paperwork where he could, but would come up with ideas to address some of the issues he heard about even if it was half heartedly. Afterward he would try to socialize with those he deemed worthy, as well as later do some martial training to maintain his physique and strength, knowing full well that if someone sensed weakness they could try to challenge him at the next tournament, where he would want to be prepared to be just as dominant as he had been at the last one. Much later he would have dinner with people he deemed worthy and important figures, many of his meals partially business meetings, before going back to pick out another concubine for the night, as the process would no doubt restart the next day where he would meet with more people, and try to enjoy himself, while doing just enough to maintain the status quo which kept him his key supporters.


SilverFeathers

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Madame Puffer, Leader of The Floating City
CS: Aqua

The sun had just peeked over the horizon when over 500 hundreds ships suddenly stopped in the middle of the sea. Those ships were highly varied in their size, some were small vessel only capable of carrying two or three people and maybe a small cargo, some was a rather big ones that can be used to carry a good number of passenger. The most striking ship among them was of course The Moon Tide, a gigantic, completely circular ship with no sail on it. From the depth of The Moon Tide, a large figure draped in Continental Lake's finest garment emerged. Standing almost 8 ft tall with green loose spiky skin and blubbery neck that merges her torso and her fish-like head, Madame Puffer was quite far from what most people would call beautiful, yet she held an undeniable presence as she helds up a big horn as if she would declare a war.

A booming thunderous boom spread across the sea as Madame Puffer blow the horn. That's the cue for every crews of The Floating City to start their preparation. Using ropes, planks, makeshift bridges and various other means, the crews started to connect every ship with each other. What would first looks like a horde of individual ships would gradually merged into one vast floating settlement. This was how Continental Lake's most mobile entertainment district got its name. For the sea folks, the city was a seasonal fair where they can enjoy various things from the land without them needing to go there, cotton candy was a particularly popular cuisine among the seafolks as it wasn't something that can be enjoyed underwater. Meanwhile, the city also provides a unique experiences to any land-dwellers with enough money to afford their services. They might be just billionaires wanting to enjoy the Continental vibes without going underwater, maybe they're merchant looking for extra ships to carry their luggage, or maybe they're criminals seeking a place to hide and move them. As long as the have money, the city was ready to entertain all of their notions.

Usually, Madame Puffer would supervise the city's preparation herself as she was quite a perfectionist. However, today was a little bit different as some special guests would visit her.

"I have made the list for you to check Sebastian, make sure every single points are fulfilled." Madame Puffer handed her attendant a scroll. Sebastian took the scroll and unrolled it, revealing at least 5 feet worth of listed stuffs that he must checked before they open the city tonight. Meanwhile, Madame Puffer walked down the stair and headed into the guest room where an elf merchant had been waiting for her.

"Good day, Madame." The elf bowed respectfully towards her, the seafolk simply reply with a firm nod.

"Long time no see, Zirkael. It has been decades since we last met, so what's happening here?" This was definitely not their first meeting, but neither of them seemed to be interested in discussing the past.

"To the point, eh? Fine. I have heard from my source that one of your 'extra' cargo are boxes of deep pearl for the eastern empire. Let me state this as straight as possible, sell them to me instead. I will pay more than what they offer you."

For a brief moment, Madame Puffer's eyes gleamed as the elf uncover his intention. The deep pearl was a high-quality materials to create catalyst. Its pure physical component made for great magic conduit and it had sit in the bottom of the deepest trench for centuries, making it especially powerful at channeling water and darkness magic.

"I see, so you want to sabotage your enemy. Unfortunately, I am not interested in your silly war. For me, both of you are just potential customer. Nothing more, nothing less. If you want to, I can arrange an auction between you and the empire's merchant. but I won't do anything more than that."

Madame Puffer's nonchalant answer seemed to agitate Zirkael. The tone of his voice changed from being respectful into more aggresive.

"Silly war? Those pearls... You know they will likely use it to invade the southern coast right? Isn't that your homeland?" Before coming here, Zirkalel had done some investigation regarding Madame Puffer. Where she's coming from and the status of her family. He thought he would be able to gain her sympathy, or at least use it as a bargaining chip for some coercion. Instead he was met with an overwhelmingly intense killing intent that made his knees weak. He tried to force himself to resist it but he ultimately succumbed to the pressure and fell on his knees. When he looked up, the figure in front of him had changed, Madame Puffer's body had bloated three times her original size and sharps spikes protruding from various spots on her body, each dripping with black toxic substance.

"You've done your homework, Zirkael. But, sometimes there's things that you shouldn't touch. Who else know about this?" The seafolk asked as she easily lifted Zirkael by grabbing his neck with one hand. The elf tried to struggle free from her hand but found himself too weak to do anything. Still, he held his mouth shut and refused to answer her question, even as tears began flowing down his face.

"Very well, I will at least acknowledge your resolve."

Zirkael and his crews never return to the land, and the fish got some extra meals.​

 

[Tau]

"Woah, this really is a whole other world! And I can use real magic!? No way…! I… I…" Two fists shot to the sky. "Yahoo!!"

Suddenly, the ground itself began to rumble. It was subtle, but quickly grew. In mere minutes, the young man was faced with a metal beast of gears and steam that resembled a galleon glued to the top of a tank.

"Aha, that’s it! I know that look!" An excited man’s voice boomed out from the beast as his prey slowly backed away. "Wait just a minute, we’ll be right down."

As quickly as it had steamrolled its way onto the scene, the beast simmered down with a powerful hiss. Five, well-dressed human…oid figures emerged: three men, a woman, and… "A catgirl!?"

She rolled her eyes as all five formed a triangle formation and each assumed a well-practiced pose, as if they were some idol group.

"Offworlder!" The man in the center cried. "You must be, yes? That alien fashion sense, that twinkle of awe in your eye, those…" he paused for a moment to glance at the tentacle, "…other features! There’s no mistaking it!"

"Uhm…"

"Pleasure to meet you. I’m Shane Mauntell, leader of Widersia’s Offworlder Hunting Party!"

"Offworlder… Hunting Party!?" The backing away returned with a vengeance as fear overtook the strange man’s face.

A couple of the others broke the pose to argue, "See, I told you that was a stupid name!"

"Look, he’s all freaked out now…"

Shane stepped forward, waving his hands frantically, "Don’t worry, it’s not that kind of hunting! We’re more… talent scouts."

"Talent scouts?" the offworlder froze.

"ahem... I’d like to propose an exchange. We’ll be your guide into this new world. Maps of the land, conflicts to avoid, laws to watch out for, you name it. All we ask is that you do the same for us. Reveal to us the secrets of another world! What do you say?"

There was a long moment of silence, before the man finally answered, "Nah."

…

"Nah…?"

"Yeah, I’m good. Figure I’d rather go solo."

The five shared strange looks between them, as if they’d never received such a response before. Eventually, Shane retried, "There’s a war going on, you know. Giant bugs everywhere, suspicions running high, slavers taking advantage of the chaos… would you really feel safe going in blind?"

The stranger thought about it again. "Yeah, I feel pretty tough now."

Behind Shane, the others began to deflate, muttering curses as they headed back inside. He made one last, desperate attempt, "And you’re sure there’s nothing we can do to make it worth your while?"

"Well…" his eyes drifted to the left, "I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to date a catgirl…"

Her triangle ears perked up, and the woman swung around angrily. "Catgirl!? I’m a kitsune! And—"

"She’d love to go on a date with you~!" Shane interrupted, leaping back to cover her mouth. He continued smiling, even as a drop of blood ran down his hand from a kitsune bite.

---

"I hate you so much!"

Shane chuckled, "Excellent work, Parnell. We couldn’t have done this without you." The two sat in the control room, watching the world roll by below them. They both had to raise their voices to be heard over the clatter of clockwork. "How’s our new guest?"

"He’s creepy! Like, really creepy. Can’t we just drop this one off somewhere…?" Parnell growled, her ears curled forward.

"No. Widersia’s counting on us. If the war comes for us…" Shane suddenly posed, arm forward, hand up, "we need an ace up our sleeve."

Parnell hesitated, biting her lip. "Still, I think he’s just exaggerating to impress me."

"Well, what did he say?" Shane asked, returning to normal.

"He told me about a special power plant. Something so strong, it could turn a whole city on its own. That’s impossible, right?"

Shane’s eyes widened and he scratched his chin. "We’ve heard of stranger things before. Good work, Parnell. I’ll take it from here."

---

Shane and the tentacled offworlder stood on the deck of the mobile research station, the wind whipping through their hair. "This power plant you spoke about… is it real?"

"Yeah, it’s real. Nuclear energy! Best my world’s got." Even as he answered, his eyes were wandering elsewhere. "Your catgirl’s totally into me, by the way."

"Kitsune," Shane corrected. "So how does this power plant work?"

"Eh, well… kinda hard to explain." He began to approach Parnell, forcing Shane to follow after him.

"If we gave you the resources, could you guide its construction?"

"Yeah, sure, maybe. Hey there, Kittycat~" Wrapping an arm around Parnell’s shoulders and a tentacle around her back, the offworlder wiggled his eyebrows seductively.

"Parnell…" she corrected with a forced smile that twitched subtly as she threw Shane a nasty look.

"My bad, Parny." The tentacle suddenly wrapped around her fluffy tail, causing her to yelp. "See, doesn’t that feel nice? Yours and mine, intertwined?" He leaned into her ear, "Why don’t we go someplace private? We’ll have some fun that’s out of this world~!"

Parnell's lip quivered, desperately sending Shane a look of terror in the face of duty. As soon as the offworlder began to drag her away, a brass boot landed clean on the guy’s chest with the force of a cannon. His body shot forward, skipping on the metal deck like a stone on a pond, with three loud thuds. The last one sent him over the edge railing, where he fell several stories to the ground below.

"Whoops, I might've gone overboard there..." Shane peeked over the edge just in time to see the man struggle to his feet. He called out from above, "I guess you really are tough, huh? Or, should I say… A," he twisted into an A-pose, "Grade," into a spin, "Vitality~!" ending with a flex.

"Nice kick!" Parnell joined Shane with a paw pose, "Nya~" The two laughed as the vehicle rolled on, leaving the bruised offworlder behind.

This short story was brought to you by our sponsor, Yume
Blame her for any lore inconsistencies...​

 

[SilverFeathers]

Commander Arinethiel​

Raia's Character Sheet
​

Spoiler: Background Info

Commander Arinethiel is currently leading the war effort for fae. He's not a top noble but is close enough in power at the moment. He is of elven heritage and shorter than most.

Previous War Hero: He was a war hero for the See from the previous race war that took place decades ago. At that time, he supposedly wielded magics that brought the natural world under his dominion: storms, earthquakes, floods. Swordsmanship that saw thousands of humans and beastmen slain. Healing prowess capable of everything short of restoring life to the dead. And a leadership presence that boosts the morale and effectiveness of all beneath his banner.

Pacifism: He has taken to pacifism in recent years and has voiced reluctance to go to war.

Verdelothrondir: With whispers of war approaching, he went to check on the child of an old rival in cegloth. It was intended to be a deterrent to war but is now used as the ultimate weapon for east empire destruction. The child was a baby earth dragon of a particular type that gestated in the corpse of a life tree. The dragon, like most earth dragons, is impressive in size, field by the earth itself. It's body is rarely visible above ground but it's described as being a mishmash of a beetle and a lizard - the body noticeably covered in carapace and mouth like an insects but a long limbed body and tail a proper dragon. Mainly used to undermine human settlements and watch them crumble under their own weight.

(All info quoted/paraphrased from Nova)

The Sword of Thielan. His trusty companion from centuries ago, although it was only in the War of the Races fifty years ago that its name truly shot to fame. Sensing his thoughts, the silver blade briefly pulsed almost comfortingly with its divine consciousness, leading a wry smile to form across the commander's face.

"You did well. Rest now."

Arinethiel whispered gently as he re-sheathed his sword. He was so calm... as if he was not currently standing atop a pile of bloodied, fallen bodies. Countless, grotesque beastkin littered the ground, malformed with their drugged states and scars of slavery, and yet ended humanely, with clean, singular strikes piercing either the heart or jugular.

"The 'secret weapons' of the empire... what a joke." His primordial aide slowly wafted over and called out crudely, his emerald flames flickering, though his ethereal tone was one more of bitterness than mockery.

"But, reporting in. The war machine 'Blitzer' has finally been taken down, though in exchange for three of Archmagus Otalia's arms. The empire's mana-restraining chains have been re-developed, but the research team sent by the Grand Duchy is already working on workarounds."

Arinethiel merely nodded, turning his gaze towards the endless wasteland expanse of a battlefield before him. "Ol' Forenza hanging in there?"

"Yeah, she's fine."

"As long as she's holding the south, we'll be fine. Verdelothrondir's with her too." He commented without much thought. They were winning every push further into empire territory quite handily, their opponents' crumbling internally despite their seeming eagerness for war. Truly just another antagonistic human nation to add to the annals of history.

Though the method was unpleasant, Arinethiel couldn't say he was terribly displeased by the current state of things. All he wanted was to end this ceaseless violence as soon as possible, doing his part to give it a swift and merciful end. He was not without blame for all this after all. When his old draconic rival down in hell heard of what he had done with his only heir, he was sure he would never hear the end of it.

"...I've also received word that the 'bugs' have reached the Metal City of Gertuda in the empire." His aide tenatively added after a brief pause, aware of his old friend's displeasure towards that 'weapon' having been used.

"Doesn't seem like River Genasi stopped them for long." The commander scoffed, his eyes narrowing sharply for a moment into slits, before sighing. "Such needless genocide."

He never wanted this war. Nor for that weapon of all things to be used. It was uncontrollable and difficult to tame, a double-edged sword that risked even hurting themselves. If not properly managed, that infestation could spread far beyond just the eastern empire's reaches. He had long disagreed with even its potential usage, and yet, here they were.

Sighing once more, runic symbols briefly materialized on his arm, the wind heeding his call as he prepared for travel.

All he could for now was continue as he had been, and prepare himself for the end.

 

[Maverick Six]

Saint Severus, Grandmaster of the Eastern Empire Hospitallers​

CS: Marcus Banecroft​

---

There were no servants who came to tend to him in his room. Instead, he rose on his own. For a Grand Master -- his room was of high quality with pristine walls and a smooth stone floor. Yet the room was small and nobody except for him had entered it in weeks. It was still clean, however, mostly because it was he who had arranged it. The sun beamed into the room from an entryway that lead to the outside. There was a slight shimmer in front of the entry way. An invisible wall allowed light through and yet it would stifle any attempts to enter the room of the Saint.

As he slid out of the bed in his sleeping gown. The barrier in front of the entrance to a balcony yielded and allowed the Saint to get an overview outside.

Below him in the Grand Cathedral was a great Garden. He watched as monks and nuns tended to a "Garden of the Gods." A tribute to the many gods that the Eastern Empire worshipped. Those who'd risen to prominence and accumulated enough in the realm of followers had been added to the collection -- being deemed fit enough to be brought to the Cathedral. Some statues Wielded Lightning. Others Wielded Serpents and a 3 headed dog.

A soul who was not part of the church did not exist in this cathedral. The material had come from elsewhere. But every plant planted, every statue carved, every bit of livestock raised within was and every brick stacked had been by the Hospitallers -- all as a testament to their devotion. Those luxuries which existed here did not exist for them. It was for being beyond. Yet he would take the moment to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Some looked up. Even beneath robes, many caught sight of the Saint's Features. He'd a gentle expression as he looked upon them, most finding themselves soothed by his presence. Yet his large frame beneath his robe. In the realm of War and Healing, few Hospitallers could truly claim to master the realms of both healing and war. Even fewer could claim to have the stuff of a leader.

First, however, was worship. The complex cathedral contained an immense assortment of rooms, built particularly underground. And he would take his time to visit each and every one. For it was only he who seemed so capable as to worship not one or two...but every god present at the cathedral. By the time he had been out of his room -- he was wreathed in a toga. And he walked with his bare feet. He had no weapon save for a sword at his side.

CLACK CLACK CLACK

Two Hospitaller Knights Flanked him as he proceeded to conduct morning rituals of worship. The notion of hunger was mastered -- as he didn't even decide to eat breakfast before he would find himself visiting each shrine. Pages upon pages were recited from pure memory with no manner of holy scripture. By example he led, as he memorized each and every odd ritual the gods demanded of him. Today was no day for sacrifices. But wine would be poured for some. Head bowing for others. His own blood is shed for others. Prayers were said for all.

HISSSSSSSSSS

The sound of his healing. He walked out of the last area with about his arms. Yet as he so willed it.... the blood was pulled back into his body. And the wounds healed without issue. The Knights paid no mind to this, as though it were normal.

With the completion of the rituals -- he would proceed to a brief and simple breakfast He did not hurry, but he had no reason to linger. Matters of war awaited.

Warriors flanked his left and right in his war room -- with one reporting to him at the other end of the table.

"How goes the front?" Severus asks.

"Grim as usual, sir. The Earth dragon is restless today." He points off to the new location of the Fae Summoned Beast. Settlement after settlement had been completely devoured, disappearing into the ground itself for quite some time. "We've managed to intercept some survivors. But only a handful. Our hospitallers go and wreak havoc on the Fae Settlements. Yet this does not necessarily prevent our losses. It seems we are having more difficulty on that front."

On the aspects of War, the Hospitallers would perform -- serving as a specialized Core of Combat Medics designed to augment Eastern Empire forces with additional sources of healing. Much like churches in other lands, they'd seek to expand their own influence during this time of emergency. And while they had been performing on one front of saving the fighters, they were lacking in saving the people they were fighting for.

"You may send two hundred and ten thousand more of our forces to the Settlements. We must save our countrymen. And in doing so, we can preserve the future and guide them to our ways." Everyone had agreed with the Saint without question. One might think it selfish to use this time to expand their own influence. Yet could they not gain mutually? Could the gods not provide them with Solace in these trying times?

Many on the outer reaches were being forgotten. And the Saint saw this as only seeking to do so sustainably.

"It will be done."

More matters had been discussed. Casualties of their own had been taken. But they would ever fight on against the Fae menace. But there was an air of uncertainty with the outcome of the War, let alone the spread of their influence.

With the ending of the War room, he'd spend the rest of the day in prayer, meditation, reading and with his meals. Problems came without end. But he had strong shoulders to take all their burdens unto himself. Such was the price for all manner of power that he wielded.