Legacy of Atlantis - Beckoncall FNB - MAIN

[Beckoncall]

Heyitsjiwon

The swarm worked in feverish groups -- producing weapons and shields for the Reclaimers. They ended up using entirely too much iron (one unit would have been sufficient) and spent some of their labor mining modest amounts of titanium for the project they held at their forge. Piles of shields, pikes, then other armor pieces began to get made. Strange shapes for the Polypal, and more conventional shapes for other colonists. The metal was light but strong, truly divers weapons and armor! Fine weapons becomes renewable trade good.

The swarm also worked hard to get the creep to function non-encroachingly but beneficially to the hospital -- the air was picked clean of debris and purified in the immediate vicinity, speeding healing times and reducing risk of infection. Great labor was put into tailoring the creep -- and in the end the creep became a housing for the hospital, covering it and keeping it in an antiseptic environment. Hospital building improved. Polypal gain 1 influence!

the road project too, was expanded and improved by making sections where transit was exposed now usable by synthetic analogs of tube-worm tunnels. Beneath the sand in the strong composite tubes and the tunnels of tube-worm skeletons, travel was surprisingly fast and safe. Where the road network needed it the most, connections and bypasses were made by the Swarm -- Polypal gain 1 influence!

The Polypal took a lesson from the book of the Icaroid fish they had seen in the shrimpie holdfast area and tried to turn the brilliance of the Icaroid into their own. They could not have failed more splendidly, with certain patterns provoking mantis shrimps even to violence and others almost to fits of retching. There was potential in weaponizing these garish displays of color, but such was not the intent here. The project, so far, was a failure.

 

[Beckoncall]

Bone2pick :

The crab traps were designed amazingly -- strong and elegant, forbidding to larger predators but enabling bottom feeders like crustaceans to waltz in and be trapped in droves. The design of these crab traps could be propagated for influence, or sold as a trade good -- the colony would have to decide. Meanwhile, the deployed traps raked in a bounty of delicious crabs and somewhat less appealing but edible isopods. Wherever they the traps were laid, they filled -- especially along the edge of the grand reef -- where tiny black crustaceans seemingly traveled in caravans across the sea-floor. To put on the final flourish, a crab farm was brilliantly designed and executed by the artisans and their master builder -- the Scyphon at this rate would never know hunger again as long as such harvests were in season... Crab becomes renewable resource for Scyphon.

After the magic of the jewel of divinity was used -- the Man o' Wars quickly hatched and intuitively fell in line with the Scyphon patrols... Twenty man o' war in total hatched and rapidly grew to maturity -- almost twice as large as a normal alpha stalker they were mild and submissive to Scyphon but ill-tempered and violent to everything else. They would also allow themselves to be ridden. (20 man o' war gained as troops/mounts)

A collapse in the gold vein slowed production, but the group still managed more or less 1 wealth. The artisans wondered if they could increase the value of their mining by making gold they mined into fine and exotic jewelry... but for now, nuggets and bars were sufficient.

 

[Beckoncall]

Coming soon -- The reclaimer/Polypal task force against the tunnel ruins, orders by Elusive shadow and when taskforce is finalized, the battle with Kuraselache.

 

[Elucid]

Spoiler: Music & Mentions

OCC: Seems fitting for my overworked workforce
Beckoncall & SpiralErrant

Act I : Manifest Destiny
5th of First Seed ~ Settlement of Brigdūnon​

Despite the setbacks that had plagued their endeavors for the last few nights, Wiuhomach was determined to treat their collective effort as a success. After all, they had managed to forge suits of armor that would be invaluable for the battles to come and they'd gathered resources and materials that once processed could be put to good use. The grumblings of the colonists did not bother him in the slightest, it was as it had always been, the lower castes were fickle beings quick to give affection and quick to take it away. Wiuhomach was certain that they would soon be singing his praises, but today would not be that day. Work was still to be done and this time even the fighting men would not be spared. Blood and toil had forged the first Pelagian cities in the old world and it would do so again in the new.

Orders​

• Ten unskilled workers, five skilled ones and ten Pelagian Elite are put to work creating proper enclosures for the sand sharks and the sea-cows while also milking them for their produce. The Pelagian Elite help in the endeavor, taking turns in groups of five moving rocks and such, while also looking out for predators. This would not be particularly unnatural to them as Pelagian armies have often been utilized in the construction of roadways and other strategic tasks.
• Seven skilled workers and ten unskilled ones are engaged in creating light bony plate armor from the slaughtered bony-fish including the one unit of bony fish scales captured previously with promise of more to come. They are also put to work creating weighted kelp nets from the collected sea kelp. Both of which are to be used by the hunters in the party, upon completion.
• All six of the priests remain on standby to bless any arms or armaments completed this turn.
• Seven skilled workers and five unskilled ones and seven hunters work on fertilizing the globe-light fruit fields with the newly found blub plant, which seems to be a better fertilizer than the sea-cow feces. They are also tasked with creating simple barriers, mostly to identify the regions where the fruit is grown and thus prevent grazing by the sea-cows.
• Wiomach along with fourteen hunters and five Pelagian Elite travel into the great reef in order to capture bony fish, which depending on the catch are to be slaughtered or kept for breeding.
• Seven unmounted cavalrymen along with two skilled workers try and turn the captured sand sharks into combat steeds.

Note: All fighting forces except the three cavalrymen sent northward into the safe shallows have the magical boiled shark leather with under-iron plating on & seeing as there was already a large garrison of Scyphon at Brigdūnon proper, no added sentries were thought to be necessary.​

 

[Beckoncall]

Elucid :

Orders had come down from above. Work shifts were upped and the soldiers pulled off of exercises to help with the building. Grumble-grumble. It had to be done, and done right -- or the next orders would be triple shifts. By the gods, the tasks would be wrung from the populace if not drawn with word. The faction bristled. But enmity was avoided so far. The people could be bent... just not broken...

This time the husbandry construction projects WERE completed. Sea cows kept eating their way out of the kelp-netting at first, but the strongest root-fronds were too fibrous for the sea cows to do more than mouth ineffectually. The sandsharks and Sea cows were penned, and the sea cows even came into trading their concentrated milk with the offerings of food for them and their babies. From time to time the "net-pavillions" could be moved to new areas of blood-grass, and the sea cows began the work on manicuring the lands around the colony which had aesthetic advantages -- like the sand sharks and the sea cows -- the very land was getting tamed. Sea-cow milk and cheese become renewable resource/goods.

The nets were completed and were quite impressive... some said that the best of them might be handy for use against the Kuraselache that would soon be faced on the field. the improved nets brought in improved catches off the deeper points in the plateaus and swarms of "frog-fish" it was learned could be pulled out of their hidden lairs. Bland of taste, Frog fish preserved beautifully into cakes that could be stored for extended periods. People thought that could a big enough surplus of food be achieved, Frog-fish could be silo'ed for leaner times.

35 suits of bony fish scale armor were produced and one skilled worker emerges as a V-skilled "Armorer" -- armor can be traded or distributed to troops. Talents were being unlocked in the grim environment and forced march of labor -- but the armorers took it all in pride, all in stride. They soon had more armor than warriors to gird, even enough armor for the hippocami! (3 suits of armor will cover a mount) The meat from the slaughtered Bony fish was divided among the people as a treat for their hardest labors... it kept the angriest in line.

All weapons and armor in the Pelagian holdfast are considered enchanted for the immediate time being. Powerful bonuses to armor and weapons applied.

The sea-bulbs were indeed a great fertilizer -- worth the risk of sneaking hundreds of meters into dangerous territory to obtain. Globe-light crops it seemed might harvest at least 3 quarters of the year, or maybe half at the speed they seemed to grow with this fertilizer.

All seven sand-sharks were properly trained to make sea-mounts... it was proposed that sand-cavalry could bury itself in ambush or even with difficulty move beneath the surface to a different location on a battlefield for a flank or surprise attack. The Sand Sharks, well fed, were docile to their riders and the pelagians but quickly remembered their tempers directed in the wild...

Wiomach and his task force threw cautions to the wind and explored the great reef for the first time in force. The depth dropped precipitously and the darkness on the great reef quickly outstripped what most beings would be able to deal with -- but these were pelagians, used to the deep sea -- and their vision, though lost of much color, remained constant in the darkness augmented slightly by rays of light through the ice far above.



The grand reef was at once awesome and terrifying... moderate shoals of fish swam close to the steep cliffs of the reefs, ever careful of the globes, even if almost all of them were indeed harmless plants it seemed a popular ruse by some creatures who cast webs amid the anchor fronds, or straight-up just looked like bulb-plants but were really nasty predators. Wiomach cleaved the legs from a "Spider-bulb" that unfurled and attempted to attack the task force from the cliffs... it's crippled body quickly becoming food for the school-fish it commonly hunted. Strange "Comet Fish" lit the deeps here and there, looking like shooting stars that fell every which way. Deep on the grand reef there was perceptable rumbling... and the depth, far exceeding 200 meters, could be felt in the gills and lungs of the swimming Pelagians. Too far to dare to explore were what was perhaps active volcanic vents and "black smokers" covered in strange tube-worms that lived off of the mineral soup pouring out of the earth... but all of this was a distraction... the Pelagians were looking for the Bony fish. And they found them... on a deep cliff overlooking the yawning depths of the grand reef, the hunting party found a small pod of bony-armor fish, collectively laying eggs and the males quickly fertilizing them.

The hunters did not hesitate -- all six bony fish were netted, and the elite quickly packed the firm red eggs into swag bags to take back to the surface... Bulbs below them were moving... ascending.... and they did not want to find out what ruse THAT was until it was too late... they fled back to the colony, and rapidly build a holding pen for the 6 bony fish and their egg-clutch. They wondered how long it would take the eggs to mature, and the fish after that...

 

[Elucid]

Spoiler: Music & Mentions

Okay, this is epic.
Beckoncall
SpiralErrant
Bone2pick

Act II : The Wild Hunt
10th of First Seed ~ Settlement of Brigdūnon​

The day of reckoning had finally come, the host had finally been assembled and the drumbeats of war could be heard far and wide. All across the secret sea they spoke of a great army, one composed of races that had once been at each others throats, spilling blood for small and inconsequential patches of the oceans they inhabited. They had gathered together now to face a common threat, the mythical Kurasalache a beast that only existed in the stories mothers told to their unruly children. Now, this creature, hideous and vile threatened to end Wiuhomach's quest for wealth and glory before it even began. This would not do, he vowed before all the gods, old and new that he would rip the very heart of the abomination even if in so doing he would be giving up his own life.

As he examined the men before him, he could not help but feel pride, days of work had paid off, his men were well equipped and more than ready to face death alongside their mormaer. Even his hunters, decked in bone-fish armor and carrying with them heavy kelp netting looked ready to do their part. The Merfolk looked less impressive, with fewer armor pieces and seemingly less experience between them but despite this they were ready to risk their lives in a battle to the death and he had to respect that. The Syphon looked the most unnerving, he had a vague idea about they way they fought but he was lost trying to figure out their more advanced formations and battle tactics. It was this therefore, that prompted him to leave them in the able hands of the emissary Jeipha a Syphon he was quickly becoming accustomed to.

It was thus decided that the force would be made up of two flanks, one composed entirely of the Syphon and their emissary leader Jeipha and the other a combined force of Pelagians and Merfolk led by Wiuhomach himself, the two races had similar enough battle tactics that he was confident he would be able to guide them on the battlefield alone. The first thing they had to do was of course attract the Kurasalache, onto a field of their choosing where they would have the ultimate advantage, this task was given to the twenty hunters accompanying the troop. After the Kurasalache had been successfully baited, the hunters had an added function of trapping the creature or parts of it with Kelp nets, restricting its movements and preventing its escape. The two flanks would then surround the creature, reigning hell upon it. Athelardus "The Harbinger" would oversee the battle whilst Gamel, a master of the "Cold Fire" would attack the beast from afar. The rest would stand back in order to heal any of the wounded.

With the blessings of the gods, they would return victorious! Trí dheonú Déithe!

Notes: Ten of the spear-men sent by the mermen are left to defend Brigdūnon & all the bone-armor forged last turn is used on the hunters, the rest being added onto the mounts.
Army Comp:
Flank I:
1 emissary (Jeipha), 2 witches, 10 battle sisters, and 20 harpooners
Flank II:
10 spear warriors , 6 armour clads (one with a ring of bane), 10 pelagian elite, 11 hippocampi cavalry (Including Wiuhomach), 5 sand-shark cavalry, 20 hunters
Support Troops:
Six Pelagian priests along with Astor Syrenis the leader of the Merfolk would provide magical aid from afar. The horn of precognicence that Astor brought with him, might prove useful as well as far as helping them figure out a better plan of action and minimize casualties.

 

[Beckoncall]

Pat Heyitsjiwon :

The forbidding tunnel just seemed to burrow into the ground -- still blocked by the barriers of the reclaimers they could hear their foe slithering in the darkness. Preparing to breach was FC513, A great silver and reinforced shield held before him, in his other hand the giant emerald hammer he wielded in one arm. Behind him swam the Primus -- Holding a brutal lead and titanium weapon in one hand and "The Triumph hand" in the other, the astral tear glowing brightly in a third auxiliary tentacle. 5 polypal infesters, 3 infested alpha stalkers and a frenzy of 15 stalkers behind them-- Finally, Five reclaimers stood outside ready to heal as needed, or rush in if FC513 commanded.

They knew not how large the structure was at it's heart, only that their enemy was ready to meet them.



within his chest, FC513 could see a red light pulse as he prepared for violence -- echoed in the chests of his comrades. Was it some kind of visual alarm? something demanding they stay passive? They no longer knew. FC513 ripped the barrier off it's hinges and with shield held full forward stomped down the length of the tunnel, allies behind him -- ready to trample anything in his way.

Immediately a volley of magical missiles spiraled towards the Charging Fathom, just as FC513 expected... The shield was made magically resistant just to resist such an opening volley -- Spellfire rattled through the shield and partially melted it's surface but FC513 was protected against the brunt of their counter assault -- his shield even REFLECTED some of the missiles back at whomever fired them. The light revealed robed cephalopods channeling magical energy for another assault when their own volley cut half of them down.

The Polypal Forces rushed in the wake of FC513's forward charge, the sheer weight of him creating a current in the tunnel that bore them onward. Their octopoidal mages fell back preparing their next spells as a formation of white-eyed snakemen decked in bronze weapons and armor clamoured to receive the beast of a construct that was barreling towards them. It was clear they expected to hold that tunnel with spellfire. They were wrong. If they thought they were stopping the enormous blue golem from crushing them with his gigantic emerald hammer, they were wrong again.

The symmetry of the battle changed quickly -- there were too many junctions... Foes got behind them and to the sides of them quickly.

One of the infesters quickly overtook a cephalopod mage and ordered it's own platoon of snakemen into full retreat, causing chaos and a small panic on that side of the structure. The infesters fought with snakemen that surrounded them, sliding forward on their long tails brandishing halberds and axes.

Almost immediately FC513 and the Primus called in their reserves... if they were not to be crushed between various converging units they needed all the forces they could bring to bear inside this structure...

The Infesters brought their wicked sickle-like claw weapons down on the snakemen and the snakemen retaliated -- it was not so easy to kill a reptile in close quarters, but harder still to kill an infester.
slowly, a battle line formed among the junctions, a grid of pillars really where at every intersection creatures fought for their lives. The alpha stalker infested lead their frenzy of 15 stalkers down a side tunnel and overwhelming the snakemen there, flanked and came behind another group.

FC513 Smashed the ground and walls with his hammer, driving massive cracks in the floor ahead of him and knocking whole pillars asunder... spellfire rained in again and 5 stalkers were slain along with an infestor's alpha, requiring he slip out of the parasited body and take to the fight bare-handed. The five fathoms that fought with 513 rapidly broke the like of the snakemen, their bronze weapons less than a match for the crystalline armored bodies of the Fathoms.

The infesters gained the bodies of more mages, and sowed more chaos into the orders.... formations were forfeit as units of snakemen crashed into each other with FC513 smashing the pillars down upon them. The chamber started to rumble slightly -- and the Primus called to the leader of the reclaimers -- "Stop breaking the pillars or you will bring this entire building down on our heads!"

"Negative. Building structurally sound. Pillars DECORATIVE", FC513 replied, smashing another one over with his giant hammer, then kicking it down a tunnel where it rolled over an entire unit of snakemen -- painting the floor and water red like a paint-roller... it was more open in the interior -- FC513 ordered his troops to follow, and as they passed they healed the ailing polypals, two who were on the brink of death... the polypals had infested three of the "Mind flayer wizards" already -- and had sent the snakemen fleeing in a full rout as the remaining infesters killed the rest of the cephalopod leaders on the front line.

The stalkers rode down on the snakemen as they tried to fall back... and the inner sanctum of this structure was laid bare.

"Illithids! Mind Flayers!" The polypals shouted -- the snakemen's wills were broken as the octopoids took over their minds and sent them on a suicidal counter attack... the polypals sent their stalker-fish forward in an attempt to slip through a breach before a wall was formed, the Fathom Reclaimers just rushed the facing infantry and the hammer came down again and again.

The stalkers SWEPT through the line and immediately hit the illithids, the primus taking that as his own chance to go -- the mindless snakemen threw themselves against the reclaimers -- but the snakemen could not close ranks before the Polypals slipped through and began murdering Illithids wholesale while they stood in their control trances.

The snakemen, even fully surrounding the reclaimers were not enough to bring them down -- cracks formed, chips and dents -- things the reclaimers would repair on themselves later. The Illithids were doomed... they just didn't know it yet.

The polypals that had infested outer illithids began sowing terror and fear into the mindscape of the illithid where they barked orders and spent their expendable troops deterring the reclaimers. The Illithids turned against the stalkers and stalker alphas too late, the water was awash with blood and soon nobody could see anything but the stalkers and polypals (who depended more on pressure differentials to find prey than vision) and the reclaimers who's own unique vision was not marred by the fog of blood... to them it was just background heat... with more heat to beat out of anyone within range.

In the end, casualties were low. All but 3 stalkers had died, but the alphas were resuscitated by the reclaimers. The infestors, riddled with wounds, were quickly set to by the reclaimers who healed them once again. The reclaimers themselves, with the exception of FC513 were out of commission for repairs... but all would survive. Carrion eaters from outside the tunnel had followed the scent of blood and were now turning the structure into a carnel-house of crunching noises and violent shaking of meat. FC513 ordered one of his reclaimers to grab a great strongbox from the back of the chamber before calling a withdraw -- they had broken the back of their opponents, they could return when they wished to pick the bones of their base once the carrion eaters were done before anything large got attracted to the site of the carnage.

The 5 infesters that were "loose" of bodies now had the forms of mind flayers -- their wills were hard to break down but once they did the mental powers of their new forms awakened to them. The polypals had the bodies of 5 mages.

It was enough for now -- before the place was awash with sandsharks drawn from as far as the south plateau and more and more stalkers arrived in a feeding frenzy, the warband retreated with their treasure. Perhaps there would be more to see when they returned... but they did not expect enemies when they did...

 

[Pat]

FC513 had the stone golems attend to the little damage the other Fathoms took in the battle as they worked on lockpicking the strongbox with the help of the polypals until they were fully repaired while they themselves chose to guard the fortified entrance to the tunnel from scavengers coming or going. They resolved to ensure nothing of value would be lost in the stomach of these creatures.

Orders​

1. Five Reclaimers work with the polypals to unlock the looted strongbox within the cave as they're fully repaired by ten stone golems. A request is placed with the Primus to see if he can spare a tendril to look inside their inner mechanisms to help with maintenance as well as seeing if any knowledge can be gained that can be put to immediate use.

2. FC513 stands sentry outside of the barricaded tunnel, barring scavengers from entry and exit.

 

[Heyitsjiwon]

The battle was fierce. One could hardly tell friend from foe in the sanguine feast that happened in the tunnels. Yet, the Polypals emerged victorious against this legendary foe, the Mind Flayers. A race perhaps as ancient as the Aboleth... or perhaps a race yet to be. Their history and origin is not certain even among the Aboleths, or so the rumors went. Perhaps the Mind Flayers themselves forgot? One thing was certain, they had been nearly hunted down completely by the Empire in the prior age if the historians are to be believed. The fact that they had appeared here? Something was amiss. The Mind Flayers were plotting, and that was bad news for anything that wasn't a Mind Flayer or greater other dimensional horror. The Primus knew that the Mind Flayer threat had to be stomped out before it was too late. Thus, a swarm and FC-513 headed to the tunnel/former prison once more to make sure that the job was properly done and the the Mind Flayers were no longer a threat.

In the mean time, the rest of the Polypals went on business as usual. Some joined the damaged Reclaimers in the cave, presumably to help fix them. The Colorful One had recently awakened and was soon back to work on making the Polypals beautiful and studying color theory to better understand beauty, and soon it would examine anger and disgust. The Polypals working on the tunnels were swiftly reassigned to build an underground marketplace where traders could travel through the roads and tunnels and conduct trade in a secured location.

The Hospital was seemingly permanently staffed as well by two Infesters who had been awakened just recently as they were conducting research there. Finally, there was the matter of the South Eastern Kelp Forest. The Lair of the Great Stalker Host was currently just a collection place for bones, but it could be much MUCH more with the help of the Polypals!

---

1. Work on examining and unlocking the strongbox
2 Infested Mind Flayers (The Brood Mother (Intelligence Officer), The Elder (Historian)), Metal Tools

2. Continued work and research on Color Theory to influence the perception of others and make things seem beautiful
The Colorful One (Artist), 10 Mimics, Icaroid Color Trait, Psionic Trait

3. Construction of an underground Marketplace (that is connected to the Polypal/Colonial roads/tunnels) to sell Polypal goods and allow foreign traders to trade there in the safety of a Polypal made Cavern.
The Composer (Engineer), 100 Tendrils, Metal Tools, Ceramics, Composites

4. Finish the clearing/capture and exploration of the former prison and its inhabitants if remaining. Then convert the site into a source of blood mana.
The Primus w/ Hand of Triumph and Astral Tear (Psionic Trait), FC-513, 3 Infested Mind Flayers (The Artificer, The Diplomat, The Fantastic Stabler), 10 Mimics (Psionic Trait, Stalker Trait), 3 Stalkers, Metal Tools/Weapons

5. Research on how to preserve infested hosts better
2 Infested Alpha Stalkers (The Surgeon and The Chemist), Hospital

6. Establishment of a Harvesting Lair in the pacified South Eastern Kelp forest in the former lair of the Great Stalker Host.
100 Tendrils, Metal Tools

 

[Northless]

The settlement was silent. Hemthea and Ophius, from the Ziyan nest, had died working on prototypes for explosives. As much as it wasn't too small of a group -nearly a hundred shrimps- they had been travelling together since any of them could remember, and the community took a heavy hit for their loss. One of the smaller shrimps proposed making some sort of memoir for them, and they began working on it straight away.

They settled down in using part of the silver the had found in the caves, in which colors you could get lost for hours. The knew the silver may lose part of it's alluring prismatic properties if melted, like they had seen the Polypals do, and all of them silently agreed it was the best way to honor their passing. They wouldn't be able to forget how it looked like; Nor how it stopped doing so, hence, how all things live and shine, and die and stop doing so. To put a gigant shiny object outside in the shallows was a call for predators to come by, so they settled in making them into rounded brick-like objects to put above the farm's stone walls, for everyone to see.

Roads were constructed, and the mantis shrimp was wary. Still, they informed what trade goods they could offer to those who would pass by and inquire, and got a pelagian request for the heavy petards in exchange of fertilizer for the farm. The shrimps, now wiser with experience, agreed.

The rest of the activity in the settlement slowly got back on track.

5 Skilled Workers and 5 Unskilled Workers to try and molten one (1) unit of silver into small smooth bricks to put above the farm's walls
13 Skilled Workers and 15 Unskilled Workers to produce more Heavy Petards (sea landmines)
10 Mace Punch warriors and 7 Gear Warriors to go into the near Grassy Plateaus and hunt sea cows
7 Mace Punch Warriors and 4 Gear Warriors to go explore the kelp forest of the east for landmarks and places to hide in
4 Gear Warriors to patrol the settlement

6 Mace Punch Warriors with Cannon Balls to support the fight against the Kuresalache

 

[Beckoncall]

Kuraselache -- Task force:

Bone2pick : 1 emissary, 2 witches, 10 battle sisters, and 20 harpooners
Elucid : 15 Pelagian Elite, 11 Hippocampi Cavalry, 5 shark cavalry, and 6 Priests
@Dogematix: 20 Spearmen, 6 Armoured Elites (1 with Ring of Bane), Faction Leader

Six Pelagian priests along with Astor Syrenis the leader of the Merfolk would provide magical aid from afar. The horn of precognicence that Astor brought with him, might prove useful as well as far as helping them figure out a better plan of action and minimize casualties.

MISDIRECTION! -- Pelagians (Elusive Shadow) Spends 5 influence to misdirect parts of the coalition to face the Kuraselache -- Polypals, Mantis Shrimp and Reclaimers redirected to wrong place for the battle.


THE TRAP:



An Archway in the shallows was where the Coalition swam out to and made their racket and spilled their chum -- Kuraselache wouldn't be able to resist the beacon to him -- the task force slew every stalker and sand shark that came close to the mess, adding their meat and blood to the cloud of bait. The undesired hangers-on would find out where the battle was, but not in time to act.




...And come it did.

The pelagians baited it head on -- with the Vythan and Scyphon forces hidden on the flanks. Above, in the arch they lured the Sea King under -- the hunters sat hidden ready to unfurl their nets.
The beast was enormous... but even from moderate range head on you could tell it had been injured. It's skull exposed in deep cuts, a huge evulsion wound running along one of it's sides, filled with lampreys feeding at the wound. It was twilight -- peak time for the hunting of sharks. This Sea King preyed on the shallows because it's wounds drove it from more dangerous prey... but it was nonetheless formidable.



The creature barely fit through the trap-arch and indeed the rock shook as the Kuraselache rammed its way through -- the nets were cast in front and back of the arch to cover the monster before the forces would move in...

The nets worked perfectly -- threaded with shark-teeth, they nicked into the skin of the great beast and the weights dragged the nets over the creature, though the weight was in consequential to the beast... It's tentacles behind it were utterly entangled, first with the nets, then together... covered head to tail with the strongest kelp nets they would have it where they wanted -- for at least a few moments.

The Scyphon witches cast forth their Tendril projection -- the beast roared an avalanche of bubbles as the waves of blinding agony took over the creature, the signal for the flanks to close in and deal their best wounds... The battle sisters Swam in viciously and without fear, raking at and opening the creatures gills on one side, it's own sea of blood pouring free of the beast... Then the harpooners moved in...

Strikes against the creatures hide were negligible with harpoons -- but three struck true, one striking the protective covering on one of the beast's enormous eyes, but not penetrating...

Then the Scyphon emissary struck -- drawning a telescoping needle from between their hands, the weapon of a trained killer and a spy -- the emissary almost casually swam above the head of the beast and struck the thing in the brain with an armor piercing lance... the thing relaxed... then began struggling again -- blood issuing from it's nostrils...


Astor Syrenis gave a series of hand gestures to his troops -- conveying to him where the creature would attack, holding the horn of precognizance to his head -- his spearmen attacked without fear, in squads wherever the creature was not thrashing, was not biting... Five aggravated wounds with serrated spears, that broke in the creatures convulsions, sending the spearmen to beat a swift retreat...

Astor used the ring of Bane on the creature and it immediately slowed it's movement and took on a dark-pulsing aura -- the Astor and his armored elite moved in over the head of the creature, striking at it's already open wounds... Raking the already infected holes in it's natural armor with grevious injuries, Astor himself struck a telling blow as did one of his elites as they too were forced to fall back.

The Pelagians then struck from the front -- the first half of their priests incanting the pelagians with blessings of luck, fate, and protection... an arc of Cold Flame pealing forward from the rear ranks... blackening it's most repulsive head and crisping one of the free tentacles that was breaking it loose.

The Scyphon Witches struck again, this time with a Vortex Bloom -- the witches conjured a swirling ball of seawater at their fingtips, and then cast it towards the Kuraselache's open mouth.. The ball swiftly expands into a powerful vortex that releases bioelectric jellyfish (storm jellies) which then ceaselessly pulse electric shocks sending the creature into full overload.

Then the pelagians stormed the front. The pelagian elite tried their best, but could not inflict sufficient wounds on the thrashing beast -- then Athelardus "The Harbinger" -- greatest priest of the order, unleashed his war magic -- freezing the Sea King in place and leaving him vulnerably to the charge of Pelagian cavalry...

The Sandshark and Hippocampi cavalry SMASHED into the side of the creatures head, destroying one of it's eyes and pulling it's mouth open in a jagged wound. The creature's jaws spread to their full wideness, and Wiuhomarch Urchadainn cast his sword into the maw of the beast, severing the hindbrain of the creature from it's spinal cord.

The thing was dead before it got off a single attack, and it was good that was the case -- as a single bite from this creature could kill handfuls if not dozens of troops.

The archway broke under the thrashing of the creature's death throes sending the hunters into chaos... but already celebration had begun to ring out. The beast was verily dead, still wrapped in the nets that trapped it. Wiuhomarch's sword was lost somewhere inside the creature -- there was a choice to be made -- attempt to haul the entire beast to one of the colony homes to fully render the body, or to chop it up and get what goods and loot could be gleaned from the creature where they stood?

SpiralErrant , Elucid , Bone2pick All gain +4 influence for slaying the Kuraselache!

Decisions must be made about what to do with the creature!

 

[Bone2pick]

​

The emissaries were forced to speak over the excitement bubbling throughout Mirith since the recent return of the Kuraselache warparty. As they conversed outside Shalmel's hut, an adolescent female brought each of them a large half clam shell of crab meat and sardines before promptly swimming away.

"It was wounded before you ever attacked?" Shalmel asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

Jeipha nodded. She had already told this same story to Crone Shirvein the moment she had returned. "Its face was torn, and one of its sides was badly gashed," she replied before sucking down a sardine.

Shalmel paused to consider her fellow emissary's words before speaking. "Anything that can inflict grievous damage on the Kuraselache can likely wipe out an entire warparty."

"True, but the Sea King likely killed whatever it was."

Shalmel looked away and shook her head. "I always presume the worst. As an emissary of the crone, you would do wise to do the same."

Jeipha glared at her fellow emissary for a brief moment before changing the subject. "Jodas believes that, had the Kuraselache been at full strength, we would have returned with far less warriors."

"It would have been worth the loss so long as Jodas was among those who didn't return."

Jeipha frowned. "He's a witch, Shalmel, and an especially crafty one at that. The enclave needs him."

Shalmel snorted. "He's a male. And like all males, he's nothing more than a tool. The problem with Jodas Shauth isn't his sorcery, it's his memory – he all too often forgets his place among us."

Jeipha looked away to watch a trio of newly returned battle sisters stop to admire one the enclave's new man o'wars. Despite her present company she was happy to be home. "Even if Jodas is just a tool," she finally said, "seeing as how the crone selected him for her inner circle, he's her tool. And you would do wise to remember that."

- - - ORDERS - - -​

1. 2 witches, 4 outswimmers, 8 battle sisters, 10 man o'wars, and 20 harpooners attempt to clear the shipwreck field in the eastern grassy plateau of sand sharks and the larger sand tigers.
2. 20 artisans design and create jewelry out of 2 wealth worth of mined gold
3. 10 artisans try and make a good quality rope out of kelp fronds
4. 10 artisans fish the kelp forest
5. Crab trap design shared with all other players
6. 2 teams of 4 outswimmers continue to explore the remaining eastern grassy plateau for anything else of interest.

 

[Beckoncall]

Pat Heyitsjiwon :

It was not difficult for the Polypals to open the strongbox -- Being able to swim INSIDE the mechanism revealed much of it's secrets and after that it was merely trying likely combinations and the Reclaimers applying the requisite PRESSURE. The strongbox popped like an egg, revealing a Purple tablet with some kind of uneven edge on the bottom, a mess of fibrous mess that might have once been scrolls, and a platinum statue of a squatting illithid of great girth, that made one uneasy looking at it.

Eureka! The first mimic learns how to be utterly resplendent without offending the senses of even the great-visioned shrimpies. The rest of the mimics in his group do not know his secret yet, but the polypal can start to teach his comrades, and they can propagate the knowledge if they are willing to spend the time. The secret was learned, and it was never something the polypals would have expected.

MARKETPLACE ESTABLISHED! 3 polypal influence gained! The first collective market of the colonies is built near Polypal/Reclaimer territory where all renewable resources can be exchanged freely. All factions can declare what commodies they are willing to bring to market (Any mineral deposits or renewable resources are fair game) -- factions bringing the most goods to market may gain influence and greater access to the collective market (Mechanic will be explained later when fund develops)

The polypals and reclaimers searched what remained of the seeming prison complex -- sure enough they found a hidden door near where the strongbox was found -- it's lock accompanied by a horizontal slat. Trying the purple tablet opened the door -- revealing a great chamber with a adamantium cage taking up most of the center -- in it, the remains of countless prisoners -- if they were illithids, their lack of bones hid this from being a certainty. The cage could not be broken or bent regardless of how hard the polypals or even reclaimers tried, but the polypals could slip through the cracks... in the silt and debris were several glowing bits of energy -- concentrated psionic power... perhaps frozen memories, in fact. This is what the illithids were they fought were after -- to read the extinct memories of these prisoners. And if that was true... they wouldn't be stopping. One treasure remained in this ruin -- beneath the cell was a collection pit of various ichor that had collected from prisoners over countless centuries -- the smell was foul and immediately repelled scavengers from the area, but this repository was a ready source of Blood mana that could be tapped!



experimenting with extending the life of occupied hosts would need chemicals and reagents... things the polypals didn't seem to have yet. This would require the help of a mage and/or the gathering of a great deal of plants and animals to extract test materials.

A harvesting lair built out of loose rocks, composited sand and mucus was built in the southern kelp forest -- and from here the Tendrils sought the goods of this biome to bring back to the colony. If not already Renewable, Polypals gain lubricant, Rubber, light globes, kelp fruit, and bones.


Lastly, a herald Illithid in a bright red robe arrived at the deadbulb complex -- "You will hand over the collapsed memories, yes? Illthids willing to trade. Do not seek the alternative."

 

[Pat]

FC513 attempts to discover any other areas of the prison locked to them until they found the purple tablet as a team of Reclaimers work to salvage anything of value from the complex. The fibers in the strongbox, if they could be restored to the scrolls they may have once been, would contain knowledge that would give them an edge they so desperately need if the Red Herald's threats were to be believed. War was not too far off with the illthids left in the Hidden Sea of the Golden Grotto, of that much was certain, and they'd need to understand the aims of their opponents to truly defeat them. The fat squatting illithid statue itself was most curious to the Fathom construct. Perhaps it is the likeness of an ancient illithid leader imprisoned by the Atlantean Empire within this very prison during the last age that had an enlightening relevation during their confinement? Or maybe a religious idol that gave comfort in secret to untold generations of captives before being confiscated by their jailers? Regardless of what foreboding mind flayer was depicted by the work of art, and honored through being immortalized, they knew deep down that this platinum figure was terribly dear to their enemies, that it held for them and for them alone some forgotten meaning of permanence, of greatness.

Orders
​

1. Ten stone golems, protected and if need be aided by five Reclaimers, remove the statues and pillars of the prison to bring home with them, along with the weapons and armor of their enemies.

​

2. Twenty Reclaimers begin mining operations outside of the cave, aided by fifty polypals with metal tools. If valuable metals in quantity had been found so close to the surface, perhaps there was greater bounty waiting for those to invest the labor to dig just a little deeper. FC513 hands over his emerald warhammer to the work crew to make the project go faster. Hopefully it would be able to help them sense the location of deposits as well as quickly obtaining them when located, or at least make incredible progress through stone.

3. FC513 meets the herald with the Primus after determining if the 'scrolls' within the blacksilver strongbox could possibly be read or restored.

 

[Beckoncall]

Northless :

The silver Memoir of the lost Shrimpies is erected without incident... and it does a bit to bolster the faction's spirits.

Meanwhile a larger mantis shrimp task force sets to making petards and 12 water landmines are produced. this is largely due to a new color-coded system the mantis shrimp come up with for construction of explosives that is ridiculously complicated but extremely safe. Explosive production increased!

After having participated in a SUCCESSFUL seacow hunt, the mantis shrimps learn, by herding from certain areas to ambushing in other areas, they can successfully capture and devour the delicious sea cows they crave. While they take several punches to take down, it is the cooperation of the claw shrimpies and the mace-punch shrimpies that makes the hunt effective. The delicate flesh of the seacows is DELICIOUS to the mantis shrimp and they soon find themselves in general revelry at the sheer indulgence of it all. Morale rises to GOOD!



In the eastern kelp forest they find a series of strange cracks, revealing a number of mineral deposits... Including Delvotantalite which has lightning and pressure resisting properties as well as useful for making jewelry, and a small deposit of precious gems! In addition these crevices made excellent places to hide although there was one yawning hole at the end of the canyons that bubbled violently with extremely cold water of lower salt content... initial attempts to investigate the hole were met with uncomfortable reactions to the cold and even shrimp beginning to "ice up" before turning back... the lower salt content enabled the water to freeze at a higher temperature making this tunnel a special and confusing hazard.

The shrimps also found a shallow part of the kelp forest above which was an oddly large and circular hole in the ice... little filaments with bits of meat dangled and bounced on these tiny ropes, as if inviting one to make a grab for them!

 

[SpiralErrant]

It didn't take a priest to see how the tides were turning. This promised land, so full of potential, had now proven itself to be as full of dangers as the wild lands beneath the Vythan reefs. But so far keen minds and strong hands had seen hem kept safe. The celebration on vanquishing the local threats had been muted somewhat by the questions each encounter had raised. Where had the other alliance members been during the battle with the dreaded 'Sea-King'? What had been the state of the strange scorpions who's shells now adorned their armour? Questions like this seemed to worm their way into their scholarly leader's mind and drive him to distraction.

There were voices among the more militant Vythans that argued that a more aggressive and competitive stance should be taken in order to truly carve out a place for themselves. But for now they had been overruled. The guilded called for infrastructure, claiming their own holdings were still too weak. The magos and the tide readers had eyes only for their ruined temple. It could be rare to have both in alignment but the clearing of the scorpion horde had revealed a point of true mana and it was clear they all hungered for it. While their own leader called for 'cultural exchange' and the strengthening of local bonds. So away their workers were sent. This fledgling settlement would become a hive of activity as it still tried to find a nice he to call its own.

_________________________________
Orders​

1) Restoration of the temple structure and cleansing of the holy water font.
(4 skilled workers. 12 unskilled workers. 5 mages. 5 priests. Faction leader.)

2) Start construction of mining facilities within the central cave. Military escort provided in the event of predatory inhabitants.
(8 skilled workers. 28 unskilled workers. 18 spears. 2 sergeants.)

3) Fabrication of new chitinous armour for the Vythan spearmen.
(2 Skilled workers. 10 unskilled workers.)

4) Salvaging group sent to assist the Pelagians in the 'harvesting' of the Kuraselache corpse. Elucid
(3 skilled workers. 5 unskilled workers.)

5) Second salvage team sent to assist the Scyphon in clearing the shipwreck field. Military escort provided in the event of local predator attack. Bone2pick
(3 skilled workers. 5 unskilled workers. 18 spears. 2 sergeants.)

 

[Beckoncall]

Elucid SpiralErrant Bone2pick :

THE BOUNTY OF THE SEA KING...

The Kuraselache was enormous, but with a combination of sheer labor, nets, and magic -- it was brought back to the den of the Pelagians to be fully gutted and carved in safety.

4 units of rugged "Kingskin" were harvested -- this material was a compromise between plates and leather -- and supremely light for it's hardness... not only to mention it's rigidity and worthiness as armor defense, every inch of the skin had rough barbs on it -- making grappling with a wearer of the skin an agony.

It also yielded a massive volume of Ink, and a liver with the richest oil any of the factions had ever seen. This oil could be used to enhance any scent, perfume or potion considerably, and could be an amazing bait or distraction.

Finally, there were the teeth -- Each one the size of a small shield, they could be carved into blades or worn as armor as well. Tremendously serrated, special care needed to be taken in harvesting them -- Two units of Kingsteeth.

Within the belly of the beast were enough nuggets of gold and silver to make 4 wealth -- with lesser amounts of copper and lead in it's boulderous gullet. The bones of large creatures, frightening in size and scope lay everywhere in it's gut, along with some strange items indeed... One great monolithical hunk of rock, covered in Atlantean ruins, seemed to half-block the back portion of this things digestive system. Covered in runes that gently pulsed when one ran their finger through them -- the priests identified it as "The Athanasia Slab" -- crackling with black lightning was the item the group named "The malice Skull" -- a powerful focii for bone magic and necromancy... a scaled hand seemed to cling to it, even now, and slowly regenerate now that it was no longer being digested. The faction would have to decide if the hand should be destroyed, or if the creature that once wielded the skull should be allowed to regenerate. Lastly was "The crown of the Occult" -- an item that whispered and spat secrets and curses, threatening to engulf the mind as well as expand it... truly an eldrich item, and a relic of horrors...

The factions would need to decide how to divide their bounty...

 

[Beckoncall]

The lost --

Of the faction that settled in the dunes, nothing would ever be seen or heard from -- the mantis shrimp Northless would hear a tremendous magical battle that disturbed into even their region of the shallows -- but when scouts went to investigate, nothing remained of the faction or it's people except a few crates of supplies and starting tools, which if the shrimpies were brave, they could go salvage. The Kotchma/Lonbraj faction is no more... GraveTrout

 

[Heyitsjiwon]

The Mind Flayers are arrived, but rather than to continue to fight... they had come to... trade? This was an odd sight, knowing that the Mind Flayers likely sought to dominate all life that was not them. The Primus was amused. 'The Alternative' wasn't an alternative. The Mind Flayers would continue their diabolical work and the Polypals, the Colony, and the Alliance would suffer no matter what the Mind Flayers offered as a trade. It was a matter of when. Regardless the memories were clearly valuable for them... and knowing the Mind Flayers it was for a deadly reason. Regardless, the Primus would entertain the offer and at least hear what the Herald had brought to offer. Though... the chances were that the Herald would not be returning to the Mind Flayers. It knew where the bases of the Mind Flayers were, information that the Polypals, and the Alliance wanted among other information.

Regardless, there was many other projects on the way for the Polypals. There was much to do to get them ready. Various mining expeditions were planned. Not to mention that one of the Mimics had learned to appear beautiful and colorful. That knowledge had to be spread throughout the Polypals and experiments had to continue to see what else color theory could teach the Polypals. One potential route was to use color to enrage and make others irrationally aggressive as the Polypals had stumbled upon before. The marketplace also had to be stocked with goods and used! So much work for the Polypals just so that they can have their next feast.

---

Orders:

1. Partner with the Shrimps to make a mine in the silver deposit/sulfur caves near their colony
50 Polypals, Metal Tools

2. Assist Reclaimer Mining Efforts
50 Polypals, Metal Tools

3. Establish a Magical Laboratory in the Prison for research on the applications of Blood Magic to help the Polypals evolve (such as color theory, preserving their hosts, psionics experimentation, etc.) and fight the growing threat of the Mind Flayers
The Artificer (Infested Mind Flayer), The Chemist, The Surgeon, The Gourmand (Infested Mind Flayer), 20 Polypals, Blood Mana Source, Collapsed Memories

4. Establish a School next to the Polypal Marketplace to help the spread the marketplace of ideas as well. The Polypals would be able to teach each other their discoveries on changing their colors!
The Engineer, The Historian, The Broodmother, The Artist, The Diplomat, 50 Polypals, 20 Mimics, Metal Tools

5. Establish a Caravan/Freight service to help the the colony and others bring heavy/bulky goods to the marketplace
1 Infested Great Stalker Host, 3 Stalkers, 30 Polypals Metal Tools

The Polypals bring the following to the market:
Metal Tools
Ceramics
Various Seafood/Fish
Kelp Fruit
Lubricant
Rubber
Light Globes

6. Meeting the Herald
The Primus w/ The Hand of Triumph, Astral Tear, 10 Infesters (Psionics Trait)

Examples of Polypal architecture I envisioned now that they have tools

 

[Northless]

Spoiler: Pssst

I'm not sorry. Here's the song

The shrimps received the tendrils with as much excitement as their colors let them while trying to not scare them away. After Mouth had come all the way there on his own through the kelp forest, the tribe had formed a sort of respect and worry-driven reverence towards the tiny talkative creatures. They brushed over them with their claws cautiously, aiming to clean the small uncanny coloured ones from any sort of dust left from the road to there. Basically, they were given a shrimp licensed spa day before they all went down the caves to work.

The cave complex, now made safer without the crashfish's imminent explosions, was the busiest place in the settlement at the time being. A group was mining the resources they found when they got in the first time, along with the polypal's help. Another group aimed to expand the complex -better make more space sooner or later, in case they had to move inside- which was a joint work between the mace punch shrimps and the workers leading them. The whole place being patrolled by geared shrimps... in the off case they found more creatures that tended to explode.

After trading the location of the cold saltless cave for paint, a group tried to mix it up with the sulphur, just to try and see if it would pick up any new property to it. If not, they would at least have yellow, stinky paint to keep stalkers away.

1) Salvage the old settlement and explore the dunes (5 mace punch and 5 slash shrimps)

2) Expand the inner cave complex (10 mace punch, 5 skilled workers, and 10 gear shrimps for security in the cave)

3) Help the tendrils mine silver (12 unskilled workers, 5 skilled workers)

4) Mix the lead paint with sulfur (8 unskilled workers and 8 skilled workers)

5) Patrol the area of the circle in the ice and try to hunt fish like the ones that fall for the meat traps to make a sort of "offering" to make contact with whoever is up there -Eventually (8 mace punch warriors)

 

[Beckoncall]

Crocodile :

The Cult of Draconis slipped through the portal and into the waves of the secret sea -- from the surface, they could see a collection of communities to the southwest, and the roads that united them. Not their concern for now -- for now they sought a more private place for their enclave, the Northeastern Kelp Forests, arguably the deepest and densest of them all.

In their movements, the simple animals of the deep fled, perhaps even smelling the scent of fearless apex-predators... the stalker-fish of the kelp were loath to even be seen by them as they claimed the largest plate of flat territory in the forest...



The murky depths were rich with salt deposits and a great boulder of sandstone containing trace amounts of metals they could scrape out of it should they choose. the Kelp was rich in Rubber, Lubricants, Glow Fruit, and the deepest fronds held mighty fibrous building materials...



But the Cultists sunk deeper... into a broad valley-trench of the kelp which would hide their dragon hold... a place of perpetual twilight, during the night it was lit by amber glow fruit and during the day it was barely kissed by light through the ice above... It was here the Draconis would unpack their materials and start their work.

Down here the sea was fed by some underground pure water source, making the water semi-salted and very warm in parts where the currents bubbled to the surface. They had a choice, they could build their stronghold directly over a freshwater pump, or directly over a modest thermal vent at the bottom of a cave system. To the Northeast they were in the shadows of a deep mountain range that seemed to absorb all light in it's depths... to the northwest the water was similarly deep, but glowed with the bioluminescence of great pink bulbs clinging to what appeared to be sunken islands floating in the deeps...

It was time to build, and to develop their stronghold.

 

[Crocodile]

The Draconis had come and delved into the hidden depths for the own workings. They had not time for the other settlements yet for they were far more concerned with establishing their Cluster. The Dragon Sage himself had handed down the Edict that had empowered Uleanar to form the Secret Sea Cluster. The Cult hungered for the hidden treasures and knowledge of this place. For that to succeed, they must establish themselves. Even as supplies were being opened and staged, the Enshrined gathered with their Supreme Sage to discuss the matter.

"We have arrived and one hopes discreetly. The others that have come already have interlinked themselves with roads," Uleanar notes with amusement as the other Enshrined chortled and bubbled as they would in the belief of their own superiority. "Trade may be viable so long as these others do not hinder the Great Design. Report on our potential locations," Commanded the largest of the Draconis to his subordinates.

"We have two potential sources. A fresh water pump would be very useful for our alchemical needs. A thermal vent will provide long term heating needs for the Dragonhold aside from its obvious uses for industry and tempering materials. Very good for our infrastructure," said the Construction Pod Enshrined known as Ovalex.

"We advise the thermal vent, Supreme Sage," said the Metallugry Pod Enshrined, Resomav. The Provision, Glass Maker and Construction Pod Enshrined all nod in agreement.

"The pure water can be tapped in the future. Insuring our Dragonhold can endure temperature drops is more advisable," Ovalex said in support.

"Our fabrication workings will be more capable with the heat source until other means are built," said the Provision Pod Enshrined known as Toffumel.

Seeing no real dissent among the Pod leaders, the Supreme Sage nodded.

"Very well, commence with the work. We shall begin our needed securing and reconnaissance of this region as well. We must know it better than any interlopers. This Kelp Forest is a Dominion of Draconis now. See about your efforts; I entrust you with your responsibilities. Glory to the True Dragon."

"Glory to the True Dragon!" Roared the Enshrined as one and bowed their heads to their master before moving to organize and begin work.

Uleanar watches the various Pods starting ot form and taking up their task. The Draconis were not numerous, but they did not need numbers. They were superior to the lesser beings that have come here. One of their own Kith surpassed any of the mere workers of the species who have come here. Prideful and arrogant they could be, but for good reason. They knew their strengths and organized to better distribute efforts. This new Dragonhold would be the heart of glorious machinations that would aid in the Great Design one way or another. Now it would be left to be seen if others had seen their arrival and would come to bother them or now.

Orders
1. The Construction Pod will commence building the Dragonhold on the Thermal Vent.

2. The Herbalist Pod will begin sampling and harvesting the local glow fruits and other plant life to stockpile for food and alchemical needs.

3.The Reconnaissance Pod will commence a survey of the Kelp Forest and map it for the Cult.

4. The Military Pod will go about securing the area around the Dragonhold build site, assessing the usefulness of local wildlife in military needs.

5. The Metallurgy and Glass Maker Pods will begin working on the Sandstone boulder for sandstone and metals.

6. The Provision Pod will assume logistical responsibilities to assess and test all materials gathered to better speed stockpiling and material usage.

 

[Beckoncall]

Bone2pick :

The Scyphon task force had a daunting task ahead of it -- to clear the southeastern grassy plateaus of Sand sharks and Sand Tigers. Their strategy was solid, with witches opening the battle with spellfire, and sending in the man o' wars before the harpooners and elite would engage the beasts... one by one. The first was fired upon with a wave of tendrils, stinging it out of cover from whence it charged... the thing was barely alive by the time the task force got in their licks, but 2 harpooners died in it's death throes.

The task force, while still at strength sought then to hunt the smaller sandsharks, disturbing them repeatedly and killing whatever they could catch. the lesser beasts were driven out of the biome with only a couple of marginal injuries... so the force could focus on the remaining Tigers...

The second Sand Tiger was killed at the loss of a Man O' War, the vicious hybrids of stalker and Scyphon Jelly-magic.

The third and fourth tigers could be chased away from their wrecks without casualty, another Sand Tiger was killed without losses. the sixth was killed with spellfire, and the last was driven away, mortally wounded with a Harpooner in it's teeth. (total casualties 3 harpooners, 1 Man O' War)

With the aid of SpiralErrant Vythian forces, it was assured that it would be a long period of time before the sand-tigers returned...

Searching the wrecks, a great deal of salvage Wood -- enough to be a renewable resource for the forseeable future, could be easily salvaged. In one wreck, a Chest of Black and Blood Pearls was found, their wavy and rippling surfaces shimmering with both colors. The Ironclad was sealed tight save for a hole in it's undercarraige allowing entrance to the vessel -- which was only half flooded. Inside were 4 units of ancient wine bottles, and the skeletons of a human and dwarven crew. It was speculated that the ship, were it to somehow be risen again, could easily once more be sea-worthy, 3 wealth was in it's hold.

Inside another wreck, stood an army of dead-men and skeletons nearly 300 strong, by the look of it -- they moaned and cried and shook their fists -- "Where is the booze?! Where is the Captain?! Where is the ALL-FLAME!?!" -- they staggered as if drunk, weapons clenched in their rotting hands.

The 7th Ship, the an elven light cutter -- was one the very edge of the plateau perched over a great and stretching ruin region to the east. The war party was exhausted -- even the witches, and dared not proceed salvaging the body of the wreck and risk sinking the wreck into the abyss... They returned to the holdfast with tales to tell... but not before searching the hold and finding 3 units of True-Mithril ingots, and a "Chalice of Fate" the witches evaluated to have two uses remaining... *fate could be used to make any "roll" (item or outcome) in the game better...

_________

The Artisans took the wealth they had and stretched it's worth by making it finished goods. 2 wealth converts into 3 jewelry, which likely could be traded at a greater value. Some speculated that if loot could be sent home, and if Atlantean styles of finery could be emulated, they could be worth even more...

Rope becomes a renewable resource (finished good) as the artisans make it from the toughest fronds. It would be valuable to any faction, and thus could be brought to market.

A modest amount of bladder-fish were caught by the artisans, as well as a shoal of six-finned "hoverfish" and a Silver-Striped Leopard Octopus... a deadly specimen that could be milked of poison. One fish repeatedly eluded them, a ribbon tailed razor ray -- which cut any line and net meant to catch it... it's keen bladed tail a treasure in itself...

Crustacean Trap plans shared with the colony -- this would definitely be valuable in colder seas and leaner times -- Scyphon gains 2 influence!

Nothing more of interest was found outswimming the grassy plateau -- but that did not mean that there was not more to be found, a wide berth had to be given to points of interest yet to be explored...

 

[Beckoncall]

Pat :

The constructs of the reclaimers gathered what loot they could -- 1 unit of bronze weapons and 1 unit of bronze armor, this could be melted down into a greater amount of bronze or traded or used. Along with them a great Volume of 8 units of Marble and two fine Sculptures were dragged from the remains of the prison.

The Twenty Reclaimer mining operation did indeed yield fruit -- while no long-term veins could be located, the fathoms dug up from the earth 2 units of Meervite, 3 units of Blosium, and 1 unit of Geocrianite. Meervite was a semi-magical metal that was useful in construction as it antithetically REDUCED the weight of things it was attached to, While Blosium activated mundane algae and plankton in the water to make them extremely bioluminescent. Geocrianite could either be used as a raw source of Earth mana or made into an erosion-inducing sediment...

The scrolls were restored, but sadly the writing upon them was long gone -- the reclaimer magic for repairing things could be used to reintigrate the fabric, but the messages upon it were lost. However, this indirectly gives the Reclaimers the formula for Kelp Paper... a commodity still treasured the means of which had been lost to time.

 

[Beckoncall]

Elucid :

Scouts detect far on the west of their grassy plateau a small village of Sea Scrags (Marine Trolls) has been detected! They wear turtle-shell armor and the hides of sand-sharks... and have been noted spying further east... (word spreads of this discovery)