Versio 12. lokakuuta 2024 kello 17.09

This is a story of one night that happened in a faraway court in the great city of Asabumis.

Midnight in the royal palace of Asabumis

Her majesty Sagha Miry, the queen of queens of Cassandia, lady of Asabumis, protector of Haba etc. was woken up by her servant. "Your majesty, your great aunt Nelaser wishes to speak with you." The queen of queens rose up with a groan. She did appreciate her aunt's counsel, but sometimes she wondered if the ancient elven woman understood that humans needed their sleep.

After washing her face and changing her nightgown to something more presentable, Sagha arrived at the great hall of magic, atop a tall tower at the southern edge of the palace complex. "Ah her majesty has arrived" said Nelasser. The queen could almost hear the "Finally" in her great aunt's voice. Nelasser had been part of the royal house from the beginning, being one of the wives of Cassadane, the founder of the empire, so she could get away with some amount of disrespect.

Sagha could only give some pleasantries that were afforded to older aunt before Nelasser got to the reason why the queen had been summoned. "As you know, a new empire is rising in the west, beyond the Womb sea." "Yes, I do read the briefings of our dear spymastress N" Sagha wanted to add that she was 49 years old and not a child, but realised that in comparison to a over 500 year old elf, she probably was.

"The empire is called Axius, after its founder, lord-savant Axius. He is a quite formidable magician, and he has several mighty followers as well." Nelasser continued while she walked to a large scrying bowl that had been brought to the chamber. She pulled a dark blue robed acolyte to her. "But we have found a weakness in their magical defences. This here is Ghusa, an oneiromancer. Ygrid the seeress is a storm giantess who is one of the marshals of Axius. She will be in a meeting with the emperor with other marshals. She is a bit paranoid and will soon enter a precognitive dream, to go through the meeting in advance, and that's where we will strike and eavesdrop on the meeting."

Sagha looked at her aunt slightly bewildered. "So we don't eavesdrop on the meeting, but the premonition of the meeting?" she asked. "Indeed" Nelasser answered, with a cat-like smile on her thin lips. She gave a sign to start the ritual and moved to observe the huge scrying bowl. The Queen followed her and soon an image formed at the bowl. It was a weird image, it was high in the mountains, descending towards the south among spruce saplings. But those trees were not small saplings but tall trees and they were looking at the world from the eyes of a giant. The sun-cow Jida was just going over the western horizon, colouring the world red.

Late evening at the Dobsovan mountains

It had been a long day, crossing a mountain range, but as the sun was setting Ygrid realised that she was close enough to the dwarven citadel of Zuntimberlin, to reach the trade town the next day, before the meeting was to occur. There was a nice short cliff amongst the trees that offered a good place for a night's rest.

Ygrid laid herself down and pressed the mask of future to her face as sleep took her and shifted her presence to a most likely future.

Dream of the seeress

Ygrid arrived at the town. Tiny humans, and even tinier dwarves looked up at her as she walked down the main street. Soon she saw the mansion where the meeting was to be held. Emperor Axius had constructed a large enough table and a stool for Ygrid, in just such height as when she sat down her face was at level of the balcony, where another table was set with four seats.

Mistress Eliny, marshal of the west, and the headmistress of an orphanage bearing her name, was always the first to arrive, as benefited headmistress. In the shadows of the balcony, behind Eliny, stood her trusty maid, Garthandar the Black Destroyer. Eliny was dressed conservatively, a long brown robe that looked unassuming but a discerning eye could see that it was made from finest materials. Her skin was pale, and while she had a youthful look on her, her eyes showed a long life.

"Good day to you, marshal Ygrid" Eliny said while offering a polite smile to the giantess. Ygrid was just about to answer, but she was cut short by the arrival of Agthush, marshal of the east. Agthus was not human, or even humanoid. She was a creature known as beholder, a two metre sphere with a large central eye above a large mouth holding too many sharp teeth. From the sphere grew ten tentacles, each ending in an additional eye. "Good morning ladies" the sphere said. Ygrid and Eliny offered courtesies to the latest arrival.

Just as the bell tower of Zuntimberlin struck ten times, as if marking the time to start the meeting, the last of the four arrived. Grand Admiral Bish Ypiac arrived. In her current form she was a human-ish woman, a bit over two metres tall, wearing black gown and a small crown perched on top of her blonde mass of hair. "Hello, ya'll" she said as she gallivanted to her seat. Ygrid noted a slight shift from the corner, Garthandar wore her human skin much better than Bish did, but this also made her expressions easier to read, Ygrid could see that the dark maid had not forgotten the ancient enmity between her kind and the giants.

Ygrid didn't let it bother her, as the people gathered here Bish and Black destroyer were pretty much least evil, but then again some sacrifices had to be made to save the giantkind. As she was contemplating her new allies the main doors opened and his highness, emperor Axius, king over the mountain, keeper of the hellgate etc. made his entrance. Axius was, or at least looked like, a young human male. His face could be described as angelic and he wore his blonde hair long and free. He was dressed in black robes and fine chain shirt, used as a casual dress to show that Axius was raised by dwarves of Zuntimberlin.

"My dear ladies, maybe some scones and tea while we discuss the latest tidings," Axius said while stealing a glance at Agtush. no one was quite sure if the beholder was "lady" or not, but everyone just assumed her gender, for if nothing else it made her fit the group better. Servants scurried to bring everyone some tea, two servants brought something closer to a porcelain bathtub, filled with fragrant liquid to Ygrid's table.

"So, should we start with the western front?" Axius asked while sipping his tea. "There was someone called the lord of light over there?" he continued. "Oh yes, a rabble rouser trying to wrest local petty kings from my guidance" answered Eliny. "He will not be a bother for long." She turned her head to look at her maid. "My dear Garthandar will dispatch some of her pupils to deal with him." she continued. The dark maid stepped forward, "They will slay him, or die trying!" she proclaimed with conviction. "After he dies, and his religious movement with him, the petty kings will be easy pickings." Eliny said.

Axius turned to face Ygrid. "Since everything is going as intended in the west, how about in the north. Ygrid, how does the uniting of giant tribes go?" Ygrid sipped from her tea and gave her answer. "Fire giants are pretty much convinced, they find our empire easy to understand. Hill giants will do whatever they are told, ogres and trolls need little convincing. Only problem is the frost giants. Their former chieftain, Koppling trolleater was driven off from giant lands, but many frost giants still think he should return and take his rightful place as the king"

Axius gave this information a short thought. "So, if need arises, armies of giants will march under my banner?" he asked. "The Ordning will march if needed." Ygrid answered. "But we are few in number, so hopefully forces of Ordning are only used if absolutely necessary" she added. Emperor Axius gave this information some thought. "How seldom falls the opportunity to forge an empire without bloodshed?" Asked the Axius to no one in particular, more like quoting something. "But so far we are doing fairly well in that regard. How are things in the inner sea?" he continued, this time directing his questions to the beholder Agthush.

"So, my agents, led by your highness illustrious father, general Z'rienas…" the beholder started before she was corrected by Axius "He is more likely the father of my twin sister, but please continue". Agatush stared at the emperor for a while, sometimes the relationships on humanoids made her really confused, but then again she was a perfect being, unlike them so it was human trying to understand ants' feelings. "As I was saying, my agents are in positions in five most important cities along the inner sea, ready to take over. Colonel Sinocva will soon take out the royal house of Turania, leaving the throne to a more, should we say, pliable candidate While Lugapolis is fairly insignificant city, its sea fortress could be useful asset, so I have assigned it to colonel Goluk and his band of hobgoblins."

"Just hobgoblins?" Interjected Axius, "perhaps Ygrid could spare some ogres or trolls for this?" he continued. Agatush hated being interrupted, but for now she needed these people. After the empire was established, she decided to disintegrate Ygrid, eat Axius and turn Eliny into a statue. Bish was too valuable, but she was a total mercenary who didn't care who she served. "The minotaurs of Tauropolis are being taken care of by colonel Rethell'Bforst and their mate, admiral Vegnasha'Bforst, kindly sent by grand admiral Bish Ypiac." Agatush said and nodded towards the tall woman. "I … We need the fleet of the Minotaurs, so calling dibs on them!" the grand admiral interjected. "Our greatest threat in the area is the empire of Cassandia, they worship the sun goddess and probably take a very dim view of our gate in the fortress. They still don't have much presence in the inner sea region, a small trading town called Arisman. I have assigned general Z'rienas personally there to oversee operations there."

Silence descended on the meeting. Ygrid was first to speak. "Have your agents talked about any cults in the inner sea region? Especially cults that focus on children being born, midwifery, or calling the inner sea as the womb sea?" "Cults, really, why are you so interested in such matters?" Axius asked. "With all due respect your highness, but such cults can form a nucleus of resistance against our rule. I have foreseen such events happening. My skills as a seer are peerless, if I may remind you that it was I who told you where to find that garnet soul gem that you use to power the hellgate." Axius gave the words of the giantess some thought. "She is right, soul gems with elven souls are rare enough, most elves would not want to become undead." interjected Eliny, letting her position as a schoolmistress to show. "No, my agents have not reported any such cult activity." said Agatush and continued "But Ygrid is right, I will inform my agents to look for any such cults." She concluded.

"So, on to the seas, anything to report Grand Admiral" Axius asked from the tall woman. "Not much, the forces of the deep continue to serve our cause, and when we obtain the minotaur fleet the inner sea will be ours." Bish leaned back i n her chair "Still I would be happier if we could use some money for an actual ship building program. Our current surface fleet consists of one ship! While I have no doubt that marshal Agatush will deliver Tauropolis and Thalassapolis to us" she glanced at the beholder, the omission of Thalassapolis from her plans have not gone unnoticed. "But better be safe than sorry." she concluded. "While I understand your concerns, our problem is that we do not have skilled shipbuilders" the emperor answered.

"If we have concluded the official business of this meeting, I would like to move on to personal business," Eliny said. "I have some new youth salve to your dear sister, and a personal gift to your imperial majesty" she said, this time directing her words towards the emperor. "Youth salve, why would we need that, as we have the amulet" Axius asked. "Woman needs to feel young and pretty." Maid Garthandar opened the door and out of it walked a young man. "I have raised so many orphan girls, so I decided to have a child of my own for once. Unfortunately he was born a boy so he wasn't that useful to me. His name is Zlada. Perhaps your majesty will find him pleasing."

"Well, he is pretty indeed" said Axius as he stood up and came to inspect his newest paramour. "Did you offer your son to me as a payment for laying your hands on my sister?" Axius asked. "It would never even cross my mind, your sister's wellbeing is of utmost importance for our empire" headmistress said with a slight smile and twinkle in her eye. "Shall we head inside?" Axius asked. "I'm afraid I don't quite fit in the dwarven halls." Said Ygrid, with fake sadness. "They are too small for me too!" offered Bish. As for Agatush, she was already floating towards an attending wizard who would teleport her back to her base of operations in the Kitcener pass.

Bish Ypiac and Ygrid were left alone. "I have a favour to ask." Ygrid said "In the centre of the inner sea, there is an island." She continued. "Oh, the fabled island abandoned by gods, seat of the wizards of Halgaim and the centre of their empire" Bish was old enough to remember the old empire that ruled the inner sea region over a century ago. "That indeed, I would appreciate it if you would send captain Golodior and his ship to see if the storms have subsided." Ygrid asked. "To search for evidence of any cult activity." For the first time after she had arrived Bish looked serious. "Especially any cult activity to wake up that which sleeps, in the sea of womb, yearning to be born?" she clarified her question. Ygrid's solemn expression was a good enough answer for Bish. Tall woman stood up and stretched her arms. "Very well, I'll get to the river and start swimming towards the sea. Golodior should be at anchor at the port of Hravno. Do you like to have a swimming competition with me? You could explain things to our dread pirate captain!" Bish continued. "Sorry, but I need to be elsewhere." Ygrid answered as she too rose up.

Howls of a faraway wolf pack woke Ygrid from her premonition dream. Her gaze seemed to look straight at the scrying pool far east of her. "I think that's enough for you today." She said as she sent her lightning through the open magical path.

= Just before the dawn in the royal palace of Asabumis =

The lightning struck the scrying bowl, and the chamber roof beyond. Some boiling water splashed on the acolytes attending the ritual and oneiromancer Ghusa lost his eyebrows. But beyond that there were no immediate casualties. "What just happened?" queen Sagha demanded. "I think we just saw exactly what Ygrid wanted to show us," Nelasser summarised. "But still, Axius taking control of the entire inner sea region would be a huge disaster, it must be avoided by any means necessary!" she added.

"Indeed, millions of souls sacrificed to the devils is not a good thing!" queen concurred. "Is there anything we can do to stop it?" she asked. The old elf frowned. "They mentioned cults and the one who sleeps in the womb sea, yearning to be born. There might be a way, but it will doom millions of people living around the inner sea." Nelasser concluded grimly. "But how about their souls?" the queen asked. "They would be saved, most probably. I need to consult some ancient elven texts, so if you could excuse me for a while." Nelasser answered. "So be it!" declared the queen. "If the west falls, millions must die!"