Chapter #1139
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic VI +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and other +
+ terms used in these stories are the property of Wizards of the Coast +
+ which has in no way endorsed or authorized their use. Any such +
+ property contained within these stories are not representative of +
+ Wizards of the Coast in any fashion. +
+ The player characters depicted in these stories are copyright +
+ 1991-2024 by Thomas A. Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these stories is permissible under +
+ the sole condition that no money is made in the process. In that +
+ case, I hope you enjoy them! +
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+ Dexitheseus 17th level human wizard, jack of all trades +
+ Lord Marcus 19th level human warrior and general +
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+ Date: 6/10/586 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: midday +
+ Place: west of Fort Whiterock, within the Bright Desert +
+ Climate: hot and dry +
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+ "This war has made me realize that we cannot rely on politicians +
+ to do their job properly. So I decided that I should do something +
+ about it." +
+ - Orlando Oxford, from _The King's Man_ +
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MCXXXIX. Population Planning
Lord Marcus and Dexitheseus have had quite a productive couple of days.
In that time, they have assimilated the small numbers of troops stationed
at Kalundi and Fort Whiterock and reached accords with the leaders of both
places.
Dexitheseus: I'd say that went well...exceptionally well.
Lord Marcus: (nods) Most professional warriors, at their core, simply
want a good life, with pay and food and safety. (he thinks about some
of the tales he'd heard about recent events in Aerdy) And ideally, a
lack of foolhardy assignments or suicidal missions. Those soldiers who
were left in Fort Whiterock and Kalundi - and Kalki's Leap, and other
locations across this desert - they're getting the same basic deal from
us as they were getting from Rary.
Dexitheseus: I'd say our deal is better. We have more wizards, more
money, more resources, not to mention a greater and better vision. I
credit you with making these various commanders understand that, though.
Lord Marcus: (shrugs) Pay, fresh supplies, and a strong plan - better
communicated - go a long way. I want each commander and officer allied
with us to understand the long-term goal and feel like they're part of
something larger and greater.
Earlier in the day, after their parley outside Fort Whiterock, Captain
Zhora had agreed to shift her allegiance (and that of the hundred troops
in the fort) to the provisional new rulers of the Bright Desert. Lord
Marcus and Dexitheseus had provided the former Greyhawk guardswoman with
enough coin to cover the missing back pay for her and all of her garrison,
and vowed to return within the week with fresh food, drink, and supplies.
They'd also left the rest of Lord Marcus' troops in the fort, in order to
begin some integration of forces and allow some of Zhora's warriors the
chance to shift to another assignment in the near future.
Lord Marcus: We need to learn the details of all of these forts and other
strongholds, and break up the knots of soldiers formerly working for
Rary. Ideally, within a few months the "us and them" way of thinking
will have changed to simply "us" and their former leader will be but a
memory.
Dexitheseus: It also simplifies our next task.
The pair had departed the fort and had been heading west on horseback,
but the next step in their journey would utilize another method of travel
and take them a lot farther than places within the desert. Spurring their
horses to a halt, they came to a stop among the sand dunes all around...
and Dexitheseus began casting a powerful spell.
Dexitheseus: This is a good plan. We needed to leave troops at those
places, and I couldn't have brought them all along with this magic. I
can transport a few people and their horses across great distances, but
I can't open and maintain larger portals as Pallin can. (muttering to
himself) Of course, he has spent decades developing, practicing, and
refining that single type of magic...
Lord Marcus: No worries, my friend. This-
They suddenly vanished from the hot, sandy desert...and reappeared in
a lush green plain with a much milder temperature and a pleasant, cool
wind.
Lord Marcus: -is much better than days of riding.
Lord Marcus' warhorse: (looks around nervously, unaccustomed to being
moved about suddenly via magical teleportation) Nhhh?
Lord Marcus: (strokes the animal's mane) There, there. Easy. (he
turns to the wizard) Urnst?
Dexitheseus: As requested. We're about an hour's ride east of Radigast
City, capital of the County of Urnst.
Lord Marcus: Excellent. And the Duchy is but a day's ride to the south
and west, across the western fork of the Franz River where it runs west
and feeds the Nyr Dyv. (he crosses his arms, inhaling the clean, cool
air) We accomplished a good bit in the desert, and it was all framing
work that had to get done...but now it's time to get serious.
Dexitheseus: Indeed. (he pauses) Err...what is your plan, exactly? I
was preoccupied the other day when you outlined it.
Lord Marcus: First, we will go to Radigast and obtain an audience with
Her Noble Brilliancy. I wish to advise her on recent events, and get
her blessing for the other things I need to do.
Dexitheseus: You're going to ride into the capital and just speak with
its ruler?
Lord Marcus: Of course. Countess Belissica and I have crossed paths in
the past. I once led a small army which assisted hers, and that of her
neighboring state, to repel incursions from the Bandit Kingdoms. She
will grant me - us - an audience.
Dexitheseus: And then?
Lord Marcus: So we will explain the recent events in the Bright Desert
and what you and your allies are trying to accomplish. I will explain
my role in helping with those efforts. Then I will seek her blessing
to speak with the former ruler of my homeland, Tenh, who is currently
in exile within the County of Urnst along with a great number of other
Tenha refugees. It is my understanding that my people have not been
well-received here, or in Nyrond to the east. If all goes well, I can
offer them sanctuary within the Bright Desert, and an opportunity to
work and thrive and have a new life there....rather than be homeless,
jobless outcasts here. This will solve two problems at once, of course,
and I'd expect the idea to be well-received by both Countess Belissica
and Tenh's exiled Duke Ehyeh.
Dexitheseus: You're planning to bring thousands of refugees from a fallen
kingdom into the desert?
Lord Marcus: Absolutely. (he nods, smiling thinly) Thousands of people
who desperately need a home, and who largely possess useful skills...
warriors, tradesmen, laborers, and what have you. Actually, this would
solve _three_ problems at once. Urnst and nearby lands benefit because
they no longer have to house refugees for whom they lack space and food.
The refugees benefit because they gain food, lodging, and also a measure
of dignity and pride. And we benefit because in a short span of time,
we gain soldiers and workers that we badly need at this time.
Dexitheseus: But what about food? Drink? Lodging? Even though we've
more or less cleared out the hostiles, the desert is largely empty.
Lord Marcus: Not for long. As you know, efforts are underway to begin
building a massive stronghold in the Brass Hills, and a city around it.
That city will need people to live and work there, more than just the
miners who will help build it and the farmers who will feed it.
Dexitheseus: Hmm. Those are the people Belphanior will find and bring
to the region? I recall hearing him suggest that idea the other day.
Lord Marcus: Aye. He plans to venture to Sterich, I believe, and speak
with his friend Mongo Thunderhead, the dwarf they now call the "Killer
of Giants" after his exploits in the Wars. His thought is that if he
can lend some temporary aid to Mongo against the humanoids and such, and
help win a major victory or even break the evildoers' collective back,
that he can convince some dwarves to come to the desert and do gainful
work helping build its future fortifications and cities, and perhaps
even re-open the mines once the monsters and other scum are cleared out.
Dexitheseus: (nods) The Pits of Azak-Kil and empty dwarven city nearby,
and the other mines to the east, said to be inhabited by duergar.
Lord Marcus: Belphanior has his work cut out for him. Not only will he
have to help Mongo in the lands to the distant west, but he will also
need to see that the various mines are cleared. (he frowns) That makes
our task seem simple by comparison.
Dexitheseus: Don't forget the elf's long history of achieving things that
seemed impossible.
Lord Marcus: Quite true. I'm sure he'll deal with any challenges quickly
and effectively...and perhaps violently if necessary. (he gazes into the
distance to the west) Anyhow. Radigast City awaits. Let us go forge
alliances and perhaps save what's left of my homeland's people.
next: Alindyar, Lyra, and Wu tackle supply chain issues
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/bright_desert.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 3/1/2024
notes: This one comes out the day after a leap year February 29!
How rare is that? I bet I've never had a Friday release date actually
happen on a February 29.
Episodes like this require a lot of background research. The goal is
not just to write cool stories that further this crazy plan I dreamed
up, but also to tie things into the established Greyhawk world. The
bulk of what Lord Marcus wants was conceived when I realized that his
homeland is now inhabited by barbarians and his people either enslaved
or living a life of wretched refugee-ism in a land that is sympathetic
but doesn't really want them. Once I realized that the land's former
ruler was exiled a fairly short distance from the Bright Desert, it all
came together for the part of my mind that creates and writes all this
stuff. It wouldn't surprise me if (assuming this all works out in the
fictional realm) Lord Marcus goes down in history as the savior of his
people. It could happen. Appellations such as "hero" and "legend" are
earned the hard way. Aaaaand the motivations of Lord Marcus just fully
crystallized for me as I wrote this episode's addendum.
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