The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ic=Lindus]Might I ask Celend to peruse the historical archives of the Palace here? The Auri have tried to attack Inveran once already. I see no reason why they would not try again. They not only threaten us, but everyone in the Middle Sea. To encourage them is to be enslaved, and to resist alone is suicide.

Surely you have heard the stories?[/ic]

[ic=Orman]Our historical records are accurate; our information is better than you seem to think.  Inveran's colonies were on the mainland and were all either undefended or traitorous.  Meanwhile, the Auri lack a fleet - of any kind - and have spend the past half century futilely knocking at the walls of Nargaq while scrambling to quash rebellions among the Serpent Kingdoms.  All this, in the estimation of the Archons, does not add up to a threat worthy of a military response.[/ic]

[ic=The Machta]The old man rubs his chin thoughtfully. "I have led men into battle before, when Sedoon-Ha was the ruler, and in this case, I agree with the Celendi. Nargaq has beaten off the Auri once, I am sure they can do it again, yes? Eventually the tribes will settle down and colonise their land, or else Auriban will collapse under its own fire-dog-borne weight. Only if some great ruler comes to power and builds ships, then can we worry. But I do not fear the Auri - it will take them hundreds of years to develop the sailing skills of those here, and our navies would crush any pitiful attempt they made."[/ic]

[ic=Lindus]I see how it is. They come for Inveran's colonies, and you do nothing. They come for the Serpent kingdoms, and you do nothing. They come for Nargaq and Ruthern, and you do nothing. What will happen once they come for you? You seem to forget that among the nations of the mainland are sailors, and it does not take much to enact an invasion with something of that size.

Nargaq, we of the Inveran shall support you, even if no one else shall.[/ic]

[ic=Spear-Mistress Torchavyn]And as far as this one commander goes, Stravam marches only for the Blood, not for Southerners.  [/ic]

[ic=The Machta]He laughs. "The northerners refuse to march for we of the South, and the Celendi are the only ones who can defeat the Auri. If they will go to war, you will win, possibly. If they do not, Nargaq will be destroyed utterly, and Inveran's army will cease to exist."

He produces a plum from somewhere about his person and begins eating it.

"And anyhow... how were you planning to get there? Celend's ships refuse, my ships are needed here and the Northerners will march only if their 'Blood' will do so, yes?"[/ic]

[ic=Lindus]"Just becuase we have no navy does not mean we do not have boats.

"I am appalled by what I see here. Someone comes to us seeking aid against one who clearly has no good intentions on the remainder of you, and you simply ignore it? No doubt that when those of us with the manliness," he glances briefly at the Celend Archon before continuing, "inevitably defeat the Auri, you will come in, say 'we supported you from the beginning,' and attempt to take a 'rightful share' of the spoils?"[/ic]

[ic=Hychordo]The warrior Hychordo stands up and declares, "Bah!  Enough of this farce, Atrusthva.  My Vrena has granted me the right to speak for Greathouse Ovaytyes, ad so I shall.  I and my warriors, and how many others I can recruit, will march with Nargaq against the Auri, will rage war with those who know war.  If we be alone in this, so be it, but for the honor of Ovaytyes, I pledge this."  She nods at the Nargaq delegates in presence.[/ic]

[ic=Spear-Mistress Torchavyn]Spear-Mistress Torchavyn replies coolly, "I think you overstep your station and underestimate the pain that Stravam can inflict to those who disrespect her."[/ic]

[ic=Hychordo]"And what station have you?  Where is your honor, Motherless?  Stravam-"[/ic]

[ic=Atrusthva]Atrusthva holds his hand up to them and interupts, "Warriors!  Cease this!  Spear-Mistress, would you interfere with the honor of Andos, of the Blood, by keeping those who have pledged it from going to war? Over some perceived slight?   Think of honor!"[/ic]

[ic=Spear-Mistress Torchavyn]She glares frostely at Atrusthva and Hychordo but then nods her head in accession.  "Very well, for the honor of the Blood.  Should your Vrena concur with your decision, it will be within your Motherhouse's right.  But you may take no warriors that are not of your Motherhouse as their Vrenas will surely oppose this, being wiser than yours.  You shall take the passage through Stravam to the Sheeplands and Southlands, as well, so that we may board your ships and make sure you are complying with our will."[/ic]

[ic=Hychordo]Atrusthva whispers something in her ear and then she gives a lazy shrug.  "So be it," she says with a barely suppressed grin.[/ic]

before the whole commotion with the talk of figthing the Auri appeared, King Meas seemed to smile when he saw the disagreement amounth the andos and replied.

 [ic]Warrior of Andos, The Northen port city of Avardera is allready fortified and the city have fitting accomidation for your sailors and warriors. so shall we say that your ships will have free acces to the harbour? oh, and offcourse I'll still teach your people ship building techniques[/ic]

He waited patiently untill he heard the Nargaq delegation roar up and turned his attention toward it, biding his time as he listened to the sudden change of topic and shook his head, mumbling low for himself

 [ic]too early.....ah well[/ic]

Then he raised his voice.

 [ic]the Dragon Lord speak of a combined army under one leadership, but let us not forget that we were at the brink of another war amounth ourself. I have no doubt that the people gathered here can be agreeable...but the people might not be as forgiving.[/ic]

He quikly raised his hands, gesturing for attention, before his comment could raise any protest, then continued

 [ic]how ever, we do not need a combined army under one leadership. Our nations surrounds the lands that the Auri have taken and they will be forced to strech themself thin, if they faces all off us across thier intere border[/ic]  

Confident that he had peoples attention, he then drawed it toward the map. placed a finger first at the capital of Nargaq, then moved it toward the besieged city of Pinur

[ic]The Auri have allready been defeated, figthing Nargaq and are now bleeding thier army on the walls of The Serpent Kingdoms. Avarderas tradesmen are making a good profit supplying Pinur, how ever, if the Inverness people send supplies too and man power up along the serpent,  then I have no doubt that the rest of the serpent kingdoms will join us in the fight[/ic]

He moved his fingers up along the serpent river, then turned around and placed it on the western side of the river floating from The Inner Sea to Nargaq  

[ic]meanwhile, Ruthen can march against the Auri and secure this river, defending any crossings. the Auri beast pulled awrmachines needs open plains to work, from what I understand. they will think twice about marching against Ruthen. especially..[/ic]

he then moved his fingers along the southern coast of the Auri lands

[ic] if a waterborn army waits outside thier southern coast, threatning to strike thier flank[/ic]

his fingers then moved north, along the northen border of Auriban

[ic] Avardera can send her army marching east toward Isedun, while the Andos make landfall on the northen coast of Dauraban. perhaps even rallying the tribes people of Durum and the Nargaq can gain some time to recover, even as you harass the Auri army if they marches toward Ruthen or Avardera[/ic]

King Meas looked up, adressing the room in a loud clear voice, and for just a moment, he no longer seemed like the aging man that hs is.

[ic] If we do it like this, then there will be no need for wasting time arguing for whose general should lead who, nor will we put everything on one boat. The Auri is a warrior people, thier strenght in thier leaders ability to uniting them under the belief of being untouchable under his leadership.  threathen them from all sides, and the leader of Auriban will lose his armys support, shattering Auribans cohesion and ability to attack any of us as one. Rally your armies, and today shall not only be known as the day where peace waas forged and a new age of prosperity came to be, but the day where the first hope against the Auri people was born![/ic]

[ic=Atrusthva]"But what if not everyone holds out on their end of the bargain and the Auri can focus on those who are holding their end?  Indeed, the more slippery minded of the Southerners may feel that allowing the Auri victories in the North will present soft spots in the south that they can exploit and claim victory as their own.  No, I do not like this, especially so soon after the betrayal of the Dragon and with so many whose honor I have no experience with, such as these serpent-people you speak of."[/ic]

[ic=The Machta]The old man laughs again. "Oh, I have no problems against going to fight the Auri, no? But I will not open myself to my own trap, yes? I will not let my own wings be 'clipped'." He then pauses to consider. "If the Kuregnites will do so, we of the Machta-In will follow them, perhaps." He then turns to the other man.

"An impressive speech, kingling. But naive. You think that hope and peace and the strength of our souls will let the Seaborn crush the Auri? If so, you are wrong. Courage and strength the Auri have in vast amounts, and they outnumber us twelve to one or better. The best we could hope for is throwing the Auri back from the coastline for a few years, yes?"[/ic]

[ic=Lindus]Lindus laughs softly at the Machta's comment, "Just because you have no honor does not mean that everyone is as willing to betray innocent allies as you are. Conscience rearing its head, old man?"

Turning to the others, he continues, "I agree with the King's assessment. Divide and conquer would be an excellent way to go about taking down the Auri. I suggest we focus our pushes on the forests, hills, and rough terrain they control, to minimize the impact of their chariots."[/ic]

After a long bout of silence, watching the sides argue back and forth their many views and opinions, Okar raises his voice.

[ic=Okar]
Obliteration.
That is what you tempt, young Inveran, by charging the desert kingdoms of the Auri.
But, knowing the Auri, we face assimilation otherwise. They pose no threat to us now, archon, but they have, and will, mark my words. The captains have dealt with them, do deal with them, and until told otherwise, shall deal with them. We were there when they asked us to turn on our allies the Inveran, and were ready to do what needed to be done. You say you shall not act until they threaten your vassal? They have done so, and lack only the means to do so now.

Great Machta, you laugh and say we shall be facing a dozen to one, sailors on land, and you are right. Shall we wait until Narqaq falls, and Ruthern, and we face 20 to one on our seas? You say you shall wait till a swaddling clothed girl decides to send her toy soldier worshipers to fight? Are all your battle plans made by children?

The captains call them ally, but have yet to see any reason why they do not call us "slave". We are Free Men, and yet they  dictate to us the terms of our tribute, pulling the greatest of our whale amber to their princelings, while we lose ships to perfume their courts. We deal with them because it is better to ride the wave than fight it, but at times a man must set his oars out, and fight the current.

As I said, we will trade with them, until they are dead or rule us, for from what we have heard, their strength has turned their heads, and the only thing more dangerous than a fool is a fool with followers. And that is what they are. A mad fool who thinks himself the sun, and shall not rest until it his kingdom spans sunrise to sunset. If it takes him a hundred years to break Narqaq, he shall spend a hundred. if it takes him ten thousand men to take the seas, he shall throw them. Until the seas be red as Auri sands, he shall not stop.

This is not to say I have nothing of true import to add. Auriban has misstepped. It has told us, that "do with Inveran as you will", thinkign the fallen nation too weak to be a rival to their might. And they have given us horses. As seamen, we have no use for them. But as men seeking an advantage in a land war...[/ic]

[ic=The Machta]He looks surprised. "You have the fire-dogs? Why did you not say? With fire-dogs and enough men able to ride them, we could put ourselves on an equal footing with the Auri, yes?" He then pauses.

"Fire-dogs can be ridden, yes? These are not just the tales I have heard from the east, no?"[/ic]

[ic NARGAQ ANBASSODOR]Nargaq is truly thankful for those who have pledged to help us. With the rebellions the auri have had, they have weakened. Many of their men are also demoralized. This is the time to strike. We express great gratitude, and i know i am speaking for all of Nargaq when I say that.[/ic]