[spirokeat]

Two Months of Spring in the first year of Acension.


Tanacatecuhtli, Mictlan Priest
We returned to the capital, tired, dazed but most assuredly not confused, our purpose gave us meaning, we were the chosen of Zum Zu’aal, we could feel his strength and will pushing us onwards. Many plans had to be made. Xolotl left to rally his warriors and I was left to prepare myself for the ordeals ahead, the cults had to be informed, though I was sure the Moon Priests would have felt the awakening and my suspicions were confirmed as I walked towards the Temple of the Moon, a chill quiet seemed to pervade the district, the few people I saw, hurried onwards quickly and my arrival at the marble steps of the temple went largely unnoticed.

I knew whom I sought, I needed allies if the new god were to rise and the Cults would not simply submit their will on bended knee, they would have to be bribed, cajoled and persuaded and bought, gold went a long way in religious circles, I sighed, once it used to be simply about the blood, but no longer, gold was its own unholy currency. Citalatonac, I knew would have sensed the rising power, he was well known for his powerful dream prophecy and also for the strength in his sacrificial arm. I knew our new god would make use of his powers if he could be bought. We had some small wealth, the remains of Xolotl’s tribal tithe, it had to be enough, but I that once a priest of Citalatonac’s status sided with us, the previous problems of church politics that plagued Xolotl would vanish and so would his income be restored.

I raised my hand to knock on the door and was faced with my own skeletal arm protruding from my sleeve, the months had taken their toll on me, shrugging off the memory I rapped my knuckles on the solid door. Citalatonac’s voice rang out in reply, deep and resonant
“Enter, Tanacatecuhtli”
With a deep breath I placed my fingers on the cool wood and pushed, the door swung silently inward. Citalatonac was seated behind a desk, scrolls littering the cluttered surface. Stepping into the room and closed the door behind me and turned to face the Moon Priest. Dark eyes and a sardonic smile met mine and I sensed immediately that Citalatonac knew why I had come.
“I sense a great purpose behind you, Tanacatecuhtli and I see the gold in your pouch. I fear that I will have a new master this eve, and perhaps a new purpose also.”
“You would do well to fear Citalatonac, what I serve is terrible in its malice, I would not care to think of the fate of one who disobeyed it, but what it promises for us…” My voice trailed off.
I dropped the gold onto the table with a dull clunk, two hundred and thirty pieces. A standard dowry for priestly service, I reflected that this was probably not quite the service the artificer of the sum had in mind.
“Tell me all you know” said Citalatonac.
The evening passed swiftly as I related what I had done, slaves were called and missives sent, the first grain of sand had fallen and would soon cause an avalanche, of that I felt sure. If we would be swallowed whole into the deserts was the question.

Xolotl, Tribal King
Xolotl knew his task was simple, he trusted Tanacatecuhtli to fulfil his side of the bargain and get his lands restored and in return he would levy his warriors and provide income to the new god to build his empire, it was all a warrior could have dreamed off. Still, even with the horrors of war and death that he had witnessed, what he saw that night in the cave had tested his sanity. Gripping the hilt of his sword, he walked into the barracks where his men were housed and barked orders, fifteen armoured spear and fifteen un-armoured spear, all skilled slingers gathered in the courtyard. There were soft murmurs from the men, some of whom had been on the journey with Xolotl and Tanacatecuhtli, none knew what to expect. Xolotl spoke simply.
“We go to war, be ready; we will march in once I have word from the borders”
Xolotl grinned. His men loved to fight and war meant one thing, profit and death. There was an excitement in the air now, the promise of gold and blood spurring their spirits on. Still, they had limited funds and if he were to be successful in his campaign he would need to enlist more men, but with any luck Tanacatecuhtli could persuade the temples to allow him to hire the fierce Jaguar and Eagle warriors, perhaps even the elite Sun warriors from the High Temple in their gleaming copper scale and blood red hatchets, he felt a swell of pride, his son had been accepted into their ranks and despite being killed In a border skirmish, he was not sad but honoured. But first, he needed banner men, and fighting in the large feathered headdresses of the tribes required long training, he would make the relevant offerings of gold before the month was out.

Zum-Zuaal, Eater of Children, God of the Obsidian Blade and Jaguar King
Zum Zu’aal could feel the changes around it like dark dreams, fully awakened it once more bent its great will upon the city in the plateau below, people would dream his name in their slumber and wake, with zeal and worship in their hearts. He knew the traditions, the priests would acknowledge him, for they could do little else in the face of his power, but they would still need their gold if they were to be effective. It could sense the two priests working on his behalf and the tribal leader capturing slaves from the nearby villages for warriors, it was a start, now he needed to begin to delve the mysteries again, much had changed, the spheres had shifted, old summonings would no longer work and so new ones must be divined but first, Thaumaturgy, it held the secrets of his Moon Priests powers of mental destruction and so he must bend his will on mastering mind burn.

Xolotl, Tribal King
As the month past Xolotl received word of what forces held the surrounding lands, to the south a great impassable mountain range which none in recent times had past to the east, Dershid, held by poorly organised Militia, Infantry and Archers. The archers better range could be a problem for his slingers, he would tackle that in time, above Dershid the large Greenwoods, again Archers and Infantry, though some heavy, he needed a softer target to get his men back into the swing of war. To the west and north west, Cacian Forest and Undrase, his runners reporting just Militia and Infantry, no missiles to tear through his ranks, perfect. He would sweep west and test his forces, then into Undrase where Tanacatecuhtli had promised to meet him with more men and temple backing.

Tanacatecuhtli, Mictlan Priest
Tanacatecuhtli confidence was growing, he had been called back to the great fountain and performed his first sacrifical rite in the name of the new god, word was spreading among the people and Citalatonac researching and entreating the other temples to allow us to access their warriors and most importantly the blood slave pens of the Temple of the High Sun. Xolotl was leaving for the west and he was ready to recruit the fearsome Jaguar warriors on behalf of Zum Zu’aal, the religious fever around the city was at a pitch he could barely dream. He just hoped Xolotl met with success for he feared for their souls if not.

Xolotl, Tribal King
Xolotl had ridden for many days before finally seeing the edge of Cacian Forest, his runners had kept him well informed of the quickly mobilizing enemy that surely knew he was coming, they planned to meet him in the forest eaves, a mistake on their part he knew but they were poorly trained militia no match for his troops, despite being more numerous, he would tempt them out and rake them with his slingers till they neared, then charge and trust his spear to keep casualties at bay. He could see them as his troops marched into position, fools, they had not gauged the distance of his slingers and their front ranks were just in range, the rank captain looked back to over his shoulder for command. Xolotl raised his hand, took but a moment to feel the wind on his face and then swept it down, the whip of leather slings cut the air and a hail of stone shot arced over the intervening distance and slammed into the surprised ranks, he saw two men fall, one with his head staved in and the other from some leg wound. The enemy charged, CRACK ! another volley from his sling and more men down. Xolotl grinned, shouted and watched with glee as the shining tips of his armoured spear lowered and prepared to move forward the forces clashed like a wave upon a beach and crashed backwards as his men thrust their steep tips forward into gullets and guts, the front ranks were crushed. It did not take long, their morale shattered the first rank of militia broke and routed in the face of Xolotl’s army. A second rank tried to stem the tide, but was swiftly cut down from sling fire and the thrust and slash of honed spearpoint. The day was his. Marching across the field he shouted for runners to be sent to Mictlan, the first battle was won.