Dom III Gone Gold (Domiiigogo) - (Started)

[PashaDawg]

Turn 11 is out

Deadline is TUESDAY NIGHT at 9pm because I will be away. But, I don't leave until Sunday around 1 in the afternoon. So, if players get their turns in... I will host before I leave.

Pasha

[BigJMoney]

Month 4 – The Year Of THE HAG

Erkeborn, the commander of the Ulmish armies and Prophet of Yohlla swiftly kicked the side of one of the fallen. This one didn’t look like there were any wounds on him, but when the body rolled over, he noticed from the loll of the head that the neck was snapped clean. Sometimes the angle the maul hits the head causes the neck to break without leaving any bruising. A good kill. He knew that his armies of men armed with mauls, hammers and axes must seem strange to some of these other people. After all, they had rites and rituals that revolved around cutting and spilling blood. It was barbaric. To the Ulmish mind, it was better to crush your opponent beneath hammer and foot. It was cleaner, and there was a sense of power and dominion associated with it. Gynter’s men had performed admirably, but this was an easy enough battle that Ulm probably could have won it on their own. Gynter was given the task of roaming the land and quelling any remaining dissenters. He took to it with a sly grin, probably knowing he would keep any valuables he found for himself. Erkeborn had other priorities. He would dedicate this land to Yohlla, overseeing the construction of a temple here to help educate the local mountain people. In many ways, these people weren’t unlike his own, and they had already begun to recognize Yohlla’s worthiness already. He had seen it in the eyes of their quaking soldiers as they fought.

One day, a scout returned to him bearing a body. The body was Bune’s. Erkeborn was angry. “Well? If you return, you must have important news for me, right?” This scout had never known Erkeborn before his new reputation as Prophet, and was uneasy speaking to him.

“Ss – sir… we found him dead from his injuries… we retrieved the body first. Look, here is the report scroll!” Erkeborn was grateful for the skill of his spies. Their technique was to record what they had found on report scrolls that in case they should perish and be found, then the scrolls could be retrieved. The news on the scroll was grave. To the southeast of Robber Home was a land known as Machaka. In this land, the people worshipped a god, but the name was unknown to him. His report found that there were giant creatures that were kept on enormous metal shackles. To feed them, a horse was brought near the creature. At first, the creature remained motionless, then with surprising quickness it would jump on the horse, biting it once before retreating. The horse would fall down screaming, then die after several moments of agony. The creatures fed on these corpses. The report also mentioned something about them spouting flames when angered. The scout seemed to think the land was teeming with people, but he was not able to write again before the report ended. “We think he was attacked by hostile natives, but managed to hide himself before he lost his blood. I didn’t dare… enter the land without updating you, sir.” The commander looked his scout directly in the eye to tell him his next assignment. There was no use going easy about the fact that he’d be replacing Bune in that region.

Inside the dark walled throne room of the Great Keep, an old man named Ruprecht was standing before the thrones of the lords of Ulm. The soft voices of the old men echoed resoundingly throughout the great stone chamber.

“But magic is not permitted in this land, Ruprecht. It is a distraction. The people must never fail to work hard, and magic makes things too easy on them. You know the law.” The lord who sat in the middle was speaking to Ruprecht, his speech confident with finality.

Ruprecht replied, “You have been assessing taxes too long, great lord of Ulm. It is too bad you have forgotten the rights of your subjects in that time. I do not wish to practice magic, I wish to gain access to the ancient laboratory for the purpose of research.”

“And what would you use the magical research for, other than for casting spells, Ruprecht? Go back to your home in the mountain, you know we cannot allow you in there.” said another one of the lords; he to the right of the last one.

Ruprecht replied again, but with anger this time, “Look in your great book of laws, old, useless men, and see that a master smith is never to be denied entry into the library or the Great Forge for any reason! You will see that if you deny a smith his duty, your honor is forfeit, and your inheritance as well!”

In unison, the men on the thrones rose and began to shout and yell curses at the man standing on the floor below them. They never got the chance to ask the guards to see him out, because he quickly left.

[BigJMoney]

Month 5 – The Year Of THE HAG

More than ever, the people of the home province of Ulm desperately began to pray. While Yohlla was away at war, an earthquake struck their home and destroyed their precious temple. To make matters more grim, the five lords who sat on the throne to guide them were in the temple that day to inform the temple caretakers about new religious tax laws. None of them lived. There was only one man in the Great Keep who was willing to speak with the people. He was the old man, Ruprecht. Ruprecht knew the true reason for the deaths of the five keepers of Ulm. For her to destroy her own temple and ruin a thousand Ulmish lives in the process was mere consequence to old Yohlla – she was among her people, and this would not be the final calamity these people would face in the following years of her ascension. It was up to Ruprecht now to do two things. Most importantly, he had to help his goddess do what she must to bring the people of Ulm into their eternal ruler ship. Also important would be his role in looking after the people during these times, helping them hold on to success.

“Great and strong people,” the elderly man announced from atop the balcony of the Great Keep, “it is no time to be afraid. Though we have lost the wise men who have kept rule over us for many years, the timing of this misfortune is no coincidence. Was it not recently that we found our Mother Yohlla? Was it not only months ago that she anointed the Prophet to spread her word and bring the nation of Ulm into new lands? Was it not only days ago when news came that our armies conquered the land to the south, bringing those people to join with ours in this good empire? In this time of change, these things remain true. In losing our old guides, we have found new ones. And today, I will announce yet another new thing, so that you may have hope. The ancient library and forge that our ancestors used to build the foundation for our empire have been opened and the secrets of the old smiths are available again! As in the days of old, blacksmiths and craftsmen will lead our nation to greatness under the banner of the mighty Yohlla, the mother princess of education; the one who is with us, even when she is far away!”

The first temple to Yohlla in the Iron Range was built. Before it was even dedicated, the local people traveled to worship at it. Such was the affection the ageless woman inspired. Rumors arrived that a major barbarian tribe had risen to power above all others in the neighboring province of Scytha. Erkeborn knew well that barbarians usually remained in small tribes and fought each other into regression, so this alarmed him. One night, he had a dream. In his dream a strong barbarian was running through rain, carrying a baby. It was dark… nighttime, but there were no clouds. Then it wasn’t rain after all, but… arrows falling all around the barbarian while he splashed through a stream. The barbarian made it into the woods and found a clearing. Quickly, he set the baby down and commanded it to stand. The baby was too young and could not. The arrows found them and they ran for a while more. Again, he found safety and placed the baby down on the ground. He shouted for the baby to stand, but it was too young to yet walk. As arrows came down again, he screamed in frustration and then an arrow pierced his heart. Erkeborn realized himself to be walking toward the baby now. As he stared down at the infant, it began to cry and bleed until it died. When he awoke, he realized the meaning. Now was time to kill the infant nation before it found its legs and became perilous.

[PashaDawg]

Turn 12 is out.

Deadline is Tuesday night at 9pm Boston time (GMT-5)

Great job on the AAR, Big J Money!

Pasha

[BigJMoney]

I've been a bit slow in posting these, so there are obviously many of them to come, soon.

Month 6 – The Year Of THE HAG

Smoke rose high into the air like a pillar. A great bonfire and sacrifice went up tonight on the very grounds where a new temple to Yohlla was to be erected. The men in Erkeborn’s war camp celebrated and enjoyed themselves. Even the few survivors remaining in Gynter’s band joined the frivolity. And, why not? What had they left when all their companions had either been slaughtered or run into the wilderness, never to return? Their commander did not join them however, for he was greatly disturbed.

“Wise mother, you are great and powerful. Do you understand that we all trust you with our lives?” Yohlla was with him in his tent, sitting on a soft bench. Were someone to enter, they would not realize the significance of these two, speaking casually and meeting together as they were.

She replied, “Erkeborn, when you ask a question like that of me, I can tell you wish to speak about something. This would be a better conversation if you simply said it to me.”

Her Prophet sighed, “This battle, today; I was lead into it. I did not fight it because I chose to fight, but because I had a dream which told me I must. This is the first time I have seen a prophecy and then seen it fulfilled. Still, I felt today as if we could have lost. This was no easy battle, and there were times when it might have gone the other way. I thought the prophecy implied we were meant to win and that it could be no other way.”

Yohlla replied, “It could not have been. Things happened the way they did, and nobody can change it, not even you could have. However, the prophecy fulfilled its role not in helping you win the fight, but by bringing you onto the stage to perform. It is still up to you to win it. Do not ever forget that, or else you and your men will become complacent. I think today’s lesson was an important one. Still, I feel there is more on your mind than even this.” She was right, there was more he needed to speak with her about.

“We won today, but we had a hard time with these barbarians. They even knew who we fought for, yet still they gave us a difficult time. I cannot imagine what it will be like when we must fight the terrible creatures south of us that can suck the life right out of a horse if moments. Any people who would use such creatures are terrible, indeed.”

“Erkeborn, there is nothing I can tell you that will reassure you, but I will say that you have no choice but to conquer this fear. With my help, there is no creature on this world that can defeat you, except your own fear; not even strange creatures with magnificent powers.”

“But mother, you are so beautiful. I know you will help us, and we will give our lives for you, but how can you protect us from such dark forces?”

The goddess stood up and fidgeted with some of the sparse tent furniture. She paused for a moment and then asked, “Am I young or old?” Rather than wait for his confused response, she continued, “I am both. The reason I appear to you people as young and old belies the very truth of who I am in power. I am wonderful and I am terrible. No, do not interrupt me, son of Ulm, but listen. People everywhere are drawn to me. They realize that I can make their lives better if only they would worship me. This happens, and so I am wonderful to them. What they do not know is that this comes at a price. Wherever I walk in this mortal realm, great misfortune besets those whom I live among. This is not something I desire, but it is who I am. Even now, thousands in the great city have died from a disastrous earthquake that my presence there has caused. Your enemies will know this wrath too, but you must not neglect your role as Prophet, and you must not fear.”

[PashaDawg]

Turn 13 is out.

Deadline is Wednesday night at 9pm Boston time.

[PashaDawg]

Turn 14 is out.

Deadline is Thursday at 9pm Boston Time.

Pasha