From Past Heights, Against Past Depths - An EU4 Anbennar Kumarkand AAR

[Sybot]

Ashes of the Garden

The Land of Sun, the Crossroads of Halann, the Cradle of Humanity, the Birthplace of Empires. All these names have been applied to Bulwar at one time or another, and each one is well-earned.

It is believed that humanity, now found upon ever corner of the world, first emerged in this region. However, the cradle was not the safest place for the young race. History from the era of myths through to the present day is one of oppression. The djinn Sultans, the God-Kings of antiquity, Kheteratan or Castanorian occupiers, harpy Queendoms and gnollish Xhazobines all asserted their dominance over the region. It is no surprise that in this darkness humanity sought out the light.

The Sun Cult is the predominant religion in Bulwar. The one and only god Surakel (for all other gods are dead) fights an eternal war in the sky against the forces of the Malevolent Dark. His ever-presence in daylight was the guiding light of hope for a troubled people, but by the 10^th Century After Ash many believed themselves to be in the Age of Darkness, the End Times. The vicious gnolls once again swept over Bulwar, shattered the human petty kingdoms and enslaved their populations. All seemed lost, as the forces of the Malevolent Dark had achieved their victory.

Then the sun rose from the west. A great fleet of city-ships landed on the western shores and disgorged armies of divinely gifted elves, commanded by the charismatic and brilliant Jaher. His legions drove out the gnolls and from the ashes that they left in their wake rose the Phoenix Empire, a new elven empire in Bulwar.

The desperate locals began to worship Jaher as an incarnation of Surakel (or Surael, in Elven), and a rift rapidly grew in the Sun Cult between those who saw Jaher and the elves as the Chosen of Surael, colloquially called the New Sun Cult, and those who saw them as pretenders playing at divinity, the Old Sun Cult. As the Phoenix Empire expanded, claiming territory as far away as Cannor and Yanshen, the New Sun Cult inevitably came to dominate the Old.

When Jaher perished and the empire he had built was squandered under his heirs, the once indominable might of the phoenix began to break. The elves divided into kingdoms, fought amongst themselves in the Wars of Cinder, and began to lose ground to the monsters on the frontiers once again. These events came to a head in the Decades of Devastation as the would-be Xhazobine Tluukt emerged from the desert, carved a path of destruction to the city of Bulwar and sacked it, while the Goblin Exodus descended from the Serpentspine Mountains and seized the northern region of Bahar.

Meanwhile to the east, Jaddar Jexiszuir, the self-proclaimed heir of the last Phoenix Empress returned from a mountaintop with words that would shake the foundation of the Sun Cult. With several legions thought lost after the collapse of the Empire at his command, and the gnoll warlord Zokka stood opposed to him, a single duel in the desert could change the fate of a continent.

Will humanity rise again from this era of elven dominance, will the struggles of the Chosen of Surael give rise to a new Phoenix, or will the monsters lay a blanket of Darkness over the land once more?

What is Anbennar?

Anbennar is a fantasy mod for paradox map game Europa Universalis 4. To quote its steam page:
"Anbennar is set in a fantasy world evoking themes from D&D, but through lens and time period of a strategy game like EU4. See how a fantasy world changes from an age of adventurers and good vs. evil to an age of gunpowder, colonialism and magical decadence"

Originally started by one man (JayBean) as a passion project, it now has a fairly big community and a bunch of devs working on it. Its updates are frankly huge and, in many ways, it has more content than base EU4. It has a patreon and even a merch store!

There's a lot of stuff in this mod: huge Mission trees, new Religions, new Mechanics, etc.

New Mechanics?

Oh yes. There's a lot of new mechanics for this mod. We'll get more details as we encounter them during the game, but here's a quick overview (credit to MonsieurChoc for originally writing these out!):

- Fantasy Races! Every country gets a modifier for who's in charge of the administration and who makes up the bulk of the armies (they can be two different races!), and every province has one or more modifiers representing the majority and minority(ies) present in the province that have positives and negatives depending on how much you accept each race.
- Magic! The Mage estate is available to all countries with mages and can be used to cast spells for various effects. Also, if your ruler is a Mage you get the Ruler Magic menu from which you get access to all kinds of unique spells depending on which of the 8 schools of magic they know.
- Artificers! Usually shows up in the late game but some countries and/or races get access early. You can research inventions that buff your nation or special artificer infantry.
- New Government Reforms! There's a lot, some of which are unique to certain Mission Trees.
- Dwarven Holds! Deep in the Mountains are these huge dwarven cities built over centuries. They can be expanded by DIGGING DEEPER.
- Expeditions! In the mountains you can also send troops to look for treasure. Hope you gave them enough supplies, or maybe they'll never return. Maybe you'll even find a Dungeon?
- Disasters! So many new disasters. Many are unique to certain regions, races or even specific nation Mission trees.
- There's also special mechanics available only to specific regions or nations, like the Raj or the Sunrise Convocation. Those we'll see if they come up.
- Monstrous nations! Monstrous is more of a social and political distinction than anything else. Some nations are considered monstrous, with unique CBs both for and against them, and can de-monsterize eventually to be seen the same as any other non-monstrous nation.
- Lots of Lore! If you're into that, there is a rich history to explore through the ideas and events of the nations of the mod.

How this AAR will work

This will be a screenshot AAR with a casual narrative focus. I'll writing my gameplay decisions in-character, but dipping out character voice as needed to explain game mechanics. While I will try to stick to the narrative disposition of the mission tree and the thread votes, I can't guarantee I won't occasionally make the gamey choice.

And on that note, there will be audience participation! Votes will be held throughout the AAR, including for our starting nation, our idea groups, and occasionally some event decisions.

Permission for a mildly interactive AAR has been granted by @Lord Durham . Thank you!

My previous AARs can be found here in the InkWell.

 

[Sybot]

I closed the preliminary vote a day early as my evening suddenly got freed up by the weather apocalypse outside, and the number of voters was petering out. Our top five have been decided, and there is a clear theme among them. All three harpy nations were selected, alongside one human and one elven nation, each with their own dramatic developments. Let's see which one we will go forward with.

Chapter Zero: Means of Ascension

Mulén Flock -> Mulén Queendom
On Silken Wings

Even at the heights of the rule of Siadanlén, the northernmost reaches of its territory were ignored by the wider Queendom. Far from the rich trade routes of the Golden Highway, with only sparse valleys and sparser mountaintops, there was little reason to take heed of the voices of this these flocks. It was in these lands that more radical thought found room to grow.

Múla Swift-Sparrow was a granddaughter of the great Siadúna herself, and a prophetess of a new way of thought for the harpy people. She preached that cooperation and diplomacy were the way forward, that resorting to an existence of raiding and bloodshed would only lead to the eventual isolation and destruction of their race. Her beliefs found no purchase during her lifetime, but the destruction of Siadanlén at the hands of the elves brought many around to her way of thinking.

Together, they broke away from the Matriarchs attempting to hold the flocks together and founded the Mulén Flock among the northern hills. As time passed the division between the two main flocks grew ever wider, and eventually another schism saw even more of their sisters fall under the spell of the elf Jaddar and his new religion.

Kiríja Múlo has ascended as Matriarch of the Mulén Flock, a shaman of great renown whose trill rings across the mountaintops and soothes the hearts and minds of all those who hear it. She is a fierce proponent of the ways of Múla and seeks to take the opportunity caused by the chaos of the battle between Jaddar and Zokka, a deadly gnollish warlord, to press her philosophy upon her conservative sisters.

If she is successful, a new existence awaits for the harpy people. One where they facilitate commerce and diplomacy, one where they now longer hunt for husbands but for profits, one where all the wealth of the world flows down the Golden Highway and any harpy can earn their place within great hanging cities to live in unimaginable luxury.

Gameplay Summary:
Struggle in the desert wastes of eastern Bulwar against powerful foes, then emerge as a tall trading nation that reaches into Rahen and Sarhal to find new ports to trade from and new mountains to hang cities from.

Ayarallen Flock -> Harpylen Queendom
On Enlightened Wings

The exact origin of the harpy race is shrouded in mystery. Cannorians claim them to be Spawn of Agrados, the Bulwari consider them children of the deceased goddess of wind, and some scholars ponder a connection to the Avariel, a race of winged elves that once served the gods. What is known, however, is that they had no presence in recorded history until suddenly emerging in great numbers from the Šad Našratu, the Harpy Hills, in the 12^th Century Before Ash.

Led by the powerful shaman Firanya they swept through the collapsing Karqašlu Empire and seized swathes of Bulwar, while establishing the remainder as their tributaries. Their greatest demand was not for wealth or knowledge, but for men. Harpies are solely female, and rely on other races to produce offspring. The humans of Bulwar were highly compatible, and experimentation over the centuries has also proven elves, orcs, goblins and hobgoblins to all make worthwhile husbands. Though the means by which they are secured vary, the need for men remains constant across all harpy nations.

The Firanyan Queendom did not outlast her death, and the flocks split and scattered. Harpy history since then has been of fractious flocks bickering with one another and raiding their neighbours for mates and wealth, with regular retaliations by whichever power ruled Bulwar. It is not until the Decades of Devastation ravaged northern Bulwar that a chance for unity and progress has emerged.

Matriarch Mišqa devoted her life to unifying the disparate flocks of the Harpy Hills, and now under her skilled granddaughter Ištara that task in nearly complete. All of the Matriachs swear allegiance to Ayarallen, the flocks are ready for war, and the weakened and divided states of Bulwar are ripe for the plucking.

However, this will not be a war for conquest and dominance, as this is a chance to restore peace across a land fractured by invasion and religious division. A new way of ruling, built on diplomacy, tolerance, and knowledge, where men need not fear abduction and instead willingly come to the heights of the harpy roosts to marry into a society of great scholars and leaders. Under the Harpylen Queendom, peace and prosperity will reign.

Gameplay Summary:
Fight to secure dominance over Bulwar, build a collection of loyal subject nations, and demonsterize into an advanced nation of peace with a diplomatic reach that extends across the world.

Siádan Flock -> Siadanlén Empire
On Burning Wings

When Firanya's mighty Queendom collapsed, the lands of the east came under the rule of the harpies of the Sâd Siadan, who would descend from the mountains to raid the villages and caravans that crossed the desolate and harsh lands of the Far Salahad. In these lands of open skies and mountainous roosts, no enemy could defeat Siadanlén in the field and so harpies came to dominate the region.

That all changed with the arrival of Jaher, the Phoenix Empire and the elven legions. Marching from Bulwar, having driven out the gnolls, they now sought to carve a safe route overland to the wealthy lands of Rahen. Their weapons and training overcame Siadanlén and shattered it entirely, the constituent flocks scattering into the Sâd Siadan where they waited and bided their time.

Jaher's death and the collapse of the Phoenix Empire brought back harpy dominance of what was once the Golden Highway, but even that was only fleeting. Jaddar, a claimed descendant of Jaher, marched into Bulwar with legions once thought lost. There he settled, squatting on rightful harpy land while preaching his new interpretation of the elven sun god and taking on a harpy wife from a traitorous flock.

His legions are far too strong for the lone Siádan Flock, the last flock still loyal to the rightful and proper ways of the harpy people, to face in battle. Emissaries have reached out to Zokka, the Devourer of Suns, a gnollish warlord of great renown. Warriors are being raised, shriekers who will tear apart the traitors. The Chorsekhu, sisters-in-arms whose love for one another can triumph over any foe, are ready for battle. The rogue flocks will be united under a bold harpy queen, Jaddar will be crushed, the gnolls will serve, and all the skies of the world will know the songs of Siadanlén.

Gameplay Summary:
Struggle in the desert wastes of eastern Bulwar against powerful foes, then emerge as a wide militaristic empire that develops its military into an unstoppable flying machine.

Akalate of Kumarkand -> Karqašlu Empire
From Past Heights, Against Past Depths

As the God-Kings of Bulwar began to decline in the Second Millennia Before Ash, they faced an invasion by an unprecedented threat – the Zabatlari horsemen of the Forbidden Plains, the original inhabitants before the centaurs claimed the steppe. Riding innovative chariots and wielding an unusual immunity to the magics of the God-Kings and remaining artefacts of the Djinn Sultans, they swept across Bulwar like a flood.

The greatest of these horsemen, Ašqarin-Aga-kar, founded the city of Panu Karqašlu and from there forged an empire that spanned the length of the great Suran and Baranun rivers. His dynasty held strong for four hundred years, forging connections with Rahen and surviving conflicts with the great Elikhet the Wanderer. What eventually felled the empire was an invasion from an enemy that remains unknown to this day, known only as the Onslaught.

Strange foes landed upon the shores of Bulwar and began massacring and abducting entire towns and villages along the coast. No survivors were able to offer any hint as to how to fight such enemies. When the last King of Karqašlu stood against the tide, he was mortally wounded and the empire fell into civil war, to then be set upon by nascent Firanyan Queendom, ushering in an era of harpy rule.

In the present day nothing remains of the Karqašlu Empire besides the ruins of Panu Karqašlu in which only a few people still dwell. Instead, the lands around the old imperial heartland are occupied by the Akalate of Kumarkand, a vassal of the elven Kingdom of Varamhar. The people of this realm are hardy farmers, more interested in growing their crops and fending off harpy raids than building a vast empire.

And yet their stubbornness might prove that such a drive still dwells within them. Karodir, their overlord, dabbles in strange and dangerous magics and covets the ancient treasures hidden beneath the farmlands of his subjects. The Akal is plotting, making ready to call upon the other nations of Bulwar to join in him in opposing such heresy and securing Kumarkand's independence. If that can be accomplished, Kumarkand can flourish as the sovereign breadbasket of Bulwar, unearth the secrets of their past, and invite in those mysterious voices of great power that promise a new era of peace, glory, and vengeance for ancient onslaughts.

Excuse the censoring, I don't want to spoil it outright.

Gameplay Summary:
Plot against your elven overlords, explore the secrets of the past, then form a mighty cavalry-focused empire that claims all of Bulwar and becomes a flourishing tall and wide combination.

Kingdom of Varamhar -> Phoenix Empire
Solar Apotheosis

As the Phoenix Empire reached its height, its wings stretching from the outskirts of Cannor to the distant port of Tianlou in Haless, disaster struck. Jaher, Phoenix Emperor and Surael Incarnate, departed this world. His heirs, Jaerel in the east and Jexis in the west, were no worthy successors and under their rule the empire struggled, contracted, and with Jexis' death shattered completely.

Elven rule collapsed beyond the immediate bounds of Bulwar, as local powers took the opportunity to reassert themselves. Within Bulwar itself the Elven governors carved out kingdoms for themselves. The greatest of these was King Darastarion of Dalarand, the Young Phoenix, who for a moment appeared that he might take up the mantle of the Surael Incarnate once again.

He was assassinated in the City of Bulwar in a plot conceived by the Twelve Families and by his ambitious general, Kalindil Varamzuir. Dalarand collapsed, but the newborn Kingdom of Varamhar was one built upon treachery and subterfuge and could not resist the advance of the other Elven Kingdoms. They were forced into a peace that saw them retain a fraction of the strength of their contemporaries.

Humiliated and weakened, Kalindil passed on and passed down the crown to his son, Karodir. The new king was a scholar who kept the counsel of the wisest mages and priests in the kingdom, his eyes upon the future. Under his rule, Varamhar flourished as a place of learning and magical prowess, with Karodir himself a mage of many talents and a renowned evocator.

In a twist of fate, Varamhar's small footprint within Bulwar saved it from the worst of the Decades of Devastation. As other kingdoms saw their frontiers shorn away by goblins or gnolls, Varamhar merely had an infestation of harpies on their northern border to contend with, though famine and instability still touched their people. Free of the worst of the chaos, Karodir and his advisors had time to think and philosophise. The failure of the Phoenix Empire after Jaher's passing, the failure of any other elf to replicate his achievements, and the failure of the other kingdoms to stem the tide of monsters. One key ingredient was lacking in all of these cases: divinity.

Some would be happy with touching a mere piece of Surael's power, but Karodir has ambitions beyond that. By delving into ancient, perhaps even heretical, texts and lore, studying the effects of magic upon the body and soul, and finding the resolve to make any sacrifice necessary, true ascension could be achieved. Not just Surael Incarnate in name, but in the very nature of their existence. A truly divine ruler; immortal, shining like the sun, and illuminating the way forward for all the mortals of this world.

Gameplay Summary:
Navigate the perils of cutting-edge magical research to turn your ruler into a divine being while dealing with elven politics. No matter the outcome of Project Divinity, form the Phoenix Empire, a very wide empire that aims to place Cannor, Bulwar and Haless under its dominion.

Vote for up to one option by clicking on the image below.



Voting will remain open for five days

 

[Sybot]

It is a smashing win for Kumarkand, with nearly half of all votes!

Chapter One: Shadowed Awakening
1444-1446

North bank of the River Buranun, approaching Apaškumar, Kumarkand, 1444

The wind spoke, her words inaudible to those without the senses to hear them. She spoke of danger, of secrets, of gold disappearing into pockets and armies disappearing into the sands. It was a worrying sensation to feel when called into the capital by one's lord.

Fereydun said little as he listened to the wind's words. The closer they drew to the heart of Bulwar, the greater risk his abilities presented to himself. Magic was the sole domain of the elves, of the Chosen of Surael, and though being touched by the Elemental Planes was not the same thing as being a mage, a magister sent by their lords in Varamhar might disagree.

Being in tune with the Plane of Air had allowed Fereydun to arise to the position of captain of his own band of Sahiru, rangers tending to the goats and cattle that roamed in the arid north of the Akalate of Kumarkand. In these lands the threat of raids from the Šad Našratu was ever-present. The hills loomed large on the northern horizon, and a day did not go by where a flock of monsters darkened the distant sky. Sometimes they took away livestock, and sometimes they took away lives.

He wielded the wind as a weapon, imploring her to rise against the creatures of the Dark. The harpies took her for granted, believing their wings would always see them strike true, and thus allowed him to inflict humiliating defeats upon them whenever the wind bowed to his will instead of theirs. His brothers-in-arms were all thankful for this, and sworn to secrecy as to his abilities.

They were riding far from their grazing lands this time, approaching the great Buranun and the vast fields and orchards that bloomed along its banks. The hard-working folk here looked up from their labour under the beating and blissful light of Surael to stare at the passing Sahiru, surely a strange sight so far south. Fereydun nodded to them in acknowledge. Everyone had their place in holding back the forces of the Malevolent Dark, be they fighting against its monsters or holding back the black pit of hunger.

"Captain, the horses are getting spooked," said Saman, his stablemaster and one with as great a skill with their mounts as the captain had with the wind. He had ridden up alongside him and pulled down the cloth wrappings around his mouth to speak freely.

"I am sorry for not noticing," Fereydun said, as much to his steed as to his soldier.

He reached down and stroked her mane, feeling the tension in her neck. She was shaking, ever so slightly as she trotted along the road. As to what was causing it, he could not tell. Animals were more attuned to the shifts of the natural and spiritual world, but all the whispers on the wind that reached his own ears were those of the machinations of people. It ought not to be something that a horse need worry about.

"What do you think is causing it?" he asked Saman.

"They speak of unearthly vessels roaming the river in the depths of night," Saman said, "that shadows move whenever Surael's gaze is no longer on them. His garden is infested by more than just the monsters that sacked Bulwar city."

"You long for the open plains again?" Fereydun asked.

"The longer we are this far south, the more likely we are to get drawn into Dark manipulations," Saman said. His eyes roved over the farmers they were passing, watching carefully as though afraid these loyal workers had some ulterior motive.

"The Akal and his Chosen stewards have a firm grip on these lands," Fereydun said, though he doubted his own words a little given the wind's words. He

"It may be those same elven stewards that lead him astray," Saman said, spitting into the dirt.

Fereydun levelled a gaze on the other man. It didn't need to be said, but to openly disparage the Chosen and their place in Bulwar was a sign of the blackest heresy. Out on the grasses, facing monsters without the aid of the Chosen, it was easy to fall into the trap of believing oneself superior to those same people who had freed and unified Bulwar upon their arrival. Nonetheless, Fereydun wondered whether this attitude was something the Akal was planning to cultivate.

He was nearly thrown from his horse when she stopped dead in her tracks, letting out a long snort of anxiety.

"What is it?" he asked, resting a hand upon her head. She shook it off, ignoring his concern.

The rest of their band of rangers came to a halt behind him, their horses all disturbed in the same way.

"There it is," Saman said, peering through the glaring light and pointing out what lay ahead of them.

The great River Buranun lay out before them, its life-giving waters feeding the millions of inhabitants of Surael's Garden as it ran a sparkling blue trail through the landscape of farmland bounded by arid scrub. On the south bank, just peeking out atop a hill, were the walls of Apaškumar, their destination. There, the Akal awaited with whatever instructions that he had for them. A stone bridge had been erected since the last time that Fereydun had come this far south, which was some small comfort as the horses did not like the ferry.

It was not likely the bridge was what was scaring them. The wind picked up again, a new voice lying deep beneath its gusts and breezes. It whispered of power, glory, and vengeance, it cackled at the sight of the small army of horsemen that approached the crossing and the city, and then it retreated once again, leaving only the blustery undertone of concern that Fereydun had heard before.

He could almost see the passing of the strange voice, the trees shaking in directions that the shouldn't and the grasses flattening. Its destination was before them, behind them, all around them. From the sandy grasses of the river bank poked countless stone ruins. Old foundations, eroded walls and occasional patches of tents and hastily piled stone where squatters had set up in the ruins.

The ancient city had not been something that Fereydun had considered each time he had attended the capital. It was as much a part of the landscape as any other piece of ancient history, in the long and storied history of Surael's Garden. This time, he felt something different. Something had changed, perhaps something had awoken. He had never really understood history, beyond that taught in the temples of the arrival and conquests of Jaher, but even he knew that there was history that stretched into the past far before that day.

"We should press on, and calm the horses when they are stabled," Saman said.

Fereydun hummed an acknowledgement and his spurred his horse onwards. She was reticent at first, but began to move after a minute had passed and no predator had leapt from the silent stone around them. They began to pass through the fields of ruin, both men and horses eyeing the landscape carefully as they made their way to the bridge.

Perhaps Saman was right, this was not their place to be. Something was happening in Kumarkand, and Fereydun did not know whether it was the Light or the Dark at work here.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

The journey towards the Second Empire began in the later years of the Decades of Devastation. The elf-kings of Bulwar, still believing themselves to be heirs of Jaher, faced disasters in their own realms and invasions from beyond their borders. Though Varamhar, the kingdom ruling over the subjugated Kumarkand and Akalšes, was less affected by famine and war there was still enough dissent to spark something more. A phoenix would not arise from these cinders.

Most Sun Elf nations start with vassals, in Varamhar's case there are the two.

Serakh II, the Akal of Kumarkand, was a plotter, a cruel schemer who sought power for himself and little else. It is from such inglorious beginnings the tale begins, as petty lust for power set in motion a far greater chain of events.

Opposing Serakh was Karodir Varamzuir, an elf of great knowledge and ambition who in another world may have achieved the ascension that he sought. Confident that his lands were safe, he sought seclusion with his priests and mages, working on a fantastical project to reach divinity akin to that wielded by Jaher or his Precursor ancestors. However, he failed to realise that true divinity had already been achieved.

The machinations of the Akal were not the only whispered plots seeping through the shadows of Kumarkand. The capital city, Apaškumar, was built on the banks of the River Buranun, besides the sprawling ruins of Panu Karqašlu that still lingered on both banks of the river populated by only a few thousand people. The greatest glories of the past still lay hidden within its tombs, and any manner of mysterious stranger or eager infiltrator might emerge from its hidden alleyways. In this place rumours spread like wildfire, merchants conned and bribed, nobles squirreled away power, and priests spoke of stranger heresies.

In the environment of lies and deceit it was no surprise that Kumarkand sat at the edge of a potential upheaval, not just in overthrowing Varamhar's rule but in changing the future of Bulwar itself and the relationship between humans and elves.

The Cult of Jaher, or the New Sun Cult as so many called it, saw elves raised as divine beings sharing some portion of the power of Jaher, the elf who founded the Phoenix Empire and was declared Surael Incarnate. His power was truly worthy of such a title, though whether his brethren were equally so is a question of debate. At the time of Kumarkand's rise, their administration was deeply tied to the elven administration of Varamhar, with thousands of Sun Elves working as mayors, tax collectors, and priests. All humans were expected to serve the elves and support them in guiding the nation against the Dark, so the Akal's plots against his overlord might be considered heresy. This is why he sought to have Karodir labelled a heretic first.

The NSC uses Shinto mechanics, meaning that there are a series of incidents that can shift the bonuses you get from your religion in one direction or the other. Some incidents, like Whispers and Shadows, are unique to certain nations. The Chosen Level represents how much influence elves have in your nation, though only elven nations are able to reach level 5 and only non-elven nations are able to reach level 1. Note that in all cases, so long as you follow the NSC you still consider elves to be divine, just believe they have a different status in your nation.

Power still rested in the Akal and the human nobles of the realm, regardless of the orthodoxy. His servants were competent enough to see his ambitions realised, and his generals and soldiers were determined to see victory achieved.

Humans are the most vanilla of all the races, with some very minor bonuses and no downsides.

To gain his freedom, the Akal would need to prepare his subjects for war without arousing the suspicion of Karodir and seek out aid from those other rulers in Bulwar who might gain from the fall of Varamhar. Kumarkand had not yet reached the heights of the past, nor had the knowledge to wield true power, so Serakh II was forced to rely upon others.

Kumarkand begins with a mission tree specific to the Whispers and Shadows incident. The full tree is only revealed after we have our independence.

Nobles and priests were the first that he called upon. In the palace of Apaškumar he handed the lesser nobles of the Akalate generous land grants, in return gaining a portion of their funds towards his own schemes. The priests had a more outward focus, being assigned positions in the courts of the other nations of Bulwar to spread rumours of Karodir's heretical research and suggest that the Chosen of Surael did not need to rule over human lands directly to do their duty.

Rallying both internal and external power to his cause was the first and wisest decision of Serakh's rebellion. Without true power at his command, if he had neglected one or the other he would have failed at the hands of his own discontented nobility or a coalition seeking to suppress an upstart. With access to the temples and courts across Bulwar and increased levies from the noble houses, the plot was set in motion.

Stealing from the nation to fund his ambitions was one of his less wise decisions, for the damage done would only accumulate over time. For one without the proper acumen of a ruler false bookkeeping and tax fraud might seem a brilliant strategy, but it is one that would come back around. Even if the rebellion succeeded, the damage to the economy would need addressing.

Kumarkand was most famous for its Sahiru, who patrolled the arid northern plains at the foot of the Šad Našratu against incursion by the harpies who dwelt in those hills. Though their horses were hardy their tactics and riding were mundane and would not stand well against an organised force of Sarraka. However, they were very well suited for raiding and skirmishing and would be valuable auxiliaries for the war effort. All they asked was for autonomy to ranch and patrol as they wished.

Very valuable, as we are going to be receiving a unique mercenary company soon.

Though many might call the elves arrogant and greedy, there are those who take their duties as Chosen of Surael very seriously. Word filtered into the ears of the commanders of the Order of Exemplars within Kumarkand, stories of the strange experiments and rituals that Karodir was performing in his quest for power, and soon they too were drawn into the conspiracy to see him toppled.

NSC also gets access to holy orders. As we need mil dev for a mission I take the one that offers it at a cheaper price than doing it manually.

From the dark chambers of Apaškumar merchants, priests, and Exemplars departed for Varamhar itself, seeking more information on the disposition of Karodir's forces and searching for those within in his own government that might be turned against him. As more of the kingdom's resources were poured towards his ambitions, there were areas that were neglected.

Now I unpause. There's a good chunk of the incident mission tree you can do immediately.

The philosophy of power. Power without ambition begets stagnation, and power without recognition begets ambition. This defines the rise and fall of empires, and thus a wise ruler must ensure they always have something to strive for, while elevating those who might replace them. When an officer displays magical power beyond his rank, when he is blessed by the elements himself, he should be made use of before he begins to get ideas of his own.

This is surprising, this event has a MTTH of 150 years. It's also slightly irrelevant due to an upcoming mission.

It was of some relief to Serakh that the harpies of the hills saw easier prey in the goblins of the western hills than in the humans and elves of the lowlands. With Bahar in chaos following the Goblin Exodus, all eyes in Bulwar would be focused in that direction instead of pondering and questioning just what his plans were.

The greatest prize that Serakh sought to snatch away from Karodir was the Sarraka, the Sunriders. These elven mages sit atop a cavalry tradition dating back to the days of the First Empire, but nonetheless are worthy inheritors of the institution. In his inward focus, Karodir has neglected those in his employ with power and thus has doomed himself. Serakh needed only to build the infrastructure to support their forces, including new stables and a bridge over the Buranun capable of withstanding the march of whole regiments of warhorses. He then invited them into his palace so that they might speak with the Exemplars he had already brought to his side.

Discontent among the elven nobility in Varamhar only aided the efforts. As Karodir's commanders let the hinterland fall to discontents lords, the Sarraka took the moment to break away and depart for Apaškumar, seeing his rule as one not worth protecting.

Once within the care of Kumarkand, they soon came to know of all of Karodir's crimes and heresies and pledged themselves to joining the effort to overthrow him, in the name of defeating the Darkness. Their magical aid would be the spear that would strike down the line of the Varamzuir betrayers.

Great cavalry with a bonus war wizard. Now that's juicy!

The arrival of missionaries from the east, preaching the way of Cult of Jaddar, was an unexpected but welcome factor within the Akal's plans. As he courted the nobility and elven elite, the Jadd would rouse the commoners against elven rule of the nation as it preached that all people could serve in Surael's war against the Dark. It was a dangerous game, for the situation in eastern Bulwar only grew more dramatic.

Jaddar Jexiszuir, the first elf since Jaher truly worthy of the heritage of the Phoenix. He ascended a peak in the eastern deserts and returned with a revelation, then spread the revelation of the Jadd to all of his followers, the Desert Legions, to the humans and harpies of the surrounding region, and then took his crusade westwards. Even the power of Zokka, Devourer of Suns, could not withstand him as the warlord was slain in single combat. Now he approached the heart of Bulwar itself, his meteoric rise setting into motion events that would shake the world's foundation.

Hmm. I'm sure this isn't concerning.

The final target for subversion within Varamhar's dominion was the Akalate of Akalšes, led by the righteous but naïve Serim II. The reunion of the peoples of Karqašlu would be the seed of something far greater. With Karodir's elven vassals already in uprising, losing all of his human vassals and facing a war on two fronts would make his position near-untenable.

Akal Serim agreed to Serakh's terms; that once the rebellion was successful Akalšes would be granted the lands around Lake Naza while Kumarkand would retain the rest of Varamhar's territory, and that in the face of the threat of the Jaddari they would form a joint rulership where each Akal would have equal say in their combined defence. Whether Serim knew where this would lead or not, the decision had been made, and Karodir now stood alone within his own nation. However, he still held allies beyond his borders, meaning that to succeed Serakh would have no choice but to find his own external allies. Time was short, the Varamhari administrators were growing suspicious, and dangers were already in ascent all around him.

To be continued…

Vote

First chapter and we already have a vote to consider. Not all the missions in the opening tree are mandatory, so we may pick and choose if we want to aim for a specific outcome from the Whispers and Shadows incident.

The Sun Elves are the rulers of Bulwar, and ingratiating ourselves to the other kings will give us a significant boost to our chances at independence at the cost of giving them more power over us. Should we take this bargain? If we do not seek their aid, we may need the assistance of some of the weaker human-ruled realms instead. On another hand, the strategic situation might call for us to choose either or both just to survive.

Call on the elves – Demonstrating to our more powerful neighbours that we have no intention of upsetting the existing order in Bulwar will give us room to breathe once we have our independence.
Rely on humanity – Our options for human allies are more limited, but together we might be able to form a bloc of human-ruled states in the heart of Bulwar that can limit elven influence.
Either or both, whatever aids us best – At this time we do not have the room to be picky on support, with the Jaddari approaching rapidly. We should focus upon whoever best suits the strategic situation.

Vote for an option by clicking on the below image



Voting will remain open for 48 hours

 

[Steckie]

Damn, no Harpies.
Oh well, this should be interesting as well!

 

[jak7139]

It is a smashing win for Kumarkand, with nearly half of all votes!

I was hoping for the harpies, they seemed more unique and less conquest-heavy. Still, this should be fun!

the First, Second, and Only Empire,

How can there be a first AND a second empire, yet "only" one?

 

[Sybot]

Damn, no Harpies.
Oh well, this should be interesting as well!

I was hoping for the harpies, they seemed more unique and less conquest-heavy. Still, this should be fun!

It is odd that they decisively won the preliminary vote but then didn't do so well in the final vote, even accounting for vote-splitting. Well, there will be more options for harpies later. There are two fresh MTs in the Sarhal region that can be voted for.

How can there be a first AND a second empire, yet "only" one?

How indeed...

Perhaps I should have seen this coming, but Either/Both won the vote. If we stay New Sun Cult then future incidents will give us more opportunity to actively decide to shift our position on the Chosen.

Chapter Two: Freedom and Faith
1446-1454

Worker's District, Apaškumar, Kumarkand, 1450

As Fištaspa stepped from his lodgings he raised the cloth wrappings up over his mouth and nose, thankful for the subtle perfuming he had infused into the fabric. The city grew more crowded with each passing day, and with that came the effluence of amassed humanity. In this district animals and humans mixed freely, the poor and dispossessed roamed the streets, and there was no proper infrastructure to speak of. The only blessing was that at this time of year the street was not a swamp of mud and other unspeakables.

It was early morning, with Surael's Light driving away the last hints of Dark in the sky. Normally at this time Fištaspa would still be enjoying the comforts of his chambers, not walking the streets like a common worker. He joined hundreds of others in their morning travel, from labourers heading out of the city to work on the reclamation efforts in the ruins, to haulers carrying goods from warehouses to markets, to scribes who could not afford to live near the palace hurrying to their posts.

A commotion up ahead had caused a crowd to form, one that did not seem to be getting any smaller. Standing a little taller than the hunched and malnourished folk around him, Fištaspa watched as a large cart full of grain found itself mired in a gutter and blocked the road. The horse resolutely refused to pull hard enough to free it, and the merchant driver was stuck arguing with a brick wall of a beast.

Rather than try and navigate this, Fištaspa took a detour between two stone hovels and slipped into one of the countless backalleys of the district. His guards would have been shouting him for taking such a route, but he was no witless scion. He had been living and breathing this lifestyle for six years. No drunk or cutpurse would touch him.

Dressed in a stained cloak that gave no hint as to his status, he slipped between the slumped vagabonds and scattered street urchins as though he was both someone of little importance but also someone too dangerous to dare touch. Navigating through the alleys, he carefully avoided those where the Light did not reach or where eyes peered from clear ambush points, and eventually found his way into a small plaza that he recognised, where he could catch his bearings.

It was busier than he expected, and cleaner than he remembered. The stone houses that framed the plaza had been washed recently, their plaster that had been darkened by mud and grime now shining white, and the ground had been swept clear. As he walked past the crowd on his way, someone in one of the houses unfurled a flag that brought him pause. Orange, with a shining sun at its centre; the heraldry of the Jaddari.

"Attend please, friends!" a man called up from atop a crate.

After a moment of consideration at a plaza exit, Fištaspa decided to turn around and find out what this meeting was about. If they were plotting action against Kumarkand, he would need to report it. However, the orange sun and the Way of Jaddar were not banned by themselves. The Exemplars were ordered to remain on the lookout for any who advocated surrender in the face of Jaddar Jexiszuir, while those who preached his ways were left alone to stir up useful cannon fodder for the nation.

It was a contradiction, one that underlined the anything-goes nature of their rebellion against Varamhar. Anything that might serve as an edge was taken in the name of freedom. What that meant for the Akalate once they had their freedom remained up in the air.

The man addressing the crowd wore a wide smile, a white robe and well-trimmed hair, but no ornamentation or jewellery on his person. It was the sort of purity that only priests practised, but one would never find a priest this deep the alleys of the capital.

"We stand here today as brothers and sisters in Surael's light," he said, "standing in a corner of the city where we have banished the Darkness with our own hands. Have any one of you seen one of the Chosen working to scrub clean a building? Has the Akal planted a crop of grain or an orchard of dates?"

As cries at the injustice rang out from the crowd, Fištaspa carefully slipped a hand under his cloak for his dagger. A mob was a dangerous thing.

"Now, friends, stay your hearts and heed me words!" the man continued, "this is not a sign of their own failure, but a sign of their misunderstanding! They consider that only those Chosen by Surael can banish the Darkness, but they are mistaken! Jaddar's words herald a new dawn! All of us must do our part, all of us must take into our hearts the task of defeating the Dark!"

He rapidly pointed his hand across the crowd, singling out people one after another.

"Those who can fight, take up arms against heresy such as Karodir's. Those of you who feed and clothe others, give your everything to make life shine. Those who can speak, spread the word," he said, "with or without the Akal's approval, this city will be cleansed of every dark corner!"

The crowd was getting riled again, and Fištaspa did not like the idea of what would be considered Dark by these fanatics. However, it was a problem for the Exemplars and not for him so he slipped away. He moved quickly back towards the main avenue, the sounds of preaching disappearing behind him.

Something caught the light as he passed by an alley and an arm reached out to seize him. He reached for his dagger again, but another arm grabbed him at the perfect angle to keep him from moving. The man who had seized him was ragged but for a tarnished silver helmet atop his head, a great series of cracks running across its surface to the point it appeared it might fall apart at the slightest touch. With wide eyes and a fixed grin, the maniac did nothing but look into Fištaspa's eyes.

"There is no god but Surakel," the madman said after a few moments, "we have no need for the philosophies of elves. Oppression on one side, blind fervour on the other. There is another way."

He cackled and let go, disappearing into the darkness of the alley before Fištaspa could draw his dagger. After a few more moments to compose himself, he returned to his travel. Despite the clear insanity, the words of the madman still rang in his head. It had hit upon something he had heard that the Akal was considering. Divine elven right of rule in Bulwar threatened their long-term independence, while Jaddar's followers would enforce their vision of Light from bottom-up and kill thousands or millions in the process. But, was breaking away from either those an option when the situation remained on a knife's edge?

The palatial district finally appeared ahead of him, and in a practised motion he turned his grubby cloak inside out to reveal the clean and finely-patterned inner lining, as well as lowering his hood and mask. As long as one looked the part it was very easy to move in any given community.

After passing through the gates without much interrogation, he took a deep breath of a much better world. The commotion of the common folk was long behind him, and the gardens of the palaces filled his heart with comfort. This district boasted wide avenues, filled with flowering trees and burbling streams. Each palace was ornately decorated in the colours and emblems of the noble house that owned it, and each garden was carefully tended to demonstrate their own capability to tend to Surael's Garden.

It was all a front of course; dealings here were just as dark as those in the other districts.

Fištaspa slipped in through the side entrance to one of the palaces and sat in one of the guest rooms. A servant almost screamed when she stepped into the room to see him lounging in a chair, but recognised him well enough to scurry off for her master.

Stepping into the room later came the rotund and greying form of Šafed szel-Haklum, lord of several distinct territories on the border with Bulwar city and Fištaspa's point of contact among the conspirators behind the rebellion. He had earned well from the trade with the Twelve Families.

"Good grief, did you have to stay among the workers?" was the first thing from Šafed's mouth, as he wrinkled his nose at what was no doubt lingering essence from the morning.

"I can take a bath later," Fištaspa said, "I wanted to pass on the latest news from Gišhuram so you could act on it immediately."

"You take your role too seriously, boy," Šafed said, "A szal-Yazdan ought not to be playing in the muck."

Fištaspa did not wonder aloud about whether taking things seriously was the only reason the rebellion had reached the point that it had. In a way it made him sympathise with the Jaddari he had seen earlier, people yearning to find a place to do their part. That was why he had taken up as a spy instead of rotting away as a useless second son of a backwater noble house. Nonetheless, there was one thing he wanted to raise.

"I did encounter some religious incidents on my way here," he said, "I wonder if they would be of interest to the Akal."

Šafed snorted and said, "the Akal answers to us. His interests should only be securing us a comfortable future free of any damned foreign taxation."

Fištaspa was not so certain. Times were changing, and they had to be ready to change with it.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

With the impending threat of Jaddar advancing further westwards and the Kingdom of Elizna putting its own might behind Karodir's reign, the clear choice was to court as many allies as possible regardless of their position within greater Bulwari politics. Kumarkand was relatively untouched by the famines and gnollish pillaging of the Decades of Devastation, and so had much to offer to both the ruler of Irrliam and Twelves Families of Bulwar city.

If you can get by with just Bulwar (and maybe Dartaxes) you can get the outcome that lowers the Chosen level in your nation. However, with Varamhar's allies I'd rather have the more powerful elves on our side.

The task of balancing the agendas of the factions backing the plot grew ever more difficult with each passing month. Merchants offered up loans with generous repayment plans, but only if they would be granted rights to monopolize ranching efforts in the arid north. This would put them in conflict with the Sahiru, but the Akal considered that a problem for a later time.

These auto-resolve agenda decisions are nice to have when you end up with mission like 'dev in a desert province'.

Inviting in Jaddari missionaries might have seemed like another means to rally the poor and dispossessed to Kumarkand's cause, but it was not long before Apaškumar was filled with devoted and fanatical supporters of the cause. Rather than ride this wave of fervour as he should of, the Akal balked at upsetting the allies he was courting and cast out the missionaries. It was in vain though, as his indecisiveness meant that own people were now proselytizing among themselves.

Isolation and obfuscation could only go so far. Though Karodir was sequestered with his researchers, the Varamhari officials tasked with overseeing Kumarkand's payments were diligent workers. They soon identified inconsistencies in tax statements and began a length audit of the Akalate's incomes. By all account Serakh's nerves began to fray at this moment, as his every word and action was scrutinized by sharp-eyed elven sense.

You only have a limited amount of time to complete as many missions as possible, with events like this serving as a reminder that you're on the clock.

Some could be bribed, but it is a simple fact of rulership that you do not assign those who are so easily swayed to be the those who extract money from your subjects. Either they steal from you, or they steal from your people. Corruption is a scourge that ought to be thoroughly erased, and one that the New Sun Cult had accomplished by instilling a sense of duty into elven officials.

Jaddar's forces reached Lake Naza, and declared their present campaign at an end. The Kingdom of Sareyand was shattered by his march into three disparate pieces, though not completely destroyed. Sareyand proper still held, and despite their situation they remained ready to aid Varamhar in the event of war. That promise would be their undoing, the last mistake that would never recover from.

It took me this many campaigns to switch on third-party peace deal notifications.

Gnollish raids were a continuous threat throughout the latter days of the Decades of Devastation. Tluukt was a warmistress blessed by the Darkness, wielding infernal flames and packs of vicious hounds that could shatter entire realms if directed against them. So long as she still lived, the southern frontier of Bulwar would never be safe.

Also third party war decs.

Suspicion continued to mount against Serakh, with strident queries as to the status of the Sarraka being dispatched from Varamhar to Apaškumar. Rebellion within the Varamhari heartland grew ever worse, and Karodir had emerged from his laboratories with a question on his lips as to the status of his supposed most-loyal regiments. For all his ambition, he failed to realize that neglecting the politics of rulership leads to nothing but destruction.

The people of Bulwar looked warily south at the ravenous gnollish hordes, and thus were eager for anything that their northern neighbours could offer in support. All it would cost is their participation in the coming rebellion, a war that might cost the lives of those who ought to be defending their city but might save them in the long run if they could acquire a permanent ally.

To convince Taelarios Irrliazuir was a simpler matter than anticipated. The elf was old even for his kind, but held a firm belief in the duty of the Chosen to properly protect Surael's Garden. Karodir had proven himself delinquent in his duties, having allowed rebellion to ravage his lands and ignored the plight of the other followers of the Light in favour of his own personal power. Irrliam would stand beside Kumarkand in seeing Karodir overthrown, though they would ensure the Akalate remained guided by their own chosen advisors.

With Taelarios aligned, the Sarraka were willing to begin arming themselves and readying themselves for war. Their magic lit up the training grounds outside of the city as they practiced, the stirring flow of light and mana bright enough to even wake the silent dead of the nearby ruins. The Sahiru provided them with the sturdiest horses that Kumarkand had to offer and began to patrol the frontier to intercept any more Varamhari officials that would threaten the plot.

This fires when you hire the merc company. Amusingly, the Sarraka Commander can't actually command the Sarraka army as it has an auto-generated leader, so you need to attach another army to stick them in command.

It was not clear when Serakh lost his nerve, or if he never intended to launch the rebellion and found himself in charge of a movement far larger than he had anticipated. His summons by Karodir came on the eve of war, and that the Akal departed instead of ignoring the message, were evidence enough for those who had staked their fortunes and lives on rebellion. They dispatched the Sahiru to ride as hard and fast as they could to intercept him.

This isn't a required mission to start the rebellion, but it lets us deal with a little problem of our start. It's only available if you request Irrliam's aid, so the human-focused route wouldn't be able to do this.

Even if Serakh was not stopped, the lands of Varamhar were already in serious turmoil for their own reasons, from outrage at the experimentation their king had been conducting to protesting extortionate tax rates to fund the military. Serakh might not have ever reached Karodir. Perhaps the plotter's moves were too hasty, but the die had already been cast.

The plot extended its tendrils throughout the Akalate. Everyone had assumed that the Akal was behind them, but his weakness had finally been unveiled. He intended to expose the plot and have all the plotters executed by Karodir, giving him complete control of the Akalate at the cost of his own freedom. Cornered and eliminated by his closest friend, Serakh died in ignominy, to be forever remembered at one who had come so close to grasping greatness and hesitated at the final moment.

There was no time for a risky succession crisis. All those still in the capital quickly placed the Akal's son, still a boy not yet of majority, on the throne and had him sign off on the final approval to begin the rebellion. It different times, in another world, perhaps one of these men could have founded a new dynasty to birth the Second Empire. Regardless, their quick thinking and loyalty to their cause over their ambitions is commendable.

Young Saed's order, the words of his sponsors, went out across the Akalate. For their crimes of theft and oppression, and for Karodir's heresy in exploring the Dark depths of magical research, Kumarkand and its allies would rise and bring an end to the line of traitors. From Kalindil's betrayal of the Young Phoenix to Karodir's betrayal of Surael's teachings in an attempt to make himself a god, the works of the Varamzuir line would be erased.

To start the rebellion you need any two of Irrliam, Bulwar and the Sarraka aligned with you. All other branches of the tree are optional, which include Dartaxâgerdim, Sareyand, and dwarven siege engineers.

The destruction of the First Empire at the hands of the harpies was a tragedy of historic proportions. The Onslaught might have been survived if not followed by the emerging of Firanya and her people. To become a mere tributary of her distant descendants was not Kumarkand's destiny, and so they immediately threw off her shackles and refused to send anything to the Šad Našratu. Though Queen Ištara was cunning, she had no way to force terms upon a nation were every man capable of riding a horse had readied themselves for war.

Only rebels guarded the gates of Gišhuram. Karodir had already fled, and the city soon opened its gates. The lords of Varamhar welcomed the Sarraka as liberators, come to save them from both the rebels and their mad king. After so much preparation, the march the capital was over within months. All that remained was to locate the ambitious elf before he found the means to strike back.

Karodir's choice of allies was poorly made. Sareyand was a failure, shattered by Jaddar and unable to aid. Elizna stood on the shores of the Divenhal, its armies needing to run a gauntlet of Irrliamic and Bulwari forces as they marched up the Suran river to relieve Gišhuram. The army of the latter was pinned between the two great rivers just north of the city of Bulwar itself, where the Sarraka mages created the perfect killing ground to wipe their foes from the face of Halann.

The situation grew worse for Karodir as Tluukt herself entered the fray, eager to ravage lands already being torn apart by war. Her focus turned towards Elizna, and any hope for them to participate in the war came to an end.

It was a time of upheaval and renewal. The Decades of Devastation had been akin to a cleansing flame, wiping away so much of decadence of the old kingdoms that had begun to fester once again and giving new powers a chance to rise. Just as philosophers and artists looked to the past, to the Damerian Republic and the Precursor Empire, so too did the people of Kumarkand look to their own past for inspiration. And in looking, they found Karqašlu.

Sareyand fell for the second time in short succession, and this time would see even greater destruction wreaked upon the city. The Sarraka and the Sahiru took all they could and rounded up hundreds of those accused of conspiring with Karodir to be executed. The last of the Varamzuir line was located deep within the palace of Sareyand and burned alive in a pyre made of his own heretical texts. Thus died an elf of ambition, his visions of apotheosis thwarted.

The Exemplars, who had worked to maintain the security of Kumarkand and occupied Varamhar for the duration of the war asked for a portion of the wealth of Sareyand as recompense for their efforts. The Akali-Consort, negotiating on her son's behalf, instead offered up that they be funded out of the treasury of the priesthood, in recognition of their adherence to the path of the Light.

Elizna withdrew from the war in favour of focusing on their conflict with Tluukt, and the victorious Sarraka returned to Gišhuram to face a hero's welcome. All the lords of Varamhar insisted that they knew nothing of Karodir's plans and for the moment the victorious rebels of Kumarkand were willing to believe them. The real work would be in reorganizing the nation so it could be ruled from Apaškumar and forging it into something that would stand against the threats that still lurked around them.

Hitting 90% war score lets you finish the final mission.

It was at this crucial moment that the young Akal Saed found the first hints of the legacy that lay beneath his feet. Flying the flag of Karqašlu, preserved for thousands of years just waiting for one worthy to see its empire restored, he rallied the people of Kumarkand to a new legacy. It would be within the distant and glorious past that a vibrant and resurgent future would emerge. The only way forward would be towards the Second Karqašlu Empire!

The war had ended the Kingdom of Varamhar, and with the blessing of the Irrliazuir all of its territory was recognised as an integral part of the Akalate of Kumarkand, with their stated mission being rooting out any and all remaining heresy and turning back the tide of the monsters. Some overtures towards dual-rule were made with Akal Serim of Akalšes, but it was clear to all who really held the power within the relationship.

With Tluukt still on the march, the nobles of Kumarkand penned a bold declaration of behalf of the Akala that they would work to halt her reign of terror on southern Bulwar. The harpies were not spared either, with an announcement that the escalating raids on the northern frontier and the arrogant demand for tribute would both see retaliation enacted against Ayarallen.

Though the rebellion was over and the plotter's ambitions sated, the boy who they ruled over had much greater ideas. Saed had grown up in a bubbling cauldron of desire and religious fervour, and began to wonder whether the name of Karqašlu could be used for far more than a flag for the commoners to rally around. What if they did not simply punish the harpies, but integrated them as warriors? What if they turned the Sarraka into an institution? What if they looked to the past or future to turn the Sun Cult into something that served their purposes? What if they turned on their once-allies and claimed Bulwar Proper for a truly revived Karqašlu?

Now that the incident is over, we get access to the proper Kumarkand tree. Once we clear the first two missions there are several different lines of progress to be focusing on. To start with, I will be looking towards the right-most column while also laying the groundwork for the leftmost.

One his own initiative, Saed approached the High Priest of Kumarkand and entreated him to begin a debate on the future of the faith. All aspects of the Light were to be considered, including whether the Chosen should still stand alone as stewards of the garden, whether ancient texts held new teachings, and whether Jaddar was truly as mad and heretical as so many claimed.

Since we asked for Irrliam's aid, the swing from that towards 'Increase' enough to cancel out the other swings to 'Decrease' leaving us at Level 4.

He met with landowners, merchants and lesser nobles, those who might have only been on the periphery of the plot, and heard their concerns. So much of the nation had been turned towards defeating Karodir that little thought had been spent for economic development. In turn, Saed promised that the old ruins of Panu Karqašlu and other such sites of the ancient past would bloom again. In his mind, he dreamed of finding treasures akin to the ancient flag he had wielded on the day of Karodir's defeat and taking another step towards the Second Empire.

While human-ruled nations flourished in Bulwar Proper, the rebel Dartaxes was dealt a serious blow by the Bastard King Deggarion, after already being forced into becoming a tributary of the harpies. His dreams of the destruction of the Cult of Jaher would soon be relegated to history, for he had no basis in ancient legitimacy. Kumarkand would fight on, with Karqašlu emboldening its heart.

Taelarios took advantage of the chaos in the north to launch his own assault against the harpies, without calling for Kumarkand's aid. The nobility, eager to demonstrate their alignment with the current order in Bulwar, launched their own campaign, rallying the Sarraka and Sahiru once again to enact their retaliation upon the harpies.

Believing Kumarkand to be the weak link in the alliance arrayed against her, Ištara descended upon the city herself, a vast flock of winged women blackening the sky and obscuring Surael's Light. The famed horsemen of Kumarkand arrived to relieve the city; both the elven Sarraka wielding spells of wind, fire and lightning, and the planetouched warriors of the Sahiru, with decades of experience fighting harpies. Despite the Queen's efforts she could not break the spirit of Karqašlu, with a full third of her flock falling in the raging tempest of the sky.

As Saed reached majority, he found his Akalate standing upon the crossroads. The complacent nobles, satisfied with their victory and getting fat off the spoil, the monsters that still threatened the frontiers, and the religious turmoil that his father had accidentally invited into the heart of the nation. He had learned well from his years among the whispers and shadows, but he was no craven fool like his father. The future, and the past, awaited him, if only he was willing to seize it.

After Ištara fled deeper into the Šad Našratu there was little stopping Irrliam from claiming her western territories. One of her vassal flocks declared its conversion to the Sun Cult and declared independence, while Kumarkand still besieged the Roost of Ayarallen that loomed over their borders and the mountain men of Gelkalis fought to reclaim their lands and people. With the war in a stable state, Saed's thoughts turned to the future, to what lay ahead for Surael's Garden.

To be continued…

Vote

Kumarkand sits at a crossroads. The elves have aided us well, demonstrating their devotion to upholding Surael's light, and yet some still say that we should elevate humanity to be their equals. After all, Ašqarin-Aga-kar, the founder of Karqašlu, was the first Incarnation of Surael and he was a mere human. With the destruction of Dartaxâgerdim we have the opportunity to take leadership in revitalizing the old ways from before Jaher's landing. There is also a growing movement of Jaddari among the lower classes who call for us to follow the way of Jaddar and stand side-by-side with all of our allies.

Theological studies are underway, comprising ancient tomes from the Empire's past, the texts of the Council of Brasan in which elven divinity was confirmed and agreed, and the words of Jadd missionaries pouring in from the east. A permanent decision will need to be made.

(As a minor note, the MT and event text does consistently refer to Surakel rather than Surael, but I would prefer to keep in consistent in my writing based on the religion we select.)

The Cult of Jaher – Remain New Sun Cult – As Karqašlu rises it will need the advice of the Chosen of Surael. With their guidance Kumarkand will find its place in a garden in chaos and bring about Jaher's glory once again, with a human ruler as Surael's faithful servant.
The Cult of Aga – Convert to Old Sun Cult – The Cult of Dartaxes has been crushed, and any claim they might have to leadership of the old ways has gone with it. We will harken back to the first and greatest ruler of Bulwar, call upon the memory of Karqašlu and place humanity as the rightful guardians of Surakel's Garden.
The Way of Jaddar – Convert to The Jadd – All should serve Surael in the battle against the Malevolent Dark. The successful cooperation of human and elven forces against the heretical Karodir is proof of this. Even beyond that, none are irredeemable. The harpies, the gnolls; all will have a place to serve in the new, modern Karqašlu.

Vote for an option by clicking on the below image



Voting will remain open for 72 hours, as this is an important choice

 

[jak7139]

Independence achieved! Now to expand and consolidate. The nobles need to not be so fat and spoiled, otherwise Kumarkand will fall again. Do you have missions to curtail their influence?

 

[Sybot]

Independence achieved! Now to expand and consolidate. The nobles need to not be so fat and spoiled, otherwise Kumarkand will fall again. Do you have missions to curtail their influence?

Not missions specifically, but it will be a goal as we are in a bad state with regards to Estate Influence.
It was a very close vote, with Old Sun Cult and Jadd being neck and neck the whole way through, but at the very end The Jadd pulled through to win the vote.

Chapter Three: Voice of the Hero
1454-1463

Atop the Black Walls, Akalate of Azkabar, Bulwar, 1457

It was an odd sight, to see the earth move while you were stood stationary. The ground bucked and shifted before Daryus' eyes, a deafening roar filling the air, but not a single vibration reached his body. From his position atop the pitch-black walls of Azkabar, he was safe from any magic that the invaders might dare throw against him.

That did not mean he was safe. He ducked back behind the fortifications in time to avoid the volley of arrows that whistled through the air and clattered against obsidian. Further along the wall, one of the other defenders cried out in pain and slumped against the battlements with an arrow piercing right through his armour. The besieging armies of Kumarkand were not reliant solely on direct magical attack. Wind magic aiding the flight of arrows to hit the defenders from outside their own reach was something that the Black Walls could not mitigate.

It had been months since they had arrived, and each week brought new experiment in siegecraft by the Sarraka, the elite elven mages that Daryus still could not believe had defected from an elven kingdom to a human akalate. Fireballs lost cohesion upon striking the walls, lightning was safely grounded, and they stood implacable in the face of shaking earth. He glanced back into the dense and dark city that sprawled out within the walls. It was untouched by the roiling earth just beyond, but blood was still being spilled as the underclasses fought for dwindling scraps of bread.

Normally, Lake Naza would be their lifeline for smuggled supplies, but with Akalšes aligned against them and the Jaddari refusing to trade there was little opportunity for that. The city would fall unless drastic action was taken. As it so happened, Azkabar had other means to avoid that.

A cloak drifted up from the city below, a dark shape fluttering in the wind free of any bonds of the ground and any rigid physical shape. It caught Daryus' eye and he watch it twirl through the air and settle down on the wall. As it touched the smooth and unblemished obsidian structure, feet emerged from beneath the cloak and it filled out into the shape of a person. Their visage remained hidden in the deep darkness of the cloak.

Some of the other members of the Order of Judges that had been assigned to this section of the wall drew their blades. They were not aware of the truth of the matter of the city and mostly likely thought that this was an assassin sent by Kumarkand to strike the defenders.

"Commander Daryus, of the Order of Judges," the cloaked figure, a woman, said. She stepped forward. One of Daryus' soldiers stepped towards her, but he held out a hand and gestured for him to stand down.

"To whom am I speaking?" he asked.

"You may call me Širin," she said, "that is all you need to know."

A pale and clammy hand emerged from the depths of the cloak holding an emblem, a sun cast in pure sucking shadow so deep that Daryus had to blink to even identify it. A moment later it was gone beneath the cloak, before any of his other men had a chance to see it.

With a sigh of resignation, Daryus ordered his men to stand down and commandeered a guard tower further along the wall so that they might talk in privacy.

"What would you have of me?" he asked, once he was sure no more ears could hear them.

"The rise of Kumarkand is dangerous," Širin said, "that they call upon the ancient name of Karqašlu is even more so."

Daryus peered out of the arrowslits of the tower at the distant siege camp. The banners of Kumarkand and Akalšes were joined by other, less familiar symbols. If the true rulers of Azkabar deemed that a few revivalists in the west were a greater threat than the Jaddari fanatics, then he would heed their warnings. There were greater things at work that what was visible in the Light of Surael.

"I will cast an illusion over us, and we will plunge knives into the greatest of the Sarraka mages," she said, "then we will sally forth with all our forces and destroy them. No one can resist my enchantments."

Daryus bowed his head in acknowledgement. For centuries Azkabar had wielded power in the shadows of Bulwar, and now would be the time that they did so once again.

Sneaking across no-mans-land was a more straightforward task than expected. The bombardment had ceased for the evening, and Širin's illusions were everything that she said they would be as soon as they were away from the magic-devouring walls of the city. He felt as though he was wind itself, moving over churned and broken earth without taking a step upon it and without casting a shadow that would be detected by the torches that ringed the perimeter of the Kumarkandi siege camp.

As they stepped into the light their disguises came to being around them. Daryus felt his ears extending and his features sharpening, even though he was well aware it was an illusion. His armour gained a gold trim, as if he was a resplendent elven commander of the Sarraka. Next to him, Širin's cloak shifted from encompassing darkness into the pure white of a priestess. False elven features poked out from beneath her hood.

The guards gave them a glance as they entered the camp, but a wave of Širin's hand left them blinking and disorientated. Once within its perimeter, the sheer authority of an elite warrior would grant them access anywhere, including the quarters of the Sarraka themselves. Daryus did not expect to survive this mission, but was willing to take as many of their lives as he could before his own life was taken. All in service of the Eclipse.

Even in the depths of night the camp was busy. Bored soldiers drank, gambled, or stumbled out towards the gathering of camp followers on the far side of the camp. It was clear from their garb that they were little more than a mercenary rabble, with little coherence or order between them. Coming from an organisation as distinguished as the Order of Judges, it made Daryus' nose wrinkle in disgust. Though, he supposed it made his disguise even more realistic.

They approached the Sarraka quarters, but Širin held out a hand to pause. A group of mercenaries stumbled between two tents ahead of them, each one dressed in a mismatch of armour that varied from tattered leather to tarnished metal. The one at the front, wearing a helmet of silver with shattered ornamentation upon it, was rambling loudly.

"So then I dug it right up out of the sand!" he said, "I had damage it a bit, so no one would think of stealing it, but it really suits me, right?"

The others mumbled their drunken agreement, and the helmeted soldier turned towards the two assassins as if to ask them the same question. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. As his mouth worked itself, his eyes dilated and his hand went to the hilt of his sword. A voice emerged from his lips, speaking in a tone unlike the inebriated man he had been, and speaking a dialect that bore only the slightest resemblance to proper Bulwari.

"Intruders! Disguise! Illusion!" were words that Daryus could just about make out, before the man charged.

Daryus drew his own blade and met steel with steel. Before he could do anything or call the man a liar to back up his disguise, he was headbutted by the silver helm and fell to the ground. As he shook off the ringing in his head, he realised that the same headbutt had shattered his disguise.

Širin lashed out, her daggers piercing the neck of the mercenary and sending him to the floor in a fountain of blood. She tore the helm from his head, even though touching it caused her own disguise to break, and then began smashing it with the nearest heavy object.

The alarm had been raised, and the Kumarkandi mercenaries and soldiers were beginning to descend upon them. And yet, as swords were drawn and arrows knocked for their last stand, Širin's only concern was the absolute destruction of the helmet, whose wearer had spoken with such a strange voice.

Author's Note: Azkabar has a deeper lore connection to Kumarkand, but it isn't really delved into in either nation's mission tree. If it is relevant I might bring it into the narrative later.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

Forsaking their more vicious sisters, the harpies of Nanšalen saw the shift in the flow of history and declared their independence and conversion to Surael's Light. This was the perfect opportunity for Saed to drive a wedge further between the northern monsters. His diplomats began to reach out with overtures towards the breakaway flock.

Many smaller flocks had already fled Ayarallen, with the roost under relentless magical bombardment by the Sarraka. Those who surrendered were offered payment as warriors of Kumarkand and placed in cooperation with the same Sahiru that they had once fought against. Significant payments did much to smooth over bruised egos and calls for vengeance over ancient conflicts.

These are also needed for the below mission. Kumarkand has a bit of a mercenary focus in the first half of its tree.

Wealth was something in abundance within Kumarkand, as the Akal had once again sold off a great deal of the nation to merchants and nobility to fund the war effort. He was well aware that to win the future one had to survive the present. Once his power was secure the lands and industries could be clawed back under his own control, holding the loyalty of thousands of elite horsemen and harpy warriors.

On some occasions it would also be prudent to allow other forces to undermine the nobility, for example the common peasant raging against the taxes of their landowner. The nobles would not be happy to see their manors be burned down, so they would have to spend their own resources to deal with such uprisings.

The mid-1450s were a period of significant religious upheaval. A crisis that was also an opportunity. The beginning of the transformation did not come from the advancing Jaddari, as so many expected, but from within. Taelarios, the so-called 'Father of the Cult' passed away and all the rulers of Bulwar rushed to fill the void with their own blatherings on the way that the Cult ought to be run.

The second NSC incident (first incident for some nations) fires once the ruler of Irrliam dies.

A consensus was beginning to emerge among the scholars and theologians of Kumarkand, one that would shake the foundation of its faith. The Council of Medurubar was the ideal opportunity for those who were against that consensus to be sent on a fool's errand while still in the belief that they were helping to shape the future of their nation. The foremost priests of the Cult of Jaher would bicker amongst themselves, and Kumarkand would be free to begin its transformation into something greater than Jaher could have imagined.

Reconstruction of the Varamhari lands continued apace, with legions of craftsmen being deployed to repair the damage caused in the rebellion and see that the fields along the Buranun flourished. Their passion was born of devotion to Surael, though they did not speak of their opinion on higher theology. That there were many followers of the Jadd among these zealots was quietly ignored by the Akal.

The Council began with representatives of all the elven nations of Bulwar in attendance, but many of the human realms only presented a token representation. Nonetheless, this was considered an adequate fraction of the priesthood to come to a consensus on the future of the Cult. Debates began, while other factions made moves beneath their notice.

With the fall of Ayarallen, the harpy dominion of the Šad Našratu was shattered. The remaining flocks in Firanyalen broke away and Queen Ištara's dream of a unified and civilized harpy nation was broken under the wheels of history. Much of the southern hills came under the administration of Kumarkand and Akalšes, with the old roost of Ayarallen itself becoming a key bastion as it was staffed by the same harpies that the Akal had recruited in the latter days of the war.

To demonstrate his interest in a future of coexistence and cooperation, he secured an alliance with the Surael-worshippers of Nanšalen. Their control over the Invader's Pass, the valley through which the distant ancestors of Karqašlu arrived in Bulwar, was portentous for the rise of the Second Empire and its touch upon its own history.

The Akal remained a man of action, and was not willing to rest while the state of the region remained in flux. Azkabar, the city of obsidian walls, was home to a cult of the foulest depths imaginable. Though Saed did not know it, their eradication would be crucial to the Second Empire's success, for having such traitors in their heartland could only lead to destruction. His own motivation for the war was securing the fortress as a bulwark against militant Jaddari forces advancing past Lake Naza.

Debates continued in Medurubar, though it was of little concern to the Akal as he campaigned against Azkabar. To ignore such crucial discussions would be inviting disaster, if there were not other plans in motion. Those dissenting priests who had travelled to Medurubar on behalf of Kumarkand advocated for continued elven leadership of the Cult, though not for their total dominance.

Taelarios' death had impacts far beyond the state of the Sun Cult. Commoners took it as a portent of dark times, entire alliance structures that depended upon his charisma came apart, and the foundations of Bulwari nobility shifted beneath their feet. In Akalšes, now mourning the death of their own Akal as well, his heir Ardaš accused Saed of treachery in relation to the distribution of territory following the rebellion against Varamhar. Though he did not outright rebel, it was a sign of the times.

NSC incidents are filled with this sort of event, intended to stir up the diplomatic situation in Bulwar and lead to one nation eventually consolidating it.

In spite of the turmoil, the lands of Kumarkand flourished. Harvests were plentiful, markets were full, and taxes were on the rise. Tasting freedom with the yoke of elven dominance removed, the people of Kumarkand worked even harder to satisfy their Akal.

Saed was no fool, even before he became better advised. The decadent nobility were too trapped in their ways, too comfortable with their triumph in the rebellion. He began his effort against them by curtailing the tax privileges they had been granted as part of his father's efforts to bring them on side. In such prospering times there was little complaint, especially as plunder from the treasury of Azkabar was fairly distributed.

The Sarraka's magic found a match in the obsidian walls of Azkabar, but traditional means of siege remained effective. Administration of the city was given over to Akalšes, with orders to purge any and all members of the cults that dwelled within the depths of its prisons. To the west, the city of Zanbar was liberated after it had been conquered by Harklum, giving Kumarkand territory on the mighty Suran river that stretches across the full length of Bulwar.

It was to be expected that the clergy of the Cult of Jaher would find no fault in their beliefs. A full majority of all attending the Council backed Irrliam in marking elves as the true kings of Bulwar, tasked with leading all its inhabitants in the struggle against the Dark. After this point, Saed ceased to read any more missives from the Council as he had far more important matters to attend to.

There are some mechanics around how the outcome of this incident depends on what all the attending nations vote on, but they won't matter to us soon so I'm not going to cover it in detail or show any more of the events.

He took a tour of the lands around Kumarkand, those that were once filled with the ruins of an older and greater age, the ruins of Panu Karqašlu. Much of the old city was gone, replaced with endless fields of crops that would serve as the backbone of the nation's economy. Much of its legacy was lost in the process, with ancient palaces being dismantled, old treasures sold off to collectors, and forgotten texts being squirreled away by those who knew their true value. However, the greatest treasure still remained hidden until the work of one team of archaeologists changed everything.

Those farming modifiers are going to become a full mechanic later on in the mission tree.

The Chamber of Helms was long lost, long forgotten, long awaiting discovery. Built in remembrance of wars where victory was all but assured, then snatched away at the final moment, built in remembrance of an empire that was thought to last forever, built in preparation for a future that had finally come.

Only one helm truly mattered among them, only one would be retrieved by the Akal, and only one would fit upon his head.

For this was when I first spoke to him.

It took time for young Saed to acknowledge that I was real, that I was not merely the voice of madness or some magic gone awry. For so long I was waiting for someone worthy to hear my words once again. I made my promise that I would be his advisor and friend from now until his dying day, and that I would advise his descendants in turn, until one day Karqašlu was at last restored and the world lay at our feet. I listened to his present plight, how he had rallied armies of both human and elven horsemen to his banner, and soon delivered my own solution. The Ituqattar, the chariot-riders of old, would be born again in a modern world of steel and magic.

He confided in me how he had called for a review of the theology of the nation, and that a consensus had quickly formed among scholars that the way of the elves, the 'New Sun Cult', was not the way of the future. They were split between following the Way of Jaddar, the Jadd, or returning to old rites based on ancient texts dug up in Panu Karqašlu. There was also a popular movement within the cities to follow the Jadd. I hold no nostalgia for the old ways, and so long as this Jaddar was still true to Surael's struggle against the Darkness he was a worthy exemplar. With a zealous population much can be accomplished, and so with my advice he made the decision that the Jadd would be the way forward.

The decision to convert comes very soon into the mission tree, so if you play Kumarkand yourself it's easy to optimize the early game appropriately. Invite in Jadd missionaries to convert your land for you, help Dartaxes survive if you want an OSC ally, buddy up with an elf if you're staying NSC.

Regardless of whether the old Cult or the Jadd was decided upon, the restrictions on magic upheld by the Cult of Jaher would no longer be upheld by the government. The mage-prisons of Azkabar were thrown open, the planetouched would no need to hide, and research into the secrets of old Karqašlu could begin to operate in the open once again.

As a side effect this wrecks my already-bad crownland situation even further. That said, their starting privilege is very powerful.

To call upon the power of the mob is powerful, but also dangerous. Upon learning of the Akal's official conversion a great host of self-proclaimed Lightbringers marched out from Kumarkand and began to strike down any they encountered who they considered servants of the Dark. Their march ended in Ayarallen, unleashing decades and centuries of anger at harpy raids against the populace. Without real warriors among them they could not breach the roost, but there was still much damage done to lower-lying homes and nests.

The Jadd is by far the most militant version of the Sun Cult, though nations that aren't the Jaddari themselves don't necessarily need to lean into that aspect.

Jaddar did not live long enough to see his faith flourish in the heart of the Bulwar, passing away while on the march against the isolated temple-state of Eduz-Vacyn. One of his commanders, a vicious fanatic named Andrellion, declared himself Jaddar's heir and seized command of the Jaddari to continue prosecuting the war. It was into this turbulent situation that the Akal's emissaries arrived to announce his conversion. An alliance would not be easy to accomplish with such an elf.

The repercussions of the conversion continued to spread, but I urged Saed to remain strong and to not give up in the wake of the denouncement of Thelrion, grandson of Taelarios. The loss of the alliance with the largest elven state posed a great danger to Kumarkand, but also opportunity. With the Cult of Jaher still reeling, there would be an opening to strike sooner or later.

Fervour for the Jadd swept rapidly through the nation, thousands of notable humans and elves alike announcing their conversion to the Way of Jaddar. Even in the former capital of Varamhar, that ought to be one of the hearts of the Cult of Jaher, vast crowds attended sermons from Jaddari missionaries and those nobles who had denounced Karodir fell upon the new faith in demonstration of their loyalty.

While the Sarraka and Sahiru made up the core of Kumarkand's armies, the common infantry remained an unfortunate necessity. During this early period of the Second Empire's rise, most human infantry was trained in archery to pin the enemy in place so that harpy warriors and cavalry could destroy them.

The Akal and I were far too familiar with politics to be caught up in the religious enthusiasm that was sweeping the nation, but we were more than able to take advantage of that fervour to further our own situation. I suggested that we draft the zealous into our armies to serve as shock warriors, but Saed offered a more interesting idea. Jadd missionaries had built up connections across Bulwar, and tapping that resource would give us diplomatic opportunities to make up for the loss of the Irrliamic alliance.

The Jadd makes use of Reformed mechanics, with fervour that ticks up over time and can then be spent on various bonuses, including multiple at once if needed. Its baseline bonuses aren't great, but it does have some flexibility. This one is really good as we need dip rep for missions.

While Andrellion remained unreceptive to an alliance of co-religionists, he agreed to dispatch a Jaddari Lightbringer to oversee the conversion efforts within Kumarkand. The Lightbringer brought with him countless warriors from the famed Desert Legion who were keen to join the Sarraka and fight for Surael on the frontlines of the war on Halann.

After decades of suffering, the Kingdom of Sareyand was put out of its misery by a combined invasion of northern harpies and western humans. As the Cult of Jaher continued their debates and arguments, elven grip on Bulwar was slipping away piece by piece. A clear dividing line was forming across the land, with everything east of Kumarkand falling to 'heresy' and every west aligning itself with the Irrliamic orthodoxy. When these two forces clashes, the fate of Bulwar would be decided.

As if in demonstration that he was still fighting the war against the Dark and not lost in his own thoughts, Thelrion launched a campaign to drive Tluukt from the Šad Sur. For all of her own personal power, the malevolent gnoll had squandered the wealth she had plundered and was forced to retreat into the desert in the face of an organised opponent.

I could not have asked for a greater partner to see Karqašlu reborn. Saed threw himself into drafting new laws that stripped away all the old restrictions placed upon the people by the Sun Elves, formalized the economic and social laws in the cities, and placed the Jadd as the supreme religious law of the land. All were expected to do their part for the nation and for Surael, and those who resisted such laws would find Azkabar's walls their new home.

Negotiations with the Matriarch of Nanšalen reached a solid conclusion with their acceptance of a permanent alliance and the marriage of one of Saed's brothers. Not all members of the flock were pleased, and they teetered on the edge of disloyalty, but the blood of royalty passing into their line would eventually sate their anger. Karqašlu was once destroyed by the harpies, but I hold no grudge against them. Their powers will now be turned towards its reconstruction.

There are alternate ways to complete this that give you claims instead, but I much preferred a free vassal.

Securing an alliance with the Twelve Families of Bulwar, renewing the old alliance from the time of the rebellion, cemented the bloc of human rule in central Bulwar and secured control of the key chokepoint where the Buranun and Suran near-meet. Reaching from the Serpentspine foothills to the edge of elf-dominated territory, Kumarkand now stood as one of the strongest powers within the region. The first bricks of the Second Empire had been laid down.

Harpies were one of the founding influences in the Jadd, and the true influence if some of the more lurid rumours about Jaddar are to be believed, so it is no surprise that the Lightbringer dispatched from the Jaddari was pleased with our alignment with Nanšalen. Women descended from the mountains not just as warriors but as healers and builders. Saed ordered them to be welcomed as equals, as all are under Surael's Light, so that their skills could be put to use and they could find husbands without the need for violence.

The Jadd also gets access to Holy Orders, though the admin one requires you to take a specific decision before it appears. This helpfully lets me double up on dev in the two states I already put NSC holy orders into. Notably unlike NSC Holy Orders these have downsides. In our case we are making heavy use of mercs so the manpower debuff doesn't matter too much, and we are going to want a lot of dev cost reduction as Kumarkand. The edict on the state was required for a mission.

None is more zealous than a convert, and with the blessing of the Akal and the support of the Jaddari we had swept aside all remnants of the Cult of Jaher within our territory. Human, elf and harpy all worked together towards one goal, the banishing of the Dark through Surael's rightful empire on Halann, the ancient and glorious Karqašlu. Our empire. My empire.

To be continued…

Vote

Young Saed, I have felt more years pass than any other being on Halann, save for Surael Himself. Though you can see, and hear and touch the world around you, you do not have the experience to turn action into true victory. Your thoughts are your own, but I implore you to heed my advice, so that we can lead Kumarkand, lead Karqašlu, into a brilliant future.

(As a result of our benefactor's influence, all options for idea groups will have hidden bonus votes based on rolling a d6, reflected in their descriptions. The text is only our benefactor's opinion, not a representation of how it will play out. Please let me know if you have any feedback on this gimmick.)

Innovative – The world has changed since I last laid eyes upon it, but it has also stagnated. Alone, with naught but my own thoughts, I have devised countless brilliant ideas that will shake the world's foundations!
Religious – The Jadd is a fascinating faith that encourages all to do their part. It can be twisted towards our own ends, but we must be wary that we do not let the fanatics rampage out of control.
Influence – Encouraging others to maintain their own independence is foolish, for just as you fought against your overlord so too will they plot against you. It may be worthwhile to quiet your present vassals, but I would rather we rule it all ourselves.
Espionage – I acknowledge that subtlety is necessary, but any true ruler will have the power and will to stand atop the tallest tower in the realm, shout their ambition for all to hear, and then accomplish it anyway.
Aristocratic – The common nobles are corpulent fools who think only of themselves, but it was not always this way. In the past, the Ituqattar led Karqašlu to glory and they can do so again. We need only elevate a new nobility of elite horsemen.
Mercenary – Though the Sarraka, Sahiru, and other elite bands are all worthy warriors, the common mercenary is little more than a barbarian to my eyes. Elevating the latter to in order to further elevate the former bears its own risks.

Vote for up to two options by clicking on the below image. The second-place result might get some bonus in the next idea group vote, I'm not sure yet how that'll fit in with the rest of the gimmick.



Voting will remain open for 48 hours

 

[jak7139]

Author's Note: Azkabar has a deeper lore connection to Kumarkand, but it isn't really delved into in either nation's mission tree. If it is relevant I might bring it into the narrative later.

I'd love to see more of that, if you find places to fit it in.

The voice from the helmet is helpful now...but what if he has his own demands? And what if the Akal refuses?

 

[Sybot]

The results, including the hidden bonus votes, are below. Our benefactor is pleased.

Innovative +6 – Total 27
Religious +2 – Total 14
Influence +1 – Total 6
Espionage +1 – Total 10
Aristocratic +4 – Total 16
Mercenary +2 – Total 19

Chapter Four: Thriving in Chaos
1464-1485

Mustering grounds, near Apaškumar, Kumarkand, 1476

It was not the morning warmth or the sounds and smells of thousands of men and horses that Kafad focused upon. The air was alive with a keen ambition arising from the riders that surrounded him, all lined up in formation in front of the stage erected at one end of the grounds. He had even secured himself a front-row position among the warriors, so he might catch the eye of the Akal once he arrived.

The horses were restless. Forced to stand and carry riders for so long, they were starting to yearn for their stables or grassy fields instead of the churned dirt of the grounds. It was a testament to the training and discipline that the assembled riders had instilled into their mounts that none broke and bolted, through servants dashing through the ranks with small bales of hay to keep the horses fed also helped.

He was not certain what would be announced, although the general gist was clear. Glancing at the others around him, he could see representation from all corners of the nation sprinkled throughout the group. There were lightly-armoured Sahiru, dressed in plain uniforms. There were elven Sarraka, far more flamboyant with gold and jeweled trim to their outfits and pouches of expensive magical catalysts on their belts. Last, but by no means least, there were the Ešraka, such as himself. Those who had answered the call to assemble a new force of human heavy cavalry within the army.

His armour sat on the ground to spare his horse, leaving Kafad in the uniform of his house marked with the symbol of overlapping trees; an orchard. He was the third son of an olive merchant, someone of no real inheritance or renown. His true talent was riding, but only elven mages and frontier rangers fought as cavalry until the Akal put out the call for recruitment, not a city boy.

"It's been kept way too quiet," Kafad said to the rider nearest to him, a finely-dressed Sarraka. "I know it's some kind of unified cavalry command at least, but anything more than that's a mystery."

The elf looked at Kafad with eyes that he knew held disdain. It was different from how it had been as a child though, when the elves would have outright verbalized such thoughts. They were equal under Surael now.

"It would be foolish to place us all together," he said, "mixing the light cavalry, heavy shock cavalry and elite specialist cavalry will only muddy our duties."

"Sure, but what about commanders?" Kafad asked, "having a system to coordinate us all would be fun."

The elf raised an eyebrow at that.

"You do not have much noble poise. What line is that heraldry from?" he asked.

"The Gardens szel-Grumar," Kafad said with pride, slapping a hand over the orchard emblem, "and you?"

"I am Ardor, of the Urzuir line," the elf said. Kafad did not say that he had never heard of it. The lines of elven kings were of little importance now that Jaherian influence had been severed from the realm.

"Let's fight together, as commanded Surael," Kafad said, nodding at His rising to the cloudy east.

Ardor nodded in response, and he turned his eyes to the flags flying over the stage.

The green and yellow banners of Kumarkand were joined by the orange of the Jadd, and one other set that were new to Kafad. It bore a blazing sun, as all followers of Surael should, but the twisting limbs of light coming from His body were longer, thinner and twisted more as though He was spinning as he moved across the sky. Its colours were green and orange, with some yellow backing to make them work together, combining the heraldry of Kumarkand and Jaddari but with a twist on Surael's image.

"Is that the flag that the Akal brought from the ruins?" Ardor wondered aloud.

"I wasn't there for it," Kafad said. He might not have even been born during the rebellion. "Is there any difference?"

"That flag bore a blue sky," Ardor said, "and this one is Kumarkandi green. The Akal might be serious with his ambitions."

Kafad was not sure what the elf was referring to. He knew the Akal often called upon the nation's ancient legacy, but that was surely just for the purposes of propaganda. The old empire was nothing but ruins, and times had changed in an immeasurable number of ways. He would have thought that Kumarkand would rise on its own merits, not due to some ancient legacy. Surely the Akal knew that.

A horn sounded; its tune carried on the wind to the ears of all attending, silencing any remaining conversations. All eyes turned towards the stage, where the Akal now stood, with just two bodyguards and a planetouched officer by his side. The winds swirled around them; the Akal's words ready to be transmitted across the entire mustering grounds.

The Akal was wrapped in a cloak that bore the same heraldry as the new flag flying from above the stage. Green, with a wheeling orange sun. What was most notable was the gleaming silver helmet he wore atop his head, the only piece of armour on his person.

"Riders of Kumarkand!" he called out, his voice as loud as if he was stood right beside Kafad, "I stand before wrapped in our legacy, in our future!"

"Our blessed ancestors crossed into Bulwar led by Surael Incarnate, wielding weapons unknown to the God Kings and the djinn. The chariot was an innovation, and so to must we innovate to shatter our foes and seize the future!"

"What I am proposing to you all is more than an organisation; it is an ideal. One where the horseman is the greatest military power of the nation. From this day forward, you are the true power within Kumarkand, for all of you are elevated to nobility!"

This proclamation sent waves of shock through the crowd, Kafad included. Some of these people were outright lowborn, and some of them came from the highest families in the realm. Another horn blast sounded and the muttering and confusion began to settle down.

Kafad took a moment to glance at him and noticed the Akal had turned his head away from the planetouched beside him and was muttering to himself. His face looked drawn, his eyes heavy beneath the silver helm. He looked as old as Kafad's own grandfather, despite being a similar age to his father. Rulership must take a lot from someone.

"Your titles will grant you privileges as earned in battle," the Akal continued, after he composed himself, "you will earn land in exchange for victory. You will bring Surael's Light to the forces of the Darkness, and then you will recruit those you have vanquished to continue the crusade! We will be a wheel that rolls across the world and crushes the Darkness beneath our spokes!"

Now this was speaking Kafad's language. His family had never been landed, had never had real privileges beyond those they could purchase. Now he, a simple third son, could make the szel-Grumar into one of the greatest in Kumarkand, and all he needed to do was strike down the Akal's enemies.

He turned to Ardor with a big smile on his face, but the elf was staring at the Akal, not with disdain but with a concerned frown upon his face. Kafad ignored this, assuming that he was annoyed with the loss of the advantages of his noble 'line of Urzuir'. He raised his fist, his voice resounding with thousands of others.

"Long live Karqašlu! Glory to Karqašlu!"

The Akal blinked hard, and he spread his hands out to the assembled horde, his eyes glittering.

"My Ituqattar," he said, his voice loud even over the chanting, "together, Karqašlu will be reborn."

Authors Note: I haven't modded in a proper version of the Karqašlu flag yet, but if you want some reference it is a combination of the Kumarkand and Zabutodask flags with a bit more Jadd orange.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

The approaching chaos was portended by an eclipse of Surael's body. Though the foul Eclipse cultists had been rooted out from their hiding places, the movements of the gods are not within the domain of mortals. The Akal wondered if he should not light a pyre in Surael's name, as the nation was still creaking under the weight of the conflicts it had been fighting, but I insisted as demonstration of his piety and wealth was essential to cement his place as a ruler. Some of the cost could be borne by the nobility and other wealthy families, who were feeling the pressure of the Jadd mobs filling the streets.

Word spread south from Firanyalen that a horde of orcs had poured out of the narrow valleys above Lake Jorkad, bringing with them a plague of fey monsters that would turn the entire region into a den of Darkness. The Akal was quick to react, marching his harpy warriors north to seize control of one of the smaller flocks and secure a border against any further orcish incursion.

With the nation united under the Jadd, preachers began to turn their attentions outwards. It is the duty of all Chosen of Surael, of all people, to fight against the Darkness, and that includes foes of the nation. It was a very effective means of inciting thousands more motivated warriors to take up arms and join us in in our greater mission.

The Council of Medurubar ended with a reaffirmation of all attending that the Irrliazuir were the rightful leaders of the Cult of Jaher. It was a false victory, a false peace, for Thelrion was already plotting against other warriors of Surael, be they those who had taken up the Way of Jaddar or those who ought to be united alongside him. The petty ambitions of kings will never change.

His first proclamation upon the end of the Council was a declaration that the heresy within Kumarkand would be purged and rightful elven rule would be restored. He clearly did not appreciate the work his own grandfather had put in place to assist Kumarkand's freedom, and for this he would be punished by the arising Karqašlu.

This was enough to finally secure the assistance of the Jaddari themselves. Andrellion had been cast out of power and replaced with one of Jaddar's youngest children, by elven standards not even a true adult. Jaddar II was determined to live up to his father's name both literally and figuratively, and offered an alliance sealed with a marriage between Saed, who had been recently widowed by disease, and one of his harpy sisters.

Thelrion's ambitions were laid bare when he launched an all-out invasion of Elizna, in spite of the declaration that the elven nations who still followed Jaher would be united against the Darkness. This act of foolish betrayal would be the beginning of his downfall.

Eager Jadd missionaries were already crossing the border into Akalšes, and Saed gave them his full backing with an order to his counterpart in the supposed equal union to convert or face Surael's flames. By this time, it was clear where Akalšes sat in the hierarchy and their priesthood only made token complaints. To do the same to Nanšalen would not be so simple, as the same harpies who launched their conversion to the Cult of Jaher still held power. To force them to convert again would be an unacceptable hit to their pride.

Firearms were an unfamiliar invention when they first arrived into Bulwar, one that I was not prepared to take advantage of. Providing proper armour to the Sahiru and Sarraka and turning them into the devastating weapons that they ought to be was an innovation that I was far more familiar with. The first step towards reviving the Ituqattar was once again turning heavy cavalry into the vanguard of the nation's army.

I was waiting for this advantage before going after Irrliam

For all that Kumarkand had severed itself from the greater Cult of Jaher, the roots of the elven nobility ran deep within the nation. Perhaps as a targeted insult, or maybe to draw the attention of the rest of Bulwar onto Kumarkand, one of the estates just outside the city was selected to host a great summit of all the kings of Bulwar to address the crises of the day in ways that the Council of Medurubar had failed to accomplish.

If we were still NSC, especially one of the elven kingdoms, this would be a big deal. As we aren't, we get to sit back and watch the fireworks. It is a bit weird that we still have to pay even if we aren't NSC.

War with Irrliam was initiated with an invasion of Harklum. Such cunning from Saed prevented any of Irrliam's allies from joining the war. With their armies focused on fighting against Elizna, Harklum would fall quickly and all attention could then be diverted to the west.

A rapid assault by Elizna had taken the critical city of Brasan, the city at the mouth of the mighty Suran. This left Medurubar itself vulnerable to attack, a weakness that I did not need to push Saed to exploit. The rain of fireballs and shattering earthquakes devastating the heart of the Cult of Jaher was enough to signal the beginning of the end for Irrliam.

Seeing human armies on the march, the Akalate of Zanšap declared independence. They were backed by the Jaddari themselves, as well as one of the rival elven kingdoms eager to shut down Thelrion's ambitions of dominance over Bulwar. This was another step towards the complete collapse of elven unity, as their opportunism only allowed Kumarkand to grow stronger.

Under assault from all sides, Thelrion crumbled and Irrliam fell under complete occupation. The only thing saving the Irrliazuir line from complete extinction was that each cobelligerent was at odds as to their objectives, and that Elizna was suffering its own invasion from the cat-brained fools in Kheterata. Chaos had descended upon Bulwar, and Irrliam had been the one to suffer from it.

There was no need to seize swathes of Irrliam's territory, as their doom had already been set in stone by Zanšap. Their seizure of much of the Lower Suran split Irrliam's territory into five distinct enclaves, a complete strategic disaster. For Kumarkand's part, a key fort in the Šad Našratu and a full plundering of the treasury in Medurubar were victory enough. The great threat of an elven reconquest of Kumarkand had passed.

The money is the most important here. I've been scrambling to stay solvent all chapter.

Harklum was not treated so generously. Their territory was split between Kumarkand and Akalšes, with the ruins of the once mighty city of Sareyand coming under the control of the latter and a large tribe of gnolls on the outskirt of the desert falling into Kumarkand's administration. The beasts are vicious creatures, but can be brought into the Light as demonstrated by Jaddar.

With the region still reeling from the upheaval, I determined that there was no better time to strike than now, and urged in the depths of the Akal's mind to press on and claim even more of what we were owed. The next campaign would focus upon the Šad Našratu, most of which fell under the Akalate of Gelkalis that answered to Birzartanšes. This would be the demonstration of the rising hegemony of Karqašlu, as none might stand against it.

Zanšap had not yet fully recovered from their rebellion, so they made a promising first target for the war. Queen Keladora led her armies into the Šad Našratu in an effort to push in from the north, but the brave warriors of the eastern marches gave their lives to slow her down advance and give the Sarraka time to tear down the walls of Zanšap to secure their quick surrender.

Her efforts to relieve her allies were in vain, and she was defeated in the open flatlands on the south bank of the Suran. Her armies fled back to their homeland with Kumarkandi forces in pursuit to see her brought to the table for a surrender.

It is a difficult task to write laws that are considerate of all things that the multitude of races might inflict upon one another. Every time that the Akal or I discovered a new reason for infighting to commence, we had to clamp down on it quickly. All would do their part for Surael and Karqašlu, but it was not the place of greedy magi to take for themselves, no matter what their opinion on the monstrousness of our citizens might have been.

Some might think that fully crushing the power of the nobility and other notables of the realm would be the way to cement the power of the Akal, but there is another way. If they are brought into the royal court they may have more influence, but the Akal and I can both keep a closer eye on them and discover the means for further reforms.

The greatest downside of diving into a chaotic cauldron of warfare is that those without the nerve to see it through will balk and retreat. After the end of the war with Birzartanšes, the Twelve Families announced their withdrawal from our alliance, declaring Saed a madman with dreams of his own empire. They were halfway correct, but these 'mad' dreams would not be stopped.

I missed the peace deal. I made a bit of a mistake and forgot to take that one Gelkalis province that is now sandwiched between me and my vassals.

It took a great deal of expenditure to accomplish the first steps towards reviving the Ituqattar, but there was much plunder from the last round of wars against the ailing elven kingdoms. Thousands of the hardiest horses and most skilled riders were trained, while stables were raised across the nation. What was produced is not entirely what I envisioned, being mere heavily armoured men atop heavily armoured horses, but it was just the beginning.

Kumarkand is a very cavalry-centric nation.

Saed spent a few years focusing on the development of the nation, including the construction of infrastructure in the most war-ravaged lands, dispatching Jadd missionaries to see them join the true way, and integrating the northern fortresses so that they might be better fortified in times of war. I urged action, but he argued caution. We would strike when the time was right, and the Bulwari traitors would fall.

It was during this period that the monsters saw their own resurgence. Pushing outwards from their foothold in Bahar, the Marblehead goblins advanced further down the coast. Those jittery creatures seemed to have some spark of civilization within them, as the city of Aqatbar flourished under their rule and with the renewal of trade with the dwarves of the mountains.

Far less civilized was the Second Sacking of Bulwar. Without our aid, a great gnollish host crossed in from the southern desert. Amazyz, self-proclaimed Empress-of-Gnollkind, wielded deadly powers that could only have arisen from the deepest depths of the Dark, rallied other gnolls including Tluukt's son to her cause, and savaged the city. Many of the Twelve Families perished, and those who survived were forced to see thousands of their own people carried away as slaves or burned in pyres within the city itself. Such monsters needed to be purged if Karqašlu was to survive, or another Onslaught would be inevitable.

The Great Xhaz is a unique gnollish religious formable that you can switch to when if ruler successfully becomes a Xhazobine/Xhazobain.

The Akal's spontaneous decision to call upon the legacy of Karqašlu continued to bear fruit throughout his lifetime. The Qašnitu Revivalist Society was founded in the 1480s, a group devoted to the mysteries of my empire, to rediscovering the arts of the period and to discovering, preserving and even reconstructing archaeological sites. It truly warmed my detached soul to see so many take up sculpting and carving in the name of building the cultural cache of the Second Empire.

As excavations increased in number and scope, more and more relics were uncovered. Tablets on the design of the silver helms were especially valuable, as the techniques used to nullify all magic and bind souls into them were long lost at the time. I demanded that the Akal bring in the magi that was working on them so we might together uncover mysteries that even I am not familiar with.

Saed's marriage to Jaddar's daughter only produced more daughters. The harpies did not emerge until after my time, so observing how their relationships worked for the first time was of great interest to me. Before the integration of the flocks harpy children would never meet their fathers, but Farana was raised from an egg in the court of Apaškumar and flourished. Rather than Saed continuing to seek a male heir, I made it known that I would be happy to work with such a talented woman in the future.

I offscreen disinherited my previous useless heir and hit the jackpot! That's the third time in two campaigns! Also, it looks like we are getting a bit of harpies after all. Given the earlier marriage to Jaddari, I decided it would be interesting and manually set her species.

Unification of the flocks under Nanšlen continued apace. The Firanyalen Flock was able to drive out the orcs, but rather than risk a resurgence of the fey-worshippers, the Akal ordered that they be integrated anyway. The remainder of the western Šad Našratu remained under the control of a variety of other Bulwari nations and would take more time to completely unify.

The time to strike Irrliam again had come, and the city of Bulwar along with them. Thelrion was attempting to subjugate Harklum to use it an excuse to 'reclaim' the territory around Sareyand. Though this would also bring in Azka-Evran, the Akal was confident and the Ituqattar were ready to be tested in battle.

Taking to the field, the heavy cavalry faced a rain of armour-piercing arrows but through their determination they reached the Irrliamic lines and shattered them. Thelrion was sent fleeing in defeat, to give up on his hopes of pushing further up the Suran.

Saed's wife brought with her a retinue of humans, elves and gnolls, the latter of which were by far the most interesting. Jaddar's efforts to redeem the gnolls had seen significant success, and they made up a not-insignificant portion of his son's army. Those who joined Kumarkand were willing to preach the Jadd to their demon-influenced brethren and teach them that slavery and sacrifice were not ingrained into their beings. Under Surael's Light they could serve and give their lives for the glory of Karqašlu.

The shattered husk of the city of Bulwar fell in short order, abandoned by the elven allies they had scurried to after betraying Kumarkand. Those remaining members of the Twelve Families were stripped of their wealth and titles, and the city was turned over to the administration of the newly elevated nobility of the Ituqattar. Apaškumar was destined to become the centre of civilization. The age of 'Bulwar' was coming to an end.

If only the rest of the war had seen such continuing success, Thelrion might have been vanquished entirely. Instead, what followed was a series of back-and-forth battles across the wester frontier, with Thelrion learning swiftly of ways to counter our heavy cavalry and only seeing failure when outnumbered. The Ituqattar had yet to reach their full potential.

Eventually, missives arrived Nanšalen that they would be withdrawing from the war, followed by warnings Birzartanšes and Elizna that they would intervene if the coming summit was not respected. Saed took the decision, against my judgement to see Thelrion cast down, and prepared to negotiate for peace to return to Bulwar.

Peace settles over Bulwar as all NSC nations (in my vassal's case, I still hadn't had a chance to convert them) put down their swords and attend the party. In our territory, which is a bit silly at this point but whatever.

Two decades of chaos came to a close with minor land transfers that further secured the gap between the Suran and Buranun that the city of Bulwar also straddled. With the threat of a coalition hanging over our heads, Saed had no choice to accept the arrival of hundreds of delegates into a great estate on the outskirts of Apaškumar. However, none attending had any idea that the chaos had only just begun.

To be continued…

Vote

When I first regained my senses, I only knew only rage at the harpies that had brought about the final destruction of the First Empire. However, having seen their prowess in battle and their unique talents my smouldering anger has faded. They took advantage of the chaos of the Onslaught to bring about a new empire, but they did not leave a trail of mindless destruction as did the perpetrators of the Onslaught. They are worthy of a place within Karqašlu, though as you are now the one who knows them best, in more ways than one, I will leave the decision to you.

(Note that the latter option is technically modded a bit. Nanšalen can normally only form Harpylen it if we go through an event chain to help them gain independence instead of them doing it themselves.)

Unity with the harpies – We are all Chosen of Surael, as Jaddar decreed. The harpies have their duty to see His Light brought across all of Halann, and it is one they would best fulfil under the direct rule of Kumarkand. Your daughter will lead the races of Bulwar to illuminated unity.
Partners with the harpies – The dream of Matriarch Ištara was a bold one, but foolish as it failed to honour the rightful rule of Karqašlu. Harpylen might rise again as an equal partner with Kumarkand; an Akaliate of the Second Karqašlu Empire!

Vote for an option by clicking on the below image.



Voting will remain open for 48 hours

 

[Sybot]

The voters preferred unity with the harpies, so we will be integrating new harpy territory directly and eventually annexing Nanšalen.

Chapter Five: Reborn from Destruction
1485-1499

Edge of the Samartal Estate, near Apaškumar, 1487

It had been a gatehouse once, a sturdy stone structure built to keep out the prying eyes of the rebellious supposed heretics who dwelled in the city a few miles away. It had always been a problem that foreign nobility held land within the bounds of Kumarkand itself, a problem that had now resolved itself as Saed had ordered all such land to be seized and redistributed to the Ituqattar in the aftermath of this disaster.

He stood atop the pile of shattered stone and masonry and peered out over the wreckage before him. It had taken a long time for anyone to even consider cleaning it up, as lingering magical energy crackled through the air for months after the events. It had been long enough that strange, warped, plants were starting to poke from the charred soil.

The central mansion that had been at the centre of the estate had been blown apart, to the point it was near impossible to discern what it might have even looked like. Its pieces were scattered around what had once been gardens and orchards, which in turn had been torn up and incinerated by the heat of the blast leaving a clear crater where the worst of the destruction had hit. It was a miracle from Surael that there had been any survivors from within the estate at all, though even those with protective enchantments had suffered horrific injuries.

Saed stepped forward without care across the remains of the gatehouse, approaching the rim of the crater, though time had now worn it down to more of a gently sloping pit.

"My Akal, we do not know if that is stable," said Zarhran, head of his bodyguard, from the base of the pile of rubble.

"If it has not shifted in over a year, it will not shift from my steps," Saed replied.

He took a deep breath, letting the dry air fill him with the scent of the past, of mad destruction. With his eyes closed, he whispered a quiet prayer to Surael for the fallen. His Light shone upon the lost souls and guided them to peace. More lives were being lost at this very moment, as the madness that this disaster had brought upon spread across Bulwar, and now that the mourning period was over it was time for Kumarkand to join in on that same madness.

There was a flicker of discontent that snapped through Saed's head and he shuddered involuntarily.

The silver helm in his hands beckoned, but he refused its call. He had almost forgotten he had been carrying it, so subtle was the sensation of its metal upon its skin. The benefactor that dwelled within had been his advisor for decades now, guiding him in transforming Kumarkand beyond even the wildest dreams of the conspirators of the rebellion. Farana, his songbird, would soon need to be introduced to their benefactor if she was to be guided to rule.

"Sire, please let this unsightly mess be removed before going any further," said Zarhan. He had clambered up onto the rubble as well, clearly having a harder time in his armour.

"All have their duty to Surael," Saed said, "I will do my part."

He passed the helm over to Zarhan, ignoring the mutter of annoyance that reached his ears as it left his hands, and crouched down. Among the bricks and dust a glimmer of brightness caught his eye. He reached down into the ruin, pushing aside uninteresting pieces of shattered stone to uncover what lay beneath. What he needed most of all was a symbol, something to rally the people and show that Surael shined even here.

It had been a large tile of some kind, whether on a floor or a wall or a ceiling he did not know, but by some miracle it had been flung from the mansion all the way out to this gatehouse without shattering. As he brushed away the dirt, it became clear. It was a simple plant shoot, rising from the soil and reaching into the sky where Surael's warmth awaited it, hinted at by the gentle application of warm colours to the upper half of the image. Perhaps it had been part of a larger fresco where Surael himself was present, or an individual piece. Either way, it was a sign that he had discovered it.

He hefted it in his arms and turned around. Before him, beyond the edge of the rubble, were hundreds of workers who had volunteered their time and energy towards this cleanup. They had been watching patiently as he had surveyed the ruins, and as he turned around their energy and excitement visibly increased.

"No disaster is insurmountable! No recovery is impossible" Saed called out as he carefully stepped across the rubble with the tile balanced against his chest, "we are all Chosen of Surael, and we must all work to enlighten those places where the Darkness has touched our world!"

He clambered down towards the ground. A stone gave way, almost sending him tumbling, but Zarhan was there to offer a hand and keep him upright. As Saed touched the soil and set down the tile, he took a moment to catch his breath and looked back up at the crowd.

"For Surael!" someone shouted.

Saed nodded at them, and the crowd moved with a roar of fervour. They moved straight towards him, causing some alarm to Zarhan, but Saed felt no fear. As a great wave they reached the edge of the rubble and began to work, those at the front passing smaller pieces of rubble to those behind them, those with tools breaking down the larger pieces into something manageable, and those too old or weak to engage in heavy labour sorting through what had already been collected to find anything of value.

The flap of wings caught his attention, as a group of harpies glided overhead and settled on the top of the rubble. Their feet grasped at pieces of stone and they took to the air once again, circling around the group to avoid the risk of dropping anything on them. It was a sight to see, the crowd holding no fear of those who would have been killed on sight as monsters in his father's era. His songbird would inherit a welcoming garden.

His work here was done. As Akal, his duty to the Light was not really in manual labour, but to inspire and lead other Chosen. With Zarhan leading the way, he squeezed through the crowd while still carrying the tile and finally set it down upon a waiting cart, where it might be taken away along with other recoverable and valuable pieces for later reuse.

"What do you think, Zarhan?" Saed asked, "can we rebuild this too?"

Zarhan glanced at the helm in his hands, then out at the road that led away from the estate.

"It is not my place to say, Akal," he said, "but you have accomplished great edifices already."

Saed smiled as he followed his guard's gaze. It was true. While the outskirts of the city had not been obliterated as the estate had, there had still been significant damage, enough so that rebuilding was more than justified. More than simple rebuilding, even.

The old expanse of Panu Karqašlu dwelled beneath their feet, and at their benefactor's urging he had called upon that legacy for inspiration as the outer districts repaired their damage. Slums had been torn down, and tall and sturdy square residences had arisen, each bearing a beautiful garden within its centre and rich ornamentation on the outer walls replicating those from the era of Karqašlu. Mansions built shortly after Jaher's Landing had been refurbished with more modern sensibilities that also harkened back to antiquity. Stone monuments arose, carved with heroes of the days of old. A great avenue reached out from the city towards the Samartal crater, wide enough to fit a dozen chariots abreast.

Feeling a hum of contentment from the helm, Saed took it from Zarhan's hands and placed it over his head so that he could once again talk with their benefactor and decide what the next steps towards their national rebirth would be.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

The destruction of Sarmartal was audible from Apaškumar, a great roar in the air that rattled the palace, shattered the shacks in the slums outside the city walls and woke every person within the city. As news began to filter back of the fate of the elven rulers that had attended, I could not help but laugh hard enough that Saed too was incited into laughter. If only I had planned such a triumph that had left the high and mighty kings of Bulwar comatose and crippled, but we had made a point to keep away from the Sarmatal estate and leave all security to those attending. Nothing implicated us, so they began to fall upon one another with accusations, especially against the Queen of Azka-Evran, who had escaped uninjured.

Kaboom. The Samartal Summit will be bombed no matter what, but we aren't affected as we didn't attend. If you do, then depending on where your ruler is at the summit relative to the location of the bomb (which is randomized), they will receive a different level of injuries, reducing their stats and possibly killing them.

Now was the perfect moment to see the Jadd spread across Bulwar, but Jaddar II was far too soft. He declared that all true followers of Surael ought to observe a period of mourning for those who had lost their lives. He claimed that whatever their theological differences, such an attack against them was clearly the work of servants of the Malevolent Dark. I urged the Akal to disregard this and go on the offensive, but it seemed as though Saed did not want to directly oppose the Herald, lest the more fanatical parts of the population turn against him.

In reality it's badly timed as we have truces with all affected nations. I made a mistake here, a result of not having played in Bulwar much.

The accusations grew to rage as investigations were demanded and armies were mustered. In a strange twist, it was the mountain men of Gelkalis who launched the first arrow, blaming the Azka-Evran for the disaster and marching on the fortress to force answers from Queen Keladora. Soon, each of the great kingdoms was at the throats of the others, their armies marching in a confusing series of battles along the length of western Bulwar.

This is the fallout. Members of the NSC will fall on one another in a few years of violence as they try to uncover the culprit of the attack. This shake-up of the regional alliances is usually enough to put one of them into a position to form the Phoenix Empire, which is why it forms consistently if Jaddari doesn't dominate the region.

While war raged to our west, the Akal offered me a compromise. Instead of spending money and effort on getting involved in the chaos, he would put all of that into a grand rebuilding of Apaškumar. Parts of the city had been damaged by the outer edges of the explosion, and there was a crater fizzing with magic where Samartal had once been. With the entire Elrazuir line wiped out, there was nothing stopping the foreign-owned land from being seized and added to the city. In doing so, he invited architects and artists from Cannor to bring a new flavour to the revitalized city, one that would honour the past while looking towards the future.

Gelkalis were the first to start the war, and they were the first to fall. In their anger and haste, they had overestimated their chances and as a result lost most of their remaining territory and had their Akal subjected to magical interrogation within the walls of the Azka-Evran fortress. It did not appear they had anything to do with the explosion, and so the violence continued.

Ending a war with the special peace deal increases the counter towards ending the religious incident.

As peace and renewal reigned in the lands of the Jadd, both our own and those of the Jaddari, we were recognised as the real powers within Bulwar. The world was beginning to understand the true nature of the Second Empire and recognition was upon us. The mighty powers of Cannor, Rahen and Haless were still considered to be greater than Karqašlu, but they would soon learn Surael's truth.

The period of mourning came to an end while war still raged among the elven kingdoms. Saed rallied the Ituqattar, at last heeding my words, and marched for the Šad Našratu to absorb the breakaway Akalate that had emerged from Gelkalis. They were guarded by Azka-Evran, but separated by hundreds of miles of our territory, while Keladora fought a war against her southern neighbour. It would be a simple conquest.

In some instances, the shock of a disaster as great as Samartal might shake off the shackles of indolence and decadence, allowing competent rule to ascend once again. Thelrion died from his injuries, and the regency for his son passed onto Imariel Radinzuir, a woman of intense focus. Under her gaze the armies of Irrliam rallied and struck down the Akalate of Zanšap, returning most of the territory they had lost in the rebellion.

She turned her attention to Birzartanšes and delivered a blow that ended the kingdom entirely. She declared that her investigations had uncovered the culpability of the last of the Birzartanzuir line in the explosion, and that he had accidentally detonated the bomb before he could flee to a safe distance. The lands of the kingdom would now be part of Irrliam, thus restoring righteous rulership to the Cult of Jaher. All lies, no doubt, but effective for bringing the crisis to an end.

As Bulwar continued to rebuild from the ruin inflicted upon it, one of the last surviving scions of the Twelve Families emerged from hiding, sold off the remnants of his wealth and left for distant lands on some fool quest for wealth and glory. With him he took countless exiles and minor nobility who had been dispossessed by the elevation of the Ituqattar, thus solving a problem for us. One day, Karqašlu's reach would catch up to his descendants.

This adventurer does not currently have a mission tree, but I imagine it would be very unique. Their theme is tourism and building luxury resorts in the Ruined Sea.

Some members of the court insisted that the harpies ought to rule over their own lands, but a great many more considered them to be equal under Surael, equally entitled to rule by a single unified Akalate. As recompense to the Matriarch of Nanšalen, her flock's debts were repaid and she was generously offered the opportunity to convert to the Jadd.

With Kumarkand advancing the Way of Jaddar in Bulwar itself, Jaddar II had turned his attention to Rahen. The Desert Legion had swept into the Raj and begun the process of dismantling it so that they might bring the Light of Surael to the tigerfolk and worshippers of silent temples. So long as their eyes were turned away from our actions, I was pleased. Surael does not need to two empires upon Halann.

I hadn't mentioned that Jaddari was for a long time allied to the Raj. This is a very good sign for our eventual turn against them.

In times of peace, the Akal would remind his court of their duty to embody Surael's Light. To take selfishly for themselves would not be tolerated. To demand greater payment was a sign of Darkness within the heart. There was no greater joy than to serve the nation and see His peace brought to Halann. Under Karqašlu, the Darkness would be banished.

Duty is a good tenet to have activated in peacetime, especially if you have growing corruption (for example, as a result of creating a caste of elite warrior-nobles).

The refurbishing of Apaškumar was only the first step in restoring the glory of Karqašlu. The wheeling sun of Karqašlu flew alongside the orange sun of Kumarkand high above farms that enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity, and above cities rebuilt in ancient styles of stone and marble. No longer was it merely a call to remember the glory of the First Empire, but it was becoming a real movement of those who wish to see the Second Empire become reality.

Gelkalis did not survive long after their foolish attack against Azka-Evran. With the fall of their remaining territory, the only parts of the Šad Našratu still outside of Kumarkand's control were those in the hands of Irrliam. Preparations were made for war, to strike down the victor of the Samartal Crisis and secure both the hills and the downstream banks of the two great rivers.

Then worse news came. The gnolls, the monstrous Xhazobine, had advanced up the Mother's Sorrow and ravaged much of Kheterata. Those vicious cretins had snatched away my own vengeance before I even had a moment to grasp it. Anger blinded me, and I demanded the Akal eke out blood from the demonic 'Empress of Gnollkind'. The Jaddari Herald must have had a similar reaction, though I imagine for different reasons, and before we could finish mobilizing, he had already called us to war. The Ituqattar marched into the desert to face its first real test in battle.

Interesting factoid: the gnolls are canonically the winners of the fight for Kheterata, though they convert to Khetism rather than remain demon-worshippers.

It was the first time that I gained a true appreciation for the magical strength of this era. Until the Ituqattar faced the Xhazobine in battle, her blade aflame with infernal green flame, I had thought modern magi a mere shadow of the God-Kings of old. Charging at the head of a horde of war hounds, she carved through thousands of our mightiest Sarraka as though their armour did not exist. All magic was devoured by the trail of flame and creatures of the Darkness crawled out of the sand wherever she stepped. At that moment, I realized exactly what I must make of my Akal if I was to achieve my dream of an immortal Second Empire.

The Great Xhaz is not a joke. Just look at those stats!

The army withdrew to Kumarkand proper to recuperate. My rage had begun to subside, perhaps shaken out of me in witnessing such memorable magical ability. Jaddar could manage the war in the desert, while Saed continued the rebirth of Karqašlu culture. A new palace had been completed on the ruins of Samartal, built entirely in the style of one of my own. The stone was infused with the legacy of the detonation, and my thoughts grew clearer than ever when the Master Helm was worn within its walls.

Despite the great losses in battle, the nation did not feel the pain of loss. Only rumours of the Xhazobine's great power reached the ears of the people, the state of the war kept only to those who needed to know. The nation rose in celebration and unity, cheering the Akal's embodiment of the tenets of the Jadd and his success in making Kumarkand one of the greatest powers of the world. Spending money to raise their voices even higher was an easy choice. Wealth is fleeting, but worship is invaluable.

Jaddar II faced Amazyz in battle personally. His courage was admirable, but it was also the last decision he ever made. Leadership of the Jaddari fell to his son, a mediocre boy of an elf with none of the charisma and subtlety needed of a commander of a fanatical religious order. Whether he survived or was replaced by one of his commanders, it was clear that there would be an era of internal politicking within the Desert Legion, if the Xhazobine did not annihilate it first.

With Jaddar II dead, the gnolls threatened to push onto the Upper Suran plains and raze the countless cities there that lay under the Jaddari's protection. In a show of generosity, the Akal returned our forces to the battlefield and struck at some of the minor gnollish forces led by those who were not so empowered as Amazyz herself. Every step that she took would cost her lives and allies, and eventually even her own powers would not be enough to face a larger force united under Surael.

Amazyz continued her rampage across Jaddari territory, fighting running battles against whatever parts of the legion emerged to resist her. It was here that Kumarkandi forces caught up to her. Their numbers had been reinforced by highly skilled mercenary bands such as the Shining Shields and the Phoenix Veterans, and then further bolstered with the introduction of guns into their formations. Though a demonically empowered gnoll would not be stopped by a bullet, they would be slowed down enough to be caught upon the pike wall and then properly cut down and trampled in the Ituqattar's countercharge. Though she still faced few losses, Xhazobine's momentum had been halted.

Maintaining a nation is a balancing act. Give too much, and corruption and decadence are the result. Give too little, and resentment and rebellion begin to brew. The lessons that I impart onto the Akal must be heeded, if Karqašlu is to avoid the mistakes of the past.

Where concessions are to be made, they should be of mutual benefit. For example, embedded priests in the Sahiru Kašra, turning frontier patrols into missions of conversion, would both aid the clergy in expanding their own reach while pacifying the more remote regions of the nation that might still follow outdated incarnations of the sun Cult.

Efforts to integrate all races into all levels of the priesthood and administration continued apace as the Jadd was firmly settled as the faith of the land. Humans and harpies became common sights in roles that at one time would have been reserved solely for elves, bringing with them new ideas and lines of thought to bring Karqašlu into the innovative future. The military saw more recruitment than ever as warriors of all races, even the same gnolls that we fought against, took the chance to ascend the ranks of the Ituqattar.

Acceptance is another good peacetime tenet (though we are at war at the moment it isn't as arduous as I've been making it sound). Reform progress is always nice to have, and manpower gain helps recover from wars though it isn't as useful for us, as mercenary-heavy as our army is.

The people of Bulwar cowered in their homes as for the third time in the past half-century a host of gnolls battered down their walls with their foul magic. Amazyz had grown tired of chasing Jaddari cavalry across the desert and intended to harvest a bloody harvest from the flourishing fields of Kumarkand. She was defeated before she could breach the city, though she still survived to threaten the world with demonic menace.

That was her last assault in the preset war however, as Jaddar III saw fit to declare the conflict at an end with several stretches of desert liberated from the forces of Darkness. Such a lack of ambition must have rankled at the fervent warriors of the rest of the Legion, but such matters were not for us to be focusing on. There was a far more pressing matter to the west.

Our distraction in our war against the Xhaz had given time for Irrliam to consolidate its hold as the leader of the remnants of the Cult of Jaher. Azka-Evran had submitted as the junior partner in an alliance, while they had also secured the wealth of the dwarves of Ovdal Tûngr. Between the two sides we near all of Bulwar, and so all it would need would be a single spark to see the hills alight with the fires of war and rivers running red with spilled blood. I implored Saed to be ready, and to think on which of my ideas would be of the greatest aid in the coming struggle.

To be continued…

Vote

As we prepare for a war that will decide the fate of Bulwar, of Karqašlu, we must come to a decision on how we will shape the Second Empire into its greatest form. Heed my words, listen to my whispers, and understand my thoughts. We are equal partners, who both wish to see Kumarkand reach its true potential. All that I require of you is a decision, and then victory.

(Once again, each option will have hidden bonus votes based on a d6. Mercenary will also gain +3 to its bonus roll for coming second place last time, up to the cap of +6)

Court – Controlling warrior nobles is not an easy task. A resplendent royal court is what they deserve, what Karqašlu deserves. If we can manipulate our subordinates through honeyed words and gifts, they will take the world for us.
Espionage – Reaching into the Darkness remains an option, though one I do not wish to rely on. Surael sees all from above, and will forgive us if we use such means to achieve victory, but it is still distasteful.
Influence – We agreed that all peoples should be unified under a single nation, not divided into petty kingdoms. Raising new Akalates underneath the empire will simplify administration of newly acquired territory, but must be a temporary measure.
Mercenary – The wars of the past few decades have separated the wheat from the chaff among the mercenary bands. The Shining Shields and Legion Veterans have proven themselves to be warriors on par with the Sahiru and Sarraka, enough so that they might form the core of our non-Ituqattar forces.
Aristocratic – To ride to war is the true calling of a noble, and to support a noble's readiness for battle is the true calling of all those below them. Surael calls for all to do their duty, and Karqašlu will be ready to see all these duties made manifest.
Quality – Our warriors ride the finest of horses, a noble image for this modern day. Yet, we can do better. Those on foot must be drilled to the utmost, these new cannons must be sighted to support our cavalry, and we must not ignore any idea for the improvement of the Ituqattar themselves.

Vote for up to two options by clicking on the below image. The second-place result will get a bonus to its hidden votes in the next idea group poll.



Voting will remain open for 48 hours

 

[jak7139]

One final war in the west to see who dominates. All must see the light.

 

[Sybot]

The d6 produced some strange results this time, but I'm presuming the site I used is really random and just happened to produce so many sixes…in any case, here are the results.

Court +6 – Total 12
Espionage +2 – Total 2
Influence +2 – Total 3
Mercenary +6 (6 from the dice plus 3 bonus, capped) – Total 19
Aristocratic +6 – Total 24
Quality +6 – Total 22

Chapter Six: March West, Fly East
1499-1513

Royal Palace, Yesd Apaškumar, 1503

Thelater's wings tucked up against her back while her claws found purchase on the stone railing beneath her feet. The landing was smooth, as smooth at it could be while carrying a load of fresh laundry in her arms. She flexed her back carefully, working through the knots in her wing muscles. There was so little opportunity to exercise them while serving at the royal palace, with so much of the structure designed with earthbound people in mind.

The balconies on the royal apartments were one of those few structural flourishes that suited her people, with enough space to take off or land and a perch for one's feet. She didn't know whether the architect had them in mind, or if it was mere luck, but she thanked the foresight anyway. This balcony in particular was tucked away from the front gates and central plaza, so there was no need to worry about the visibility of servants coming and going.

She clambered down from the ledge onto the balcony itself, adjusting the laundry pile, and looked out at the view. The sun was setting and Darkness was spreading across the land. Soon would be the hour where the Darkness of people came to the fore. Shadows lengthened across the brilliant expanse of Yesd Apaškumar, the vast complex of estates and parks that now spread out from the old walls of Apaškumar proper. There was no sign of the scars of the Samartal disaster, replaced with shining stone that lit up with the reds and oranges of sunset, avenues lined with greenery, and now towering roost-spires for the growing harpy population.

In the silence of the approaching evening, she heard voices filtering from within the palace.

"It's tonight, right?" a woman said, "it might be the last chance for us."

"I'm not going anywhere," a man said, "you know that."

Having some kind of tryst in the very chambers of their lady was unacceptable. Thelater let her claws click against the stone as she stepped inside into the hallway. Rich and plush rugs lined the floor, while the walls were adorned with carved images replicated from the Chamber of Helms, the tales of the old empire that the Akal used to talk about. The voices stopped at the sound of her steps, and she passed by two figures tucked into a nook in the wall beside a statue of Ašqarin-Aga-kar.

"Oh, it was just a little bird snooping," said Leyla, whom Thelater now recognized.

"I am doing my duty, not skulking in Darkness," Thelater replied, "why are you not attending to sweeping and polishing the guest chambers?"

"This wing of the palace doesn't need any guests," Leyla said, slipping out of the nook, "unless the Maršari wants to-"

Her mouth was abruptly covered by a gloved hand. Layla's partner, a low-ranking guard whom Thelater struggled to remember the name of, held her for a moment until she let out a sigh of frustration shook free of his grip.

"Excuse her, she's had a long day," said the man.

"I don't need you speaking for me either," Layla snapped back at him, before levelling a glare back at Thelater. "Don't you get any ideas about him, mistuned songbird."

Thelater certainly did not have any such ideas. She had heard of the old days from her grandmother, and having to fight and kill to secure a husband did not sit right with her. Serving as a wingmaiden for the highest harpy in the realm would give her access to hundreds of wealthy and powerful men. When her indenture was over, she would find one to take to roost, be it back home or in one of the roost-spires. A mere guard was not on her mind in the slightest.

"You should embody the Light and speak less harshly," she said, staring down Layla. The human girl was taller than her, but the tower of laundry she was effortlessly carrying and unfurling her wings just a little made her a more imposing figure. "We are in the chambers of the Akali."

"Not yet," Layla said, "not until she places that weird helm on her head. Maršari Farana still has a lot to learn."

"How dare you speak of her this way!" Thelater said, a screech brewing in the back of her throat.

A melodic tune resonated down the hallway. Not from Thelater's own lungs but from a deeper and more experienced woman. The three of them turned to see Mišqa, Farana's head wingmaiden, turning a corner. She did not seem to be paying them any mind, her eyes closed and a wordless harmony on her lips.

Layla clicked her tongue.

"I've got work to do," she said, "it's a busy night ahead."

She grabbed her paramour by the hand and dragged him off down the hallway, disappearing deeper into the palace.

By the time Mišqa meandered down to her, Thelater had bowed as best she could with arms full of cloth.

"Many thanks, my lady, for dispersing them," Thelater said.

The older harpy stopped before her and let the song die down, the melody fading away as the resonance in her throat naturally came to a halt. She was far more finely dressed that Thelater herself, wearing delicate silks and with heavy gold piercings dangling from her wings. She had fully embraced their lifestyle and grounded herself with adornments, but that was also a sign of her dedication to her place within the Akalate.

"You were doing well for a while," Mišqa said, "but to rise to their insults is to feed the Darkness in your own heart."

"Of course," Thelater said. She paused for a moment, wondering whether to express her concerns. It would expose her to risk to be the one identified as gossiping. However, her loyalty was stronger still than that, and secrets were best left exposed to Surael's Light. "I am concerned by some things that were said. They implied that our lady might not become Akali."

Mišqa smiled at her.

"She is well aware of such plots," Mišqa said, "but your testimony remains valuable."

That was enough to get Thelater to raise her head.

"So there are plots? What-"

She was interrupted by Mišqa raising a hand.

"This is the last gasp of the old nobility," she said, "the Ituqattar are nothing if not loyal to the Akal. They will back his daughter. You need not concern yourself any more about it, until your testimony is required."

With that, Mišqa continued down the corridor, the song once again rising up from her throat. Thelater let out a sigh of relief and then began to warble herself, trying to harmonise with the tune. She trusted the Maršari, soon to be the Akali, and she knew that all creatures can be the Light. The jealous and intolerant would soon have the Darkness excised from their hearts, and all could work together for a brighter future.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

The Akal gave a speech before the court in the new royal palace, asserting Kumarkand's place as the rightful rulers of Bulwar. The chaos of the last thirty years had seen the Akalate transition from a regional power to holding a dominant position in the subcontinent, serving as the western blade of Surael against the misguided members of the Cult of Jaher. The priesthood, now thoroughly within the grasp of the Lightbringers, and the magi both backed his claim, with all the work that we had done to elevate human mages from their state of oppression finally bearing fruit.

No title change for our nation, Akalate is the general name for Bulwari human monarchies regardless of rank.

His pronouncement was met with scorn by Alvarion, the now ascended King of Irrliam. Alvarion had been raised in the flames of war, and this had attuned him to the Plane of Fire at the expense of his ability to sire children. He had married the Queen of Azka-Evran for diplomatic purposes, intending to reunite the Phoenix Empire with a pen in one hand and a flaming sword in the other.

In spite of this, the mood among the Ituqattar was jubilant. After driving off the Xhazobine, they had learned many battlefield lessons on how to combine the efforts of the Sahiru, Sarraka and other cavalry forces to dominate the battlefield. With the justification of the Akal's proclamation and the memory of Karqašlu, they were ready to take the fight to the elven pretenders.

Saed sent personal correspondence to Jaddar III, imploring his participation in the coming war. For the first time, the two halves of Jadd dominion of Bulwar would fight side-by-side in a great campaign to unify the Sun Cult. I applauded such a decision, for each member of the Desert Legion that fell in western Bulwar would be one that we would not need to fight in future.

Jaddar arrived to lead his armies in person, chasing Alvarion and his wife deep into Bahar, while Kumarkand's forces participated in the less glorious but also far more important sieges and conquest of the Lower Suran. The Ituqattar got their payment in pillage, but it was not enough. They needed to be tested in battle, and so as soon as Medurubar had fallen they departed north to locate the cowardly enemy.

After the build-up, I didn't expect to be able to invite Jaddari and trivialize the war. It is a scary thing to see so many Jadd cavalry on the march, so its no surprise the AI ran for it.

They marched north to the gates of the fortress of Azka-Evran itself, where the allied armies of the elven king and queen were mustered. A challenge was issued, and battle was drawn. Perhaps they thought their mild numbers advantage would win the day. The Phoenix Veterans took the brunt of Alvarion's fire magic, while thousands of heavy calvary clashed in the fields. As Kumarkand's mercenary infantry line collapsed, the Ituqattar briefly fell into disarray. However, their skill and the elite equipment that I had insisted they be equipped with proved greater and they fell upon the elven centre with fervour, securing victory. It was a costly triumph, but Kumarkand could survive while the enemy no longer had forces to fight with.

We're not at 100% cav ratio, so this can still happen…for now.

Those who survived the battle were granted estates and wealth beyond anything that a minor noble might have imagined, let alone a commoner. Thousands of volunteers were clamouring to replace those who had fallen, including some of the more experienced noble commanders of the depleted mercenary companies. It was the foundations of a permanent army that was loyal to Karqašlu alone.

They could see the evidence with their own eyes, that Kumarkand was no longer one challenger among many for rulership of Bulwar. With the harpies pacified and aligned with Surael, the Sahiru no longer had need to patrol the frontier. Elven and human magi formed new and expanding divisions of the Sarraka. Both flocked to the banners. Through the demonstration of the new reality, the people would see the truth of the world, that the Second Empire had arisen.

I admired the boldness of the goblin push along the coast, but it soon appeared that they had overextended. The dwarves struck at them from the depths of the mountains, driving them from the Marble Hold and even claiming the lands of the surface just beyond the walls. Their daring dream of a goblin nation on the surface failed to meet reality.

Though I urged the Akal to end Irrliam for good, his primary goal was to secure a solid western border, most prominently in the Šad Našratu and along the Buranun River. I could not argue against the strategic sense, as much as it pained me to allow Alvarion to linger, plot against us and spew his fiery words. In return for their efforts, a significant sum of gold was sent eastwards to the Jaddari, but there was very little positive response. It was a portent of things still to come.

Securing the last harpy roosts under Irrliamic control marked Kumarkand as the sole power within the Šad Našratu. Many of the flocks had been scattered under the rule of the Cult of Jaher, but the Way of Jaddar would welcome them back as servants of Surael. Farana herself travelled north to meet with the matriarchs and convince them to return to their roosts and begin aligning with their new government.

A grand ceremony was held in Apaškumar, where each matriarch swore oaths of fealty to the Akalate and presented a joint apology for millennia of raids and the slaying of the final ruler of Karqašlu. It buoyed my heart to see them commit to the penance of serving as maidens of the nation, offering comfort and support to those in need, in their duty as servants of Surael. Not all the crimes of the ancient world require punishment such as I imagine for certain other foul beasts.

The theological debate had been settled long ago, with the acceptance of the Jadd. Harpies did not emerge until after my own mortality, so I held little opinion on whether they truly were descendants of Surael or not. What mattered is whether they can become true patriots of Karqašlu and shine as His Chosen. The vassal flocks were divided, with those west of the great volcanic tip of the Serpentspine being administered directly from Apaškumar, while those in the east remaining under the authority of Nanšalen

As voted for, we will maintain the Harpy Hills under our direct control

It was a glorious sight, to see the triple flags of Kumarkand, the Jadd and Karqašlu all flying from the towns and villages that now fell under our rule. The army marched far and wide, establishing the Ituqattar as the new lords of the land and securing the ancient ruins of the old extent of the First Empire so that the local population might be taught about their own heritage.

After months of silence, a message finally arrived from the Jaddari, and it was nothing less than a total denouncement. They accused the Akal of dabbling in Dark magic, accused him of converting only for his own benefit, and for focusing on the growth of his nation over the spread of the Jadd. He was ordered to submit to the Divine Herald, or face Surael's wrath. What a foolish accusation. I was well aware that my continued existence was built upon careful magical crafting, with nary a touch of the Malevolent Dark.

In any case, Kumarkand had grown to a size where the Desert Legion no longer presented an overwhelming threat, so the Akal and I agreed that this would be the moment the followers of the Jadd went their separate ways.

I would have been able to fix it, but this suits me just fine.

The Xhazobine that had been terrorising Kheterata and earning my ire finally met her end. Not under the wheels of a chariot as she ought to, but from an invasion from the south, deeper in the wastes of Sarhal. The demonic power began to fade, and the threat of gnollish dominance ended with it.

When the Xhazobine dies, either normally or via this unlocalized peace deal, the Great Xhaz nation reverts to its original form (Gnollakaz in this case).

All of the court knew that the day of the Akal's passing was approaching, but given his hardiness they had expected it in battle or from a serious disease, not from a simple accident. Farana's ascension to Akali was met with political manoeuvring that I had no part in, but she triumphed as I expected her to. When she first placed my helm atop her head and I spoke to her, she answered with confidence. She held great plans of her own for the nation, plans that I was more than eager to advise her on.

I had not heard of these people called 'halflings', small farming folk who serve the human kingdoms of the far west. Farana wished to bring them under Surael's Light and into the fertile farmlands of the Suran and Buranun. Taking hefty loans from the merchants, she sent envoys to the distant city of Beepeck and ordered the centralization of the multitude of smallholder farms into massive estates that could then be advised by these foreign farmers. As Jaddar had said, all people have their place in service of Surael and nation.

In a clever turn, she followed this by centralizing a number of banks and charged them with managing the national debt. Her father had relied on taking loans to fund the early years of Kumarkand's rise, and she intended to stabilize the budget that had teetered back and forth on the edge of disaster for so long.

The first news returned from Saamir's expedition, telling of new goods, new foods and new lands to explore. In my era the Elven Empire, the Precursor Empire as they call it now, was but a distant myth. Now it is truly nothing but ruins. It leaves one to ponder if, in a different world, it might have been reforged just as Karqašlu has been.

Drawing more power onto the Akali and Ituqattar was met with derision by those who thought their own petty wealth was more important than Karqašlu. Wherever they dared to raise a hand against her, Farana struck them down and redistributed their holdings to the Ituqattar to further enrich those who were the real backbone of the nation.

The victory over Irrliam had created a class of skilled leaders among the Ituqattar that deserved to see promotion over their fellows become the new generation of higher nobility. These elite officers would be the innovative commanders of the future, bringing the Ituqattar to dominance on the modern battlefield. As part of their reforms, the infantry were shifted into a light skirmishing role, with the intention of keeping the enemy harassed in place until the strength of cavalry could be brought to bear.

Relations with Farana's cousin had not thawed since her ascension. Jaddar III insisted that she submit to his authority as the leader of the Jaddari, and she declined. Instead, she took initiative. She declared that he was unfit to serve as the Divine Herald, and that by right of her own descending from Jaddar she would take command of the Desert Legion. It was all a justification for the conflict, the final schism that would end the cooperation of the two greatest Jadd nations for good.

Divine portents marred the start of the eastwards campaign. Advancing troops were barely able to evade a tide of floodwater sweeping down the Suran, that then carved a swathe of destruction through Bulwar with no care for nation or denomination. Many saw it as retribution for the infighting of Surael's Chosen, but I insisted, and the Akali agreed, that the campaign must continue.

The arrival of halfling experts came just in time to alleviate the growing famine in Kumarkand's southern territory. The knowledge and expertise of two continents came together to produce vast fields of grains and orchards filled with the sweetest fruits. The smallfolk were welcomed, in spite of being new to Bulwar, and quickly accepted the Jadd as their faith. To their farming hearts, the beating sun and flowing river were proof that the land was blessed by a greater being.

It's pretty expensive to put down, both in dip mana and farm estates, but now we can start spreading out the farming modifier across Bulwar.

For months the eastern campaign continued unopposed, the Desert Legion nowhere to be seen. They had been fighting a war in the distant south, across the desert, and had lost many combatants to a combination of gnollish raids and burning heat. It would not be until after the fall of Seghdihr, a dwarven hold they had seized as their outpost watching over the holy Temple of Azka-Sur, that Jaddar III and his forces appeared.

A flock of harpies from Nanšalen was intercepted in the desert by a band of mercenaries led by Jaddar III. Seeing an opportunity, the Ituqattar made their way into the blistering sands to catch him before he could escape. That he was reliant on soldiers of coin was a sign that even the famed Desert Legion was failing, and in battle they were annihilated by thousands of elite cavalry. Jaddar himself managed to slip by and escape across the Harra Oasis, but for the moment he had been broken.

An inevitable result of the integration of the harpy flocks directly under the Akalate was the intermarriage of harpy matriarchs with prominent nobles and officials. As part of the preparations for Farana's ascension, Saed had altered succession laws so that daughters held equal precedence to sons. This would lead to a portion of the nobility becoming harpies as daughters raised from eggs took control of estates. However, such times were still far off. As of Farana's reign, the harpies were still shaking away the last vestiges of their supposed monstrousness.

There was much clamour among the halfling population about a discovery in the distant elven homeland. While many had converted, some still held to the Cannorian rites that claimed there was a living pantheon of gods. What they discovered was simply an affirmation of Surael's truth, that only He still lives and can light the way forward for all living things.

We've seen this plenty of times before, but I do like the Sun Cult response of "we've been telling you the other gods were dead for centuries, idiots".

Jaddar III's weakness was only momentary. He rallied the Desert Legion behind him and rode with more than forty thousand horses towards Bulwar Proper, undoing two years of occupations in a matter of months. The Ituqattar caught up with him in Akalšes territory, and for the first time in sixty years the might of the Legion faltered. Their tactics had stagnated, having spent so long isolated in the desert, and their commander perished at the crucial moment while Jaddar himself was nowhere to be seen. They were scattered with relatively light casualties on the part of the Kumarkandi forces, and the tide turned once again.

A few decades earlier and this would have gone very differently. Jaddari cavalry doomstacks are deadly, but we have started unlocking ideas and Jaddari has fallen a few miltechs behind so we can manage them. This is their biggest weakness. They have a tech cost malus and are in a bad place to get institutions, so they frequently fall behind in technology, especially if the AI decides to dive into Sarhal/the Forbidden Plains instead of Bulwar/Rahen.

With the centralization of the distributed farms came a great movement of the peasantry looking for work. Rather than encourage too much freedom, which could upset the social fabric, it was decided instead that each family or village be tied to their land and serve as retainers for their local member of the Ituqattar. Thus, they would have their place in Surael's great tapestry.

Jaddar's capital was located deep in the desert, at the foot of the mountain Ebbušubtu. This was where his grandfather was said to have communed with Surael Himself to develop the Jadd. The warriors of Kumarkand held no such reverence for a single place. After all, Surael Light shines everywhere. They stormed and plundered the settlement grown around the foot of the mountain, forcing Jaddar III to come to terms.

The treasury in Ebbušubtu was filled with coins claimed from pilgrims who travelled from all across Bulwar to visit the birthplace of the Jadd. A fine racket if I had ever seen one. This money would find better use in repaying Kumarkand's debt and expanding its farm estates even further. Beyond that, swathes of the Upper Suran were handed to Akalšes to administer so that Kumarkand could continue to focus on integrating the western territories.

This was considered to be the fulfilment of a promise made between the grandfathers of the two Akals of Kumarkand and Akalšes. However, something stirred within the palaces of Farana's opposite number. The supposed equal partnership had long been strained, and a single action had placed so much additional land and power into the hands of Kyruš of Akalšes. In his unwise ambition, he began to wonder whether the relationship could be turned on its head, and where the true heirs of Karqašlu actually dwelt.

To be continued…

Vote

Our enemies are scattering, the Ituqattar march to victory, and the bounty of Surael's Garden is ours for the taking! Now is the time to lay the foundation of Karqašlu's abundance. No one will suffer from an onslaught of Darkness, no one will suffer hunger or want, and no one will deny Surael's Light. We will decide the future, here and now, for your winged daughters and flightless sons still to come.

(Quality earns a plus 3 to its bonus roll)

Economic – Blessed by Surael's Light and the rivers' bountiful waters, Bulwar is the breadbasket of the world. With metals from the hills and finished goods crafted in the cities, Karqašlu will want for nothing so long as we invest in it.
Infrastructure – The Second Empire must not make the mistakes of the First. Roads, bridges, canals, irrigation, dams; these are all necessary to see this land of two rivers flourish. As the garden grows, its development must be guided.
Trade – In my time, the Golden Highway did not exist. Trade was limited to what few caravans crossed the desert or the few vessels that docked in Brasan. News from the west does demonstrate a changing world; a new flow of trade we might be able to touch.
Court – As ruler of Surael's Akalate upon Halann, you are deserving of a glorious court. Let the people be shown the power and wealth of Karqašlu, that they might aspire to if they too join the ranks of the Ituqattar.
Defensive – Our lands are bounded by mountains, deserts and the deep blue sea. Sealing off the entrances as if we were dwarves will protect us, but the Darkness might still lurk where we do not tread.
Quality – The Ituqattar have proven their worth, and by investing in them even further they will become a force unbeatable on Halann. None will dare challenge Karqašlu so long as they still ride!

Vote for up to two options by clicking on the below image. The second-place result will get a bonus to its hidden votes in the next idea group poll.



Voting will remain open for 48 hours

 

[jak7139]

a significant sum of gold was sent eastwards to the Jaddari, but there was very little positive response. It was a portent of things still to come.

Jadd III made a poor decision. He's not his grandfather.

The supposed equal partnership had long been strained, and a single action had placed so much additional land and power into the hands of Kyruš of Akalšes. In his unwise ambition, he began to wonder whether the relationship could be turned on its head, and where the true heirs of Karqašlu actually dwelt.

Unfortunately Bulwar is rapidly running out of nations that can challenge you. Kyrus should've done this earlier.

 

[Sybot]

I have finally resumed employment, so the pace of updates is likely to slow down again as I get back into that rhythm. For now, here are the results for the third idea group. As we won't be able to pick Economic next time, Quality will get the bonus for second place.

Economic +5 – Total 19
Infrastructure +5 – Total 23
Trade +1 – Total 9
Court +2 – Total 13
Defensive +2 – Total 3
Quality +5 (+2 +3) – Total 19

Chapter Seven: Spreading the Word
1513-1528

Archaeological Enchantment Laboratories, Apaškumar, Kumarkand, 1528

Minxi took the stairs one step at a time, almost needing to clamber up each of them. They were built large for a human, never mind a person of her own stature. So much of Kumarkand was built with taller types in mind. As she passed a window climbing up the tower, she could see the looming edifices of the palace quarter of Yesd Apaškumar standing beyond the city walls, further demonstration of how monumental these humans liked to build things.

It reminded her of home, one she never expected to see again. The lofty marble gates of the hold, the shining new libraries of Aqatbar, and the once-ruined villages rebuilt in marble where human, elf and goblin could live together. That there were more humans deeper in the flatlands who held the same ideals was a relief, one she was glad to offer praise to their sun god for.

The sound of a hammer made her freeze on a step. It brought back bad memories, but she would not let it stop her. She'd come here for a reason, to demonstrate to the nice bird lady that she would regret her decision to let them in. A heavy door stood on the next landing marked with a wooden sign.

'Helm Studies, Lab Fifteen'

She pushed on the door and the sound of hammering grew louder, along with a wave of hot air that rolled out into the staircase. The laboratory was heavy with the heat of a glowing forge, which caught in the corner of Minxi's eye as she focused on the others present in the room. A human and elf were crouched over a bench, their eyes focused upon their investigations under the harsh glow of a magelight.

"Lord szel-Azamezan?" Minxi squeaked as she leant against the door to close it behind her.

The human looked up and smiled at her. He didn't look much like an important lord, being barely an adult and dressed like a soldier in camp rather than a magi or researcher. His clothes were far too loose and common, though earrings that didn't quite fit him and a necklace that was a little too tight adorned his head.

"You've arrived," he said with a smile, "praise Surael."

"Yeah, praise to Surael," she replied, nodding her head rapidly.

"Parfiz, this is the specialist?" the elf asked, giving her a more sceptical look.

"Why wouldn't she be, Elanil?" the young lord, Parfiz, said.

The elf, Elanil, continued to look at her. He was far more fitting for the part of a magical researcher, clad in gilded robes of fine silk that were tied up tightly to keep from disrupting the work on the bench.

"I've read books on runic magic in Shazstundihr and the magical properties of silver in Aqatbar," Minxi spoke up, "the Akali thought those might be useful to help you."

"Well, what can you tell me about this?" Elanil said. He held out a piece of paper with a complex magical array printed on it.

She scampered over the bench. Parfiz offered her a stool, which she hopped up onto and stood on, for once putting her on nearly the same height as the other two. They spread the paper out onto the bench and her eyes flickered rapidly as she took in the image. It was exactly as she had been told. There was a mixture of dwarven runes and something that looked like ancient Bulwari script carved around the edges of the array. Both were from times so long ago that she could not fully understand them, but she could catch the gist of it from pieces here and there.

"It's interwoven a bit," she said, pointing out the points where the two scripts intersected, "but there's a clear delineation overall. The runes are for outward protection, making the silver as strong as steel and redirecting magical energy, I think. The text is doing something else. It mentions echoes, but I've got no clue what of."

"Great! You're already caught up!" Parfiz said, tapping her on the shoulder. She even earned a smile from Elanil.

The discussion continued from there, delving deeper into what each aspect of the array meant, how it provided the helms with an incredible resistance to magic, and how they were still not sure how to fully replicate it. The greatest issue was that there was no internal magical supply, so it was unclear how the array was meant to be powered. Throughout this, the sound of the hammer continued and the forge remained in the corner of Minxi's eye. No matter how engrossed she became, she could not put the fear out of her thoughts.

Then, the hammering stopped.

"Alright, cleaned it up for the greenskin," a sour voice spoke up from direction of the fiery glow.

The dwarf who had been in the room the whole time stepped forward with a faintly glowing helmet held out at the end of a pair of tongs. His eyes were buried beneath thick auburn yebrows, but Minxi could feel them boring into her. There was something unspoken there, something both ancestral and recent. She had been driven from her home by his kin, but she had read the histories, read how her people had contributed to the fall of his people in turn. She swallowed her fear and spoke up.

"Thank you, master smith," she said, bowing to him.

"I didn't do it to get your thanks," he said, "we're both working on this project for the Akali."

The other two quickly made space on the bench and set out a charred and warped wooden support. The helm was placed upon it, and Minxi was able to get a closer look. It was silver, with bronze ornamentation. It looked similar, though less ornate, to the one the feathered queen had been wearing when she had met her. Most importantly, the array she and the other researchers had been studying was carved into the interior of the helm. It was incomplete, with some of it looking like it had been melted off. She looked at the dwarf.

"Cleaned it up, like I said," he said, shrugging, "these two said it was too damaged illegible, so they wanted to re-do the carving."

Minxi peered at it, then back at the entire magical array laid out on paper. If it was partly unreadable, then was the diagram even accurate? She focused on the ancient text, as it was the part of it was least clear. It flowed upwards through the helm to the silver spike that poked through the bronze decoration at the very top.

"Echoes," she said to herself, getting lost in thought for a moment.

Then it struck her, just as a bolt of lightning would strike the peak of a tower.

"It's a magical receiver!" she exclaimed, "the power comes from somewhere else!"

In a fit of excitement, she grabbed the helm, ignoring the near-painful warmth still in the metal, and held it before her. They only needed to make it ready, to rebuild the array. Finding the power source was a different matter, but she suspected it would be coming from another helm. Magical defences that could be shared among a large number of people, even those without their own magic, was an amazing innovation for something so old.

As she stared into the empty helm, she thought she could hear stuttering and disjointed whispers leaking out from within, but she dismissed the concern. She had found her place among these people, working for the furtherment of magical knowledge. With a grin, she handed the helm over to Elanil, who held a damestear-tipped chisel in his hand. Together, they would learn from the past and build countless magical gadgets for the future.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

The era of Irrliamic dominance of Bulwar had come to an end. Not only had Kumarkand surpassed them, but they faced invasion from the dwarves and their allies. Taking advantage of this by attacking the gnolls that they had deigned to protect was a brilliant idea that would see both the old order and the demon worshippers crushed.

As I continued to talk to Farana, she grew increasingly isolated and reticent. Not so far as to jeopardize her rule, but enough that she found herself devoting herself to books on ancient magic while relying on a network of informants to keep her appraised of the situation. At my advice she began dispatching spies into the dwarven nations that were invading Bulwar, for I could foresee the great threat that they would pose.

I was surprised to learn that the EaNasir family still existed. The were peddling substandard goods even during the reign of my forebears, only escaping righteous execution through bribery and discounted cheese. However, the fools that fell for such trickery also deserved punishment for failing to heed history. They were not be compensated, and had no choice but to eat the cheese they were given.

That damn Ea-Nasir, you can't even escape him and his poor-quality goods in another world.

The expansion of dwarven control was not unexpected, after all the wars they had been conducting in Bahar. What was not expected was the expansion of their holdings not just from the foot of the mountain but also deeper into the western fringes of the Šad Našratu and onto the Drolas Peninsula. It was clear now that Ovdal Tûngr sought nothing less than complete dominance of the seas, which would inevitably throttle Karqašlu if allowed to succeed.

Though I advocated for more devastating terms, to see our long-time rival driven into the sand, the Akali settled for the city of Harklum, the last of the Upper Suran River still under Irrliamic control, and the contents of their treasury. She invested the money into reagents and laboratories for the magi, seeking more of the secrets of the ancient world. This adherence to the past mollified my annoyance, for I was curious where she intended to delve.

Money and mission targets are more efficient here. As they are a non-cobelligerent in this war it was far too expensive to take more territory.

As to the remainder of the war with the gnolls, it was a straightforward affair. Without the raw power of a Xhazobine, they were crushed under the weight of the armour and magic of the Ituqattar. Horses charged beneath Surael's gaze, driving the Darkness from the lands and into the deeper desert of the south.

The Šad Sur was freed from the depths of demonic depravity, and the Lightbringers were invited in to begin sweeping the land clean of any remains of the Xhazobkult. Those gnolls who turned away from the Kult and into the Light would be welcomed, while those who held tightly to the abyssal abominations would face judgement by fire and blade. From a more strategic perspective, these mountains would serve as the bulwark against further invasion from the desert or from Kheterata once the region was pacified.

Under Farana, the Šad Našratu saw a blossoming of prosperity and peace. Roads weaved across the hillsides, patrolled by noble Sahiru to deter raids from bandit flocks. Roost-spires grew from the villages and towns of the human population, linking the old, isolated roosts with these communities. Haqharias became the centre of human-harpy cooperation in the north, a city that challenged some of those found on the plains of the great rivers.

By the end of the decade, just forty years after their foundation, the Ituqattar made up the majority of the nobility within the nation. Ruling from horseback, enriching their fiefdoms with the wealth of their enemies, and swearing their loyalty to the Akali, they proved their value to the rising Second Empire. In some instances, they raised additional taxes from their population for the sole purpose of proclaiming their loyalty and advancing the interests of Karqašlu.

Though Apaškumar remained the political centre of Kumarkand, it was inevitable that Bulwar would once again arise as it rebuilt from the devastation wreaked upon it. Its strategic position straddling the closest pass of the Suran and Buranun Rivers meant that it would always remain one of the greatest cities in the region that was named after it. Goods from as far away as the new Aelantiri colonies flowed up the Suran, travelled overland beside the ruined canals that once linked it to the Buranun, then travelled back downriver to Apaškumar.

Avamezan, the last independent Akalate east of Lake Naza, fell without much fight. As with most of the Upper Suran, its lands were passed to Akalšes to administer. The nation was famous for its horse races, which drew crowds from across Bulwar. Now they would benefit Akal Kyruš in the form of taxes and tolls on the vast sums of gold gambled away in its stadia.

It was a moment to be celebrated, as the heartland of ancient Karqašlu, the lands of the Zanites descended from my people, the warm and fertile lands of Surael, were united under a single banner, that of the Second Empire. Or, that was how it ought to have been. The dual Akalate, the supposed partnership of Akalšes and Kumarkand, was soon to be tested to its limits. A great celebration was to be hosted in the palace of Yesd Apaškumar, where the nobility of both Akalates would join hands in triumph.

What occurred there was far worse than I could ever have expected. The Akali was late to the party, too distracted by her studies. When she arrived and I saw through her eyes and heard through her ears the jeers and insults of the Akalšes delegation I was incensed. I directed her to Kyruš and the two rulers engaged in a vicious argument in which Kyruš insisted that he was the rightful Akalunakal, Akal of Akals, or Emperor as the Cannorians say. To imagine such insult on the soil upon which Panu Karqašlu was founded had been beyond my own imagination. With both of us in a rage, Farana cast out the delegation with a demand that they understand their place.

It was all a ruse, of course. Kyruš was not so foolish as to believe that Kumarkand was the junior partner in actuality. It had all been in the interests of laying the groundwork for their own rebellion, one that I had not seen coming. I had thought them cowed, but their own heritage as the legacy that had even given us the word 'Akal' had convinced Kyruš that he could ascend as Akalunakal. As thousands of nobles defected and the war began, Surael's grace saw the Ituqattar remain loyal.

Led by a skilled planetouched warrior, the mass of rebels first advanced against Nanšalen to cut off any possibility of their capital being flanked. However, they had made the mistake of abandoning their capital to the mercies of the Sarraka, who would not take treachery lightly. Their magic would bring down the walls far more quickly than a harpy roost could be breached.

The Age of Monsters had passed. Those who still clung to the old ways would be burned out, while those who embraced civilization would be welcomed. Now was an age where the existing order was questioned and torn down, be that the Cannorians engaging in mock battles between equally dead gods, the High Philosophy being questioned from within, or Karqašlu arising from the fires of war and strife to claim its rightful place.

The cowardly rebels continued to strike at the weak, aiming for the main force of harpy auxiliaries that had scattered from their initial advance into Nanšalen. In the tight valleys below Ayarallen Roost, they were caught and cornered by the heavy spears of the Ituqattar and a full half of their number were annihilated. The Šad Našratu were spattered red with the blood of traitors, and those who fled did not make it much further before they too were put to the blade.

Akalšes gets a decent stack of troops when they rebel, but against our quality they don't stand much of a chance.

Once it was over, Farana departed for Arašbar so that we could survey the damage. The city had been abandoned by most of its defenders in their mad harpy chase, and so it had not been totally sacked, but the Ituqattar had still claimed their due. Kyruš had been burned alive to cleanse the obvious influence from the Malevolent Dark within him, while other swathes of the city still smouldered. I implored to not tear her eyes from the sight, so she might remember the fate of traitors, and with my guidance she marked down the words that ended Akalšes forever. All nobility with ties to the rebellion were executed, their lands were parcelled among the Ituqattar, and all reference to their imagined Akalunakal were scrubbed from history. Karqašlu is the only legacy worthy of remembrance.

This is why I was silently glad we didn't actually pick a diplo idea. We'll be underwater for a while. The other option keeps them as a vassal with an LD and annexation cost reduction. If we'd taken Influence earlier I would have picked that instead.

With Akalšes eliminated, the state of Bulwar became far starker. The clear divide between the Jaddari controlling the eastern reaches, Kumarkand arising in the centre, and the remaining elven states sandwiched between the Second Empire and the dwarven incursion demonstrated that the age of minor Akalates and squabbling kingdoms had ended. The unravelling had not yet ended, but when it did there would only be one power remaining in Bulwar.

The Sahiru were changing. Just as the Sarraka and other heavy cavalry came together into a single overwhelming force, the light cavalry delved more into skirmishing and harassment. Those platforms for raining death upon the foes of Karqašlu were decent enough, but I still yearned for weapons that could shatter a cavalry charge from a distance and not just pepper infantry with shots. The guns that were filtering into Bulwar seemed to be the answer to that, but they remained too unwieldy to use on horseback.

After the near-disaster of Nanšalen, their flocks were integrated directly into the armies of Kumarkand as auxiliaries. A force of harpies caught on its own was simply too vulnerable. However, backed by cannons and heavy cavalry they could fall into other roles. Fortresses could be stormed by air, and supplies could be lifted over natural barriers with little issue. The elven commanders within the Ituqattar protested, insisting that they could provide greater benefits, but the fact remained that they were far too few in number to provide benefit to a growing army.

Human military is fairly dull, but it does have one major upside. If you get another race to integrated you can add them as a bonus to your military, to help minmax your strategy. Elves aren't too bad, 5% discipline is nothing to sniff at, but as I am starting to transition away from mercs (besides the Sarraka) the manpower hit would really hurt. Harpies on the other hand give much-needed siege ability, which is far rarer than fort defence that we can find other sources of.

As sprawling farm estates spread across the rural landscape, they began to touch upon the arid outskirts, further from the life-giving waters of the rivers. Through extensive local infrastructure development, new canals and irrigation networks were built that fed into orchards and sparser farms allowing even further expansion of fertile land across Kumarkand. No person would go hungry, and the population boom would serve the military well.

While rule of Azkabar had been handed to Akalšes, they had failed to take advantage of the treasure trove of talent that dwelt within its darkest cells. Those magi who had been freed in the initial capture of the city had scattered to their own ends. By bringing them back together and having them serve as the backbone of an expanded Sarraka, its numbers would grow and so to would the power of the Ituqattar that they formed the backbone of. The infrastructure for this would take time to develop, however.

While we are here, we get a brief update on the state of the mission tree. We are roughly halfway through the first half of the Kumarkand mission tree. Now that we have made some progress I can go into some more detail on the five tracks, from the left: integrating harpies, pushing towards the coast, going eastwards towards Rahen, economic/military developments, and religion. They converge towards the end, but we are still quite far away from that.

A grand celebration of horseracing was something that I had much enjoyed in my time, though those had been chariot races of a far more destructive and entertaining sort. The simplicity of horse and rider does have its own allure, one that the Akali indulged on occasion. She was not a great judge of horse capability, not being a rider herself, but it took her mind away from darker memories and deeper secrets.

In the interests of brevity I only showed the outcome. You pick a horse, pick a bet amount, and see what happens. There are more interesting interactions with this event we can look at later, as it recurs roughly every 30 years.

The dwarven expansion into Bahar brought with it oppression on a massive scale. The Marbleheads had demonstrated a great deal of forethought in their conquest, attempting to integrate with the human and elven populations, and that soon undone by dwarves bearing grudges from beneath the mountains. Surael does not turn any away, and these unfortunates were welcomed into Kumarkand as valuable citizens bringing interesting knowledge and ideas.

Their expansion continued at the expense of the elven kingdoms, with the Drolas peninsula and the coastline of the Gulf of Glass falling to their invasion. It was clearer than ever that they intended to dominate the trade flow between Bulwar and Cannor to fund their deep delves into the Darkness that lies below their holds.

In a grand ceremony before the obsidian walls of Azkabar, the Akali gave a grand speech regarding the Sarraka as the guardians of Surael's Garden and as her weapon against those who still threatened it. As she spoke, I made sure to remind her that for all their power the Ituqattar remained mortal and fallible, and prone to corruption. If their loyalty ever waned, it might spell disaster. To kill two phoenixes with one spell, I suggested that she delve deep beneath the soil and uncover more of the relics of old, so that they might be distributed among the noble warriors. In their hands, upon their heads, they too would learn of the power of Karqašlu.

Increased to 16 regiments, the Sarraka are now actually useful as a standalone combat force. The war wizard gets a +1 to all stats (and +2 to siege!).

Farana had other concerns, ones that she had delved deeply into both Bulwari magic lore and ancient harpy mysticism. She had become very interested in tales of eggs being cultivated to produce mighty shaman with mightier voices. When her daughter and heir fell in a very strange accident, having ridden a horse on a hunting trip instead of flying under her own power, the Akali had the opportunity to put her thoughts into practice. Her next clutch of eggs would be doused by the finest potions and kept within a mana-gathering magical circle until the moment they hatched.

We didn't get to show off rite of conception in the past, so here is a good chance to try it. For some cash up front you the mage estate makes an attempt at giving you a mage heir. The chances of a good outcome are random, varying based on mage influence, whether your ruler is a powerful mage, and a couple of other parameters. As I allude to, the harpy religion has an interaction that does a similar thing to this.

While she worked, another quick campaign against Irrliam saw more territory along the Suran fall, finally giving the Second Empire a coastline as well as full control of both rivers from the Jaddari border to the city of Medurubar, where they finally met. The end of the Drolas Peninsula was also seized to halt the dwarven advance further into Bulwar Proper. Between two ancient civilizations, the kingdoms were shattered, with no hope of restoration.

The Qašnitu grew in numbers, forming a network of scholars, magi and wealthy philanthropists who were highly interested in the history of Karqašlu. Elevating them further as the intellectual core of the Second Empire would be exactly what I needed to see my own ideas fulfilled, with the backing of ancient texts and long-lost artefacts that were collected in their new institutions.

Dimuzi came far after my time, and yet I have heard his name spoken than more any other hero of the ancient world. As a half-elf of Precursor, not Sun Elf, heritage, he guarded Panu Karqašlu for centuries and ensured that the city was not erased by the coming of monsters. His legacy was nearly erased by the Cult of Jaher, that sought to ban any acknowledgement of half-elves, but his story was so ingrained into the cultural tales of Karqašlu's descendants that it could not be stomped out. The Qašnitu Society saw a renewed interest in his story, and began sending expeditions to seek his legacy in particular.

Two eggs hatched from Farana's clutch, one of which produced a hatchling with clear deformities but around whom magic swirled incessantly, and the other of which produced a child with bright eyes and a clear mind. The Akali was pragmatic enough to not leave the nation in the hands of one so powerful but incapable, and embraced the non-magical child as her heir. The unfortunate invalid was sent to distant roost in Ayarallen, where she would eventually become a seer of minor renown, her prophecies limited by her inability to act upon them.

This is not quite the worst outcome but it is pretty close, offering us a 0/0/1 powerful mage heir. Since in the interim I got a decent new heir anyway, I decide to ignore the poor thing.

She threw herself back into her other magical studies, collaborating with the Qašnitu Society to bring thousands of helms together, restore them to the same state as the Master Helm, and outfit the Ituqattar. An incredible investment in time and money was poured into the magi's laboratories and the university in Apaškumar, and thousand of volunteers were conscripted from across the nation to test the helms without the more valuable warriors being placed at risk.

Expense did not matter; lives did not matter. All that mattered, as I drilled into the Akali's mind, was that the soldiery of Kumarkand was outfitted with the relics of Karqašlu. Through intense examination and repeated experiments, the magi were able to rebuild the damaged helms and also start manufacturing new ones. Never again would foreign enchantments fall upon the minds of the army, their thoughts guarded by the voices of the past.

A tomb was located in a sheltered and uninhabited valley at the base of the Serpentspine, upon which Surael never shone His Light. Rather than deal with the arguments of scholars I ordered, through the Akali, that the entrance be torn down by hand. Its secrets would be made of use to the Second Empire.

Inside, they found flourishing gardens lit by complex mechanisms that drew light from the height of the mountain all the way into the depths of the valley. A magical creature, a homunculus, watched over the gardens and allowed entrance to the expedition. In the heart of the tomb lay Dimuzi's mother, a Precursor Elf. Her legacy had all but crumbled, forgotten in a hidden corner of Bulwar.

It was perfect. Just as the members of the expedition broke down in sorrow at their understanding of their failure to preserve the location or exterior of the tomb, so too was her story a means to demonstrate to the people of Kumarkand that it was their duty to restore and preserve the garden of Karqašlu. A grand funeral was held at the tomb, celebrating the elven woman, her son, and the future of Surael's Garden.

And as for Dimuzi himself, his legacy was just as important. He was the exemplar of everything that Jaddar had spoken of, that all races had their place and could serve Surael and Karqašlu both. With a harpy Akali, a growing population of goblins, and deserts filled with pacified gnolls the Second Empire had grown into a tapestry of civilization. Even as it took the fight westwards against the dwarven interlopers, it saw only their empires as enemies, while their populations were citizens in waiting.

You get different benefits from Dimuzi's legacy depending on which religion you follow.

To be continued…

Vote

Just as we are reclaiming the legacy of Karqašlu, the dwarves are rebuilding their mythical empire of old. It is a noble project. However, they have grown greedy and arrogant in their tunnels and now spill out onto the surface as though that is also their birthright. We need to punish them and ensure that they no longer present any threat to the burgeoning Second Empire. I command it of you and your descendants.

(This vote does not decide anything specific, but rather the standard policy regarding our dwarven neighbours. Ovdal Tûngr in particular will be dealt with directly regardless of outcome.)

Bottle them within – Once they are driven back into the mountains, they are of little concern to Karqašlu. We are a nation of Light, while they are nations that dwell in Darkness. Wall up the entrances and let them fester there.
Shatter their unity – However, a powerful dwarven nation under the mountain might yet pose a threat. In the words of Jaddar, we must take the fight to the Darkness and see it vanquished. The holds must be divided from one another, so no empire can arise that challenges us.
Establish marches – To go one step further than that, we could bring Light to the underground, just as Jaddar did to Verkal Gulan. The unfathomable depths of the Serpentspine will be guarded by dwarven fortresses following the Jadd, and their wealth will flow to Karqašlu.

Vote for an option by clicking on the below image.



Voting will remain open indefinitely, as I will not need to take concrete action on this in game for a while.

 

[jak7139]

how it provided the helms with an incredible resistance to magic, and how they were still not sure how to fully replicate it.

Messing with magic sounds like a bad idea.

The clear divide between the Jaddari controlling the eastern reaches, Kumarkand arising in the centre, and the remaining elven states sandwiched between the Second Empire

A final showdown between the three is imminent.

This is not quite the worst outcome but it is pretty close, offering us a 0/0/1 powerful mage heir. Since in the interim I got a decent new heir anyway, I decide to ignore the poor thing.

That's sad.

Expense did not matter; lives did not matter. All that mattered, as I drilled into the Akali's mind, was that the soldiery of Kumarkand was outfitted with the relics of Karqašlu.

I'm starting to get bad vibes from this helmet. It is very persistent.

 

[Sybot]

Most voters would like us to poke our heads into the mountains and bring those unruly and surly dwarves into order, establishing them as marches. We are a bit away from being able to do that
so that vote will remain open but as things currently stand it is unlikely to change.

Chapter Eight: Last Light Standing
1528-1544

Farm Estate near Grumar, twelve miles north of the River Suran, Kumarkand, 1539

Ruqa snorted and pulled, the harness tight around her neck, then slackened and stomped her hooves against the tough dirt. She had barely moved the plough an inch through the soil, the furrow not noticeable unless one looked close.

Karuš sighed and patted her on the side.

"Look, old girl, I know its tough," he said, "try again and I'll give you a piece of sugar."

He waved a hand at Šafed, the shabbily dressed peasant who he had called up to help him in starting on a new field. The man bowed and hastily beat a retreat back towards the estate manor house to cut some treats out of the sugar blocks in the stores. Karuš chuckled at the image of a man serving up treats for a horse, as he stroked his old friend's side.

"Does she understand you?" asked Fehan, who was sat on a crate at the side of the field.

The boy was dressed in fine clothes that Karuš had never had a chance to wear at that age. Silk weaved by the finest tailors of Gišhuram, gold bangles crafted by gnollish converts in the Šad Sur, and a fine parasol offering a moment's respite from Surael's shine. He was the perfect pale picture of the future of the family.

"Of course she does," Karuš said, "we rode into so many battles together. Pulling a little plough shouldn't be any harder than charging a wall of Jaddari spears."

He had the blood of dozens or hundreds on his hands, but he bore it no mind. It was all in service of this, a peaceful retirement with a noble title, an estate and a family that didn't need to go through the same violence that he had.

"I was part of the Sahiru," he continued. He'd regaled his son with these stories so many times, but it was good to remind him of the sort of life he had been spared. "Just a boy on a small horse, riding hard across the frontier to chase off gnolls that still worshipped the demons. Back then, on the frontier, it was just a man and his horse. You build a special connection that way. When I found Ruqa, after joining the Akali's Ituqattar, we bonded just as closely. You have to, with the things you see on the battlefield."

"It always sounds so exciting!" Fehan said, leaning forward enough that sunlight grazed the tip of his nose and gave Karuš fears of imminent sunburn.

"It is no place for a man of station, as you will grow up to be," Karuš said. He leaned against Ruqa, who snorted again but let him. "I saw so many other eager young men fallen on the battlefield, their dreams bleeding out into the sand. It was some skill, and a good partner, but also some luck that I didn't end up the same. They all trusted their horses just as I trusted Ruqa."

"I'll be skilled too!" Fehan said.

"In different ways," his father shot back, "why do you think I've hired so many tutors, sent you to mingle with the other kids of the Ituqattar lords who've got estates along here. You're going to fight in the realm of politics and patronage, not on a bloody battlefield."

It broke his heart a little to see the enthusiasm drain out of Fehan, but it had to be done. The boy hadn't so much as scraped his leg in his life. He wouldn't be able to handle a spear or bow. His parents had been peasants like Šafed, content to work in a field and die in the field. He had joined the Sahiru and Ituqattar to make something of his life, and now he was offering his own son a different path.

He decided to take a different approach. He left Ruqa to grumble and chew on loose grass and squatted down in front of Fehan. The sun shone in his eyes, and he imagined them glittering with Surael's reflected light. Or perhaps just tears of irritation from His rays, but who could tell the difference.

"Our family's duty has changed," he said, "it has shifted, ever so slightly. Once, we were farmers, then I was warrior, and now we are farmers and lords both. We all need to do our part to drive back the Darkness, as Jaddar decreed."

Fehan nodded along, safe from the brightness under the parasol.

"Doing our part now means taking our interests to the royal court," Karuš continued, "it means negotiating for more equipment, more investment, and everything else we need to grow more grain than anyone else. We are here to feed the population, and to build up enough money and power to protect my future grandchildren, right? We are doing our duty to nation and family, so that Surael is empowered by the Light that we bring to the world."

"So, one day I'll fight alongside Him?" Fehan said, his face lighting up again.

"If your soul is alight with enough good deeds, when it returns to Him it might just empower Him enough to banish the Darkness forever," Karuš said, extending his arms out wide as if to show off the bright day that they were enjoying.

Fehan clapped and hopped up onto the crate, twirling his parasol just enough to get a little sun. Karuš let him enjoy a little of Surael's gift, but kept an eye on him anyway just in case he went overboard in his excitement.

He turned the other half of his attention back to Ruqa. Perhaps a different, less direct approach was needed for her as well. He looked carefully at the plough, and at the gentle slope of the field. Maybe getting her used to an easier angle would work.

"C'mon girl, turn this way," he said, pulling on her reins and patting her on the nose.

With a huff, Ruqa finally started to move. The plough ground against the dirt as it was moved out of position, but as soon as the mare was at a more comfortable angle, she started to move again, dragged it along behind her. It made a worthless diagonal groove in the ground as it broke apart the tough and dry soil, but he had gotten her to pull it.

As they reached the edge of the field, Šafed returned with a bucket of sugar chunks. Feeling generous, Karuš held up the entire bucket, which his horse happily stuck its nose into to start enjoying its reward for a bit of hard work.

Stepping back, Karuš admired both the partly ploughed field and the eager upcoming nobility before him. Maybe he was spoiling them a little, but it was in service to an easier and lazier future for all of them.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

Kumarkand touched the sea, and I took a moment to ride high on Farana's wings to look out at the deep blue expanse stretching to the horizon and beyond. On its surface, blessed by Surael, it was our route to the world, where our grain would one day feed millions. Below the surface, still ensconced in Darkness, danger and evil lurked. To protect trade and protect ourselves, we needed a shipbuilding industry, and Anzabad would serve well as the first such site.

The Akali herself began to turn inwards, growing more and more intent on ensuring every aspect of her rule and every new construction was perfect. I do not know why; my feedback was regular, sensible and constructive and yet she always seemed on edge whenever I brought up my latest request.

Jaddar III had turned his attention to the desert once again, giving us an opportunity to strike further up the Suran. Our goals were the Temple of Eduz-Vacyn, the oldest and largest in Bulwar, and the city of Hašr, the last major city on the Suran until Azka-Sur. Seizing these would confine the Jaddari to the desert and prove that we were the ones favoured by Surael.

We were not the only ones taking advantage of the Desert Legion's overextension. From deep in the south came trolls wreathed in shadows that would not burn away no matter how hard Surael's Light beat down upon them. The Ituqattar forces advancing on Ebbušubtu kept their distance from the creatures, as righteous as it would have been to strike them down where they stood.

Trolls recently got new unit models. Check them out!

While the Ituqattar were in the east, defence of Bulwar Proper fell to a division of Sarraka comprised of those human mages in training. With the support of only a few thousand harpy warriors, they drove the Jaddari incursions back into the desert from whence they came and ensured that the Desert Legion tasted no more than a sip of the Suran's life-giving water before they bled their last into it.

One irony is that I can't actually assign the Sarraka war wizard to the Sarraka merc unit, so I'm stuck with this useless general. I think if I had them, it'd have been a wipe.

The absence of the Ituqattar also emboldened those who thought that their wealth or their lives deserved the same privilege as those who fought on the frontlines for Karqašlu. Any such protests were silenced, their organizers thrown behind the obsidian walls of Azkabar as a reminder to the rest to know their place.

Their lands safe and their infrastructure developed, the artisans of Anzabad began their dutiful work as the shipwrights of the Second Empire. Over the course of the following years they would put to sea the first of Kumarkand's galley fleet, mighty triremes that harkened back to ancient designs while making use of modern techniques, alongside transport vessels capable of ferrying the Ituqattar to distant battlefields.

At the gates of Seghdihr the last of the Desert Legion made their final stand, having been driven into full retreat by the monsters of the Shadow Swamp. The Ituqattar crushed them against the mountainside, and in the aftermath news began to filter from across the desert of a half-dozen other foes declaring war upon the Jaddari to push back what was once their greatest threat.

Another impromptu training exercise on the quiet home front saw the Sarraka and aligned harpy forces drive the gnolls from the Šad Sur, which they had in turn seized from Irrliam. The southern frontier of Bulwar was now secured against the monsters, though the region remained a hotbed of violent unrest between the gnollish packs that converted to the Jadd and human refugees seeking to return to their homes.

All war goals were achieved, and the Ituqattar returned home in glory, rich with plunder and with new lands to be distributed amongst themselves. Some in the priesthood questioned the decision to leave fellow believers in Surael to the mercies of monsters of the Darkness, but the Akali spoke on my behalf to reaffirm that they had failed in their duties and were receiving their just punishment.

The Ituqattar were not pleased learning of the opposition to their privileges, and at my urging they began to crack down on the independence of the cities and guilds that were under their authority. All must pull together to see Karqašlu rise again, through me, and my Akali, and my Ituqattar.

I really don't hit this button enough. We had picked up so many high autonomy provinces that it boosted my income by about 10% and turned a slight surplus into a massive surplus.

Without the Desert Legion, the Jaddari were nothing more than a scattering of desert settlements. Facing invasion from every direction, they were doomed to irrelevancy. Jaddar's words and Surael's Light would be carried forward amidst the shining glory of Karqašlu, not atop dust-scoured bones.

This is what seems to be the outcome for Jaddari in recent updates. They reach a point, fall behind in tech, then get dogpiled. Frankly I think the AI needs a buff similar to what the Command got in the form of event-based war declarations so they focus in the right directions while they still have an advantage.

Given the chaotic situation in the desert, it was most prudent to fortify the Upper Suran. Gnolls reverting to their demonic ways, tribes engaging in raids to survive, and Raheni invaders overextending their reach all presented a threat. We needed to show the people of the Upper Suran that they were welcome and safe in the garden we were building at the very heart of Karqašlu.

With the Šad Sur under control, the possibility of raids across the southern desert routes as the Jaddari had attempted, or worse an attack by the beasts of Kheterata, became a real possibility. The foul magic of the demons had scarred Ekluzagnu, but that did not mean it could not be repaired and serve as the southern bastion of Karqašlu against the Darkness. Some of the Ituqattar suggested it be rebuilt into an ornate palace, no doubt jockeying to be assigned to a place of such prestige, but the needs of Karqašlu came before their greed.

In both cases you get defensiveness and dev cost reduction on the province, but more of one or the other depending on whether you pick palace or fortress.

It was a marvel to see the people who had delivered the final blow to the First Empire so effectively integrated into the Second. I had been a little sceptical when Saed had declared Farana to be his heir, but her rule had seen Kumarkand ascend to the greatest power within Bulwar, thanks in no small part to the work of her kin. Spire-roosts arose from each city, noble families sought harpy marriages to tie themselves closer to the throne, the Order of Jasiéne's Daughters provided aid and healthcare across the nation, and the skies were filled with citizens devoting their lives to Surael and Karqašlu.

Annail was brought under the protection of Kumarkand, to prevent the dwarves from invading them. It was a straightforward test of the Second Empire's burgeoning naval capability, but it was a very successful one. Harpies leapt from the ships, taking to the air and avoiding trudging across beaches under arrow fire. As the enemy were distracted, long wooden ramps were extended that gave the Ituqattar all they needed to charge ashore and secure victory.

A far more important outcome of the war, one of great importance for the coming dwarven confrontation, was the submission of Azka-Evran. The bastard line of Deggarion had faltered, its last scion dying at the blade of a dwarven axe, and a human now ruled what was left of the kingdom, or rather, the Akalate. In exchange for his submission and recompense, Farana offered the Akal the chance to reclaim all that had been lost, including the eponymous fortress. This would be the wedge by which she would crack open the dwarven grip on western Bulwar.

I originally planned to just annex them, but realized that they have a whole lot of cores on dwarven territory.

I would not put aside anyone who would wish to aid in rebirth of Karqašlu, unless they were a degenerate Khetist. With my words leaving her mouth, the Akali encouraged the consideration of ideas and philosophies of distant lands. The opening of the coast and arrival of trade from Cannor brought with it more knowledge from distant Aelantir and new ideas born of the religious conflict now gripping their continent. Surael shines on all. So long as these ideas do not have the taint of Darkness, they are acceptable.

In her obsession, the Akali wished to do more to replicate the glory of Panu Karqašlu, which was increasingly uncovered by the archaeological works of the Qašnitu. She spent a great deal of money to tear down the old city walls of Apaškumar and connect it to Yesd Apaškumar, creating a sprawling urban centre charged with the administration of a nation that held nearly all of Bulwar within its hands.

Many were concerned that the capital would now lack protection, but in place of the old city walls a new bastion was constructed with the aid of a brilliant goblin engineer. Using the Buranun as a natural barrier, an extensive series of guard towers and curved walls were constructed with overlapping fields of fire and gates through which entire regiments of cavalry could be unleashed. Any enemy who sought to assault the capital would perish.

Translation of the tomb was completed with much fanfare by the Qašnitu, telling the tales of a nameless elf who denied the Call for Reflection and made Bulwar her home. Truly she, and not Jaher, was the first true Sun Elf. Scholars from across the world looked to Karqašlu, both in its history and in its modern form as its history began to unfurl.

The collapse of the Jaddari saw thousands of their most devout warriors fleeing west. The Jaddarzuir line was tainted with failure and Surael's disdain. Kumarkand, Karqašlu, was the heart of the Jadd, the heart of the Sun Cult, and the Lightbringers would serve to see that all did their part for their nation and their faith.

With this decision we can deploy the admin Holy Order, but I still prefer the diplo one. The main reason I took this was for the subsequent decision.

Upon the highest tower of Yesd Apaškumar, the Akali sang out Surael's truth. He is the only god, He fights the war in the heavens, and He has placed His trust in Karqašlu to take up the war on Halann. The Cult of Jaher had been shattered, its adherents reduced to mere remnants, and the Jaddari had failed in their duty to prosecute His will. The Jadd was the only true form of the Sun Cult, and no power other than Kumarkand held authority over it.

To take this decision you need a massive 10% missionary strength. It's easy for the Jaddari themselves but trickier for other nations. I managed to stack a few modifiers to get there, as the Sun Cult has quite a few ways to get missionary strength even without religious ideas such as province modifier and their mage estate. It's sadly not that dramatic a change with most of the NSC already gone and dwarves getting in the way.

The ascent of the faith did little to slow down advances in other areas. Many of the Ituqattar, now settled down on their estates after a youth of campaigning, found that their retired warhorses served just as well as draft animal. Bearing a stubborn spirit and immense strength, even the toughest and driest soil could be broken down by horses led by the finest retired officers of Karqašlu.

Despite the growing integration of harpykind into the court and nation, the dividing line between the Akali and her closest followers, primarily harpies, and the nobility, primarily humans and elves, was a stark one. There was a constant struggle for her favour, one that I watched with much amusement as the power-hungry fools trampled over one another for minor gains. However, it did spark concern within me. Many of those fools were of my own Ituqattar, who ought to be above such petty politics.

Leyla had perhaps the greatest chance to see these racial divides banished. Unlike Farana, who had to fight for her throne, she had grown up in a diverse and fully integrated city and had already built up a collection of friends and allies with her smooth and symphonic voice.

The Surani frontier was secured, and plans were made to continue the campaign as far as Azka-Sur, reaching the very easternmost extent of the First Empire. However, before such a campaign could begin there were problems closer to the heart of Karqašlu that needed to be addressed.

The Kingdom of Irrliam was vanquished, once and for all, but in the midst of that assault the dwarves also seized a portion of land that was rightfully Bulwari. Fury rose from the people, from the most devout peasant to the mightiest member of the Ituqattar, all eager to see land that ought to be ruled under Surael's Light taken from these empires based deep in the Darkness of the underground.

Innovation is the key to survival, and I had become engrossed with the idea of firearms since my reawakening. Though horseback is not an especially stable platform for such guns, especially with the need to reload so frequently with such early designs, the infantry in support of said cavalry made good use of them. There was no longer any need for infantry to engage the enemy in melee combat, as they could pin them with musket volleys as the Ituqattar wheeled around to strike them in the flank.

With the Ituqattar getting ever-stronger, the Sarraka bursting with new recruits, and gunpowder weapons spreading throughout the armies of Kumarkand, the time had come to strike at the largest remaining threat to the rise of the Second Empire. The dwarves had, at this point, actually broken their alliance due to their competing claims over rightful Bulwari land. However, I insisted that the Akali make read to war upon both of them at once. They invaded us together, and thus they would be crushed together under hooves and shot and magic.

To be continued…

No vote for this chapter.

 

[jak7139]

The boy hadn't so much as scraped his leg in his life. He wouldn't be able to handle a spear or bow.

And so the decadence begins...

I really don't hit this button enough. We had picked up so many high autonomy provinces that it boosted my income by about 10% and turned a slight surplus into a massive surplus.

I always forget to do it too. And it can't be done at war which is usually when I remember the button exists.

I would not put aside anyone who would wish to aid in rebirth of Karqašlu, unless they were a degenerate Khetist.

Why does the helmet hate the Khetists?

 

[Sybot]

Why does the helmet hate the Khetists?

This will be revealed soon enough. There are two main throughlines in the second half of the Kumarkand MT, one of them dealing with this.

Chapter Nine: The Final Pieces
1544-1558

The skies above Bahar, near Shazstundihr Hold, 1546

Wind rushed across Leyla's skin as she dove and weaved through the air currents, the chill of the air at odds with the beating of the sun so high above. As she flew, a mournful song rolled from her lips, reverberating from the depths of her syrinx. It was not for pleasant reasons that she travelled north. Her mother was dead, passing away naturally while visiting an army camp some distant behind the front lines. Her body had already been returned to Yesd Apaškumar, but Leyla had been told that an heirloom was held in the possession of the commander. It was deemed too important to leave to a courier, but what could be more important than the body of the Akali?

Her entourage followed her as she descended towards the ground. The mountains of the Serpentsreach loomed large to her right, the glaring white gates of Shazstundihr standing out even from such a distance. To her left, the Divenhal shimmered as human and dwarven vessels watched the unfolding battle on the shore. They might hold the waters, but the land was now her domain.

Approaching rapidly was a small fort that that, according to the records of the refugees filling the cities of Kumarkand, had been a goblin village. Whatever was once there had been paved over and replaced with stone edifices guarding a small settlement. Outside of it, a much large encampment was spread out, the last remnants of retreating dwarven forces.

"Akali," said Ia, her melodic voice rising over the air roaring past Leyla's ears. It was still strange to hold that title, no matter how long she had been preparing for it. Ia continued, "we should stay back until the fighting is over. Many of our sisters have been lost to dwarven sharpshooters."

"I will determine that," Leyla said, swooping into a circular descent that slowed her own approach.

Far below her, the battle had been raging for some time. The Sunforged infantry had engaged in a stand-off with several blocks of dwarven Pepper-and-Tortoise, a fight that they would not win in a prolonged engagement. Their light armour and thin shields would not last against dwarven rifles guarded by armour of steel and mithril. However, their sacrifices would not be in vain.

From on high, Leyla could see the mass of the Ituqattar moving through the forests that flanked the approaches of the fort. Flashes of fire and shifting earth evidenced the presence of Sarraka auxiliaries leading the charge and carving a path out of what had been rough terrain.

Cannons on both sides exchanged fire, shells landing amongst the infantry and artillery crews, or reducing the fort's walls to rubble. The dwarves had confidence, despite their defeats to this moment, and their formations were advancing against a loose and skirmishing Kumarkandi infantry line. She was no great commander, but she was beginning to feel sorry for those who were dependent on the arrival of the cavalry who had yet to come.

Ignoring Ia's further pleas, she banked over to the strongest shaman within her entourage, a warrior and vocalist both. Pari had fought in battles before, against the elven invaders pushing through Firanyalen, and her voice had echoed across the valley to rally the forces of Nanšalen against their foes.

"Can you enhance my voice, or repeat my song?" Leyla asked Pari.

"Whatever you wish, Akali," Pari replied. She cleared her throat, and began to repeat a perfect rendition of the dirge Leyla had been singing as they had approached the battle. There was some magical mechanism to her imitation, much as Kiríja Muló of distant Mulén had been able to enchant entire cities. It was this upon which Leyla intended to rely.

They descended quickly, approaching the hilltop upon which the command tent for the Kumarkandi forces was arranged. Upon landing, they were greeted by the commanding officer and his guards. Each were wearing distinct silver helms on their head, the same sort that every soldier of Kumarkand now wore, though the general wore one that was far more ornate that the rest. It took her a moment to recognise it as the one her mother had often worn.

"Greetings, Akali," said the general, "this one is Pireez szel Markumar, commander of the Second Ituqattar Division."

She wasn't sure to make of his turn of phrase and looked him in the eye. There was a glint of silver swimming behind his pupil, as though there was an eye behind his eye.

"I wish to aid you in this battle," she said, putting the question to the back of her mind, "will that be a problem?"

"So long as you do not join the front lines," he replied, "I would not wish to have to find a new Akal or Akali so soon."

"He is right, if insolent," Ia said, whispering from behind Leyla, "we should retire out of cannon range."

"I will not take to the field," Leyla acknowledged, "but I will not abandon the battlefield entirely. If I cannot stand with those giving their lives for me, I am not worthy as Akali."

She nodded to Pari, who ran towards the nearest perch and took to the air, extending her wings and swooping down towards the smoke-clouded battlefield. As she watched the shaman shrink into the distance, Leyla marched up to the same perch, climbed up onto it, wrapped her foot-claws tightly around it, and took in a deep breath.

Her song was not loud enough to reach the fort on its own, and that was even without the roar of gunfire and cannons still echoing from the battlefield. However, every head in the command camp turned towards her as she began to sing a wordless tune of loss, but determination. Just as she had lost her mother and was now faced with ruling a nation alone, a nation larger than her mother had inherited, and larger than her grandfather could ever have possibly imagined. Nonetheless, she was determined to see it all through, to see the dwarves driven back underground, to see the false heralds of the Jaddari replaced by the righteous warriors of Kumarkand, and to see Surael shine across a land of peace.

In the distance, her own voice sounded back at her. Pari circled over the frontlines, above the Sunforged who had been fighting valiantly but appeared on the verge of breaking. Her song renewed their spirits, and they reformed their lines and held strong against the next dwarven push.

The dwarves surely realised something was happening, as a cannon shell detonated somewhere in the command camp, sending up a shower of dirt that coated her feathers, but she stood tall and sang heedless of such danger.

Finally, the Ituqattar made their move. They charged from a treeline that had been shoved aside by earth-moving magic, and smashed into the dwarven tortoises with unwavering strength that was further bolstered by the music sounding over the battlefield. Even mithril could not stand up to the weight of their charge, and the dwarven formations collapsed into chaos. The cannon emplacements atop the fort were silenced by fireballs, and soon the only remaining sounds echoing from the frontline were the screams and moans of the dying.

Leyla stepped down from the perch and closed her eyes for a moment, in memory of the fallen, before turning to the awestruck officers and soldiers surrounding her.

The only one who seemed completely unaffected by her song was Pireez szel Markumar, who was smiling broadly as his eyes shone a little more silver.

"I look forward to working with you," he said, "please, wear this."

He pulled the helm from his own head, and the moment it was no longer touching his skull his whole body shuddered and his eyes rolled back into his head. Before he could collapse, he regained composure and stumbled to an upright position.

"Maršari Leyla," he said, "welcome. I-"

A moment of confusion crossed his face. He took a few more seconds to appear to arrange his thoughts, and then straightened up and adjusted his uniform. Kneeling down, he presented Leyla's mother's helm in his outstretched hands.

"Apologies, Akali Leyla," he said, "he wanted to see and hear."

She nodded and took the helm from him. She knew of her mother's benefactor, someone who communicated through the helm, but there was more to it than that. Such a closely guarded secret, there was only one way for her to know the truth. She placed it over her head, and began to listen to what he had to say.

Excerpts from Musings on the First, Second, and Only Empire, retrieved from the Panu Karqašlu Archives in 2025 After Ash

It was the time to show the world the power of Karqašlu. For too long we had been fighting our own battles against our Bulwari enemies. Now, envoys bearing tidings of war were sent forth to the dwarven occupiers and their human and elven allies. Though combined they outnumbered our forces, I had full faith that the Ituqattar would sweep them aside.

However, first blood in the war actually went to the Sarraka, who swept up the Drolas Peninsula and cast a spell of ice to see themselves safely across to the Glass Isles, where the regional garrison made up of Crathánori conscripts was waiting for them. Drafted from their home to fight for their dwarven masters, they were no match for the mounted mages of the Sarraka. Even with reinforcements arriving, the Peninsula was soon completely secured, though the Sarraka had to remain in theatre to oppose any attempted landings from the 'Sea Hold'.

While we don't yet have 100% cavalry ratio on regular armies, the Sarraka mercenaries do, making them an excellent solo stack. This is with a disadvantage in leadership and a sea crossing penalty.

The Ituqattar began their push into Bahar, delivering a major defeat to both the dwarven and human forces. The Diamond Dwarves had taken Azka-Evran's capital, but the Akal evacuated to Kumarkand's protection and his warriors continued to fight on with the aid of Nanšaleni forces. It was not long afterwards that Aqatbar fell, securing the route from Shazstundihr and Ovdal Tûngr itself.

In the south the Šad Sur was the site of several minor battles as the Sarraka ran down invaders from the sea attempting their pitiful repeat of the Onslaught. These incursions were finally brought to a halt by the completion of Ekluzagnu, a fortress carved from pitch-black obsidian, the southern bastion of the Second Empire. Staffed with soldiers wearing the silver helms of Karqašlu, it would never again fall to demonic magic.

Elven forces crossed into Firanyalen through a hidden passage from the Deepwoods, forcing a significant force of Ituqattar to pull back keep them from striking Bulwar through this other route. This highlighted the need for fortifications in this region, which had been written off a secure from the nation's foes. The dwarfs also struck from a secret direction, emerging from the mountains from a tunnel just north of Azka-Evran having forced their way through the goblins who dwelt in those caverns. However, even a single division of the Ituqattar were able to hold their own and keep this incursion under control until the rest returned.

The last of the Copper Dwarf forces were caught in Azka-Evran itself while the Diamond Dwarves were under pursuit by the main body of the Ituqattar. They had, in their hubris, torn down the fortress and so were caught in their camps with no walls for protection. With the last armies outside of the mountains destroyed or defeated, the next phase of the campaign would take them deep within the Serpentspine. Maps secured from the libraries of Aqatbar mapped out what the reclaimers knew of the railways and caverns, charting a route straight to Arg-Ôrdstun.

Farana did not live to see the dwarves driven from Bulwar, succumbing to age after eighty years of life just as the siege of Arg-Ôrdstun began. It was a shame that the technology to instil one's soul into metal had not been rediscovered, for she would have made a worthy eternal Akali to reign alongside me. Her daughter took a moment to visit the warriors marching towards Ovdal Tûngr as their new Akali and sing to motivate them to victory. Her voice was even more sublime than her mother's, and as she heard my voice for the first time I encouraged her to take good care of her syrinx.

She returned to a royal court that was beginning to ossify once again. The rise of the Ituqattar had seen the old nobility purged and replaced, but after decades in power the Ituqattar themselves were beginning to gain power and grow complacent in that power. Though their insight into distant lands and domestic management were valuable, petty politics were an incessant problem. From the moment that I returned upon Leyla's head, I began to consider this problem. There had to be a way to end such power struggles and have all put aside their feuds to devote themselves to the Akali, to Surael, and to me.

The Diamond Dwarves conceded most of their remaining territory outside of the mountains, though not yet all of it. More valuable were the vast reserves of gemstones that were seized from the hold, which they had been hoarding in some fool attempt to secure a monopoly over the surface. These treasures were soon distributed among those Ituqattar who had braved the Darkness to secure the hold.

Their surrender saw the remainder of the Šad Našratu and the whole of the Šad Kuz come under the domain of Kumarkand. This frontier would suffice for the northern boundary of the Second Empire, for that moment, and so it would need manning. The Moon Guard was made up of those who did not succeed in the Ituqattar, but wished to serve the nation nonetheless.

It was not long afterwards that the Copper Dwarves offered their own surrender, conceding the Drolas Peninsula and returning much of Azka-Evran's territory. Their hold, inaccessible except by a great cavern that opened up onto the Divenhal, was not breached, but that was a punishment that could be reserved for a future campaign. I was, and am, nothing if not patient.

Please ignore the royal title change. We aren't an Akali of Akalis quite yet, even if I did hit the rank up button.

Though the Ituqattar ought to have returned home with a hero's welcome, they faced a horde of farmhands marching upon Apaškumar with hopeless complaints about the proper reorganization of their farms into proper estates, a process still continuing along the length of both great rivers. It was the first test of the city's new fortifications, and they proved their worth as thousands of peasants fell against bastions even before the cavalry arrived to end their treason.

As the Jaddari collapsed, the Desert Legion destroyed and the Jaddar legacy now existing solely within Kumarkand, more and more regions rose in revolt against them. The people of Azka-Sur in the lowlands below the temple complex prepared to march against it, while aligning with the exiled dwarves of Seghdihr who wished to reclaim their holds. Both would be easy targets in the effort to secure the full length of the Suran, one to conquer and one to establish as a march against the Darkness of the mountain tunnels.

I missed the peace deals for both of these. Incidentally it is interesting to see just how much the Jaddari attacks on the dwarves have wrecked the reclamation of the Middle Dwarovar.

Beyond the harpy-dominated regions of the Šad Našratu and approaching the elbow of the Serpentreach like the lands of the Gelkar. They were not a prominent people in my era, but time has granted them some personality, be that in fancy cheeses or in their alignment with the mysterious creature that live atop the blue mountain. The Four Wise Ones, the Erbatraši, are not something I pay much heed to, but many believers in Surael treat them with divinity and so they would need to be aligned with Karqašlu one day.

I will come back to this monument when I have less things that urgently need money spent on them.

Goblins found further recognition within Kumarkand as architects and engineers, following the example of Nyras. His work on Ekluzagnu was just the beginning, as forts were raised across the new frontiers of the Second Empire to protect the garden that it held within.

The eastern campaign continued with little fanfare, seizing more territory and the source of the holy Suran, cementing control of both of the great rivers. There remained villages scattered across the deserts that fought for their independence from the Jaddari, but they were beyond the scope of Kumarkand's ambition at that moment.

Though the peasants complained and revolted, it was for their benefit that I had orchestrated land reform across the nation, my will flowing through the words of the Akal and Akali. Centralizing food production in vast estates was far more efficient than distributed fields, and though the serfs lost some freedom of work, they gained freedom from hunger and the benefits of an ever-blooming economy. Such wealth also helped mollify the restive merchants and other townsfolk who rankled at the privileges of the Ituqattar.

The Akali was far more interested in the great festivals of horsemanship in Avamezan than her mother, and spent many weeks studying the breeds on display so that she might pick the right winner. I do not know if her songs in support of the red-adorned horse were what brought it to victory, but I was impressed by her acumen. Still, I would have preferred a race with a bit more heft to it, one where the horses pulled proper chariots and the racers could truly challenge one another in strength and skill while putting their lives on the line.

Here is what happens when you win the horse race. I put in 30 crowns, got 180 out. Still more unique interactions to come later.

After a very brief three years, the eastern campaign concluded with the seizure of the remaining Jaddari territory within the Surani watershed. The Citrine Dwarves also were finally returned to their hold, where they pledged their allegiance to the Akali and promised to watch over Azka-Sur from its heights. War and rebellion continued to wrack the Jaddari after this, in conflicts that both I and Leyla had no desire to become entangled in.

Brasan is one of the jewels of Bulwar, one of the greatest gems within the crown of Karqašlu, so fouly stolen from us by the cretin Elikhet. Sitting at the mouth of the Suran, where the waters of both the great rivers finally drain into the Divenhal after imparting their life upon our nation, it formed the natural heart of the burgeoning trade empire of the Second Empire. With no other nations of note remaining in Bulwar, the Copper Dwarves driven back into their hold, all the exported grain and wonderous treasures of Bulwar for sale to outsiders would find their way through the city. For the first time since I had awoken, the value of trade was approaching the raw productive value of the fields and workshops of the nation.

I put some consideration towards restoring the autonomy of the Annaili Akalate, but came to the decision that times had changed. With the infrastructure now present along the length and breadth of Bulwar, and aided by couriers who could fly across it in a matter of days, managing an empire of that size was no longer a difficult challenge. The Drolas Peninsula and its wealth of seafaring and trading knowledge could serve the Second Empire directly.

As we have consistently voted against a vassal focus (not counting dwarves), I don't bother creating this vassal.

Deep within my recollections I held memories of vast reserves of precious metals in the Šad Sur, and implored the Akali to see them dug up and aligned to the growing expense of the growing empire. The local inhabitants, human and gnoll both, resisted our mineral census with traitorous glee, and had to be put to the sword by the Sahiru in a bloody purge. Clearly, the lust for gold had led them deep into the clutches of the Malevolent Dark.

Connections with Cannor continued to grow as trade resumed, and visitors from that cold and wartorn continent brought with them their latest device, a machine that could mass produce writings. At first I was dubious of its purpose, but then it occurred to me that the histories of Karqašlu could now be standardized and shared with the population. No longer would word of mouth and imperfect copies corrupt the truth of the past. My first act was to, with the use of the Akali's fingers, write a tale from my childhood and have it distributed to every household in Bulwar.

The landscape of Bulwar, now under the protection of the imminent Second Empire, flourished like never before. Not even under the auspices of the First Empire, or the grand heights of the Phoenix Empire, did the people know such prosperity. Land that would have been swallowed by the desert was turned green, ancient irrigation ways were restored, and the cities bulged with a population boom that could then be filtered into ever more growth in both economy and military. All through the simple act of prioritising our greatest asset, the fertility of the land blessed by Surael.

This isn't even the final form of Kumarkand's farming buffs. It might be better at it than Newshire.

Inspired by the writings that I made her pen, Leyla found her own interests in the wonders of the printing press. She commissioned tales from across the peoples of Kumarkand, be they the stories of her own harpy sisters and the men that fought alongside them, tales from those gnolls who resisted the demons from within, the histories of goblins clans going back millennia that told of what lurked in the depths of the mountain, and of course stories of Karqašlu passed down through the mouths of a hundred different storytellers that offered new insights on the First Empire. She would read these to her new daughter, seeking to impart upon her the wisdom of diversity.

That was not to say that advancement only benefitted culture. The innovations of warfare described in books brought from Cannor were invaluable, and offered up countless new ideas for me to mull over and consider as I pondered precisely how to bring the ancient warfare of the Ituqattar into modern era. They had proven their power against the dwarves, but there still remained far greater foes out there if tales from Haless and Cannor were to be considered.

In a similar manner, the infrastructure that sprawled across the length of the rivers did not only benefit the productivity of the economy. The Sahiru, who had begun their transition from a light military force into a policing force, could ride to any troubled hotspot in a matter of days at worst to bring down justice on any who threatened the peace of Karqašlu.

Though the temple of Azka-Sur needed much renovation, as a result of years of neglect at the hands of the faltering Jaddari, a far higher priority was securing it as the eastern boundary of the Second Empire. Military infrastructure, and the farms to support them, were constructed in record time with aid from the dwarves of Seghdihr. In return, they received aid in rebuilding their own home that had suffered the same neglect.

The boundaries of Bulwar were secure, the Jadd reigned as the sole truth of Surael's will, and the people of Kumarkand wanted for nothing. It was time to begin the next stage of my plan. Very soon, I would not be the only one to know the truth of the past, and the stories of the First Empire would no longer be mere fiction. The official foundation of the Second Empire was nigh.

We are approaching the end of this section of the Kumarkand mission tree, and that capstone mission that unlocks the next section comes with a very important decision…

To be continued…

Next will be a state of the known world update.

Vote

I have learned much in the eighty years since I first saw the sky again. The world has changed, and though the dream of Karqašlu is eternal I know that it need not take the same form that it did in the past. It must adapt, it must be stronger, it must be a form where no monster from the deep or beast of feline arrogance can strike it down every again.

When I learned that my descendants were mere farmers and rangers, I feared that they had lost their touch, but Kumarkand has proven itself a worth nation to model an empire upon, for it wields the key to economic and military power both.

As a nation develops and builds connections, those beyond its borders take notice, both with greed and jealousy. We can take advantage of that, and turn our strategic position for trade into immeasurable wealth that can then be invested back into the nation. We will make the hills and desert bloom just as the rivers do.

The Way of Jaddar has taken us far, and has brought so many new peoples and new ideas into Karqašlu. With the strength we have cultivated we can go even further and spread Surael's Light beyond the boundaries of Bulwar. The forces of the Malevolent Dark will fear the sound of our hooves.

(Important note – this is primarily a vote for flavour, but it is still crucial flavour going forward. Map colour and national ideas will differ as per the below images, along with effects on the narrative. In all cases we will gain the second half of Kumarkand's MT and Surakeš MT. Reasons below if you want more details.

The Jadd Empire MT does not work unless you start as Jaddari, borking the mission tree entirely and replacing it with the generic one. Staying Kumarkand would lock ourselves out of Surakeš MT without further modding. For the sake of having options while having as much content as possible I have changed things so all three will get the same MTs. Normally the Jadd Empire option is locked until later in the Kumarkand MT, likely due to the aforementioned MT issues, but I have modded it to bring the switchover forward to the same point as the Kumarkand/Surakeš decision)

Karqašlu is a land of strong horses and verdant fields! – Cavalry and Production (Highlights include +1 leader shock, +0.25 cavalry shock, +10% prod efficiency)

Karqašlu is Surael's Garden upon Halann! – Development and Trade (Highlights include +15% trade efficiency, -20% development cost, +20% global trade power)

Karqašlu is Surael's Spear wielded against the Darkness! – Religion and Conquest (Highlights include +20% cavalry combat, -20% province cost vs other faiths, +5% admin efficiency)

(Yes, it matches the colour of Jaddari)

Vote for an option by clicking on the below image.



Voting will remain open for four days, considering the importance of this decision.

 

[Sybot]

Interlude: State of the Known World 1558

From an account by Leyla, Akali of Kumarkand, recounting a conversation taking place when she was alone in her chambers in Yesd Apaškumar, 1558.

I spoke.

"Are you not concerned about the Darkness that is spilling from the centre of the continent to the south. The reports of the savagery of the trolls, this nation called Yezel Mora, in the Jaddari lands are horrific, a sign of true Darkness. Should we not turn our attention to aiding our allies in the Light against this evil?"

He replied.

"Our true enemy in Sarhal still lies to the west. Kheterata has once again fallen, this time to a conqueror from beyond the desert, but that accursed land has a tendency to absorb whomever conquers it. They become enamoured with Khet and fall into worship as though they were slaves. Once they have completed driving the Busilari from this side of the Divenhal, they will finish the job against the gnolls of the central desert and the remnants of the latest feline supplicants. It will be our duty to rid them of any such intent to build a Kheterata in their image. We now rule all of Bulwar, so there is little that will be able to oppose us."

I spoke.

"I do not know much of the intricacies of the religious conflicts of the Cannorians, but it appears that there are few nations among their number who pose a threat to us, if any. The elves of the Deepwoods are nearly unified, and have already demonstrated that they can invade through Firanyalen, but otherwise we can let them fight over their dead gods."

He replied.

"On this, I agree. Lorent can be considered the greatest of their number, but they are mired in internal conflicts with unruly and decadent nobility. Let their decline be a lesson in rulership, for there can be only one Akali, and only one god above her. You should also heed the reports of a monstrous host massing in the lands of Escann. They do not threaten us yet, but if it were to sweep into Cannor it could cause immeasurable damage to our trade relationships. We might have to intervene to save them, and claim the entire continent as a dominion of Karqašlu."

Lorent's subjects combined have 60% more development than they do, and they all (except the colonies) have supporters for independence. It's not going well, despite their GP ranking.

I spoke.

"The greatest threats lie to the east, where merchants have travelled down the trade routes telling of mighty empires clashing with one another and with armies of hobgoblins. The collapse of the Raj will only hasten the rise of these new empires, and if one of them were to turn its eyes to Bulwar we are not yet ready to face them."

He replied.

"Ambition must meet ambition to ensure our safety. Whether this Command sweeps all its foes aside, or the fortress kingdom of Bim Lau withstands its own onslaught and arises again, or the mysterious Baihon Xinh eclipses them both, we will be ready. With my guidance, with my power, we can claim borders that are unassailable. Mountains and deserts will halt even the mightiest army. We might also seek allies or client states in the remnants of the Raj, those who are willing to serve as a buffer against the might of the eastern empires. Rajnadhaga may prove useful to court, as they have proven themselves resilient against the advance of the Command."

The Command's not having a great campaign. They're still up there, but the fact that they aren't running away with things in Haless is quite telling.

I spoke.

"Our kin have found their place in the distant west, though the Cannorians seem to have settled a greater expanse of territory. Saamir's island still holds strong, while Zanlib has emerged as one of the stronger members of the Trollsbay Concord. However, Lorent's seizure of the elven colonies has given them a significant foothold. We do not have the fleet to support our friends, but perhaps we can offer some other assistance, so that Surael's Light finds some place in those dark and desolate lands."

He replied.

"It might be necessary. There is a great Darkness in the southern continent, emerging from the jungle. The Exemplars of Rezankand who settled on the southern tip have reported that life blooms incessantly on their frontier and consumes all without regard for morality or decency. It is far beyond the reach of Karqašlu, and we are far beyond its reach, but we must be wary of onslaughts from directions that we might otherwise think impossible."

I spoke.

"I did not expect our finances to be so healthy. We have fought so many wars and invested so much of our treasury in paying the Ituqattar in land and gold that I was sure we would in debt. Inflation remains troubling, as the merchants have so frequently complained."

He replied.

"These merchants with their financial instruments and their economies of debt have forgotten the simple facts of the world. Those who produce the most, be it food, or warriors, or weapons, will be the ones who triumph. Bulwar is a rich land, and our investment has borne fruit, just as I predicted. The Ituqattar estates have made us the leading producer of food and of cotton and woollen clothing. We need their assistance only in areas where we do not yet hold the absolute power of production, such as those goods that are now falling under the dominance of the Command and other rising powers of Haless. So long as we stand astride Jaher's Golden Highway and the most bountiful lands of Halann, we will one day not just be the richest nation by a handful of crowns, but the richest by mountains of gold."

Fun fact; the leading producer for silk is the Redglades, a Lorentish vassal.

I spoke.

"Correspondence with the Cannorian nations is strange. They are referring to us as the Phoenix Empire, or as Surakeš. They seek trade, they seek alliances, and they seek our power. They treat us as if we are the greatest nation in the world.

…

Not that we are not, but our reach does not yet extend outside of Bulwar. Can we be considered a true hegemon?"

He replied.

"I will forgive your insolence as a mere misspoken thought. In little more than a century Karqašlu has been recognized as the greatest power in the world. It is a credit to your grandfather and mother for heeding my words, and to the diligent people of this land who have come together under Surael's Light to accomplish my dream. We stand at the peak, and yet we may find equals. One of the great powers of Haless may unify it, Lorent might emerge from its stupor, the strange creatures of the Deepwoods might launch an onslaught of their own, or a new power might emerge from what you call the Forbidden Plain, much as my ancestors did. The fight for Karqašlu has not yet ended."

Bulwar can be consolidated very quickly, regardless of whether you play as an elf or human nation, thanks to the early thunderdome events. Whoever comes out on top is pretty much guaranteed to be in the top 3 great powers under normal circumstance, and with both Lorent and the Command struggling this campaign we've already slotted in right at the top. Right below us is a very…American incarnation of Kalsyto. With how well they're doing already, we're likely to see more of them later.

To be continued…

Voting remains open for the future of Karqašlu

Vote for an option by clicking on the below image.