Mistresses of the Jungle – Amazonia AAR (Warhammer: Geheimnisnacht)

[dark_melancholy]

Some nice politicking there, it seems Lyssia is more secure than ever.

When your only good stat is Diplomacy, you gotta play to that strength. I'm sure she'll mess it up by doing something impulsive soon enough!

When you get a chance can you show the world map?

I'd like to see how much the world changed.

Actually, there was going to be a world map in the next instalment anyways so that works out well I'll try to highlight some of the more important areas, though I haven't really been paying attention to the rest of the world so I'm not sure what has changed in 16 years, exactly.

 

[Specialist290]

Another domain added to Lyssa's growing empire. In time, undoubtedly all of Lustria shall fall under their sway -- if she can keep the Amazons from tearing one another apart...

 

[dark_melancholy]

Another domain added to Lyssa's growing empire. In time, undoubtedly all of Lustria shall fall under their sway -- if she can keep the Amazons from tearing one another apart...

Things are going surprisingly well now. It makes me worried...

By the way, @Levgar and anyone else who is interested; are there any particular areas you want me to focus on when looking at the state of the world?

 

[Levgar]

I would like to see The border princes if that's ok.

 

[Specialist290]

I'm a bit curious to see how the Empire and its environs (Brettonia, Kislev, Sylvania, etc.) are making out.

 

[dark_melancholy]

Chapter 18: A Whole Wide World​

14.07.2026
Cassiopeia's eyes dart from one corner of the queen's quarters to the next, before unfurling a faded vellum scroll before her liege. Lyssa leans forward eagerly to study the old map, her gaze following fresher lines of ink that are obviously recent additions. Based on an Old World map, its western half has been embellished with local knowledge lately.

"This is Lustria," Cassiopeia explains, her finger indicating the lower left corner of the map. "And this is Amazonia."​

In the land of the unchanging Slann, the only developments have been the destruction of Amocan, Amazonian expansion and the Amazons of Gwangee Valley uniting into the great domain of Hualotal, where Princess Parvati rules with an iron fist.

She likes lots of food and lots of government​

"So small," Lyssa complains, comparing the little speck to the rest of the world. Biting down the disappointment, the queen points across the Great Sea:"And what's this?"

"That's... the East..." Cassiopeia says vaguely. She pulls back and heads back towards the door: "One moment, Your Highness..."

The spymaster lets in a new visitor: an olive-skinned woman with her hair held up in a red headband. Her hands are bound and judging by the state of her obviously foreign clothes, she has been a captive for a while.

"This one has been able to learn a bit of our language," Cassiopeia explains. The pirate gives her a look showing what she thinks of being addressed that way. Fortunately for her, it remains unnoticed.

"Tell Her Highness what you've told me," the spymaster commands and points to the map. The captive complies and steps closer.

"You know all these places?" Lyssa asks, intrigued.

The pirate woman shrugs: "Some. Yes."

Lyssa motions for the captive to elaborate. Hesitating, the ex-pirate points to the large circular landmass north of Lustria: "Elves live here." Her finger moves further north to a poorly defined landmass taking up the upper left corner. "Here is... bad elves. I think."​

Unchanging as its inhabitants, Ulthuan (white) has seen no greater upheaval than occasional incursions from the Dark Elves of Naggaroth (burgundy). Up there in the frozen north, the infamous Witch King Malekith has been uniting his fellow outcasts. A few Dark Elf clans who worship the savage Anath Raema above all other gods still retain their independence, like Sombrum and the Cython March. And in the Arnheim archipelago, ancient High Elf colonies still remain, eternally embattled by their Dark Elf neighbours.

Even further to the south, great orc warboss Choppa Blak Hand has united several warring greenskin tribes into one great Blackrok Horde. So decisively did he devastate the Coldsquigs that the old Norscan colony of Skeggi (turquoise) has been able to expand into their old lands. The other Old World settlements in the Lustrian Isthmus are Cadavo (yellow) and the pirate haven Port Reaver.​

"Bad... elves...?"

Wearily, the captive sighs: "Why ask me? No know all this. Ask captain. He is in same cell."

The two Amazons share bemused looks before Lyssa bursts out laughing: "Ask a man about geography? You expect the poor thing to wrap his simple little mind around something as complicated as this?"

Seeing the "guest's" puzzled reaction, Lyssa motions for her to continue: "We know what elves are," she assures her, but her eyes do linger on the large island marked 'Ulthuan'. "Their homeland is closer than I thought, though..."

Intervening, Cassiopeia taps the more detailed landmass across the sea: "This is what we're interested in."

"Is Norsca," the pirate explains. "Cold and much Chaos. No good place.

"Down from that... the Empire. Big. Rich. Hard for pirate, but fall apart now, so... more easy?" she continues her analysis. "To left... Bretonnia. No good. Only turnips and knights."​

Norsca is a hostile peninsula between the Chaos Wastes and the Empire. It's a mess of different tribes and clans, as usual.


The Empire itself is also fractured between several would-be Emperors, yet they must surely be blessed by Sigmar: For many years it has been under assault from the mighty vampire lord Vlad von Carstein of Sylvania, but has recently found respite: With the death of his wife Isabella at the hands of Templar commander Torbrand, the villain has retreated back to Sylvania for now.

A better love story than Twilight?


One can question if the Empire deserves its patron deity's blessing. While the Templars are engaged against von Carstein, their allied Sisters of Sigmar have been backstabbed by the perfidious Ottilia, "empress" of Talabecland. Together with her son-in-law and sometime rival for the throne, "emperor" Mannfred of Middenheim, Othilia endeavours to take the once-magnificent city of Mordheim. However, the Sisters of Sigmar will not give up their custodianship of the cursed ruin for some misguided noble's folly.


In the last few years, the proud kingdom of Kislev, east of the Empire, has gone from disaster to disaster. Lead by their decisive chieftess Laine of Zeya, the Ungols invaded and devastated the country in 2020. Laine's father had been slain by the famed Ursislav, marshal of Kislev, and now she sought revenge. The Ungols seized the wealthy port city of Erengrad, cutting Kislev off from the outside world. In the wars that followed, the Tzarina herself would fall in battle in 2025. It was little comfort to the people of Kislev that Laine also died in the same battle, poetically slain by the man who killed her father.

Now both the Ungols and Kislevites are saddled with child rulers, hopefully prompting a period of peace. However, the troubles are far from over: The young Tzarina has abandoned the capital altogether for the perceived safety of the small town of Blotno, right on the border with the Empire. The eastern part of the realm, including the capital, is officially in the hands of the Tzarina's six year old sister Inalchin. The young princess is curiously never seen and rumour has it that she was born a freakish monster; as much beast as she is human. What would happen if the people realize the Tzarina's sister is a half-bear mutant is anyone's guess...

Beauty and the beast


Out west, the chivalric kingdom of Bretonnia has its own share of troubles. In 2018, their young king lost his wife to plague, prompting him to go on a quest. The nobles saw this as abandoning the kingdom at a time when it was sorely pressed by the vampiric Red Duke of Aquitaine. In his absence, King Louis was usurped by Ives, Duke of Artois. Not all the nobles agreed with this decision, however and the inflexible Jaufré of Quenelles in southern Bretonnia refused to accept the new king. King Ives could neither quell this insurrection, nor stem the tide of the vicious Aquitaine Host and its Red Duke – at least not before he foolishly strayed into Loren, where he was slain by a Wood Elf after only four years on the throne. Eduard of Montfort was chosen as his successor. Having been on the throne for but a year he is still struggling with Jaufré's revolt and vampiric assaults.​

Lyssa scoffs, unsurprised by the infighting displayed by the Easterners. Such are the realms ruled by the inferior sex. Still, there is more to the world across the sea...

"Here is Estalia," the captive explains, pointing to the peninsula south-west of Bretonnia, then at herself as best as her restraints allow: "Me, from Estalia. Finterre. Many there go to New World. To Cadavo?" she elaborates.

"Uh-huh," Lyssa sighs impatiently, with unrestrained disinterest.

"Kings always fight..." – to neither Amazon's surprise – "...nice for pirate. No one protect trade."

The queen perks up, pointing east of Estalia: "...and the rest over here?"

"Tilea. Many small king. Much pirate competition – Sartosa is where live King of Pirates."

Lyssa looks at Cassiopeia and shrugs: "The pirate queen of Kavana's concubine, maybe?"​

In fact, the "pirate kingdom" of Sartosa (highlighted) was destroyed two years earlier, conquered by the Tilean prince Callisto. This had done little to relieve the plight of the merchants plying the Southern Sea, however. In the closest thing to cooperation the petty kings of Estalia could muster, they have consistently preyed on the wealthy Communard republic. While Tigarre, Obregon, Astarios and Cantonia have extended or tried to extend their territory at the expense of the Communards, time will show what this does for trade in the region.

Apart from the conquest of Sartosa, little has happened amongst the petty principalities of Tilea apart from incessant, minor border shifts.

Ouch! Being a merchant here is rough

East of Tilea lies the patchwork of tiny states known as the Border Princes. In recent years, an ominous force has risen in the area, almost enough to give the petty lords reason to cease their petty squabbles. Marching across Skull River, Vorag Bloodytooth – the spawn of none other than King Ushoran of the Strigoi vampire clan – has taken a big chunk of the area's heartland. Others may call the ancient vampire "High Chief of Starnek", but he prefers the term "god".

He is content to be a crazy bastard


Not everything is bleak for the mortals here, however. In 2016, after feasting on the terrified Strigany of Sturgun for centuries, the Strigoi vampire Kyeraile was driven out of the Forest of Gloom. Leading the revolt was a brave Strigany warrior named Valentin, who had become a fervent faithful of Sigmar, the god of the Empire. Although it cost him his leg, Valentin was able to liberate his people, and this corner of the Forest of Gloom is now fiercely dedicated to the Heldenhammer.

On the northern shore of the Black Gulf, an alliance of Sartosan pirates and Norscan raiders broke down in 2016, after the death of its effective ruler, Vittorio of Masse. Laughing at the suggestion that the man's underage son should 'inherit' leadership of the alliance, the grizzled raider Halvor rallied the Norscans and waged war against the Sartosans. After several years of infighting, Halvor finally came out on top, executed the troublesome Sartosan lad, and established his own Jergdom of Varmrland. This set him up as one of the most powerful lords in the area, second only to Vorag Bloodytooth. Old age is rapidly catching up with the ambitious Norscan, however. Only time will tell if his domain can survive his passing, or be swept away as is customary here in the Border Princes. The old jerg's brothers have carved out petty chiefdoms to the west and are no doubt looking forward to carving a piece of his land for themselves.

Scattered between the Norscan chiefdoms is also the Duchy of Khypria, essentially just a collection of counties ruled by relatives and in-laws of Sieghard the Black, the realm's self-styled duke. Although an ill-tempered and sadistic man, Sieghard has scored a surprising advantage over his fellow border princes: Carefully cultivating the image of an avid party animal he has caught the attention of the renowned warrior princess Sandra of Trantio, over in Tilea. Smitten by Sieghard's efforts, the unabashed hedonist agreed to marry him. The fact that the princess is notoriously unfaithful and capricious doesn't bother the duke: More importantly she is eight years his senior and always drinking and fighting. These days sick from overindulgence and wounded in battle, it is surely only a matter of time before she bites the dust, leaving one of the strongest principalities of Tilea to her husband...

Seems like a stand-up guy

Don't drink and fight, kids


All of this scheming and positioning could be for nought, however as an even greater threat looms over the Border Princes... In the Badlands the uncommonly cunning – and uncommonly small – Orc warboss Dorum has united most of the greenskins there in his Bone 'Eads horde. Should this green tide surge north, there would be no stopping it. Perhaps the Border Princes' only hope is that Dorum instead goes after his rivals in the Black Shield horde to the south. Or perhaps he is just happy they killed the Bone 'Eads' last leader, giving the position to him.

Judge me by my size, do you?​

"South of there... Araby. Much sand, but also gold. They also do pirates, so we careful there. Still... good for going to New World. Avoid elves." The pirate traces a line on the map, showing how setting a course straight from Araby to Lustria stays well south of the High Elf realm of Ulthuan.​

The land of Araby is an ever-changing patchwork of sultans and emirs, where dynasties rise and fall. By far the strongest is Abu Bakr of Abergel, a jolly and good-natured man troubled by aristocratic intrigue.

More ominously, east of Araby the great Tomb King Settra the Imperishable has set out to reunite the once mighty empire of Khemri. However, even this immortal king must contend with pretenders to his rule. This has embroiled him in wars against other ancients such as the hedonistic Queen Henutmire, the Sorcerer-King Neocaisaros and peculiar Dakanef of Zandri who sees himself as a benevolent – if mummified – ruler opposing the tyranny of Settra.​

"Most interesting..." Lyssa muses, starting to get an idea of the big picture. She gives her spymaster a sly smirk: "I told you these foreigners can be useful..."

Cassiopeia doesn't look entirely convinced. Perhaps to cover up this unintended candidness, she quickly assures her queen: "Everything is going according to plan, Your Highness."

Lyssa motions for the spymaster to remove the captive now that she is done with her. Her gaze falling down on the map once more, she nods to herself: "You should call for Kriemhild then..."​

* * *​

It is at the feast commemorating the victory in Xoitia that Queen Lyssa makes the announcement. After 16 years of acting as the realm's foremost general, Matriarch Calypso is being replaced as marshal by the younger, up-and-coming Kriemhild. The Jaguar of the Sea makes no protest; in fact she does not seem surprised at all. Nor is really anyone else, except the new marshal herself: Most agree that Calypso has lost the fire and vigour of her youth and has only gotten slower, as made evident during the pirate wars.

Of Lyssa's original council, only Feidlimid remains​

The first task the queen assigns her new marshal is assembling warriors for a raid. Easy enough, but Lyssa surprises Kriemhild again by giving her a rather generous deadline. In fact, so generous that Lyssa won't bother to sit around in Ganaina and wait. Telling Kriemhild to run the details by Cassiopeia, the queen takes part of her army and sets sail. Following the coast like they did when they hit Lambada, Lyssa leads her warband just a bit further east this time. A bit further east and to a much bigger prize. If the Queen of the Amazons is preparing for a large raid later this must surely be a worthy trial run: The great lizardman temple city of Tlax, the City of Ghosts.

 

[stnylan]

Nice glance around the world.

 

[Levgar]

I'm surprised, usually in my games Sylvania conquers the empire like it's nothing. And the red duke always loses, you game is a lot more interesting than mine.

 

[Specialist290]

Small thing that leaped out to me:

The spymaster lets in a new visitor: an olive-skinned woman with her hair held up in a red headband. Her hands are bound and judging by the state of her obviously foreign clothes, she has been a captive for a while.

...

Lyssa motions for the captive to elaborate. Hesitating, the ex-pirate points to the large circular landmass north of Lustria: "Elves live here." Her finger moves further north to a poorly defined landmass taking up the upper left corner. "Here is... bad elves. I think."

Pointing with bound hands. Now there's a neat trick

A look at the wider world is always appreciated, of course. And am I right in guessing that Lyssa's newest raiding target perhaps lies somewhere in the Old World?

 

[dark_melancholy]

Nice glance around the world.

Thanks! It's important to to learn about what to conquer next

I'm surprised, usually in my games Sylvania conquers the empire like it's nothing. And the red duke always loses, you game is a lot more interesting than mine.

Maybe it's because I'm running an old version of the mod -- or just a fluke. I would be surprised if the red duke can hold on for very long, though. The power imbalance between him and Bretonnia seems a bit out of whack...

Pointing with bound hands. Now there's a neat trick

A look at the wider world is always appreciated, of course. And am I right in guessing that Lyssa's newest raiding target perhaps lies somewhere in the Old World?

Why it's an essential scoundrel skill taught at all good pirate schools! Alternatively I should've paid a bit more attention and/or said "bound wrists"...

It would certainly be uncharacteristic of Lyssa to pay this much attention to something just for the sake of enlightenment. I think you miiight be on to something. Or maybe it was indeed just a cheap literary device all along...

 

[dark_melancholy]

Chapter 19: Anchor (2026)​

10.11.2026
The sea undulates languidly, barely noticeable to the eye. Well inside Amaxon Bay yet far enough from the great river's mouth to escape its current, these waters are incredibly calm. Through the tranquil mirror cuts the eclectic mix of ships of an Amazon fleet, navigating the strait between Amazon Island and the mainland to the north. The larger, foreign vessels anchor up and unload their cargo onto the accompanying war canoes. Heavily laden with plunder, they make landfall, not on Amazon Island but on the Lustrian coast opposite.

Waiting on the simple wooden pier are a gaggle of slaves; a motley band of halflings, lizardmen, Old Worlders and their Amazon taskmistresses. They sullenly accept their share of the burden: The lizardmen among them would recognize a lot of the artifacts they are forced to carry, but silently accept their task.

Led by the recently arrived warriors, the procession makes its way along a well-trodden jungle path. At its head: Queen Lyssa of Amazonia. She seems uncharacteristically on edge, craning her neck expectantly with every twist and turn in the road. Abandoning the marching pace of her shieldmaidens, she skips forward as the path crests a small hill. Then she stops and it is as if all concerns wash away. The queen lowers her shoulders and sighs contently: Before her appears a large fortress, encroaching on the jungle hills to push its parapets as high as possible, overlooking a series of walls and smaller redoubts cascading down to the sea below. A decade in the making, the fortress of Zalli is truly a testament to the queen's ambition; the largest stone structure built by Amazons since the Fall of the Old Ones. Of course, Amazons have not been in the habit of building stone structures at all, but still...

Lyssa allows herself a moment just to take it all in, grinning from ear to ear. After holding up the procession behind her, she motions for her second-in-command to follow: "They will be waiting for us," she says excitedly.​

Still not that impressive compared to a castle, but good for a Tribe...​

In the main keep of the fortress, the councillors and dignitaries of Amazonia are assembled to receive their queen. Lyssa's daughter Inanna idly swings her massive macuahuitl as if it were a toy, her patience wearing thin.

"Oh give it a rest," her younger sister Phaedra sighs, lounging disinterestedly on a divan. "You can't threaten mother to come any faster – especially not from afar."

Inanna turns on her sister. Her eyes narrow as she processes Phaedra's words. "Uhm... right..." she mumbles, a bit perplexed.

"Girls, please..." steward Azu implores them half-heartedly, but any discussion is cut short by the queen's arrival at last.

"Good, I see everyone's here," Lyssa says, still buoyed by seeing her construction project finished at last.

Phaedra sits up, observing her mother and her retinue: "I take it the raid went well then?" Her eyes roam weapons and trinkets of ancient provenance carried by the newly arrived warriors.

Lyssa grins: "The lizards tried to stop us, but they put a bit too much faith in their city's ghostly guardians. They're not the only ones who know of the Old Ones' secrets..." She waves her hand impatiently. "We didn't have the numbers to venture into the city centre – and no time either – so there will be numerous secrets still to uncover. Speaking of which... remind me to speak with you after, Harmothoe."

The displeased priestess doesn't deign to reply, already grumpy to be pulled away from her duties in Ganaina to observe the queen's vanity project. Instead she quips: "After what? What's the hurry; this pile of stone isn't going anywhere."

Determined not to let anything curb her excitement, Lyssa turns her attention to Cassiopeia at the back of the room: "Everything is ready, I presume?"

The spymaster nods, carefully gauging the crowd to determine what she can say or not. In the end she decides to stay silent.

"Well then, ladies... if you would allow Cassiopeia to lead the way..."​

Walking down towards the shoreline, the Amazons cannot help but notice the forest of masts below. Stepping through a gatehouse, they find themselves on a relatively small stone dock – and before them, a fleet of ships of which none of them has ever seen.

Three dozen vessels at least, none of them anywhere near as small as even the largest war canoe – and anchored between them a large pirate carrack making for an eye-catching centrepiece and natural flagship. A good number of the other ships are of obvious Old World make, seized from captured and surrendered pirates and unfortunate merchants caught up in the Triad Island war. More curious are fresher additions: sleeker ships sporting the rigging of Amazon war canoes on a larger scale, but the height and girth of vessels from the East.

Milling about on the decks of ships of all types are young Amazons, many of them probably not even blooded in battle yet. Keeping their attention on their work despite the royal visit it is obvious these women are no longer strangers to operating this foreign equipment.

"I told you they would learn something," Lyssa tells Cassiopeia with immense satisfaction. "And it would seem our artisans have too."

"The foreign canoe builders were quite responsive to the right kind of... persuasion," the spymaster replies vaguely.

Lyssa chuckles darkly: "I hope you did not damage them too much. We might still have use of them."

Harmothoe's lip curls: "Foreign tubs cannot be trusted."

"Quite a few of them are as Amazon as any war canoe," Lyssa points out patiently. "You would be surprised to see what properly motivated craftswomen can accomplish in two years."

Phaedra yawns: "That's all well and good, but what's the big deal? Not to mention this whole fortress thing?"

"Well for one I need somewhere to keep all these 'basins'," Lyssa explains patiently. "And I intend to take them for a bit of a test run... for too long the Easterners have plundered our riches. I'm going to plunder theirs."

The previously disinterested Pheadra immediately perks up. However, it is Azu who speaks up first:

"You intend to cross the Great Sea?" she blurts out, adding – a little too eagerly: "Your Highness, you would be absent for months, perhaps years!"

Lyssa nods solemnly: "I will have to leave my kingdom in the hands of someone I know I can trust with my life."

Azu nods in turn, knowingly – expectantly.

"And that is why my regent in my absence shall be Calypso of Quetzlpan," the queen declares, instantly deflating her steward's growing smugness with one fell stroke.

Conversely, the designated matriarch seems utterly unsurprised by the declaration, instead bowing quickly: "Of course."

In a rare moment of perceptiveness, Inanna gives her mother a knowing look: "You've been planning this for a while, haven't you?" Even she can now see why Calypso did not protest her previous demotion.

"Yes," Lyssa replies. "And you coming with me."

Before the princess can have a say in the matter, marshal Kriemhild steps forward: "I have assembled the warriors you asked for, Your Highness."

"Good, but I need you to stay behind. Help Calypso keep Amazonia safe." Lyssa squeezes the redhead's shoulder reassuringly before turning to Harmothoe: "Oh right, the other matter... Zarmuda is finally ours again and I will not allow all those shieldmaidens to have died for nothing more than a damp ruin. If we can find treasure in Tlax, there will surely be Old One artifacts in its depths. You will have slaves and warriors to help find them for the Sisterhood."

"That is... generous of you, Your Highness." This kind of respect for the religious elite of Amazonia should perhaps be taken for granted, but coming from this queen, Harmothoe is blind-sided by the offer.

"You can thank me when you find something," Lyssa smiles and turns her attention back to her assembled fleet: "Now... make sure to fill those canoes with supplies from top to bottom. We have quite the trip ahead of us..."​

 

[stnylan]

A bold venture. Let us hope for Lyssa's sake it is a successful one.

 

[Specialist290]

Across the sea to glory and plunder! Let's hope the Amazons have learned well from their new pirate "friends."

 

[Levgar]

Was that picture from age of empires 3?

 

[dark_melancholy]

A bold venture. Let us hope for Lyssa's sake it is a successful one.

Whichever way it goes, I'm sure it'll be interesting

Across the sea to glory and plunder! Let's hope the Amazons have learned well from their new pirate "friends."

If not I think there are a couple functional "friends" that can be pressed into service in a pinch...

Was that picture from age of empires 3?

I... don't know. I'm having enough trouble finding vaguely fitting pictures that I get quite sloppy with sources.

 

[Levgar]

This is my favourite aar.

 

[dark_melancholy]

This is my favourite aar.

Oh my, that's amazing to hear
I relayed your praise to Queen Lyssa, but she just scoffed and said "Well, obviously. I'm in it! Now get to work making more regular updates, you silly male."
I'll endeavour to do so, though. I feel like I haven't been active enough lately. Fingers crossed and thanks for your support and kind words, all of you guys following this.

 

[dark_melancholy]

Chapter 20: Fire and Ice

28.11.2026
Ignoring the sounds of brawls and the hollers of wenches offering companionship, Hans stumbles through irregular, filthy streets. Normally he wouldn't mind, but right now he has something important he needs to do – and he didn't come all the way from Westerland to get shived while taking a leak. He's won too much from too many too angry people tonight. And he really needs to piss. Wouldn't the guys back home laugh their asses off if he went out to sea, only to have his short pirate career cut short by a sore loser – with his breeches down to boot.

The drunken, rambacious crowd thins as Hans finds his way off the main streets, such as they are. With drunken single-mindedness he has made it his quest to find a secluded spot to relieve himself. In a clumsy attempt to keep is balance, he slaps his hands against the crumbling walls of a small tower – a relic of early settlement now festooned with haphazard shacks. Following the narrow stairs up, he pokes his head out of the maze of wood and canvas and shit. Hans steps onto a ledge overhanging the ocean and with sigh of relief closes his eyes and empties his bladder into the harbour.

Pressure easing, he opens his eyes again and looks at the ships in the harbour, all lit up by lanterns as those stuck onboard take out their frustrations through grog, gambling and terrible music. Even this far away, the din is incredible for so few people.

Hans chuckles to himself as he notices a man on the same mission as himself. Swaying on the railing, the pirate has his free hand firmly on the neck of a bottle of grog. While he thinks about how welcome another drink would be right now, Hans squints as he observes his fellow pisser. Were there two of them? Hans blinks. Perhaps he has had enough to drink...

Suddenly the other pirate lurches forward and tumbles off the ship. Hitting the water with a splash muffled by revelry, he floats lifeless in the lantern light.

"Yeah, that's enough grog for today..." Hans decides as he starts doing up his breeches. His head turns. Another splash. Then another, more audible now as the shipboard party is starting to die down. "The heck..." Hans shrugs and grabs the wall behind him to try and turn around without joining the other fellow in the water. "Wait... where did those come from..." Stopping halfway, Hans sees strange sails slip between lanterns in the bay. Running dark, the sleek hulls glide silently through the water. And then: fire.

"Scheisse!" Hans clutches the wall as the bloody display unfolds before his eyes, becomes evident in his cloudy mind. The clattering of weapons marches up the stairs, towards him. Well, at least he has his breeches on...​

Sailing west, Queen Lyssa's fleet falls upon the infamous pirate lair of Port Reaver and puts it to the torch. The pirates flee into the jungle – the Amazons are thorough, but no doubt they will return. Loading up her ships with the vermin's ill-gotten gains, Lyssa lets her sisters enjoy this fiery retribution and moves on.

Along with dozens of ships and over a thousand warriors, the queen has her daughter Inanna and her halfling servant/commander Quihuatzin. A curious choice to help lead an Amazon raiding force, perhaps. But let's just say the surprise attack on Port Reaver was not exactly the crude Inanna's brainchild.

Lyssa was also there​

Continuing along the Lustrian Isthmus, the fleet passes by El Cadavo, leaving the Estalian colony unscathed. Well-protected by stone walls and cannons, it would take too long to seize its riches. And Lyssa is on a tight schedule, if the interrogated Old Worlders are to be believed. Towards the end of the year, it is said the seas in the north become infested by large floating crystals of something called "ice".

Confident they will be able to cross regardless, Lyssa chooses to press on. As the fleet moves further north, however, the misgivings get increasingly harder to ignore. Biting cold along the coast of bleak Naggaroth is unfamiliar and debilitating to the jungle-dwelling Amazons. When the fleet starts encountering ice in the water on their way northward, the murmur of discontent becomes a chorus.

Off the Bleak Coast, the Amazon captains are finally pushed to voice their misgivings to the queen herself. Experiencing this harsh climate for themselves has them refusing to continue further north. They are certain conditions will only grow worse if they continue.

When even the brash Inanna is wary of braving the ice, the queen relents and allows her fleet to turn around. In the archipelago known as Arnheim, they make for a secluded place among the many islands on the coast. Facing a foe in battle is one thing, but helplessness against such strange forces of nature is too much even for a brave Amazon.

The islands of Arnheim, with the Bleak Coast to the north-east and the High Elf homeland of Ulthuan across the sea​

Sitting around doing nothing does little to help morale – or against the unfamiliar cold that only seems to get worse. Scouting parties head out every day, but each time they must disappoint, returning with reports of floating ice. All the while, the queen seems to do nothing. Huddled up in pelts aboard her flagship, perhaps the cold does not bother her as much – enough that she can abide waiting... but for what? Hardly does the weather seem likely to improve. At this point, perhaps anything is worth waiting for – in which case her daughter can oblige...

The scouts not only spot ice and snow from their canoes; the Amazons are hardly alone in the archipelago. Arnheim is home to ancient High Elf colonies, holding on to this relatively mild area despite the best efforts of their Dark Elf neighbours to the north. The fleet might not be able to raid the Old World, but Inanna is not above taking out her frustrations on closer targets. Nothing like a bit of fighting to invigorate the body and calm the mind.

Lyssa agrees with her daughter's plan and abandons her snug abode to go ashore with her warriors. Quihuatzin is made to meet with the scouts, figuring out the local forces and the best place to attack. As it turns out, the elves are already fending off Dark Elf raiders from the north. The Amazons are able to take advantage of this, evading the defenders to land in Noveum almost unopposed.

Outnumbered three to one, even the stalwart High Elf garrison are unable to stop the Amazon warband from raiding one of the most prosperous parts of Arnheim. Here they ravage the cities and pillage anything not behind a sufficiently high wall. Only now do the locals recognize the greater danger posed by these savage newcomers. The routed defenders from Noveum regroup with the main army under Lord Menolbrier. Only once he is confident he outnumbers the invaders does he head out, falling upon Noveum... to find their enemies completely vanished. Pleased with their booty – and given weeks to freely gather it all – the Amazons have escaped rather than try to crack Noveum's citadel.

Meanwhile, up in the corner the Dark Elves are peacing out​

The elven colonies are not as fantastical and splendid as Ulthuan itself, but nevertheless the Amazons manage to make off with a number of interesting elven trinkets. Perhaps even more intriguing than the looted goods is something found along with them. Or rather, someone. Out here among the elves, the Amazons get their hands on a human. Fair of hair and skin, the dishevelled woman is obviously not an Amazon. In fact, the find is so curious that when she hears about her Queen Lyssa asks for the woman to be brought before her immediately.

26.02.2027
Hugging her pelt cloak closer against the cold leaking into her shipboard abode, Queen Lyssa pauses to think. Before her, their newest captive has been relating her story as best she can, through a pirate interpreter who seems to only vaguely understand her. Lyssa takes solace in the fact that, at least the pirate woman's Amazonian has improved a bit since their first meeting.

As far as the queen could gather from the disjointed narrative, the fair-haired woman is one of these "Norscans", on a ship bound for the Lustrian colony of Skeggi. Her shipped attacked by Dark Elves, she was taken as a slave. Lyssa surmises that these raiders must in turn have been killed by their High Elf enemies before they could leave Arnheim.

Her scouts did spot Dark Elves that seemed to be leaving the area. If they were fleeing, they could have been from the same force that captured this woman. In which case...

"How long– ah, ask her how long ago this all happened," the queen orders the unwilling interpreter.

"I think... one month, maybe. Or whatever a 'silver woman's journey' be..."

Forgetting the cold, Lyssa abandons her huddled position. Her eyes light up: "That means they were able to get through the 'ices' somehow. Hey, how did you manage that? If you cooperate, you will be treated well." Lyssa looks at the pirate interpreter: "Your fellow Old Worlder here can tell you as much. Or well... maybe not..." She sighs. "Just try to make her understand."

The pirate scoffs: "It not easy making words in language both know not too much. Have to talk Reikspiel – Empire language – and then make Amazon words and..."

"Well you're the interpreter, so just get on with it," Lyssa dismisses her concerns.

"That only be because ye decided I be one..." the pirate grumbles in her own language, before putting on the falsest smile in the hemisphere: "As queen commands."

Once she has had the queen's question translated, the Norscan woman's expression darkens and she barks her reply.

"Ah... she say she no care if you find way to her people. They men on boat make her kind of slave for doing chores."

"Ugh..." Lyssa shakes her head at such humiliation.

For her part, the interpreter works hard to process the next torrent of words.

"So... the Norscans no go through the ice, actually. In middle of sea is islands. Norscan traders live there, so can make the journey without going next to coast."

Lyssa is about to leap to her feet when the pirate, surmising what the queen is thinking, adds warily: "Would be hard to find them..."

"Our new friend will help out," Lyssa says blithely, landing back in her seat and gesturing towards the Norscan woman. "I'm sure she won't mind us paying her old buddies a visit..."

Giving up trying to convince the headstrong queen otherwise, the pirate grabs her fellow Old Worlder and slinks out of the cabin. Before she can leave, she is ordered to find Inanna and Quihuatzin. No doubt Lyssa has some orders to give.​

 

[stnylan]

Well quite a discovery - a woman with knowledge that she desires.

One can feel Lyssa's frustration.

 

[Levgar]

Time for more wealth.....