In the name of the Saint

The Saint had moved his Cathederal to the Steppe near dragon.  He thought the steppe people with their disorganized religion  open to the doctrine of Justice only the Saint could bring.  They has of yet proved unpredictable.  They did not oppose or resist but lacked the ability thus far to commit to the Saints banner. It was not his only goal.

The Empire was his prize.  Red Paladin had a claim to the throne and curing the plague would make him a hero among the people.  Act justly and the treasure will follow.  He had found a way to kill the small golemns but the problem was expanding the area of effect.  For that he had another solution.  The Red paladin was tasked with finding a Kale Star Gate for that purpose.

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Prince Rajah entered the Cathederal flanked by the leaders of his harem.  He had been summonned by the Red Saint.  This Saint showed up from nowhere or so they say.  Prince Rajah's people had been wandering with out homes for over a year since Gulg fell and the Crusader armies marched through their jungles.  He led them to Dragon looking for a home and only found corruption and dishonest cut throats who demanded loyalty tribute and even the selling of his people to slavery for their arena, all whom he did not trust.  His people were a proud people, a good people with honor and the rats of Dragon had none.

So his people continued homeless, some would say leaderless.  The pride was loyal to him as they were his father King Drugo.  He was mighty in battle and the hunt and never gave the pride reason to doubt.  He died as the armies of Gulg attacked the jungle.  Without the king Rajah could not hold their ancient homeland and they fled.

Now he walked through the great expansive room of the Cathederal admiring the lights as they danced through the colored windows and painted the room with strange hues. Organ music echoed and filled the vast space along the columns and pews.  At the far end was an altar of some kind and what seemed like a throne or stage.

"Prince Rajah and chief concubines as summoned by the Voice of Justice.  The Red Saint."  A herald called out among the organ music which stopped promptly.  The man dressed in red and religious robes held a marvelous staff in his hand that must have been made of gold and adorned with jewels.  Was this the saint? The man motioned the Kajitt forward.

The young Prince stepped lightly but with grace through the aisle and approached the altar.  It was then the old man spoke.  He spoke in calm tones with confidence and purpose, "Welcome Prince.  The cause of justice requires something you have in your possession." He is direct and wants something of mine, perhaps this was a trap. "I am attempting to remove the golemn plague from the world and save millions of lives that would otherwise unjustly end.  To do this I need the Horn of Valere."

The prince's hand went to his side grasping the horn.  "This horn is the symbol of nobility to my people.  How our roar is heard across the jungle.  Our pride and heroes are bound to it.  We have so little I can not part with this too."

"With out it millions will continue to die.  Millions will die that you could have saved.  It is unjust for I to take something that belongs to you, so I will not take it by force.  I will offer what I think is fair payment -- to be enfranchised as members of the Red Army and subjects to the Crystal Empire.  You will have a home and a purpose, something that you've been lacking.  If not I will hold you for trial for preventing the cause of justice and when found guilty strip you of your property for punishment."

The prince did not know what to think.  Here was a powerful man who had summoned him with his people on the edge of extinction.  His pride nowhere left to go and with no options were offered a ray of hope.  This Saint could grant them a home, but he also had the power to kill them all and take what he wanted.  Was the fact that he was asking before taking a sigh this man had honor, the stories seemed to say that, or was it simply a sign of arrogance.

"May Drugo forgive me."  He said after a long pause and laid the horn upon the Altar of the Saint.

As embers burn and wait for fuel

So she waited in her chamber.  She admired her fire as it popped and cracked seemingly to a rhythm she could almost dance to.  The embers were low and the flames soft.  The fire had reached a decision point, now it could cool leeching off the small bits left and quietly fade leaving only darkness. Or with the addition of more wood or coal the flames would again spring to life finding a way to consume all with in it's reach. 

She found a strong roundness for this unique time.  A time between warm and cold, beginning or ending, light or darkness.  This time of the fire would last a long while, perhaps through the day.  A fool would consider the coals to cool too early and burn his hand.  The thought made her giggle.  But a wise man would know the flame lingers often hidden for hours and that it waits only for a breath to spring to life devour.

So it was with her apprentices.  Stolen them from family made them immortal and sustained them by the blood of their loved ones.  She knew that a wise vampire would grow his coven to a balance with the population, like wolves and rabbits.  The wolves needed the rabbits.  Like the flame, it can only grow as large as the fuel it consumes.  She had grown her army too fast and there were none left but her vampiric sith.

That was all she needed the largest army possible.  They would come, either in attempt to destroy her or to save her they would return to ravenloft and she would be sure to have the strength to end them all no matter their preparation. It was all she thought about, that and her beautiful Tatyana.

It had taken them longer that she thought. Again she had over estimated their capacity and desire. But she knew they would come, so she ordered her army to their coffins to sleep until they arrived. Then....she threw a long upon the smoldering embers waking the fire and bringing forth ravishing flame...she would have her revenge.

Dragon

In a world full of infinite empires, expansive nations, and what seems to be limitless peoples and power.  They fact that a single independent city would be listed among such powerful and expanded nations alone should speak volumes as to the majesty of the City of Dragon.

Dragon is great city of doubles.  To a native Dragon is the Greatest City in the world.  Most natives are born live and die within the great wall.  Why would they not? The city has wide marble streets, teleport pads for instant travel, and saturated with magical technology that permeates even the most mundane of items and uses. It is home to Temple Square, a mile square area that has shrines and temples to every god in the known pantheon.  Good and Evil gods are represented there as a symbol that people in Dragon are free to pursue whatever religion suits them without the heavy interference and control of a Genevan government for example.  Nero's forum is a great collection of goods from all over the world and flooded with wealth a testament to the power of free trade in contrast to the government run economy of the empire which only favors nobility and the elite. Even with this wealth the people dress simply and handsomely not flashy and vain adorning themselves with jewels like the imperials. City guards dot the streets ensuring the safety of all.  The city center holds the Bank of Dragon that is so safe that in its thousands of years it has never been robbed and considered to be the safest bank on the planet. 

To an outsider Dragon can be a very rough town.  While the outer districts of the city are beautiful and well maintained the inner city -- the old city -- is a hive for poverty and the worst of societies dreggs.  That dark place is home to dens of thieves and cut throats. The Black Lotus is all powerful theives guild that many say run the city.  The people of dragon do not carry wealth or dress well because they would be robbed in broad daylight under the eye of the bribed city guard losing all they wore if so.  Their bank of Dragon is the only bank in the city because every other one has been robbed and corrupted beyond its ability to run.  The freedom of trade with out restriction means no one makes sure the sellers obey the rules and do not cheat or manipulate or coarse their goods. Slave trade and gladiator games are good money and good profit but upset the sensibilities of any person with compassion in their heart.

Evil priest and monsters walk the streets here but the worst is the Frenchman.  Always there to help, he offers to grant the wishes of any who asks if they are willing to trade, everyone has a price and he seems to know exactly what it is for everyone. 

Dragon competes militarily economically and culturally against the Empire Geneva and company with the population of only a few million.  They do this by aggressively defending their independence and freedom.  Another example of duality.  To an outsider this drive is paranoid, hostile and exhausting.  For example they have declared any Genevan citizen coming to the city without invite is an immediate action of war and subject to brutal military counter strikes.  To a native this drive and pride in the city is noble wise and brave.  The imperialist pigs would destroy them if given the chance and it takes courage to stand up against the bigger and stronger aggressor.  

Strength and Honor.

Babylon Assyria

"Men are born live and die like so many insects going about their short meaningless life with no regard to the beauty and history around them." - Seristique Elven scholar in an offical report to the Empress may she live forever summarizing her thoughts after surveying the lands of Babylon Summeria and Assyria. 

On the edge of the known world rests a group of fertile plains fed life by a pair of silt heavy rivers.  This land is the home to small nations of humans who seems to exist in the most primitive and slow of societies.  Mostly pessimistic people who live off of subsistence farming with no education of magic or even the basics to read and right.  With the exception of the few ruling elite these people could only hope to live another day.  

Two large cities did develop. Babylon to the south and Assyria to the north.  Babylon grew around the religion of Marduk and at its center the massive table of Babel a tribute to the their god king.  Assyria was built around a cult to the war god Ishtar. These small kingdoms are full of superstitious people who only see magic as devil work fear unseen demons known to haunt dreams and draw men north to their death.     

Evidence suggests these nations were first settled via the Kale Star Gates as a long range outpost for trade and research.  Some of suggested, with little evidence, that the river valleys were where the first man was created by Kalian Scientists in effort to breed an intelligent work force.  

Regardless of their origins, these societies were nearly wiped out in their entirety by an unholy warrior Khan.  Kahn worshippd the god of Pain Goser an ally of Tiamit, the sworn enemy of Marduk.  Khan was sent to the prime with the purpose to destroy Marduks power base so Tiamit could kill his rival god.  Khan with strategic perfection burned Babylon to the ground salted the earth of all the surrounding fields.  Scarcity of resources led what people left to devolve into a near animalistic barbarian state.  Roaving bands or raiders and cut throats covered the land picking whatever bones they could find.  One man united 42 slaving tribes and forged the legion.  His name was Kaiser. 

Hope came in the form of the Red Saint.  The red army arrived and fought and killed the slaving bands.  The angels healed the fields and food has began to grow again.  The few survivors of Babylon now refer to themselves as the chosen people of Palestine (The home of the Saint's Palace.) Their devotion to him is without question as he has brought salvation and hope.  

The saint easily extended his forces and control north into Assyria destroying what resistance was offered and purging the unjust and the unworthy.  He has brought them education, training, and more than a day to day life.  His priests and angels have provided for the necessities of life so that Assyrians and Babylonians can not see the benefits of prosperity.

Hallelujah to the Saint

Jong Guo

Could man and elf live together?  In the modern sense such a question seems silly.  Elves and humans mingle now freely it seems in most modern societies.  However this was not always so.  The races kept separate and distinct.  That is except for Jong Guo.  Elves from the East and Humans from the west met together on a continent months north of Geneva.  

Waring factions and racial tensions led to centuries of warfare.  The elves superior education magic could not destroy our beat back the infinite adaptability of the humans.  Numerous kingdoms sprung up constantly at war.  It was the machines of economics that forged the peoples together.  Unable to destroy either side traders began collecting elven goods and selling to the world of man.  Elves became fascinated with the crude but durable goods of the human world.  When merchants began to preach trade over war the multiple groups began to seek for each others better interest. Eventually to be found the largest population of half elves in the world.

A strange new type of government emerged slowly to man but rapidly to the elf of a republic.  The multitude of diversity they felt could not be ruled or controlled effectively with out the consent of the governed.  It was thought that no one monarch could possibly understand the large diversity of the population and make decisions that was the best for all.  So they created a large Senate where every faction and nation was represented and it was sure that no minority would be forgotten.  It was highly effective in some regards and very slow and tedious in others, yet it held this melting pot of cultures together for centuries.  

It was not until the arrival of the conquering Seanchan that it was truly tested.  And it failed.  While Jong Guo survived it only could do so by forsaking the old senate ways and placing in its stead an Emperor.  Though he too fell as the shadow Drow rose from the Underdark to pick the bones of the war torn country.  

The political instability was put to rest by the arrival of the Crystal Empire whose war ships and trained soldiers fought back the drow and established civilization yet again for a time.  The great crusade called the Imperial soldiers away and the drow returned.  When the Empire returned to reclaim their territory they found only a wasteland.  Scholars now believe the underdark of Jong Guo was ground zero for the devastating golemn virus that has erased drow from the world and now threatens all elven kind.  

Stands of the plague not only killed the drow but made them ravenous murderous monsters called reavers by some though their behavior reflected that of zombies.  Regardless of their academic classifications the once wonderful gem of Republican representative government in the world sits a ruined waste land where pockets of survivors struggle to exist every day. Their hope now rests in the Red Saint who is now only scouting the area looking for survivors to aid as he has in Babylon and Assyria. 

Temple of Nog

Temple square was beautiful, for those who cared to waste their life devoted to superstitious nonsense.  Castor rarely came to this part of town, as he didn't care for the riff raft that usually hung around.  Viny Tito, Tony flanked Castor as they strode past temple after temple.  The air smelled of insense and the air was painted with sounds of Hymns.  They passed buildings from every culture and design all devoted to some higher power.
 The Great Apollo

   Harri Kirshna

 Inti

 Horus

And finally the Temple of Nog 

The Temple was polluted with horrible carnal images and statues of grotesque forms of debauchery and violence.  Castor liked it.  They were hostilly greeted by the Yuanti Priestess.  They were often hostile towards those not of their kind.
"Outssssssider, what brings you to the nest of NOG?"

She was flanked by her muscle -- an abomination half snake half man creature who breathed in short hisses. 

Castor adjusted the lapels of the coat. Then in a flash drew his cross bow and placed a bolt right between the eyes of the temple guard without breaking eye contact with the priestess, "Hospitality is what brings me in.  Lets say someone walked into your home univited and just killed someone.  Rude Right?"

From every shadow and dank corner and creases of the temple came Yuanti of every breed.
 

Castors men drew swords as they were surrounded and Castor slows lowered his cross bow, "You feel upset and threatened and even betrayed.  Such things would lead to do any number of rash and dangerous actions am I right?"

The Priestess hissed back, "You can angered the Children of NOG poison shall find your veins."

"And still this hostility, I don't understand we maybe in your temple babe, but your temple is in my city."

"It is suicide for you to anger us.  You must know this."

"You are top notch assassins no doubt. We have worked together many times before, I am however immune to poison... so forgive my lack of intimidated nature.  My question is why a friend, a great friend, one that I've made possible to live in this town would pull a job the size of killing an IMperial Nobles' son without at least talking to me.  Like I said, its Rude...Plain rude."

"The Children of Nog need no permission."

An illumination moment struck Castor in the middle of this drawn blade standoff, "The Venom Born must have hatched.  You guys get so brave everytime one of your messiah children show up. And everytime you have to be reminded that we have survived his predecessors and we will survive this one.  And once he is dead the Lotus will still own this town, how can I get that through your head.  It seems like I have to do this every century."

"So long as one of us breath the noxious breath of life this Black Venom Cult will push forward.  Our primary tenants teach that revenge is a holy obligation.  You know as well as I that as soon as you have wronged us there will not be peace for you as long as one spark of life lives in one larva."

Castor took in a deep breath, "Well that's my answer I guess." He turned to mist and Vini and Tito flood the temple with fire and lightning.  Lotus agents flooded into the temple daggers flying.  Screaming, hissing, blood, poison, death and glory. Then silence.

Castor walked over the dead Yuanties to the last living soul.  The bruised and broken abomination looked up with blood shot eyes and gurgled black blood up his throat.  Castor stared down for a long moment and took his hat off his head and kneeled down beside the creature. "Now, I know what she said about the whole last spark of life nonsense.  But see, I believe people can be reasonable.   I believe the Black Venom Cult and the Black Lotus still have a long and glorious future together.  It is your people who made the first insult and your people who spilled all this blood today.  But I think you'll find my lot a forgiving sort."  He placed a Black Lotus blossom on the chest of his foe. "Take that to your venom born, and tell Setttth you run his marks in my city by me first.  Its a rough town you can use a friend."