DralonXitz: Looking forward to learning more about your faction.
THOMAS HOBBES:
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Welcome back!! I am glad to see that you are still in the IR. By the way, as no one has claimed the elven demigod Ye'Cind, he is available to you as a PC. It might help your faction in contending against Iuz. Also, you may want to check the link in the megapost for hero deities in the Living Greyhawk campaign. Some might work well for your faction.
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SOLLIR:
Spoiler:
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As you do not have an e-mail, I will do this here.
Ambassadors and representatives of the Mouqollad Consortium request an audience with Arch-Merchant Glu'boise, Minister of Foreign Relations for the Combined Merchant's Guild, current (temporary) owner of the Empire of Lynn. They carry a heavy box, which has an item that detects for strong illusion magic.
The box contains the following items: a sealed envelope, rare woods, crafted goods, a harp, a zither, books on the teachings of Al'Akbar, Baklunish religion, history, and customs, gems, jewelry, rare herbs, spices, fragrant woods, a mechanical clock, bolts of silk and a chessboard. Among the more interesting items is a complete collection of coins of the Baklunish Empire, minted just before the Invoked Devastation, and a masterwork merchant's scale made out of solid gold, decorated with gems. There is also a gazetteer describing the Baklunish Empire, and the lands of the Flanaess in general. (OOC: You know now the information in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer.) There is also a clear quartz crystal with instructions to speak Al'Akbar's name to see the image and hear the words of his arrival in Ekbir. Even the most casual reading of the books and viewing of the message crystal will inform people that Al’Akbar is the demigod of guardianship, faithfulness and duty among the Baklunish Peoples.
To His Excellency Arch-Merchant Glu'boise, Minister of Foreign Relations for the Combined Merchant's Guild, current (temporary) owner of the Empire of Lynn.
From Al’Akbar, the High Cleric, the Restorer of Righteousness, Emperor of the Malkuvah Baklunim, the restored Baklunish Empire
May you and the peoples of the Empire of Lynn be blessed and sustained in these times! May your borders be secure and your people at peace! I pray that you shall accept my gifts and this letter in the spirit of friendship. I desire friendly relationships with the rulers of other states, as there are those who seek only to spread discord and destruction in this time. So, it is my hope that we may become friends and allies.
These are times of tumult and change, and rulers who bear the best interests of their people may wish to look for those with common interests. There are also other matters of great sensitivity that would be to the advantage of both our peoples to discuss.
I fear that there are those who would make of Oerth a dead world orbiting a dead sun or at least to make slaves of us all. I stand firmly against both of these propositions, and I offer my assistance and counsel. It is my hope that we will find many areas of mutual interest. Certain cults, such as that of the Whispered One (OOC: Vecna) may well decide to cause disruptions to peace, law and commerce. Indeed, it would please the Whispered One and some other forces to gain control over the Empire of Lynn's Necropolitans. The Baklunish Empire is willing to stand with the Empire of Lynn against common threats to both our great nations. My door is open to you, and I hope that the Baklunish nations and yours may continue friendly diplomatic relations and mutually beneficial trade. The Mouqollad Consortium will still continue to ship its goods to your borders, and gladly sell the fine products of the Empire of Lynn to the world.
I will be staffing embassies and consulates with additional priests of my faith. Should you have need of their services, you can ask my representatives – who have been told that you and your nation are to be treated with the greatest respect. Also, I have asked that the few small shrines in your territories to treat your people with respect. With your permission and blessing, if they desire to open temples in your lands, I will ask my priests, mullahs, and qadis to pray for your health and welfare and that of the peoples of the Celestial Imperium as well. I pray that you also will treat the representatives of my government, my clergy, and the Mouqollad Consortium with respect. My door is open to you for any matters of diplomacy, trade, or other issues that you wish to address.
It is said that the measure of a man is how well an individual copes with adversity. I am certain that you will do well in this time. May you, your house, and all your peoples be blessed with peace and prosperity.
Yours in peace, friendship, and the spirit of cooperation,
Al’Akbar
At about the same hour, a fully grown stallion, black with bat wings, flies around the capitol of Lynn. The stallion presents himself before Arch-Merchant Glu'boise and to the astonishment of many, speaks in a clear voice. "Greetings, Arch-Merchant Glu'boise. I am Shakhor, born less than a month ago in distant Ket. War is coming. If you desire, I will enter your service. The needs of the Empire of Lynn is great. May I be of service to you and the Empire."
(OOC: Here are some public posts I did sometime back. So, I will put these in an sblock.)
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The Prophecy of the Phoenix: Signs and Portents
In the Dry Steppes, near Lake Udrukankar, two dark skinned men in billowing robes and turbans turns towards a crowd in a busy marketplace while dervishes whirl in an intricate dance. In the distance, stand the timeless stones of Tovag Baragu, rising near the shores of the lake. The crowd murmurs as the dervishes come to a halt, and a man in a brown robe stands on a rock to address the crowds, gesturing to his taller companion.
“Brothers, sisters, friends, and wanderers. Here the words of the Mahdi of the Dry Steppes, heed the words of Amal aban Jehef, a true son of Al’Akbar!”
The crowd yells in approval, as the taller man in a white clothes with gold patterns stands on a rock, his green eyes gazing across the crowd of Baklunish pilgrims, merchants, and visitors from many lands.
“Thirteen years ago, I first uttered the Prophecy of the Phoenix. The Great War between Good and Evil, a war stretching as far as the horizon from the uttermost east into the uttermost west. as I prophesied will begin in our lives and our times. Behold!! The years since then have only shown the fulfillment of the words of the divine, of whom I am only a lowly servant.”
“A phoenix will arise with the sun, sheltering lions, unicorns, sword, bow, and axe beneath crescent moons as its children stand as one.
Suns will shine on the swan and the bear as the humble one receives a robe of finest ermine as he stands between foes old and new.
Two birds shall rest on the severed dragon who has become one, feeding on wood and waste, clutching a ship and a fish although a tower will escape its grasp.
A wolf will sharpen his claws on many stones, watching for fresh prey as it howls for the sun and a skull laughs, seeking to chain the binder of the nine.
The hidden will speak, seeking the lost among hill and snow, as the sorrowing queen holds out open hands amid halls filled with ancient song.
The wolf, the ram, and the hart will fight the ancient foe, the old foe, and the young foe with fierceness beyond those of beasts or dragons.
The righteous will free the innocent, even as wise words make an old foe – mother of a multitude -- a strong new friend before the storm begins.
Red will flow upon green, as the ship crashes on the rock while a swift hand seizes a crown and binds the crew with chains amid steaming jungles.
North and south will be one, as those who nurse revenge weave nets stretching between the shattered towers.
The scholar of the scales of balance shall weigh alliances more carefully than coin as wolves stand at his right hand as the roarer guards his flank.
Many shall become one in a dark place amid grief and madness as the armies march.
Old bones wearing faded glory shall move seeking warm flesh, yet hunger will not fill the deepest grief.
A web in a dark place shall snap yet be mended, even as the mender reaches towards the light while grasping the dark.
The renders’ claws in distant lands will seek fresh meat by the shores of the sea but will the Sword of the Dawn slay the foe and the exalted one accept his fate?
Old foes shall stand as one standing against the long wall amid the gathering storm on low and upon high.
The heavens will quake with rumor of war between the righteous young and the wicked old.
The exiles shall receive a home, and seek thrones as they listen to the wind while choosing who will be friend or foe.
The shining one will gather his kin and speak to the midnight, twilight and the noon day sun as the hordes seek ruin upon all.
Islands shall fight the rising tide in the storms, as walls hold and shatter while the lonely people seek new hope amid despair.
None shall stay hidden and safe as foes old and new seek to destroy the nations.
The living shall envy the dead yet some of the dead will not find peace.
The cunning, the brave, the subtle, and the wise must find the path together and alone.
The Great War comes again and all must make a stand though some shall plot treachery amongst his brothers.
The way will be found, but not all shall find the way on the road that weaves its path between creation and destruction.
You must choose, great or low, but not even the wisest shall see all paths amid the joys and sorrows.
“Some here mocked my words, uttering the divine will of our gods. Yet prophecy has proven true. To the west across the mountains, the League of Athyr has arisen – the League of the Phoenix under a leader. Distant Urnst and Nyrond are one even as the dragon banner of Aerdi is raised again. New rulers have arisen in many lands, and strangers have come bearing odd lore and gifts. The great and mighty consider their plans and alliances.”
“The great struggle of our time shall begin soon. Already there are rumors of war among the nations, from the Dramidj Ocean to the distant Solnor. Who shall triumph? “
“Stand ready!! For the lives that you have known will change, and some shall see wonders and horrors that no living man has yet seen. Stand ready!!”
Rumors abound from the Bakhoury cost to Tusmit. Reports reach the ears of the people of the cities. Tales speak of a whirlwind a mile wide in the Plains of the Paynims a mile wide that roared with the voices of the damned before it vanished. Rumors from Zeiff speak of babes born with feathered wings, and a caravan falling into the earth without a trace. In Tusmit, there are rumors of children born with horns and cloven hooves. An impoverished farmer digging a well in Ull finds bags of golden coins from the fallen Baklunish Empire. The sounds of blowing horns and thousands of marching feet are heard in the Barrier Peaks while the sounds of a harp are heard throughout the city of Zeif. A loud rouses the people of the Ataphad Islands from their beds one night, whilein the Janasib Islands, an old blind man awakes in the morning to find his sight and youth restored. The sounds of blowing horns and thousands of marching feet are heard in the Barrier Peaks while the sounds of a harp are heard throughout the city of Zeif.
A mare in the city of Lopolla in Ket gives birth to two foals at noon, one winged and white as snow and one black as jet with the wings of a bat. The first flies south as the second flies north, while the mare leaps into the sky and gallops east and none can halt their pace as a crowd watches in astonishment.
A tale is whispered in the courts of the Caliph of Ekbir, in the shadow of the Mosque of Al’Akbar and the Golden Temple of the Gods.
At twilight on the road from Zeif to Ekbir, a young man named Yusuf aban Mur of Ekbir’s Farises crosses the paths of three ghostly riders, clad in strange red garb riding red steeds. He hailed them asking, “Strangers, where do you come from!! What tidings do you bear?”
“Lo, my son, great the news!
Weary are the steeds we ride,
- steeds from the Otherworld –
Though we are living, we are dead,
Great are the signs, destruction of life,
Satiation of the ravens, feeding of crows,
Strife of slaughter, wetting of sword-edge,
Shields with broken lances after sundown.
Soon, my son!”
The riders head east and vanish as they are touched by the last rays of the setting sun, even as Yusuf aban Mur rodes through the night to Ekbir City. He reaches the gates at midnight, halting his horse as he calls for the guards to escort him to the Sultan’s palae of Peh’reen.
Al'Akbar returns
Early in the morning, in Kankar on the shores of Lake Udrukankar, the call to prayer is heard from the mosques, minarets, and temples. The Mahdi of the Steppes turns to address the crowds of the faithful and curious onlookers. He opens his mouth to speak but his words are interrupted by the sound of distant thunder from the timeless stones of Tovag Baragu.
In a flash of light, a man on a ki-rin appears followed by a throng of celestials and genies of various sorts. With startling swiftness, the horde rides to the maket square of Kankar. The rider and the ki-rin, its scales and hoves blazing with light, swoop low above the crowd as he blows a ram’s horn. The celestial horde picks up the tune on their horns, whose sounds echo in the streets and towers of kankar. The man on the celestial horse gazes kindly on the people below him. He is tall and thin. Piercing hazel eyes, rare among the Baklunish, gaze out from beneath a face with kindly features, framed by dusky brown hair and well trimmed beard. His robes and garments are the white of mountain snow, the blue of the summer skies, and the gold of the noonday sun. An eight-pointed star of platinum with a chain of gold and pearls hangs from his neck. In his right hand is a golden cup, set with sapphires, rubies, diamonds, and emeralds, shining brightly. A brighter light surrounds the man himself, extending like a halo past his steed. A shout begins in the crowd, small at first but is picked up by everyone – including the Mahdi and many of the curious onlookers.
“Al’Akbar!!! Al’Akbar!! Al’Akbar has returned!!” The crowd roars in deafening voices echoing amid the streets of Kankar. Many in the crowd begin to kneel in prayer, and quake. The rider and the ki-rin sweep low and hover next to an awestruck and trembling Mahdi of the Steppes.
“I am honored by the courtesy of thy greetings, my beloved people and travelers from distant lands. May the gods bless and sustain thee in the days to come!! We come before thee on the wings of a storm, only because we have ridden upon its wings. My son, Amal aban Jehef, thou hast done well by the people, whom I love. Yet I have need of haste. If thou wilt, ride with me. There is much to be done before the hammer falls. I shall send word to you from Ekbir, ” the man, nay demigod, says in a clear and deep voice. The words are in Ancient Baklunish, yet all in the crowd – including those from distant lands – hear them in their native tongues.
“Stand ready, be strong. Rely on one another and deal justly with your neighbor and the stranger. For a Time of Testing is upon us all. Prepare! Be strong and be blessed, my people. Remember the Prophecy of the Phoenix and proclaim my return! Come what may, I shall stand with thee! May ye be blessed and sustained in the tumults that lie before us all.” He reaches his hand out to the Mahdi, and gently lifts him on to a flying carpet that swoops down from the heavens.
It is only many miles later that the Mahdi speaks. “Al’Akbar, my lord and god, where do we go? Why have you returned, amid a glorious host? What are the meanings of these signs and portents?”
“We go to the the Yorodhi, to bring a blessed woman, a Slayer of the Dead, with us. Then to Ull, for the Orakhan Khazuron the Mighty, to Zeif for Sultan Murad among others, to Tusmit for Pasha Muammar Qharan and others, to Ket for Beygraf Nadaid and a multitude in Ket and the Barrier Peaks and lastly to Ekbir. Already they await us. All of us shall soon stand. In the war to come, “the demigod says calmly as the ground beneath him races past at a blinding speed.
“As for my return, the storm clouds gather and rumors abound of war and destruction. Change is coming, and with it good and evil. Soon, the hammer falls, but what form it will take I cannot see. Yet it may be that some old foes shall emerge amid new ones. We must ready the people for the storm – ere it breaks.”
“The half-ogre Orakhan Khazuron of Ull is a mighty warrior. I have only spoken to him a few times, yet there is something familiar about him that I have not been able to place. What is it, my lord and my god?”
“He is thy cousin 15 times removed, and a true son of Al’Akbar as well.” Al’Akbar says as a shocked look passes across the face of Mahdi Amal aban Jehef. “Do not be surprised! The descendants of my wives and myself number in the tens of thousands!”
As the celestial horde appears, Al’Akbar speaks to the people gathered near him with words much like those spoken at Kankar. Shortly the horde appears in the City of Ekbir as the demigod’s name is chanted through the streets amid the sounds of blowing horns. The celestial horde hovers in the air, as Al’Akbar and those of many races – humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, kobolds, orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, half-ogres and more - descend onto a high rock set before the in the square between the Golden Temple of the Divine and the Mosque of Al’Akbar. The crowd roars with approval, the sounds of horns, harps, zithers, drums and other musical instruments are heard, only ceasing as Al’Akbar raises his right hand for them to stop.
“My beloved people, honored dignitaries of many lands, and welcome travellers, it is good again to be amongst thee amid the gathering storm crowds. May thou be blessed, and our noble guests as well. Ambassadors, forgive me for not inviting the noble and august rulers of thy lands here today but I have need of haste. I shall contact them shortly and pray that there shall be peace and friendship amongst us. My people and honored guests, thou hast heard of the the signs, the portents and the Prophecy of the Phoenix. The lives you have known shall change and all shall be tested. Even as I traveled with them, the leaders of the Baklunish and allied peoples in our lands – have heard what I know of the threats that lie before us. Soon the hammer shall fall. Soon we shall be tested to our very souls. Yet when we have stood together, we have proved stronger than separately. Thereby by consent and mutual counsel, the leaders of the Dry Steppes, Ull, the Yorodhi, The Paynims, Zeif, Ket, the Barrier Peaks, Tusmit, Ekbir, the Barrier Peaks, the Ullspure Mountains, and more proclaim: The day has come! The day has come that thou and the world have awaited for over a thousand years!”
A procession of nobles, dignitaries, celestials, and genies line up and stand at attention. A man in ancient armor, shining like the sun smiles proudly as he lifts a high crown shaped like a turban above Al’Akbar’s head. Its jewels shine brightly in the sun, and some in the crowd murmur in awe as the crown is lowered on Al’Akbar’s head.
“Today, the Baklunish Empire is restored! In the name of our gods and thee, our peoples, I, Emperor Al’Akbar, proclaim it so. May the gods bless us and bless all peoples in this time of change! Let us stand together and prepare for the changes that are to come – as one mighty empire. The Tree of Life will be shaken, but the Baklunish Empire and all of us must ensure that it stands! Let us stand with our neighbors, with amity towards them but with the strength, cunning and courage to vanquish any foe. Remember thy duty to one another, and my teachings! Deal justly with thy neighbor and the stranger as well as each other. Hear my words and remember this day, O peoples of the Blakunish Empire! We are one and shall stand as one!! We are one!!”
The shout of “We are one!!” is carried by the crowds, and a voice cries out “Emperor Al’ Akbar and the Baklunish Empire!” in common, “El’Akbar v’shel Medinet Baklunim!!” in Ancient Baklunish and “Al’Akbar v’shal Medinat Baklunim!” in Low Baklunish, followed by cries of “Al’Akbar!! Al’Akbar!!” Even as the crowd chants, Al’Akbar blows a ram’s horn while pointing as two flags that unfurled. The first is the banner of the Baklunish Empire, not seen for the last 1,096 years, while the second is a new flag. On an orange background is the image of the Cup and Talisman of Al’Akbar with an olive branch beneath it to its right and a falchion on its left. Al’Akbar draws his falchion, shining like the noonday sun, and waves it as he gestures to some of his court. Before he blows a ram
“Make haste, and deliver my messages. For although this is a day of celebration, there is much work to be done. Soon the hammer will fall, but we shall be ready!!! Go, and may the gods speed your journey!!” Several of the celestial horde vanish or fly away amid the continuing chants by the crowd.
Across the Flanaess, to the surprise of many, new flags are suddenly unfurled next to the flags of Ket, Zeif, Tusmit, Ekbir and throughout the Baklunish lands. In the cites of the west, the embassies and consulates of the Baklunish nations, as well as the trading houses of the Mouqollad Consortium, new flags are hurriedly added: the flag of the Baklunish Empire and the flag of Al’Akbar to crowds murmur and gasp in astonishment.
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