"Ren and Luna sent a transmission to Serese and Chulane, and eagerly awaited a response. This transmission read such as this "Despite the attacks you attempted to harm us with, after much deliberation, we have decided peace is the correct action to take. With Luna and Ren’s décision to reap the bounties of the stars, we would make excellent teammates. you join us, yet again, in an alliance? If you do, let us defeat the other silly colonizers of Turmoil, and take it, and its spoils! For the Star Fledged alliance!" as the transmission was received, Serese and Chulane responded, and they responded like this" - [CUT TO LUJIKUL'S POST]
Due to feedback from @stormbreath, My card is now an Enchantment-victory rather than using a custom card type. (I don't have premium, just go with this.)
We give the stranger a spider who wants to be hurt.
The Hordes declare all-out war on the southern alliance, together with @SammySammyson. They also offer support to Gnash, helping her recover faster. However, before going to war, they attempt to colonise the last bit of land on their island, in the hope of growing their numbers.
"Au contraire, I did exactly what you ordered. You said to lead the troops to enact the second Celestial Might, and that's just what I did. it simply happened to be that our quarry wasn't around to be obliterated."
The two Stargazers were staring each other down across Serise's desk, with her sitting and Chulane standing.
"And? You still failed, the objective was to wipe them out, yet here they are, offering us an alliance!"
"Serise, you are the one who said that if they forgave us, they would deserving of our service. This is their forgiveness."
"You are a fool for believing that traitors to the sky would actually forgive us. This is a trap."
"Perhaps you are the fool, Serise."
Hours after nightfall when Serise had retired to bed in the darkest hours of the morning, Chulane took the smallest, quickest boat aboard the Red Giant and fled in the night for the territory of the Astral Peoples, hastily writing in the dark as the boat drifts.
Once he'd gotten far enough to be comfortable, he reroutes, making for the nearest town on foot. After about an hour, he arrives, and heads for where the leaders may be presiding. He drops off a large sapphire along with a message, a letter written on parchment, and leaves to return to the Red Giant before Serise wakes up. In somewhat shaky rushed handwriting, the message reads as follows:
"Leaders of the Astral Peoples,
We are delighted to hear of your offer of peace, especially after the... ill-advised decision of an attack. We look forward to working together in the future, to ensure Turmoil is in the right hands. For the purposes of secure communication, please route future messages and transmissions through my advisor, Chulane. Long live the Star Fledged Alliance!" At the bottom is what appears to be Serise's signature, with Chulane's alongside it.
(Stargazer's Gift is my entry for this week for the alliance between the Stargazer Society and the Astral Peoples.)
Swarms of devoted children screeching and raving, charging in invincible hordes through the Rangers' settlements, claiming camp after camp after camp, life after life after life. Victory had seemed like the only outcome.
But that meddling Jonny Haymaker had arranged a powerful line of defence, and managed to fend off the hordes as he and his commander worked on some sort of project. The Orb of Subjugation.
At the thought of its name, High Prophet Hastyr's grip on the weathered stone railings tightnened, his sharpened, warped fingernails leaving deep marks like some sort of wild animal. One measly ball wth a couple spells tacked onto it and suddenly only a single thrall was left to charge up, only to be felled by a master warrior almost instantly. A solution was in order--but what exactly would it be?
"Father Hastyr?" A voice. Brimming with intelligent confidence, but also digusting humanity. Hastyr turned at once, his vile body undulating like a serpent's, his robes flowing across the room. Standing in front of him was one of the Children -- Edwin, remembered Hastyr, his immaculate memory serving him once again -- Thin and short even by human standards. A pair of glasses was perched on his button nose. His hair was thinning. And only a trace of corruption ensnared.
"Why are you not like the Old One yet, child?" Hastyr's voice reverbrated through his mind. Edwin didn't flinch.
"I have yet to prove myself, father Hastyr."
"I am preoccupied. Do you not understand you cannot simply come here to speak to me?"
"I understand, father. And yet--" Here he grinned cockily. "--I think I may be able to help you."
"These matters are larger than you, child." Thundered Hastyr.
"You speak of the orb?" Asked Edwin simply. Hastyr hesitated. "I can destroy it, using the remnants of spells of rust that lay deep in the catacombs."
Hastyr tilted his massive head, curious.
"I learnt from my mentor, a famous mage from my home plane." He paused. "Innistrad." He spat out the words like they were the plague.
"I can tell you are truthful, child. What do you need?"
Edwin looked up, his eyes shining, mouth spread in a wide grin. "Well, first I'm going to need a lab. You know what I mean -- duplication systems, amplification meters -- the works. And moving on to brews, do you have any Dunwich blood? If you don't I can use..."
Hastyr had stopped listening. He knew he could supply anything this youngling needed. He had finally solved his problem -- as long, at least, as Edwin was as talented as he presented himself.
And to the hooded stranger, this is our gift. We offer you a place amongst the council of elders -- you don't have to rule us, but you will be given access to our libraries and vaults, and will be given a regiment of our warriors. As it is with all of our boons, our gift comes with a cost in blood -- but if you wish to stop paying it, you can revoke your sovereignty at any time, and we will provide you with a vampiric horror to rejuvenate you.
The western powers still wage war. The lands of summon (created by @AxNoodle, also @Lujikul and @ThatOneCat) are expanding, and up east, a dear friend is missing from this map. He was victim to two of the worst things in this world, WAR and BETRAYAL! While the southerners pushed, @SammySammyson had reaped the fruits whose seeds he sowed long ago. Seeing the battle couldn't be won, the drones turned on the darkhordes, and took their bite out of the territory.
Alas, I am sorry to say, that @Mantis17 WILL NOT BE JOINING US ANY MORE. It was an honour to have you, but I guess winning a battle is hard when your partner is a megalomaniacal horse horror :P. Dry up your zombies, put the powder in a jar for safekeeping, and pop on the ghost train back home. The people left... Congratulations on making Top 8! It's only going to get more ruthless from here.
YOUR NEW CHALLENGE (FOR NEXT SUNDAY), IS CONQUEST!
To really move into the late game, we need to hand out the territory left. But it won't be easy.
[@spookoops@SteampunkDragon] The coast of the western island is a dangerous place. Water Goblins stalk the shore, while unknown wonders and horrors lie just beneath the waves. Will you take a break from fighting to conquer this land?
[@Lujikul@ThatOneCat@SammySammyson] The northeast darklands still hold a few stories. There, in the mist, a king awaits. A king of lych. A king of shadow. That is all you get in your vision. What precautions would you take when you venture out there?
[@AxNoodle@KorandAngels@IzItTru] The southern jungles remain. This part has so far been to deep to traverse, even for the bravest warrior, the most agile arachnid, the most imaginative ranger-bard. What is your key to the heart of the verdurous mass?
P.S. Those of you who still have a war going... Also do that.
ALMOST FORGOT! The winner of the Reaper's Blessing is @SteampunkDragon! It gave you extra points and also a bit of an edge in your battle, but now you are on your own again.
With Gnash exhausted, any efforts to conquer would be worthless, and she is wise enough to know this. Instead, she plans to venture into the unventured. Now, tell me, why would the Herald of Death fear such a vision? Exactly. Gnash will take everything head-on and hope to gain the trust of that "king" by exhibiting bravery, an unwillingness to back down, and showcasing her craft of manipulation of the living, and power over the dead.
(Not a submission, of course. Just some flavor and build-up until I make cards for it.)
"It's going to take presicion" Verryn said staring into the jungles "All of our attempts have been cut off by the wildlife" The Chief of Clan Nel had stayed behind from the war in order to continue the efforts of pushing into the jungle, he currently stood in the village outside of it's boundries conversing with Caisade Chieftess of Clan Ren.
"Have you tried The Exiled Hunter?" the Chieftess asked if anyone could do it then Crev could.
"We have no idea were he is" Verryn responed his disdain palpable "But don't worry I've thought of something" He motioned over to the workers that were attempting to cut thier way into the jungle, only a small dent had been made in the thick treeline "Like I said before all of our attepts to clear out a path into the jungle have been blocked off by wild animals or living plants, so I'm trying something new", Verryn pointed over to a smaller group of Clan Nel scouts assembling thier gear and weapons "We're sending in a smaller group of rangers to find an easier path to the heart of this place"
(This is my entry) Essentially The elite rangers of Clan Nel will travel into the jungle to try and find a path that a much larger group could take.
Jack and his Rangers suddenly feel the walls closing in on them, despite their best war efforts. Knowing that there is still unsettled land to the south-west, controlled by goblins, Jack figures why not just hire them as foot soldiers. That way, the Rangers should be able to keep a hold on the lands, while helping his army grow at the same time.
In the time that'd passed since the formation of the Star Fledged Alliance, there'd been a noticeable change in the chain of command of the crew of the Red Giant. Before, while the crew answered to Chulane, he answered to Serise, who was treated with utmost respect by the others. Lately though, this hasn't been the case. The crew has continued to consult Chulane, but on the occasions Serise left her quarters, she's simply been passed by them with hardly an acknowledgement of her presence. At the end of one such occasion, a stroll before she went to sleep for the rest of the night, she decides to confront Chulane about it in the morning. With that, she quickly fell to a deep sleep. If she hadn't, she might've noticed the sound of a padlock on her door.
Chulane stood at the table with the map below deck, surrounded by some of his most trusted crewmates. The room was abuzz with casual chatter among them, until one, a lanky young woman, rushes down the stairs, stopping at the bottom.
"She's secure." Chulane looks up at the newcomer.
"Then we can begin." He clears his throat, quieting the others as the room fills with a harsh silence. "Alright, as I'm sure some of you have heard, there's rumors of some sort of king in the darklands. We need to be prepared for whatever the truth behind this may be. You may remember that a few days ago we organized teams and leaders. Well now this'll be put to the test." He turns to an aging scrawny man with a long grey beard. "Duke, you and the other Runners will inform the Astral peoples of what occurs in here. We need to keep the alliance in the best of health if we are to succeed." The elder nods, and Chulane turns to a group of surprisingly fit people, with a large man dressed for the seas at the front. "Jeremiah, you and the Chasers will perform the third Celestial Might and find the secret to this 'king's' strength, no matter how far it takes you, and report back." The group nods with a "will do, sir."
"What about me?" The girl who had arrived earlier speaks up.
"You, Celine, have the most important job. You and your fellow Stargazer Apprentices need to keep Serise busy and occupied. False paperwork, spilling her tea, inquiring as to the nature of celestial magic, whatever it takes. And above all else, she can't find out about what's going on or what we've discussed here tonight. Everyone know what they're doing? Alright, break."
That morning, Serise woke up to an unlocked door and an apprentice with an armful of written tests that needed reviewing.
My entry: The third Celestial Might that the Chasers are using:
Comments
@Lujikul @SteampunkDragon @Mantis17
THE TENSION IS HIGHER THAN EVER!
(I don't have premium, just go with this.)
We give the stranger a spider who wants to be hurt.
The Hordes declare all-out war on the southern alliance, together with @SammySammyson. They also offer support to Gnash, helping her recover faster. However, before going to war, they attempt to colonise the last bit of land on their island, in the hope of growing their numbers.
"Au contraire, I did exactly what you ordered. You said to lead the troops to enact the second Celestial Might, and that's just what I did. it simply happened to be that our quarry wasn't around to be obliterated."
The two Stargazers were staring each other down across Serise's desk, with her sitting and Chulane standing.
"And? You still failed, the objective was to wipe them out, yet here they are, offering us an alliance!"
"Serise, you are the one who said that if they forgave us, they would deserving of our service. This is their forgiveness."
"You are a fool for believing that traitors to the sky would actually forgive us. This is a trap."
"Perhaps you are the fool, Serise."
Hours after nightfall when Serise had retired to bed in the darkest hours of the morning, Chulane took the smallest, quickest boat aboard the Red Giant and fled in the night for the territory of the Astral Peoples, hastily writing in the dark as the boat drifts.
Once he'd gotten far enough to be comfortable, he reroutes, making for the nearest town on foot. After about an hour, he arrives, and heads for where the leaders may be presiding. He drops off a large sapphire along with a message, a letter written on parchment, and leaves to return to the Red Giant before Serise wakes up. In somewhat shaky rushed handwriting, the message reads as follows:
"Leaders of the Astral Peoples,
We are delighted to hear of your offer of peace, especially after the... ill-advised decision of an attack. We look forward to working together in the future, to ensure Turmoil is in the right hands. For the purposes of secure communication, please route future messages and transmissions through my advisor, Chulane. Long live the Star Fledged Alliance!" At the bottom is what appears to be Serise's signature, with Chulane's alongside it.
(Stargazer's Gift is my entry for this week for the alliance between the Stargazer Society and the Astral Peoples.)
Swarms of devoted children screeching and raving, charging in invincible hordes through the Rangers' settlements, claiming camp after camp after camp, life after life after life. Victory had seemed like the only outcome.
But that meddling Jonny Haymaker had arranged a powerful line of defence, and managed to fend off the hordes as he and his commander worked on some sort of project. The Orb of Subjugation.
At the thought of its name, High Prophet Hastyr's grip on the weathered stone railings tightnened, his sharpened, warped fingernails leaving deep marks like some sort of wild animal. One measly ball wth a couple spells tacked onto it and suddenly only a single thrall was left to charge up, only to be felled by a master warrior almost instantly. A solution was in order--but what exactly would it be?
"Father Hastyr?" A voice. Brimming with intelligent confidence, but also digusting humanity. Hastyr turned at once, his vile body undulating like a serpent's, his robes flowing across the room. Standing in front of him was one of the Children -- Edwin, remembered Hastyr, his immaculate memory serving him once again -- Thin and short even by human standards. A pair of glasses was perched on his button nose. His hair was thinning. And only a trace of corruption ensnared.
"Why are you not like the Old One yet, child?" Hastyr's voice reverbrated through his mind. Edwin didn't flinch.
"I have yet to prove myself, father Hastyr."
"I am preoccupied. Do you not understand you cannot simply come here to speak to me?"
"I understand, father. And yet--" Here he grinned cockily. "--I think I may be able to help you."
"These matters are larger than you, child." Thundered Hastyr.
"You speak of the orb?" Asked Edwin simply. Hastyr hesitated. "I can destroy it, using the remnants of spells of rust that lay deep in the catacombs."
Hastyr tilted his massive head, curious.
"I learnt from my mentor, a famous mage from my home plane." He paused. "Innistrad." He spat out the words like they were the plague.
"I can tell you are truthful, child. What do you need?"
Edwin looked up, his eyes shining, mouth spread in a wide grin. "Well, first I'm going to need a lab. You know what I mean -- duplication systems, amplification meters -- the works. And moving on to brews, do you have any Dunwich blood? If you don't I can use..."
Hastyr had stopped listening. He knew he could supply anything this youngling needed. He had finally solved his problem -- as long, at least, as Edwin was as talented as he presented himself.
______________________________________________________________________________________
And to the hooded stranger, this is our gift. We offer you a place amongst the council of elders -- you don't have to rule us, but you will be given access to our libraries and vaults, and will be given a regiment of our warriors. As it is with all of our boons, our gift comes with a cost in blood -- but if you wish to stop paying it, you can revoke your sovereignty at any time, and we will provide you with a vampiric horror to rejuvenate you.
A pegasus ever so swift.
For what greater joy
Than flying on Zoy
Gives you such freedom as this?
(Limerick)
The western powers still wage war. The lands of summon (created by @AxNoodle, also @Lujikul and @ThatOneCat) are expanding, and up east, a dear friend is missing from this map. He was victim to two of the worst things in this world, WAR and BETRAYAL! While the southerners pushed, @SammySammyson had reaped the fruits whose seeds he sowed long ago. Seeing the battle couldn't be won, the drones turned on the darkhordes, and took their bite out of the territory.
Alas, I am sorry to say, that @Mantis17 WILL NOT BE JOINING US ANY MORE. It was an honour to have you, but I guess winning a battle is hard when your partner is a megalomaniacal horse horror :P. Dry up your zombies, put the powder in a jar for safekeeping, and pop on the ghost train back home. The people left... Congratulations on making Top 8! It's only going to get more ruthless from here.
To really move into the late game, we need to hand out the territory left. But it won't be easy.
[@spookoops @SteampunkDragon] The coast of the western island is a dangerous place. Water Goblins stalk the shore, while unknown wonders and horrors lie just beneath the waves. Will you take a break from fighting to conquer this land?
[@Lujikul @ThatOneCat @SammySammyson] The northeast darklands still hold a few stories. There, in the mist, a king awaits. A king of lych. A king of shadow. That is all you get in your vision. What precautions would you take when you venture out there?
[@AxNoodle @KorandAngels @IzItTru] The southern jungles remain. This part has so far been to deep to traverse, even for the bravest warrior, the most agile arachnid, the most imaginative ranger-bard. What is your key to the heart of the verdurous mass?
P.S. Those of you who still have a war going... Also do that.
In the north of the southeastern continent, good sir!
The key to getting in is
N̻͓̤̠u͚̰̟̭̥ͅm͈̭̬͈̠b̘̣̣̳͈̦̝̠e̝͚̙̺͔̥̥̫͕r͕͙̺͓̤s̠̗̰̞͖̰͓͍
We withdraw a few of our troops from ex-darkhorde territory and send as many as possible into the jungle.
(Not a submission, of course. Just some flavor and build-up until I make cards for it.)
"Have you tried The Exiled Hunter?" the Chieftess asked if anyone could do it then Crev could.
"We have no idea were he is" Verryn responed his disdain palpable "But don't worry I've thought of something" He motioned over to the workers that were attempting to cut thier way into the jungle, only a small dent had been made in the thick treeline "Like I said before all of our attepts to clear out a path into the jungle have been blocked off by wild animals or living plants, so I'm trying something new", Verryn pointed over to a smaller group of Clan Nel scouts assembling thier gear and weapons "We're sending in a smaller group of rangers to find an easier path to the heart of this place"
(This is my entry)
Essentially The elite rangers of Clan Nel will travel into the jungle to try and find a path that a much larger group could take.
(LORE)
Jack and his Rangers suddenly feel the walls closing in on them, despite their best war efforts. Knowing that there is still unsettled land to the south-west, controlled by goblins, Jack figures why not just hire them as foot soldiers. That way, the Rangers should be able to keep a hold on the lands, while helping his army grow at the same time.
ROUGHLY 23 HOURS LEFT!
Chulane stood at the table with the map below deck, surrounded by some of his most trusted crewmates. The room was abuzz with casual chatter among them, until one, a lanky young woman, rushes down the stairs, stopping at the bottom.
"She's secure." Chulane looks up at the newcomer.
"Then we can begin." He clears his throat, quieting the others as the room fills with a harsh silence. "Alright, as I'm sure some of you have heard, there's rumors of some sort of king in the darklands. We need to be prepared for whatever the truth behind this may be. You may remember that a few days ago we organized teams and leaders. Well now this'll be put to the test." He turns to an aging scrawny man with a long grey beard. "Duke, you and the other Runners will inform the Astral peoples of what occurs in here. We need to keep the alliance in the best of health if we are to succeed." The elder nods, and Chulane turns to a group of surprisingly fit people, with a large man dressed for the seas at the front. "Jeremiah, you and the Chasers will perform the third Celestial Might and find the secret to this 'king's' strength, no matter how far it takes you, and report back." The group nods with a "will do, sir."
"What about me?" The girl who had arrived earlier speaks up.
"You, Celine, have the most important job. You and your fellow Stargazer Apprentices need to keep Serise busy and occupied. False paperwork, spilling her tea, inquiring as to the nature of celestial magic, whatever it takes. And above all else, she can't find out about what's going on or what we've discussed here tonight. Everyone know what they're doing? Alright, break."
That morning, Serise woke up to an unlocked door and an apprentice with an armful of written tests that needed reviewing.
My entry: The third Celestial Might that the Chasers are using:
INTRIGUE!!!!!!!
You know, you developing your court life with story twists like these is starting to remind me of a certain successful faction from S3...
Is.... is the Colonisers metagame EVOLVING?
Would take so much to quest.
A tome of fire, recently found,
Shall burn it to the ground.
...
If we can’t conquest it, neither can they.
Land made useless from waste we shall lay.
The metagame is definitely evolving. Old-timers, can any of you imagine something like that happening in S1, let alone the Star conflicts?