@Tonysparks Curses exclusively enchant players, but that kind of thing has never stopped me before. I won't change it because I have to play a card game now, by I might later.
I kinda figured I would have a conflict of interest with factions that base themselves in magic like "True gods", that's why I sent my missionaries to Salvia (Alchemy/Science for a possible alliance), "True gods" (not for them, but for the barbarians who resisted conversion), and Antias (Surely they're citizens who are tired of being oppressed by an immortal monarch there).
The sticky part for me is touching Dykus, everyone else is replaceable cannon foder to Alum, but Dykus is off range ?
<Some time later> (Edit: fixed the timeline to be in line with the event below)
Macoto lounged on a bed of soft grasses, warm sunlight shining down on the secluded grove as pastel petals drifted in the light breeze. Sensing a shift in the breeze, she turned to see Ruut approaching swiftly, blossoms catching on his horns. "Is something the matter?" she asked.
Ruut held up a finger to forestall further questions, taking out a wooden powder box with the other. Sliding the lid away, he scattered a dull rosy powder into the air around them, watching as the breeze caught hold of it, some even settling onto Macoto. Nodding after a few seconds, he applied a pinch of the powder to himself, observing a similar lack of reaction. "Good, we aren't being observed and haven't been enchanted," he said. "And this conversation will be shielded from prying eyes and ears."
"Why the sudden concern?" Macoto asked, sitting up.
"I have received additional reports concerning our many visitors. The Seven Leagues' emissaries have been reasonable, and peaceful arrangements are moving swiftly. As for our other guests…" Ruut sighed.
"There's been an incident?"
"Apparently. The Zalgofarians have sent a high-ranking figure, and seem to have scaled back the preaching in favor of a more traditionally diplomatic approach. The Cultists, on the other hand, have become more aggressive in their conversion attempts."
"Should we be more explicit in our disinterest toward religious pursuits?"
"It is unlikely that will resolve anything given their zealotry, but there is a more pressing matter. A new arrival from the Cult appears to have done something to this high-ranking Zalgofarian. Whether or not they were successful, things are likely to begin escalating, as they appear to be fighting over our allegiance."
"Even though we've expressed neutral intent?"
"I suspect it is due to our location between them, considering their opposing ideologies and clear negative opinions of one another. They likely desire to use the guild's unusual surroundings to form a strong base, while also securing versatile alchemical support."
"Do you think we can get them to resolve their differences away from the guild's gardens? We can even provide a battlefield if they must have one."
"I will have the Aster make a request of both sides."
"Will they be safe?"
"Assuming both sides still desire our support, the resulting aversion to offending the guild should be sufficient to protect our members from harm. I will remind the Anemone to remain vigilant over the coming days, but I think we should not increase the number of guards, as we must maintain our welcoming atmosphere despite this altercation."
Macoto sighed absently, looking off into the distance.
"Something else bothers you?" Ruut asked.
"The Cosmos tell of a place that's unusually receptive to our efforts. I'd love to send a larger expedition there, or even go myself, but it seems we don't have time for that right now."
Ruut's expression hardened grimly. "I will do my best to resolve this effectively, then we will go together."
Macoto reached out, catching a flower as the wind carried it from Ruut's horns. "Don't forget to keep yourself safe as well."
"Worry not; I have a number of contingencies prepared." Ruut's expression softened for a moment. "But I appreciate your concern, and will keep it in mind." His wooden face returning to its usual smooth blankness, Ruut left as swiftly as he arrived, petals fluttering silently in his wake.
I've kept references to the current altercation oblique, so this segment shouldn't be affected by the pending ruling. Since it may become relevant soon, information about the guild's services can be found here.
The kingdom of Antaias was long busy setting up its future when an earthquake most terrible destroyed much of their progress.
"What shall we do of this great cataclysm?" Queries a knight to the High Court of her royal highness, the queen.
"We will mend what can be mended and continue to expand. Other powers have set up across the land. We should get in contact and find out what they know." Replies the Grand Marshal of the Order of Black Snow.
A murmuring goes through the court. A man steps up from the attending crowd.
"My queen, the frontier knights say that missionaries have come from foreign powers to convert our citizens. They teach some doctrine of heresy against you and the powers you wield. What shall be done?" Asks the high advisor to her highness that has taken stage.
"Invite them to the capital. They will state plainly what it is they think of our policies with their blood. Perhaps they will be found worthy." Replies the queen. (How the missionaries are dealt with) Several knights and warlocks went out to do the bidding of the queen at her declaration. Court continued without them.
"What shall we do then with the others? We've heard rumor of a powerful group of nature adherents to our east. Shall we dispatch diplomats?" Asks the high advisor.
"Perhaps we should consider not making contact until we are stronger?" Chimes in a knight.
The queen thinks long and hard about how to handle diplomacy. They would only get one chance to make a first impression.
"Send forth a small force of our most skilled courtiers and knights. Bring gifts of our people. We will offer alliance against those that would harm us both. Perhaps these zealots threaten them as well. After you send them, I will reinforce the border by raising beasts to defend us so only invited guests may enter." The queen says with a modicum of boredom. (The gift) (New border defense)
Hey thanks. I won't lie, Dark Souls is a big inspiration for the vibe and as a result much of the art is being pulled from it and things adjacent to it in theme. Honestly I'm super impressed with the factions this go around. A lot more energy to them and how they interact. I wasn't expecting to be in conflict this fast.
"What's the status of the emissaries?" Reni asked.
"Good," an aide said, shuffling some papers. "The current plan is to send a pair of ambassadors to the alchemists, the church, and the forest instead of just one."
The elf nodded. "Make sure they're from different Leagues. I don't want too much power in one League's hand." When the aide looked at her, she sighed. "It will be fine. The Leagues will understand. Besides, our position on this world is still a little shaky. I don't want a power struggle here on top of everything else."
The aide nodded and hurried off.
Reni whistled, and another aide trotted up.
"Where are we with the instructors the church sent us?" she asked.
"They're being watched, as per your instructions," the aide replied.
"Good. Make sure they don't get too near to our main population hubs. I don't want them thinking they can turn us from the Hunt."
Me and Drake are working on this again. Sorry about the delay; I hit serious mental burnout and neither of us were really in the mood to work on things XD
Otaimo sat atop a fountain with a spot of tea, looking down to the plane below through his sanctum. He knew that things were going to get violent the moment the factions were alerted of each others' locations... and two factions seemed incompatible from the very beginning. He meditated, because he knew that opportunities to rest would become scarce over the coming days; as long as The Witch Hunters and the Cult of the True Gods lived on the same plane, there was going to be near constant bloodshed...
"Otaimo! It's happening!" The patter of footsteps across the cobbles led to Otaimo's fountain. The spirit stood to greet his assistant, Ruithan, with a bit of exhaustion upon his face. "...Otaimo?" "This..." Otaimo put his head down, and sighed. "I knew they were going to fight, but even then this is incredibly soon. Not even a day after the first parleys and already it's happening." "Do you need me to stay on lookout?" "Absolutely. I'm sure that with how zealous Alum's forces are that we will need to keep play-by-play observations of the goings-on. We will never know what will happen next and when at this point."
Ruut knew that there was a concern before Macoto ever came to them. They had known each other well enough that the latter needn't say a word.
"Those missionaries again?" Ruut predicted as Macoto approached. "Correct," Macoto returned. "We will need to make way for them; I expect that the clashes are going to get quite destructive... and if we aren't careful-" "Say no more. We're already clearing out some of our forces. It's a sad thing, really, for these two to go to war over our allegiances. But it's something I saw coming. The least we can do is protect our people and our labs from becoming collateral damage." "Wait... our labs?" "I'm afraid I did not have time to contact either party before the first charges began. We had to clear out one of our labs." "You made entirely sure nothing got left behind?" "Nothing of importance, assuming our alchemists got the memo..."
@Tonysparks Alum awoke to an eerie silence outside his chambers. The bogs surrounding his territory were always still, always reeking of death and decay... but this time, it was far worse than normal. Thankfully, however, the silence was broken by battle cries of his own men. He didn't have too much to worry about, but there was a need for concern; his people were attacked in the night, and the toll was devastating. His defenses were far more flimsy than he had anticipated, leaving him wide open for an attack. The dead and dying were strewn in resounding echoes of nothingness, accented by the sounds of his men preparing to mount a counteroffensive. He was approached by his advisors and given a summary of the events of the resting hours; the cult sprang a surprise attack on their soil. What's worse, that wasn't the only thing that had transpired through the night. Only one missionary returned from the venture to Antaias; the rest were either converted or slaughtered.
"Attention!" Alum called out to his rallying forces. "The false gods have made themselves a nuisance! So we must make ourselves a nuisance to them!" A battle cry emerged from the group. "We cannot allow Salvia to see us as weak! We are more than they could imagine! We are greater than the heresy of that blasted cult!" Another rallying cry from the group. They were anxious, furious, ready for revenge. "They want to take our allies to the south so desperately? Then they can have our blades!"
A chant began from the forces. Alum! Alum! Alum!
"We have reports of forces that plan to intercept our missionaries. We're going to rout an offensive, and show Salvia up close what we're made of!"
@KorandAngels Word of the impending sabotage did not reach Dykus in time. As he walked closer and closer to Salvian territory, he came closer and closer to falling into a trap. Just as the Gods predicted, more missionaries had come to try and garner the aid of Salvia, but the Gods would stand Alum's advances no longer. With a spell, Dykus fell ill on his way to Omir, and let out his dying breath just on the Salvian border; not only had Alum lost a substantial ally, but the curse had supplied the Cult with soldiers that were ready to face Alum's missionaries and crusaders, intercepting them on the way back to Aldym.
As the missionaries passed into a clearing near Aldym, they heard scurrying. Something was happening, but they didn't quite know what. The marches were paused in their paces while the crusaders investigated the disturbance, only to rush back to the missionaries when they realized that the scurrying was retreating Salvian alchemists; the Cult had staged an ambush, and the alchemists didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.
"Ready yourselves!" The leader of one of the marches called out. "Those were allies; we're about to be attacked by cultists!" "Come out then, you cowards!" Another crusader called out. "You want to ambush us? Ambush us!"
Silence echoed through the clearing as a defensive perimeter was established. The missionaries were dismissed for their safety, which seemed like the best decision at the time, but moments later, screaming was heard. The crusaders rushed north to the source of the screams, and their flank was struck by flames. The forces yelled out, and the battle was officially underway. Half of the forces split to rescue the missionaries, and the other half stayed to fight off the ambush coming from their flank. While their plan seemed solid, it assumed one thing; that the soldiers would not be horrified by the sight of one of their own men, his horribly disfigured remains cloaking the skins of undead forces sent to kill them.
The fighting went on for quite some time. The crusaders had weapons, but the undead had sheer numbers and the advantage of demoralizing their enemy. They also had spellcraft, which the crusaders did not have effective enough means to combat. While damage to Salvia territory was minimalized, a less significant lab had to be abandoned, which ended up exploding after a reaction with a misplaced fire bolt. The fight went on for hours, but inevitably, the crusaders were overwhelmed, and Alum's missionaries never made it back to Aldym...
Interaction Result
The Cult's attack on Witch Hunter territory was a success
The Cult's curse killed Dykus, and the resulting forces were enough to rout Witch Hunter forces before they could return from Salvia.
Alum sits in his main hall after rallying his army, as the cold night whistles in the confines of his settlement. Rage bubbles inside him as he tries to imagine what kinds of abominations would to do this. Children strung about buildings, daughters and sons lost, and while the settlements houses remained unburned due to the vast magical wards that protect them from magical mischief not limited to scrying, the houses now lacked fathers and mothers alike. He sits there in silence as he takes of his mask and his hand grips his blade's hilt. His moment of silence broken with a sudden purple glow from under gauntlet. He reveals his hand to see a mark vanishing from his hand as he slowly begins to fly into a rage.
"I promised you...I promised her that you and I will see this dream through together"
"In the end, we were both wrong, this world could not be fixed"
"But for your son, and the children of Zondria and Salem, you tried"
"It is now my responsibility, to bring you back to rest. Both as a warrior, a father, and my one and only friend, to your final resting place."
"It is clear that Salvia has chosen the side of the enemy. Allowing a precious ambassador to fall within their grounds."
Later on: Alum sends a messenger in horse back to deliver a message to Salvia
<You have one day before my army's arrival, to remove those killers from your grounds so I may retrieve whatever is left of the bodies of my fallen companions. It is clear that peace was never a option from the start. You cowered as my diplomat fell within your grounds. Least you face the wrath of my army, you shall heed my warning>
The Next morning, Alum dawns his armor, and mounts his bloodscent steed, as he approches Salvia with his legion of spell-slaughter hunters and his hunting parties adorned with spell breaker shields.
Macoto sighed at the news of the assault. Clearly it was time to move on, as this was probably going to spark a war that the guild had no intention of being caught up in. "Let's evacuate fully and change locations," she suggested.
"You want to bet on that place the Cosmos told you of? This is certainly the perfect excuse to make a large-scale expedition."
"Right. After we complete the evacuation, I will return this place to the earth. They wished to use it as a base, so the least I can do is make things more difficult for each of them while also both furthering our mission and erasing anything they could use."
"Very well. While we haven't yet heard from the caravan to Antaias, we can work with the Seven Leagues as a contingency. The Aster will have already made our displeasure with this turn of events clear, so do not worry about any lingering True Gods cultists, regardless of their current position when the collapse begins. I will ensure the guild possesses sufficient nondetection concoctions for the evacuation and expedition. All preparations should be complete within a few hours."
Macoto nodded. "That'll be more than enough time to be ready on my end. See you soon."
~~~
Ruut stood at the head of several warded caravans loaded with the guild's works and personnel. Anemone circle guards patrolled amongst their ranks while Gazania traders and Euphorbia scholars finished triple-checking the cargo and other preparations. Seeing Macoto sitting on the same opalescent slab she'd found after the cataclysm, he waved her over. "We received a messenger from the Zalgofarians toward the end phases of the evacuation. They find fault with us in their relative ignorance, and demand we inflict retribution on those that ambushed the Zalgofarian diplomats. Regardless, an army will arrive tomorrow. I neither know nor truly care whether or not the cultists remain nearby, but I suppose we shall provide shortly should they be within these gardens."
Macoto looked north with a sigh. "This is an unfortunate series of events, but we need not remain here to accomplish our mission."
Turning back to the guildhall, she reached out to the earth with her power. The earth shook violently, a number of the distant stone spires collapsing as a deep sinkhole opened up beneath the guildhall. The structure crumbled, vanishing into the depths of the earth and leaving nothing behind. Macoto collapsed a number of the nearer stone spires into the sinkhole, ensuring the guildhall's remains would be thoroughly pulverized and concealed before burying the entire affair in many feet of earth. To further conceal the ruins, she spread sharp grasses and thorny plants across the remaining broad depression, melding the space into the guild's vast gardens.
"That should do it," she mumbled, slumping into Ruut's waiting arms. "I'll have to send something out to the Cosmos and Chrysanthemum…"
"Rest for now," Ruut said, carrying her to one of the lead caravans. "I never tire of watching you work such miracles," he said softly, gently laying her in the back of the transport.
Signaling to the rest of the guild, Apothecaria Salvia set off toward unknown lands as the sun set behind them…
Short Version + Notes
I have no idea how what appears to be written as a slow blood curse escalated into an instant kill (effectively) & ambush, but the game masters have decreed it, so the guild shall react accordingly. Apothecaria Salvia has no interest in being involved in this mess if they don't have to be, so they're heading to Reya in hopes of reestablishing there (as well as furthering their ultimate goal of fixing the plane). If that fails, they will move to assist the Seven Leagues, as they are the only faction that has responded positively to the guild's efforts (though the guild has yet to receive word from the caravans to Antaias and Valenos). The exodus is guarded against detection effects (such as scrying), so aside from the minor cataclysm of erasing the guildhall they should be relatively well-hidden from distant prying eyes.
Apothecaria Salvia currently bears no ill will toward the Zalgofarians. While Ruut does not know what assumption(s) was made by their leader(s), he does not hold this reaction against them. For attacking the guild's visitors (with the Anemone Circle apparently being unable to do anything to prevent it), the guild views the True Gods cult negatively. If possible and reasonable, the guild will avoid dealing with either faction, but our doors are not necessarily closed to the Zalgofarians, whereas they almost certainly are to the True Gods cult.
@TonySparks [Witch Hunters] and @Nomp [Antaias], engaged by Antaias killing missionaries
Confirmed Rivalries
@KorandAngels [Cult of the True Gods] and @Tonysparks [Witch Hunters], engaged by conflict over Salvia's alliance
@Tonysparks [Witch Hunters] and @cadstar369 [Apothecaria Salvia], engaged by the Witch Hunters' anger that Apothecaria Salvia wouldn't support their fight against the Cult.
@Aggroman15 You have not submitted anything, be it story or otherwise, for Phase One. Please note that failing to do so will cost you faction potential points.
MTG Cardsmith Community Forums
Comments
The sticky part for me is touching Dykus, everyone else is replaceable cannon foder to Alum, but Dykus is off range ?
<Some time later> (Edit: fixed the timeline to be in line with the event below)
Macoto lounged on a bed of soft grasses, warm sunlight shining down on the secluded grove as pastel petals drifted in the light breeze. Sensing a shift in the breeze, she turned to see Ruut approaching swiftly, blossoms catching on his horns. "Is something the matter?" she asked.
Ruut held up a finger to forestall further questions, taking out a wooden powder box with the other. Sliding the lid away, he scattered a dull rosy powder into the air around them, watching as the breeze caught hold of it, some even settling onto Macoto. Nodding after a few seconds, he applied a pinch of the powder to himself, observing a similar lack of reaction. "Good, we aren't being observed and haven't been enchanted," he said. "And this conversation will be shielded from prying eyes and ears."
"Why the sudden concern?" Macoto asked, sitting up.
"I have received additional reports concerning our many visitors. The Seven Leagues' emissaries have been reasonable, and peaceful arrangements are moving swiftly. As for our other guests…" Ruut sighed.
"There's been an incident?"
"Apparently. The Zalgofarians have sent a high-ranking figure, and seem to have scaled back the preaching in favor of a more traditionally diplomatic approach. The Cultists, on the other hand, have become more aggressive in their conversion attempts."
"Should we be more explicit in our disinterest toward religious pursuits?"
"It is unlikely that will resolve anything given their zealotry, but there is a more pressing matter. A new arrival from the Cult appears to have done something to this high-ranking Zalgofarian. Whether or not they were successful, things are likely to begin escalating, as they appear to be fighting over our allegiance."
"Even though we've expressed neutral intent?"
"I suspect it is due to our location between them, considering their opposing ideologies and clear negative opinions of one another. They likely desire to use the guild's unusual surroundings to form a strong base, while also securing versatile alchemical support."
"Do you think we can get them to resolve their differences away from the guild's gardens? We can even provide a battlefield if they must have one."
"I will have the Aster make a request of both sides."
"Will they be safe?"
"Assuming both sides still desire our support, the resulting aversion to offending the guild should be sufficient to protect our members from harm. I will remind the Anemone to remain vigilant over the coming days, but I think we should not increase the number of guards, as we must maintain our welcoming atmosphere despite this altercation."
Macoto sighed absently, looking off into the distance.
"Something else bothers you?" Ruut asked.
"The Cosmos tell of a place that's unusually receptive to our efforts. I'd love to send a larger expedition there, or even go myself, but it seems we don't have time for that right now."
Ruut's expression hardened grimly. "I will do my best to resolve this effectively, then we will go together."
Macoto reached out, catching a flower as the wind carried it from Ruut's horns. "Don't forget to keep yourself safe as well."
"Worry not; I have a number of contingencies prepared." Ruut's expression softened for a moment. "But I appreciate your concern, and will keep it in mind." His wooden face returning to its usual smooth blankness, Ruut left as swiftly as he arrived, petals fluttering silently in his wake.
I've kept references to the current altercation oblique, so this segment shouldn't be affected by the pending ruling. Since it may become relevant soon, information about the guild's services can be found here.
Apothecaria Salvia Set
Additional Chapter Cards
"What shall we do of this great cataclysm?" Queries a knight to the High Court of her royal highness, the queen.
"We will mend what can be mended and continue to expand. Other powers have set up across the land. We should get in contact and find out what they know." Replies the Grand Marshal of the Order of Black Snow.
A murmuring goes through the court. A man steps up from the attending crowd.
"My queen, the frontier knights say that missionaries have come from foreign powers to convert our citizens. They teach some doctrine of heresy against you and the powers you wield. What shall be done?" Asks the high advisor to her highness that has taken stage.
"Invite them to the capital. They will state plainly what it is they think of our policies with their blood. Perhaps they will be found worthy." Replies the queen.
(How the missionaries are dealt with)
Several knights and warlocks went out to do the bidding of the queen at her declaration. Court continued without them.
"What shall we do then with the others? We've heard rumor of a powerful group of nature adherents to our east. Shall we dispatch diplomats?" Asks the high advisor.
"Perhaps we should consider not making contact until we are stronger?" Chimes in a knight.
The queen thinks long and hard about how to handle diplomacy. They would only get one chance to make a first impression.
"Send forth a small force of our most skilled courtiers and knights. Bring gifts of our people. We will offer alliance against those that would harm us both. Perhaps these zealots threaten them as well. After you send them, I will reinforce the border by raising beasts to defend us so only invited guests may enter." The queen says with a modicum of boredom.
(The gift)
(New border defense)
Honestly I'm super impressed with the factions this go around. A lot more energy to them and how they interact. I wasn't expecting to be in conflict this fast.
"Good," an aide said, shuffling some papers. "The current plan is to send a pair of ambassadors to the alchemists, the church, and the forest instead of just one."
The elf nodded. "Make sure they're from different Leagues. I don't want too much power in one League's hand." When the aide looked at her, she sighed. "It will be fine. The Leagues will understand. Besides, our position on this world is still a little shaky. I don't want a power struggle here on top of everything else."
The aide nodded and hurried off.
Reni whistled, and another aide trotted up.
"Where are we with the instructors the church sent us?" she asked.
"They're being watched, as per your instructions," the aide replied.
"Good. Make sure they don't get too near to our main population hubs. I don't want them thinking they can turn us from the Hunt."
______________________________________________________________________
@cadstar369 @KorandAngels @Aggroman15 the Leagues are offering peace, although they're rebuffing the True Gods' attempts to convert them.
~ Faith Against Faith
Otaimo sat atop a fountain with a spot of tea, looking down to the plane below through his sanctum. He knew that things were going to get violent the moment the factions were alerted of each others' locations... and two factions seemed incompatible from the very beginning. He meditated, because he knew that opportunities to rest would become scarce over the coming days; as long as The Witch Hunters and the Cult of the True Gods lived on the same plane, there was going to be near constant bloodshed..."Otaimo! It's happening!" The patter of footsteps across the cobbles led to Otaimo's fountain. The spirit stood to greet his assistant, Ruithan, with a bit of exhaustion upon his face. "...Otaimo?"
"This..." Otaimo put his head down, and sighed. "I knew they were going to fight, but even then this is incredibly soon. Not even a day after the first parleys and already it's happening."
"Do you need me to stay on lookout?"
"Absolutely. I'm sure that with how zealous Alum's forces are that we will need to keep play-by-play observations of the goings-on. We will never know what will happen next and when at this point."
Ruut knew that there was a concern before Macoto ever came to them. They had known each other well enough that the latter needn't say a word.
"Those missionaries again?" Ruut predicted as Macoto approached.
"Correct," Macoto returned. "We will need to make way for them; I expect that the clashes are going to get quite destructive... and if we aren't careful-"
"Say no more. We're already clearing out some of our forces. It's a sad thing, really, for these two to go to war over our allegiances. But it's something I saw coming. The least we can do is protect our people and our labs from becoming collateral damage."
"Wait... our labs?"
"I'm afraid I did not have time to contact either party before the first charges began. We had to clear out one of our labs."
"You made entirely sure nothing got left behind?"
"Nothing of importance, assuming our alchemists got the memo..."
@Tonysparks Alum awoke to an eerie silence outside his chambers. The bogs surrounding his territory were always still, always reeking of death and decay... but this time, it was far worse than normal. Thankfully, however, the silence was broken by battle cries of his own men. He didn't have too much to worry about, but there was a need for concern; his people were attacked in the night, and the toll was devastating. His defenses were far more flimsy than he had anticipated, leaving him wide open for an attack. The dead and dying were strewn in resounding echoes of nothingness, accented by the sounds of his men preparing to mount a counteroffensive. He was approached by his advisors and given a summary of the events of the resting hours; the cult sprang a surprise attack on their soil. What's worse, that wasn't the only thing that had transpired through the night. Only one missionary returned from the venture to Antaias; the rest were either converted or slaughtered.
"Attention!" Alum called out to his rallying forces. "The false gods have made themselves a nuisance! So we must make ourselves a nuisance to them!" A battle cry emerged from the group. "We cannot allow Salvia to see us as weak! We are more than they could imagine! We are greater than the heresy of that blasted cult!" Another rallying cry from the group. They were anxious, furious, ready for revenge. "They want to take our allies to the south so desperately? Then they can have our blades!"
A chant began from the forces. Alum! Alum! Alum!
"We have reports of forces that plan to intercept our missionaries. We're going to rout an offensive, and show Salvia up close what we're made of!"
@KorandAngels Word of the impending sabotage did not reach Dykus in time. As he walked closer and closer to Salvian territory, he came closer and closer to falling into a trap. Just as the Gods predicted, more missionaries had come to try and garner the aid of Salvia, but the Gods would stand Alum's advances no longer. With a spell, Dykus fell ill on his way to Omir, and let out his dying breath just on the Salvian border; not only had Alum lost a substantial ally, but the curse had supplied the Cult with soldiers that were ready to face Alum's missionaries and crusaders, intercepting them on the way back to Aldym.
As the missionaries passed into a clearing near Aldym, they heard scurrying. Something was happening, but they didn't quite know what. The marches were paused in their paces while the crusaders investigated the disturbance, only to rush back to the missionaries when they realized that the scurrying was retreating Salvian alchemists; the Cult had staged an ambush, and the alchemists didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.
"Ready yourselves!" The leader of one of the marches called out. "Those were allies; we're about to be attacked by cultists!"
"Come out then, you cowards!" Another crusader called out. "You want to ambush us? Ambush us!"
Silence echoed through the clearing as a defensive perimeter was established. The missionaries were dismissed for their safety, which seemed like the best decision at the time, but moments later, screaming was heard. The crusaders rushed north to the source of the screams, and their flank was struck by flames. The forces yelled out, and the battle was officially underway. Half of the forces split to rescue the missionaries, and the other half stayed to fight off the ambush coming from their flank. While their plan seemed solid, it assumed one thing; that the soldiers would not be horrified by the sight of one of their own men, his horribly disfigured remains cloaking the skins of undead forces sent to kill them.
The fighting went on for quite some time. The crusaders had weapons, but the undead had sheer numbers and the advantage of demoralizing their enemy. They also had spellcraft, which the crusaders did not have effective enough means to combat. While damage to Salvia territory was minimalized, a less significant lab had to be abandoned, which ended up exploding after a reaction with a misplaced fire bolt. The fight went on for hours, but inevitably, the crusaders were overwhelmed, and Alum's missionaries never made it back to Aldym...
Interaction Result
(Play song while reading the rest - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtJH34CM7O4&list=PLeBKNuR74y3evvYo2cj0OTdwPjHK4MhqX&index=28 )
"No..."
"NOOO!!!...not you dykus..not you too..." *tears*
"I promised you...I promised her that you and I will see this dream through together"
"In the end, we were both wrong, this world could not be fixed"
"But for your son, and the children of Zondria and Salem, you tried"
"It is now my responsibility, to bring you back to rest. Both as a warrior, a father, and my one and only friend, to your final resting place."
"It is clear that Salvia has chosen the side of the enemy. Allowing a precious ambassador to fall within their grounds."
Later on: Alum sends a messenger in horse back to deliver a message to Salvia
The Next morning, Alum dawns his armor, and mounts his bloodscent steed, as he approches Salvia with his legion of spell-slaughter hunters and his hunting parties adorned with spell breaker shields.
https://mtgcardsmith.com/user/Tonysparks/sets/60473?page=1
That was actually great.
Macoto sighed at the news of the assault. Clearly it was time to move on, as this was probably going to spark a war that the guild had no intention of being caught up in. "Let's evacuate fully and change locations," she suggested.
"You want to bet on that place the Cosmos told you of? This is certainly the perfect excuse to make a large-scale expedition."
"Right. After we complete the evacuation, I will return this place to the earth. They wished to use it as a base, so the least I can do is make things more difficult for each of them while also both furthering our mission and erasing anything they could use."
"Very well. While we haven't yet heard from the caravan to Antaias, we can work with the Seven Leagues as a contingency. The Aster will have already made our displeasure with this turn of events clear, so do not worry about any lingering True Gods cultists, regardless of their current position when the collapse begins. I will ensure the guild possesses sufficient nondetection concoctions for the evacuation and expedition. All preparations should be complete within a few hours."
Macoto nodded. "That'll be more than enough time to be ready on my end. See you soon."
~~~
Ruut stood at the head of several warded caravans loaded with the guild's works and personnel. Anemone circle guards patrolled amongst their ranks while Gazania traders and Euphorbia scholars finished triple-checking the cargo and other preparations. Seeing Macoto sitting on the same opalescent slab she'd found after the cataclysm, he waved her over. "We received a messenger from the Zalgofarians toward the end phases of the evacuation. They find fault with us in their relative ignorance, and demand we inflict retribution on those that ambushed the Zalgofarian diplomats. Regardless, an army will arrive tomorrow. I neither know nor truly care whether or not the cultists remain nearby, but I suppose we shall provide shortly should they be within these gardens."
Macoto looked north with a sigh. "This is an unfortunate series of events, but we need not remain here to accomplish our mission."
Turning back to the guildhall, she reached out to the earth with her power. The earth shook violently, a number of the distant stone spires collapsing as a deep sinkhole opened up beneath the guildhall. The structure crumbled, vanishing into the depths of the earth and leaving nothing behind. Macoto collapsed a number of the nearer stone spires into the sinkhole, ensuring the guildhall's remains would be thoroughly pulverized and concealed before burying the entire affair in many feet of earth. To further conceal the ruins, she spread sharp grasses and thorny plants across the remaining broad depression, melding the space into the guild's vast gardens.
"That should do it," she mumbled, slumping into Ruut's waiting arms. "I'll have to send something out to the Cosmos and Chrysanthemum…"
"Rest for now," Ruut said, carrying her to one of the lead caravans. "I never tire of watching you work such miracles," he said softly, gently laying her in the back of the transport.
Signaling to the rest of the guild, Apothecaria Salvia set off toward unknown lands as the sun set behind them…
Short Version + Notes
Apothecaria Salvia currently bears no ill will toward the Zalgofarians. While Ruut does not know what assumption(s) was made by their leader(s), he does not hold this reaction against them. For attacking the guild's visitors (with the Anemone Circle apparently being unable to do anything to prevent it), the guild views the True Gods cult negatively. If possible and reasonable, the guild will avoid dealing with either faction, but our doors are not necessarily closed to the Zalgofarians, whereas they almost certainly are to the True Gods cult.
Apothecaria Salvia Set
Segment Cards (may add more tomorrow)
Faction Allegiances/Rivalries
Assumed Allegiances
Assumed Rivalries
Confirmed Rivalries
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