Artica, Day 1

Artica looked out the windows of her tower, surveying the snowy wastes far below. Her cold beauty was rarely touched by emotion, but she had this morning the faintest hint of a smile. Shira, the Tigran cat-rider, was a worthy servant, and loyal, but the way she shivered, and cursed, and moaned for the desert heat she left behind amused everyone.

Shira had led her first battle for the frostlings today, visitng a nearby druid's circle, permanently covered with the snow and ice that had been advancing from the mountains. Fighting through the wild creatures that roamed the forest, she had made contact with the druid. He was stubborn, still trying to coax life back to the trees. But there was weariness in his eyes, and Artica knew he would soon see the futility of what he was trying to do. It would take only a little convincing to get him to leave the circle and join her army.

Artica was led inside the perimeter of the outpost. The faint smile she felt yesterday was not far from her lips. What were the tigrans thinking, building an outpost on an open ice plain? The were so demoralized that the negotiations went quickly.
"I will send workmen and guides to show you how to survive here," she said. But even as she said it, she saw tigrans through open doorways packing their possessions. She doubted there would be many left by the end of the week.

Phobius, Day 1

The time of mankind has begun. The other races just don't know it yet.

Phobius, Day 2

Phobius has always been mistaken as an ambitious man. It is untrue. He has just always known in his destiny to rule. Everyday there are more of his banners waving in the skies. Beware all who see them.

[This message has been edited by Tibbs (edited 05-18-2004 @ 04:03 PM).]

The wolf pack attacked around noon. While the wolves snapped at the heels of the great mammoth, Shira rode up behind them and ran them through with her blade. When all the wolves were dead, she offered up the magic catalyst to Artica, her hot breath causing great clouds of steam to issue forth. The other frostlings got down to the far more important business of skinning the wolves for cloaks.

Phobius, Day 3

A scout has reported a wealthy mine within our domain but as he approached a savage Minotaur charged forth. Phobius admires the bloodlust of this beast and more troops are sent for. Its head shall adorn our great halls by sunset tomorrow.

Artica was pleased. Stuck amongst the tigrans, she had received reports that her miners had located several stashes of mana crystals frozen in the ice.

Phobius, Day 4

The beast's head was paraded throughout the town then mounted on the wall. Phobius' troops see his wisdom and in three days time we shall resume the crusade.

As Artica had predicted, most of the tigrans had packed their belongings and headed towards the lands still untouched by snow. More frostlings arrived everyday, and with them, a human mercenary, seeking fame and fortune.

Our plan goes according to schedule. So far the human empire is unopposed.

The great bird tracked the tigrans as they travelled. As Artica had suspected, the heart of the shrinking desert was near. Yaka had established a tower there. If he had his way, the advance of the ice would slow, and soon retreat. But Artica was determined that would not happen. "Send word to Belladar," she said. "I am returning to my tower. He is to lead whatever forces he can muster against Yaka, now, before he can prepare for us."

A band of dark elves claimed a node of death was theirs. Phobius has always appreciated the power of death and the node was in his lands. Hopefully a message has been sent to all those who would oppose mankind.

A Nomad hero of great reclaim has ventured from the desert and joined our cause.

Artica sat in her chambers with an icy glare. Through the eyes of her winged scout she could see Yaka's tower, teeming with defenders. Bellandar did not have enough troops for the assault. How could she get him more?

Phobius is pleased at his progress. Phase 1 of the battle strategy has completed without loss and phase 2 is well underway. Soon our might shall grow daily.

Obviously I haven't had my coffee yet...I saw your post here, got a new message, and immediately loaded up our game. Unfortunately, the message I got was for a different game. Sorry for the restart.

Nothing but movement and a small battle today. A small but important battle.

We captured another node with our newfound strength. Things should get easier now.

As Belendar approached the den of the manticore, he spotted movement among the trees. In fact, one of the trees itself was moving. His horse reared, nearly throwing him, but he recovered quickly.
Arrows flew, and fire.... When it was over, a frostling was dead, but the manticore was now his.

Artica stared at the report coldly. The Spirit of Magic was a valuable ally, and she had hoped to be the one to destroy the infidels that had so insulted the spirit. Yaka's troops had intercepted them first, however. Artica hoped the Spirit would be satisfied that the job had been done, and forget that she, Artica, had failed.

Yaka himself would pay for this humiliation, and soon.

Phobius called for his scribes and ordered them to the tower walls. "Look there my servants. Those movements are the beginning of a new era for the realm of man. Remember them and pass them to each generation. Soon all of history shall remember the Mighty Phobius."

Belendar winced as he tightened the makeshift bandage around his arm. He was weak from loss of blood, but tried his best to hide the fact from his troops. "You fought as true champions today," he said, "And by cutting down these reinforcements, Yaka will have only minimal defenses when we move against his tower." But as he looked around as his own troops, Belendar knew they were in no shape for a fight, even against weak defenders. They would have to find a defensible campsite; somewhere they could rest and regroup.

A painful day for the human empire. Painfully slow. In one days time three major objectives shall be fulfilled. It will be a long night.

Artica's long fingers slowly crumpled the scroll until it was a tight ball. Damn humans and their sense of timing!

Phobius read the reports and than re-read them. This makes no sense. Frostilngs in the desert fighting Yaka who has hidden his troops and the frostlings are using a manticore. One of Yaka's troops. Just kill them all and ask questions later.

"Damn those meddling humans!"

The head of the manticore has arrived at our capital and placed directly beside the minotaur. Now, if we only had some yetis.....

The disappearance of the humans troubled Artica greatly. She stepped up work on the capitol's defenses.

We're back atop our newfound watchtower. It seems that Artica has decided to approach through the desert sands. A hard journey for the frostling people but we plan on making it worse.

Nothing was going right in the desert, and Artica was growing impatient. "Tell Belendar I have new orders for him," she said.

The humans were massing a great army in the desert. Artica's chosen children, the great wind eagles, sailed high overhead, landing atop one of Vorsar's watchtowers. From there the wizardess could see all the way to the human's capitol.

Late Post:

Phobius was informed of the latest developments. The Tigrans were on their heels from fighting the forces of the Frostlings. Artica has sent her troops further into the desert to try and pressure both Yaka and the humans. Her winged scout would soon reveal his position. "Should we shoot the bird down my Lord?" "No, let them see what is coming. We have gained our wealth and our industries can easily out-produce those of our enemies. Time is running out for them and they should know it." Unphased by the enemy movements within their domain the artillary moved forward and joined the advance cavalry.

We continue to march forward. The winged scout of the frostlings is no more.

It was the first good news she had received in days. Shira's troops had crossed the river and attacked Ambir's capitol. They lost a few troops, but most of the army was intact. And hidden inside Ambir's tower, Shira found rooms that meant nothing to her, but to Artica....

A full, genuine smile spread across Artica's face.

The news of Ambir's demise greatly angered Phobius. He was the great wizard not some frozen witch. It took away all of the enjoyment of Yaka's journey to the void.

"Blast the humans and their luck!" How they defeated Yaka so easily was beyond her.

Phobius was furious. We are only a promising empire? We are the great human war machine. Artica must be using tricks.

Artica quickly lost all reports of what was going on in the desert. The humans owned it now.

The mana flowed through her like a drug. Artica could feel her power growing, and knew just what to do with it.

Late Post:

Phobius is war. Mankind is war. It is only appropriate that the spirit of war has approached the great wizard of man and rewarded him well.