Twas the night before Yuletide and all through the realm Not a creature was stirring without barding or helm For the traveling burglar Merlyn Sant Klaws Had ran through Ruin with his Merry Outlaws! Fleeing the blasted island with prancing fast speed He traveled where his skills were in great need! On beastback and mist they roamed and they capered To bogs and great mucks midst the tannery labored But this was no average Yuletide for Old Klaws to be Smug This is the Yuletide where he stayed at the one and only Muddy Mug. Coming through the entrance was a Merlyn and what appeared to be several short people following behind him. The white-haired and sylvan tallest amongst them had a jovial energy, but the company he kept seemed little better than ruffians, and mean-mugged any patrons unbegotten enough to draw eye contact with them. "We're traveling merchants. Nothing more than good patrons of respectable commerce."

A trio of witches, exhausted from the day, look up at the barkeep with tired smiles. The shortest of the bunch, a small plump lass with rosy cheeks, speaks up, "Yeah, something like that. We've brought a herd of cattle all the way from Tir Buwch. What's Yuletide without hot milk with chocolate or cozy wool socks? Goddess knows how you've all done without." "No socks? How'd they survive the Winter?" One of the other two witches chimed in, horrified. He was a gangly man with a mess of dark curly hair under his wide brimmed hat. "At least we've come to the rescue. Not just with the wooly cows, but blankets and cloth already spun and woven. I'd say that deserves a round of ale." "And something to eat if you don't mind. I'm famished!" the third admitted. It was difficult to see their face or form under their thick hat and cloak, but somehow they radiated fatigue even more than their companions. At that, the others stopped their complaining. "Oh yeah I'm starved. Whatever food you've got please," they said almost simultaneously.

The Muddy Mug, lived up to its name. Its patrons, clad in mud-stained clothes, carried the essence of the tanning vats with them. The tavern, a dimly lit refuge in the heart of Bethel Giruc, bore the weight of countless stories etched into its worn, wooden beams. Its patrons, a mix of tired tannery workers and mud-stained serfs, sought solace from the hardships of the day. The air was thick with the pungent aroma of ale and the faint tang of freshly tanned leather. The warmth of the hearth flickered, casting shadows that danced upon the walls adorned with faded tannery guild symbols. Whenever someone walks into the tavern the low hum of conversation would cease momentarily, and curious eyes turn towards the newcomers. The barkeep, a stout man with a weathered face, would glance up from polishing a mug with a dirty rag and offer a gruff nod. The room would quickly resume its murmur, and the newcomer would find an open table in the far drafty corner. A group of tanners, their faces pale by years of labor unseen by the sun, huddled over a table strewn with tankards. The clinking of mugs and hearty laughter echoed through the tavern. Nearby, a trio of serfs sat nursing their drinks, exchanging hushed whispers about the day's toil. Once a table of newcomers is gathered, enough for a server to make a tip, a barkeep walks up to take their order. "New faces in the Mug," he mumbled, wiping his hands on a leather apron. "Not from around here, are ya? Seasonal workers here to help out for the holiday?"

The Sylvan Protectorate (SYP) Master Storyteller Salix Willow Diplomacy: 5 – Military: 5 – Industry: 1 – Faith: 3 – Intrigue: 3 Round 12 Actions: 1. Military – Artemisia Sagebrush quests against Bertille Blackheart. (Hero score:10, +1 SPH rank 1) 18 2. Diplomacy – Altarin translation project. 3. Diplomacy – Y'licis translation project. 4. Diplomacy – Yon Vaire translation project. 5. Diplomacy – Stabilize region 429. (+1 Irrigation technology) 15 Non-Actions: A. Change rulers non-dynastically. Stat growths: +2 Dip. Non-dynastic succession: +1 to any two attributes. Delphinium Larkspur: 3+1+2 Dip, 1 Mil, 1 Industry, 1 Faith, 2+1 Intrigue B. Response to Announce an End to the Refugee Crisis: The humans and elves of the newly formed Sylvan Protectorate are not particularly industrious. They have thrived in the great forests of Brenn Tyr for centuries by perfecting the art of subsistence gardening, gathering, and hunting. To take more from the land than you need to outlast the winter is seen as dishonorable. The Myrkran have settled into the Protectorate's pastoral villages and rural groves with temporary difficulty. Ever cultural chameleons, the monohorned outsiders quickly adapted into fine artisans. Instead of quantity of work, mass-produced for trade with the Sylvans, the Myrkran have adopted the technique of smaller, more delicate pieces of pottery, weaponry, jewelry, and architecture. Foreign methodology, often superior to the techniques of the isolated Sylvans, propels works with Myrkran makers marks to be in high demand. In response, Sylvan culture has become more material and trade has become more centralized. Families save resources for barter on eighthdays, when entire villages will travel to hubs known as "farmer's markets" for produce and artwork. While started by Myrkrans, the practice has quickly spread even to settlements without settled refugees.

The Nanx Throng - 109 Shaman Trew a twelth boathide of angular writing I look at my previous writings, the scrolls of our history, and I feel shame, tempered with pity for my former self and scribes, and gilded with joy at our new circumstances. The awakening of the Oracle has triggered a wave through the Nanx people. I have studied the books of the Weak, but now their words are alive in my head in a way they weren't before. I will leave my further introspection for less official things. This will remain a brief history of our people. Plague- The strange sickness that awakens beasts from normal beings still grips Altarin. The Seekers promise aid, if we can supply the Chorda Kelp they require. It has been found but the people of the furthest tip of our land are hostile. We cannot blame them, they have weathered this storm without the benefit of the allies we have. But their resources cannot be held behind a mask of fear. We have begun devoting our traders to making more...secret actions. While the leadership threaten, hopefully some more economically minded people will see the benefit of harvest and trade. Fortunately the kelp is near the coast, and won't require much travel to take to our trade barges off-shore. Of course, any supplies we acquire will be dispatched to Seeker cloisters before our own stores. Land- Each step forward into the unknown brings more chaos and violence, and the counter-wyr lands have been ravaged by wars we do not entirely understand, which explains the defensiveness of the Kelp keepers. Devastation has wracked the coast between them and the Wyr, and our Nanx instincts cry out for us to extend our stewardship. Our Zabka allies have made plans to assume control of the area but have not stirred themselves as we have. Perhaps having us as neighbors will show the Kelpies the benefits of friendship. Further to that point, we are taking more direct action to extend the hand of peace. A ship of peace has been dispatched, with our most convincing Shamans, Zabka Imperial representatives, Maenos Wisdoms, Myrkan Civics, and even a pair of Toteharu. It must be impressed on them that collaboration is infinitely more secure than opposition. That the Nanx Polity will not cost them their ways and homes. That with the danger of this world, they face conquer at bladepoint. The fact that these blades may be in Zabka hands will hopefully remain unsaid. Other Items Nanx delve further into the tunnels behind Nana, despite the awe and dread. Even Maenos Stonespeakers have been welcomed back into this place, seeking purer forms of Shimmerstone. Shamans test our glittering prize in ways we never have before. An item called a lodestone, purchased from a Myrkan trader, seems to have effect when the stone is pulverized to dust, before it drifts away on the wind. And there are rumors that pipe and a bowl may also hold clues to Refinement? The Compact spend their time in the River, diving down as far and as long as they can. I cannot say I believe this will be our solution. Perhaps the Toteharu has bubble plants? We are loathe to approach the Metal People for fear of their interest in our quest, but if any were to have a machine to delve Lake Altarin, it would be them. And they do hold a debt to us. The Myrkran and the Throng The New People (as they may always be to the Nanx) were the first group to have a significant non-Nanx population within the Polity. The Nanx offered home and hearth to the horned people, though the generally smaller people's homes weren't exactly the most comfortable. With supplies freely given, many of the Myrkran set off to build their own towns in their own style, only to find themselves like seed crystals in solution, 'helpful' Nanx coalescing around them. Still, it wasn't all bad. Nanx were eager to learn, eager to help. While the greater Nanx nation wasn't always the most useful in their aid, their steadfast commitment to being neighborly and the way they leapt to defend Myrkran elsewhere quickly assuaged Myrkran fears and encouraged integration. Now Myrkran fish the Razor Coast, they herd boats, Nana has a thriving Myrkran quarter (though any space empty long enough quickly gains a few Nanx helping out the area). Myrkran leaders are given the deference (or close enough) of Nanx Shamans. They sit on the Counsel, they go on diplomatic missions, they make the trip to Zabka lands for the Bellower's meetings. Nanx Mooncakes The Nanx Throng Actions: [Industry] Buyout 128 TP1 Chorda Kelp - Spending 1 Treasure [Industry] Buyout 128 TP2 Chorda Kelp [Industry] Buyout 128 TP3 Chorda Kelp [Diplomacy] Colonize 123 [Diplomacy] Establish Claim 128 - Using Crrroa-Crrroa Dip Non-Actions: Resist Conversion except The Twin Cycles Resist Shimmerstone Buyouts Designate first successful Chorda Kelp buyout to Seekers ~ Ruler Info Shaman Trew Diplomacy - 7 Military - 6 Industry- 4 Faith - 2 Intrigue - 2 Diplomacy 5 Available Military 5 Available Successor - Other Notes Current Goals: New Ruler Next Round? - No Military Units 6/12 -Fighting People -Slingstone People -Tidewater Brawlers -Driftwood Stalwarts -Dragonpokers -Maenos Stoics Naval Units 1/4 -Sling Skiffs Treasure 3/5 0 +1 passive treasure/round Relics none Heroes The Compact (9) Embassies Toteharu Crrroa-Crrroa Cities -Nana 109 Organizational Overview Myrkran People, Rep 2, Favors 0 Disciples of Silicon, Rep 0, Favors 1 Seekers of the Spheres, Rep 1 Favors 1 Temporary Cultural Identity - None Permanent Cultural Identities - None Technologies Tall Sails, Brick & Mortar, Animal Husbandry, Alpine Animal Assistants, Irrigation Trading Posts (8, 1 treasure/round) -109.1 Shimmerstone -109.C Shimmerstone -113.1 Horses -108.1 Clay -104.1 Highland Berries -115.1 Wood -110.2 Stone -118.1 Rocs Other Resources A Reasonably Similar Favor to an assisted Buyout from the Toteharu Faith (Unnamed Animism) -109 - Wyr Foothills Controlled Regions -109 - Wyr Foothills - Home Region -107 - Razor Coast -110 - Maes Mawr -118 - -119- Expected Stat Gains Backup Action X

Akazeg Iconoclasts(AKI) Ruler: Exarch Gwafa of The 2nd Vault Diplomacy: 4 Military: 2 Industry: 8 (+2) Faith: 8 Intrigue: 2 Industry buyout tp1 R 247 roll:2d6+8 Industry buyout tp1 R 225 roll:2d6+8 Industry buyout tp1 R 246 roll:2d6+8 Industry Explore 242 roll:2d6+8 Faith Convert 248: This time with Insense roll:2d6+9 A refugee crisis at its end?! The Myrkhans have integrated into Akazeg urban life, gaining prominence as merchants, financiers, and messengers. The wealth Myrkhan communities bring to the region has caused the growth of many cities across the archipelago. Often attracting artisans and day laborers from the communes to adopt Urban life. Aksisi is the largest example of this trend acting as a center for the processing and export of blue truffle oil along with dyes, textiles, and alcohol. Some Myrkhans have fully adopted the ways of the Akazeg embracing Monadism while beginning the process of integrating with symbiotic fungi that define the physique of the Akazeg.

The Rikathi Region: 217 Round 12 Actions: 1: Organize Faith (Faith Special 5, Faith) - Auto Success The Oath - 2: Raise a Unit (Military) - Auto Success 3: Investigate Meathook's Favor with the Widow Queen (Intrigue) - Failure If the Rikathi can find out what Meathook's next move is, we can use it to bargain with Albatross. 4: Seek Aid on Intrigue Roll (Faith) - Success 5: Steal Technology from Ana Kai (Intrigue) - Likely Failure Non-Actions: Use 1 Favor with Seekers of the Spheres to return to Tier 4. Will Receive: Generate 1 Treasure with 5 TPs +1 to Faith +1 to Intrigue

Tancourt "WhisperWaves: Tancourt's Juiciest Gossip Unveiled!" written by Evelyn Muckrake. Dip: 5 | Mil: 1| Ind: 8 | Fai: 1| Int: 7 Expected Increase: Dip: +1 | Mil: 0 | Ind: +1 | Fai: 0 | Int: 0 Treasure in Vault: 3. Treasure Passive Treasure: 1 (9 TPs + 1 City) Units: 3. Regions: 2. Actions: Diplomacy – Attempt Colonize Region 012 (With Treasure) Diplomacy – Attempt to Dispense of the Flotsam (With Treasure) Industry – Buyout Ironstone 425 TP 1 (distance penalty Industry – Buyout Killer whales 432 TP 1 Intrigue – Investigate how can clones go undercover? Mysterious Disappearance Unleashes Tancourt's Fingers of Accusation In the heart of Tancourt, a veil of mystery descends as Knight Commander Etoile Kotter vanishes from her bedchambers without a trace. The Brotherhood of Black Banners issues a desperate plea for assistance, but suspicions in the mud-soaked realm already point toward the Myrkran population and the supposed cult of the Dark Shine. Tancourt, quick to find a scapegoat, interrogates assumed cult members, pushing for motives behind the disappearance. Their focus sharpens on the elusive figures Reannon Yal and Yashi Ausua, believed to be architects of the unfolding drama. Journalists from Tancourt, in pursuit of sensationalism, delve into Myrkran enclaves, probing where they're least wanted, yet the Myrkran community remains tight-lipped or genuinely uninformed about the accused figures. Adding more intrigue to the tale, Tancourt investigators receive a letter from an anonymous Kymtyr highborn, alleging a connection between the disappearance and a broader conspiracy. The mysterious letter implies a dark web of undercover operations and an insidious spread of the Dark Shine cult to distant cultures. Tancourt's thirst for ideological purity becomes evident as they question Merlyn living abroad, demanding answers about their ties to Myrkran and their potential involvement in the elusive cult. The disappearance unfurls into a tangled narrative of suspicion, insinuation, and the quest for elusive truths. Non-Actions: Tancourt's Artistic Purge: A Culture Clash Unveiled In a surprising move, the vigilant Tanners of Tancourt have taken a decisive stance against the Seekers of the Spheres, preemptively banning the "Book of Art." Suspicion looms over the Seekers, as Tancourt questions the motives behind this so-called artistic endeavor. In the mud-soaked streets of Tancourt, whispers of skepticism echo, painting the Seekers as potential instigators of a plot to sow discord among the hardworking tannery laborers. Tancourt, renowned for its dedication to toil and industry, sees no room for what they consider subversive messages of serf rights or any disruptive notions. Tech Outcasts: Tancourt Snubs Silicon Seekers In a stunning turn of events, Tancourt, renowned for its financial prowess, has sent shockwaves through the realm by cold-shouldering the desperate pleas of the beleaguered Disciples of Silicon. The Tanners, seated at the helm of financial acumen, have declared in no uncertain terms: "No assistance for the deranged mechanists!" Rumors of the Disciples' financial struggles reverberate through the muddy streets as some laud Tancourt's financial discernment with applause loud enough to warn others against potential dealing with the silicon hearted savants. Stay tuned for further updates as these curious tales unfold!

Region 427 - Gwên Llachar Description: Sunflowers. Sunflowers as far as the eye can see. Pastoral hills and bright sunny days, loving nights and calm evenings. Directly bordering Eirlys Lake, the migratory patterns of Tir Buwch bovine leads to a season of grazing and floofy cows in the golden fields. The lake feeds into smaller rivers and channels that filter off into a great bog; Gors Fawr where an abundance of plant life, local animals, and insects all congregate in holy union. A natural crossroad for the material and the divine that the Witches and the local Hobbits revere and safeguard. Little hidey hole homes litter the hills and outskirts of the holy bog where packed lives are secretly stowed away. Occasional bits of sacrificial food emerge bubbling from Gors Fawr, normally butter based, and in a state of bog preservation or bogervation. Sparse trees populate the surrounding area of hardy fertile dirt but these are considered sacred and necessary for the local Hobbit clans and are thus not exported for the Witches. People: Hobbits predominately populate Gwên Llachar, a hybrid race born from an ancient union between Witch and Dwarf. They are a stout, plump, and congenial race in harmony with their surroundings and their fellow kin. Cooperation, friendship, and loyalty are great virtues for the Hobbits. They do not all follow the Code of Stars but it takes naturally to their ways and many an unlikely hero has come from a birthday party and gone on great adventures with friends and foes alike. Diplomacy is always considered first among the Hobbits, whose daily lives involve much rowdy talk and sorting out of issues, and when all else fails a flying frying pan is the ultimate arbiter of justice. Some conflicts bubble when the Cows of Tir Buwch graze past Gors Fawr and the nearest Hobbit clan claims them as their new livestock and responsibility. A big show of affection battling with lavish treats and care foisted upon the cow will then take place between the two factions eventually sorting itself out as the grazing bovines decide which shepherd they will follow from there. Though too small to ride horses into danger like a typical gallant knight many a chivalrous or adventurous Hobbit has ridden into the unknown upon the back of a smaller species of horned bovine reminiscent of an ox, pony, and goat dubbed a Sun Cow. Sunflowers - The lands are rich with gold, a gold untouched by the dark greedy hearts of man, and intertwined with the life of all things big and small around. The seeds are extracted for food or oil, the leaves are used as fodder, and the flower yields a particularly bright vibrant yellow dye. The Hobbits have a predominately vegetarian diet and thus consume many a seed, often playing games seeing who can spit the used up seed the farthest over the hill.

"Radio is a long-wavelength portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Recent increases in geodetic and climatological instability are consequence of Tidal Balancing Failure - as Tidal Balancing plummets, climate systems compensate and fail in turn. Average temperature of <Ayr Grid #FFFFFE>: 246K. Ice Sheet Formation continues; geodetic instability causes segments to break and drift. The Clock Must Be Unwound."

“Do you have any knowledge of… Rayjo? Or the source of all these earthquakes and icebergs?”