Tenaria: The Xealial Empire

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Tenaria: The Xealial Empire

Post by Nestalawe » Tue Apr 08, 2003 11:06 am

The wind was rising, whipping the flaps of the great tent from side to side, snapping at tie-ropes and shaking the heavy walls of the Royal residence. Within the weather beaten outer shell of the tent was another smaller, more opulent construction, kept cool from the harsh summer sun outside, and the noise of the wind was less than a whisper.

In the middle of the great tent there stood a sturdy oak table. A scarred, battle weary Beast of a thing, upon its surface lay dozens of thick, leather maps, detailed constructions, showing lands far from the boundaries of the Xealial. Bending over the table, eyes following rivers and mountain ranges, roads and valleys, the Emperor Nestalawe' surveyed that which would all be his. His mighty forearms holding up his bulky frame, muscles rippling underneath the wiry hair spreading from wrist to shoulder.

"Bring me the Sorceror! Bring me Han-Haleel!" Bellowed the great man. As a servant swept silently out of the room, another man approached the table, hand stroking his chin, deep in thought.

"We have news of troops approaching from the north. They bear the arms of the Skaroush tribe, and their horses are swift. Their leader, Yukarr, has pledged his loyalty to us." The man's hand left his chin, and a wry grin drew across his lips. He looked towards his Emperor with pride. "The Scaroush are the last to join us, we now have every tribe under our banner, all recognise your sovereignty my Lord."

Nestalawe looked up at his General, his heavy, furrowed brow easing away into a knowing grin, his bright blue eyes glinting in the torch-light. Ghan-Raham and he had been as brothers for as long as each could remember. They had learned to ride together, shooting composite bows while leaning horizontal from the saddle. They had fought beside each other, sharing the blood of their enemies, they had even shared the same women. Now they were about to embark on the most ambitious campaign the land of Xealial had ever known.

Seven years had been spent already, gathering the tribes together, imposing their will on those that resisted, enjoying the benefits with those who joined them. Now the creation of the Xealial Empire was complete, with Nestalawe, son of Nestar, black jewel of the Abyss, as its Emperor.

"Bring Yukarr to me when he arrives. Prepare a feast for him, he and his men will be weary." Nestalawe cocked his head to one side. "I want you to listen well to what the Sorceror has to say. He does not tell us all he knows and I fear what he holds back may lead us from our path. There is much to distrust in that man, if he be of flesh and blood at all."

Ghan-Raham nodded and moved to a corner of the room, where a table of various weapons were laid out for his inspection. Nestalawe' returned to his maps, and was just tracing the route to the mountains in the south when a warm rush of wind rippled into the room. Glancing up he saw the sly smile of the Sorceror, Han-Haleel.

"You called master? Have you made your decision?" The tall, gaunt man bent his head slightly forward, hands buried deep in his sleeves, his eyes hidden behind crimson sheets of crystal bound by wire and held in place across the ridge of his crow-like nose.

"I want you to contact your, compatriots. We will be needing their services sooner than anticipated. The crest has risen, and it is time for us to strike, before our wave loses its momentum." Nestalawe held the Sorceror's eye.

"I shall do as you wish, oh Lord. I have been communicating with them most recently. They have been anticipating your request for aid and are most willing to be of service." A serene smile came across the Sorceror's face, as if everything was as expected, Han-Haleel seemed a difficult man to catch off guard.

"There is one other thing," spoke the Sorceror, his expression becoming stern and serious, "I have learned something that may come as a suprise, but it will be of great aid to you." He turned to pointedly regard the General, Ghan-Raham. "May I speak with you in private, alone?"
This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment. Remember. We are eternal.
All this pain is an illusion.

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Post by Underdog » Fri Apr 11, 2003 3:29 am

OK somebody find me a sorcerer who knows what he is doing.
The last one was a complete disaster and I am still taking feathers out of the armory after his last spell. The new one had better understand all this bridge and city magic also or I will filet him and place him on a GCA and send his remains over the river to Smashface. He has been known to dine on magicians.
There's no need to fear...........
Underdog is here

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Post by Nestalawe » Thu Apr 24, 2003 3:09 pm

Lord Nestalawe' turned and grinned to his General, then looked back to Han-Haleel.

"Anything you have to say to me, no matter how 'secret' you may think them to be, may be spoken openly in front of Raham. We are brothers and we hide nothing." His gaze was stern and focussed upon the lithe Sorcerer.

"As you wish." Han-Haleel murmured obesiantly. He shuffled along to the great table, upon which still lay the maps of Xealial, the vast landmass surrounded by expanses of rough seas.

"I realise you have your dreams of conquest, my Lord, and that they are indeed great. Here you wish to rule a land seven times larger than that which you have already gained by conquest and the merging of the tribes." The Sorcerer waved his hand over the map, and as he did so, the intricate markings indicating cities, roads, forests and hills seemed to shimmer with colour and rise into a miniature model of the land. "But I have much more to show you..."

Nestalawe' and Ghan-Raham both took a few steps back from the wry Sorcerer as he closed his eyes and lifted his thin wiry arms. They had been witnessed his trances before, and knew that all sorts of arcane residues could affect the area.

The Sorcerer, ignoring the movements of those around him, began chanting under his breath, his words merging into a single seemless rhythm. Unclenching his fists, a shimmering dust could be seen drifting earthwards from his open palms. With a life of its own, this dust began shifting to the edges of the Great Map and extended its boundaries, forming the patterns of new coastlines, mountain ranges, forests and fields.

The Emperor of Xealial, Lord Nestalawe', held back a gasp of astonishment, drawn to what was being revealed before him as a moth to a flickering flame. What did this mean? Could this be true? Had he been living in such deeprooted ignorance to be so unaware of what lay just across the seas of the lands he was about to conquer?

The Sorcerers murmurings died away and his hands drifted back to his sides. The images he created however, stayed where they were, seemingly drifting in mid air.

Ghan-Raham stepping forward wearily.

"We have no way to cross these waters, our fishing boats are too small and would be crushed by those mighty waves. What good is it to tempt us with this knowledge if we may never reach them?" The General started hard at the map, trying to fathom a world many times larger than he ever assumed possible.

Han-Haleel turned to him, a sly grin carved across his face.

"We have come to assist you in these matters my Lord." This new voice came from behind the trio in the middle of the room, where the opening to the Tent waved slowly in an unnaturally calm breeze. Two men stood there, robed in similar fashion to Han-Haleel, and of clearly the same order.

Han-Haleel turned back to his Emperor, Nestalawe'.

"You have great ambitions my Lord, but they may be even greater. We are here to assist you in these ambitions. You have the fire of greatness burning within you, but you do not realise its potential. We are here to show you how it may become all-consuming. We are here to guide you."

With deep bows the three men gave their fealty to the Emperor, who stood as if stone, deep-set eyes regarding the Sorcerors with a hard gaze. He then turned to his General.

"Raise the men, it is time for us to begin." He then turned back to Han-Haleel, who looked up to him, head cocked and awaiting his word.

"Tell me more of these lands, and how you propose to assist..."
This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment. Remember. We are eternal.
All this pain is an illusion.

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