Bog's World

Altogether elsewhere

Since You've Been Gone

Werewolves (which are demonic) have infiltrated Teddin in strength. Most of them are, when they are human, Aerdy or Frunze. The Lords, and indeed all of the ilin classes, have been paying a great deal of attention to those who appear to be of Suloise descent, as they are trying to catch (and kill) all of the werewolves. The werewolves, purely as a tactic are therefore, are not preying on the Eduim or any Suloise descended persons, to create a groundswell of ill feeling towards the ilin classes who are the werewolves target^[1]. Consequently, anyone who appears to be Eduim or Suel can, with increasing ease, find shelter amongst the community from their (ruling minority) oppressors.

The passage of the werewolves and the actions of four or more bands of “freelance adventurers” in the interior (on the central plateau) appear to have stirred up the Hurgilin. Rumours are reaching the Eduim population, via their jungle dwelling kin, that the empire and its agents are once again stirring up war. It is now widely acknowledged that the Brotherhood of the Black Scabbard, who have guarded the Northern Border of Teddin for over two hundred years, would be unable to stop a full scale invasion. It remains a matter for conjecture whether they would abandon their mountain fastness’ and add to the fighting power of the Lords (unlikely^[2] ) or fall back into their fortifications in the mountains and fight the enemy from there.

The Wigfruma have managed to raise another Battle of recruits for the Riannanloch. However, they do not enough experienced trainers to cope with their normal intake and the expansion. Fortunately the Goefothan have been able to supply a cadre large enough to train this new Battle under Wigfruma direction. There was also the problem of capacity within the existing training estates of both houses. Their solution has been to utilise the abandoned monastery of the Dragon God in Eagle’s Reach. Therefore, to some (albeit radical and/or misinformed) sections of the Eduim/Suel community, it looks like the Lords of Teddin are amassing and training a “secret” army – probably to grind them and their families/communities/religion into the dust.

The emperor has been fully informed of all of these goings on and appears to be more concerned with the relationships within the Great Game than he does with the possibility that a quarter of his empire might possibly be lost. The Eduim middle classes, well taught by their Pernostir benefactors, are now clamouring for self-determination. The emperor holds, quite rightly, that this is a problem that the Lords of Teddin have allowed to happen and that therefore the Lords of Teddin must be the ones to resolve said problems. Therefore he has forbidden further military aid from the Goefothan. The Gwathlo have already given up Tenh (which they would recruit from, had they not given it away to the Yla) and Hisra is too far away and her population too small to give meaningful aid. None of other ruling houses of Teddin could ever have independently and deliberately raised and despatched an army to Teddin. In terms of number of ilin and horse per capita, Teddin is by a huge margin the poorest region of the empire. Until the Battle from Eagle’s Reach is ready, Teddin has only the one (reinforced) Battle of Riannanloch who are Headquartered at Burnraas.

It would take an old-time, bridge building, larger than life, pan-racial hero like Larnay Nabrish to bring Teddin together under one banner again, even if Teddin were invaded tomorrow.

Details:

• Goefothan buyers are in Kam Veluna and Zakopane, procuring arms and armour for the new Battle. It seems likely that they will be armed and equipped along Goefohtan lines (Heavy Infantry) rather than as ‘Brunraas Marines’ (Light Infantry and skirmishers). It has become impossible for almost anyone else who is not a Lord of the Empire to obtain or have repaired any arms or armour.
• Buyers are paying good money for tuns (barrels) of pebbles of a certain size. The prospective supplier is given two templates, stones that go through both can be added and others must be rejected. Up and down the creeks and rivulets of Teddin, a new industry is springing up.
• Nearly all of Teddin’s natural and mineral resources and population are north of the precipitous Gulf of Candau. Most of its military assets are based south of the Gulf.
• Aside from the mountaintop towers of the Brotherhood, the only fortress reckoned to be able to withstand any form of massed attack is Dalla Tyrl. The only visir arcana of any real stature in Teddin is Elacaborn and both the Hierarchs and the Dragon God have large establishments in or near to Kamveluna.
• Many more Eduim are deserting the Circle and turning to the Suel Gods, possibly because they seem ‘stronger’ (being more robust in their rhetoric) in these uncertain times.

[1] Additionally, many of ‘legitimate’ Suloise descended (Eduim et al) persons in Teddin are there due to religious proscription of their faith in Nyrond and the eastern empire.
[2] The venerable King of Urnst – the major backer of the Brotherhood, still holds the Lords of Teddin responsible for the death of his sons and the utter ruination of all of his plans, the extinction of his house and probably a lot more besides.