Society Name: Bel'Adne
At the yearly gathering of the Council, Kelarnor, greatest of the Melcuranin of Tanat, rises and demands that the Raenath finds a solution to the pressures of population increase. The great rivers cannot support the people any longer. The Bel'Adne must expand. It has been hundreds of years since the coming of the First Raenath. The outside world cannot be as bad as it was back then, and the Bel'Adne have no choice but to see what lies beyond their borders and perhaps seek the help of the other Avaerans of which the First Raenath spoke.
Tolmen agrees that attempting contact with the outside world may be the only solution, but doesn't see the immidiate need. He orders that the Plaerathin, the greatest in the lore of the First Raenath, research methods by which an expedition the outside world may be aided, especially methods of travel, communication and sustainance, in cooperation with the Army.
The Plaerathin are the sages of the Melcuranin. They actively research into the writings of the First Raenath and do some research on their own. They are a small group, but the most educated of all the Bel'Adne, Melcuranin or not. The Army has a few people of its own working on desert survival, which it will send to the Plaerathin. These men are also ordered to try and learn as much as they can of the Plaerathin have to offer.
Action 1: Research into, mostly magical mostly but also physical, methods supporting a future outside expedition.
Determinant: Magic, Scholastics
Modifiers:
+1 The Army is involved in this research, including new, real life, information the Plaerathin usually ignore in their studies
-1 The First Raenath specifically avoided the topics of long range travel and communications, hoping to dissuade the Bel'Adne
from leaving their homeland.
-1 The Plaerathin are also involved in Action 4
Calculations:
Primary: Scholastics sophistication 0 (Fair)
Task: -1 (Hard)
Modifiers:
+1 The Army is involved in this research, including new, real life, information the Plaerathin usually ignore in their studies
-1 The First Raenath specifically avoided the topics of long range travel and communications, hoping to dissuade the Bel'Adne
from leaving their homeland.
-1 The Plaerathin are also involved in Action 4
+1 Great magical sophistication
Result = 0 -1 +1 -1 -1 +1 + (+1, -1, 0, +1) = 0. Partial success.
The Plaerathin have made great headway. The Army have been very helpful in providing real world examples. They are confident that in terms of communication, they can use magic to achieve a result, and the army's news of a desert-living quadruped that looks open to domestication and use as a beast of burden would surely aid the quest - some of the Shanari may be willing to sell such beasts. However, without any first hand knowledge of the desert, they can only guess at the possible sources of sustenance available. Perhaps a parley with some Shanari is called for.
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Kelarnor and the other Melcuranin of Tanat are unsatisfied with Tolmen's action and decide to move on their own. The Melcuranin of Tanat, the northeastern region of the Beladne, where various rivers converge to the river Tanat, decide to start exploiting the mountains. They send an exploration expedition to the northeast mountains to see what materials of value could be found in the mountains. The expedition is 20 men strong, three of which are Melcuranin. This is done in great secrecy, so as not to incur the wrath of Tolmen or the Council.
Action 2: Send an expedition to the northeast mountains.
Determinant: Influence of Tanat Melcuranin (Good +1)
Modifiers:
+1 The Tanat Melcuranin have always eyed the mountains as a possible source of power and so have some knowledge about them.
-1 This is done in great secrecy.
-1 The Tanat Melcuranin have no experience in executing military operations such as this. Their men are unexperienced.
+1 The expedition has three Melcuranin in it, who are experienced and capable sorcerers. This should help considering they are 15% of the whole group.
Calculations:
Primary: Resources +2 (Great)
Difficulty: Hard -1.
Modifiers:
+1 The Tanat Melcuranin have always eyed the mountains as a possible source of power and so have some knowledge about them.
-1 The Tanat Melcuranin have no experience in executing military operations such as this. Their men are unexperienced.
+1 The expedition has three Melcuranin in it, who are experienced and capable sorcerers. This should help considering they are 15% of the whole group.
Risk: This is a secret internal action. If others within the realm find out of their little trip….
Result: +2 -1 +1 -1 +1 + (-1 +1 +1 -1) = +2 Great success!
After leaving the foothills behind, the going gets tough. The Kivirian mountains are treacherous, with steep valleys, loose rocks and dangerous wildlife.
The presence of the three Melcuranin bolsters the others, and the mages do more than their fair share, protecting the party from attack by large long-toothed felines.
Signs of human habitation vanish after a short while. The last villagers they come across consider themselves Tanatheyn and much to the Melcuranins' consternation have never heard of Raenath. They do, however, point the expedition further up the slopes, describing lush green forests and abundant life. One of the villagers joins the party and guides them up a crofters path into the upper reaches. He takes them to the entrance of a large cave, telling them the green valley lies on the other side.
The travellers are sceptical, but lacking any other direction, decide to press on into the cave. The first few hours are depressing, the sorcerers using their talents to make unnatural light. Then then come across a fork in the path. Taking the left fork, they eventually come to a large wooden door.
The mages manage to break through the seals. Inside, a small cavern has been converted into a study. The walls of the room are stacked with shelves, full to the brim with books and maps. On the writing desk in the centre of the room, an open manuscript details the last days of the occupant, one Raenath.
Surveying their incredible find, the Melcuranin stumble across a horde of books detailing the lands surrounding the Great Lake, and a map highlighting oases in the Calarnar Desert….
(Hmm - corny - but you get the idea)
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In the face of reoccuring raids on the southern border, the Army moves most of its forces stationed along the mountains south, leaving the northern border, which has been quiet for many years, virtually undefended.
Action 3: Concentration of Army forces on the southern borders.
Determinant: Army Influence (Great +2)
Modifiers:
+1 The Army is independant in all Army matters. It is trusted implicitly by the Council and the Raenath.
Result: +2 +0 +1 + (+1 +1 -1 -1) = +3 Fabulous success!
Th army face no obstacles and overwhelming support in moving their troops to the southern borders. The people of (sometown/area) even hold a festival welcoming the military to the desert frontier.
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Tolmen and most of the Council do not truly believe that expansion is the only solution to the Bel'Adne problems. They begin, using the Plaerathin and their own resources, to look into methods to produce even more food off the land, and especially the Lake (since they are all Melcuranin, they do not believe in the holiness of the Lake), which has been left mostly untouched to encourage the belief of its sanctity.
Action 4: Investigation of methods for even greater exploitation of the land and especially the Lake.
Determinant: Magic and Scholastics
Modifiers:
-1 The Plaerathin are also involved in Action 1.
Calculations:
Primary: scholastics 0 Fair.
Task: Very Hard. -2
Result: 0 -2 -1 + (+1 -1 +1 +1) = -1 Failure.
Knowledge has been exhausted. The lake already yields all the fish it can. It looks like there truly are no alternatives…..