NOVEL NEXT BECMI Chapter 166 – A New Trade City
"I'd heard that Erendyl was putting in some new settlements in the Principality!" Isadora spoke up enthusiastically.
"Several," I confirmed readily enough. "You've probably not heard of the new defenses to the east, however."
"Oh, aye, this sounds interesting!" the Mick piped up, leaning forward to listen attentively. "The Sidhe be fair fed up with the raids coming in, aye?"
I nodded over my shoulder. "That is correct. There have been… quite a few changes to the hills and forests here. As you might know, Erendyl doesn't have the mountains that form Colorajo's eastern border, and thus is much easier to raid and harder to defend than the lands to the north, who only have to defend a couple passes. The only option is thus to make their own defenses, and so that is what is being done there."
Belle could command a sphere of earth and stone sixty feet in radius for up to sixty rounds, or six minutes, three times a day, and then use a thirty-foot radius sphere another three times a day for three minutes each.
Each day, every day, without using any memorized spells, never failing. There'd been a lot of Karma put into the most basic of Cryptomancy powers during our underground war against the Beastials, and now she was reaping the benefits for her people.
I, of course, could do even more, and we had coordinated on smooth and speedy raising of defenses, bypassing the whole need for construction teams, workers, and materials. If we wanted walls and roads, we got walls and roads, and done in style, too!
"What manner o' defenses?" the Mick asked, wondering about that.
"Elven defenses," I smiled thinly. "Which includes far more than rote stone walls, of course, although those are in place in some very inconvenient areas for raiders. As it turns out, there is as much magic in Erendyl as there is in the Sidheduiche, it's just a different flavor and has to be wielded somewhat differently."
"Illusions, inconvenient plant growth with vines and briars?" red-haired Messime from the Sidheduiche spoke up knowingly.
"Oddly enough, some experts in living defenses from the Sidheduiche did take the time to come here and talk about some of the ways Erendyl might build up their border a bit, all without terribly interfering with their own mobility if needed." There were a large number of Permanent Illusions needed, among other things, along with a lot of Rune-commanded briars in some very inconvenient areas. Magic to slip through and maintain passages through the briars, which could be easily sealed and moved to other locations if discovered, were all part of it.
That was the part keeping Belle's Sims busy, and why she was steadily making more of them. Assigning a Sim to maintenance of stretches of the eastern border meant she didn't have to bother her citizens with doing the same, and freed them up to be more active on raids and the like with a strong Healer and defender holding the line behind them.
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"So this be the new trade city," the Mick remarked for everyone, standing up to get a better eyeful of it. His eyes roved over to it, and then to the Colorajo village across the river, which looked like a much-abused, uncared-for younger sibling to the new fortified town rising up. It was a uniquely elven wall fortification that was at once riveting and disquieting to look upon, even with all the bright banners and flags on display.
Tantrin there was a fortified settlement, more a base of operations for military efforts on the northern shore, relaying patrolling bands of cavalry out into the Bleaklands to escort merchants along the last leg of the trade route, as well as blunt the advance of any raiding horde spilling out of the Bleaklands along one of the few viable entries into Zanzyr north of the Wynxias River.
For some reason, House Colorajo had never bothered to develop it as anything other than a transfer point for cargo, basically either resupplying the caravans heading upriver to Ryna and Erendyl, or continuing further north to Zanzyr City, rather than becoming a power and influence of its own.
The extent of its cooperation with the Sidhe was a narrow arched bridge across the Wynxias, which supported a gated chain to prevent any boats from passing into the Bleaklands and sure destruction from the rapids and cataracts only a few miles downriver. It connected a tower on an island in the middle of the river, and the anchoring tower on the southern side.
The river itself was navigable and smooth on the north side of that island, flowing into the port area of Tantrin and crowded with rafts and flat-bottomed cargo vessels there to take on loads and head upriver. The southern side of the river was rocky and cut with frothing stones and rapids, completely unnavigable and never cleared out, thus forcing craft to use the north side of the river and normally divert into Tantrin to dump their cargo. The walls and arches that connected the linking towers were only good for foot traffic, certainly not for transporting large amounts of mercantile traffic to the other shore.
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Ah, how quickly things can change when spellcasters put their minds to things, and loyal elves started following the examples of their princess.
The new Erenish city of Launcel had some pretty high walls, courtesy of Cryptomancers who could throw up whole lengths of the stuff, even if their own Wizards were somewhat rare… but only compared to Warrior-Path elves. Someone in the mirror might have wandered the lengths of the things, too, building them even higher… and, notably, adding a whole bunch of artistic thorn-like projections to the exterior as she raised them another ten feet up, with many an archer slit hidden among the carvings on the walls.
The towering walls, twice the height of those of Tantrin, now looked like white stone covered by writhing vines and yard-long spikes, which was quite intimidating.
At the ground level, they got a lot of laundry hung on them, too. Just more whimsical color added to the danger.
The towers of the new city looked more like tree trunks than stone buildings now, and even the students who had been to Tantrin in the past for one reason or another gawked at the sudden rise of Launcel, wondering where it had all come from.
The roads leading up to the main gates were marvelously done now, all the ruts and holes cleared away, raised and drained and a good hundred feet wide this close to the town, enough for two caravans and more to pass one another without any problems now… and thus no need to pull off the fenced road and plow ruts into the greenery to either side, mostly forest lands being cleared back for exposure to arrow fire… and bearing a number of buildings and habitations among the branches, too.
The challenge and contrast to Tantrin was quite obvious. Eternal Lights glowed in hundreds of places, trees grew throughout the city yet, and there was a clear north and south traffic divide to prevent snarls. All the primary buildings were built of stone, wood being used for artistic accents. Most of the local trees had been moved around and away instead of being cut down for lumber. The Sidhe elves managed their timber well, and the trees here did not grow quite so high and mighty as did those of the great Relarin forest of Sidheduiche.
Erendyl was making a play for strength… and unlike the Zorozo, they did indeed have more magical power to leverage to do so. If that meant recruiting friendly humans also willing to fight? Well, a realm of only elves wasn't going to survive in Zanzyr. Either engage, or in time be driven under.
Just pick your people. That was the key point. Unregulated immigration could ruin anything. Filtering who came in was to be expected by elves, and being allowed to move here was a privilege, not a right. The fact the always-magical elves treated warriors better than the rest of Zanzyr wasn't going to change anything… and the ability to offer Good humans the right to take the Elven Racial Class as Rangers was also something completely separate.
The rumors afloat of formalized Halcyon magic that came with Elven Wizardry was also starting to whisper forth, and the flamenco elves of Colorajo, already jealous of that Tradition, were going nuts trying to find out more.
They'd already lost four Witches trying to mind-probe elves to learn more. Fwip, gone, no sign of them left or indication who had removed them. The whole FAERY movement was also drying up and going away as those members who were actually violently active against Sidhe elves in it ended up vanishing abruptly. Not dead, but missing, just missing… to perhaps be later returned after good behavior.
Halcyon-style Flesh to Stone left the recipients aware of passing time even while buried underground, too...
Belle and the Luswyr elves in particular were also very active in passing on Weapon Mastery to her people, too, who were enthusiastically embracing the training that was available now.
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The guards at the entry to Launcel were human, but they said nothing, and we were processed through like anyone else. Most of my work here was done at night to keep me out of public eyes, and basically I was known well in the Princely Court at Ehlamassara, not here.
Only Belle knew I was an Archmage, and a High Cryptomancer. Other elves thought I was just a very skilled protege and prodigy who'd also been sent to the School.
As a result, I didn't receive any treatment beyond what a Cryptomancer would, although Cryptomancers were indeed the elite of Erendyl elves.
My entourage of students was rubbernecking around in interest and wonder as we moved through the town. The Mick drew their attention to the tower connected to Tantrin across the river, the matching bailey there barely rising to the height of the city's wall. They'd had to build stairs going down to it…
"Dwarves!" Laurentine's astonishment was palpable, as was her condemnation as she pointed out a work crew entering and leaving one of the new warehouses. Shocked Zanzyrans stared at the crew, moving without a care through the humans, elves, hyn, and lupins that made up the vast majority of those here, all of whom were absolutely ignoring the short fellows in their midst. "They, they have dwarves here?" she just barely managed not to scream out in pure scorn.
I glanced that way. "Moorish dwarves, led by an earthmage. Master Coalbender already has his provincial citizenship."
As Laurentine's rightful anger was reaching its peak, my words kind of broke her mindset entirely. Whatever she was about to shriek was strangled in her throat as she gurgled in absolute shock!