Elemental

Hopefully this arcology fluff works for sways. Tanevi-Nur, the City of Forges The largest city of Anso-Chor and one of the largest cities on all Veehra, Tanevi-Nur is a vast and ancient metropolis built around the even more ancient Corbomite foundries at its heart. The wealth of the foundries has filled the city with grand public buildings, temples, palaces and towering monuments that fill the Old City nestled against the upwind side of the Great Foundries. The booming population of more recent centuries has caused the city to expand in all directions and great manufactories and towering tenements buildings spread in all directions. The buildings, even the homes of the poor, have facades of black stone, richly carved with statuary and ornamented with Corbomite detailing and windows of stained glass. Even these modern buildings that soar dozens of stories into the sky cannot compete with the Great Foundries. A monolithic structure of steel and black brick, its smokestacks and spires soar nearly to the edge of space and it's sublevels extend an unknown depth into Veehra's crust. There are three such foundries, each one the size of a city, and they were built in an age now long since forgotten. The city was clearly built to copy it, though their sheer scale could not be matched even with modern construction techniques. Dozens of massive, if smaller, manufactories take the Corbomite cast by the Great Foundries and use it in all manner of products. Even those manufactories that don't work on the Corbomite itself use Corbomite in their machinery. The goods produced though are themselves quite mundane, except for those produced by the Guild of Pyrotechnicians. Though they only take up one manufactory, their incredibly dangerous work produces the most spectacular product. Corbomite fireworks are only slightly more dangerous than regular fireworks once produced and when ignited fill the sky with a blazing rainbow of colour that can turn night into day.

The Kingdom of High Ishtahnos By the Light of the Sun, His Royal Highness, John IV, High King of Ishtahnos First Minister Johnathon Royston Rageclaw First Minister Elizabeth Tennyson Redheart 2022-2024 IR, 2055-2057 IC Actions: 1: [Diplomacy 10] Create Space Habitat. Eyes in the Sky +1 Renown Flavour. 2: [Diplomacy] Sway Merchant Support in Ishtahnos, Region 65. Failure. Flavour. 3: [Stat] To be determined Flavour. 4: [Economy 5] Construct Arcology in Anso-Chor, Region 67. Built to Last +1 Renown After many years of negotiations, the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos secures a controlling stake in the Great Foundries in exchange for recognising the ancient privileges of the Forgemaster Houses. Despite the wealth and power of their city and the kingdom surrounding it they have long been looked down upon by the other aristocratic elites of Anso-Chor with even the Forgeking considered no higher than a duke, or even a count, of the League of Hurun. This will change as the Ishtahn elevate the Forgeking to be first among equals of the Kings of Anso-Chor due to the importance of the Great Foundries. Tanevi-Nur, the City of Forges The largest city of Anso-Chor and one of the largest cities on all Veehra, Tanevi-Nur is a vast and ancient metropolis built around the even more ancient Corbomite foundries at its heart. The wealth of the foundries has filled the city with grand public buildings, temples, palaces and towering monuments that fill the Old City nestled against the upwind side of the Great Foundries. The booming population of more recent centuries has caused the city to expand in all directions and great manufactories and towering tenements buildings spread in all directions. The buildings, even the homes of the poor, have facades of black stone, richly carved with statuary and ornamented with Corbomite detailing and windows of stained glass. Even these modern buildings that soar dozens of stories into the sky cannot compete with the Great Foundries. A monolithic structure of steel and black brick, its smokestacks and spires soar nearly to the edge of space and it's sublevels extend an unknown depth into Veehra's crust. There are three such foundries, each one the size of a city, and they were built in an age now long since forgotten. The city was clearly built to copy it, though their sheer scale could not be matched even with modern construction techniques. Dozens of massive, if smaller, manufactories take the Corbomite cast by the Great Foundries and use it in all manner of products. Even those manufactories that don't work on the Corbomite itself use Corbomite in their machinery. The goods produced though are themselves quite mundane, except for those produced by the Guild of Pyrotechnicians. Though they only take up one manufactory, their incredibly dangerous work produces the most spectacular product. Corbomite fireworks are only slightly more dangerous than regular fireworks once produced and when ignited fill the sky with a blazing rainbow of colour that can turn night into day. 5: [Economy] Attempt to buyout TP1 in Region 78 for Void Spice. Failure. Of course... Once again negotiations to purchase Mekhalan spices fall through and it is rumoured that Lauren Sanders Nighthowl, Minister of Foreign Affairs had to punch the First Minister in the face to stop him from declaring war on the spicers. Both men deny the rumours as ridiculous, but they don't admit that a cabinet meeting to discuss the issue almost came to blows over the topic. It is only out of respect for the First Minster's achievements in office that the cabinet doesn't publicly call for his resignation. Public support in the current government is fading fast though and the House of Delegates calls a snap election to restore government confidence. Nonactions: Resist all unauthorised conversions, buyouts, sways, etc. etc. Vote for the Grand Tribute decree. Exchange one WTU favour for one WTU reputation Change rulers to Elizabeth Tennyson Redheart Diplomacy: 4 Military: 5 Economy: 3 Faith: 5 Intrigue: 1 News and Rumours Stuff and things Note: Do the Status and Extravagance and Coronal Catalogues NOW. THIS ROUND. Ruler Information First Minister Johnathon Royston Rageclaw Diplomacy: 10 Military: 10 Economy: 5 Faith: 3 Intrigue: 2 Age: 75 First Minister Elizabeth Tennyson Redheart Diplomacy: 4 Military: 5 Economy: 3 Faith: 5 Intrigue: 1 Age: 48 Expected stat increases: +1 Diplomacy, +1 Economy Trade Details and Technologies The Highlands of Ishtahnos, Region 65, TP1: Veehran Aurochs The Planum Khassia, Region 74, TP3: Energised Chrysoberyl Treasure: 1 Dust Hardening Nuclear Fusion Xenolinguistic Cataloguing Arcane Amplification Algorithmic Imagination In Vivo Modification Aclaustrophobic Psychology Vacuum Adaptation Wet Navy Ships Badalian Megadirigibles Pseudogravity Engineering Thaumonuclear Reactor Cores - Powered Shrewd Business - Unpowered Tesseractic Storage - Unpowered (needs Magical Items) Shield Generators - Powered Other Bookkeeping Grounds units: 6 Space units: 3 Max units: 10 On hold projects: Military Shipyards [2/5]

Anso-Chor Region 67 History The History of Anso-Chor goes back to the foundation of the Imperial Embassy in times long since gone recorded by calendars forgotten by all who live on Veehra save for the most pedantic of Imperial Bureaucrats, but the triumphs of that history have left no markers on the land save the Embassy itself for when the War of Eternal Bombardments came not even the proximity of so important an Imperial institution served to shield the peoples of the land as fire rained from the sky and undid all they had built. Untold thousands flocked to the gates of the Embassy for shelter and huddled in its direct shadow they were spared death by fire and sorcery, only to face disease and starvation. Perhaps out of kindness or merely the desire to prevent having to view something as unsightly as a plague ridden tent city outside their office windows, Imperial officials distributed aid and with this seed a city began to grow. Thousands more across Veehra made the trek to the Embassy seeking salvation and safe haven in the years of chaos and as the land recovered the population grew and prospered. Eventually other cities were founded and alongside the surviving Sindra and Vekanen populations a network of small states developed. However unlike elsewhere on Veehra these small states never coalesced into anything larger. Despite the fertile soils and growing prosperity that could have fuelled dreams of conquest, local rulers were unwilling to act the part of conquering warlords, afraid that such an act would bring a repeat of the fires that destroyed the old world. Today Anso-Chor is a patchwork of small monarchies, tribal confederations and leagues of city states, passed over for Electoral power as a result of this decentralisation and eclipsed by the demon summoning wolfmen of the west, the hydra cult of the south and the isolationist thinkers of the north. Geography Anso-Chor is a particularly low lying region lying between the Highlands to the west and the Great Sea to the east. Several rivers lazily cross the plains, their banks often lined with swampy ground that is inundated on an annual basis with the Spring thaws in the Highlands. The lowest slopes of the Highlands extend into Anso-Chor's western frontier and a range of hills extends roughly along the southern border with Nadiratna. Beyond these regions and isolated hills, the landscape is extremely flat and extremely susceptible to flooding as a result. Vast networks of flood walls and levees crisscross the land to protect cities and towns given the scarcity of high ground. These annual floods combined with the rain coming off the Great Sea to the east has resulted in Anso-Chor being one of the lushest regions on Veehra. Woodlands once covered most of the land with their remnants still being among the largest forests on all Veehra, especially those in the hills of the west and south. Along the coast of the Great Sea these woodlands give way to what may be Veehra's only rainforest, The Jade Wood. Though hardly tropical and as snowbound during the Winter months as the rest of the region, this tangled, primordial forest merges seamlessly with coastal marshes and extends for almost two hundred kilometres inland. Over the centuries much of the land has been cleared, though the Jade Wood remains more or less untouched, and given over to the cultivation of all manner of moisture tolerant crops. Perennial rice fields are in particular quite common as if the fields are being flooded every years it seems sensible to grow something that doesn't mind that so much. Anso-Chor is colloquially known as the Land of a Hundred Cities. This is an exaggeration, but its cities are indeed numerous. Each seems to have worked to set itself aside with grand monuments and extravagant festivals, but the rise of industry has caused most cities to become somewhat overshadowed by great manufactories that somewhat spoil their aesthetic value, damaging ancient stonework and spreading clouds of pollutants through the land. The largest city is Tanevi-Nur, the City of Forges. The great Corbomite foundries stand at the heart of this city and dominate it both visually and economically. They in turn support vast secondary industries that utilise the Corbomite or piggy back off the thousands who move there looking for work. The most important city, however, and also the second largest, is Juran-Nur, The Imperial City. Towering above the ancient heart of the city are the brilliant white spires of Veehra's Imperial Embassy. The Embassy complex itself is almost a city in of itself and it soars high to reach the sky, an undeniable symbol of Imperial might. Its gardens, those on the ground and elevated high on roofs and platforms, are full of exotic species from across Tekhum. People Anso-Chor has a population of approximately of one hundred and eighty million people (or whatever number keeps it below Agbada). The majority of the population, about two thirds, are Ansos, an ethnically mixed grouping of settled humans who trace their history to shortly after the War of Eternal Bombardments. They can trace their lineages all across Veehra as the Imperial Embassy attracted thousands of refugees to its shadow in the chaotic years after the Bombardment, however they are predominantly of roughly the same stock as their fellow northern greenlanders. Most of the remainder, or approximately forty million people, are Vekanen, lizard people with green scales, twelve million are Elves, one million are Ishtahn frontiersmen and and the remaining seven million consist of more recent migrants from across Veehra in the past few centuries who mostly retain their own cultures. The Ansos, as stated, are regular Veehran humans, mostly of northern greenlander ethnicity with a fair admixture of blood from elsewhere across the planet. Culturally they value art and craftsmanship, loyalty, service and tend to be enthusiastic supporters of The Empire even if mostly they aren't strict followers of the Imperial Traditions. Historically they were primarily engaged in farming, but with the rise of industry most have moved to growing urban centres to benefit from the ready availability of work. The Vekanen are viviparous lizard people who are green in colour. They stand on average at around six foot six inches and are powerfully built. They have a row of spikes that start from their head and go all the way down their back and along their tail. Despite being reptilian, they are well adapted to the cold temperatures of Veehra and need no protection from the elements and wear clothes only for reasons of modesty, culture and self expression. There is little in the way of obvious sexual dimorphism among them save for slight variations in skull shape and proportions that one would either have to be very observant to notice or have spent enough time around them to become used to. Many of them still live tribal lives as their ancestors did within the Jade Wood, but most live in coastal cities and towns from where they fish and ply the trade lanes of the Great Sea as part of an ancient maritime tradition. The Vekanen reject any notion of Imperial Divinity and are as one firm Chorbists whom they believe sheltered them in the Jade Wood during the Bombardments. The Elven population, or the Sindra, live more or less entirely within the wooded hills of the south, keeping themselves mostly apart from the outside world. Through their magic they were spared the calamity that befell their kin in Nadiratna and when in their native land will never die of sickness and none can recall the last time someone died of old age. Elsewhere they find themselves subject to the ravages of time and as a result they rarely leave for more than a few months at a time and view it as their highest taboo to bring sickness or death with them on their return. They value art and beauty as their highest ordeals and are liberal in their use of magic in pursuit of this goal. Despite their isolation they worship Chorb, something they claim to have always done. The Ishtahn population of Anso-Chor are merely an offshoot from Ishtahnos who used to range across the frontier lands, ended up settling there as farmers and herders and eventually converted to Chorbism. Magic The arts of magic are much more prevalent in Anso-Chor than they are in Ishtahnos. Though nowhere near sufficient to rival the sorcerers of Kildora, the Ansos do possess a number of sorcerous adepts who have delved into many aspects of ritual magic using what they've managed to glean from Kildoran texts. The Sindra possess great magical powers, but these fade quickly beyond the borders of the enchanted forest they call home. However the principle form of magic is that performed by Chorbist priests/shaman. Through an as yet unknown process that may or may not prove the existence of Chorb and the primacy of their faith, these individuals are able to effect rapidly accelerated recovery from injuries and illnesses in others through various sacred ceremonies. Despite initial assumptions that they are related to the ritual practices of Kildoran style sorcery a closer analysis indicates that there is no relation. Government Anso-Chor is divided into a number of smaller polities that previously vied for political and economic influence. Traditionally disputes would be resolved through combat between champions with outright war beyond skirmishes being extremely rare. There are eight polities of significance listed in rough order of population alongside several minor states not listed. The Jade Confederation is, as expected, a confederation of small chieftaincies and coastal cities situated in the Jade Wood. The populations is primarily Vekanen and they are very traditionalist and fierce adherents to Chorbism. The capital is the port city of Nak, known for the Tower of Pearls, and they are ruled by a confederal council. The Kingdom of Olan-Sul dominates the west of Anso-Chor. It is furthest removed from the affairs of the Imperial Embassy and has a tendency towards belligerence. The inhabitants are mostly Ansos who have adopted some Ishtahn customs, such as the riding of Nightmares. They are ruled by the House of Sul from the city of Malevenos. The Kingdom of Tanevi is a relatively small kingdom centred on the City of Forges and its outlying metropolises. It is very densely populated and very heavily industrialised to a level that even the other industrial states of Anso-Chor are growing concerned. They are ruled by the House of Tanev. The League of Hurun is made up of small city states and feudal demesnes stretching across the north of Anso-Chor. Each state is quite weak individually and so despite their fierce independence they have banded together for mutual defence for fear of being absorbed by stronger polities. The chief, but not largest, city of the League is Hurun, selected mostly due to its centralised location and comparative unimportance. Sa-Sindra is the name given to the Elven state hidden away in the wooded southern hills. It is a mystical place that abounds in natural beauty where time seems to stand still. Outsiders are not forbidden, but they are discouraged. At the heart of Sa-Sindra is the City of Dreams where their unnamed King holds court. The Pentapolis is the name given to five great cities that joined together in order to flex their already prodigious economic might. They are roughly spread evenly throughout Anso-Chor and consists of the cities of Janek-Nur, Luriem, Viccandra-Nur, Ban-Sadru and Vaylenore. They head themselves with a five member council elected by the nobility of each member city. Juran-Nur, or The Imperial City, is perhaps the strangest polity. They control no territory beyond their city limits and it has remained virtually unchanged for centuries despite the growing industrialisation and booming populations elsewhere. The local nobility are made up of those whose families have worked as low level support staff in the Imperial Embassy for generations. They wear their red-purple uniforms with pride and put their work within its walls above all other worldly concerns. The custom of painting one's house purple to show one's affiliation with this class spread throughout the old city as the artisans who provided luxurious goods to the Imperial Bureaucrats at the Embassy claimed the status for themselves. Kavendrinore is the smallest state both in population and territory, even compared to the Imperial City. It is a city built on an island in the sea near the southern border with Nadiratna. It was once a pirate stronghold but they have since done their best to present themselves in a more positive light as a hub of trade despite all the evidence of their past and their still non-existent approach to prosecuting people over dealing in stolen goods. Resource Corbomite (Ores and Alloys, Fuel) Corbomite is a complex alloy of steel produced at extremely high temperatures under bombardment by exotic thaumionic radiation not found naturally within Tekhum. Though it is far from lightweight, it is extremely strong and almost impossible to bend without unreasonable amounts of force. Corbomite itself is brilliant white, but most people believe it is iridescent as few people have ever seen a non-anodised piece. Indeed for almost all applications Corbomite must be anodised under a mix of argon and krypton gas to produce an inert layer of Corbomite Argides and Kryptides as without this protective layer on the surface Corbomite has a tendency to burst into flames. Violently. It will even react with nitrogen gas to produce volatile nitrides and strip the oxygen from carbon dioxide. Fortunately the anodised layer is harder than even diamond and tougher than the underlying Corbomite and not liable to get disturbed. Corbomite's primary applications are as support beams in large structures and as plating for armoured vehicles, though it is also used for ornamental purposes and has also been forged into weapons and armour on occasion. Unfortunately due to the unusual conditions required, there is only one facility on all of Veehra capable of producing this material, a series of ancient pre-bombardment foundries in Anso-Chor built atop even more ancient leylines that route arcane power from across Veehra. These foundries are responsible for all stages of the production from refining of raw materials and Corbomite scrap to casting to anodising. The only change in this process in the past thousand years is that sometimes small pieces of Corbomite are stopped before they reach the anodising chamber and are shaved down with Corbomite and diamond edged tools. The shavings make for brilliant, if dangerous, rainbow fireworks and are great for jumpstarting other furnaces and forges. Conductors and Circuitry The cities of Anso-Chor are heavily industrialised, their manufactories constantly churning out products as fast as they can make them, but the demand for electronics outstrips the available raw resources available to produce them locally. Without a supply of suitable materials or imported electronics the industries will eventually grind to a halt. Faith Plurality: Chorbism Chorbism is a non-centralised religion that reveres the deity Chorb. While the exact specifics of religious practices and rituals diverge greatly between the urban and tribal cultures of Anso-Chor, there are several common features. Chorbist priests/shamans, the word is used interchangeably locally, act as conduits of Chorb, entering trances and engaging in secret rituals to reach a higher state of consciousness they believe allows them to hear the whispers of Chorb and see his faces to receive guidance and insight into the future which they then pass onto the lay folk. They also dispense blessings, healing and perform sacred ceremonies. Beyond this the practices of Chorbist priests/shamans are for them alone and they don't take kindly to outsiders trying to unravel their secrets. What they aren't secret about is 'what is the deal with Chorb', this they will expound on greatly. Chorb is the spirit of the land and sky, bringer of wind and rain, shepherd of wild beasts and grower of all things green under the Sun. He is also a five faced, five armed, ten winged cherubic abomination that looks and moves always in five directions, sings constantly in five angelic voices and knows five secrets about everyone who has ever lived. In one hand he bears a shepherd's crook wrapped with vines; another an ever-flowing golden jug of water, plain and unornamented; the third is raised perpetually in blessing; the fourth holds a trident stained with blood and ichor; and the fifth and final hand holds life itself. He has the face of a falcon, a serpent, a jackal, a bear and a creature known only as a "kindness" with no additional explanation given. The teachings of Chorb as followed by his people are quite simple, "do no harm to others and to the land" is the best way to sum them up. This latter point has caused some consternation due to the spread of polluting heavy industry through most of the urban centres of Anso-Chor, especially among non-urban populations who benefit less from the generated wealth and suffer more from the spread of pollution. Minority: Imperial Traditions The Imperial Traditions are less a strict religion and more a series of cultural norms and codes of protocol and etiquette that grew around the Imperial Embassy. Followers do revere the Emperor, though less as a god and more as the supreme arbiter of truth and justice in Tekhum.

Here is the proposal: Shield Generators Effect: +1 to battles Slot: Armour and Shields Requirements: Nuclear Fusion, Conductors and Circuitry. An Ishtahn Shield Generator is a surprisingly simple device, once you look past the complicated electronics required and the seemingly counterintuitive modifications to a standard fusion reactor needed to power it. In essence, the modified fusion reactor produces infinitesimally small quantities of exotic particles that then self annihilate in the high temperature environment of the fusion plasma. Through as yet poorly understand physical processes this causes the creation of an unusual energy field of limited range that at its outer edge creates a shield interface that blocks the movement of physical matter above a certain mass or energy level. This effect, however, has a vanishingly small range and even if the reactor is overclocked to dangerous levels the barrier only extends a few metres beyond the plasma. Fortunately, a workaround was uncovered. Using special Energised Chrysoberyl matrices a resonant field can be produced that, although is in opposition to the initial field, has the same effect and can be projected over a greater distance. This does draw a significant amount of power and requires at least an entire additional fusion reactor, optimised for power rather than particle creation, keeping the matrices charged. Through a series of conduits this resonant field can be directed from around the reactor far away to a series of directional emitters at the periphery of whatever was desired to be shielded. Experimental designs using Haematite, Crystal Weave and even standard high grade electronics were proven to also be viable with only some redesign needed. In short, generator makes a shield, resonating electronics copy the shield and send it via conduits to emitters. The emitters project a shield outward around the thing you want protected. This technology is not without limits however. The energy of whatever strikes the shield has to go somewhere and it is born directly by the emitters and conduits causing them to overheat when put under sufficient strain. Failure to de-energise their circuitry will result in it melting and potentially damaging adjacent systems. It is also incapable of being effectively used in a planetary atmosphere as the shield causes air molecules to become highly charged and generate a strong electrical current which disrupts the shield and renders it permeable, an effect made even worse whenever there is even a little weather. The exhaust from thrusters and engines has a similar effect, but this is not considered too much of an issue as a ship's primary engines are already a weak point in armour. But otherwise, in the near vacuum of space, the shield is the ideal defensive system. Lightweight, impervious to anything more hazardous than a laser pointer. Finally those large windows aren't a complete drawback.

Johnathon waits patiently, keeping himself out of Hanyeo and Tiyansi's moment. It wasn't his place to intrude, but he did feel a warm sense of nostalgia as he remembered back to when his own children were of comparable age. Once the moment had passed he turned his attention back to the arena, his eyes scanning the field of play. "Before we ruin things by talking of affairs of state, I propose a friendly wager. If Princess Tiyansi scores the first point I will give you a bottle of aged goldenberry brandy and if she does not then you will owe me some of that Petrol Barrel Moonshine, I've been eager to try it and it's impossible to get," he says before letting out a soft sigh, "But yes, I have come a long way and not solely out of a desire to at last see the sights of Tekhum. As you are no doubt aware the Ministry of Trade has failed miserably for over a decade to secure much desired imports of spices and frankly it's a huge embarrassment. Our negotiators just don't seem to gel with the spicers of Mekhala and we can't figure it out and so we look further afield in the hopes that Wakinyan might provide. "It is my understanding that the Llort Society has its eyes firmly set on the exploration of Wakinyan?" The Ishtahn First Minister bows respectfully to the Imperial High Lord, it would be rude to greet His Grace, The Emperor's representative any other way. "Your Excellency, it is a rare pleasure to have you here with us. I am not familiar with everyone else's bets, but the Consul and I were considering a friendly wager between us. Nothing dramatic or exciting of course, after all, could you imagine the scandal if I lost my shirt to Hanyeo? The newspapers would have a field day."

"The Kingdom as always prospers in the Light of the Benevolent Sun, I hope the same can be said of you," Minister Huddleston says with a slight bow, "And of course, the Ministries always have time for the WTU." She follows the Union representative to the nearby alcove, speaking again once they are away from would be eavesdroppers, "Now what does the Union need from the Kingdom that needs to be broached during a chance encounter on Sansar? If it's about our recent declaration, yes we should have asked but we wanted to chill any thoughts of arson among the Arvaxine.""

The Hexenniel Sarah Huddleston Shadowclaw had been to the Arkhive. Once. Twenty years ago. It was perhaps the worst day of her career, even compared to the decade long spice debacle. It's funny how a near death experience causes things to stick in the mind. Unfortunately, she'd been sent back, an unexpected 'perk' of her rising to the position of Minister of Agriculture and being the highest ranking government official who had actually 'met' Constance. A meeting she doesn't recall being exactly graceful on her end. Still, twenty years, no doubt Constance will have forgotten, she was a nobody back then and she looks older and more refined and dignified. That is to say she's wearing a bright green dress with a blue and gold neckerchief that clashes horribly, especially combined with her elegant red and purple silk shawl. But she has pulled her grey-streak golden hair back in a messy bun and wears glasses now. Very refined. Again she carries a briefcase marked "botanical samples" in Low Imperial and approaches Queen Constance once an opening has made itself available. "Your Arkhival Majesty, on behalf of the people of the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos I would like to bestow upon the Arkhive Eternal this gift in the hopes that it shall be kept safe for centuries to come," she bows politely and opens the heavy metal case to reveal its contents. One hundred and twenty neatly labelled glass vials of tiny seeds. On the vials are the names of the plants in four languages and a small colour picture of an orchid flower. "These seeds are of the rarest orchids of the Highlands of Ishtahnos, some of which have only recently been successfully reintroduced into the wilderness once more. Should our efforts fail and our botanical gardens be lost it will be a great comfort to know that these wonders shall remain in Tekhum."

Inter-Orbital Diplomatic Delegation VIP Box #X Johnathon Royston Rageclaw, First Minister of Ishtahnos, stands at Hanyeo's side, but far enough away to avoid any enthusiastic gestures. Compared to the Llort Consul, he appears almost shockingly mundane, an older gentleman with hair turned almost entirely silver-grey by time, one eye beginning to cloud from the early stages of a cataract. He stands just shy of seven feet, his back slightly bent by the burdens of age and office and so he is forced to look up at Hanyeo, a strange experience for an Ishtahn. He has on a black suit with a blood red neckerchief and matching scarf under a heavy coat of black aurochs leather which has been studded with tiny pieces of black glass to make it glitter slightly in the light. It seemed appropriate given he's with the Llort right now, though given Hanyeo's grey robe he's unsure. "As am I Consul. It's a shame we were unable to field competitors, but that just means I'll be excited whoever wins," he says politely.

The Kingdom of High Ishtahnos By the Light of the Sun, His Royal Highness, John IV, High King of Ishtahnos First Minister Johnathon Royston Rageclaw 2019-2021 IR, 2052-2054 IC Actions: 1: [Diplomacy] Press Claim on Region 68, Nadiratna. Success! Negotiations with Nadiratna are, surprisingly, very quick and only take a couple of years. Whether this is the will of the Syyvine Hydra or a shrewd response to align themselves with a strong military power on the part of the High Siifoh is impossible to tell. Once again a grand ceremony is held to mark the signing of the treaty of accession and festivities are held across the growing confederation on Northern Veehra. Swift integration is not considered likely however and the status quo of Nadiratna is maintained as the Charter Committee does its work. Nadiratnan advisors join the Chorbist ones in Harazan to ensure that the Ishtahn take their voices into consideration until full and proper integration can take place. 2: [Diplomacy] Attend the Fourth Hexenniel Conference. An Ishtahn delegate, Sarah Huddleston Shadowclaw, Minister of Agriculture, attends the Fourth Hexenniel, the Meligogue Conclave and while there she signs the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos onto the Charter of the Arkhive Aeternal, swearing to hold their territories are inviolable. -Receive as gifts as per the terms of the Charter: Thaumonuclear Reactor Cores, Shrewd Business, Vacuum Adaptation, Wet Navy Ships, Badalian Megadirigibles, Pseudogravity Engineering -Trade Shield Generators to the Glix in exchange for Tesseractic Storage while also asking the Glix to not distribute the technology to slaveholding states. 3: [Military 10] Research Military Technology: Shield Generators. Wonders of the 99,803rd Era +2 due to being the first Ishtahn military technology and one of the first five military technologies created. While working to improve containment field efficiency for fusion reactors in the hopes of developing even more miniaturised versions, researchers at the university of Corvopolitanus stumble upon something very unexpected. The team, lead by Sir Professor Todd Stevens Jun. M. Tech, finds that they can't touch their latest prototype without getting zapped. Initially they assume it's due to accidentally connecting a wire to the casing, but a thorough check reveals nothing of the sort. Closer examination, including high speed photography, reveals that the electrifying force exists a full two millimetres above the surface of the casing. It takes months to get to the bottom of the issue, and the Ishtahn military even gets involved due to their keen interest in the applications of an electrifying field in battle, and after many sleepless nights, a young engineer named Clarice Hills Dreadfang announces she's worked it out. It's not an electrifying force, it's a physical barrier! An energy shield! The zapping was just because of the still air in the lab allowing a layer of electrifying ions to build up. Out in the field that'd be blown off by the wind. Shield Generators Effect: +1 to battles Slot: Armour and Shields Requirements: Nuclear Fusion, Conductors and Circuitry. An Ishtahn Shield Generator is a surprisingly simple device, once you look past the complicated electronics required and the seemingly counterintuitive modifications to a standard fusion reactor needed to power it. In essence, the modified fusion reactor produces infinitesimally small quantities of exotic particles that then self annihilate in the high temperature environment of the fusion plasma. Through as yet poorly understand physical processes this causes the creation of an unusual energy field of limited range that at its outer edge creates a shield interface that blocks the movement of physical matter above a certain mass or energy level. This effect, however, has a vanishingly small range and even if the reactor is overclocked to dangerous levels the barrier only extends a few metres beyond the plasma. Fortunately, a workaround was uncovered. Using special Energised Chrysoberyl matrices a resonant field can be produced that, although is in opposition to the initial field, has the same effect and can be projected over a greater distance. This does draw a significant amount of power and requires at least an entire additional fusion reactor, optimised for power rather than particle creation, keeping the matrices charged. Through a series of conduits this resonant field can be directed from around the reactor far away to a series of directional emitters at the periphery of whatever was desired to be shielded. Experimental designs using Haematite, Crystal Weave and even standard high grade electronics were proven to also be viable with only some redesign needed. In short, generator makes a shield, resonating electronics copy the shield and send it via conduits to emitters. The emitters project a shield outward around the thing you want protected. This technology is not without limits however. The energy of whatever strikes the shield has to go somewhere and it is born directly by the emitters and conduits causing them to overheat when put under sufficient strain. Failure to de-energise their circuitry will result in it melting and potentially damaging adjacent systems. It is also incapable of being effectively used in a planetary atmosphere as the shield causes air molecules to become highly charged and generate a strong electrical current which disrupts the shield and renders it permeable, an effect made even worse whenever there is even a little weather. The exhaust from thrusters and engines has a similar effect, but this is not considered too much of an issue as a ship's primary engines are already a weak point in armour. But otherwise, in the near vacuum of space, the shield is the ideal defensive system. Lightweight, impervious to anything more hazardous than a laser pointer. Finally those large windows aren't a complete drawback. 4: [Economy] Extend the Peludian rail network in Ishtahnos, Region 65. After many years of planning, surveying and logistical analyses, the Ishtahn at last lay ground for extending the Peludian network to join with their own. A line is laid from the northern ferry terminal on the Crescent Sea of Nadiratna up into Ishtahnos. It enters the kingdom near Ak'Harrek and cuts across the countryside alongside existing Ishtahn rail lines towards the capital of Harazan by way of Dantenon. Additional lines are built from Harazan, one extending west to Ketravan and another east towards Anso-Chor. The existing rail networks are unfortunately entirely incompatible and so travellers will be expected to disembark and change trains to use them. 5: [Economy] Attempt to buyout TP1 in Region 78 for Void Spice. Failure. The spice rationing in Ishtahnos is becoming increasingly unsustainable and so the Ministry of Trade gets desperate. They outright try to bribe Union officials into handing over shipments of Voice Spice. This does not go down well and the awkward attempts are merely laughed at. Once again the Ishtahn are sent packing back to Veehra with only free samples. Nonactions: Resist all unauthorised conversions, buyouts, sways, etc. etc. News and Rumours The Ishtahn government issues the following declaration. While mostly intended for fellow Veehran Elect it is broadcast to the other orbits so they may be aware if they try anything untoward on Veehra: The Kingdom of High Ishtahnos does hereby declare themselves the Defender of the Small across All Veehra. As the power of the Elect grows they have noticed a disturbing trend wherein the rich tapestry of cultures and traditions that has long been part of Veehra's strength has come under threat by expansionist forces. Though the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos trusts that their fellow Elect would not do such a thing solely out of malice, they nevertheless fell it essential to make it known that from hereon the following traditions native to Veehra are viewed as being under threat and thus under their military protection: Dustbound Chivalry, Precomputed Traditions, Anticlericalism, Spiritual Communalism, Radiant Dreams, Eternal Recurrence, the Cycle Breakers, Felinism, the Wolf Heart, the Divine Right of Wizards, Chorbism, the Soulbound Neo Modern Break Dance, the Demigod-Kings, the Deathspeakers, Quantum Predestination, Nominative Determinism, The Long Dark, The Following Dark, The Waiting Dark, the Requiem for the Loop. In addition, the following traditions that as of now have Elect backing may lose it at some point and are thus considered as potentially being in need of protection in the future: The Cult of Avva, the Way of Returning, Death's Wheel, the Cult of the Mother Serpent, Saviour's Promise, the Cult of the Mind, the Church of the Benevolent Sun. This protection shall be considered invoked should the listed traditions be at risk of dying out due to the actions of an Elect, whether of Veehra or elsewhere. In addition any purges, pogroms, inquisitions, forced detainments on the basis of culture, religion or ethnicity, unwarranted destruction or looting of cultural sites, gravesites and temples belonging to minority groups, forced expulsions or the like shall be considered sufficient cause to invoke this protection. As the Irisite Archipelago is a holy land gifted from the divine to the Avvan faith it is considered an exemption to the clause regarding inquisitions as the Cult of Avva may be considered as having first and sole rights to the land and may keep it pure and non-violently expel those who do not share their reverence. In an additional capacity of their role as Defender of the Small across All Veehra, the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos does hereby demand the cession of slavery on Holy Veehra, its moons and its satellites. Subjecting sapient beings to the practices of serfdom, chattel slavery, corvee labour, thralldom, military conscription during times of de facto peace, penal labour, statute labour or the like shall invite military retribution from the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos. Our fellow Elect are given no more than ten years to begin dismantling any such institutions or face said retribution. The Pan-Tekhum Workers' and Traders' Union shall likewise be considered under the protection of the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos and any who attempt to attack their headquarters and union halls shall meet with military retribution. Though it is expected that this declaration will be viewed as an overreach, it is thought that a threat of force will curb the baser tendencies of their fellow Elect. No specific polity is named, but it is not hard to determine which parts of Veehra are watched most closed by the Ishtahn. With the Helios Hospice refusing to fully stand down and continuing their illegal activities the government of Ishtahnos has no choice but to protest this outrage and the following open letter is sent to the Titania of the Glorious Purifiers by courier even as it is simultaneously broadcast across Tekhum: To Talandaresque Titania of the Glorious Purifiers, As the Helios Hospice has violated the laws of the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos and violated a military cordon of the Royal Navy of Ishtahnos, we demand that all those responsible for these actions be extradited to Ishtahnos within six months. We further demand all Veehran born peoples taken away by the Helios Hospice be returned and that all remains be repatriated immediately. Any delay will be viewed very unfavourably and as complicity by your government in these actions. Failure to comply will result in swift retribution from the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos until these demands are met. Johnathon Royston Rageclaw, First Minister of Ishtahnos. Upon receiving a conciliatory reply, the First Minister quickly drafts a response and dispatches officials to the Moonsoul Mountains to oversee full compliance. In addition requests are made of the Llort Society Protectorate and the Castaways of the Loop to serve as impartial observers to provide unbiased oversight of the process. A separate request is made of the Bafatis Dynasty and the Cloudburst Confederacy to take in those refugees unwilling to be settled in the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos. To Talandaresque Titania of the Glorious Purifiers, Your swift compliance with our request has not gone unnoticed and in the spirit of cooperation we are sending our own officials to help oversee the repatriation of the Veehrans who wish to return and the remains of those who died under the care of Helios Hospice. Please forgive our unwillingness to take the information provided thus far as the truth given Helios Hospice is a known criminal organisation. We wish to ensure that every refugee has been granted the opportunity to make an informed decision. To assuage your concerns about our lack of impartiality we have requested that the Group of Seventeen and the Llort Society Protectorate also provide oversight of this operation as they are neutral in this matter and their reputation is beyond reproach. In addition we are attempting to make preparations for those refugees unwilling to be settled in the Highlands of Ishtahnos. It is our hope that the Bafatis Dynasty or the God King of Agbada will be willing to open their lands and their hearts in this time of need. Finally we must insist on the extradition of those in charge at Helios Hospice who ordered the military cordon violated. Failure to comply with this simple request will result in trial in absentia. If it is your concern that those involved will be sentenced to death then I assure that practice has been forbidden within Ishtahnos for many generations. We will also ensure them full access to legal counsel of their choosing. Our recommendation for independent counsel is to consult the Litigator Clans of Zimbir. Several of their more adventurous scions have become versed in Ishtahn law and can fulfil this role admirably. Johnathon Royston Rageclaw, First Minister of Ishtahnos. The Ishtahn, with the help of the Llort and the Castaways, oversee the entire process of returning Veehrans, both living and dead, to Veehra from the Purifiers' custody. Not a single individual goes unseen by an Ishtahn official. Some are settled in Ishtahnos and Anso-chor, some in Voletha, but most are taken to Themis Station, encouraged by the economic benefits kindly offered by the Bafatis Dynasty. The refusal of the Agbadans to take in refugees without concessions from Ishtahnos is not looked kindly upon, but is otherwise left unspoken of. Only a relatively small amount of the refugees choose to remain on Sansar due to how wet and far from home it is and a thorough accounting is done to make sure no remains 'go missing'. Meanwhile, in Ishtahnos, the High Arbiter of Helios is kept under armed house arrest at all times, their trial being delayed until the return can be completed for fear she causes trouble by objecting to the proceedings. The trial itself is held before a seven member panel of Ishtahn High Court Judges with the Lord Advocate of Ishtahnos acting as prosecutor and a Litigator Clerk of Zimbir acting as defence. It's not a long trial, the evidence is pretty clear. The cordon was violated as shown by the refugees on Sansar, but before the court finds her guilty she is made to take an oath to speak only the truth and asked two questions: "Do you accept the authority of this court?" "Will you abide by its rulings?" Upon receiving the High Arbiter's answer that amounts to an "only if I feel like it" the High Court has no choice but to find her in contempt and at the news that she may decide to try and leave at any time they enact the extraordinary measure of bringing armed soldiers into the courtroom as they begin to hand down their verdict and sentence. The High Arbiter of Helios is found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment for no less than twenty years for ordering a violation a cordon of the Royal Navy of Ishtahnos with the intention of deploying agents of a partisan illegal organisation into an area of military operations. In addition she receives a further twenty years for contempt. She may appeal, but that would put her in a Catch-22 situation of acknowledging the appellate court but not the trial court despite them both receiving their authority from the same source. To say she takes it well is a blatant falsehood. As the bailiffs approach to place her in chains she twists and turns, dissolving into a cloud of feathery strands that then shoots towards the doors. A hail of bullets comes from the soldiers stationed throughout the room, the judges, court scribe and the High Arbiter's own lawyer diving for cover as the wooden dock where she'd been standing was reduced to splinters. Several Ishtahn soldiers lunge for her as she passes by, but she slips their grasp with ease. The door itself proves a greater obstacle and she is forced once more to change shape, leaving herself vulnerable to the slash of a sword. Had she resumed her normal shape she'd likely be in quite a bad position, but a pool of liquid had little to be concerned with from a blade and she slips under the door. What follows is a drawn out firefight as Ishtahn soldiers work to bar her escape, showering her liquid form with bullets that did little more than chip the tiles even as they force her to seek alternate routes. Eventually she's backed into a hall on an upper floor with a large stained glass window depicting an obsidian eagle. She feigns surrender, holding her hands up as the Ishtahn soldiers approach, guns at the ready for the second she tries anything funny. They're right to be suspicious as a black shape appears in the glass and starts getting bigger. Before they can do anything the High Arbiter produces a brilliant flash of light that temporarily blinds the soldiers and with a loud shattering of glass she alights onto the window ledge for her escape. But in her moment of victory success is snatched away as a barrage of missiles from the distant Fortress Khassia fills the air with flak. With a squadron of fighters on the horizon the creature needs to withdraw now lest it be laid low by heavy firepower. Defeated the High Arbiter watches as her ticket out is chased away and she surrenders for real. She allows herself to be shackled and chained and taken away to a special high security underground facility for rogue sorcerers. Once she's secured in her cell she likely finds the accommodations surprisingly comfortable, if confining with a number of the usual small comforts missing. The food is filling, but especially bland as things like herbs and salt aren't allowed anywhere near rogue sorcerers, and she has to do her letter writing with a wax crayon on recycled newsprint, but the bed is soft and she has full access to the recreational facilities. Her first visitors are a judge, the Lord Advocate and her own lawyer informing her they've added ten years to her sentence for vandalism and assault. The prolonged lack of spices while the Kingdom prospers and extends its reach across Veehra and even into the heavens above has finally reached a breaking point with the latest spice rationing announcements. There is a march on Parliament by concerned citizens and affected merchants and restauranteurs and the First Minister's response is frankly an insult. Telling a mob of angry people to essentially grow up and go home is a clear misstep and Johnathon Royston Rageclaw's political rivals begin to whisper that he's starting to suffer under the strain of office or has at the very least begun to lose touch after so long in the First Minster's office. The media picks up on this as they would any other political scandal and local BRG offices take particular pleasure in questioning his soundness. When the Eucrus Alliance sends out feelers inquiring about a conference on matters of war and its crimes the Ishtahn respond positively and indicate their interest in such a gathering. The responses from various branches of the Cult of Coedd in response to the by now years old declaration denying Coedd's divinity are mostly ignored given the Cult doesn't seem to really care. Only Siobhan of Clagarth receives an official answer, a single sentence: "Get your house in order and we'll think about it." A few dozen nightmares are gifted by King John to the House of Fire to keep on their palatial estate in Bīt Ereshkigal so that Duke Esarhaddon III and his family can properly enjoy the countryside. Riding instructors, strappers and a vet are sent to ensure that everything goes smoothly. It wouldn't do well to saddle Esarhaddon with animals he can't handle or care for after all. This is viewed as somewhat controversial given the House of Fire's recent unveiling of a new weapon of mass destruction, but it's hardly the first such device to plague Tekhum and it seems odd to complain a new type of nuke just because it's magical. Especially given the Ishtahn's own nuclear arsenal... The two most recent big ad campaigns on BRG networks are met with disinterest by the Ishtahn and their government. The former ad is clearly an attempt at self-serving Basu-Rahman propaganda to try and shift the blame for their own disastrous decisions onto others when its clear their management is full of incompetent out-of-touch trust fund idiots. This view is confirmed by the second campaign, literal treason against the Empire aired on prime time television. Clagarth of Deargabh's choice to set himself as a rival and alternative to His Grace the Emperor is a bold one that will likely bring much misery upon himself and the rest of Sansar, but the Ishtahn did kind of expect Basu-Rahman to have learned their lesson about ad content by now. However it's a Sansarite matter. They are simply told not to broadcast it on locally produced channels. Though their now legendary duel had been some years ago, Sir Pace Carroll Darksand of Ishtahnos and Duellist Black of Vesper establish a duelling school in the Planum Khassia among the footfills of the Serpent's Spine, not far from the arena where they'd fought. The buildings are simple in construction and the accommodations rather sparse but comfortable. Students, who must have combat or duelling experience, from across all of Tekhum are welcome and instruction is free for most save the rich who are charged accordingly. Pace handles most of the instruction and he is an unyielding instructor who expects discipline and rigorous adherence to training schedules and physical health and only those he deems ready are permitted to train under Duellist Black who is relentless and makes Pace look like a kindly old grandma. Her duties elsewhere keep her busy and there are rumours that Duellist Black is actually a group of people as her height never seems to be the same and sometimes she even goes a tiny bit easy on people. In addition to combat, Pace insists that his students also explore the arts on the side as he believes creative expression is essential for mental health and thus in turn physical health. This is despite some people assuming he teaches calligraphy and painting because they're somehow related to swinging a sword. After somehow getting a hold of an old geological survey of Vesper, one of Ishtahnos's premiere manufacturers of fine porcelain makes a surprising discovery. Rich deposits of high quality kaolinite ignored due to its lack of immediate use among the Vesperites. A series of negotiations with Violetta later and the payment of all required fees and the Twilight Porcelain Works gets off the ground. It's a risky venture, Vesper isn't known for its artists after all, but with the help of a cadre of Ishtahn teachers the kinks get ironed out and the Vesperite workers take over. Most of what they produce is for local use, even Vesperites like tea and coffee from time to time, but it's not long before the first cases of distinctive black and white raven pattern porcelain are being exported across Veehra by rail. Note: Do the Status and Extravagance and Coronal Catalogues either this round (7) or next (8). Ruler Information First Minister Johnathon Royston Rageclaw Diplomacy: 9 Military: 10 Economy: 4 Faith: 3 Intrigue: 2 Age: 72 Expected stat increases: +1 Diplomacy, +1 Economy Trade Details and Technologies The Highlands of Ishtahnos, Region 65, TP1: Veehran Aurochs The Planum Khassia, Region 74, TP3: Energised Chrysoberyl Treasure: 1 Dust Hardening Nuclear Fusion Xenolinguistic Cataloguing Arcane Amplification Algorithmic Imagination In Vivo Modification Aclaustrophobic Psychology Other Bookkeeping Grounds units: 5 Space units: 3 Max units: 9 On hold projects: Military Shipyards [2/5]

"Well it's nice to meet you Guyineber, this is Elias Rutherford High Mountain of Ishtahnos," he says politely before having some of his cinnamon enhanced tea. It tastes good despite the gravity-free preparation method. He sees on his display how quickly the Archmage Zabir is outstripping them so far, "Looks like we're being left in the dust. That's honestly a relief, means I don't have to stress for the next few weeks about my lead." And true to that Elias spent the next few weeks not stressing, chatting with the other contestants near to the back of the pack in between very slowly making his way through audiobooks of the 'classics' of Ishtahn literature, many of which were objectively too longwinded, especially 'The Prince of the Bangle'. He answers all of Charyti's questions, enjoying the chance to ramble about his childhood growing up in the desert and how he'd started his racing career at twelve on nightmares before eventually becoming a stunt pilot at eighteen. At the topic of winnings he can only laugh, he gave up on those when he saw how fast the Archmage zoomed ahead. He too shares music, singing Ishtahn classics over the radio in a deep baritone, even once or twice harmonising along with Charyti if she doesn't mind. The Pick Up The relaxation wasn't to last though, eventually the red dot that was Veehra started to grow brighter and brighter as the days ticked down. On the final day of the trip Elias was all business, he wasn't the last there, but that was no reason to rest on his laurels, he was only a few hours behind Charyti after all and he knew the local terrain and conditions. A few carefully programmed final adjustments to his course before he flipped the entire ship around to reverse. He could see the Crepuscular Cliffside in the distance shining like a star. This was the moment of truth, he had to trust the calculations and as soon as the timer reached zero he pushes the throttle to full for a timed deceleration burn. He was nearly thrown forward against the console if not for the harness holding him in his seat. Blinding white fire shot forth from the engines, indicators lit up green and gold all across the console, occasionally flickering red as the fuel tank got lower and lower and eventually everything shut off. Elias sat in the dark for a few moments before the battery backup came online and the whole system rebooted. A reactor fuel warning started to slowly beep before he slapped the disable alarm button to shut it up. Of course the reactor was out of fuel, he'd used it all up to not crash right the Mons Khassia. He flips a few switches as the Eclipsing Eagle returns to facing in the right direction, Veehra now right ahead. He was coming in fast, but he'd accounted for that. He switches to manual controls and levels out, slamming right into the sky above Alaari. Heat warnings immediately started alarming all over the place as the heat shield was put through its paces, but slowly he reached subsonic speeds and it only took two whole flights around the planet. Less than thirty minutes later he was landing by an old hangar at Dantenon for resupply and refuel. He got out of the cockpit, glad of a chance to stretch and really move. As the Sun fell on him he felt revitalised and he felt like wolfing out and going for a run, but he still had stuff to do. His parents were there waiting for him and he gave them a hug, posed with his shovel for the papers as he filled a canister with sand. There was just time for a proper sit down meal of his mum's Aurochs and mushroom stew while the fueltanks were filled. It would be nice to just throw the race now and stay on the ground for longer, but he had a schedule and Minister Cade's assistant minister was there being all dramatic about his watch so once the tanks were filled he gave his parents another hug and took off. The return trip was much the same, once Elias was in orbit he repeated the same process, but once he was clear of any satellites around Veehra he unfurled the solar sail for the additional boost, the gleaming material looking nearly like a miniature sun when viewed from the right angle. It was then that he noticed a slight deficiency in the fuel rate, but he'd started the burn and couldn't turn back now. The strain of atmospheric flight had probably damaged one of the fuel lines and hindered its flow. He'd just have to hope the time he gained on the surface would be enough to keep him from dead last. He turned on the rest of 'The Prince of the Bangle' to listen to while he waited for his unofficial race buddies.

Llewellyn catches sight of the kiss and he feels his heart rate rise in panic, especially when Elias gives Charyti a wink in return. But he can't be helped now, he just had to hope they'd both be too distracted by the race. The race with several weeks of flying on a more or less straight line with nothing to do but talk to people on the comms... Relieved that it wasn't some emergency Elias goes back to mixing cinnamon into his tea, stirring it with a fancy spoon he'd borrowed from Llewellyn's office. He briefly checks the race manifest to make sure he heard the name correctly, which he didn't and he can't find anything close. Honestly it's not easy at all to decipher the Llort accent, but he figures his own must be equally incomprehensible to them so he just tries his best. "You're not disturbing me at all, just making a cup of tea before settling in for the long stretch," he says, the sound of a spoon softly tinkling against the edge of his cup can be heard over the transmission, "How's everything going on your end?" OOC notes I can do this too, fear me I also don't write accents out, mostly because I'm bad at it. For the Ishtahn just imagine they're talking like old timey cowboys.

Elias was getting comfortable, at this point there was literally nothing for him to do for weeks so he'd started making himself a cup of tea as he listened to the latest hits from Ishtahnos. He was just adding a pinch of cinnamon as a reward for not blowing the ship up when an indicator started blinking. With slight panic that almost caused him to drop the precious cinnamon he realised it was the communications array. He flicked a switch and heard the last bit of Guyineber's message. "Hello, you've reached the Eclipsing Eagle, what can I do for you?" he asked. His Low Imperial was heavily accented and the sound of an could be heard in the background. His eyes scanned the holo display. He didn't exactly have a sophisticated detection system, but near as he could tell everyone was on course and no one was spiralling off out of control. That likely ruled out a distress call, not that he could do anything if it was. This burn was calculated, he had only enough fuel to slow down once. That thought did admittedly give him a bit of anxiety.

The starting line Elias watches as the race nears its beginning, his eyes fixed on the countdown as the gentle thrum of the idling fusion drive of the Eclipsing Eagle providing something slow and steady for him to match his breathing to. Once the light goes green though all thoughts of calm flee his mind as he pushes the throttle into high gear. With a silent roar the five primary engines shoot forth a blinding blaze of brilliant white fire, tinged ever so slightly red, and the Eclipsing Eagle takes flight. Indicators all across his dashboard begin to light up, green, green, gold, green, red? No wait, green! He releases a breath he didn't realise he was holding as he devotes full attention to the flight. The holo display that came up over the window displayed a countdown and a graphic of Al-Miraiya receding into the distance along with his projected course. The seconds ticked by slowly, but as soon as the countdown reached zero he slammed a switch to activate the afterburners for a prolonged burn. This was the moment of truth, if the magnetic containment failed then the experimental fuel mix would melt the thrusters and then probably ignite the fuel tank. There was a sudden jerk as the acceleration intensified, the Eclipsing Eagle shooting forth with a trail of blinding white fire behind it. A few of the many green indicators temporarily flicked to red or flashed worriedly, but after a moment all was stable and as the burn came to an end his course was perfectly aligned with Veehra's position in about thirty days. Now he just had to hope he had enough fuel to slow down...

The VIP Dome Llewellyn Cade Silverfang hadn't been to Mekhala for thirteen years when he as a young assistant Minister of the Crown and had to handle the disappearance of the Ishtahnos's chosen racer and most skilled test pilot only to find out that he'd eloped, with a pirate of all things! To say it was embarrassing was quite the understatement and he'd slunk back to Veehra before the party had even started. This time though, things would be different. He was the full Minister of Industry now and he'd made damn well sure that their new racer, Elias Rutherford High Mountain got to the starting line at least! He takes one last look at the staging area to make sure Elias hadn't run off with anyone and then steps into the dome. He wears a stylish black suit in the Ishtahn style with a heavy fur-lined coat of black aurochs leather over top. Around his neck he wears a neckerchief of white, his lower face is covered by a scarf of the same with a simple grey pattern woven into it and of course he wears sunglasses so that the brilliance of the Mirror Flats doesn't blind him. He nods his head politely to Ambassador Yessikruz Donce and holds out a hand for them to shake. "The people of Ishtahnos once again thank you for the invitation to compete in the Mad Dash. This time we have managed to actually get a racer to the start line," he says, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder to make sure that yes, Elias was still there. The Starting Line Elias watches with some consternation as his pride and joy, the Eclipsing Eagle, was moved into position at the starting line. Were it just a stock standard high speed courier fresh out of the royal shipyards he wouldn't care so much, but the Eagle had undergone extensive modifications, some of which he hadn't tested or told anyone about and so each slight jostling caused him to wince. Once it was safely down he approached for the pre-flight checks, pausing to wipe a mark off the hull plating. In appearance it was an unremarkable vessel, about twenty metres in length, sleek and aerodynamic for atmospheric flight. The glossy black of the hull plating gave it the appearance almost of a knife or spear and silver ornamentation does an excellent job of hiding any joints in said plating as it gleams brilliantly in the light of Al-Miraiya. Large windows tinted almost black cover the cockpit to give the pilot as much visibility as desired. Twenty metres was a bit large for a racer, but Elias was seven foot four even in human form and he didn't fancy being in a cramped long range fighter for a couple of months, plus the extra room allowed him to fit in a larger, overclocked Stevens Engine to fuel the main drive. Speaking of the main drive, five fusion driven engines are mounted at the rear of the craft along with chemical thrusters at key points on the hull for more precise manoeuvres, their presence well concealed by silver decorative elements and as a final means of thrust on the return journey approximately fifty metres of golden solar sail were furled up in the hull awaiting deployment. Once he's as satisfied as he's going to be that everything's not going to blow up on him he gives the golden calligraphy proclaiming the ship's name to anyone who can read Ishtahn a polish and steps away to stretch his legs. He definitely does not look like a pilot, he's much too big. He towers over most and his shoulders are much too broad. Plus he's not even wearing a flight suit, choosing instead to dress in a typical Ishtahn cold-weather style with a long fur-trimmed leather coat and a pale blue scarf around his neck. His long brown hair has been pulled back into a loose ponytail and his eyes are covered by a pair of dark goggles that do nothing to detract from his rugged good looks. He looks around at his competition and is honestly a bit nervous. He can't match the elegance of Lady Charyti, the boisterousness of Lewis Norris, the ancient mystery of the Archmage of Kish or the comfort that comes from the homefield advantage possessed by the Protectorate races. The only person who looks less like they belong in this world of professional sports is Chif'Blak, and the Archmage of Kish of course but when you're that old no one can tell you you don't belong right where you are. It'll be better once the race starts, he thinks, then he can just put on the first of many audiobooks and chill out for a few weeks.