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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 3:47 pm 

Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 6:45 pm
Posts: 639
DeAR Misser Smart-MaN.

Dis be Me 1st lettor. Butttt Arundel say plez wriet.

Arundel sazs youz forgett da DEath Curze. Kuruntetee or smothing. Y no mension death Curze? It change wether. Y not mines?

Ysa best Boody,

Ooze Jumper.

_________________
---
Eric Hughes

There once was a gnome called Oozy,
Who kissed a Yaricite floozy.
But rather than wed,
She drowned him instead,
Now he is a Yaricite toosey!


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 3:35 am 
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Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:06 am
Posts: 2109
Location: Portland OR
To Ooze Jumper and other concerned parties,

Well, I must confess I didn't expect to receive mail from my "gnomish stalker." But I find that his envelope represents a dramatic improvement over pre-dawn rendezvous at my doorstep. I judge his letter merits a response on those grounds alone. After all, I wish to promote good behavior. So I will disregard the envelopes's strange stains and smells. Though I confess a curiosity, probably misplaced, of how he persuaded a merchant to deliver it to me in the First City.

Almost against my better judgement I also have to confess that Ooze Jumper's letter raises a serious and interesting question. Does the Kurenthe curse have anything to do with Fervidite? Or more specifically, did the Kurethe curse interact in some way with the special meteor shower from the end of the First Imperium to alter its metallurgical properties?

On the surface this seems like a reasonable hypothesis. Fervidite comes from the Blessed Lands. The Blessed Lands have been shaped by the Kurenthe Curse. Maybe there is a connection.

If this hypothesis is true then one would expect that other meteors falling in the Blessed Land would have the special qualities of Fervidite. This might also be true for meteors falling in the other locations where Kurenthe was invoked. These locations are thankfully rare.

Since receiving Ooze Jumper's letter I have been able to correspond with a certain Kio Lady with a keen interest in astronomy. As it happens she also has a collection of meteors. She assures me she has never heard of any meteors from the regions Seremas possessing the look or qualities of Fervidite. For my part I have sought out meteors from around the Blessed Lands. An expensive undertaking I assure you. Although the dealers and middle men I went through all purported these "sky stones" have outrageous or magical properties none of my specimens have Fervidite ore in them.

Dynerac, a dwarf from Solonos Mor, has questioned whether the Kurethe curse extends all the way to Tultipet at all. I was unsure of what answer to give. Plotting and mapping the areas of the Blessed Lands effected by the Kurenthe seems like an interesting undertaking. But not one I am eager to assay. If any of my readers could reliably demonstrate a such a map I would be greatly interested and happy to print copies of it through Litera Scripta Manet.

So. Given these findings I would say the Kurenthe is not a significant factor in the mysteries of Fervidite. Should further evidence appear, I would be happy to reassess.

I remain your obedient scribe,

Tukufu, Ambassador of Altheria

_________________
Eric Gorman

AKA Ambassador Tukufu, man of letters, tomb raider and Master Sword Sage
. . . and Sir Szymon val'Holryn, Order of the Phoenix
Formerly Sir Jaeger val'Holryn. Weilder of the Holy Avenger: Thonanos. Gave his soul to help free King Noen


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:06 am 
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Posts: 485
Location: Tampa, Florida (temp.)
Good Ambassador Tukufu,

I have enjoyed reading your missives and appreciate your sharing your investigations and knowledge with others. Your wisdom and insight serve you well.

There is one perplexing question that I wonder if your investigations into the First City may help uncover. Ever since I was a young child and first heard of the First Imperium (Primus Imperium), the name of that august nation has confused me: why is it called "the First"? History has not shown any record of a Second Imperium to follow it, and both tradition and common sense indicate the pattern of naming something "the First" only if it is guaranteed to have a successor or if one is looking back in hindsight to see that there was a second. Thus, I have wondered whether the First Imperium called itself by that name, and if so, why?

The common assumption seems to be that there will be a coming Second Imperium. I have heard debates about whether the Coryani Empire is that Second Imperium or there will be an even greater nation to come that will fill that role. Regardless, how do we know that there will be a Second Imperium? Surely if there were a grand prophecy from Larissans or even the Oracle of the Gods Herself, we would all have heard it. Is there any such prophecy that I managed to miss?

My own thoughts have led to a potential answer that your investigations might be able to confirm or deny. The word first or primus is typically interpreted in this context to mean "earliest". However, first or primus can also mean "of primary importance" or "of highest value". Could the name mean that the Primus Imperium was the state with utmost primary power that outranked any state of lesser authority? If the Imperium was a federal government, then lesser states or imperia could have existed under the central authority.

It is also possible that there is a double meaning, that the First Imperium was the earliest major nation of Men in Onara and was also the highest authority.

Do you have any knowledge or thoughts upon this matter than you can share?

May Althares continue to grant you His gifts of wisdom and knowledge.

Your friend and fellow man,
D'Abura, Brother of the Order of Althares

_________________
David Thomas Chappell
Sestius Ovidius val'Mehan Comma and Khamat - psion patrician diplomatic legate and his Myrantian tutor
Quintus Ovidius val'Mehan - patrician military tribune
Amadi val'Abebi - Monk of Althares
Talathos - choleric Kelekene dabbler


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 6:10 am 
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Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:06 am
Posts: 2109
Location: Portland OR
Brother D'abura and former comrades at arms,

First let me say that it is always a pleasure to correspond with the Monks of Altheres. Your Order enjoys a well earned reputation for not only its enlightenment but also for its charity, good works, and compassion. I am happy to offer you whatever aid I can in your inquiries.

Your question illuminates the poverty of our understanding of history. In our own modern age we of course refer to the "Golden Age of Man" as "The First Imperium." This reflects both our understanding that we have yet to recapture the scale, power, and glory of that civilization and a determination to achieve a Second Imperium through progress. I can easily trace the term back to the year 78 IC when the First City was rediscovered by the Emerald Society.

But what did the people thousands of years ago call their empire? Did they also use the term First Imperium? Or is this just something we have used as a label in later times?

Would you believe there is a quiet scholarly debate on this point?

Most take it as a given that the ancient empire was called the Imperium. Or perhaps the Imperium of Man. To quote Decius Caecilius Mettelus the term Imperium means: "...the power to summon and lead armies. To order and forbid and to inflict corporeal and capital punishments." In essence "Imperium" is the power of government. I am not an expert on this particular point and see no reason to part from the general consensus.

A few scholars, many respected, have never accepted this position.

They suggest the Imperium was indeed called the First Imperium. Your idea that "First" might mean "Supreme" is also an interesting one. Certainly other contemporary entities such as the Myrantian and Ossarion Empires have left us their names, apparently intact, so it may well be that the men and women of the Golden Age did refer to themselves as the First Imperium. Though your idea of overlapping Imperium within a federal system seems complicated and unstable to me. No known names of subordinate states survive to our time which perhaps undermines the argument.

I have read an argument that "First Imperium" is a shortened or corrupted form of "The Imperium of the First City." And of course a few scholars, mostly on the fringe of the academic community, insist that the whole thing was called something else.

The idea that we might not even know the right name of our first and greatest empire on Onara is fascinating. If any other information comes to me I will be sure to follow up with another letter on this topic.

I remain your obedient scribe,

Tukufu, Ambassador of Altheria.

_________________
Eric Gorman

AKA Ambassador Tukufu, man of letters, tomb raider and Master Sword Sage
. . . and Sir Szymon val'Holryn, Order of the Phoenix
Formerly Sir Jaeger val'Holryn. Weilder of the Holy Avenger: Thonanos. Gave his soul to help free King Noen


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:13 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 12:50 am
Posts: 485
Location: Tampa, Florida (temp.)
OOC: My question about the naming of the First Imperium is answered on page 19 of the Blessed Lands book and is included in the history section that Henry Lopez has distributed to KickStarter backers!

(Thanks, Henry!)

_________________
David Thomas Chappell
Sestius Ovidius val'Mehan Comma and Khamat - psion patrician diplomatic legate and his Myrantian tutor
Quintus Ovidius val'Mehan - patrician military tribune
Amadi val'Abebi - Monk of Althares
Talathos - choleric Kelekene dabbler


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 8:23 pm 

Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:08 am
Posts: 1473
Hello David,

Anytime!

_________________
Best,

Henry Lopez
President
PCI


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:10 pm 
Ambassador,

Your encounter with the "Death Wardens" concerns me.

Have you any knowledge of forces or factions that could have taken one for interrogation?

Regards,
Vaize.
Disciple of Anaphylaxia, servant of Belisarda.


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 9:07 pm 
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Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:06 am
Posts: 2109
Location: Portland OR
My dear Vaize and other readers,

I apologize for my absence from my writing desk. Suffice it to say that there have been interesting excursions that have taken up my time. I promise I will eventually send letters to all interested parties of those events: One was a return to the Vault of Larissa. The other involved a prolonged trip to Savona.

But as we approach the anniversary of the Second Sack of Tultipet, I see that questions left over from the battle are resurfacing. My sometimes comrade Vaize has sent me another inquiry concerning the tangled story of the elorii. Were any of the Mafelens present at Tultipet captured by the Tomal Khan's forces?

The Mafelens. I am hardly an expert on the nature and machinations of the Malfelen branch of the eloran tree. Though like some others, I certainly suspect a great deal. I suspect that the Malfelens in the Battle of Jappa. I suspect that they still follow the entity known as the Skinless Lady as witnessed by the dress code of Eagalios the Manslayer. I suspect that the reach of the Skinless Lady has widened by the appearance and inversion of Ardakene elorii at Tultipet. The so called Death Wardens.

Were any Death Wardens taken prisoner? Not to my knowledge. Honestly? I think almost to the man the Tomal Khan's forces were glad when they were finally all dead. And after the defeat of the Malflens our battered forces immediately pressed on to the penultimate encounter with the Fire King before entering the mind of Princess Myrkasulanis. Even if we had wanted to, there just wasn't time to take prisoners...we were worried about the Princess summoning the Dragon Villa'Taloverentis.

If you seek information about the Malfelens might I suggest you send your inquiries to Seremas? Or the Wardens who guide the Laerestri? Perhaps they are less likely to answer than I, but undoubtedly they know more about this topic.

Yours in haste,

Ambassador Tukufu of Altheria

_________________
Eric Gorman

AKA Ambassador Tukufu, man of letters, tomb raider and Master Sword Sage
. . . and Sir Szymon val'Holryn, Order of the Phoenix
Formerly Sir Jaeger val'Holryn. Weilder of the Holy Avenger: Thonanos. Gave his soul to help free King Noen


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 7:58 am 
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Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:06 am
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Location: Portland OR
Friends, Comrades, and all Gentle Readers,

The chaos and merriment all started with one of the most frequently asked questions at Litera Scripta Manet

“What are you reading?” my wife said as she came upon me. I told her half absently I had a scroll on Savona’s history. I planned to consult with oracles there on the Blessed Lands Prophesies. Belinay apparently had other ideas. She snuggled up against me and murmured in my ear, “Savona.” The way she stretched out each syllables banished dusty history from my mind. “How I would love to see that city. We could both go…as a belated honeymoon. Isn’t there a festival coming up?” I could feel her warm breath on my skin and new ideas filled my thoughts.

Well! I can tell you that suddenly my heart was beating a little faster and I fumbled out something like, “Of course dearest. That’s a great idea!”

Gods! A great idea? The logistics were daunting. Who was going to run Litera Scripta Manet if we were both gone? What about safety? Bandits…don’t get me started on Almeric! How would my wife react to comparative privation of the road? And maybe most importantly, what would Aunt Nasha think of this “Great Idea?” Or her husband Ys, the Tomal Khan? I knew they weren’t ignorant of Savona’s reputation.

Laugh at me if you will. Even quietly at home, my life is rarely boring.

Suffice it to say there were obstacles between this “idea” and our departure. But I will spare you the tedious details. Belinay had her mind set, I couldn’t say no, and in the end Aunt Nasha granted her a tacit blessing. And it even turns out my beautiful and urbane wife travels well. We arrived without major incident.

Priests and priestesses descended on us as soon as we entered the city and liberally planted kisses of welcome on us. We made it just ahead of Solleme Saeva Tempestus & Festum Serena. The Celebrations of the Savage Storm and the Festival of Calm Skies. I am not entirely sure how Belinay took our greetings. I thought she seemed pleased enough with the attention she received. But I could also feel the daggers in her eyes when it was my turn. So much for justice!

We had a relatively quiet and blissful day before things truly got under way. The Celebrations of the Savage Storm and the Festival of Calm Skies come out of the Storm that devastated the city while it was a battleground during the Coryani Civil War. And the calm that came after. Saturnalia iis the biggest holiday in Savona, but this might now be second.

I was looked for lingering signs of damage while we shopped for carnival masks. But so many decades latter, it is hard to see anything out of place. Savona has rebuilt itself and has regained its stature as the biggest Coryani port on the Gulf of Yarris. And the biggest tourist destination in the Empire.

But this wasn’t just a pleasure trip. I had to remember the Destroyer! In a stroke of luck I crossed paths with Nikomedus val’Borda. If you, gentle reader, took part in exploring the Vault of Larissa you might remember him. A gentleman and a scholar, Nikomedus is an influential member among the archeological set. I plead with him for assistance in polishing and publishing my annotated copies of the Blessed Land Prophesies. He thankfully had a great deal of interest in my project. But he also wanted my help as well.

Nikomedus had two jobs in mind. A pair of “colorful individuals” was attracting attention of late. One was the person or small group known as the Harlequin. The other was the very rich and now deceased Costruccio Neuvalari. I escaped the potentially thankless task of chasing down the Harlequin. That job went to someone who insists they’re nobody important. That’s almost certainly a lie. But out of respect for their desire for privacy I shall not print their name here. I got the easier job. Nikomedus tasked me with trying to steer Costruccio’s fortune to his son Saverio. I thought I just had to massage the bureaucracy to make sure there were no hiccups in the inheritance or at worst maybe discretely grease a cog or two of the city’s legal machinery.

Wrong. I should have asked more questions of that weasel Nikomedus! It was more complicated than that. The famed “Speculator Prince” amassed a gigantic fortune over his life. But also found enough time to father three sons. And of course they all wanted the whole pile of gold to themselves. My initial suggestion to split the fortune fell on six very deaf ears.

Saverio was not the oldest. In fact he was the youngest which was something of a problem. But others were no peaches. Giacomo, his oldest brother, was frankly a little dull. With a sense of entitlement in my opinion. And the middle brother Renaulto was an undisciplined gambler and duelist. He was certainly charming a good guy to share a drink with. But like the oldest brother I had a hard time seeing him as an asset to the city in the role of a powerful patron. Saverio by contrast was bright, humane and philanthropic. But also a little bit quiet.

Giacomo had a patron in the form of Tessa Harlock. I know I had heard and seen her before but I couldn’t place where. Renaulto was championed by Enzo. I am sure Enzo has a last name, but as one of the most esteemed duelists in Savona I doubt he uses it much. Everyone knows who you mean when you say his name. It happens I know my way around a side sword as well, but I resolved not to deliberately give him any cause for offence. Both of them took a great deal of time

A number of individuals investigated the estate of the late Costruccio and uncovered all sorts of interesting facts about the parties. Most curious is the fact that there was apparently no one named as a successor. Instead their father had some sort of “popularity contest” left in place as a way to measure who was most fit to inherit. If that sounds daft to you, I confess I also feel no urge to follow that example either. Nikomedus sought the Myrantian vote by promising to float Saverio enough short term money to help them fund a dueling school. Given that the Myrantians were on the cusp of rioting the whole time I was there, more on that bellow, I thought this was a questionable plan.

Still the situation was what it was, and Nikomedus wanted an outcome.

Loyally, I started digging for dirt. Unfortunately the most damaging rumors seemed to concern Saverio instead of his brothers. I heard from a gnomish rumormonger named Scratches that there were whispers connecting him to the Mourners of Silence. You can imagine that did little for his cause. In fact Nikomedus almost dropped him. But the story gets even more convoluted. It happens that there was a certain fair minded Inquisitor named Nemerius in the city. I am told that Nemerius put in a discrete word in Saverio’s favor. This caused some confusion and a lot more digging. The next rumor that surfaced was that Saverio’s wife was an informant for the Inquisition, and she helped keep an eye on the local Mourner elements. Tragically she almost immediately had an “accident.” By accident I mean somehow she got locked in a private caldarium that overheated. She died of heat exhaustion. Saverio went to pieces. I went looking for Scratches to see if he might have any ideas how to discretely investigate the matter. But the gnome was killed too. Some festival goers started agitating for Scratches to inherit the fortune. I think as a drunken joke. But despite the fact that Scratches apparently befriended several Ss’ressen members of B.E.A.S.T. he was abducted off the streets and drowned in one of many canals by people who didn’t find the joke very funny. On the whole, I don’t care much for gnomes. But Scratches had a certain charm like Little Max and I found myself sorry for his fate.

At that point I more or less through my hands up and accepted defeat. My wife was out shopping for sandals so I retreated to a tavern. A nice barmaid named Virdess and an elorii importer from Seremas named Larok were polite enough to share a drink and listen to my tales of woe. Until we all heard that there were some crazy Yarricite cultists who belonged to the sect of the Cleansing Wave. They had a ritual and were trying to drown the whole city.

Honestly. I can’t make this stuff up. Now if I could have found my wife I would have done the sensible thing and taken her and fled. But who knew where she was? Not me. So instead the only sane response, and I use sane loosely here, seemed to be for me to run as fast as I could down to the docks and join in the riot between the duelists and festival-goers on the one hand and way too many Yarricite cultists on the other.

The city didn’t drown. After the blood and tears I traded notes with other people who got caught up in the chaos and discovered I wasn’t even having the worst day among us. Remember the Myrantians? While there wasn’t an all out riot, I discovered that monks of the Medja, whoever they are, and priests of Tzizhet had been causing civil unrest across the city. There had been fighting in alleys all day. Sometimes with city authorities. Sometimes even with the Yarricites. Harvesters had also been running riot in the city. That made my blood run cold. Some Ordainers brought golems. Others strange beasts. At least one was a Ssanu. There’s a story there I’m sure.

And in the midst of all this merriment where were the Vigiles? Or the Urban Cohort? Or the Legions? Nowhere. Civic authority was stretched thin by the Myrantians and then paralyzed for a time because the Governor was also kidnapped by a powerful illusionist. Maybe the Harlequin? Though I’ve been told politely that the city is now officially denying this. Maybe I should say no more. Armand De Beaumarche might know something if people are interested. He kept trying to tell me about an illusion that had been selling masks in the city for the last two years.

I was too exhausted to pursue that improbable statement, I limped off and eventually found Belinay.

Friends I am sure that this year’s experience in Savona was atypical. Even for a city with such a wild reputation, “my” festival seemed a bit extreme. But I find myself thinking you need to see this place for yourself. Just remember the advice I usually give to wayfarers: travel armed.

I remain your obedient scribe,

Ambassador Tukufu

_________________
Eric Gorman

AKA Ambassador Tukufu, man of letters, tomb raider and Master Sword Sage
. . . and Sir Szymon val'Holryn, Order of the Phoenix
Formerly Sir Jaeger val'Holryn. Weilder of the Holy Avenger: Thonanos. Gave his soul to help free King Noen


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 Post subject: Re: Letters from Ambassador Tukufu
PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 9:24 am 

Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:08 am
Posts: 1473
As informative as it was entertaining, your latest letter was a delight to read.

Thank you for taking the time to share the festivities with us.

_________________
Best,

Henry Lopez
President
PCI


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