Novel Bin
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89
Marissith named her firstborn son Solas and her second born daughter Sharravi. She actually named all her children though those two are the ones I took note of as she will personally take care of those two. Wonder how long it will take before she runs out of names if she keeps this up. Well, she did have a better naming sense than me so I won’t meddle.
After Marissith is done, it is my turn to give birth. I gave birth to six minotaurs before Mal called other female beastmen and took them away.
“You did not name them?” Marissith ask as she cradle both Solas and Sharravi in her arms as she breastfeed them both
“No. Beastmen usually get names after their feat in combat. Besides, I have poor naming sense and I can’t possibly name hundreds of them.” I casually explains as I stand
“After you take care of them, get dressed. Or not. Then prepare your people as I demanded yesterday and coordinate with Kal. He will know where they will be put to work. Unless the diplomats in which I leave them at your discretion.” I command
“And what our foreign policy would be?” Marissith asked, which gave me pause. I did not think about that. So far, dealing with beastmen is very straightforward, which is just who is more powerful and the rest will follow in line. Humans and elves did not follow this and of course, there’s politics.
“For now, just send news that the problem in Laurelorn has been resolved. Make sure to limit information spread, I do not want to startle the surrounding Counts with the sudden news of beastmen now occupying Laurelorn.” I said what is the most important thing right now. Added with the news from those that leave Laurelorn to Ulthuan, the surrounding Counts will have two different news with nothing concrete to make a move. But still enough for them to make preparations for their army.
Then I pace back and forth to think about what else. I can send some message to Middenheim, telling the disguised Taal and Rhya about Satyr and Faun. Though I wonder if it is the right time or if there’s even a right time as I am still unsure on how to progress. If I want to complete the set and have all old followers of Humanity’s Old Gods that I know of, I need to get my hand on the Valkyries. But they are busy being Amazons in Lustria.
“Actually, there’s two more things. Surely you know that I want your most trusted people as diplomats. I will not tolerate any slip up from them,” Marissith nods, knowing who the collateral are. “As for the one thing, I want your most trusted retinue, your former advisor when you become queen or something as my personal messenger. Make sure you choose based on skill in hiding and etiquette. They will carry the message between me and the human gods.”
To this Marissith finally took a sharp breath in surprise.
“I assume there’s a reason you are not using magic for this?”
“They are gods, I am not yet. And with the rise of the world’s magic, this kind of thing will not be hidden for long even with magic or not but it is prudent to not make it known yet. Another reason being to notify them that Laurelorn Elves are now my subjects.” I explain and she also gets the subtext that I am using the Eonirs to hide this as they are the most diplomatic of the elves and that I am not yet fully allied with the human Gods.
“And the other thing?”
“You have a diplomatic camp near Reikland, yes? Do you know Balthazar Gelt?”
“I do.”
“Well then, this will be quick. Here is what I want your envoy to do…”
—
It was late in the afternoon when we revisit Tor Lithanel. The damage is less than I thought. Mostly just demolished homes and the huge gems that exist in every home have lost its luster. Marissith said that one huge gem is filled with entire families of souls of the Cityborn Eonirs that dwell within. They were primarily targeted by daemons of Slaanesh during the chaos a few days ago. The damage on the walls are minimal with only the gate being destroyed and some damage in certain parts. But those will be easily repaired and I will have a city with proper walls and defenses.
But that is not the current main interest of my visit. Me, Marissith, Kal and Druig along with a few beastmen are following a blind and deaf priest of Vaul to the city’s armory. Vaul is the elven god of smiths who is blinded and enslaved by Khaine. But despite being blind and deaf, the priest led us properly as he walked these steps numerous times. As for why they are blind and deaf, the priests of Vaul in Laurelorn are solely tasked with the creation of their weapons. Magically Cold Forging weapons under a deafening magic infused Rainbow Falls just a short distance from the city.
We finally reached the second tallest silver tower, the Dragon Tower which was empty but now lived by a dragon that watched over us. We took a circular stairs down, the sounds of feets and hooves echoing the staircase. We finally reached the city’s armory, protected by an ornate door that is heavily protected by a warding magic. He opens the door using some kind of magic, though it was very brief that I didn’t get to see it properly. The door magically opens to the inside, revealing the pristine loot inside.
Thousands of ready weapons and armors filled the massive halls. They are supposed to be used when the barrier is broken by the entire Eonir’s populace during the chaos. But it seems they didn’t get the chance to do it. The weapons are standard with many variants of bows and tens of thousands of arrows, swords, greatswords, daggers. Then glaives or is it axes judging from the shape of the blade which is similar to klingon’s weapon whatever it’s name but smaller and only on the end of the stick like an axe would. But I immediately moved to the prize of the weapons. Not enchanted weapons but Briar Javelins. There are so few of them, only three dozen out of hundreds like the swords and bows. What makes them distinct however, is that it is made from a branch of an Oak of Ages.
I took one of the javelins, which magically grows to my size, its magic responding to my own. Then I threw it to one of the pillars. My throw however was way off. Then the sound loud clattering and rows and rows of shelves destroyed and falling filling the hall. My javelin lands on the armors, piercing through and destroying much of other armors. Marrisith glares at me while the blind and deaf priest are fortunately not aware how I just destroyed many of his creations.
“I’m sure we can make more.” I try to not sound guilty. But what’s important is what comes after. I recall the sense of magic in my hand and as I reach out, the Briar Javelin fades from the armors and reappears on my hand. A fully working teleporter weapon. I was not able to make this before, but with my Space concept that I haven’t been able to use properly before, I’m sure I can come up with something interesting. Seeing this, Kal’s eyes immediately glint and pick another briar javelin, eager to try it too.
“No no. Not here.” I shake my head and he snorts but tries to calm his excitement. He wants to throw it on the armor too.
Moving on, the armors here however are purely metals, supposed to be worn by the cityborn while the forestborn prefers wearing armor made from magically grown and enchanted wood. All are made by cold forging and almost a third of them are enchanted.
“Kal, distribute the weapon and the armors that can be worn to the warband. You can choose how you will distribute the Briar Javelins. You can take some of the armor too. As for Druig, I don’t think you need new weapons, but see if there’s any armor that is enchanted to fit the wearer.” Both nod and start inspecting the armory.
As Kal ordered the other beastmen to call the others for distribution of weapons and armor, I turned towards Marissith.
“These, priests of Vaul, did they know?” I simply asked.
“Master Zaenin knows.” She said referring to the priest that lead us here, which means the rest are not
“Why not tell the rest?” If I want to industrialize my beastmen as fast as possible, they would need to also train my beastmen for their method of magical cold forging.
“If you are worried about the chance of rebellion, don’t be. I simply have yet to notify the rest of them. As for what I will tell the rest… I will tell them that we will need you to survive what is to come. They will understand.” She assures me.
“They will?”
“The God of Smiths are enslaved by Khaine. But he did not rebel when Khaine forced him to make terrible weapons. They will see their new fate mirror their god and bear with it.” She explains what I don’t know about Vaul.
“Very well then. I hope things will be going as well as they could.” Marissith chuckled at my words and I raised my eyebrow
“Never would I think a daemon can use the word hope in a positive manner and not as temptation.” She smiled.
Is that a praise? I thought as I looked at her face whose face quickly fades, replaced with acceptance as she went to fulfill her responsibility to the priests of Vaul. For a moment there I saw her as someone and not just a thing with a name. That felt weird and hard to describe.