HOME | DD

Description

circa 739 AD, far from the colony of Limni Martelos

For a small expedition team, all they saw at first was shrub, grass and rock with the occasional tree and perhaps even a forest. Kosmas Metropoulos, not to be confused with the Cracovian exarch that got exiled from the Second Lechian War, was sent off with his own companions, set out by the Frankonian government in the newly founded port that they call Limni Martelos.

Naming it after the co-founders of Frankonia is too on the nose for him, he pondered. Perhaps it should've been called Nealimus, because after all, this colony was too far from the nucleus of Frankonia. It was going to fail someday, but nonetheless, everyone seemed to be optimistic about this colony for some reason. A huge number of Malagasy workers were arriving there, seeking new opportunities from their home, hoping they could bring their family members over.

That is just like every other migrant going into Frankonia, the project of a disgraced Empress who betrayed her own homeland so that she could survive a political crisis without a hitch.

As they set out from the outskirts of the newly founded town, brimmed with makeshift brick homes and an office at the moment, with no docking pier at sight, Kosmas and his team relived the same experience that he found himself in when he joined Cassandra's daring trip to a new land, away from his politically chaotic home.

Now they are miles away from home. They have seen everything they to offer, charted and plotted points of interest, interacted with various tribes and observed the strange people that were neither human nor orc from afar. They do know what they were: they were the same people that were known as the Tcharak. They were serpentine, four-legged beings that appear to be scaly. All Kosmas had heard of them, was that his new country had been fighting with them.

What is it with the fighting, he wondered. By now, they should've reeled in these creatures, these "drakon"-like beasts. This was what they looked like by close encounters, creatures of mythology, almost as if it is too good to be true. Then again, the discovery of humanlike frogs shouldn't surprise anyone in Frankonia by now.

Yet, as the days went on, time seemed to have been lost on them. Even when they brought a calendar, a few journals and other books to pass the time, they feel like they had no purpose.

---

When Kosmas and his own group of exhausted adventurers slept and rose from slumber the next morning, they found mongooses. Yet another disappointing day for Kosmas, but one of his comrades had been a biologist and observed the behaviours of these new animals that they haven't been seeing back at home. They wrote of great intricate detail, sketched out with their pencil of their fur and head and comparing it to the other animals that they've recognised in the books that they have once interacted.

But these small mongooses, they seem to not to be staring at them. Rather, they were staring at something coming at them.

A rumble was brewing in the background and Kosmas could hear it from the distance. He warned others to quickly disperse, dismantle the tents, campfire and hide around. The surrounding terrain didn't help with their process. It was wide open, barely any rocks stand and trees don't necessarily provide the support for all the camp supplies that come in hand. But for their lives, they did it.

The group broke away, but one of Kosmas' own aides had been fearing the worst: they shouldn't have rushed it. Such a revelation was no big-brainer, but they were not encountering the local people, but rather, something advanced as their own people, perhaps... even more.

The supply stash was dug and buried, but one of them, who climbed up on the bark of a rotting baobab tree and been strangling it to keep themselves steady against it, saw their faces... no, their heads. They also wielded the same body shape as those the Frankonian miltiias were fighting, the same long, snakelike proportions. They all walk on four legs as well. It couldn't be.

The head was that of a simple reptilian gaze, its majestic, darkened emerald scales glimmer in the light, perhaps not so reflective, but still, it is quite bright and vibrant to look at. They were not made of jewels, but it was apparent that they were different from that of the many lizards, crocodiles and reptiles that dot the world that they happen to live in. It has the crest of a ceratopsian at the top and they have fin-like ears appended.

"Goel… Tark malktram porr grutapi akdart," yelped the drakon, grasping at an empty sack out of curiosity with its paws. The drakon speaks in a graceful, melodic manner that is comprehensible to humans, its eyes stare with crystal blue irises that meshes well in the moonlight in any opportunity. But they were not speaking in the same way that man could understand. Rather, the drakon speaks with a rattle, like a slithering snake on its way to eat its prey.

"Grutapi?" the other drakon hissed. It was armed with a seemingly large rifle at its side, appearing to be its accompanying guard.

"Muni," the commanding drakon replied, dropping off the discarded bag. It looked around briefly, coming up with a conclusion as the humans above it tremble in fear. They were the Tcharak, but how? They were not as advanced as they were by Frankonian newspapers that they have read and the stories and rumours they were spreading. Both of them were wearing outfits that match unlike those observed in Tcharak, where they usually wore similar tribal clothing as the human natives did.

Once it came up with a conclusion, it gave a directive to the other drakon.

"Xull par muni er hoke talk raldar aeg," it said to the armed lizard, proclaiming something ominous as it approached a vessel that was behind both of them. "Ire akyur talk nirfinal rek ptaldeni."

"Kaat, Kufrax," the creature responded. It gestured to others like them to direct them to disperse, shouting out words to follow them to somewhere, seemingly in the search of the adventurers hiding in the bushes.

Kosmas saw the vehicle that they had. It was larger than a locomotive, but what he also saw was that these drakons, they seem to be nowhere as large and powerful as myth may want to tell. They appear to be... similarly sized as a human, almost uncannily striking, if not on average larger than them in most aspects.

Now, they realise they were far from home. Perhaps way too far.

------

===
------

///In the news...///

NOW WITH FULL ARTICLE TEXT FROM THE FRANKONIAN JOURNAL!

Chang'an falls into the hands of Emperor Huozu after months of fighting

The Fire Emperor has claimed to have pounded the city to the point it "no longer exists".

The Himyarite (est. 699), April 736

===

Archaeologists Find the Graves of Tall Humanoids

Half-Crescent Post, April 737

===

VICTORY AFTER 70 YEARS OF HUMILIATION: THEBES LIBERATED FROM KUSHITE BARBARIANS!

EXCLUSIVE: Interviews with the valorant soldiers in the Liberation War of Thebes.

The vision of a New Thebes under the rule of the Romans.

The stunning capture of [Kallinikos] the Kushite and the contrast to the hero of Romania, Prince Callinicus.

Why Prince Callinicus tried to save the Empire from the grasp of the Kushite.

...and many more!

The Patriot (special liftout edition), May 737

===

REVOLUTION! The Mazdakist Revolution Spreads to the Iranian Successor Kingdoms

Himyarite diplomats accuse the Iranian government of undermining peace and stability against the Manichaeans.

Star of Aden, September 737

===

Kushite exiles claim the Roman Army is setting up labour camps in their homeland

Unverified rumours of Kushite exiles suggest Ricardus II is seeking to destroy Kushite identity and nation through forced labour.

Yemen Post, November 737

===

Armorican Duke Claims The Discovery of Atlantis

The Frankonian Journal, December 738

===

A New Economic Plan Unveiled for Thebes and the Upper Nile

The people of Thebes strongly approve of a new economic plan by Emperor Ricardus II to revitalise its infrastructure to make it a regional economic powerhouse.

The newly organised Exarchate of the Upper Nile on the other hand is to be civilised through labour as part of the ten-year plan for reconstruction.

The Patriot, February 739

------

===
------

For explained events that take place between episode 76 to 77, including those that have been taken into effect, consult this below. A recommended reading for context of this episode.

Events of 735 to 738 AD

------

===
------

DIPLOMACY
- Personal unions: N/A
- Military alliances: N/A
- Defensive pacts: Somalia
- Non-aggression pacts: N/A
- Vassals: N/A
- Protectorates: N/A
- Truce with: N/A
- At war with: N/A

The Domains of Cassandra are a protectorate of Himyar until deemed "self-sufficient". (Should it be attacked, Himyar may be able to intervene on our behalf.)

-------
MILITARY (displayed at war)
Offensive armies: 1 army

Defensive (garrisoned) armies: 1 army

Naval fleets: 2 fleets (+2 on the way)

Vassal armies: N/A

Special units (each having three strikes):

-> Black Legion of Cato Society (paramilitary branch; paranormal espionage)

Expeditionary units: N/A

Current commanders (on the map): N/A

-------
LEADERSHIP and STATE
Current dynastic head: Cassandra (age 64)
Current consort: N/A

Line of succession:
- Current heir: Diogenes (age 37)
- Second-in-line: Basil (age 8) | son of Diogenes
- Others (in order):

[3] Theodosius II (age 3) | son of Diogenes

[4] Cyril (age 30)

[5] Adam (age 5) | son of Cyril

[6] Cassandra II (age 35)

[7] Laila (age 34)

- Pretenders/Claimants: N/A

Current Chief Governor: Karl Martel (age 61; no party)

Current Vice-Chief Governor: Matthias Dayak (age 45; no party)

===

Roman solidi (units): 170

Prestige: 16

Population: 77,403

- Human: 77,200 (36,000 natives)

- Draconian: 60 (60 natives)
- Gargulo (Gargoyles): 143 (grows 1% to 4% annually)

Population growth is determined by the number of migrants being taken in (in earlier waves of settlement) as well as my own volition.

-------

Future/scheduled events:

- In 745, Gleanntine (Eldgja), a site where the Progenitors have partially controlled the volcano, will erupt, potentially creating a famine over that winter that impacts Christendom and the Germanic world.

- Electric and steam-powered vehicles will be considered obsolete by the 740s, thanks to the predominance of oil-powered cars by that period.

- By the year 755, we would have finished our expansion of our navy, allowing us to better defend the seas from Orc pirates.

------

===
------

Tribal Dreks

The Drakons of Tcharak seem to be resisting our attempts to subjugate them. Even though they were primitive, weak and don't seem to resemble that of the orc or human neighbours we have interacted, their strengths appear to have coalsced around relying on us falling ill whenever we were close to them, alongside using a lot of slinging against our own militias. Nonetheless, they were different from the Drakons that we've sighted in Koudankoula- they seem to think this land is theirs to keep and that its their own home.

Apparently, these creatures also don't seem to have a visible leader, nonetheless, influenced by man, it seems that they have a "chief" of sorts, who represents their own kind and tribe to the rest of the neabry human tribes. Nonetheless, while we're at war and we have a vastly arcane set of Drakons in our turf, we might have a chance of convincing them of the sky people- their own kind, as being a threat. After all, they aren't as bloodthirsty as the Orcs, aren't they?

Five choices only.

The skirmish itself

This is Madness- This is Frankonia!: Kill them all. Whatever disease they have that is bringing illness to our own patriotic soldiers, these oversized lizards must all die.

(Deploy scorched earth tactics against the tribe of Tcharak. You will mostly wipe out them from the surface, leaving none of them behind.)

(or)

Toying With Fire: You cannot be insane as the Red Fox, who wanted the death of all Leviathans. You must be rational with this.

(Use conventional warfare against draconians, fair and square. You have a 90% chance of successfully subduing them to a conquest. If you fail, you will be inflicted with a penalty of -5% morale.)

===

Dealing with "Chief" Maurook and his pack (although they seem to not revere him as a leader in our sense...)

The Sky People are Dangerous: Maurook and his little pack, sometimes translated by these Archonese brethren of theirs as "dens", are oblivious to their own kind. They were born and raised on this soil and know the land more than their kind. Perhaps if we nudge them to the right direction, we can peacefully subjugate them with the condition of beating these drakes to their own game.

(Use this as a backup choice to prevent the prior choice from being chosen. You have a 65% chance of successfully convincing the Tcharak drakons to be subjugated under your whims, thus unlocking further options to interact with these people.)

(or)

Definitely a Drake in Sheep's Clothing: Any drakon you see, regardless of his clothes or the scales that they wear, are bound to be dangerous. They aren't upright people and are merely intelligent beasts.

(No choices will be given to this subcategory.)

===

Dealing with captured drakon captives in our war camps and the illness problem

Ransom Off to Orminsurr: During our war, while we were initially unaware of how our men may end up by trying to interact with them. Now we know what is going on. These creatures bear similarities and resemblances to the same Drakons of Koudankoula. Perhaps they are left astray? We can cede these people to them, hopefully they know better.

(Give up all the captured draconians from the Tcharak Packs to them, which unlocks us the option Bribe the Purple Drake. They know their people more than we do.)

(or)

Werk, Werk, Werk: Despite the risks, we cannot let them fall to the hands of strangers that we've just met. These draconians are physically strong and are suited to transport a lot of material - a far more greater, desirable alternative to being sold off like slaves.

(Bring these Tcharak drakons to our mines and everything. But we will also have a 10% chance of having a human subject undergoing the firsthand experience of draconification, from our perspective, that increases by 25% every episode until it is guaranteed to happen.)

(or)

Terminate These Anomalous Instances: We cannot let a growing hazard of our colonies be kept around like that. Executing them may be the best step forward.

(All of them will be terminated at sight, increasing our morale [5%]. We don't want to start up an epidemic.)

===

Dissection and research of dead drakons by Cato Society

What Bestows on These Monsters?: What we haven't been hearing that much is how the drakon's body function. What could be spreading the disease, that the traitorous Ricardian regime calls "Mana syndrome", we can put it to the test by trying to figure out where the source is. Spoilers, there isn't any part that seems to reek of a virus or bacteria that's causing it- you may want to look at the skin pores of a draconian.

(Spends 45 units. We use this to dissect the bodies of dead and deceased draconians that we fought in tribal ground to find out if they contain a "virus" or germ of sort [though you know in advance that it is neither of these]. Despite being dead, you do have a 5% chance of having a human subject doing this task undergoing draconification, which could be interesting on our hands.)

(or)

Let the Gargoyles Handle All That: You know who might be immune to these effects? The Gargula. Yes, gargoyles can help us dissect these beasts, we just need them to do it- at the price of not been able to excavate it well enough.

(Spend 30 units. We let the Gargula, which are immune to the apparent effects of headaches, vomiting and body dysphoria with the human body, to dissect them, though you will receive less knowledge about the insides of a dragon due to their lack of expertise.)

(or)

Dispose It With Fire: Cremate these bodies at all costs, which will increase our morale [2%]. They are tainted.

===

Promised citizenship for these monsters, even if they inflict illness on us?

At Least They're Smarter Than an Orc: The Drakons are at least better than the orcs from a moral standpoint. They don't behave like everything needs to have violence, right? We'll even allow any traitor to the arcane colonies of their own kind to come here.

(Draconians are full citizens of Frankonia by law. They at least know how to rationalise, unlike these Orcs.)

(or)

Segregation-a-Must: Drakons are not native to Earth. They are not created in the image of God. They seem to be the spawns of the devil and thus don't qualify for citizenship. Simple as that. They may be allowed to live, but they mustn't interact with us unless it is necessary.

(Draconians have a place to live, but they cannot be citizens, lest they pose a threat to God's creation, that being man himself. They shall live in segregated areas, govern themselves, away from our eyes.)

(or)

Plaguespreaders Be Condemned: What are they really? A four-limbed, heck, sometimes a six-limbed beast that is plague-ridden, bound to infect man with its form of sin. For humans from the Ricardian regime that have turned, they have lost their will and spirit as a human and will be condemned to Hell for eternity for not having a strong soul to resist the soul-ripping illness. They're not people- they're animals for trying to wipe out man through insidious means.

(Drakons are counted as "fauna" in our census and will be actively hunted down upon or to be tamed as an animal than as a sophont.)

------

===
------

Four Drekir, Running Unto Us

It is no surprise that the al-Nari have arrived just in time as we begin to chart what lies ahead inland. The Nari- or as we call them, for their strong resemblance to the mythical creatures collectively known as dragons, are quite demanding of any subject, as if they want tribute for us in exchange for not being killed. Unfortunately, our own expeditionary teams were also caught in the ire of other convoys. These teams seem to be expeditionary and also heavily militarised. All of them bear arms that we know may blow us right in the face and they seem to be extremely sophisticated.

Most, if not all, want humans or draconians. We're not sacrificing our citizens, but we could take anything else to keep them sated... or we fight back.

Four choices only.

Team Goul-A-9 and Koudankoula

Phiri Ōrminsnurr (h. 662) v. Mathura Raja (b. 697, Prefect of Koudankoula)

Should we fail in Punch the Long Neck, we lose 3,200 (incl. 500 native) human subjects, a penalty of -12% morale and have Koudankoula ransacked by the Drakons.

Bribe The Purple Drake: This drake wants people- fresh meat to be brought over. We'll accept the terms set out by this demanding convoy, of course... we have some Drakons to spare...

(Can only be chosen if Ransom Off to Orminsurr is chosen. Offer our captured drakons to this Archonese convoy at the price of 5 prestige, which they will gladly accept and no complications will occur between us in this situation.)

(or)

Take What We Have and Leave: We don't have anything to spare, really. Just take all of our cultural goods that we don't deem to be valuable anymore and leave!

(Pay and take almost everything we have in Koudankoula [in the form of 150 units] as "cultural artifacts" from Roman, Deccan and Himyarite history and things for them to study, something they usually don't have the luxury for, despite being there, apparently for generations. They will have a 85% chance of accepting it. If not, we default to Punch the Long Neck.)

(or)

Snuggle Up to Trading: It is not a far-fetched idea. We tried this with the Khoekhoe and Nama people before. Perhaps we can try and rationalise them, try to put them into our line of sight, just like how we interacted with the natives of Frankonia and they understand it. What we were looking after is acknowledgement.

(Since we are curious of their existence, that there are somehow two types of drakons: primitive and civilised, we ask for a proper dialogue with them, as to respect our lands. We have a 20% chance of successfully convincing them to come to a talk, but we will also risk a 40% chance of draconifying the Prefect of Koudankoula, Mathura Raja. If not, we default to Punch the Long Neck but the draconisation modifier stays.)

(or)

Punch the Long Neck: They're trespassing our own land and town. This is what they'll get: an attack on a small pack of no more than a dozen or so against hundreds of us.

(Local militias ambush the camp of Convoy Team Goul-A-9. We have a 15% chance of successfully take over the camp and bring them captive to our hands. However, we also risk a 25% chance of inflicting the first seeds of draconification. Should There's Big Meat to Chop succeed, our success of a capture is boosted by 15%.)

===

Team Zh-K-5 and Gharib's Team

Jup'tup Kalkgat (h. 677) v. Asia Gharib (b. 704)

We Don't Mean Any Harm: For this team, it surely is a little different from the more demanding team back in Koudankoula. The Drakons there are a little bit mellow, given that they have just stumbled upon us in this same area. But they don't seem to like our presence and are startled by it. Perhaps we can talk our way out of this... right?

(We have a 30% chance of succeeding in diplomatic dialogue with Jup'tup. Asia Gharib will however risk a 40% chance of draconification, regardless of outcome.)

(or)

Bring the Basuto Along: Thankfully, we do have a "native" shield aimed at them. I feel that they're more comfortable trying to uh, make occasional visits to them, really. That way we can get it out and over with, though these people may also want something compensating at the back our hands as well... some goods from us.

(Drag the Sotho people into the diplomatic field, at the price of 50 units. They know them better than us, apparently and we can try to secretly leave this dilemma by bringing them into the mix. We have a 40% chance of successfully evading through this. If it fails, Outnumbered by Firepower will be enacted.)

(or)

Fight More Like Flight: There's only one way to escape this. Run!

(Attempt to evade Zh-K-5 by getting as far as we can. We have a 20% chance of successfully evading them from their tracks. If it fails, Outnumbered by Firepower will be enacted.)

(or)

Skirmish In Nowhere: Now we've been cornered, there's no choice but to use up all of our stockpiles prepared for self-defensive measures like this. We must strike before they could retaliate upon us in the middle of nowhere.

(We have a 10% chance of winning this skirmish against Jup'tup and her security team of armed draconians. Should There's Big Meat to Chop succeed, our success of a capture is boosted by 15%. If it fails, Outnumbered by Firepower will be enacted.)

(or)

Outnumbered by Firepower: We don't have any choices anyway. These Drakons seem to possess a set of equipment and tools that are beyond our knowledge- to know where we are and when they can mow us down. It is best if we submit our surrender in these plains and let one of the witnesses escape back to Agios Ioustinianos. We don't know what'll happen after.

(Gharib's exploration team capitulates to Convoy Team Zh-K-5. Asia Gharib and her team are all draconified and belong to Archon.)

===

Team Ou-Yap-1 and Limni Martelos

Syllclitch Rifmen (h. 683) v. Spiro Protogenes (b. 687, Prefect of Limni Martelos)

Should we fail in Strike the Security Team, we lose 4,000 (incl. 1,200 native) human subjects, a penalty of -12% morale and have Limni Martelos ransacked by the Drakons, which would be removed from the map.

Offerings of Thine Men: Just like the bribing of the drakons of Koudankoula, these creatures know their business and its not ours to mess around. We're not giving up our citizens, but what we can do, is be the police officer or sheriff of this place and ensure peace prevails... if it means by giving them what they want.

(Available if either That's a Lot of Drakes or Rounded for Archona is chosen. Use this as a bribe to keep them sated, which will invariably avoid us having to deal with them attacking this newly formed port and settlement close to their home... It is at the price of 5 prestige points if we do this.)

(or)

Barter Cultural Relations: This colony is just new! It's just recently founded and now they're trying to take it away!? It is unacceptable. We need to conjure up some diplomatic discussions with them, preferably Protogenes' little persuasion tactic with uhand not Koudankoula's own prefect's own monetary bargaining.

(We have a 20% chance of successfully bringing them to a cultural dialogue similar to Snuggle Up to Trading, but we risk 40% chance of draconification to Spiro Protogenes, Perfect of Limni Martelos. Should it fail, it defaults to Strike the Security Team but the draconification modifier stays.)

(or)

Strike the Security Team: We'll not let them take over Frankonian land! We will show them the price by ambushing them in their own little encampment out of our port. GLORY TO FRANKONIA!

(Seize the camps, similar to Punch the Long Neck. We have a 10% chance of successfully take over the camp and bring them captive to our hands. However, we also risk a 25% chance of inflicting the first seeds of draconification. Should There's Big Meat to Chop succeed, our success of a capture is boosted by 15%.)

===

Archon and Metropoulos' Team

Eknoro Gaūkrow (h. 640) v. Kosmas Metropoulos (b. 695)

The Draka Must Learn Our Pains: We've been fairly lucky by trying to get into the heart of al-Nari. But seriously, we should make it clear to them that humanity is aware of them at least and don't have to hide from shame anymore, especially us, now that they're in our backyard. We aren't representatives of the Interrealm Congress, barely we are a member of that, but we can try to make... the Draka compromise with us, have peace come between us, even if it may be short and they don't like to listen to us a lot.

(Exposure ourselves to the Colony of Archon. We try to diplomatically bring them to some sort of truce or understanding of the greater human world, beyond their mild observations and distrust, but we also have a 20% chance of making it succeed. However, you have a 80% chance of risking Kosmas Metropoulos alongside his team of being draconified once returning. If it fails, this defaults to Caught in the Crosswire.)

(or)

Out and Fast: There's still a narrow chance of us winning, right? Get to it and you'll be honoured as heroes.

(Given that our team had wound up very deep into the area, we only have a 10% chance of successfully evading Archon. Should it succeed, we'll earn 7 prestige points- and stories from there may be told to our future generations. If it fails, this defaults to Caught in the Crosswire.)

(or)

Caught in the Crosswire: Oh... We don't have much of a chance here. Our team there has been aching, losing sense of reality and about to lose sight from the mysterious illness. We're too deep into the beast's maw to ever get out of it. Who knows what these Drakons would do to them after they "die" from it.

(Metropoulos' exploration team capitulates to the colony of Archon. Kosmas Metropoulos and his team are all draconified and belong to Archon.)

------

===
------

Lungmen

Ah, yes. Dragon's Gate. That rings a bell, doesn't it? They were eager to come over here and now that the Frankonian migrant agency run by you and your bureaucrats refused to allow them in, they're coming in droves. Rather than waiting for the Dayak family's own ships or our own navy to bring them over, they're influencing Deccan boat owners and buying them en masse so that they can travel on their own and come here. Now they have arrived recently and they're not happy.

Moreover, Himyarite intelligence that was given to us on behalf of King Ghaamid and the Himyarite legislature, suggests that they're also basing in Amera and building up their numbers there as well, essentially moving operations. We don't know their intentions, but given that we've been contacted by Drakons, it could be far worse...

Two choices only.

Boat cultists entering our land and shores to also live off our land in disrespect

Rounded for Archona: Well, there's only choice that we can conclude with that Drakon group in Limnis Martelos: it is giving them what they want, the "ascension" of their people to something new. We've tried to warn them about the unintended consequences, the apparent sickness that is put upon them, but they insist on it. So, give them what they want, joining the esoteric Drakons that think they know about them.

(Dragon's Gate members get what they want: embracing their deities and ascending from their "useless body", whatever that means. This unlocks the option of Offerings of Thine Men.)

(or)

Pinky Promise: Perhaps we need to be a lot more smarter than outright dismissing some Serican cultists. This is how we ended up allowing some doomsday Roman cultists running amok nearly a century ago get away with fearmongering Germanus' own "Angelic" influence. By giving them what they want- the right to live here as citizens, we can nudge them, hopefully undermine their original aspirations for our own. Hopefully, they know what they have seen and give us the bargaining hand.

(Offer Dragon's Gate members full citizenship of the state, despite their illegal intrusions and not being authorised by our government. It will allow us to boost our chances in Barter Cultural Relations by 30%.)

(or)

Queuing a Cut: We cannot let them get to Archon and serve us as a platform. They already have their own: Zanj. But they seem to be more interested in disruption and that's the big issue here. Their boats will have to be mowed down, but at what cost?

(Frankonia's ships will be dedicated to ousting the Sericans from approaching Frankonian waters. They pose a major security risk. However, you will be provoking them into a conflict and will have a 60% chance of capturing Limni Martelos and proclaiming a pro-Drakon state of Longmen [this will also give us a penalty of -10% morale]. Should the situation of Limni Martelos end with Drakons raiding the area, they will join them instead and the city would cease to exist.)

===

Can we trust the Himyarites to do the same thing again for them?

The Handbook of "Stop the Boats": We've seen them tackling with the Orc fleet down in our waters. We can trust them to do the same thing again. Indeed, they've been observing their activites too in the Comoros and Amera.

(Sway the Himyarites into stopping the Dragon's Gate from continuing their attempts to send their people from Deccan and Lanka to Amera or our lands. We reduce the chance of them able to successfully take Limni Martelos if Queuing a Cut was chosen by 15%.)

(or)

Amera's The Place: One of the intelligence reports suggest that the Dragon's Gate is using their colonial presence as a laissez-faire platform to jump straight into our land, building ships on their own for free and just ramming them to our colonies. If we ask Governor Karim Samari about this... I'm pretty sure he'll introduce some sort of martial law and search for these cult circles within.

(Ask the Himyarites to enact martial law over Amera, in an attempt to stamp out alleged cells in the region. We have a 40% chance of succeeding in quelling the Dragon's Gate problem, where if successful, would cut the risk of a capture by 45%.)

(or)

Our Problem Not Theirs: We can tackle this on their own, relying on sheer luck.

------

===
------

Come Desperate Times

The encounters of a wholly different race of Drakons, with unique opportunities and challenges, gives us a bit of a shakeup with these Orcs that we've been antagonising. Sure, we've also discovered more human natives, as well as other primitive Drakon cultures and polities scattered about, which seem to point that the Drakons that we've been seeing demanding us everything that we have, are deliberately planting them as a distraction from their true goals...

But if its true, then why are the Tcharak Drakons appear to be clueless and resent their occasional visits? Only a few would be eager to join them and that is if you fall through their promise of a good life and "knowledge of everything" out in the cosmos. Nonetheless, the people of Frankonia, orc, human, gargoyle or... ugh... Drakon, must stand against these foreigners.

Two choices only. Yes, I am aware that the modern Bantu ethnic groups in South Africa don't really exist as we know it until 700 years later. Let's just say that they exist as-is for the sake of simplication.

The Palkazaic Warhorde

There's Big Meat to Chop: Orcses of Palgaz- and to the city of Urk-Skrutz! We come here with a new message of a BIG THREAT. A threat unlike you have ever seen before and it is them, that you will need to face. If you have thought of attacking humans and enslaving them to do your bidding or allowing you to use them to your advantages that your own noses can't sense- look no further to the Drakons. They are big, fine to chop with your little chopping axes and knives. Who's with me!?

(Sway the orcs of the Palkazaic Warhorde to side with us against the BIG THREAT by giving them the body of a dead draconian from Tcharak, with a 75% chance of succeeding. Knowing that the drakons are slightly bigger than a man, this will incentivise them to fight for us, but this will mean draconians we interact, regardless of their affiliation, will be attacked by these orcs. Should it fail... this would mean they would see us as the BIG THREAT, not the Draconians. If it succeeds, we have a +15% chance to Punch the Long Neck, Skirmish In Nowhere and Strike the Security Team.)

(or)

Pounce at Their Weakest: We cannot truly tame these amphibious creatures without trying to reel them in. They number... what? Thousands? Perhaps even tens of thousands? Probably tens of thousands at that point, they grow up to become an adult by their eighth year and our calculations suggest that its been two, almost three generations, so their numbers have definitely swelled and begin to expand further inland.

(Conquer the Palkazaic Warhorde and their people so we can direct them to the BIG THREAT without rebellion by grinding their numbers away. We have a 55% chance of succeeding in this conquest. If not, this will bring us into war with them next episode.)

(or)

Too Many Affairs to Tackle: Nothing happens in this subcategory.

===

Look to the New Natives of Frankonia

Swat Team: As much "fun" as we can get out of the Orcs, we still have to deal with human natives. The Swati are quite close to Drakon heartland, to the point that they've been seeing it, have some of their villagers aparently abducted by them and have no regards to their own land. We can offer them salvation- a new hope, faith and hopefully, avenge their own stolen people.

(Sway the Swazi people into our fold. In exchange for promised development on the vicinity of these Drakons, we will have a +20% chance of succeeding in Strike the Security Team.)

(or)

Imping for Defense: If we expand deep into the Drakon heartland, we'll simply be engaging in constant raids and fighting. Instead, what we might do is interact with the more "fiercer" group of eastern Frankonian natives, namely the Zulu. I believe their warrior culture is quite useful to modernise...

(Bring the Zulu to our south into our fold, allowing us to gain an advantage against the intruding orc warbands. We also form the Frankonian Impis that serve as a second "special unit" for the Frankonian military and security forces, but we'll only have a +10% chance of succeeding in Strike the Security Team.)

(or)

That's a Lot of Dragons: Aside from the Tcharak, our cartographers and explorers have counted six more of those tribes and cultures lying around. They all range from being permanent settlers or are semi-nomadic in a sense. Now, we have to pay our debts and tribute for these creatures, so we should start looking to... tribes to poach. All of them preferably- we do have the capacity of subjugating people in an instant.

(Poach a primitive Drakon tribe, known as the Punkar Packs so that we can use some extra drakes at hand for bargaining against the Archonese convoy. We have a 85% chance of succeeding and if so, unlocks the option of Offerings of Thine Men.)

------

===
------

This episode has seen a mass map overhaul. No longer it is confined to a certain part of the world, which had been this way since episode 15. But now that its now an appropriate time to bring the world map back and therefore, heavily expand or revise on a few mechanical and graphical details beneath it.

Pretty gruesome episode, the Kushites are crumbling under the weight of Ricardus II but I don't know if this episode would still stand as-is or I should do a rewrite so yeah, it is unfortunately cruel as it can be. I try to make sure it covers a bit of the brutality of what is to come... really, the Drakons (especially the Lurkowites- they are basically monolithic) and Ricardus II were pushing me to an eleven. But if it means trying to cover the worst of mankind or well... a fictional race of reptiles, then this is it.

It is also accompanied by it being one of the most hardest episodes yet I have thought of, by difficulty. You have a lot of problems and dilemmas to skirt around, but don't assume that it'll be over and done with by just avoiding these options. There'll be... a lot of consequences for Frankonia for the foreseeable future.

Next episode will take us to the year 740, concluding Chapter IV of the timeline, which is basically entitled "Tyrants and Heroes". Chapter V will cover 740-780.

And also, I've decided that migration rounds should be done every five years so not to make it appear too repetitive, so next episode, which would be a year long, will bring an extra 25% of the migrants from previous episode to the next episode, but it'll do by itself.

Voting ends on Monday, 2nd October, midnight (GMT).

Description

circa 739 AD, far from the colony of Limni Martelos

For a small expedition team, all they saw at first was shrub, grass and rock with the occasional tree and perhaps even a forest. Kosmas Metropoulos, not to be confused with the Cracovian exarch that got exiled from the Second Lechian War, was sent off with his own companions, set out by the Frankonian government in the newly founded port that they call Limni Martelos.

Naming it after the co-founders of Frankonia is too on the nose for him, he pondered. Perhaps it should've been called Nealimus, because after all, this colony was too far from the nucleus of Frankonia. It was going to fail someday, but nonetheless, everyone seemed to be optimistic about this colony for some reason. A huge number of Malagasy workers were arriving there, seeking new opportunities from their home, hoping they could bring their family members over.

That is just like every other migrant going into Frankonia, the project of a disgraced Empress who betrayed her own homeland so that she could survive a political crisis without a hitch.

As they set out from the outskirts of the newly founded town, brimmed with makeshift brick homes and an office at the moment, with no docking pier at sight, Kosmas and his team relived the same experience that he found himself in when he joined Cassandra's daring trip to a new land, away from his politically chaotic home.

Now they are miles away from home. They have seen everything they to offer, charted and plotted points of interest, interacted with various tribes and observed the strange people that were neither human nor orc from afar. They do know what they were: they were the same people that were known as the Tcharak. They were serpentine, four-legged beings that appear to be scaly. All Kosmas had heard of them, was that his new country had been fighting with them.

What is it with the fighting, he wondered. By now, they should've reeled in these creatures, these "drakon"-like beasts. This was what they looked like by close encounters, creatures of mythology, almost as if it is too good to be true. Then again, the discovery of humanlike frogs shouldn't surprise anyone in Frankonia by now.

Yet, as the days went on, time seemed to have been lost on them. Even when they brought a calendar, a few journals and other books to pass the time, they feel like they had no purpose.

---

When Kosmas and his own group of exhausted adventurers slept and rose from slumber the next morning, they found mongooses. Yet another disappointing day for Kosmas, but one of his comrades had been a biologist and observed the behaviours of these new animals that they haven't been seeing back at home. They wrote of great intricate detail, sketched out with their pencil of their fur and head and comparing it to the other animals that they've recognised in the books that they have once interacted.

But these small mongooses, they seem to not to be staring at them. Rather, they were staring at something coming at them.

A rumble was brewing in the background and Kosmas could hear it from the distance. He warned others to quickly disperse, dismantle the tents, campfire and hide around. The surrounding terrain didn't help with their process. It was wide open, barely any rocks stand and trees don't necessarily provide the support for all the camp supplies that come in hand. But for their lives, they did it.

The group broke away, but one of Kosmas' own aides had been fearing the worst: they shouldn't have rushed it. Such a revelation was no big-brainer, but they were not encountering the local people, but rather, something advanced as their own people, perhaps... even more.

The supply stash was dug and buried, but one of them, who climbed up on the bark of a rotting baobab tree and been strangling it to keep themselves steady against it, saw their faces... no, their heads. They also wielded the same body shape as those the Frankonian miltiias were fighting, the same long, snakelike proportions. They all walk on four legs as well. It couldn't be.

The head was that of a simple reptilian gaze, its majestic, darkened emerald scales glimmer in the light, perhaps not so reflective, but still, it is quite bright and vibrant to look at. They were not made of jewels, but it was apparent that they were different from that of the many lizards, crocodiles and reptiles that dot the world that they happen to live in. It has the crest of a ceratopsian at the top and they have fin-like ears appended.

"Goel… Tark malktram porr grutapi akdart," yelped the drakon, grasping at an empty sack out of curiosity with its paws. The drakon speaks in a graceful, melodic manner that is comprehensible to humans, its eyes stare with crystal blue irises that meshes well in the moonlight in any opportunity. But they were not speaking in the same way that man could understand. Rather, the drakon speaks with a rattle, like a slithering snake on its way to eat its prey.

"Grutapi?" the other drakon hissed. It was armed with a seemingly large rifle at its side, appearing to be its accompanying guard.

"Muni," the commanding drakon replied, dropping off the discarded bag. It looked around briefly, coming up with a conclusion as the humans above it tremble in fear. They were the Tcharak, but how? They were not as advanced as they were by Frankonian newspapers that they have read and the stories and rumours they were spreading. Both of them were wearing outfits that match unlike those observed in Tcharak, where they usually wore similar tribal clothing as the human natives did.

Once it came up with a conclusion, it gave a directive to the other drakon.

"Xull par muni er hoke talk raldar aeg," it said to the armed lizard, proclaiming something ominous as it approached a vessel that was behind both of them. "Ire akyur talk nirfinal rek ptaldeni."

"Kaat, Kufrax," the creature responded. It gestured to others like them to direct them to disperse, shouting out words to follow them to somewhere, seemingly in the search of the adventurers hiding in the bushes.

Kosmas saw the vehicle that they had. It was larger than a locomotive, but what he also saw was that these drakons, they seem to be nowhere as large and powerful as myth may want to tell. They appear to be... similarly sized as a human, almost uncannily striking, if not on average larger than them in most aspects.

Now, they realise they were far from home. Perhaps way too far.

------

===
------

///In the news...///

NOW WITH FULL ARTICLE TEXT FROM THE FRANKONIAN JOURNAL!

Chang'an falls into the hands of Emperor Huozu after months of fighting

The Fire Emperor has claimed to have pounded the city to the point it "no longer exists".

The Himyarite (est. 699), April 736

===

Archaeologists Find the Graves of Tall Humanoids

Half-Crescent Post, April 737

===

VICTORY AFTER 70 YEARS OF HUMILIATION: THEBES LIBERATED FROM KUSHITE BARBARIANS!

EXCLUSIVE: Interviews with the valorant soldiers in the Liberation War of Thebes.

The vision of a New Thebes under the rule of the Romans.

The stunning capture of [Kallinikos] the Kushite and the contrast to the hero of Romania, Prince Callinicus.

Why Prince Callinicus tried to save the Empire from the grasp of the Kushite.

...and many more!

The Patriot (special liftout edition), May 737

===

REVOLUTION! The Mazdakist Revolution Spreads to the Iranian Successor Kingdoms

Himyarite diplomats accuse the Iranian government of undermining peace and stability against the Manichaeans.

Star of Aden, September 737

===

Kushite exiles claim the Roman Army is setting up labour camps in their homeland

Unverified rumours of Kushite exiles suggest Ricardus II is seeking to destroy Kushite identity and nation through forced labour.

Yemen Post, November 737

===

Armorican Duke Claims The Discovery of Atlantis

The Frankonian Journal, December 738

===

A New Economic Plan Unveiled for Thebes and the Upper Nile

The people of Thebes strongly approve of a new economic plan by Emperor Ricardus II to revitalise its infrastructure to make it a regional economic powerhouse.

The newly organised Exarchate of the Upper Nile on the other hand is to be civilised through labour as part of the ten-year plan for reconstruction.

The Patriot, February 739

------

===
------

For explained events that take place between episode 76 to 77, including those that have been taken into effect, consult this below. A recommended reading for context of this episode.

Events of 735 to 738 AD

------

===
------

DIPLOMACY
- Personal unions: N/A
- Military alliances: N/A
- Defensive pacts: Somalia
- Non-aggression pacts: N/A
- Vassals: N/A
- Protectorates: N/A
- Truce with: N/A
- At war with: N/A

The Domains of Cassandra are a protectorate of Himyar until deemed "self-sufficient". (Should it be attacked, Himyar may be able to intervene on our behalf.)

-------
MILITARY (displayed at war)
Offensive armies: 1 army

Defensive (garrisoned) armies: 1 army

Naval fleets: 2 fleets (+2 on the way)

Vassal armies: N/A

Special units (each having three strikes):

-> Black Legion of Cato Society (paramilitary branch; paranormal espionage)

Expeditionary units: N/A

Current commanders (on the map): N/A

-------
LEADERSHIP and STATE
Current dynastic head: Cassandra (age 64)
Current consort: N/A

Line of succession:
- Current heir: Diogenes (age 37)
- Second-in-line: Basil (age 8) | son of Diogenes
- Others (in order):

[3] Theodosius II (age 3) | son of Diogenes

[4] Cyril (age 30)

[5] Adam (age 5) | son of Cyril

[6] Cassandra II (age 35)

[7] Laila (age 34)

- Pretenders/Claimants: N/A

Current Chief Governor: Karl Martel (age 61; no party)

Current Vice-Chief Governor: Matthias Dayak (age 45; no party)

===

Roman solidi (units): 170

Prestige: 16

Population: 77,403

- Human: 77,200 (36,000 natives)

- Draconian: 60 (60 natives)
- Gargulo (Gargoyles): 143 (grows 1% to 4% annually)

Population growth is determined by the number of migrants being taken in (in earlier waves of settlement) as well as my own volition.

-------

Future/scheduled events:

- In 745, Gleanntine (Eldgja), a site where the Progenitors have partially controlled the volcano, will erupt, potentially creating a famine over that winter that impacts Christendom and the Germanic world.

- Electric and steam-powered vehicles will be considered obsolete by the 740s, thanks to the predominance of oil-powered cars by that period.

- By the year 755, we would have finished our expansion of our navy, allowing us to better defend the seas from Orc pirates.

------

===
------

Tribal Dreks

The Drakons of Tcharak seem to be resisting our attempts to subjugate them. Even though they were primitive, weak and don't seem to resemble that of the orc or human neighbours we have interacted, their strengths appear to have coalsced around relying on us falling ill whenever we were close to them, alongside using a lot of slinging against our own militias. Nonetheless, they were different from the Drakons that we've sighted in Koudankoula- they seem to think this land is theirs to keep and that its their own home.

Apparently, these creatures also don't seem to have a visible leader, nonetheless, influenced by man, it seems that they have a "chief" of sorts, who represents their own kind and tribe to the rest of the neabry human tribes. Nonetheless, while we're at war and we have a vastly arcane set of Drakons in our turf, we might have a chance of convincing them of the sky people- their own kind, as being a threat. After all, they aren't as bloodthirsty as the Orcs, aren't they?

Five choices only.

The skirmish itself

This is Madness- This is Frankonia!: Kill them all. Whatever disease they have that is bringing illness to our own patriotic soldiers, these oversized lizards must all die.

(Deploy scorched earth tactics against the tribe of Tcharak. You will mostly wipe out them from the surface, leaving none of them behind.)

(or)

Toying With Fire: You cannot be insane as the Red Fox, who wanted the death of all Leviathans. You must be rational with this.

(Use conventional warfare against draconians, fair and square. You have a 90% chance of successfully subduing them to a conquest. If you fail, you will be inflicted with a penalty of -5% morale.)

===

Dealing with "Chief" Maurook and his pack (although they seem to not revere him as a leader in our sense...)

The Sky People are Dangerous: Maurook and his little pack, sometimes translated by these Archonese brethren of theirs as "dens", are oblivious to their own kind. They were born and raised on this soil and know the land more than their kind. Perhaps if we nudge them to the right direction, we can peacefully subjugate them with the condition of beating these drakes to their own game.

(Use this as a backup choice to prevent the prior choice from being chosen. You have a 65% chance of successfully convincing the Tcharak drakons to be subjugated under your whims, thus unlocking further options to interact with these people.)

(or)

Definitely a Drake in Sheep's Clothing: Any drakon you see, regardless of his clothes or the scales that they wear, are bound to be dangerous. They aren't upright people and are merely intelligent beasts.

(No choices will be given to this subcategory.)

===

Dealing with captured drakon captives in our war camps and the illness problem

Ransom Off to Orminsurr: During our war, while we were initially unaware of how our men may end up by trying to interact with them. Now we know what is going on. These creatures bear similarities and resemblances to the same Drakons of Koudankoula. Perhaps they are left astray? We can cede these people to them, hopefully they know better.

(Give up all the captured draconians from the Tcharak Packs to them, which unlocks us the option Bribe the Purple Drake. They know their people more than we do.)

(or)

Werk, Werk, Werk: Despite the risks, we cannot let them fall to the hands of strangers that we've just met. These draconians are physically strong and are suited to transport a lot of material - a far more greater, desirable alternative to being sold off like slaves.

(Bring these Tcharak drakons to our mines and everything. But we will also have a 10% chance of having a human subject undergoing the firsthand experience of draconification, from our perspective, that increases by 25% every episode until it is guaranteed to happen.)

(or)

Terminate These Anomalous Instances: We cannot let a growing hazard of our colonies be kept around like that. Executing them may be the best step forward.

(All of them will be terminated at sight, increasing our morale [5%]. We don't want to start up an epidemic.)

===

Dissection and research of dead drakons by Cato Society

What Bestows on These Monsters?: What we haven't been hearing that much is how the drakon's body function. What could be spreading the disease, that the traitorous Ricardian regime calls "Mana syndrome", we can put it to the test by trying to figure out where the source is. Spoilers, there isn't any part that seems to reek of a virus or bacteria that's causing it- you may want to look at the skin pores of a draconian.

(Spends 45 units. We use this to dissect the bodies of dead and deceased draconians that we fought in tribal ground to find out if they contain a "virus" or germ of sort [though you know in advance that it is neither of these]. Despite being dead, you do have a 5% chance of having a human subject doing this task undergoing draconification, which could be interesting on our hands.)

(or)

Let the Gargoyles Handle All That: You know who might be immune to these effects? The Gargula. Yes, gargoyles can help us dissect these beasts, we just need them to do it- at the price of not been able to excavate it well enough.

(Spend 30 units. We let the Gargula, which are immune to the apparent effects of headaches, vomiting and body dysphoria with the human body, to dissect them, though you will receive less knowledge about the insides of a dragon due to their lack of expertise.)

(or)

Dispose It With Fire: Cremate these bodies at all costs, which will increase our morale [2%]. They are tainted.

===

Promised citizenship for these monsters, even if they inflict illness on us?

At Least They're Smarter Than an Orc: The Drakons are at least better than the orcs from a moral standpoint. They don't behave like everything needs to have violence, right? We'll even allow any traitor to the arcane colonies of their own kind to come here.

(Draconians are full citizens of Frankonia by law. They at least know how to rationalise, unlike these Orcs.)

(or)

Segregation-a-Must: Drakons are not native to Earth. They are not created in the image of God. They seem to be the spawns of the devil and thus don't qualify for citizenship. Simple as that. They may be allowed to live, but they mustn't interact with us unless it is necessary.

(Draconians have a place to live, but they cannot be citizens, lest they pose a threat to God's creation, that being man himself. They shall live in segregated areas, govern themselves, away from our eyes.)

(or)

Plaguespreaders Be Condemned: What are they really? A four-limbed, heck, sometimes a six-limbed beast that is plague-ridden, bound to infect man with its form of sin. For humans from the Ricardian regime that have turned, they have lost their will and spirit as a human and will be condemned to Hell for eternity for not having a strong soul to resist the soul-ripping illness. They're not people- they're animals for trying to wipe out man through insidious means.

(Drakons are counted as "fauna" in our census and will be actively hunted down upon or to be tamed as an animal than as a sophont.)

------

===
------

Four Drekir, Running Unto Us

It is no surprise that the al-Nari have arrived just in time as we begin to chart what lies ahead inland. The Nari- or as we call them, for their strong resemblance to the mythical creatures collectively known as dragons, are quite demanding of any subject, as if they want tribute for us in exchange for not being killed. Unfortunately, our own expeditionary teams were also caught in the ire of other convoys. These teams seem to be expeditionary and also heavily militarised. All of them bear arms that we know may blow us right in the face and they seem to be extremely sophisticated.

Most, if not all, want humans or draconians. We're not sacrificing our citizens, but we could take anything else to keep them sated... or we fight back.

Four choices only.

Team Goul-A-9 and Koudankoula

Phiri Ōrminsnurr (h. 662) v. Mathura Raja (b. 697, Prefect of Koudankoula)

Should we fail in Punch the Long Neck, we lose 3,200 (incl. 500 native) human subjects, a penalty of -12% morale and have Koudankoula ransacked by the Drakons.

Bribe The Purple Drake: This drake wants people- fresh meat to be brought over. We'll accept the terms set out by this demanding convoy, of course... we have some Drakons to spare...

(Can only be chosen if Ransom Off to Orminsurr is chosen. Offer our captured drakons to this Archonese convoy at the price of 5 prestige, which they will gladly accept and no complications will occur between us in this situation.)

(or)

Take What We Have and Leave: We don't have anything to spare, really. Just take all of our cultural goods that we don't deem to be valuable anymore and leave!

(Pay and take almost everything we have in Koudankoula [in the form of 150 units] as "cultural artifacts" from Roman, Deccan and Himyarite history and things for them to study, something they usually don't have the luxury for, despite being there, apparently for generations. They will have a 85% chance of accepting it. If not, we default to Punch the Long Neck.)

(or)

Snuggle Up to Trading: It is not a far-fetched idea. We tried this with the Khoekhoe and Nama people before. Perhaps we can try and rationalise them, try to put them into our line of sight, just like how we interacted with the natives of Frankonia and they understand it. What we were looking after is acknowledgement.

(Since we are curious of their existence, that there are somehow two types of drakons: primitive and civilised, we ask for a proper dialogue with them, as to respect our lands. We have a 20% chance of successfully convincing them to come to a talk, but we will also risk a 40% chance of draconifying the Prefect of Koudankoula, Mathura Raja. If not, we default to Punch the Long Neck but the draconisation modifier stays.)

(or)

Punch the Long Neck: They're trespassing our own land and town. This is what they'll get: an attack on a small pack of no more than a dozen or so against hundreds of us.

(Local militias ambush the camp of Convoy Team Goul-A-9. We have a 15% chance of successfully take over the camp and bring them captive to our hands. However, we also risk a 25% chance of inflicting the first seeds of draconification. Should There's Big Meat to Chop succeed, our success of a capture is boosted by 15%.)

===

Team Zh-K-5 and Gharib's Team

Jup'tup Kalkgat (h. 677) v. Asia Gharib (b. 704)

We Don't Mean Any Harm: For this team, it surely is a little different from the more demanding team back in Koudankoula. The Drakons there are a little bit mellow, given that they have just stumbled upon us in this same area. But they don't seem to like our presence and are startled by it. Perhaps we can talk our way out of this... right?

(We have a 30% chance of succeeding in diplomatic dialogue with Jup'tup. Asia Gharib will however risk a 40% chance of draconification, regardless of outcome.)

(or)

Bring the Basuto Along: Thankfully, we do have a "native" shield aimed at them. I feel that they're more comfortable trying to uh, make occasional visits to them, really. That way we can get it out and over with, though these people may also want something compensating at the back our hands as well... some goods from us.

(Drag the Sotho people into the diplomatic field, at the price of 50 units. They know them better than us, apparently and we can try to secretly leave this dilemma by bringing them into the mix. We have a 40% chance of successfully evading through this. If it fails, Outnumbered by Firepower will be enacted.)

(or)

Fight More Like Flight: There's only one way to escape this. Run!

(Attempt to evade Zh-K-5 by getting as far as we can. We have a 20% chance of successfully evading them from their tracks. If it fails, Outnumbered by Firepower will be enacted.)

(or)

Skirmish In Nowhere: Now we've been cornered, there's no choice but to use up all of our stockpiles prepared for self-defensive measures like this. We must strike before they could retaliate upon us in the middle of nowhere.

(We have a 10% chance of winning this skirmish against Jup'tup and her security team of armed draconians. Should There's Big Meat to Chop succeed, our success of a capture is boosted by 15%. If it fails, Outnumbered by Firepower will be enacted.)

(or)

Outnumbered by Firepower: We don't have any choices anyway. These Drakons seem to possess a set of equipment and tools that are beyond our knowledge- to know where we are and when they can mow us down. It is best if we submit our surrender in these plains and let one of the witnesses escape back to Agios Ioustinianos. We don't know what'll happen after.

(Gharib's exploration team capitulates to Convoy Team Zh-K-5. Asia Gharib and her team are all draconified and belong to Archon.)

===

Team Ou-Yap-1 and Limni Martelos

Syllclitch Rifmen (h. 683) v. Spiro Protogenes (b. 687, Prefect of Limni Martelos)

Should we fail in Strike the Security Team, we lose 4,000 (incl. 1,200 native) human subjects, a penalty of -12% morale and have Limni Martelos ransacked by the Drakons, which would be removed from the map.

Offerings of Thine Men: Just like the bribing of the drakons of Koudankoula, these creatures know their business and its not ours to mess around. We're not giving up our citizens, but what we can do, is be the police officer or sheriff of this place and ensure peace prevails... if it means by giving them what they want.

(Available if either That's a Lot of Drakes or Rounded for Archona is chosen. Use this as a bribe to keep them sated, which will invariably avoid us having to deal with them attacking this newly formed port and settlement close to their home... It is at the price of 5 prestige points if we do this.)

(or)

Barter Cultural Relations: This colony is just new! It's just recently founded and now they're trying to take it away!? It is unacceptable. We need to conjure up some diplomatic discussions with them, preferably Protogenes' little persuasion tactic with uhand not Koudankoula's own prefect's own monetary bargaining.

(We have a 20% chance of successfully bringing them to a cultural dialogue similar to Snuggle Up to Trading, but we risk 40% chance of draconification to Spiro Protogenes, Perfect of Limni Martelos. Should it fail, it defaults to Strike the Security Team but the draconification modifier stays.)

(or)

Strike the Security Team: We'll not let them take over Frankonian land! We will show them the price by ambushing them in their own little encampment out of our port. GLORY TO FRANKONIA!

(Seize the camps, similar to Punch the Long Neck. We have a 10% chance of successfully take over the camp and bring them captive to our hands. However, we also risk a 25% chance of inflicting the first seeds of draconification. Should There's Big Meat to Chop succeed, our success of a capture is boosted by 15%.)

===

Archon and Metropoulos' Team

Eknoro Gaūkrow (h. 640) v. Kosmas Metropoulos (b. 695)

The Draka Must Learn Our Pains: We've been fairly lucky by trying to get into the heart of al-Nari. But seriously, we should make it clear to them that humanity is aware of them at least and don't have to hide from shame anymore, especially us, now that they're in our backyard. We aren't representatives of the Interrealm Congress, barely we are a member of that, but we can try to make... the Draka compromise with us, have peace come between us, even if it may be short and they don't like to listen to us a lot.

(Exposure ourselves to the Colony of Archon. We try to diplomatically bring them to some sort of truce or understanding of the greater human world, beyond their mild observations and distrust, but we also have a 20% chance of making it succeed. However, you have a 80% chance of risking Kosmas Metropoulos alongside his team of being draconified once returning. If it fails, this defaults to Caught in the Crosswire.)

(or)

Out and Fast: There's still a narrow chance of us winning, right? Get to it and you'll be honoured as heroes.

(Given that our team had wound up very deep into the area, we only have a 10% chance of successfully evading Archon. Should it succeed, we'll earn 7 prestige points- and stories from there may be told to our future generations. If it fails, this defaults to Caught in the Crosswire.)

(or)

Caught in the Crosswire: Oh... We don't have much of a chance here. Our team there has been aching, losing sense of reality and about to lose sight from the mysterious illness. We're too deep into the beast's maw to ever get out of it. Who knows what these Drakons would do to them after they "die" from it.

(Metropoulos' exploration team capitulates to the colony of Archon. Kosmas Metropoulos and his team are all draconified and belong to Archon.)

------

===
------

Lungmen

Ah, yes. Dragon's Gate. That rings a bell, doesn't it? They were eager to come over here and now that the Frankonian migrant agency run by you and your bureaucrats refused to allow them in, they're coming in droves. Rather than waiting for the Dayak family's own ships or our own navy to bring them over, they're influencing Deccan boat owners and buying them en masse so that they can travel on their own and come here. Now they have arrived recently and they're not happy.

Moreover, Himyarite intelligence that was given to us on behalf of King Ghaamid and the Himyarite legislature, suggests that they're also basing in Amera and building up their numbers there as well, essentially moving operations. We don't know their intentions, but given that we've been contacted by Drakons, it could be far worse...

Two choices only.

Boat cultists entering our land and shores to also live off our land in disrespect

Rounded for Archona: Well, there's only choice that we can conclude with that Drakon group in Limnis Martelos: it is giving them what they want, the "ascension" of their people to something new. We've tried to warn them about the unintended consequences, the apparent sickness that is put upon them, but they insist on it. So, give them what they want, joining the esoteric Drakons that think they know about them.

(Dragon's Gate members get what they want: embracing their deities and ascending from their "useless body", whatever that means. This unlocks the option of Offerings of Thine Men.)

(or)

Pinky Promise: Perhaps we need to be a lot more smarter than outright dismissing some Serican cultists. This is how we ended up allowing some doomsday Roman cultists running amok nearly a century ago get away with fearmongering Germanus' own "Angelic" influence. By giving them what they want- the right to live here as citizens, we can nudge them, hopefully undermine their original aspirations for our own. Hopefully, they know what they have seen and give us the bargaining hand.

(Offer Dragon's Gate members full citizenship of the state, despite their illegal intrusions and not being authorised by our government. It will allow us to boost our chances in Barter Cultural Relations by 30%.)

(or)

Queuing a Cut: We cannot let them get to Archon and serve us as a platform. They already have their own: Zanj. But they seem to be more interested in disruption and that's the big issue here. Their boats will have to be mowed down, but at what cost?

(Frankonia's ships will be dedicated to ousting the Sericans from approaching Frankonian waters. They pose a major security risk. However, you will be provoking them into a conflict and will have a 60% chance of capturing Limni Martelos and proclaiming a pro-Drakon state of Longmen [this will also give us a penalty of -10% morale]. Should the situation of Limni Martelos end with Drakons raiding the area, they will join them instead and the city would cease to exist.)

===

Can we trust the Himyarites to do the same thing again for them?

The Handbook of "Stop the Boats": We've seen them tackling with the Orc fleet down in our waters. We can trust them to do the same thing again. Indeed, they've been observing their activites too in the Comoros and Amera.

(Sway the Himyarites into stopping the Dragon's Gate from continuing their attempts to send their people from Deccan and Lanka to Amera or our lands. We reduce the chance of them able to successfully take Limni Martelos if Queuing a Cut was chosen by 15%.)

(or)

Amera's The Place: One of the intelligence reports suggest that the Dragon's Gate is using their colonial presence as a laissez-faire platform to jump straight into our land, building ships on their own for free and just ramming them to our colonies. If we ask Governor Karim Samari about this... I'm pretty sure he'll introduce some sort of martial law and search for these cult circles within.

(Ask the Himyarites to enact martial law over Amera, in an attempt to stamp out alleged cells in the region. We have a 40% chance of succeeding in quelling the Dragon's Gate problem, where if successful, would cut the risk of a capture by 45%.)

(or)

Our Problem Not Theirs: We can tackle this on their own, relying on sheer luck.

------

===
------

Come Desperate Times

The encounters of a wholly different race of Drakons, with unique opportunities and challenges, gives us a bit of a shakeup with these Orcs that we've been antagonising. Sure, we've also discovered more human natives, as well as other primitive Drakon cultures and polities scattered about, which seem to point that the Drakons that we've been seeing demanding us everything that we have, are deliberately planting them as a distraction from their true goals...

But if its true, then why are the Tcharak Drakons appear to be clueless and resent their occasional visits? Only a few would be eager to join them and that is if you fall through their promise of a good life and "knowledge of everything" out in the cosmos. Nonetheless, the people of Frankonia, orc, human, gargoyle or... ugh... Drakon, must stand against these foreigners.

Two choices only. Yes, I am aware that the modern Bantu ethnic groups in South Africa don't really exist as we know it until 700 years later. Let's just say that they exist as-is for the sake of simplication.

The Palkazaic Warhorde

There's Big Meat to Chop: Orcses of Palgaz- and to the city of Urk-Skrutz! We come here with a new message of a BIG THREAT. A threat unlike you have ever seen before and it is them, that you will need to face. If you have thought of attacking humans and enslaving them to do your bidding or allowing you to use them to your advantages that your own noses can't sense- look no further to the Drakons. They are big, fine to chop with your little chopping axes and knives. Who's with me!?

(Sway the orcs of the Palkazaic Warhorde to side with us against the BIG THREAT by giving them the body of a dead draconian from Tcharak, with a 75% chance of succeeding. Knowing that the drakons are slightly bigger than a man, this will incentivise them to fight for us, but this will mean draconians we interact, regardless of their affiliation, will be attacked by these orcs. Should it fail... this would mean they would see us as the BIG THREAT, not the Draconians. If it succeeds, we have a +15% chance to Punch the Long Neck, Skirmish In Nowhere and Strike the Security Team.)

(or)

Pounce at Their Weakest: We cannot truly tame these amphibious creatures without trying to reel them in. They number... what? Thousands? Perhaps even tens of thousands? Probably tens of thousands at that point, they grow up to become an adult by their eighth year and our calculations suggest that its been two, almost three generations, so their numbers have definitely swelled and begin to expand further inland.

(Conquer the Palkazaic Warhorde and their people so we can direct them to the BIG THREAT without rebellion by grinding their numbers away. We have a 55% chance of succeeding in this conquest. If not, this will bring us into war with them next episode.)

(or)

Too Many Affairs to Tackle: Nothing happens in this subcategory.

===

Look to the New Natives of Frankonia

Swat Team: As much "fun" as we can get out of the Orcs, we still have to deal with human natives. The Swati are quite close to Drakon heartland, to the point that they've been seeing it, have some of their villagers aparently abducted by them and have no regards to their own land. We can offer them salvation- a new hope, faith and hopefully, avenge their own stolen people.

(Sway the Swazi people into our fold. In exchange for promised development on the vicinity of these Drakons, we will have a +20% chance of succeeding in Strike the Security Team.)

(or)

Imping for Defense: If we expand deep into the Drakon heartland, we'll simply be engaging in constant raids and fighting. Instead, what we might do is interact with the more "fiercer" group of eastern Frankonian natives, namely the Zulu. I believe their warrior culture is quite useful to modernise...

(Bring the Zulu to our south into our fold, allowing us to gain an advantage against the intruding orc warbands. We also form the Frankonian Impis that serve as a second "special unit" for the Frankonian military and security forces, but we'll only have a +10% chance of succeeding in Strike the Security Team.)

(or)

That's a Lot of Dragons: Aside from the Tcharak, our cartographers and explorers have counted six more of those tribes and cultures lying around. They all range from being permanent settlers or are semi-nomadic in a sense. Now, we have to pay our debts and tribute for these creatures, so we should start looking to... tribes to poach. All of them preferably- we do have the capacity of subjugating people in an instant.

(Poach a primitive Drakon tribe, known as the Punkar Packs so that we can use some extra drakes at hand for bargaining against the Archonese convoy. We have a 85% chance of succeeding and if so, unlocks the option of Offerings of Thine Men.)

------

===
------

This episode has seen a mass map overhaul. No longer it is confined to a certain part of the world, which had been this way since episode 15. But now that its now an appropriate time to bring the world map back and therefore, heavily expand or revise on a few mechanical and graphical details beneath it.

Pretty gruesome episode, the Kushites are crumbling under the weight of Ricardus II but I don't know if this episode would still stand as-is or I should do a rewrite so yeah, it is unfortunately cruel as it can be. I try to make sure it covers a bit of the brutality of what is to come... really, the Drakons (especially the Lurkowites- they are basically monolithic) and Ricardus II were pushing me to an eleven. But if it means trying to cover the worst of mankind or well... a fictional race of reptiles, then this is it.

It is also accompanied by it being one of the most hardest episodes yet I have thought of, by difficulty. You have a lot of problems and dilemmas to skirt around, but don't assume that it'll be over and done with by just avoiding these options. There'll be... a lot of consequences for Frankonia for the foreseeable future.

Next episode will take us to the year 740, concluding Chapter IV of the timeline, which is basically entitled "Tyrants and Heroes". Chapter V will cover 740-780.

And also, I've decided that migration rounds should be done every five years so not to make it appear too repetitive, so next episode, which would be a year long, will bring an extra 25% of the migrants from previous episode to the next episode, but it'll do by itself.

Voting ends on Monday, 2nd October, midnight (GMT).