The City States - Chapter 1 (in LotW)

[Zakky]

It was another busy day in Lerikion. Its harbour was full of people from other places. Some sailed from as far north as 'Irkhen'[Create Settlement, 1 Prime] while some came from 'Tascrig'[Create Settlement, 1 Prime] which was just across 'the Lerikh Sea'[Name Sea, 1 Prime]. They all gathered in the central square where the statue of Lerikhir looked over them to trade goods they brought from different parts of the world.

Among the ships docked in the harbour, Irkhenic ships stood out the most. They were larger and coloured from top to bottom with strong yet bright colors. Each ship had different markings which looked pretty but made little sense for others but Irkhenic people. Irkhenic people always brought largest furs you could find in Lerikion. Furs of large and terrifying beasts were popular among men while furs of smaller yet silky creatures were popular among women.

People who owned most unique looking ships were Tascrigians. They were closer so they could afford to travel back and forth often. Their ships were simple but unique looking. The bottom of the ships were flat which slowed the ships but provided unmatched stability for navigating seas that were not too deep. Their ships could carry more cargoes than anyone in the vacinity of Lerikion so they made excellent traders. Which also made them rather unpleasant to bargain with as not many could get them to lower their prices. But you could find almost anything you want from them except furs. Tascrigians often tried to make Irkhenic people to sell their furs to them instead but Irkhenic people only traded with Lerikans as they did not trust Tascrigians.

Lerikans were master smiths and sculptors. From the mines around Lerikion, they could get the best ores to forge the best weapons and armours. Irkenic people traded large quantity of finest furs for sharpest and hardest weapons and armours while Tascrigians traded for their spices and silks for finest marble sculptures.

Everyone thought the day was going to end with usual rants from grumpy Tascrigians being upset over Irkenic people's refusal to trade with them. But before the sun was down, a group of heavily armed soldiers with the Tascrigican insignia led by a Lerikan soldier rushed to the largest building in Lerikion, the Obsidian Hall. The Obsidian Hall was built based on the local legend regarding the birth of Lerikhir who was said to have emerged from the pitch black darkness to mold men out of nothing to build Lerikion. All the precious black stones Lerikans could find were used to build it and now served as the administrative heart of Lerikion.

When the soldiers reached the Grand Halls, the only room in the building to be built with white marbles, they were greeted by a man whose name became the name of the very land they stood.

"Lerikhir, these men have brought strange news from Tascrig."

The Lerikan soldier who led Tascrigian soldiers stepped aside. One of the Tascrigians stepped forward and took his helmet off.

"Tascrig got split in half just a day ago."

Lerikhir leaned forward.

"Split in half? How did that happen?"

"The ground shook all day. It started weak then by night it shook so violently the ground cracked open and the city got split in half. And then..."

The soldier looked back at his comrades then turned back to meet Lerikhir's eyes.

"We saw a crevasse of endless depth filled with glowing black stones."

"Glowing black stones? I have never heard of such things. How can black stones even glow?"

"The stones glowed like as if they held stars inside them."

"Can something like that really exist? It sounds too unbelievable."

"You know something similar, Lerikhir. The sacred mountain has two glowing red rocks at the top."

"That is true. I had forgotten about the sacred mountain. I wonder if they are related. Let's send some men to check both pla-"

Before Lerikhir could finish his sentence, the ground started to shake. Within half a mintue it became violent enough to terrify everyone in the city. Lerikhir and others quickly rushed outside as soon as they felt the shake. By the time they reached outside the shaking had stopped.

But their hearts which pounded against their chests almost jumped out when they witnessed something that defied everything they knew about the world. The sacred mountain with two red rocks one of his advisers mentioned was flying over Lerikion except it did not look anything like he remembered. Its two red rocks were glowing but it had wings large enough to cover the sky from Lerikhir's sight. People screamed in terror and tried to find a place to dock from debris that fell from the sky as the mountain flew over them. It quickly flew over Lerikion and headed toward the direction of Tascrig.

"What on earth is going on today. First glowing black rocks and now a flying mountain? I must be dreaming..."

Lerikhir mumbled as others panicked around him.

(The flying mountain is not actually a mountain flying over the city. It is just Astalos flying over the city. As for Prime Source, it is a large crack full of glowing black stones that resemble the night sky. The crack is large enough to split a city/town/settlement in half)

Total Cost: [3 Prime]

Map:

[Tom]

GM Intervention:

Prime source discovery - near Tascrig.


This discovery is a result of this chapter, specifically, the creation of Tascrig. Typically, the announcement would be made after the chapter is accepted, but I want to speed things up a little. You can describe this source in the chapter. Maybe they talk about a holy tree just outside the village, or an ancient tomb, or a magic spring, or really anything you want. The Prime source exists in the world, it costs nothing because you don't create it, you discover it.

Note that only councils can take control of Prime sources, so now might be a good time to form a council or two...