In the Northern Feral lands on the border of Church of One Lands and the Border of Brez is the fortified town of Simonsburg. It has been taken by the armies of the Olgogs.
–[Rules: It is up to Gul’al if she chooses to burn the houses to the ground and leave Simonsburg and continue marching west.
The rule of the lands that are now called Simonsburg will be decided by Gul’al, Urik’s Outcasts, Yyan Kol, Ka Gor Tribe, and Gang of Uf Mag’og. Kul Gul Rapi may counsel but may not be part of the final vote.
Other important questions that Gul’al must make pronouncements about after the battle
Will the now empty houses of Simonsburg be burned to the ground?
What will the Brezans do with the thirty prisoners trapped in the trenches?
What will the Brezans do with the body of the dead Earthers?
Zedhzeal of Unit 7756 is here being restrained by the powers of holy and light artifacts while the conquerers of Simonsburg decide what to do with him.]–
The Juveniles of Ka Gor were still thin enough to fit into the armor, and had the shield and crossbows on their backs. The held the reins of the horses while they walked, impressed by the large gentle beasts.
“These aliens the Earthers have brought to Refuge,” whispered Oggognagog, the youngest of the juveniles, “They are so beautiful and strong.”
Another was called Yaka. He was more impressed by the metal armor, despite having to use the Leyas to lower his body temperature in the hot desert sun with it on.
All the blind Pit Mongrels were a bit confused by the crossbows. Kaka the biggest one, had said it was a good idea to bring them back to the Elder. Once the elder got the Ka Gor’na to bless them, they would glow with power and the Ka Gor Tribe would be able to see them. The auras of all the Leyas Users around them were full of different, difficult emotions. It kept freaking out Makka’na, a female Ka Gor tribal, that there were these invisible Olgogs walking around.
By invisible, they smelled of Earther machines, of grease, or oil, and burnt gunpowder, but had no Leyas Auras. The Ka Gor Tribe juveniles had little experience with Immutables and found them both facinating and terrifying.
The Ka Gor Tribals looked at Zedhzeal of Unit 7756 and began to whisper. Then Makka’na stepped forward and said to the assembled leaders, “We are young, and honored be given a place at this meeting. I am Makka’na and I think the first issue we must address is this Dead Surgeon. He is a monster who will turn your young into more Dead Soldiers. But, if we kill him now, grant him final death, Unit 7756 will lose the ability to create new dead. They will be stopped in their growth. My father speaks often of the Torkol and their desire to raise us all as them. They want to kill your children and raise them as Torkol.
Let us agree to put this Criminal to final death, and then we can move on to other important issues.
My words are prophetic when I say, if you let this Dead Surgeon leave here alive, you will face soldiers created by his hands.
Thank you great Chiefs and Mightiest Chieftain Gul’al for letting us speak.”
A Brezan youngling named Tla’al came forward. “While I am no fan of the Grey Furs, there are some among his kind that are welcomed amongst the Gang of the Uf Mag’og for their assistance in other matters. Let him speak his case. In the mean time,” she looks over to the trapped Earthers, speaking in Olgog “these people should be handled too. I’d hate to have to kill them all.” She suddenly grinned, “I have an idea that involves not killing them and perhaps using them to our advantage.”
Looking back to the leader of Gul’al’s raiders, she says, “You have three decisions to make. Address the issue of the grey fur. If you do not wish to either keep him or kill him, leave him with us. We will take him to our allies and let them decide what should be done with him. Then, let’s decide what we do with the Earthers. Finally, this town, which I recommend you keep to your advantage… but we’ll figure that out only once we decide on the other two.”
Urik surveyed the pile that was the outcast’s share of the loot. It wouldn’t have been a bad cut even before Graf managed to grab the Red bishops grenade launcher, which now hung from its sling over Urik’s shoulder. He was just about to divvy up the rest for the crew when the young Ka Gor spoke. He listened as the brezan replied and decided it was time to speak up.
“If we’re voting I’d say kill the ‘grey fur’ unless it can give a really good reason not to. You can’t trust a Warmonger’s Dead. You never know when their creator will take control again. As for the survivors thats a tough one we have no reason to kill them now but they’re probably better off if we do. I’ve seen what the church’s inquisition does to people like them. Killing and eating them would be a mercy compared to that.”
Zedhzeal smirked at the Ka’Gor, funny how they think no one is onto their agenda. “I have never turned any cared after young into undead soldiers. I only take the discarded and the useless. Honored tribes I ask you destroy the talisman holding me here and let me go. My unit has worked alongside your tribes toward our common goal of defeating the humans, why are we suddenly untrustworthy now?”
“You all think I am the one that can’t be trusted? Why don’t you ask the Ka’gor what their gods desired end state is? Please red fur tell us how your fire gods want you to capture all of the other tribes for sacrifice.” Zehdzeal looked to the Ka’Gor. “If you think my unit will be your down fall you are sorely mistaken, honestly The dead units are one of your few chances to hold back the Gor’Na’s fury when they unleash it.”
“Unit 7756 is known to me. Fought at Jamestown against the Earthers.” Tlal’al looked at the others, “I will be taking this one back to his unit. Dead or alive, whichever you decide. It is in-negotiable, so choose the manner of his delivery with that in mind.”
“I know now that the Gang of Uf Mag’Og serves Warmonger by this action,” says Kaka in a challenging way.
“And I don’t like gogs who serve Warmonger,” he continued, "I was at Jamestown and Unit 7756 did not fight. They cowardly snuck through shadows and stole dead.
At Jamestown our tribe rescued other gogs using our fire spirit allies."
“Peace Kaka, do not offend the Uf Mag’og. They do not know of how the Torkol treat those they experiment on. In the same breath the Torkol profane us for our tribes love of the eternal Ka Gor’na,
They say their own tribes motivations don’t matter,” said Makka’na, “we do not have eyes and yet we can see this dead surgeons lies. He is not a soldier or a fighter he is a torturer and one who experiments on other Gogs.”
Tla’al rolled her eyes and smacked her lips. “Like, seriously!!! I don’t care who you serve, ok? Warmonger and the Ka Gor’na aren’t my problem. I care about fighting the Earthers. Are you with me on that one?! Otherwise, why are we even here in the Brezan deserts?! If you’re here to help, great. Otherwise, not my problem.” She looked over to the Zehdzeal, “So here’s the barter. You go free, no more gogs. You can’t speak for the rest of your tribe, but I don’t care about them, they’re not here… so think on that.” She then looks back to Kaka, “If you have a problem with my gang, bring it. We’ll meet you in Brez. Otherwise, don’t try to intimidate me, I’ve seen bigger if you know what I mean.” She let’s the point sink in, looking at him with sass. Before they have a chance to interject she continues to Makka’na, “I’m not taking away from your exploits against the Earthers. We accept help where we can get it. We don’t discriminate on who helps us…we of Brez don’t have that luxury.” She shoots a look at the group around her, “We have bigger gor to take down. So excuse me if I have no patience to deal with the squabbles between your groups. There’s a whole huge desert over there” She points outward from town, “take your fights over there. Until then,” she looks over to the trapped grey fur, “you have a decision to make.”
She then motions to one of her fellow younglings to make their way to the trapped Earthers, motioning to take food and water.
The oldest of the mancers from the Army of Yyan Kol stepped forward.
“Greetings my name is Galun. We are proud to have been of some service in this endeavor. If you like I could have my companions build earthen works to replace the broke walls of your new town. We ask for nothing in return.”
We will be returning to our army in the morning. We bide you all good night
Makka’na said, “Galun of Yuan Kol, greetings to you. Unless the Mightiest Chieftain disagrees, you should begin work on these earthern works you describe.
An attack by Earthers could happen any time.
And we all have no plan if the Earthers try and retake Simonsburg.”
As the Youngling brought food and water to the captured Earthers one stood up, a young man in the latter stages of middle age spoke up, “Excuse me, I am Mayor Gottschalk, I am the leader of this community. I request to speak to your leader, you have kept us here for a while now and I wish to know why you attacked my town and gunned down my people.”
The youngling looked at the Earther, and shouted out in Olgog, “Uhm, this Earther is talking and I don’t understand him.” One gang member laughed and said, “Does it matter?” Another responded with, “Then cut off his tongue.” Several of the gang members laughed. Tla’al shot them each a look, making them quiet immediately. “Lurog, go speak to the Earthers.”
A gangly Olgog made her way over to the Earthers, relieving the youngling of his duties. “Most of us don’t speak Earther. I learned from a young age when my family lived in a village north of here… until Earthers came to town, killed all the Olgog, cruxified my parents, and forced me into hiding. Those of us that speak your tongue share similar stories. So what do you want?”
Mayor Gottschalk turned to Lurog, “I want to know why you decided to attack our town and murder my citizens. We have done nothing but live in our village here, those 5 men that were slaughtered on the roofs had families, they were attempting to defend their homes from an unprovoked attack. We have been herded here and told nothing. What we really wish is for you to leave our town and let us live our lives.”
“There is never an attack that is provoked between our peoples. Hasn’t been since your kind came to our planet.” Slight pause, looking over at Tla’al. “My leader is trying to negotiate that you all not be killed, tortured, or anything else. I think he means you all to live. I can’t say I understand… we release you and you’ll be killed when you get back to your kind.”
“So you just decided to attack this town and butcher some of my people because you were bored? You just decided, hey there is a town that isn’t threatening anyone lets sack it?” Mayor Gottschalk sighs “I guess everything we have been told is true.”
“My Earther must be rusty. I never said boredom. I said there is no such thing as unprovoked violence. We see your kind and we assume you want to kill us. Besides, look at this place. You have no reason to live here. Nothing grows, you have to fly water in a machine. You have an entire continent to occupy, why take our lands if it is not to kill is all??”
Urik took a thoughtful puff on his cigar as Tla’al walked away. “Not sure I agree with that girl’s priorities.” He said to no one in particular. Rum-blood shrugged.
“Isn’t there some old saying among earthers about the enemy of my enemy?”
“Yeah but when one of them wants to take over your plain and implant eggs in everyones brain and the other wants to take over and wipe out all life I don’t think that applies. Still it’s her show. She says the dead guy walks I won’t argue.” He turned to the Yyan Kol and Ka Gor representatives. “Do you think you could get those bunkers above ground again? If there is a counter attack coming they could be useful.”
The mayor looked surprised, "an entire continent? My grandfather and the people who started this town decend from Dunesphere, it is on a peninsula to the west, that is all our people control. The other colonies abandoned us when they gave into the temptations of the devil. We have no continent.
As for flying in water and food, this was not always the case. When this town was first built there was a well up north, not the biggest well but it provided, we also had a small farm. The harvest was meager, no one was fat here. However after a while Goblin Raiders from that city you have to the east, what is it called? Braz, Bruz, Brez! Right Brez, well raiders came and took the food from the farm then burnt it down killing the farmer and his family. We sent for aid, so Dunesphere sent food and water along with additional workers to build this landing pad and the rebuild the farm. They sent some Paladins to protect it as well, sadly they could not stop the raiders from bursting out of the ground and slaughtering them and the farmers once again. They took the food and again burnt down the farm.
After that no one wanted to work there anymore, so we started getting regular food and water shipments. We had a minimal defense force here and were mostly ignored, only a few times a year do raiders steal food, a few die of starvation a year, mostly the elderly who give their portions to the young. Not until you came here did we have any major attacks.
Considering we are poor laborers with barely anything to our names I am shocked you seemed worried about us. After the violence at Jamesville we sent word back to Dunesphere begging for aid. We were terrified, so they sent workers to fortify this town. It seems that it wasn’t enough, we were told that you all wwere coming to take everything we had away from us, we hoped that they were wrong, and that we would be overlooked because we were so poor. But I suppse we were too foolish, we should never have doubted the Church."
The mayor leans against the wall, with a look of sadness on his face.
