Although this segment followed chronologically from the Courthouse at Celestria, we didn't play it until after the Conqueror invaded Zefar. My reasons for this were twofold. First, I didn't want to give the players the opportunity to stop the Conqueror from invading Zefar. The players might have tried to abort the eastern expedition and convince Celestrones to consolidate his holdings. That's a reasonable thing for them to have asked, but it wouldn't forward the development of technology, or the migration of peoples. Second, I didn't want to mingle two events simultaneously and make the players juggle both the Courthouse and the eastern invasion; mixing up their two priorities might have resulted in some very odd developments. I also did not prepare a historical document for this Event, as the players should already be familiar with the Conqueror and his purpose.
In any case, we turn now to the Conqueror, just prior to the eastern campaign.
Celestrones the Conqueror has completed his consolidation of his holdings in the former Empire of Sathad and, at age 38, is preparing an eastward push into the lands of the Haesonai. The coastal jungles lay before him, and the savannah at his back. His generals insisted upon first establishing firm control over the Galos River and the ports there, but Celestrones overruled them. The giants of Chon Zin are a war for another day, the Conqueror says; we cannot forever ignore the raids of the Amazons into our eastern flank.
But, say his generals, we cannot either ignore the mighty giants. They have fortified the river of Galos with walls and embankments and towers. If we do not defeat them soon, their defenses will be impossible to penetrate.
Oresthal (M, 46) is Celestrones's most trusted adviser since the death of Attades. “To do the most good for the most people, and the least harm,” says Oresthal, “I must first be allowed to study the giants and their culture. They are unlike us, and their cities are built in fours: their people are many and varied. Among them are men with wings, both large and small, who live in the highest parts of the city; and long-lived men of bark-like skin who live in the gardens of the city; and the giants themselves. How are we to know what is good, and what is bad, for a people of whom we know nothing?”
General Yantres (M, 50) is a strong supporter of Celestrones's empire, and a good soldier: obedient when his orders come down, and loud-spoken when his opinion is asked. In this case, he cannot agree to leave the giants at the Conqueror's back. “Precisely because we do not know them, we must not think them idle,” he says. “The giants came down from the Teeth of Nagiz and took the city. They tore down the walls of Nagiz and seized the Empire at the moment the Pharaohs seemed weakest. And here we plan to quit the field, to start an expedition east, and leave behind our holdings in the hands of the locals? The Chon Zin are sure to attack us the moment we send the army east. Let us attack them first. If we impress into our army giants and winged archers, how much easier it will be to proceed east and conquer the Amazons.”
“The Chon Zin are fortifying only east of the river,” says Commander Hareton (M, 34), who commands the Conqueror's personal squadron of ships. “They are preparing for our attack, and yet they are not massing armies. I've seen the docks at Galos. The new Pharaohs of Sathad aren't interested in fighting us, and I say it is best we keep things that way.”
What The Players Decided
Dave likes the culture of the peaceful giants and wants to protect them from the ravages of the world. He can always be counted on to support whatever side they're on. "I say to leave them alone," he said. "They're not attacking. Do you walk up to the hornet's nest and start hitting it? No, you just let them do what they're doing, pollinating flowers."
"That's bees," said Jack.
"Oh. Did I say hornets? I meant bees."
"I agree, they're not a threat," Joe said. "As long as you're not attacking them, they won't attack you. All you have to do," he said, as if speaking to Celestrones, "is walk up to them and tell them their leader isn't strong enough, and take them over. Easy."
There was precedent for that in Earth's history, I told them. That's precisely how Alexander the Great had gotten himself voted leader of the Athenian League.
"No, leave the giants alone," Dave said.
"I'm only taking this position because I know you like the giants," Joe said smugly.
"If I could just play Devil's Advocate, here—" Dave began.
"You, Devil's Advocate? You're already on the giants' side," Joe said.
"—we already know that the Conqueror is going to survive this. We've seen him in the future. We can't stop him from going east and attacking Zefar. Whatever happens here, we know the Conqueror is going to win."
But if he's fighting Sathad-Zin and Zefar at the same time, I pointed out, he might not have enough men for both.
"He could just take one, and then take the other," Joe the Leader pointed out, in his role as God of Conquest. "Then when he got to Zefar he'd have giants in his army."
Dave again hoisted the "leave my giants alone" banner.
"I agree with Joe," Jack said at long last.
Dave wanted it to be known in the blog that he registered his disapproval.
Results
I won't know the results of this round until I've prepped for the next round.
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