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«12. . .74,90574,90674,90774,90874,90974,91074,911. . .128,812128,813»

Aerilia wrote:We need to synchronize our watches!

Mark.

I am the savior.

Cereskia wrote:You don't understand.

A pity party by idiotic me.

Just don't godmode when you come back, and I'll be happy! :)

Do yall eat your ice cream with or without the bone?

Cremelia

Pinguioris wrote:Just don't godmode when you come back, and I'll be happy! :)

*destroys your government and annexes your land*

Molossiania wrote:Do yall eat your ice cream with or without the bone?

dude you know I be bone-in.

Cremelia and United javanese

you could shop at five or six stores
or
just one
*eats a baby*

Madrueji

Although primarily a nation of humans, Madrueji is home to a multitude of different races. While many of them have been lost to the sands of time, one race, in particular, stands above the others, nearly as high in standing as the Shah and his human court. They are, of course, the Desert Dwarves of Madrueji, an old and established race of stocky humanoids who possess an affinity for mining and engineering. Learn more about them here.



Who are the Desert Dwarves?

The Desert Dwarves of Madrueji are an elusive and enigmatic race of dwarven exiles, forced away from their homelands hundreds of years ago. The reason for their exile, and indeed the reason for their settling in Madrueji remains a mystery, as the Dwarves are quite tight-lipped about anything relating to their past. Thorgrim Stonebreaker, the current Dwarven High Lord, refuses to let anyone speak of it, and has threatened execution on anyone who might reveal any Drawven secrets. Nonetheless, the Shah was more than pleased to allow the Dwarves to settle within his domain, as their mining and engineering expertise has proven its worth many times over, ensuring that the Desert Dwarves have become an integral part of Madruejian society.

While one can only guess why Thorgrim chose to have his people settle in Madrueji, Dwarven's biology is surprisingly adapted to survive in desert-like climates. Having rather round bodies, a Dwarf is able to store a fairly high amount of fat within their stocky frame, which in turn allows them to store a good amount of water within their bodies. Being smaller than most races, Dwarves present less body area for loss of water. Finally, as master forgers and blacksmiths, working within overly hot environments (as in closet to fires and forges) is something nearly all Dwarves are familiar with, allowing them to function better within the desert heat. Indeed, Dwarves seem to be a far better candidate for the desert conditions of Madrueji than humans ever could be.



Dwarven Settlements in Madrueji

All Dwarves choose to make their homes underground, usually within the confines of hills or mountains. The Desert Dwarves of Madrueji are certainly no exception, and while much of Madrueji is covered by desert, there are a large number of stone plateaus and mountains that dot the landscape of Madrueji. It is here, burrowed deep into the interior of a rocky canyon, that the Desert Dwarves have created the city of Hamaroud, the Dwarven city of rock and stone. Hamarod is carved directly into the rockface of the canyon walls, in typical Dwarven fashion, and has become the primary settlement for Madruejian Dwarves.

As much of Hamaroud is directly located within the rockface or underground, it is an excellent location for escaping the oppressive desert heat and sun of Madrueji, making it a perfect place for the Dwarves to live in. The mountains and underground caverns of Hamaroud are also home to a large number of precious ores and other gems. The Shah is entitled to a certain amount of treasure, and the Dwarven High Lord is allowed to distribute the rest as he sees fit. Hamaroud is one of the largest and most important cities in all of Madrueji.

While it is known as the "Dwarven City of Stone and Rock", Madrueji is also home to a large number of enterprising human traders, looking to take advantage of the city's wealth and status for their own gain. Thus, within the city itself, the Dwarves are allowed to make their own rules and laws, they are ultimately still subservient to the Shah, and must answer his summons and requests he makes of them. Of course, as the Dwarves have proven time and time again to be a rather valuable ally, he always makes sure to keep any requests he asks of them...reasonable.



Dwarven Contributions

Being master engineers and miners, the Desert Dwarves have contributed a wealth of knowledge to the Shah and Madrueji at large.

Along with the genius inventor Ismail al-Jazari, the Dwarves are responsible for a large variety of automata that can be found throughout Madrueji. Things like automatic hand washers, wine dispensers, hydro-powered chain pumps, and massive water clocks were all engineered by the Dwarves to make their lives a bit easier. These automata utilize no magic, relying solely on water power, gears and pulleys to achieve their desired functions.

The Dwarves also bring unique weapons to Madrueji. They use Stonebows, modified crossbows that fire rocks or lead, and clay shot instead of bolts. They also devised the mancatcher, a spring-loaded device that can be clamped around someone's head or legs to control them, instead of injuring them outright. They are partly responsible for developing the Panjagan, a bow and arrow system capable of firing five miniature arrows at once instead of a single arrow. Finally, it was the Dwarves who helped the Madruejians develop their first gunpowder weapon systems.

Unlike all other inhabitants, the Desert Dwarves use ostriches as a beast of burden and war mounts. Considered untamable and unable to be domesticated. the Dwarves have somehow figured out a way to do just that. They are commonly seen hauling carriages and supporting riders as a sort of "Dwarven Cavalry". Indeed, horses and camels are spurned by the Dwarves, making the ostrich one of their most important animals.

The Dwarven High Lord's mineral stash is second only to the Shah's, it's worth far too high to be measured. While the Shah would love to get his hands on such a valuable stash of rare and precious gems, having the Dwarves as allies is far more valuable than the material worth of said items. The Dwarves burrow deeper and deeper into the sand and rock in search of valuable materials, and what tribute and gifts from them have generated a small fortune for Madrueji. Thus, the Shah decides to leave a good thing alone, although he does worry that all of their diggings may one day disturb the sandworms from their slumber...


Read factbook

Hey peeps! Can I get some feedback? Are the images here to blurry or good enough for a quick reference?

Illusia and Neverendia wrote:
Read the OG post!

The following half of the story continues in Ellie’s first-person point of view.

November 24
11:27
A random grocery in Enigmastadt

Thus it shall begin.

Entering the grocery alone, we already garnered the attention of the populace around us. Of course, that’s to be expected, because it’s Alyse. One could recognise her visage from afar even if they had the poorest of eyesights. While I do not have an extremely sensitive hearing, I could hear the murmurs of many from where we are.

“Who’s with her?” they would ask. “That girl with the hoodie, must be an emo,” another said. “She must be a super-introvert,” I heard another. What is with society nowadays? Goodness, just because they saw a person wearing such extraordinary clothes. Emo?... I would never drop to that level. Super-introvert? That’s one way to flatter me for sure, but in a way it’s true.

I sighed and nodded my head sideward. Alyse took notice and looked at me as she was just about to get a cart. “Are you good?” she asked. I nodded, and just gestured through Illuverendian Sign Language, saying: ‘These people are a bunch of narrow-minded beings.’ She then chuckles and signs back: ‘So you heard them too. Yeah, it’s disappointing. Let’s go get a cart and skedaddle ourselves into the aisles.’ I nodded, and both of us went off to do so. I glanced around and saw that the people still took notice of us, but eventually stopped when they saw the signing. Well then.

As we negotiated our way through the aisles and paths, I decided to raise some topics at the back of my head. Insisting we use sign language, I signed to her: ‘If we both continue using ISL people might stop.’ She agrees, much to my smugness being fulfilled. I then looked around to see if we may have missed a few aisles. Then we finally got into the baking and pastry section. No one’s around.

“Alright, let’s drop that sign language shenanigans,” I said. “There’s nearly no one around so might as well speak, right?”

“Honestly, stopping to sign was a bit time-consuming, so I suppose this’ll do. Maybe later at the till, we could sign again. Sounds good?” she replies enthusiastically.

“If that’s the case, then I don’t mind. The till can be too rambunctious,” I said. “Plus, I believe there’s only a few that use ISL.”

“You may as well use Morse code,” she then teased and proceeded to take the needed components. I scoffed and helped her anyway. Though she’s right, being cooped up since I was a child, I rarely spoke, and if I did, one could think that the wall is actually trying to talk, but fail at the same time. However, Alyse sort of changed that. This boisterous girl made me ramble and ramble when we were little brats. I can’t say I hate her for it, though. That “therapy” helped me through my schooling.

“Alright, I think we’re done here,” I said as I arranged the products on the cart. “We have what we need for baking - in fact, these are even good for a week or so... Do you buy this much when you’re in charge of the groceries of the Midford household!?” I then exclaimed because of the ginormous selections she had! My gosh, someone could literally survive months, even, with all these supplies!... well, just as long their oven doesn’t break down, then it’s all okay.

“Yes,” she answers proudly with an extremely smug face. I facepalmed and sighed in defeat. “I feel sorry for Lady Emilia’s wallet, Alyse,” I replied. “Or your wallet. Actually, you know what? I feel sorry for your entire family’s treasury and storage.”

“Hey, it’s still better than our treasury being literally drained for vices and carnal desires, like what Reinhart did,” she exclaims. Oh dear, I completely forgot about that. “Even if his family had been disgraced when I took power, they’re still struggling to repay their irreversible debt, as Mother rekindled the case three years ago,” she continues, as we began to head off to the till.

“Wait, what?” I looked at her in shock. “Lady Emilia sued them? Goodness, I know she was resurrected or something or whatever phenomenon happened, but… wow. What happened, then?” I asked.

“An Illuverendian court ordered the termination of their peerage after a grand jury found them guilty of misconduct and abuse on their nobility privileges, putting his family name the second on the ‘damned list’. The first there were the Autriches. Now, Reinhart’s parents and relatives are suffering his actions, as they’re practically flagged as nobodies. A persona non grata, as the Daemonians put it.”

“Oh wow,” I simply replied. I’m not all too familiar with all the legalities of the world of the nobility, but… a persona non grata? Good grief. For context, it means that they are an unwelcome person. I would never want to be treated like a nobody, even if I’m an introvert… and I don’t think anyone else would want to be flagged like that.

“Yeah… tough luck, innit?” Alyssa then said as she stopped to take some cold tea and put them into the cart as well. I still shivered at the thought of being flagged as a nobody. Probably because that’s how he treated me- I mean, what?

“It sure is.”

“Well, no use dawdling here. Let’s go,” she then offered. “I know you’re kinda agoraphobic too- and we do not want to encounter Dunce Drake here.”

“He’s the last thing I want to see in a public place, Alyse,” I angrily iterated.

“Hold your horses, Ellie,” she then chuckled. “Seriously now, let’s go. This is also why I want to be the one in charge of the groceries, because when it’s Mum, she takes a bloody eternity to return. When it’s me or Wolfy, we do it hastily but we still have completed our list.”

“Don’t you have maids and servants like we do?” I then asked.

“Yeah, we do.”

“Why not put them in charge of buying the darned groceries instead of you or Sir Wolfgang?” I chuckled. I mean, it’s weird to see the monarchs doing the groceries. All I got was a long ehhhhhhh in response as she shrugs. Next thing I know we’re on the queue of the till. It appears my prediction was right. It. Is. Dreadfully. Rowdy. Plugging back my earbuds, I decided to just wait for our turn. Alyse did the same and was chatting with somebody on her phone. Her facial expressions - though - I chuckled as she was calm and then started to giggle uncontrollably, her blushes becoming extraordinarily radiant for some reason.

Trying to get her attention, I signed: ‘It’s him, isn’t it?’ She notices. She signs back: ‘Yes.’ I chuckled softly and also nodded my head sideward. Taking my phone out I noticed that I’ve cleared about four songs already and the queue has been moving slowly still. Partially getting impatient, I looked around to see what was going on. Oh. Well then. None of my business as usual.

Alyse then came close to me and showed her chat with her... crush, I suppose? I took a gander since she was willing to do so… good grief. These two are already clicking way more than I do Morse code…

‘...now I see why you fell for him.’ I signed.

‘Told you so!’ she replied back. Eventually, she had to stop chatting for a bit, as it was our turn at last. It seemed to me like forever, but finally we’re here. I helped Alyse out by placing whatever she had bought for this occasion, in which I presume doubled as a “charity” to our household’s ailing baking supply. When all was done and out, she paid for her purchase, and soon enough I helped her carry them.

Once we were outside of the premises, I let out a really audible sigh. “Goodness. I thought we were going to be in that line forever,” I complained. “This is why I never do the groceries.” Alyse simply laughed and said: “You’ll get used to it… someday.”

“The question is, when is that someday?” I smirked after saying that.

“I totally forgot. For Pete’s sake I might even abdicate and still you’re on the corners of your abode,” she then replied.

“Maybe. Who knows?”

“You. Now help me put these goods in the trunk, missy,” she then said. “Alright, alright, ‘mum’,” I replied. After completing that task, she opened the doors again. A meow from Stella greeted us. While she did jump out earlier, Alyse had to bring her back in because pets were not welcome inside the premises. Poor kitty.

“Aw, poor kitty,” I said as I sat down. I gave her a cuddle in which she loved and purred audibly. “Did you miss us?” The feline replied with a pretty loud meow, that’s for sure. I guess I got my answer.

“Stella’s taken a liking to you, huh?” Alyse then said as she got on the driver’s seat. “Then again, we had to leave her here because I nearly forgot that the supermarket doesn't allow pets inside. What a bummer.”

“I guess she did,” I smiled.

“She’s all curled up on your cuddles. Though you should put her back on the backseat, though,” she then said. I did let go of Stella and she hopped back into the backseat, snuggling herself into one snowy loaf of cat bread on the rug. As we are on the move again, I stare by the window while listening to my playlist once more. This time, I won’t doze off.

“Careful,” Alyse then uttered. “You might doze off.”

“Oh, pish posh, Alyse. Knock it off. You’re the one who’s supposed to be careful,” I then uttered. We both shared a laugh as we minded our own business, all the way back to my home.

---
timeskip

November 24
2:20 PM
Dining Hall and Kitchen
Jewel of Albemarle, Enigmastadt

Sigh...

After an hour of being scolded by my grandmother who can bite more than she can chew, we’re finally going to cook. About time we did, because I am terribly annoyed already. Maybe some pastries would help me calm down. Thankfully Alyse was my saving grace this time.

“Goodness, your grandmother has never changed a bit,” Alyse then said. “Had I not been there, you’d be dead meat.”

“I know! I’m bloody 25 even, Alyse!” I exclaimed. “Yet it feels like I’m still being treated like I’m 18! What a bunch of conservatives, not letting me mind my own business, at least for once!” With a powerful clench on my fist, I stabbed the knife on its respective board, much to the shock of Stella and Alyssa combined, except the former actually backed off.

“Calm down, Ellie…” Alyse then said, giving me a pat on my head. “I… don’t want to be killed by you right here…” I then just sighed and prepared the necessary components needed for our cooking extravaganza. “I’m calm,” I said to assure her. Well, my actions speak otherwise… because the utensils were definitely clanking, as if they were voicing out my sheer anger inside me.

“Don’t abuse your utensils and ingredients,” she then said. “Pastries, and baking itself, need lots of love and care. Don’t bring out your anger on them~ unless you want muffins that look like a hurricane passed through and it’s all just crumbs for the kittens. As for the muffin, well, it’s virtually nonexistent.”

“Right,” I said. “My apologies. How many batches are we going to make? Would it be fine if we made more?”

“A dozen, perhaps?” she suggests. “The components I bought can make more than a dozen.”

“No slop, Alyse, the components you bought could make me survive on pastries for a month or two,” I clamored. “Are you trying to give me some sort of stealthy charity, huh?”

“Maybe.”

I rolled my eyes and decided to make some batter, good for a dozen batches of muffins. “Alright, I guess we’ll go with a dozen,” I said. “It doesn’t hurt eating a few more than my usual intake, I suppose.”

“I mean, you have an excuse,” she replied. “You’re ticked off.”

“Yeah…” I sighed. “For once, I’m in a mood for sweets. Or pastries. So… thank you for coming and suggesting to cook alongside,” I said and smiled a bit. Getting a bit hungrier I expedited the process of preparing our components, and she did the same. As if we were in some funny cartoon we were rapidly running around preparing the necessary utensils, making a whole slew of noise, and of course the beloved oven… never forget about the oven.

“Are we all set?” she then asks.

“More than you can think of,” I replied.

We then began the painfully long cooking process, cooking a dozen batches of muffins as planned. I couldn’t deny the fact we were making a huge mess alongside, but… it’s mostly the work of Alyssa. Is this how she cooks at home? This is calling for me to mock her jokingly via a poem… hehehe. Nonetheless, we had to wait for it to be fully cooked to perfection, so I decided to use that time to grab my phone and write down that poem…

I then started writing it down, snickering as I tap down the screen. I glance to my left and there’s Alyssa, shifting her attention between the oven and what I was doing. Eventually my snickering intensifies, much to her extensive curiosity. “What are you doing there!?” she clamors. I decided to irritate her more by turning away so she cannot completely see it anymore.

“Don’t be such a killjoy now, Jeanne!” she complained.

“Hah. Even if you call me with my proper honorifics and in my full name, I will not budge,” I teased. I moved back further, still snickering. I took a glimpse at her and… huh. She’s giving me a dead fish-eyed stare. That’s not going to work on me because I do that all the time. I let out a small chuckle as I continued tapping, and what do you know, I’m done. Coincidentally, the oven let out a few ‘beeps’ as well. The muffins are also done… mmmmm… delicious and fluffy muffins…

“Alyse, the muffins are done. Let’s take them out before they start burning,” I said. She then hands me a pair of mitts, and proceeds to wear her own. I’m not surprised that she hands me a pair of cat paw mitts… right… trying to get back at me just because I refused to show her what I was writing. We then opened the oven door, and there it was… oh, how delish! The fragrant odour wafted around the kitchen and across the adjacent dining hall.

“I can’t wait to eat it off the tray,” she then said. Woah. Apparently someone is more gluttonous and a hungry wolf than I am.

“You’ll hurt yourself if you do that. You’d also disrespect the golden rules of the kitchen, and your own protocols,” I said to her as we carried the tray into the table. Smoke still wafted out of them fluffy li’l things, awaiting to be devoured by two famished childish noblewomen. Alyse then chuckled after I said the warnings to her, and took off her mitts afterwards, grabbing out some plates.

We then sat down facing each other, each of us having her own share of the muffins on an individual plate. As I was hungry, I didn’t hesitate to take the first bite.

Nom.

My gosh…! It’s… a muffin from…!

“Heaven!” I then exclaimed, with a pretty wide smile on my face, after relishing every crumb of it. Alyse couldn’t help but to be shocked as I looked at her afterwards. I then gave her a weirded-out stare and tilted my head to the side as if I’m curious about why she was giving me that expression. She chuckled and took a bite as well, and much to my hilarity she also had a similar expression as I did.

“It’s perfect…!” she said, relishing every bit. “I guess the best chef or cook is always a famished stomach, innit?” she then turned to me, in which I nodded in agreement and took more bites in my share. It was deliciously fantastic, nearly no difference to my first bite, even. Goodness, I could live in muffins alone if I was permitted to!... well, that, or maybe when I move out and find my own home I suppose.

While we were eating our shares, I decided it was time to show Alyse what I wrote. I took out my phone, swiping until I got to the app I needed to see. “Alright, I guess it’s about time I show you what I was hiding from you earlier,” I said, partly sighing and chuckling. “Are you ready for it?”

“What do you think?” she replied, crossing her arms.

I giggled. “Here,” I said and showed her the screen. It wasn’t much, but a little hilarious poem really. It went like this:

Eggs will be cracking
Bowls and whisks clanking
Powder clouds forming
For Alyssa ‘n Ellie will be baking

All while Grandma
Gets frustrated for a millenia
For the mess in the kitchen
Will surely get her eyes twitching

Alyse then laughed… and laughed… and laughed… for a solid five seconds, then coughing and wheezing intensely afterwards. She recovered after a few, and then chuckled. “Oh gosh. I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s… why… Why did you do this? What came into your mind, Ellie!?” she then began to laugh again. I couldn’t help but to laugh a bit even because of how contagious her laugh was… oh dear.

“I don’t know! Don’t ask me because I don’t even know,” I said, slowly losing my own sanity as well. I had to quickly recover and drank a glass of water, still giggling afterwards because of how stupidly childish that poem was. But it’s true… we did make a mess in the kitchen. Seems that she’ll have to clean this again. Or we’ll clean this. Or our household staff will have to do that… eh, who knows. Pretty sure she’ll lose it upon seeing it anyway!

“In all seriousness, I’ll clean up the place before I leave,” she then said, recovering her composure as she eats another muffin. “I don’t want you to get in trouble with your grandmother especially after what had happened earlier. Good grief.”

“Eh, it’s okay,” I said. “It would be rude for the guest to be doing the clean-up job. That’s just inhospitable and ignoble. I don’t want me or my family to be in some kind of list to have our peerage removed just because ‘we had the Queen clean up a kitchen mess’...”

“I think that’s just as petty as the reasoning of your grandmother most of the time, Ellie,” she utters. “I’m not that, er, ruthless. Plus, it was my own decision for us to make some muffins. I’m the one who has full responsibility over today’s events.” She bowed her head a bit, which is… odd, I guess?

“There’s no need to be that modest and overly accountable. We have butlers and maids for a reason,” I said before chowing down on another muffin. After swallowing it, I continued: “I need to give them a justified reason for their monthly salary, you know. They’re not here just for the sake of the house looking grand and posh.”

“Are you sure about that?” she asks.

“Yeah. Don’t make such a big fuss about it,” I smiled and assured her. “What’s important is we both had fun shopping around and ultimately cooking some delicious muffins for us both to enjoy, right?” I said as I took another piece.

“I guess you’re right. I’m sorry,” she then said.

“Not to worry,” I smiled. We then continued to devour the entire batches we had cooked. Can’t help it - anger and being famished had us really craving for food. But to finish a dozen batches is quite the feat, at least in my opinion. Nevertheless, even if I said the maids would do the cleaning… Alyse’s natural instinct came up and thus she washed the dishes and utensils used afterwards.

Well, I suppose it doesn’t hurt to do a bit of housework. I then tidied up the table and the kitchen counters, making sure they were gleaming like crystals under light and shiny as a polished wooden floor. As I did that, Alyse placed back the dishes, trays, and utensils to their rightful places - and kept the excess components she had bought to where they should be. After what seemed to be hours - well, minutes actually - we were done. To think in the end we’d do the housework anyway…

“And… voila, we’re done!” she said, wiping some sweat off her forehead. “Sorry I had to clean it up anyway, though. Natural instinct, I guess…”

“It was contagious,” I replied. “I thought to myself: why not do some bits of housework after seeing you diligently wash those dishes squeaky clean…” I then giggled afterwards, looking away.

“What time is it, by the way?” Alyse then asked. I checked my phone, and to my surprise, it’s 4:30 in the afternoon. Goodness, did we really take that long? I then looked at her and said: “It’s 4:30. Another end of the day for us both. Are you going home already?”

“Sadly, yeah,” Alyse replied. “I got to have some rest as well, too. It’s been fun today, and not to mention in a few days I get to return to duty as the monarch. Make sure to drop by at the palace, though! You’re always welcome there.”

“You do know it’s still a national government building and thus I can’t saunter through like some bloke, Alyse,” I said with a stare. Come on, it’s one of the country’s most important buildings, and a random noblewoman’s just going to enter like she’s a member of the family? No way. Unless she invites me, of course.

“I know it is,” she replied. “But I can invite you if I wanted to, right?”

“Knew it,” I replied. “I suppose I could come around if you wish. Well, let’s go. I’ll escort you outside.” I stood up and walked out with her. Following us was Stella. To my surprise, it’s already sunset, and hues of orange lit up the halls of our home. A cold breeze blew through the open windows as well, enough to make me shiver. As we went outside, I felt a bit sad because I’ll be back on my lair once again, but then again I’m used to it.

Alyse then opened her car doors. Stella then hastily jumped up inside; and I stood nearby, waving already. “Stay safe on your way home!” I said.

“I will! You have a good one!” she said, and boarded. I spared no time to head back inside. Another day will be over soon anyway - but at least, today was something different. I stretched my hands as I re-entered my room, going back to my own business.

---
Second timeskip and switch to Alyssa’s point of view

November 24
6:25 PM
Living Quarters - Foyer
Enigmastadt Palace, Enigmastadt

After a long drive and buying some stuff, Stella and I arrived home. I carried her back up as I stepped out of the car after parking it. I also decided to give her some pats as I walked up to the living quarters of the palace. Much to my surprise as we arrived there, the foyer was empty. Is everyone busy or having dinner already this early?

“I’m home!” I called out.

Mother then pops out, apparently having finished doing errands in the garden. “Oh, you’re home, dear,” she said as she gave me a hair ruffling. “My apologies, I was busy trimming a few plants in the garden.” I smiled and nodded, putting Stella down afterwards, which quickly jumped on her hands instead. “How was your day with the Countess?” she then asked as she sat down.

“It was great, we had fun shopping and making muffins,” I said. “And… I guess being chewed by her grandmother… oh dear.”

“Chewed?” she asked curiously.

“Yeah,” I said. I explained what had happened. It was still a nerve-wracking confrontation, after all… even now, I still shiver and feel bad about Ellie’s predicament.

“I see,” Mother then said and let Stella roam around. “So you got confronted by a very grumpy old noblewoman of the Albemarles. Don’t tell me she screamed at you? Because I will not permit that kind of travesty to my own daughter!” she suddenly exclaimed, her eyes glowing red and her arms crossed over her chest, with a condescending glare coming out from her face.

“Woah, Mother! Chill!” I then laughed nervously. “She did feel bad when she realised I was the one with Ellie - and immediately calmed down… she didn’t chew us any further, nor did she chew Ellie afterwards. But she was so cross with her own grandmother afterwards that we had to make a large batch of muffins.”

“That better be the case,” Mother then said. “Even if I yell at you or Wolfgang at times or back then, it was done for the sake of discipline. I will never permit anyone to yell or berate both of you for no absolute reason whatsoever.” Her tone suddenly changed, “Anyhow, muffins, you say? I presume you have more room in your stomach for dinner, because there’s a lot of food for tonight.”

“I suppose I’m hungry again,” I chuckled.

“You bloody glutton,” Mother then laughed.

“Always has been, Mother… always has been~” I remarked and gave her a peace sign. I immediately headed into the dining hall. Nothing like a feast to end a very fantastic day indeed…

No BGMs once more. Sorry!

Friently, Aerilia, Rynese Empire, and Astransia

Qwertyujgngbgffndjdu fkywunerud

hello f........riends ya that is what i was going to say friends not any other thing

Democatic Donkeys wrote:Mark.

Mark's here already?

Aerilia wrote:Mark's here already?

Roger.

Qwertyujgngbgffndjdu fkywunerud

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here is this i made it a long time ago but i am showing it in public now because i am strange like that, it is part of my nations lore so ya

Madrueji wrote:
Although primarily a nation of humans, Madrueji is home to a multitude of different races. While many of them have been lost to the sands of time, one race, in particular, stands above the others, nearly as high in standing as the Shah and his human court. They are, of course, the Desert Dwarves of Madrueji, an old and established race of stocky humanoids who possess an affinity for mining and engineering. Learn more about them here.



Who are the Desert Dwarves?

The Desert Dwarves of Madrueji are an elusive and enigmatic race of dwarven exiles, forced away from their homelands hundreds of years ago. The reason for their exile, and indeed the reason for their settling in Madrueji remains a mystery, as the Dwarves are quite tight-lipped about anything relating to their past. Thorgrim Stonebreaker, the current Dwarven High Lord, refuses to let anyone speak of it, and has threatened execution on anyone who might reveal any Drawven secrets. Nonetheless, the Shah was more than pleased to allow the Dwarves to settle within his domain, as their mining and engineering expertise has proven its worth many times over, ensuring that the Desert Dwarves have become an integral part of Madruejian society.

While one can only guess why Thorgrim chose to have his people settle in Madrueji, Dwarven's biology is surprisingly adapted to survive in desert-like climates. Having rather round bodies, a Dwarf is able to store a fairly high amount of fat within their stocky frame, which in turn allows them to store a good amount of water within their bodies. Being smaller than most races, Dwarves present less body area for loss of water. Finally, as master forgers and blacksmiths, working within overly hot environments (as in closet to fires and forges) is something nearly all Dwarves are familiar with, allowing them to function better within the desert heat. Indeed, Dwarves seem to be a far better candidate for the desert conditions of Madrueji than humans ever could be.



Dwarven Settlements in Madrueji

All Dwarves choose to make their homes underground, usually within the confines of hills or mountains. The Desert Dwarves of Madrueji are certainly no exception, and while much of Madrueji is covered by desert, there are a large number of stone plateaus and mountains that dot the landscape of Madrueji. It is here, burrowed deep into the interior of a rocky canyon, that the Desert Dwarves have created the city of Hamaroud, the Dwarven city of rock and stone. Hamarod is carved directly into the rockface of the canyon walls, in typical Dwarven fashion, and has become the primary settlement for Madruejian Dwarves.

As much of Hamaroud is directly located within the rockface or underground, it is an excellent location for escaping the oppressive desert heat and sun of Madrueji, making it a perfect place for the Dwarves to live in. The mountains and underground caverns of Hamaroud are also home to a large number of precious ores and other gems. The Shah is entitled to a certain amount of treasure, and the Dwarven High Lord is allowed to distribute the rest as he sees fit. Hamaroud is one of the largest and most important cities in all of Madrueji.

While it is known as the "Dwarven City of Stone and Rock", Madrueji is also home to a large number of enterprising human traders, looking to take advantage of the city's wealth and status for their own gain. Thus, within the city itself, the Dwarves are allowed to make their own rules and laws, they are ultimately still subservient to the Shah, and must answer his summons and requests he makes of them. Of course, as the Dwarves have proven time and time again to be a rather valuable ally, he always makes sure to keep any requests he asks of them...reasonable.



Dwarven Contributions

Being master engineers and miners, the Desert Dwarves have contributed a wealth of knowledge to the Shah and Madrueji at large.

Along with the genius inventor Ismail al-Jazari, the Dwarves are responsible for a large variety of automata that can be found throughout Madrueji. Things like automatic hand washers, wine dispensers, hydro-powered chain pumps, and massive water clocks were all engineered by the Dwarves to make their lives a bit easier. These automata utilize no magic, relying solely on water power, gears and pulleys to achieve their desired functions.

The Dwarves also bring unique weapons to Madrueji. They use Stonebows, modified crossbows that fire rocks or lead, and clay shot instead of bolts. They also devised the mancatcher, a spring-loaded device that can be clamped around someone's head or legs to control them, instead of injuring them outright. They are partly responsible for developing the Panjagan, a bow and arrow system capable of firing five miniature arrows at once instead of a single arrow. Finally, it was the Dwarves who helped the Madruejians develop their first gunpowder weapon systems.

Unlike all other inhabitants, the Desert Dwarves use ostriches as a beast of burden and war mounts. Considered untamable and unable to be domesticated. the Dwarves have somehow figured out a way to do just that. They are commonly seen hauling carriages and supporting riders as a sort of "Dwarven Cavalry". Indeed, horses and camels are spurned by the Dwarves, making the ostrich one of their most important animals.

The Dwarven High Lord's mineral stash is second only to the Shah's, it's worth far too high to be measured. While the Shah would love to get his hands on such a valuable stash of rare and precious gems, having the Dwarves as allies is far more valuable than the material worth of said items. The Dwarves burrow deeper and deeper into the sand and rock in search of valuable materials, and what tribute and gifts from them have generated a small fortune for Madrueji. Thus, the Shah decides to leave a good thing alone, although he does worry that all of their diggings may one day disturb the sandworms from their slumber...


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Hey peeps! Can I get some feedback? Are the images here to blurry or good enough for a quick reference?

I was just passing through and thought I'd stop to tell you that, in my opinion, they look just fine. They're not blurry (at least on my end), and large enough to be clearly distinguishable, but not so large as to be distracting.

I enjoyed reading about the desert Dwarves as well.

Ciào.

Ameroind and Madrueji

An evil spirit wrote:I was just passing through and thought I'd stop to tell you that, in my opinion, they look just fine. They're not blurry (at least on my end), and large enough to be clearly distinguishable, but not so large as to be distracting.

I enjoyed reading about the desert Dwarves as well.

Ciào.

Thanks for the feedback! I added links to the full-sized images as a compromise, but good to hear! Glad you enjoyed the factbook!

Molossiania wrote:Do yall eat your ice cream with or without the bone?

What does that mean

The joke proposal is at vote. :) Go vote people!

Molossiania wrote:Do yall eat your ice cream with or without the bone?

Actually with the crust

holy crap today was a very emotional day to be a Mets fan

Harrika

Western Vapia wrote:holy crap today was a very emotional day to be a Mets fan

Me who lives in Arizona:

Harrika

Zapiron wrote:Me who lives in Arizona:

You blew a 4 run lead to a guy who played exclusively in the minor league and a polar bear. Feels bad

Madrueji

Western Vapia wrote:You blew a 4 run lead to a guy who played exclusively in the minor league and a polar bear. Feels bad

And our other teams suck too
Cardinals, haha, bad
This is why i root for the steelers, i get disappointed less

Zapiron wrote:And our other teams suck too
Cardinals, haha, bad
This is why i root for the steelers, i get disappointed less

Cardinals are 19-14 actually. not too shabby for the start of the season

United engiresco wrote:Afternoon, Robespierre.

Mind if I go grab that guillotine for you?-

Not at all. Go ahead

United engiresco

Democatic Donkeys wrote:Roger.

And Roger too?!!!

Well they're certainly early...

«12. . .74,90574,90674,90774,90874,90974,91074,911. . .128,812128,813»

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