Crisis Cycles

How the crisis was handled, by the people of the Great Plateau, which in today's day and age is called the Plague Plateau, by the mountains known the Druzhul Mountains, with three rivers of Gad, Ran and ORC:

The Federated Tribes decided that cooperation would be the best solution. They have sent their most learned mystics up to Dthe ruzhul Peak Academy and to the fragmented city of the Orcgarchy. They provided crucial help in both locations. Their chants were translated to runes carven in rhytmic patterns akin to a heart beat, providing relief. They also developed a new kind of meditation which allowed the orcs could to access the healing power of their battle rage state, while staying perfectly calm.

The dwarves decided to seal themselves under both magical wards, and mundane lock and key. While the crisis lasted, no one could enter. No one could leave. The sole exception to this rule was the Druzhul Peak Academy, to allow the learned doctors to aid with finding the cure.

The Orcs had the opposite idea: they decided to open their metaphorical gates for anyone who wished protection from the disease. Many outback and woodsman types along with itinerant traders flock to the settlement, settling up a camp of yurts and makeshift huts. The various folks while waiting for the cure intermingled. Soon a kind of bazaar has formed.

Similarly, the Federated Tribes opened a Grand Hospital, where they brought in the sick, eldery and disaffected from their own area of influence, where they were given free care. They also offered shelter for the Wandering Listeners, but they only faced denial.

The dwarves were quick to employ the new health magic carving. They have employed it in a most drastic manner though. They decided to carve them directly onto the flesh of the infected dwarves. The process was painful, horrifying, and permanent. The carven dwarves managed to survive the disease, and gained magic resistance, but they have been marked forever. The practicers of fleshcarving became both respected and feared.

The orcs had their own secret project. Some of their doctors left Druzhul Peak with several ice bats under their shirt, pacified with bits of magical ore. They crossbred them with bats snatched from the jungle below: the result of this experiment was the dire Mist Bat, who has become a great friend to the orcs,  a guardian against magical creatures, and also a disctinct jewel in the battle menagerie.

The Federated tribe's hunters and warriors moved out as one: they managed to methodically seek out the evil hives (though their weapons were ineffective, they had to resort to carefully controlled burns), and in their place, they buried stones carved with the new runes. The source of the disease was eliminated, and the wraith insects could never ever return. Now they just had to deal with the stagglers, and the still infected.

The dwarves decided to dig tunnels between their settlements. This was indeed done secretly, as they started to distrust the people outside their walls. They had plans for great highways, but sadly, their resources dwindled due to the shortage of miners, they had to make do with much smaller, yet still ornate burrows. Soon, these tunnels became the secret  arteries, connecting the holds...

King Yarthuryay having been a Wandering Listener once, knew how to give out an unrefuseable summoning to the Wandering Listeners. The reluctant mages arrived, and held council in a grand tent. Yarthuryay has learned that the source of the disease was a Listener Caravan that has been attacked by unknown maraduers. They were possibly raiders from the jungle below: everyone on the plateu knew that the Listeners had no valuable possessions. The Caravan was made of younger trainees: it seems like they cast a spell to protect themselves, and it went horrifyingly out of control. The Listeners were powerless, and ashamed, so they hid wherever they could. They said they hope they can make up for their mistakes, and pledged themselves to work for Yarthuryay, as the Settled Listeners.

Several more months passes, until it has been agreed upon that the plague has been eliminated, and the crisis was over. Thankfully fatalities were low, and the cured people managed to get back to their lives after a few weeks rest. But the people have been changed...

The Gadesu and Ranizeans have proven that their worth: they were the first responders to the disease, and they were crucial to the solution. The Grand Hospital is still open today, and the bond between the two species is stronger than ever. Their booming their trade allowed to open several port towns alongside the Gad river (the middle one, below the Ran river). Their ships continue to improve further, and some say, the hunters and warriors might even make a mechanism to scale the waterfalls into the jungle. Some suspect they might be looking for the source of the mysterious bandits..

The Shamir have vanished as quickly as they came, leaving through the secret paths of the mountain. They left a message, claiming they have been called back, for something of even greater importance happened. When the time is right, Great Shamir Desert between Druzhul Mountains and the Easterhomes will stir, and the Worm Kings will send their regards.

The dwarves have become rather reclusive, no longer as merry, looking at the outer world with paranoia. The capital did everything to defend themselves from both real and percieved threats, and to carry out grand constructions to show off their might. Most visitors had to make camp outside the gates. The farming holds were a lot friendlier, and Druzhul Peak made a vow to always stay open.

A year later, a caravan arrived to Druzhul peak. With it, Dagram II arrived, emaciated, shaven and exhausted... and cured. When questioned, all that he said was that he was finally at peace. Soon, he abdicated his throne, leaving it to his daughter, and retired, spending his years in ascetic isolation. Many dwarves have followed his example, especially dwarves who have covered themselves in anti-magic runic scars.

The Orcgarchy has evolved from a quarreling quartered city, into a bustling metropolis. Many different people dwell in this fractured land, some from beyond the southern quarries, some from the nearby forests, some from the jungles below. These people continously compete with each other, sharpening their skills to a fine edge, be it SPORTSBALL, haggling at the grand bazaar, caring for bats or judging via empathy powers. Some said, that if you want to prove that you have finished the journeyman years of your craft, open a business in the Orcgarchy. If your shop survives, and you don't suffer too many injuries, you are a master of your craft.

Some also said, that with his personal magical bats, Yarthuryay sees all and knowns all..


Decades pass... the Cycle Continues.