Another year under the bootheel of these invaders who shared a similar society, hierarchy, and system to their own. Flirting with the new Geisha, he prayed their new masters would not take her away. Nagga Hel, a reservation for those who resisted these Gantronese invaders. Although they survived, they still felt dead. Built more like a settlement, Nagga Hel was home to 37,000 warriors, retainers, servants, warlords, thralls who resisted yet failed to die. Within the territory of Vorcadam Nagga Hel rested against the tip of Bayushi Peninsula. North of Nagga Hel stood a military base manned by a garrison of 332 lesser Gantronese. Nagga Hel acted more like a prison city rather than a reservation. Yet it allowed trade to flow freely, inhabitants to own land, run business, own people, possess any desires or necessities. So long as they do not go against Gantronese rule again. Looking at this Geisha, Yoba Annid Gorvo thought of the two loose pages from an ancient text kept hidden. It wasn't something he should think about while loving up a partner. Part of a series of volumes depicting some bestiary style of illustrations, these pages had foreign scriptures on them. Whatever script these were written in each lettering or character were lost to history texts, translators, codebreakers, lore masters, scholars, and sages. Both depicted weapons and a deity worshipped or awed by some follower. Most likely worshipped by a believer of the deity depicted. Still worried they would take her away, he offered a flask of Sake. Unopened, this flask was one of many gifts given to 604 prisoners who chose to switch sides. She looked at him with a disgruntled, distraught expression on her face. Her gaze went to the flooring of his own house. Then she looked at the glass door to his bathroom. Only the symbol of the exodus was on there. Appearing on another glass wall to the shower it resembled like a couple of sevens, some fours combined or mixed together.
"You are just a Dairy Associate merchant. Those lazy grass chewing beasts meant to be frozen or become Lion food." She pointed out with her gaze set towards the framed map to some mountainous region left alone for decades.
"We can make a deal." he snapped at her. Yoba actually was taken aback by himself. In his mind Yoba knew he needed to be the authority here. It was his house. By your mother's maiden name Yoba just give her a trophy and shut up. No one can be neutral with the war going on.
"Then fix this." She pointed at the symbols on the glass shower walls.
"No, they allowed me to have that." Yoba glared at her. This is my house you fake singing bard. Without hesitation he splashed water on the Geisha's face. It wasn't something would do. He wanted to send a message to her that she needed to obey his rules in his house. In a calm manner Yoba took the Geisha out of his home. Exiting his own house the graduating prisoner soon to be turncoat stopped at the porch. With his own waist sash the Uwa-Obi, Yoba wiped her face off. Although it speared her make up off it did dry most of the water he splashed on her. Although his own house was smaller, two stories high, it wasn't the only house. Connected to other houses his home shared the same building with three others. One was empty, the other two occupied. One of them was occupied by a Drow who is often armed with two blades when going outside the reservation or prison settlement. His purple eyes separate him from some Drow species or ethnic groups. He visited him once, only to be forced out due to an alcoholic rage. In the fourth townhouse lived four remaining members of some Brother's Gift Dojo. As a quartet they ran the Whate Whale shark shaped townhouse structure. By the collar of her kimono, he lightly dragged her over to the townhouse of the quartet. Immediately the door swung open, and the four older members drug her inside.
Leaving her to her non-lethal fate Yoba took a stroll through the streets of Nagga Hel. On the same street sat other structures. Another town house complex with a handsome traveler drinking up two ales with a mace at his side. An ugly "rhino" woman of rather large physique, purple skin like kimono draped over her. Acting as a servant to a purple skinned Gantronese she cleaned a decorative shoulder piece that stretched down over the left side along the arm. Residing inside her half of the townhouse she served this Gantronese who wears an Iron Face Mask they called a fask that resembled a Phoenix. He sat in the chair with one arm, fattened tentacles for legs. Rumors spread that he sentenced 69 Kepunni Truth Seekers banished, executed, starved. Over the incident that involved 48 personal insolent rivals gaining possession of about 78 stolen secrets. As a Kyuden Bayushi appeared in his viewpoint from the right Yoba recognized the permitted robe or kimono dress code for Yokai Masked female elite blades. humiliating as it was the garment still suited his feature. In the color of green, this outfit contained or possessed jellyfish looking creatures. Next to him lingered a grotesque kitesail glider pirate ronin. A retainer to a member of service members who carried their burden. On his back carried 2 packs full of gear, 2 sniper rifles over their shoulder.
Turning his head to the left Yoba spotted one of the 66 Ignobi Enforcers given authority over the prison settlement. Just over a score or more enforcers compared to the 923 Gantron Spawn, 844 Gantronese Guards. Last year these Ignobi managed to round up 33 Shosuro Takaoji Shadow Shinobi professional assassins, 54 Bayushi Aramoro Shinobi agents. Both were part of the Court of Deception. Yoba hoped to avoid the whispers of Bayushi of Three Lips. Once they discovered any of the Three Lips members at their door it was over. Something he did not want to happen to himself. His loyalties were steering towards their Gantronese masters. Certain he did not want to catch the attention of the Bayushi or the Gantronese watch dogs, Yoba made his way through the settlement square. Passing at most 57 Opium Wastrel Peasants he spotted a dirty carriage from the Vestrisian parts of Calorn. One of the opium addicts slept in the broken-down vehicle as a distraction for the authorities from the real opium addicts. This started recently as the Bayushi Collectors gathered 72 scrolls from Dojos while on Duty. All over the settlement authorities found 67 jars or vials of the stolen Breath Poison. This discovery prompted the need for 75 or more Asako Maezawa Elder Courtier who are trained as Scholars, Healer, Philosophers, Investigators to be sent over. He could have sworn they offered advice to 87 Peasants, 54 of whom offered testimony to the Gantronese Authorities. While walking through Minotaur Beast Rd he passed the Antlered War Lord Lane. Thanks to the Gantronese sweeping through they found other creatures among the populations.
His eyes rested on a Mahadi cat folk walking upright donning gold combat armor plating with a scimitar at their side. They were handed extra chopsticks by a lean thin looking figure of a Vorcadamese fellow. Most of the aliens who chose to fight or serve the Gantronese were granted permission to hire or take locals of conquered areas as personal retainers. By the Book Keeper's office, a medium sized obsidian skinned cephalopod creature entered a suite office with a station representing some Dwarven Dig Site to the northwest. One of the suites had a small dragon painted on its door window. Some kimono daughter of a hybrid Gantron Collaborators poked fun at how cute it looked. She was accompanied by a mutated Lothair, or wolf man who wore a spiked tortle shell on their back. Behind them, over the left shoulder Yoba spied a spotted greyish skinned Ogre-Troll with a scar on the back of their head making molds of statues. Antlered Warlord Lane took him through the markets where nosy people were being arrested. The barracks, which authorities set up housed a large battalion of new troops used as sentries. It was rumored that 766 humanoids who looked the same resided inside.
Smell of cooked meats, steamed rice, lit scented candles mixed with the fires of poor residents made for an interesting aroma. Mistaken for an odor by any newcomers, new arrivals, visitors, or traveling merchants permitted to enter these smells incurred jokes or muttered rumors. Mainly comprised of Nagaya style houses, hoof shaped houses with conical roofs, two story shack looking homes this settlement was more like a prison. Packed or shoved into these homes like sardines 37,000 oriental looking peoples who once resisted or surrendered to the Gantronese were now at a crossroads. In full defiance against these invaders the peoples of Koriv, Gora-Via, Vorcadam, Talus, the small island continent found themselves overrun. One former Gora kingdom of Usakun witnessed their Usaku Tetsuko, Battle Maiden Cavalry gave their defiance until only 72 members remained. Rumors spread about them concerning their fate. Despite being fifty or so years since their invasion, the Gantronese still dealt with resistance. In the northern regions near Mulzan a large group of ex retainers, deserters, ronin, warrior turned brigand followed the lead of a merchant. Yoba did read the articles on the monitors placed in the markets, and square. According to Ejonne sources some 451 rebels under the leadership of this merchant, an ex-spy, and priest roamed the country. Rumors spread about the merchant having rivals and under the guidance of an island moon gazer.
His own feet shielded from the wet ground by hardened leather with soft stuffed lining took to the edge of the prison settlement. From the wall he spotted the Gantronese alien treaded vehicles on patrol. It was right after a conflict occurred in another prison settlement. It explained the extra garrison of 700 or more that were stationed here. Gantronese authorities made attempts to hide their loses to the Calornese Alliance, and the V.U.V.R. that emerged from the union between nations. This conflict disrupted migration patterns of feathery beasts prowling the surrounding area. Very similar looking to galliform bird species, these beasts are either gold feathered, gray feathered, charcoal, or green feathered. Most are large enough to be used as mounts, but hardly worth use in combat during a modernizing age. One of the prizes he received after facing one of these feral or diseased feathery creatures was some mailed gauntlet from a Nazdar combat noble leader. That act alone saved the life of a Yasuki Oguri Courtier. One of 51 Yasuki Oguri Courtiers who arrived from Gora-Via, Talus, Vorcadam, and three other states for 69 replicas of the Liar's Mask of the Agoi in Vorcadam. Gantronese authorities saw this and chose to recognize him as a loyal subject.
Six days later Yoba was summoned to attend a banquet of loyalty. As one of 48 candidates who made an opening he was allowed to watch the testimony of only 12 Alibi Bushi-Shinobi Artists offer testimony. Clad in their lavish kimono robes these Shinobi Artists made their opening seem stale despite the sword play and martial arts performance in column. Before them, seated on a Daimyo style throne like cushion, the Gantronese with their numerous tentacles for legs chose the fates of each candidate. Some went to the 93 Doji Fumiki Courtiers of the Fan/Fashion who were prone to dress for occasions their targets would attend. Others went to the 47 Kitsuki Shomon the Bushi Duelist Coaches to train recruits from the local populations of Koriv. Most went to the 72 Akado Kage Armed Wise Envoy Courtiers as apprentices. Only five were given over to the 45 Soshi Aoi Shuganja the Shinobi Mages of Illusion. Yoba's fate was placed in the hands of a unit of Mahadi cat folk who were not the type to pet. Looking up at the skies when it was over Yoba felt on top of the world. A year later he was commanding a small unit of nine Oda Sa cavalry in the fields of a country known as Zekmar. Going out without heavy armor on Yoba and his Oda Sa went up against a group called the Zema Ilam.