Stone structures rose up where there used to be huts. Some became tampered with over the years. Transformed into workshops, inns, breweries, kilns those structures formed an artisan caste. Temples became temporary homes for those who lost homes in fires, earthquakes, heavy storms. Some incidents involved attacks from neighboring city-states. Kilscar Orvain, Magesar, Khasun, various tribes, nomadic groups, feral outcasts would become a challenge to the new Chieftain of Oceanrest Var. One group of peoples called the Dark Elves or the Vomani kept harassing them. According to the scouts, warriors, heroes who set out to fight them this nation of Uxane looking dark elves numbered 46,000 in their horde of nomads.
As unfair as it was the dark elves did need a new home. Yet it was going to be temporary as they were nomadic during these seasons. Not the white-haired ones, but the tan skinned, and black-haired dark elves. Migrating across the vast lands between the mountains these elves would settle in multiple places. Not many of their race were still nomadic across this vast land. To them it would become a life or death situation once hostile encounters arise. In his gut he knew hostilities would arise if they did not choose the right chief to rule. Chief candidate Makawhaw or Chief Mogohai were putting forward an effort to becoming Chief. One possessed 229 Retainers and bodyguards. Another candidate held the 3,500 Kraken Priests in their best interests. An Illusionist mentioned herds of velociraptors prowling the northern jungles. In her mind she knew a herd of Stegosaurus kept migrating north and south. Some wanted to control every migration or everyone. In her mind she knew it was best not to control everyone or attempt to control nature itself.
Mages could control people for a certain period of time. Something that could have an impact on who leads the state. Malak and his followers were on the rise again. Ninety-one Warlocks of the Great Old One attempted to bring back control over city-states beyond Kilscar Orvain. Their own rivals, the 66 Necromancers that Kilscar Orvain banished made an ominous return. Surviving the wilderness that surrounded the city-states made for a braver being. Even ones who passed the sentence were baffled by their return. Reminiscent to the return of the Horizon Back Tortoise thought to be a myth. It could be worse. A Caligar as chief or leader. Their obesity never stopped them. Over two thousand of their own spawn, and cannibals would be a nightmare to have return from their exile.
Sool grabbed the idea their city-state could thrive under the proper leadership. Other candidates for the position of leader started to make claims as the weeks progressed. Their forty-nine conjurers, one hundred one abjurers to the candidates nobody expected to return. Plenty of mages, healers made their mark on the population gaining new followers, new villages to add to Oceanrest Var's influence. Yet Kilscar Orvain and a few other city-states threatened the settlements aligned with Oceanrest Var. Sool recalled a tale where 102 Warlocks of the Fiends perished in a conflict that broke out. It was when the Warlocks of the Arch Fey began to disappear. Rumors spread there were forty-nine left hiding in the wilds. While others said none of them existed anymore.
In the Gathering of Peoples Sool, her mother Agibe overheard the issues members of their community wanted to bring up. Some mentioned a herd of one hundred twenty stegosaurus trampling over some tools, workshops, huts, barriers on the northwestern edge. Another one complained over another herd of Triceratops stampeding through a village of 125 people. In an exaggerated tone a bard from Magesar prolonged a tale of how he witnessed 180 or more Huge Lizard-like Beasts of Burden become stolen. A hunter told a tale of those Skull Spiders that lurked high about the trees. One higher member of the Council's Messengers mentioned those monsters took the lives of 4,411 unfortunate souls who wandered into their lairs or domain. One of their own merchants who often hire bodyguards mentioned the scum of Kilscar Orvain started to marshal on other states. Nina the Apothecary held up a piece of a wooden tablet with what she needed for her shop. A quest or errand is what Sool thought of when she caught a glimpse of the drawn items she required.
Sool's own mother pulled her away so she would not jump in and start arguing like she did every week they came to market. Through the crowd Sool could hear names of candidates being praised or insulted. Bumping into nine Shrine Maidens Sool and her mother left the crowd amassed in the markets. She heard her mother mutter something about herself having enough with people turn others into outcasts. It was too much to make those types die out. Just a few days ago townsfolk in a settlement wanted to watch law breaking outcasts die out as a result of their status as an outcast. That issue was disrupted rather than resolved when a band of 157 unpaid, dissatisfied Gladiators from Kilscar Orvain attacked some villages nearby. In response Oceanrest Var sent a group of 71 Martial Arts Adepts who trained in combat for the city state's defense. For some reason that did not start a war with Kilscar Orvain. Her mother became one of the city-state's educators in scribing, music, dance, and weaving. Some of her pupils stayed with them for a few days at a time.
This gave Sool interaction with others from Oceanrest Var aside from school mates and neighbors. Some were children of craft workers, potters, vendors, bricklayers, mages, few of them were the children of warriors. Oceanrest Var and a few other city states often united with the same type of warrior added to their armies. Galloping Crocodile Warriors were said to number 7,448 or more. Each were known to have made a vest from the hide of that violent crocodile many dreaded to encounter. Some became guests in their house for short periods of time. Yet none of them managed to be a guest for as long as one her mother brought in.
Gildan the former slave to a Champion of the Ottante-Badraani city-state called Cariboo. Once a captive to the Cariboo expert captor Modhabad the eighth Pale Croc Sultan, Gildan was called his pet gecko. These Cariboo boasted their city flourished alive with seventeen thousand colonists. While on a hunt for the Mohtaba Beasts with a trio of hired Dark Elf Guides, Modhabad stumbled upon a dangerous Spinosaurus (7,845 recorded as of Calornese year 1844). The spined or sailed beast stood on its back legs still hungry. Only the accounts of a few witnesses described the Badraani Sultan's death. Gildan was not sure what his last words were. One phrase he did utter one day was not everyone was allowed to be married in some cultures. Gildan desired a love life, but his servitude to the Cariboo captor prevented that. Now he assists her mother, their neighbor Sabos the Wood Collector, former tracker. His tracker days caused him to encounter a Vanara, monkey like beings that started to appear.
Sabos liked to tell tales to the children about what dwelled beyond the borders. One tale included nine horned lizard demons have a pet bumpy fat dragon. Another involved a gross statue coming to life. Sool attempted to make herself useful for the past eleven days. She dropped things a few times. Oceanrest Var's populace took their time selecting a new leader despite the posing threats they faced around them. The decision wasn't made until several events pushed them. Kilscar Orvain sent 114 of their own assassins. Some of them were outsiders from lands they were unfamiliar with. Some were caught, others successful. As for the rest Oceanrest Var's guards, and militia left them to the mercy of the jungle around them. It sparked outrage across the city-states whose warriors, and fighters martialed in response. Sool watched her own neighbors arme themselves in preparation for a war with Kislcar Orvain under the leadership of War Chief Makawhaw. It became a difficult decision as many wanted a beast tamer to become chief. One that would direct the beasts away from their lands in a different migration pattern.
Just when the threats appeared clear another one appeared. On the beaches a fleet of strange vessels arrived. Fishermen in their row boats spotted them first, but were captured. These vessels had multiple layers of oars sticking out. On board these vessels arrived what appeared to be Elves in bronze armor, hardened leather, and toughened cloth. Language barriers became difficult. Sool watched from behind her mother's legs as nearly 2,000 of these strangers landed on their shores. If numbers were correct in a head count, she guessed 1,901 or more of these Elves. Oceanrest Var's people watched from outside their walls as this new group made themselves present. Claiming to be from places such as Alegan, Ivodra, southern Castaria these Elves also brought other humans, and half elves. She wondered if the Dark Elves they encountered knew about these lighter or lighter tan skinned elves from the sea. Did they choose not to say anything about them? One these newcomers named Xiphosen ordered them in formation wielding their dipyleon shields, Blades, and Spears. Their new Chief was in a difficult circumstance. Although they outnumbered these newcomers their known enemies or familiar foes would make this a difficult time of the year.