8834, Months 6-12
Turn 29
When you broke the news to the people, because you refuse to keep something like the death of the Greyvines hidden, there is much grief. They were crafters, they were builders, and they were your people as well. Just as capable of as much savagery and honor as any other tribe, and with their loss there is another part of the old Gurubashi Empire that is lost and not coming back. There is concern and confusion when it comes to the dragons, these mysterious flying lizards that appear to be able to just come in and out of dreams. But then again, it's not that difficult to figure out, at least somewhat. Clearly, they are no simple beasts, and perhaps it is more like they are Loa. Or chosen by Loa? Perhaps this 'Ysera' is one such, a greater dragon who has granted favor, form, and mind to those below like the beasts blessed by their Loa. Or perhaps not. You don't know.
What you do know is that you cannot afford to wait much longer. Di'zo and the Atal'ai are fortifying their lands. They are once more working to bring Hakkar into the physical world, where he can drain the blood of all living things as he wishes to satisfy his unending thirst. This cannot be allowed to happen. It will not happen. Not after all that you have fought for, all that your people have fought for! There is fear amongst the people, yes, but outweighing it, outweighing all the others, is anger. Fury, white hot and blazing. It is not right that your people should hate a Loa so, but Hakkar is most certainly an exception. He must be brought low, and even if you do not possess the skill to slay a Loa such as he, you most certainly can slaughter every last one of his followers and shatter every last one of his shrines, which for the Loa is essentially the same as killing them.
Anger enough, perhaps, to consider things that were not before.
"What is dis?" You ask Zul'Jo, gesturing to the hundred warriors in front of you.
They are not your elites, not riders of beasts or hunters. Their weapons and armors are polished well, but what you can't help but focus on more is the fact that they are all of them elders. Grey hairs, skins beginning to slacken and grow loose as their regeneration cannot keep up with the power of time itself. To be sure, they are still strong and swift, though perhaps not as much as in their youths. In each of them, all one hundred, is a burning will and determination that you have rarely seen. You had been willing to meet with Zul'Jo, though he'd been deliberately sparse on the details.
"These ones, they got mixed blood between the tribes," he says solemnly. "Greyvine blood in dem, each and every one."
You cluck your tongue.
"Ah."
"Dere be more of us, sure," one of the warriors speaks up, "But…we be old, Chieftain. Getting older. Might have to wind down in de next few years, put down the axe and such for the children."
"But with dis Di'zo and dem Hakkari…nah," another says, his back straight and shoulders pushed back. "We gotta get revenge for de Greyvine."
"And we gonna," you say slowly. "But I'm thinking you all got a different idea."
The spirits whisper, the skulls of your staves rattle, and immediately your eyes go wide.
"Next chu gonna say you wanna call on Bwonsamdi!?" You cough out, practically strangled by the words.
"We wanna call on Bwonsamdi," the first speaker says, jerking and blinking as he realizes. "Uh…yes, Chieftain."
"You wanna call on the Loa of the Dead," you say, this time a bit louder, voice strained. "You know what dat could cost you, mon? What it means for ya?"
"Ah, yeah, but," a third of the warriors scratches at the back of his head. "If we don't take the Hakkari down now, then what's the point of afterwards for the Gurubashi?"
"I ain't got kids, but those dat do want a world where they ain't gonna have Hakkar come running drinking they blood," another grunts, holding himself still at attention. "Why not us greys, Chieftain?"
Sucking more air through your teeth, you rock back on your heels for a moment.
"I ain't ever called on Bwonsamdi before, not like dis," you murmur.
The other Loa, sure, but you don't have a temple or shrine like you think there might be on Zandalar. And yet, even speaking his name aloud, whether because you are you or because he's already taking an interest in the conversation, you swear you feel a light amused chuckle rustling in the dead leaves and twigs along the ground. Here, deep in Zul'Gurub, between temples and buildings, on a day when it seemed a lot more like there wouldn't be much wind at all. You do not show your warriors, nor Zul'Jo, how unnerved that makes you, and instead try to focus on the situation at hand. Specifically, that some of your trolls want to make a deal with Bwonsamdi – the same Bwonsamdi who just laughed and snapped the gate shut when you tried to interrogate that one Zandalari's soul who had been helping the Bloodscalps.
"But you be Jo Jo, mon. You can do it," one insists.
"Tch. I'll think about it," you grunt, folding your arms.
"But-,"
The wind rustles loudly, this time on your part, with the skulls on your staves chattering. Behind you, your shadow snaps upwards, going from flat to three dimensional, expanding itself like that of a dire troll to loom behind you and definitely above them.
"I said I be thinkin'!" You shout, glaring them all down. "You may be okay wit callin' Bwonsamdi's attentions and making a deal wit him, but like chu said, you can't call him so easy."
Oh, it's not like it's beyond the Loa to respond to a regular old troll, one that isn't a priest or a witch doctor or anything like that. In fact, there are plenty of nighttime stories about Bwonsamdi doing just that, and getting to laugh all the way back to his realm with a troll's soul in hand.
For all of that, though.
No one can say that Bwonsamdi is weak. Or his gifts and blessings.
"So I'll be thinkin'," you turn on your heel. "Now everyone get back to work! We gotta war to prepare for!"
Military: Zul'Jo is a good friend of yours besides being family, and he is one of the best fighters you have. He's led raid after raid out from the back ways of the ruined city where your tribe currently resides, but he's been itching to get out there and start taking it back instead of just breaking faces. (LOCKED):
Train Them Up: You have a number of drudges who were never granted true training or equipment, but were nevertheless utilized in a considerable amount of fighting over the past generation or two. With your foundries and smiths able to work without being under constant threat of being killed, it is time that this changed. Use your voodoo to figure out what they might be good at, here and there, while having Zul'Jo and other elites train them. Transform these basic drudges into true warriors or otherwise depending on what they turn up to be most good at. After participating in the fighting for so long, they can't really be said to be inexperienced in any fashion. They were just never given the chance, for they most certainly possess the gumption. And yes, a number of them might die when you head into the Black Morass, but frankly, dying in the name of the Loa and more specifically in the name of putting an end to the Hakkari once and for all is a perfectly worthy death. One that will surely bring favor with the Loa. To be sure, Bwonsamdi might be a bit glutted after this, depending on how things go, but you obviously aren't going in for this to empower him. But having more troops can only mean that hopefully less people die. Cost: 1,500. Time: 2 Turns. Reward: Significant number of Drudges become fully trained and equipped troops, i.e. Headhunters/Hunters/Warriors. Will Complete This Turn.
Beast Ward Upping: Now that you've had some time to let them breed amongst themselves, it is time to get them properly trained. Basic discipline and other foundation behavior has been ingrained in them since the beginning. But now it is time for full war training. Convenient that they'll be trained at first to go after trolls because their teachers are trolls. But each of them has their own values, their own strengths, and most importantly they must be trained to be able to fight alongside one another. That latter part is most important, as traditionally in the jungle they might be enemies to one another. Whether raptor or tiger, panther or crockalisk, it must be done so that you can prepare. You don't know what beasts the Hakkari might have on hand, but considering where they are you somewhat doubt that they have a particularly large number of tigers and panthers to match your own. Cost: 1,500. Time: 2 Turns. Reward: A raised number of various animals in the Beast Ward, improved irregular warfare strength for later combat. Will Complete This Turn.
Kobold Keep Away: The kobolds of the Gurubashi Mountains are becoming a plague on your forces there. This cannot be allowed to continue. Cowardly creatures, surely they will flee if you kill a significant enough number of them? Like, a whole lot. Patrol back and forth, let them see the might of the Gurubashi, for in these past centuries they have apparently completely forgotten. This cannot be allowed, not only because of how ludicrous it is that they are infesting the mountains that are literally named after your people - even if they don't acknowledge that fact - but because you want your forces to be as unhindered as possible if they should be marching north up into the Black Morass from there. Conveniently, this will also further help solidify the bonds of your troops through shedding blood together. Cost: 500. Time: 2 Turns. Reward: Kobolds thoroughly cleared out of potential marching route towards Black Morass. Plus, on sheer volume alone, sacrificing their souls to the Loa could only improve your chances. Chance of Success: 75%. Will Complete This Turn.
Beast Armoring: Now that everyone is not in the middle of constantly fighting with one another, you have enough time to set aside for the various smiths of the tribes to work. Specifically, in ensuring that your Beast Ward is better protected for the upcoming fight. You can't just go rushing headlong into the Atal'ai, they've had who knows how long to prepare for exactly this sort of scenario. You've got no idea how long Di'zo has been alive, but if he is an example of some of their elites, this is going to be a hard one. It must be done, of course, which means that as a result, your soldiers must be properly prepared. Including the bestial ones. None of them particularly love being draped in metal and studded leather, but it will keep them alive longer in the fight. Mostly you need to protect vital areas without reducing their capabilities, and every little bit helps. Armoring them and then training them to fight with said armor on will no doubt result in many a lost finger or hand, but what is life as a troll without a little bit of limb loss? Cost: 500. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: All possible Beast Ward types gain minor armoring, ensuring better survival rates in combat.
Securing Crystalvein Mine: The crystals of the eponymous mine are odd things. A bit more magically resonate than mundane quartz or anything, which has in turn caused the basilisks who consume them to be a bit more powerful than others. The crystals themselves actually hum, very quietly, in a slightly different sound to crystals found elsewhere in the jungle. In the past, the singing crystals of Stranglethorn were used for a variety of purposes, from decoration, magical ingredients, or even to aid in the construction of certain musical devices. Hopefully with the jungle getting just a slightly bit more peaceful, such things might become commonplace once again. But first you need the mine back, and in time the other places where the crystals might be found must be similarly secured. You don't want to kill all of the basilisks either! Their very nature makes them quite valuable for study of alchemists and others who wish to study such a divergent creature of the natural world. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Crystalvein Mine Secured. Some basilisks secured. Mining Income.
Diplomacy: Your tribe built the Gurubashi Empire up out of bloody conquest, strong words, and overwhelming influence. It was made from the bonds between numerous tribes, all working together albeit under one unifying group i.e. the Gurubashi. It's time to see what else you can do in this area. (Choose 1):
Tribal Unification: This is what may take quite a while, but will be quite worth it. Before the rebellion, the civil war, before Hakkar? The Bloodscalp did not exist. The Skullsplitters, the Greyvine, all of them did not exist. Oh, sure, castes existed, and castes are what the people splintered into because it was who and what they knew. But before all of that splintering, there was only the Gurubashi Tribe, of the Gurubashi Empire. The Hakkari, damn their souls, were part of the priestly castes before they became something...other. And you will regard the Atal'ai as a separate tribe now, because they are not fit to kiss the dirt beneath your feet! There will be no reunification with them, only death and destruction. But everyone else? Everyone else must, surely, admit that the time for separate tribes is over. It is time to return to the good old days. One tribe. One people! The fact that it should help reduce chances of rebellion or sedition goes without saying... Cost: 1,000. Time: 10 Turns. Reward: Gurubashi Tribe reunified, Bloodscalps/Etc. sublimated and properly assimilated back into Gurubashi Tribe. Chance of Success: 65% 9 More Turns
Green Not Mean: Your initial meeting with Lord Itharius wasn't necessarily the best one. Him, coming off like some sort of high and mighty superior, and you rude and insulting at times. The one thing that, so far, seems to be bonding the two of you is your mutual hatred for Hakkar. You, for all that Hakkar did to ruin the Gurubashi, him, because of what Hakkar did to this 'Ysera' woman. He made mention that the ancient, ancient trolls might have actually known what all this 'Dragonflight' business is all about, and that annoys you because much knowledge was lost in the breaking of the world and the ensuing struggles since. Perhaps you could gain some more knowledge, at least try and salve over the initial friction between you and the dragon. It might help later on down the line, at least, in case you want to keep the dragons as allies with their ability to get you information on what's going on in the Black Morass. Cost: 0. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Improve relationship with Lord Itharius, Green Dragonflight. Potential for information? Chance of Success: 65%
Focusing On Integration: Your efforts to truly recombine the jungle trolls into one glorious tribe once more are beginning to bear some fruit, but it is a hard road to walk. The scars of the dark times before now are deep in the souls of the Gurubashi, let alone the other tribes. And yet it is one you believe must be walked. There will be priests, yes, and nobility, yes, but there should be but one tribe. Not a splintered mess. Not like before. Things are going to be different, you're going to make them different! You are the Chief, after all. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Shave another turn off of the Tribal Unification Action this turn.
Stewardship: No one else is going to help you restore your once glorious city. Your people are going to have to pick themselves up by the bone anklets. One day, one day Zul'Gurub will be the vibrant place of life it once was, your walls won't be crumbling piles of shale, and your homes won't be hovels. One day… (Choose 1):
From City To City To Shore: This, and this alone, may be one of the most important things you ever do as Chieftain of the Gurubashi. The roads and bridges are essentially nonexistent, with only the most constantly traveled paths remaining in the jungle after all the time nature has had to reclaim everything. The bridges are gone, long rotted away if made of wood or destroyed somehow if they were made of stone. But with the warfare now stopped, the tribes brought to heel? The healing can begin. It is time to take from the quarries and trees, to rebuild what has been lost. The better the roads, the more willing and able the people of your jungle will be able to travel to one another. The more travel between settlements, the more sense of community and tribal unity there will be. From Zul'kunda, to Zul'mamwe, to Zul'Gurub, to just about every major and minor settlement you have. Including down to the Cove! That's yours now too! It will take time, and a lot of effort, but the results will be quite important. All roads in Stranglethorn will lead back to Zul'Gurub! Cost: 5,000. Time: 10 Turns. Results: Strong, solid roads and bridges of stone built out to connect all disparate settlements throughout Stranglethorn with one another, including Blackwater Cove and the recent unnamed fishing settlement on the western coast. Greatly increased unity amongst the populace, travel easier+quicker, etc.
Paved In Bone And Blood: A new road, even if rudimentary, can be laid down in your recently reclaimed territory. It will stretch from the Vale proper and through the path being carved through the mountains by your forces to reach the Black Morass. It will, in being made, increase the speed of your troops in deployment towards that swampy area, while also introducing a bit of proper troll civilization to the mountains that are named after you for Loa's sake! And no, you do not consider this 'Candle Kingdom' that the kobolds have apparently built beneath them to count. It's your land, above and below, and once you've dealt with Di'zo and the Hakkari, the kobolds are next on the list. While it will only be the bare bones of a road, it will be better for your troops to march down than none at all. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Exceedingly rudimentary road built through Gurubashi Mountains to Black Morass. Improved army deployment speeds to Black Morass, travel ease, etc.
Blackwater Build-Up: It is time that Blackwater Cove become a proper troll port once more. That means major docking facilities, wharfs, warehouses, and so on. Plus places for sailors and those who work and will be living at the port to rest at. Stone and wood will be required in great number, of course, as will workers. But once that is all done, you might be able to build a major shrine to Gral and Torga there! Hopefully they would bless any and all sea-based ventures that you might set out upon. Such as reclaiming the various islands of the Southern Seas that were once yours. This will take time, of course, but the effect will be worth it. Plus, it will give you time to think of a name for the place. Just leaving it as Blackwater Cove...or Blackwater Port? Either way, it doesn't sound as good as it could. While the Darkspear built their ships at Nek'mani, it is not a dedicated port, specifically. This one can be though. Cost: 3,500. Time: 6 Turns. Reward: Blackwater Cove transformed into full troll port settlement, specifically built for such a purpose. Will Complete In 3 More Turns.
Zul'Kunda Rebuilding: You've spent a lot of time rebuilding Zul'Gurub, and you'll be doing that a while yet. But that does not mean that you cannot turn some of your efforts over to one of the other cities within the jungle. Zul'Kunda was moderately maintained by the Bloodscalps, as they did not wish for their stronghold to be left vulnerable, but a lot of the smaller things were left to the wayside. If it wasn't directly aiding their military efforts, then it was neglected. Help rebuild the cities internal road system, their hills and statuary, and so on. Make it known that such a decayed state will no longer be acceptable! The time of the constant inter-jungle warfare is over, and thus it is time these trolls started taking a little pride in their homes beyond the capacity for defense, offense, or such things. Cost: 3,500. Time: 4 Turns. Reward: Zul'Kunda greatly refurbished, much better living conditions for those living within the city. More loyalty from the populace within. Will Complete In 2 More Turns.
Learning: As your attentions become more and more widespread, that troll Helga'aka seems to have found herself in this position by way of chance. (Choose 1):
Voodoo Boom: A possibility forwarded by some of the Skullsplitter witch doctors is capturing and trapping spirits of flame and air and earth, then stuffing them inside the boulders of the catapults. Not too tightly, in fact the entire lattice of capture would be purposefully fragile in certain places. Thus, upon impact, the spirits would be released. Explosively. This would greatly enhance the damage dealt by your catapults, transforming what would already be powerful rocks and stones into explosive ones. Plus, fire is one of those things that is harder to regenerate from. Not impossible, obviously, but it slows it just a tad. Fire in general is a powerful tool no matter what race you are, is your opinion. And the concussive force of so many spirits of air and earth being released and impacted by themselves and the world will be good as well. All that remains is testing and then actually doing the enchanting. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Turns. Reward: Catapult ammo gains minor explosive properties due to voodoo infusions.
Pump Up: Well, you've done the testing, now it is time for the execution. Set your witch doctors to actually producing new dire trolls. As it is as of right now an irreversible procedure, you will not receive absolute hordes of volunteers. Which just makes sense, as it is not a simple procedure either, nor an inexpensive one. But Dire Trolls are a powerful force on the battlefield. You have a lot of veteran dire trolls as well who can help train up those that are transformed, which is good. It will take a lot of scheduling and voodoo to get it done, but it is useful. Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Turns. Reward: Additional Dire Trolls created and trained. Will Complete This Turn.
Piety: The spirits speak once more to the Gurubashi! Many are extremely upset with you, with all jungle trolls it seems, for the past few centuries of silence. You've got some work ahead of you. (Choose 1):
War Clergy: It has been long enough. It is time some of the priests, whether of Bethekk or Shirvallah or anyone else, join the armies on a more permanent basis. Healing wards are valuable, very much so, as are the other wards and hexes that the witch doctors can produce. But priests are extremely good at both healing any other things, depending on the Loa that has chosen them. It's a matter of adding not just some versatility but some real power behind things. And if you are going after Hakkar, you'll want your priests trained and ready for war, not just maintaining and sacrificing at the temples. But while some of these priests are former warriors, some were not. Getting them used to their new positions of influence and such will take time, but it will be time well spent. Cost: 2 Turns. Reward: Priests formally added to army list, able to cast a variety of priestly magics including healing and shielding, as well as powerful attacks. Will Complete This Turn
Roadside Shrines: You are in the midst of carving a path through the Gurubashi Mountains into the Black Morass. From there you can launch your strike to destroy the Atal'ai once and for all. It might be good to build some shrines along said path for your soldiers to pray to along the way, for once they reach the Black Morass proper, there will surely be no such thing waiting there for them. The Atal'ai have given themselves over to Hakkari utterly, you will find no shrine, no temple, to any other Loa than that of Hakkar. Being able to pray and make sacrifices to the proper Loa along the march to war will only be good for their morale, and may well assist the Loa in its own way through their worship. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Shrines to the Loa built along the path being made through the mountains to the Black Morass. Morale bonuses for troops when war is declared. Minor boosts to Loa.
The Power of Death: There is one Loa who is feared like few others – Bwonsamdi, the Loa of Death. It is through his accursed blessings that the Dust of Bwonsamdi even came into existence, a poison which strips the blessed birthright of all trolls away for the rest of their lives. The same which so mutilated Ruwe. But it cannot be denied that Bwonsamdi is one of the most powerful of the Loa. Some of your troops acknowledge this, and hearing of the fortifications of the Atal'ai, some of Zul'Jo's warriors have come to you, their Chieftain, with a most terrible request. They wish to be granted the right to pray to Bwonsamdi and form a pact with him. Gaining this Loa's attention is something most all wish to avoid at all times, and yet the truth of power remains. But this cadre of warriors, knowing that binding themselves to Bwonsamdi will ensure their souls are his for all eternity, believe that the deal could be worth it for the greater good of your people. But they cannot contact Bwonsamdi as you can, and they dare not ask any of the priests who are dedicated to the other Loa. They will be like brief razor winds, cutting through the Atal'ai, soon to fade afterwards and be taken to Bwonsamdi's domain for eternity. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: 100 Warriors allowed to make deals with Bwonsamdi, and if successful, will be empowered by the Loa of the Grave. All they kill will go to him, and their own souls as well. Long enough for the war to come. Bwonsamdi's attentions… Chance of Success: 65%
Intrigue: You've never been one for sneaking about, but that's ok. You've got spirits for that. For instance, your father. Considering that you're one of the most gifted Witch Doctors around, and none of the others seem able to channel the power of the spirits just at the moment, that gives you a…unique opportunity. (Choose 2):
A New Cadre: Ruwe and the Shadow Haunters, as they call themselves, are some of the stealthiest and most effective rogues you've ever seen. As scouts, spies, trackers, and assassins, though you've yet to see the later much due to the rather open warfare. Many of them are devout worshipers of Bethekk, but some are worshipers of Hir'eek instead. They are quite good with the sort of voodoo that makes them disappear from plain sight even when they are standing right in front of you. It is quite eerie to see, especially when there are others who are good at concealing themselves with purely mundane ability, something they practice with equally if ever they are in a situation where their magics are suppressed somehow. Remarkably responsible training, that. But as it is, there are very few of them. You could do with them increasing their numbers, even if it is just a few. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Small increase in Shadow Haunter numbers.
Dream Daggers: The Green Dragons can see more than you can, literally. They can fly across the Black Morass and conceal themselves in dreams somehow in a manner you don't yet understand. They hate the Hakkari and the Atal'ai. They also report that your hated enemies are heavily fortifying their positions. Perhaps it is time that Ruwe and the Shadow Haunters venture out and begin making preparations for the oncoming war. Sabotaging certain structures, placing supply caches for some of your warriors and siege weapons, and so on. Perhaps even damaging enemy food supplies and the like. It will not defeat the Hakkari, they are too many and Ruwe's followers too few. But that doesn't mean that you cannot make them bleed a bit before the war proper starts. It will, however, be extremely dangerous. They will be far away from any support, and deep in enemy territory. Cost: 1,000. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Sabotage efforts begin on the Hakkari defensive positions. Chance of Success: 50% Failure may increase enemy readiness.
Blood Shadows: The northern reaches of the Black Morass are warded well from your scrying, and even the Green Dragons apparently dare not get too close considering what happened last time. But there is another group that hasn't yet had the chance – the Shadow Haunters. Ruwe got caught by Itharius because he literally watched their dreams. Hopefully the Hakkari wouldn't have the same sort of capacity. Ruwe is willing to try to scout out the actual main defenses of the Hakkari, as in their temple of Atal'Hakkar and their beginning city of Hakkaramon. But considering their capabilities, Ruwe is asking for aid in the sacrificial sense, to gain as strong a blessing as possible from Bethekk in this course. Expensive, then, in blood and funds, but hopefully worth it. Cost: 1,500. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Scouting performed in northern Black Morass i.e. stronghold of the Hakkari, vital information for future war effort. Chance of Success: 45% Failure may lead to Ruwe/Shadow Haunter capture/kill/interrogation.
Personal Actions: You can't be making concoctions or performing ritual sacrifices all the time. Just because you brought the Loa back to the Gurubashi doesn't mean you don't make time for yourself. (Choose 1):
Serious Training: You have only had a few months with your blade, but you have a few months more yet. It is time to truly get familiar with not just the sword, however, but with your powers in combat as well. You are not the pure war leader that Zul'Jo is, but you don't need to be, you just need to be sure that should the worst happen and the blade fail you that you can fight just as well without it. At the same time, you want to be able to wield it well, just in case it turns out to be exactly what you need. Either way, it is time to go into this as hard as you can. You are not under assault, you have a higher grade of regeneration due to your blessings by the Loa, and you have all the powerful resources of a Chieftain and witch doctor to bring to bear to reduce fatigue and increase results. It's high time you kicked things up a notch or two, and get in some serious training. Seriously. Because if Di'zo is as physically strong as Zul'Jo, you really need to make sure that you can match him should it come down to it. Cost: 100. Time: 2 Turns. Reward: Martial increase, Martial Perk Change. Will Complete This Turn
Golem Guard: You know that often, Zul'Jo must take the forefront in battle. But you must be able to do so as well. However, nothing says that you cannot make some guards to form your retinue when you wish. Now that you have become more adept at the creation of golems, you can produce some of your own. Dire Golems, specifically, which will be tireless and respond purely to your will and no one else. Well, maybe your shadow, but that's literally half of your soul, so that only makes sense. Maybe Zuli. Jo'lin. Hmm. Anyway, create some truly deadly guards capable of fighting and killing, while having all the incredible durability of voodoo enhanced metal and stone. You can't make too many, of course, but these will be custom creations and do you not have some of the greatest voodoo around right now? Cost: 1,000. Time: 2 Turns. Reward: Personal Dire Golem Retinue, tireless guards of stone and metal.
Extreme Training: That bastard Di'zo. He really meant it when he called himself the End of the Greyvine. You didn't quite process it at the time, didn't dare to think he'd meant it like he had. Their refuge was one thing, but this? This is something else entirely. What was done to the Greyvine is what Hakkar wants for the whole world, an entire people drained and sacrificed entirely to him. Damned Loa of Blood, damned Di'zo. You cannot afford to spare a single instant of your time away from preparing for the oncoming fight. You need to up your prayers and sacrifices at the temples, you need to up your training with Zul'Jo, make sure that your ability to fight, hell, that your shadow's ability to fight is up to true snuff. You'll be relying harder than ever on the regeneration granted to your kind by the Loa to ensure you don't fall apart at the seams from the strain of it all, but it needs to be done. If you push hard enough, and it works out, that is. Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Boost to Serious Training Reward.
