Eternal
You already made the mistake of believing you were more important than the Empire before and it lead to its destruction, you’re not making it again. The Empire must live on in some form even if you do not and that means your subjects must live.
You make the preparations; you call your advisors who are all very surprised by this plan as it involves the mindset that you have already been defeated. When you quickly remind them that most of the ones that are going to have first dibs on having a seat on one of those ships are most likely those in the upper part of the hierarchy, they don’t argue too much about it. They suggest that you don’t announce the plan as it’ll cause a great lowering of morale, but you see no reason to hide it and rumors are going to abound anyway which may cause some trouble anyway, so you make a grand speech about your plan to the people.
You explain that despite the dark days ahead, the Empire is not going to die as long as some of them live. You tell them that you won’t lie about the escape possibly being just as dangerous as staying and fighting, but for those that want to leave there will be a merit system. Those that work the hardest towards making this plan feasible will get first consideration for getting aboard a ship. This doesn’t mean just building a ship, it could mean being a soldier and defending said workers of the ships and other helpful positions.
Ship builders and all other manner of laborers are assigned right away to work on building the arks. You realize that considering the time its going to take to build these things, you’ll need to hold off the Xi for as long as possible, so you consolidate the majority of your forces back to the borders of Nalin. This leaves Quala and Rask to fend for themselves and while you urge citizens that if they want protection they need to make their way back to Nalin. However, some people are stubborn and the orcs that live in Quala are the most stubborn. In fact most of them outright say you’re abandoning them and see now that the late Warlord Sprog was right and that orcs don’t need the Empire. You wash your hands of such insubordination. You figure the Xi will sort them out. Kobolds on the other hand are a bit more compliant and since most of them used to live in Nalin before, they return.
Sightmaster Crowley doesn’t agree with this decision, but thankfully he pulls most of his forces out of Rask (The ones that didn’t insist on staying) and returns to Nalin.
Admiral Len is overwhelmed by the fact that you’ll be saddling him with so much responsibility of commanding this exodus plan. He states that he doesn’t even know if land exists past the vast eastern ocean. Your response is “Find some.” Len says he’ll send out scout ships while the arks are being made, but he isn’t hopeful.
Finally you contact Jennifer. You reassure her that her family will definitely have a seat on one of the ships. She of course is grateful, but asks if there is nothing that can be done to defeat the Xi. You say you wish you had a more combative solution, but you still feel this is the best chance of the Empire continuing to exist. She understands, but is upset by it and hugs you one last time, before you never see her again.
After it’s all said and done, Nalin is slightly more crowded than before, but is very well protected now with its entire military in one area. The Empire has shrunk, but it isn’t dead yet.
Year 564
“Have all the arks left?” you ask.
“Reports are sketchy at this point, but I believe yes, the last of them have departed. Our forces were successful in holding off the Xi in that regard.” David remarks.
“Well that’s something at least. So I’m guessing the rest of the struggle for Nalin isn’t going well?”
“I’m uh…afraid not Emperor.”
“Figured as much.” You reply.
You and David are both silent for a while. In fact your palace has been fairly silent in general now that many either died or left on the arks.
“David, tell me. Why did you stay?” you ask.
“Me? Well, I’m so old now I don’t think I’d survive the journey on the open seas anyway.” David says.
“Hmm, you too huh?” you say.
“Besides, my place is here and you need at least one of your staff still here seeing as you sent Sightmaster Crowley away on an ark.” David continues.
“Heh, yeah I thought we were going to have to knock him out and have him dragged aboard one those things. Still when I explained that the new Empire is going to need the Eyes and their leader to defend it he got the point.”
“He always was a duty bound soldier.”
“Yes, yes he was.”
Another moment of silence passes and then you get your aching body off of your throne.
“Well, I guess I might as well get this over with.” You say.
“Get what over with?”
“I’m not going to wait around for the Xi to come get me. I’m going to go out there and kill the first ones I see and repeat that process until they finally bring me down. I’m thinking I might be able to last a few days at least.”
“Oh. Well, erm you might increase your chances if you meet up with one of our units. There are still many out there and…”
“No, I’m going to meet death alone. That’s how we all die in the end anyway.” You reply.
“Very well…it was an honor serving you my Emperor.” David says and you nod silently before making your way out of the palace.
In your last days of fighting the Xi (and through your own physical pain) you wonder if those ships will find a new place to settle. You did your best and really given the circumstances, that was all you could’ve done.
Eventually you are struck down by the Xi and your last thoughts are wondering if you’ll be reunited with Alison.
You make the preparations; you call your advisors who are all very surprised by this plan as it involves the mindset that you have already been defeated. When you quickly remind them that most of the ones that are going to have first dibs on having a seat on one of those ships are most likely those in the upper part of the hierarchy, they don’t argue too much about it. They suggest that you don’t announce the plan as it’ll cause a great lowering of morale, but you see no reason to hide it and rumors are going to abound anyway which may cause some trouble anyway, so you make a grand speech about your plan to the people.
You explain that despite the dark days ahead, the Empire is not going to die as long as some of them live. You tell them that you won’t lie about the escape possibly being just as dangerous as staying and fighting, but for those that want to leave there will be a merit system. Those that work the hardest towards making this plan feasible will get first consideration for getting aboard a ship. This doesn’t mean just building a ship, it could mean being a soldier and defending said workers of the ships and other helpful positions.
Ship builders and all other manner of laborers are assigned right away to work on building the arks. You realize that considering the time its going to take to build these things, you’ll need to hold off the Xi for as long as possible, so you consolidate the majority of your forces back to the borders of Nalin. This leaves Quala and Rask to fend for themselves and while you urge citizens that if they want protection they need to make their way back to Nalin. However, some people are stubborn and the orcs that live in Quala are the most stubborn. In fact most of them outright say you’re abandoning them and see now that the late Warlord Sprog was right and that orcs don’t need the Empire. You wash your hands of such insubordination. You figure the Xi will sort them out. Kobolds on the other hand are a bit more compliant and since most of them used to live in Nalin before, they return.
Sightmaster Crowley doesn’t agree with this decision, but thankfully he pulls most of his forces out of Rask (The ones that didn’t insist on staying) and returns to Nalin.
Admiral Len is overwhelmed by the fact that you’ll be saddling him with so much responsibility of commanding this exodus plan. He states that he doesn’t even know if land exists past the vast eastern ocean. Your response is “Find some.” Len says he’ll send out scout ships while the arks are being made, but he isn’t hopeful.
Finally you contact Jennifer. You reassure her that her family will definitely have a seat on one of the ships. She of course is grateful, but asks if there is nothing that can be done to defeat the Xi. You say you wish you had a more combative solution, but you still feel this is the best chance of the Empire continuing to exist. She understands, but is upset by it and hugs you one last time, before you never see her again.
After it’s all said and done, Nalin is slightly more crowded than before, but is very well protected now with its entire military in one area. The Empire has shrunk, but it isn’t dead yet.
Year 564
“Have all the arks left?” you ask.
“Reports are sketchy at this point, but I believe yes, the last of them have departed. Our forces were successful in holding off the Xi in that regard.” David remarks.
“Well that’s something at least. So I’m guessing the rest of the struggle for Nalin isn’t going well?”
“I’m uh…afraid not Emperor.”
“Figured as much.” You reply.
You and David are both silent for a while. In fact your palace has been fairly silent in general now that many either died or left on the arks.
“David, tell me. Why did you stay?” you ask.
“Me? Well, I’m so old now I don’t think I’d survive the journey on the open seas anyway.” David says.
“Hmm, you too huh?” you say.
“Besides, my place is here and you need at least one of your staff still here seeing as you sent Sightmaster Crowley away on an ark.” David continues.
“Heh, yeah I thought we were going to have to knock him out and have him dragged aboard one those things. Still when I explained that the new Empire is going to need the Eyes and their leader to defend it he got the point.”
“He always was a duty bound soldier.”
“Yes, yes he was.”
Another moment of silence passes and then you get your aching body off of your throne.
“Well, I guess I might as well get this over with.” You say.
“Get what over with?”
“I’m not going to wait around for the Xi to come get me. I’m going to go out there and kill the first ones I see and repeat that process until they finally bring me down. I’m thinking I might be able to last a few days at least.”
“Oh. Well, erm you might increase your chances if you meet up with one of our units. There are still many out there and…”
“No, I’m going to meet death alone. That’s how we all die in the end anyway.” You reply.
“Very well…it was an honor serving you my Emperor.” David says and you nod silently before making your way out of the palace.
In your last days of fighting the Xi (and through your own physical pain) you wonder if those ships will find a new place to settle. You did your best and really given the circumstances, that was all you could’ve done.
Eventually you are struck down by the Xi and your last thoughts are wondering if you’ll be reunited with Alison.
