Day 1

The Empress has assigned me the glorious and honourable duty to be the caretaker of the Monster.

It nearly depleted our reserves and most all of our best wizards and researcher were involved in the process but it was worth it, for we now have established a way to communicate with the Monster and our intentions are aligning.

As the caretaker, it is my duty to to liaise with the Governor to ensure that enough food, lumber, and ore are available for the Monster to grow and to guide the Monster to grow into an overwhelming beast of war to avenge the scars formed in our lands.

The Governor has set the contribution rate to 5%. I hope it’s enough to satiate the Monster.

Muscles and limbs are growing. I have conversed with the Monster and proposed it use these to grow more claws and heads. 

End of day tally:

  • Muscles: 1,724 + 40
  • Lims: 3,569 + 40
  • Claws: 1,374 + 162
  • Heads: 235 + 85

Day 2

The Monster is doing well. The Imperial Gnomes contributed large amounts of ore this morning as they prepared to build Catapults and Airships.

Food is low but I am able to sell off lumber and buy plenty of food on the Exchange.

We could strike now but I want to wait until the Monster is unstoppable. The Beastfolk and Ant at the top could hold the Monster down.

End of day tally:

  • Muscles: 4,000
  • Limbs: 5,823
  • Claws: 2,191 + 329
  • Heads: 600+25

Day 3

The Monster is strong now. Contributions are balanced and I rarely need to visit the Exchange.

End of day tally:

  • Muscles: 6,200
  • Limbs: 6,621
  • Claws: 3,200
  • Heads: 1,000

With the process well defined, it is time to develop a strategy to leverage the incredible strength of the Monster for the benefit of the Empire.

Day 4

Our Afflicted and Undead armies are growing strong. The Artillery pieces are being mounted at an excellent pace. The Archdemon returned yesterday.

The Gnomish War Machine had started taking lands and while it does cede some to the enemy at times, it is overall helping the Empire grow strong.

One of our two Lizardfolk armies has begun attacking, while the other is sending out scouts to find new plains on which to build masonries.

I feel the Monster is growing restless.

The war is dominated by a Beastfolk, whose primary support is from the city-state of Kerranad.

The Commonwealth has a powerful Ant army and a Spirit but their best chances in the long run will be what comes of the Armada and whether their Norse fighters can rise up.

But all will become food for the Monster.

Shortly before nightfall, our Lycanthrope allies were invaded by a Dimensionalist and after negotiating with the 1,750 heads, which all connect into one massive consciousness, we responded with tremendous force. The Monster lashed out at the otherworldlies and seized lands. 

With the strength of nearly 8,000 muscles and 10,000 limbs, the Monster struck the Dimensionalist with 1,800 out of almost 4,200 claws using the coordination and skill of 450 out of 1,750 heads.

End of day tally:

  • Muscles: 8,000 + 800
  • Limbs: 9,745 + 937
  • Claws: 4,109 + 203
  • Head: 1,728 + 272

Day 5

As the sun rose, the Monster indicated it wanted to strike again and we decided to attack the Dimensionalist again. It had the largest mana stockpile of any other potential targets, which the Monster assured me would be for the benefit of the Empire.

I am worried we did not leave enough claws to defend our acres but the Monster’s thirst for blood had to be quenched. 

Reports have come in that the Armadas have completed enough Battleships that once they are filled with Ensigns, even the Beastfolk may have its lands threatened.

Shortly after retracting its claws and readying again, the Monster lashed out again. This time at the Norse and, immediately again, the Dimensionalists.

We struck the Norse again later in the day.

Day 6

The day started with an the Monster descending upon a Barbarian. It returned unsatisfied, unable to find mana to plunder. Mana is crucial to the Monster.

While food, lumber, and ore make it grow, it is mana which lets it channel a Primordial Wrath. With it, the Claws strike enemy lands twice as strongly.

The Monster rested the remainder of the day.

We are still headed by the Undead although the Demonic forces are growing strong, the Afflicted is seeing a steady stream of Abominations, and the Imperial Gnomish War Machine is being built up.

Spirits and Armadas will no doubt try to challenge us and the Beastfolk.

Day 7

Day 7 and seven times, the Imperial Artillery fired on Barbarian lands for well over one-thousand acres.

The Monster grew restless and struck at the Norse. This left us open to invasion from one of the Armadas and even the Norse itself.

But the Monster could not be dissuaded. It regrows claws faster than anyone can cut them off and they soon, once again, slashed at the Norse. 

This time, returning with enough mana to channel Primordial Wrath. As such, we were able to invade twice at the same moment again: the Human forces and the Norse forces both felt the Claws descend upon their lands.

Day 8

The Monster is unruly and unwieldy. A pattern is emerging. It will strike at whoever it can only to gain mana to channel Primordial Wrath.

It does not seem to consider that the larger it is, the more mana is required to channel. Nor does it seem to notice often because it often loses large areas of land to the enemy.

I must consult with the wizards.

Day 9

The pattern is continuing. My attempts to negotiate strategy with the Monster are futile. It only craves mana and it can obtain it easily from the Norse but there is no longevity in this strategy. While the Monster grows, the enemy grows faster and stronger.

I have asked the Governor to raise the contribution to 6% in an attempt to have more food, lumber, and ore to grow Muscles.

Day 10

I am losing control.

Day 11

I am beginning to understand the Monster again. The world was very different before it slumbered. I can only approximate how long it was dormant but the years are in the hundreds if not thousands.

Day 12

The Beastfolk is threatened by the Armada. It was able to take lands from the Monster and our Afflicted ally in one enormous campaign.

Our Demon is very strong and may be able to tip the scales in the Empire’s favour. Twice, he invaded the second strongest of the Armadas.

The War Machine is majestic but unable to compete with the strongest of the Armadas.

Our Undead forces are feeding on Barbarians.

Day 13

The Monster is restless and frustrated. We are both restless and frustrated. I feel like I am becoming one with the Monster’s mind. We are not meant for this world. Not in this incarnation. 

Day 14

The Monster went into Primordial Rage today but it did not strike.

It is my conclusion that the best course of action is to starve the Monster of food, lumber, and ore and let it slip back into the Great Divide whence it came and emerge stronger. The Empress has been duly informed.

The psychic connection I have with the Monster is strong and will remain, but I sense it needs time to readjust to this new world.

Tremendous battles were fought until the very end of the day. 

Strewn across the lands are bodies of fallen warriors of Demonic, Beastfolk, and Dimensionalist otherworldlies, with Demons feasting on their flesh and collecting the blood. It is a wicked sight to behold, only because the Armada is the one who ultimately stands victorious.

The Beastfolk fell and the Demon and Imperial Gnome were not able to seize the opportunity under the oppressive power of Captain Hook’s Armada.