Fanning the Flames

It was almost sad to see how quickly things devolved. I guess humans are humans no matter what world you're on. The Technocracy's response to thinking the Empire sabotaged one of their biggest airships and decimating their leadership was an aerial bombardment of the largest Empire city, and not coincidently the largest contingent of their troops, in the North that left it a smoking hole in the ground. I knew the Technocracy had airships, I did not realize they had fucking cannons.

I'd definitely have to take a closer look at them once things blew over as their basically steampunk culture had developed some nifty workarounds with magic that avoided some of the worst pitfalls of my old worlds tech revolution. The heat for their steam engines for one thing came from magic crystals so they never had to strip mine for coal or raze whole forests for charcoal, though it turned out their magically lighter than air gas was still highly combustible...

Regardless this attack, unprompted as far as the Empire was concerned, caused quite a stir and a massive mobilization North with a few interesting diversions. A **** had already been deployed South looking for Alanna's raiders and they followed the rumors of Orcs with Dwarven weapons across the border right into a fully mobilized Dwarven army still with their blood up over the giants. This ended predictably in bloody fashion.

Another group peeled off hunting my girls on the Elven border led by the local Baron, who it turns out was just itching for an excuse to expand his borders into the forest, with the the next two nearest Lords who were his vassals. The flock just faded back into the forest with taunting attacks leaving the Baron to blunder into actual Elven forces so now the Elves were involved though their counter attack didn't go quite as well as the Dwarves leaving Baron Von Churl and some of his forces alive to fall back and seek reinforcements.

This posed a great opportunity though. The Elven forests did in fact border on Amazon lands so I ordered Tits to try to offer their Queen an alliance against human aggression. That hopefully would give me a chance at her. I didn't know what she looked like aside from Carnachias's assertion that I'd really like her, but if you can't trust the Dark Goddess of Carnal Pleasure's taste in women who's can you?

I tried to have Leraje get some of the Cult of Blood into positions were they could get me information on what was going on in the Emperors court but she'd had no luck with that so far. Getting eyes on Tomoko to assess how things were effecting her could be vital but I couldn't think of another way that seemed safe. I could always have Citrinas contact her first to ask what was going on but that felt too much like tipping my hand.

When word did come it was from a source I'd never have expected. My Dark Elven cock sleeve caught my attention one day with a very clear "Master." and I looked to see she was holding a runestone I didn't even realize she still had.

I could hear clear as day coming from the stone in an strong Japanese accent "Dammit talk to me Elmeria! What the hell are your people thinking?! Do you have any idea how many people were killed by that bombardment? The Emperor's demands are getting more and more strident and I don't know how much longer I can hold back from the retaliation he wants from me. Stop ignoring me! We need to figure out a way to stop the fighting before it's too late. Please Elmeria, why won't you talk to me? I don't know what to do."

Well this was just fucking gold. And little Ria was actually looking fairly coherent too. Tomoko was sounding just as **** as I'd hoped, and there was real anguish in her claims she was being ignored on purpose. Now was a perfect opportunity to have Citrinas contact her. Maybe tell her that she'd been cut off from contact as well and offer to meet up in search of the Archbishop together. She sounded ****, now to get her alone. Maybe even have Citrinas show her Elmeria's broken mind and blame the Emperor to destroy that last link to her humanity as well.

Yes, this could work. I just needed to find the right spot to set the trap.