Previous: Gurutama Timeline Revising Part 22

Most surprising part of this update is that I didn’t need to edit it much! The focus of this update is how people begin to try to circumvent the Great Blockade. Engrenildo goes east. The Profiteers build a new port that bypasses the mouth of the Maw. The Hykmans do the same thing in the Lower Maw. And a little bit of politicking in the Upper Maw signals the return of the Black Prince!

712 NA: The Maw was shocked by the new tariff imposed by the merfolk. Reasonable as the tax was, people will always balk at a tax that was never present before. Many merchants accepted the tax and continued to trade with the dwarves. A few others, with help from private investors or governments, refused. Plans were enacted to bypass the blockade. One particular man named Engrenildo had crazy dreams filling his head of the world being round. Few believed his ridiculous story, but enough did that he outfitted a small flotilla of ships.

The Metal Dwarves accepted the blockade. They would survive with the reduced amount of trade. However, they could not accept taxes on supplies and passengers sent to Proaxium. A dwarven transport ship filled with supplies, books, and scholars for Proaxium, met with a Mersian captain at the blockade and explained the dwarven situation. If taxes were lifted solely on ships traveling to Proaxium with supplies for the island, then all is well and good. If they were not, then the dwarves would appeal to the human cities for help, the cities which were already pissed off about the blockade and just needed an excuse to end it.

713 NA: The merfolk refused the Metal Dwarf delegation. The blockade would only be lifted if Proaxium was given over to the merfolk people. The Metal Dwarves paid the tariff and passed into the Maw. The dwarves sent boats out to the Sisters, Balkus, and the Hykman League asking for assistance in breaking the blockade. The pleas for assistance were denied. No human city was foolish enough to risk naval war with the merfolk.

Engrenildo secured funding for his expedition. He left in the middle of summer.

The Frugal Profiteers attempted to circumvent the blockade by organizing the humans to the west of the Red Peaks. A new port city was built on the western coast, Tylaniria. Fearing a grez attack, the Profiteers enticed many different clerics to set up temples in the city. An army of priests was formed should the grez move against the city. The Profiteers planned to build a road across the Red Peaks, but the warfare between Syluk and Cynelle prevented construction.

The Hykman League decided to circumvent the blockade by utilizing the already existing Freedom Road. With human funding, the elves began construction on a Western Freedom Road.

714 NA: King Hrotomak of the Syluki Dwarves finally marshaled enough strength to siege Cynelle. He marched on the city with his forces, but received an unexpected welcome. We have enough, and more!” the Princes of Cynelle told the conquerors and showed them the splendors of the world. Surprised, but pleased, King Hrotomak accepted the surrender. None knew why Cynelle gave up so easily save for members of the Brotherhood of the Living Immolation.

715 NA: King Hrotomak forced Tylaniria to swear fealty to Syluk as well. He declared himself King of the Western Red Peaks. The Princes of Cynelle raised Syluki captains up into magnificent wealth and they showered King Hrotomak with resplendent gifts. Notable amongst these was the gift of Hrah-Sulesh, whose blood was that of the Holy City of Najar, who gave to King Hrotomak a suit of dark adamantine plate inlaid with glistening rubies that shown like a thousand, fiery eyes – terrifying, radiant, and volcanic…

716 NA: The elves completed the Western Freedom Road in record time with human funds and architectural ingenuity. Magical traps were placed upon it to keep the hobgoblins out just as on the Eastern Freedom Road.

717 NA: The elves cleared a site for the new League city on the edge of the Lower Maw. The elves named the city Prestounasi and the Hykmans assisted with its construction. The Hykmans began construction on a new city at the eastern edge of the Homestone Bridge as well.

718 NA: The hobgoblins were infuriated that their precious woods were cut in half. The Southern Hobgoblins could not reach their brethren in the mountains, the Northern Hobgoblins. They attempted to breach both Freedom Roads and Crodolan, but the magical traps turned them back. The hobgoblin shamans sat and thought. An answer would come in time.

-GoCorral

Next: Gurutama Timeline Revising Part 24