<strong>Sun Queen Ileosa Luxora I's stats</strong><br/><br/>Influence: 100% (Drumming up support against elves took a lot of convincing.)<br/>Mana: 120% (No change, champion's return pending)<br/>Power: 125% (The combo of spending and influence saw the power jump up quickly)<br/>Gold: 80% (No real change. The added security of more troops is kind of cancelled out by paying them, more a shift in focus than a change in the economy.)<br/>Food: 110% (No change)<br/><br/>(Alignment: True Neutral tending toward neutral good.)<br/><br/><hr/><br/>The queen's notes from the tournament would come in quite handy when she decided to build her army. Recruitment came easily. Many Korsovan males were always eager to join the ranks of the military as it was one of the better ways of advancing (the most treasured was of course becoming one of the queen's harem members). Many of the male elves and orcs however did not turn out for recruitment. In the greater picture of the recruitment drive it did mean little to the overall numbers swelled to the largest the army has ever been. The generally more elite nature of the military would mean that training would be slow going, but the increase along with the queen's magnetic personality saw the borders of the southern human nations come out of isolation.<br/><br/>The dark-skinned southerners were a delight to the ever growing tastes of Korsovan females. Some very eager to have slaves. They weren't as big and strong as the native stock but they were variety and their women were quite voluptuous, giving the naturally full-figured Korsovan's a run for their coin. As the theocracy was about bringing all under the light of the holiest of suns, a more metropolitan and open flare was naturally tolerated more. Still, despite the growth in trade partners, allies, and the spread of the Bright Message of the Sun Queen things were ever tense.<br/><br/>Elves were not to be trifled with, but Ileosa had proven to her people, her sphere of protection, and her new allies that she was shrewd and powerful. War was looming, it could be months or years from now, but there was only one outcome left given the friction and difference in ideology.<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>"Your grace," Morrigan said, taking on more roles as her personal assistant in addition to magical tutoring. In fact, Morrigan had worried for her position as handmaiden given Ileosa's quick mastery of all she could teach. "Our lands almost encompass the entire eastern border of the elvish forests. Pellus wasn't their, instead it was another of the generals a ruggedly beautiful Korsovan female named Marle. The woman was giving quite the display of cleavage as she bent over the map, but now was a time for work.<br/><br/>"We outnumber the elven military three to one with our allies and various levies among the orc tribes." Morrigan pointed out.<br/>"Aye, majesty," the general said, "Perhaps it's time to stop coddling the orc tribes and absorb them into the empire?" Her pet warchief had done much of the unifying for her, but they were still a distinct culture. As if to punctuate the point a young orc male more Korsovan in dress and grooming than his own kinsmen bowed before the queen giving her access to the cup of coffee and any affection she would dole out. The queen's harem was ever varied and a source of adventure and delight.<br/><br/>"The main issue," the general continued, "is elves control griffins, and we lack any reliable air power of our own. While the elves have a wylde magic, they can't use it outside of their forests. I know your champion is coming home in the next few months, by his letters he hold some clue to what you seek, but perhaps we should divert him away to the Ice Wind Mountains nearby to brook some kind of alliance with the dens of harpies that live in those areas? They are intelligent but even more backward in some ways than the barbarians that once called these lands home." It was, as ever, Ileosa's choice.<br/><br/>It was her magical ability, the ability to see the whole of the great game play out all around her, to know what was in her empire at any time and a little beyond into the fog. Morrigan leaned back and sighed. "Perhaps we should all consider retiring for a moment. It is not good to stay cooped up all the time." Marle nodded. "Regardless, I think the best course of action is to bait the elves into engaging somewhere where they cannot use their magic or griffins, but also allows us to use our numbers against them."<br/>