ROLEPLAY

Sey lordoy, homins.

I had it called to my attention by Nitrouss that there were strange gatherings of tribes at Thesos Springs. Being the curious Tryker that I am, I immediately invoked a pact and was taken to the Karavan Altar in Thesos.

There I found Tissarius recovering from wounds suffered at the hands of the Scorchers. I healed him and we teamed up to return and investigate.

What we found was amazing. Large numbers of both the tribe of Dune Riders and of the Scorcher tribe were gathered around the springs and they were actively defending it against the various creatures that make it such a dangerous place. I have never seen so much magic cast by tribesmen and women before.

Tissarius and I were joined by Faultyschema and Babyschema (who had helped me in the investigations in Verdant Heights). As we were looking around (and checking periodically for varinx), Nitrouss and his supporters ran past towards the Kami temple that is located nearby, closely pursued by a host of varinx. Then I saw the most amazing sight. Kami sentinals, usually just stoic and strange looking, defended Nitrouss, and moved out of their usual positions to chase fleeing varinx.

After watching Nitrouss and his ladies and Faulty and Baby clear the area of tribesmen, I left to ponder what might be happening, and Nitrouss continued on his search for more bosses to slay. Faulty and Baby, in characteristic fashion, continued on to investigate the other water sources in the desert region.

What he found is disturbing. There are large numbers of tribesmen at all the springs in the high areas of the desert. We had already seen the Dune Riders and Scorchers in Thesos. There are Barkers (lvl150) and Lawless (lvl 180-200) at Troubled Water in the Sawdust Mines region,
Water Breakers (lvl100) and Watchers (lvl 230-250) at Oflovak's Oaisis, and Renegades (180-200) and Frahar Hunters (130-150) in the area of the Dyron Lake.

It would seem that the tribes, facing the drought, are looking to take over the sources of water in the desert, the same sources of water that support our cities and towns! They have left their usual homes to gather at the springs and seeps that provide the water that they need.

It would seem that the Tryker effort to send water to the desert may not only be a hominitarian effort, but one that is in the best interest of all homins who dwell in the Burning Desert.

-- Bittty

It is however no more than a stopgap measure, and does not solve the real problem: the overuse of scarce resources by the citizens of the burning desert without an effort to increase the supply.
As the population of Pyr and Dyron continues to expand, the existing water supply there can't hope to cope.

Unless we're content with weekly (and no doubt soon after daily) convoys of water to Pyr, a permanent solution will have to be devised.

I'm loath to create a pipeline between Fairhaven the Pyr, as this might lead some Fyro in high places to start draining lake water without regard for what happens to Aeden Aeqeous, leading to drought and famine in our beloved homeland of New Trykoth.

Rather the Akenak and emperor Dextron should be encouraged to start an effort to secure a water supply from inside their own territory, striking deeper wells might well be the best solution here.
Combined with a concerted effort to reduce waste (maybe reducing the production of firewine would be a good start, and installing filters in places like the Pyr baths so they can clean the water instead of replacing it all the time and letting it go to waste) this should make the Burning Desert once again self sufficient in their water needs.

I saw no unusual tribal activity at Troubled Water, Thesos Springs or Dyron lake. Rather than doubt the findings of such renowned explorers, I worry that perhaps overzealous defenders of the Desert are already chasing the tribes away from the lakes by force to stop them from using up the water that 'belongs to the Fyros'.

I would remind all that these are normally friendly tribes who are merely desperate for water, and preventing them from getting it might well plunge the whole desert into civil war.

Well, except the Lawless and the Scorchers, them you can slaughter.

I did find the reported Water Breakers and Watchers at the southern Oflovak's Oasis, and a lone Leviers member at the northern oasis, perhaps the last remaining of his group after it ran into Clopperketh?

If what Marelli says is true, and I have no reason to believe it isn't, then this is quickly becoming a very delicate situation. The tribes have no water, which means they resort to desperate measures. And now they're being brutally attacked and pushed away.

I agree that perhaps searching for more permanent solutions would be preferable. Not because I fear the Lakelands will be drained of all its water, but because we don't know how long this drought will last, or when the next one will come up. Maybe next time we'll need 1,000 barrels instead of 500. It'd be in the best interest of the Fyros to be prepared for the future.

What are the Akenak thoughts on this? Is it possible to conduct a joint effort with the Water Breakers and interested homins and search for new water sources in the Desert? Strike deeper wells? In the meantime we can still send another water caravan for some immediate relief.

What if in our attempts to forage deeper holes into the bark to find water sources, we cause another Kitin invasion ? Why would ANYONE listen to some paranoid alarmist speeches of a heartless someone who is trying to make the Fyros look bad in time of humanitarian crisis ?

We're neither selfish nor stupid enough to drain all the water from the lakes. It's evident that only someone who doesn't know what a drought means could have such irrationnal fears. Plus, there's so much water in Aeden Aqueous that it would FLOOD the desert if we pull too much at once. We just need enough to ensure that our tribes and citizens don't suffer from thirst anymore while waiting for the rain to fall again.

And if the Trykers are so affraid that we drain all the waters from the lakes, they can always put a VALVE on the pipeline to control the amount of water that goes through. And then you'd need the taliari's permission to open the valve when there's a drought. That way there would be no abuse, no problem.

how much will we have to pay for a pipeline??!?!

that you'd have to discuss with the Matis nobles, the Zorai initiates, and the Taliar.
As to the materials needed, I'm sure homins Atys wide would be happy to help collect wood and bark for the pipes, resin and fiber to seal the sections, and whatever else is needed :)

I just traveled to Dyron and found more Renegades and Frahar Hunters patrolling around the lake. Clearly they are continuing to come in out of their normal habitats in the deeper desert to congregate near the water. Given Marelli's observations, it would seem that it is quite possible that some faction is taking vigilante action. Whether it is Fyros "patriots" or competing tribesmen remains to be seen.

Checked out Oflovaks Oasis, and in the northern region no unusual activity,

Now in Troubled Water and the Lawless and the Barkers tribes are present in large numbers around the ponds in that region. The water is still good, which means that the subsurface aquifers are still viable despite the drought, but who knows how long that will last. The tribes are attacking the carnivores, and the frahar that are attempting to get to the water, but they are leaving the herbivores alone.

At Thesos Springs the Dune Riders and the Scorchers continue to move in from the distant regions that are their usual haunts. As at Troubled Water, they are attacking the carnivores (my earlier observation of apparent cooperativity with the Varynx seems to have been in error) but not the herbivores. This completes my survey for this time.
-- With respect to all homins
-- Bittty.

Thank you for the updates and reports Bittty! It doesn't seem like the tribes will be giving up anytime soon. Why prolong their suffering?

If there is a fear of igniting another Kitin Invasion, then we can simply discard the idea of deeper wells and go for the pipeline. How much would that cost? That'd be up to the Talliari, I suppose.

I don't represent any official government, however I do work for the Tryker Water Company as a Water Carrier. Personally, I'd be more than willing to work for this project without charging anything. After all the Fyros helped fight the Gibbai in Verdant Heights without asking for anything in return and I trust they'd do the same for the Witherings if we ever needed their help.

Any Akenak or Taliari members around who can comment on the feasibility of a pipeline? Of course, in the meantime we'd still need to provide immediate relief.

I have gone to see the situation at Dyron and sure some tribe guards are camping the lake.
What i wish to know is if normal fame still apply. I have seen 3 tribe's guards there: Frahar Hunters, Renegades and Watchers.
I have good fame with all 3 tribes, specifically:

Frahar Hunter 30 (cap)
Renegades 12
Watchers -28 (listed as Restorers in fame list)

The only guards that attacked me on sight were the Watchers

Is that because the KoS fame is different from usual (-50.01)?
Or they are just bugged because they appear with a different name in the tribe fame list (Restorers)?

Also, i am a tryker, so they should consider me a friend because we are giving them our water.

Some more info on how things work now should be fine.

I had not seen three tribes, but only two. I will investigate later today. I would be suspicious of new tribes, given the recent incursions of Marauders in Verdant Forests and in other places. These are dangerous times.

The "Watchers" near Dyron displayed totally unprovoked hostility to me, and also to Iala, so it isn't anti-Tryker bias. Continuing to other regions. Frahar Hunters did not appear to be aggro, but then they are friendly to me.

In Oflovak's Oasis there was a large gathering of Leviers (who hate me with a deep and abiding passion) near the north lake, way out of their range, and a large gathering of Water Breakers that attacked me even though I did not enter their camp. On the other hand the Water breaker patrols did not attack me at all.

Around Troubled Waters in the Sawdust Mines, both the large gathering of Barkers and Lawless were aggro.

Thesos Springs gave me respite. Although the Dune Riders were aggro, the Scorchers were not.

Many of these tribes are ones with whom I have had no dealings, and all are outside their usual haunts.

It seems to me that more people should go and test these gatherings, especially those who have positive fame with the tribes in question. It is looking more and more to me as if these are either Marauders in disguise or are tribes that have been suborned by the Marauders.