Keymonus

I had never seen them… shame on me!

Nice fort @Ozzy_4321! It would be nice to see more angles of your build! I particularly like the uniforms you used for your bluecoats (are they custom prints?) and the use of the leather apron torso for the engineer!

Thanks! I plan to have another build in this character’s past and then to move to El Oleonda in current days! About the Juniper War: the only thing which is canon is that Oleon invaded and conquered the Juniper province during a short war. Myrph was a small independent state occupied by Corrington during a previous war, and from the maps it should be nearby: While it is not canon, I thought that having a small (actually only a couple of border villages) rebellion during the war could’ve been reasonable…

Limerey, Occupied territory of Myrph, September 608 The village was burning, all around him... a funeral pyre for their dreams of freedom. They had lost, and soon they would have been dead. Jacob clung to his musket, as the ground below his feet started to tremble. He heard some yells coming from their first line of barricades, followed by some musket shots. The final assault was coming, and they could do nothing to stop it. Only a couple of weeks before, the odds seemed on the rebels' side: with the army of Oleon advancing in the Juniper Province, and the Corrish troops retreating eastwards in disorder, they had taken their chance. The bells of the temples rang the tocsin as the old uniforms of the Myrph Guards emerged from attics and cellars, and muskets were recovered from their secret hideouts. For the first time since he was born, Jacob could finally see the glorious flag of Myrph, his nation, flying over the buildings of his hometown. The rebels quickly took control of Limerey, Tonglare, Stonemill, and a handful of smaller towns, and forced the Corrish garrison to retreat into the Castle of Gueverey. They also took their revenge against the occupiers: the hated bailiff of Tonglare was hanged in the main square, together with other Corrish officers, and some captured redcoats were brutally murdered in a nearby hamlet. But the tides had turned, and the rebels knew they could expect no mercy. If the army of Oleon had ever been on their way, indeed, the soldiers of Corrington had arrived before! A new series of shots and screams came from the eastern barricades, and then a squadron of cavalry burst into the main street. Jacob tried to aim his musket, but it was late... the horsemen were too close and too fast, and they were already upon them! Some of the rebels tried to brace for the attack, but most of them started running for their lives, or remained still, paralyzed by fear. Something hit Jacob, throwing him violently to the ground. He rolled, trying to get away from the hooves, but he was hit again, and everything got dark. When he woke up again, several hours later, it was late night. His head hurt terribly, and so did his right leg, bent in an unnatural angle. Something warm was making his hair wet... weird, Jacob didn't remember it was raining. He vaguely realized that the houses around him were burning, but this didn't seem important... nothing seemed, actually: he felt so tired... "Hey, Leonard, come! This one is still alive!" -A voice yelled, seemingly from several miles away- "He is messed up, but he's still breathing! Get him on the cart!". Jacob tried to talk, but words didn't come. As the two men got closer, he realized with relief that they were not redcoats... wait, redcoats? Memories started to flash in front of his eyes: the horsemen setting his village on fire... ...his friends falling around him, slashed by the sabers of the enemies... ...and the enemy commander leading the charge. As the two men started to move him, and Jacob started to faint again, he could almost hear him yelling again, in the language of Myrph: "Give them no quarters! They are all traitors! No mercy for the rebels!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello guys! As Era III is approaching, I felt the need for a darker secondary character… someone I could make sail under a black flag and get involved in less honourable businesses! This first part is set during the Juniper War, during which I imagined some (revolts) turmoils in the Corrish occupied territories could have occurred. As I will clarify in later builds, the brutal officer (who will appear again) is also from a loyalist Myrph militia unit (hence the orange epaulettes), but feel free to ask me for any changes. Differently from my main storylines, I will use flesh-coloured minifigs (I don’t plan Jacob to meet my more reputable characters).

Welcome on board @Ozzy_4321!!! Nice minifig and introduction! Without any doubt you chose the best faction in the Brick Seas!

Thanks! The burning roof is the detail I’m most proud of! I also had indeed something similar to the Colonel of the Patriot in mind for my character’s nemesis, even if I don’t plan further parallels between the stories. This part of the past story is partly canon (there was a recent war, in which Oleon annexed a western Corrington province; the Corrish province of Myrph was independent until 30 years before our timeline) and partly not (this specific revolt and repression). I like sometimes digging a little into the past events, as I did also for my main character’s backstory! Thanks! I also try to avoid unchanged minifigs (unless they are in the very background) even if they aesthetic fits well. For Luke I had thought about a little cameo I forgot to mention (the Jedi master losing his last fight). Flitch instead was a very last second addition (as I was taking the pictures one of the corners seemed too empty), therefore I “stole” it directly from my HP set without opening my minifig box

Unit name: Legion de Mardierennes, 1ere Terraversan Regiment Type: Line infantry Uniform description: Blue coat with white facings and white leather collar. Yellow trousers and tricorn with yellow plumes. Commanding officers wear a dark blue coat with gold facings, yellow trousers, a yellow cloak, and a morion helmet with elaborate plumings. The commander's guards are equipped as heavy cavalry, and wear a cuirass over a dark blue coat. Equipment description: Standard issue musket for the infantry. Heavy cavalry sword and wheellock pistol for the commander's guards. Recruitment center: All the territory of Terraversa under Oleonese control, even if recruits from Nola Mar (already trained before the war by Oleonese advisors) are often drafted into regular army units. Unit history and description: When Mardier lost most of its Empire, during the Catastrophe of 617, many Mardierians sought refugee in the nearby Oleonese settlements: notables and merchants, but also commoners, who preferred to leave their homes than live under the Eslandolan occupiers or, even worse, the new tyrant of Terraversa, the rebel Archduke Miro Oldis. Among them, hundreds of soldiers and officers, from garrisons and units that had ceased to exist. In 620, a first company of expatriates was formed in Breshaun with veterans of the Mardierian colonial wars: the Mardierian Legion was born. In the following years, many more Mardierian and Terraveran recruits enlisted in the Oleonese army, and the Mardierian Legion became a usual presence in the Grande Armee of Oleon. During the Second Terraversan War, the Legion fought bravely in the Battle of King's Port, reaching the Archduke's Palace among the first vanguards. Soon after the war, a new regiment of the Legion was created on the island, with the Loyalist militias and other Terraversan volunteers being trained and organized by Oleonese military advisors. At the same time, the former Terraversan officer corps -which had largely deserted to the Loyalists- was similarly reorganized, according to the Oleonese military doctrines. The Terraversan Regiment of the Mardierian Legion is now ready to fight for the glory of the Empire of Light and -if the time will come- to finally overthrow the hated tyrant, and reunite all the island under the same banner! Campaigns: Second Terraversan War (not as an organized unit) Motto: Credit to @Ross Fisher for the picture and the idea.

Welcome to the Gran Military Encyclopedia of Oleon! Here you can admire the might of our soldiers, from their boots to the tip of their plumes. This thread aims to collect some information about the glorious Army of Oleon: during the years you saw several units of our Nation, from colonial militias to the ubiquitous line infantry, from the famed Mousquetaires du Roi to semi-legal Volunteer Corps. Here you will find a collection of them, with a brief description and the glorious history of their deeds. Most of the units depicted exist in EGS terms, but this is not an absolute requirement: if you want to show the border cavalry of the Varcosian Border, the Royal Guard of Granoleon or other units way far from the Brick Seas, you are welcome to do it! For the citizens of Oleon who want to contribute: please follow the general outline described in the spoiler Vive le Roi! Unit index Militia Units recruited locally, both in the motherland and in the colonies. Formed by willing citizens or peasants, the main function of a militia is the defending a city or a province from both foreign aggressions and internal menaces, such as bandits or riots. These non-professional soldiers often wear odd uniforms, strongly influenced by local elements. Although they are often considered poor fighters, militiamen proved their worth in several occasions, especially during Corrish invasions and along the turbulent Western Border 1ere Compagnie Milice Coloniale de Fort Arltrees Tyree'dee Warriors 4e Regiment de Triallieur Dionysian Line infantry The backbone of Madrician armies. These soldiers march in a line towards the enemies and, when they can almost see the white of their eyes, they fire a barrage of bullets with their flintlock musket. The Thin Blue Line (or Red, Green or Yellow, according to the nation) is considered capable of enduring any attack, from cavalry charges to screaming hordes of natives. Although these units look very similar, training, discipline and experience make the difference in a battle: the victory will always belong to the soldiers who can fire faster and better, who can keep the formation regardless fear and losses, who can bayonet-charge the enemy even under a rain of bullets! Légion de Mardierennes, 1ere Compagnie La Légion Etrangère Infanterie de Ligne, 3e Compagnie de New Oleon Infanterie de Ligne, 3eme ("du Roi") Armée de l'Orient Light infantry Traditional doctrines consider light infantry only an auxiliary force to "true" infantry, with the only function of screening allied units and harassing enemy forces. However, especially in the unusual colonial scenario, these light infantry proved to be by far more useful. These soldiers are trained to move and fight in small, agile units, acting independently far from the main body of the army: therefore, they can easily fight in woods or jungles, where the rigid line infantry doctrines would be useless. Light infantry is sometimes equipped with rifles or carabines, rather than with long muskets, and is often employed in difficult missions, such as long-range recognition or raids in areas controlled by the enemies. Volunteer Expeditionary Force 4eme Infanterie du Bois 1ere compagnie chasseurs coloniaux de Astrapi Tirailleurs de Guelph Chasseurs a pied 11eme Compagnie 1ere Légion Pénale Jiangkai tirailleurs Jiangkai chasseurs The Sisters of Our Lady of Artemis Huntresses of Artemis Grenadiers Elite soldiers, trained to throw explosive grenades against the enemies. Despite the name, these soldiers usually fight with muskets and represent a sort of crack force on the battlefield: these soldiers are imposing, aggressive and skillful. No matter if grenadiers are attacking you with muskets, grenades or bayonets... the best option for you is running away! 4eme Pompiers "Les Feuyens" Heavy infantry Until the end of the Forty-Nine Years War, heavy infantry dominated the battlefield: muskets were still slow to load and inaccurate, so battles were often won by pikes, swords and halberds. Even if these units may look antiquated, with their iron morions and heavy armors, they still represent a threat on the battlefield: if they can get close enough to the enemy, they will likely prevail in melee combat. Moreover, armors proved to be very effective in the fights against the natives: their arrows and wooden sticks, in fact, can't simply pierce iron plates! Knights Treasurer Foot Soldier Pioneers/Military engineers Building forts and ramparts, but also roads and bridges, are complex tasks that require specialized soldiers: although they are not properly a fighting force, engineers are often determinant for the victory. Moreover, they often build "civilian" infrastructures in newly colonized areas, therefore contributing to the development of the Empire. The sappers, a specialized branch of the corps, have a completely different role: they must open a safe passage across enemy defenses, a dangerous job that often involves fightings with the enemies. Ingènieurs du Roi, 2eme Compagnie Breshaun Sapeurs-Pompiers Intelligence and transmissions Corps de Transmissions Police and Inquisition La Force Publique La Gendarmerie Royale Naval infantry/Marines Naval infantry and marines represent the joining link between naval and land-based warfare. These units are trained to fight on the decks of ships, but also for landing operations: these brave soldiers go ashore with little rowing boats, often under enemy fire, to conquer strategic positions (such as ports or coastal batteries) or to secure a safe bridgehead for large scale operations. Moreover, marines are also an excellent light infantry, since each platoon and even every single soldier is used to move and operate independently from the others: a forced choice, since tide and wind may scatter a small landing force along miles of the coast! Troupes de Marine Fusiliers Marins Light cavalry Derived from the nomadic raiders of the westernmost nations and from the tribal cavalry of Guelph, it represented for a long time something unusual in Madrician nations. Due to its excellent mobility, this cavalry is perfect for exploration, attacks to enemy supply lines, or chasing down routed enemies. While using these units for a frontal attack against squares of infantry is probably a suicidal move, light cavalry is useful on the battlefield too, for example, to charge moving or unprepared enemy units: even if musket and bayonet give a theoretical advantage to foot soldiers, the mere sight of spears and swords approaching at a frightening speed may easily make him run away! Chevau-légers Lanciers Méharistes, 1e New Olean Compagnie Hussars D'Oleon Chevau-leger Lanciers de New Oleon Heavy cavalry Heirs of the ancient knights, who dominated the battlefields for centuries (from the end of the Empire to the War that Time Forgot, but also later), these soldiers have a simple task on the battlefield: run directly towards the enemies and crack their formation with mere brute force. Even if the golden age of the knights is over, a charge of heavy cavalry can still decide the outcome of the battle. With heavy swords and imposing horses, heavy cavalry smashes into enemy units, opening its way with cold steel; despite this, several soldiers are equipped also with pistols, or short carabines particularly useful for close-quarter fights. Courassiers Mounted infantry Mounted infantry, as the name suggests, is something between infantry and cavalry: these soldiers ride small and fast horses, similar to the ones of light cavalry, but fight mainly on foot. Due to their mobility and versatility, mounted infantry represents a useful resource on the battlefield, but also for irregular and "less honorable" tasks, such as hunting for elusive enemies, raiding enemy territory, or even repressing riots. Dragoons Artillery Probably the strongest argument you can bring to a discussion. Artillery alone can win battles, breaking enemy attacks or weakening defensive lines. Artillery is divided into several sub-specialties, such as foot artillery, siege artillery, or horse artillery. The underlying idea, however, is always the same: take a cannon, bring it near enough to the enemies, and tear them apart with a rain of fire and iron! Artillerie à pied, 6e Compagnie Artillerie à pied, 3e Compagnie de New Oleon 1st Colonial Mountain Artillery Company 17eme Batterie de l'Armée --------------------- Historical troops Western Border Skirmishes, 608 A.E.

Congratulations to all the other winners, and thanks to the organizers, who re-activated our little world with this challenge! A great thank also to @Jeff of Clubs and @evancelt, for making physical prizes available for the first time in a very long time!

Cat A “Sunken Ship” by Imcpicture ”Storm Chasers” by Bricksbypidy Cat B “The Conclusion” by Fraunces “The Orders” and following, by Professor Thaum

Neuburg, El Oleonda, March 624 The longboat was crawling forward in the muddy water. Almost no sound broke the unreal silence, apart from the regular paddle of the oars. One of the soldiers moved slightly, making his bench creak. Another man coughed. Nobody talked. What they had in front of their eyes was too much to accept, even for war-hardened veterans: you can face an enemy line, musket in hand. You can even brace for a cavalry charge, shoulder to shoulder with your comrades, as the world itself seems to crumble. But what can you do, strong or weak, brave or cowardly, when the End of the Days is upon you? When the gods abandon their mercy, and the works of men disappear below the waters? The boat proceeded along the streets of Neuburg, as far as possible from the original riverbed and its unbearable current. Everybody was on edge: the submerged buildings shielded them from the violence of the water, but also hid many threats: a submerged canopy, a tree in a backyard, or even just a floating barrel could represent a trap... and with the alligators lurking in the water, it could have easily become a deadly one! In the distance, the men could constantly hear the distant rumble of the once calm and harmless creek, which had almost swallowed the settlement in just a few hours. The sudden disaster had claimed a heavy toll of lives, and dozens of citizens were still missing... drowned or safe on the nearby hills, nobody could know yet. However, most of the settlers had found shelter on the upper floors of the most robust buildings, or even on their roofs. Safe, for the moment, but at the same time trapped on their tiny islands, with little food or -almost ironically- water. Fortunately for them, help was on the way. Only a few days after the disaster, indeed, ships with the blue flag of Oleon* had appeared in the bay, and the first rescue teams had reached Neuburg with their longboats. At the town hall, General Tristan Rimbaud was facing some unexpected complications. Despite the dire situation, the Burgmeister was reluctant to accept foreign help, and several minutes were needed to convince him that the sovereignty of the Empire of Carno was not being questioned or violated. While looking for his best translation of "sign of friendship between our Empires", Tristan was almost surprised that the other survivors hadn't thrown that arrogant man out of the window... at least not yet! At the end of the useless and extenuating negotiation, the rescue team was allowed inside. The longboat was moored at the first-floor balcony, and the first soldiers ventured inside. If the gods decided to finally show some mercy, all the survivors would soon be provided with food and evacuated to safety. Standing on the roof of a flooded house, however, Tristan was not particularly hopeful about the gods' benevolence. Was there somewhere safe, after all? Concerning tales were arriving from all over the New Haven Region, where wild storms raged and the sea itself had started to boil. Maybe the Finis Dierum had finally come, as some preachers claimed... in that case, kings and queens would have been just as ridiculous as that Carnite mayor, clinging to their power as the World itself was flooded! Tristan didn't know but, at the moment, he couldn't even care. His loyal Raiders had followed him once more, almost literally to Hell, and they still had a mission to complete: people were in danger, and, at least for that day, they could still be saved. Screw the preachers! If the End of the Days was upon them, they would have faced it head-on, not crying and kneeling in some temple! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The rescue team inside the building: A soldier looking for survivors on the first floor... a dangerous task, as the floor could collapse at any moment! Looking for a mooring point. Will that piece of furniture be heavy enough? A soldier with a battlefield stretcher: lightweight and easy to carry, but robust enough to carry a man out of harm's way! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Additional angles: Neuburg mayor at the window, with a lantern signaling the presence of survivors. A Carnite soldier inside the building. Waiting for help, but also ready to repel possible looters. The longboat, with the soldiers ready to divert floating objects or fend off alligators. An overall view, from a bird's eye perspective..

Yes! The idea is indeed to use these “TC” (transition challenges) as a way to both keep our world active as we finish redefining the “game rules”, and to let external people know about it! Apart from the challenges, you could join a faction and start telling your story whenever you want, even if some mechanics of the game are currently under revision. In general, you can enter the game at any time. At the beginning, older players will probably have more accumulated “points”, but this doesn’t really matter for the game dynamics!

I like the plan, in this way everyone will have their faults in breaking up the coalition, but nobody would have the role of the all-out traitor! I honestly would see the Sea Rats more easily hired (storywise) against the Empires, not on their side, but this is obviously up to them. My only point about Corrington is why they'd want to leave now that the war is over and a huge power gap is opening on the East side of the island, and what is the "advantage" they gain... simply slipping out a war they didn't really want to be involved into?

Thank you guys! I'm happy you liked the idea and the final result! Covering all the bases with trans-clear plates would have probably made it clearer since the beginning that the "road" was actually water, but I didn't like the effect: it looked too clear, while I wanted a muddier effect. The longboat built with curved flex tubes was something I had tried once with a nice but much more unstable result, and probably it's what I'm most proud of in this MOC. I realized I've been a little "on the border" on what is allowed in RPG, but the flooding will not have any "real" effect on Neuburg (the settlement is not destroyed), so I don't think there will be any problem on this side.

My Cat A entry:

Hello guys! I have to say that I’m not 100% convinced about the idea… as I said other times, I personally like the idea of having settlements of NPC nations around the archipelago (not necessarily playing an active role), as a chance to build aesthetically diverse things. Without them, everything would turn in a rather “dull” Caribbean setting. Moreover, they always represented “safe” targets for campaigns, wars etc. All the times an event pitched directly one nation against the other (the Malto Crisis, the Second Terraversan war) we had a lot of grudges from all the sides, and things never lasted longer than a couple of rounds. It’s perfectly fine closing the Seawatch campaign (the transition between Eras blocked it at round 1, and there is no real possibility of developments for the next months), but still it saw a lot of involvement of all the active players… saying just “eh, it’s boring, the Lotii have disappeared” would be a rather sad way of moving forth. If we want chaos among factions, it’s something we can easily justify (before El Oleonda we were basically killing one another on Terraversa), but before wiping out ships, troops and especially settlements or islands, please remember that they are the results of the efforts of several people throughout the last ages, who spent time to shape them in the way they are now.

LeBellan, Old Mission of Zeus of Breshaun, February 620 Name: Legiòn de Mardierennes, 1ere Compagnie Unit size: Company Type: Line infantry Motto: Per Re Filippo e per Oleon! The last two years represented a harsh awakening for the Empire of Mardier. The colonial army, the navy, the Bumble Tuna commercial fleet… everything crumbled under the enemy cannonballs. Terraversa and Isla de Medio were lost, and entire units simply ceased to exist. With Eslandola ruling the waves, hundreds of soldiers, functionaries and civilians were left behind. Some of them accepted to remain under the rule of their enemies, while several others resettled in the near colonies of Corrington and Oleon. In Breshaun, a new company was formed with expatriated Mardierians, mainly from the garrisons of Terraversa and Isla de Medio, but also some of the few survivors of the Admiral Cadiz's expedition to Charlatan Bay, recently evacuated by Tristan Rimbaud. The members of the Legiòn de Mardierennes (Legion of Mardierians) are equipped with the same weapons of the regular army, but wear peculiar uniforms and are led by Mardierian officers. Although most of the Mardierian volunteers are already veterans, they received some weeks of training in the old Mission of Zeus in Breshaun, converted in barracks a few years before. The training included marches, bayonet drills and firing in the shooting range, as usual... ...but also lessons of Oleander language and culture, especially for the officers. As several times in the past and in other nations, the members of this company of expatriates will become loyal members of the Royal Army, while keeping a proud memory of their origin. Per Re Filippo e per Oleon! The uniform of the Legion

Great uniform variant! I will update the Encyclopedia as soon as possible! I usually build in yellow, but also the flesh-colored heads offer some nice options. I think I’ll introduce a secondary character and a storyline in that color palette!

In my case it’s mostly a general lack of IRL time! However, I should be able to build for the challenge before the deadline and for the joint AMRCA we have started in Oleon. For current players, I think that a great push back is also not knowing whether the current settlements will exist in Era III, or if the map will undergo radical changes. A good share of the builds has always been EGS related (mines, artisans, factories…), something that doesn’t really make sense if the current islands or settlements will disappear. With Era III, I think we’ll have a recovery in this sense.

I hadn’t properly commented beforehand, but I wanted to comment builds I missed! @Ross Fisher, you did an amazing job with the introduction! I like the way you hinted about the different religious orders, without making them too similar nor too weird! @Khorne, your little tavern is great, and looks far bigger than its actual size! You really set the mood for the expedition! It’s nice to show how our empire is not only divided in Mainland Oleon and New Oleon, but has instead many regional peculiarities! @Jeff of Clubs, I love the backstory you created and how well it fits with how Ross’ original character. The MOC itself is very well-thought and visually effective! Well done till now guys!

Located in the main sanctuary dedicated to Poseidon, on the northern coast of Oleon mainland, this little chapel is the place where the Priests of the Tides pronounce their vows.  This little temple hangs on the shore, only a few meters far from the Ocean. Therefore, many choose the place to meditate in silence, trying to find their answers in the voice of the Lord of the Seas. In the Sanctuary, as well as in most the places sacred to Poseidon, a military order ensures safety of priests and pilgrims. It is mostly a ceremonial duty, but the Knights of the Order of the Trident should not be faced lightheartedly in a real fight! —————— As I intended to license this little shrine as a small art and culture in Mainland Oleon, the rules required me to create a separate post. I used the same build in the joint AMRCA I started with @Ross Fisher, @Khorneand @Jeff of Clubs, that you can find here.

Wow! Such a nice entry! I like the way you made rigid blocks appear so curved and flexible! I would wish your characters smooth sailing, but this doesn’t seem very likely!

Great idea and nice minifig posing! Rumore about the Kraken would definitely fit these weird times! The native trying to defend with a fork, the one trying to escape and the one dragged away are all well thought and well positioned, something not easy in digital builds. Only the sail looks to me a little bit off, but I don’t think a tiled plate would had fitted better.

Nice build and super creative idea! The reference was great, as well as some creative details you included! I particularly like the flying hat and the use of Captain Salazar’s hairpiece to show the strong wind!

Chapter IV. - The Priest Father Leonard Theriault touched lightly the wall, as he walked along the corridor. A little gesture he had repeated innumerable times, since his first day as a novice: he had always loved the feeling of the marble wall against his knuckles... perfectly smooth, without junctions or irregularities. The best architects of Oleon had imagined that place, hundreds of years before, and the best artisans of their time had spent decades turning it into reality. Somehow, that idea had always pushed him forward, during his difficult studies: everyone could live a pious life, but only a few, chosen ones could try to honor the gods in a different way, using their capacities and their minds. Some could build a magnificent temple. Others, as he had done, could aspire to understand the sacred, immutable laws that Poseidon had imposed on the wind and the sea, becoming Priests of the Tides. It was his first visit to the Sanctuary since the day he had taken his vows, in the little chapel by the Ocean, almost ten years before... but even if he loved that place, he knew that he would have left soon. His duty always called him to the sea, to help the sailors understand the will of the God of the Oceans, and in this way ensure His benevolence on their vessels. If Leonard was now back in that holy place, was because he had received a letter from a man whose authority could not be questioned... ...a man who had just appeared from behind a column, immediately dragging him out of their thoughts. "Your Holiness!" Leonard bowed in front of the other man. Even if he was dressed as a wandering priest, he was one of the highest authorities in the Church of Poseidon, and the head of Leonard's religious order. "I received your letter, and I came here as fast as our Lord Poseidon allowed my ship to sail." "Welcome back, my son." Even if he couldn't tell why, the voice of that man reminded Leondard of the sound of the waves on the shoreline: reassuring, almost hypnotic, but at the same time powerful and inflexible. "Our Lord Poseidon blessed you with smooth sailing, even though the Seas are restless, and the lives of several sailors were claimed by their depths. The benevolence He just showed you is a good omen for the journey you are going to take." Without adding a word, the man in grey started walking, gesturing to follow. Soon, the two men arrived at a place Leonard remembered well, the little chapel by the Ocean where his life was changed. In that place, the voice of their Lord could be heard clearly, helping the believers to meditate. On a day of tempest, when the roar of the Ocean almost covered his own thoughts, Leonard had consecrated his life to the sea. "Do you remember your vows, my son?" Asked the man in grey. "The vows we all pronounced in this sacred place, even before the Sanctuary itself was built?" "Yes, Your Holiness. To honor our Lord through the knowledge of His laws, and to help His sons in need. To show His will to the sailors, and to save them from their pride, when they think they can defy Him." Leonard didn't hesitate a second. He had known priests who only wanted to lead a temple in a comfortable location, collecting gifts from the passing captains. That life was not for him, and his whole life was now based on that simple oath. The other man nodded, and then he looked straight into Leonard's eyes. "Once more, I'm asking you to honor your sacred vow. A ship will soon leave for dangerous waters, far in the North, where many have lost their lives, and others have lost their soul. Where the laws of our Lord become more inflexible, and His forgiveness disappears, there you will help them find the way." He made a few steps, followed by Leonard. In front of Poseidon's statue, with the Ocean immediately beyond, Leonard could almost feel the presence of their Lord. "It will be dangerous, I will not lie. More dangerous than you can even imagine. Your faith will be put to a terrible test, and I can't assure you there will be a return voyage. However, your presence is fundamental, if we want the expedition to succeed. The captain is brave, but he will hesitate. The sailors are hardened men, but they will lose their resolution. You'll have to be strong enough for all of them, or those men will have no chance to survive." Leonard understood why the meeting was happening in that very place. They could have simply sent him a written order, and he would have obliged... but the man in grey didn't just want him to obey, he wanted him to remember his oath, to believe, to commit every ounce of his will to the mission ahead. Even if it meant facing the worst storms, even in front of his own death, he wanted him to go forward, whatever the cost. In front of his god, Leonard knew what to say. "I will sail into the storm, if this is what's ahead. Our Lord's will be done." "Excellent, my son. You have taken your decision, and I'm sure you will honor your oaths. Our Lord will remember your devotion." Leonard didn't know if he had ever had the chance to refuse, but it didn't matter. To help His sons in need. He had made his choice almost ten years before, in that very place. The man continued: "You will sail in search of an unfortunate ship, and of a deluded man who thought he was stronger than the winds and the tides. But there is more, something your mates will not know, something they could not understand. Let me tell you the tale of a ship called Charon, and the unfortunate quest of a man named Montcalm..."