A Naval Blockade
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:55 pm
OOC: I'm bored, a minor civil war seems in order.
It had taken time. The strong Gong Li marines had been still under official conscription from the War of Jeremy's Nose, as the ASC Sakat [Atterockian Sailing Craft] had maintained close proximity to the Ocean Palace through its period of strong construction. The Baron's attention had been elsewhere. But now he had returned, and the marines had returned, the news had filtered through, and action was being taken.
The news was that, apparently, the island of Gong Li had attracted the attention of Duke Jonas. Recent expeditions by the Baron into Jasonian history had piqued the Duke's historical interest ... but in this case, his attention had been misdirected. Apparently, Gong Li had historical attachment to Antya. Had, perhaps. Did he not know that when the Island was recombined into the island Barony, Atterock, that all it's history had been lost to the Dark Age? That the Baron had scoured the libraries and sifted the oldest historians to find something, anything on the County, and, through all those long searchings, had come up with one single thing, one single phrase - "A'kuo'leini the drunken Polynesian says..." (oh, and that millenia ago it was called Hau'oli 'Ena, another forgotten nation that nothing could be found about). "Drunken Polynesian," wasn't much to go on, but with the help of the islanders, united under the Sultan and his army of Djinn, Andreas had helped the County re-establish itself as part of the wider Barony of Atterock. Of course it had belonged to another Barony before Atterock - Atterock was a new Barony, uniting the mighty Kildarian islands under one ruler after the horror of the plague that spawned the Dark Age. But that did not mean it did not have historical ties to Atterock now. It had served with Atterock, fought under Atterock - the blood of their men had been spilled for Atterock! What did it matter if the Atterock was actually the remains of a meteor shot by a possessed terrorist (under the influence of The Remnant) with nuclear weapons stolen from one of the most evil nations on Micras; hell bent on wreaking the Micran Apocalypse on the rest of the world ... instead of just having some general mystical significance. In fact, put like that, the Atterock sounded like a darn good symbol to unite a Barony torn by the destructions of plague around - it had everything - Microns, magic, gods, demons, Space, untold possible destruction, secret passwords, clandestine plots, Sai'Kar, and even something that made a huge B00/\/\! It was more than just a deadly rock, or a symbol - it was a Barony united!
[Note: Though the actual quasi-historical rant of the Baron went on much longer, Sakat stopped recording after this point, and so shall we. To cut a long story short ...]
And so the people of Gong Li were finally ready to make a stand against imperial oppression. From the jungle regions came a myriad of war canoes, hollowed out from mighty trees up to 80 m high (and in one case, seating that many). From the desert and the Sultanate came the swarthy Gong Li marines in the ASC Sakat, and behind them, a fleet of sailing ships manned by determined nomads and irascible Djinn. They were not going to war. But they were going to make their view clear. The ships sailed, apparently with no plan, until, as one, they all stopped. Then a might muttering emerged of "Dear, where'd you put that sign?" "It's under your seat dear ... no, the one you're sitting on." "Where'd we put that bloomin' sign?" "Did we leave it in the other canoe?" "Darn, I think we did. Bob, can you chuck us your spare sign. It's under your seat. No, the one you're sitting on." and other such sayings that accompany an occasion of mass organised peaceful demonstrations like this. Finally, they were ready. Every person on every boat held up a placard which read the same as their entire boats in formation (when viewed from above) - so that mortal and divine alike could read it. Every placard faced directly at the Ducal palace ... except for the boats to the far right who found they had to stare directly at the sun to do that, and instead, faced a little to the left of the Ducal palace. Certainly towards somewhere the Duke would take walks in, or maybe the odd jog. Walk his dog, even.
"Why not take Maragoo-O insted if u want an I-land? Keep yor wood full of rowg magikal creetures, we didn't put them there."
Except for one, rather better spelt sign, which said.
"Why not take Maraguo instead if you want an island? Keep your wood full of rouge magical creatures, I only put them there because the nice communist fellow asked, honest."
Their message was clear, their purpose obvious. While the effect of poor spelling might have been niftier were it rural english peasants and not pacific islanders, it was hopefully a message which the Duke would stand up and listen too.