While he’d not expected the full support of Shatufan, Leon was still disappointed by the results of Jamshid’s initial attempts to support him.  Jamshid, however, attempted to mitigate this failure by telling Leon that many of the Azadan were not so much opposed to him as they were afraid of the Ocean Lords and that they still valued the storm crystal he could provide.

“Worry not, there won’t be city guardsmen knocking down my door at midnight.  I have allies in wait, we can move quickly to ensure you aren’t kicked out and that trade will continue between our cities,” he’d said, before conspiring with the few Azadan who were openly supportive of Leon.

Leon, however, was less inclined to give him that time, though in the hours following Manuchehr’s departure from Jamshid’s estate, Leon didn’t demand anything of Jamshid, letting him see to the politicking while he contemplated his options with his followers.

The Aurichalcum was needed, that much was without question.  The material wouldn’t win their war by itself, however, and that meant that Leon had to consider other options for increasing his people’s power, too.  In that respect, he considered what other powers there were in the region that Jamshid had called ‘the Far West’.

The Far West was effectively everything west of the Bolt Mountains—the eastern edge of Archelaus’ Despotate—and the King’s Ocean off the western shore.  Given the meddling of the Ocean Lords in this region, the southern half of the Far West, where Artorion was located, was rather bereft of major settlements.  The northern half was well populated, but as far as Leon knew, there weren’t any post-Apotheosis mages in any of these cities.

Most of the population of the Far West lived along the shores of the Finger Lakes, long, narrow lakes in a fertile valley formed by two branches of the very same mountains that flanked the Artor Valley—the people of the Finger Lakes called these branches the Westfells and Southfells.  The lakes were connected via a network of canals further to the west, and the Southcourse river system in the east.  The Southcourse rivers merged further to the south, eventually flowing through the Artor Valley and into the King’s Ocean.

Of the cities on the Finger Lakes, only three were of much consequence: Hosragan, the largest; Sentudon, which built all of the ships and what few arks the region had; and Shatufan, whose wealth eclipsed all other cities of the Finger Lakes.  There were other cities in the Far West of note, though, including several that were larger and more powerful than Shatufan.

Queenfall, where a would-be Storm Queen was killed, on a large peninsula to the northwest jutting out into the King’s Ocean.  Many warriors called the city home, though they mostly fought the monsters that came down from the Galehorn Mountains in the center of the peninsula.

Krizos, along the shore of Treasure Lake in a valley formed by the Bolt Mountains and Bower Hills further east.  While Krizos lacked much in the way of military power, they more than made up for it in natural and manufactured resources, being a major source of Titanstone and Lumenite in the region.

The Seventh Iron Order was north of the Finger Lakes, and Leon was aware that the Iron Orders were formed specifically to try and prevent invasions of the Storm Lands by other powers.  How effective or powerful they were, he didn’t know, but there remained the possibility that he could get them on his side in Artorion’s current conflict.

Most of his knowledge of the Far West came from a conversation he had with Icarius while waiting for Jamshid—Icarius had spent months building connections within these cities in an attempt to source strategic materials for Leon’s Kingdom.  Unfortunately, Icarius hadn’t been to any of these places and didn’t have much more immediately useful information for Leon to work with.

Fortunately, Jamshid wasn’t long in organizing those seeming few who supported trade with Leon’s colony and soon met back up with him.

“Good news, King Leon!” Jamshid exclaimed as he entered the garden where Leon and his entourage had been waiting.  “After casting a few nets, I’ve found that a quarter of the Azadan are willing to openly support continuing trade with Artorion!  While that may not seem like strong support, I assure you that here in Shatufan, it is!”

Leon slowly nodded as he turned away from Icarius and the map that lay between them.  “What of the remaining three quarters?” he asked.

“Manuchehr’s position is supported by about one-third of the Azadan,” Jamshid explained.  “The rest are more in favor of not rocking the boat and are siding with Manuchehr for the sake of convenience.  They are persuadable.”

With a deep sigh, Leon asked, “And how long might it take to persuade these Azadan?”

Jamshid’s expression didn’t falter even the slightest when he smoothly answered, “I could have a resolution before the assembly of Azadan within four months!”

Leon shook his head.  “I don’t have that much time.  I need something now.  Besides, Manuchehr demanded that I leave the city by midnight.  I need to do anything I can to get what I need as quickly as possible.  Would I be able to talk to the Aurichalcum merchants directly and purchase what I can?”

Jamshid’s expression morphed into something slightly craftier.  “The Aurichalcum trade is our greatest asset, King Leon, and as such is heavily regulated.  The guild that oversees its production is controlled by a council of five Azadan chosen by lot to serve five-year terms.  These terms are staggered so that every year, we choose another of our number to serve on the council.”

“There is no possibility, then, that I can speak with the actual owners and operators of these production facilities before Manuchehr returns to follow through with his threats?”

“I’m afraid not.  All of our production facilities for Aurichalcum are owned by Azadan, and they will neither go against the guild nor our assembly.  To do so would politically isolate them and possibly even cost them ruinous fines for selling our city’s greatest asset out from under our other customers.  I must remind you, King Leon, that nearly all of our Aurichalcum has been purchased in advance, so what is produced already belongs to someone else—Despot Archelaus, for the most part.”

Leon scowled deeply.  He wasn’t keen on antagonizing Archelaus, but he needed that Aurichalcum.

“What would you say are my options, then?” he asked.

“I will continue pulling the sails with my fellow Azadan.  If we get a majority in our assembly, then we can overrule Manuchehr’s decision.  Should Manuchehr attempt to push you out of the city—a certain possibility, even if he won’t move by the exact deadline he gave you—you can await the Azadan’s decision in one of my countryside estates.  Unfortunately, the guild council has three of Manuchehr’s close friends on it, so we might still have to exert pressure upon them to get them to acquiesce to your needs, and that would take time.”

With a slow nod, Leon processed this information.  He was not pleased, but let the matter sit for a moment as he regarded Jamshid.  The man was dressed quite ostentatiously after meeting with his fellow Azadan, with yellow and white robes embroidered with images of red eagles and golden griffins.  His long brown hair had been curly when Leon first arrived, but it seemed he’d seen fit to make it even curlier, while his thick brown mustache had been oiled and straightened.

He stood before Leon with confidence; he was one of the most powerful mages in the city and judging by his estate and attire, easily one of the wealthiest.

Jamshid had proclaimed a desire for storm crystals and to force the Ocean Lords from the Storm Lands as his reason for helping Leon, but Leon couldn’t help but feel doubt.  He simply didn’t believe that it could be so simple.  The man was leering at him as if he expected something from him, and Leon wondered when that particular shoe might drop.

“Who else sits on the guild council, aside from Manuchehr’s three allies?” Leon asked.

Jamshid grinned.  “Artabazes, one of the men who spoke up in your favor during our meeting with Manuchehr, has the fourth seat.  I have the honor of filling the fifth.”

Leon smiled in amusement, but it was Icarius who spoke next.  “You have much to gain, then, from aiding my King.”

“When new powers enter the Nexus, it can be a profitable thing to assist them,” Jamshid stated.  “Many of the current Storm Lords vying for the Storm Throne are former vassals of the Thunderbird Clan.  The power they achieved was granted in large part not by their own hard work, but by the beneficence of your claimed ancestors, King Leon.”

He paused and allowed a more overtly sly look to pass over his face.

“You’re young, powerful, and ambitious enough to claim descent from the Thunderbirds—which comes with connotations, implications of where that ambition will take you.  Supporting you is a gamble, but… I wasn’t born an Azadan, I made myself one with my own strength and mettle.  I know a good bet when I see one, and though you now face great hardship, I’m willing to bet on you.”

Leon regarded the man a little more appreciably after his short spiel, though he doubted this was everything on the Azadan’s mind.  When Manuchehr had introduced him, he had been identified as being of a noble House.  Leon had assumed that meant he had a long and storied legacy—that may still be the case, he supposed, but it seemed Jamshid was a little more than a pampered rich man living off generational wealth.

With a quiet smile of appreciation, Leon nevertheless stated, “I’m happy you’re willing to bet on me.  But I’ll have you know that my time is limited, and my patience even more so.  Your city will provide me with Aurichalcum, one way or another.”

“Then let us make sure it is the right way,” Jamshid stated, his grin widening slightly.  “The way that leaves us all happy.  Everything can be acquired—at the right price.  We just have to find that price.”

Leon hesitantly nodded.  He distrusted loyalty that could be bought, but he’d take what he could get in the short term.

“While you’re here, Jamshid, perhaps you could offer some advice, too?” he said as he turned back to Icarius’ map.  “While you’re working on this city, where else might I find support for my cause?”

Jamshid smiled and quickly scanned the map.  “I am less familiar with those cities outside of the Finger Lakes, but there are a few possibilities for finding support.  If it’s power you’re looking for, however, then you might try looking a little further afield.”

“Oh?” Leon said with a surprised glance shared by Icarius.

“Do you refer to powers of a nonhuman source?” Icarius asked, his interest audibly piqued, though his face remained largely stoic.

“I do,” Jamshid confirmed.  “None are marked on this map, alas, but I have another where they are.”

“Are you referring to wilder places?  I had to focus on civilized regions,” Icarius explained as Jamshid pulled another map from his soul realm.

“I don’t blame you; it is the wise sailor that sticks to known waters,” Jamshid responded.  “Men are known quantities, as are their works.  To an extent.  But what I might suggest are, indeed, more unknowns.  Unknown waters are dangerous, to be sure, but within them lie greater potential benefits that men cannot fathom…”

“I would appreciate some specifics,” Leon said with a grin.  “I’m no stranger to seeking inhuman support.”  He almost admitted to having a demonic contract, but he refrained.  While the Empires on Aeterna were accepting of Xaphan, the Bull Kingdom outright banned demon contracts.  For all he knew, Shatufan might have more in common with the Bull Kingdom than the Empires, in that regard.

Jamshid smiled as he pointed to a stylized tree marking on his map in the northwestern corner of Archelaus’ domain.  It was white with blue leaves, looking somewhat similar to many of the trees in the Forest of Black and White, if Leon squinted hard enough.

“The Stormborn Oak,” Jamshid stated as Leon’s entourage started paying more attention to what he was saying.  “Older than any of the cities in the Far West, there are many legends about this tree.  Supposedly, it was born when a lightning bolt struck an acorn, imbuing it not only with magic but with a spark of origin power.  Others say the tree was here before men returned following the last Reconstitution of the Nexus, that it survived the previous Nexus’ destruction.

“Regardless of the truth, it is an immensely powerful tree, and many believe that ingesting the sap that falls from its boughs will impart some of its power upon them, aiding them in achieving Apotheosis.  These are but legends, though, and to my knowledge, no pilgrims have returned from the tree with sap to verify those claims, for it is surrounded by eternal storms, fields of lightning, and thick, monster-infested forests.”

Leon nodded, his sense of adventure already rising to meet this challenge.  “I might have to pay this tree a visit, then, and see what the truth of the matter is…”

“A good idea,” Jamshid agreed.  “Especially since many in the Far West consider the Stormborn Oak sacred, and make pilgrimages to its environs, hoping for a blessing.  Show your power there, and even if you receive nothing at all from the Stormborn Oak, you might at least recruit the powerful and the superstitious.  You might even convince some of them of your claimed lineage.”

Leon glared at Jamshid, angered at the implication that he was lying about being descended from the Thunderbird.  He held his tongue, however, and simply turned his attention back to the map.

“Another place you might wish to visit is Kavad’s Lance,” Jamshid said, pointing instead to what seemed to be a mountain on the northern coast of the Far West.  Leon might’ve been worried getting that close to the King’s Ocean, but that was close to a narrow strait that separated the Storm Lands from the Burning Lands, and the audacity and willingness of the Ocean Lords in that area might be lesser than what Terris displayed, given the presence of nearby Burning Lords to check their actions.

“Kavad’s Lance,” Jamshid continued, “refers both to the mountain and the weapon said to be awaiting a worthy wielder at its peak.  Supposedly, the weapon was once wielded by one of the Great Lord Khosrow’s sons, lost until the last Reconstitution.  Now, it lies at the peak of this mountain, its power causing the mountain to float thousands of feet in the air.  Many in the Far West, especially those closer to the Bolt mountains such as Krizos and Genesos, believe that Khosrow’s successor will claim the lance at the peak of the mountain.  Visiting the mountain and seeing how far up it one can climb has become a rite of passage for many in the Far West.  You may find it worthwhile to take the challenge yourself and possibly win the respect of those who call this place home.”

Leon sighed.  He certainly wanted to visit this place, it sounded like quite the adventure.  But while they spoke, Terris’ fleet surrounded his new home.  He wasn’t sure he could spare the time to visit such a place while this crisis was still ongoing.

“Any other possibilities for support?” Leon asked.

“The last easy win, I believe, is the Seventh Iron Order,” Jamshid said as he now indicated a stylized fortress close to the beginning of the Serpent’s Head peninsula, upon which Queenfall lay.  “Sworn to defend the shores of the Storm Lands from invaders, they are obligated to support you, without political expectations in turn.”

“That… sounds too good to be true,” Leon said.

Jamshid shrugged.  “If they haven’t yet contacted you, as seems to be the case, then there may be something else going on that they’re preoccupied with.  The Iron Orders are formidable fighting forces, supported by the Iron Lord in the east, an Anax once thought to be a rival for the title of Storm King, but who bowed out of the competition.”

Leon’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the Seventh Iron Order’s castle on Jamshid’s map.  “What do you know of Strategos Djoser?  Isn’t he the Captain of the Third Iron Order?”

“He is,” Jamshid confirmed.

“Isn’t he obligated to assist me in my current conflict?”

“He is,” Jamshid repeated.  “Though, the Iron Orders, despite their mission, sail the same currents as we do; they are not immune to the politics and instability of the Storm Lands.”

“That’s a shame,” Leon murmured.  “I’ll take these places under advisement.  I thank you for your time, Jamshid, but I’m afraid we can’t waste any more.  I must return to Artorion in a matter of weeks.  For at least the next few days, I need to focus on sourcing Aurichalcum.”

Jamshid warned, “The Azadan move at their own pace, for better and for worse.”

“Someone ought to speed them up,” Leon darkly said.

“Often have I felt the same way, as have many of my friends,” Jamshid agreed.  He then leaned down to whisper a little more conspiratorially, “There are… other options available to us, too.  More… direct means that might present themselves, should you align your power with… someone deserving…”

‘Finally,’ Leon thought.  It seemed to him that Jamshid was finally broaching what he’d left unstated for the rest of their meeting.

“I’ll need to speak with my friends,” Jamshid continued when Leon gave him a nod, “we might be able to move… say, tomorrow.”

“More direct action, you say?” Leon whispered, Manuchehr’s deadline flashing through his mind, as well as Nestor’s.

Midnight.

One month.

He didn’t have the time to waste politicking with the Azadan of a single city, and the Aurichalcum they might give him, while needed, wouldn’t solve his problem on its own.  ‘Better to help an ally and leave them to secure more of it,’ he thought.  ‘That’ll leave time for me to check out some of these other places, won’t it…?’

“Bring your friends to me,” Leon said.  “I’d like to speak with them so that we can get a better idea of what we might be doing tomorrow.”

“As you wish, King Leon!” Jamshid exclaimed.  “I will begin immediately!  Give me an hour and I will return with my most valued friends!”  He turned on his heel and started walking out of the garden.

As he walked away, Leon felt Xaphan’s attention from within his soul realm.

[You’re not seriously trusting this fuckwit to have your back?]

[He’s the one who showed up,] Leon said.  [Ambitious, looking for benefits… I can tell he’s not supporting me out of a sense of charity, he’s expecting to get something out of this, and not just storm crystal and my favor.  I think he wants all of Shatufan…]

[At least you’re not blind, as much as you might seem to be at times.]

Leon internally scoffed.  [Enough people have been saying that I should just take what I need.  So, fine, I’ll do just that.  Jamshid’s using me, that much is clear, but if I get what I want, I don’t care.]

[Well, well, boy.  You’re starting to sound more like a King,] Xaphan said appreciatively.  [I’m looking forward to seeing how far this new course will take you…]

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