by Max Barry

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Region: The Story of Civilization

Year of the Dragon, Part VIII
Expansion Post

Dol Camp, Khyber satrapy, the Horn of Aranaq

"Rally around, faithful, rally around!" Laro called out to the camp-goers as they gathered around the shaman. He had stood himself on a rock and steadied his footing with a walking stick that doubled as a torch, its flames alight despite the earliness of the day. When a sufficient crowd had gathered, Laro began to address them, "Firstly, I would take a moment to thank you all once again for joining me on this quest. It's no easy decision to leave your home and take the long walk to help others who may not even accept it. That is why, on behalf of the Dragon, I commend you all for your faithfulness and your courage. More than most, you all understand what it means to be part of a clan. When the Dragon finally lays low the Padishah, you shall stand behind him, as his triumphant servants! Glory to the Dragon!"

"Glory to the Dragon!" cried out the onlookers in response. "Glory to the Dragon!" cried out Shuja. The shaman continued, "Now, you all know why you are here. You have been called to serve a higher purpose beyond the base conquests. Together, we shall show the people of Khyber that there is a better way, one in which they do not have to kneel and give their bread to false gods. They too can be part of a greater purpose, as you all are. Walk among the people of Khyber, break bread with them. Aid them in the harvest and on the sea. Reveal to them the greatness that comes when we are united as one! When the armies of the Dragon march upon these lands, they will be joined by the faithful, and when we stand before the gates of Aligrama, the Padishah, the false god, will see the light of a hundred thousand faithful, a unified spirit that burns as brightly as the sun, and he will quake in his boots! For we are the Dragon's faithful, and we are one!"

"We are one!" the crowd repeated fervently.When Laro called the crowd to disperse, Shuja and the others dispersed, meandering back to their tents and readying themselves for the mission ahead. The former herdsmen was greeted by his two tent-mates, who were busy preparing satchels of food, gifts to be given to the people of Zajran; the first of many villages along the Horn of Aranaq that were to be aided. "I see you three have already got the leg up," he said. "Planning to reach Zajran before I?"

"You're as slow as the sheep you herd, Shuja," said one of his tent-mates. Shuja chortled in response. "How did Laro's speech cross you, brother?" asked the other tent-mate. "It was inspired, but I have my reservations that the people of Khyber will listen. we listened, for sure, but we're riverfolk. We know of the Mokrani. The people of the Horn do not. How do we know they will give ear?"

"I will say this much," started Shuja, as he readied his satchel. "If Laro could sway I, then he can certainly sway the people of the Horn. I cared not for him or his ilk when they first came to Loebanr. Didn't help that the camel-men's guards used to flog me for near everything. Least, it felt that way. Then Laro came along. He called off those guards, sat down under my roof and talked to me. You can't say that for any of the Padishah's priests. The man helped me up and made damn well sure that the guards help me, too, rather than just bring out the flogger whenever I so much as looked at them the wrong way. Made sure I, my pa, my ma, and my whole family had their means. Hells, made sure of that for the whole damned town. We ate better than we ever had under the Padishah. If this is how the Dragon cares for his own, then I'm glad to make sure everyone else in Aranaq is his own."
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Meanwhile, in Laro's tent...

The yurt was filled with the scent of roast antelope as a flank was turned over a brazier. Breathing in the air and sighing contentedly, Laro began to organize his effects in preparation for the day's work, tall the while tying to ignore the glare coming from the emissary. "Well, will you tell me what you're doing here, Jungso?" said the shaman. "I'm open to all the faithful of the Dragon, but I also have important work that needs doing."

The stoic Mochgol began, "Firstly, a commendation for your speech out there. You truly know how to stir the converts."

"Faithful, Jungso, faithful," corrected Laro. "They did not convert to the way of the Dragon. I merely showed them a better way, and they took it. Conversion implies that the way they came from was just as well lit. This isn't Mokranshi. These people don't have their pick of clans. Here, it's only the Padishah and his way of darkness."

"Of course, of course," Jungso said dismissively. "That being said, I did not come here to discuss the merits of theology. I came here to discuss the mission."

"Mission...the way you phrase it, it sounds so sinister. We're not spies, Jungso. We are dutiful servants of righteousness."

"Half-true. You're not a spy. Nonetheless, you still have a purpose here. We have not granted you an entire garrison's worth of supplies so you could dawdle about in enemy territory. You're here to make sure that the keystone in the framework of Aranaq. Many peoples, one faith, remember? Take away their faith in the Padishah, and the rest of the nation will begin to crumble."

"Dragon's sake, Jungso! Just because I'm showing them a better way does not make me the un-maker of kings! I leave you and your little cabal to that."

Without skipping a beat, Jungo responded, "Quench not the fire that burns bright..."

"...but harness it and make it your own." finished a weary Laro. With a bearly constrained disgust, he said, "I will make sure all Aranaq hears my message. The fact that it erodes the Padishah's throne is merely a coincidence. But worry not. I will reach out to them all." He cocked his head to the spy. "The next time you deign to use the Dragon's own words against me in my own tent, I will make sure Luu hears of it."

"Tell him whatever you please," said Jungso as he made his way towards the flap in the yurt. "Like you, I am but a humble servant of the Dragon."

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