In Warhammer Fantasy as my ERP Character

91

Valeria takes a deep breath. She and her herd have finally stepped down from the Mountain of Mourn and now she finally saw the exhilarating sight and air of the Warpstone Desert. No longer she is stuck on the mountains where Celestial and Light Winds of Magic can suffocate her and the barren sands dotted by many green crystals is a welcome sight. It's been more than a month since she last departed, marching almost nonstop, and finally she glimpsed at the eastern kingdom her mother set her to find.

The journey here is somehow quite smooth. As most of the conflict and Chaos Gods attention are elsewhere. After their last stop at the Moot, they get a few ogres that join the herd and guide them through the Blasted Lands and to the Plains of Zharr where the Chaos Dwarves rule. Due to the ogres guiding them and the Chaos Dwarves trade with the Ogre Kingdoms, the herd are allowed to pass without much fuss and less tax than the traders from the Empire going to Cathay. These traders are few but they almost always come with a grand convoy but not as big as her herd. Valeria doesn’t like how the Chaos Dwarves look at her and her lesser daemon sisters though. There is still the occasional orc raid and orc slave uprising but those are quickly resolved.

Entering the Mountain of Mourn is the most problematic part. Due to the high concentration of Celestial and Light magic in high places, the lesser daemons can’t help much and there’s plenty of fight with petty ogre tribes that doesn’t entirely follow Greasus Goldtooth rule. But those are very few and easily dispatched. This also means that the herd have no shortage of food as even the ogres within the herd are very fine doing cannibalism. After that they went through the treacherous and twisting path of the Bone Road, which finally led her to the Warpstone Desert. Valeria saw a huge fortress city east to southeast of their current position and she sensed something really powerful within the city.

Valeria halted her steps as she gulped. Whoever inside the city has noticed her too. And she felt they were comparable to her mother. Regardless, she marches on through the Warpstone Desert. If any problem arises, she can just blow the Horn and call her mother. As the herd marched, Valeria’s unease continued. She is being watched. Some of her sisters felt the same but none is being watched as closely as her.

One long uncomfortable march later, the herd stops before the great wall of the fortress city of Shang-Yang. Two huge terracotta statues stood side by side beside the city gate. The land surrounding the fortress city has already turned into fertile rice fields though no one is outside as it is almost evening. Valeria and two of the other lesser daemons walked forward. But before she could announce herself, the city gate opened. Out rode 36 cavalry riding Kirin with mirror shields. They surround Valeria and the two lesser daemons. The golden herd behind clamors in anger, taking out their rugged weapons and preparing to charge forward. But Valeria raises her hand and stops them. The beastmen are barely in control.

“Wait here.” Valeria commands. She wants to add that if she doesn't leave after a day they are to assault the city. Though she didn’t say it because she doesn’t know if they can even assault the city and in addition to that powerful presence within the city.

The cavalrymen nudges Valeria and other two into the city with their glaives and Valeria follows along. Entering the city, she saw that the city is nicer than places she has visited. The entire street is paved, clean buildings and its surrounding, and the exotic architecture is much more pleasing than the ones in the empire.

“Why did you let them inside!? You have to kill them! They are beastmen!” shouts one of the traders in silk clothing being pushed back by an exasperated guard. Some other people from the Empire shouted the same. These are the traders that stay in Shang-Yang until winter passes before returning to the Empire with the goods from Cathay. The Kirin cavalry escort Valeria and her sisters to the palace inside the city.

Entering the palace, Valeria notices plenty of enchantment weaved into the palace walls and almost all of the guards have enchanted equipment. Valeria is then separated by her two sisters as she is led to a different room. Seeing as none of the guards ever spoke a word to her, she just entered the room without much pause. Only for her to come face to face with the powerful entity within the city.

“You finally arrived. Come sit.” Said a huge man with a finely groomed black hair and beard while his entire eyes is white. He wears an ornate armor shaped like the face of some creature above his clothes.

Valeria sat on the chair provided, a small table stood in between her and his seat.

“You must forgive my men. I told them to not bother speaking as I thought you won’t understand our language,” He said as he poured some tea into a small cup, “Tea?”

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“No.” Valeria instantly refuses. She doesn't even know what tea is.

“Tell me about yourself…” He pauses. Waiting for Valeria to answer but she just stares at him.

“Ah, where’s my manners? I am Zhao Ming, the Ruler of Shang-Yang.”

“I am Valeria. The Chieftess of the Second Golden Herd.” as Valeria answers, Zhao Ming smiles. Finally he’s getting somewhere.

“So Valeria, tell me about yourself.” He continues

“I don’t know where to start.” 

“Hmmm. You said you are the chieftess of the Second Golden Herd. Who is the first?” Zhao Ming starts

“My mother.”

“Of course. And where is she?”

“Back in the Old World.”

“And why do you come here? You didn’t come from the Ivory Road, that means you are determined to get here.” Zhao Ming continued to ask. This is not progressing the way he likes it.

“Ivory Road?”

“It’s a trade route. Should be safer than arriving from the Northwest where you come from.”

“No, we don’t know any Ivory Road.” The two cups of tea have grown cold. But Valeria takes the cup nonetheless as she needs to drink if she is going to be interrogated. But Zhao Ming’s hand stops her hand and reheats the tea with his magic before letting Valeria to continue. Valeria drinks the now warm tea and notes its unique taste though she can’t really put it into words as she didn’t know much about other drinks. Zhao Ming also drinks his tea.

“As for why we are here. My mother asked me to come here and find a place to settle or make some alliance.” Valeria finally opens up and Zhao Ming smiles.

“And you did arrive here. I applaud your determination,” He compliments her “As for a place to settle or an alliance. It can be arranged.”

“Is this why you are looking at me like that?” Valeria finally asks, his staring is not even subtle.

“Well yes. Simply put, I want you.” Zhao Ming finally declares his intent

Then a very loud horn sounds from within the palace, shocking the entire fortress city from its sound.

—

I gaze at my herd’s new equipment. Now they look like a proper army. With elven plate armors over their golden skin and elven made weapons. Many of the beastmen’s makeshift blacksmiths are now learning how to cold forge new armors and weapons. It doesn’t matter if they cannot channel magic as the Spell Slot plates can help them with that. Now the main problem is to acquire metals as fast as we forge them. We still has some stockpiles from the Eonirs but it will be quickly used up at this point. I should have added that to the list of my demands to Balthasar Gelt. Though moving huge amounts of metals are harder to conceal so I think he won’t accept it.

Then I felt something in my head. My hand instantly grabbed whatever it was. Followed by a squawk sound. In my hand is a bird. A seagull? Or is it bigger? I can’t really tell with my real size. The bird stood up and stood on my hand. Oh, it’s an albatross.

“You. You are the one that woke me up. Tomorrow, go north to the coast. I have a gift for you.” The albatross said and immediately flew away.

Did the bird just speak? I look around to make sure I am not mistaken but no one else is around me when it speaks. Though I found someone I have been looking for.

“Lak!” I shouted and my daughter jolted in surprise. Moving something away from my sight.

“There you are. You miss the visit to the armory and the first pick for new equipment. Where were you?”

“I was looking at some ruins.”

“Ruins within the city? What did you find?” At my question, she seemed hesitant before showing me a fancy elven hand mirror. Faintly magical. 

“I see. Well then, go to Kal. He should be still handing out equipment from the armory. There should still be some enchanted armor or even a magic staff for you.” She nodded before leaving in a hurry. Wonder what happened.

Then I hear a loud horn deep within my head. The entire herd stops, also hearing the loud horn. The expedition herd is in danger.

“Dorn! To me! Kal! Druig! Repair and Fortify the city!” The herd immediately moved into a frenzy. Few hundred of the newly armored and equipped beastmen, minotaurs, and a dozen shamans assembled around me. A flash of silver, then Wolfe also arrived. Tracing my connection to the horn artifact, I open a gateway and teleport there.

—

With a flash of a golden light, a thousand beastmen including Valariel and Dorn teleported instantly to Grand Cathay. Lak looked at where her mother once stood. Once again, she is left behind. She knows she has other responsibilities. But she wanted her mother to trust her more. She turns and goes with the group of beastmen shamans and blacksmiths that will learn cold forging. 

The magical mirror tied to her belt glows faintly purple. The Keeper of Secret from the previous battle bound herself into the mirror. Slaanesh has found The Keeper of Secret’s attempt on running from its disappointment amusing and has granted her one last chance. While The Keeper of Secret swore that she will not make another mistake. More in desperation but also personal vengeance. She will not be cast away like the Masque of Slaanesh did.

—

Back in Shang-Yang, Zhao Ming finally releases his hands on his ears.

“What did you do?” He asked in apprehension only to find her gone and the door to the room opened. Looks like his attempt on wooing his newest guest have failed catastrophically. She even has a magical artifact that can even deafen him. The problem now is what is its effect.

Then he felt a powerful presence strike the magical barrier of Shang-Yang.