Scenarios

Alliances

The Zombie King circles a table with a large map over it. Not a map of Nighthaven, but a map of Earth. Specifically, the area around Endromidus. He wears a crown of grey stone and worn pants, but nothing else. His skin is rotted green, but it's not damaged or falling off or anything. His body is as durable as a human's, even more so. He points at an area in North Field. "The bulk of enemy forces are coming from this field. Their ship is stationed above it and is transporting troops and supplies to the ground. If we come in through our portals here," He moves his hand so he's pointing slightly east of where he said the enemy ship was hovering. "We can overwhelm their main path to Endromidus. With our numbers, they'll be completely cut off from the city and Protector Joey and the Endermen can clean up there." He glances up to his advisor, who looks apprehensive. "It's a sound plan, sire, but I simply don't see how helping the Earth city is good for us in any way. We should keep to ourselves and let them sort it out themselves. We don't risk loosing soldiers that way," He says, looking up to his king. He flinches slightly at he look on the Zombie King's face. "Have you forgotten what we owe Protector Joey?" He asks icily. "No, sire, I simply-" "Have you forgotten that every zombie in this kingdom, you and myself included, owe the Protector our very lives," He says. The advisor sighs, his annoyance well hidden. He's heard this countless times before. "No, your majesty. I only meant-" "Then we move in tonight. Prepare the troops." The advisor sighs again, bowing low. "Yes, your majesty. Right away." He rises and makes to leave to do as he's told. The Zombie King stops him before he goes. "Not only does the Zombie Kingdom owe Protector Joey it's existence, but he is also the primary source of rare resources. Earth has resources that Nighthaven does not. Endromidus gets us these resources. Is that enough to satisfy your cold, logistical point of view?" The advisor doesn't respond. He simply bows again and excuses himself. The Zombie Kingdom lets him go this time.
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The Blaze King rests on his throne, his magma rock crown sitting next to him. He has a tablet floating in front of him, caught in his orbit. He uses one of his rods to swipe through a long list of shipments between Dresklan and Earth, as well as between Dresklan and Nighthaven. While he does this, his advisor lists off what the Blaze King is reading. "Endromidus has sent us an extra shipment of vegetables this month. He doesn't ask for anything in return, only explaining that they had extra." The Blaze King smiles warmly at that. Skeletons, zombies, nor endermen need to eat, so it makes sense that extra harvests from Earth would be sent to Dresklan, but it's still something that Joey didn't need to do. He simply did it to be kind. "I'll be sure to personally thank him for his kindness. Fresh vegetables are a luxury we don't often get down here," He says. Very few plants grow in the ravaged hellscape that is Dresklan. The hard brimstone doesn't allow roots, the overwhelming heat is too much for Earth plants, and the constant fires and ever shifting lava flow means nowhere is truly safe to grow. However, the same way sapient life evolved here, plants found a way too. A single type of extremely nutritious fungus is all Dresklan has for food. "In addition, send him an extra month's shipment of sand shrooms. I hear it's a rare commodity in Endromidus," He orders. The advisor bows. "Yes, sire."
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The Skeleton King marches trough a training field, hands behind his back. Upon his head is a glittering crown of iron. Periodically he shouts out orders to the skeleton soldiers training around him. He points out flaws or calls out a praise or shouts advice or encouragement. Scurrying to keep up, his advisor trails behind him with a tablet full of reports. She rattles them off to him. "A squad of archers got into an altercation with creeper bandits in the defense of a human settlement near the eastern sea. There were no casualties and the creepers were driven off with minimal damage to the human settlement. Acromantula training is going well, although a group of small ones escaped into the southern portion of the dark oak forest. The hunt is ongoing. One of our trade routes to the Zombie Kingdom has been compromised. Cthulian influence suspected. Troops stationed in Endromidus report everything is quiet. Protector Joey and his armies are still away, but messengers report the battle against Pakun goes well..." She trails off and the Skeleton King glances at her. "Speak your mind, dear," He says kindly before turning to point out flaws in his trainees' formation. His advisor waits till he's done them speaks up, unafraid in the face of her understanding king. He's very level headed and often listens to whatever people have to say about or to him, regardless of what that is. "Why do we help them? Endromidus, I mean. I know this alliance has been well for us, but you go above and beyond for Protector Joey in ways he simply doesn't do for you. Why? Wouldn't it be safer for our troops to stay home? Let the Endermen of the End handle watching the city while the Endromic Fighters are away. Joey is allied closer to them anyways. Why risk ourselves for him? I know he helped take care of the Zombie Kingdom during the outbreak, but he did no such thing for us. I just- I don't understand your point of view," She says. She worries about how comfortable she'd gotten while she spoke and bows low. "Your majesty," She adds respectfully. The Skeleton King stops and turns to his advisor. He lets her rise before speaking again. "I see something in Protector Joey that I don't often see in humans. It reminds me of myself. Back during the Human-Monster War so many years go, we Nighthavenees faced an enemy that we, in those early stages of our kingdoms' development, had no chance of defeating alone. We had to stand together to drive the humans back and take back our home," He glances up at their walls, lost in a memory for a moment, before turning his attention back to his advisor. "Protector Joey faces a powerful enemy. Their reach spans countless dimensions, their power is unimaginable, their goal is unacceptable. He will never defeat them on his own. And, should they succeed, Earth will be destroyed. Not just the planet, but the whole dimension. If Earth is destroyed, I don't know what will happen to us. Nighthaven, Dresklan, the Edge, we're all so closely tied to Earth, we may very well be destroyed by extension. If we aren't, then the Cthulians will surely come for us next. We have to stand together to defeat them. I trust Protector Joey's judgement. If him aiding the Lorkalians in their war against Pakun is what he decides to do, then I will stand with him. If that means defending his home while he brings his troops to battle, then so be it. Where you see just another human leader, I see a man who wants to make the world a better place. I see a man standing against impossible odds because it's the right thing to do. I admire that, and so, I will stand with him through it." His advisor smiles up at him. Not a smile like a human, but a special gesture unique to skeletons because of their lack of lips. "I think I get it. Yeah. I know what you mean. I mean, he didn't take us to war with him because of the slight possibility one of the enemy generals could take control of our minds. So, it's clear he cares for us at least a little, right?" The Skeleton King chuckles and nods. "Indeed it is. He may not to be able to send military aid the same way we do, but that's only because we never need it. We're not at war. But he sticks his neck out for us in the ways that he can. Like leaving behind an entire army's worth of troops he could use, just to keep them safe from a powerful necromancer," He says. He turns and continues his patrol thought the training grounds. His advisor follows him, seeing Endromidus in a new light.