My Life As A Gamer: The New Model Colony Welcomes Its First Foreign Embassy

It's been a month. Let's check in on the New Model Colony since the end of October.

General Developments

• The turn of the season has proven, beyond the Colony's expectation, to be advantageous. Continued parley between the Colony and the Treants have--pardon the pun--cultivated a comprehension that seeing to the needs of the forest is nothing more than caring for a farm at a larger scale.

  The soldiers of the Colony, along with other men, were surprised by the request of the Treants to clear away deadwood and other hazards. Furthermore, a certain limited amount of hunting--to manage populations (as is the case in real life)--was asked for, all to maintain the health of the forest. Some seeds were planted about the forest edge, with the long-term aim of expanding the forest's size over the generations.

• The Architect spend most of the month in seclusion with the Treants again, emerging only to partake in the parley, but is now back in his lodgings in the Colony's headquarters with new lessons to teach. (Bard 2)
• The Dervish band reported an encounter with another band of Ogres, who turned out be stragglers from last month's invasion and rooted out two nests of Giant Beetles. (Note: These are "ignored unfavorable encounters".)
• A new group of curious outsiders arrive at the Colony: a band of Gnomes. (This is the Favorable Encounter.)

A warband of 175 Gnomes appear, first meeting the Dervish band and then being accompanied by same to the Colony after stopping to speak with the Treants. It turns out that this Gnome clan knew the Treants long ago, and are still friendly towards one another, but monster incursions drove the Gnomes away when their homes came under attack and they've been in a state of closure until recently.

These Gnomes represent their clan, which has a fortified homestead some distance (i.e. outside this hex) away, and wish to open relations with the Colony. The Treants vouch for the Gnomes, so the Colony accepts and the Gnomes are granted an embassy in the Colony- and welcome an Embassy in turn. Thinking quickly, the Cleric and the Fighter turn to the Dervish leader and ask him to be the Colony's ambassador to the Gnomes. Seeing that everyone benefits from this arrangement, he accepts.

With the return of The Architect from the Treants at the end of the month, he ensures that the agreements are settled and recorded in both parties' tongues. The Dervish leader gets ready to take his men to the Gnomes' homestead, accompanied by a few of the Gnomes.

Campaign Notes:

• Gnomes are now allowed as Player-Characters. Gnomes, and only Gnomes, are allowed as Illusionists at this time.
• The Colony's main settlement--the fortress--has its core construction complete.
• The network of watchtowers is complete. Phase Two, construction of fortified caravanserai at places of strategic import (i.e. hex edges), begins.
• The Cleric and the Archmage have their facilities complete, and the Cleric takes on the title of Archbishop (i.e. High Priest) while preparing expansion of the Church's presence in the Colony.
• The Archmage, though satisfied at present, foresees a move in the future; he will open separate negotiations for a dwelling (i.e. a tower) within a few months.
• The Fighter takes on the title of Duke (i.e. Lord) as he now has a functional Domain.
• The Thief calls himself "Guildmaster of the Cartographer's Guild" (i.e. Master Thief) as he finishes organizing his underlings into a functional Guild.