Content:Percusa VII

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This is the Seventh Chapter of the Percusa's story.

fter spending a night in the dungeons of Maruyama, the Eastern officers are ready to talk. As well as they should be, with their extensive knowledge of anatomy our soldiers are well acquainted with where to strike the nerves. This, coupled with threats to eat their companions alive, makes the officers sing like birds. Out of the many things that the officers spill to our torture masters, only four are corroberated by other officers. With a message and re-inforcements from the High General; Lashir is finally free to leave Maruyama to the lieutenant that has been sent to govern the city. Lashir only has time to act upon one piece of information.

Vira excuses herself, pleading wearyness from the journey and retreats to her chambers for the night to decide what to do about the stubborn High Priest. After little sleep and lots of thought, Vira has decided that she cannot go crying to Lashir with her problem. She must deal with this hrself, afterall she's a friggin' Liuetenant General, just three ranks away from The Great General himself! With a new resolve, Vira re-enters the High Priests reception chamber, and demands a private meeting with him. His Exaltedness is still unimpressed, so Vira does what comes naturally to someone of high rank... She begins reciting the battles she has fought at and the rivals she has slain in the fighter's pit. The telling lasts long into the day, and forces both Vira and His Exalted ness to miss both afternoon meals. As the sun sets over the holy city, the High Priest is still unimpressedwith Vira's exploits, and demands only to meet with Lashir. Yet Vira is still persistent. Having finished with tales of her own exploits and battles, she moves on to tell the story of her family, longtime natives of the Rimbulan Ridge territories. At this, the High Priest is finally paying attention. He asks Vira to list the names of her parents and siblings, something any respectable Percusa east or western would know by heart. Vira, although a bit surprised, happily obliges the Priest and begins with her mother's offspring. As Vira finishes with the names of the four broodlings her father sired last spring, His Exaltedness dismisses the guards and steps down from his throne. Surprised by the Priests reaction, Vira can't help but feel that this is a trap and begins to wish that she had not allowed the doorguards to confiscate her sword. But Vira's apprehension is short-lived. Just as Vira prepares to fly up and sting the him, His Exaltedness removes the cowl that he had worn around his face. Vira gasps and falls into a swoon. His Exaltedness, the High Priest of the Eastern Empire is none other than her cousin/fiancee, Sergeant Kameko! Kameko explains he had not dared to hope it was she, and how a priest, who was Ryu's personal chaplain, had recieved a message from Jove telling him how Emporer Ryu had begun to abuse the sacred church and that Kameko was the key to disposing of Ryu. The priest had taken Kameko's place on the guillotine and how Kameko had been "chosen" by Jove to be the next High Priest. He had wished to speak with a General about this, so his past could be kept secret from the populace, but now that he knew it was she, he knew he could trust his childhood sweetheart. For reasons only apparent to Vira and Kameko, Vira waits several days before finally leaving The Holy City and re-joins General Lashir in a stronghold some two day's journey from Yuan-Wu Tsae. She comes bearing a letter from His Exaltedness, detailing how he believes that Ryu has abandoned the teachings of Jove and how he pledges his services to the Loklow League. Of course he leaves out the part about him being Sergeant Kameko, the fewer who know, the better.

The army will wait in the city of Shirkawa while His Exaltedness rallies the religious sects together against Ryu.

There has been unrest within the Church of Jove for some time now. Emporer Ryu hasn't kept close ties with the preists, as his predessecors did, and they are unhappy about being left out of major descisions. Most of the priests, and many of the peseantry, feel that Jove is displeased with the Emporer for leaving them out and this is why the East is losing the war. All they have been waiting for is a High Priest with the crest feathers to split off from the Emporer. All Kameko has to do is wait for the opportune moment. His moment comes about three weeks later at the Festival of Semreh, which celebrates the birthday of Jove's eldest son, the god of war and peace. Thousands are gathered in the Holy City to witness the sacrifices of hundreds of Jackalope and Angerford, as well as His Exaltedness, High Preist Okemak's speech to the faithful. Okemak (Kameko if you didn't catch that) sees this as his chance to strike a major blow for the West. He begins his speech with a prayer to Semreh for a quick end to the war, then to Jove himself for wisdom in the coming years. Then he begins his rant against Emporer Ryu. He tells of how funding has been cut off more and more from the Church, and how raids on temples, by nomads, and soldiers of both sides, have gone unpunished and finally he tops it off with evidence of Jove's displeasure with the Empire; the war is being lost and every day the Westerner's gain more ground. Finally, Okemak ends his speech with a call for The Faithful to rebel against Ryu, and leave their homes within lands owned by The Empire and take up the land that is being offered to them by Jove's preists. Afterall, why should they continue to blindly follow a man who claims divine lineage that is over 1500 years old? Would it not be better to follow Jove's chosen one instead of the descendant of his bastard son? Many in the throng cheer at these words. Most of them, because they are poor and desire to become landowners under the Church instead of Serfs under Ryu. The plan is working well, and within days word spreads thrughout the Empire of Okemak's public rebuke of The Emporer.

Meanwhile, Lashir and Vira's campaign is wildly sucessful. Many Jovian soldiers have simply left their posts to join their families is settling in new homes on their own land, while the morale of the rest of the Eastern soldiers has been broken to pieces. Lashir and Vira triumphantly approach Yuan-Wu Tsae and seige it, but after several days, reports from their spies inside the capitol say that everyone is eating well and happy, this seige could take a while.

The skies of Yuan Wu Tsae are well gaurded. The last scouting mission, well over thousands of feet in the air, ended in a brutal and swift 9 weeks of torture for the Loklow scout. We must go in by some other means...

Every other Friday night, Kat'Ri, a local fisherman, sets off into the river to fish for the legendary Jaws Bite, a mythical Jurrasic fish, the last of which, is said to live just outside of the capitol. Kat'Ri's wife calls him nuts every time he goes to hunt Jaws Bite, but she lets him go so she can have some peace and quiet with the tan pool boy.

On this particular Friday night, Kat'Ri says goodbie to his wife, she wishes him goodluck, and he goes off to the docks to hunt the elusive dual-finned prehistoric myth. He gets in his modestly sized fisherman's boat and heads out for the other side of the Island of Amphora. Once he gets there he calmly blows out the two lanterns on his boat, making it a ghost in the water, redirects the sail, and heads to the western shore. Kat'Ri anchors his boat 20 feet of the coast and flies low to the forest nearby. From here, it is a 4 mile hike to the bi-monthly Yuan Wu Tsae illegal fight club, where Kat'Ri will proceed to get kicked around for 5 minuets, then hike back, as secrecy must be maintained, no flying is allowed at matches.

While Kat'Ri is getting his beak crushed in, 10 members of of the Loklow special forces, dressed as Eastern fishermen, fly low to the boat 20 feet off the west coast of Yuan Wu Tsae River, pull up anchor, redirect the sail, and head back to the docks. Once there, a Percusa exits the boat onto the docks, unloading 9 boxes. He hauls the boxes over and places one on every boat available, the gaurds do not see this as unusual, as fishermen commonly get midnight deliveries sent directly to their boats. The delivery Percusa walks back to Kat'Ri's house and continues on until he reaches the Loklow secret safe house.

During the changing of the gaurd at the docks, nine boats mysteriously drift away into the night. They just so happen to drift, however slowly, to the western bank, where there awaits a small army. A section of this army will come back in the boats to secure the premisis of the docks and the nearest watch towers. The rest will fly low over the river after the perimiter is secured. It seems there was a tip-off yesterday that the Westerners would be invading from the east tomorrow morning, so the heads of security sent most of their men home tonight to rest up for the big attack. The rest are concentrated on the other end of the city, away from the docks.

The LE troops attack immediatly that night, quickly blitzing fer all the important government buildings. The entire city is woken by the fires started and the screaming gaurdsmens' last cries for mercy. The plan is a complete success. By the time the soilders gaurding the other end of the city realize that they should come and help, most of their officers have been killed by the raids. As a result, the Eastern troops are easy pickins for the Loklow warriors.

It is morning now, and the residents of the Capitol are finally gaining the courage to come out and see the wreckage. What they see is unbearable. The civilian residents are outraged by the death of the government as they knew it and show their hatred for the wicked Westerners. Now we have full on riots on our hands of Percusa who have little or no care for their own safety and supply lines have not yet been established to feed our troops. The food will run out soon, either from consumption or the protesting Easterners burning it. The city is fast becoming a chaotic mess of certain death for any Percusa who is not escorted by 8 of his best trained warrior friends.

The last of the LE troops are getting VERY annoyed with the increasing violence of the remains of the rioting civilians in Yuan Wu Tsae. Although the commanding officers want to hold out and wait for reinforcements, they are finally persuaded to the idea of arson when they wake up one morning to find themselves murdered by their own troops. The rebellious troops drop the remainder of their bombs all over the city, setting the capitol ablaze. Most of the citizens of Yuan Wu Tsae fly away into the woods, but they have become calmed with the destruction of their home.

After the capitol of the formally great Eastern Empire was burnt to the ground, the reinforcements finally arrive to see none of the Loklow forces. They find some of the Eastern survivors, but they all seem strangely detached and depressed. Lossing a war ‘ill do that to ya. None of them can recall where the Loklow deserters went. Our work seems done with the capitol, though. That leaves two major cities down(I think) and only one to go, Mei Chen. Intelligence reports that the Eastern infrastructure throughout the Empire is completely lacking. Most Easterners in the southern region of the former Empire do not yet know of their capitol’s fall.

The Loklow generals decide to exploit the lack of information flow throughout the Eastern Empire by waiting for Mei Chen to recieve the devestating news about the empire that ruled them. In the meantime, all recources are diverted to fortifying alll military positions throughout the region. Moral is high, and soon the bulk of the LE troops will be able to return to their waiting families.

In a weeks time, it is obvious the last of the Great Eastern Percusan Empire has heard the news of their brothers' defeat. Arial scouts report grown Percusa, screeching in the streets(a Percusan form of expressing extreme distress, ie: crying). There are a few reports of suicide, some Eastereners would rather die with honor than live without their great country.

As the LE troops are amassing on the outskirts of Lake Tao, the Councilpercusa(mayor basically), in a surprise move, walks, not flies, to the obviously positioned Loklow encampment. He requests to speak to the head general of the Loklow army. It seems as the East is not particularly familiar with Loklow society, as we do not have a "head" general, so the newly appointed full General Vira(Lashir, the preferred choice, has not been seen since the siege of Yuan Wu Tsae.) comes to speak with Councilpercusa Yari.

When the two leaders emerge from the most lavishly decorated tent in the Loklow arsenal, both Vira and Yari are looking very somber, yet at peace. Vira allows Yari to leave in peace, back to Mei Chen, or where ever, Vira respects the councilpercusa enough to allow him the option of retreat. Vira then assembles the troops in the largest military concentration in Percusa history. Little does she know this will be his final speech to her beloved army. This day will forever go down in Percusa history. General Vira addresses the now experienced army of over 50,000 troops. Ranging from the Elite Guerrilla Warriors, to the fire catapult crews, to the highly trained bomber Flyers, and the newly trained recruits, ready to defend the rights of their countrymen to the death, if necessary, Vira tells them…

“I have just spoken with Yari. He is a great percusa and a wise percusa and he only desires the best for his people. He has issued a formal surrender. The great Easterner has let me draw venom from his spines(the formal universal method of Percusan surrender). My fellow warriors, today is a momentous day. Today is the day we go home…”

Three years later… The Eastern Empire is now non-existent. The remaining villages eventually migrated to either Mei Chen or to the newly formed metropolis of Chi’Mosu, on the eastern shore of the lake with the same name. Yuan Wu Tsae has not been rebuilt or repolpulated, the taboo city now brings only sad memories of a horrible incident caused by a rebel group of soldiers. These soldiers were never found and presumed either dead or reacclimated to civilized life under new identities. The Empire itself was collapsed and absorbed by the Loklow Empire. Most easterners are emotionally broken, but this depression will end in a generation or two. The Eastern religion has been banned, and the Loklow beliefs are currently being thrust upon the populace of the east, unsuccessfully up to this point. The Kun’Wa Shrine has been converted into a Ksotsdo temple, but the victors have allowed the name of the community to remain.

Surprisingly, there is representation of the eastern cities in the Loklow on Clewis Island. One representative, former coucilpercusa Yari at this point in time, was chosen to represent Mei Chen, Chi’Mosu, and the Kun’Wa Shrine. The Loklow have told the populations of the east that they will receive full representation in time(By ‘in time’ the Loklow mean ‘When you accept our religion, ways of life, and methods of wiping your ass.). There is no military occupation in either of the cities and the religious community is off limits anyway. There is no need for force, the eastern percusa do not fight, they do not protest, they do not express, even, resentment or regret about the outcome of the war. Their old teaching have taught the about the graceful loser, and these teaching play to the Loklow Empire’s advantage.

The outcome has given the LE a predictable leap forward in captured technology. The LE now rules over rockets in a way previously unthought of by the Easterners. Research has been put to full steam and many new inventions are on the way including handheld single-rocket launchers for ground troops, aerial launched rockets of all sorts to take out ground targets, rocket platforms much like that of the former Eastern Empire’s, but much more accurate and powerful, primitive grenades(They are not quite reliable yet. They tend to explode at random rather than when the soldier decides to release the firing mechanism.), and a highly effective form of dynamite. The mining business has been highly profitable these past three years. Other inventions include extremely improved sail boats with accurate wind steering capabilities, the compass(which would explain how the Eastern soldiers could navigate and ambush our troops so well), and the hand saw.

Unpredictably, the war has given a positive effect to the Reathlers. With all the new land the LE had acquired, little use could be thought of for it. Percusa do not traditionally live in forests and deforestation techniques are not efficient enough for it to be worthwhile to cut down areas for settlements. Wood has never been a great need for Percusa(outside the Easterners), most dwellings are still teepees made of Angerford skins and the few structures that do exist are government or religious buildings that are never in a rush to be completed. The Reathlers, however, thrive in the forest, their natural habitat. When a Reathler messenger was sent to Clewis Island to request a segment of the newly conquered lands, the Loklow where quick to offer the area west of Rimbulan Ridge to the Eastern Hills in exchange for all the plains land previously allowed them just southwest of Jediosudo Pass. The Reathlers agreed, although disagreeing was not an option, and are currently in the process of relocating the two Reathler Hives in the area to the Rimbulan Ridge area. When this transfer is over, Percusa will be able to expand into the plains in future years, although the population at the moment is not great enough for the use of the land.

All in all, it was a good war…

The population is booming across the LE lands and peace has brought about a blissful existence for all Percusa in the land. The Reathlers, showing gratitude for the new land allowed to them, have become increasingly docile and not even the lone Hunter is seen flying over LE land anymore. It has been six years since the war ended.

The Loklow feel that it the Percusa should get over their ancient superstitions about the western mountain ranges. A few scouting missions are sent to see if the Western Percusa are still as discrimanatory as they where 300 years ago. Fifty bodies speared on poles and stuck in the ground as examples later, the Loklow are convinced that the Western Percusa are still protecting whatever strange species lies beyond the mountains. A shore landing on the west end of the continent has never been attempted before, out of fear.

In other news: The city of Poluz has recently had some social grumblings about the amount of Percusa required to send to the military for training. To review the LE method of military recruiting:

The Percusa have a strictly conscript military. When the oldest child of a litter reaches three years of age, he/she is taken to a Military Academy in either the Midway Oasis, Percusaopolis, or Xal, Chala. A young Percusa will spend 8-10 years learning various weapons arts and military strategy. They are also tested for various skills. At the age of 15, A Percusa is formally a soldier, and is given a rank and duty according to his/her skills and ambition. Percusa must earn mililtary rank through bravery or deed. Any Percusa who ranks higher than Lieutenant is allowed to breed.

The Loklow have determined that this method MUST be enforced in order to retain an efficient defensive army at all times. The Pouz representative has been told that this is the only possible method(that the Loklow want to spend time thinking about) and to pass the word onto the people of Poluz. The Reathler migration is complete, but there is no need to inhabit the old land yet, as the Percusa population is not quite large enough.

The LE troops are amassed for an offensive, the first offensive war initiated by the Loklow Empire in history. It takes about a month to gather all the warriors together in the forests just south of Brokeland Canyon. Thanks to the superfluous military training and recruitment methods employed by the Loklow government, the troops are well prepared for the fight. The entire procedure is kept in utmost confidentiality in order to keep the more technologically advanced Western Percusa from discovering the Loklow intentions. Over 200,000 troops are gathered for the offensive, including all proven and experimental(explosive) weapons, complete with highly trained soldiers to operate the weapons. The attack is slated to strike at night, a lesson learned from the Great War and further proven by the former Eastern Empire in the War of the East.

Troops are sent in an hour after sunset through the air, in up the mountains on the ground, bombing, artillery-ing, screeching, and just generally unleashing all the fury that the Loklow armies are known to unleash on their enemies or other Percusa they just don’t like so much.

Having said that, the strike was an utterly complete and embarrassing failure. The Western Percusa are much more technologically advanced than the Loklow had previously anticipated. The enemies flew in, dropping a highly flammable and deadly form of napalm across the all the Loklow forces, burning the mountain greenery to a crisp. Our aerial forces had no chance, the Western Percusa brought a completely new form of weaponry to the battlefield, never before imagined by any Percusa, alive or previous; the ballistic. Although(by our standards) primitive, these guns owned the battleground. The single shot rifles, although bulky, where carried into battle by the Western aerial troops and where used very effectively. After the first few LE Percusa where brought down by the guns, most of the rest of our air force fled to the ground, where they were promptly napalmed. The operation was a total failure, the West took no prisoners and spared no one. This, has been the greatest catastrophe ever faced by any Percusa in all of recorded history.

The next day a representative was sent by the Westerners to Clewis Island and was immediately met by the entire Loklow council. This has been the first ever diplomatic contact ever received by the Western Percusa to the LE. The Western Percusa are a slight variation on most percusa. They walk more upright than the Loklow variety and, this individual anyway, is about 6 inches taller than any LE percusa. She speaks very easily and has a well developed LE accent in the percusan high-pitch tones. This is the fist time a Western Percusa has ever spoken in front of an outsider. She tells the Loklow council that, if one more strike is initiated against her people in search for their “protectors” as she calls them, then the Western Percusa will have no objection in launching a full on assault on the Loklow Empire. She takes no questions and remains nameless. On her flight back, two spies are sent to trail her. They are found a week later, in the middle of a Reathler habitation, completely wiped of all memories and basic motor skills. On questioning, the spies have no recollection of who they are, what the Loklow is, what a Percusa is, or how many talons Spikli was holding up(It was 2, by the way.) In other news: The city of Poluz has had no more protests coming from their general direction and the former tribe leaders have resigned in favor for Isal’Rhi. So good news there.

The Loklow take initiative after the Brokenland Canyon Massacre and attempt to either make light of the situation or deny it across the Empire. As it people will accept good news sooner than bad, most Percusa agree with the news and go on mourning their losses. All news of the tragedy never even reaches the eastern end of the continent; that side of the LE is still not required to send recruits to the military. The situation is downplayed to great effect due to lack of information flow and positive influence by the government. Additionally, the Loklow decide to increase the number of adolescent percusa from each litter from 1 to 2 to be sent into the military. This will hopefully recoup the military loss in a few years.

In other News: The rate increase in recruits has caused the city of Poluz to request a secession from the Loklow Empire. Isal’Rhi seems to have become a prominent leader in the city through massive public support of hippie ideals like “freeing” the Reathlers(even though they aren’t really “enslaved”, just “monitored”), discontinuing the Ksotsdo, claiming it is ‘savage’(traditional)) and ‘legal murder’(good clean fun), and giving the eastern percusa their independence back. There seems to be a strong influence of war veterans in the town and even some exiled former Easterners.

And also, many LE percusa in proximity to the Western Mountains have decided to move to more inland towns and settlements. Not a big deal, but this could mean less civilian population in the event of a Western offensive.

It is decided by the Loklow to let Capitol City Poluz secede from the Empire. The general consensus is that such an under populated city, even if extremely well-fortified, could never pose a threat to the great Loklow Empire. The Loklists from each town and settlement(which has expanded to 53 in the past years since the Loklow was established) assemble in a magnificent courtyard just outside of the Poluz Castle. A huge crowd watches as the Loklists take turns flying down from their perches and signing, in venom, as is formal Percusa custom, the Declaration of Secession, which will establish the city of Poluz as independent of the Loklow Empire. As Isal’Rhi, the soon-to-be Emperor of Poluz(Poluz will be adapting a government similar to the former Eastern Empire, due to the strong eastern influence in the city.), the crowd cheers and squawks and screeches.

Isal’Rhi has made it very clear to the Loklow that Poluz does not secede out of ill feelings toward the LE or their way of living. He simply believes there is a better way of living, a happy medium between the bloodlust traditions of the Loklow and the tree hugging lifestyle of the former Eastern Empire. He and his advisors plan to establish a strong monarchy based around and Emperor with half the governmental power of the Likli, the other branch of government. The two branches, together, will be named the Poluz State. The Likli will be made up of 5 Liklists who will each get a vote to decide what the Likli will declare. The Likli will have rule over all internal laws and foreign policy related matters. The Emperor, Isal’Rhim, will have rule over military forces and religion. The Poluz Percusa see Isal’Rhi as a sort of an oracle of the Spirits and have great respect for him in the first place. Any aspect that lies outside of the realms of internal laws, foreign policy, military, or religious matters, shall be voted on by the entire Poluz state, where each member get 1 vote except the Emperor, who gets 2, to avoid a 3-3 tie.

The promised policies of the Poluz state are free trade with the LE and peaceful terms with the Reathlers, but no yearly sacrifices shall be made to Poluz. These terms are written in the Declaration of Secession.

A small force of Loklow troops watches the scene below them, as they fly high above Poluz, armed and ready for any unexpected hostilities. Not many troops where spared, as the LE military is on its last strings as it is. So far, nothing has yet happened and all seems well. Rik, a war veteran who is rather experienced in scouting, watches Isal’Rhi closely as he leans over to lend his signature, the final one needed, to the declaration. With his highly acute telescopic vision, Rik reads the signature that Isal’Rhi has left on the primitive piece of paper. “Lashir” it reads, in crimson venom. Rik feels a sharp pain in his neck. Darkness and falling.

The crowd cheers as the final signature is added and the Loklow immediately fly down to congratulate Isal’Rhi. The Declaration of Secession is passed through the crowd, for all to touch the document. As Lixp, the Loklist from Pal’Chu, reviews the document for future memories, he notices an odd signature on the paper. The final one written. Lixp takes another look at Isal’Rhi and realizes the strange truth.

Isal’Rhi flies out of the crowd and circles above the Loklow and future Likli.

“Friends! I thank you for this great gesture of peace and tolerance! You will forever be remembered in Poluz history as great Percusa! But I feel I must tell you all something before we part, for it needs to be said and, judging by the look on Loklist Lixp’s beak, I feel I have already been found out. You see, I am not who you think I am. I am General Lashir, former, that is. I did not, as you all have thought, die in battle. I have seen and learnt much from the east and I desire only the same peaceful existence they possessed before the evil Loklow Empire took that away from them. The others with these same ideas came with me, away from the fighting, and have been in hiding since. Now we are finally able to come out to the open and establish the perfect society that we have so long longed for. I thank you all for your understanding. Yet, I am disappointed by your lack of faith in me. I see that you have brought forces with you. Do you not trust us, peaceful Poluz Percusa? I do not understand your hostility…”

Suddenly, a group of Percusa fly down from high above, carrying the bodies of the LE soldiers.

“You must understand that we did not wish to kill them. I present you with their bodies, for honorable consumption. I am deeply sorry.”

The Loklow are allowed to leave in peace. Poluz goes back to its normal habits. The Poluz State retires to Poluz Castle to formulate laws and whatnot. The next day, a generous tribute of various foods, pelts, and coin is sent to Clewis Island as an apology.

This really came out of nowhere, what are the Loklow going to do? The military is no more than a few hundred recruits. It will be another year, at least, until we have enough to do a proper strike on a city as well fortified as Poluz. But then, Emperor Lashir did express deep regret and even returned the bodies of the last of our military for honorable deaths. There is not enough troops left even to provide a defense for more than one city.

The last of the LE troops are gathered at Do’Fulu, the new capitol city of the northern region of the empire. At the final count, there are 530 LE warriors, most of them new recruits. The plan will be to fly over Poluz and bomb the city-country, then circle around from the east and take the city by air. There seems to be no sign of military presence in Poluz in the morning. As might have been predicted by the town drunk, the battle is a complete failure on the LE’s part. Poluz sent up just 150 percusa whom, with extensive combat experience, wiped the floor with the LE troops. Only 200 of the LE troops were killed before all the soldiers fled in fear. There was no pursuit by the Poluz forces, they merely flew back into the city, taking all 30 of their casualties inside the local temple. In the next few weeks, there has been no form of recognition that the battle had ever even occurred by the Poluz State.

Because of this obviously gross tactical error on the Loklow’s part, riots spring up throughout the Loklow Empire. Percusa demand to know why such drastically idiotic decisions on the Loklow’s part have been happening in abundance lately, at the cost of thousands of lives. No one is killed in the riots; the LE population still has enough self control to commit the most heinous act of murder. But Clewis Island’s political servants, the percusa who upkeep Camp Loklow, all flee back to their families in protest, leaving the entire Loklow without communication abilities to the Empire.

Within a week, things are looking pretty grim, the Loklists are running out of food, soon they will have to hunt for themselves, and still no sign of the people of the Empire accepting their rule again. Then, in a stroke of brilliance, an elder member of the Loklow, Lik’Ti of Yukata, comes up with a way to solve this whole mess. He shares his idea with the rest of the council and they agree in his genius.

The next day, the entire Loklow themselves, fly out to Percusopolis and make the announcement that the great spirits told them to burn down Yuan Wu Tsae, to make an offensive strike on the Western Percusa, and to retaliate against the small, peaceful nation of Poluz in secrecy. Only now have the spirits allowed the Loklow to tell the population about their contact. This rationalizes everything for the highly religious population of the Loklow Empire and they rejoice in their new holy government. Parties are held, hootenannies are had, and kegers are abundant! Ever one is just tickled that the Great Holy Spirits would contact the Loklow personally. Of course, the real story is kept in utmost secrecy between the Loklow.

3 generations later, the new Loklow actually believe that the Great Holy Spirits are contacting them and think of themselves as divine beings. Times are prosperous, the military is growing, although no where near its former glory, every one thinks that the Lokloe Empire is the bomb, and Poluz has been a great ally, those Poluzians just have so much to trade! The eastern domain of the LE has even become as recognized as the rest of the Empire. All three cities now have Loklist representation in government.

A local fisherpercusa of Percusopolis drifted unusually far south in the sea two days ago.

The fisherpercusa lands back in Percusopolis battered and bruised 3 days after he left port. When asked what did this to him, he only replies by dying on the spot. His wife, another fisherpercusa, remembers her husband mentioning something about checking out a rock outcroping southeast of Clewis Island that no one had ever really thouhgt to go to before. The widow and her two other fisherpercusa brothers set sail the next day to see what they can find.

As the four sail closer to the outcroping, they realize that the rocks are only a small feature of an otherwise forested island behind the rocks. Careful not to get to close, our four adventurers sail along the eastern chore of the island. From what they can see, it appears that the missing links of percusa inhabit the trees of the island. They see the ancients swooping down into the water, presumably catching fish. But something is very strange with these percusa, they can swim very well. They dive down after the fish and do not resurface for upwards of thirty seconds. The widow and her brothers must tell some one about this!

The four rush back to Percusopolis to moor their boat and catch the next ferry ride to Clewis Island(The Spirits are angered by Percusa just flying willie nillie to Clewis Island). After the appropriate ceremonial "No body can see the Loklow! Not no way, not no how!", the widow recieves an audience with Kir'Ri, the Loklist of Walucaville and the only Loklist not too full of herself to still talk to the people of thhe empire. After hearing what the adventurers have to say she...

Kir'Ri has no problem convincing the Loklow to ask the Spirits if it would be ok to wipe an ancient civilization of the face of the planet. Naturally, the Spirits agree with Kir'Ri.

First the air troops are sent in with their incindiary bombs and burn the island to a crisp, killing the majority of the tribal percusa in one fell swoop. Then the rest of the Percusa force flies in and procedes to slaughter all the men, women, and children of the peaceful race. From what the soldiers say later, it appears that the ancients never invented any weapons beyond fish spears. And that makes it all the easier for the LE army to eliminate the threat.

Well, now that the only trace of an ancient breed of tree-dweling percusa is extinct, some percusa throughout parts are questioning the ways of the Loklow. Throughout the empire, grumblings are being heard.

But science and invention still lives on...

With the new method of heating limestone and mixing the rocks with water, mortar is produced. This is huge innovation allows for much bigger structures. In two more generations, most percusa structures are made with stone and mortar. The mines of the original Canyon Percusa are producing enough stone for many new castles being built throughout the empire.

With this new ability, the Loklow has decided to build a great wonder of epic proportions!

End of Percusa VII.

[edit] See Also

Percusa: Percusa background, Percusa: IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX