Tree Arch

Tree Arch

Year 131

On the proposals, I had agreed to the top two choices that Trevor and Patreeck proposed. For the marriage candidates, I had advised that we will decide on that at a later date. With the three winners decided, I started work on my long overdue Great Tree Road. I was already halfway to the other side anyway, when we reached the center of the Rottedlands.

Now for the remaining half.

The Rottedlands energy has become weaker. Right now, it behaves quite like creep or ooze, theres still some push and inertia, but Ive noticed the expansionary element has been slowly disappearing. That said, hybrids will continue to spawn as long as the terrain remains covered with demonic substances. The god of spawning animals, monsters and plants doesnt particularly care what is spawned, so long as they fit the terrain. Its a bit of a runaway process.

Maybe some demons or hybrids, if they could think, would see me like I am an evil highway builder, destroying and encroaching on their habitat with this highway right through their homes.

On a macro level, its like how roots break rocks or dirt apart. A root goes through it, and smaller ones gradually break it up. Some plants and trees dont like hard ground and soil, and requires worms and all to help loosen up the soil.

Anyway, I started the building of the treeway and the entire process of spawning [subsidiary trees] and [giant attendant trees] took 7 months. Along the way, there were large parts that were submerged under the demonic sludge.

Ancient ruins coated with demonic goop, cities that were somehow not entirely destroyed by the sludge. Caves. Rivers. There were many interesting sights and locations along the way, and I made a note to Patreeck, and Trevor to return to them.

We need another artificial mind. One to control access to the path. Trevor suggested and I nodded. I had capacity anyway. I named my new mind in charge of the highway that branched to the 3 selected allies, Trent. I wanted Treerific, but what would the parents think of that name? So Trent.

Hi Trent. Youre in charge of security and trade taxes of the Treeway. Alert us and escalate any unusual matters. We mentally linked up and soon he was on his way. Hes been given a large regiment of beetles to ensure the security of the path.

The Council of Representatives made a request for a formal party to celebrate the new path that cut across the entire Rottedlands.

But its not ready yet. Although there is a corruption-free path, the terrain along the path isnt exactly clean. Theres still a need to build roads, build bridges, build rest stops. A lot of construction work needs to be performed before the path is ready for use. Some of this construction should start from the other side, since it didnt make sense for a construction team to travel all the way across the Rottedlands. That was a 2 to 3 month journey if one walked!

I watched as the other kingdoms, these new partners of ours, send their builders and armies into the new path.

Its rather tiny for a path.

Big enough for a few wagons, for sure. But its so jarring. Its like someone planted a row of trees on both sides and now theres a path through the Rottedlands.

Hush! A Lord on a horse said. His majesty instructed that we build whatevers needed for the trade route. This path will relieve our trade issues.

Its probably calculated to be of a certain size. You cant march a big army through it. The builders talked. They clearly had no concept of being secretive.

The path meandered through the Rottedlands, there were natural hills and mountains underneath all the demonic sludge, and it didnt make sense to cut a straight road and force traders up and down the path. I recalled highways from home usually tried to maintain a steady angle or slope, so I wanted to do exactly that.

I watched and admired how [builders] made bridges from nearby rock and stone. They didnt dare to chop down my subsidiary trees, so they improvised and used other kinds of materials instead. Still, given how big and long the path was, the Builders skills would actually improve travelling speed.

They needed a lot of time to build, and on the Freshlands side, weve sent our best builders to work on it. I even gave out a few [Expert Builder] class seeds to the leaders of the build, to ensure that the path was built as fast as possible.

Because of the long distances, there was also a need for smaller towns. Back in the days of the silk road, I recalled that various cities would spring up along it.

Trevor and Patreeck had made some projections and calculated that since it took 2 to 3 months to walk from one end to another, horses and various mounts would cut that time by a third, to less than a month. So, there needed to be at least 4 large sized rest stops along that path, equivalent to 1 weeks distance horse-ride, or 3 weeks of walking, and another 12-16 medium sized smaller towns in between, such that it took about a few days to walk from one town to another.

Back to the builders, they would need a long time to finish the road. A rudimentary basic road with a simple bridge would be ready within a year, but it seemed like the kingdoms, and also the Freshlands all talked about multiple upgrades, like bigger reinforced bridges, and proper towns.

The territory on Rottedlands Pass belongs entirely to Aeon. Kavio repeated to the envoys. But he had agreed to all 3 kingdoms that each of these 3 allied kingdoms that they are allowed to set up 1 large city, and 3 smaller towns in these designated locations. It is important that the administration of these cities and towns be made clearly aware to obey the constitution of the Freshlands, or risk destruction.

Envoys from all the 3 kingdoms were the first to make the trip through the Rottedlands Pass, even though the [builders] had not finished building. I witnessed how envoys have rather impressive skills. One had the ability to make his horse jump across the entire ravine multiple times, and another envoy could travel for days without rest.

It was easier to communicate and coordinate construction and plans with an envoy from our end. It seemed that Kavio and the Council had also sent envoys of our own to the other sides.

It was better that they were here..

Patreecks abilities quickly revealed their multiple objectives. One which featured in all 3 envoys was to assess my strength. Envoys are pretty much spies, and they all had some kind of [level-sensing] ability. Its important when dealing with other kings and lords, since the level of the other king revealed the kinds of power they had.

[Domain has blocked level-sensing ability]

Well thank you. Its really convenient that my Domain blocked most of these things.

My ability was blocked. The envoy said privately to his colleague. Each kingdom sent about 5 to 10 people to Freshka. You should know what that meant. They were most cooperative.

Were going to expand the Valtrian orders social services arms to all our allied states. All of them.

Laufen, of course, was overwhelmed. But by now the Vatrian Order was a massive institution, and has grown it to almost 40,000 people. There are numerous Valthorns who have more defensive or supportive skills who could assist in widespread social and community work. Even if its simpler stuff like improving crop yields, or fixing bad housing, to the regular kinds of social work performed by the temples, which are healers and rituals.

We need a massive priest training system and support system. We cant just send our people to all these neighbouring kingdoms and expect them to succeed without a robust logistic network.

So, the Valtrian Order went into a hiring drive. We had to expand the size of our workforce if we wanted to try and overcome this propaganda attack.

Theres two aspects to it. Resolving the short term issue of a rebellion, and then tackling the long term issue of what caused and fed the rebellion. This wasnt a conventional war.

This was a culture war.

A group of 2,000 priests and various other social workers headed for the hotspots. Places where Jasmine and Patreecks social models indicated that there may be unrest.

It feels a little minority report-ish that were sending social workers before something bad happens, but in a way, thats preventive work, right?

No one riots overnight. Its a culmination of decades of distress. Similarly, allaying those feelings of unwellness would also require dedicated care and attention. I could spawn more [Tree of Prayers] everywhere. Those trees can reduce the general stress levels and induce a sense of calmness and serenity. But it doesnt work if they are already mad.

If they were in my valley, I could be even more obtrusive and use psychic and dream attacks on them, but thats like using a hammer to cut a cake.

So, a massive hiring drive.

Once I have the numbers, they need to be educated and trained.

Lets set up a massive priest training facility. I mentally told myself. Since these gods treat me as a fellow deity, even if Im evil, it was time to go on overdrive and behave like a proper religion.

A culture war can only be defeated by another culture. If I want to sustainably push back these enemy cultures, I must first convert all those in the Freshlands to my culture and religion. Else, one edict or divine message, and Ill have large swaths of my population rebellion.

That is not acceptable.

I marked a hilly area next to Freshka and started work. A large area of forests was merged with multiple Giant Attendant Trees. It was going to be like my Vatican, my Holy See, and I wanted the area to be visible even from afar.

I used my powers to make these the tallest Giant Attendant Trees ever made, and it took about a month of working and shaping with my [woodshaping]. Its easier, since I was working with bigger things. I made housing, lecture halls, training rooms, multiple ritual rooms, places for guests and all that.

I called on ten of the most experienced and high leveled [aeonic priests].

I have been extremely pleased with your efforts in the past few years to counter the propaganda spread by our opponents.

The ten all knelt in a circle around a [tree of prayers]. This was the same meeting area.

It is time that you are rewarded for your faith and loyalty. There were five men and five ladies,

All ten of them received either [Patreearch of Aeon] or [Matreearch of Aeon]. These were upgraded [Aeonic] priest classes, which should empower all their regular priests abilities to a greater degree.

They ate the fruits containing the classes, and instantly, all ten of them screamed. Their bodies shook, and I sensed their spirits glow brightly. Their skin turned slightly greenish, and all their eyes gained a green ring that glowed.

One of them, he was a middle aged man who served mostly in the Southeastern Segments, was first to rise. O Aeon, our great patron of the land, we have received your blessings.

All of them rose, their bodies healthier and stronger. I sensed the presence of my domain flowing into them slightly.

Does my [domain] choices influence the kinds of power my priests possess? But no matter. Rise, my Council of Arches, for the weight of expanding our faith rests in your hands.

The ten rose, and sat in a circle. Together, they seemed to emit a physical glow.

The other gods deny my presence in our world. I said. I will need you to push them back. My first order is to set up the School of Treeology, where all the priests will be trained. My second order is to secure the faith and loyalties of all nations allied to the Freshlands.

The ten answered in unison, their voice seemingly echoing like a choir. We receive your commandments!

Then I summoned the [aeonic priests] for all over. If I wanted to be a true global religion, it was time to have a proper structure, a unified code of principles, and well, power. Generic Priests get the usual abilities, heal, cure wound, some barrier and shield powers.

This is where I let my new ten Patreearchs and Matreearchs to run the show.