Fort Zakumo: History and Rumors

Named for old keitai of the area, Fort Zakumo is built near the demolished site of the shato-Zakumo. The shato was overrun by Sinthar's forces then razed to the ground. Some of that stone has found its way into the new fort along with timber from the slowly recovering woods to the north. The building has been complete just since 1415 and currently the outer wall is being worked on. Three-thousand strong men and a few women train to defend the mido and their people and recruits arrive every day.

Aside from its uniquely defensible position, Fort Zakumo is the training ground for the new Telish Throne military, the headquarters of the meja-Domira, and the protective front and barracks for the miners involved in digging for metals to rebuild the kingdom. A hefty set of responsibilities, but so far things have run smoothly if a bit harried at times.

In complete charge of the military is the meja-Domira, who has five lieutenants answering to him regarding matters of recruiting and training and one special lieutenant, Barbary Jonessan, who details choreography for "battles" against Bilkan that the mido might witness. Training and skirmishes are held daily and new tactics are being worked on all the time. Iian will not hide from a fight, winnable or not, again.

Leading the mining is Thames Platback and Gimura Boro-amu. Thames is a dwarf who has enticed many of his clan to come aid the island (and take a fair cut of the ore as well), and Gimura is the daughter of a mining family caught in Bloodstone's advance. She escaped, and returned to help bring out the ore that the army of fiends left behind. The Boro-amu were cousins to the Zakumos and Gimura knows the mountain and its lava tubes and ore veins like no one else; she has made herself invaluable to Thames, however much he hates to admit it. And the quantity of ore coming from the deeply sloping mine shafts is enough to keep the mido and his people happy and working.