A Dragon Idol's Reincarnation Tale

The Beastman Alliance of Carmaniate.

To many humans on the eastern part of Altrust, where the Holy Empire, Folschreck, is located, Carmaniate was known as the “beast’s refuge.” Even before the empire was founded and before it was known as “Carmaniate,” the land was regarded as a wild, unconquerable plain by humans, elves, and dwarves. Not only because of the countless monsters roaming and spawning inside this monster-infested region, but also due to the freezing temperatures

Before the descent of the Origin Gods, Carmaniate, located northeast of Folschreck and the Ankor mountain ranges, had a temperate climate, similar to Artorias, in its southernmost areas near the border of modern Folschreck. It’s north’s taiga and boreal forests were, however, as frigid as Frozen Nest’s middle-most tundras.

About 30% of the land was habitable and farmable for a large population, 15% was acceptable with very cold winters, similar to Frozen Nest’s Iceskale, while the remaining 55% was plagued by strong blizzards, permafrost soil, and a seemingly unending army of ice monsters. As such, Carmaniate could be comparable to Frozen Nest, although it lacked the flow of true ice mana, since the only Ice Elemental King lived on the chilly land of the ice dragonkin.

As such, the land wasn’t as perilous as the arctic glaciers of Frozen Nest, with Carmaniate lacking ice age-creating blizzards and high-ranking ice-aligned monsters similar to dragons or the ones born in the glacial peaks. Still, there was a reason why Carmaniate was known as the “land of the monsters” before the alliance was born. If Miononbolax was the birthplace of dragonewts, and the sea the birthplace of the merfolk and levianewts, then Carmaniate was known as the homeland of the wolfkin, katzune, leonids, and so many other beastmen sub-species.

If a dragonkin could learn how to transform into a humanoid or use telepathy even before the Divine System, then so could a “normal” monster. While evolutions weren’t as “magical” and instantaneous as they were now with the Divine System, they still existed in the process of absorbing mana to slowly transform and adapt to the environment and its threats.

“Custom” spells could be created by those who knew how to mold mana, while others could channel this energy through their organs to create flame or ice breath. This mana, just like today, would swing the mana-alignment in one way, and once enough potency was gathered, their body would change with it. When the Divine System finally appeared, this process of gathering mana was then given two definitions: levels and ranks.

As such, before the Divine System’s overhauled version of the evolution process, monsters would learn today’s skill by molding their mana in different manners, until one could use mana to shrink one’s body into a smaller form, just enough to interact with humanoids. While [Humanize] and [Elvenize] were far more refined today than in the pre-Divine System era, it was still enough for many monsters to engage in romance with elves, humans, and dwarves.

Through the usage of mana, a miracle was created in their union. What should not have been possible between two wildly different species resulted in the hybridization between them. Although shaped like a humanoid, this new species showed characteristics of their monster ancestry—the first beastmen.

Prosecuted by the elves, humans, and dwarves for looking different, while their monster ancestry did not grant them much goodwill with their monster kin, this new humanoid species lived through centuries worth of hatred. Although some, like the dragonewts, levianewts, and merfolk, experienced acceptance, the other subspecies had to endure slavery or being treated like pariahs. The history of the beastmen was not kind to them.

Though their interactions with their own kind weren’t any better. Although “beastman” was a general term for all humanoid-beast, a wolfkin would not get along with a leonid, similar to how a fire dragonewt would not enjoy the presence of an ice dragonewt. Whether through their own prejudices for another subspecies, or because of their ancestral animosity—for example, between griffons and wyverns—a society that welcomed all beastmen never lasted for long, unless those societies were ruled by their ancestral monster lineage.

This disharmony was further emphasized by how reproduction functioned between them, as, similar to the demonkin, a stronger monster bloodline would, most of the time, simply overpower the other. While some features of the “lower” bloodline could appear through the shapes of the pupil, ear, teeth, and so on, the majority would be dominated by the “higher.”

Although the ancestral bloodline of many beastman subspecies had been “watered down” over the centuries, resulting, for example, in most wolfkin being similar to ones from another country, some beastmen lineages were still quite pure due to various circumstances. The arvisian royal family of Artorias was one such example, with their current king, King Drangleic, possessing heightened longevity, a set of griffon wings on their back, and higher mana potential over a normal arvisian.

With all these, it felt like a wonder that the Beastman Alliance of Carmaniate had managed to survive until this very day. It wasn’t their founding that surprised the world, but their continued existence. Though many factors did come into play to allow Carmaniate to house such a massive alliance.

For one, the once icy wasteland was terraformed with the fall of the Fire Elemental Emperor by the hand of the Fire God, Danterno. The fire elemental’s mana seeped into the land, similar to how the Water and Wind Elemental Emperor’s divine mana flowed through the glaciers of Frozen Nest. It warmed Carmaniate’s land, “evolving” the region into a vast and diverse environment that could house many types of climates.

From temperate, savannahs, and swamps, Carmaniate became a land that defied normal geographical standards, all due to the infusion of the Fire Elemental Emperor’s mana in the land. Their remains, although its location was unknown, still nourished the world even after 2681 years had passed since they were the world’s fire primarch.

This terraformation allowed species that relied on warmer climates to survive and thrive, which led us to the second reason why Carmaniate had to survive: to flee and defy their former slavemasters, the humans who hoped to colonize Carmaniate’s land to exploit its vast resources after a century of it feeding on the Fire Elemental Emperor’s mana. While the official formation of Carmaniate as a state only happened after Folschreck’s founding, the various beastmen tribes had already taken over much of the infrastructure the human colonists had to leave behind to flee from their rebelling slaves.

The “beast’s refuge” originated as various “barbarian” tribes founded for this very cause, and once the tribes managed to settle down and started cultivating the land, their goal shifted to the liberation of the beastmen race. Employing guerrilla tactics and their monster lineage’s abilities to outmaneuver the complacent cities and towns that would one day become part of the human empire, they would free their own people and others, growing their numbers with new allies, even if many of them would leave and form their own tribes.

Yet, the land was vast and rich with resources. Each subspecies would inhabit the climate it preferred, spreading its influence until it became impossible for the squabbling human nations to suppress. All until Folschreck was formed under one emperor. The necessity for an alliance became paramount to ensure their survival.

This was the founding history of Carmaniate, and although the alliance still worked on a decentralized government where the leader was chosen through duels, the beastmen’s historic hatred for Folschreck kept them unified. Even if many tribes acted against the prosperity of others, acting very much like barbarians, raiders, and pirates, the nation managed to survive through internal and external threats and issues.

“Blood and strife; remember your scars, so fight!” was the most well-known Carmanian war cry, becoming the alliance’s reminder for why they had to continue existing… yet, like all large nations and alliances, nothing would remain eternal, especially not for a decentralized nation built upon meritocracy where the position of the leader could be challenged at any time. Furthermore, Carmaniate’s main civil issue that had persisted for years had never once been solved—the establishment of an official state-wide religion.

Although every city, town, and village couldn’t share the same pantheon or deity, many states would prefer one pantheon over the other to create unity between the people, especially for races that had a patron god. A human artificer might pray to Chihiro or Khungard more often, but they would still follow Aurena over Crustacia. Some nations, like the elven countries of Saelariel and Kel’Thun, had a free-flowing national religion where each elf may choose whoever they wished without facing much internal strife; the same couldn’t be said about Carmaniate.

On the coasts, Plesia’s words hold more sway than Carmaniate’s leader, but in the plains where many of the alliance’s farmlands are built on, Zephira would be praised. Those closest to the dwarves would only heed the church of Crustacia, while those following the culture of power of Carmaniate would pray to Danterno’s more war-like pantheon. Some only prayed to subordinate gods, while others sought refuge under Marsven’s shadow.

Yet, despite the varied numbers of religions, never would they pray to Aurena, for she was the patron goddess of their enemy. As such, she was their enemy. Beastmen who practice holy magic were heathens and traitors, actively persecuted by Carmaniate’s churches of Marsven and Danterno. These two religions rose above others, vying for influence in the alliance and creating economic, religious, and societal issues.

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The church of Marsven in Carmaniate adhered to his domains of progression, defiance, and fate, pushing for continued antagonism against Folschreck while wishing to reshape Carmaniate militarily and scientifically. Meanwhile, Danterno’s followers continue to clash against the Carmaniate’s merfolk and sailors, unable to coexist with Plesia’s followers before and after Danterno’s punishment. Both, though, were issues stifling Carmaniate’s economic growth and development of its industrial facilities in the few cities it had.

“Alliance leader—the mighty lion of the east and the defier of Folschreck—Thamulan advocates the true faith of Danterno! Led by God Silfosus, God of Weapons, we must lead a battle against Plesia’s faithful for chaining our protector god! The Grand Inferno’s true doctrines must be preserved over these heretics! Unity is demanded! We must do all we can to raise the church of Danterno!”

And with the advent of the [Fire Pantheon’s Eternal Burning God] Event Quest, Carmaniate would once again face a civil war.

“Lies! All but lies! The subordinate gods have no right to lead what is rightfully the Grand Inferno’s pantheon! None but God Danterno may lead us, and we shall not abide by the misguided doctrines of the current church. The blazing phoenix, an arvisian with blazing wings blessed by the god of fire, has spoken thusly: flames consume flames to grow larger, but every flame must one day be extinguished, for the ashes will feed and vitalize the next generation. These are the true teachings of God Danterno!”

On one side, the church of Dantenro, which had withstood persecution for years, and on the other, you have a “prophet.” Embroiled in conflict, Carmaniate would witness flames scorching their lands, as if the Fire Elemental Emperor had reawakened from the influx of searing fire mana.

This conflict would spread far from the seat of the alliance, mostly entering Folschreck, as well, due to how the Event Quest would promote people from all around the world to participate in it. Those who managed to obtain a unique Job during the very first Event Quest were, after an entire year since the Quest, the perfect advertisement for people to participate in them.

As the gods had willed it.

Like flies to a fire, people will gather around it to choose a side, whether it be the Carmanian, Caedhulen, or Kargryxian Event Quests. And like a real fire, it would spread to even areas where the people would not wish to participate in them, bringing them into the fold one way or another.

“This blasted winter must be conquered! For God Danterno does not possess enough strength because Carmaniate is still ruled by the ice element in the north! Melt all of it! Bring these ignorant people the Grand Inferno’s grace, for they must learn and follow his teachings!”

And the mountains where Carmaniate’s blizzards would still ravage could not hide from the Inferno God’s fanatical followers.

“Seize this trial! The cold might freeze our hands, but the fire spells we cast shall burn it all away! Come, let—”

“Marsven’s followers!” A cinder knight, a fire paladin associated with the church of Danterno, shouted as a hail of [Dark Bolt]s was unleashed on the congregation of Danterno followers. Unable to protect themselves in time, the shower of projectiles buffeted the followers like hail, injuring many and killing a few.

Protected by their armor and shield, the cinder knights endured through the initial volley, readying themselves to engage their ambushers. Activating the red runes on their armor, flames started to burst from inside the armor, soaring free through two “exhausts” on the back, propelling themselves into the air like rockets.

However, before they could reach the enemy, bombs were thrown at them, exploding upon contact to create plumes of flames and ash. Due to their high [Fire Resistance], such an attack was relatively unimpactful against a cinder knight, but it was enough to create a distraction for the ambushers to flee.

“Go! Go! Lead them towards ‘her!’” a loopridae, a rabbit beastman, woman ordered, whipping her arm up and down to gesture for all to move in the direction she was pointing.

The assortment of beastmen soldiers followed through, leading the Danterno followers—entirely caught up in their antagonism—away from the village they intended to “teach.” Blinded by a weak snowstorm and possessing relatively weak scouting skills against a group of dark mages, the knights and priests were ignorant of the “beast” waiting for her prey.

And when she struck, the entire area was enveloped in a black, shadowy mist that blocked all sources of light. Whether it be holy light or the illumination of a flame, anything within this magical mist would snuff out people’s ability to see with light. Within this spell, it was imperative to possess [Detection Sensor] or [Foresight] to even locate enemies and predict their attacks, as the arcane trickster who invented the [Smokey Haze] spel,l none other than—

“Why aren’t the flames working?”

“Quick! Guard your flanks! Priests, go—no, come here!”

“Unhand me! Arrrgh, God Danterno, preser—arrrrghkkkkkkk!”

—the spymaster of Aurora. The thunder wolf and the one who would reach rank A before Hestia.

“Lady Saori, our agents and your shadow pack have wiped out the troop. Any stragglers have been eliminated,” the loopridae commander, Shizar, reported.

“Good, assure the village’s protection until we can extract more of the rheolic seeds and the necessary soil to grow them,” the vice-leader of Aurora replied. “Until then… just hunt more. Enemies, monsters, or whoever believes threatening our base is wise. It has been too long since I was able to level up without any restrictions!”

Two years until you can evolve. Will I be able to reach rank S before then, or will you evolve into a rank A who can topple even rank S, Hestia? Let us reunite when both of Kargryx and Carmaniate’s issues have mostly died down.

“Land in sight!” the spotter on a Kargryxian ship shouted for all to hear, gaining the attention of two very important personages traveling with the crew.

One was a dragonkin woman with blue and black scales, staring at the horizon to see the sight of a city coming into view. She sighed, sipped her tea, and leaned on her chair as if she wished the trip had taken longer.

The other, a green-feathered dragonkin, cackled, grinning widely as he pointed at his sister. “Big Sister, you really should have slept more yesterday. Their pheromones are more noticeable for you since you’re half leviathan.”

“Does my pain really enjoy you that much, little brother?” the former complained. “Of course, you would be fine. You may tour the city and start finding that elf. Meanwhile, I have to find a way to include Hestia and how to handle those supporters of mine. I’ve only one chance to claim the throne, and that is to show my might. An ancient rank S at that…”

“It’s fine. Two rank As with fully realized [Battle Frenzy], and probably the best holy dragon we could wish for a little sister, are on our side. Not to mention, I am not exaggerating that the two companions she has on her side are real threats. That fairy… honestly, give her a few years to get used to her true ice mana, and we could face another Ice Elemental King rebellion if she wasn’t so loyal to Hestia,” the fourth prince of Kargryx, Nongramos, stated towards the first princess. “And I fought alongside that demonkin to know better. If the demonkin are involved in this, then we need that bloodhound to sort things out.”

“Have you made sure?”

“Not yet, of course. Your mother banned me from appearing around the aquapolis as a dragon, so how could I do what I like to do?” he complained, shrugging. “But, I know my instincts. They are there, and they decided to threaten our home. I do feel bad for Bole’Taria with how the humans threaten them, but this is no reason for them to do anything towards us. Our enemies are mine, as well.”

Wendriosa stared at her brother with a hint of worry, unable to fully accept that the little brother she had taken care for changed so much from how he used to be before his adulthood pilgrimage. The third prince, Taimatrak, might have been the first of her younger siblings she had to take care of, but the dark dragon prince was quite independent even at a young age. On the other hand, Nongramos had always been gregarious.

“Don’t even bring it up. You keep doing it, and it only gets worse the more you ask,” Nongramos rebuked her look.

“You seemed to have shared a bit of it with Hestia.”

“Are you jealous? That’s unbecoming of you, Wendriosa.”

“Pah, jealous? I have not fallen that far as your older sister. No, it is only a worry. You keep… giving this look whenever you believe none of us are watching. You keep spouting this story about how your pilgrimage ended with this human town, and how you got into trouble there. What exactly happened?”

Nongramos stayed quiet as he looked at Caedhul’s capital, giving his older sister the silent treatment until he finally gave up and sighed.

“… Any threats to our home need to be exterminated. That’s why I support you for empress, because unlike our oldest, you wish to actually do something to this degenerate world we live in. We should be doing what the old man watching over us in the heavens wants us to do—be the peacekeepers. If we had in the past, those humans wouldn’t—” Nongramos shut his mouth. “Let’s leave it at that, why won’t we? I feel… like flying. See you in the city; give our youngest a trip through the aquapolis once you’re done with all the talks with your relatives. Bye.”

Jumping off the ship, Nongramos fluttered his four wings before she zoomed past, creating a strong wind blast that almost toppled the ship if it hadn’t been for Wendriosa [Aquakinesis].

Haaa… to follow through with my ambitions or to stop that little monster from realizing his potential. What a predicament… but for the good of the empire, I need to see this through.