Before its conquest by the Athas, the world of Mystara had a population of approximately four billion, roughly a hundred times the population of Athas. After wars and massacres, this number was once much lower, but now, its population is larger than ever.
One after another, tribes dragged their families and left the desert world of Mystara shrouded in the bloody dark sun to settle in a new world with much better natural conditions. The neonatal mortality rate, which used to be extremely high in the desert, has doubled, greatly promoting population growth. Moreover, the constant influx of pilgrims from the New World accelerated this trend.
In the past, the Mistara people were able to feed so many people because they were hard-working and hard-working. They ate a variety of plants that grew from the land, wheat, soybeans, rice, chickpeas, various fruits and vegetables. Since most Mistra people believe in Brahma, the belief that all things are animistic and that humans and animals can reincarnate each other, they rarely eat meat.
Needless to say, the tribesmen of Atas almost never plant crops. Although desert plants are tough and easy to grow, most are poisonous and inedible. The shell beetles, meat lizards, woolly camels and gray-scaled birds they brought lived well in the new world, but a farm that used to be able to feed a thousand people has now become a pasture that can only feed a hundred people, and there is a shortage of food. getting more serious.
According to the old tradition, when there is not enough food, it is almost time for the tribes to go to war with each other. The weak will be eliminated, while the strong will continue to survive. Moreover, after every war, the stomachs that need to be filled are always much less, which solves the food problem.
But now that the Great Lord has forbidden the believers to kill each other, the problem becomes more difficult. Fortunately, the Druids of the Starhpensa sect, who had not yet broken with the Fatimid sect at that time, solved this problem.
The Archdruid Camilla was the first to create Almighty Rice. She used species native to Mystara to create this strange plant. It is completely edible, and the seeds, stems, leaves, and roots are all usable tubers! It grows incredibly fast and does not require low temperatures for storage and transportation. The "ratio of chaff" is incredibly high and it is also very suitable for raising livestock. It can be harvested twice in a season, eight crops a year.
However, this thing will drain the fertility of the land in a very short period of time.
The archdruid declared that this was not a problem and that she would create some kind of giant worm¡ªshe called it a sandworm¡ªto solve the problem. Sandworms are also terrifying fusion monsters created by the druids of the Starhespense sect. They use geothermal energy as energy. They can absorb inorganic matter in the soil, and the excrement they secrete can restore soil fertility.
Camilla created a new type of algae based on the red tide algae on Atas, which is edible. Fish will grow quickly after eating them, and they themselves will also grow very quickly. Within a few months, they can grow to three meters thick and even hinder ships at sea. This is not a problem for the Atas people. Anyway, they They all come from the desert, and whether there are sea ships seems to have little impact on them.
Others include a certain type of nutrient-rich moss that grows on high mountains. There are also parasitic edible vines, snow oats that can grow in frozen soil, and even stem plants that can dig through glaciers.
But that¡¯s not enough.
Camilla also created flying fungi and wind-borne slime molds, as well as birds that prey on them, further increasing the supply of meat protein.
On the surface, the problem is finally solved and everyone is happy. However, some people still remember how Camilla single-handedly destroyed the ecological balance of the world when she first invaded the world of Mystara, causing the indigenous country to collapse without a fight.
When the magic ship landed on the surface of Mystara, the psions saw firsthand the impact that the druids of Starhspense had on the environment.
Blood-red vines wrapped around every tree, and thick algae accumulated on the sea and river surfaces, emitting bursts of stench. As the magic ship lands, the ground shakes slightly¡ªsupposedly a sign of sandworms crawling through the ground.
The psychic still remembers the scene when he first came to this world. At that time, the aborigines here called him "disaster" when they saw him But judging from the results, what they said was not wrong.
Pilgrims wearing robes and scarves were everywhere. Some looked pious, while others looked tired and confused. Whenever a new magic ship lands, many vendors with plates will gather around and sell the various displays on it.
Muhadi showed his psychic powers and asked these people where the rulers were. But they learned that Fatima and her court did not rule in a certain city, but moved around all year round, which was called setting up tents. Generally speaking, any place with fertile water and grass suitable for grazing is likely to be the location of a Khan Court.
It will take a little more time, the psion thought.
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Inside the Golden Tent is a sea of ??jewels, silks, furs and expensive brocades. Tribal leaders, priests and petitioners gathered in the big tent like customers in a Bazar.
Tall and sturdy Mamluks, armed with spears and poleaxes, guard the entrance to the tent. Most of them were trained by children from conquered worlds. Many of them have dark skin, and some have dark red skin with white lines, but all of them have serious and solemn faces.
There is a team of trumpeters and drummers in the big tent. Whenever the hostess of the big tent speaks, they play music loudly to calm the noisy discussion in the tent.
Enemy of the Dark Sun, Guardian of the Holy Cities of Tire and Ulric, Dictator of Athas and Mystara, Chief of the Scorpion Tribe, Khan of Khans, of Nibenai, Ankara and Ram Protector, great conqueror and plunderer of the astral world, defender of the First Cause of Religion. The self-proclaimed caliph, Saint Fatima the Sabbat, sat cross-legged on a gorgeous leather rug in the tent. She does not sit on a throne, for "the Caliph's throne is her saddle." But this blanket is not an ordinary thing. It is studded with gems and formed into a purple star-shaped pattern, with the ninety-nine names of the great Lord embroidered on it with gold thread.
Even by the standards of elves, Fatimai at this time seems to be an outstanding person. She was wearing a loose yellow robe, and at her waist was a strange scimitar with two pointed ends. The scabbard looks quite ordinary, just simple wood, and not decorated with gems.
Being less than forty years old is only equivalent to a quarter of the average lifespan of the Athas elves, so Fatima is still young and beautiful. She wears no makeup and wears a turban set with rubies the size of lizard eggs.
To her left stood Legion - her psychic advisors, created long ago by the Atki psion leader Thousand Soulshead using his mindseed powers. To her right stood a batiz demon with red wings, his face hidden under a hood.
"Petitioners from Moria," a guard at the entrance of a large tent shouted loudly, drowning out the chatter of everyone. "He calls himself the emissary of the Witch King Malik."
Shock and suspicion were like ripples, passing over the faces of everyone in the tent. The followers of Witch-King Malik and Fatima have been hostile to each other, calling each other heretics for some time. Anyone who pays attention to politics has no doubt that a bloody war will eventually break out between the two sides.
How dare Malik¡¯s envoy come here! The same thought came to many people's minds.
"Maybe we should arrest this arrogant guy, and then" someone suggested. This voice was met with approval.
"Let me hear what he has to say." Fatima spoke, and the discussion in the big tent suddenly calmed down. The great conqueror stood up, looking exceptionally tall. "Guards, have you forgotten our Athas tradition? Let him in."
Malik¡¯s messenger wore a black robe and a black turban, with only his eyes exposed. If the man was frightened, he didn't show it at all.
The messenger bowed before Fatima but did not kneel. "My master greets you!" he said.
"Ah, I'm sure. Malik didn't send you to talk nonsense with me. So let's end this charade." Fatima responded contemptuously. "Let's see if the Witch King dares to declare war first?"
"You talk about war, Lord Fatima." The messenger did not address Fatima by his formal title as a form of protest. "But my Lord has no such intention Needless bloodshed and fratricide can be avoided if only you would put pen to paper."
"Malik sent people all the way here just to make me his home?" the female elf laughed. "I can send him a hundred documents if he pleads properly."
"A thousand documents cannot sign these documents for you, sir." The messenger continued. "My Lord desires fullrecognition, and"
Fatima pulled out the strange scimitar with two pointed ends. "You want me to sign? I can sign one on your face." She smiled disdainfully. "Malik can take this as my reply!"
"Then you leave me no choice." The messenger didn't seem surprised. He quickly pulled out a seven-section scepter from his waist. Before anyone had time to react, seven-colored light suddenly filled the entire tent¡ª¡ª
While still far away, the Psion realized something was wrong.
?According to common sense, the Khan Court should be crowded with people of all kinds and bustling with people. The place would be packed with warriors, merchants, bureaucrats, and missionaries¡ªor at least it should be. Psion?Although he didn't expect to be greeted grandly, the scene he saw in front of him was indeed beyond his expectation.
Muhadi saw a vast green grassland here, dotted with flowers of various colors. Some are yellow lemons, and some are as dark as indigo. The grass here is tall and lush, enough to reach the waist of an adult. This is an unimaginable sight in Atas.
In today¡¯s Mystara, this is a rare and pure land that has not been stained by the modified species of the Stahbense druids. It is no wonder that the location of the Khan Court was chosen here.
There are large and small tents scattered on the grassland. To outsiders, they are arranged in a disorderly manner, but the psychic can see a certain pattern. A warm breeze blew slowly, and the air smelled of sweat and horse urine. In addition to the large lizards, shell beetles, and woolly camels that are common on Atas, there are also species unique to Mystara - such as giant elk and a species that the locals call dogs, with white fur and big eyes. Lemurs are found in the forest belt on the edge of the grassland.
However, looking around, there is no sign of human activity at all, as if some great force suddenly took away all the humans here.