Diplomatic relations Cyber-Knights Lord Coake has personally visited the city of Ixion. He has promised to never reveal the location to any other soul. He has offered the help of the Cyber-knights to Arms Master Stalcum, however, he refuses. He may ask the Cyber-knights for help in the Xiticix situation that is arising, but that will be a last resort. Lord Coake senses something is wrong with Arms Master Stalcum, but does not press the question. He has begun a fervid training of Cyber-knights, sensing that something big is about to happen regarding his friends of the North. Minnesota/Tolkeen When Master Trader Carella got involved with Tolkeen she seemed to strike an excellent deal. She had to provide for Tolkeen the protection of its northern borders from the insect race called the Xiticix. In exchange for this presumed easy task, Ixion would receive support through magical devices, information and luxury items for her city. Any necessary food stuffs were included should the city be in need of them. She was not aware of the future complications her pact would result in. For the first few years, everything was fine as the occasional conflict with the Xiticix warriors did not significantly harm centaur numbers. When Ixion gained Colonel Lanot’s Coalition forces, and the subsequent dispersement of the Skelebots, things began to change. One of the earliest pieces of intelligence was the most disturbing. A very large Xiticix hive was located. This hive was seen no less than three hundred miles from the city. This hive also appeared to be closest to Tolkeen and also had amassed nearly ten thousand warriors. As time progressed, a second skelebot gathered the most frightening intelligence, an actual rift was located that was releasing Xiticix in droves, every two weeks! These Xiticix dispersed and, thankfully, did not appear to converge in any one place. The skelebot that found the site is still positioned there today. A second unforseen problem was the rising conflict between Tolkeen and the Coalition. The few elite members of Tolkeen who know about Ixion have not openly asked the centaurs to join, but there have been subtle clues pointing to a proposal in the near future. However, even if the centaurs remain neutral, Tolkeen will withdraw troops from the north which help battle the Xiticix and the centaurs will have to step up their efforts. This aspect is not appealing, but Master Trader Carella refuses to withdraw her terms for the contract, stating Tolkeen is a valuable ally. The pressing situation has caused increasing tension among Master Trader Carella and Arms Master Stalcum. Xiticix The Xiticix are the enemy of the centaurs and are the subject of brutal assaults from them. Since the beginning of Ixion, twelve hives have fallen at the hands of centaurs warriors. Thousands of Xiticix trophies adorn the homes of warriors. In comparison, the Xiticix have claimed few centaur lives. However, with the confrontations between the two forces becoming more and more frequent, the numbers may soon become more evenly matched. Arms Master Stalcum is worried about the large hive, code-named Vengeance, that is located nearest the city. He has been asking for an increase in the weapons produced by the city’s factories and is considering asking the Cyber-knights assisstance in a large assault against Vengeance. The Xiticix are the bane of the North and Stalcum considers it his sworn obligation to rid the North of them. However, Stalcum does not fully realize exactly how many of the Xiticix are calling the north their home. The Xiticix number in the millions and if Stalcum were to gain this knowledge, he would reconsider his current plan to mobilize against the monsters. If he were to know, he would attempt to close down the rift that allows the monsters access to his home. However, he does not know and is concentrating most of his forces on Vengeance. Woodland Creatures The centaurs are considered the allies of the many faeries that inhabit the forest surrounding Ixion. The faeries alert the centaurs to any perceived threat to either the forest or the city. The faeries will try to lead away any creatures that might attempt to approach the city and help as much as they can in the defense of the city. They are invited to the celebrations and often make the parties more interesting. The faeries never play jokes on the centuars, however, the humans are not centaurs. Coalition The centaurs can not see how anybody that Colonel Lanot (described later) worked with could be as evil as Tolkeen makes them out to be. The centaurs normally would not pass judgment on a person they have not met before, but with Tolkeen’s documented accounts and Colonel Lanot’s confirmation, the centaurs are extremely wary of any engagement with the Coalition. They have had a few skirmishes with longe range patrols, but to date no casualties have been taken on either side. The centaurs have encountered the Xiticix Killer that was created by Lone Star. After a few skirmishes, they have realized that the Killers will leave them alone if not attacked. Most of the time the centaurs will leave the monsters be, but have occasionally been known to help one if they can. They have no reason to believe the Killers were created by the Coalition, they just asume it is a natural enemy of the Xiticix. Metis Indian Tribe The Metis Indians have encountered the centaurs out in the forest. Many times the centaurs have helped a band of Metis warriors from a threat, so the Metis are on good terms with the centaurs. Although the two groups know of each others home, the two groups do not trade and rarely converse. However, the two groups will help the other if asked or seen in trouble. Surrounding Peoples There are three distinct human and D-bee townships the centaurs have encountered within the three hundred mile radius of Ixion, totaling four thousand peoples. The townships are self-sufficient and tend to shun away from everyone that may happen upon their villages. Their technology is around early medieval Europe and they are frightened by anything too technological or alien, except the New Centaurs. They survived only by worshipping a demon. When the New Centaurs arrived, they liberated these three villages and since then, the people have been on good terms with Ixion. Ixion also helps these people out in the form of military protection (what little can be offered) and combat arms, and with the Celebration of Artemis. An interesting note is that the demon who was controlling the towns was actually one demon, a mindolar who was pitting the three towns against each other, thriving on the chaos. The New Centaurs managed to chase the damnable creature into its lair, a cave. The cave was only large enough to accomodate the mindolar and the centaurs could not kill it. They positioned a guard, but the next day, he was dead and the mindolar was gone (as far as they could tell). The creature has escaped and still plots revenge against the centaurs.