Tortissial

### *Overview*

Shellfolk are a tribe of tuff brutish merfolk that were not known for violence however, There was a fierce battle that took place on the mainland where the Shellfolk had lived peacefully for many centuries, but then a nation was formed by the name of Albia who did not want the Shellfolk around the lands they had so rudely stole from them. The battle that came was harsh and came at a high cost for the Shellfolk who were now on the brink of extinction.

### ***My role of the tribe***

I was a Fellowcraft of the masonry craft, learning the skills of finding the best materials that would build our homes, our pathways and our tunnel's. I was well respected amongst my people as a fellowcraft though I had only built pathways and tunnels that would span the main land, I was on track to become a Master mason which would allow me to build of my own design however, I was unable to complete my studies and training because of Albia's war against us. When the war was in its early stages new tribe roles had to be made and filled. Most of the mason craft workers had become field advisors because of their knowledge they new of the terrain. I Tortissial became a field advisor so I could help read the terrain and give insight on key locations that would give my shellfolk brothers and sisters the tactical advantage in small skirmishes that could help us hopefully win the war.

### ***The shellfolk war***

The start of their war against my people were uncoordinated because of our lack of fighting experience, my people were never known to start a battle just for the fight so we were at a disadvantage to Albia's military might. Through the small skirmish's that were fought we became more combat efficient and with the help of other masons and myself we could fight the enemy on our own terms, winning battles while Albia was on the run because of heavy casualties my people inflicted and at the time we thought we thought we could win but we had no idea that these small skirmishes were actually Albia tactic for finding out our strength by sending there most inexperienced warriors out to battle.

As time past the war seemed to be going well for us but after 7 months into the war things began to turn against us, Albia started sending out more experienced fighters twice the size of there regular battle groups, myself and the other Shellfolk didn't think much of it, I mean why would we. When their more elite forces became the new foe, battles that were won in the past became loss after loss, our casualty rate became high but none life threatening because of our brutish and rugged build.

16 months into the war and we were losing in the worse possible ways, Albia had finally started to use there full might using the best weapons, armor, and warriors against us. Once they went full power we had staggering casualties.... After the many losses we had to come up with a new plan, we decided on hit and run tactics using the many tunnels that had been built all around the land, but after a few successful strikes Albia started to notice our ins and outs and studied the battles. In such a short time Albia found the tunnels and started moving troops through them. They may of not known the tunnels like we did but their numbers made up for it.

After the tunnels were flooded with enemies there was no way of us knowing where they would pop out, We didn't want to go down there and have them see where our outposts were. The tribe elder gave the order to collapse the tunnels and the enemy along with them, but a lot of Shellfolk didn't agree to this myself included. Some of the tunnels down there are as old as our people but in the end there was no choice the ground made a sudden jolt then it was silent, you felt another jolt and then screams of the enemy being killed by falling rocks the screams were heard for hours. The loss of our ancestors work hit hard even though we had a win for killing so many of the enemies in one strike.

31 months into the war there were only hundreds of us left, Our elder made the decision to surrender and keep our people alive before Albia could wipe out what was left of us. When Albia's forces finally came for us at our last stronghold we threw down our weapons and held a white flag so the war would finally end. While we thought all hostilities were over with Albia's forces going back to there nation myself and what was left of the Shellfolk began to clean up some of our town but little did we know the Albia's forces were on their way back, We didn't know that surrender was not an option so when they arrived the killing continued. A small group of us managed to escape, after we had fled we all went our separate ways looking for some place to call home now that the only place we called home was gone.

### ***Has it been this long***

It's been 52 years I think of me wandering around lost in mind, Reliving the war over and over and I don't know how much more I can take, its been years since I've seen another of my kind... *Could I be the last of the Shellfolk?* *If I die would Shellfolk be lost to everyone?* I need to find a place to go, I cant see any sign of life around me so I'll have to keep moving though I should follow the water I'll have a better chance of finding something or someone that can help me. I've been going with the flow of the water for a few days now and I see a small village, maybe there's someone there that can put me up for a few nights. I'm walking across the bridge but I'm not seeing anyone right now, I just hope I'm not scaring anyone I doubt people ever know who the Shellfolk are.

I've wandered around this town for awhile now and from what I've seen I think its a farming town, I think I'll leave though I still haven't seen any form of life so I'll get my things and go. As I was about to leave a man named ***Seven*** saw me, he seems quite interested in me which tells me that Shellfolk aren't known to people anymore it makes me sad to know that. It's been 3 days now and ***Seven*** seems to be cool with me staying here I think I'll ask to stay and maybe find a job so I can pay him back for his hospitality.