FOO

The river city of Foo had been constructed at a strategic bend in the magnificent Bor River as it rushed down from the Mithicus Mountains in the west with all its might. Shipping was one of the city's largest businesses. A fairy brisk ferry trade existed between Foo and the other cities downstream, including the teeming metropolis of Borphee at the river delta. The region was also made known for its high population of morgia-growers.

In its days, Foo had long existed as a major city in its own right, and once had the most expansive and beautiful provincial temple of its kinds within two hundred bloits until it was razed in 398 GUE. On that day, rumors from the outlying villages had come just a few hours before the Nezgeth invaders themselves, giving enough time to call to arms. In some sense, Foo could have been considered lucky that it had a chance to mount such a defense. Given the final results of the battle, that kind of luck had not done much good for the city, and the end had come, perhaps later than it would have, but inevitably all the same.

For a few tense hours the inhabitants of Foo were able to mount an organized defense. The local hunting clubs and shipping hands banded together to block off certain key streets, hoping against hoped to hold off the heavily armed invaders. Gangs of alley-lurking Foo teenagers, too stupid to run in fear at the sight of painted warrior faces and gleaming stained spears, actually proved an annoyance to the distracted Nezgeth fighters. They were soon dispatched, and eventually the shear bulk of the Kovalli numbers proved to be too oppressive for the makeshift platoons of streetfighters.

The entire population of Foo certainly outnumbered the hostile newcomers, but the complacent city-dwellers provided no fair match for the Nezgeth, long hardened by years of vicious sun and unforgiving tribal warfare. They sacked the seat of local government, and wrecked the temple, and in the wide city streets familiar taverns burned to the ground.

In the final tally, Foo had lost many surprised, defenseless inhabitants, normal people who had just that morning been feeling normal feelings, thinking normal thoughts. Boredom with life, satisfaction in a caring marriage, ambition for a successful promotion, all of these things and more found themselves suddenly cut short by the unexpected Nezgeth visit.