EMPIRE! Visit to the Heartwaste

[aspi]

OOC: This thread is for Empire!, the world building game that can be found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?338792-EMPIRE!-Community-W-B-Game-IV-****-Is-Getting-Real-It-s-Always-Getting-Real!). The contents are private for now, so if you are a player of Empire! and have not been invited, please do not read beyond this point.

[aspi]

The small delegation from Wenyavuk, consisting only of Näiyop himself, Inaun the mystic and two of the chieftain's personal guard, arrived at the noble's estate that Princess Varinel had selcted for their meeting. It was a wise choice not to meet at the famed Castle of Ice, so they did not create the impression of a premature occupance of the Throne of Thorns. They had taken a slightly longer route through the Heartwaste than strictly necessary, to get a knowledge of the lay of the land. Most of the people he had met were a bit secretive and strange compared to the Na'nuk, but they were friendly enough, even though the members of the delegation had been advised multiple times to stay indoors at night.

They left their mammoths in the care of a rather surprised stable boy and followed one of the noble's servant's into the estate. Averil Elren, lord of this principality and avid supporter of the Princess, informed them that they had arrived ahead of Lady Valineth, and offered to open a keg of Nyrothan mead while they waited. Weary from the long travel, the Na'nuk gladly accepted the refreshments and sat down at the prepared table. Outside, the last rays of the setting sun vanished behind the fir trees. From the distance, the cold mountain air carried the howl of a wolf.

[Morph Bark]

Valineth had travelled a long distance to return to her ancestral homeland. She had been accompanied most of the way by Empress Syana Ignato, but had left her for a moment to discuss things in private based on an invitation she had received. She did not leave without protection, however. She took along a dozen guards of the three bloods that dominated the Heartwaste, four each, and an ambassador from the sparkling gem elves of the subterranean Eyrecradia. They arrived, Valineth heading them, seated on a Crimar purebred horse. Night was falling fast. It was her domain by her mother and father both and she felt at home in this time of day perhaps more than she did in this place on earth.

She got off her horse and gave the reigns to a stable boy. They had arrived at their destination where she had been told she would meet with the chieftain of Wenyavuk and the High Priestess of Sycia. She wondered if it would actually be them who would be present. Three of her guards entered the manor before she did, and three remained outside, all fae. "Chieftain Näiyop, I presume?" Valineth spoke upon entering the living room, so spacious as could only be in a noble's estate. "It has taken ever too long for us to meet. How do you do?"

[aspi]

All four Na'nuk rose as Valineth entered, the two younger man left the table and kept a respectful distance while the other two approached the Princess. The chieftain, clad in the traditional feather tunic of the wealthier Na'nuk, bowed politely and replied "That I am. It has been a long and perplexing time indeed. It is good to finally meet you." He gestured to the man at his right, a man of over fifty winters, wearing a plain red robe made of cotton "This is my spiritual advisor, Inaun an Vekal. Please, shall we sit? You must have travelled far and the mead of our gracious host is sweet and excellent. I would appreciate it if you shared your intentions for this land with me. On my way here, I have witnessed the support and admiration the inhabitants of the Heartwaste have for you. But I have come to learn that public support does not appear to be as important in Southern politics as one might think. How do you intend to keep this war-torn region safe..." he paused for a moment, then smiled "and how would you have me support you?"

[Morph Bark]

Valineth nodded at both of the men in recognition of their presence and status. She moved a hand at her guards, two of which had also remained behind in the hallway. Four went to stand at the entrances of the living room, while one moved to the back of the house to guard a back exit, just in case. Two stood behind her, facing Näiyop's own companions. "Forgive the security detail, it is perhaps a bit much, but enough to be prudent." She seated herself and listened before she spoke in reply. "It is true in these lands the support of the people matters far less than the support of one's peers--which would be fellow princes and princesses for one who is such. I have spoken with Lord Cedrik of Bordeux, which constitutes half of the Union of the Northwest, and Empress Syana Ignato, whose allies are so numerous and loyal she might as well control half the world. I intend to sign a treaty with them both, as well as all neighbours of the Heartwaste and Sanctuary and those who will support me likewise, to safeguard my lands. They have long been torn asunder by war, the Heartwaste most of all. This will bring lasting peace. Should any of its neighbors so much as think of attack, they will be rebuffed by all the others. Furthermore, I will seal the Bloodfire springs. Many have sought to use it is a weapon. This will dampen that severely. However, before that happens, I wish to extract several vials, which may be used for peaceful purposes, such as your worship of Irfrin. I am sure you have a festival in the Far North that could make use of it."


(Bit late in reply. Internet hasn't been very stable tonight.)

[aspi]

Näiyop relaxed inwardly as she sent her guards to secure the estate and took a seat. He an Inaun sat down across the table from the princess and listened to her reply, carefully considering the proposal. The chieftain showed no reaction and seemed to be focussed on the speaker as much as the words, while Inaun nodded approvingly at a few of her points. After she had ended, the chieftain finally nodded "This is a similar course of action to the one I would have followed, had we not met. I believe it to be a wise one." He smiled apologetically as he noticed how he had praised himself "Many of those that rule regions which border the Heartwaste have become friends to the Na'nuk and value our sincerity. If we were to propose a treaty that guarantees the independence of the Heartwaste by all signees at the promise of support against all those who would consider breaking this agreement, I believe I could help you in convincing many of them to sign it." He looked at Valineth directly "I will give you my support. In your letter, you mentioned shipments of resources as compensation, by which I assume you mean gems and stones. While the Na'nuk are not a rich people, I feel that I cannot accept such a promise that would force your people to slave in mines to supply us with resources and obtain nothing in return, simply because I did what I promised Elder Yuuhi to do. I would be glad to know that if there ever came a time where the Na'nuk were in need of support, that we would find a sympathetic ear." The chieftain looked to the mystic who sat beside him "As for the bloodfire, I believe Inaun has a suggestion he would like to make."

The mystic smiled gratefully at Valineth and said "It is a shame that something like bloodfire, which I consider to be a gift from Irfrin to mankind, is sought by so many as a tool for war. We would be delighted to use it for our ceremonies and I am honored that you would consider giving us even a small amount of this resource that you wisely do not wish to entrust to those who may use it to wage war. However, as terrible a weapon as it may be, it is more than just a weapon." He paused to consider Valineth's origins "You hail from Sanctuary, so allow me to ask you: have you ever been to the mountains at it's northern border? Looked out into the endless plains of ice? This is where the Na'nuk live, where the cold is your companion from the moment you are born to your last breath. Can you fathom how invaluable a resource like bloodfire would be to us? And we are not the only nation in the north that has no interest in war but much need for warmth. I understand the urge to bury the problem altogether. But history tells us that he bloodfire springs cannot be destroyed violently and that they run deep, even into the depths of Eyrecradia. If you were to bury them... are you certain they would stay buried forever if the Heartwaste were to be invaded? I believe that a political solution is your best protection, so let me make a proposal." He raised his mug to wet his throat "The bloodfire in it's natural state is very volatile and must be treated when it is taken from the ground to make it even transportable, is it not? If there were a possibility to render it inexplosive entrily, it could be traded for peaceful use. I believe that such a way might be found, Guilder for example has made wonderous advances in a field they call alchemy that deals with the manipulation and transformation of substances, and Näiyop has seen the results with his own eyes. If such a safe form of bloodfire could be obtained, we would be most grateful to trade for such a resource and we would not be the only ones. The more that would value it in trade, the greater the interest would be to keep the Heartwaste stable and keep it flowing." The chieftain, who had thought about this previously, added "Maybe we could directly include the bloodfire in the treaty you propose? Such that anyone who were to use bloodfire offensively were to incurr the wrath of the others. After all, the bloodfire may be accessible from Eyrecradia as well, so it would be wise to deal with the problem in it's entirety and might be a reason for the Union to sign. I have talked to the Mormaer recently and I am confident that he would agree to a treaty that banned the military use of the substance entirely. Would you consider such an approach?"

After they finished the discussion of succession in the Heartwaste, Näiyop changed the topic slightly "In your letter, you also mentioned that I might support you in ascending to the Throne of Sanctuary. While I am very much interested in stability for our southern neighbour and will gladly aid you in this endeavour, I am not sure if I have much influence there. Did you have anything in mind?" After a brief pause to allow Valineth to answer the question, he proceeded " With regard to a claim on Sanctuary, I would also like to point out that recent events have not served to persuade me of Lord Cedrik's and Regent Idrisa's honesty and desire of peace. If you are to gain rule of Sanctuary, I would seek assurances that no standing troops of the Union of the Northwest will be hosted in Sanctuary, unless it is temporary and for the purpose of defense against a specific threat in accordance with the treaty that guarantees the safety of your realm as we discussed earlier. Likewise, as I suspect that you may wish to raise troops of your own, I would like said treaty to include assurances of non-aggression between our nations."

With a slight sigh, as if he would rather not consider this at all, Näiyop inquires about a final topic "Lastly, there is the question of your succession which must be considered. If you were to die after ascending to the throne, it is likely that a situation such as this would arise again. It may be advisable to put legislation into place that prohibits foreign dignitaries from laying claim to the Heartwaste at all. Otherwise, any agreement might easily be undermined by means of your assassination."

OOC: That got bigger than expected... but I think I got everything in there now.
How old is Valineth by the way? And does she have any visible fae characteristics?

[Morph Bark]

Valineth is 17 years old as of this conversation, having silver hair, pointed ears and hazel eyes.


Valineth nodded appreciatively. "Thank you. Instead of it being a gift, we can talk about trade instead when I am in the position to do so. Now would be a little too much of, how would you say it? Putting the slay before the mammoth?" She smiled.

Inaun's suggestion made her furrow her brow. "I do not find it a pleasing suggestion, but I see where you're coming from. I think the best course of action would be to seal all but one of the springs and use the bloodfire from it to research alchemical manners in which it can be treated to become nonvolatile. Until such a measure would be found, the springs would remain sealed. The treaty with the other rulers would then include a line about bloodfire's use being only non-militarily, even in such case as that it is discovered in Eyrecradia.

"With regards to troops in Sanctuary, you need not worry. I only intend to allow them in in case I require them to bring stability to the region or to defend it against foreign invaders."

She nodded in agreement when Näiyop brought up her succession. "I have told Lord Cedrik I will marry one of his relatives if I find one to my liking. However, I think it is in my people's best interest that I find none of them to my liking. To ensure stability in the region, I will need aid more of neighbors than of distant friends with few allies. Though strong, I doubt they could help much. I think Tekorva's measure of succession will ensure it will always have a good leader, and they may even be better suited to someone who isn't Tekorvanin, with how the Yorukuninin controlled them before. I fear it will be a while before they could lead themselves effectively at all." Valineth pressed her lips together, looking worried. She shook it off and returned her thoughts to the Heartwaste. "For the people of this land, the fae, vampyr and weres, I am thinking of setting up a kind of... administrative zone, if you will. An allied government, led by a council of those native and living here, but with representatives of its neighbors and more distant kin. The Eyrecradian elves, Razdissi dwarves, the Lyradisians, the Guilderenes, the goblins of Zargrim and the Cloudiz-blooded men of Kasumor." She had left out Calorum, somewhat intentionally. She was not yet sure whether the people of the Heartwaste would accept influence from a family that sacrificed their spouses to the Lord of Fire, and many considered them to be heretical.

[aspi]

Näiyop laughed at the translation of the Na'nuk proverb and nodded "Yes, that rarely ends well, especially for the sleigh." He rose and stepped around the table towards the Princess, but stopped at a respectful distance, a few feet away from her and bowed again "It is most kind of you to offer keeping one of the springs available to your people for research and we could not have asked for more. Until such a time where you deem it wise to make this public or bring in outside help, we will make no mention of it to anyone, although I would advise transparency. I can see no flaw in the plan you have laid out, and believe it to be in the interest of your future subjects. We will be delighted to talk about trade when this situation is settled. Wenyavuk will give you her support." He took off the silver ring he was wearing on his left hand and let it slip into his pocket. In the traditional Na'nuk pledge, he extended his hands to her, crossed at the wrists with the palms facing upward, so that she could lay her own on top of them to accept the offer.

(I'll put my support for Valineth in the IC action post.)

[HisHolyAngel]

It is around this time that a small flock of pegasi land nearby, the group dismounts, and Fabula approaches, followed by little Glamora and two Head Priests.

She stands back at a polite distance until she is invited over.

[Morph Bark]

One of the guards outside took note of the group with the pegasi and went inside to inform Valineth. When she heard the news, she told him to let them in. The fae nodded and went back outside, walking towards Fabula's group. "Milady priestess, welcome to Count Dargo's estate. Milady Valineth and the chieftain are already inside. Please, feel free to enter. Your rides can be taken care of by the stable hands."

[HisHolyAngel]

Fabula nods, leaving her Head Priests outside, she enters.

As she comes upon the meeting, she nods politely and takes a seat, Glamora standing adorably next to her. The glory of the Rod of Yphine is no less diminished when held from a sitting position.
"It is an honor to meet you, Princess."

[Morph Bark]

Valineth nods towards Fabula in recognition. "Welcome, High Priestess. Your friend Näiyop has told me much of ideas he had prior to your arrival. I presume he has communicated some of them to you before as well, but I'd like to hear your own take on things."

Should it be necessary, Valineth will retell what she has discussed with Näiyop.

[HisHolyAngel]

"I have heard much, I hope you have come to a conclusion on the topic of bloodfire? I admit, I am quite interested in your offers to spread the word of Yphine."

[Morph Bark]

Valineth nods. "The bloodfire springs will be sealed, leaving only one to research a method to turn it non-volatile so that it may be used for non-military purposes. In return for your support of my claim on the Heartwaste, I was thinking of allowing you to spread your faith in the Heartwaste. Perhaps not to a grand majority," She seemed to hesitate for a bit, "but that is mainly because we're one of the lands that border the mountain of the Blazing Temple, and a grand majority of Yphine worshippers in the Heartwaste might make them feel threatened and compromise the safety of my people. However, if I also successfully claim Sanctuary, I will allow your missionaries free entry into Tekorva and Yorukuni."


(If you end up supporting Valineth, it will need to be mentioned in the actions post too. If you don't, mention is not necessary.)

[HisHolyAngel]

Valineth nods. "The bloodfire springs will be sealed, leaving only one to research a method to turn it non-volatile so that it may be used for non-military purposes. In return for your support of my claim on the Heartwaste, I was thinking of allowing you to spread your faith in the Heartwaste. Perhaps not to a grand majority," She seemed to hesitate for a bit, "but that is mainly because we're one of the lands that border the mountain of the Blazing Temple, and a grand majority of Yphine worshippers in the Heartwaste might make them feel threatened and compromise the safety of my people. However, if I also successfully claim Sanctuary, I will allow your missionaries free entry into Tekorva and Yorukuni."


(If you end up supporting Valineth, it will need to be mentioned in the actions post too. If you don't, mention is not necessary.)

Fabula nods, understanding the situation.
"Then you have my support, though I shall be watching closely to see how you continue on this path."