The Kazul Conclave

[TheDarkDM]

The delegates to Tzalteclan for once did not arrive to pomp or circumstance. The occasion was too dire for such things, and with the fear of Ash Rot on the wind the usually vivacious people were unnaturally subdued. Closed palanquins hanging with burning censers of incense and predator fungus were waiting at the docks, carried not by slaves but by sturdy Sarok deemed less susceptible to the plague. On the fields outside the Holy City biers had been erected where the dead could find their final rest in fire, and rise to meet Tzetultep in one of his golden heavens. Red-robed priests stood on every corner, organizing the quarantine and cleansing of afflicted citizens, while uncommonly nervous Dragon Knights cleared a wide path for the foreign delegations. Until they reached the Royal Palace, an island of serenity in a city on edge.

Inside, once they had been guided to their accommodations by a lesser member of the Blood, the foreign representatives were led to a room never before seen by foreign eyes - the Teotlkan's war room. Located deep in the heart of the central pyramid, it held a circular table near twenty feet in diameter, its surface carved into an intricate topographical map of Telluris. Great cities were represented by graven miniatures of gold and gems, while lacquered paints captured the intense colors of sea and mountain and forest. There were no borders, save for a line of red string held aloft by pins, encompassing the entirety of the Great Desert's western border. Standing over that tenuous string was the Teotlkan herself. Though her divine countenance was incapable of showing fatigue, her golden eyes betrayed the great weariness that the past few years had inflicted on her. Seeing her guests arrive, though, she straightened, and motioned to the few plush chairs ringing the table.

"Please sit. We have much to discuss."

[RandoMan]

King Kalderdan II arrived in Tzalteclan by land from the south, accompanied by a small contingent of four Mithredge Clan dwarves and a few representatives from the Niemida legacy. The Niemida party was quite mixed, possessing two humans similar in appearance to the common Tzaltec, the Shinan and Jinsa of Niemidaland and Meimanda, as well as a lighter skinned human from Thalmann and a Triwilix dwarf, one of the Brew Masters from Alkton. The King did not travel with his wife as was customary for a foreign visit for he had come north from where his armies were arriving in Niemida to meet the threat from the Dark Mountain to speak with the Tzaltec Teotlkan while the Niemida navy continued to ferry Mularuhm's legions to the eastern continent in preparation for the march on the Usurper's forces. So far the dark spirit had been held back from engaging with any of the Three Cities and such was deemed a sustainable position until the dwarves could march into the interior and launch a punitive strike to destroy the spirit.

Kalderdan had argued extensively with his cousin the Reichtin Viktor about whether he or the Reichtin should come to visit the Tzaltec while the other managed the legions but at last they had agreed it was the Reichtin's duty as commander of the King's armies to oversee their deployment and preparation while the King met with the empress of the Tzaltec. As he walked the dying streets of the Tzaltec capital and smelled the burning flesh of the infected dead intermingled with the incense lit to cover it he could not help but think of the black spirits his armies were preparing to face. The rising dead in Shengdi was well recorded but this seemed wholly new in its unnaturality and with this plague now taking hold in the eastern continent he wondered whether this was perhaps a sign for the Lord and Lady that the Wyrm was stirring. If it was that made this conclave all the more important for the Mularuhm King had no doubt it would be the Kazul that would serve as the implements of the Wyrm's wrath at his too long constraint.

Arriving inside Kalderdan asked his guards to stay at the room the Tzaltec had provided for him and asked the Niemida delegation to pick one of their number to accompany him further, not wishing to impose on the privacy and intimacy the Tzaltec were now offering. They selected Tywik Unteraan of Thalmann, a general from the Thalmann Legacy who was well trusted by the Thalmann royal family and Ginger. The two men, dwarven king and human general, followed their guide down into the heart of the pyramid to the Tzaltec war room. Seeing the Teotlkan Khensa and noting her tired eyes Kalderdan simply nodded an understanding and sympathetic gesture and moved to take a seat across from her, gesturing for Tywik to stand back and behind him to reserve the chairs for the other delegates.

"Teotlkan, we do indeed," Kalderdan studied the map in silence for a moment before looking up at the Tzaltec empress, "Shadows hang over the lands we protect Teotlkan but the Kazul are the giant I believe that casts them. You know you have the pledge of the Dwarves to defend against their coming, and there is more I wish to discuss to aid that endeavor but before I begin I wish to speak with you frankly as regards the events of recent years."

The Dwarf straightened his back and met the Tzaltec woman's golden eyes, "We apologize for our recall of legions from aiding you in retaking Valasharix which continues in rebellion to its lord. While the Sharix conceded to our demands and relinquished Triwilix to our chosen and superior steward of Niemida they did not do so with the respect or character that would be expected of a lord of noble blood and in their insolence they slighted us. Yet we were called back from pursuing vengeance and ensuring our friends the Tzaltec retained control of their rebellious vassal by our liege in Carmine. The decision still sits ill with me but our realm and Carmine have been friends for many generations and they are by mutual agreement of our realms our liege. They negotiated Triwilix away from the Sharix on our behalf and won us a war without a single troop sent and while a great victory for diplomatic endeavors and for our legions who have lost no men for those whose blood boils at the traitorous and insolent nature of the Sharix it is difficult to accept. Still, I accept my liege's decision and in my mind I endorse it, but my heart still aches at our recall of our force from our Tzaltec friends and for that I apologize personally. Know that the forces of Niemida in Maisel act with the tacit approval of my crown and the crown of the High King."

Kalderdan paused before continuing, "To another point we wish to extend our gratitude in person for your offer of aid in Trwilix. My legions land on the beaches of Thalmann and prepare to march east to Triwilix as we speak and I believe their number with the Steward's own to be more than enough to destroy the dark legend that has descended from the Dark Mountain but it warms my heart to know our friends in the east still will march with our legions to battle. I hope you received my letter, but as I said within it, I wished to thank you personally for your offer and continued friendship."

"Now, with that concluded to discuss the Kazul. The armies of Mularuhm continue to grow under my eye and soon will outmatch any force of armies under one singular kingdom. This business in Trwilix will no doubt see some losses but I expect it will not last overlong and we shall soon be rebuilt. To another point is to discuss something that perhaps seems misfit for discussion but I have found more and more important as my reign wears on, funding for this coming war."

"I've no doubt you've heard of the Mularuhm Bank, my Master of Coin came with me to meet your own monetary master when we were last in your lands but I regret nothing was determined. He has since continued to speak with me and the funding necessary for a war. Not just funding however but appropriation of the resources needed to carry out a war with an enemy as all threatening as the Kazul. You know well that there are nations, mainly in the north, who hold your empire in contempt and I suspect with our friendship mine too shall become subject to similar punitive response. These nations have resources that may be necessary for the war effort but I fear they may not agree to aid us in fending off the Kazul. With a strong bank, their agreement to trade would not be necessary."

[TheDarkDM]

The Teotlkan gave a weary sigh as the dwarven king spoke of their withdrawal from the field. Streightening from where she had been leaning over the war table, she gave a slight nod before he continued.

"I can well appreciate your dedication to your liege, especially when the scars of my own vassals' betrayal are so fresh. And I can understand Sobrida's desire to achieve its aims without the loss of life. Our own losses in the Sunset War remain a bitter memory. It is simply a shame that the seeds of treason and mob rule are allowed to flourish by your empire's tacit approval. But what is past is past."

The king continued, and as he spoke of the coming war Khensa's face grew contemplative.

"Your gratitude is welcome and much appreciated, King Kalderdan. I am glad to hear that the spectre in the south will soon be laid to rest. But you are correct that it is but the prelude to the true drama of our age, the merest rumble of thunder that foretells a hurricane."

Her arm swept out to encompass the war table.

"The construction of the Dragon Wall proceeds apace - perhaps the one bright spot in the darkness of Sharixian betrayal is that they too recognize the danger. And while Maur writhes in civil war the anchor in Pomequii remains strong. While I recognize the wisdom in marshaling the fullness of your armies, I would request Mularuhm lend its expertise to those underground regions bordering the desert, for a wall will do little good if the tunnels beneath it are not vigilantly guarded as well. I had hoped the representative of Glazfell would come that we might discuss extending the wall across Stolok's eastern border, but perhaps they have been delayed."

She allowed her arm to fall, and took the nearby chair.

"As to the matter of your banking system, I see great wisdom in joining your endeavor. Tzalteclan's great wealth has served us well to provide currency within the borders of the empire, but there are many outside who will only accept Tzaltec coin under cover of night, if at all. Adopting the coin of Mularuhm for our foreign dealings would be a substantial boon to Tzaltec trade."

[RandoMan]

Kalderdan nodded along with the words of the Teotlkan and met here eyes when she looked towards him though he could not help that his vision drifted around the room as she spoke noting the emptiness of the war room. Kalderdan respected the Tzaltec power and their command over their people as well as the wall of steel they presented against the desert storm but it seemed their rapid rise had been only the prelude to a rapid fall and the Dwarven king's mind wandered to the words of the Qeyzer who had bade caution in dealings with the Tzaltec. Judging by the plague victims on the street the King had passed and the absence of those the Tzaltec had long been allied with here in this chamber gave Kalderdan's liege's words more weight. That no one else was yet to make an appearance at this meeting requested by the Tzaltec empress spoke volumes of distance the Tzaltec had fallen. Still, Mularuhm had been a friend to Tzaltec in their rise and so too would they remain a friend after their diminishment. It was the Dwarven way to stay a friend once become one and an enemy the same, though wisdom tempered each to be pursued not to one's own ruin and Kalderdan quietly wondered if that time of ruinous friendship was approaching with the Tzaltec. He hoped not.

"We would be pleased to send masons to aid you in the fortification of the realms beneath the bordering desert lands. Once you have begun construction we shall send workers to aid you in turn in each region to be fortified. I imagine these shall be largely Saroc regions correct? Under the administration of the Megadeths? If you represent them I will lay out my offer to you.*"

The King also took his seat, sitting lower across the table than the Teotlkan, "Then we are agreed on monetary matters. This is good. I would also like to discuss the Bank's adoption by your loyal vassals if you believe they would be interested in such an arrangement. We would be inclined to favor our investors well.* We are also pleased to inform your empire that our Master Smiths, those responsible for forging the magnificent swords that hang at each of our waists, have reported news of a breakthrough in the art of metallurgic forging. We would be pleased to offer it to your realm and its domains in pursuance of continued friendship and healthy exchange."


I can offer 1 action for each region with an Under Dragon Wall though they will come as I have the actions. I could potentially up it if Ahmeskharras & METAL adopt Mularuhm's bank or offer off my new tech next round for the same.