[EMPIRE4!] Trodjan Games

[Rolepgeek]

The Trodjan Games
Autumn 109

The city of Pellos was abuzz with activity. The Empress had announced the Trodjan Games over a year ago, but only recently had Pellos, birthplace of Dejan, been named as the site of choice. It was not an unreasonable one; Pellos was still a bustling port city on the Pellocian River, and the great statue of Dejan overlooked the newly constructed Onkodion, where the games were to be held. Located at the heart of the Empire, it cemented Avakonia's power over the circumstances of the games, while reminding attendees of the history of the region, and it's triumph.

The preparations had taken months; sacrifices had been gathered, fields leveled, and the great stadium itself constructed with as much speed as the Imperial logistical engine could manage. Part of the river had even been diverted, for the aquatic portions of the games.

But today was to be the first day of the games, finally. It was dedicated to Trodje as benefactor of the games; all the gods would be honored during the festivities, of course, and Dejan, first Emperor of Raesija and unifier of Emjata, only just below them...but to name a festival after a god, and not give them deference, was to invite their wrath. However the Empress, in a curiously humble gesture, decreed that she be honored only on the last day of the festivities, calling instead for each of her predecessors to be shown the virtues and adulations she would have been, on each of the five days.

As the first day was dedicated to the Lord of the Sky, the first events were likewise those meant to honor him; in all there would be upwards of a dozen contests, each dedicated to a god, gods, or guest of honor. Mock battles were even planned to honor Dejan the Magnificent; there had been much discussion within bureaucratic circles about whether the outcomes should be decided in advance, so as not to risk dishonoring the Conqueror himself with even a symbolic loss, but in the end, it was decided that this would be even more offensive to his legacy, he who won against all forms of cheating through wit and skill and strength of arms -and, of course, the will of the gods.

And so, as the invited athletes prepared themselves for the first events, the Empress herself prepared in a different way; she met with the ambassadors and envoys from each of the attending states, in a grand hall just outside the Onkodion with players of music and renowned theater-actors performing popular contemporary plays -or at least approved versions of such. It wouldn't do to have the Empress and her guests subjected to common vulgarity. Only subtle, well-nuanced vulgarity could possibly suit such an important audience.

The Empress Vana Rafæla Zhekurus herself was wearing ornately embellished bronze armor, depicting supposed feats of the Conqueror himself and his Generals. Foremost upon her chest was the conqueror in his final moments, sword raised above head, rays emanating in a design not unlike that of the modern Avakonian banner. On her back, a small bronze etched with silver in the designs of the Karysites helps to remind her guests of her position as warrior queen of a warrior people. The Empress wore no helmet, despite this, and bore only a simple circlet of silver to mark her status, in which five green crystals, of varying sizes, were set. Beyond this, the queen wore only a metal choker (of uncertain composition, and with no discernible catch or hinge) likewise inset with a single large green crystal, and embroidered robes, beautifully dyed a deep purple, with golden threads embroidering the edges.

As her guests arrived, The Empress smiled widely, and the power she exuded was palpable; this was not the smile of a woman looking to impress; rather, it was the smile of one who knew she had no need. When she spoke, it was just loudly enough to ensure that her shouters could hear, and repeat it to those that were not yet near enough to listen for themselves; she felt little desire to repeat herself to late-comers. "Welcome, welcome all! The gods smile on us for the moment, so make yourselves comfortable. It pleases me to meet you all, and I would hate for anyone here to feel unwanted. The Empire welcomes all." A brief pause, while the information is passed on.

"And I, personally look forward to seeing which among our guests the gods favor. Now please, enjoy the festivities!"

Each Day of the Games is a different set of events, and a different roll. The events are as follows:
First Day(Trodje): 4d8+Military+2*Units not involved in combat this round
The first day's events are, somewhat in order: Short Sprint Solo; High Jump; Javelin Throwing; Pole Vault; Archery
Second Day(Khompur): 3d8+Diplomacy+if Cultural Identity is for Diplo actions, it can be used
The second day's events are, somewhat in order: Long Sprint Solo; Horse Racing; Wrestling(individual bouts); Shot-Put Throwing; Long Jump
Third Day(Rieba): 2d8+Econ+#of Owned TPs+if Cultural Identity is for Econ actions, it can be used
The third day's events are, somewhat in order: Short Hurdles; Swim Sprint Solo; Chariot Racing; Wrestling (continuous bouts); Endurance Relay
Fourth Day(The Rest of the Gods and the Generals): 3d8+Intrigue+if Cultural Identity is for Intrigue actions, it can be used
The fourth day's events are, somewhat in order: Sprint Relay; Discus Throwing; Swim Relay; Mock Combat (Team Sport); Endurance Run Solo
Fifth Day(The Empress and her Predecessors): 2d12+Faith+number of Holy Centers controlled(aka in owned regions) of State Religion
The fifth day's events are, somewhat in order: Long Hurdles; Rowing; Beast-Wrestling; Swim Endurance Solo; Armored Run



The Region:

Raesija
Region 64

Flanked on all sides, with limited approaches, Raesija is a land of hills and caves. To the south and west, the land is higher, sloping down to the northeast, where it grows wetter, warmer, and more fertile. Flanked to the east by the Sedellan Mountains, and to the west by Lake Ananosti, much of the land not used for agriculture is covered by grasslands and savanna. To the south, the Pellocian River supports thriving communities, and trade both across and along the river has always been frequent and profitable. Caves and cracks in the land dot the hills just east of the mountains, where mines and quarries provide most of the local opportunity for wealth. It is also here where the infamous Mrazite Crystals are mined, growing in natural cave systems that stretch for miles underground.

Many communities make their livings along the shores of Lake Ananosti, fishing and trading across the waters, enabling goods to be brought in from far-off lands, and the lands to continue to thrive, as they have almost continuously since the time of Dejan. The homelands of the Conqueror grew tremendously in both wealth and population during and immediately after his conquests, and vast swathes of land have been made suitable for agriculture, with cereal grains - primarily barley - and olives making up much of the produce. In the highlands of the southeast, where the climate is too poor and the soil too rocky for most crops, goats and oxen are raised for cheese, meat, and wool.

While Raesija’s history of trade and wars is not unworthy of remembering, the more important part of the region’s history begins with Dejan’s father Nandavan, who was King of Pellos, foremost city-state on the Pellocian River. It was Nandavan’s victories against rival city-states in Raesija, and his diplomacy with the southern horse-traders, that helped set the stage for Dejan’s conquests. By the end of Nandavan’s life, he had brought the entire region under his sway in the Pellocian Federation, a kingdom in all but name. When Dejan succeeded him, even that pretense was soon cast off, as he claimed the title “King of Raesija.”

Dejan's natural charisma and a touch of clever diplomacy cemented the loyalty of the Raesijan city-states, and with his younger brothers Andavent and Maksayava and his sister Turunia he formulated his initial plans for conquest. Some even believe that the original idea to use Mrazite came from Maksayava, though the execution of that idea was undoubtedly Dejan's.

Having secured a steady supply of horses through Nandavan’s agreement with the south, Dejan began by launching a surprise attack to the east. His well-trained forces overran the disjointed local resistance quickly, culminating in the Battle of Alok. The infantry of both sides had reached each other, and Dejan’s center had overextended and been surrounded. Dejan had, however, kept the majority of his cavalry in waiting, and just as the day seemed lost they charged the melee, catching the enemy in a pincer of their own and annihilating them. This victory marked the beginning of Dejan's conquest, nearly doubling his territory at a stroke and providing him with the metals and cloths he needed to continue to supply his army.

Dejan appointed Maksayava and Andavent as his first Generals at about this time and began his first push north towards Avakonia while Maksayava moved further east. Soon the southern horse-traders, the soldiers and mercenaries to the west, and many of their neighbors joined Dejan freely, impressed by his military skill and charisma. From among them, Dejan recruited his most famous Generals; Antonius, Tyverious Kren, Asartya Sevenswords. Surprisingly at first, this stage of his conquest went well.

Maksayava and Antonius came as far west as Fresia before they split, Maksayava turning north and looping back following the northern coast of Lake Ananosti, while Antonius moved further east. Tyverious Kren led his soldiers through the Sedellan Mountains to launch his own surprise attack, rapidly conquering the western lands and providing the basis for Asartya to strike south. And Dejan swept north, conquering the lands that stood between him, until he reached Avakonia.

Though the prosperous cities were able to hold Dejan off for nearly eight months, the king of Avakon tired of war and secretly began to treat with Dejan. Soon after came the king’s marriage to Turunia, and within the month, Avakonia fell. With Estensule under his sway, Dejan claimed the title of Emperor.

The Generals now turned their attention to the rest of Emjata. Antonius rode northeast, conquering the lands of Palmor. Tyverious Kren sailed his fleet across the Badan Sea, laying siege to the cities of Regner, before continuing north. Asartya Sevenswords continued his campaign in the south. Andavent remained in Avakon, forging it into the administrative capital of the Empire, as Dejan and Maksayava launched a two-pronged invasion of Inyaka. Though occasional minor setbacks were inevitable, Dejan was lord of all of Emjata.

With the world gripped in his hand, Dejan returned to Avakonia to hold the greatest feast in all of history: his final feast of conquest. The tale of his ensuing death is well-known. Two weeks later, as Maksayava returned from the far north of Inyaka, a knife found its way into his throat and the assassin fled, leaving no trace of his identity. Each of the remaining General blamed the other three for Maksayava’s death, and with Dejan gone they seized their respective chunks of Empire.

Middling in build and complexion, the folk of Raesija are almost solely human. Preferring colorful clothing and long robes or tunics, usually made of wool or linen, Raesijans have experienced a tremendous boom, both in numbers and the extent of their culture in the last century. Though Avakon remains the premiere location for art and theater, Raesija has a flourishing, if less concentrated, community of artisans and entertainers, with a wealth that has been almost self-sustaining. Only in the last two decades has there been a downturn, as selfishness, corruption, and sloth spreads through both government and youth. Nonetheless, the Raesijans are incredibly proud of their heritage, and view themselves as the successors of Dejan.

The Raesijans have always been a trading people, having valuable goods on all sides as well as within, and being between several different trade routes, and this has helped their relations with their neighbors, despite the usual contention that always occurs between such closely grouped peoples.

Though Raesija is a land abundant with resources, it is populous enough that much of it is used by the residents. Mrazite Crystals are one of the only resources still able to be exported in any significant quantities, and even they are few now. The caves that once overflowed with them have been stripped by decades of harvesting, and access to those that still hold the crystals is carefully hoarded and protected by the state.
Known for their properties in relation to magic, Mrazite Crystals are large, typically green stones, able to be carved into a variety of shapes and sizes. Long used for wards and statuettes meant to protect one’s home against evil spirits or curses, the crystals were used by Dejan as amulets given to his generals and elite warriors, to protect them from the magic of his enemies. It was through this that he was able to proceed without worry of his commanders being assassinated by enemy rituals, spirits, or holy warriors. It is believed by some that both their growth and their protective properties stem from an ability to supposedly ‘eat’ magic.
Though the land is not entirely suitable for them, horses make up an important part of the culture and history of Raesija, and access to them has always been an important factor in the decisions of those who would rule over the land.

Once home to devout Perijanists, Raesija’s place as homeland to Dejan the Magnificent has heavily influenced the people there, and Dejanism now stands as the principal faith in the hearts of the people.
An immense rock formation pointing into the sky near the base of the Sedellan mountains known as the Spear of Trodje[B] is one of the few places in Raesija still dedicated to the old gods of Perijanism. Believed to be a promise by the God Trodje to the people of Raesija, and still held in high esteem even by Dejanites, the stone is a pilgrimage site for priests and rulers who wish to make offerings to the gods, especially Trodje, god of War.
Just off the shore of Lake Ananosti, on a long flat running into the waters, stands [B]The Floating Temple. Built before Dejan’s time, dedicated to Rieba, it has since been repurposed to honor the Golden God. It was said that when Rieba’s wrath comes and the waters rise, it floats above, protected by the devotion and sacrifices of the priests. Now, some are unsure if it will sink...
The Shrine of the Conqueror is a more recent construction. A statue of Dejan erected by the man himself as celebration of his victories midway through the campaign, it has since been turned into a small open-air temple, complete with braziers and altar. The locals claim that they know the instance Dejan was struck better than any other, for, it is said, at the same moment lightning struck the Conqueror the statue sloughed off it’s paint, leaving plain stone beneath, just as Dejan shed his mortal body for a divine one.

[Aventine]

Zäklis entered the hall with an expression of bored, condescending confidence. He had left the majority of his party behind, bringing only the Abhidic warrior-monk his half-brother had sent to be his bodyguard with him to meet the empress. He is dressed in the simple garments of a soldier rather than the elaborate robes of the nobility, though unlike a common soldier his were made of the finest silks sent upriver before the recent troubles stifled the river trade. His companion is dressed even more simply, in the plain, black wool robe of his order of monks.

He pauses to examine the room, and notices the empress's armor. It seems fitting for the heiress of Dejan and the Karysites. He can't help but wonder, though, whether she has ever actually seen a battlefield, or if she is just another decadent Imperial clinging to the old glory days. It makes him long for his own battlefields back home. Having been left to manage affairs in the eastern highlands while his brothers marched down Tipëzvär to the sea, his initial annoyance at missing the opportunity for glory faded quickly after the Battle of N̨id̨sli left him on the front lines against the traitor-lords of Këpääs. Of course, that was before he was ordered to travel halfway across the known world and attend some festival. He wonders if Këpääs has fallen already. Probably. They were always better at talking big than at backing up their boasts with action. He sighs as he realizes N̨id̨sli probably has all the Imperials thinking the same thing about D̨vatla.

Refocusing on the task at hand, Zäklis approaches the empress and bows respectfully. ”Your majesty. I am Zäklis, son of Gëghzäk of Hüpägh and half-brother of his highness, Fëkälis of D̨vatla. My brother sends his regards.”

[Potato_Priest]

Normally Lord Ferreth enjoyed travelling and the picking pockets and scamming that it entailed, but as he rode by chariot to Raesija his mind was worrying about his upcoming marriage to Anci Cuahuey of Coatl.

Would she approve of the Gwitna's thieving ways? What animal house would she choose? Would she complete her trial without incident? Would their personalities be a good match?

Thus, his scams were only halfhearted at best and his robberies elicited only pocket change as he traveled towards Dejan's homeland.

He attempted to brush his worries aside as he entered the hall where official delegates were being received, and it was easier than expected. The amount of metal around the place was astounding to Lord Ferreth, and he understood how the Gwitna must have felt over 100 years ago witnessing Dejan's gleaming armies.

He approached the empress, beckoning the slave forward.
"Although I suspect you do not need them, I have brought gifts for my host. I have for you a slave by the name of Omsh, and the gifts that he has made in preparation for our attendance, as well as other goods."

The elf stepped forward and knelt, presenting the empress with a cedar bark hat, a bronze knife raided from [region 30] and a platter laden with strips of smoked salmon.

Lord Ferreth is just under 6 feet tall and has a medium build. He is wearing Elkskin trousers and a matching shirt, with a Chilkat blanket around his shoulders. His hair is long and black, worn in a single braid. He carries no obvious weapons.

The now-old magpie known as Wyndath sits on his shoulders, observing the proceedings with his one good eye, two large Gwitna bodyguards also wearing blankets and with no obvious weaponry, and an Omanush slave laden with gifts.

[RandoMan]

"Damn Imperials. Praise the Conqueror Dejan and sit on their hands while the world throws real dangers at them.
Can you believe? No reports of Imperial forces massing to meet the fishmen?" an older looking dwarf with a salt and pepper beard whined to his younger human companion.

"No reports as of yet, Magdar. We're here to see if we can change their minds," the human diplomat appeared to be in her twenties or perhaps early thirties.

She smiled and sighed with exaggerated exasperation, "Don't you know what diplomats do?"

The dwarf, Magdar, grumbled in response before settling into quiet judgmental staring at the room with the Empress and guests. It had been much of the same for all their journey up here. Magdar complaining about his present situation, the futility of the mission, or the ineptitude or hypocrisy of the Avakonians and Jelene, the human, trying vainly to keep his comments from ruining their chance at diplomacy. The dwarves were known for their honesty and integrity, which made them great merchants well liked by lenders and buyers, but that honesty was often brutally so and did not lend itself to the realm of political courts. For most dwarves frivolities such as manners and etiquette were for those who didn't have anything more important to do or talk about. Jelene had learned to appreciate the dwarven sentiment but it was not for everyone and certainly wouldn't befit the Empress of Avakonia.

"Let me do the talking," she whispered as they at last made their way to the Empress.

"Your Grace, allow me to introduce myself; I am Princess Jelene, daughter of Duke Parus II. This is my fellow ambassador from the city of Azenhal, Master Scribe Magdar Amberbeard. We come representing the Concordance of Azenhal and the Three Tribes. We come with gifts of gold and iron."

At these words servants of the realm surged forward to present two chests, one filled with weapons and armor pieces forged from iron and polished to a silver sheen the other chest contains not only coins and ingots but jewelry and decorations as well forged from shining gold.

"And we bring warnings of blood."

Jelene shot Magdar a whithering look as he spoke these words and a pair of dwarven servants stepped forward, a heavy looking crate between them that they set down before the Empress. The two dwarves produced crowbars and quickly peeled open the side that faced the queen and then the rest to reveal the preserved carcass of a Fresian fishman. It had been mummified, salted, and preserved but it still stunk heavily as the crate was stripped away.

"At this very moment monsters such as this one swarm forth from the tides of sunken Fresia and ravage the lands just south of Imperial borders. We ask, will the Empire stand for this? Or will it fight to defend these lands from the incursions of a clear and present enemy?"

"My colleague means to say we have military matters we would like to discuss with you or one of your advisors later," Jelene tried to salvage what she could but Magdar's words still hung in the air like the odor of the specimen he had just had unboxed.

[HalfTangible]

[Kunai Clans]

Chojo, the woman at the center of the Kunai delegation, smiled as the Empress made her announcement She stepped forward and curtsied in a beautiful dress of periwinkle blue accented by midnight black. "Though the Kunai and the Empire have been... less than friendly, your recent attempts at reform have shown genuine promise in recent years. My name is honored by your presence, Ten'na, and the Kunai seek to prove what their name is worth."

Two men in black robes, one accented by silver and the other by red, flanked Chojo and said nothing. She was in charge for this particular outing, and neither the Satsujin nor Amidasu wished to overstep their bounds.

---

When the Fresian fishman was revealed, Chojo recoiled and gagged. She doubted any name would truly fit for such a display, but 'vulgar' will have to do. "Is such a display truly necessary? It is such an ugly creature, barely worth the Empress' gaze."

Amidasu's hood turned to Chojo, and he spoke loudly. "There is no need to be so rude. The mijikai is quite a fascinating creature, and only somewhat ugly."

Chojo blinked, and turned to look at Amidasu, shock evident on her face.

"The Pician is quite fascinating too." Amidasu's amused lilt carried just far enough for the dwarves to overhear.

... Oh. He was insulting them.

Chojo covered her face with her palm. "Amidasu..."

[Mechalich]

Amham Federation

Jiu found the land of Raesija hot and dry. Unseasonably miserable. She was certain it had started raining back home. Her thoughts drifted there regularly. She wanted to be home, working in Samg and coordinating the council, joining her husband in bed every night. She hadn't been married even two years yet and now she was forced to spend all the good months of this one fawning over the Empire simply to avoid the appearance of disrespect. "Dvatla has sent a representative, so we must send our own." Her brother had been adamant. "I'm sorry Jiu, I can spare no one else." That much at least was true. Her brother, her husband, her cousin, and all three of their fathers were not at home, but were instead trying to tame bandits and wild men in the north. Nari was pregnant and reduced to minding the court. Not that her Avakonian was up to the task anyway. Jiu supposed she would have to bear with it. She owed her brother something after the trouble she'd caused, it was simply a pity it had meant coming so far.

Formal court robes with their many layers had proven too heavy beneath the southern sun. Jiu wore her armor instead; deeming it suitable for an athletic event. The outer silk layer was exquisitely fashioned in any case, in deep green and blue. She bore her bow as well, in case and unstrung of course, and with an empty quiver. When she saw the Empress in her extravagant armor her first thought - in truth her second after a sympathetic silent gasp at how miserably heavy the outfit must be - was that she had lucked into an ideal choice. The imperial court was much more ornate and complex than the Federation Council - where Jiu served as Steward and knew every baron and their spouse by name. Thankfully the protocols had been planned carefully and though she spent a great deal of time waiting to be introduced she made her way into the imperial presence in due course, only modestly overheated.

Jiu kowtowed before the empress as was proper, only slightly awkward to do so with lamellar between her silks. "Your imperial majesty. The one before you has the small honor of being known as Jiu Gyeon, Baron of Samg, Steward of the Federation Council of Amham, Blood kin of the Duke." She did not look up. "We present these gifts to honor your illustrious reign, your valiant people, and the great lands beneath your banner." Her servants, holding the presentation on linen pillows above their heads, offered a silver necklace in the new style filled with Omanush influences, a lacquerware statuette of a horse made from rice straw, and a cut and polished peridot from sieved from the runoff of Mount Ayam. "May they be favorable in your sight and that there will long be friendship between our peoples."


"And we bring warnings of blood."

Jelene shot Magdar a whithering look as he spoke these words and a pair of dwarven servants stepped forward, a heavy looking crate between them that they set down before the Empress. The two dwarves produced crowbars and quickly peeled open the side that faced the queen and then the rest to reveal the preserved carcass of a Fresian fishman. It had been mummified, salted, and preserved but it still stunk heavily as the crate was stripped away.

"At this very moment monsters such as this one swarm forth from the tides of sunken Fresia and ravage the lands just south of Imperial borders. We ask, will the Empire stand for this? Or will it fight to defend these lands from the incursions of a clear and present enemy?"

"My colleague means to say we have military matters we would like to discuss with you or one of your advisors later," Jelene tried to salvage what she could but Magdar's words still hung in the air like the odor of the specimen he had just had unboxed.


The action by the dwarves would have been extremely uncouth in her brother's court. Here before the Empress Jiu worried she was about to see someone beheaded, or worse. The creature itself was bizarre, a chimeric melding of humanoid features with those of a scaled sea beast. Perhaps a fish? She dearly wished Chae were beside her. Her sister would have known, would have understood whatever this being was. She took some solace in that whatever this being might be, and whatever threat it represented to drive the dwarves to take leave of good sense, it was far from Amham. She had spoken with ranking Omanush, had even passed part of the journey on one of their ships in a gesture of solidarity. They had their own troubles in the vastness of Ortassa, but there had been no mention of anything like this.

Jiu kept her gaze in motion, shifting to study the reaction of the Empress and of others, particularly those closer to home.

[Gengy]

Regno Delegation
Arrival

Captain Viteaz, of Family Newbess, was not a diplomat. He was married to a Magus, though. Magus Uimi was governess of Newbess, and the Captain was - technically - in charge of the military for the area. There was still some question of just whom was in charge between the Captain of Sons of Us All guardsmen like himself, and a Legionnaire Commander. The exact rank of the Legionnaire Commander wasn't something that a Speaker or a Magi worried about. Not even the Grand Magus seemed to fully understand that, to a soldier, pecking order was more than just important; it was a form of responsibility, and honor. So far, Captains had maintained that they held higher rank, due to years in service... and that many of the new Legionnaires had come from their guards. The Legionnaire Commander had not... yet... disputed this, but Viteaz could feel the discomfort when the Commander and he were in a meeting. As often as possible, Viteaz worded any orders as suggestions, and that seemed to help.

But Captain Viteaz, of Family Newbess, was not a diplomat. He was used to discussing matters in curt terms that usually boiled down to either one of three things; really, all the one same thing, but with three flavors. Either it was "Do this, because the Grand Magus said so", "Do this, because my wife - the city Magus - said so", or "Do this because I said so". And that would make any Son of Us All or citizen of the city of Newbess start moving in the general direction of whatever was being told to them. Especially because of whom he was married to. The fact that he had two large, muscular, weapon-wielding sons (his own children, whom were also 'Sons') near him probably helped. And... he loved his wife. Making and keeping Uimi happy was a major reason for doing his job.

So when his wife came to him, clearly unhappy, he had asked what was wrong. And that's when he got a double helping of the same type of conversation style he was used to. Both the Grand Magus - through his wife - AND his city Magus - again, his wife - asked him to do something. He was told to gather their two boys, Aspru and Arunca, and travel - via Camel no less! - between the cities to gather others with no current mark of the Aspect Scholar and take them into the Conqueror's lands. At first, Viteaz was concerned his wife was asking him to do something that might incur the fading Empire's wrath, but when she explained what it actually was, Viteaz privately thought that this tournament was going to be much worse than a simple raid. After all, every able bodied man and woman he gathered was - at best - a simple Initiate, with no more magic then the knowledge given them. Considering where they were going, though, that was... probably best. He'd heard stories of the 'anti-magic' crystals that were common here in the area he now walked in, and was considerably cautious of them.

Captain Viteaz was not a diplomat. So he was waiting in line, and was rather far back in terms of importance, to wait to speak with the Empress. A couple times, people - sure of their own importance - jumped ahead of him in line. Aspru and Arunca waited in line with him, both holding gifts. Normally, this would be bags of Bani, but the Grand Magus had explained before Viteaz left about the Swelling Wave that he worried Bani might be taken as an insult. And so the gifts were simple fare, but rare, hard to find things from Regno.

Viteaz looked at himself and his two boys. They were all dressed formally, in loose, easy to move in pleated leather skirts, with white shirts and leather vests. They wore ankle-high sandals, and as a Captain, Viteaz had several gemstones around his neck. Viteaz had his hair braided, to show he was married, and had shaved his beard this morning, because his wife had insisted he be clean-shaven before the Empress. The lack of stubble was actually bothering him some, and he looked at Aspru - his eldest child - with some envy. The boy was more man than boy now, and was attracting attention back in Newbess to be married. So far, though, Aspru could wear his hair or shave his beard however it pleased him. Viteaz's eldest chose to keep his hair short, but his burgeoning mustache was quite visible. Aspru wanted to be a Legionnaire. Viteaz didn't approve. The lad would make a great Captain, if he stayed in the Sons of Us All.

Arunca, on the other hand, shaved his head and chin regularly. The boy was still very much a boy, but smart as his mother. Arunca had been planning on formally becoming an Aspect Scholar before the orders had been handed down; his mother was very proud of him, and Viteaz was too. Arunca was the closest thing they had to a magi on this trip. Which was still like saying that he had a skein of water to represent an entire Oasis. And not even a full skein. Viteaz sighed, and when his two boys looked at him, he just smiled at them both, and nodded towards the Empress. It appeared that it was - finally - their turn.

Viteaz gravely wished his wife was here. But he knew his job. Regno wasn't - yet - strong enough to anger the remnants of the conquerors. So he'd be nice, and treat this woman like he had once treated Uimi's mother: queen of all Emjata, able to uplift him, or dash all his hopes and dreams. With a formal salute to the Empress first, Viteaz and his two sons dropped to their knees. Aspru and Arunca, as discussed before, kept their heads looking down at the ground in front of them. Viteaz raised his to gaze at a spot close to Empress Vana Rafæla Zhekurus's feet.

Remembering the formal titles that Regno had once lauded upon Dejan the Magnificent, and changing their genders some, Viteaz said in a gravely voice, "Sunset Queen, Great Mother of Avakonia, Radiance of Emjata, this humble man thanks you for the chance to speak to you. I am Captain Viteaz, of Family Newbess. These are my two sons, Aspru and Arunca, and we bring greetings and gifts from Regno."

Aspru, head still down, lifted the wooden box he had been holding - one with the lid being cut at half way around the box - and carefully removed the lid before holding it's contents up for all to see. It was a small pile of sand and dirt, but in the center, a green plant protruded upwards, with sharp looking spines and a dangerous feel to it. Yet, at the top, in a brilliant white and pink, a single flower bloomed. Viteaz had been coached by the Grand Magus as to what to say for these gifts, and dutifully repeated the words now, "My son Aspru holds a desert cactus, a plant that is a danger to touch, but still manages to thrive, even in adversity. It requires little water, needing only the good grace of the sun to live. In Regno, there are many, but few are capable of being both deadly and beautiful as this one."

While he was speaking, Viteaz's other son, Arunca had been removing the top of the long wooden cylinder that had been screwed on his own gift rather tightly. When it was a removed, a pleasant aroma filled the air, much like fresh grapes, but with a certain sweetness to them. Captain Viteaz continued his message from the Grand Magus, "My son Arunca brings to you the results of the power of the sun. Food is not as plentiful in Regno, yet in northern Petram, they do manage to grow fruit, though it is distributed sparingly. This is from their fields, where they grow grapes... and let the sun transform them into something more. We call this food 'raisins', and we sweeten them with sugar. They may - at first - appear dried, withered, and ugly, but the sun brings hardships, and only those who taste them can tell they are stronger for it."

"The Grand Magus bids me to say: Regno remembers." With that, Viteaz fell silent, and dipped his head to the ground again. He was no diplomat. He was a soldier. But he wouldn't have been married to Uimi if he couldn't also be charming and respectful. Still, he knew the dangers of doing and saying what he had. There were double meanings here to these gifts and the words he'd been told to say, and Viteaz wasn't sure what they all meant. If he hadn't been practicing his Avakonian speech for his daughter's wedding, he may not have been here today. But... it is the way of Initia that his honor and duty brought him here.

Now he could only hope that the hard part was out of the way.

Captain Viteaz, Family Newbess (married to Magus Uimi)
Aspru, Family Newbess (unmarried, son of Viteaz and Uimi, elder brother to Speaker Cogati)
Arunca, Family Newbess (unmarried, son of Viteaz and Uimi, younger brother to Speaker Cogati)
Various other Sons of Us All from the other Five Families, here to speak to people, make wagers, and be pleasant to the conquerors, but under no orders to compete in the games at this time

[Lleban]

As a child Atl the large wanted to be an actor, he was captivated by the Avakonian plays frequently preformed in Dejanovo. While he was forced to become a warrior he has played many roles throughout his young life, student, teacher, judge, traitor, general and now emissary. Why Tennoch had chosen Atl, he could only speculate, perhaps it was a subtle act of defiance, or maybe the Exarch just had a sick sense of humor. Never the less it wasn't his job to think through Tennoch's byzantine plans, only to assist Ixitili and leverage his knowledge of Avakonian culture.

Accompanied by 12 coutiers and the experienced traveler priest Ixtili they departed not long before the start of monsoon season.. While the trip down the Pearl river was uneventful, passing through the white feather kingdom, revealed the people of the Inyoni crescent were far more active than normal. Perhaps the stresses of war were beginning to drive these birds mad. By the time the group arrived at the fringes of the empire the roads become steadily more developed more polished, from dirt patchworks to stone pavements, even through the marshes that separated Palmor and Estensule, the roads persisted.

After several weeks of travel the party arrived at Raesija, near the heartland of Avakonia. While the region seemed to be in the midst of a dry season the fields were still verdant and the residents seemed healthy, at least as far as Atl could notice. Upon speaking to Ixitili he noticed things weren't quite what they seemed, the normally energetic and easy going mage got progressively tenser as they neared the sight of the games, often delivering short curt answers to Atl's attempts at banter. Ixtili's brow was frequently furrowed in a mix of worry and uncharacteristic introspection. From the few answers he was capable prying from the mage Atl figured that whatever forces governing the forces of magic seemed far weaker here, even the spirits seemed relatively mute.

Once they arrived at the Empresses Pavilion, Atl bared his full height standing one head above many of the Empresses guards. As he and Ixtilli gently bowed their heads as Atl said "Greetings Twilight Empress, may you continue to uphold the cycle."


For Randoman

Ixitili was shocked when he saw the strange fish man unveiled, Emjata hosted many humanoid creatures, but never one as savage looking as this. He walked closer to the cage, attempting to look deep into its fish like eyes, they seemed so soulless, so alien. He later turned his attention to the dwarf," Sir I'm Ixitili of the Theocracy of Coatl, I'd love to hear about your experiences with this new life. I assume this is why you hired our mercenaries?"

[AdmiralCatticus]

A lone, bedraggled figure dressed in the greens of Wasipacha enters the grand hall of the Trodjan Games. On his back, he carries two parchment cases and a small, wooden box, both pitted and worn. Across his chest, a sash of bright, pure royal blue, and another of pure white, both moth-eaten and stained. On the crown of his peaked cap, a recently polished medallion of bronze, depicting a cresting wave, the edges of which were stained with rust.

The council could only spare one for this diplomatic mission, many others being dead, or in severe disorder. That one was the High Representative of the Jarkana Confederacy, Yaku Wambuy. In truth, the honor was in this case a punishment: Where others were spared the time and effort necessary to procure passage to the north, the High Representative would need to sacrifice much of both, and leave their house and titles untended in the meanwhile.

Still, this was an opportunity of too great an import to pass up: The rare congregation of rulers and peoples the world over, an ideal time to observe their manners, their mannerisms, and of course, their interactions with one another. While Wambuy could have theoretically refused to attend this conference, it would have been at the cost of sacrificing any first-hand accounts of the proceedings, which even now were proving most interesting. So, he sat, removed his first parchment, and began writing notes as detailed as they could possibly be regarding the arrival of the first emissaries.


However, news of the arrival of the Azenhal Concordance brought to him by a messenger boy prompted him to compose a message for the empress, which he then hurriedly delivered in turn to the empress herself, with the accompanying announcement delivered while kneeling:

“My lady the Empress, I am the representative of an association of free peoples far to your South, as you may or may not be aware. They have given me the objective of relaying to you many of the opinions of our council, the subject matter of which I would not want to speak of here.”

At this, he offers to her a large parchment, tied in a bow which he hoped was not overly hideous, and a seal which was, in fact, a raw cut piece of wax held to the paper. An untidy improvisation.

“I request that you read the first passage of our message immediately, then withhold from reading the rest of its contents until a later time. The contents of that first refrain are-“ and here he pauses, glancing behind him to see the distant arrival of the Azenhal emissaries, “relevant.”

At this he departs, and returns to his quiet observation of foreign diplomats in an unassuming corner of the hall.

The vast majority of the scroll is in reality empty, leaving only this cursory and hastily written note:
‘I fear the Azenhal Concordance have sent diplomats here to request aid from you regarding a certain menace which they have agitated with their greed through thorough invasion of the Fresian territories for gold. Whatever they may say, there is an alternative to agreeing to fight their battles for them. I wish to speak with you of this in private, and also of many other subjects. Please, do not agree outright to any action against the fishmen menace in the meanwhile.’

Rando why u gotta post so quickly

[Aventine]

Later: after Zäklis's introduction to the empress is finished, and he has withdrawn out of the way of newcomers


"And we bring warnings of blood."

Jelene shot Magdar a whithering look as he spoke these words and a pair of dwarven servants stepped forward, a heavy looking crate between them that they set down before the Empress. The two dwarves produced crowbars and quickly peeled open the side that faced the queen and then the rest to reveal the preserved carcass of a Fresian fishman. It had been mummified, salted, and preserved but it still stunk heavily as the crate was stripped away.

"At this very moment monsters such as this one swarm forth from the tides of sunken Fresia and ravage the lands just south of Imperial borders. We ask, will the Empire stand for this? Or will it fight to defend these lands from the incursions of a clear and present enemy?"

"My colleague means to say we have military matters we would like to discuss with you or one of your advisors later," Jelene tried to salvage what she could but Magdar's words still hung in the air like the odor of the specimen he had just had unboxed.


When the Fresian fishman was revealed, Chojo recoiled and gagged. She doubted any name would truly fit for such a display, but 'vulgar' will have to do. "Is such a display truly necessary? It is such an ugly creature, barely worth the Empress' gaze."

Zäklis turns to his companion, "Ugly indeed...and that stench. Do you think the dwarves' attempts at preservation failed, or are they just naturally like that?"

The monk considers the Pician corpse for a moment before replying, "All things are reflections of Abhidi. Beauty is a construct we have created; ugliness is a shadow of our own making."

Zäklis scoffs and turns away, muttering "Of course you would think so." With his attention back on the Pician he notices Ixitili, and joins him in approaching the dwarves and their strange creature.


Ixitili was shocked when he saw the strange fish man unveiled, Emjata hosted many humanoid creatures, but never one as savage looking as this. He walked closer to the cage, attempting to look deep into its fish like eyes, they seemed so soulless, so alien. He later turned his attention to the dwarf," Sir I'm Ixitili of the Theocracy of Coatl, I'd love to hear about your experiences with this new life. I assume this is why you hired our mercenaries?"

"Most importantly: can they think? Or are they merely mindless animals?"
[[Sorry mooss...]]

[RandoMan]

Kunai Clans

If Magdar heard the snide remarks made at his expense he made no notice of it. His eyes remained fixated on the Empress, awaiting her response to his question and presentation. The words did seem to catch Jelene's ear though and she looked over to try and identify the speakers. She had wanted to be subtle, a polite quiet inquiry and discussion with the Empress as everyone else had done. Now here she was standing as the center of attention as all the other more proper diplomats gawked and chided about her dwarven peer's display. At least she felt confident they would be remembered...

Coatl & D̨vatla

When the Coatl man approached him once the initial chatter and discussion had concluded Magdar carefully sized him up.

"Ah! A representative of the Theocracy, good. I saw your men arriving shortly before we left for the Games. They look to be strong warriors and they'll need to be to face these creatures," Magdar spat this last word and glared over at the corpse he had brought to the party, "I do not know if you felt it, but a few decades past a great earthquake wracked the lands west of Azenhal. Fresia suffered mightily, consumed almost entirely by the sea. A tragedy, but nothing to compare with what happened next. It seemed the quake did more than just sink land, it unleashed something from the depths, something that ought to have been forgotten. These creatures, fishmen fueled by rage and bloodlust rose from the depths and swarmed the former kingdom. We might not have known but for an expedition that discovered great veins of gold once hidden now revealed in Fallen Fresia."

The Dvatlan man arrived midway through the story and Magdar continued.

"We're dwarves, what could we do but mine it? And so we did. But our people were set upon by these monsters. No words spoken by these creatures, only alien screams and slashing of bone and stone weapons as they attacked our people. Now they have emerged from their shallows and march upon the very land itself, killing and subjugating land dwellers to their terrible aquatic will. And yet it seems only we few of Azenhal and Coatl can see this danger for the threat it is. Make no mistake, these fishmen were involved in the sinking of Fresia and they will sink any lands they occupy. They are not a kingdom cursed as the poor Whitefeathers, they are a curse of a kingdom and they must be stopped. That Coatl is willing to not only recognize this threat but take action does much to heighten your honor in our eyes."

[Potato_Priest]

Kunai Clans

If Magdar heard the snide remarks made at his expense he made no notice of it. His eyes remained fixated on the Empress, awaiting her response to his question and presentation. The words did seem to catch Jelene's ear though and she looked over to try and identify the speakers. She had wanted to be subtle, a polite quiet inquiry and discussion with the Empress as everyone else had done. Now here she was standing as the center of attention as all the other more proper diplomats gawked and chided about her dwarven peer's display. At least she felt confident they would be remembered...

Coatl & D̨vatla

When the Coatl man approached him once the initial chatter and discussion had concluded Magdar carefully sized him up.

"Ah! A representative of the Theocracy, good. I saw your men arriving shortly before we left for the Games. They look to be strong warriors and they'll need to be to face these creatures," Magdar spat this last word and glared over at the corpse he had brought to the party, "I do not know if you felt it, but a few decades past a great earthquake wracked the lands west of Azenhal. Fresia suffered mightily, consumed almost entirely by the sea. A tragedy, but nothing to compare with what happened next. It seemed the quake did more than just sink land, it unleashed something from the depths, something that ought to have been forgotten. These creatures, fishmen fueled by rage and bloodlust rose from the depths and swarmed the former kingdom. We might not have known but for an expedition that discovered great veins of gold once hidden now revealed in Fallen Fresia."

The Dvatlan man arrived midway through the story and Magdar continued.

"We're dwarves, what could we do but mine it? And so we did. But our people were set upon by these monsters. No words spoken by these creatures, only alien screams and slashing of bone and stone weapons as they attacked our people. Now they have emerged from their shallows and march upon the very land itself, killing and subjugating land dwellers to their terrible aquatic will. And yet it seems only we few of Azenhal and Coatl can see this danger for the threat it is. Make no mistake, these fishmen were involved in the sinking of Fresia and they will sink any lands they occupy. They are not a kingdom cursed as the poor Whitefeathers, they are a curse of a kingdom and they must be stopped. That Coatl is willing to not only recognize this threat but take action does much to heighten your honor in our eyes."

After pretending to watch the theatre while eavesdropping politely from a small distance, Lord Ferreth approached the discussion with a nod to Atl.

"If Fresia sank many decades ago and these fish have only emerged now, what makes you think they are connected events?"

[HalfTangible]

Kunai Clans

If Magdar heard the snide remarks made at his expense he made no notice of it. His eyes remained fixated on the Empress, awaiting her response to his question and presentation. The words did seem to catch Jelene's ear though and she looked over to try and identify the speakers. She had wanted to be subtle, a polite quiet inquiry and discussion with the Empress as everyone else had done. Now here she was standing as the center of attention as all the other more proper diplomats gawked and chided about her dwarven peer's display. At least she felt confident they would be remembered...

The man in silver and black robes winked and blew a kiss to her from beneath his hood. Though she could indeed tell that that was what he was doing, she was having a more difficult time pinning down what precisely the man looked like. Not only was hid hood up, but his features were almost blurred; there was a cocky grin, a wink of an emerald eye (or was it blue?), and the slightest wave. Yet almost everything else about him - tall or short, young or old, pale-skinned or dark, handsome or drop-dead gorgeous - it all blurred together into meaninglessness that could not possibly have been an accident.

The woman in blue, on the other hand, was easily identifiable from the long blonde curls that framed her face, deep blue eyes, and the clear irritation she held for the man in silver. She was busy scolding him.

The diplomats were focused on the dwarf, though Amidasu seemed to only have eyes for Jelene. (At least while he could mock her.)


After pretending to watch the theatre while eavesdropping politely from a small distance, Lord Ferreth approached the discussion with a nod to Atl.

"If Fresia sank many decades ago and these fish have only emerged now, what makes you think they are connected events?"

Chojo raised an eyebrow, and looked to Amidasu.

"Don't look at me." He shrugged. "Perhaps they were already there and have only recently grown so aggressive as to attack surrounding territories?"

Chojo nodded. "It is possible, I suppose."

"I would need to study them more to know for sure. Especially their language, if they have one."


The monk considers the Pician corpse for a moment before replying, "All things are reflections of Abhidi. Beauty is a construct we have created; ugliness is a shadow of our own making."

"Feh. Your making, perhaps." Chojo muttered, self-conscious for a moment. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder, of course, but that only went so far; fish men such as this were hardly worth her sight, let alone her attention.

Despite herself, she checked her cosmetics. Keeping her appearance up wasn't solely a matter of personal vanity, (though admittedly that was a bonus). To the Chojo, a beautiful and innocent face was just as much an asset as a good knife by one's side. If you needed to unlock a door, the easiest way was to politely ask someone else to do it for you. This would naturally lend itself to adapting to local customs and cultures so you can learn precisely how to "politely" ask for an unlocked door; she wore an imperial style of dress for precisely such a reason. If she has done her job right, then a man (and/or his wife) will have let their guard down long before you need to get under it.

Chojo tossed her hair over one shoulder, confident that she had her cosmetics in proper place. As she looked, her eyes settled over the delegation from Regno. Now those, right there, were men worth looking at for hours. Tall, well-muscled, even just the tiniest bit of stubble... she liked to see that in her prey men.

... Hm. She did need new blood for her clan. The boy was perhaps a bit too young for her, but the other two... Mmm~...



As the Regno delegation made their way away from the Empress, they would meet with Chojo. The woman's (https://i.pinimg.com/736x/98/e1/c3/98e1c3ca9c9070c8fcd2c7c0a38da302.jpg) luxurious blonde hair fell in curls around her face, and her blue eyes sparkled like star gems. Her dress clung nicely to her figure, and though it wasn't noticeable at first, her cosmetics were expertly applied. This was a woman who took great pride in her appearance.

"I understand your names come from the north western deserts?" She asked, a bright smile on her face, her voice like a song in spring. "Chojo comes from the forests of Kuniumi, to the south. Hajime mashte, friends."

[Tentreto]

As a Kingdom boardering Avakonia, a naive observer would have thought that Whitefeather Kings had often entered the Empire for many meetings and conferecnes. They would be very mistaken, as the relations between the Cursed Inyoni, and the magic wary pretenders were never good. Either way, diplomacy was diplomacy, and Keat knew that relations could always be improved. Still, as his delegation reached the hall, he stopped a moment to glance at each play that was being performed, if only to gauge the image the Empress wished to show for the event.

Upon entering the hall, Keat, dressed in the white robes, with embrodied belts he favoured, quickly made his way to the Empress.
"Greeting Empress, I hope you shall find these games entertaining. I have brought a small gift with me as a thanks for hosting these games." Keat gestured as one of his men brouht a small box, which had a pugnant odour. "This is a selection of the many incenses we grown in the Crescent, and with your adherence to the Gods, we thought that this would certainly find a use."


To Randoman and those nearby


For the most part, Keat had eyed the fish carefully, looking it over. From a small distance away, he heard the dwarf delegate call the fishmen 'a curse of a kingdom,' and Keat went into deep contemplation.

These fishmen were apparantly vicious, unnale to communicate, and responsible for sinking the land of Freisa. Yet they had managed to bring together themselves large groups to attack, and take land, as well as be able to fight on land. Keat had made up his mind. If the Whitefeathers were going to survive in these times, they were going to have to ruffle some feathers.

Coming to the human and dwarf from the Concordance, Keat spoke up,
"Forgive me if I am interrupting anything, but I hear you are looking for those willing to defend the land from these fishmen? If it comes to it, the Inyoni are willing to lend themselves to help your cause, and take up direct defensive lines at [Region 43] to prevent their advance. Maybe you have heard of Pinkfeather, and his advances in tactics? In addition, we may have a far better chance at communicating with them in the future, as we can certainly observe them in secret, and find what it is they want."

[Rolepgeek]

Zäklis entered the hall with an expression of bored, condescending confidence. He had left the majority of his party behind, bringing only the Abhidic warrior-monk his half-brother had sent to be his bodyguard with him to meet the empress. He is dressed in the simple garments of a soldier rather than the elaborate robes of the nobility, though unlike a common soldier his were made of the finest silks sent upriver before the recent troubles stifled the river trade. His companion is dressed even more simply, in the plain, black wool robe of his order of monks.

He pauses to examine the room, and notices the empress's armor. It seems fitting for the heiress of Dejan and the Karysites. He can't help but wonder, though, whether she has ever actually seen a battlefield, or if she is just another decadent Imperial clinging to the old glory days. It makes him long for his own battlefields back home. Having been left to manage affairs in the eastern highlands while his brothers marched down Tipëzvär to the sea, his initial annoyance at missing the opportunity for glory faded quickly after the Battle of N̨id̨sli left him on the front lines against the traitor-lords of Këpääs. Of course, that was before he was ordered to travel halfway across the known world and attend some festival. He wonders if Këpääs has fallen already. Probably. They were always better at talking big than at backing up their boasts with action. He sighs as he realizes N̨id̨sli probably has all the Imperials thinking the same thing about D̨vatla.

Refocusing on the task at hand, Zäklis approaches the empress and bows respectfully. ”Your majesty. I am Zäklis, son of Gëghzäk of Hüpägh and half-brother of his highness, Fëkälis of D̨vatla. My brother sends his regards.”

The Empress deigned to nod in acknowledgement, and her tone spoke nothing of her opinion. "Please send him ours, when you return. The Empire appreciates your attendance, despite the difficulties suffered in the past. Please, enjoy the festivities." If there was more to discuss, they would discuss it. But there were many representatives to greet.


Normally Lord Ferreth enjoyed travelling and the picking pockets and scamming that it entailed, but as he rode by chariot to Raesija his mind was worrying about his upcoming marriage to Anci Cuahuey of Coatl.

Would she approve of the Gwitna's thieving ways? What animal house would she choose? Would she complete her trial without incident? Would their personalities be a good match?

Thus, his scams were only halfhearted at best and his robberies elicited only pocket change as he traveled towards Dejan's homeland.

He attempted to brush his worries aside as he entered the hall where official delegates were being received, and it was easier than expected. The amount of metal around the place was astounding to Lord Ferreth, and he understood how the Gwitna must have felt over 100 years ago witnessing Dejan's gleaming armies.

He approached the empress, beckoning the slave forward.
"Although I suspect you do not need them, I have brought gifts for my host. I have for you a slave by the name of Omsh, and the gifts that he has made in preparation for our attendance, as well as other goods."

The elf stepped forward and knelt, presenting the empress with a cedar bark hat, a bronze knife raided from [region 30] and a platter laden with strips of smoked salmon.

The Empress's eyes narrowed very slightly upon noticing the Omanush slave. She moved one hand very slightly as she spoke, and an attendant came to receive Lord Ferreth's gifts, taking the platter of gifts to another room. "Our thanks for your generosity. You may be assured that your gifts will be well taken care of." She glanced at a tall sea elf, dressed in the bright fabrics and heavily jeweled manner of his people, as they approached. The sea elf, too, glanced at the slave, though their response was merely that of a slightly risen eyebrow. He bowed slightly to the Empress before addressing their guest, as a second attendant came to lead the slave away.

"Winds bring you fortune, and greetings from those who speak. You would be...Lord Ferreth, I believe? It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Abdurriken, First Captain of the Broken Winds."


"Damn Imperials. Praise the Conqueror Dejan and sit on their hands while the world throws real dangers at them.
Can you believe? No reports of Imperial forces massing to meet the fishmen?" an older looking dwarf with a salt and pepper beard whined to his younger human companion.

"No reports as of yet, Magdar. We're here to see if we can change their minds," the human diplomat appeared to be in her twenties or perhaps early thirties.

She smiled and sighed with exaggerated exasperation, "Don't you know what diplomats do?"

The dwarf, Magdar, grumbled in response before settling into quiet judgmental staring at the room with the Empress and guests. It had been much of the same for all their journey up here. Magdar complaining about his present situation, the futility of the mission, or the ineptitude or hypocrisy of the Avakonians and Jelene, the human, trying vainly to keep his comments from ruining their chance at diplomacy. The dwarves were known for their honesty and integrity, which made them great merchants well liked by lenders and buyers, but that honesty was often brutally so and did not lend itself to the realm of political courts. For most dwarves frivolities such as manners and etiquette were for those who didn't have anything more important to do or talk about. Jelene had learned to appreciate the dwarven sentiment but it was not for everyone and certainly wouldn't befit the Empress of Avakonia.

"Let me do the talking," she whispered as they at last made their way to the Empress.

"Your Grace, allow me to introduce myself; I am Princess Jelene, daughter of Duke Parus II. This is my fellow ambassador from the city of Azenhal, Master Scribe Magdar Amberbeard. We come representing the Concordance of Azenhal and the Three Tribes. We come with gifts of gold and iron."

At these words servants of the realm surged forward to present two chests, one filled with weapons and armor pieces forged from iron and polished to a silver sheen the other chest contains not only coins and ingots but jewelry and decorations as well forged from shining gold.

"And we bring warnings of blood."

Jelene shot Magdar a whithering look as he spoke these words and a pair of dwarven servants stepped forward, a heavy looking crate between them that they set down before the Empress. The two dwarves produced crowbars and quickly peeled open the side that faced the queen and then the rest to reveal the preserved carcass of a Fresian fishman. It had been mummified, salted, and preserved but it still stunk heavily as the crate was stripped away.

"At this very moment monsters such as this one swarm forth from the tides of sunken Fresia and ravage the lands just south of Imperial borders. We ask, will the Empire stand for this? Or will it fight to defend these lands from the incursions of a clear and present enemy?"

"My colleague means to say we have military matters we would like to discuss with you or one of your advisors later," Jelene tried to salvage what she could but Magdar's words still hung in the air like the odor of the specimen he had just had unboxed.

The Empress smiled at Jelene, the first to be presented to a visitor thus far. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Jelene and Master Amberbeard, and receive such generosity. The quality of Azenhali craftsmanship is well-known to be comparable to Avakon's own."

Her expression changed swiftly upon Magdar's interruption. The smile did not so much disappear, however, as it did shift towards condescension, hardening as she speaks. "Avakonia protects those who serve. Our protection was offered to the southerners. They declined. And now they serve as example to others of what happens should Avakonia's generosity be spurned."

The Empress allowed this to sit with her visitors for a moment, before her expression softens once more, nose starting to twitch at the stench. "This is a celebration, however, not a mourning. We would be pleased to discuss matters of military aid at a later point. You would not presume to goad the greatest Empire in the world into a war your own people would not be involved in, after all, would you?"


[Kunai Clans]

Chojo, the woman at the center of the Kunai delegation, smiled as the Empress made her announcement She stepped forward and curtsied in a beautiful dress of periwinkle blue accented by midnight black. "Though the Kunai and the Empire have been... less than friendly, your recent attempts at reform have shown genuine promise in recent years. My name is honored by your presence, Ten'na, and the Kunai seek to prove what their name is worth."

Two men in black robes, one accented by silver and the other by red, flanked Chojo and said nothing. She was in charge for this particular outing, and neither the Satsujin nor Amidasu wished to overstep their bounds.

---

When the Fresian fishman was revealed, Chojo recoiled and gagged. She doubted any name would truly fit for such a display, but 'vulgar' will have to do. "Is such a display truly necessary? It is such an ugly creature, barely worth the Empress' gaze."

Amidasu's hood turned to Chojo, and he spoke loudly. "There is no need to be so rude. The mijikai is quite a fascinating creature, and only somewhat ugly."

Chojo blinked, and turned to look at Amidasu, shock evident on her face.

"The Pician is quite fascinating too." Amidasu's amused lilt carried just far enough for the dwarves to overhear.

... Oh. He was insulting them.

Chojo covered her face with her palm. "Amidasu..."

This time, the Empress nodded very slightly lower than she had previously. Did she think the Kunai more worthy of respect? Or perhaps she simply understood and appreciated the nuances of such a greeting. Or it could be meaningless, a slight difference in motion unseen by most anyway.

"As is ours, Lady Chojo. You will have to forgive our other guests for their misconduct. The anticipation of the events must be overwhelming their good sense. Nonetheless, we appreciate your willingness to negotiate, and hope that the Kunai may be friends to the Empire once again.

Chojo might notice a tilt of the lips as Amidasu's comment, but no more than that, and only for the briefest instant.


Amham Federation

Jiu found the land of Raesija hot and dry. Unseasonably miserable. She was certain it had started raining back home. Her thoughts drifted there regularly. She wanted to be home, working in Samg and coordinating the council, joining her husband in bed every night. She hadn't been married even two years yet and now she was forced to spend all the good months of this one fawning over the Empire simply to avoid the appearance of disrespect. "Dvatla has sent a representative, so we must send our own." Her brother had been adamant. "I'm sorry Jiu, I can spare no one else." That much at least was true. Her brother, her husband, her cousin, and all three of their fathers were not at home, but were instead trying to tame bandits and wild men in the north. Nari was pregnant and reduced to minding the court. Not that her Avakonian was up to the task anyway. Jiu supposed she would have to bear with it. She owed her brother something after the trouble she'd caused, it was simply a pity it had meant coming so far.

Formal court robes with their many layers had proven too heavy beneath the southern sun. Jiu wore her armor instead; deeming it suitable for an athletic event. The outer silk layer was exquisitely fashioned in any case, in deep green and blue. She bore her bow as well, in case and unstrung of course, and with an empty quiver. When she saw the Empress in her extravagant armor her first thought - in truth her second after a sympathetic silent gasp at how miserably heavy the outfit must be - was that she had lucked into an ideal choice. The imperial court was much more ornate and complex than the Federation Council - where Jiu served as Steward and knew every baron and their spouse by name. Thankfully the protocols had been planned carefully and though she spent a great deal of time waiting to be introduced she made her way into the imperial presence in due course, only modestly overheated.

Jiu kowtowed before the empress as was proper, only slightly awkward to do so with lamellar between her silks. "Your imperial majesty. The one before you has the small honor of being known as Jiu Gyeon, Baron of Samg, Steward of the Federation Council of Amham, Blood kin of the Duke." She did not look up. "We present these gifts to honor your illustrious reign, your valiant people, and the great lands beneath your banner." Her servants, holding the presentation on linen pillows above their heads, offered a silver necklace in the new style filled with Omanush influences, a lacquerware statuette of a horse made from rice straw, and a cut and polished peridot from sieved from the runoff of Mount Ayam. "May they be favorable in your sight and that there will long be friendship between our peoples."

The action by the dwarves would have been extremely uncouth in her brother's court. Here before the Empress Jiu worried she was about to see someone beheaded, or worse. The creature itself was bizarre, a chimeric melding of humanoid features with those of a scaled sea beast. Perhaps a fish? She dearly wished Chae were beside her. Her sister would have known, would have understood whatever this being was. She took some solace in that whatever this being might be, and whatever threat it represented to drive the dwarves to take leave of good sense, it was far from Amham. She had spoken with ranking Omanush, had even passed part of the journey on one of their ships in a gesture of solidarity. They had their own troubles in the vastness of Ortassa, but there had been no mention of anything like this.

Jiu kept her gaze in motion, shifting to study the reaction of the Empress and of others, particularly those closer to home.

The Empress actually laughed as Jiu lowered herself to the floor. It was a vibrant life, surprised and genuine. "You have the Empire's gratitude for such fine gifts, and our hopes that the events we host will be pleasurable to witness. Your presence gives honor to both our peoples, and hope for friendship and unity in times to come."

She smiles broadly, and offers a hand down to the armored woman. Several attendants -or advisors? It's unclear at the moment- look alarmed at this display, but restrain themselves from acting on it. "Now rise, dear. It's uncouth to sit in the presence of royalty." She winks at Jiu as the girl gets to her feet. "And there are games to witness, in any case. Will you be participating?"


Regno Delegation
Arrival

Captain Viteaz, of Family Newbess, was not a diplomat. He was married to a Magus, though. Magus Uimi was governess of Newbess, and the Captain was - technically - in charge of the military for the area. There was still some question of just whom was in charge between the Captain of Sons of Us All guardsmen like himself, and a Legionnaire Commander. The exact rank of the Legionnaire Commander wasn't something that a Speaker or a Magi worried about. Not even the Grand Magus seemed to fully understand that, to a soldier, pecking order was more than just important; it was a form of responsibility, and honor. So far, Captains had maintained that they held higher rank, due to years in service... and that many of the new Legionnaires had come from their guards. The Legionnaire Commander had not... yet... disputed this, but Viteaz could feel the discomfort when the Commander and he were in a meeting. As often as possible, Viteaz worded any orders as suggestions, and that seemed to help.

But Captain Viteaz, of Family Newbess, was not a diplomat. He was used to discussing matters in curt terms that usually boiled down to either one of three things; really, all the one same thing, but with three flavors. Either it was "Do this, because the Grand Magus said so", "Do this, because my wife - the city Magus - said so", or "Do this because I said so". And that would make any Son of Us All or citizen of the city of Newbess start moving in the general direction of whatever was being told to them. Especially because of whom he was married to. The fact that he had two large, muscular, weapon-wielding sons (his own children, whom were also 'Sons') near him probably helped. And... he loved his wife. Making and keeping Uimi happy was a major reason for doing his job.

So when his wife came to him, clearly unhappy, he had asked what was wrong. And that's when he got a double helping of the same type of conversation style he was used to. Both the Grand Magus - through his wife - AND his city Magus - again, his wife - asked him to do something. He was told to gather their two boys, Aspru and Arunca, and travel - via Camel no less! - between the cities to gather others with no current mark of the Aspect Scholar and take them into the Conqueror's lands. At first, Viteaz was concerned his wife was asking him to do something that might incur the fading Empire's wrath, but when she explained what it actually was, Viteaz privately thought that this tournament was going to be much worse than a simple raid. After all, every able bodied man and woman he gathered was - at best - a simple Initiate, with no more magic then the knowledge given them. Considering where they were going, though, that was... probably best. He'd heard stories of the 'anti-magic' crystals that were common here in the area he now walked in, and was considerably cautious of them.

Captain Viteaz was not a diplomat. So he was waiting in line, and was rather far back in terms of importance, to wait to speak with the Empress. A couple times, people - sure of their own importance - jumped ahead of him in line. Aspru and Arunca waited in line with him, both holding gifts. Normally, this would be bags of Bani, but the Grand Magus had explained before Viteaz left about the Swelling Wave that he worried Bani might be taken as an insult. And so the gifts were simple fare, but rare, hard to find things from Regno.

Viteaz looked at himself and his two boys. They were all dressed formally, in loose, easy to move in pleated leather skirts, with white shirts and leather vests. They wore ankle-high sandals, and as a Captain, Viteaz had several gemstones around his neck. Viteaz had his hair braided, to show he was married, and had shaved his beard this morning, because his wife had insisted he be clean-shaven before the Empress. The lack of stubble was actually bothering him some, and he looked at Aspru - his eldest child - with some envy. The boy was more man than boy now, and was attracting attention back in Newbess to be married. So far, though, Aspru could wear his hair or shave his beard however it pleased him. Viteaz's eldest chose to keep his hair short, but his burgeoning mustache was quite visible. Aspru wanted to be a Legionnaire. Viteaz didn't approve. The lad would make a great Captain, if he stayed in the Sons of Us All.

Arunca, on the other hand, shaved his head and chin regularly. The boy was still very much a boy, but smart as his mother. Arunca had been planning on formally becoming an Aspect Scholar before the orders had been handed down; his mother was very proud of him, and Viteaz was too. Arunca was the closest thing they had to a magi on this trip. Which was still like saying that he had a skein of water to represent an entire Oasis. And not even a full skein. Viteaz sighed, and when his two boys looked at him, he just smiled at them both, and nodded towards the Empress. It appeared that it was - finally - their turn.

Viteaz gravely wished his wife was here. But he knew his job. Regno wasn't - yet - strong enough to anger the remnants of the conquerors. So he'd be nice, and treat this woman like he had once treated Uimi's mother: queen of all Emjata, able to uplift him, or dash all his hopes and dreams. With a formal salute to the Empress first, Viteaz and his two sons dropped to their knees. Aspru and Arunca, as discussed before, kept their heads looking down at the ground in front of them. Viteaz raised his to gaze at a spot close to Empress Vana Rafæla Zhekurus's feet.

Remembering the formal titles that Regno had once lauded upon Dejan the Magnificent, and changing their genders some, Viteaz said in a gravely voice, "Sunset Queen, Great Mother of Avakonia, Radiance of Emjata, this humble man thanks you for the chance to speak to you. I am Captain Viteaz, of Family Newbess. These are my two sons, Aspru and Arunca, and we bring greetings and gifts from Regno."

Aspru, head still down, lifted the wooden box he had been holding - one with the lid being cut at half way around the box - and carefully removed the lid before holding it's contents up for all to see. It was a small pile of sand and dirt, but in the center, a green plant protruded upwards, with sharp looking spines and a dangerous feel to it. Yet, at the top, in a brilliant white and pink, a single flower bloomed. Viteaz had been coached by the Grand Magus as to what to say for these gifts, and dutifully repeated the words now, "My son Aspru holds a desert cactus, a plant that is a danger to touch, but still manages to thrive, even in adversity. It requires little water, needing only the good grace of the sun to live. In Regno, there are many, but few are capable of being both deadly and beautiful as this one."

While he was speaking, Viteaz's other son, Arunca had been removing the top of the long wooden cylinder that had been screwed on his own gift rather tightly. When it was a removed, a pleasant aroma filled the air, much like fresh grapes, but with a certain sweetness to them. Captain Viteaz continued his message from the Grand Magus, "My son Arunca brings to you the results of the power of the sun. Food is not as plentiful in Regno, yet in northern Petram, they do manage to grow fruit, though it is distributed sparingly. This is from their fields, where they grow grapes... and let the sun transform them into something more. We call this food 'raisins', and we sweeten them with sugar. They may - at first - appear dried, withered, and ugly, but the sun brings hardships, and only those who taste them can tell they are stronger for it."

"The Grand Magus bids me to say: Regno remembers." With that, Viteaz fell silent, and dipped his head to the ground again. He was no diplomat. He was a soldier. But he wouldn't have been married to Uimi if he couldn't also be charming and respectful. Still, he knew the dangers of doing and saying what he had. There were double meanings here to these gifts and the words he'd been told to say, and Viteaz wasn't sure what they all meant. If he hadn't been practicing his Avakonian speech for his daughter's wedding, he may not have been here today. But... it is the way of Initia that his honor and duty brought him here.

Now he could only hope that the hard part was out of the way.

It wasn't.

"Avakonia thanks you for such fine gifts, and sorrows that we have none to give in turn save the trials to be witnessed. We hope that the pleasure of seeing so many skilled competitors gathered, from such diverse parts of Emjata, will be sufficient until a more suitable arrangement may be prepared."

She nods once more, and several attendants arrive to accept the gifts. She stops one of them, however, and reaches into the second container, pulling out a single raisin and tossing it into her mouth. The attendant that was stopped tries to contain their look of horror.

"Delicious."


As a child Atl the large wanted to be an actor, he was captivated by the Avakonian plays frequently preformed in Dejanovo. While he was forced to become a warrior he has played many roles throughout his young life, student, teacher, judge, traitor, general and now emissary. Why Tennoch had chosen Atl, he could only speculate, perhaps it was a subtle act of defiance, or maybe the Exarch just had a sick sense of humor. Never the less it wasn't his job to think through Tennoch's byzantine plans, only to assist Ixitili and leverage his knowledge of Avakonian culture.

Accompanied by 12 coutiers and the experienced traveler priest Ixtili they departed not long before the start of monsoon season.. While the trip down the Pearl river was uneventful, passing through the white feather kingdom, revealed the people of the Inyoni crescent were far more active than normal. Perhaps the stresses of war were beginning to drive these birds mad. By the time the group arrived at the fringes of the empire the roads become steadily more developed more polished, from dirt patchworks to stone pavements, even through the marshes that separated Palmor and Estensule, the roads persisted.

After several weeks of travel the party arrived at Raesija, near the heartland of Avakonia. While the region seemed to be in the midst of a dry season the fields were still verdant and the residents seemed healthy, at least as far as Atl could notice. Upon speaking to Ixitili he noticed things weren't quite what they seemed, the normally energetic and easy going mage got progressively tenser as they neared the sight of the games, often delivering short curt answers to Atl's attempts at banter. Ixtili's brow was frequently furrowed in a mix of worry and uncharacteristic introspection. From the few answers he was capable prying from the mage Atl figured that whatever forces governing the forces of magic seemed far weaker here, even the spirits seemed relatively mute.

Once they arrived at the Empresses Pavilion, Atl bared his full height standing one head above many of the Empresses guards. As he and Ixtilli gently bowed their heads as Atl said "Greetings Twilight Empress, may you continue to uphold the cycle."

The Empress nodded in turn, though the two in front of her would be hard-pressed to see it. "And may the gods preserve us all. The Empire appreciates your presence here, and hopes for the gods to favor friendship between our people. Do you plan to participate in the games? It seems that one such as you might have a significant advantage in the contests."


A lone, bedraggled figure dressed in the greens of Wasipacha enters the grand hall of the Trodjan Games. On his back, he carries two parchment cases and a small, wooden box, both pitted and worn. Across his chest, a sash of bright, pure royal blue, and another of pure white, both moth-eaten and stained. On the crown of his peaked cap, a recently polished medallion of bronze, depicting a cresting wave, the edges of which were stained with rust.

The council could only spare one for this diplomatic mission, many others being dead, or in severe disorder. That one was the High Representative of the Jarkana Confederacy, Yaku Wambuy. In truth, the honor was in this case a punishment: Where others were spared the time and effort necessary to procure passage to the north, the High Representative would need to sacrifice much of both, and leave their house and titles untended in the meanwhile.

Still, this was an opportunity of too great an import to pass up: The rare congregation of rulers and peoples the world over, an ideal time to observe their manners, their mannerisms, and of course, their interactions with one another. While Wambuy could have theoretically refused to attend this conference, it would have been at the cost of sacrificing any first-hand accounts of the proceedings, which even now were proving most interesting. So, he sat, removed his first parchment, and began writing notes as detailed as they could possibly be regarding the arrival of the first emissaries.


However, news of the arrival of the Azenhal Concordance brought to him by a messenger boy prompted him to compose a message for the empress, which he then hurriedly delivered in turn to the empress herself, with the accompanying announcement delivered while kneeling:

“My lady the Empress, I am the representative of an association of free peoples far to your South, as you may or may not be aware. They have given me the objective of relaying to you many of the opinions of our council, the subject matter of which I would not want to speak of here.”

At this, he offers to her a large parchment, tied in a bow which he hoped was not overly hideous, and a seal which was, in fact, a raw cut piece of wax held to the paper. An untidy improvisation.

“I request that you read the first passage of our message immediately, then withhold from reading the rest of its contents until a later time. The contents of that first refrain are-“ and here he pauses, glancing behind him to see the distant arrival of the Azenhal emissaries, “relevant.”

At this he departs, and returns to his quiet observation of foreign diplomats in an unassuming corner of the hall.

The Empress seems distantly amused at the High Representative's behavior. "Subtlety is not your strength, is it, honored guest?" She speaks softly, before he leaves once more.

Despite his rudeness, the man would receive a messenger later, informing him of where to meet one the Empress' delegates in order to discuss his fears.


As a Kingdom bordering Avakonia, a naive observer would have thought that Whitefeather Kings had often entered the Empire for many meetings and conferences. They would be very mistaken, as the relations between the Cursed Inyoni, and the magic wary pretenders were never good. Either way, diplomacy was diplomacy, and Keat knew that relations could always be improved. Still, as his delegation reached the hall, he stopped a moment to glance at each play that was being performed, if only to gauge the image the Empress wished to show for the event.

Upon entering the hall, Keat, dressed in the white robes, with embrodied belts he favoured, quickly made his way to the Empress.
"Greeting Empress, I hope you shall find these games entertaining. I have brought a small gift with me as a thanks for hosting these games." Keat gestured as one of his men brouht a small box, which had a pugnant odour. "This is a selection of the many incenses we grown in the Crescent, and with your adherence to the Gods, we thought that this would certainly find a use."
[/COLOR]

"Our thanks for such a fine gift with which the gods may be honored. Particularly fitting, given the nature of these games. The Empire hopes that all is going well with the Whitefeather Kingdom and it's neighbors?"

[Gengy]

It wasn't.

"Avakonia thanks you for such fine gifts, and sorrows that we have none to give in turn save the trials to be witnessed. We hope that the pleasure of seeing so many skilled competitors gathered, from such diverse parts of Emjata, will be sufficient until a more suitable arrangement may be prepared."

She nods once more, and several attendants arrive to accept the gifts. She stops one of them, however, and reaches into the second container, pulling out a single raisin and tossing it into her mouth. The attendant that was stopped tries to contain their look of horror.

"Delicious."

Viteaz nods, still kneeling. "Your Imperial Majesty, we will of course await your graciousness. We shall go enjoy these fine competitions."

Knowing a dismissal when he heard one, Viteaz was privately happy to leave. With years of practice that Viteaz hadn't had to use for decades now, he stood, head still bowed, and walked his way backwards between his two sons. They rose, also heads still bowed, and as one, they turned a crisp one-eighty, raised their heads, and walked away.




As the Regno delegation made their way away from the Empress, they would meet with Chojo. The woman's (https://i.pinimg.com/736x/98/e1/c3/98e1c3ca9c9070c8fcd2c7c0a38da302.jpg) luxurious blonde hair fell in curls around her face, and her blue eyes sparkled like star gems. Her dress clung nicely to her figure, and though it wasn't noticeable at first, her cosmetics were expertly applied. This was a woman who took great pride in her appearance.

"I understand your names come from the north western deserts?" She asked, a bright smile on her face, her voice like a song in spring. "Chojo comes from the forests of Kuniumi, to the south. Hajime mashte, friends."

Captain Viteas paused, perplexed. His official business was taken care of, and - regardless of what he'd said to the Empress - he had half a mind to march himself and his people back to the Swelling Wave and get out of this science-forsaken place. Too many people here set his teeth on edge, and his gut was telling him that many of them were more dangerous then they appears.

Take the soft looking girl in front of him. She had only a little muscle here and there, but there was something... quietly dangerous about her that Viteas didn't like. He couldn't quite place why. Aspru and Arunca both seemed to like the look of her, though. Motioning for the now four of them to move further away from the Empress - much to the relief of Arunca, it would seem - Viteaz privately decided that they would stay as long as he could stomach things here, or the full five days, whichever came first.

"I am not familiar with Kuniumi," Viteaz responded, "What is it like there?"

[RandoMan]

The Empress smiled at Jelene, the first to be presented to a visitor thus far. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Jelene and Master Amberbeard, and receive such generosity. The quality of Azenhali craftsmanship is well-known to be comparable to Avakon's own."

Her expression changed swiftly upon Magdar's interruption. The smile did not so much disappear, however, as it did shift towards condescension, hardening as she speaks. "Avakonia protects those who serve. Our protection was offered to the southerners. They declined. And now they serve as example to others of what happens should Avakonia's generosity be spurned."

The Empress allowed this to sit with her visitors for a moment, before her expression softens once more, nose starting to twitch at the stench. "This is a celebration, however, not a mourning. We would be pleased to discuss matters of military aid at a later point. You would not presume to goad the greatest Empire in the world into a war your own people would not be involved in, after all, would you?"


"Not involved in?" Magdar sputtered in response, his face turning red and scrunching up in anger, "Not involved in!? What's that look like to you!?" he jabbed a stubby finger in the direction of the fishman corpse.

"You say you're 'the greatest Empire in the world' and you can't even hear the people crying for your aid at your border?"

Jelene was now at the height of her uncomfortability. She was waiting for a chance to interject but Magdar was impassioned such that her quiet attempts to reassert control fell on deaf ears.

"A great empire does not leave its borders to the ravaging of sea monsters. A great empire earns the loyalty and admiration of its citizens and allies alike through bold action. A great empire does not celebrate its slow collapse with party games while dismissing the threats nipping at its borders. A great empire fights and builds alliances with those they fight beside."

"I came prepared to see this 'greatest empire.' I came ready to bend the knee if the crown rested on a head with a mind worth ruling. I see nothing has changed since the death of Dejan. Without the Conqueror his conquests have become but a petty example of lesser warlord's demesnes. Squabbling children too caught up in appearance over substance. You will never succeed your legacy so long as you remain hidden behind your walls. It is a lesson Dejan taught my people. Perhaps you will remember it now."

Magdar's face was a bright red now to match Jelene's own. The reason for their blushing cheeks tied to the same event they had just witnessed through for very different reactions.

"Your Grace, please I beg you to look upon my compatriot with mercy. He speaks as his people speak. Blunt and uncouth. We of the Concordance will respect whatever decision Avakonia makes regarding this matter. Please allow our removal of this...thing and we shall bother you no further."

Jelene pleaded with the Empress and bowed her head. She glanced over and could see Magdar had closed his eyes though his head remained unbent.




After pretending to watch the theatre while eavesdropping politely from a small distance, Lord Ferreth approached the discussion with a nod to Atl.

"If Fresia sank many decades ago and these fish have only emerged now, what makes you think they are connected events?"

"Fresia sinks beneath the waves and then an army of previously unknown fishmen swell into the waters that flooded the region. How on Emjata could they not be connected?" Magdar threw his hands open to punctuate the question to the new arrival.

"We believe the fishmen were amassing their forces in the years following Fresia's sinking.
We do not know if they were directly responsible for the sinking," Magdar harumphed as Jelene said this, "but we do believe whatever happened there caused these creatures to arrive. Whether they were the cause or merely attracted to the newly created shallows is an academic matter. The fact is they are there now and a proven threat to the lands and people surrounding them."



To Randoman and those nearby

For the most part, Keat had eyed the fish carefully, looking it over. From a small distance away, he heard the dwarf delegate call the fishmen 'a curse of a kingdom,' and Keat went into deep contemplation.

These fishmen were apparantly vicious, unnale to communicate, and responsible for sinking the land of Freisa. Yet they had managed to bring together themselves large groups to attack, and take land, as well as be able to fight on land. Keat had made up his mind. If the Whitefeathers were going to survive in these times, they were going to have to ruffle some feathers.

Coming to the human and dwarf from the Concordance, Keat spoke up,
"Forgive me if I am interrupting anything, but I hear you are looking for those willing to defend the land from these fishmen? If it comes to it, the Inyoni are willing to lend themselves to help your cause, and take up direct defensive lines at [Region 43] to prevent their advance. Maybe you have heard of Pinkfeather, and his advances in tactics? In addition, we may have a far better chance at communicating with them in the future, as we can certainly observe them in secret, and find what it is they want."


Jelene quietly studied the Whitefeather king. The northern kingdom was aggressive and imperialist. It was obvious to see in them the same hunger that consumed many powers and had once driven the mighty Dejan to conquer nearly all the known world. They wished to be an empire, a small challenger to the Avakonian Hegemony. Well, if the Avakonian Empire was unwilling to aid then perhaps it was time for the Concordance to select a proto-empire to cultivate.

"We had hoped to seek alliance with the local governments of [Region 43] and had made many plans to aid in their defense. Alas, recent reports suggest Avakonia seeks to turn our allies into puppets of their do-nothing empire. If this cannot be stopped it would be better the region fell under the control of a kingdom willing to actually take action against real threats on its borders."

[HalfTangible]

Captain Viteas paused, perplexed. His official business was taken care of, and - regardless of what he'd said to the Empress - he had half a mind to march himself and his people back to the Swelling Wave and get out of this science-forsaken place. Too many people here set his teeth on edge, and his gut was telling him that many of them were more dangerous then they appears.

Take the soft looking girl in front of him. She had only a little muscle here and there, but there was something... quietly dangerous about her that Viteas didn't like. He couldn't quite place why. Aspru and Arunca both seemed to like the look of her, though. Motioning for the now four of them to move further away from the Empress - much to the relief of Arunca, it would seem - Viteaz privately decided that they would stay as long as he could stomach things here, or the full five days, whichever came first.

"I am not familiar with Kuniumi," Viteaz responded, "What is it like there?"

"I suppose it depends on what Regno is like; Comparison is such an odd thing, after all. I could tell you that while Regno is a desert with little water and much sand, Kuniumi is very wet and forested. I could tell you of our many clans, of which Chojo is but one. The Kunai Wordsmiths, perhaps, and the great works they create with Enku, so similar to this 'Inushiya' I have heard so much of." She leaned in to whisper a string of words into Viteaz' ear that tickled his skin. She giggled. "That means 'I could tell you of our language.'" She paused, then rubbed her chin. "Well, technically it means 'I have taught our language', but the idea remains."

"I suppose what I tell you Kuniumi is like will depend greatly on what you wish to know. Ask, friend, and I will answer."

Very little, I imagine. Chojo thought to herself. You're eager to leave.

Chojo could feel the hostility Viteaz radiated like summer heat. Normally she would've been perfectly content to whittle that hostility away bit by bit, and bring herself into his life as a close friend, perhaps even a lover. But the braided hair that only he had gave her pause; Clearly hairstyle indicated status of some sort among the Regno. She couldn't figure out what precisely, but seeing such a stark contrast between his sons and himself made her certain of it. This man was perhaps beyond her reach, for now.

Your boys, on the other hand...

She absent-mindedly ran her eyes all along Aspru, interest aflame in her eyes. Such musculature... A man such as he would doubtless make her every night a joy, and she had such great desire for him. She could already feel his mustache tickling at her lips, his big strong arms warming her against the chill of Kuniumi's nights... Though perhaps that was a negative. If she was already this interested, then surely he had women waiting for him at home, women he would be eager to return to. A pity.

She let her eyes wander to the younger man. Now that she got a closer look, he straddled the line between boy and man; she wasn't entirely sure about his age. She had met scholars before (her smile faded for an instant as she thought of Amidasu) and this boy/man seemed to carry himself as one. He would, perhaps, be eager to come to Kuniumi and study the Enku, especially now that she'd broached the topic. And from the look on his face, he was very inexperienced with women as comely as she. She would have little trouble rendering him smitten.

Either would suffice, of course, but the more she thought about it...

"I rarely see men with shaved heads, at least those without Enku painted on. Forgive me if I am too forward, but may I touch your hair?" She asked Arunca.

---

((I tried actually typing the words out, but when I went to preview the post, they ended up censored))



"Not involved in?" Magdar sputtered in response, his face turning red and scrunching up in anger, "Not involved in!? What's that look like to you!?" he jabbed a stubby finger in the direction of the fishman corpse.

"You say you're 'the greatest Empire in the world' and you can't even hear the people crying for your aid at your border?"

Jelene was now at the height of her uncomfortability. She was waiting for a chance to interject but Magdar was impassioned such that her quiet attempts to reassert control fell on deaf ears.

"A great empire does not leave its borders to the ravaging of sea monsters. A great empire earns the loyalty and admiration of its citizens and allies alike through bold action. A great empire does not celebrate its slow collapse with party games while dismissing the threats nipping at its borders. A great empire fights and builds alliances with those they fight beside."

"I came prepared to see this 'greatest empire.' I came ready to bend the knee if the crown rested on a head with a mind worth ruling. I see nothing has changed since the death of Dejan. Without the Conqueror his conquests have become but a petty example of lesser warlord's demesnes. Squabbling children too caught up in appearance over substance. You will never succeed your legacy so long as you remain hidden behind your walls. It is a lesson Dejan taught my people. Perhaps you will remember it now."

Magdar's face was a bright red now to match Jelene's own. The reason for their blushing cheeks tied to the same event they had just witnessed through for very different reactions.

"Your Grace, please I beg you to look upon my compatriot with mercy. He speaks as his people speak. Blunt and uncouth. We of the Concordance will respect whatever decision Avakonia makes regarding this matter. Please allow our removal of this...thing and we shall bother you no further."

Jelene pleaded with the Empress and bowed her head. She glanced over and could see Magdar had closed his eyes though his head remained unbent.

Dead silence filled the room for a few brief moments. Chojo and Amidasu had both been stunned into complete silence by the dwarf's outburst. There was little that could've been said to make the situation much worse.

"The sound of your greed for Fresia's gold rings truer than anything you've said." The Satsujin said quietly, standing behind the dwarf. His voice was cold, and something beyond furious. "For such disrespect I would cut off your head, mijikai, if it stood a bit higher from the ground on which you grovel."

Except that. Chojo's eyes widened, and Amidasu's mouth fell open.

The Satsujin didn't care. He was doing his best to keep his hatred for this creature in check, but this was too much. The Satsujin Clan were the (admittedly self-appointed) guardians of Kuniumi. They knew better than anyone what it took to rule, what kind of sacrifices needed to be made to maintain imperium.

"This is how an empire gathers alliances and prepares to fight wars. Diplomacy, discussion, even the acquisition of gifts. The cost to make it a party is barely even a notch in a tree trunk." His eyes narrowed. "But that's not the sort of thing I'd expect your sort to know."

Amidasu stepped forward, shaking a little. "Uh, Satsujin, perhaps we should-"

"Don't call me 'Satsujin'." He growled. "Only one man has that title, and I'm not him."

"Toranpau, then." Amidasu said quickly. "This is a party. Surely the Empress can defend herself from such a slight So'Ran'tau?"

"Can? Well certainly, but- wait." Toranpau raised an eyebrow. "So'Ran'tau?"

"...Is that not what just happened?" Amidasu asked, glancing between Jelene, the dwarf, and the Empress. "'tis a party game. You insult your host as greatly as you can, and the host insults you as greatly as they can. A good laugh, even at the expense of the host and her guests, can help break the ice as well as any gift."

He pointed at the Empress. "And honestly, milady, the dwarf's insults were not even that funny; none of us even chuckled. Surely you can make us laugh more than not at all?"

The Satsujin stared at Amidasu like he'd grown a second head. He'd never heard of So'Ran'tau, and he doubted Amidasu or the Empress had either.

[Mechalich]

Captain Viteas paused, perplexed. His official business was taken care of, and - regardless of what he'd said to the Empress - he had half a mind to march himself and his people back to the Swelling Wave and get out of this science-forsaken place. Too many people here set his teeth on edge, and his gut was telling him that many of them were more dangerous then they appears.

Take the soft looking girl in front of him. She had only a little muscle here and there, but there was something... quietly dangerous about her that Viteas didn't like. He couldn't quite place why. Aspru and Arunca both seemed to like the look of her, though. Motioning for the now four of them to move further away from the Empress - much to the relief of Arunca, it would seem - Viteaz privately decided that they would stay as long as he could stomach things here, or the full five days, whichever came first.

"I am not familiar with Kuniumi," Viteaz responded, "What is it like there?"
***

"I suppose it depends on what Regno is like; Comparison is such an odd thing, after all. I could tell you that while Regno is a desert with little water and much sand, Kuniumi is very wet and forested. I could tell you of our many clans, of which Chojo is but one. The Kunai Wordsmiths, perhaps, and the great works they create with Enku, so similar to this 'Inushiya' I have heard so much of." She leaned in to whisper a string of words into Viteaz' ear that tickled his skin. She giggled. "That means 'I could tell you of our language.'" She paused, then rubbed her chin. "Well, technically it means 'I have taught our language', but the idea remains."

"I suppose what I tell you Kuniumi is like will depend greatly on what you wish to know. Ask, friend, and I will answer."

Very little, I imagine. Chojo thought to herself. You're eager to leave.

Chojo could feel the hostility Viteaz radiated like summer heat. Normally she would've been perfectly content to whittle that hostility away bit by bit, and bring herself into his life as a close friend, perhaps even a lover. But the braided hair that only he had gave her pause; Clearly hairstyle indicated status of some sort among the Regno. She couldn't figure out what precisely, but seeing such a stark contrast between his sons and himself made her certain of it. This man was perhaps beyond her reach, for now.

Your boys, on the other hand...

She absent-mindedly ran her eyes all along Aspru, interest aflame in her eyes. Such musculature... A man such as he would doubtless make her every night a joy, and she had such great desire for him. She could already feel his mustache tickling at her lips, his big strong arms warming her against the chill of Kuniumi's nights... Though perhaps that was a negative. If she was already this interested, then surely he had women waiting for him at home, women he would be eager to return to. A pity.

She let her eyes wander to the younger man. Now that she got a closer look, he straddled the line between boy and man; she wasn't entirely sure about his age. She had met scholars before (her smile faded for an instant as she thought of Amidasu) and this boy/man seemed to carry himself as one. He would, perhaps, be eager to come to Kuniumi and study the Enku, especially now that she'd broached the topic. And from the look on his face, he was very inexperienced with women as comely as she. She would have little trouble rendering him smitten.

Either would suffice, of course, but the more she thought about it...

"I rarely see men with shaved heads, at least those without Enku painted on. Forgive me if I am too forward, but may I touch your hair?" She asked Arunca.

In the midst of the crowds and the chaotic presentation of the court, it took Jiu a moment to place the name of the Regno representative. Viteas...As she tumbled the foreign name over in her mind she was struck by a flash of recognition. This man was kin, albeit newly so, as were his sons.

She kept half an eye on the group as she moved about, speaking briefly to various imperials. After making a point of paying her respects to Abdurriken of the Broken Winds - even the first glimmers of omanush trade had been of great value - she caught a glimpse of the captain speaking to a small woman in a rather forward blue dress. The looks she gave the captain's sons, well, they would not have been out of place on a wolf.

Given her experience with the consequences of unwanted attention, she could not let it lie. Besides, one ought to support family, however distant. So, she stepped forward between the groups and bowed to the captain. "Your pardon, but I had not thought I would encounter relations here in the heart of the empire." She looked at the trio. "I am Jiu Gyeon, cousins."

[Aventine]

The Empress deigned to nod in acknowledgement, and her tone spoke nothing of her opinion. "Please send him ours, when you return. The Empire appreciates your attendance, despite the difficulties suffered in the past. Please, enjoy the festivities." If there was more to discuss, they would discuss it. But there were many representatives to greet.

With another bow, Zäklis withdraws back to his companion, and the two of them drift out of the way to observe.

Later:


"Ah! A representative of the Theocracy, good. I saw your men arriving shortly before we left for the Games. They look to be strong warriors and they'll need to be to face these creatures," Magdar spat this last word and glared over at the corpse he had brought to the party, "I do not know if you felt it, but a few decades past a great earthquake wracked the lands west of Azenhal. Fresia suffered mightily, consumed almost entirely by the sea. A tragedy, but nothing to compare with what happened next. It seemed the quake did more than just sink land, it unleashed something from the depths, something that ought to have been forgotten. These creatures, fishmen fueled by rage and bloodlust rose from the depths and swarmed the former kingdom. We might not have known but for an expedition that discovered great veins of gold once hidden now revealed in Fallen Fresia."

The Dvatlan man arrived midway through the story and Magdar continued.

"We're dwarves, what could we do but mine it? And so we did. But our people were set upon by these monsters. No words spoken by these creatures, only alien screams and slashing of bone and stone weapons as they attacked our people. Now they have emerged from their shallows and march upon the very land itself, killing and subjugating land dwellers to their terrible aquatic will. And yet it seems only we few of Azenhal and Coatl can see this danger for the threat it is. Make no mistake, these fishmen were involved in the sinking of Fresia and they will sink any lands they occupy. They are not a kingdom cursed as the poor Whitefeathers, they are a curse of a kingdom and they must be stopped. That Coatl is willing to not only recognize this threat but take action does much to heighten your honor in our eyes."

Zäklis turns to his companion again, who had moved forward to join him while the dwarf spoke, and speaks quietly in the Tëhlër̨khët high speech as the larger conversation continues. "Intelligent then, and eager to defend their own. But will her majesty meekly accept such self-serving propaganda? 'We steal their gold, they fight back, ooooh they are sooo monstrous.'"

After a momentary pause, "We know far too little."


"Forgive me if I am interrupting anything, but I hear you are looking for those willing to defend the land from these fishmen? If it comes to it, the Inyoni are willing to lend themselves to help your cause, and take up direct defensive lines at [Region 43] to prevent their advance. Maybe you have heard of Pinkfeather, and his advances in tactics? In addition, we may have a far better chance at communicating with them in the future, as we can certainly observe them in secret, and find what it is they want."


Zäklis's attention is drawn back to the discussion around the corpse. He examines Keat Whitefeather closely for a few moments, then looks around at the various delegations around the hall, as if making a mental count. He remains lost in thought as the conversation continues. The monk remains seemingly utterly disinterested.



"For such disrespect I would cut off your head, mijikai, if it stood a bit higher from the ground on which you grovel."

His attention snaps back, once again, to the gathering around the dead fish-person, and he breaks out in a short burst of laughter. "He is indeed brave, this one, to threaten the life of a diplomat, sent as official emissary, in the court of such a mighty empress."



At some indeterminate time

Zäklis and his companion approach the delegation from Regno, "Greetings, I am Zäklis of D̨vatla. We hear your people are likely to soon acquire through diplomacy what ours have failed to through war."

[Gengy]

"I suppose it depends on what Regno is like; Comparison is such an odd thing, after all. I could tell you that while Regno is a desert with little water and much sand, Kuniumi is very wet and forested. I could tell you of our many clans, of which Chojo is but one. The Kunai Wordsmiths, perhaps, and the great works they create with Enku, so similar to this 'Inushiya' I have heard so much of." She leaned in to whisper a string of words into Viteaz' ear that tickled his skin. She giggled. "That means 'I could tell you of our language.'" She paused, then rubbed her chin. "Well, technically it means 'I have taught our language', but the idea remains."

"I suppose what I tell you Kuniumi is like will depend greatly on what you wish to know. Ask, friend, and I will answer."

Very little, I imagine. Chojo thought to herself. You're eager to leave.

Chojo could feel the hostility Viteaz radiated like summer heat. Normally she would've been perfectly content to whittle that hostility away bit by bit, and bring herself into his life as a close friend, perhaps even a lover. But the braided hair that only he had gave her pause; Clearly hairstyle indicated status of some sort among the Regno. She couldn't figure out what precisely, but seeing such a stark contrast between his sons and himself made her certain of it. This man was perhaps beyond her reach, for now.

Your boys, on the other hand...

She absent-mindedly ran her eyes all along Aspru, interest aflame in her eyes. Such musculature... A man such as he would doubtless make her every night a joy, and she had such great desire for him. She could already feel his mustache tickling at her lips, his big strong arms warming her against the chill of Kuniumi's nights... Though perhaps that was a negative. If she was already this interested, then surely he had women waiting for him at home, women he would be eager to return to. A pity.

She let her eyes wander to the younger man. Now that she got a closer look, he straddled the line between boy and man; she wasn't entirely sure about his age. She had met scholars before (her smile faded for an instant as she thought of Amidasu) and this boy/man seemed to carry himself as one. He would, perhaps, be eager to come to Kuniumi and study the Enku, especially now that she'd broached the topic. And from the look on his face, he was very inexperienced with women as comely as she. She would have little trouble rendering him smitten.

Either would suffice, of course, but the more she thought about it...

"I rarely see men with shaved heads, at least those without Enku painted on. Forgive me if I am too forward, but may I touch your hair?" She asked Arunca.


In the midst of the crowds and the chaotic presentation of the court, it took Jiu a moment to place the name of the Regno representative. Viteas...As she tumbled the foreign name over in her mind she was struck by a flash of recognition. This man was kin, albeit newly so, as were his sons.

She kept half an eye on the group as she moved about, speaking briefly to various imperials. After making a point of paying her respects to Abdurriken of the Broken Winds - even the first glimmers of omanush trade had been of great value - she caught a glimpse of the captain speaking to a small woman in a rather forward blue dress. The looks she gave the captain's sons, well, they would not have been out of place on a wolf.

Given her experience with the consequences of unwanted attention, she could not let it lie. Besides, one ought to support family, however distant. So, she stepped forward between the groups and bowed to the captain. "Your pardon, but I had not thought I would encounter relations here in the heart of the empire." She looked at the trio. "I am Jiu Gyeon, cousins."

Viteas took a look at both Aspru and Arunca, as this Chojo woman seemed to lose interest in him. Elements, he didn't like this woman. He didn't like how she wormed her way close to him, or how she was eyeing his braids. He felt like she was a dagger, poised to strike... and whether it was in the literal or the figurative, he wasn't sure. Though, if she had actually held a dagger against him, he would have been more comfortable, because then he'd at least know what to do with her. And the way she was looking at Aspru had him worried... but not as worried as the way she turned her gaze on Arunca. The older boy would probably welcome it, but his younger son was still figuring out what kind of women he liked, and was probably more susceptible.

Viteas was about to step in, and move the three of them along, when a somewhat familiar face appeared.

"Your pardon, but I had not thought I would encounter relations here in the heart of the empire." The welcome distraction stepped between Chojo and the Regno trio. "I am Jiu Gyeon, cousins."

Instantly, the world cleared for both Arunca and Aspru. Viteas saw it happen, as they were both enamored of the tale of the last time Chae Gyeon was in Newbess. They'd been out on patrol, and hadn't met their - through marriage - cousin. Only a couple of Amham's people during their sister's wedding. Viteas nodded over at Chojo, and said, "I would love to hear more about the forests of Kuniumi, and have a report for the Magi on these 'Wordsmiths' you mentioned. Perhaps a day or two from now, you and myself can sit and watch the Games together?"

"I'm afraid this," Viteaz motioned to Jiu Gyeon, "has just become a family matter."

Giving the shaman woman a look, Viteaz tried to communicate silently his thanks for the swift intervention. If Chojo wanted to speak more, Viteaz would make sure it was just himself. And a crowd of people from other nations. The Regnan captain hated having to act a diplomat.




At some indeterminate time

Zäklis and his companion approach the delegation from Regno, "Greetings, I am Zäklis of D̨vatla. We hear your people are likely to soon acquire through diplomacy what ours have failed to through war."

Arunca looked around, trying to see who this Zhaa-klis was talking to. It was two days into the competition, and everyone was busy watching the Horse Racing. His older brother had been nearby, but Aspru was a horrible flirt, and a worse gambler. Arunca had been keeping an eye on him, but Aspru had managed to lose him. Worse, now this Dvatlan had approached him, and the boy didn't see anyone else close enough that Zhaa-klis could - perhaps - mistakenly be talking to them instead.

Putting on a brace face, the not-quite-yet Aspect Scholar (honestly, he'd have his Rune of Essence right now, if it weren't for this mission to the Conqueror's lands) turned back his attention to Zhaa-klis. "Greetings. I am Arunca, of Family Newbess, from Regno. Do you perhaps mean the negotiations with the Iadeshians? Everyone in Newbess is talking about it."

It was true. It was big news in Regno. The Grand Magus and several other Magi were brokering a formal alliance between Regno and Iadesh; the southern region had some unusual cultural differences, but otherwise, they were very similar to Regnan Oamenii. Aspru didn't know much about the deal, but the rumors he had heard as he was leaving his homeland was that Iadesh was eager to join hands with Regno. Which made Zhaa-klis's statement unusual. "I wasn't aware that D̨vatla was attempting to war with Iadesh. Did not your King Fëkälis promise his armies wouldn't cross the mountains to your west?"

[HalfTangible]

Viteas took a look at both Aspru and Arunca, as this Chojo woman seemed to lose interest in him. Elements, he didn't like this woman. He didn't like how she wormed her way close to him, or how she was eyeing his braids. He felt like she was a dagger, poised to strike... and whether it was in the literal or the figurative, he wasn't sure. Though, if she had actually held a dagger against him, he would have been more comfortable, because then he'd at least know what to do with her. And the way she was looking at Aspru had him worried... but not as worried as the way she turned her gaze on Arunca. The older boy would probably welcome it, but his younger son was still figuring out what kind of women he liked, and was probably more susceptible.

Viteas was about to step in, and move the three of them along, when a familiar face appeared.

"Your pardon, but I had not thought I would encounter relations here in the heart of the empire." The welcome distraction stepped between Chojo and the Regno trio. "I am Jiu Gyeon, cousins."

Instantly, the world cleared for both Arunca and Aspru. Viteas saw it happen, as they were both enamored of the tale of the last time Jiu Gyeon was in Newbess. They'd been out on patrol, and hadn't met their - through marriage - cousin. Viteas nodded over at Chojo, and said, "I would love to hear more about the forests of Kuniumi, and have a report for the Magi on these 'Wordsmiths' you mentioned. Perhaps a day or two from now, you and myself can sit and watch the Games together?"

"I'm afraid this," Viteaz motioned to Jiu Gyeon, "has just become a family matter."

Giving the shaman woman a look, Viteaz tried to communicate silently his thanks for the swift intervention. If Chojo wanted to speak more, Viteaz would make sure it was just himself. And a crowd of people from other nations. The Regnan captain hated having to act a diplomat.

It was only as Jiu Gyeon approached that Chojo realized just how close she'd gotten to the Regno trio. That had been a mistake; it was important that a stranger be invited to approach, not just for the sake of propriety but because getting too close could make a man feel trapped. She'd been too forward, too excited to meet with his sons, that much was obvious now. This was a poor engagement, and retreat would be the best option.

She started to step back, but Jiu's interruption came at exactly the wrong moment.

"Of course." She bowed her head slightly, eyes cast downward. "I shall not be where I am not wanted."

She turned to leave, then stopped, looking over her shoulder. "It was wonderful to meet you all. If it pleases you, I will meet with you later to watch the games and teach of the wordsmiths."

Whatever answer she got, she would turn and walk away, meeting with another woman dressed entirely in black that Viteaz was fairly certain had not been there a moment ago.

"Smoooooth."
"Urusai, Mumei."

---

[Day 4]

The first day had been quite the display for the Kunai and their people. Unfortunately, the second and third had been much poorer displays. Now, however, the people of Kuniumi had seemed to hit their stride, as it were. The woman that Viteaz had previously known as Chojo now called herself 'Spectator' and seemed somewhat impatient with her fellows on the field; according to her, the Kunai regularly changed their names to suit whatever situation they happened to find themselves in. 'Chojo' was a name she took in order to represent her own Clan.

"Aoi wa baka ka?" She growled, biting her thumb. Her dress was now midnight black and clung to her form as nicely as the last, but she had learned the value of personal space, it seemed. She glanced at Viteas as the Discus throwing competition began to wind down. "Well, you wanted to know about the wordsmiths. What specifically did you want to know?"

Day 1: 33
Day 2: 19
Day 3: 12
Day 4: 24
Day 5: 25 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=22541277&postcount=107)

[Aventine]

Regno

"Greetings. I am Aspru, of Family Newbess, from Regno."

Zäklis responds with a respectful nod...

"Do you perhaps mean the negotiations with the Iadeshians? Everyone in Newbess is talking about it. I wasn't aware that D̨vatla was attempting to war with Iadesh."

...raises an eyebrow...

"Did not your King Fëkälis promise his armies wouldn't cross the mountains to your west?"

...and laughs. "Nothing so far away as that. Your people are poised to expand their borders significantly, and mine are reduced to squabbling to hold what we have after my brother's disastrous invasion downriver."

He looks off towards the racing, and after another, much sadder, laugh he continues, "It seems that, for the moment at least, you should have no fear of invasion from us regardless of what my brother promised."

[Lleban]

The Empress nodded in turn, though the two in front of her would be hard-pressed to see it. "And may the gods preserve us all. The Empire appreciates your presence here, and hopes for the gods to favor friendship between our people. Do you plan to participate in the games? It seems that one such as you might have a significant advantage in the contests."


Flexing his muscles while staring at the Empress "We shall see empress ,we shall see. My sword has been aching for blood ever since we entered the Empire." Scanning the crowd for interesting people to talk to his eyes glazed past Ixtili listening the the preachy dwarf and his fish corpse. Clearly whatever that beast was gave the Magi some of this energy back. Moving to Lord Ferrath of the Gwitna he spoke to the man while suddenly patting him on the back chuckling "Ready for the married life my lord?"

[Rolepgeek]

"Not involved in?" Magdar sputtered in response, his face turning red and scrunching up in anger, "Not involved in!? What's that look like to you!?" he jabbed a stubby finger in the direction of the fishman corpse.

"You say you're 'the greatest Empire in the world' and you can't even hear the people crying for your aid at your border?"

Jelene was now at the height of her uncomfortability. She was waiting for a chance to interject but Magdar was impassioned such that her quiet attempts to reassert control fell on deaf ears.

"A great empire does not leave its borders to the ravaging of sea monsters. A great empire earns the loyalty and admiration of its citizens and allies alike through bold action. A great empire does not celebrate its slow collapse with party games while dismissing the threats nipping at its borders. A great empire fights and builds alliances with those they fight beside."

"I came prepared to see this 'greatest empire.' I came ready to bend the knee if the crown rested on a head with a mind worth ruling. I see nothing has changed since the death of Dejan. Without the Conqueror his conquests have become but a petty example of lesser warlord's demesnes. Squabbling children too caught up in appearance over substance. You will never succeed your legacy so long as you remain hidden behind your walls. It is a lesson Dejan taught my people. Perhaps you will remember it now."

Magdar's face was a bright red now to match Jelene's own. The reason for their blushing cheeks tied to the same event they had just witnessed through for very different reactions.

"Your Grace, please I beg you to look upon my compatriot with mercy. He speaks as his people speak. Blunt and uncouth. We of the Concordance will respect whatever decision Avakonia makes regarding this matter. Please allow our removal of this...thing and we shall bother you no further."

Jelene pleaded with the Empress and bowed her head. She glanced over and could see Magdar had closed his eyes though his head remained unbent.

The Empress's eyes flashed dangerously. When she spoke, it was utterly calm...but by no means tranquil. "...you are fortunate that I feel merciful on account of the games, dwarf. Otherwise I would be inclined to find out exactly how far the famous connection your people have with fire extends. The games must have ignited a similar passion in you, for no lucid dwarf I have ever met was so foolish as to insult me in my own court. But I have a question you might be able to answer, if you are able to recover your wits." The Empress walks, boots tapping, over to the corpse of the fishman.

"If I were to cut you in twain where you stand, and send you back to the carven hole you call home stuffed inside a barrel, would that imply war between our peoples prior? Do not think me uninformed, simply because I have focused on cutting out the rot within the Empire. Word has reached us of the 'great battles' your merchants have waged against the Picians. You would have the Empire send it's troops to fight for your gold while you leave your part to caravan guards and mercenaries."

Vana Rafaela Zhekurus, Empress of Avakonia, Queen of the Karysites, walks around the box, letting the tips of her fingers just brush the edge, as she closes with Master Amberbeard. "In the north, the republican experiment of the White Sails fails, and the remnants of their soldiers threaten everything nearby. To the west, clansmen grow ever more restless, raiding our borders for no reason beyond primal fury. The diviners speak of ill portents, and dark and foreign gods gather more followers by the day. The towns of the southern coasts declined the Empire's offer of protection. You would have us ride to their aid whilst they scoff at it? Those who have forgotten their masters and choose death over safety should be allowed their choice."


Dead silence filled the room for a few brief moments. Chojo and Amidasu had both been stunned into complete silence by the dwarf's outburst. There was little that could've been said to make the situation much worse.

"The sound of your greed for Fresia's gold rings truer than anything you've said." The Satsujin said quietly, standing behind the dwarf. His voice was cold, and something beyond furious. "For such disrespect I would cut off your head, mijikai, if it stood a bit higher from the ground on which you grovel."

Except that. Chojo's eyes widened, and Amidasu's mouth fell open.

The Satsujin didn't care. He was doing his best to keep his hatred for this creature in check, but this was too much. The Satsujin Clan were the (admittedly self-appointed) guardians of Kuniumi. They knew better than anyone what it took to rule, what kind of sacrifices needed to be made to maintain imperium.

"This is how an empire gathers alliances and prepares to fight wars. Diplomacy, discussion, even the acquisition of gifts. The cost to make it a party is barely even a notch in a tree trunk." His eyes narrowed. "But that's not the sort of thing I'd expect your sort to know."

Amidasu stepped forward, shaking a little. "Uh, Satsujin, perhaps we should-"

"Don't call me 'Satsujin'." He growled. "Only one man has that title, and I'm not him."

"Toranpau, then." Amidasu said quickly. "This is a party. Surely the Empress can defend herself from such a slight So'Ran'tau?"

"Can? Well certainly, but- wait." Toranpau raised an eyebrow. "So'Ran'tau?"

"...Is that not what just happened?" Amidasu asked, glancing between Jelene, the dwarf, and the Empress. "'tis a party game. You insult your host as greatly as you can, and the host insults you as greatly as they can. A good laugh, even at the expense of the host and her guests, can help break the ice as well as any gift."

He pointed at the Empress. "And honestly, milady, the dwarf's insults were not even that funny; none of us even chuckled. Surely you can make us laugh more than not at all?"

The Satsujin stared at Amidasu like he'd grown a second head. He'd never heard of So'Ran'tau, and he doubted Amidasu or the Empress had either.

Now standing with her hands on the dwarf's shoulders, the Empress looks at Amidasu, standing slightly behind her, with skepticism. Then, she smiles. "A valiant effort. Truly. But it is often easy to be amusing when one is overly earnest; perhaps that is what led Master Amberbeard to fail so miserably; his manner is much too dour to be as entertaining as the same speech delivered by a human his size." Her grip tightens uncomfortably, as she bends her knees, bringing her face down to the level of the dwarf. "Now then, Master Amberbeard. I'm certain that your beard, as sizable and unkempt as it is, must make it difficult to breathe. Perhaps it would be best if we shaved it, to return your humors to balance." The Empress allows the threat to sit with Magdar for a moment before standing suddenly, and locking eyes with Lady Jelene. "Or perhaps that is unnecessary, if your companion's sense has returned. We understand the threat of the Picians, Lady Jelene. And your politeness does much to alleviate the dwarf's poor taste of 'So'Ran'tau'. But the Empire cannot afford to defend unreliable allies, nor would it like to. If you have something to offer in return for aid beyond gratitude and the elimination of the menace, we will be forced to focus solely on our own borders."

The Empress steps away from Magdar, looking down imperiously at him before returning her emerald gaze to Jelene once more. "Perhaps it would be best if you had time to rest and consider what the Concordance of Azenhal might have to offer beyond insults."

[Gengy]

[Day 4]

The first day had been quite the display for the Kunai and their people. Unfortunately, the second and third had been much poorer displays. Now, however, the people of Kuniumi had seemed to hit their stride, as it were. The woman that Viteaz had previously known as Chojo now called herself 'Spectator' and seemed somewhat impatient with her fellows on the field; according to her, the Kunai regularly changed their names to suit whatever situation they happened to find themselves in. 'Chojo' was a name she took in order to represent her own Clan.

"Aoi wa baka ka?" She growled, biting her thumb. Her dress was now midnight black and clung to her form as nicely as the last, but she had learned the value of personal space, it seemed. She glanced at Viteas as the Discus throwing competition began to wind down. "Well, you wanted to know about the wordsmiths. What specifically did you want to know?"

"Ah, Madam Chojo," Viteas said from his seat. He had long since accepted that he would be here for the entire Games. The current Discus throws were interesting, but he'd been mulling over the encounter with the woman from the Kunai Clans... a fact he'd been able to discern with just a few well placed questions. This diplomacy thing wasn't that hard, he was finding. More words, less killing. He'd never be good at it, but he did approve, so far. It helped that he'd let his boys wander around... seemingly unsupervised. "I was hoping to speak with you more. Can you explain what a Wordsmith is and what they do? Something I can take home to Regno with, to let the scholars chew on."




Regno

"Greetings. I am Aspru, of Family Newbess, from Regno."

Zäklis responds with a respectful nod...

"Do you perhaps mean the negotiations with the Iadeshians? Everyone in Newbess is talking about it. I wasn't aware that D̨vatla was attempting to war with Iadesh."

...raises an eyebrow...

"Did not your King Fëkälis promise his armies wouldn't cross the mountains to your west?"

...and laughs. "Nothing so far away as that. Your people are poised to expand their borders significantly, and mine are reduced to squabbling to hold what we have after my brother's disastrous invasion downriver."

He looks off towards the racing, and after another, much sadder, laugh he continues, "It seems that, for the moment at least, you should have no fear of invasion from us regardless of what my brother promised."

"Well, that's... good." Arunca said. The laughing... prince? Brother to a king, he must be... was throwing him off. Still, he continued to answer honestly. "I know my mother and the Grand Magus would prefer friendly relations with D̨vatla. Other than pleasent conversation, is there something I might do for you, Zhaa-klis?"

...aaand I just realized that I gave you the wrong name when Arunca introduced himself. Part of me wants to say "roll with it, Arunca is being clever", but the majority is saying "Nope,
totally a typo". So we're going with that. Please ignore that Arunca introduced himself as Aspru, and retcon it to mean that he said "Arunca" instead. Thanks!

[HalfTangible]

Now standing with her hands on the dwarf's shoulders, the Empress looks at Amidasu, standing slightly behind her, with skepticism. Then, she smiles. "A valiant effort. Truly. But it is often easy to be amusing when one is overly earnest; perhaps that is what led Master Amberbeard to fail so miserably; his manner is much too dour to be as entertaining as the same speech delivered by a human his size." Her grip tightens uncomfortably, as she bends her knees, bringing her face down to the level of the dwarf. "Now then, Master Amberbeard. I'm certain that your beard, as sizable and unkempt as it is, must make it difficult to breathe. Perhaps it would be best if we shaved it, to return your humors to balance." The Empress allows the threat to sit with Magdar for a moment before standing suddenly, and locking eyes with Lady Jelene. "Or perhaps that is unnecessary, if your companion's sense has returned. We understand the threat of the Picians, Lady Jelene. And your politeness does much to alleviate the dwarf's poor taste of 'So'Ran'tau'. But the Empire cannot afford to defend unreliable allies, nor would it like to. If you have something to offer in return for aid beyond gratitude and the elimination of the menace, we will be forced to focus solely on our own borders."

The Empress steps away from Magdar, looking down imperiously at him before returning her emerald gaze to Jelene once more. "Perhaps it would be best if you had time to rest and consider what the Concordance of Azenhal might have to offer beyond insults."

"... Eh, worth a shot." Amidasu glanced to Jelene. "You're cute. Just throwing that out there. Bye."




"Ah, Madam Chojo," Viteas said from his seat. He had long since accepted that he would be here for the entire Games. The current Discus throws were interesting, but he'd been mulling over the encounter with the woman from the Kunai Clans... a fact he'd been able to discern with just a few well placed questions. This diplomacy thing wasn't that hard, he was finding. More words, less killing. He'd never be good at it, but he did approve, so far. It helped that he'd let his boys wander around... seemingly unsupervised. "I was hoping to speak with you more. Can you explain what a Wordsmith is and what they do? Something I can take home to Regno with, to let the scholars chew on."

Spectator nodded, eyes still focused on the discus throws. "A Wordsmith discovers the very kanji used by the gods to help forge the world into what it is now; so great were the gods that they could create the world by merely speaking of it in the honto no gengo - the true language. In essence, Wordsmiths are the masters of Enku, and writers of this True Language; what they write in Enku using kanji becomes real. Write 'heavy' and the object is weighed down, write 'bright' and it begins to shine, etcetera."

She paused, then turned her gaze back to him, a small smile on her face. What I wouldn't give to get you all alone...

"Come to think of it, you've seen it before; you may have noticed earlier that Amidasu's physical appearance was... unclear. He likes to write upon himself to make his appearance impossible to identify, though I can't honestly claim to understand. It's an exceedingly dangerous practice."

[Gengy]

Spectator nodded, eyes still focused on the discus throws. "A Wordsmith discovers the very kanji used by the gods to help forge the world into what it is now; so great were the gods that they could create the world by merely speaking of it in the honto no gengo - the true language. In essence, Wordsmiths are the masters of Enku, and writers of this True Language; what they write in Enku using kanji becomes real. Write 'heavy' and the object is weighed down, write 'bright' and it begins to shine, etcetera."

She paused, then turned her gaze back to him, a small smile on her face. What I wouldn't give to get you all alone...

"Come to think of it, you've seen it before; you may have noticed earlier that Amidasu's physical appearance was... unclear. He likes to write upon himself to make his appearance impossible to identify, though I can't honestly claim to understand. It's an exceedingly dangerous practice."

Viteas thought about this for a moment, and slowly nodded. It was possible he had seen someone like that. Though, by her very explanation, it was also possible that he had not. "It does sound interesting. Do you know if there's any relation of the... Enku... to Initia Runes?"

"I won't claim to know much about either, but my wife," Viteas stressed the word, not quite comfortable with how Madam Chojo's was looking at him, "has always said that the Runes are the building blocks of the Elements of Emjata. Aspect Scholars dedicate their lives to discovering new meanings to existing Runes, as well as new Runes themselves."

[HalfTangible]

Viteas thought about this for a moment, and slowly nodded. It was possible he had seen someone like that. Though, by her very explanation, it was also possible that he had not. "It does sound interesting. Do you know if there's any relation of the... Enku... to Initia Runes?"

"I won't claim to know much about either, but my wife," Viteas stressed the word, not quite comfortable with how Madam Chojo's was looking at him, "has always said that the Runes are the building blocks of the Elements of Emjata. Aspect Scholars dedicate their lives to discovering new meanings to existing Runes, as well as new Runes themselves."

Chojo considered for a moment, then shook her head. "I am not named a Wordsmith, but... it is possible, but very unlikely. Enku is required for the kanji to function properly, but Initia Runes, as far as I'm aware, can function without any. I do think the similarities between the two are too great to ignore, but Amidasu tells me that the Elements are too... broad. Kanji have very specific and clear functions."

She tilted her head as he brought up his wife; Chojo would've been a very poor diplomat if she didn't know about the foreign concept of weddings. She pointed to his hair. "Ah. Lucky woman. Is your marriage what the braids signify? I've been trying to figure that out; your sons didn't have them and they're clearly a mark of status."

He's still hot.

[Potato_Priest]

Avakonia

Lord Ferreth's own eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of Captain Abdurriken.
"The winds brought me here to witness these games, and for that I am grateful. I had not expected to find you so far from the sea, but now that you are here, I may as well give you a warning. The Gwitna have recently tasted the wealth of foreign goods, and they are hungry for more. You would be wise to steer your trading ships clear of Glen Gwitna, lest your sailors end up like Omsh there."

He gestured to the retreating slave.

Coatl

"I am not sure what married life will be like. How can I be ready for the waves of an invisible sea?"

[Aventine]

"Well, that's... good." Arunca said. The laughing... prince? Brother to a king, he must be... was throwing him off. Still, he continued to answer honestly. "I know my mother and the Grand Magus would prefer friendly relations with D̨vatla. Other than pleasent conversation, is there something I might do for you, Zhaa-klis?"

Zäklis looks back to Arunca, "Trade. Trade and war. War disrupts trade, but trade makes us rich. Brings us the wealth we need to make war: wealth and...other things." He hesitates a moment before continuing, "We gave up on bronze, you know. We use iron as much as we can now. More difficult to prepare, not nearly as good unless your smiths really know what they're doing, but more plentiful back home. Tin is hard enough to get your hands on, after all, unless you're lucky enough to live in the few places where it is plentiful. With iron we are not at the mercy of any foreign power cutting off the trade routes and starving us."

He looks around, scanning the crowd around them, then leans in closer and starts speaking somewhat quieter.

"A few years ago we sent some diplomats to Iadesh. We were, and are, interested in their camels. Sent some to the empire as well. We hoped to strengthen trade, to secure access to horses really. We don't have any horses, never have. We learned the hard way how useful they can be in war, though. Now, we didn't have much hope of success with the horses at first. But then there was some negotiation, some hints and suggestions that a deal could be made. Just when we thought there might be a chance, it disappeared. The imperials went quiet. If I controlled the major sources of tin, and I intended to go to war with someone, or thought they intended it, I'd probably not be keen on them having access to my tin. Tin means bronze, bronze means more weapons and armor facing my own men soon. We think of horses in much the same way; so you have to wonder, why didn't the imps want us to have them?"

He let's that sink in for a few moments before laughing. "Your land is a desert anyway. We don't particularly want or have any use for a bunch of sand. What we do have use for is a secure flank: a neighbor more interested in trade and mutually beneficial relations. That and a lot of camels."

[Mechalich]

The Empress actually laughed as Jiu lowered herself to the floor. It was a vibrant life, surprised and genuine. "You have the Empire's gratitude for such fine gifts, and our hopes that the events we host will be pleasurable to witness. Your presence gives honor to both our peoples, and hope for friendship and unity in times to come."

She smiles broadly, and offers a hand down to the armored woman. Several attendants -or advisors? It's unclear at the moment- look alarmed at this display, but restrain themselves from acting on it. "Now rise, dear. It's uncouth to sit in the presence of royalty." She winks at Jiu as the girl gets to her feet. "And there are games to witness, in any case. Will you be participating?"


Jiu took the Empress' hand and rose from her knees, somewhat nervous. She had not expected such familiarity from this woman. It was startling. Thankfully, the question she asked was one she could reasonably answer. "Regrettably, we are unable to participate. All our young warriors are committed to bringing order to the lands to our north. Hopefully, if the spirits are willing, opportunities will emerge in the future. Of course I shall be happy to witness the prowess of the Empire, and others who have come to compete. Amham lies far from lands where cities lie thick upon the fields. We are not often blessed with such displays." This was, indeed, the principle reason for Jiu's presence. The confidence of the Empire to display their methods to foreigners seemingly knew no bounds.

[RandoMan]

The Empress's eyes flashed dangerously. When she spoke, it was utterly calm...but by no means tranquil. "...you are fortunate that I feel merciful on account of the games, dwarf. Otherwise I would be inclined to find out exactly how far the famous connection your people have with fire extends. The games must have ignited a similar passion in you, for no lucid dwarf I have ever met was so foolish as to insult me in my own court. But I have a question you might be able to answer, if you are able to recover your wits." The Empress walks, boots tapping, over to the corpse of the fishman.

"If I were to cut you in twain where you stand, and send you back to the carven hole you call home stuffed inside a barrel, would that imply war between our peoples prior? Do not think me uninformed, simply because I have focused on cutting out the rot within the Empire. Word has reached us of the 'great battles' your merchants have waged against the Picians. You would have the Empire send it's troops to fight for your gold while you leave your part to caravan guards and mercenaries."

Vana Rafaela Zhekurus, Empress of Avakonia, Queen of the Karysites, walks around the box, letting the tips of her fingers just brush the edge, as she closes with Master Amberbeard. "In the north, the republican experiment of the White Sails fails, and the remnants of their soldiers threaten everything nearby. To the west, clansmen grow ever more restless, raiding our borders for no reason beyond primal fury. The diviners speak of ill portents, and dark and foreign gods gather more followers by the day. The towns of the southern coasts declined the Empire's offer of protection. You would have us ride to their aid whilst they scoff at it? Those who have forgotten their masters and choose death over safety should be allowed their choice."

Now standing with her hands on the dwarf's shoulders, the Empress looks at Amidasu, standing slightly behind her, with skepticism. Then, she smiles. "A valiant effort. Truly. But it is often easy to be amusing when one is overly earnest; perhaps that is what led Master Amberbeard to fail so miserably; his manner is much too dour to be as entertaining as the same speech delivered by a human his size." Her grip tightens uncomfortably, as she bends her knees, bringing her face down to the level of the dwarf. "Now then, Master Amberbeard. I'm certain that your beard, as sizable and unkempt as it is, must make it difficult to breathe. Perhaps it would be best if we shaved it, to return your humors to balance." The Empress allows the threat to sit with Magdar for a moment before standing suddenly, and locking eyes with Lady Jelene. "Or perhaps that is unnecessary, if your companion's sense has returned. We understand the threat of the Picians, Lady Jelene. And your politeness does much to alleviate the dwarf's poor taste of 'So'Ran'tau'. But the Empire cannot afford to defend unreliable allies, nor would it like to. If you have something to offer in return for aid beyond gratitude and the elimination of the menace, we will be forced to focus solely on our own borders."

The Empress steps away from Magdar, looking down imperiously at him before returning her emerald gaze to Jelene once more. "Perhaps it would be best if you had time to rest and consider what the Concordance of Azenhal might have to offer beyond insults."

As the Empress spoke Magdar seemed to at last realize just where exactly he was and who exactly he was talking to. That wasn't to say that he grew respectful but a heavy silence fell over him as his face twisted and contorted with reddening color and a grinding of his teeth as the human woman called Empress belittled him. Jelene noticed the clenching fists of her dwarven companion and the tightening of his powerful shoulder muscles and color drained from her face as she feared Magdar was liable to sock the Empress in the face regardless of the almost immediate death that would surely follow such a display. Some semblance of thought or conscience must have seeped in however for he remained motionless under the Empress' grasp.

As the Empress turned to address her Jelene stammered, "O-o-of course, we shall think on what we may offer-"

"Nothing," Magdar growled suddenly, "We will offer nothing to pompous fools too caught up in the war games of children to recognize a true threat."

Magdar twisted and pulled himself from the Empress' grasp, walking to stand next to Jelene. He stared up at the Empress but said nothing more. Jelene thought she was about to die. Damn dwarves.

"Thank you Empress for your time. Enjoy the gifts. Thank you," the words tumbled out of her mouth and she bowed her head before grabbing Magdar by the shoulder and pulling them both back away from the imperial presence.




"... Eh, worth a shot." Amidasu glanced to Jelene. "You're cute. Just throwing that out there. Bye."


Jelene looked up confused and quirked an eyebrow at the stranger who had tried to throw her a lifeline before returning her focus to Magdar.

"You almost got us killed you idiot!" she loudly whispered.

"I look forward to coming back here in a few decades and pissing on that one's grave," Magdar hooked a thumb back in the Empress' direction.

"Magdar, shut up!" Jelene pleaded with her companion.

"It's fine lass, we'll get the Whitefeathers then. Avakonia's days are numbered. With a piece of work like that at the helm it could be a matter of months. Fighting and killing mountain men and deserters when an army of abominations rises from the sea? What a preposterous waste of resources."

"Not everyone is going to see things as we do," Jelene cautioned, "Bandits threaten the here and now. Even with the corpse the fishmen of Fresia sound like a nightmare cooked up to drum support for our gold mining in the region."

"Bah! We already own every gold mine worth owning what support do we need? These creatures need to be exterminated for the good of all who call themselves land dwellers."

"We'll just have to handle it ourselves. As you said, we'll talk with Whitefeather. Try not to insult their king."

"As long as he isn't an idiot."

Jelene rested her face in her hand for a moment as she pondered whether she could have dwarves stricken from holding diplomatic positions in the future.

[Gengy]

Chojo considered for a moment, then shook her head. "I am not named a Wordsmith, but... it is possible, but very unlikely. Enku is required for the kanji to function properly, but Initia Runes, as far as I'm aware, can function without any. I do think the similarities between the two are too great to ignore, but Amidasu tells me that the Elements are too... broad. Kanji have very specific and clear functions."

She tilted her head as he brought up his wife; Chojo would've been a very poor diplomat if she didn't know about the foreign concept of weddings. She pointed to his hair. "Ah. Lucky woman. Is your marriage what the braids signify? I've been trying to figure that out; your sons didn't have them and they're clearly a mark of status."

He's still hot.

"In Regno, there is a saying," Viteas said, a smile forming on his lips, "Even the Grand Magus answers to his wife."

"It's an old saying, because these days, a Grand Magus can be male or female, but the point of it is that we Oamenii men in Regno may hold a lot of power, and do much for our cities... but at the end of the day, we go back to our homes, and our actions reflect the honor of our families. So yes, the braids in Oamenii men's beards or hair signify status: marriage. The mark of a man having successfully found himself a partner for life. Viteas did not say out loud his next thought, but it was a common one among Oamenii men, And having successfully navigated past one's new mother-in-law.

"It is with these braids that a wife - young or old - can determine a man's look. It's a form of... surrender, in a way. My boys are young, and they will grow more before they marry. Arunca will likely become an Aspect Scholar, which tends to make one an agree-able sort. Aspru, though, will probably have trouble finding himself a wife. He is hard headed, and likes to dress himself however he likes. A married Oamenii man willingly agree to give up such trivial decisions as how we have a beard or our hair, or what is and isn't formal clothing, and leave them to our wives and mothers, or sometimes sisters. I know less about the female society rules for Regno fashion then I do about Initia."

Viteas's smile was a full on pleased grin at this point, "And frankly, I'm happier that way. My lovely wife is a Magus herself, in charge of all diplomatic matters of Newbess, and except for the occasional trip like this one, I get to focus on what it is that I like to do. Oamenii men for generations have found such an arrangement with their own wives... though every relationship is, of course, a little different."

"The Grand Magus gets to run a country, because he wants to. Who cares if his wife picks out what shirt he wears, or how his beard is trimmed and braided?"




Zäklis looks back to Arunca, "Trade. Trade and war. War disrupts trade, but trade makes us rich. Brings us the wealth we need to make war: wealth and...other things." He hesitates a moment before continuing, "We gave up on bronze, you know. We use iron as much as we can now. More difficult to prepare, not nearly as good unless your smiths really know what they're doing, but more plentiful back home. Tin is hard enough to get your hands on, after all, unless you're lucky enough to live in the few places where it is plentiful. With iron we are not at the mercy of any foreign power cutting off the trade routes and starving us."

He looks around, scanning the crowd around them, then leans in closer and starts speaking somewhat quieter.

"A few years ago we sent some diplomats to Iadesh. We were, and are, interested in their camels. Sent some to the empire as well. We hoped to strengthen trade, to secure access to horses really. We don't have any horses, never have. We learned the hard way how useful they can be in war, though. Now, we didn't have much hope of success with the horses at first. But then there was some negotiation, some hints and suggestions that a deal could be made. Just when we thought there might be a chance, it disappeared. The imperials went quiet. If I controlled the major sources of tin, and I intended to go to war with someone, or thought they intended it, I'd probably not be keen on them having access to my tin. Tin means bronze, bronze means more weapons and armor facing my own men soon. We think of horses in much the same way; so you have to wonder, why didn't the imps want us to have them?"

He let's that sink in for a few moments before laughing. "Your land is a desert anyway. We don't particularly want or have any use for a bunch of sand. What we do have use for is a secure flank: a neighbor more interested in trade and mutually beneficial relations. That and a lot of camels."

"Oh. Oh!" Arunca was starting to understand what was happening here. If Iadesh joined hands with Regno, and it looked likely, then the Grand Magus would have some say on just whom would and whom wouldn't have access to Iadeshian Camels. I mean, the Iadesh family would have a say, of course, but...

"I think, Zhaa-klis, that the Grand Magus would be very open to the idea of being such a neighbor. I'd be happy to speak with my mother, the Magus of Newbess, when we get back to Regno for you. She'll pass word along, and if we can be of some help to D̨vatla - as a neighbor - it's possible that we will. Very possible, if it means establishing a lasting friendship."

[HalfTangible]

Chojo considered that. The Kunai had many rituals of great importance, but marriage was not one of them; they defined themselves largely by direct opposition to what the surrounding lands had been doing, and weddings were definitely up there. Complementary skillsets and lifestyles between husband and wife would explain why the ritual held such importance in other lands.

She also considered what he'd told her of his sons.

"So Aspru's single then. Hm. I assumed otherwise."

Part of the problem with social stealth was how easy it was to misread what someone meant. She'd initially pursued Arunca because she had made the (apparently incorrect) assumption that Aspru would have someone waiting for him at home. But if Aspru were so hard-headed and against the ideas Regno had of marriage, perhaps he'd have been the one to pursue.

"You said your wife is in charge of most diplomatic affairs." She said instead. "That implies you're not a diplomat yourself."