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Post by talis on Mar 18, 2015 5:59:25 GMT
"It would besmirch my honor to accept such an invitation while you are visiting my own homeland." Rugmar chided, amused. "Proper hospitality demands that you and your men join me in my own Hall inside the city. You will find it much more comfortable than your tents, and I have drink and food enough for many guests. My grandson is a great bard as well, and eager to hear stories from those who fought in the battle so that he can compose his own song of it."
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Post by missmilkmaid on Mar 18, 2015 6:08:10 GMT
Azlyn nodded and smiled. "I will certainly join you then," he said, "I have met Veikan Dirgeheart and heard him perform at the Great Tournament. The Firetooth are lucky to have such a skilled artist in their court."
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Post by talis on Mar 26, 2015 3:09:54 GMT
A herald traveling downriver delivered a message inviting King Azlyn Christallo or an appointed representative to discuss the garrison and maintenance of the northern river fort now than the wastelanders had been dealt with.
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Post by missmilkmaid on Mar 29, 2015 0:53:27 GMT
In response to this message word was sent ahead that Lord Allan Sarvo and Chancellor Jordan Delaney would meet them at the Northern Ryn River Outpost in order to speak with the representatives if the Elder Council on behalf of King Azlyn and the royal court of Elon.
A few days later A couple of ships anchored off the river bank and Lord Sarvo disembarked. One the ships had given passage to a unit of city musket men and another to a unit of city pikes. The majority of these men made camp around the main outpost, though kept a polite distance of any of the Firetooth militia stationed in the area.
About the same time, Jordan Delaney arrived up the road along with a unit of Elonese rangers.
Captain Marcus Flynn was head over this outpost and eyed the arrival of the ships with some unease. He had invited the Firetooth and Elonese to meet him on the second flood of one of the towers. it was large enough to accommodate a group of about a dozen men, though it lacked a full hearth, leaving it rather chilly this time of the year. Narrow windows overlooked the river and a large round table was in the center. Along the walls were racks loaded with longbows, riffles and various kinds of ammunition. A decorative ceramic bowl filled apples and almonds sat in the center of the table an seemed a little out of place, but such was the culture of Elon. Even war-rooms got a touch of homeyness.
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Post by talis on Mar 29, 2015 5:23:31 GMT
Elder Ukhmar was getting old. It showed in his wrinkled and wizened face, his cracked and stony skin, and his wispy locks of white hair. He drank a lighter Elonese wine proffered to him by the commander instead of thicker and more difficult mead. But despite his failing frame he was one of the most respected Firetooth alive. He and elder Urag were the rational, moderate voice that restrained younger hotheads like Garlog, eager for glory and conquest. Ukhmar himself had narrowly averted major wars before, and it perhaps made sense that he was the one sent to speak with the Elonese.
His honor-guard, a few dozen retainers in full armor, stayed outside the fort. The ate rations and tended their wolves while they waited for proceedings inside to finish.
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Post by missmilkmaid on Mar 29, 2015 6:15:46 GMT
Jordan Delaney had done previous dealings with the Firetooth, including the initial arrangements for the building of the Ryn River outposts. He was a reserved, but well spoken man, polite, but to the point. It made since that Elon would send him to deal with the Firetooth a second time. Chello knew the orcs held little respect for her as a woman and she didn't trust Azlyn to understand the subtleties of a delicate negotiation. Jordan was clever, but honest and trusted by both her and Azlyn. The man was dressed simply in sturdy leather clothes and wore only a small short sword, a common among curries and messengers.
Allan Sarvo was dressed much more finely, with the cloak, slashed sleeves and feathered hat that was stylish in Elon at the time. Though he wasn't as tall as his cousin, King Alzyn, he has a similar look and build, his face was somewhat more serious and thoughtful and his blue eyes stern. He carried a rapier and a flintlock pistol on his belt and seemed to be in command of the Elonese troops present at the outpost. Since the death of his father, he was lord of the wealthiest shire in Elon outside of Dovwynn.
Both men gave the Firetooth elder, respectful bows and greeted him with kind words. Jordan did most of the talking. "It is honor to meet your Elder Ukhmar," he said, "King Azlyn sends his greetings and apologizes that he could not come himself. He is currently on his way to New Byrnis to train with the Northern Husaria and to give his respects at the late Vizier's funeral. It is his sincere hope that we will reach a mutually beneficial agreement and mend the relations between are two nations, who are sisters in the west and share a strong common faith and commitment to the Empire."
Marcus Flynn remained quite and took a seat slightly away from the orc and the Elonese officials, he didn't want to be involved. He would simply host the meeting, witness it's results and carry out whatever orders came as a result in regards to his post here in the north.
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Post by talis on Mar 29, 2015 6:40:08 GMT
Ukhmar inclined his head gently to both of them "It is my pleasure to meet such enterprising young men." He replied, reaching down and revealing his own bottle of wine. "I hope you don't mind if I share a bottle of my own fare? This bottle is from Navarra; the vinyards there don't produce much, but their wine is excellent." He poured the two men a glass, another one for the captain, and sat back gently in his seat.
He was obviously in no hurry to begin, and took his time enjoying the wine while he observed the two Elonese. "There is not much that beats a glass of wine and good company." He explained. "the last time I was able to stop and drink like this was when I met Admiral Reyid." He smiled a bit "be careful if you meet that crazy old wolf."
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Post by missmilkmaid on Mar 29, 2015 6:54:56 GMT
The Elonese accepted the offered wine and Jordan seemed to appreciate to slow gentle manners of the old orc. Allan also relaxed and helped himself to some almonds from the bowl of nuts, setting his feathered hat aside. He was still rather young and inexperienced, but knew how to present himself well.
"I have heard of the Admiral's reputation," Jordan said, "And witnessed his attempted marksmanship at the Grand Tournament in Dovwynn. I must say that was a day the north learned to respect the Firetooth musket, at least those few who weren't wise enough to already know." He smiled slightly, eyeing the Elder with alert but friendly brown eyes. Jordan was accustomed to being both at ease and wary at the same time. When he wasn't traveling, he was often sitting in attendance Elonese council meetings, making mental notes and keeping track of various members motives and maneuvers, without saying much himself. His ability to miss very little was one of the reasons Chello found him so useful.
"I hope that you're journey south went well," Allan said, "And that Thunder Crown is recovering well after the battle. We heard many stories in Elon of what happened up here in the north."
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Post by talis on Mar 30, 2015 3:31:42 GMT
"Yes, I was rather surprised the admiral was as civil as he was during the tournament. Him and Garlog do not exactly get along." Ukhmar took a sip of his wine. "I wasn't there when the two met, but once it happened I couldn't hear the end of it. The good admiral wanted to build a fortress to guard the northern pass from a potential wastelander flanking attempt. And of course him and Garlog hit it off like a pair of stallions fighting over a prize mare.
"By the end of that day Garlog had every young orc in the city ready to fight to death against the empire rather than let them build a fort within fifty miles of our border, and Reyid's lack of tact only made it easier." He trailed off, remembering the day he had met Reyid on that hilltop. He was quite sure that they had avoided war by the narrowest of margins.
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Post by missmilkmaid on Mar 30, 2015 3:54:34 GMT
Jordan listened to the story patiently, sipping his wine. Allan was frowning and rotating a couple of almonds in his hand. The underlying warning in Ukhmar's story wasn't lost on of either of them and Allan, at least, didn't seem to like it much. He held his tongue though and Jordan replied in the same easy tones of conversation that they had been conversing in up to this point. "Such stories show the wisdom of a nation being led by a council of Elders," he commented, "I have always admired the Firetooth's form of governing in that it has the means to restrain a leader who is perhaps a little to hot-blooded or eager to take rash actions against his neighbors or the Imperial Rulership." He smiled slightly and set his wine glass aside.
"In these troubled times, wisdom and consideration are perhaps the best traits for a nation to maintain. History has shown that it is in periods of change and unease like this that kingdoms which hasten to rock the boat are most likely to find themselves sinking in the swift tides of history."
"However, history and the troubled affairs of Chief Garlog and Admiral Reyid aside, I believe it was the intention of both our nations is to settle the mater of who shall manage this outpost going forward. Elon funded and build these fortification and has been maintaining them faithfully for two years now. Many of the people in Elon believe that our nation should continue to do so, but King Azlyn has not forgotten that the original intent of these outposts was for a collaborative operation between our allied nations. The king would like to find a compromise which would restore this original intent, however, the lords of Elon are beginning to question the wisdom of this and indeed question weather or not the Firetooth Clan and Elon are still the allies we once were."
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Post by talis on Mar 30, 2015 4:19:46 GMT
"Yes. It is up to us Elders to guide and direct the younger generations. We give them wisdom, and they provide us their strength. Such is the way of things." He sat forward, putting down his glass so that he could speak more directly with the Elonese.
"But you didn't come to hear me speak of adages and philosophy. The river road was a good plan, but timing was against us all. The money that would have been spent on this fort was instead spent arming orcs and fortifying Thundercrown against the horde. I consider it well spent, considering that the wastelanders made it to those very walls. An outpost such as this was ideal against the small raiding parties the wastelanders usually send, but it would have been little more than a death-trap for the men inside if the horde had come this way.
"Regardless, we never intended to foist the costs of this outpost on Elon permanently. To do so would be a dishonorable and unnecessary act. Now that the war is over we would like to take possession of the fort and responsibility for this section of the road and river. We are willing to pay you, immediately and in full, the cost of constructing and maintaining the fortress for the last two years. That is a sum of 12 thousand jien according to the calculation of our scribes."
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Post by missmilkmaid on Mar 30, 2015 4:34:59 GMT
"From what I understood," Allan said leaning forward, "The money and construction materials were actually used to construct your lavish cathedral."
Jordan shot Allan a look and the younger man sat back again and added, "Not that it wasn't a worthy investment. I would just like to maintain a healthy degree of honesty for this meeting."
"Paying for the cost of the the construction and maintenance of the outpost is certainly a considerate and affable offer," Jordan said speaking up, "If it were simply a matter of balancing the scales and and moving on, it would be an agreeable solution, but, as I said, many of the lords in Elon have lost faith in the good will and alliance between our nations. The Council's rather brusk demands concerning the affair's a Dovwynn's troll bridge was understood as a threat, or at the vary least an attempt to undermine Elon's commerce. This and the fact that the Firetooth refused Elon's offer to renew our trade agreement and gave no explanation has made our people uneasy. They are loath to give over fortifications to a nation which they fear may soon become a national threat. In order to sooth these fears, King Azlyn would request that the Firetooth takes steps to provide Elon with greater assurance of our nations' philadelphia and lasting good intentions toward one another."
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Post by talis on Mar 30, 2015 4:55:35 GMT
"If that is the case then let us establish some honesty." Ukhmar replied. "In regards to your bridge, the Firetooth Clan wholly and completely denies that Elon or any nation has the right to levy taxes on any Clan commerce or travel upon the Khagir river, known to you as the Ryn. By ancient precedent the river is and has been free passage for our clan for the better part of a milennia. On this point and this alone there will be no compromise, and as long as Elon insists upon this course of action they will have to deal with belligerence on the part of the Firetooth.
"The Firetooth Clan has no other issues with Elon, and does not wish for continued strife. We are willing to work with Elon for our mutual benefit whenever possible."
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Post by missmilkmaid on Mar 30, 2015 5:25:15 GMT
Jordan let out a breath and leaned back slightly. He had known this was probably behind what was truly rankling the Firetooth and he was glad Ukhmar hadn't refrained from bringing it out into they open.
"Ancient precedent is no longer the rule of the north, Elder Ukhmar," Jordan said, "Indeed the scientific advancements needed to build a bridge the size and complexity of Dovwyyn Bridge are so recant, ancient precedent could never have foreseen it. This is the age of the modern Surveakom Empire and, in Surveak, president for charging bridge tariffs are numerous and well established. Before enacting it, Elon got the permission and support of the royal vizier, so we have the legal right to do so. Your clan's unwillingness to accept this should be taken to the Empire, not spat at the King of Elon as threats disguised as moral indignation or a concern for piety. Such veiled behavior does no service to the honer of either nation and only breeds distrust."
Jordan looked a little regretful, because he knew the Elder wouldn't like anything he was saying. Leaning forward slightly again he added, "Your nation was blessed with the resources of the mountains. Your people have had iron and gunpowder for centuries longer than Elon, or any of the coastal nations. The mountains and the resources you have are the life blood of your nation, Ukhmar. In Elon we have never had such a blessing, the lifeblood of our nation is from trade and commerce on the Ryn and across the ocean. Advancements have allowed us to make better use of the resources Aed gave us.Your people developed wheel-lock guns and are making good use of the advancements and resources given to your people. It seems unfair that you would begrudge Elon the right to do the same."
"Regardless, it is good to hear that the Clan wishes to work toward a mutual benefit. As I said, these are troubling times on many accounts and a pretty squabble over a bridge tax shouldn't be worth the risk of making the west and indeed the autonomy of all the North at risk. If your clan is willing to acknowledge Elon's right to control the bridge and charge tariffs, we may be willing to negotiate on the terms or even dismiss the tax in exchange or in acknowledgment of shared endeavors and allegiances both commercially and in regards to military fronts."
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Post by talis on Mar 31, 2015 15:23:39 GMT
Ukhmar wondered if the Elonese realized how galling their speech sounded. To be chided, almost lectured, in such a manner would set off the tempers of many Firetooth in his position. It was in many ways a clear sign that the Elonese did not respect him, either as an elder or a delegate of the Firetooth. Ukhmar, however, seemed relatively unscathed by the remarks. After eighty-five years he had stopped caring about a lot of things.
"Any such agreement would be transient at best." He pointed out. "Even if we negotiated an abeyance or reduction of tolls there would be no assurance that Elon would not simply change its stance later when its treasuries run low or another dispute arises. Even if Azlyn is honorable and keeps such an agreement in his lifetime, what about his heirs? What assurance would we have that some future king of Elon would not grow tired of such an agreement and change the terms? What would stop Elon from imposing further tolls and restrictions later, such as taxing particular types of cargo, or limiting the draft and type of ships?
"No. Acknowledging Elon's right to the river would put our merchants at the mercy of politics and whims of policy. We could never maintain any type of prosperous, reliable trade along the Ryn with such a threat hanging over their heads. And the possibility of Elon amending the terms would be a constant strain on our relationship."
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