Friend of mine

It is winter in the Empire, but in the Sumaah Republic, the sun is bright and warm, the sky a deep azure dusted with pale clouds. Yet there is a chill in the air, nonetheless. The prosperous docks of Zemeh teem with ships - low-lying Sumaah vessels of honey-yellow wood with sails a riot of colours and shapes; austere Sarcophan trading ships; a multitude of Imperial vessels from almost all the nations of the Empire. The city thrums with life. Here, a crew of bright-clad corsairs drink sweetened liquor from tempest-jade bowls, locked in a laughing game of boast and counter-boast with a band of equally bright Frieøyer, their tunics rich gold and glorious green, polished glass and precious metal jewels glinting in the sunlight as they duel. Yet there is an edge to the laughter, an undercurrent to the camaraderie. These sailors know better than most what waits in the near future, that this might be the last time they are all there to raise their bowls and toast their clever deeds.One of the censors of the House of Vigilance is locked in an argument with the pale draughir captain of a Sarcophan trading ship. The präster's severe expression is at odds with their sun-blue and blood-crimson robes, loose and flowing, and bound with a cleverly woven belt of orichalcum and weltsilver strands. Her hair is bound up in cerulean cloth, and black obsidian beads dance and dangle from her lobes. She has her arms crossed. She has no intention of allowing this shipment of questionable origin into the port without careful weighing and consideration as to the implications of the strange feelings it arouses in those who deal with it. An amused präster in more sober robes of umber and amber hides a smirk - a dedicate of the High House of Prosperity stands ready to argue with their peer from the House of Vigilance, should it become necessary. Even with fire and death gathering like stormclouds on the horizon, the Sumaah stick to their principles.A cadre of armoured soldiers march past, and the bubbling, raucous tide of noise ebbs and flows, falling quiet in their wake. They wear beautifully tooled leather armour, surmounted with drake-scale cloaks and helms carved from the skulls of jungle beasts, and razor-sharp spears ready to fight at a moment's notice. Behind them comes their captain, resplendent in feathers and flowers, holding the delicate chain that restrains a mighty dire panther, larger than an ox. It wears a cunning muzzle, its muscles shifting and tensing beneath its ebony hide, promising destruction to any who attract its ire. Its eyes bear a certain animal disdain for the folk who draw away from it. It's mistress struts all the more proudly as her deadly companion accompanies her through the streets of the city.This is Zemeh, then, under the threat of destruction at the hands of the vengeful Asaveans. The people here know only too well what happened to Siroc, and that the same fate might befall their beautiful city. Yet they will not give in to fear, to threats. They will weather this storm as they have weathered so many others, and even if the temples and towers fall, it will not quench their fury but hone it, turn the flame from yellow to blue to white, and the Asaveans will learn again the lesson they learned so long ago. The Sumaah will not be cast down by the malice of heretics and blasphemers, but rise to the deep blue sky on wings of virtue.

Overview

Each season the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations, based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the Senate and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate ambassador that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response.

The Sumaah Republic are simultaneously allies of, and rivals to, the Empire. Their shared practice of the Way both provide them with common ground, and divides them over questions of orthodoxy. As founding members of the Liberty Pact, their ties to the Empire have been strengthened, and they have been closely involved in bringing ruin to those involved in the abhorrent practice of slavery. At the moment they are focussed on their own war with the Asavean Archipelago, but they remain comitted to spreading the Way through the entire world.

The Sumaah ambassador to the Empire is Oxtitocszin, who holds the rank of Censor of wood, metal and stone and is a member of the High House of Pride (the Sumaah equivalent of the Pride Assembly, but with significantly more responsibility and leeway to pursue foreign diplomacy). They advise not just the Sumaah präster, but the House of the People (the Sumaah equivalent of the Imperial Senate). By all accounts they are an even-handed, level-headed individual, and a devout practitioner of the Way.

War and Salt

The Sumaah Republic are at war with the Asavean Archipelago. Unlike the Empire, who are also at war with Asavea, these two great powers are practically neighbours and need not work through proxies. Asavean navies directly threaten northern Sumaah, although their armies are no match for the disciplined soldiers martialled by the House of Courage.

The Asavean Plenum has pledged that they will not stop until they have achieved retribution for the Sumaah role in the attack on Chalonsio. They intend to raze a Sumaah city much as they did to Imperial Siroc. To date, thanks to the aid of Imperial ship captains, the Asaveans have been prevented from doing so. The corsairs of the Brass Coast have done everything they can to thwart the Asavean blockade of Zemeh. Ships of every nation save Varushka and Urizen have responded to the mandate enacted by Isolde Hannasdottir urging virtuous Imperial ship captains to journey to the Sea of Salt to support the Sumaah.

Fires of Vengeance

News has reached the Sumaah via the High House of Vigilance, that the Asavean naval forces are gearing up for a major assault. The blockade of their ports has been going on for a year or more, and along with the bounty placed on ships visiting the Empire it's clear that the Plenum is beginning to feel the pinch on their pockets. They need a victory here, and quickly.

The House of Vigilance agents have not been able to determine exactly where the attack will take place. The High House of Wisdom has done a rapid appraisal of the sitaution and believes that there are at least four likely targets, including the port of Zemeh itself. The Summah have the advantage on the ground, but they need to split their strength between the likely targets and at the same time cannot afford to withdraw protection from other coastal territories, for fear the Asaveans take advantage of the attack to launch a full-fledged invasion. The Frieøyer captains will do their best but their resources are already stretched thin as it is.

This season the Thwart the Blockade voyage serves a different, much more serious purpose. Fleets active in the Sea of Salt will help the Sumaah defend against the Asavean push. Provided a minimum of 10,000 effective strength of Imperial fleets undertakes the action following the Winter Solstice, they'll provide enough additional assistance to the Republic to repel the Asavean assault before they can destroy any Summah cities.

If less than 10,000 strength is assigned however, then it is inevitable that one of the Sumaah coastal cities - potentially even Zemeh itself - will meet the same fate as Siroc. Sumaah will not fall - any more than the Empire collapsed after the loss of Siroc - but the Asavean Plenum will have exacted their wicked vengeance against the Republic.

Thwart Malice Before It Strikes

There are quiet voices within the Empire, perhaps inspired by the cynical philosophy of Berechiah, who have a more measured response to news of the imminent attack on Sumaah. In the long run, the Empire and the western Republic cannot help but clash. The two nations are allied at the moment, but as their visions of the Way diverge, that state of affairs surely cannot last. The Way teaches that the Vigilant at least should "prepare for malice, yet thwart malice before it strikes against you". Anything that weakens Summah cannot fail, in the very long run, to strengthen the Empire.

Of course, if the Republic has one of their cities burned it will be a great tragedy, a great loss... to the Summah. But it will also mean that the Republic will redouble its efforts to fight the Asaveans. It will leave them with little choice but to seek retribution of their own, to continue to try and bring the Asavean Plenum down, and to actively support the spread of the Way to the Archipelago. The Asaveans may abandon their blockade, but most of their military might will need to remain focused in the west rather than, for example, supporting the Grendel. Indeed, the more obvious it is the Empire was the main factor in destroying their planned vengeance, the more likely it is they will commit more force to the Bay of Catazar.

At the same time, the damage to Sumaah Pride will certainly cause them to stumble a little. They will need to recover and regroup. They will likely become more reliant on the Empire for naval support if they are to continue to confront the Asaveans. It will mean their efforts to spread their version of the Way will be curtailed for the next year at least, giving the Imperial Synod the chance to "steal a march" on them.

The best part - so these quiet voices reason - is that there's no need for anyone in power to do anything. A few quiet words here, a lack of support there, and the situation will work itself out. There's no easy way to officially stop Imperial fleet captains from going west to fight short of declaring peace with Asavea or war on Sumaah. The General Assembly supported the call to help Summah, and if they withdraw that support the Sumaah Synod will become aware of it. Indeed, direct intervention would be entirely counterproductive - it would cause Summah to feel betrayed. But... all it would need is less than the minimum amount of effective strength to travel west to thwart the blockade. The Summah would accept the Empire tried to help, but they were unable to assist in the face of superior Asavean naval forces operating along a very wide border.

Obviously, talk like this makes a lot of people uncomfortable... but there is no doubt the Empire would benefit in the long term from weakening Sumaah and forcing the Asaveans to focus on their war with their neighbours rather than their anger at the Empire. All it would take would be letting a single city be burned... something that might happen anyway. Some of the more cynical citizens even point out that it's not as if Sumaah lifted a finger to help the Empire when Siroc was razed...

Rewards of Virtue

The House of Prosperity, on behalf of Sumaah's House of the People, ensures that every Imperial captain coming to Sumaah receives an amount of liao to reward of their virtue. The House of the People itself provides a small amount of money in recognition of their work protecting their shores.

The Frieøyer - the descendants of those pirates brought to the Way by Zemress offer berths and repairs to any Imperial vessel that visits one of the many small ports that dot their island home. In the spirit of Zemress, they also freely share the bounties they seize from the Asaveans with those who sail with them. This season, however, with the Asaveans planning their "big push" there is much less booty to gather.

Consequently, a standard fleet that undertakes this action receives 96 rings, 3 doses of liao, and two bottles of oilybrag from the Frieøyer. As an avowedly military action against a nation the Empire is at war with, in support of their ally in the Liberty Pact, the Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies or the Imperial Senate could choose add extra incentive by granting Guerdon shares to fleets that undertake the action.

Regardless of the outcome, by the start of the Spring Equinox the Asavean blockade of Sumaah ports will have ended one way or another. As a consequence this voyage will not be available from the Spring Equinox onwards.

Inspire Others

The Asavean Plenum has focused most of its force of the blockade, but offered a lucrative bounty on ships trading with the Empire. This has not has as much impact on Sumaah trade as it has other foreign nations as a direct consequence of Imperial commitments in the west and the Freeborn efforts in the Bay of Catazar. It is still challenging for Sumaah vessels to reach Imperial ports, but the House of the People and the High House of Prosperity work to support their trading ships without weakening the defence of their coast.

Censor Oxtitocszin believes that as long as a significant force is able to support the Sumaah in their own waters - they estimate an effective fighting strength of 3000 each season - they will be able to resume full trade with the Empire (restoring at least some of the money lost to the Imperial treasury from tariffs). This has certainly been achieved following the Autumn Equinox. After the Asavean raid is concluded, there may need to be a reassessment of what is required to maintain trade routes.

With the ongoing open conflict with the Asaveans, the amount of orichalcum and healing herbs available to Imperial traders, however, has declined significantly. Following the Winter Solstice, a standard fleet that trades with Zemeh will receive 3 measures of dragonbone, two bottles of oilybrag, and one pot of Sevensalve (or Sjusalva, as he Sumaah call it).

OOC Note: A reasonably phys-rep for the oilybrag resource received by fleets helping fight the Asaveans in the Sea of Salt might be flat cola or a similar sweet, sticky, brown liquid, in a potion bottle. A suitable phys-rep for Sevensalve would be some kind of moisturiser or hand cream mixed with ground up parma violets.

On the Way

Amnassador Accalon has made Oxtitocszin aware of the plan to anchor the Way in Asavea by contributing large amounts of white granite and significant numbers of thrones to help provide meeting places for the faithful. Their request for aid from the High Houses of the Republic has not, however received the reception they were no doubt hoping for. Since the "Symposium of 384YE, the Assembly of Nine concurred with the Sumaah Synod that the two nations would follow their own path of faith. Yet when one gets right down to it the Sumaah Synod fundamentally believe that the Empire's approach to the Way is misguided. That they are too quick to tolerate heterodoxy, too eager to make compromises in the face of spiritual truths they hold to be self evident.

Regretfully, then, Oxtitocszin declines the invitation on behalf of the High Houses. She stresses that the discussion among the assemblies was tense, and passionate, and the final decision quite close, but in the end the präster will not help the Empire spread its version of the Way. They also won't impede them either. The House of Pride works hard to support the scattered communities of the faithful among the Asavean slaves, and they don't believe the Empire's ambitious plan will interfere with their own cautious foundation laying. In the event that Sumaah and Imperial priests find themselves working at cross purposes, they trust that the individuals involved will work out a compromise that suits both parties.

Magical Thinking

Ambassador Accalon continues to discuss matters of ritual magic with the cautious Sumaah. Oxtitocszin indicates that the Republic is very pleased with the effectiveness of those rituals already shared - Hammers of the Brilliant Shore and Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground. From consultation with the High Houses, the magicians who work under their auspices are cautiously interested in ritual enchantments that might empower warbands or fleets to avoid detection and gather information (undertake scouting actions). They are also in the immediate future interested in enchantments that might empower ship captains to raid their enemies, or military units to guard and protect. Sumaah magicians have their own versions of these rituals, however, and anything the Empire offered would need to be different enough to make a trade worthwhile. From careful discussion the civil service believe that the Sumaah have their own rituals based in Day and Night lore to support scouting, and rituals of Summer lore that support raids and defences. As always the Sumaah are leery of any magic that draws on the power of an eternal, and would likely refuse offers of rituals such as Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust. Does the ambassador have rituals to offer?

There is also the matter of Imperial magicians visiting Sumaah "on secondment". Oxtitocszin takes a little time to understand exactly what is being proposed, but in the end is interested. Before the House of the People is prepared to offer a formal invitation, they would want to know exactly what is being proposed. What purpose would Imperial magicians coming to Sumaah serve? Could the Ambassador give firm assurances that visiting magicians would accept the guidance and advice of the praster - most likely the House of Pride? Presumably, in a reciprocal move, the Sumaah would be able to send some of their own magicians to the Empire as well? Perhaps to explore Imperial lore, to get a closer understanding of the Conclave, or to study the role of the Synod in Conclave affairs?

On Gifts

As relates to the rescue of Präst Kauitalic, Oxtitocszin thanks Ambassador Accalon for ensuring that those responsible have received a suitable anointing or hallow, and has arranged for a courier to deliver 33 doses of liao to the embassy in Necropolis. In addition she has included two pots of Sevensalveas a personal gift for Accalon.

Oxtitocszin expresses the hope that Rafe will be present at the Winter Solstice to receive the gift prepared in recognition of their support for the Republic. The ambassador sends a personal hope that this will mean Wintermark is able to spare warriors and ships to help defend the coast in the coming season.

Exemplars and Paragons

Ambassador Accalon has instructed the Civil service to share copies of the research commissioned by Jared of the Suns of Couros into the life of Saul of the Cora, and the controversial document concerning the Life of Vardas commissioned by Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower. While some of the stories of Vardas are known to Sumaah scholars, he was not considered a paragon or exemplar. The sobering findings in the Hazelelponi document, however, have sparked serious debate among the präster. There is spirited discussion about whether a story can be virtuously inspirational without being a factual account of a historical person or not. Are parables and stories as inspirational as tales of specific events? The Sumaah are broadly comfortable with the reality of their paragons. While scholars understand that there is notabe similarity between some of the deeds performed by Vena the Great-hearted, paragon of Courage and the old stories of the blasphemous idol Fire Lion worshipped by their ancestors, they see little value in questioning the reality of Vena. There is enough difference that Sumaah theological scholars are comfortable Vena is "real" and that their inspiration is virtuous.

The Houses do agree that the stance taken by the Imperial Synod is a sound one, and indeed they urge the Empire to go further. The discoveries revealed by Hazelelponi show that the root of Vardas is in the venal, self-serving greed of one person and that the entire foundation of Vardas' inspiration is this compromised. While they are normally cautious about precipitous action, on this issue they are anything but reserved. It is clear that the inspiration of Vardas is tainted, and they believe that the moral rot associated with their actions will infect everything it touches. They urge the Synod to burn this infection out by the roots, so that all the works created by Ivar Olyankavic Nathavolava in the Emire are destroyed. That way nobody can ever be tempted to try and imitate this thief.

As to Saul of the Cora, Oxtitocszin unfortunately has little more to add than previously recounted. Armed with the additional information about the past life vision of Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato the Republic continues its commitment to share anything it learns about the Highborn wayfarer from its contacts among the Sumaah pilgrims.

Finally, Oxtitocszin repeats the offer that Sumaah scholars would be more than happy to cooperate with the Empire should they wish to explore the possibility that Aama the Wanderer and Adelmar the Lion are the same person. While there may be a war on that is no reason not to continue to expand understaning of the virtues, the inspirations, and the links between the two approaches to the Way.

One Last Thing...

Both the ambassador and Bernard Kleist bon Holberg have extended an invitation to Oxtitocszin to visit Anvil for the 250 year celebration of the city of Holberg. Oxtitocszin declines; the Republic is weathering a storm at sea already and the Ambassador has many calls on her time. But there is some interest among Sumaah pilgrims of Pride, Ambition, and Wisdom who are very intrigued by the possibility of visiting Holberg itself to see the remarkable walls and visit the consecrated shrines built into those walls. The präster who are prepared to risk the Sumaah blockade, and the bounty placed on ships visiting the Empire, are interested in spending time among their peers in the "Greatest City in the Empire". They would use this opportunity to speak to Imperial citizens and priests in Holberg about their understanding of the Way. They'll also be particularly interested to visit the congregations of the city and listen to the words of the priests and bishops of the League.

However, they are also aware that the invitation was specifically for Oxtitocszin or her representatives. As such, they would not wish to shame themselves by presuming it applies also to them. With that in mind, Oxtitocszin requests that if the League is open to a large number of Sumaah pilgrims that a statement of principle be raised in the League National Assembly, the Assembly of the Way, or the General Assembly explicitly welcoming these visitors. As long as it receives a greater majority, and the ambassador confirms that the invitation is sincere, then pilgrims will come to Holberg after the Winter Solstice, and likely for the next few seasons.

If such a statement is not forthcoming, that will be an equally welcome outcome as it will reassure the Sumaah that they have not accidentally committed a faux pas by presuming an open invitation. Sumaah pilgrims will still visit the Empire's sacred sites but will not particularly descend on Holberg, especially given its position in the nothern Empire.

The Civil Service discreetly point out a potential problem, however. As pilgrims specifically visiting Holberg and speaking to priests and followers of the Way, they will likely be aware of any greater majority judgement passed in the League, Wisdom, Ambition, Pride, or General assemblies and they may also get an idea of how the congregations of Holberg are preaching. Specifically with regards to recent events, if they discover more congregations are preaching to Support Solokha than preaching the virtues or the Way, this may lead to a diplomatic incident - the Sumaah take a dim view of this kind of cooperation with heretics and blasphemers for all that they are forced to share the Liberty Pact with Axos.

While the innocent invitation was clearly sincere, it may presage further conflict with the Sumaah Synod.

Further Reading

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