Louder than words

Hanna shifted the spear in her hand, feeling the weight of it. It was longer than she was used to, but she'd adjust. A Heartstealer of the Wasteland was one of the most powerful weapons the Thule could make - it wasn't wise to look a gift-horse in the mouth. The fact that she'd been given one was a clear sign of how important the Dragons thought this was.Not that she had any idea what this was. Ever since that night when the maddened beast had attacked and killed half her unit, she'd been passed from warlock to warlock. Each one had asked her a litany of questions, often the same questions. She got the distinct impression they were trying to see if her story would change from one telling to another.As if! That night still haunted her dreams... a close encounter with one of Wastewalker's monsters left scars that never healed. If she closed her eyes she could still see the thing closing in on her, venom dripping from its open jaws. It had torn Angron limb from limb - only the fact that the beast had stopped to gnaw on her comrade's face had saved her. The others were paralysed with fear, but not Hanna. She'd grabbed her spear and braced it against the packed ice. The creature had killed itself, run on the spear like a maddened boar, but apparently that made her a hero. A Claw of the Dragon no less.If being a hero meant better weapons and armour and better food, she'd take it. Not that there was any real choice in the matter, but hunting this Silverhand would be better than standing a watch all night waiting for one of Howler's monsters to attack. Besides it was personal. The warlocks claimed the traitor was the one who had summoned the monster from the Wasteland. Angron was dead because of this fool, so she was more than happy to head up north hunting the bastard.She had a sinking feeling that would not be the end of it though. The Whisperer's minions were all over Urdur these days and rumour was that it was no better anywhere else. Famine'll do that to you of course... makes people foolish and desperate. The famine might have broken, but everywhere that hunger touched it left the Dream of Famine in its trail.

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 Thule are ruled by their magicians. Almost all positions of authority are held by those capable of working magic. Ritual magicians - or warlocks - hold more power than those who focus on the performance of incantations, and the nation as a whole is ruled with an iron fist by potent, aged shaman-ritualists called the Dragons. The Empire is currently at peace with the orcs of Otkodov, but the treaty that secures that peace has nearly run its course. At the Winter Solstice, the Archmage of Autumn invited the City of Gold and Lead to investigate ways to make peace more appealing to the Thule through trade opportunities.

The Thule ambassador to the Empire is Rak Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragons-Undivided, a long-term appointment who has, at this point, served as the counterpart to four Imperial ambassadors. Rak serves to provide assistance and support to the Dragons of Otkodov, appraising them of information from their southern neighbours and relaying their edicts to the Empire.

Summer Approaches

Negotiations between the Thule ambassador, Rak Who-Speaks-With-The-Dragons-Undivided and the Imperial Ambassador to Otkodov, Kindra Surefoot, have continued since the two met in person at the Autumn Equinox. There is every reason to believe that a new peace treaty will be possible, but one has yet to be signed and there remain a lot of details to iron out. Something will have to give, otherwise the Empire will be in the unprecedented position of having war on four borders, something that would likely portend disaster. The Thule have been clear throughout that if some new deal is not made, then war will begin once the treaty ends. That means any deal must be concluded before the end of the Summer Solstice to avoid such a resumption of hostilities.

Rak has made sure that the Empire understands the Thule expect to recover more of the Imperial lands they regard as their own in these negotiations. Details are not public at this time, but the Dragons have been clear that they want at least one region from the Empire and would like two, though it is clear that they are prepared to negotiate on this.

The two regions that the Dragons have named are Opascari in Volodmartz or Mieriada in Miekarova. Both of these regions contain a bourse resource, the Night Quarry is in Mieriada and the Hunt of Alderei the Fair is in Opascari.

Rak is clear that if either of these regions is ceded to the Thule then they will lay claim to the bourse resource and the wealth it produces. However, he says that Fraynir Sharptooth has indicated on behalf of the dragons that they will be gracious and remit half the production of the Quarry or the Hunt back to the Empire should they request it in the negotiations. If that happened, the Empire would still be able to auction the seat - but the production would be halved and they would ultimately have little say as to how the seat was operated. The one bright side would be that the Empire was no longer obliged to pay the upkeep of the seat, as Fraynir will send Thule to actually work the resource. If the seat were auctioned before a treaty effecting its income were ratified by the Senate, the civil service would need to arrange a proportional refund for the title holder - based on the losses incurred.

The Imperial embassy to Otkodov in currently in the frigid northern parts of Mieriada. It would be unusual for the embassy to operate in lands controlled by the Thule, but it is not impossible. Moving it would clearly be ideal, but would be expensive. Certainly the Dragons are more than happy to see the current incumbent carry out their duties from the existing offices for as long as needed.

With an eye towards allowing as much time as possible to discuss a potential treaty, Rak has arranged a short meeting with their Imperial counterpart using one of the boons of the Guardian of the Southern Skies. They have arranged a suitable chamber, reached via the Hall of Worlds, where a meeting will take place shortly after eight o'clock on Saturday evening. The hope is that the two sides can agree a final deal to go before the Senate either this summit or next. Rak has suggested that the ambassador bring no more than three aides with them; more than that he believes there is too much risk of the negotiations descending into an argument.

How long any new treaty might last also remains to be negotiated. The Empire has indicated they would prefer at least five years. The Dragons are currently prepared to offer two, perhaps because the more often these negotiations happen, the more often they can levy new demands. The two sides seem far apart, but the intervention of the Autumn archmage, Edmundo of Damakhan's Forge has secured a way to potentially bring them closer together.

Autumn in Spring

This season, the Imperial negotiations with the Thule have been complicated by the involvement of the Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead. The Invisible Hand was apparently tasked by the Archmage of Autumn and the "Pen of Vossk of Zenith Ascendant" to see what help they could provide facilitating trade between the Empire the Thule. The hope was that the eternal might identify one or more opportunities to establish long-term economic ties to the orcs of Otkodov in the north in the hope that that might help sweeten the negotiations.

The heralds of the High Merchant have certainly worked hard, it remains to be seen if they have succeeded. They claim to have a good sense for what commodities each side might be seeking, if they are right then the offers they have negotiated might prove useful, not just for trade but for helping the negotiations.

Bread and Crystals

The Northern trade network already incorporates an amount of trade with the Thule, but the volumes involved are not currently sizeable. Individual Thule merchants sell mana crystals, and buy valuable metals that they take back to Otkodov for use by their artisans. Lading, one of the brokers who serves the Lady of the Counting House, has identified a way that the Empire might considerably expand this trade, enriching the Empire and empowering the Thule in the process.

What the Thule want is food - large shipments of it. The recent famine that struck Otkodov took the lives of thousands of orcs and the Thule are only just recovering from the effects. As a result, there is no possibility of any kind that the Thule could raise any new armies in the next two years at least - not unless they can obtain huge quantities of food from elsewhere.

In return for the much needed food, the Thule are offering large quantities of mana crystals. The plan is relatively simple - valuable mana crystals would be brought south by Thule merchants. They would trade the mana with magicians across the North and use the money to buy large volumes of foodstuffs at agreed prices. These cereals and livestock would be shipped back to Otkodov, via the Northern trade network.

The problem with the proposal is securing enough food. The Thule are not willing to invest in the Northern trade network unless they have a dependable supply of food flowing north from the Empire. They are willing to buy a lot of food, enough to feed three whole armies - the question is where that food might come from.

The Imperial civil service have identified five Imperial nations - Navarr, Highguard, the Marches, Dawn, and Varushka - each of which could, in theory, spare enough food to feed a single army. None of these nations could spare enough to feed more than a single army, so the deal would require the Senate to draw on the reserves of up to three of these five. The costs would be significant - any nation that was committed to the trade deal would see their ability to support Imperial armies reduced by one for as long as the deal lasted.

The gains would be considerable however. Any nation whose surplus food was traded with the Thule would see the taxation from each of their territories rise by 4 thrones a season, as citizens benefitted from the supply of mana crystals that could be used to enchant farms and businesses. In addition the trade would contribute 10 mana crystals to the Imperial font for each nation that was prepared to engage in the trade.

Finally, the civil service have identified an Imperial title best placed to handle the trade in each nation - these titles would gain an additional sinecure income of ten mana crystals a season, provided they took on responsibility to oversee the trade. Alternatively the Imperial Senate could create a new Imperial title to handle the trade, but if that happened it would need to be appointed by Tally of the Votes and have suitable offices built (an edifice of at least 5 wains, or a new sinecure or ministry).

Effects on Negotiations

The Civil Service have identified that shipping this much food north would allow the Thule to increase their own army supply by three - one for each nation that participated. Whilst such benefit would end upon termination of the agreement, any armies built would of course still exist.

The deal could be cancelled at any time by stopping sending the food, but the Thule want to include the arrangements in their treaty, if it is renewed. This is a deliberate move on their part to ensure that reneging on the deal would jeopardise the treaty. In return, Rak-Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragons-Undivided, has indicated that the Thule will be willing to offer an extra years duration for the new treaty for each nation that takes part in this trade agreement - with the maximum of three nations bringing the treaty to a potential five years.

For this deal to take effect, the Senate must pass a motion identifying which nations with food to spare will make supplies available to Thule merchants. Those nations will lose that capacity until either Senate passes another motion cancelling the deal, or the Dragons decide to withdraw from their side of the arrangement.

Expertise for Knowledge

The Dragon Orobus the Chained has asked Ephisis to convey their regards to the Imperial Conclave. Orobus is willing to send some of their most accomplished warlocks to help staff any imperial college of magic on an indefinite basis. If the Conclave takes up this offer, the upkeep cost of the named colleges to the Imperial Treasury would be reduced by 5 thrones a season for the duration.

If the Conclave wishes to accept this deal, they should pass a declaration of Acceptance identifying the offer from Ephisis of Orobus' help and specifying which Imperial college or colleges, will receive the aid. Once the warlocks take up residence, they will remain in place until dismissed by a suitably worded declaration of Concord that ends the agreement.

The civil service note that, although the Conclave are free to make such an arrangement for the Icy Crag or the Lyceum, they do not have the authority to make such an agreement for the Doyen of the Spires. This college will instead be put to a vote of the Magicians of Urizen to be held in the Hall of Worlds at half past one on Saturday afternoon.

Effects on Negotiations

There would be a large number of learned and accomplished warlocks living and working in whichever territory the college is in, but Orobus assures the Conclave that their servants will be kept on a tight leash and will do nothing which might offend Imperial sensibilities, so long as the agreement stands. If the treaty fails for any reason, Orobus expects the Empire to agree to give the warlocks safe passage back to Otkodov in return for a promise that they will remain peaceful throughout.

The benefits for Orobus are clear - the warlocks will not just be aware of any ritual being researched at the college, they will be involved with the work. As a result the Dragon will receive a copy of any ritual that is codified at the same time as the Empire, as well as information about any Arcane projection submitted but not completed for any reason.

In addition to the benefits to the Imperial treasury, provided warlocks are welcomed to study at both Imperial colleges of magic, the Dragons have agreed to guarantee that the Maze of Zoria remains under Imperial control. That means the title would continue to exist even a treaty is signed between the Dragons and the Empire, even if the region of Mieriada were ceded to the Thule.

Not Today Thank You

Lading also helps to broker a potential deal for the Imperial Synod to consider. The Dragons are willing to provide a one-time payment of precious metals and gemstones worth 50 Thrones to the Synod's Virtue Fund. In exchange for this, the Synod would need to pass a Statement of Principle in the General Assembly affirming that no priest who crosses the border with Otkodov will attempt to spread The Way of Virtue, nor engage in any discussions of theology. This judgement would need to pass with a greater majority, in which case the payment would be deposited with the Civil Service to add to the Virtue Fund at the following summit.

Rak makes it clear that the judgement must be clear and unambiguous. "In the past the Imperial Senate has made an art form of weasel words that attempt to pay lip-service to the demands of the dragons without actually agreeing to them," he says laconically. In light of the respect shown by the new Imperial Ambassador, who has indicated that such antics will no longer occur, Caridis Oathbinder has refrained from providing suggested wording for the judgement. However they will provide suitable wording on request, if the ambassador feels that the priests of the Synod need help writing a honestly worded judgement.

Effects on Negotiations

Unless a suitably worded judgement passes the Synod that makes it clear that no priest will attempt to preach the Way in Otkodov, then Rak says the Dragons have instructed him to insist that any treaty includes a codicil that outlaws the preaching of the Way in lands controlled by the Thule.

Including this requirement in a treaty would mean the restriction passes into law. The last time something like this was attempted, a motion to outlaw the preaching of the Way in Asavea, the Synod took exception to it. The motion was vetoed by the Imperial Synod. If that happened in this case, then the entire treaty could be vetoed, which would be potentially disastrous.

Lost Warlocks

Last season, a small band of Thule crossed over the border into the Empire to attack the caravans bringing food from Wreck to Otkodov. The Warlock Askja disavowed their actions and claimed that they were rogue Thule under the effect of some malign influence - a powerful conjunction of magic or some curse.

The warlock asked the Mediator of Wreck, Halvind Brinegold, to try to soothe the Thule of Volham and help them regain their senses so that they might return home. She was adamant that the Thule might be reasoned with, calmed down, and could return back to Otkodov. Askja understood that that might not be possible but she asked the Empire to avoid any unnecessary violence if possible.

Sadly, none of the Thule of Volham have returned. As far as the Dragons can tell their people are dead or have fled into Imperial lands. They have asked the Ambassador to Otkodov, or Havlind or their representative to provide an accounting of what happened in the encounter (the title is currently up for re-appointment at the Spring Equinox so they might not actually be Mediator of Wreck at the time of the meeting with the ambassador).

Mana for Cows

In conversation with the heralds of the High Merchant, a Thule economic consortium have learned of the Marcher plans to arrange to sell cattle at the markets in Wayford and Stockland this summit. The Company wish to purchase enough cattle to establish their own herds in Yura. They will be attempting to purchase cattle bonds with the intent to drive their herd north over the next season.

The Thule merchants will be in the Marcher camp on Friday at half nine in the evening looking buy as many bonds as possible. As the Thule are foreigners, it is perfectly legal for them to attend the camp and for Marchers to sell their bonds to them. They plan to offer a mana crystal for each bond, but Lading indicates that canny merchants might be able to get an even better price if they haggle.

Where the Sun Doesn't Shine

There are some citizens in the Empire who would rather not have peace with the Thule. There is sentiment in Wintermark and Varushka that the Empire has already given up too much land to the Dragons. It is now patently clear that they will return every few years with fresh demands for more land. The Thule are negotiating with the Empire because they're obtaining more land with menaces than they could ever get from war.

On the face of it, it would seem to be madness to reject a treaty with the Thule. The Empire is at war with the Druj, the Jotun and the Grendel - they can't possibly fight every barbarian nation at the same time. To attempt to do so would surely invite certain destruction?

That may not be entirely true however. When Naomi appraised the options for peace with the Jotun one of the criteria that she identified was that the Jotun would be more more likely to make peace with the Empire if they were clearly being weakened by a war with the Thule (or the vallorn). The Jotun believe they can only pass over the Howling Abyss if they die in a battle against a worthy opponent. Because of that they don't want to fight a weakened Empire - they want to fight the Empire when it is able to fight back.

Sadly neither the Grendel or the Druj are ever likely to offer the Empire anything remotely similar, but if Naomi is right, there is no reason the Empire would have to be fighting a war on all four fronts. They could tell the Jotun to stick their treaty where the sun doesn't shine and then use the resulting war as a way to bring the Jotun to the negotiating table.

It's arguably a long shot, but one thing is abundently clear - it is the only shot of it's kind right now. For those who would rather reject peace with the Thule and try to take back the lands the Dragons have claimed this is a window that will soon clsoe. If the Empire signs extends the treaty with the Thule it could well be years before there is another chance for the northern nations to take the fight to the Thule and reclaim what has been lost.

Blood on the Snow

Rak thanks Vetti Gatherer-Peregrine and Iron Vigil Rikke the Relentless for the information they have provided about the fate of the servants of the Agramant who threaten Sermersuaq. They are pleased to hear that Maarik the Golden Tongue has been dispatched and hope that the other fools who have listened to the Voice of the Pines soon follow him into death. They are also grateful to receive news of the death of the traitor, Frekki, and ask that the Ambassador pass on thank thanks to those responsible.

Sadly they have no information to provide about the whereabouts of the remaining cultists at this time, but if they do discover anything they can pass on, then Rak assures the Ambassador that they will let them know. Likewise, if the Empire hears word of the renegade warlock, Nolith Silver-Hand, then the Dragons would be eager to deal with this cats paw. If the warlock has fled north, the Dragons will catch him eventually, but if he tries to enter Imperial lands then the Dragons will pay a heavy purse to have him returned to them, alive or otherwise.

Further Reading

Titles Associated with the Thule

Previous Winds

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