(IR) The 5th IR - 3rd OOC Thread (OPEN)

[Bugbear]

to ALL: the Claw is sending envoys to each and every faction they can reach. it doesn't matter if you're a good elven kingdom, an ilithid or even some kind of demon-demi-god who wants the consume the world. They will visit you anyway
These are usualy groups of members of the merchant caste in the Imperium who are responsible for the paperwork accompanied by a handfull of bodyguards and one actual Claw (the real negotiator).
They do not make much of a spectacle of their arrival and just send a letter to the local ruler that their services are available if he/she so desires.
These offer free council on any possible deal. Claw is willing to discuss any sort of payment the faction might propose, money, slaves, magical tomes, artifacts, piece treaties or whatever strange idea you might come up with. If they accept it is another matter of course.
If they are not received or no deal is made the group of ambassadors will still stay in the city if they are granted the permission so they can be reached anytime.
If they are met with hostility they will retreat if possible but still remind you that their serivces are available, how to reach them though is now your problem.
The claw members themselv stay only if some kind of deal is agreed on to offer council. If not they teleport back to the empire but the envoys can reach them anytime and they will return if someone wants to open negotiations at a later time.

If you are interested in actual negotiations or even just small talk let me know and I will work out the envoy responsible for your region.

The Celestial Imperium's envoys are received with full honors. Though at this time we have no need of your services, we may in the future. A permenent Embassy building is established (Ironicly accross the street from the Iron Fist mercenary guildhouse), so as to enjoy continued diplomatic contact with the Imperium and easy access to the Claw should there services be required.

 

[Bugbear]

Normally sblocks denote a secret message.
However, this is not the case here.
In this case, I put the sblocks in only to save space, and make scrolling easier.
Everyone should feel free to view this post. IC, this is probably going to become public knowledge.

[sblock]

Eclavdra receives the message from King Rhynnon of Greater Nyrond.
She muses over it for some time.
Finally, she goes to her Magic Mirror, by which she sends long range communications, and sends a communicae requesting an audience (not face to face, but through the mirror, which works both ways as a communication device) with King Rhynnon.
Later, she returns to the Mirror to find out if an audience was granted, and when.
Assuming one was, Eclavdra is there for the occasion, standing in front of the mirror. She is wearing her gauzy purple robes and mail, her coronet, and carrying her orb and scepter, but these are meant ceremonially apparently ... she always carries them as Queen of the drow in formal (and important) occasions like this.
Her attitude is friendly and respectful, her voice quiet and subdued, gentle as is her way.
She speaks to the King through the Mirror:

The survival of my people is the whole of my purpose now, your Highness.
Unfortunately, our chances of survival are slim. All divinations and portents point to disaster and ending for us.
A great enemy comes for us, to extinguish us. All the portents say this. We do not know the name of the foe, only that his strength will be overwhelming.
We offer to open diplomatic relations with Greater Nyrond. To establish mutual Consulates in each other's cities. To open trade, and establish laws protecting the rights and safety of traders and travellers alike. A common law, by which both drow and human must abide, for without law there is nothing.
We do not know if the enemy that comes threatens Greater Nyrond also, but we believe so. In mutual determination and strength ... (here Eclavdor pauses, and her voice and expression grow intense) ... in mutual strength we can survive the coming Armaggedon.
What then, is your will, your Majesty?

[/sblock]

We welome the Mordheil to Rel Mord. Finding a suitible location for your consulate has proven difficult but not impossible. We know that your people like to have the earth above there heads rather than open sky. I hope that the facilites we have provided you are to your liking.

(The Drow consulate's headquarters are in the east central section of the city. It was the home of a wealthy halfling merchant and has been unusued for some time. It is a large underground burrow with high ceilings, rich wood paneling and many windows. The grounds surrounding it were a lovely garden at one time but it has become overgrown and wild. The property is guarded by a low stone fence.)

Further we look forward to sending our own emmessaries to the city of Erelhi-Cinlu. Selections for a suitible contingant will begin immediatly. What would be a suitible number?

Nyrond is threatend by many who wish her harm, my lady, what is one more stick on the bonfire after all. Your people have never sought dominion in Nyrond perfering the great western mountains. As of know we have an understanding, in time freindship, or more may come.

 

[Eluvan]

OK... I feel I should make this absolutely clear here, since I have received a number of emails based on the premise that I'm going to leave over the recent disagreement. I'm not. As far as I'm concerned, that's over and doen with. It was unfortunate but I hope it won't cast a shadow over the game, which I'm very much looking forward to.

 

[The Forsaken One]

Since SE wants this public, I'll just say what I have to say about it:

I regret disrupting the game and it's consequeces, but I do not regret taking that stance against James. In my opinion he deserved to get his ass flamed and thats it.

I like the game alot and it means alot to me to play in it. It's an ENworld legend and I like to keep it virulent and alive rather than burn it down. This also shows my surprise that it had this kind of impact which kind of disappoints me in multiple ways.

Bottom line is, I do not like to be treated the way James did, especially since I already had several very negatively tinted suggestions aimed at me. If this does happen I most likely will respond the way I do since I do not feel like being patient with this kind of stuff here as well. I've got all my patience, temper and self restraint being tested in my real life at this moment so I want to play this for fun, and not to get insulted in any maner or being vagely hinted at of posessing " certain qualities". Especially since I want to have fun and respect in this game other than insults and a general "negative vibe".

So this was all aimed against James, and ,after I might have gotten a bit carried away also against some others who, in my opinion, had felt the pressing need to express their distaste or general disallowance of certain aspects of my person.

The last bit was unneccesary allthough I still do not understand where that "pressing need" would come from and which I see as a serious lack of disrespect against others peoples, in this case mine, wishes and tastes. Which in this case are harmless, innocent and at most "flavorless or creatively unagreable" to their preferences. This is need be expressed, which appearantly, could have been done in another way. Same as I have done abeit in a... errr... bit more extreme way.

To to wrap it all up, this was meant against a single person, perhaps a bit against a small group of other but so not the rest. Allthough they seemed a bit over eager to have their say and get involved while saying they don't want to get involed. Then I'd say, express your opinion in a little less voiced way and leave it at that.

Well, here you all have your hopefully more "adult" answer. But since it's not in the least striking with what SE demanded it to be. I wish you all alot of fun and hereby announce your relievance of my online dictatorship.

 

[Serpenteye]

I'm sorry it has come to this, Forsaken One. I was looking forwards to gaming with you again. Your style has always been interesting, intence and intelligent and under normal circumstances losing you would have been a great loss for the game. As the situation is now, the situation you have caused, there truly is no other alternative.

Farewell Forsaken One.


(Edena: Please remove Forsaken Ones faction from the list.)

 

[The Forsaken One]

As the situation is now, the situation you have caused, there truly is no other alternative.

It's still great to know the instigators always get away with it.

 

[Album Cover X]

Album X, check out my post way above, which I meant specifically for you.

Thanks Edena... I'm about to leave for a Christmas Party... but I do have some info ready...

first... my email is questx@alltel.net... feel free to post that for the IR...

second... I'm renaming Erypt to Ta Neteru...

everything else will have to wait... I have a few ideas and should post more very soon...

 

[Creamsteak]

It's still great to know the instigators always get away with it.

TFO, what I would have done (and is generally the right thing to do on these boards) is report the post. Since I'm a moderator, instead of reporting the post, I would email someone in private. You could have done that as well. I should have caught on to the severity of the situation sooner, and emailed both/all of you. I'm sorry about that.

Edit: If you want to talk about anything else, just email me.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(quietly)

I have updated the roster as per Serpenteye's requests.

I am continuing to work on the rosters of Radiance and Album X.

 

[Radiant]

on second thought sending emissaris to every power was not such a great I idea, now I have to write to all of them
This is allready starting to be much fun.

This kind of thing will be common once we start Turn 1.
Indeed, it should compose the majority of posts in the IR.
Diplomacy, negotiations, and the results (which can often be pretty wild) are the meat of IRs. The technological arms race, the magical arms race, the wars, everything military, is the drink, as it were.

As for Eclavdra, she responds as below. This is a public response, put in sblocks to save space. Anyone should feel free to view it.

[sblock]

Well, ok, I haven't got a response yet. I need time to consider Eclavdra's response, and I need to be fully awake to do it! LOL.
But yes, there will be a response.
I do have some preliminary information, however.

Eclavdra sends out all the guards. They leave the throne room, leaving Eclavdra alone with her guests.
When Eclavdra sees her guests kneel, after they stand she herself curtsies deeply, bowing her head, in returned respect and homage to the Celestial Imperium and to the Sikari.
She steps forward and physically offers her hand - that's right, she is exposing herself to personal attack, without guards present - to the speaker of the Sikari, Jade - in what must be a drow gesture of goodwill and peace.
She entreats these diplomats to feel more at ease, has food and drink brought in by quiet drow ladies, and actually tries to create something of a dinner atmosphere, since tables and chairs are readied and the food is piled high.

She is open to questions, to whatever Jade would care to ask of her. ((Go ahead and ask what you'd like to ask, Radiant.))
She herself wishes to know more of the Sikari and of the Celestial Imperium.
She seems wiling to consider negotiations, diplomatic relations, trade relations, and even some sort of common law whereby the drow and surface-worlders can interact safely and in peace.

Eclavdra openly wears the emblem of Lolth. The symbols of Lolth are openly displayed all over the High Palace, along with the emblems of Erelhei-Cinlu.
So, unless Eclavdra is being deceptive, she still holds to Lolth and whatever that entails.
Yet her behavior and her actions are, obviously, very much unlike that of a cleric of Lolth. They are more akin to what might be expected of Al'Akbar, the noble and good leader of the Baklunish.
What gives here? That's a good question.

What do the diplomats see?

They see a city hard at work building defenses and making military preparations. They see a large war industry going at full force, with huge smithies thundering along. They see a very active and militant people, all of them dressed in various uniforms, hurriedly going about their duties.
The banners and flags of Erelhi-Cinlu and of Lolth are everywhere. A parade could not have more such flags than fly from a single city block of Erelhi-Cinlu. Most of the drow, in addition to their assorted uniforms, are wearing emblems of Lolth, the City Emblems, and House Emblems, of every sort and kind.
Slaves of various humanoids races are also working hard on numerous projects.
No attempt is being made to conceal any of this.

Is something missing here?

Yes.

There are no drunken drow lying in the streets There are no beggars. There are no idle drow at all.
There are no human and elven women on display in brothels (as per D3, Vault of the Drow), and indeed there are no brothels apparent at all. There are no dead bodies lying around. The very streets themselves are clean, free of trash and debris.
Most of the buildings are either new or under major repair: all the buildings are in excellent condition or soon to be so. Vacant areas exist where buildings were torn down, although most of these are marked for new construction.

[/sblock]

feel free to add my email adress (radiant@gmx.tm) to my rooster. Thanks.

For Edena_of_Neith:
[sblock]Jade is impressed. Someone who has gone for soulwarp is not likely to be intimidated easily but this is just outright frighetning. Organzied and effecient Dorw. They are dangerous enough in their normal state but this is a whole new dimension.
Their reception is about the only good thing on this whole trip and even that is most likely deception. The Sikari does not for one second believe that the Drow-Queen is helpless in any way. She has utter confidence in her own abilities and still she is sure that she would be dead before she could even cross half the distance between them or gather even enough energy for a minor psichic blast.
During dinner she leaves most of the conversation to Queyn who officialy speaks for the Celestial Imperium.
His point is rather simple, they are mostly interested in piece and are willing to open their borders for any trade agreements that might come up between private parties, they are not interested in large scale trade between the nations (mostly because there is not much they can offer anyway but they don't point that out specifically).
They mostly offer to allow the Drow the same relationship with the Imperium that non-enemy human countries have. That does not mean much since they have allways been pretty much closed to outsiders but considering that they are offering it to one of the most feared races in the underdark it isn't that bad.
Apart from the fact that they are dealing with Drow they are not talking about anything important and it certainly does not seem important enough for them to actualy come down here. It's just the obligatory small talk.
Once Queyn has gone on long enough Jade softly raises her hand to shut him.
"Intruder wants to buy something from you your grace. "
It's obvious Jade wasn't chosen for diplomacy, she is a combat veteran and acutaly someone who can speak for the Sikari. In quick and unmistakable words she explains what they want.
They have country that was under total control from it's priests and is spiraling into Chaos ever since the gods got sealed out. The Drow among all people should understand exactly what that means. Yet Eclavdra managed to prevent the total breakdown of their society and took control of the whole situation. The Sikari intend to do the same with the Celstial Imperium. But politcs is not their area of experience, fighting is.
So they want Drow assasins, spies and most importantly advisors to help them secure their power and wage their shadow-war against their political enemies. The more the whole incident can be kept in silence the better.
And no one is superior in this are of expertise than the Drow.
As compensation they offer sizeable forces of Sikari talons for whatever military goal Eclavdra is buidling her forces for. If she has no need for them now they offer a contract that will allow her to get them at a later time once she has need for them. As long as their own borders are not concerned by it they don't care what the Drow's aims are and the Claw can reach any destination within minutes after they haven called.
The exact number, etc are open to negotiation depening on what exactly Eclavdra needs.[/sblock]