Echelons of Temeria: The Pen and the Sword
 

Soldheim - the great Neutral Ground where the diplomats and leaders of the great countries met to decide the fates of millions. Located in the exact center of the continent of Temeria, it was warded with the most potent magic and complex science to ensure it remained an outside force in the constant struggles for power that existed outside its borders. Residents were few. Only a few priests of Balnor, god of neutrality, kept the precepts and sanctums of these hallowed halls.

The towers and buildings of Soldheim were brown sandstone, and were dark and dank. The exception was the Meeting Sanctum, inside which sat a circular stone table, surrounded by torches and braziers. A single ray of sunlight shone through the roof to the center of the table.

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OOC: Cue the entrance of the ambassadors, diplomats, rulers, etc.

Hugh O'Neill walked into Meeting Sanctum for the first time. He cringed when saw the space usually reserved for the many kingdoms and lordships that once ruled over the now united Albanis peninsula. There were quite a few leaders looking at him; from curiosity to disdain, his new superpower nation emerging from one of the most violent, unstable places in Temeria was certainly an interesting sight to see.

He decided to sit next to the representative from Archanas. He could have been the Emperor or a lowly serf for all he knew, but he thought he should be civil. "Hello, I'm High King Hugh O'Neill from Albanis, the new country. So you're from Archanas are you? A diplomat or the Emperor?" he joked hoping he didn't sound... off.

He was new to this after all.

((OOC: Could we get a really rough map? All of this might be easier to figure out if we knew which countries bordered which.))

Relaeuqs boldly strode through Solheim, in the direction of the Meeting Sanctum. Surrounded by a group of eunuchs, designed for servitude to the Order, he enjoyed the finery was allowed, not required to rule from the shadows in this place. He walked with pride, a noble air that he couldn't normally exhibit. Entering the Sanctum, he sat down in a large chair, ready for diplomacy.

He heard the greeting from Albanis, and decided to wait before introducing himself.

OOC: I'd also appreciate a periodization. I'm imagining sorta late medieval, with Albanis entering the Enlightenment? I mean, its one thing if some folks are stuck in early medieval and others are using steam power, but if any nation has, say, artificial intelligence or genetic engineering or gunpowder, then its over for everyone else, and at the same time its highly unlikely no other nation would have adapted that themselves, even the ones that stagnated. Know what I mean?
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Az, you must be going insane!

Azetheros' mind recalled Armilos' warning, even as he took his seat in the box for Lorien. It was all true. No king had ever left Lorien before, and the Assembly would go mad. It could become a seed for conflict, but in this age, he supposed, internal conflict was more manageable than external, and with the world going the way it was, with more nations he could not ignore this call to assembly.

He noticed the lint that had accumulated over the upholstery of the ancient wood seats of the Meeting Sanctum. Lorien hadn't even bothered to send ambassadors for centuries to these meetings, though from what he heard Lorien wasn't alone in this. As he bent over to pick it up, 4 figures simultaneously attempted to stop him, three reaching for the chair, one for him.

"Stevel, I may be a King, but I can certainly clean my own seat. Argindos, Refiel, Ardul, stop that now. There is no want or need for it." With that, he wiped the thickest dust off his chair and sat. The three guards stood behind him, and Stevel half-bowed next to Azetheros and whispered into his ear, "That's the representative from Albanis. Their High King, Hugh O'Neill, just turned the region into a single kingdom. The man he's talking to is the representative of Iccipy. They you should be wary of; none of our merchants being tales of those lands."

That was Stevel; worried about his King... But Azetheros already prepared for this meeting. At that moment, he felt he had been born ready.

"Stevel, I know you worry, but it will be alright. Just stand with the men, and see if you can get a seat after everyone else is seated. If the facts match our merchant's tales, this table will be too large anyways."

Stevel nodded, then backed off with the other guards.

Azetheros looked at the ancient table once more, as representatives and their envoys sat and prepared. This ought to get good.

OOC: Ah Gorefiend you forget something which brings a Medieval Land on par with a sci-fi one: Magic. This should keep me in bay as well as few other nations
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Hugh was unable to fix his attention to one spot. He spotted Azetheros walking into the Lorien. "Hello, you must be the Lorien King, Hugh O'Neill is my name and I would like to know a bit more about your current situation."

"I must sound like a right fool" Hugh whispered to himself "Introducing myself to everyone and turning my attention to one thing to the next, like puppy. Oh well, I don't suppose I'll do too much damage."

A rasping noise broke through the meeting, and the entire room dropped about ten degrees. A group of 8 volshock infantry, the elite of Volstheim's military entered the room, hands on their swords and cold, soulless eyes scanning the room from behind black, red trimmed armor. The leader raised his right hand, and Lord Blackmaw entered the room, flanked by High inquisitor Fogweeper and The watcher.

"Please forgive the imformalities, but one never knows what could be a ambush." He and Fogweeper both took their seats, The watcher standing behind them, with the Vulshock troops, hands still on their swords.

OOC: Well, magic would allow a smaller nation to fight off a larger one, all other things equal, but no regular mage can fight off tanks, artillery, airstrikes, nukes, a genetically engineered army, etc... I'd also like to know to know if its appropriate for my men to wear plate armor. As I indicated on my thing, I'm rather advanced and decently connected, and if you're at the age of kevlar I'd like to think I'm at the age right before, when plate was abandoned and they had nothing, maybe a tin helmet so bullets would bounce instead of scrape, know what I mean?

Also, Lorien is a last name and the kingdom's name. One does not walk into a Lorien, and this is certainly not a Lorien. I do beg pardon for my lack of creativity with names, though...
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An ambush? Here? Wait until the priests hear of that suggestion... Azetheros thought to himself. He'd heard old tales, from the days before the Joining, far before the Law. Tales of Demon-Kings and knights errant of immense power, who nevertheless trembled before the gates of Sondheim. The idea seemed ludicrous at best, and paranoid at worst.

"I am indeed the king of Lorien. These are my guards, Stevel, Argindos, Refiel, and Ardul. We are pleased to meet you, and wish to congratulate you on your victory in Albanis. Currently, our only contacts to the outside world are merchants, and though the throne has been known to foster occasional advances brought in by merchants into the mainstream, we've been secluded. I'm here to change that, and seek to create large-scale trade partnerships and amity in this rapidly consolidating world. How about you?"

Akkhyron, entered into the Council Chambers. He entered, with no body guards. Knowing in this city that he could easily afford to have none. He appeared confident, though not disrespectful. Akkhyron was smiling, in a serious way. He had his shillelaigh in hand, scratching himself. Other than a simple insignia moon crescent on his forehead, he had no way to distinguish himself from the common shepherd.

"Azetheros, seeing as this is a council, and all, I hope you meant for all of us to hear your trading suggestion. May I lend my hand? Up until four hundred years ago we were barely a nation of bows and arrows, now with our new technology, we finally have enough soldiers to patrol our vast lands. I wonder, if you all would be interested in a little auction for some of our more, idyllic dirt?"

Relaeuqs sat quietly, absorbing what was going on, not having had great experience as a diplomat. He knew of a few nations, but Iccipy had no large concerns except over lands that did not border their own. "So, why is it that we are here? I did not travel across the Icci mountains for a simple talk of trade!"

Azetheros looked at the growing crowd. Somehow, his conversation with King O'Neill had become public, and he'd have to improvise a response.

"Well, trade and amity are my kingdom's priorities. Opening up borders to mercantile business, lowering certain tariffs, and fostering the creation of more accurate maps by releasing and comparing each other's mapping information, as well as subsidizing the creation of ports and roads around major trade routes and to each kingdom would be a priority of mine, with a secondary priority being exchanging students in each other's mage academies, schools, labs, armies, or whatever other educational institutions we all have to help spread knowledge and amity throughout the world. However,that is only what I had in mind for myself. Perhaps we should all list our business and priorities here, and create an agenda for this meeting. Seeing as we are all sovereigns, and leaders in our respective regions, I hope it won't be seen as preposterous if I suggest we vote as equals, at least for the purposes of the agenda, or other matters relating to the way the council will function."

Though his feet remained planted on the ground, he felt himself move forward with confidence, as he continued.

"With that in mind, I'd like to officially propose we create an agenda, and that the first item on it be opening and liberalizing economic and academic relations between our peoples."