The High Council Solar
Caltris, Luminasian Chancellery, Crystal Spires
The Morning Star Fades, Hour of the Hunter
The Morning Star was beginning its descent as its golden rays began to bathe the land in reddish hues, and the sky appeared like an opaline glowing painting. The air was warm and humid, and the season was changing to the rice planting months. The East wind blew in a rarely safe but always beautiful aether aurora. Lift-boarders raced upon the clouds that had more than its usual transparent particles. The sky surfers took advantage of these rolling waves to show off their prowess. One rogue wave launched a sky surfer to the no-lift zone, and skidded between buildings and shallowly sank toward a marble dome, and hit an invisible barrier. The barrier blocked the lifter from going beyond the barrier and slowed their descent as they landed safely but agonizingly slowly on the ground. It merely annoyed him, as it meant he would have to go back to the skylaunch, and go to the end of the line.
The building, however was fairly safe from the sky surfers, while also keeping them safe. A product of a Grand Collegium and the High Council tackling a problem together. The Spirean people were very easy to please, as long as working together was considered the first policy. The High Council perhaps embodied this spirit of cooperation. With twenty Chancelleries that made up a diverse set of regions with different priorities and astonishingly diverse people, the Crystal Spirean High Council had to find a way to work with these people and essentially unite them under the banner of Mythorianism and Forntian Idealism. Then it became about the Glorious Republic of Freedom and Respect of Sapient Rights, but to the Spireans this was just the beginning of their harmonious work to bring peace and prosperity to the land. Their jobs were far from finished, and in truth it was only beginning. Their faithful and tremendously powerful allies of the Great Civilization had managed to extend a hand along with the Malgraveans and Kouralians during a time when it appeared that the Spirean State would cease to exist. Genocide, Enslavement, and degeneration of the principles that the Spires followed meant that the importance of allies and working together became ever more important.
Calisté Chenarn, a Submerged-Land born native of southern Crystal Spires, knew more than anything that in order for her contributions to differ distinctly from the Skyborn Knight Templar War Veteran, she would have to work harder than any other High Chancellor in order to not end up like the Glorious First Chancellor Selanie Heartwood. She was not going to be yet another Tideborn Martyr or a High Chancellor that was too weak to make hard choices. She wanted the Spirean people to bring forth the Mystrians that she believed were trustworthy, to create an alliance of mutual prosperity, something that could stand as her legacy. The question was whom would she call forth for this mission? There were few among the foreign lands that could be trusted, but the first she called upon was not even from the lands of Mystria. It was the C’tani, those who she knew would hold no bias, nor racial prejudice she did or didn’t know that she had. Calisté was no fool. She knew her biases would still remain strong, so she always looked for a second opinion among those she knew she could trust. Telissat Amris would be the one she would call, but she believed it would not be him who arrives, but rather an envoy, an emissary. The question was whether Lygngarma would be the one to arrive and answer the call.
Telissat Amris was the ostensible leader - in truth there was always a more complicated answer to any such question than might be imagined - of the Great Civilization and its head of state, responsible for setting many elements of its foreign policy entrusted to him by the senate; but he was not a conventional politician. A warship AI by origin, which was to say an artificed being, he was not limited to being in one place at a time, instead his presence when required was provided by cybernetically produced avatars, living flesh and tissue grown over the form of a machine, crafted over the form of a humanoid skeleton. Some were more capable, some less, but this was a structure that had worked, but it was also something that allowed him to operate many of these drones simultaneously, in different places.
It was perhaps impossible for an unaugmented beastling, in the local terms, including any humans, or species similar - to achieve the office of leader of the Great Civilization for long. People such as Telissat were famously described as ‘close to gods, and on the far side’ and while the post was elected, it was difficult to compete against a candidate who needed neither sleep nor rest, and could be in a myriad of places at once.
In this of course, it had been inevitable that when directly invited by the leader of an allied state, Telissat would appear, while many of his forms domestically went without escort, within Crystal Spires he travelled with an escort, necrons, gilded and ornamented with the trinkets of a myriad of culture and clad in shimmering green over their skeletal forms, carrying long bladed staves of office inscribed with the ritual script of the C’tani civic codes.
With him there were also a group of Spirean recruits from the expansive second-line forces of the Great Civilization; the C’tani were deeply militant, given their history, and though their technology obviated the need for military forces composed of beastlings in most situations, the social importance of such groups made it such that they recruited forces from anywhere they went, with the few exceptions being those territories whose populations were overwhelmingly philosophically pacifistic.
There were a hundred gifts he could bring when visiting Calisté, of course, but the one he had chosen was something a useful example, a map made of red ink that moved of its own accord as bidden, a replica that changed hue and texture to look on Mystria with the eyes of far-roving satellites and other observation drones.
The device was small enough to sit in a box he carried under one arm, black metal with folding leaves for its lid, and one he carried as he bowed slightly upon entering the side chamber of the council.
Calisté at first refused the gift before offering a handmade painting painted by a Forntian Monk in the Highlands that depicted the Necrons defeating a Rukh in flight. It was made with both oil paints and had small touches of Aether that made the painting move as the scene depicted the final blow upon the enormous flying monster as the stunned creature was then restrained. The Necron then walked among other C’tani humans in a proud walk towards the viewer, before the image again reset. The Monk had taken great care in his painting, and it was almost as if it was a memory brought into being painted by the hand of the mind. The Monks of the Highlands were of course very distinguished not only in their physical training, but also their mental training.
Telissat smiled, taking the painting with an appreciative eye, “The Ohmian Rukh,” he said, “I think I recall that one,” he said, “I have heard that it was quite difficult to capture,” he said. The creature had been released since, on the Oen-Thumaris orbital,” he said, of a megastructure that had been built as a wildlife preserve that replicated environmental conditions and biomes of two dozen standard beastling-planets. The C’tani were not unwilling to kill the creatures of the Spires, if they had the need, but they were sensitive enough to ecology to know that wholescale destruction would likely be a mistake in the long run, and when possible their hunting parties used tesseract labyrinths, the same technology that had imprisoned the C’tan, to capture subdued creatures; these were devices that folded space and time and produced an internal space that could hold even large creatures, suspended outside the influence of linear time, small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand, capable of housing a greater daemon, a C’tan shard, or in this case, a vast Rukh.
“It was something the Ohmian Monks never forgot. They always appreciate the quick thinking on the C’tani’s part, and that painting doesn’t even capture how grateful they were when you took the grues out of the tunnels in the Mephistean Highway. They are very proud of having you as allies. The whole or the Spires are. It’s why I wanted to have this discussion with you. It is of great importance, and the Spires is in your debt for coming as you had. We wish to discuss with you about… well, first join me. What kind of tea would you like? We have all kinds, and of course I will have my favorite, a sweet Rosehips and Cherry Rooibos tea, can I offer you one of Spires’s hospitality, Ser Telissat?” The Mermaid was curvaceous, her wide rounded hips met with a wider than average waist and a full bust giving her a cello body shape. Unique of course was her tail, which was clearly one of a cetacean. Her face was lovely, with large eyes veiled with long lashes a long narrow nose and full lips pulled into a warm smile. her long hair was loose, and wavy like breaking waves at the shore. Her locks were the color of the Talabrath sea, with smooth rippling touches of peach like the Spirean sand and pink as the sky at sunset. Her eyes were a deep blue with a touch of haze from a late evening fog. Her skin was warm toned with a sea buckthorn hue to it with golden undertones. Her voice was purring like soft smoke that warmed one’s heart as those tones kissed the ear with each word.
“Something light,” Telissat said, “green tea, such as the Sardockian Mist of Bael,” he said, he consciously named a Spirean tea, simply as a courtesy, and of course he had picked something he enjoyed, his sense of taste was not built into him in the way that it was for humans, but a learning process of its own that gave a feedback within humanoid norms, still, it was a common export to the Great Civilization’s ever-hungering luxury market, and one that he had chosen for that reason as well as genuine enjoyment. Everything was considered, everything was weighed with Telissat.
Calisté poured a beautifully smooth tea into a clear cup and placed a small ball of what appeared to be tea, but it took only a few minutes for the tea leaves to open, revealing blossoming flowers and it gave the tea a light fragrance of flowers and a soft hint of sweetness. The taste would roll gently on the tongue and it had a cooling effect, and had a resounding aftertaste of herbiness. A hint of the freshness often from the teas of Sardoc’s terraced farms. Telissat had many different options for sweetening, but the tea’s flower nectar already gave it a soft sweetness that was only emphasized by sweeteners. Honeys, cane syrup, sugar, honeysuckle nectar, and agave nectar. The tea of course was a common hospitality offered to guests to ensure that regardless of who it was once the tea and cakes were presented, guest’s right was guaranteed. He was presented with a soft tea cake which was delicate and had candied flowers upon it, and a single spoonful would reveal a compote of fresh fruits from the spires between a smooth cheesecake layer with a warm mild yellowcake bottom. The frosted outside was light and fluffy, more reminiscent of a meringue than buttercream. Calisté was of course welcome to accept the gift that the C’tani had previously offered, and she took a crystal notebook and began to offer it to the C’tani to observe and take in the details that the Spireans had gathered upon the other Mystrian States.
Each one of them were as unusual as the other. Marked off with an absolutely unfavorable were ‘The Flower Council of Sylandral and the High Treefolk, The Imperial Altean Monarchy, The Silvan Enlightened Monarchy of Ealdurim, and The Absolute Royal Federation of Imeriata, but the others that seemed to be on the possible candidates were most of the other Mystrian states, including Terradinites, Dystians, Malgraveans, Rohanians, Silverdaleans, Kouralians, and Cantalvians and Carcenoans. There were a few others that were marked as Unknowns, including Thalassium, Rinyatar, and Ranstreimos.
“These are a few that we have presented as observations, but we are unsure if the Carcenoans are likely to be friendly to the Spireans so we are considering placing them as unfavorable candidates, and we wish to know if we must move Alteans and Imerins as completely unfavorable. As for the High Treefolk, we also know very little about the Satrapy, and wish to ask of the C’tani what their opinions are on whether we should extend our convention invitation to these unknown entities, and if we should invite nations we know to be hostile to Pan-Mystrian interests.”
Telissat took the fruits and ate them, reading with interest the documents as they were passed to him, and he gave a slightly arched eyebrow, “The Satrapy is a C’tani territory, and does not officially pursue an independent foreign policy,” he said, “of the Alteans there is little to worry at present,” he said, “we still have our eye upon granting autonomy to the various regions, but their relations with the Great Civilization will remain supervised for the near future,” he paused, “the Imerians on the other hand, we understand, even if we don’t agree with, Madame Chancellor. They should certainly be invited, for bringing them into any enterprise will give a diversity of opinion but will also help them heal the scars of slavery within their own society and within the pride of their nationalistic cultural ego,” he gave a small smile, “beyond which, they mean well, at least Primus does, and without any disturbance, so will Björn auf Stjärnkhrone,” he said, “for in that at least Princess Luna’s design succeeded,” he said, “we are ourselves seeking closer relations with the Imerians.”
“We will invite them then, we must know of what the C’tan believes we should do with the Treefolk? Extend an invitation or deny them a seat? Ealdurim as well? Whom should we deny an invitation according to Ser Telissat’s estimation.”
“The Treefolken Council is an instrument of Allanea,” he said, “but I would extend them an invitation anyway, Allanea is, despite the fact that we have prepared weapons for them, not our enemy, a strategic rival only, and if the Treefolken wish to abide by the terms of membership and seek closer unity with their neighbours all the better,” he said, “they should have no veto over any actions of the group,” he said.
“Ealdurim are our enemies,” he said, “at least, they are slave-holders, but still, inviting their participation would ensure that they can be held in violation of our agreement if they sign, and provide an open motivation to correct their behaviour,” he said, “their sundry crimes should not directly exclude them. Besides which, I would like to see their ruling prince have to meet Lygngarma.”
“I see, so we should invite the Ealdurimites as well. And what of the other formerly isolated nations that have arisen from the shift?” The Mermaid asked with a concerned glance. “We know very little about them. As for the ones we know about but are cautious to invite, we must also wonder about the Cornerians. They are the former Empire that used to own the Dystians whom we determine would be friendly to our proposals.”
“I have no particular information on this,” he said, “we have a positive opinion of Dyste, but no particular settled opinion of their former overlords,” he said, “it is entirely within your gift to determine who to invite, but on this matter I cannot give any special insights beyond what you have there.”
“Perhaps the best way to handle it is an open invitation but allowing them only to sign to agree. Signatories will gain the privileges of a secondary offer presented at the Prosperity Council. Only if they agree with the presented options will they receive the privileges offered as benefits to members of the treaty.” Calisté said out loud to herself. My worry is for example if we invite them they will only agree to the benefits, but none of the responsibilities.” The mermaid pointed out as a potential problem.
“It’s very likely that’s what they’ll want to do,” Telissat said, “but that doesn’t mean we have to let them, the first thing in a convention is that we have to accept that we won’t be able to wholly control the process, even if you are chairing it, you can invite, but there’s nothing stopping them going and taking a guild-hall oath,” a reference to a famous episode in C’tani history, where a part of the Seroi parliament had walked out of a convention of parliament and sworn their own assembly into office across the street.
“I see. We can try our best to ensure that there is no difficulties in the Convention itself, IF we have a safe place where we can hold the talks. The question is, are the C’tani willing to hold services for the Spirean Security so that talks can be held in peace?” The Mermaid asked, with a worried glance. “You are one of the Great Nations we can trust with confidence.”
“We are,” he said, “well equipped to do that. Both the Nightspire and Isasrach are wholly C’tani ground, and with the resources to host such an event, or if you would rather host it in Crystal Spires, which is probably preferable, we can certainly provide security forces to augment your own, but in truth I do not think there will be many who would try to violently disrupt a conference held solely within Mystria,” he said, “believe it or not, Mystria is comparatively peaceful.”
“The reason for holding it in Mystria is because it is much more likely that the more hostile nations will believe they have the advantage and will come in peace and accept the invitation. If they see it as particularly a C’tani affair they will be cowed by C’tani power, and Luna is practically a Goddess in many people’s eyes. Isasrach is much like holding it in C’tan itself, and if there is a hostile person it is also a hospital, that might hurt the patients seeking refuge and healing. If we hold it anywhere else, it will also seem to validate unworthy fears that Crystal Spires is not itself a nation of its own accord. We are best if we decide to go with a specific place, and of this we ask that the C’tani also choose the City best to handle the Meeting. Will we meet in Eirvin, a Great city in the Submerged Lands? Will we meet in Caltris, The Capital of the Spires? Mephiste, the Origin of the Mythorian Northern Riders, or Merlon, the Cultural Center, or perhaps… maybe Glorelheim, the most humble of the choices, but one that could have much more revenue and attention that is deeply needed?”
“Wherever we go,” Telissat said, “if we sign a treaty there, many will call it by the name of the place of its signing, therefore I would suggest Glorelheim as well,” he said, “that way we may end up with the Treaty of Glory,” he said, with a small smile. “But,” he said, “more seriously, I think we would be well suited with the investment,” he gave a pause, “without tact, we would be facing an additional challenge with Eirvin,” he said, “many governments would be inclined to send a lesser representative simply because they lack the means to safely travel to Eirvin under their own power, as curious as they may be.”
“That is true, which is why I mentioned Glorelheim as well and all the other potential locations. I think it is the best choice as well, but I wanted to know how defensible you are willing to make it. Glorelheim is one of the smaller places among the cities we proposed. No doubt it will be a bit of a challenge, but we have known no time when C’tani have backed down from a challenge.” She smiled gently with a nod at one of the soldiers she had recognized, a former Expat who became a Citizen, and who braved all adverse circumstances to become a C’tani Citizen.
“We would have no problem with that,” he said, “it’s really as simple as posting a sign saying ‘don’t shoot each other,’ he said, “and in deference to spirean custom, a mana-dispersal,” the term mana was not one the C’tani used natively, but it flowed well in the local language as he spoke it, “amulet for everyone, with an alarm if you drop it.”
“Also reasonable. We will begin the preparations then. It is a good plan to head off with. Thank you for your input. We look forward to the defense of the C’tani security, and the building of the necessary ties with those we believe will accept the hand of friendship with the Spires. I would also be happy if you, too would join us in the talks? A neutral voice is a good one in the room. It would be a pleasure to welcome Ser Palanedhel, Regent of Altea, as well.”
“If there is one thing that the C’tani aren’t,” he said, “it is neutral,” he said, “we may have no skin in the game of regional histories,” he said, “but we have our goals in international relations, and we wish to see Crystal Spires return to its former influence,” he said, “for that reason alone,” he said, “I will go, I will also ask Palanedhel to bring speakers for some of the Altean Nationalist movements,” he said, “they will have much to say I am sure and the opportunity to appear on the world stage is something many crave.”
“I look forward to hearing what they have to say. I rarely hear what life is like for Alteans in Altea. Spireans are very ignorant in the livelihood and well-being of Alteans due to long-standing hatred between our two nations. It’s easy to see why, they did kill many beastlings and enslaved others. There’s a lot of work to be done in order to repair relations with the Alteans. I hope that that is something we can do with time and understanding. In the meantime I will prepare the invitations for each of the participants in the Convention. With luck and good moderation, I’m sure we’ll at least see some benefit to the Region at large.”
Caltris, Luminasian Chancellery, Crystal Spires
The Morning Star Fades, Hour of the Hunter
The Morning Star was beginning its descent as its golden rays began to bathe the land in reddish hues, and the sky appeared like an opaline glowing painting. The air was warm and humid, and the season was changing to the rice planting months. The East wind blew in a rarely safe but always beautiful aether aurora. Lift-boarders raced upon the clouds that had more than its usual transparent particles. The sky surfers took advantage of these rolling waves to show off their prowess. One rogue wave launched a sky surfer to the no-lift zone, and skidded between buildings and shallowly sank toward a marble dome, and hit an invisible barrier. The barrier blocked the lifter from going beyond the barrier and slowed their descent as they landed safely but agonizingly slowly on the ground. It merely annoyed him, as it meant he would have to go back to the skylaunch, and go to the end of the line.
The building, however was fairly safe from the sky surfers, while also keeping them safe. A product of a Grand Collegium and the High Council tackling a problem together. The Spirean people were very easy to please, as long as working together was considered the first policy. The High Council perhaps embodied this spirit of cooperation. With twenty Chancelleries that made up a diverse set of regions with different priorities and astonishingly diverse people, the Crystal Spirean High Council had to find a way to work with these people and essentially unite them under the banner of Mythorianism and Forntian Idealism. Then it became about the Glorious Republic of Freedom and Respect of Sapient Rights, but to the Spireans this was just the beginning of their harmonious work to bring peace and prosperity to the land. Their jobs were far from finished, and in truth it was only beginning. Their faithful and tremendously powerful allies of the Great Civilization had managed to extend a hand along with the Malgraveans and Kouralians during a time when it appeared that the Spirean State would cease to exist. Genocide, Enslavement, and degeneration of the principles that the Spires followed meant that the importance of allies and working together became ever more important.
Calisté Chenarn, a Submerged-Land born native of southern Crystal Spires, knew more than anything that in order for her contributions to differ distinctly from the Skyborn Knight Templar War Veteran, she would have to work harder than any other High Chancellor in order to not end up like the Glorious First Chancellor Selanie Heartwood. She was not going to be yet another Tideborn Martyr or a High Chancellor that was too weak to make hard choices. She wanted the Spirean people to bring forth the Mystrians that she believed were trustworthy, to create an alliance of mutual prosperity, something that could stand as her legacy. The question was whom would she call forth for this mission? There were few among the foreign lands that could be trusted, but the first she called upon was not even from the lands of Mystria. It was the C’tani, those who she knew would hold no bias, nor racial prejudice she did or didn’t know that she had. Calisté was no fool. She knew her biases would still remain strong, so she always looked for a second opinion among those she knew she could trust. Telissat Amris would be the one she would call, but she believed it would not be him who arrives, but rather an envoy, an emissary. The question was whether Lygngarma would be the one to arrive and answer the call.
Telissat Amris was the ostensible leader - in truth there was always a more complicated answer to any such question than might be imagined - of the Great Civilization and its head of state, responsible for setting many elements of its foreign policy entrusted to him by the senate; but he was not a conventional politician. A warship AI by origin, which was to say an artificed being, he was not limited to being in one place at a time, instead his presence when required was provided by cybernetically produced avatars, living flesh and tissue grown over the form of a machine, crafted over the form of a humanoid skeleton. Some were more capable, some less, but this was a structure that had worked, but it was also something that allowed him to operate many of these drones simultaneously, in different places.
It was perhaps impossible for an unaugmented beastling, in the local terms, including any humans, or species similar - to achieve the office of leader of the Great Civilization for long. People such as Telissat were famously described as ‘close to gods, and on the far side’ and while the post was elected, it was difficult to compete against a candidate who needed neither sleep nor rest, and could be in a myriad of places at once.
In this of course, it had been inevitable that when directly invited by the leader of an allied state, Telissat would appear, while many of his forms domestically went without escort, within Crystal Spires he travelled with an escort, necrons, gilded and ornamented with the trinkets of a myriad of culture and clad in shimmering green over their skeletal forms, carrying long bladed staves of office inscribed with the ritual script of the C’tani civic codes.
With him there were also a group of Spirean recruits from the expansive second-line forces of the Great Civilization; the C’tani were deeply militant, given their history, and though their technology obviated the need for military forces composed of beastlings in most situations, the social importance of such groups made it such that they recruited forces from anywhere they went, with the few exceptions being those territories whose populations were overwhelmingly philosophically pacifistic.
There were a hundred gifts he could bring when visiting Calisté, of course, but the one he had chosen was something a useful example, a map made of red ink that moved of its own accord as bidden, a replica that changed hue and texture to look on Mystria with the eyes of far-roving satellites and other observation drones.
The device was small enough to sit in a box he carried under one arm, black metal with folding leaves for its lid, and one he carried as he bowed slightly upon entering the side chamber of the council.
Calisté at first refused the gift before offering a handmade painting painted by a Forntian Monk in the Highlands that depicted the Necrons defeating a Rukh in flight. It was made with both oil paints and had small touches of Aether that made the painting move as the scene depicted the final blow upon the enormous flying monster as the stunned creature was then restrained. The Necron then walked among other C’tani humans in a proud walk towards the viewer, before the image again reset. The Monk had taken great care in his painting, and it was almost as if it was a memory brought into being painted by the hand of the mind. The Monks of the Highlands were of course very distinguished not only in their physical training, but also their mental training.
Telissat smiled, taking the painting with an appreciative eye, “The Ohmian Rukh,” he said, “I think I recall that one,” he said, “I have heard that it was quite difficult to capture,” he said. The creature had been released since, on the Oen-Thumaris orbital,” he said, of a megastructure that had been built as a wildlife preserve that replicated environmental conditions and biomes of two dozen standard beastling-planets. The C’tani were not unwilling to kill the creatures of the Spires, if they had the need, but they were sensitive enough to ecology to know that wholescale destruction would likely be a mistake in the long run, and when possible their hunting parties used tesseract labyrinths, the same technology that had imprisoned the C’tan, to capture subdued creatures; these were devices that folded space and time and produced an internal space that could hold even large creatures, suspended outside the influence of linear time, small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand, capable of housing a greater daemon, a C’tan shard, or in this case, a vast Rukh.
“It was something the Ohmian Monks never forgot. They always appreciate the quick thinking on the C’tani’s part, and that painting doesn’t even capture how grateful they were when you took the grues out of the tunnels in the Mephistean Highway. They are very proud of having you as allies. The whole or the Spires are. It’s why I wanted to have this discussion with you. It is of great importance, and the Spires is in your debt for coming as you had. We wish to discuss with you about… well, first join me. What kind of tea would you like? We have all kinds, and of course I will have my favorite, a sweet Rosehips and Cherry Rooibos tea, can I offer you one of Spires’s hospitality, Ser Telissat?” The Mermaid was curvaceous, her wide rounded hips met with a wider than average waist and a full bust giving her a cello body shape. Unique of course was her tail, which was clearly one of a cetacean. Her face was lovely, with large eyes veiled with long lashes a long narrow nose and full lips pulled into a warm smile. her long hair was loose, and wavy like breaking waves at the shore. Her locks were the color of the Talabrath sea, with smooth rippling touches of peach like the Spirean sand and pink as the sky at sunset. Her eyes were a deep blue with a touch of haze from a late evening fog. Her skin was warm toned with a sea buckthorn hue to it with golden undertones. Her voice was purring like soft smoke that warmed one’s heart as those tones kissed the ear with each word.
“Something light,” Telissat said, “green tea, such as the Sardockian Mist of Bael,” he said, he consciously named a Spirean tea, simply as a courtesy, and of course he had picked something he enjoyed, his sense of taste was not built into him in the way that it was for humans, but a learning process of its own that gave a feedback within humanoid norms, still, it was a common export to the Great Civilization’s ever-hungering luxury market, and one that he had chosen for that reason as well as genuine enjoyment. Everything was considered, everything was weighed with Telissat.
Calisté poured a beautifully smooth tea into a clear cup and placed a small ball of what appeared to be tea, but it took only a few minutes for the tea leaves to open, revealing blossoming flowers and it gave the tea a light fragrance of flowers and a soft hint of sweetness. The taste would roll gently on the tongue and it had a cooling effect, and had a resounding aftertaste of herbiness. A hint of the freshness often from the teas of Sardoc’s terraced farms. Telissat had many different options for sweetening, but the tea’s flower nectar already gave it a soft sweetness that was only emphasized by sweeteners. Honeys, cane syrup, sugar, honeysuckle nectar, and agave nectar. The tea of course was a common hospitality offered to guests to ensure that regardless of who it was once the tea and cakes were presented, guest’s right was guaranteed. He was presented with a soft tea cake which was delicate and had candied flowers upon it, and a single spoonful would reveal a compote of fresh fruits from the spires between a smooth cheesecake layer with a warm mild yellowcake bottom. The frosted outside was light and fluffy, more reminiscent of a meringue than buttercream. Calisté was of course welcome to accept the gift that the C’tani had previously offered, and she took a crystal notebook and began to offer it to the C’tani to observe and take in the details that the Spireans had gathered upon the other Mystrian States.
Each one of them were as unusual as the other. Marked off with an absolutely unfavorable were ‘The Flower Council of Sylandral and the High Treefolk, The Imperial Altean Monarchy, The Silvan Enlightened Monarchy of Ealdurim, and The Absolute Royal Federation of Imeriata, but the others that seemed to be on the possible candidates were most of the other Mystrian states, including Terradinites, Dystians, Malgraveans, Rohanians, Silverdaleans, Kouralians, and Cantalvians and Carcenoans. There were a few others that were marked as Unknowns, including Thalassium, Rinyatar, and Ranstreimos.
“These are a few that we have presented as observations, but we are unsure if the Carcenoans are likely to be friendly to the Spireans so we are considering placing them as unfavorable candidates, and we wish to know if we must move Alteans and Imerins as completely unfavorable. As for the High Treefolk, we also know very little about the Satrapy, and wish to ask of the C’tani what their opinions are on whether we should extend our convention invitation to these unknown entities, and if we should invite nations we know to be hostile to Pan-Mystrian interests.”
Telissat took the fruits and ate them, reading with interest the documents as they were passed to him, and he gave a slightly arched eyebrow, “The Satrapy is a C’tani territory, and does not officially pursue an independent foreign policy,” he said, “of the Alteans there is little to worry at present,” he said, “we still have our eye upon granting autonomy to the various regions, but their relations with the Great Civilization will remain supervised for the near future,” he paused, “the Imerians on the other hand, we understand, even if we don’t agree with, Madame Chancellor. They should certainly be invited, for bringing them into any enterprise will give a diversity of opinion but will also help them heal the scars of slavery within their own society and within the pride of their nationalistic cultural ego,” he gave a small smile, “beyond which, they mean well, at least Primus does, and without any disturbance, so will Björn auf Stjärnkhrone,” he said, “for in that at least Princess Luna’s design succeeded,” he said, “we are ourselves seeking closer relations with the Imerians.”
“We will invite them then, we must know of what the C’tan believes we should do with the Treefolk? Extend an invitation or deny them a seat? Ealdurim as well? Whom should we deny an invitation according to Ser Telissat’s estimation.”
“The Treefolken Council is an instrument of Allanea,” he said, “but I would extend them an invitation anyway, Allanea is, despite the fact that we have prepared weapons for them, not our enemy, a strategic rival only, and if the Treefolken wish to abide by the terms of membership and seek closer unity with their neighbours all the better,” he said, “they should have no veto over any actions of the group,” he said.
“Ealdurim are our enemies,” he said, “at least, they are slave-holders, but still, inviting their participation would ensure that they can be held in violation of our agreement if they sign, and provide an open motivation to correct their behaviour,” he said, “their sundry crimes should not directly exclude them. Besides which, I would like to see their ruling prince have to meet Lygngarma.”
“I see, so we should invite the Ealdurimites as well. And what of the other formerly isolated nations that have arisen from the shift?” The Mermaid asked with a concerned glance. “We know very little about them. As for the ones we know about but are cautious to invite, we must also wonder about the Cornerians. They are the former Empire that used to own the Dystians whom we determine would be friendly to our proposals.”
“I have no particular information on this,” he said, “we have a positive opinion of Dyste, but no particular settled opinion of their former overlords,” he said, “it is entirely within your gift to determine who to invite, but on this matter I cannot give any special insights beyond what you have there.”
“Perhaps the best way to handle it is an open invitation but allowing them only to sign to agree. Signatories will gain the privileges of a secondary offer presented at the Prosperity Council. Only if they agree with the presented options will they receive the privileges offered as benefits to members of the treaty.” Calisté said out loud to herself. My worry is for example if we invite them they will only agree to the benefits, but none of the responsibilities.” The mermaid pointed out as a potential problem.
“It’s very likely that’s what they’ll want to do,” Telissat said, “but that doesn’t mean we have to let them, the first thing in a convention is that we have to accept that we won’t be able to wholly control the process, even if you are chairing it, you can invite, but there’s nothing stopping them going and taking a guild-hall oath,” a reference to a famous episode in C’tani history, where a part of the Seroi parliament had walked out of a convention of parliament and sworn their own assembly into office across the street.
“I see. We can try our best to ensure that there is no difficulties in the Convention itself, IF we have a safe place where we can hold the talks. The question is, are the C’tani willing to hold services for the Spirean Security so that talks can be held in peace?” The Mermaid asked, with a worried glance. “You are one of the Great Nations we can trust with confidence.”
“We are,” he said, “well equipped to do that. Both the Nightspire and Isasrach are wholly C’tani ground, and with the resources to host such an event, or if you would rather host it in Crystal Spires, which is probably preferable, we can certainly provide security forces to augment your own, but in truth I do not think there will be many who would try to violently disrupt a conference held solely within Mystria,” he said, “believe it or not, Mystria is comparatively peaceful.”
“The reason for holding it in Mystria is because it is much more likely that the more hostile nations will believe they have the advantage and will come in peace and accept the invitation. If they see it as particularly a C’tani affair they will be cowed by C’tani power, and Luna is practically a Goddess in many people’s eyes. Isasrach is much like holding it in C’tan itself, and if there is a hostile person it is also a hospital, that might hurt the patients seeking refuge and healing. If we hold it anywhere else, it will also seem to validate unworthy fears that Crystal Spires is not itself a nation of its own accord. We are best if we decide to go with a specific place, and of this we ask that the C’tani also choose the City best to handle the Meeting. Will we meet in Eirvin, a Great city in the Submerged Lands? Will we meet in Caltris, The Capital of the Spires? Mephiste, the Origin of the Mythorian Northern Riders, or Merlon, the Cultural Center, or perhaps… maybe Glorelheim, the most humble of the choices, but one that could have much more revenue and attention that is deeply needed?”
“Wherever we go,” Telissat said, “if we sign a treaty there, many will call it by the name of the place of its signing, therefore I would suggest Glorelheim as well,” he said, “that way we may end up with the Treaty of Glory,” he said, with a small smile. “But,” he said, “more seriously, I think we would be well suited with the investment,” he gave a pause, “without tact, we would be facing an additional challenge with Eirvin,” he said, “many governments would be inclined to send a lesser representative simply because they lack the means to safely travel to Eirvin under their own power, as curious as they may be.”
“That is true, which is why I mentioned Glorelheim as well and all the other potential locations. I think it is the best choice as well, but I wanted to know how defensible you are willing to make it. Glorelheim is one of the smaller places among the cities we proposed. No doubt it will be a bit of a challenge, but we have known no time when C’tani have backed down from a challenge.” She smiled gently with a nod at one of the soldiers she had recognized, a former Expat who became a Citizen, and who braved all adverse circumstances to become a C’tani Citizen.
“We would have no problem with that,” he said, “it’s really as simple as posting a sign saying ‘don’t shoot each other,’ he said, “and in deference to spirean custom, a mana-dispersal,” the term mana was not one the C’tani used natively, but it flowed well in the local language as he spoke it, “amulet for everyone, with an alarm if you drop it.”
“Also reasonable. We will begin the preparations then. It is a good plan to head off with. Thank you for your input. We look forward to the defense of the C’tani security, and the building of the necessary ties with those we believe will accept the hand of friendship with the Spires. I would also be happy if you, too would join us in the talks? A neutral voice is a good one in the room. It would be a pleasure to welcome Ser Palanedhel, Regent of Altea, as well.”
“If there is one thing that the C’tani aren’t,” he said, “it is neutral,” he said, “we may have no skin in the game of regional histories,” he said, “but we have our goals in international relations, and we wish to see Crystal Spires return to its former influence,” he said, “for that reason alone,” he said, “I will go, I will also ask Palanedhel to bring speakers for some of the Altean Nationalist movements,” he said, “they will have much to say I am sure and the opportunity to appear on the world stage is something many crave.”
“I look forward to hearing what they have to say. I rarely hear what life is like for Alteans in Altea. Spireans are very ignorant in the livelihood and well-being of Alteans due to long-standing hatred between our two nations. It’s easy to see why, they did kill many beastlings and enslaved others. There’s a lot of work to be done in order to repair relations with the Alteans. I hope that that is something we can do with time and understanding. In the meantime I will prepare the invitations for each of the participants in the Convention. With luck and good moderation, I’m sure we’ll at least see some benefit to the Region at large.”
A Message from the High Council of D'hɑlbrisirRecipient(s): National Leader DBEncryption: Diplomatic- Level 2Sender(s): High Chancellor Calisté ChenarnSubject: Subject Operations
Esteemed Guests,
We of Crystal Spires formally invite you to the Pan-Mystrian International Convention for Glory and Prosperity. In order to ensure the prosperity of our Great Region of Mystria, we require full international cooperation, and it is with pride that we count ourselves as Mystrians seeking the prosperity of our people, and thus as fellow Mystrians we must do our part to ensure that our region become the strongest among all regions through mutual prosperity. Thus we invite you to this convention for the Glory of Mystria.
I have the honor to be your humble host,
Calisté began to send her message through the international network of Mystrian communiqués, but her work had only just begun. She looked at Telissat after filling out her messages and sending them.
“Ser Telissat, I have to say it is truly an honor to actually have this conversation with you, face to face. It is much easier than having to send out a message through proxies. And it goes without saying there’s a few things that I feel need to be demonstrated before we discuss how Security will be organized, but of course, I think perhaps showing you the venue may be called for, or are you too busy?” Calisté asked with a sweet smile as she set her notepad down.
The C’tani looked at her, and shook his head slightly, “I’m not busy, but I’m also not exactly an expert in this particular field,” he said, “I can tell you general feedback but I think it would be worth involving someone who actually knows how these things work better than I,” he said, “that is to say the magic side of the operation,” he said, “I can tell you all about physical security, but there is far more than that to be done I think.”
“I also would like to see whether you think the venue itself would be tasteful to present to the world as well. Let us not forget the notable preference of Spireans to remain above all, hospitable. There are many who will be coming that will oppose us on principle that we are non-human, that we are republicans, that we are communist, that we are supportive of a multicultural society, and that we wish to push forward a proposal of disarmament.” Caliste looked over at Telissat, “If it is one thing we can at least do, it is to make them feel as comfortable as they can without giving off the impression that we are going to be approaching these negotiations with hostility. This is why I suggested Glorelheim as well. It is many things, but above all, it’s a quiet place compared to all the other Spirean Cities, ever moving, and constantly involved. I wonder however if perhaps I’m making the wrong choice, and this is why I’m asking you. You are objective, and I am not.” Caliste pointed out an image upon the screen of her notepad, and it showed an image with an enormous water causeway that rolled like a water course and appeared to be inside a building.
“Not something I imagine others will be particularly used to, as well who knows if they enjoy the ambiance. I’d prefer to have a person who is more normal and comfortable for me to talk freely with. As for the person you believe is best suited to provide guidance on the security in the grounds, who do you have in mind?”
“I would seek a suitable committee of mages, particularly those trained in combat, as well as our own assassins,” he said, “there is no shortage of information out there on such things,” he said, “but, as to the ambiance, I am sure that it will be lovely, you will find that your people are generally better received than mine.”
Calisté’s smile vanished for a moment before returning to a placid expression. “Is that so? I imagine that the C’tani are better welcomed not just around here, but through many places they have been in Mystria. While I am not acquainted to the lives of the average Altean, there is still no question that they are better off in the regency than they have ever been in their lives. I have no doubt there would be many people who would welcome the C’tani with banner and festivities. It is no doubt this was the case when you arrived. Much the same for others. I can’t imagine why C’tani would think otherwise. Tell me, which places have given such poor reception that you appraise it this way?” Calisté asked with an arched brow.
“Many people have contempt for beastlings,” he said, “they fear us, or envy us, or both,” he said, “that is a far safer form of resentment, and no one molests us or seeks to bully us, but we are certainly treated with trepidation. That is why the alliance with Crystal Spires is so valuable to us,” he said, “your own skill as diplomatic power brokers provides many new opportunities for us,” he said, rising, “shall we go?”
“Of course, Telissat. Follow me, we will head to the High Council Building of Glorelheim through the use of Waystones. It’s secure and fairly unique, borrowed from reverse engineering Mysidian Technology. I think you will find it a fairly quick way to travel aside from using direct teleportation, as we know there are wards in place. Let’s head there.”
Calisté lead the C’tani man to one of the High Council Teleportation Stones that the people called the “Waystones”. She swam there herself going from the pools and taking one of the small canals in the building, gesturing for him to follow. The building was filled with hustle and bustle as the day was merely in it’s normal ‘closing time’ preparations and various birds of different colors and songs were perching in the atrium. The High Council Building was one of the few places that had opened its buildings to the outdoors and it was adorned with the plants and perfumed stone and wood to lure the birds in. Through the atrium-filled halls, and deeper into the High Council Chambers was a strangely dark stone. It stood next to a screen and was mounted and fastened to another dark stone that had various symbols on it. It was written in the language of the Spireans, and each symbol was turned until it said ‘aquan’ and then the screen declared various locations throughout the High Council Grid. The lovely mermaid let the tip of her finger touch the screen and marked off various codes and with a movement of her hand the screen said:
“Ser Telissat, I have to say it is truly an honor to actually have this conversation with you, face to face. It is much easier than having to send out a message through proxies. And it goes without saying there’s a few things that I feel need to be demonstrated before we discuss how Security will be organized, but of course, I think perhaps showing you the venue may be called for, or are you too busy?” Calisté asked with a sweet smile as she set her notepad down.
The C’tani looked at her, and shook his head slightly, “I’m not busy, but I’m also not exactly an expert in this particular field,” he said, “I can tell you general feedback but I think it would be worth involving someone who actually knows how these things work better than I,” he said, “that is to say the magic side of the operation,” he said, “I can tell you all about physical security, but there is far more than that to be done I think.”
“I also would like to see whether you think the venue itself would be tasteful to present to the world as well. Let us not forget the notable preference of Spireans to remain above all, hospitable. There are many who will be coming that will oppose us on principle that we are non-human, that we are republicans, that we are communist, that we are supportive of a multicultural society, and that we wish to push forward a proposal of disarmament.” Caliste looked over at Telissat, “If it is one thing we can at least do, it is to make them feel as comfortable as they can without giving off the impression that we are going to be approaching these negotiations with hostility. This is why I suggested Glorelheim as well. It is many things, but above all, it’s a quiet place compared to all the other Spirean Cities, ever moving, and constantly involved. I wonder however if perhaps I’m making the wrong choice, and this is why I’m asking you. You are objective, and I am not.” Caliste pointed out an image upon the screen of her notepad, and it showed an image with an enormous water causeway that rolled like a water course and appeared to be inside a building.
“Not something I imagine others will be particularly used to, as well who knows if they enjoy the ambiance. I’d prefer to have a person who is more normal and comfortable for me to talk freely with. As for the person you believe is best suited to provide guidance on the security in the grounds, who do you have in mind?”
“I would seek a suitable committee of mages, particularly those trained in combat, as well as our own assassins,” he said, “there is no shortage of information out there on such things,” he said, “but, as to the ambiance, I am sure that it will be lovely, you will find that your people are generally better received than mine.”
Calisté’s smile vanished for a moment before returning to a placid expression. “Is that so? I imagine that the C’tani are better welcomed not just around here, but through many places they have been in Mystria. While I am not acquainted to the lives of the average Altean, there is still no question that they are better off in the regency than they have ever been in their lives. I have no doubt there would be many people who would welcome the C’tani with banner and festivities. It is no doubt this was the case when you arrived. Much the same for others. I can’t imagine why C’tani would think otherwise. Tell me, which places have given such poor reception that you appraise it this way?” Calisté asked with an arched brow.
“Many people have contempt for beastlings,” he said, “they fear us, or envy us, or both,” he said, “that is a far safer form of resentment, and no one molests us or seeks to bully us, but we are certainly treated with trepidation. That is why the alliance with Crystal Spires is so valuable to us,” he said, “your own skill as diplomatic power brokers provides many new opportunities for us,” he said, rising, “shall we go?”
“Of course, Telissat. Follow me, we will head to the High Council Building of Glorelheim through the use of Waystones. It’s secure and fairly unique, borrowed from reverse engineering Mysidian Technology. I think you will find it a fairly quick way to travel aside from using direct teleportation, as we know there are wards in place. Let’s head there.”
Calisté lead the C’tani man to one of the High Council Teleportation Stones that the people called the “Waystones”. She swam there herself going from the pools and taking one of the small canals in the building, gesturing for him to follow. The building was filled with hustle and bustle as the day was merely in it’s normal ‘closing time’ preparations and various birds of different colors and songs were perching in the atrium. The High Council Building was one of the few places that had opened its buildings to the outdoors and it was adorned with the plants and perfumed stone and wood to lure the birds in. Through the atrium-filled halls, and deeper into the High Council Chambers was a strangely dark stone. It stood next to a screen and was mounted and fastened to another dark stone that had various symbols on it. It was written in the language of the Spireans, and each symbol was turned until it said ‘aquan’ and then the screen declared various locations throughout the High Council Grid. The lovely mermaid let the tip of her finger touch the screen and marked off various codes and with a movement of her hand the screen said:
You have selected the High Council Building of
Glorelheim
is this correct?
[Yes] No.
“Stand right there, and it will take us to the building we’re going to be preparing in Glorelheim.” She pointed to the Teleportation Circle that surrounded and included the area beside the Canal she was comfortably swimming in. It was made of the same strange dark stone the screen was mounted on. Once he stepped upon the platform, she would press the button, and the entire platform glowed with a bright shining white light with golden undertones and they formed a sigil beneath them
[Yes]
Please wait.
.
.
.
.
.
Authorization confirmed.
Now transporting you to the High Council Building of Glorelheim.The platform began to reveal sigils beneath the Mermaid and the Artificial Intelligence, and with a soft puffing sound that was clearly audible they appeared in an entirely different place. The sun was still in the same position in the sky, but instead of looking down long marbled hallways with huge voluminous ceilings with atriums filled with birds of various sizes they found themselves in a building that appeared like it was a giant indoor botanical garden adjunct to an enormous building that was made of reinforced steel, concrete and stone pulled into the most bewildering dome shapes. The building up ahead seemed to have pathways with enormous pools and rolling water courses that led to the main building.
The giant pools and water courses were designed with an enormous water garden with perfumed pink lotus flowers the size of a small cat that had a heady fragrance. While the water in the pools were shallower than the Caltrisian indoor canals, the pools of Glorelheim still had a very significant depth of water where the mermaid was simply sitting in comfort. She waited for Telissat to follow her to the deeper watercourse and through the main building which appeared to be like an enormous palace with tremendous domes that stood out from the various buildings around it. The domes looked like golden clouds rolling through the horizon and their approach was marked by people in traditional garments walking past, some chattering excitedly as Calisté and Telissat had passed by. The palace opened up similarly into an enormous main hall with five main entrances and a huge platform that rolled into a vestibule which brought itself up to the Solar and beyond the great hall were various conference rooms and offices, some of them were enormous libraries. They passed through a glassy open crossway, and through a courtyard as they entered the enormous diplomatic chamber that was fashioned like an enormous circular theater-like space with various bridges over the watercourses that the mermaid navigated through to reach her spot, another diplomatic desk raised, with a carefully made waterproof desk and pedestal.
“It’s a marvel to anyone who sees it, but even fewer would believe it was actually freely given to the Republic. Strange to imagine that so many people believe us to be thieves, but this palatial estate was donated by a very special man who gave up his title just to walk normally among his fellow citizens.” Calisté sat at the desk and motioned for Telissat to sit beside her. “There are many such stories, surprisingly enough.”
“I am aware of such things,” he said, “I do not think it need be a selling point, we will have many noble-derived states emissaries present,” he paused, “it is an atavistic thing, but we have found that the lure of inherited power is quite universal among beastling type organisms, somewhere between avarice for money and lust for sex,” he said, “the instinct to corrupt an institution and give it to your children is widespread. We should accept this fact and not seek to browbeat the emissaries on this point I think.”
“Indeed not, but it helps to remind people that we never made a point to harm nobles in the first place. This is a thing that seems to be going around. The notion that since we had a revolution that it was beyond the pale in violence or that we went forth to pillage and steal all of the things that belonged to another, ‘vae victus’ and so forth, none of those things were features of our people’s revolution and I think maybe, since so many states here are given to ideologies of Monarchism, we could assuage this point by demonstrating the falsehood of hostility implied here. While a few were exiled and even fewer were executed, there were far many more people who simply surrendered their titles and gave their holdings up until such a position was earned by working for the people.”
“This is not a productive area of discussion Calisté,” Telissat said, “I am well aware of the misinformation put about by the Monarchist party, I do not think re-hashing the Spirean revolution is particularly important for an international audience,” he said, “and a conference center would serve as well, though this is certainly a nice location,” he said, “most of our audience are going to be more interested in the buffet than the paranoid ravings of Snoghosian bloggers.”
“That is true, and the conference room is not as open space, it may echo if we do it here. So perhaps a less big room without the round open area. Maybe across the hall over there with the setup would do nicely. We do have a decent number of representatives coming. I don’t know who will accept our invitation, but this places us at almost 88 representatives alone. The conference room would give us a hundred and fifty seats, but nothing more. We wouldn’t have enough contingencies for any extra visitors. If we do open this hall and do it here instead it would be way more people allowed to come with the Representatives, but perhaps it should be a strictly closed meeting with only the representatives. Though many would hate to be bereft of their security guards which is where C’tani would come in.”
“This is where we would reassure them,” he said, “I am content to say that we have put a non-trivial amount of thought into how to make a conference safe,” the Necrontyr-seeming avatar said, “But in terms of bodyguards, I am not so worried,” he said, “the fact is that we can provide security forces to limit any practical delegation, anyone could,” he said, “but what we want to do is stop common assaults, for that we would suggest raising an overmantle, what you might also hear called a mythal, a temporary regional spell. I am told that we have one that consciously reflects back acts of violence on the perpetrator within a given zone,” he was actually talking through another of his hydra’s many heads to one of the mages involved in such craftings, “Given the high profile of the environment we would of course suggest that this be reduced to non-lethal effects. A trapdoor system would be also used, a technological device that englobes any large scale explosion or energy release and shunts it to another dimension,” he said, “We would also recommend peace-bond talismen that discloses anyone who draws a weapon or attempts to cast any spell within the area, with a visible and distinct aura, that would allow investigation to be carried out at once.”
“And a simple task many of those things would be, but the Mythal is something new to me. How does it work? Is it similar to a Paling broadcast spell?” Calisté asked.
“It is a freestanding magical field,” he said, “I’m not qualified to explain how it really works, it might be comparable,” he said, “it requires some effort from the mages creating it to lay down its parameters and anchor it in space and time correctly, but its continuation after that point is automatic, and it reacts to the,” he paused, “I suppose whatever it is mages have in place of symbolic logic, for events in real space.”
“You don’t do magic either?” Caliste asked. “I was born with a different sort of talent, I never quite had the ability to master magic the way my contemporaries have. I imagine that is another reason many people voted for me as they did. Between many magic mishaps and what happened with Tabril, there’s just been a lot of worry that Spires would never be led by a non-mage. I’m as Forntian as they come, but I’ve no magic to speak of. To me it’s a lot of fingerwaggling and talking without words or thinking that somehow manipulates aether.” She attempted the fingerwaggling but nothing came of it. “See? Not really good at it.”
“Most of my kind,” he said, “have no such talents,” he paused, “the kind of logic required to structure our minds at the speeds and range of function that we experience means that for most forms of magic we are no more capable of small scale focus than a cliff might be,” he paused, “of course some of your knowledge is useful there. But if there is one thing that the C’tani have that spireans do not in terms of magic, it is an archive of aggressive, cruel uses of magic, and ways of using it directly as a tool.”
“I have not heard of those kinds of things before. Can you tell me a little about what you know of your archive?” She tilted her head, not sure what he was referring to.
“In this case,” he said, “the behavioural recursion spell they would use is one that was modified from a weapon of mass destruction, a spell that could blanket an area with violence almost at random,” he said, “we have had a long rivalry with mages, you have doubtless heard of such.”
“I have heard of the rivalry between C’tani and the Great Old Ones, a wizardly race of lizard gods or so I have heard. There’s much more to it than that of course as there has also been rivalry by the once called Imperium of Man and a few other demonic factions. Some I know of, others not. I know that there are some that essentially are creatures that feed on emotions. Dark Magic, that is.” Calisté shuddered. “I have also heard of other beastlings who were once human, but mutated and taken into the cult of violence and slaughter, but there’s very little I know of the exact enmity between C’tani and the use of magic in general. It was initially when I saw what happen during Maven Auryn’s reign that I had the idea that C’tani once had a very troubled history with Mages, am I correct?”
“There’s not really a general proscription, and the Great Civilization is inclusive enough that there are peoples with no such history or peoples who have always been theurgistic or dedicated arcanists,” he paused, “but I don’t think it is worth recounting the necrontyr’s history with such things either,” he said, “We have no single opinion, which is the way we are on a great many topics after all.”
“No people are monolithic, Ser Telissat. I’m sure there’s still a few things most C’tani agree on, for example the belief that the state should be defended, and that those who swear to defend it should be the ones making the decisions. That’s already at least one thing most C’tani agree about, unless people become citizens and revoke that decision after the test is said and done. Is the oath of citizenship binding or do C’tani change their minds?” Calisté asked, not sure if there were still citizens who decided to vegetate in the lotus eater machines.
“I’m not sure why you ask,” he said, “it is very difficult to remove citizenship, but naturally most are committed,” he paused, “it is not I think the most pertinent question as I can assure you there will be no one present fitting that description,” he said, “but attitude to magic is a topic where opinions are most divided,” he said, “still, this we can do, and we can do well. In the worst case scenario we will likely have Pariahs and other resources on hand. If we truly get someone egregious we can always teleport them into the sun. But really I don’t think such extremes would be required. Rest assured it will be run competently.”
“I have heard many powerful and strong mages will come, but I trust the Necrons and the C’tani in this matter perhaps especially because I know strong mages and strong fighters will come. All around Mystria there are still warrior and explorer Kings. Many of the Countries of Mystria still have very powerful people in powerful positions. Maven Auryn was a soldier and a battlemage, and me? I’m an ordinary person. A politician who’s good at what she does, but just a person. I suppose that’s why I was hoping you’d accept my request, and I’m very glad you did. Hardly anyone knows what to expect with this meeting, and I don’t know how much cooperation we will be expecting given that potentially hostile nations are having a seat at the negotiating table, but at least we’re up for discussions at all.” Calisté pointed out. “That is already a large bonus in our favor.” Calisté showed Telissat to the conference room across the hall, much like the enormous botanical garden the building was easy to see through and gave a phenomenal view of the lakes in the distance and the eddies that reflected the color of the sunset. “It should be more than enough to give us enough room for people to set up the negotiations, and hopefully just talk.”
Calisté turned to Telissat. “Do you think these will be more fruitful discussions… than the ones preceding the bombing of Lynnberg and Lothar?”
“I believe that we are obsessing on the security issues here, we have many issues to propose, but, Comrade Chenarn,” he said, “tell me more of what you want specifically from this enterprise. What can I do for you, diplomatically?”
“We can try and get the issues that both align with C’tani and Spirean interests, namely building up a circle of alliances that build on our strengths and guard the weaknesses of our respective peoples. There’s no doubt in my mind that there are many of those we could certainly sway to build an entire region also allied with both Spirean and C’tani interests in mind. But that goes without saying that if we change minds and get them to see things as C’tan and Spires does, perhaps that’s all the pressure they need in order to build up a large coalition to ensure that all of us prosper and no region outside ours threatens us. It is for that reason we must be careful about the approach. Some will come to us making demands, others will simply listen and not abide, but those who do abide, will build pressure against those who won’t. We can get agitators to become peacemakers simply out of the need to unite against a common enemy, which we know will come from the outside rather than from within, and if they come from within, we should not be surprised by it.”
“I am not sure that we should consider talk of enemies so swiftly,” Telissat said, “we have enough enemies already, but I will defer to your judgement in these matters,” he said, “we have little that we think is an essential outcome here, it will be worthwhile if we get people to talk to one another,” he said, “that is all that we would ask.”
“The High Treefolk have aggressed against us, and are our enemies. The Elves of Ealdurim have broken their truce with us, which means they too are looking to act in aggression towards us. The various parties we know too little of… we can’t be sure they will or will not be approaching this meeting with no lead in their mind and murder in their hearts. Does Ser Telissat believe that this is not a certainty?”
“They are already our enemies, but they are not of consequence to most of the region,” he said, “but they are hostile to the Spires, I would of course favour removing the Treefolken from the invitation list,” he said, “but that is my own prejudices,” he said, “and, Comrade, please.”
Calisté smiled, brilliance rising from her eyes, it was a gesture of real friendship. She was looking for this call, as it was something that Spireans truly believed marked a person who was a trustworthy person. She nodded and sighed in relief.
“Given that they have previously attempted to murder as many of our people as they could, it is something I favor as well. While there is a benefit to opening the door to communication, I think perhaps it is too soon for the Spirean people. There is likely to be derision or unrest should the Gathering Step forth upon Spirean soil and not be punished for their horrendous injustices. I think it would be better to ensure this goes well by trying to avoid giving them a platform to build alliances.”
“And do you think it is a benefit to invite various claimants of Altean lands or the claimants to Altea’s throne? Will it be disrespectful to Regent Palanedhel to invite them?”
“They would only be there in the role of observers,” he said, “the likes of the Golden Lion Front are not invited, and of course are not going to be travelling openly,” he said, “the others, we are fine with, we have our designs for Altea, as you know, and giving the various nations of Altea’s Confederacy some exposure is something we both agree on.”
“Indeed, this is true, but the question is should we invite Inquisitor Tor Again, and well… the Carcenese. I haven’t even recalled to add them in, as they have been in isolation ever since the conflict between them and us and the treatment of magi, and we haven’t heard from Ameli in a while.” The Spirean looked grimly at the C’tani, “Did anything happen to her? I recall she was a pony and ponies are intrinsically tied to magic, so we were concerned that she might have met an ill fate at the hands of the anti-mage factions in Carceno. It’s because of that that I have not yet appended the leader of Carceno in.”
“Carceno is not an issue,” he said, “she was a shifter as well but I believe she is well, though she was a little close to my predecessor to have any real contact with me,” he paused, “I would not invite the Carcenese, they will not come. As to Tor Again, he is a wanted criminal who has committed crimes against Cantalvia, and the region of Altea he is from is not being considered for self-rule in the near future,” which given that it had already had it was rather damning, “I would see no particular benefit in bringing either of them, and Palanedhel can represent any interests of the people of the ‘Flame Country.’”
“Very well, but it would be interesting if we could have Tor come and be taken by the C’tani to send him to Cantalvia to stand trial for the train incident. The use of chemical weapons against civilians is unforgivable, all the more reason we intend to define illegal weapons in the first place for Mystrians. To use such a weapon against innocent people is barbarism.”
“Who else is on your shit-list, Comrade?” Telissat asked.
“Heh, what a long list that would be, Comrade Telissat.” She smirked with a turn of her gaze to him and she laughed as they shared another bit of tea and playful gossip. What they spoke about, only they would know.
The giant pools and water courses were designed with an enormous water garden with perfumed pink lotus flowers the size of a small cat that had a heady fragrance. While the water in the pools were shallower than the Caltrisian indoor canals, the pools of Glorelheim still had a very significant depth of water where the mermaid was simply sitting in comfort. She waited for Telissat to follow her to the deeper watercourse and through the main building which appeared to be like an enormous palace with tremendous domes that stood out from the various buildings around it. The domes looked like golden clouds rolling through the horizon and their approach was marked by people in traditional garments walking past, some chattering excitedly as Calisté and Telissat had passed by. The palace opened up similarly into an enormous main hall with five main entrances and a huge platform that rolled into a vestibule which brought itself up to the Solar and beyond the great hall were various conference rooms and offices, some of them were enormous libraries. They passed through a glassy open crossway, and through a courtyard as they entered the enormous diplomatic chamber that was fashioned like an enormous circular theater-like space with various bridges over the watercourses that the mermaid navigated through to reach her spot, another diplomatic desk raised, with a carefully made waterproof desk and pedestal.
“It’s a marvel to anyone who sees it, but even fewer would believe it was actually freely given to the Republic. Strange to imagine that so many people believe us to be thieves, but this palatial estate was donated by a very special man who gave up his title just to walk normally among his fellow citizens.” Calisté sat at the desk and motioned for Telissat to sit beside her. “There are many such stories, surprisingly enough.”
“I am aware of such things,” he said, “I do not think it need be a selling point, we will have many noble-derived states emissaries present,” he paused, “it is an atavistic thing, but we have found that the lure of inherited power is quite universal among beastling type organisms, somewhere between avarice for money and lust for sex,” he said, “the instinct to corrupt an institution and give it to your children is widespread. We should accept this fact and not seek to browbeat the emissaries on this point I think.”
“Indeed not, but it helps to remind people that we never made a point to harm nobles in the first place. This is a thing that seems to be going around. The notion that since we had a revolution that it was beyond the pale in violence or that we went forth to pillage and steal all of the things that belonged to another, ‘vae victus’ and so forth, none of those things were features of our people’s revolution and I think maybe, since so many states here are given to ideologies of Monarchism, we could assuage this point by demonstrating the falsehood of hostility implied here. While a few were exiled and even fewer were executed, there were far many more people who simply surrendered their titles and gave their holdings up until such a position was earned by working for the people.”
“This is not a productive area of discussion Calisté,” Telissat said, “I am well aware of the misinformation put about by the Monarchist party, I do not think re-hashing the Spirean revolution is particularly important for an international audience,” he said, “and a conference center would serve as well, though this is certainly a nice location,” he said, “most of our audience are going to be more interested in the buffet than the paranoid ravings of Snoghosian bloggers.”
“That is true, and the conference room is not as open space, it may echo if we do it here. So perhaps a less big room without the round open area. Maybe across the hall over there with the setup would do nicely. We do have a decent number of representatives coming. I don’t know who will accept our invitation, but this places us at almost 88 representatives alone. The conference room would give us a hundred and fifty seats, but nothing more. We wouldn’t have enough contingencies for any extra visitors. If we do open this hall and do it here instead it would be way more people allowed to come with the Representatives, but perhaps it should be a strictly closed meeting with only the representatives. Though many would hate to be bereft of their security guards which is where C’tani would come in.”
“This is where we would reassure them,” he said, “I am content to say that we have put a non-trivial amount of thought into how to make a conference safe,” the Necrontyr-seeming avatar said, “But in terms of bodyguards, I am not so worried,” he said, “the fact is that we can provide security forces to limit any practical delegation, anyone could,” he said, “but what we want to do is stop common assaults, for that we would suggest raising an overmantle, what you might also hear called a mythal, a temporary regional spell. I am told that we have one that consciously reflects back acts of violence on the perpetrator within a given zone,” he was actually talking through another of his hydra’s many heads to one of the mages involved in such craftings, “Given the high profile of the environment we would of course suggest that this be reduced to non-lethal effects. A trapdoor system would be also used, a technological device that englobes any large scale explosion or energy release and shunts it to another dimension,” he said, “We would also recommend peace-bond talismen that discloses anyone who draws a weapon or attempts to cast any spell within the area, with a visible and distinct aura, that would allow investigation to be carried out at once.”
“And a simple task many of those things would be, but the Mythal is something new to me. How does it work? Is it similar to a Paling broadcast spell?” Calisté asked.
“It is a freestanding magical field,” he said, “I’m not qualified to explain how it really works, it might be comparable,” he said, “it requires some effort from the mages creating it to lay down its parameters and anchor it in space and time correctly, but its continuation after that point is automatic, and it reacts to the,” he paused, “I suppose whatever it is mages have in place of symbolic logic, for events in real space.”
“You don’t do magic either?” Caliste asked. “I was born with a different sort of talent, I never quite had the ability to master magic the way my contemporaries have. I imagine that is another reason many people voted for me as they did. Between many magic mishaps and what happened with Tabril, there’s just been a lot of worry that Spires would never be led by a non-mage. I’m as Forntian as they come, but I’ve no magic to speak of. To me it’s a lot of fingerwaggling and talking without words or thinking that somehow manipulates aether.” She attempted the fingerwaggling but nothing came of it. “See? Not really good at it.”
“Most of my kind,” he said, “have no such talents,” he paused, “the kind of logic required to structure our minds at the speeds and range of function that we experience means that for most forms of magic we are no more capable of small scale focus than a cliff might be,” he paused, “of course some of your knowledge is useful there. But if there is one thing that the C’tani have that spireans do not in terms of magic, it is an archive of aggressive, cruel uses of magic, and ways of using it directly as a tool.”
“I have not heard of those kinds of things before. Can you tell me a little about what you know of your archive?” She tilted her head, not sure what he was referring to.
“In this case,” he said, “the behavioural recursion spell they would use is one that was modified from a weapon of mass destruction, a spell that could blanket an area with violence almost at random,” he said, “we have had a long rivalry with mages, you have doubtless heard of such.”
“I have heard of the rivalry between C’tani and the Great Old Ones, a wizardly race of lizard gods or so I have heard. There’s much more to it than that of course as there has also been rivalry by the once called Imperium of Man and a few other demonic factions. Some I know of, others not. I know that there are some that essentially are creatures that feed on emotions. Dark Magic, that is.” Calisté shuddered. “I have also heard of other beastlings who were once human, but mutated and taken into the cult of violence and slaughter, but there’s very little I know of the exact enmity between C’tani and the use of magic in general. It was initially when I saw what happen during Maven Auryn’s reign that I had the idea that C’tani once had a very troubled history with Mages, am I correct?”
“There’s not really a general proscription, and the Great Civilization is inclusive enough that there are peoples with no such history or peoples who have always been theurgistic or dedicated arcanists,” he paused, “but I don’t think it is worth recounting the necrontyr’s history with such things either,” he said, “We have no single opinion, which is the way we are on a great many topics after all.”
“No people are monolithic, Ser Telissat. I’m sure there’s still a few things most C’tani agree on, for example the belief that the state should be defended, and that those who swear to defend it should be the ones making the decisions. That’s already at least one thing most C’tani agree about, unless people become citizens and revoke that decision after the test is said and done. Is the oath of citizenship binding or do C’tani change their minds?” Calisté asked, not sure if there were still citizens who decided to vegetate in the lotus eater machines.
“I’m not sure why you ask,” he said, “it is very difficult to remove citizenship, but naturally most are committed,” he paused, “it is not I think the most pertinent question as I can assure you there will be no one present fitting that description,” he said, “but attitude to magic is a topic where opinions are most divided,” he said, “still, this we can do, and we can do well. In the worst case scenario we will likely have Pariahs and other resources on hand. If we truly get someone egregious we can always teleport them into the sun. But really I don’t think such extremes would be required. Rest assured it will be run competently.”
“I have heard many powerful and strong mages will come, but I trust the Necrons and the C’tani in this matter perhaps especially because I know strong mages and strong fighters will come. All around Mystria there are still warrior and explorer Kings. Many of the Countries of Mystria still have very powerful people in powerful positions. Maven Auryn was a soldier and a battlemage, and me? I’m an ordinary person. A politician who’s good at what she does, but just a person. I suppose that’s why I was hoping you’d accept my request, and I’m very glad you did. Hardly anyone knows what to expect with this meeting, and I don’t know how much cooperation we will be expecting given that potentially hostile nations are having a seat at the negotiating table, but at least we’re up for discussions at all.” Calisté pointed out. “That is already a large bonus in our favor.” Calisté showed Telissat to the conference room across the hall, much like the enormous botanical garden the building was easy to see through and gave a phenomenal view of the lakes in the distance and the eddies that reflected the color of the sunset. “It should be more than enough to give us enough room for people to set up the negotiations, and hopefully just talk.”
Calisté turned to Telissat. “Do you think these will be more fruitful discussions… than the ones preceding the bombing of Lynnberg and Lothar?”
“I believe that we are obsessing on the security issues here, we have many issues to propose, but, Comrade Chenarn,” he said, “tell me more of what you want specifically from this enterprise. What can I do for you, diplomatically?”
“We can try and get the issues that both align with C’tani and Spirean interests, namely building up a circle of alliances that build on our strengths and guard the weaknesses of our respective peoples. There’s no doubt in my mind that there are many of those we could certainly sway to build an entire region also allied with both Spirean and C’tani interests in mind. But that goes without saying that if we change minds and get them to see things as C’tan and Spires does, perhaps that’s all the pressure they need in order to build up a large coalition to ensure that all of us prosper and no region outside ours threatens us. It is for that reason we must be careful about the approach. Some will come to us making demands, others will simply listen and not abide, but those who do abide, will build pressure against those who won’t. We can get agitators to become peacemakers simply out of the need to unite against a common enemy, which we know will come from the outside rather than from within, and if they come from within, we should not be surprised by it.”
“I am not sure that we should consider talk of enemies so swiftly,” Telissat said, “we have enough enemies already, but I will defer to your judgement in these matters,” he said, “we have little that we think is an essential outcome here, it will be worthwhile if we get people to talk to one another,” he said, “that is all that we would ask.”
“The High Treefolk have aggressed against us, and are our enemies. The Elves of Ealdurim have broken their truce with us, which means they too are looking to act in aggression towards us. The various parties we know too little of… we can’t be sure they will or will not be approaching this meeting with no lead in their mind and murder in their hearts. Does Ser Telissat believe that this is not a certainty?”
“They are already our enemies, but they are not of consequence to most of the region,” he said, “but they are hostile to the Spires, I would of course favour removing the Treefolken from the invitation list,” he said, “but that is my own prejudices,” he said, “and, Comrade, please.”
Calisté smiled, brilliance rising from her eyes, it was a gesture of real friendship. She was looking for this call, as it was something that Spireans truly believed marked a person who was a trustworthy person. She nodded and sighed in relief.
“Given that they have previously attempted to murder as many of our people as they could, it is something I favor as well. While there is a benefit to opening the door to communication, I think perhaps it is too soon for the Spirean people. There is likely to be derision or unrest should the Gathering Step forth upon Spirean soil and not be punished for their horrendous injustices. I think it would be better to ensure this goes well by trying to avoid giving them a platform to build alliances.”
Minister Nimrie Idwan
Chosen Ayliah Mercine
“And do you think it is a benefit to invite various claimants of Altean lands or the claimants to Altea’s throne? Will it be disrespectful to Regent Palanedhel to invite them?”
“They would only be there in the role of observers,” he said, “the likes of the Golden Lion Front are not invited, and of course are not going to be travelling openly,” he said, “the others, we are fine with, we have our designs for Altea, as you know, and giving the various nations of Altea’s Confederacy some exposure is something we both agree on.”
“Indeed, this is true, but the question is should we invite Inquisitor Tor Again, and well… the Carcenese. I haven’t even recalled to add them in, as they have been in isolation ever since the conflict between them and us and the treatment of magi, and we haven’t heard from Ameli in a while.” The Spirean looked grimly at the C’tani, “Did anything happen to her? I recall she was a pony and ponies are intrinsically tied to magic, so we were concerned that she might have met an ill fate at the hands of the anti-mage factions in Carceno. It’s because of that that I have not yet appended the leader of Carceno in.”
“Carceno is not an issue,” he said, “she was a shifter as well but I believe she is well, though she was a little close to my predecessor to have any real contact with me,” he paused, “I would not invite the Carcenese, they will not come. As to Tor Again, he is a wanted criminal who has committed crimes against Cantalvia, and the region of Altea he is from is not being considered for self-rule in the near future,” which given that it had already had it was rather damning, “I would see no particular benefit in bringing either of them, and Palanedhel can represent any interests of the people of the ‘Flame Country.’”
“Very well, but it would be interesting if we could have Tor come and be taken by the C’tani to send him to Cantalvia to stand trial for the train incident. The use of chemical weapons against civilians is unforgivable, all the more reason we intend to define illegal weapons in the first place for Mystrians. To use such a weapon against innocent people is barbarism.”
Inquisitor Tor Again
“Who else is on your shit-list, Comrade?” Telissat asked.
“Heh, what a long list that would be, Comrade Telissat.” She smirked with a turn of her gaze to him and she laughed as they shared another bit of tea and playful gossip. What they spoke about, only they would know.
