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Dear Jamileh,

I certainly hope not. Betrayal is worse than bitter honesty and Ephia's Well has been doing too much betrayal.

I am not the deciding factor, I am an advisor, thus I am advising that it is ill-advised to create inroads with a city state, when all it takes is another election and the next administration to turn hostile against the city state we have made inroads with. With anti-Gohari rhetoric at a extreme, it is a concern that we should prepare for, should the election take a turn for the worst, sooner or later. In this way, we do not whimsically turn upon those whom we have made promises with. We maintain relationships that are professional and at arm's length.

It has been a year. Tlonsiyya is due. They have come to collect the bill, just as the Legates mean to begin work on the district. You can see the conflict of interest. Thus, the necessity of attempting to find some middle-ground: upholding our promises, while keeping our honor in tact, and fulfilling our political agendas at the same time.

Provided we do not manage this agreement with Tlonsiyya, we have two matters of recourse:

1) Allow deeper Gohari investment. It is said that they are likely to pay much more for its construction, if they are involved in the process.

2) Delay construction until after Tlonsiyya is paid and the workers have returned.

The decision I leave to the Legates and their chosen delegation.

The "problem" as it were, was created after Samantha Ashbury's concerns over costs. She has the quotes of labor costs and is currently the Scribe overlooking the accounts for the district. If she did not think it was worth the worry, I would not feel the worry, either.

You can leave further inquiry at the Palatial Pyramid.
Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim.

Included parties,

I beg a thousand pardons for the silence. Much has occurred. This city does not seem to sleep.

I have read over the questions submitted to the Scribe Offices. Allow me to answer forthwith.

Concerns, questions or dismissals can be forwarded to the Palatial Pyramid. I am merely advising.

Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim.

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1) A city with frequent change of rulers has interests, not friends. While our relationship with Tlonsiyya is good and we intend to fulfill our obligations to them, we are creating a ruinous situation, if we create policy and treat with them as if they will always be our friends, only for the anti-industrial rhetoric to reach the seats of the Legates and turn their ire on Tlonsiyya, an industrious civilization.

2) We have labor, it is true. The problem is cost. Some will cost more than others. Demand is decreased when abundance is high, this will keep labor costs where we require them to stay on budget. It is said the Orentid nearly bankrupted themselves by commissioning the Stonefolk of the Tablet to raise their walls, that we now live in, so it is important that we do not give them all of the leverage to negotiate the trade, as well as the refugees that would be working with them. We have a fixed budget of 500,000. More will need to be raised if we break this budget, which leads to another problem.

High taxes creates irritation with the voting base. A Legate that runs on austerity will run a short term. You will need to convince the voting public of the necessity of this district, and create rhetoric to oppose the rhetoric that is aimed at you.

This is why we intend to uphold our promise, but create a situation where we do not immediately have to pay this promise.

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Legates, included persons therein:

As instructed, the document that contains the details and suggestions for the Vice Chancellor, and how to proceed with his arrival, is penned out. This is for the Legates to edit or discard as you see fit.

For any further editions, or suggestions, pen Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim.

-Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim
Office of the Scribes of the Sublime Garden.

Subject: The Vice Chancellor of Tlonsiyya.

Objective: Convince him to lax the time of our obligations in manpower.

Why: We need labor to build the new district. Sending these workers to Tlonsiyya will require us to hire more workers and go over-budget (of which it is 500,000 dinari).

Details about the Vice Chancellor:

- He enjoys his excesses. It is said his personal ship is like a pleasure barge. He smokes frequently, he is bulbous from frequent feasting.

- It is said he used to love tormenting Deputy Chief Scribe Bashir. He is a bully, who exacts humor from someone small and good-natured being given reason to panic.

- His diplomat Raonn was most displeased when he was not greeted with ceremony and pomp. Both he and the Vice Chancellor seem to share an affinity for spectacle and praise.

- They are crass. Raonn swears as the Qadiran sailors do. Elegant words will not sway them.

Strategy:

- Greet The Vice Chancellor with music and rose petals. We will bring a palanquin to carry him and the Legates. (Hire bards from the Krak de Roses.)

- Treat him to mizzar or other narcotics on the travel. Treat him to Well water, when he thirsts. Fan him with palm fronds, for a man of this much mass will not enjoy suffering before the sun. (Ask Themis if he can acquire mizzar for cheaper than Elossi's.)

- Treat him to dinner, host him somewhere that is not the Palatial Pyramid (La Casa Manta is a good suggestion.). The rest of the delegation will meet the Legates and the Vice Chancellor.

- Ease into the subject of our dues, and affirm that we are fulfilling them. Provide a date that will not conflict with our needs.


Diplomatic Attache:

- Jamileh Attar (Jamileh has a history with the Tlonsiyyans, and was the original signator of the agreement for the war. Jamileh is crass, it is easy for her to translate our interests into barroom rambling).

- Apothar Zol Nur & Nadiri Eva Keter (They also seem to know the Tlonsiyyan diplomat, and spent time in the Vice Chancellor's company as they pestered DCS Bashir for fun.)

- Niamh Amoinn (She is as pure as freshly fallen snow and is perfect for the role of a jester, for him to pester).

- The Legates.

- Chef Ritz Orton or Talhah al-Qasi (Chefs that will cook the feast that satisfies the Vice Chancellor.)

Greet the dawn.

I am Amani al-Ibrahim, a participant of the Gold League. I want to serve Ephia's Well in more than just the political process. I am looking for employment.

You can send a letter to Eel Avenue in the Souk of Salt and Spice, flat number 6.

- Amani al-Ibrahim.

The immortal, the fabled, the well-beloved Bashir.

I never thought the day would come. Moreso, I'm genuinely shocked that you pumped so much life into the Scribes.

Take a victory lap, royal.

Rise with the dawn, Gold League.

I am Amani and I have come to join you. There was ideas I had hoped to share for Legate Vellyn's re-election campaign but the room had become much too loud. I will be forwarding this to Legate Vellyn for her consideration.

In the meantime, I require 3,000 dinars to pay for my Voice, if I am to vote in this election. This is a service, not a debt, my want for cooperation is eager but it is conditional.

Strategy that was agreed upon should be expressed to me and soon.

- Amani al-Ibrahim

I think it's alright as a goldsink, though it might be cozier to drop to somewhere around 7k, to match the similar wind-up time of a martial that isn't joining a faction. It is worth the big price, given that you'll be using it until you die.


For example: If you're rolling an independent martial that's buying full-plate, that's 5,600 (2,600 base, 1,000 aspect, 1,500 save, 500 +2 skill). Big price, but long lifespan. A relic is like that, but, more powerful spells.

! BUYING !

Objects marked with the aspectral mark of the Clueless Fist.

Offers should be sent to Jaculus Amulius at the Krak des Roses.

What: Give Halberd, Short Spear & Long Spear the reach more reach than a greatsword & falchion.

Why?: A polearm should reach further than a greatsword. I also like using weapon reach to shore up formation chokes. I think Dire Mace is 2.8 by default, for whatever reason?

Pondering the infinite mysteries of the /orb/.

I appreciated just how snippy and sassy Arymathras was.

Hello Cogsworth.

I know what I want to do with my Banded Mail. I have included an example I prepared.

Will you prepare a hauberk that looks like this, to wear over my armor?

Tell me how much this will cost. I will begin saving money for a new helmet that looks better for this armor, after that.

Gulgrea.

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My son... my short, kilt-wearing, axe-wielding son...

Props to keeping the Duunthal going after Durgin passed, and adding your own thing onto it, instead of just holding up a legacy. He was dwarf-supreme.

Oh shit, I almost missed this!

Yeah, Nela was a real one to kick it with. I adored her. I appreciate you, big chief, for sticking with her to the end.

The fucking mad chemist who introduced the silly putty that made the orcs freak the fuck out on the frontline, lmao. Operation: Fireball Palace owed as much of its success to Mirielle's supplies and the Sisters' goodies as it did to Robert Angleston having some Random Bullshit :tm: ready to roll when he needed it on quickdraw.

Godspeed, you crazy diamond.

[Starsundered,]

Name: Katya Belyaeva
Deity: The Fount
Alignment: True Neutral
Level: 10 (Fighter, Executioner)
Final Orc killcount during the war: 9,027 (number would be higher, if they counted orc deaths in Bet Nappahi. Closer to 10,000.)

You're invited to share your own pictures, so many of my pictures got lost!
----

Katya was a fun gimmick. I made her to:

1) Help people quest when they got caught in a death spiral.

2) Try Good in a way that didn't require putting boots to asses, crusader style.


Originally an Arelith and Cormyr/Dalelands character where I just fucked around with Improved Whirlwind for funsies, Katya was a want to play a character that interacted with characters of dubious morality and probe them philosophically, if they could defend what they were doing with reasoning. Sometimes I had some pretty good answers out of people.

Katya was born in Ring 238, the Painted Plains. Much like how The King bestowed The King's Commons his royal banner that could conjure miracles for those who won it in combat, their ring was given a brush that would, quite literally, paint their reality, and switch hands, each time the previous artist passed, competing against one another. Niece and apprentice to the great Kapitan Vasiliv Belyaeva, Breaker of Rings, a ringrunner-turned-conquistador, who used his unorthodox style of mass combat and their unique sorcery - pictomancy - to amass fortunes, be they taken from the hands of beast or man.

When the Nothing came, Vasiliv's legend of being a brutal conqueror was betrayed by one unexpected act of selflessness, rallying the survivors of Ring 238 for their flight in-ring, helping them navigate the puzzles and challenges to obtain the keys and allow them to pass through. This rare act of heroism, for a man who let violence destroy him, greed consume him and anger control him, inspired Katya to believe that all men can change their stars, that it was never too late to try again.

Katya was more of a redeemer, who believed that the world was doomed to evil, that she was no-one's hero, but she could perhaps change someone's life for the better before they made a mistake they could not take back. Realistically, this goal went nowhere, but sometimes she could convince Angelique to not do something batshit insane, so, it was all the proof she needed to keep trying.

Her efforts lead her to the company of those who would one day grow to be great and mighty, and create much doubt to where her loyalties lie, but it created an insight where she could both rationalize and even navigate the world perspectives that made these infamous people work, and influence the decisions they made. In this, she could interact with La Banda Rossa as something of a friend, rather than an employer and employee, and even brought her before the graces of the iconic Legate Argent Argryis and his cabal of schemers.

Though the world might have thought of her as a fence-sitter, she knew what she was aiming for, and such efforts bore fruit, small and subtle in the ways they were.

Her time in the Balladeers of the Lost Hearth was evolutionary to her being, for she dared not to just accept the world as it was, but to see the world as it could be, and dare greatly, knowing the risks she took. Under the tutorage of Aeronwy Caddick, she learned this dare from her firebrand of a master, and even the want to take initiative, taking roles of leadership as they formed, creating efforts of her own and amplifying what was already there. A tumultuous time, but one that was expected.

Art students are contractually obligated to be messy bitches.

So it was, that when promoted to Balladeer, she happened upon a host of recruits, the Thorncrest brothers, Quincy, Lyrei, Elrin, Kyria and Nisve. Their ambition and want was similar to her own, and when brought before the face of Iakmes' war, she despaired that they would march to war without ever gaining the chance to mold the future that they were to inherit.

She would dare greater, just for them, that they might be spared the reaper's touch.

She leaves behind a student of her own, Nisve, she who held the foundation of her philosophy Kist' Khudozhnika, and the beginning foundation of her martial art. She shall be worthy for the future to be decided after Bet Nappahi.

Some screenshots:

Her sword. Originally called The Longest Dirk, she treated it with contempt, as she would for all things that are built only to destroy. She came to lament that name, once she understood it to be a living, feeling thing, and lamented more that she shaped it to be a weapon of war. Still, it forgave her and offered her its protection - she always hoped to be worthy of its forgiveness.

A new name was added to it.

Starsundered, The Longest Dirk.

Alongside that, was her helmet. A kind gift by Aeronwy, given emphasis with magic that she had collected come the winter solstice. It was a humble thing, but it was symbolic, representing the kind of people she hoped to serve the most. A Sallet that became the Stewpot.

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That was most precious:

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The Balladeers of the Lost Hearth was a home when home ceased to exist, and Zina's Emporium was a hub to colorful people that were the light in Katya's life, especially when there were times when the world seemed especially dark. Nigel, Cort, Selwyn, Manta, Ritz and Zina were fast friends, and their antics are immortal, even as the Emporium enters new hands.

But there was more that she cared for, and that list spanned longer than just Mokonnen, or Jamileh, or Gideon, or Garen.

She cared greatly of those who were entrenched in a dark world, for their betterment was not some laurel of glory that she wore, but a genuine link of empathy, where she saw the person beneath the demeanor that the world had come to know them by, from Mirielle's rise to Condottiero, to the Bad Company of La Banda Rossa, ranging from Angelique, Emilia, Rigas, Artabastes, Kazadun and more.

They were worth the hardship. Every last one.

Some other shenanigans, in no particular order:

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And some sick shots of Operation: Fireball Palace (courtesy of Atticus), handed off to her by Arnock Reyer, assisted with Aurelio d'Lyon, they braved blazing sands to remove Iron Titan production from Bet Nappahi, before the last push. A harrowing undertaking, that was pulled through by the skin of their teeth. (thanks for hosting this, Bearic)

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This path, I've walked before, what new adventures lie in store?