Letter for the Legate offices, the Eagle's Mount, Jamileh Attar, Niamh Amoinn.

[Poolson]

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.)

[Faith Is My Shield]

To:

Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim
Jamileh attar
Apothar Zol Nur
Nadiri Eva Keter
Niamh Amoinn

Firstly, thank you Scribe Amani for drafting document. I have forwarded it to the Scribes office for further consideration along with my own notes and feedback.

To the rest of you, I wholeheartedly agree with Scribe Amani that your presence during the Vice Chancellor's visit would be positive and welcomed. Please make whatever preparations you deem necessary.

With the Mother's Mercy,
Legate Faith Kruehtzer

P.S. No illicit narcotics should be included in your preparations.

[Providence]

We not going to do anything to reduce their desire or request for refugee labor, walls or not.

We have broken promises and ties with enough settlements.

ZNA

[SN]

From:
Jamileh Attar
Ibram's Fine Leathers and Cobbler, Attic.
corner of Qadira street / market square
(temporary correspondence address)


---

To:
Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim
Faith kruehtzer
Apothar Zol Nur
Nadiri Eva Keter
Niamh Amoinn


---

Hello,

I trust my letter finds you well.

I have absolutely no idea where the 'Objective" and the "Why" came from and whether or not this is a hallucination or some other inane making imaginary problems where they did not exist.

To my understanding the one thing we have in overabundance is actual Labor.

And just to be clear - what we have promised Tlonsiyya pre-Scalding, was 85,000 dinar (paid), and workforce - refugees who are willing and understanding of the conditions they would be working in. No conscription. No forced labor. Nothing of the sort. Free men, and women, willing to take a short at a hard life instead of rotting away in the squalor of the Stockade doing nothing.
To my knowledge, but it has been a very long time, after we shook on the deal, a checque was issued, and - unless I hallucinated it, some refugees actually picked up the opportunity and moved to Tlonsiyya. On the actual numbers, I am uncertain.

I am potentially maybe interested to help and facilitate the meeting, Pakas Oruko, Me'raz and Raonn are good chums - but at the same time, not only are the objectives of these negotiations pretty much vague and unclear to me, it also feels like I am having different conversations with Legate Vellyn and Evarielle compared to this string that spawned, and finally - I have no governmental power, so there is nothing I am authorized from legal and governmental standpoint to agree on - unlike the time where we struck our first deal, when I was actually working with an official governmental capacity.

Finally, are we actually treating them as friends, as they? The very tone and premise set out at the beginning of the draft indicates otherwise. If it wasn't for Tlonsiyyan support during the Scalding, we'd have lost hundreds, or thousands of souls. And who knows about the outcome of the war.

Regards,
Jamileh Attar

---

[Faith Is My Shield]

To:
Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim
Jamileh Attar
Apothar Zol Nur
Nadiri Eva Keter
Niamh Amoinn

Jamileh raises a good point: do we have any data on how many refugees whom camped at our walls moved onto Tlonsiyya since the agreement was made? Scribe Amani, when Raonn Otannuk arrived, did he make specific mention of labourers sent or unsent?

Jamileh, once things are cleared up to your satisfaction, I would invite you to partake in diplomatic discussions with Tlonsiyya on our behalf. It is clear enough you have excellent rapport with them. I suspect Legate Lhyrian would agree. We can discuss the details of such later on in person should you wish and are willing to consider the proposition.

With the Mother's Mercy,
Legate Faith Kruehtzer

[SN]

From:
Jamileh Attar
Ibram's Fine Leathers and Cobbler, Attic.
corner of Qadira street / market square
(temporary correspondence address)


---

To:
Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim
Faith kKruehtzer
Apothar Zol Nur
Nadiri Eva Keter
Niamh Amoinn


---

Hello,

I trust my letter finds you well.

I am looking forward to the proposition.

As for data, I am uncertain. I think, as always, we should work with the worst case scenario assumption that nobody went.

Furthermore, I think it's imperative to make sure we remain friends with Tlonsiyya, as we are sorely lacking in that regard. It is no secret that they are also involved in trade with Qa'im, so pissing them off is going to add them to the long list of city-states that already want to spit in our faces.

As for further negotiations/aims:
- I do not believe we lack manpower for building the district, it's one thing we have in abundance of, as I already written
- I recommend Buster Grimes to represent the (potential) workers for the District to ensure they are treated fairly, paid well, et cetera. Labor Law.
- We require baublium to expand the Shade's operations to the new district (Zol Nur, can you provide the actual numbers, the Mount was supposed to discuss this several weeks ago)
- I will reiterate, as people must understand this before they decide to go: Life as a Delver in the Arteries is harsh and dangerous - but VC Pakas Oruko indicate providing the workers with: coin, lodging, food - and most importantly, opportunity.
- If we are to actually have negotiations, I need to understand the framework of what I am working with in terms of: Quarry Stone, Well Water, Dinar, as those are the only commodities we can actually offer.


Regards,
Jamileh Attar

---

[Providence]

We require 20000 baublium units to begin with, in installments.

Also, Legate, please consider creation of an official Diplomat position. Jamileh eminently suitable. Vellyn will approve.

ZNA

[Faith Is My Shield]

To Previous Recipients,

Something is already in progress.

With the Mother's Mercy,
Legate Faith Kruehtzer

[Faith Is My Shield]

To Previous Recipients,

Legate Lhyrian and myself have decided that Jamileh Attar shall be officially recognized with diplomatic authority in regards to Tlonsiyya, to advise us on the matter and to negotiate on our behalf should we not be present. The Scribes of the Sublime Garden have been given written orders to acknowledge this.

With the Mother's Mercy,
Legate Faith Kruehtzer

[Poolson]

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.

---
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.

[SN]

From:
Jamileh Attar
Ibram's Fine Leathers and Cobbler, Attic.
corner of Qadira street / market square
(temporary correspondence address)


---

To:
Scribe Amani al-Ibrahim
Faith Kruehtzer
Apothar Zol Nur
Nadiri Eva Keter
Niamh Amoinn


---

Hello,

I trust my letter finds you well.


@1 - Is this another City-State that Ephia's Well intending to betray as per tradition?

@2 - Historical correction: the Stonefolk of Ephia's Well Tablet have been originally Stonefolk of Baz'eel, and Orentes the Second has invited them to come here, and has gifted them the Ephia's Well Tablet, which originally belonged to their ancestors. And in return, they have labored for him.

As for 'not immediately paying the promise' - it's been nearly a year.

We have already paid, or set aside, 500,000 dinar according to my knowledge for the construction of the district. It's there.

On top of that, Gohari Industries have already sank in 1,500,000 dinar for the foundations of it and the construction of it (whether I like it or not is another story, but this is the reality we live in thanks to Ballstain and Argyris).

There are more hands and people sitting and rotting away than we could possibly need, and those hands need work, which both the new district, Tlonsiyya, and rebuilding of Arslan offers. An opportunity, a paid job, a home.

Don't create problems where there aren't any.

Regards,
Jamileh Attar

---

[Poolson]

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.

[Faith Is My Shield]

To Previous Recipients,

Jamileh,

1) No.

2a) The confusion as to whether or not Tlonsiyya has or has not already received what was originally agreed to is, most likely, what the Vice Chancellor intends to address in his upcoming visit. Your excellent rapport with Tlonsiyya is why Legate Lhyrian and myself have given you diplomatic authority to help us navigate that upcoming conversation.

2b) As Scribe al-Ibrahim mentioned, the information regarding the New District was presented by Scribe Samantha Ashbury. It is safe to presume she has done her due diligence in her assessment.

With the Mother's Mercy,
Legate Faith Kruehtzer