[TWAD] The Council of Inveran

[Wensleydale]

[ic=The Machta]The old man hisses. "Not so old yet, youngling. Why, I may have been killing Kuregnites when you were not even a look in your mother's eye, but I still have men aplenty.

Still. I am willing to submit to Mavda's authority. For now."[/ic]

[Polycarp]

A Mandrian guard enters the council chambers again.

[ic=The Guard]
My Lords, the Lords of the League of Freemen and of Celend have arrived, as well as representatives from Nargaq and Andos.[/ic]

Mavda nodded and turned to the lords of the Invernessi at the table with him.

[ic=Mavda]Shall I let them enter, or do you wish to discuss this further between yourselves?  Who has control over this city is not my decision to make, but I will not do it without the approval of this council, to keep blood from being spilled.[/ic]

Mavda looked expectantly - and perhaps a bit wearily - between the two of them.

[Stargate525]

[ic=Lindus]Let them in, so we can get this moronic issue done with. And Mavda, please consider my words.[/ic]

[Polycarp]

[ic=Mavda]Very well.[/ic]

The delegates enter, each announced in turn, to take their place at the table.  The last to enter are five gray-cloaked men in black, cube-shaped felt hats - Archons of Celend.  Dressed simply, the only mark of finery among them is a silver amulet worn by the Grand Archon, who smiles thinly and speaks to the council in a soft voice.

[ic=Orman]We are most pleased to meet you, honored dignitaries, in person.  Let us see swiftly to the matters of hand.[/ic]

[amikaligula]

Spear-Mistress Torchavyn seats herself at Chronicler Atrusthva's left and Hychordo at his right, followed by Machavain.  Torchavyn and Atrusthva seem to have called a temporary truce and are even exchanging whispered observations with one another, strangely enough.  The Andosens attempt to keep a respectable and unobtrusive air about them, Atrusthva's attempts far surpassing those of the three warriors.  Still, it is obvious that the seating is not to their likings or specifications.

[Stargate525]

[ic=Lindus]Grand Archon, there is a matter of some issue before we begin the actual agreements. The Machta claims soverignty in this land, despite my presence. Mavda, in a wish not to offend, has deferred until you arrived. Tell him, please, to call down his troops so that mine might assume command of the proceedings.[/ic]

[Polycarp]

[ic=Orman]Our purpose here is peace - and peace, as you all should know, will not be achieved if we exile the Dragonlord from his father's capital.  There will never be a lasting accord if this happens.  It is the unwavering stance of the Archons that Inveran must go to the Lord of Inveran, Lindus.

We would not object to some other territorial concession to the Machta-In, perhaps one of the yet uninhabited islands of the Inverness, or some portion thereof.  We must insist, however, that the integrity of Inveran under its proper rulers be maintained.[/ic]

One of the Archons whispered something in Orman's ear, and he nodded.

[ic=Orman]My colleague reminds me that it may be useful, especially to we of the south, if all are provided with proper names of the isles of the Inverness so we know what we are discussing.  No good can come from uncertainty.[/ic]

[Stargate525]

Lindus motions a man over, obviously a soldier, and says to him,
[ic]Go at once and relieve the Mavda's men a the palace and in the city. You know the rules. Also...[/ic]Lindus whispers something further before dismissing him.

Turning to Orman, Lindus says
[ic]The Proper name of Inveran's Isles is Inveran, naturally. If you wish to know the specific name of an isle, ask me about it, as there are far to many to simply list.

As for ceding land to the Machta, that is out of the question. All of our isles have villages upon them, and we currently need all the land that we can get. Am I to be making concessions to the one who betrayed my father?[/ic]

[Wensleydale]

[ic=The Machta]The old man snorts. "If we so wished, Lindus the 'wise', we could seize them in a moment. It is only due to the Great One's request that we have come to discuss this peacefully. We would settle for another island - I have no particular desire to rule over all of Inveran, but our purpose in fighting Inveran was to clip its overspread wings, and allowing them to go on as if nothing has happened with no concessions whatsoever to the victors seems... unlikely."

He rubs his beardless chin momentarily.[/ic]

[snakefing]

Arriving inconspicuously along with the fleet of Celend is a modest Celenite trader carrying a trade delegation from Kashtu. Upon making land, the delegates disembark with obvious relief.

There are four of them, dressed in simple, heavy desert robes that look ludicrously out of place. One, bearing a religious emblem around his neck, seems to be the spokesman; the other three (two men and a woman) each bear a bundle of selected trade goods. They do not seek entrance to the council, but rather spend their time meeting with merchants and lower-level functionaries as possible.

In their bundles, the merchants have brought an eclectic sample of all the wares Kashtu has to offer - hides and leather, dyes and pigments, distilled and fermented spirits, oils and incense. Having little experience of the folk of these lands, they have simply chosen to bring samples of everything they might conceivably trade.

[amikaligula]

Outside the council:
The seven Ryvalnya remain aloof and retain their guard outside the council.  The other six Andosens not in the council have taken to wandering around the city in two groups of three.

Within the council:
Chronicler Atrusthva whispers something into Spear-Mistress Torchavyn's ear, producing a chuckle from her.  The mirth never reaches her eyes, however, and she continues to regard the room with hard, glaring eyes.  Atrusthva, on the other hand, has almost found a confortable sitting position for himself, or is at least pretending so, and has put on a relaxed posture and facial expression.  Anyone who pays any attention to him may note that he is weighing and calculating each word out of everyone's mouth, however.

[Stargate525]

[ic=Lindus]And if you were victors, then you have a rightful claim. However, Inveran refuses to count your cowardly backstabbing as a victory, and I tell you again that Inveran land is not on the bargaining table.

'Clip our wings' indeed. Does it mean nothing to you that you destroyed our entire military, half of our men of childrearing age? If anything, it is Otahvy and the Machta that should be making reparations to us for the utter havok caused by their attack.[/ic]

[Jharviss]

King Rodonso enters and takes his seat.  He looks at everyone for a brief amount of time -- just long enough for them to realize he's looking at them -- and then plays with his beard for a moment.  Finally, he interjects.

[ic=King Rodonso of Otahvy]Excuse me, but my brother and our fleet are waiting outside of port, and I was wondering what are to be done with the Mandrian Inverans now, or has something changed.  Mavda?[/ic]

[Wensleydale]

[ic=The Machta]The man snorts. "If you were stupid enough to let this happen to you, it is your own fault, childling. Kuregn's Despot has sent me a private letter telling me of his support for my claim to the Inverness. It is a pity he has not appeared here today, hmm?"

He hrms for a moment. "We will accept two islands, not including this one, as reparations for our losses in the battle. If Inveran's land is not on the table, then perhaps you are a ruler who does not listen to his people. I doubt your smallfolk think so well of your leaders' recent rulership. Perhaps they would prefer the hand of a Southman, with true blood in his veins, yes?"[/ic]

[Stargate525]

Lindus looks to Rodonso, visibly glad for the distraction, however short.

[ic=Lindus]Mavda, and his followers, are free to go. We hold none of them as prisoners, though we do hope to convince some to remain. They, as far as I know, will leave with you at the conclusion of the council and festivities.[/ic] Lindus looks to Mavda momentarily for confirmation, then adresses the Machta.

[ic=Lindus]Explain to me, Aged One, how a governor of an Inveran colony is in any way responsible for the actions of the reigning Dragonlord, please. You murdered the man responsible for any ill we may have done you, but I still fail to see how marrying into your royal line can be seen as anything but an ill-advised watering of the Dragonlord's line with cowardly and imbecilic blood.

Secondly, Kuregn's Despot, or more properly Despotessa, cannot even walk, let alone write. Get your story straight before fabricating tales.

And if we are to give you two islands, they will be the two smallest, our people shall be allowed to relocate, and you will construct and support fleet equal to the one we lost, reparations for the destruction of ours.[/ic]