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Description

In general terms the Escort War died with a whimper. After Valnothron gave it's official bid for peace, it's fleets were ordered to avoid contact with Infrastructural ships for the time being and were re-diverted against the High Elves. As the other three states involved followed they did the same. There were several attacks on infrastructural cargo ships at this time due to communications problems, but things were never the less winding down. Talnara ti'Valcas was confident that the admiralty could handle matters and concerned herself more with the diplomatic side of things. While this war needed to end having the four states form a unified front would bolster their bargaining position, with said treaty being hammered out in Valnothron. All four states agreed on that implicitly and most of what they were talking about were matters related to specifics and fine details on where to stand firm and what to give in on. She'd expected most of them to have the same general desires and her predictions were correct and things had been going smoothly. Most agreed to go with her initial draft in the broad strokes with only a few adjustments in general priorities with a couple of minor power plays that she could comfortably delegate to subordinates to sort out and would not loose sleep over loosing. The process was tedious, but most of the requisite signatures had been obtained and one specific proviso of her contrivance had been preserved in the depths of the document.

She was never the less surprised when she was met with Lady Nilsim ti'Mahrciteth of Hansoliath after she'd been confronted by the issue. The conversation started with some comments on minor issues in which a few rather clumsy maneuvers had been thwarted before it let to the question.

"...there are plenty of opportunities in this day and age for those willing to jump on them. Which brings me to something."

"What is it?"

"Well I noticed that in the treaty's list of trade partners was a place called 'Fidelium', but I can't seem to recall the locale. Have you uncovered anything of note?"

Talnara had considered this possibility and had formulated two responses. Since Nilsim was a more reliable partner in that neck of the woods and one who'd understand the need for discretion she'd decided to indulge her. "Something to that effect. I was planning on revealing more on the subject soon enough on behalf of my government, but I could satisfy your personal curiosity, with a promise that this stays in our confidence of course."

"Then you have it."

"Very well. Meet me in my office after dinner."

A few hours latter the two had met again in her citadel office and after a few pleasantries and the signing of a waiver Talnara produced a package of reports and a few maps "This should give you a sufficient outline of Fidelium and our relations with that state. "

Nilsim began leaf through these, which included sailors reports, manifests of men and chattel, legal documents and a couple of maps. "Well...that was certainly audacious. I can't believe you managed to get your council to back this scheme."

"The basic idea had been floating around the council for decades as a possible avenue into the continent, the disaster at Daagsgrad is what got it pushed through. Some investment in our part helped it sail through."

"It's still a High Risk venture given that you are treading on the Southern Continent and risking the wrath of the Raptors ."

"We've considered the issue." Talnara said "Sufficed to say they have their own politics, a crippling obsession with precedent and technicalities which is on our side. Their bans against us do not apply to our ex chattel or hirelings. Being trade partners helps of course."

"Really though, a trade partnership with a camp aspiring to be a shanty town home to less than a thousand ex-slaves and common sellswords?"

"Think of it as investing in a loss leader and the more invested in it the more secure it is."

"And what if they send a squadron of skyships to burn the settlement to the ground?"

"A few hundred humans burn, even the best investor makes the wrong call now and again. But if it takes we'll have a counterbalance in place."

"Do the Coldlanders know?"

"I doubt it. It's nearly eight hundred miles to the south as the dragon flies. Not that secrecy on that front needs to last beyond the final pen stroke."

Nilsim shuffled through the papers. "Huh. Your emancipated rabble found iron ore in the region."

"There's also a fair number of natives in that region that could be reaped."

Lady Mahrciteth gave a slight grin. "If this scheme works, I would like to see my house in on the ground floor."

From the beginning...

Previous-Infrastructure, part Two Hundred and Eight Three
Next-Infrastructure, Part Two Hundred and Eighty Five

Description

In general terms the Escort War died with a whimper. After Valnothron gave it's official bid for peace, it's fleets were ordered to avoid contact with Infrastructural ships for the time being and were re-diverted against the High Elves. As the other three states involved followed they did the same. There were several attacks on infrastructural cargo ships at this time due to communications problems, but things were never the less winding down. Talnara ti'Valcas was confident that the admiralty could handle matters and concerned herself more with the diplomatic side of things. While this war needed to end having the four states form a unified front would bolster their bargaining position, with said treaty being hammered out in Valnothron. All four states agreed on that implicitly and most of what they were talking about were matters related to specifics and fine details on where to stand firm and what to give in on. She'd expected most of them to have the same general desires and her predictions were correct and things had been going smoothly. Most agreed to go with her initial draft in the broad strokes with only a few adjustments in general priorities with a couple of minor power plays that she could comfortably delegate to subordinates to sort out and would not loose sleep over loosing. The process was tedious, but most of the requisite signatures had been obtained and one specific proviso of her contrivance had been preserved in the depths of the document.

She was never the less surprised when she was met with Lady Nilsim ti'Mahrciteth of Hansoliath after she'd been confronted by the issue. The conversation started with some comments on minor issues in which a few rather clumsy maneuvers had been thwarted before it let to the question.

"...there are plenty of opportunities in this day and age for those willing to jump on them. Which brings me to something."

"What is it?"

"Well I noticed that in the treaty's list of trade partners was a place called 'Fidelium', but I can't seem to recall the locale. Have you uncovered anything of note?"

Talnara had considered this possibility and had formulated two responses. Since Nilsim was a more reliable partner in that neck of the woods and one who'd understand the need for discretion she'd decided to indulge her. "Something to that effect. I was planning on revealing more on the subject soon enough on behalf of my government, but I could satisfy your personal curiosity, with a promise that this stays in our confidence of course."

"Then you have it."

"Very well. Meet me in my office after dinner."

A few hours latter the two had met again in her citadel office and after a few pleasantries and the signing of a waiver Talnara produced a package of reports and a few maps "This should give you a sufficient outline of Fidelium and our relations with that state. "

Nilsim began leaf through these, which included sailors reports, manifests of men and chattel, legal documents and a couple of maps. "Well...that was certainly audacious. I can't believe you managed to get your council to back this scheme."

"The basic idea had been floating around the council for decades as a possible avenue into the continent, the disaster at Daagsgrad is what got it pushed through. Some investment in our part helped it sail through."

"It's still a High Risk venture given that you are treading on the Southern Continent and risking the wrath of the Raptors ."

"We've considered the issue." Talnara said "Sufficed to say they have their own politics, a crippling obsession with precedent and technicalities which is on our side. Their bans against us do not apply to our ex chattel or hirelings. Being trade partners helps of course."

"Really though, a trade partnership with a camp aspiring to be a shanty town home to less than a thousand ex-slaves and common sellswords?"

"Think of it as investing in a loss leader and the more invested in it the more secure it is."

"And what if they send a squadron of skyships to burn the settlement to the ground?"

"A few hundred humans burn, even the best investor makes the wrong call now and again. But if it takes we'll have a counterbalance in place."

"Do the Coldlanders know?"

"I doubt it. It's nearly eight hundred miles to the south as the dragon flies. Not that secrecy on that front needs to last beyond the final pen stroke."

Nilsim shuffled through the papers. "Huh. Your emancipated rabble found iron ore in the region."

"There's also a fair number of natives in that region that could be reaped."

Lady Mahrciteth gave a slight grin. "If this scheme works, I would like to see my house in on the ground floor."

From the beginning...

Previous-Infrastructure, part Two Hundred and Eight Three
Next-Infrastructure, Part Two Hundred and Eighty Five