A Proclamation from the Assembly

[Wyrd]

A Proclamation by The Hunters Assembly is posted to Edana, Ameresh, Tilverton and the gates of Burz'kal.

Dezines of Regisfall, take heed!

We have enjoyed peaceful times and we have seen the fruits they bear. The advances in the arcane sciences and arts. In shipwright! I've a mind to enjoy such times a while longer, says I!

To ensure such smooth sailing remains, the cost is remaining vigilant to external threats who try to disrupt the peace and pervert order. To live in a civilized world means to embrace the fact we must fight for its values, if needed. Because there are those who would rather live in perpetual rage and turmoil.

Not my case! I much prefer a world of commerce, free trade and diplomacy. One of the Assembly's many feats pertain to a Treaty regarding the Southlands - the Darmshall Treaty, which was signed by Mercadia and Karagard both, with the Assembly as mediator.

In this civilized era we're building, there is no room for acts of vile towards our neighbors. If a group makes a mistake, they ought to live with it or try to negotiate or make amends. It would appear the Burz'kal Clan made the mistake of allowing their lands to go abandoned, uncared for. It is known to happen. But unclaimed land is just that - up for the taking. And it so happens two of those unclaimed territories were claimed yesterday. Namely the Southern Quarry, by the Library of Tilverton, and the Darmshall Lumbermill, by the Hunters Assembly.

Burz'kal retaliated today by directly attacking the Quarry. This cannot stand; not in this world. Diplomacy exists for a reason, says I! And I imagine the fate of the Lumbermill won't be much different. So, all this considered, I've a proclamation to make:

1) Let it be known that the Hunters Assembly does not condone unecessary violence when a peaceful negotiation wasn't even attempted;

2) Let it be known the Hunters Assembly will not stand by when a fellow human organisation is unjustly bullied. No matter what mixed opinions their headmaster may have garnered, it is undeniable that Tilverton thrives since the arrivel of the Library, and the tilvans with it;

3) Burz'kal is still welcome to reach out to negotiate the loss of the nodes. It is widely known a diplomatic meeting can be called in Darmshall at any time;

4) Burz'kal has 24h to return the Southern Quarry to the Library, or face sanctions and repercussions from their supporters;

5) Any further action in bad faith from Burz'kal will result in a declaration of war.

I'd also like to mention: the document with the Darmshall Treaty was returned to me. The spit from Vor'thul's mouth stained the page. It appears Burz'kal was not content with the presence of Assembly's members in the defense of the Library's assets. To that, I say: it's been months since that treaty was discussed. You lot chose not to sign it. Surely you cannot expect now to be treated as a signatary and then get mad when you weren't.

This is Burz'kal's chance to show the world they can change and is ready, as a nation, for this era. It is a garden of plenty for all.

So says I,

Guildmaster Boris Dyatlov

[Rafe]

Elion had read the proclamation more than once before finally setting it upon his desk. His expression remained composed, but the increasingly impatient tapping of one finger against the wood betrayed what his face did not. Too many graves were still fresh for threats of another war to be treated lightly, particularly over a quarry and a lumbermill.

He had already seen to Arandor before taking up his quill. The wards were raised, the city secured, and those charged with its defense alerted. Only then did Elion sit down to answer, pausing for a long moment over the blank parchment before beginning to write.

---

Copies have also been sent to the office of Cedric Warren

Guildmaster Dyatlov,

I have received and read your proclamation.

I share your preference for commerce, diplomacy, and peaceful relations between the peoples of Regisfall. I also agree that such things require vigilance. Peace does not maintain itself simply because reasonable people would prefer it.

However, portions of your proclamation give me cause for concern.

You state that the Southern Quarry and Darmshall Lumbermill were unclaimed because Burz'kal had allowed those lands to go abandoned and uncared for.

By whose determination were they unclaimed?

Land does not necessarily cease to belong to a people because they are not presently quarrying its stone, cutting its timber, or maintaining a permanent presence upon it. If Burz'kal had previously abandoned all claim to these territories, then the matter is considerably simpler. If they had not, then occupying them and afterward demanding negotiation over their loss is a rather different matter.

I therefore find it difficult to condemn Burz'kal for failing to pursue diplomacy before I know whether they offered diplomacy before making these claims.

If we are to insist that Burz'kal settle disputes through negotiation rather than force, then we must be willing to hold ourselves to precisely the same standard. Civilization cannot mean that we negotiate when others contest our claims but need not negotiate before making them.

Likewise, I would distinguish between the Darmshall Treaty and the present territorial dispute. If Burz'kal declined to become a signatory, then they cannot reasonably demand privileges afforded by that treaty.

But declining to sign a treaty is not, by itself, a surrender of every territorial claim touching upon the lands concerned by it.

More than any question of treaty or territory, however, I would remind everyone involved of something far more recent.

We have already seen what Magnus wrought upon Regisfall.

Whatever grievance, injury, madness, or circumstance finally drove that man beyond the edge matters little to those who buried the dead. Arandor still mourns those we lost. I suspect there are many in Mercadia who do the same. There are families for whom that conflict is not history, but an empty place at the table.

I have little appetite to see new names added to those lists over a quarry and a lumbermill.

That does not mean aggression should be ignored. Nor does it mean Burz'kal should be excused if they have chosen violence where peaceful remedy was genuinely available to them.

It means only that those who have so recently witnessed the consequences of war should be exceedingly cautious about threatening another.

In light of these events, I have raised Arandor's wards and seen to the security of the city.

This should not be mistaken for the closing of our borders.

Those who come peacefully may still enter Arandor through the northern gate or arrive by sea. The pass likewise remains open for trade and passage. Merchants, travelers, and others with peaceful business should not bear the cost of a dispute which is not their own.

Nor should these precautions be mistaken for a declaration in favor of one party or another. They are precisely what they appear to be: precautions.

My first responsibility has always been, and remains, to my own people.

I will not wait until another conflict reaches Arandor's gates before taking reasonable measures to protect them.

At the same time, if Burz'kal, the Hunters Assembly, the Library of Tilverton, or other concerned parties desire mediation, I am willing to offer it. Arandor need not choose a side in order to provide a table, and perhaps a table is what is needed most at present.

Before ultimatums expire, sanctions are imposed, or declarations of war are contemplated, I believe several questions deserve answers.

What claim did Burz'kal previously maintain over these territories?

When and by what means was that claim determined to have lapsed?

Was Burz'kal approached before either territory was occupied?

What precisely occurred at the Southern Quarry?

And what does Burz'kal now ask for?

If their answer is simply violence, then they will have answered for themselves.

If their answer is negotiation, however, then we should be exceedingly reluctant to answer that opportunity with war.

You have said that diplomacy exists for a reason.

On that much, Guildmaster, we are entirely agreed.

Arandor remains open to peaceful travelers, open to trade, and open to words spoken in good faith.

But she will also be watched, warded, and defended.

The dead have taught us enough lessons lately.

Let us have the wisdom not to require another.

Elion Miradove
Magistrate of Arandor

[Wyrd]

A letter returns to Arandor, addressed to the Magistrate. It's formality is not customary of Boris at all.

Most esteemed magistrate Elion Miradove, my friend,

I will be brief.

I only sent you a copy of my proclamation as a courtesy, to keep Arandor informed of what transpires out of the East. I did not request counsel nor advice, though your clear good intentions are appreciated all the same.

Yes, I'm well aware of what the former Lord Commander has wrought upon this land. But to live in the past is not the way of humans.

As for your question: yes, if someone abandons all influence over a territory, they have forfeited their right to it. This is the definition of property. No negotiation needed to be issued - the Quarry and the Lumbermill were abandoned, who would we write to? I am not paid to defend the interests of Burz'kal, to be reminding them of a duty which is theirs only. I entirely disagree we should have reached out to negotiate abandoned property.

All said and done, we acknowledge Arandor's stance on this matter. Thank you for your letter.

Signed,

Boris Dyatlov

[Safranum]

A simple note is delivered to the Assembly's guildhouse. A copy is discreetly sent to Arandor, where it is addressed to the Magistrate.

4th Duskrun, 16992
To the Reeve Boris Dyatlov,

In the interest of preserving the formal alliance between the Kingdom of Mercadia and the Hunters Assembly, the Council reaffirms its duty of mutual protection regarding holdings under the control of both parties. Should the orcs of Burz'kal move against the Mill near Darmshall, the Kingdom will arrive in its defense, as our alliance demands.

That stated, the Council holds reservations regarding further escalation as concerns the Library. Put in plain terms: the Library is no party to which the Kingdom of Mercadia owes diplomatic duty. Further, the Warchief of Burz'kal has made known that any alignment with the interests of the Library and the Assembly threatens the safety of Mercadians both abroad and within our own countryside. I am no stranger to skirmish with the orcs of Burz'kal, nor do I shy from it where it is warranted, but my foremost obligation remains the shielding of our people from needless bloodshed.

It has therefore been determined that this matter is best resolved in person, regarding both the obligations the Kingdom owes the Assembly and how they bear upon what develops south of Ameresh. The Council's official position remains, for the present, pending further information. To ensure support, you will meet with myself and the Lady Commander, Thalia Valemont, at your earliest convenience.

Councilman Warren

From the Councilman's Office,
Market Square, Edana.

[Fin]

Fin sat in his office, his torso bent over the black oak table, eyes fixed on a short stack of correspondence. The ink was barely dry on the declaration of war from the Orc of Burz’Kal and the proclamation penned by Boris Dyatlov, Guildmaster of the Hunters Assembly.

“Things are moving quickly,” he murmured, the words escaping with a sigh. He leaned back, the chair creaking under his weight, when a sharp knock broke the silence. Another letter slid through the doorway, delivered with haste.

Fin closed the heavy oak door, its latch echoing like a punctuation mark. He stepped back, tore the seal, and read only a few lines before his breath caught.

“Oh, thank the gods,” he whispered, the tension in his shoulders easing as the candlelight flickered across his face.

He sank once more into his chair, reached for a fresh sheet of parchment, and began to write.

To the Council of Mercadia,
Councilman Cedric Warren
Court Mage Larissa Aylomeinne
Reeve Boris Dyatlov

I hope this missive finds you well. I am writing the council today after a brief skirmish occurred in the Southern Quarry near the Consortium stronghold.

Let me first provide the order of events as I understand them. Late in the night on the 3rd of Duskrun, it came to our attention that the Southern Quarry had been abandoned. As you know, the Consortium once ruled Tilverton. I made the difficult decision to step in to prevent Tilverton's former masters from gaining this valuable boon. While the Library does not formally administer the free port, we are best positioned to do so. It is our home and our actions benefit the people of Tilverton.

Mid-day on the 4th of Duskrun, it was signaled that a challenge on this important location was underway. Scrambling to discover the cause, a hurriedly assembled band from Tilverton and Mercadia found that a band of Orc from Burz'Kal had been the culprits, now returning to their once-abdicated Quarry. A struggle ensued, and the Orc managed to dispatch the party from Tilverton.

Let me state simply that the Library seeks only to defend itself from a potential resurgence of the Consortium and preserve the freedom of Tilverton. However, in so doing, our actions have provoked Burz'Kal. I hope to seek your assistance in mediating a peaceful resolution.

I am formally requesting diplomatic assistance with the Burz'Kal Clan on behalf of Tilverton and all humans who live south of Ameresh. I am requesting a meeting to discuss potential avenues for peace. I believe peace is possible if Mercadia stands with Tilverton.

On behalf of the people of Tilverton,

Fin Myastin
Headmaster of the Library

[Safranum]

A letter finds its way to the Library, sealed with the soft blue of Mercadian wax.

6th Duskrun, 16992
To Fin Myastin, Headmaster of the Library,

The Council has received your request for Mercadian assistance in matters of diplomacy, made on behalf of Tilverton and all humans living south of Ameresh.

The Council does not, at this time, pass judgment on the merits of the Quarry's seizure, nor on the conduct that provoked it. That is not the matter before us. What the Council does recognize is that violence has followed, and that violence left unchecked will spread - and it is in the interest of curbing that spread, and that alone, that this reply is written.

That being said, and as it bears acknowledgement in relation to these events: your status in Mercadia remains one of criminality. That status was borne of a deliberate affront to the sacred cycle of life and death itself, and proceedings on that matter, initiated before Reeve Dyatlov, remain unresolved. I do not raise this as a rod with which to strike you, but neither would I have you receive this letter under the pretense that it is otherwise.

To the substance of your request: the Kingdom of Mercadia is not a party to whatever arrangement, formal or otherwise, governs the Library's administration of Tilverton. No treaty binds this Council to your defense, and it will not be represented to Burz'kal, nor to any other party, that such a treaty exists. Any future Mercadian action, should any occur, shall not be characterized as having been taken on the Library's behalf.

I have already made known to War Shaman Vor'thul that Mercadian interest in this matter extends only to the defense of Assembly worksites, under an existing and formal alliance. That line has not moved, and this letter does not move it.

Peace, however, remains the most preferable resolution of any conflict. It has been said to me before that the orcs of Burz'kal are beyond negotiation - and yet negotiations with Burz'kal have been sought and secured within my own tenure. I will not presume that opportunity closed until it has come to pass beyond reasonable doubt. It may, at present, already be nearly out of reach. That is for a future meeting at Darmshall to determine, not this letter.

The Council has agreed to meet with you at Darmshall to discuss the terms of mediation.

Until then, the Kingdom of Mercadia will hold the lines around this conflict as they have already been drawn.

Councilman Cedric Warren
From the Councilman's Office,
Market Square, Edana.

[Wyrd]

A new proclamation from the Assembly, posted in Edana, Tilverton, Ameresh and on the bridge of Burz'kal.

Denizens of the world, take heed!

Given that Burz'kal has failed to comply with the 24h deadline to return the Quarry, the Assembly determines the following:

- 30% tariff on any Assembly product traded with Burz'kal orcs, through our shops or otherwise;

- Members of the Assembly will not assist Burz'kal orcs in situations of peril;

- Signing of the Darmshall Treaty by Burz'kal is suspended until this matter is resolved.

Furthermore, we take this chance to reiterate our support to the Library, as a fellow guild. No one should be condemned for taking the unclaimed. Those who lost claim should look within and evaluate why they lost it in the first place.

Likewise, we remind Burz'kal the gates of Darmshall Castle remain open for neutral negotiation and a swift resolution. Without any further bloodshed.

So says I,

Guildmaster Dyatlov

[Wyrd]

A message is left at the gates of Burz'kal by a pigeon, who probably didn't make it out... Similar messages are posted in Edana, Tilverton and Ameresh.

This is a formal notice.

The Hunters Assembly has declared War on the Burz'kal clan, as per our proclamation, where it's stated any further action in bad faith from Burz'kal would end in this result. Tonight, they sent us on a dog chase, by provoking the alarms of all our held node locations. We'll not be made fools of when the situation is this serious.

Let it be known opportunity for discussion and negotiation in neutral grounds was given to Burz'kal and refused. However, this offer still stands. If Burz'kal wishes for times of peace as much as we do, I hope they reconsider.

The Hunters Assembly

-here represented by-

Guildmaster Dyatlov