Mister Prodain
Greetings.
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits, as mine are after a most enlivening sermon in Fort Praesidium.
Pursuant to your new duties as Ambassador, you shall be charged with the negotiation of treaties and diplomacy within the territory, representing teneborough. As it currently says for the Administrator role, any agreement you make shall be preliminary until ratified by the Assembly, and as any other Officer of the Assembly, you shall serve this office at the Assembly's pleasure and may be dismissed via vote.
I shall attempt to write a brief summation of our relations with each substantive group in the First Province. Some of the comments may be personal, others a matter of sound policy but I should hope this letter will serve you well. If you need any further elaboration or have questions, do not hesitate to ask them. I have dealt with the withering and frustrating world of politics for over fifteen years in my home province as the top-man of my Parish and may have useful insight to you.
REPUBLIC FACTIONS
The Foundry
Personally, I have never met a group of less trustworthy bastards in my forty-eight years. If the foundry cannot steal it, they will reverse engineer it. If they cannot reverse engineer it, they will destroy it and its maker. They are, in my reckoning, the reason that so many important blueprints and other designs are encrypted in this province and many others, by private inventors who wish to not have their creations stolen by these dogs.
Working with the Foundry is a matter of last resort. As you know, we intend to do just that shortly, but it is out of lack of any other option. In any other situation: delay, stonewall, and ignore them.
The Venerated Legion of Decus
We should be truly blessed if we see any rightwise detachment of the Legion in these parts...outside manning the blockade. If the Legion is afoot in force, something is either going very well and Tor is about to be retaken, or things are very, very, very bad outside of the province. Otherwise, if things become critical in some places they could in theory be summoned to dispatch an especially dangerous group of rebels or so on, but I see this as unlikely.
We should seek profitable contracts with them. I have previously dealt in Legion contracts when once i was the manager of a foundry owned by our parish. We produced several good bronze-cast cannons for them and were speedily compensated for our tidy work.
The Apothecary Corps
This group of butchers masquerading as medical folk should be avoided at all costs if we have any medical need. If they appear in Teneborough, every attempt should be made to expedite their leaving. As personal advice:
Do not accept medical treatment from these people However, if they require material or other aids and are capable of compensating us, every natural attempt should be made to satisfy them.
The Decusian Venerated Templar
Good men, and Decusians True, we should attempt to aide them wherever possible, profitable and convenient.
Profit is not always financial, but may serve the reclamation effort, the Republic, or some other general good. Always keep this in mind in your dealings.
The Consortium
Dealing with these folk is a sure path to irksome trouble and possibly death. My personal advice as the out-going diplomat is to avoid contact or dealings with the Consortium at any cost. They have little to offer us.
On a personal note, when I was a boy, back in 1313 it was declared by the Council of Bishops that practice of magic is a blight upon one's immortal soul. Such practices may condemn a man or woman in the eyes of Decus, but it is not my place or purview to consider such. Too, such folk may live good lives and do good acts, and it could even be possible to be friends with such a person but they shall still suffer forever and ever in the sulfurous pits of Hel, for committing a great and heinous evil to achieve a righteous outcome is still wrongful. Amen.
The Venerated Inquisition Corps
If an inquisitor ever comes to Teneborough, call an emergency meeting of the Assembly and if there are many of them summon the Militia . . . so that we might aide them in whatsoever they need.
Pen is acting up and I've no parchment to spare...
FIRST PROVINCE FACTIONS
The Banners of the Forsaken
We have an outstanding contract with them for the next five and a half months. This contract explicitly states that they are to only and exclusively offer their military services to Teneborough, yet I hear it said that the Banners have an internal policy of allowing folk to take whatsoever contracts they desire?
This is a matter I have sought to bring up with our contact with them, a Mister Tyr ap Howell, whom I am certain you will find to be of a most pleasant and endearing disposition. Too, they are to be forbidden from private investigation of any matters concerning any member or resident of Teneborough without our express prior approval of such an investigation. I suggest you touch base with him whence you make the rounds and introduce yourself, and bring up this matter.
Brogan & His Folk
This man is of gentle spirit and honest heart, and all his compatriots are righteous.
These people are close and beloved friends who have supported us in whatsoever way they can ever since we laid our first foundational stone in Teneborough. If they should ever require our aide, no expense should be spared.
The Order of Decus
A tricky one. The Seraph is a man of his word: make no mistake. He does what he says. However, what he says is not always good or right. But he can be trusted on his word. The true pitfall is the foundation underneath that man. I have bore witness to Decusia, I have bore witness to the Order. The Order of Decus is rife with insubordination, loud-mouthed folk, and many of their fighters are of poor standing and could likely be easily trounced. Their military readiness is very poor. Their discipline is very poor. The causation of this, whether it be poor minds or poor spirits ( morale problem ) is difficult to judge from an outsiders perspective.
While we have engaged in a verbal agreement with the Seraph to assume control over their resource operations in exchange for providing them the things they need when they need them, which has been goodly profitable for us and the Seraph duly kept his word, their status as a military resource is dubious at best. Furthermore, we have no written agreements with them and relations have been EXTREMELY tenuous in the past during certain times.
You must approach this situation very carefully. Do not overextend our hand, as the Order of Decus is more likely to get us entangled into some situation in which we carry the greatest burden or whiplash. Keep them as friends, but keep a healthy distance. Furthermore, due to poor public opinion, association with this group is something to be very carefully managed. We do not wish to become explicitly associated with them at this time, in my opinion for this self-same reason. Whatsoever direction you take with the Order of Decus, do so with great caution.
The Crimson Circle
This is a most mysterious and almost secretive organization. Though I know some folk within it, and know them to be of good character. We have had some trade dealings with them in the past to mutual satisfaction, and this continues to this day. Their strength, value, and assets are unknown in truth, though they possess several resource gathering operations in the province.
Their motives are unknown to me. We have never had any official diplomatic contact: they have not sought it, and neither have I. It may be of some utility to do so, but otherwise current trade relations are good and we know them not as villain nor friend.
The Parish of de Ravin
An interesting case. For unknown reasons, what I presume to be the entire width and breadth of a Prelacy Parish have come to this province. Were they fleeing the law? Driven from their home? If not those reasons, then perhaps they seek to sit upon the proverbial throne whence Tor is reclaimed. That is a position I seek for our institution, though this Parish may serve useful to us.
We presently have a treatise of mutual aid and defense, of which I have finished the draft but not submitted for signature to them. I shall finish this out with them if it so pleases you. They have agree'd to fund a chapel for us.
Their military readiness is poor, their material wealth is poor, but their discipline is well managed. Their cohesion seems to be dependent upon the charisma of their leader, Nicolien. Nicolien is a young and inexperienced woman burdened immensely by the stress of the mantle of power. The Parish of de Ravin is a house divided against itself but their retainers are wise and loyal. They have almost no men-at-arms. Nicolien is a Decusian True and has a gentle and endearing personality, though do not mistake her as being mentally feeble, for she is born and bred Prelacy and naturally adept at these things.
Pay her the respect due her station whence you engage with her and you should have no issue. They have been very amenable to us and I hope that the friendship between the de Ravin parish & Teneborough may be a long one, for I treasure Nicolien's company personally.
The First Torians
Once when I was a boy, my father had brought me along to the dockyards in Kyprios to observe him as he oversaw the unloading of a shipment, as he was top-man for the Foundry in the Borough at that time. A new innovation that my father was most keen upon my seeing was the steam locomotive. Tracks had recently been laid leading right up to the shipping yard! This was to be the first train loaded with out-going olive oil, to go upon a land-route that ended at Kyprios, wound through Greatport, and ended in the First Province.
The train was coming into town. Very fast. Though I did not know it at the time: much too fast as the conductor, a geriatric foundry engineer who it was said was a pioneer of the locomotive was at the head, and there had apparently been some critical failure with the breaks. Though he was much familiar with it, and many familiar with him, he was patently unqualified and needed to have retired long ago. That train did not cease its movement: it plowed past its stop, off of its tracks, down the dockyard and into the bay. Never had I heard such a calamitous noise: so much steam and steel set to movement with no one competent at the controls. Many men were killed, though the Foundry concocted a story to save the befallen man(and their wicked institution) shame.
The First Torians are much the same. They are no legion: they utterly lack discipline. They are no army: their miilitary readiness is embarassing to say the least, and while they have numbers their actual quantity of fighting men is very small and anemic by all accounts. What they are is Brigands and Bullies. Brigands are a destructive force with no good end to their machinations, and Bullies, dear Varius . . . I do not care for bullies.
Their leadership is utterly chaotic and nepotistic at the same time. Their "Legatus" , a title of great honor and respect in our republic which one such as he beshames by claiming, is nearly legendary or mythic. And whence I say this, I mean the man is so scarcely seen that some even doubt him to be real.
The Praefectus is a boy, perhaps aged seventeen or so, who fancies himself an adventurer...yet, he is obviously the man who runs their operation there for all intents and purposes. This, he is wholly unqualified for in my estimation. He lacks charisma, wit, and fighting ability. Negotiations with this man is nearly impossible due to his dimwittedness: abstract concepts such as diplomacy seem to simply go through one ear and out the other, and he has no sense of honor or equity.
The First Torians have presented themselves as a band of murderers, galoots, and nincompoops and have conducted themselves as such ever since our very first interactions. They began relations by threatening to murder us if we dared to farm, mine, or settle in our very backyards. This they said explicitly: they would kill us. I do not exaggerate or employ hyperbole in this.
Then they completely forsake all honor and outright ignore a written contract. Continue to threaten to murder us, then, men who, though they CLAIM were not under their employ at the time, were obviously under their employ at the time of our attack which I know you to be intimately familiar with. Presently, we have made concessions to simply have them stop threatening to harm our innocent settlers, but they offer nothing in return as a concession whence it is plain for even the most base simpleton to see that Teneborough is the aggrieved party.
Additionally, they have foresworn to hunt Jaxon, yet at a recent lecture they seemed to be actively attempting to aide his nefarious deeds, by dousing lanterns so that he might sneak up upon myself and Master Winterborn more efficiently, so as to murder us. They even attempted to steal my lantern. They do this in an extremely obvious attempt to get some sort of reaction from us to justify their evil ways.
To summarize, this is a band of wicked bandits playing soldier. They have no honor, they do not serve the republic, they defend noone but their own interests, and whence people are attacked or their property lost in the areas they claim to protect, they come to OUR Assembly and ask for our help!
As we discussed at the Assembly Meeting of late, Master Winterborn will remain attache to the First Torians so long as you and he are amenable to such an arrangement, as he knows their leader and says he once was a sane person, though this I have seen no evidence of but believe simply because Master Winterborn is a man of good character and wisdom.
If this fails, or Master Winterborn seeks direction from your office, my advice to you is as follows: Give them no comfort or aide, give them no succor. Deprive them of anything and everything within your power and perhaps one day the First Province may be liberated from their evil presence. Do not antagonize them, as they are a band of merciless killers and could easily vanquish us, but do not aide them either. The best course of action in my estimation is to simply not communicate with them.
But it has not been, and shall not be my purview to decide as much. Master Winterborn is the man to seek for advice on how to deal with this craven lot.
The Black Wolves
True Decusians, and a possible ally. I have recently bequeathed them with a gift which I hope was well received. Their military readiness is high, their discipline is extraordinarily high, and their material wealth is adequate. Fostering a friendship with these folk was my highest priority at this, the time of my discharging of this duty to you per the Assembly. They are are a religious folk, it goes without saying. Speak carefully around them and do not gain their ire.
My advice to you would be to aide them wheresoever possible and attempt to forge a written treatise of mutual-aid
Kaelius Mercantile & Acquisitions
A group of tradesmen, situated far in the south. Reclusive and almost secretive. We have an outstanding agreement of mutual-aid in the form of a trade consortium with them, though this is not public knowledge as of yet as several details remain to be finalized.
Their military readiness is abysmal, their discipline is adequate, and their material wealth is immense and comparable to our own.
Be wary with this lot, as they are fierce negotiators. They are the greatest negotiators in this province: many of them are former foundry, intellectuals, and other such savvy individuals that other factions in this place do not possess. Gaining concessions from them is extraordinarily difficult.
Our trade relations have been excellent and mutually profitable so far. Going forward, I would seek to gain more concessions from them especially useful blueprints or other forms of aide, but they will not agree to be bound to military aide. They have but one man-at-arms, but he is a fierce one equitable to our dear Delacroix. Barnabas Haims possesses many trade secrets, and these must be obtained at all costs. You will understand what I mean whence you meet him.
Post Script
I hope this letter serves you well. It is not an easy task set upon you. This province is rife with danger, treachery, and an untold lust for power in the hearts of some men which turns my blood cold. Keep this document in a very secret and safe place, or perhaps simply burn it after you have absorbed the knowledge, if you find it worthy of absorbing.
I would like to personally thank you for your service to the Settlement of Teneborough, and it pleases me greatly to see a man of your acumen amongst our ranks. I welcome you as an equal and I look forward to many years of serving aside you as we work towards the reclamation of the capitol of our beloved Republic.
I have the Honor of Being
Your Most Humble & Obedient Servant
Khalkeus 'the Younger' Renatus
Administrator, Teneborough
An envelope addressed: Mr. Prodain
Moderator: Kent
An envelope addressed: Mr. Prodain
The envelope is found within Varius' storage chest, prominently affixed with the seal of the Parish of Renatus in a brilliant cerulean wax. Contained inside is handful of carefully folded parchment pages.