Summary:Imrama encourages Jelter in his nation-building in the Hinterland Corridor.
XP:I1
Tags:< Friends and Enemies | Sol Invictus Logs | Old Habits Die Hard >
Imrama On the wall of Imrama's office, aboard the floating Palace of the Deliberative, there hangs a mystic sun dial, one of many gifts from the people of Harborhead. The shadow on the dial's face moves slowly throughout the day, keeping perfect time with the Sun far overhead, despite the many layers of stone and steel in between. It is by this wondrous time piece that Imrama knows exactly when to...
Imrama ...expect his next appointment, Jelter Hometra.
There is a brief, but relatively loud, knock on the door.
Imrama rises to his feet and calls to the other side, "Enter!" before beginning to cross the room to the door.
The tall, rather significantly muscled and almost excessively blonde Jelter steps through the door. "You were waitin' for me?" he says in his best country-boy accent.
Imrama smiles warmly and holds out an arm, guiding Jelter by the shoulder with a familiar affect. "Indeed I was! Thank you for coming by for a chat." Imrama shows the blonde Deliberator to one of two suede couches that face each other, and takes a seat himself.
Imrama reaches over to the door of a sizeable blue box on an adjoining table, and opens it. A cold burst of air passes out into the warm room from inside, and Imrama pulls a lacquered bowl from inside. "May I offer you some refreshment before we begin our interview?"
alsoquin sits at a jaunty angle. "Sure!"
Imrama removes a second bowl, sets them both on his coffee table, and closes the cabinette. Both bowls contain several scoops of ice cream - a rich vanilla shot through with coffee syrup and crunchy flecks of honey candy. Imrama says a formal prayer in Firetongue, thanking Ahlat for the produce of his honored herds, before handing Jelter a short wooden spoon. "This is a delicacy rarely enjoyed in...
Imrama ...Kirighast - I hope that it is to your taste." Imrama eats a moderate spoonful with gusto.
Jelter takes his spoon and eats a rather sizeable spoonful in a single bite, by way of answer. "Mmm, thfff iff gddd," he says and swallows.
Imrama smiles and nods, "That gives me great pleasure as a host, then. I asked for this meeting, Jelter, because I want to hear what the latest news is from your burgeoning nation. How fairs Mt. Metagalapa and its allied states. I'm sorry - is there now a name for your union?"
Jelter "We're, uh," as he shifts in his seat, "we're thinking about 'Jabal,'" he says.
Imrama "Alright then: 'Jabal'. When we first met, you mentioned that your nation was seeking to invite others into its alliance. How goes your progress there?"
Jelter "Pretty good, pretty good," he says. "We're talkin' to ten of 'em. Most of 'em don't even have a single Exalt," he adds, "which doesn't do 'em much good with the Deliberative."
Imrama "That's very true. Your neighborhood strikes me as a promising area for Deliberative expansion; I would very much like to see you and Jabal succeed. Is there anything that might help in your efforts to bring more of Creation's lands and peoples into our protective fold?"
Jelter "Well," he says, and Imrama sees his demeanor change, just a little bit -- a spark in his eye, a clever grin at the corner of his mouth.
Jelter "We're the best shot any of these guys have for bein' important," he says, "and with Arcadia barkin' at our heels they have to know they'll get a better deal with us'n them. But these guys are still thinkin' short-term; they remember raids from our mountain but they ain't thinking about the bigger dogs."
Imrama nods. The history of Creation is littered with mistakes. But now the memory of past transgressions stands between you and a more prosperous and secure society in your corner of the world. May I ask: what is your current plan to resolve this impasse?"
Jelter "A little bit of this, a little bit of that," he says. He grins. "We're puttin' pressure on 'em, and one or two seem ready to cave. And we've done just a little bit to sweeten the pot, too. We, ah... we've got some money to throw around, if we need to."
Jelter "But we need to bring somethin' a little bigger to bear, just to give people a nudge in the right direction."
Imrama "Did you have something in mind?"
Jelter laughs. "I can fly, and so can my boys, you know," he says. "We know about how you've been gobblin' up all them there little places right south of the river." He leans in, all conspiratorial like, but pauses to finish his ice cream before talking. "We just need that to look a little more sinister f'r a bit there, get everyone spooked. Let 'em know real clear-like that we're their best shot."
Imrama smiles and raises his eyebrows. "I can think of a few subtle ways in which that could be accomplished. It is known that I have made personal visits to the crowned heads of several of the Hundred Kingdoms, in order to invite them to join with the Sunlands. I could arrange for my ship to be seen prowling about in your vicinity, possibly appearing to be scared off by one of your patrols....
Imrama ...Something like that?"
Jelter leans back and crosses his arms behind his head in satisfaction. "Sounds pretty durned good to me."
Imrama "Excellent. I will need to coordinate dates, times, and locations with your command staff." Imrama savors a bit more of his ice cream. "I have had a few ideas for you and your hawkriders that I thought I might share with you, if that's alright?"
Jelter "Go right ahead."
Imrama "I have spent a great deal of time past the fringes of Creation, and I am also well-familiar with the Elementals and godlings contained within those bounds. It seems to me that a nation which relies on giant hawks as the backbone of its military might could benefit from seeking the patronage, or even the breeding assistance of a number of flying creatures of power. Air Whales, Flame...
Imrama ...Gryphons, Storm Serpents, Thunderbirds - several possibilities present themselves."
Jelter leans forward again. "We are definitely interested," he says.
Jelter "What do we need to do to, uh, get the ball rolling here?"
Imrama "I will see what I can do with the connections I have; if you will be ready to extend hospitality and engage in goodwill negotiations when the time comes, that should be enough. My companion thought was that it would benefit both your nation, and the defense of the greater Deliberative, if you were to establish relay stations, to extend the range of your patrols, and establish goodwill...
Imrama ...embassies among your neighbors."
Jelter "Sounds like a great idea," he says. "I'll get some guys put on it right away."
Imrama "And as long as you and your riders are moving about the East - and perhaps one day, all Creation - with frequency, you might, as a public service, assist in strengthening our lines of communication." Imrama holds up a scroll, sealed with his personal imprint, as an example.
Jelter looks at it. "It seems pretty reasonable," he says.
Imrama "Very good!" Imrama rises to his feet. "I thank you very much for the pleasure of your company, and for this extremely productive meeting." Imrama bows deeply.
Jelter "No problem," he says. "I think this'll work out pretty well for the both of us," he continues -- and grins.
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