HUACOATL Noble house of the second generation of the Republic. Lord Huacoatl van Jafaarsan van Kelshir, the namesake and founder of the house was a originally a bonded soldier in the Republican Guard like many of the early Guard commanders, having been taken by eastern slavers from the Kelshiri coast. He was the first commander of the Colonial Guard and first Lord-Governor of the Rimrivertown colony. It was his outstanding career in the Republican Guard, then Colonial Guard and later in the Colonial Secretariat that gave his progeny lasting status, and which, in accordance with the unusual social customs of the Kaeireans, elevated them to the upper ranks of the Kaeirean nobility rank. Today, the Huacoatl family are active in foreign and exotic trades and the Colonial Secretariat, are largely not involved in national politics, and follow the Millati religion. "Great Families of the Early Kaeirean Republic", Society of Scholastics (New Tirmaeir, 1600). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lord-Governor Huacoatl addressed the captains of the Governorate assembled in his council-room: "Sirs, we have all heard the news that arrived with the caravan this morning from up the Rimriver. Civil war and attacks from the peoples of the eastern coast afflict the Ban Horroth. Whilst the Senatorial instruction given to me is to avoid interference in local affairs, I am instructed even more so to protect the Ban Horroth trade. The fate of this entire port, the first Kaeirean overseas settlement, is at stake. War amongst the Ban Horroth has already slightly disrupted trade, and should the rebel party gain power, trade will cease entirely. Merchant Samad Waqabsan has already told us what the state of affairs up-river were when he left the Ban Horroth capital last fortnight. The choice that befalls me as Lord-Governor is obvious, and for those who might be concerned at the Senatorial response, I remind them that the Lord-Consul himself charged me personally with the protection of Rimrivertown and the Ban Horroth. Until the Senate directs me otherwise, Rimrivertown shall assist the Ban Horroth government. Kaeir shall offer assistance to the Ban Horroth government in the civil conflict and against the Razanian encroachments on the Ban Horroth border. In line with Senate policy, we recognise as the legitimate Ban Horroth rulers those whom Kaeir opened trade negotiations and established regular trade with. These are whom the fate of Kaeirean trade in this region lies with. I do not send soldiers as that would only work against us, not to mention weaken Rimrivertown itself, but a dozen men only. This delegation of twelve shall provide military assistance in training, arms, strategy and fortification. We will give our trading partners the greatest gift of Kaeirean Republican Guard - our skill and knowledge in the art of war. The delegation shall help the ruling clans of the Ban Horroth in the civil war, and even more importantly, against the Razanian encroachments on the Ban Horroth border. This dozen will be comprised of a Information Secretariat agent, a Panchayyah noble, Commerce Secretariat officer, a Rimrivertown merchant, five Republican Guard captains, a pair of Republican Guard engineers, and Captain Murhanuddin. Disguised as merchants in a larger caravan, they bring with them a shipment of steel weaponry of Midsea design. Though the shipment is small, it is sufficient to arm a hundred Ban Horroth warriors with a sword, shield (small by human standards, but sufficient for the minute Ban Horroth), and short bow. More significantly, the delegation offers assistance to the ruling clans, in field training, military strategy and arms for the civil war, and even more importantly, against the Razanian raiders. The dozen advisors shall give sufficient help to strengthen the traders amongst the Ban Horroth, and those clans who are friendly with us. This will achieve two things - one, the Ban Horroth trade remains open and friendly, and two, the wild tribes of the upper Rimriver shall weaken under pressure from a strong Ban Horroth, allowing our Panchayyah ally to further expand. The Rimriver region would therefore become more stable, and trade in turn shall prosper, which of course is the benefit Kaeir draws from this." ---------- Later that morning, the Lord-Governor of Rimrivertown met privately with his Information Secretariat Captain again in the now empty council-room. "Murhanuddin, I am sending you upriver as you are the most capable officer under my command. I know you understand how critical this is. Choose which of your officers shall direct the Information Secretariat mission here in your absence." "Huacoatl", asked Murhanuddin in the daring manner he always used in their private discussions, "I would think it better to await for direction from the Senate before embarking on such a major action. The price you could pay if this gets out of hand would be high." "I realise that, good Captain, but I was not appointed to this position so that I would wait for monthly correspondence from the Senate before doing anything. I have a series of directives to pursue in my capacity as Lord-Governor, and this is my interpretation of them. The dozen will include an Information Secretariat field officer, a Commerce Secretariat officer, a Panchayyah noble, and the merchantman Waqabsan. These four and yourself will be responsible for creating a critical mass of clans in support of the Ban Horroth leadership. Monopolies and exclusive trade agreements over certain products will be our primary weapons here. The commercial sanity of enough Ban Horroth clans shall prevail I am sure, especially with the inducements we shall offer. As merchantman Waqabsan said, the Ban Horroth are split between the rebel faction and the government, with a sizeable minority of neutral clans. Your primary goal, Captain, is tobring these neutral clans over to the government. The other goal is military. The Senate had already privately determined to introduce Kaeirean military expertise to the Ban Horroth, with the intention of strengthening them and through this strengthening and securing the trade with them. Conflict upriver has merely forced me radically hasten the implementation of Senate plans, especially given the eastern coastlander attacks. Five Republican Guard officers will be sent to provide immediate training of a Kaeirean standard to the Ban Horroth in the fields of tactics, strategy, and arms. The last two members of your dozen are Guard engineers, who shall teach the Ban Horroth more sophisticated means of fortification to allow them to better protect their eastern borders. This is the dozen I am sending, and much shall ride on them, Murhanuddin." ================================ Confidentiality Statement and Disclaimer ================================ This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and contains information that is privileged and confidential. If you, the reader of this message, are not the intended recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this communication. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by return email and delete the original message. Thank you. ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
