>
>
> Taltheran warmly welcomes the Milankurian overtures. The government,
> and particularly the Merchants' Council, are delighted to have an
> opportunity to expand relations with a historically insular society.
> A comfortable building near the palace & Merchants' Council building
> is made available for housing the Milankurian embassy.
A short time line, the Milakanur delegation arrives. Almost
every individual involved seems greatly relieved to be "off
that damned boat".
The Ambassador seems unusually young (at least as far as the Taltherans
are concerned), perhaps in his late 20's. He wears relatively
decorated robes, as a contrast to the spartan attire of the rest of
the delegation. His beard and hair are short, and well-groomed.
He introduces himself as Suilimar of the Major House Zafeer.
He is accompanied by thirty-one military-looking types, also with
short black hair and beards, wearing the standard Milakanuri hide armor
underneath light brown robes. They are armed with light tulwars,
impressive composite bows, and wicked-looking barbed arrows.
Twenty-five of the troops are wearing a shoulder badge identifiable as the
seal of House Zafeer above a horizontal colored bar. The other six are
wearing five horizontal gold-colored bars on their shoulders. None are
extremely talkative.
Accompanying the Ambassador is a shaven-headed and beardless man in
plain black robes, introduced as "my cousin, Ramar, a Necrologist,
also of House Zafeer".
There are also about thirty other staff members, a mix of support staff
and slaves.
It's clear that the Milakanuri don't have that much of a clue about
activities in the rest of Midsea, although they are aware of (and
concerned by) rumors of renewed Cedonian expansionism.
> As is customary, a prominent member of the Merchants' Council
> leadership is tapped by King Agrigax to be ambassador to Milankur.
> Accordingly, some weeks later Ambassador Morganx travels, with all due
> pomp and circumstance, to establish a reciprocal embassy in Elanbur.
Sankari, the younger brother of the Per-Aa of Milakanur is on hand at
the docks to personally welcome Ambassador Morganx to Milakanur.
The embassy in Elanbur is quite spacious, very solidly built, and
approximately a thousand years old. "Perhaps more, perhaps less",
the welcoming party says with a shrug. It has not been used for
about a century, and has (very) recently been given a solid cleaning.
The furnishings are a bit... simple, but seem functional enough.
The top (third) floor of the embassy offers a view of the harbor,
and where some docks used to be, an uncertain amount of time ago.
> Accompanying him, in addition to the usual functionaries, are a
> delegation of merchants, including a couple Master Merchants. The
> merchant delegation's goal are twofold:
>
> o to improve their understanding of Milankur's culture and
> priorities (in order to ensure appropriate behavior and interaction,
> and avoid offense); and
Sankari hastens to assure the Taltherans that after extended contact
with the Cedonians (politely rolling his eyes), the Milakanuri are
practically invulnerable to offense by foreigners.
A short rule of guidelines is forthcoming, however, after some
minor prompting:
1) Don't insult the Per-Aa or his line
2) Don't try to convert the Milakanuri to foreign religions
3) Don't challenge a member of the military, they will be glad
to accept.
> o to assess and discuss Milankur's trade needs and offerings, in
> order that trade may be expanded and improved between Milankur and the
> rest of Midsea and beyond.
Milakanuri is a source of many small curiousities and artworks, some
of fantastic workmanship and value. Some of the nomadic tribes in Elanbur's
souk (marketplace) offer similar items, but describe them as
relics found in the desert from aeons past.
Raw materials (except wood) seem to be fairly plentiful, although
high-quality manufactured items (and those capable of making them)
are in demand.
Milakanur is essentially self-supporting agriculturally, although some
items could be exported as exotic delicacies, and there is some demand
for trained agriculturists.
Elanbur itself could use a fair amount of work; the harbor needs to
some dredging, the docks should be rebuilt, and the defenses should
be shored up for land and sea. It's on some major trade routes; it
could become a hub itself.
--
Sam Gorton sgorton@sandstorm.net
Sandstorm Enterprises, Inc. http://www.sandstorm.net
voice: 617-426-5056 fax: 508-696-8989
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