[b][i]Freywyn[/i][/b] [hider=Nation Status] [b]Current Leader/Government:[/b] Toryllis Brosca / Unitary State [/b] [b]Settlements Owned:[/b] 3 [b]Provinces Owned:[/b] 1 [b]Population:[/b] ~300,000 [b]Standing Army:[/b] [indent] - /<5,000>/< Rallying at Freywyn-Bohaddon Border> /<5,000>/ <1st Black Priest a.k.a. ''Cleaver''>/<1,000>///<20>/<10><5>//[/indent] [b]Population Happiness: 80%[/b] [b]Imports:[/b]Horses / Cattle [Requa Republic] // Wine [Dukedom of Edaria] [b]Exports:[/b]Stone / Gold [b]Wealth:[/b] Average [b]Alliances:[/b] Requa Republic / Dukedom of Edaria [b]Trade Pacts:[/b] Requa Republic / Dukedom of Edaria [b]Cease Fires:[/b]- [/hider] [center][b][u]First Contact[/u][/b][/center] Not a single person on the ship moved an inch once the two bird-like creatures landed on the deck and asked with authority what was their business in those waters. [i]«Don't do anything rash, crewman.»[/i] Myra whispered to the young man next to her whose hands was slowly moving towards the knife in his belt. Yes, they had no idea what kind of creatures these were but she was sure that her guards would easily subdue them if such an action was deemed necessary. [i]«Uaruneria. Such a big and hard name to pronounce.»[/i] Scholar Vettan, a middle-aged man who had been personally picked by the Queen to accompany her and record every single thing worthy of note, mumbled as he scribbled on his leatherback notebook. [i]«I am Myra Falkenbrough, Queen of Freywyn, Godborn and carrier of the Oathbreaker. I travel in search of nations willing to trade and forge strong relationships with my country which has just recently started to destroy the mantle of isolationism it hid under for tens of years. I have a message for your leader, which I would be glad if you decided to deliver.»[/i] she exclaimed in a strong voice as she stepped forward, closer to these... birds. [i]«I also ask of you to be careful with your weapons. We will not hurt you unless our lives are threatened therefore, be calm.»[/i] said Sehraz, the leader of her guards and a man she knew her whole life as he had grown next to Toryllis hidden beneath his shadow but still a fine example of a Freywe. He could see how nervous the one holding the bow was and although he knew that his men would be upon them the very second he (or she, he couldn't tell) tried to draw an arrow, he'd prefer not to. [i]«Vettan, present the treaty.»[/i] [i]«Yes Lady, have it here, somewhere... Ah, yes. Here it is, give me a moment to complete it... How was it, Uaruneria?..»[/i] [i]«Enquire about the ships clad in black too, scholar.»[/i] [i]«As you wish.»[/i] [hider= Treaty][i]King or Queen of Uaruneria. The proud nation of Freywyn presents you with a trade pact that would profit both of our countries. We offer jewelry and other valuables made from the purest gold and stone from our very soil which will stand the test of time in whichever way you decide to use it in exchange for detailed maps of this part of the world as well as information regarding your history, culture, economy and everything you deem acceptable to share in order for us to understand a race so different that ours. We also seek allies who will support us in our times of need as will we in theirs, however we do understand if you wish to put this part of the deal on hold provided that you know not of us and our ways. Last of all, having sailed in these waters for a week now, we have come across several ships made of the darkest wood and although no contact has been made, we would certainly wish to know whether they present a threat or something different. Queen Myra Falkenbrough the Godborn, wielder of the Oathbreaker.[/i][/hider] [i]«It is complete, my Queen.»[/i] he said as she took it from his hands and presented it to these fascinating creatures. All that was left now was their response and after that, home. [center][b][u]Allies of old.[/u][/b][/center] [i]«Your Majesty, this is Ashara Tyk, diplomat from the nations of Freywyn. She claims to have brought a message of prosperity and profit.»[/i] [i]«Lady Tyk, I am Balin Thorkenfin, Duke of Edaria. Tell me of your ruler, is King Turin still alive? He had been a good friend of mine before you humans decided to hide in your swamplands.»[/i] [i]«King Turin died three years ago, my Lord, and the throne was claimed by Lord Toryllis Brosca who seeks to replace all these years of solitude with wealth and power, together with Freywyn's old Dwarven allies. When you helped us settle in our current lands and push away the lizardmen of Hlondeth twenty-five years ago, we swore to never forget what a race of what looked like kids at the time did for us when they had no reason to. You taught us the art of manipulating the stone and building wonders that are not only sturdy but beautiful too. You showed us the beauty in the details and since then we have improved day after day, hurting the Mother in order to get precious gold and mountains worth of stone turning it into jewelry, castles and cities grand enough for the Gods themselves to dwell in. Now, we seek the rest of the world. To teach it and be taught by it. And perhaps one day, stand together, the people of the lands, united and mighty before what storms may come.»[/i] [i]«Your tongue is sharp and your wit rivals my greatest of negotiators. The Freywe arrived one cloudy day with hundreds, maybe thousands of ships full of malnourished children, sickly women and men who had spent days with just water. Yet, once you were met with the brutality of the lizardmen who saw you as nothing but an easy meal, your blades shined red as even those old enough to have seen the beginning of the world fought with the fury of an angry wasp and the unexpected strength of a mighty bull. And we were awe-struck. What could you do, given enough time to adapt and build a nation? Conquer the known world? Possibly, many of us thought of you as a threat. Yet ultimately we came, clad in our armors and bearing axes forged in fires of bloodlust, thousands of us joined the battlefield where we shed blood next to each other like brothers and made those reptiles run faster than they thought it was possible. But you didn't stop once our win was clear. The nations we have fought next to, before you, would stop and be merciful once they routed the enemy but you continued. Day after day, village after village and massacre after massacre, you were not still fighting but exterminating. When I asked old Turin about it, his response was clear and showed his true nature, his and every human's. He said: ''What defines us humans is the concept of vengeance, a concept many have ridiculed and considered petty and a trait of unevolved cultures. You kill someone and that someone's friends will come after you. And you die. Your friends will then hunt your killers and in turn their friends will join the fray. Can you imagine how many friends and family members each one of these people has? How much blood will be shed for an endless cycle of hatred? Now imagine that done to an entire nation. This is what is happening. For every one of ours, ten of them will fall. And once we stop, they'll forever remember, forever feel in their bones what we, a fraction of humanity can do given a good enough reason.'' And my spies have been reporting threats all around us, from black ships to centaurs and rogue warbands while Bohaddon's last few provinces still stand strong and united. I feel that every single nation wanting to survive this age will have to pick a side eventually. And we the Dwarves of Edaria, will be right next to you, equals and brothers no matter the odds.»[/i] *** [i]«Lord Oblivion, the Republic of Requa formally requested aid against the increasing threat of lizardmen in the south. They request stone and architects to build them walls and forts.»[/i] [i]«And they offer?»[/i] [i]«Open borders and a defense agreement.»[/i] [i]«Send word that we accept and inform Masters Branka and Varanis of the deal, they'll take it from there. Also, request that a unit of Black Priests be mobilized and await orders. That is all.»[/i]