(Sorry about that. Job took a lot more time than I thought. Things will slow down there around the holidays.)

[@Eviledd1984]

Vespion looked at the bowl of water, inserted his right hand, which began to glow a light blue. "Can you hear me? I am looking for Smith's mother! This is Vespion on Minbenthac, a dracon cleric! Your son needs help that only you can give! If you can hear my voice, please respond! I can open a portal to bring you through to the temple courtyard!"

"Hang on, my love!" Kara exclaimed, rather ineffectually. 

[@bloonewb][@LordofthePies]

Ternoc considered Rebat's words. "That's a good start. That can't be all Xigyll wants, though. The lack of tariffs is an appreciated gesture, and we would be happy to reciprocate, but..." Ternoc cleared his throat. "...peace alone isn't what we want. A treaty is one thing, an alliance another. Obviously, the former has to come before the latter, so this a good first step. Nori, what do you think so far?"

The grand prince waited for her response.  

[i]"The first card is a near future, the second a medium, and the last a far future. The two of spades, there will be bad luck in this future. Do not rely on others, you will only be let down. There will be opposition from friends and family. The five of diamonds, you will prosper, gain a long enduring friendship, have pride in your family, and success with children in this future. The eight of spades, this future will bring a sense of desperation and a need for money. In summary, you will gain from this agreement but bad luck, disappointment, a friend, a child, and monetary debt."[/i]

"... I see. Thank you, wise oracle. Not a very encouraging sign, and I already have plenty of children by my wives." What could cause such a dire fortune? Treachery on Rughoi's part? A normally unforeseeable event caused by a strange chain of events which wouldn't normally come from a peace treaty? And what could possibly cause a ruler of an entire kingdom to go into debt but a war? 

"Rebat, perhaps we are approaching this all wrong. Well-meaning deals often end in tragedy. 'The peacemakers are to be more feared than the warriors', or so the saying goes around these parts. Let's pare it down a bit, and shift the focus. Would Traeton be willing to send a contingent of soldiers into battle alongside one of Hekaga's armies? We'd treat your troops as equals, under their own officers and as full soldiers, not as porters or servants. My only condition for such an agreement is that a general from Hekaga be in overall command of that expedition. Norix, has this changed our current course?"