The Summit of Nations

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: Summit Attendees

The Kingdom of Sanctimonia: King Laurence Deleric II - Pat | Steam

The Empire of Talibar: Emperor Alexias V Xanthapoulos - Open

The Sultanate of Seljuk: Sultan Fayza IV of Seljuk - Wizered | Steam

The Sultanate of Nasii: Sultan Houssam Arvenio III - Thorogood

Shahrab Yasir El-Amin - Pat

The Sultanate of Torah: Sultan Fajwa Muhamell - Pat

The Empire of Sarkun: Emperor Marcus Olm - BooM | Steam

Governor / Prefect of the Land Naji Qusay - Pat | Steam

Prefect of the Faith Sar Sin-muballit - Pat

Prefect of the Sight Samsu-iluna - Pat

The Venerable Republic of Pycheko: Czar Ukev Bymirov - Open

Overview

In the waning days of January, 792, a year that had seen more bloodshed in its first month than most years do in their entirety, the two nascent blocs of opposing power in the world - the Quintipartite Pact, consisting of the Kingdom of Sanctimonia, the Empire of Talibar, and the Sultanates of Nasii, Torah, and Seljuk; and the Iron Pact, consisting of the Empire of Sarkun and the Venerable Republic of Pycheko - came together on neutral ground, the majestic Sultanate of Aekhan, in order to ascertain whether a peace ideal to both parties was achievable.

This is the record of that Summit of Nations, a last attempt at peace on the eve of war.

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Introduction

The mood is tense, and the air still warm in the humid Southern Sea despite the long reign of winter in many other lands of Aeria as the delegates arrive on the steps of the Sultan Aali 'Abla Abd Al-Qadir's Palace, a beautiful display of the wealth of the trading nation on par with the ornate Palaces of the now-deposed Shahs of Muhsin. One by one, the delegates - leaders of some of the most powerful nations on Aeria, the sovereign rulers of millions of people - arrive through small portals. The members of the Quintipartite Pact arrive through the gracious aid of the Archivists of Light, who allow the member nations to arrive as a single entity from their de facto headquarters at Narvik. Talking silently amongst themselves, among their number is included the Emperor of Talibar and the Sultan of Seljuk, previously enemies, now erstwhile friends; the King of Sanctimonia; and the Sultans of Nasii and Torah, all of which at some point have entered into war or national competition with the other. Included in their entourage is the Shahrab of Halakh-Din, the brilliant strategist and growing hero of the people Yasir El'Amin, otherwise known as 'The Flame of the East'. They move together up the steps, and are surprisingly unguarded. Throughout the entirety of the capital, centering on the Palace itself, there is a strong, yet invisible holy presence holding strong, exuding from an unknown source.

Quickly thereafter the delegation from the Iron Pact arrives through portals of demonic means, on the opposite side of the stairs from the Quintipartite delegation. Amongst their number is a rare sight indeed; two Naga, arrayed in silk, one red and one black, unseen by most men for thousands of years. Leading the Iron delegation is the Tsar of Pycheko, Ukev Bymirov, the Imperial Governor of Fadilla and Prefect of the Land Naji Qusay, and of course, the infamous Emperor Marcus Olm himself.

All together they would be received by a welcoming party granted by the Sultan of Aekhan, who would lead them into a room set aside for the delegation - formerly the grand hall of the Palace, now fitted with a large, ornate, circular table constructed of ivory and marble. The delegates quickly take their seats without much further pomp or circumstance.

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Introduction
Part Two

After only a a minute of waiting, the Sultan of Aekhan himself appears to the delegates, taking a position of honor on throne to the right of the table, as is befitting the host to this Summit of Nations. Bejeweled and possessing of fairly dark complexion, he only gives a few words of encouragements before sitting down, a present but mostly silent audience to the meeting.

Next, one by one, the delegates are formerly introduced, recognized by their full titles.

"Representing the Quintipartite Pact," a herald cries out, "We recognize the Sultan Fayza IV, Sultan of Seljuk, Yekhe Khagan of the Ilkhanate, Padishah of Deylam, Develi, Sandkili, Immovable Sovereign of the Noble House of Seljuk!"

The Sultan would quickly rise and bow to formal applause before sitting.

While all of the members of the Quintipartite Pact have suffered tragedy at the hands of the Empire of Sarkun, in sheer numbers and devastation the Sultanate of Seljuk has suffered the most. The Sultan's lands were the first tobe targeted by invasion, and invade the Empire of Sarkun did; tens of thousands of demons attacked in a two prong assault on the cities of Patnos, Pashtan, and soon after, Kirrukh. While Pashtan and Kirrukh were warned by the Archivists, Patnos was caught unprepared, and utterly annihilated, down to the last man, woman, and child. For three days, the citizens of Patnos were tortured and systematically slaughtered. Children were buried up to their heads in searing hot sands before their parents; loved ones butchered before their eyes to extract the most psychological and physical pain possible, before being butchered themselves.

The cities of Kirrukh and Pashtan fared better, but not by much. With their citizens fleeing for their lives into the desert, the Shahrab and his soldiers remained behind in hopes of delaying the demonic advance and were cut down to the last man. In the end, almost 70,000 people, for the most part civilians, were murdered by demons, their souls taken captive to be tortured forever after so that their dark masters might extract every last bit of pain and torment.

Soon thereafter, 4 of the Sultan's largest cities were struck by the Plague of the Emperor, deliberate attempts by Marcus Olm to murder thousands of more civilians. In two cases, cities which houses the refugees of Kirrukh and Pashtan were targeted. Although the Plague was soon cured, many hundreds died before they could be saved.

The Sultan of Seljuk now presides over a deeply injured nation that mourns the loss of thousands, and cries out for bloody vengeance. The whole of Seljuk is united in furious anger for the crimes done upon them, with one and all desiring the death of the heretic Marcus Olm and the destruction of his foul, demon-worshipping Empire. The Sultan Fayza must both consider the anger of his people and the damage done to his domain before any attempt at peace. The people want war; if the Sultan agrees to a less-than-harsh peace arrangement, he will undoubtedly lose the support of his people and risk losing his throne.

Spoiler:

"As the second member of the Quintipartite Pact, we recognize the Sultan Houssam Arvenio III, Sultan of Nasii, Keeper of the Three Holy Flames, Lord of the River Dajir, and Preserver of the Grand Oasis!"

The Sultan, too, would rise and bow to applause, before sitting.

While the young Sultan Houssam's domain has not suffered as much as the Seljuk Sultan Fayza, he has suffered a great personal loss. On December 22nd, his father, the previously reigning Sultan Ahbrahem Arvenio II, was assassinated by a group of demons and the Emperor Marcus Olm's elite 'Guard' units, who caught the Sultan on his way into his Palace, murdering his personal retinue and leaving him dead in the streets. This only a day before the Plague of the Emperor struck the cities of Rahna, Shibar, and his own capital city, Nasii.

The Sultan Houssam's people have been caught in the fervor of rage against the Empire, and many hundreds have died from plague in Nasii as well. If the Sultan is to consider peace, he must ascertain whether the terms are worth the death of his father and the deaths of his people.

Spoiler:

"Being the third member of the Quintipartite Pact, we recognize the Sultan Fajwa Muhamell, Sultan of Torah, Padishah of Pushak and Majhpat, Keeper of the Jeweled Throne, and Protector of the Sands!"

The Sultan Fajwa would not rise, but simply nod, before affixing his glare upon the figure of the Emperor, his fists clenched upon the table.

The Sultan Fajwa's domain suffered the least of any of the Sultanates in terms of raw destruction. But if it is to be accounted in personal loss, then the Sultan Fajwa has lost more than any other. For an attempt was made, not only for his life, but for the life of his wife, his two sons, and his three daughters - all of whom were cut down by the Emperor's Guard. In the maddening grief that followed, the Sultan Fajwa pledged a very public blood oath upon the Emperor Marcus Olm, his people, and his lands. Of any of them, the Sultan Fajwa presses the most for war, and would not accept to even consider anything but the most punitive terms upon the Empire in revenge for his family.

Spoiler:

"Being the fourth member of the Quintipartite Pact, we recognize the Emperor Alexias V Xanthapoulos, the most August and Venerable Keeper of the Faith, Heir to the House of Talibar, Maylarn, and Phillipikos!"

The Emperor would rise, nod to the delegates that surround him, and sit.

Unlike the others, the Empire of Talibar was largely unaffected by the Emperor Marcus Olm's invasion of Sida. While there have been some minor outbreaks of plague within his lands, the widespread release of the cure stopped the plague in its tracks. No, for the most part, the Emperor Alexias' opposition to Marcus Olm is one that is both pragmatic and religious. Obviously the Emperor, the sovereign of a highly religious nation devoted to the old words of the Prophet of Tyr, is vehemently opposed to the Empire of Sarkun, which openly uses demons in their wars, allows vampires to walk freely, and mandates the worship of the false and heretical god 'The Emperor', in the form of the Emperor Marcus Olm. In practice, however, the Empire of Talibar has seen a chance to forge a lasting alliance with their long time enemies the Seljuks and the Sultanate of Nasii, who have long pressed at their borders. The Emperor will likely seek to support the measures sought by the Seljuks, who they stand to forge a true alliance with.

Spoiler:

"Being the fifth member of the Quintipartite Pact, we recognize the King Laurence Deleric II, most Worthy Keeper of the Faith and Defender of the New Concord!"

The King Laurence II of Sanctimonia stands at the center of the Quintipartite Pact. While by no means the 'leader', it was he who first proposed the Pact. While the Kingdom of Sanctimonia has been injured by the Empire of Sarkun, the King's major focus is upon removing the threat that Marcus Olm presents to the world, and to secure a fair future for the Ha'dri, apart from the annihilation that the Empire has promised them. The King also wishes to end the threat of Pycheko to the north, and if possible, form a single, united front against Ossus' Blight in the north, which remains a singular threat to all nations.

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:37 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

Striding in as the first member of the Iron Pact to the present themselves in the great halls of Aekhan's Palace, the being known as only the Emperor and his people dominate the room with sheer size and power - his form dwarfing that of anyone already present. The ceremonial armor consisting of stygian belonging to the Emperor is donned by him as well as multiple fine crimson silks from unknown lands despite never being one who truly cares about the making himself appear grand. As he marches to his seat, he offers a bow to the sitting host of Aekhan before continuing onward to his seat. The entourage which follows him, consisting of many imps who cower before the step of their Emperor, move upward to the Sultan to not only pay their own respects but also to relinquish a series of gifts carried in their arms: some of the same fine silks worn by the Emperor and his followers. When the Emperor sits, so does the rest of his party save the few naga who have the imps remove their chairs.

Little to nothing is spoken in the common tongue amongst the party of the members of the arrived Iron Pact; instead, they speak an offshoot of multiple languages which seem to have been fit into a singular language whose origins may be traced back ot the heartlands of the Empire. There is no introductions made on behalf of the Empire's representatives, not even one for the famed Emperor who united the lands of Sarkun and the other provinces of the Empire together. To this point, few of the representatives even look upon the members of the Quintipartite Pact except for the occasional hiss from the naga to the Sultans of Sida.

Sitting upon either side of the Emperor and amongst the mess that is the imps are the direct aids and advisers to the Emperor himself. Prefect of the Land and Governor of the city of Fadilla, Naji Qusay XII is a man of half Sidan, half Kerodilian descent. While not initially accepting the errant tiefling Marcus Olm's rule over Muhsin and Qadir, he saw that the rise of the Empire would be a thing which he could benefit from, and, in fact, has greatly benefited. He is perhaps one of the most influential men in the Empire outside the Emperor himself for his work in outfitting the mortal army, reforming the economic system of the Empire, and acting as the chief adviser to the Emperor. Sar Sin-muballit and Samsu-iluna, Prefect of the Faith and Sight respectively, are the naga who oversee the transformation the Emperor has seen in the recent month. Believing him to be a pariah and the heir to the legacy of Ss'lorhn - the Pariah Prince - they have allowed their clan to move into the Tower of Hell to care for the Emperor, his family, the Imperial Cult, and the Imperial Arcaneum. They hold a deep hatred for the Sidan people and blame their recent decline upon them with the Emperor himself promising a restoration to the Naga Empire of old to ensure their loyalty.

The arrived half of the Iron Pact only begins to become lively upon the arrival of the second half - the Republic of Pycheko through the portals granted to them by the Emperor's own cultists. The Emperor himself stands upon the arrival of Tsar Ukev Bymirov, offering the man a firm handshake and escorting him to the seat designated for him on the side of the Iron Pact. Of course, their alliance works well - the Empire long since battling against the Blight on both Aeria and Hell and has been pushing forward for a united front against the Blight since their formation. Though some tension has been forged between the two nations over the Pychekan claim on Occitan and upper Sanctimonia as well as economic reforms in the Empire which lower the exclusivity promised to Imperial Trade, the Empire has long since made up for it for their exclusive and discounted trade of navium - a crystal which can be used to combat Blight - to Pycheko.

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :

The Quintipartite Pact

The Sultan of Aekhan would nod graciously at the Emperor's gifts of fine silks, though he seems perturbed by the presence of the Naga in his presence. "I thank the Emperor Marcus Olm for his generous gift of these finest of silks. Now, let us begin." He turns to the Quintipartite side of the table, inclining his head.

As if on cue, the Shahrab Yasir El'Amin would rise, a scroll of parchment in hand. Though his hair is graying, he is every bit the legendary figure he once was. Well renowned as a brilliant tactician and strategist, he earned his epitaph 'The Flame of the East' for riding into battle completely ablaze in a fire born of the Fire Temple of Nasii, before utterly routing a far larger Talibarian army. In recent times, it is all but assumed that the Flame would be charged with the unilateral command of a Sidan invasion of Sarkun.

Spoiler:

Unfurling the scroll, he bows to the Sultan of Aekhan before turning to the Emperor Marcus Olm and beginning to speak in eloquent Sidan.

"I have been chosen by both my lord, the Sultan of Nasii, and the constituent members of the Quintipartite Pact, to speak for them their demands, penned days previous."

Without much further ado, the Flame begins to read from the scroll.

"We, the constituent member states of the Quintipartite Pact, do announce and commit to a single declaration of purpose concerning this summit of nations, which is a deliberative and dedicated attempt to restore peace, address grievances, and reduce the present hostilities which grip the world. To this end we believe that a succinct and united declaration of grievances and possible means of redress to be both necessary and prudent.

The member states of the Quintipartite Pact, being the Kingdom of Sanctimonia, the Empire of Talibar, and the Sultanates of Nasii, Seljuk, and Torah, believe that they have, as a whole, been the victim of a series of unprovoked and brutal attacks from the Empire of Sarkun, the scale and severity of which are unprecedented. We place the responsibility for these dire crimes solely upon the shoulders of the Emperor Marcus Olm, who has directed his people and the powers under his control to invade, torture, suppress, slaughter, and to otherwise spread death and misery to hundreds of thousands of innocent souls for his short duration of power. Amongst his many crimes, he has; instigated a wholly unprovoked war against the Sultanate of Seljuk, with no respect to the lives of the common citizen, and, indeed, utterly reduced entire populations to nothingness through use of torture and sadistic slaughter for the express purpose of the slavery of their eternal, immortal souls, to be tortured thereafter in the darkest pits of Hell; practiced a policy of unrestrained warfare against the non-combatants of every member nation save that of the Empire of Talibar, having seen fit to afflict tens of thousands with unnatural and virulent plagues, to poison vast numbers with baleful toxins, or to otherwise expressly target innocents and non-combatants with vicious attacks of a nature intent on spreading misery, fear, and pain; assaulted and murdered the rightful rulers of Nasii and Torah with no thought to common morality or decency; pursued a policy of utter and total annihilation against the Ha’dri race, having seen fit to deny them both their ancestral lands which have been held for centuries, through right of productive inhabitance and the blood of their warriors; and, overall, pursued an unrestricted, unrestrained path of war, conquest, and annihilation which has thrown the world into chaos, misery, and death unseen on this scale since the God Wars of old. We charge that the Emperor Marcus Olm has threatened the constituent powers of the Quintipartite Pact, and many other diverse peoples and nations besides, with not only war, conquest, and utter subjugation, but also complete and total annihilation of entire cities, cultures, and national entities. We further assert that if the Empire of Sarkun wishes to exist as a respectfully recognized, sovereign state, to exist in peace and mutual cooperation and prosperity with the rest of the world, certain terms must be met, and severe redress surrendered. To do otherwise, to wholly reject the Pact’s primary terms, is to provoke a military response from all members of the Pact and beyond, wherein we will, by any means necessary, move to dissolve the Emperor Marcus Olm’s power and authority as befitting an illegal and unrecognized power, to utterly destroy this nation he has forged, and to seek the imposition of harsh punitive measures as we see fit in order to exact justice.

Our primary demands are thus;

We demand that the Empire of Sarkun cease in full the use of demonic entities for the purposes of war against mortal nations, armies, or peoples. These supernatural powers shall cease to be used to wage the Empire’s wars upon Aeria, even in matters of defense. This demand shall come with the express caveat that these demonic powers may be used against the Blight upon Aeria, specifically with an eye towards a united Blight front.

We demand that the Emperor Marcus Olm immediately release any and all souls captured during his unlawful conquests, to allow them all to find proper rest in the afterlife as is befitting any mortal soul.

We demand that significant monetary redress be surrendered to the injured peoples and nations of Aeria, in place of justice incurred upon the battlefield. Our opening terms are;
30 million shillings to the Ha’dri people
15 million shillings to the Sultanate of Seljuk
5 million shillings to the Sultanate of Nasii
6 million shillings to the Sultanate of Torah
4 million shillings to the Kingdom of Sanctimonia.
We further demand that should the above terms be accepted, that an immediate sum of five million shillings shall be paid upon the signature of the treaty, to be distributed amongst the aforementioned peoples; and that the payment yearly shall not fall under 500,000 shillings; and that this sum must be paid within 5 years.

We demand that the Empire of Sarkun relinquish territory delineated as rightful land owned by the Ha’dri people into the hands of the Ha’dri people as a whole. We further demand that the Empire of Sarkun officially recognize the land as constituting a sovereign nation or nations afforded all the rights and powers due a sovereign state or states.

Finally, we demand that the Emperor Marcus Olm, being of divine stature, either relinquish his divine nature in order to rule his Empire as a mortal, or to ascend fully and relinquish his claim to the sovereign head of state of his Empire, allowing another mortal to rise in his place.

Our secondary demands are thus;

We demand that the Empire of Sarkun remove their forces from the land of Estivon where they do not rightfully hold sovereignty.

We demand that the Empire of Sarkun officially recognize the right of the Wild Elves to govern themselves and of their right to a sovereign, recognized nation.

We demand that the Empire of Sarkun forfeit their claims of sovereignty over the former Free Kingdoms of Kerodil, thereby dissolving the right transferred by the annexation of the Inferian Imperium, and allow these states to enter into self-governing sovereignty once more."

After this long speech, the Flame would stop and then sit, looking to the Sultan of Aekhan.

Nodding, the Sultan turns to the Emperor.

"You may now read your opening declaration and statement of terms."

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 3:46 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

Whilst the speaker lists the demands, only snickering comes from the parties on the other side of the room. This snickering subsides after the reader is done speaking. At this point a small imp, almost elected in spite of the Concordic alliance, jumps upon the table which they are seated at with his own paper given by the members of the Iron Pact.

"As a citizen, speaker and representative for the nations of the Iron Pact, I transmit the beliefs of the members I represent here in this summit of nations the Sultan of Aekhan has graciously hosted for us. With that being said, the members of the Iron Pact wish to remind the member nations of the Quintipartite Pact that the Empire of Sarkun and its allies fight a defensive war against the members of the Quintipartite Pact and that it was not the Iron Pact which sought to wage war, but only responded to the threat of foreign invasion. In our possession we hold many forms of evidence which back up many attempts of brokering a peace between a number of parties present in your Quintipartite Pact. Many would claim that the first signs of hostilities was indeed the invasion of Sarkun by the Kingdom of Sanctimonia, but we argue that this is only the outcome of something which could have easily been avoided. Letters sent by one Marcus Olm long before the creation of the Empire to the nation of Sanctimonia, the Order of Vindicators, the Republic of Pycheko, and the fractured nation states of Occitan were sent out regarding the construction of the Tower to Hell and Marcus Olm’s attempts to see it dismantled before it could cause the damage it has. While these letters were written in the native tongue of Marcus Olm’s, one might suspect more of the parties listed above would respond other than the Order of Vindicators and the Republic of Pycheko. It was from here that the call for war was issued by the Sanctimonian’s and the ha’dri people and not the other way around. While the Empire’s cities were being burned down as they had months earlier by the forces of the Dominion and Sida, Marcus Olm and Thorn Razel activated the Tower to kill the tyrant Bane in order to save his people the destruction they faced before. It was the ha’dri who attacked the Empire when the Empire offered an alliance as with the Impo’si. It was the Sanctimonian’s who attacked the Empire when the Empire requested aid as with the Republic of Pycheko. It was the Sidan’s who burned down cities and tried to kill leaders of the Empire as the Dominon had done. It is the negligence and blatant hypocrisy of the Quintipartite Pact that we are here this day discussing the end of a war which could have been avoided. The people of the Iron Pact will not be the subject of attempts at bullying by the millions who blindly accept what the Concordic is.

The attacks against the Empire by the Dominion and Sida even before the war which resulted in the destruction of entire villages and death of dozens as well as the massacre of Imperial soldiers whilst they were trying to evacuate a city to spare the citizenry the level of attack seen before. Then you come before the victims saying that the attacks of the Empire are unjustified, are beyond cruel. The levels of savagery seen by the members of the Concordic are known. Estivon is another target of these attacks, of this oppression. Thousands placed into slavery and worked to the bone by the Dominion and yet you, their neighbors, did nothing to stop this. Upon their liberation, the Emperor was face to face with a single agent of the Dominion who threatened the destruction of a Root of Kielm and a guardian governing the life of the both Estivon, lower Sanctimonia, and upper Sarkun. This is the length of how far the members of the Concord will go: to destroy the life of entire regions of Aeria. To kill thousands who are trying to evacuate a city. Your so called Quintipartite Pact are not the peace keepers you try to be, but instead warmongers who will do anything against anyone who opposes your views. I say again: the Iron Pact will not be bullied anymore by your blatant hypocrisy."

"We demand that during the course of the six month ceasefire that at the end of every month a new summit will begin in an attempt to broker a true and lasting peace amongst the people of Aeria. We also recognize that this may be inconvenient to certain parties invited to be present. As a result, we ask that representatives may have residency within the Sultanate of Aekhan during this time so that they may convey the words of their respective nations.

We demand that the embargoes placed upon the members of the Iron Pact be removed during the time of the six month ceasefire. Should the ceasefire end without a resolution, the embargoes may be reinstated. The money lost during the ceasefire punishment enough to remove the embargoes for the time being.

We demand that the forces of the Quintipartite Pact and the forces of the Iron Pact - angel and demon - unite under a single force in an attempt to stop the rising Blight threat upon Aeria and Hell.

We demand the pardon of every Imperial citizen and any claims upon their person in terms of enslavement by the Quintipartite Pact. The Imperial citizens are under a new collective which renounces all former crimes in relations to enslavement, religion, culture, and race.

We demand that any claims the Quintipartite Pact may have upon any lands under the protection and or rulership of the Iron Pact must be renounced by the Quintipartite Pact and their kin.

We demand that the Imperial provinces of Estivon and Inferia be recognized as entities of the Iron Pact, and further the Imperial lands of the Empire.

We demand that, while the demonic forces of the Iron Pact may not be used as an aggressor force against its enemies, that it may instead hold true to the treaty listed now: that they may stand as purely a defensive force inside Iron Pact member nations.

And should the Quintipartite Pact try to press for the ha'dri's original home land back, which you have, the Iron Pact demands that the naga have their original homes back.. which is roughly the entirety of Sida."

With that, the Imp removes itself from the table, the scroll burning in its meager hands upon his closing of it.

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

As the Imp leaps off the table, before the Sultan of Aekhan can respond to progress the meeting, the Sultan Fajwa of Torah would slam his fist into the table, eliciting a loud, ringing sound, his face red, his breathing hard. He would rise up, his eyes on the Emperor's own, before launching into a impassioned tirade -

"I will NOT STAND for these LIES and DISRESPECT. You attacked OUR people, OUR land, OUR homes. Either you are insane or the evil powers you have surrendered yourself to have driven you to madness. The Sultanates of Nasii, Torah, and Seljuk have NEVER attacked your lands, nevertheless committed such crimes as you charge upon us - I REFUSE to be insulted in such a way when it is YOU who have killed so many of our own."

The Sultan would pause, breathing, looking amongst his comrades, who remain silent. After a moment he would continue -

"You will show me respect, or I swear to you, I will leave this hall and refuse to receive ANY delegation of yours save your ABJECT SURRENDER. You will BOW TO ME and APOLOGIZE, and you will EXPEL your chittering demons, or I swear I will leave."

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 4:42 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

The Emperor only smirks his devilish teeth at the outburst of the Sultan before beginning to rise to his feet. Almost immediately as he stands, a collection of imps follow his movements and bring his sheathed sword to his side in the event that he may use it. He does not, however. "And who are you, that I must bow so low? A simple man? I would not lower myself to bow to you, just as I would not lower an imp to bow before you. You have done nothing to earn the respect of others." Burdening himself to speak, the Emperor moves his hand upward to issue silent commands. As he does this, the palm of his hand begins to tear apart at the center showing a horrid display. Numerous ghostly faces try to free themselves from inside the hand, their silent screams showing the truest extent of their pain. Midst this display comes a single crystal bound in a flowing red liquid; it moves to the center of the room upon its own command before it itself opens up and plays a series of events: high elves speaking Sidan amongst themselves before trying to strike down the Governess of Saffiyyah, Lady Cassandra. This attempt is foiled by her screams, which sound a number of guards and the tiefling Marcus Olm. While a few are cut down in the room, many escape to later start burning down the city and escaping into the jungles. "I offer only the truth. Do you claim that these men are not yours and solely the agents of the Dominion?"

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

Before the Sultan can respond to this display, the King of Sanctimonia would speak up.

"You expect us to believe this.. display? We know it is within your power to do many things - would it not be easy to simply fabricate these sounds we hear and these images we see? Whilst we have the most concrete of evidence that you did what we claim you did. And even if it were true - for what reason would you attack Seljuk? Does it excuse your butcher of the people of Patnos? Does it excuse the thousands more that died because of your use of Plagues? Were the Sultans of Nasii, Torah, and Seljuk all in a vast conspiracy with these Elves? Lie, redirect, and diminish all you want - your actions betray your intent. In the weeks before your defeat at the hands of the Demon Hunters, you were content in your attempt to depopulate the lands of Sida entirely. What else can the wholesale slaughter of captured civilians and the release of Plague imply?"

Monthly Bather Posts : 336 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

After the King's speech Sultan Houssam Arvenio III of Nasii stands up, speaking more calmly than the Sultan of Torah but with passion.

"Your own actions cannot be forgotten or set aside in this meeting. A meeting you called for and now stand laughing and accusing. We came before you expecting a proper peaceful arrangement and you insult us and treat us as mere peasants. You are the one who stands guilty of killing innocents and tearing families apart. My father died and his blood is on your hands, along with the blood of countless others. The weight of your actions sits too heavily to be forgiven or forgotten."

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:09 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

"Do not believe it if you do not wish, as I do not believe half the words you speak. My people were attacked, I attacked back. You Concordic lot only understand one thing: death. I knew there would never be a peace between the Dominion and my Empire, it is their nature to defy what their god defies. You humans, however, know submission. During this time, I myself saw what extent the Dominion would go to win.. to destroy a Root of Kielm and a guardian. During your invasion of my lands, I saw this even further through the massacre of my most trusted men as they tried to evacuate the city and prevent such a loss which happened months before." The Emperor turns his heads to the different Sultans and the King. "How am I to think you are different than the Dominion when you butcher my men? You're just mad that I have butchered yours on a greater scale in response to end your call to war. Truthfully, you're more resilient than I initially expected."

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

The King would meet the Emperor's gaze, his own expression hard and unforgiving.

"Your men were combatants in the midst of a war. We knew that they were your most trusted, loyal soldiers and thus would never rest to fight, even if we took them into captivity. The deaths of combatants in war is far different from the murder of a helpless civilian populace after all of the defenders have fallen. If you remember, we took the cities of Qadir, Rashid, and Aqil during our invasion. We did not slaughter the populace as we easily could have. Furthermore, where possible, we simply imprisoned the garrisons you left to guard them instead of outright execution."

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:30 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

"War? I do not remember receiving a declaration of war from your entire alliance. You came to my borders, I pleaded peace with your admiral. Your treatment of my people is false. Rashid was destroyed, my people subjugated. You would have made my Empire another Estivon, if you had not sought to kill them. I freed the slaves of Sida that pain you forced upon them, the pain you would have forced upon my people. My people will never face that future."

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

The King of Sanctimonia looks bewildered.

"Are you a fool? This alliance," he says, gesturing to his fellow world leaders,"Did not exist until three days ago! But I will not shrink from my convictions. Yes, we - my nation - attacked you, on my orders. Our intent was first and foremost the destruction of the Tower that you were constructing. And - I will not shrink from it - if we had succeeded, you would have been thrown to the gallows. If any man among us believes any different - that a known murderer and demon summoner should be allowed to live, free from justice, let alone the master of entire nation - I impart them to speak now."

The King casts a single finger, pointing it accusingly at Marcus.

"You speak as if you would have gladly seen the Tower destroyed, that the blame of its creation and the war that followed is set upon us. Ha! I might also say that a man in the way of a boulder I pushed his way suffers the blame of being crushed underneath it! YOU signed a pact with Bane, the Tyrant, and YOU oversaw the creation of the Tower in return for power! We received your letters, Emperor, and we saw them for what they were - an attempt to save yourself of the fate you had doomed yourself to on the backs of our soldiers. We received your letters, and little do you know, we answered them - with our invasion."

The King drops his hand down, sweeping it through the air violently. "Rashid was not subjugated by us; you did that yourself. When the Shah revolted, you threw the entire populace in chains."

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:47 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

"It is funny to hear you still say that I am Marcus Olm. Did you not execute the man who was given to you? Did he not die for what crimes he committed? Or did you kill another man for crimes he did not commit? How can one be raised from the dead to become a god? Do you think me a pawn of the former Shah of Rashid? A zombie? If so, you have much more to worry about than me. If not, how can you claim that I am Marcus Olm?"

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:52 pm

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

Amongst all the arguing Sultan Fayza IV of Seljuk stands in rage.

"ENOUGH! You plague our people, burn our cities, and slaughter us when unprovoked, and you still have the audacity to call us as the aggressors in this conflict. I came here today wishing only for long lasting peace, to stop the suffering of my people, but it seems that is not possible. You, Emperor of Sarkun, refuse to face the consequences of your own actions, placing the blame on us!"

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

The King scoffs, shaking his head.

"I do not know how you survived, only who you claimed to be before you remade yourself into this.. this megalomaniacal 'Emperor'.

But tell me, then, who are you? If Marcus Olm died when we first thought, then who rose in his place? Who sent the letters? Who ARE you?"

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 6:09 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

The Emperor simply ignores the arising Sultan, a simple smirk replacing his stern facial expression. "Who am I? I am truly Marcus Olm. I was spared by the Archivists, who betrayed the better world and claimed that you, king, killed me. They are the reason I am alive to this day. I am eternally grateful for their willingness to accept me. Quite frankly, I am surprised you are eager to be allies with them Sultans of Sida, but they probably kept that truth from you. In fact, I still have their sigil in my keep."

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

The Sultan Fajwa Muhammel gives a loud laugh.

"Of course he lies to turn us away from them, those who proved so instrumental in your defeat."

The King of Sanctimonia doesn't seem so convinced, however. His brow furrowed, he falls quiet for a moment while the Flame, Shahrab Yasir El-Amin, speaks up for the first time since the beginning.

"My lords.. We can accuse each other all day but I doubt it will yield much fruit." He turns to the Sultan of Aekhan, inclining his head in respect. "I believe it is time for each side to remark upon the other's demands." The Sultan, having been silent this entire time, nods to the Flame before speaking.

"The Iron Pact will be the first to remark upon the demands of the Quintipartite Pact. Once you are done, the Quintipartite Pact will do the same for the Iron Pact's demands."

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:03 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

The Emperor bows his head somewhat for the first time to a man on the other side of the alliance: to the Flame. "Agreed." The Emperor finally takes his seat once again with a swift grin of victory. Upon him sitting, Prefect Naji Qusay XII stands up with a scroll granted by the Emperor.

"My Lord Emperor agrees to halt the aggressive hostility the demonic legions are used for in place of a proper standing army. However, he will not lower them as a purely a defensive force of Iron Pact members. This is the current agreement with them between my Lord Emperor and Tyr, but should this war come to end swiftly, a new pact dictating the use of demons may be forged to make them banned upon Aeria."

"My Lord Emperor agrees to release the souls of the captured fallen, save the members of the Dominion, upon the conclusion of this war. However, any souls captured by Tyr regarding demon souls or otherwise will be transferred to my Lord Emperor as well."

"My Lord Emperor agrees to pay a certain extent of payment to the afflicted parties, all save the ha'dri. However, he will not pay any sum unless the embargo upon the Iron Pact is removed."

"My Lord Emperor declines any demand to see the ha'dri back into nations of the Iron Pact in any way, shape, or form. They declined an alliance that the Impo'si accepted, they agreed to leave their jungle, and you agreed to help them. There is nothing more to be said upon this topic."

"My Lord Emperor declines removing himself as the leader of the Empire he built. Without a proper heir belonging in his realm, there are few men who could be trusted with the position of power belonging to the Emperor."

"My Lord Emperor declines the notion of removing troops within neutral ground of Estivon and the notion of relinquishing forts belonging to no man. However, should the ha'dri threat be nulled by the Sanctimonians, the Empire will draw back its men to its proper borders."

"My Lord Emperor declines the notion of an free Estivonian nation, as he liberated the nation under the promise that he would rule it upon its freedom."

"My Lord Emperor declines the notion of releasing the captured Free Cities of Kerodil, as it is not his land to negotiate. The claims pressed upon these captured Free Cities were pressed by the Inferian's and not the Empire. They alone won the wars which allowed them to capture the cities and it is not the Empire's place to relinquish that command. However, my Lord Emperor will hereby stay out of Kerodilian politics when resulting with the Free Cities. Should the Inferian's press for future war against the remaining Free Cities, it will be their war and not the Empire's."

[/quote]

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

As Naji finishes reading out the Imperial response to the demands, the world leaders begin to mutter amongst themselves, mulling over the altered terms.

After a moment, the Sultan of Torah would speak up, inquiring of the other side - "What changes would you make to the payments to the Sultanates?"

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:21 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

Naji looks up from the scroll he is clearly reading word for word. "My Lord Emperor does not feel that the damage done upon the Sidan land is this extreme when a good portion of my Lord Emperor's treasury is already funding the reconstruction of its own cities and villages destroyed and damaged during the fighting."

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

As the Sultan is delivered a canned response, he curls his lip and returns to speaking amongst the other delegates. After a few moments, the Flame would rise up and speak.

"The members of the Quintipartite Pact have no further questions, and will now remark upon the Iron Pact's demands." The Flame would briefly look to the Sultan of Nasii before continuing.

"The Pact agrees to the possibility of a Summit every month, so long as it is permissable to the venerable Sultan Aali 'Abla Abd Al-Qadir. Beyond this, I leave it to his majesty himself to remark upon the possibility of delegates living within Aekhan itself.

The Pact declines any end to the embargo while a universal peace and end to hostilities has not been forged. Should such an agreement be formed, the embargo will end.

The Pact is willing to contemplate the creation of a united, international front against the Blight, but only if a peace is satisfactorily found.

The Pact is willing to announce a universal pardon concerning the citizens of the member nations of the Iron Pact, including freed slaves and other existing criminals. However, the Pact is unwilling to allow the Empire or the member nations of the Iron Pact to become an outlet for criminals escaping proper justice within the Quintipartite member nation's lands. We charge that should a peace be formed, further such exodus must be stymied, and escaped criminals caught at the border and returned to the nation of their crime.

The Pact is willing to renounce any personal or hereditary claims to any region the Empire or the Republic of Pycheko controls, but not the claim of the Ha'dri.

The Pact is willing to recognize the Imperial provinces of Inferia and Estivon, but only within the regions willingly absorbed. The Pact does not relinquish the secondary demands.

The Pact is unwilling to recognize the claim the Naga hold to all of Sida. We do not know where the Naga have survived these untold centuries, but they have been absent from Sida for generations."

Taking a breath, the Flame turns to the Sultan of Aekhan, who nods to the Emperor.

"You may now respond to the Quintipartite's response to your demands, and inquire where necessary."

Subject: Re: The Summit of Nations Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:56 pm

Quote :: The Iron Pact

"The embargo placed upon the Iron Pact has starved its citizens of much needed resources such as food and raw materials. Only upon its removal will the Empire pay the full amount of money demanded by your alliance over the course of ten years, while refusing to pay to the ha'dri." Naji Qusay speaks up after kneeling down somewhat to speak directly to the Emperor. "The ha'dri will not be allowed within the nations belonging to the Iron Pact for the foreseeable future in response to their failed rebellion against both the Empire and the Impo'si."

Administrator Posts : 458 Join date : 2012-02-04

Quote :: The Quintipartite Pact

The delegates would talk amongst themselves once more for several minutes, before the Flame finally stands up, clearing his throat to speak once more.

"The members of the Quintipartite Pact find the current scenario unacceptable.

The Pact must insist upon the importance of the utter removal of demons from Aeria. While the willingness to cooperate on this note is appreciated, it must be agreed to before hand before any peace is signed.

The Pact is thankful to hear that the souls of the slain will be released if there is peace, but we cannot presume to demand anything of the Lord Tyr.

The Pact must insist that the Ha'dri be compensated for the drastic loss of life they have suffered. Furthermore, the Pact charges that the payment must be paid within 7 years, not 5 or 10. Furthermore, the embargo will be lifted as soon as a peace agreement is made.

The Pact must insist that the Ha'dri be given the land claimed in the agreement.

The Pact finds it unacceptable that the Emperor Marcus Olm would escape personal justice for the crimes he has committed. The Pact is unwilling to accept this denial.

The Pact must insist that the Wild Elves are afforded the respect they deserve, and further charges that the presence of Imperial troops in an area illegally claimed by the Empire threatens a break in the Treaty of Atiya.

The Pact charges that if the Empire does not claim the land of Inferia as their own, then Inferia should be considered an ally and a partner and not a province, and thus owing no taxes, no levies, and so forth."