(http://i.imgur.com/nuwQLLZ.png)
To Agathos Daimon Atri Kos at the Great Library of Carcossa
An official reply from the Divine Listener and reincarnation of the first, Adara Revia Oz
I'm pleased to see the O people are invited to be represented at this conference,
and as Listener I have made it a direct order of the Listener to send Economic Expert
Chancellor Dr. Feridnha Sevilecrin Evrashik and People's Senator Ieter Nuraimi Iseltov
to the conference. We hope to atone for the sins of the past so that Ozia may have
a role in making Taijitu a better place through diplomacy and civility. We believe that
agreements can be made to benefit every person of Taijitu, regardless if their nation
is invited or not.
(http://wiki.taijitu.org/w/images/thumb/c/cf/New_Quarrovth_Coat_of_Arms_Draft_1.svg/536px-New_Quarrovth_Coat_of_Arms_Draft_1.svg.png)
THE GRAND IMPERIAL RESIDENCE
PELAGIS
1982
Agathos Daimon Atri Kos
Great Library
Carcossa, Al'Khem,
I was very pleasantly surprised and honored to see such an invitation extended to the Myrorian state. Though I would very much like to attend such a conference in person, I'm afraid that due to affairs in Myroria that need my attention, the Imperial presence will not be there in person.
In my stead I will send Sera Gilas Quarrith, a kinsman of Great House Quarrovth. Though a young man, he has the wisdom and experience of an elder statesman. I have the utmost confidence that he will confidently and accurately represent myself and the Myrorian people at this meeting.
I look forward to the results of this meeting of nations, and I believe I speak for myself and Sera Gilas when I say that it is truly a pleasure to work with Al'Khem and every other nation on the Cefnori Basin.
In sincerity and honor,
Her Majesty Fredrika Vadeni Quarrovth Tar-Ilium, first of her name, Empeuress of Myroria and her Dominions.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6211/6279367520_897b99077d.jpg)
Carcossa The Shining City
April 20, 1982
Beneath the celebratory masses on the surface of the city, the delegates were being led from their respective locations to a gilded subway station via a network of subterranean and aquatic tunnels. Their Da'Kavo guides offered little conversation and hardly let the delegates take in the beauty of the tunnels. The foyer was the epitome of oppulent and more than a little gaudy, with its gold veined white marble floor ceiling and columns. Its walls all exquisitely detailed frescos of nature scenes in which people were the size of ants. All of this leading to a train platform with gilded safety rails. On the rails was a sleek tube that shone like quicksilver in moonlight, its doors ajar revealing a crimson interior. A wizened Librarian in traditional crimson robes patiently stood by the rails allowing each delegate to arrive one by one. He had been chosen for this meeting not merely for his mind and language skills but most importantly his patience. The Agathos Daimon knew whomever he chose would need it in infinite supply for dealing with the n'khem powers of the basin. If the aptitude testing and service record had anything to say it was that Librarian Kno'tai would do exceptionally as a diplomat and a salesman.
As the first delegates came through he put on a polite smileand gave a small bow. A moment later saying, "Welcome to the conference. I ask that we wait for the others to arrive before boarding. In the meantime how about introductions? My calling is Librarian Kno'tai. My heart sings at your arriving under Gaias good grace."
As she descended the stairs of a modest government jet and stepped onto the tarmac of the muggy Carcossa airport, Esteemed Ambassador Tezcatlipoca wondered what she'd gotten herself into.
Being an Ambassador in Jutensa had for several decades involved primarily writing and responding to letters. The Jutensan people were fanatical about keeping physical records of all official communications, thanks to an historic Ozian betrayal*. The Honorable Premier had, however, made the opening of Jutensa a cornerstone of his electoral campaign.
------
"Come right in and have a seat."
The voice of Jutensa's new Honorable Premier came from the other side of the filigreed office door upon which Ahuiliztli Tezcatlipoca had just knocked. She entered slowly and gracefully, her serene brown eyes taking in the details of the room without seeming to as she glided to the chair nearest an enormous desk. First impressions are everything to a politician, after all.
All of the furniture in his office appeared to be carved wood, the brobdingnagian desk dominating its surroundings by mass alone. It was less ornately decorated than the pieces around it and seemed to be much older, the lacquer worn thin in places to show the grain of the wood. None of the other pieces showed such lack of care, but were freshly lacquered and shone in the sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling openings in the walls. The breeze stirred the small windchimes hung in each corner, setting them tinkling.
Apparently this man had a taste for the old-fashioned, though you'd never know it from the ease with which he wore his crisp designer suit. New to the Capital, Matlalihuitl Cipactli was making an impression.
"I've received a very interesting invitation," he began as he handed Ahuiliztli a sealed note.
She already knew what it said. Every government official in the country knew about the missive from Khem, though they weren't supposed to until it was formally announced. In Jutensa, a lot less was formal in reality than in appearance.
Once she'd made a show of reading the paper before her, Premier Cipactli continued. "I'm sending you to this conference. Jutensa's reentry into international politics is long overdue and given your past diplomatic efforts, I trust that you can handle the assignment."
Snorting inside at the mention of her past "diplomacy", Ambassador Tezcatlipoca calmly stood and extended her hand to indicate acceptance. "I will go to Cefnor for you, Honorable Premier."
"Go for Jutensa. Bring us back into the light of day. Let them all see that we are prepared to take the world stage once more."
------
At least the riot of color bursting forth from frescoes, flowers, and the vivid garments of Khem's people was comfortable and familiar. It brought to mind the ancestral home of Ahuiliztli's family, a low but sprawling stone manorhouse just outside of the capital city, surrounded by lush, vibrant rainforest and decorated with brilliantly-painted murals both inside and out. Often they would remove the light, portable outer walls to gaze upon the foliage and luxuriate in the glorious scent of a thousand competing blossoms.
Ahuiliztli stopped to admire some impressively tall purple bromeliads for a moment that turned into several, her impassive expression belying the intensity of her thoughts.
Stepping up to her shoulder after a minute, her blue-eyed guide finally spoke up, "Esteemed Ambassador, we really must be going. Ours will be the last delegation to arrive."
This is the closest he'll come to admonishing me for tardiness, I expect.
Without a word, Ahuiliztli gathered onto her arm the trailing hem of her lavish golden gown, glittering with sequins, and swept ahead into the crowd.
*OOC: Oh yes, this event will be RP'd.
Dropping her filmy train, she allowed the dress to flow down naturally, causing its myriad sequins to shimmer with light as the gossamer fabric fluttered behind her. She stepped up to the robed figure at the heart of the group and embraced him.
“Greetings in Gaea's grace, Librarian Kno'tai. My heart sings with the honor of meeting you in person after so many years of distantly exchanging communiqués.”
After releasing the ancient Librarian, Ahuiliztli turned to address her fellow guests. “I am Ahuiliztli Tezcatlipoca, Esteemed Ambassador of Jutensa. With some of you I have exchanged correspondence, while others present today are new to me. It is an honor to greet each of you. I hope that we may all come to know and understand one another during this conference, for the betterment of all our nations.” With this she walked around the platform, shaking hands and exchanging bows as appropriate, stopping finally by the Ozian delegates.
Noting Ieter and Feridnha's zuavka cigarettes with envy, Ahuiliztli found herself wishing for a smoke. Odd, that; it's been at least a decade since I indulged in zuavka. May as well commit to the celebration while I'm here.
“Psst... Ieter.” Ahuiliztli made a smoking gesture and pointed not-so-subtly to the pocket from which she imagined the cigarettes had been produced.
OOC: Jutensans, you may come to note, are not a terribly punctual people. Time to someone like Ahuiliztli is less firm, less strictly measured and observed than you would expect from Myrorians or Letonnese, for example. It's more of a vague method for planning the day's activities with little attention paid to minutes and more to hours. A Jutensan is more likely to arrive on time if you ask her to be there at sunset than at 7:30pm.
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
Agathos Daimon Atri kos
The Great Library
Carcossa, al' Khem
Klara Lethen
Gwendhouse
Krith, Commw. Zimmerwald
Forgive the lateness of this reply. My fellow tribunes and I were unsure how to
respond to your invitation. Terms like "matters of mutual benefit" and "assistance"
are a far cry from specific items on a discussion agenda. Furthermore, "conference"
suggests more than the bilateral meeting to which those terms allude, but offers no
criteria for invitation. Fortunately, Ely Remmen has volunteered to act as temporary
legate until there is a specific agenda and we can grant a true mandate on that basis.
Ely squeezes through the doors just as they close, and takes a moment to compose himself. He tucks his hair, still long even after he had discovered it was too straight to dred properly, behind his ears, and loosens the wool scarf wound around his neck. Normally it's stiflingly hot, but the Carcossan underground has been air-conditioned for decades and today of all days Ely wants a memento of home.
He looks around just in time to see one of the Khem sidle out from behind the bar and into what sounded and smelled like a busy cookery. He looks very familiar to Ely, but that's just how things are here.1 After generations of...breeding, most everyone has a near-exact double within twenty kilometers or so. In the big cities it can be difficult to tell a stranger from a friend. Hopefully Ely will get the chance to find out before the conference is over. He takes a swig of water from the flask he keeps on his belt, and grimaces. What as shame it would it be if he didn't get to visit the bar!
Unfortunately, while Ely was running late they'd all congregated into little knots, except one lonely-looking man in a maroon silk jacket. The fine texture of it is not a hopeful sign, but there's nothing for it. Ely takes a breath, walks over, and puts a hand on the man's shoulder.
"Sorry to be late," he says, pulling his hand away as the man turns around. "Ely Remmen. Do you have any idea what they want to talk about?"
The idea is that Ely and Monti have met before. Unfortunately for Ely, Monti's holed up inside the galley car.