Council Meeting: Rebirth Cycle 722

[Zana]

Play another role, try and lose control
And stain your soul to red from white

1st
Cylus
722

Zana watched, and she listened, and she wondered.

Scalvoris was a relatively new place, in terms of government, and she had more than a few thoughts on what was happening here. But, Zana knew enough to keep quiet and to watch and then, when she was given the moment to speak, she smiled and nodded her head. "Thank you," she said to Shania when it was acknowledge that it was her turn. Standing up and smoothing down her dress, Zana spoke to the assembled Council members. Her voice was confident, calm - friendly, even. She stood very straight and yet seemed relaxed and she made sure to look at each of them.

"My name is Zana and firstly, I would like to thank you for taking your time to listen to me." Of course, as far as Zana was concerned they should be on their knees worshipping her and having tumults of joy at the fact that she deigned to speak with them. But. Sugar for the birds, and all that. Zana, after all, had a plan. "I have come here totrial to propose that I be considered for the position of Council Member for Foreign Affairs," she said softly with a smile. "With the Council's permission, I would like to explain -briefly, of course- my experience and skills which make me ideally suited for this role. "

She looked at each of them with calm ice-blue eyes and then, having taken a moment to pause, she spoke. "I am widely travelled and very used to dealing with people from all walks of life. I have lived in many of Idalos' cities including Ne'haer, Rharne, Desnind for a short time, and Viden. I was born and raised in a brothel in Ne'haer," Zana had no qualms about who she was or where she came from - and sex work was not something that she was prudish about. Nor, of course, was it illegal. "I have worked as a prostitute, as a bar maid, as a politician and business woman in a very successful business and as a member of a noble family." She smiled at them. "So, I know and understand many societies and many aspects of each."

That was the first one out of the way. "Furthermore, I know Scalvoris well. I have lived here for some time over the past few arcs, it is a place I have always returned to." Absolutely true that. "I have worked as an assistant to Professor Thetys," she gestured to the man otherwise known as mono-brow, but she thought it best not to mention that right now, "and I believe he will speak of me as someone who always turned up and was both insightful and quick." She smiled at Doran, hopeful that he was going to say that. She didn't recall irritating him, anyhow.

Looking at the other council members, she gave a slight nod to Oram. "And that brings me to my next reason. I was one of the people transported to various places around Idalos." Zana's tone was friendly, her hands clasped in front of her as she spoke. "Chief Ranger Mednix and I were transported to Uthaldria by someone claiming to be Cassion." Zana's expression matched her tone - friendly, neutral. "But I was one of two people in that group of five - along with another person who is well-known in Scalvoris, I believe. Arlo Creede? Anyhow, Arlo and I were both unconvinced by this person and their attempt to appear to be the Immortal of Adventure." Her gaze turned to Kura then, to Nir'wei, to Doran and to Bao. "And Arlo and I refused to be pulled along by them. The rest of the group did not agree, but Arlo and I stood our ground. It transpired that we were right and we met and fought the Champion of Syroa, I believe, who had so cleverly duped our colleagues. We saved those colleagues." Breathing in, she allowed that to sink in for a moment - she didn't mention that no one had said either thank you or acknowledged that she and Arlo were right - and then continued. "I tell you this to prove to you - as can be verified by one among you, one of your own who was there in that group that trial - that I will stand firm and stand by my beliefs. I will not go along to get along, which is a very important aspect of this role, I believe."

Zana lifted her hand then to the golden creature at her shoulder. "It was after we had defeated this Champion of Syroa, this Imposter, that Arlo and I met a dragon called Draithir. She owns a museum in Uthaldria, and she immediately offered me employment in the role of Curator. It is my job to travel the world for her, to collect items of beauty and interest. I believe that these links could be enormously beneficial to Scalvoris, and I would be very happy to negotiate with Draithir and try to secure terms which benefit both Scalvoris and her museum. Maybe opening a branch of said museum here, for example."

She had not much more to say, but there was some. "I also am close friends with Baron Devin on Faldrass and I am about to visit him, in fact. I believe that I combine the skills, the experience and the personality required to be an excellent Council Member of Foreign Affairs. I would approach the role as one which has the potential to make each of your jobs easier and therefore the lives of all on Scalvoris better. If there is a means of doing something which we can learn from, or a resource which we can benefit from - a creature which would improve our eco-system or a way that we can work in collaboration to strengthen our welfare - then I will find it and bring it back to the Council." The final, minute point she wished to make? "I have my own winged transport, so could travel without the expensive or time of lengthy sea voyages for the Council."

That, she considered, was probably everything she wanted to say. She thought about it again and nodded. "I am happy to answer questions, and welcome them." She breathed in and smiled, nodding her head in thanks for their time. And, with that, she waited. And all the time she

exuded natural charm

Take another sip, let it kiss your lips,
And let a little drip on your thighs

[Woe]

As he considered the Albarech’s dismissal of economic expansion, the issue seemed to loom larger and larger in his mind. Were there not an abundance of natural resources, many of which were still yet to be told right under their noses? Sand for instance, sand that would be gratefully received by places that had a thriving glass industry, such as Nashaki? They had dyes and commodities of the like in abundance. Perhaps a trade deal with Athart for their thriving textile trade? Perhaps they were isolated, yes, but such distances could yield great gains for trade in the rare commodities that Scalvoris had to offer.

But then, the rest of the council spoke up, and much of it wasn’t of interest to Woe’s purpose here. He had no designs on an office, as they’d already established his unsuitability by denying the Eggship in favor of a delinquent traitor. He had no illusions that time would heal his image, whatever that image might be.

Finally, the woman, who was named Zana, spoke up and offered herself as a Foreign Affair’s councilor. Woe was slightly amused that a self-described former prostitute was offering herself as a councilor. But only a little. There was no shame in the profession to his mind, and some of his favorite people happened to be prostitutes.

As she went on, it was clear she was well-spoken and intelligent enough and might have potential as not only a councilor but an ally on the council. Her claims to have defeated a Champion of Syroa were impressive enough, but then she claimed to be associated with another dragon, one that Woe wasn’t aware of, one that collected things, apparently.

When her spot of talking was done, and she said she was happy to answer questions, Woe stood up slowly. “I think it’s high time that the council had a Foreign Affairs councilor and one that didn’t turn out to be a traitor.” The Council seemed to have problems employing traitors and derelicts, based on Liza and the Tarouz that had formerly held that position. “I would hope, Miss Zana, that as Foreign Affair’s councilor, you’d keep a more open mind about trade and economic prospects in that office than the Albarech. There’s a wealth of opportunities to be made with long-range shipping lanes to other places. Not just Viden or the Eternal Empire. I’m talking about selling our special sands to the Glassmakers of Nashaki. Or our special dyes and cosmetics to the city of Athart. Perhaps even branching out to the Western Continent to see what trades might be made over a long range. Such trade routes can prove lucrative if we’re bringing goods that are scarcely available to them. And Scalvoris has many unique and rare resources, make no mistake.”

“It’s on that note, that I would inquire to Marshal Rand, about the feasibility of expanding the Water Elements, to include escorts for such long-range trade prospects, such as I described.” Woe looked to Rand, “The waters around Scalvoris have gotten crowded of late, with rumors of pirates returning from last season, I’d say it’s worth our while to try and mitigate any attempts to blockade or disrupt trade. Perhaps making contact with the Merfolk would be to our advantage? The Akktava tribe is well known for their intelligence gathering. It would be best to keep them close, even if not in a state of trust.”

This said Woe sat down, having said his piece. He had more to do with regards to starting a shipping operation out of Egilrun, but this wasn’t the place to bring it up unless they had an interest in his doings, which he doubted. That suited him fine.

[Doran]

Doran had noticed the strange atmosphere in the room and the grumbling, of course, but he wasn’t entirely sure if people grumbling was an unusual occurrence, and if it was still fallout from the previous meeting, or something more. The conviction that the Council was out of touch with the general populace continued to persist though, and he wanted to do something about it. He couldn’t help but wonder to which extent the Council communicated with the people it was supposed to be in charge of, and if it ever tried to explain anything – and if governments always, inevitably, ended up being flawed in that regard.

When Shania pointed out that some newer councilors were unaware of Scalvoris’ economic status, he inclined his head, in order to thank her for the fact that she had brought the matter up before he turned to listen to her statement regarding the empty seats. When she voiced her concerns about favoritism, he spoke in a calm and measured tone of voice, “I have the same concerns and would thus appreciate to hear if anybody has a better suggestion than me. The fact that the empty council seats should be filled remains though”, he added and briefly furrowed his brow as he remembered the last meeting.

It baffled him that the Council insisted on saving Liza’s seat for her even after all that time, especially considering the nature and time of her disappearance and the things that Woe Morandi had shared with them before he had left the last council meeting. And what more, it didn’t seem as if Egilrun had always been her priority before. Were personal feelings involved then? Was that the favoritism that Shania had been so concerned about?

“Liza disappeared at the same time that the Warden and several other people of note disappeared. There were reports about her sending glass to Viden and then right back to Slag’s Deep before the events of the Forging. The glass in question is called Drainglass", he pointed out - it needed to be said in his opinion, as it seemed as if some of the people present might have serious memory problems - and added, "If you want me to explain the Liza issue in more detail, let me know, please."

"Furthermore, there is Mister Morandi’s statement about the Egg in fact only being part of a set of triplets. Jacien was investigating Liza’s disappearance on the Albarech’s behalf that trial in the Glass Temple”, he continued as he considered it prudent to share a few facts - or repeat them for those that hadn't paying enough attention to the Liza issue so far for some reason.

Maybe, he considered, people were biased towards Liza for a reason that he wasn’t sure he understood (Although her being in league with the Warden was only a strong suspicion at this point, of course.).

On the other hand, maybe they had simply been unaware of certain things so far in which case his - and Woe's - information had hopefully helped make things a little clearer.

Furrowing his brow slightly, he listened to Rand and Oram talk about the matter of Slag’s Deep before he admitted in a calm tone of voice, turning to Rand as he did so, “I’d very much like to hear the Militant’s thoughts on the pirate issue.” Such things didn’t fall within his area of responsibility from what he knew, and besides, he was not intricately familiar with pirate activities, apart from his research into the history of the Pirate Lords.

For that reason, he did not comment on the issue at length.

It made sense to him to dedicate a bit more time to the matter of piracy in any case though, especially considering people’s concerns that seemed to be on the verge of being glossed over once more. He continued to remain silent on the matter of regional representatives on the other hand, although he did listen to Marcelle’s statement in that regard closely and ultimately turned to face the Albarech, wondering what she would say in that regard.

“You proposed an outreach school”, he said to Marcelle. “Do you have any idea approximately how many children would be able to benefit from such an outreach school?” In his opinion, every child should have the opportunity to be educated, and not have to travel breaks to reach a school, but he was curious about the numbers anyway.

When Francis reacted to his own proposal and subsequently mentioned the Hero’s Trial, Doran inclined his head in order to confirm that before he elaborated in the same calm and respectful tone of voice as before, “We did indeed celebrate the Hero’s Trial last Ymiden It was a one-time occurrence though and is thus not on our list of official holidays and celebrations. If the Council is in favour of implementing such a holiday, I would suggest moving it to the 30th of Ashan though, the actual date of the Forging”, he remarked and added, “It is important to note that celebrating the people who became Forged and helped save our island is not the same as celebrating the Induks.” That was a distinction that needed to be made in his opinion.

“If anybody else has something to say on the matter of holidays, I’d like to hear your thoughts as well. I will not do something that the majority disapproves of”, he explained.

“I agree that there are multiple avenues to success in a job”, he spoke when Linca commented on his proposal of job descriptions and requirements. “Perhaps soft requirements would make more sense than hard requirements. What I’m thinking of is asking people to demonstrate that they possess experience in or dedication to a certain field and are ready for that kind of commitment, rather than demanding some sort of degree, for example. I think that such things would help rather than hinder”, he spoke and paused for a moment in order to give Linca time to consider that.

There was another thing that came to his mind besides the matter of job requirements and job descriptions though. People seemed to be afraid of applying, or at least reluctant to apply, and he couldn’t help but wonder why that was the case. He had never been afraid of putting his name forward.

“I’ve been wondering why there are never more than one or two candidates at most – some of which turn out to be ill-suited for the job they are applying for - when there are more than a million people on this island”, he admitted and turned to Marcelle, briefly wondering if the rumours that she used to be an assassin were true and if it mattered if they were, before he asked her, “Do the children of Scalvoris learn anything about politics in school? To which extent are Council matters covered by our local newspapers? How much information do our citizens actually have? Do they know that there are empty Council seats, and do they know how they can apply?” he continued, addressing all of them and looking at all of them in turn now.

“Certain people seem to be afraid of being rejected or not being qualified enough, especially since two Heroes of the Forging were rejected. We need to convince people that applying is still worthwhile and that we will try to be as fair and unbiased as possible. I advised a more proactive approach before”, he reminded them and paused slightly in order to give people the opportunity to think about what he had said so far.

“If we want more applicants, and if we want to change people’s mind about the Council, we need to change the status quo, reach out to them and talk to them. Waiting has apparently not had the desired results so far”, he pointed out, allowing his tone of voice to briefly become slightly dry before it became calm and neutral once more. In his opinion, criticism was necessary sometimes, especially if a certain approach had not worked so far – although he wasn’t sure if remaining largely passive could be called an approach – but if he were too harsh, it would likely have the opposite effect.

He was still wondering about Council matters, and how one could possibly get more people interested in applying for a political position, when Zana stood. She introduced herself and asked to be considered for the position of Council Member for Foreign Affairs, which was unexpected to say the least. When she mentioned that she had worked as his assistant, he inclined his head in order to confirm that what she had said was true before he continued to listen. Her speech was impressive – and she revealed some interesting and concerning information. That she had fought a Champion of Syroa was surprising, to say the least.

He couldn’t help but wonder if her statement that she was a former prostitute would have an impact on the vote though.

He didn't understand why, but some people had a problem with someone having sex for money.

He gave no indication of how he was going to vote, of course, as doing such would be highly unprofessional. He would simply make his vote when the time finally came and continue to listen to what people had to say otherwise. Woe – he was somewhat surprised to see the man; he realized that he hadn’t paid a lot of attention to him so far, and barely noticed him, in fact – spoke about matters of economy and the rumours of increased pirate activity, for example. He was interested in what his fellow councilors had to say in that regard.

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura listened quietly as the rest of the council responded to what she said. Doran mostly agreed with her, and to be honest, she mostly agreed with his additions. The requirements for the council positions were a touch unclear and several of their prior councilors has been...peculiar fits for their role, even discounting that one feathered traitor. As to holidays, they weren't something she had any real strong opinions about, as she didn't generally celebrate holidays and hadn't in a couple decades. Oram gave a report regarding the planned exploration of Slag's Deep, so all was going as well as it could there. Nir'wei mostly backed Doran's thoughts on better explaining why people weren't chosen as did Bao. When Shania spoke up regarding her comment on the economic rumor, Kura gave her a somewhat dryly amused look. "Since these meetin's are public, so are the minutes from the meetin's. Anyone who wishes to access them can do so at their leisure in this very buildin'." she said, her tone calm. "While I agree with you regardin' the need to encourage collaboration between the regions, having only one or two representatives for the entire population of the island would make it hard to get a feel for each regions needs, especially if those representatives start playin' favorites." she said, before nodding at both her and Doran. "As for maintainin' objectivity in the people we try to talk into joinin' the council, they would still have to pass the normal votin' means, so one person's favor doesn't automatically get them a seat. Our own differences should serve to keep anyone from getting a seat purely on favoritism."

Then Rand backed Doran on the matter of Egg. "I'm open to people puttin' their names forward or being nominated for the position of Egg." she said, her tone calm. Then she turned to face Marcelle as she suggested what got a region representational status. "My first thought is that we could use population as a measure for how a region qualifies for representation, a round number like 500 or 1000 people in the area. It's simple enough, certainly, but also not terribly difficult to reach and easily understandable." she said, her tone calm. She also nodded at Marcelle's request to bring the education proposal to a vote. Francis didn't appear to have much to say, but Linca's question to Doran was a good one and Kura was curious about how he'd respond as well. She nodded at Leigh's comment about making sure meeting protocol was observed. "Enforcin' protocol in these meetin's is largely my responsibility as the Albarech, and unless we feel like makin' people put in a formal request to speak prior to the meetin's, I don't offhand see a way to make it any easier to keep decorum." she said, her tone calm. Jo'ne had good points in response to Nir'wei, and she gave the Natural Affairs councilor an expectant look.

Then it was time for the audience to speak. The first to stand up was a very well made-up blonde woman and Kura nodded, giving her permission to speak as was proper. The woman, Zana, introduced herself and then set about giving a rather detailed explanation of what made her qualified for the role of Foreign Affairs. It was, in fact, many of Kura's own qualifications for the job when she had talked Brandel into making the role after she had first come to Scalvoris. Her other commendations were impressive, barring that her namedropping Devin did very little to impress her. She knew that in many places, it was who you knew that really mattered, but she had a strong distaste towards nepotism. When she was done, Kura nodded at her and turned to the rest of the room. The next person to speak was Woe, who had been turned down for Egg in the previous meeting. She gave him a slightly flat look as he referred to having a Foreign Affairs Councilor that wasn't a traitor. She didn't know if he was intentionally insinuating she was a traitor or not, but she felt no need to challenge him on it.

She did, however, raise an eyebrow at his comments on her apparent disregard for trade matters. She was the one who had set up the alliance with Rharne, one of their closest economic, educational, and military allies after all. There was also a slight, but noticeable bristling from her when he mentioned the possibility of making deals with Athart. As far as she was concerned, the only arrangement that anyone should ever have with Athart in it's current state was a strictly adversarial one. However, when he suggested tasking trade ships with military escorts, she paled and then grimaced slightly. "I'm hopin' you're suggestin' that we escort ships through our own waters. A Scalvonite military vessel in foreign waters would be treated as an overt act of aggression by almost every foreign power in Idalos. It would be a very quick way to start a war. As it is, though, we would likely be better served by spendin' our resources pacifying our waters rather than simply escorting ships through them." she said, before giving him a slight nod. "The suggestion of makin' an alliance with the local Mer tribes is a good one, however." she said, before turning back to the Council.

Doran was the one who spoke up next. He raised a good point regarding Liza's triplets. Looking at the head of the Spirit Elements, Kura gestured to him. "Jacien, do we have any information on Liza's triplets and their potential connection to Slag's Deep?" she asked, her tone calm. It had gotten buried during the last meeting, but Woe had been right to raise them as a point. She nodded in agreement with Doran's request on the potential pirate problem. When he brought up the children reached by an outreach school, Kura shrugged. "Most likely we would need to set up small outreach schools for any villages that doesn't already have an educational facility. I don't think a single school will benefit us that much if children have to travel most of the day just to reach it." she said, her tone calm. His comments on job requirements were sound enough, as were his concerns about how educated the students were. "It's not just what our schools teach in terms of politics. This government is less than ten arcs old, and pirates are not, as a rule, generally concerned about education and infrastructure. Even now, we're largely creating our infrastructure on the spot when we find weak points, rather than being able to improve on existing infrastructure. That said, I agree with your points, making information more accessible could only be to our benefit." shes said, her tone calm.

"In regards to my points on council structure, as discussion on the matters of council structure are still underway, I do not call for a vote on whether we should make any changes at this point." she said, before going quiet for the moment. For now, she had said all she needed too.

[Oram Mednix]

Two were Paul and Cylus

Council meetings were marginally less grueling on a proper amount of sleep, Oram decided. Or perhaps the tone of this meeting was simply more orderly and less rancorous. Regardless of the reason, the proceedings so far bordered on bearable.

Lots of people were making offers this trial, it seemed. The Merchant offered to outfit the Rangers. Brand offered to send some Elements for security to Slag’s Deep. Bao offered to share what knowledge he had about the Vault. Zana offered to stand for Foreign Affairs and to explain at length why she was perfect for the job.

The woman sure liked to hear herself speak; that clearly had not changed since the last time Oram had seen her. He was slightly surprised to hear she had grown up in a brothel; the hunter had always figured that Zana had grown up pampered in the lap of luxury, telling servants what to do and not always getting her way. That she had been a prostitute, and didn’t seem to mind talking about it was surprising and novel. He had no feelings about that either way, apart from finding it odd that she made a point of mentioning it.

Then there was the other stuff she made a point of mentioning. She sure seemed keen to tell everybody about how awesome and right she had been at Uthaldria. Oram should have felt annoyed, yet in spit of himself, he could only bring himself to be amused. He started slightly when he realized that she was calling on him to back up what she was saying about the events in question.

”I can vouch in part for what Zana says about the events in Uthaldria,” he said, when his time came to speak. ”She definitely has a mind of her own, and she and Arlo did correctly discern that Cassion impostor. As to the rest, I can’t say. I wasn’t around to see this fight with the Champion of Syroa, nor its impact on the others in our group, since at that point I’d been whisked away to deal with Syroa herself, along with Nir’wei here.” He nodded towards the Natural Affairs. Looking back briefly at Zana, then at the other Council members, he shrugged. ”I’ll leave it up to you whether those traits she mentions make for a good Foreign Affairs. I will note that, as with Egg and the some other vacancies, we don’t have a lot of better qualified candidates lined up behind her, nor are we doing much lately to make such appear.”

Oram nodded appreciatively at the Merchant. ”I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. It is a good offer, and I appreciate it. We can talk after this meeting, and then perhaps later I can send you a list of the sorts of things we need.” He similarly thanked Brand and Bao for their offers of help.

The various other matters the Council talked about interested the Chief Ranger in varying degrees from not at all to somewhat. His brain was already full with his schemes for Slag’s Deep. One thing that Kura and Woe both mentioned did pique his curiosity, though: that about Liza and her connection with Slag’s Deep. If she was indeed the drainglass connection that Vhalar had mentioned to him las arc, than establishing facts about her fate and whereabouts took on a new importance to his endeavors. He made a note to follow up with Jacien, or to have Jim do so.

[Darius Baer]

Darius' attempts to catch the eyes of those he had written to were not completely fruitless. He was relieved to receive a nod from Brandel. And although he didn't manage to catch the eye of any of the others, he had received their notes and would trust them to be true to their word.

In the meantime, he sat in the gallery and tried to take in as much as he could.

He found Kura's rather dismissive opening statements - that she saw no need to explain Scalvoris' economic situation, or to address the perceived increase in piracy - to be quite surprising. The Albarech had been criticised at the previous meeting for trying to take matters into her own hands, and now she was simply waving away the issues that Darius had heard regular Scalvorians expressing concern about?

That seemed foolhardy, but the blond mariner couldn't deny that she had much more political experience than he did, so perhaps there was a method to the madness.

Doran's opening address, on the other hand, oozed with balance and an understanding of the concerns of the populace. The Devout was the newest Councillor and he appeared to speak the most sense - the cynic in Darius hoped his former tutor wouldn't have it beaten out of him by some of the others.

He quickly realised how unfair he was being on the likes of Oram and Bao, and he admonished himself for his unfair criticism.

Darius continued to listen to the councillors as they spoke.

Shania suggested Kura should explain the economic challenges, and again the Albarech refused.

"Why won't she just give a simple explanation?" Astra whispered, and Darius could only offer a shrug of his shoulders in response.

The Albarech's approach was confusing Darius. There had been criticism that not enough Scalvorians were volunteering for roles, but there didn't seem to be a mood for making it easy to be informed. If people didn't understand the issues properly, how could they be expected to offer solutions? Doran had noted earlier that the job descriptions were strangely elusive, and this ambiguity seemed to make it even less likely that the council would find suitable candidates.

Marcelle raised the issue of underrepresented regions, and both Darius and Astra nodded and murmured in agreement.

But the person whose words resonated the most was - to Darius' surprise - Woe Morandi. In truth, Darius had not expected the man to attend the meeting in the first place. He had applied for a role on the council at the previous meeting, and he had been unsuccessful. For some, such a dent to their personal pride would have ensured they never returned, but not Woe. He clearly had an axe to grind, but he was also trying to provide solutions, and Darius respected that.

When it came time for him to speak, Darius felt Astra squeeze his hand, and with that boost of courage, he stood. Immediately, he cast glances towards Brandel, Linca, Rand, and Shania, but they were fleeting ones and he was soon addressing the entire room and everyone within it.

"Madame Albarech, My Lord Baron Nir'wei von Smooglenuff, elected Councillors, and my fellow Scalvorians in the gallery: thank you for this opportunity to speak."

It was always important, he felt, to acknowledge those who were taking the time to listen.

"I wish to speak to the matter of piracy. Since the last time I was here, we on Faldrass have noticed an increase in pirate activity. As I'm sure most Scalvorians are aware, there are many small villages and hamlets which cannot defend themselves, and so they often reach out to Hopetoun for assistance. I'm sure the ones nearest Haven do the same."

He paused briefly, allowing his information to sink in.

"There have been rumours, of course, which I'm sure many in this room have heard. Rumours that the Pirate Lords are returning. I do not know if this is true, but in Zi'da I was part of a group that was ambushed by what turned out to be marooned pirates. Their ship returned, and we fought them. Later on, we returned the favour and tracked them down and ambushed them, and brought their surviving crew to the courts of Scalv-Town."

Another pause. He was conscious of not wanting to overwhelm anyone with unnecessary details.

"These were not Pirate Lords, but we should be concerned about any form of piracy. We were able to stop them, but we were only ever on the defensive. If they had targeted somewhere without a ship and crew ready to set sail, they might have still been raiding the coastline now."

He cast a glance towards the three sitting councillors with whom he had corresponded, and then to Woe, before he continued.

"I agree with Mr Morandi. The waters are getting crowded. And if there is no deterrent to this sort of behaviour, it will only get worse. I propose that the von Smooglenuff Barony and the settlements of Faldrass pool our naval resources to build a fleet that can protect the people of Scalvoris. Perhaps with the assistance of the Water Elements and the Merfolk, as Mr Morandi suggests, we can provide enough protection to deter any would be pirates."

He shifted his gaze to Shania, then, who would have concerns of how to afford such a venture. But Woe's words had provided a potential solution.

"I know this would not come without a cost, but if our merchants are freely able to sell their goods in other parts of Idalos, the funds might become available. Something as simple as a minor fee that merchants pay when their goods travel safely through the area could, in time, cover the costs of ships and sailors. I'm sure there are other possibilities that could be worked through, and I'd be more than happy to discuss alternatives. I know this might not be cheap, but I fear that if instances of piracy increase, we won't be able to afford not to do something about it."

He silently took a deep breath as he mentally checked that he had said everything he'd intended to. That was followed by a subtle nod to himself, and with a sense of relief, he returned to his seat, where Astra once again squeezed his hand in an act of reassurance.

[Nir'wei]

For the most part, as the various other members of the Council spoke their pieces and made their comments, he was quite content to sit back and give the occasional nod of agreement. Good points were made, conversations were flowing... in general, it certainly felt better than the previous time they'd been together. Perhaps last time had just been a bit of a one-off... though, when addressed directly by Jo'ne, there was a slight pause before he responded. "This is an open forum?" It wasn't exactly a question, but he didn't exactly hide his confusion at her comment. "It's not as though it's being hidden, they'll hear it for themselves and know whether or not they're being presented accurately with their own ears. The difference will be, the representative will have the full picture - they will know all of the questions and concerns presented, and likely more - they will be better equipped than anyone else to make sure that an answer is given, and a good one at that." He gestured, perhaps broadly. "Why do we have representatives for each of the regions, if not to have someone on the Council to fight for the people of the region and act in their best interest? All I'm suggesting is, have someone also advocate for the people during these meetings as well." He spoke not with anger, but with a different consideration than he'd brought to these matters before.

Well, it was at least some way to show contribution before it was time to sit back and let someone else take over again. The first one was a member of the audience that immediately introduced herself as Zana... and he had to admit, at first, he'd automatically returned to the typical relaxed pose, staring rather vacantly into Cyshe as she idly twirled between his fingers... but, the more Zana spoke, the more he found it rather difficult not to listen. After all, she seemed to list qualifications like she was reciting the alphabet, dropping famous names and locations constantly - even a dragon, though she spent absolutely no time really elaborating on it more than mentioning a museum and her employment at it. He filed that away immediately. "This winged transport," he queried at once when she opened the floor herself to questions. "I would make a point on correcting the record, transport, winged or otherwise, would and should always be provided regardless to those of need while on the Council, bringing one yourself, while appreciated, is not a requirement or even a significant advantage over any other prospective candidates," he breathed out, "however, I would like to enquire... what winged transport do you have, exactly?" There were, after all, blessed few capable of making such long distance travel as she would openly suggest. Some strange beast from Uthaldria would a very interesting prize indeed; nothing on Rharne or Desnind, short of a runty Flutterbus, came to mind, so maybe something from Viden? "Depending on the outcome, it would be a pleasure to take a look. It's important to keep a tally on all the things-with-wings around and about."

But... his excitement was quite sharply shattered when the other questions began. Woe, he already recalled from the previous meeting. He had to admit, he was more than a little confused... and concerned with the tone he used, on more than one occasion. "The gentleman makes good points about long-range shipping lanes," he replied slowly, his fingers curling until Cyshe ceased twisting between them, "except for the fact that one of them is quite literally on the other side of the continent, and the other, on the other side of the world. Trade agreements with Uthaldria would be swell, as they would be with Desnind, but it's hardly a matter of proper negotiation, as I understand it, and more one of geographical convenience." He shook his head quite quickly. "Unless the gentlemen has better suggestions for travelling such long distances within a feasible time-frame, while carrying such heavy goods... huh." The longer he spoke, the slower his words came, until he completely stopped and seemed to stare into space for a few long seconds of silence. "Councillor LeShard, I'd like to discuss an interesting proposal immediately after this meeting, if I may." He wouldn't throw his half-baked idea to the wind during a public forum, but he'd happily try and catch her before she left to air a quick suggestion and create a proposal to be negotiated down the line.

[Avalon]

Rebirth Cycle 722
~~1st Cylus 722~~

Brandel sat and listened to the opening volley of statements, proposals and questions, face betraying nothing. He heard things he agreed with and some of the questionable variety. There were improvements, in his opinion, to the previous meeting, but as was the way with life, when specific issues resolved, almost always, new ones arrived to take their place. All Councils were tested, but strange times uniquely challenged the current configuration. It would be interesting to see how they responded.

Doran spoke in support of Shania's comment regarding perceived favoritism, causing a little more reaction and whispering from the gallery. The subject seemed a point of contention, at least for those observing the Council meeting, so they were paying close attention.

Leigh, Proper, had a thought. Whether it was a good or bad one remained to be seen, but at least it was something. "Perhaps we could consider asking people that might know better than we? At least when it comes to non-regional area seats. Take, for instance, the seat of Academic. Why not ask Chancellor Manyon? If we are worried about us looking like we are favoring people, then it seems to me using other people to seek out qualified candidates would be a logical option to help distance us from that part?"

The gallery buzzed a bit more. The Devout delved deep into the issue of Liza and the Forging. There was truth in his words, but Liza's disappearance had caused more damage than most imagined. People remained silent for the moment, allowing him to finish. He didn't ask a question of anyone, seeming more to desire to provide information, so the moment passed, allowing people to mull over his words.

At least until he started to move on, and Linca spoke up, glancing at Doran. "If you would be willing, I would like to hear more about what you have to say regarding Liza." The man had offered, and someone decided to take him up on it.

Doran directly addressed Rand, asking about the piracy issue. Clearing his throat, the Militant replied. "It's true that there's been an uptick in pirate sightings. We are taking it seriously, and it's being addressed appropriately." His tone was firm, nodding to Doran.

Turning to Kura, he continued, "I'll have a full report on the situation delivered to you within the trial." His body language made it evident that he considered the matter closed. A serious, intense man, it was rare he spoke up sessions. Or at least had been prior to the last meeting. Times were changing, it seemed.

Doran's question to Marcelle was met with a bit of a stammer. "Numbers?" Looking through her notes, she seemed to be looking for something. "I'm not sure, but I can look into it." There was a panicked look in her eyes, although one couldn't be sure if it were simply because she wasn't prepared or another matter.

Shania, watching the exchange with an intense look, tapped her quill on the desk a few times in quiet contemplation before making a suggestion. "Perhaps we should table the proposal regarding an outreach school until the Trainer can answer questions regarding it. It seems to me that knowing how many students would benefit would be important." The Accountant looked around to see if the others would comment.

The Devout replied to Francis' comments calmly, earning a nod from the Merchant but nothing more. Leigh, however, did weigh in. "I think moving the date makes sense for Hero's Trial. Do you have any suggestions regarding a reasonable date to honor the Induks?"

The rest remained silent, appearing comfortable to allow Doran to do as he thought best.

Linca nodded as Doran addressed his comments regarding requirements for seats, listening to the man's thoughts. "As long as we aren't hindering people from applying, I have an open mind regarding the matter. I also see value in Leigh's thoughts regarding getting some professional opinions on appropriate candidates." Jo'ne snorted at the remark. "Yes, please, let's add more people's opinions to the mix. That's not askin' for trouble or anything."

Doran's question to Marcelle about education in politics was met with a bit more rustling of papers. "There is some instruction, yes. Basics, I think, But, let me check…." Jo'ne rolled her eyes at Marcelle and glanced at the Devout. It was often easy to overlook the Almundian because she usually spent the entirety of meetings appearing disinterested. "Depends on where you live and who's doing the teaching. Populous areas will probably know more about the process, hear rumors – that sort of thing – than rural areas."

The other Councilors considered his words. Some nodded, and some seemed like they wanted to say something but stopped. The Devout was asking some challenging questions that most seemed not to have the answer to, but they also wanted to allow others the chance to broach the subjects. Kura spoke to infrastructure, which appeared to relieve some of the Councilors. Scalvoris' government was learning as it grew.

Kura's response to Shania's reminder was met with mixed reactions – both Council and gallery. Shania's expression remained calm, inclining her head gently but not saying anything further. At the very least, the new Councilors knew where to find the information now if they were interested.

Shania listened to the Albarech's comments on encouraging cooperation, responding quickly with a calm voice. "Of course, Madam Alberach. I was just pointing out that it would be beneficial for us to encourage regional cooperation." A few scribbles went into the Accountant's notebook, but nothing more was said.

The Accountant nodded as Kura mentioned opening the Egg position back up for nominations. "We will put it to vote then." More scribbles. Shania was always scribbling.

The Albarech's thoughts regarding the regional representation requirement seemed to be well-received by various members. Shania, while supportive, looked to the others. "Then the question seems to be whether 500 or 1000 is more appropriate. Are there any opinions regarding that? I would expect that those types of numbers would be quickly obtained for some areas, while others might struggle. Would the only requirement be population?" Her questions seemed to be directed at the group, not necessarily Kura, who had already shared her thoughts, but the woman's eyes settled on Oram. "Chief Ranger, you've spent some time amongst some of these smaller areas. Do you have any thoughts on the matter?"

Jacien arched his eyebrow from where he sat in the meeting, rising to address Kura's question. "We've confirmed the sisters' existence, but they, like Liza, vanished. We have yet to ascertain if they left out of their own violation, were involved in Liza's disappearance, or were taken. As far as Slag's Deep, we know Liza was involved with the Drainglass, that she was becoming less interested in Egilrun and focusing more and more on her own business, and disappeared around the same time, and in the same way, as the Warden's other 'known' associates."

Oram spoke to Francis, apologizing, which she waved away with a smile. "After the meeting is fine." Beyond that, he stayed relatively quiet, listening to the conversation around him.

Zana stood and addressed the Council on the matter of Foreign Affairs. There was a wide array of reactions to what she said, but the woman wasn't interrupted, allowing her to run down what she felt to be her qualifications. There were a few raised eyebrows at the mention of another dragon, but people remained silent.

When she finished, Shania nodded and thanked her for her words and time, glancing around to see if there would be any questions for the applicant. Nir'wei did inquire about the nature of her flying mount, and Oram spoke to the validity of what she said regarding Uthaldria, but otherwise, the Council remained silent. In the gallery, the whispers were rampant, people curious to see what the fate of this applicant would be.

Woe's comments caused quite a few more raised eyebrows on the Council bench and in the gallery. His sharp tongue seemed intent on making more than a few points, but it remained to be seen what effect it would have on the Council, but there were more than a few snickers and grumblings of support for his words. A minority to be sure, but not just a few.

Kura got there first, and Rand waited until she finished before addressing Woe's comments. The Militant glanced at Woe when directly addressed. His expression gave nothing away, and the reply was quick. "As the Albarech said, securing our waters is the primary concern. If issues arise in the vein you suggest, we will reassess." Kura had addressed the Mer issue, and he didn't feel the need to follow up.

Darius rose and addressed the Council. He had sent letters to three current sitting Councilors so they had an idea regarding what he would propose. He outlined his plan, and when he was done, all eyes went to Rand.

As always, it was hard to tell what the Militant was thinking or how he felt about the information, but after a few trills, he began speaking. "I mentioned when I replied to the letter you sent me about this matter that we are very cautious about the matter of private militaries. I'm a little concerned about how you referenced the proposal – 'with the assistance of the Water Elements, we can provide enough protection..' "

After repeating Darius' words back to him, the Militant waited for a beat and continued. He was a blunt man, and while it might have sounded harsh, it was his way of laying out the expectations right away so there was no misunderstandings. "Let me be clear. The Elements will not be 'assisting' a private military force. If you mean that this proposed 'fleet' will assist the Elements with its duties, that's something we can talk about. However, one point is non-negotiable – the Elements would be in charge."

"I'd like to hear what the Albarech has to say on the matter before it goes any further." Turning to Kura, he inclined his head and then gestured to Jacien to approach, scribbling a quick note for the Spirit Deputy and handing it off.

The others Darius had sent letters to – Shania and Linca – seemed content to allow Rand and Kura to handle the matter for the time being.

Nir'wei replied to Jo'ne's question, which prompted a quizzical look on her face, shrugging and letting the matter go. Leigh, however, decided to comment. "Your point is taken, but I can't say that I agree. What if the Councilor disagrees with the proposal or idea? Do they get to choose which ideas are presented or not, or are they bound to present all of them? It might be a can of worms, that, but you make a good general point about representation."

Woe's remarks on trade and shipping were wide and varied, hitting on a few points directed at Zana and the Council. Kura and Rand had opted to reply to the part about escorts, but Natural Affairs went a bit further, pointing out an issue with transportation. A few of the other Councilors nodded their heads but seemed intrigued with the exchange, to the point that Francis spoke up. "I'm interested in any further thoughts you have regarding what Natural Affairs has mentioned, Mr. Morandi. It seems you've given the matter great thought. You've mentioned some potential trading partners and goods of interest for exports. Do you have any thoughts about encouraging trade within Scalvoris?"

Nir'wei listened to the conversations and debates and quickly addressed Francis about something that came to him, asking for a meeting. The Merchant nodded in response.



The Council had moved two proposals to vote. As always, Shania counted them carefully and spoke the results.

"In the matter of Zana Delroth's application for the Foreign Affairs seat, the Council approved her appointment unanimously." Looking at Zana calmly, Shania gestured to the vacant chair. "You may take your seat."

The other matter of reaching out to Saoire regarding an outreach school was set aside for the moment, waiting on comments from the Councilors regarding lack of information from the Trainer.

Matters Set to Vote

• Proposal - Opening the Egg position back up for nominations

SUPER IMPORTANT OOC VOTING INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE!

I've discovered that Council meeting posts are hard! To speed things along and make it so that pc proposals aren't missed, I'd like to try the following and see if it helps.

It's really hard to know if people are putting something forward for discussion or voting, so WHEN you are ready for something to go to a vote, please, please, pretty please put an OOC at the bottom of your post that states the precise proposal so I know its time for voting. I really appreciate it!

~~Current Roles, Reputations & Rumours~~

Below is a list of Council Members. Each council member starts with a Neutral reputation and 1 rumour. In-character actions will impact that reputation and create / change rumours.

Name	Role	Reputation	Rumours
Kura	Alberach	Neutral	Always there during big trouble, but is she causing the trouble? Maybe she's suggested autocratic rule so she can be in charge of the island.
Nir'wei	Natural Affairs	Neutral	Rumors that Nir'wei is a saboteur for the EE, and his inactivity weakens Scalvoris against a planned invasion.
Bao	Welfare	Good	There are rumours that Bao is actually Saoire's MB son
Oram	Chief Ranger	Good	There are rumours that Oram is a were-bear who can turn into a bear at will.
Rand	Militant	Good	There are rumours that Rand is actually a Yludih necromancer
Shania	Accountant	Good	There are rumours that Shania is a mortalborn
Marcelle	Trainer	Neutral	There are rumours that Marcelle used to be an assassin
Francis	Merchant	Neutral	There are rumours that Francis is having an affair with Brandel
Jo'ne	Almundian	Neutral	There are rumours that Jo'ne is secretly part of an underground group of criminals
Linca	Harvardeen	Neutral	There are rumours that Linca has a terminal illness
Leigh	Proper	Neutral	There are rumours that Leigh used to be a Rynmere noble
Doran	Devout	Good	There's rumors that Doran once held Syroa's mark
Liza	Egg	Poor	There are rumours that Liza is one of triplets, and that's how she's so busy
Vacant	Foreign Affairs	NA	NA
Vacant	Academic	NA	NA
Vacant	Darbytonian	NA	NA
Vacant	Gunvortonian	NA	NA

~~NPC Roles & Existing Vacancies~~

Each of the tabs below is an existing role on the Scalvoris Council which is NOT filled by a PC.

~ Where there is an NPC in there, they are currently in the role.
~~~ If the role is identified as Vacant, that NPC is willing to move out / on.
~~~ If the role is NOT identified as Vacant, the NPC wishes to stay - but that doesn't mean that PCs can't take over, it'll just be more of a struggle.

~ If there is no NPC there, the role is currently empty.

Militant

Name: Rand Broson
Race: Sev'ryn / Human
Age: Born 667
Title: Militant of Scalvoris Council / Militant of Elemental
Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know!
Other Information: Rand is a hard, fair man. He doesn't speak much as he believes that you learn a lot more by listening than you ever will by talking. He is the head of the Scalvoris Military (the Elements) and he is very proud of that job. A hard working man, he tends towards solitude and does not make friends easily. He has a temper, as his troops will attest and he will not back down when he believes he is right. [/mod]

!	Message from: Peg
	Rand is well-respected and has brought the Elements back from the brink of a very negative situation following the Scalvoris Docks Collapse. He would be very difficult to get out of his role and replace

Accountant

Name: Shania
Race: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Title: Gunvorton Overseer / Accountant of the Scalvoris Council.
Skills: Unknown
Other Information: If there is one thing which everyone agrees on, it is that Shania is a nice lady. Friendly, helpful and always willing to help out, she is the backbone of the growing region on Gunvorton. She knows everyone, it seems, and she's always there should anyone need a little bit of information. She runs the local inn and it is her job, as she tells everyone, to make sure that all who come to her establishment leave just a little bit happier.

!	Message from: Peg
	Shania is almost universally liked and seems to be a genuinely lovely individual. She would be very difficult to get out of this role and replace

Trainer

Vacancy for PC

!

Message from: Peg

Current Role is held by: Name: Marcelle Tren Race: Mixed Blood Age: Born 687 Title: Trainer of Scalvoris Council Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know! Other Information: An educator of children by trade, Marcelle would be the first person to tell you that she is out of her depth in this whole Council thing. But she's doing her best and she has a sharper mind than she gives herself credit for. She is a passionate teacher and a friendly woman. Also, she isn't afraid of conflict and has the skills of managing a classroom of five arc olds. Veteran soldiers have quivered and quaked at her stare.

!	Message from: Peg
	Marcelle is well-respected and friendly, but she doesn't want this job. She would be relatively easy to get out of this role and replace as long as her replacement makes sense.

Academic

Vacancy for PC

Foreign Affairs

Vacancy for PC

Gunvortonian

Vacancy for PC

Merchant

Name: Francis LeShard
Race: Mixed Blood
Age: Born 687
Title: Merchant of Scalvoris Council
Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know!
Other Information: Francis is a shrewd businesswoman who is here representing the Merchants' Guild. Really that is exactly and only who she is representing. She has worked as a businesswoman throughout the north and east of Idalos and her bottom line is the profit. She is nice, friendly and polite to everyone. She would also sell her grandmother for the right price.

!	Message from: Peg
	Francis is a respected member of the Merchants Guild, although there are some suggestions that she is too reluctant for change. She would be very difficult to get out of this role and replace for anyone not in the Merchants' Guild. For those in it, much easier.

Almundian

Name: Jo'ne Tide
Race: Mixed Blood
Age: Born 691
Title: Almund Representative of Scalvoris Council
Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know!
Other Information: Jo'ne is the Mayor of Almund. Her father was a pirate and his father before him. Her mother was a whore and her grandmother a drug dealer and the bane of the seas. Jo'ne is a foul mouthed, tobacco chewing woman who will take no nonsense from anyone. [/mod]

!	Message from: Peg
	Jo'ne is well-liked in Almund and considered a "true" Almundian. She would be very difficult to get out of this role and replace

Darbytonian

Vacancy for PC

Egg

Name: Liza
Race: Human / Sev'ryn
Age: Born 694
Title: The Merchant Queen
Skills: Negotiation: 65, Appraisal: 65, Business Management, 60, Seduction: 50, Glassblowing: 50
Other Information: Liza is a friendly woman who has taken the rag tag nature of Egilrun and turned it into a place for trade. She is keen business woman who is more than able to strike a hard bargain. She is hoping to strengthen trade negotiations with Viden and to be able to supply them useful and unusual goods. She is loyal and tenacious and will always work for the betterment of Egilrun specifically and Scalvoris generally. Mod Note : Liza disappeared in Arc721. She may not be used as an NPC by players after 38th Ymiden 721.

Havardreen

Name: Linca
Race: Biqaj
Age: Born 678
Title: Chief of the village of Havardr
Skills: Other things too. Need to know....
Other Information: Linca is the chief of Havardr, the hardest worker on the island, some say, and a straight talking fellow. He will trade, but he won't be fiddled and is a hard negotiator.

!	Message from: Peg
	Linca would rather die than abandon Havardr. He would be very difficult to get out of his role and replace

Proper

Name: Leigh Birch
Race: Human
Age: Born 693
Title: Scalvoris Town Representative of Scalvoris Council
Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know!
Other Information: Leigh is the Mayor of Scalvoris Proper. She lives there and has her offices there. She is a friendly and very well organised woman who is keen to listen to all of the opinions on offer. She has trouble sometimes as she can have a bit of a tendency to avoid conflict, but that just means that she sits back and doesn't take sides. It certainly doesn't mean that she's lacking opinions.

!	Message from: Peg
	Leigh is well-respected but some see her as not active enough. She would be relatively easy to get out of this role and replace

~~This Season~~

The following represent the five most pressing situations on Scalvoris, as seen by the populace - they are presented as quotes, but in truth are things you might here throughout Scalv. Acting (or not) on these will impact the Council reputation - and that of the individuals within it - next cycle.

!	Message from: Council
	"Good people are stepping up and the Council are turning them away! Why would they do that? What do they have to hide?"

!	Message from: Law & Order
	"We need to have some movement on Slags Deep and the Vault. We need to make sure things are really safe now! And what about the prisoners?! Are we safe in our homes?!"

!	Message from: Economy
	"We need to have some kind of push in the Merchants' Guild or something! We make the best glass and so on in Idalos! Why isn't it more famous? Scalvoris needs to be more wealthy!"

!	Message from: Pirates
	"What's going on with all the Pirate activity?!? Are the Pirates Lords coming back?"

!	Message from: Council Inactivity
	"The Council ain't doing anything, yet people that are working directly with Scalvorian are being shuffled to the side when they try to help. That don't seem right! We need people doing stuff on the Council!"

The focus for the Council this season is

!	Message from: Council Focus
	Council Structure

Next Council reply will be on April 6th, 2022.

Previous Council Meetings

• Rebirth 720
• Rebirth 721
• Cold Cycle 721

[Woe]

When the position of Egg was opened back up for nominations, Woe wondered idly who they had in mind. He didn’t speak though, as that ship had sailed from what he understood. Only wondered what names the council would put forward. Especially considering that one of the matters on the docket were Councilors showing bias against dissenters. Woe hoped for their sake that they found a willing yes-person to do their bidding, as they seemed to desire.

At any rate, Woe had no further interest in exploring the fate of Liza, she was as good as gone in his opinion, having proven delinquent over the past few cycles. Woe would watch who they proposed to replace her with amusement.

Oram spoke to Francis, who agreed to meet after the council. This caused a quirk to form at the back of Woe’s mind. How much council business was handled behind closed doors? Was the council itself merely political theater? If so, Woe could show them just how effective a nuisance he could be. He wasn’t sure he wanted to embrace that role, just yet, however.

Rand gave a bland dismissal to Woe’s concerns about the security of the waters. Woe nodded to him.

Francis, the Merchant, addressed Woe toward the end of the round, about his thoughts on Natural Affairs’ proposed challenges against the idea of long-range trade agreements. “Obviously, I wasn’t proposing that you send along military ships to escort them all the way, beyond Scalvoris territorial waters. Nor was I suggesting that Nashaki or for example Athart or Melrath were necessarily the next best trade partner. These would be more an end-goal for longer-range trade routes.”

“There are pit stops between here and those far-flung destinations, of course, where ancillary trades can be had, and sailors share stories of Scalvoris and other places they’ve traveled. It can be a very good source of information. It can also pique the interest of traders in those locations, prompting them to make the trip to Scalvoris shores in kind. The main challenge as I see it, is that taxing such long-routes the same as ones with the Empire and Rharne and Viden may discourage the intrepidity of our traders, dissuading them from taking part in such voyages to begin with. If some sort of incentive or concession was made toward those who undertook long-range routes, which would allow them to invest in greater security, as well as enrich their prospects, they might be ore willing to take the risk. A different tax scale based on the length of journey is only one suggestion, there may be other ways to incentivize long-range travel.”

Woe watched Nir’wei as he stared blankly into space after talking for a while, and then invited Francis to a private meeting, presumably regarding trade. The mortalborn shrugged at that, still facing Francis, “But it’s not my place to intrude on any private opportunities the councilors make among themselves for personal enrichment. I think I’ve already explained adequately how long-range routes could be achieved.”

It seemed that Zana was awarded the Foreign Affairs councilor position unanimously. Woe wasn’t sure whether this worked to his favor or not, yet. Time would tell, he supposed. For now he kept his seat in the gallery.

[Darius Baer]

Darius' heart was still racing as he returned to his seat. Politics was not a comfortable part of his role in society, but he felt he had spoken well and conveyed the high-level broad strokes of his proposal well.

And then Rand responded.

Darius' brow furrowed as the Militant spoke of private militaries and stressing the point that the proposal could not involve telling the Elements what to do. The Scalvorian was confused, because that was not what he wanted, nor what he had intended to convey.

"But that isn't what I meant," he mumbled almost inaudibly under his breath, and he soon felt the sooth touch of Astra's hand on his forearm.

"Let's see what the Albarech has to say," the half-biqaj whispered to him.

"About something that I don't intend?" he whispered gently back. "I would only be wasting her time, and that of the council's."

Astra nodded in understanding, and Darius took a deep breath to calm himself, before rising to his feet.

"Thank you, Militant Rand, for your thoughts, and for the opportunity to clarify before a wider discussion takes place," he began in a conciliatory tone. "I hope to do so, in order to avoid wasting the council's time in a debate about something other than what was intended by my proposal."

Of course, Rand had not requested a clarification, but Darius wasn't about to tell him that he was wrong. He had made himself available for question his proposal, and that was precisely what the councillor had done. Military men were, in his limited experience, men of pride; correcting Rand in front of his council peers and other Scalvorians might make cast him in a negative light, and the baron wished to save him any embarrassment.

"To be clear, I am not proposing a private military force. I will defer to your superior military experience, of course, but my understanding of such a thing is a military force that serves an individual or an organisation, rather than Scalvoris itself. Also, I would expect that no-one but the relevant ranked individuals would be commanding the Elements. Perhaps I misspoke when I said 'assisted' - and if that is the case, I apologise - but I think that a combination of the Elements, Scalvorians, and possibly Mer could prove to be a formidable group. I believe we are stronger together. As I see it, this is a conceptual proposal, with the finer details to be discussed if the council feels there is merit to the idea."

Darius paused, flitting a glance in the directions of Shania and Linca, but neither councillor appeared inclined to come to his assistance, so he continued. He remained calm, for he knew that if he rose his voice in a council hall, he could not be trusted to keep his cool in the heat of battle. Even so, Rand was a military man who clearly spoke bluntly, so Darius expected him to respect someone who spoke to him in the same way.

"As it stands, there are situations such as ours - which I mentioned earlier - where regular citizens are taking action as a form of self-defence. I am merely proposing that there should be a more formal way to defend the waters. Whether that be privateers or a mass recruitment of Water Elements, is of course up the council. The von Smooglenuff Barony and the settlements have a small fleet at its disposal, with sailors to man the decks."

He paused again, offering a gentle smile and a deferential nod to the Militant.

"On a personal note, I am aware that you do not know me well. I wish to allay any fears tat I am seeking to make a profit with this venture. If I wanted to profit from a private army, I would not be handing pirates and their loot over to the courts, as I'm sure Judge Leopold can attest. I simply want to do what I can to keep the Hollow Sea safe for all Scalvorians."

Darius' smile remained as he cast his gaze over all of the councillors present.

"Thank you, again, for the opportunity to provide some additional clarity. I believe such discussions are invaluable, in order to ensure we are all on the same page."

Hoping he had made himself more clear than before, he offered another deferential nod and sat down once more.