A report for the legates

[Mia]

[Four copies of the following letter is delivered to the Palatial Pyramid and the Krak des Roses and is marked to be received by the following people: Legate Marcellus Seanus, Legate Domhnall Guivarch, Prelate Nasreen Shabani, Acolyte Narwen Alendiel. The letters are written by hand in a neat and elegant script.]

Honourable Legates,

The text you are about to read contains the written account of Magistrate Sephidra Niridhe on her journey to the mountain fort of Tlonsiyya on the 11th of Subat, 7787 IY. The delegation for this journey consisted of the following people; Acolyte Narwen Alendiel, Magistrate Sephidra Niridhe, Scribe Bashir Khatara, Student Daoud al-Maaz, Magistrate Alejandro Benjazar, Ariel Hysair, Hamdan al-Hamdan and Apothar Mae Stern.

Before setting out we determined that we would pursue the following objectives:

1. Apologise and make reparations on behalf of Ephia's Well for the mistreatment of Tlonsiyya's envoys by the hands of Al-Sayyadin's Ast Ironbanner.
2. Assess the Nature of the People living within Tlonsiyya.
3. Assess the relationship Tlonsiyya holds towards Qa'im as a neighbouring settlement.
4. Establish a Friendly relation that can bloom into trade prospects.
5. Discuss their claim over the salvage of the well and investigate archaeological dig potentials.
6. Obtain access to their barge for troop transport

It is my belief that our expedition accomplished the first five objectives successfully. The sixth was abandoned as a preliminary request. And something we wished to post pone until relations were further developed.

As organizer of our trip, Narwen Alendiel had prepared for us a guide by the name of Watchful Gorl, from the Ferric Exiles. Normally residing within Ephia's Gutters. He guided us to a newly constructed bridge we had spotted earlier. On the south end of the Spindlebridge. From there we followed a winding path until we came to the canyon that contained the Hissar of Tlonsiyya.

Nestled between the high canyon walls we could spot a large and sturdy gate. There were signs the place had been an old fortress of sorts, built into the canyon itself. Upon entering we could see it for what it really was; A small fortress that had been built around a place a learning specialized in machinery; A Madrassa. And around the fortress itself were houses and slums of the labourers and  workers lived. A small market and a humble docks along the banks of the Edutu.

The city was notably fitted with madrassan coils, beeping machinery, large metal mills and metal components were visible within the workshops and markets. No place of the city had been spared such devices, and the whole population was either making use of this machinery or producing such machinery themselves.

To make the clear distinction here; the machinery was present within the city, but not within the people. We beheld no one with metal limbs, or otherwise people reduced to a construct as we have come to expect from Qa'immi.

At the gate we were pleasantly received by Zham Tal, Advisor to the Vice Chancellor. The vice Chancellor being de facto ruler of Tlonsiyya. Seeming to have been elected for life as part of the internal leadership of the Silver Madrassa.

Zham Tal explained to us that the fort was built hundreds of years ago by Sultana Zainab II, in the wake of her mother's work, Zainab I, the "Mother of Mountains". After using a form of geomancy on great scale.

He went on to say that the legend tells that she gave herself in sacrifice, to raise the mountains which house the Spindlebridge, to protect Baz'eel from the assaulting Qa'im. Her daughter then spent much to raise the "Hisar". Watch fortressess. Such as Tlonsiyya, Ghulati and Korumak. There are many more along the banks of the Edutu and beyond. Each watching the others. And many wars had been fought over them in the past.

I had asked Zham Tal if the displacement of the third legion from Korumak brought dangers to the Hisar of Tlonsiyya. He answered by saying it had brought some new dangers. But that the legions of Qa'im are much less interested in certain things than the Legions of Baz'eel. And the legions of Baz'eel, in turn, have their own particulars.

From this and later talks we were able to surmise that Tlonsiyya has roots in Baz'eel, but because of its unique geographical location to Qa'im, is forced to endure spies from both sides. But is independent in a manner similar to Ephia's Well.

Zham Tal went on to say that Tlonsiyya was a place of learning, as much as it was a home to their people. That they are an industrious people, Engineers, Mechanists who turn rusted salvage into wonders of motion and meaning. He gave as example their own Vice Chancellor, who is apparently a Horologist of some skill.

In regards to trade, Zham Tal specified they enjoy trade from both sides of the Edutu. And via the Edutu, to the Sea of Pearls itself. Apparently they imported fish food from Il Modo.

During the tour, we met a man on the street, Havanjar Skerak, who was very interested in news from afar. Hamdan handed him an Ephian Newspaper of his own make. I told him about the war between the Thousand Clans and the Lizardfolk Legions of Esam. Refugees Fleeing Banafsi near Qadira. This was potentially one of the spies from Qa'im or Baz'eel. The man appeared human however. And might have simply been a Waradim wanderer. Zham mentioned he was not local and a vagrant.

We were then allowed to view the tradeport. And beheld a curious trade barge called an auto-sail. It had a large metal propellor in the water behind it. Zham tal told us it consumes baublium, but has the ability to move fast and with more cargo than normal. And even upstream.

There was a security check within the fort itself. Performed by a metal defender. Some kind of modular construct humming on top of a ball of energy. We all passed inspection except Mae Stern. Who was called out for having 'unrecognized salvage' upon her wrist. I am not entirely sure if this was the Astronomer lens, or something of her own creation. I suspect the latter.

Shep Lenak, the attending technician, came to assist us and disabled the construct that was accosting Mae Stern. It fell into a thousand pieces by the single use of some remote device. But with just as simple a gesture it reassembled itself. After being reassembled it seemed to have lost its interest in Mae Stern. Zham Tal called the construct "The wonders of the Arteries, made manifest".

And with this we need to discuss the central feature of Tlosinyya. The Silver Madrass – the Machinery focused research institute – was constructed there because their Well is not a well that leads to water. After all, they are blessed by the mighty Edutu river, and have no need for water wells. Instead their well hosts a lift that leads into a dig site far beneath the sand banks. Likely brought up during the large geological shifts by Zanaib I.

The dig site is known as the Arteries, and seems to have a surplus of metal slag, old machinery and baublium. Similar to what we have found in the Dunes of Rust or beneath the Caliphal city of Al-Nasr beneath our own city. But seems far richer, and less plundered than the Dunes of Rust are. The city of Tlonsiyya retrieves all of its products and raw materials from expeditions into the Well.

Captain Ivoka Yjeso ushered us into the Silver Madrassa itself. Upon entering the entry chamber our senses were assailed by smoke and machinery pumping in the corners of the room. A large red carpet, and an ostentatious Elephant shaped shrine hanging above the man we soon came to know as Pakas Oruko, the Vice Chancellor.

Earlier, Zham Tal has told us that an ashstorm had rendered their temple to the Magi Idzu inaccessible. We could only see a barricaded series of steps leading to a cliffside in the canyon wall. Which had made me a little leery of religion in Tlonsiyya. And concerned that they may be falling to Pra'raji influences due to proximity to Qa'im. Finding that the metal elephant idol they worshiped was not familiar to me, did not help. But I am no expert on the worship of Idzu, the Scholar. And will delegate such worries to someone more qualified. It made me regret we did not have wheel clergy along with us on the journey.

As we began our meeting with the Vice Chancellor Pakas Oruko, our agreed upon speaker Hamdan al-Hamdan apologised for how their envoy was treated when they came to Ephia's Well. We offered a collection of gifts to smooth over this mistake and begin friendly relations. The following gifts were offered; 10000 dinar, private collections of Well Water, Literature, Cartographical pieces, Gemstones, Astronomer Artifice and Food sample from Mro Po.

A moment of tense stand off followed, until the Vice Chancellor laughed and said he would accept out gifts. His demeanour seemed to shift after Hamdam cleverly dodged the Vice Chancellors mention that the gifts were missing Ast Ironhammer's head. Calling him clever and gifted with his tongue. After this introduction, he shifted his tune, and began to speak to us on matters of trade.

We made it clear that we were not there to establish a trade agreement right away, as we did not have the authority to make such decisions for our city. But that we were inspecting and examining, and would be reporting our findings and offer our recommendations to our legates.

One suggestion he made stood out; we could purchase their turbines. To protect our refugees from the storms of ash, that linger outside our Shade. The other options being defences; automatons, cannons, or farm-equipment; methods of mechanical water distribution. Finally he showed us crates full of baublium, which were going for multiple thousands, he said.

I had asked the Vice Chancellor what sort of things Ephia could offer Tlonsiyya in exchange for the salvage, knowledge, machinery and salvage licenses they offer us. And Pakas Oruko listed a few things; Water, Food, Dinar, Labourers, information, schematics, scholars and engineers.

Finally the Vice Chancellor said individuals would be permitted to buy salvaging licenses and descend into the Tlonsiyya Well. To retrieve salvage on their own. Of course he would be taking his cut. But most of it would be gifted to the explorers. There were dangers however to such a prospect; silent gas, exhaust passageways, flooding, overloading energy arrays and automaton defences.

The Vice Chancellor also agreed to have a private meeting with Ariel's Consortium, to pre-empt state business, and deal with private business at a later date.

After such, we were dismissed and escorted out.

As a final piece of analysis, I will join myself with the words Daoud stated; That in presentation the Vice Chancellor seemed more interested in striking a deal, acquiring wealth and conducting trade. And did not seem like a scholar or a benevolent ruler. He seemed more like a stark reminder of what Ephia could be if a gold league legate would turn our heritage into an open machine market.

And yet, as a foreign power, with many innovations to share. There is a potential to put a selection of these machines to use to the good of the people of Ephia's Well. As long as we are willing to pay the price of dependency to the drug known as baublium.

For any further questions or information, feel free to contact me or other members of the expedition.

Yours faithfully,

Magistrate Sephidra Niridhe

[Mia]

[A map is later sent to the same four recipients.]

[WriterX]

Magistrate Sephidra Niridhe,

 Exemplary work. I thank you both for the extremely detailed report and the map. I will take all of this into account during the next Allotment. Some claim the Torchbearers deserve no Allotment, and I never agree with such claims, and this is a prime example of how the nay'sayers are indeed wrong.

 I will discuss with you the details as soon as I am able, I feel there is much promise with our cooperation and trade, granted many may view it as potential Pra'raji work.

 Perhaps persuading the good people that the Temple of Izdu may be restored would be a sound first and kind gesture, both to ease the people in the Well about these people not being Pra'raji, and to hopefully prove that the people of Tlonsiyya  are still adherents of the Wheel.

 We have much promise here, and I hope we shall not squander it.

Legate Marcellus Saenus