[A Letter with a collection of notes, addressed to Legate Azadeh Zarat] (DM)

[WriterX]

To the Just Legate Azadeh Zarat

   We have met briefly, and perhaps you have heard of my previous lectures and works, but I have finally wished to put my quill to trial and I wrote a piece that I wished to dedicate to our future diplomats and Emissaries. However, I felt it a sensitive enough matter, and my own view may tarnish the value of the message this book is meant to bring forth. For you see, I studied many texts and heard many whispers and words, and I came to the conclusion that people who once may speak for the Sultan might not even be aware of the people they speak to, or with, and that may lead us into a terrible and dark path, one that would weaken the Sultanate.

It is why I wrote this, as an attempt to try and make sure that when our people proceed to meet the diplomats of other cities and nations that they do not make fools of themselves. I called it the Diplomat's Primer - Never Forget.  I would appreciate your thoughts upon it, and whether this work should be published more broadly, or whether it should be reworked, refined or perhaps even scrapped. I would appreciate your written comment, as of somebody who holds the Sultanate and the Caliphate close to her heart.

Scholar-Scribe, Marcellus Saenus

Attached were the rough notes, or a copy of them, of the text in question.

A Diplomat's Primer, Never Forget

The study of history is not merely the unearthing of old ruins, excavation of ancient artefacts, or hearing of the traditions and songs of old. It is also an attempt at learning what happened in the past, what lead to certain events and what was their result. It is a retrospective view of all that was, with the knowledge of what came after. One can then sit back and of course criticise their predecessors for the mistakes they made, but as one might find, history is rarely ever straight forward, and often the truth is obscured or hidden, tarnished by missing records or ambiguous actions of those actors who partook in them.

But if one were to study the history of the Sultanate and the Caliphate, if one were to take into account the events that lead us to the position where we are now they would soon learn that there is one lesson we must always remember;

Never Forget.

This Diplomat's Primer is a study of what some of the larger City States and territories have done to our Sultanate, how they acted, what their views may be, who these people are, and the implications this carries with them.

Diplomacy is an art of war in and of itself, and lest you are blinded by kind words, if you forget who your opponents are, they will leap at you and savage you, like hyenas would devour a camel. Do not allow yourself weakness, and do not forget whom you will face. Do not be their prey, but instead outsmart them, for their true intentions are as clear as the waters of the Well.

Read on, brave emissary or diplomat. Arm yourself with the knowledge necessary to protect your Sultanate, and serve our Sultan, Osman VI dutifully.

Qa'im, The Slumbering Evil

The Twin City of Qa'im, once perhaps a glorious place, now, a den of enemies who wish not only to destroy the Sultanate but perhaps the world as a whole. They use forbidden knowledge in its many forms to hold a powerful grasp over their domain, and to strike out beyond their walls.

Their city is sealed, and everything and everybody is but a stone to be crumbled to dust, so do not trust a Qa'immi more so than you would a savage Melek.

Followers of Pra'raj, their leader is said to be an immortal being of twisted metal, Zojhir, who buried the Summer Palace of old into the Ash, who lead to the Caliphate's fall. To trust the people of Qa'im, their beliefs or their methods runs counter to everything the Sultanate stands for.

If ever Qa'im would open its gates, if ever it would send its emissaries out into the world, it would be only to weaken the Sultanate's hold, while consuming or destroying anything and everything weaker than them.

Never Forget what Qa'im has done.

Kha'esh

A young city state, said to be at the centre of everything, and while it is a commercial centre, with a glorious arena, do not forget how it came to be.

During the Age of Osman V, when Qa'im savaged what was then known then as Ka'esh, when the Thousand Clans rose up to savage the Sultanate, was Osman the Reconciler forced into peace with the hated enemy.

Kha'esh, claimed by mercenaries under the employ of Qa'im, eventually abandoned their old masters when they were no longer paid, creating their city state. Should that paint them in a better light because they abandoned Qa'im, or should we remember how they caused harm and pain to the citizens of the Sultanate, how they were instrumental in the Sultanate losing more of its influence and control? Should we give the current ruler of the city the benefit of doubt and trust his word, forgetting how his city was built upon the spilt blood of loyal Janissary and corpses of our people?

Never forget how Kha'esh came to be.

Qadira-by-the-sea

Qadira was the Sultanate's port city, where its large fleet made home. However, as Il-Modo grew in power and confidence, and the events of the War of Pearls played out, did Qadira secede from the Sultanate, refusing to pay its dues and becoming an independent port town.

Now a den of pirates and corsairs, Qadira is an unwelcome place, with an equally distrustful Maharajah.

To you, reader, it is of this Scholar's strong opinion that the fateful battle, during the War of Pearls, where the Sultanate's fleet was destroyed, was a calculated backstab by Admiral Namahedu, who now is Maharajah Namahedu of Qadira.

An entire fleet sank, with only a handful of survivors escaping Il-Modo's ambush, and one of those survivors happens to be the Admiral of the fleet, who later just so happens to cut his ties with the Sultan.

Even if we assume the Maharajah is a complete fool, who also happens to be the luckiest man alive, we should never forget how his actions have led to the Sultanate losing their mighty fleet, losing our holdings out at sea, and surrendering that region to Il-Modo.

Never forget the actions of the fool Namahedu.

Il-Modo

While Il-Modo was never part of the Caliphate or the Sultanate, during the Golden Age the Caliphate and Il-Modo held close ties to one another. However, as the Caliphate shattered, due to Qa'im's betrayal, did Il-Modo distance themselves from the Sultanate.

While they are scholarly and resourceful people it is also very clear that they think very highly of themselves. Il-Modo is a floating city, avoiding the Ash Storms through the use of Astronomy, predicting where they will appear. They also have a sizeable fleet, rich banking families and also a highly developed school of alchemy.

Much evidence points out however, written by Scholars of Il-Modo and not only, that the Serene Master, the ruler of Il-Modo, does not consider the sultanate as its equal. And let us not forget that it was only fifty years since the War of Pearls. We may even take note that there are no emissaries or diplomats of Il-Modo within the Well, at the time of writing, suggesting they do not even wish to engage diplomatically with the Sultanate. I have even read in some texts that Il-Modo might not even recognize the Sultanate as the successor of the Caliphate.

Due to all of this we have to remember that Il-Modo, and its diplomats and people, might think themselves above the Sultanate, due to the victories and influence they have won. And while they have made no attempts to spread their influence inland it is this scholar's opinion that it might only be a matter of time until they exert such, whether economically or militarily.

There has also been a scrap of evidence that during the reign of the traitorous Sorentids in Ephia's Well that Il-Modo tried to influence, or at least visited, the Well. With the fall of the Sorentids however it is likely that their attempts at weakening the Sultanate further were cut short.

While perhaps not as much a threat as Qa'im, hold in your mind how Il-Modo views the Sultanate. Consider their pride, and do not assume outright honesty or fairness when speaking with their diplomats.

Never forget Il-Modo's pride.