A letter to the Accords as well as the Chief Scribe (PCs and DMs)

[WriterX]

To the Accords of Ephia's Well,

    After yesterday's events when an Orc Raiding Party has killed some of the refugees living outside of the Gate of Roses it has become apparent that we must address the lack of defences at that gate, as well as general care for the people there.

   After discussing the matter with members of the Rose, Janissaries and the Astronomers a possible path forward has been reached.

  Firstly, to protect the refugees from attack some of the funds collected by the Sisterhood for the purpose of the new District should be instead spent on effective defensive measures to hinder attacks by Orc raiders. What form these defences would take and what cost it would incur has yet to be discovered.

 Secondly, to provide much needed succour to the refugees at the Gate of Roses it was agreed that some of the Grain from Alkab should be handed to the Sisterhood for distribution among those refugees. Alongside this the Sisterhood and the Palatial Physician, shall also evaluate the health of the refugees, to reduce the odds of diseases spreading among them.

 Thirdly, and this point may yet change in its final form, it was agreed that Refugee Volunteers ought be equipped and trained by members of the Rose and the Janissaries, so that they may act as a militia against possible raider attacks. If not to repulse them, then at least to grant the city time to organize and strike back at the attackers. It was my suggestion that if not enough volunteers are found that we ought use Conscription to fill the ranks of the Militia.

 Please review these points and provide any comments or further suggestions. As the exact costs are not known, nor exact size of projects decided upon, nothing is yet set in stone.

With Izdu's Wisdom, and the Axe's Might,

Legate Marcellus Saenus

[cmenden]

Dear Legate,

As you may recall from two months ago, I urged you and Gloomdeath during an Assembly to utilize these funds to shore up the Well's defenses and not to waste them on a construction project.

That remains the Tower's position.

The Pyramid is not a bank, despite the Deputy Chief Scribe's attempts to mix her private ventures with her civil service. The funds were donated from the Sisterhood to the Pyramid and it is up to the Legates how that money is spent now.

If you wish to build defenses, then they shall be built.

As for your second point, I strongly urge caution when granting our Well's food stores to outsiders.

Personally, I believe you should not rely on half-measures. If the Well cannot support these Refugees, then do not leave them at our gates, waiting for their bodies to pile up. They will bring plague and famine upon us all.

Take what volunteers you can to serve in the militia and send the rest to another City-State. It would be far cheaper to pay for a caravan ride to Qadira or Kha'esh than to take on refugees who cannot aid in our defense at this time.

It is a simple calculus. Giving our Grain and trying to protect those who do not provide an equivalent benefit will cause the Well to over-extend itself, something we cannot afford with the Thousand Clans growing bolder and closer to our walls.

If my words seem dispassionate, I assure you they are in fact the opposite. These lives already lost at the gate are on the heads of those who made them feel like living in an unprotected shanty town was their best shot at establishing a life here.

Giving them grain merely exacerbates the problem.

It allows the people of the Rose to pretend they did right by these people, at the cost of the Well's strategic resources, while continuing to deny them entry into the Krak.

Regards,
Apothar Estellise Azimi

[Random_White_Guy]

Honored Legate,

To lend the Scribal perspective as the Chief Scribe is occupied among the transition of power, the numerous legal reforms, and putting out some of the fires set by the Dragon's departure before his vacation, I offer some insight.

As ever you may disregard such at your leisure, it is only counsel offered.

Firstly, to protect the refugees from attack some of the funds collected by the Sisterhood for the purpose of the new District should be instead spent on effective defensive measures to hinder attacks by Orc raiders. What form these defences would take and what cost it would incur has yet to be discovered.

The difficulty of Orc Raiders is the nature of their duties are just that - Raiders. I do not say this to be glib but no amount of preparation can prepare for a Fireball from an invisible Shaman, nor a sprinting raid from around canyon cover or obstructed by the ruins of the Rose Gate. They arrive with little to no warning and from the reports gleaned it was amidst the peak hours of the Ashfolk's cycle resulting in many patrols in rest or between shifts.

As for Defenses - There stand large iron gates. There stands a veritable Fortress in the Krak. There stands Dinar given monthly to the Accord of the Cinquefoil Rose and Janissaries and Astronomers for patrols and security of the southern roads and more. This is not a problem that shall simply have money thrown at it to solve because the very nature of Goat Herders and Jackals - The more goats that are had, come the Jackals.

Secondly, to provide much needed succour to the refugees at the Gate of Roses it was agreed that some of the Grain from Alkab should be handed to the Sisterhood for distribution among those refugees. Alongside this the Sisterhood and the Palatial Physician, shall also evaluate the health of the refugees, to reduce the odds of diseases spreading among them.

This is, as Legate, your prerogative. The accumulation and dispersal of resources. Charity is eternally the spirit of our fair Sultan and emulation of such a worthy aspiration. I would issue warning though that an excess of such may lead to not only discontent among the food vendors of the city, but also prices of other goods and services that are not so readily apparent. Even the illusion of scarcity drives much of the Gold League's desire for wealth. If we already must buy grain from external source, then begin to simply give away what was bought, it may lead them to artificially raise price decrying taxation and more squandered.

Thirdly, and this point may yet change in its final form, it was agreed that Refugee Volunteers ought be equipped and trained by members of the Rose and the Janissaries, so that they may act as a militia against possible raider attacks. If not to repulse them, then at least to grant the city time to organize and strike back at the attackers. It was my suggestion that if not enough volunteers are found that we ought use Conscription to fill the ranks of the Militia.

At this point I would raise question what is the difference betwixt a Student of the Baladeers, a Scarab of the Fourth Legion's Janissaries, and a "Militia".

If the volunteers are being trained by two thirds of the accord, why halt at half measure? To have armed men now free of any attachment to Ephia able to just as easily organize as the Seekers-of-Death did seems a short sighted avenue. If they wish formal training from Ephia's elite, if they wish food in their bellies, if they wish to stand guard and protect they ought do so among the Accord. Elsewise are they not free to band in pursuit of Gutterwork to learn the spear hunting worm, before raising to Boardwork, as hundreds of other refugees have in this city?

Each of these facets are ultimately of your choosing, as Legate of the First Seat. Only thought offered.

Celybuin Hui'nalyw
Scribe of the Sublime Garden

[Daoud al-Maaz]

Legate Saenus,

I say this directly: You were not a popular choice for the seat. You will need to work thrice as hard as any other Legate to secure support from the people.

Before you make further suggestions or decisions on matters of the Well at large, I highly encourage you to review recent history and familiarize yourself with the state of affairs within the Satrapy you are now charged to govern by authority of the Sultan.

Mere days ago, mass deaths, unilateral exile, and a nearly a civil war took place entirely due to conscription now being rejected by the majority of Voiced and two thirds of the Accord. Your co-Legate had a tense standoff in the Chamber of Rule with Grandmaster Elizabetha d'Avergne to ensure conscription would not touch the stele.

You now suggest conscription.

Legate, we cannot afford political blunders or for uninformed decisions to cause setbacks in our Citadel's unity or in our war efforts.

Please meet with your advisors in the Pyramid, absorb the many citizen bellows, palatial announcements, and bloodshed of past weeks, and then work to formulate a logical plan of action based on available resources, political climate, and the state of the war with Iakmes.



Balstan said that all funding for the new district was provided by Gohari Heavy Industries, something in the area of over a million dinar. If this is true, the entirety of the district fund Ephians have been working to save is effectively spare capital. Using it to reinforce defense or pay to hire, equip, house, and feed refugees is perhaps something the Priory would not object to.



I pray to Father Izdu for wisdom's return to leadership and the citadel at large. We need it more than an Axe.



-Sergeant Daoud al-Maaz

[Random_White_Guy]

A missive is sent placed among the previous

Honored Legate,

Forgive the follow up to my previous letter but there has been development. I bring word from the Chief Scribe herself: Your first request is impossible.

She has informed me not only that The District Fund has been processed but that we stand on the precipice with nine days, give or take, before an emptying of our treasury. I will be preparing emergency brief for you discussing possible new taxation options as well as avenues utilizing the War Council and other potentialities to prevent the impending financial crisis.

Celybuin Hui'nalyw
Office of Means and Measure

[VanillaPudding]

Marcellus,

I have solutions to many of the problems of conscription and this proposed militia and will share them with you in a personal meeting. I'm sure that you can make time to meet me at the fortress in the next day or two?

Balestriere Emilia Laurentis
Mirliva of the Ephia's former conscription force

[neverwhere]

Marcellus,

Have you seen my other earring? I think it came off during that nonsense with Argent and Elizabetha. It's copper with a little opal in it. Just pop it in the lost and found, yes?

PS: Sorry if this gets mixed up with your other mail.




(Pang)

[Blue41]

Legate,

You may believe that you have a mandate to 'fix' the issues that have been set before you by your predecessor. The Penal Code, conscription, the treasury, the state of relations between ourselves and our allies. You don't. We're at war, and we have to look towards the future rather than the past.

Conscription is dead. The initial idea-- my initial idea-- was raked over the coals by Balstan in a public assembly before being twisted into the bastardized form it took by both Legates which nearly caused a civil war. It's dead. It's gone. We move on.

As for the refugees outside of our city's gates, not to mention at Legion checkpoints...I am prepared to handle that matter for you. Close our doors to any more refugees for the duration of this conflict. We do not need a militia formed of the Voiceless because we have seen all too quickly how that notion has been co-opted into free, indefinite labor. We do not need the threat of potential cultists-- terrorists-- inside our gates. We know there are more Seekers, and we know they are watching us. What we need are actual recruits joining the Legion, the Banda Rossa, the Balladeers...but if we cannot have that, cannot compel that, then we do not need more mouths to feed.

We are at war. Your co-Legate has spoken of the necessity of measures that may seem cruel to achieve victory. The notion may be sound, but his execution has been lacking. His focus has been on securing his own authority and punishing his political rivals rather than running a war. You have the opportunity to show how different you are from them. Take that opportunity, and soon.

Lt. R. Colmes
Warmaster