Author Topic: In the Shadow of the Sun (Xæth & Nyx)  (Read 2639 times)

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Offline Xaeth

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In the Shadow of the Sun (Xæth & Nyx)
« on: July 22, 2019, 09:03:08 PM »

To the Esteemed Members of the Delegation of the Consecrated Nyx Coalition,

It is with great joy that I must inform the most esteemed rulers of the Consecrated Nyx Coalition that Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX xy Thælyrn offers an invitation for a diplomatic visitation to the capital city of Jiloola of the Most Serene and Celestial Empire of Xæth. Her Imperial Majesty was honoured to attend the coronation of Ascendant Natrax, her only regret being that she was unable to speak to the Ascendant herself. She finds herself fascinating by the ancient traditions and culture of your people and is eager for a chance to learn more about your people. Furthermore, with the recent emergence of the Nythmn from their isolation her Imperial Majesty views this as an excellent opportunity to develop and strengthen a mutually beneficial relationship between our two most prestigious nations. It is with great anticipation that we await your respond, so that we may make arrangements for the meeting.

Sincerely,
Ithana Tyraa, Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Most Serene and Celestial Empire of Xæth

Offline Persephone

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Re: In the Shadow of the Sun (Xæth & Nyx)
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2019, 02:30:59 AM »
A Reply to Minister Ithana Tyraa

I am joyed to hear of the Empress' invitation and interest in Necrova and Nythymn culture. As a fellow Aranye nation, the Coalition would love to expand the trust between us. Indeed, the Delegation hopes that our relationship may blossom into a friendship that shall strengthen the whole of the continent. Sadly, I am not strong enough to make the journey alone. To this end, I will be accompanied by Archdruid Iaxxodril and Ionia Maar Velkin. And most importantly, the beautiful Empress Qi'rrow. I hope that one day, when she is older, she'll be able to repeat this journey on her own.
 
Signed,
Ascendant Natrax

Offline Xaeth

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Re: In the Shadow of the Sun (Xæth & Nyx)
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2019, 04:37:04 AM »
It was not a particularly pleasant morning in Xæth. It had stormed the night prior and so the air remained thick and humid in the aftermath, and even though it was midmorning when the Nythymn arrived the temperature had already surpassed 80°F (27°C). As was typical for these sorts of visits the delegation would land at Jiloola International Airport, where they would be met by a Xæthoon representative. As the plane made its way over the Empire those inside would be treated to the sights of the Xæthoon landscapes, the grand mountains in the north sweeping down into rolling hills and swathes of jungle. Jiloola itself sat astride a great river and even from the sky one could see where it was bisected in two by a cliff running across the length of the city.

Upon exiting the plane the delegates would be greeted by a small group of officials, lead by an older woman with piercing eyes and a rather severe expression. Her Imperial Highness Princess Llyri xy Thælyrn was not happy about this visit. She'd rather have the East Morelanders or the Rokkenjimans; at least they weren't savages who maimed their Heads of State. But for some inexplicable reason, Ælirn had invited these people into their nation and despite her reservations about them Llyri, as Prime Minister, had to play nice. So she smiled as they approached, not entirely convincingly but well enough to still be polite, "On behalf of my niece, Her Imperial Majesty the Most Serene and Celestial Empress Ælirn XIX xy Thælyrn of Xæth, I welcome you wholeheartedly to our nation. I am Her Imperial Highness, and it is an honor to make all of your acquaintances." The group would introduce themselves and were composed of several Ministers of the Cabinet, including Ithana Tyraa who was of a noticeably lighter complexion than the others and Kallax xy Ool who was both the Minister for Technology and the Empress' Aunt, as well as several other lesser officials.

"If you would not mind we have a car ready to take you all to the Imperial Palace where the official meeting ceremony will take place," Minister Tyraa added, "Should you have any questions before the ride over I would be pleased to answer them, otherwise please follow us so we can be getting underway. I am certain that Her Majesty is eagerly anticipating your arrival."

Offline Persephone

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Re: In the Shadow of the Sun (Xæth & Nyx)
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2019, 05:46:00 AM »
The quartet were all sweating heavily. It was much warmer than the alpine tundra they hailed from. Velkin was carrying the Empress. It was a bit of a funny sight, the scarred warrior with the richly dressed baby. After Llyri slightly irritatedly welcomed them, Velkin muttered, "wholeheartedly" in Low Vir. Natrax tried to hide a smile and Iaxxodril giggled slightly, covering his mouth with his hand. The Ascendant would have elbowed the Maar but she didn't want to accidentally hit Qi'rrow, not to mention he was on her right side. She did shoot daggers at Iaxxodril. If it had been up to her the Archdruid wouldn't have come. He was too... causal for a state visit.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Princess. I believe there are no questions and we are ready to head to the ceremony." The Ascendant spoke for all of them. It was a bit of an odd delegation, the warrior who cared little for politics, the state party-boy and embarrassment, and the newly crowned Ascendant. Natrax didn't like the idea that she'd be having to take the lead, but it was the way the cards had fallen. As such, she was hoping for everything to be light and quick. The shorter and more by the book the visit was, the less likely one of them was going to make a mistake.

As the walked towards the car, the Nythymn had to partially undress themselves if they were going to survive in the heat. Iaxxodril removed the top layer of his black robes, revealing the black cloth wrappings underneath. Velkin removed the Empress' silk over-shirt and part of her jewelry. He, himself, had been dressed less heavily and was fine in the weather. Natrax struggled to remove her own coat, eventually Velkin yanked the half pulled off coat from behind. Her face went hot and she decided not to say anything, not wanting to embarrass herself further.

Offline Xaeth

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Re: In the Shadow of the Sun (Xæth & Nyx)
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2019, 11:19:26 AM »
The drive was an uneventful one as the cars easily made their way through the city; the streets had been closed off for the delegation to come through so they suffered no delay. The cars themselves were jet black and the car housing the Crown Princess had an open top, which she used to her advantage by politely smiling and waving when at the people who had gathered along the streets. Some of them came to get a look at a member of the Imperial family and some strained for even the smallest glimpse of the visiting foreigners, something the tinted windows of the car would deny them. But it was not overly long before they arrived at the Imperial Palace, a large complex sitting on an island in the river that flowed through Jiloola.

The cars would pull up in front of the Palace proper, a grand white and gold structure located atop a hill in the middle of the complex. The cars would pull up in front of a large statue depicting a bare-breasted woman holding a curved blade aloft whilst she stood with one foot on the chest of prone six-armed figure with horns and a great mane of hair. Behind that would be the Palace itself, outside of which members of the media gathered behind a cordon of guards to take pictures as the delegation was lead up into the building. Leading up to the Throne Room where the greeting would take place the delegate would hear the sounds of many conversations happening at once, but once they stepped into the Throne Room the voices would almost immediately trail off into silence as everyone present looked at the foreign dignitaries.

The Throne Room itself was a lavish room, longer than it was tall with pillars all down its length and a second level balcony from which even more people stood. There were a great many people assembled, from military officers to government officials to those simply lucky enough to have been born to a family of Old Nobility to members of the media, and as the delegation made their way forward across the mosaic floor they all stared. But the most striking thing in the Throne Room was, appropriately enough, the throne itself. The Ivory Throne of Xæth was a great beast: it consisted of a more typical throne draped with silks and with panels of carved ivory upon which sat the Empress, but that was located atop what amounted to a small structure a story tall ornamented with numerous figures of ivory and gold. The Delegation would have been forewarned of what exactly would be expected of them here; they'd be introduced, the Empress would be introduced, they would greet each other, then the Empress would give a short speech, followed by any Delegates who wished to say any words to the assembled Xæthoons. It would've also been made very clear that none of the Delegation were to bow, simply because they were foreign Heads of State and bowing was seen as a sign of submission and subservience in Xæthoon culture.

Ælirn opened her eyes as those around her went quiet as she knew that it could mean only one thing, and she let out a sigh when she saw the Nythymn and realized she was correct. As they made their way forward she shut her eyes again, controlling her breathing and mentally preparing herself for what was to come. She only opened her eyes again when she heard their names and titles being introduced to her. Then came her own introduction, and she sighed as she stood and made her way down the flight of stairs to the floor of the Throne Room. "Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX of the Imperial House xy Thælyrn," her herald, a young noblewoman around her age, introduced her as to the Delegation, "The Most Serene and Celestial Empress of Xæth; Queen of Thælyrn, of Ynith, of Oova, and of Maashirn; High Queen of Jalyl; Lady-Protector of Maryrn; Sovereign Guardian of the Mountain Queens; Favoured Daughter of the Virgin Sun; Mistress of the Mountains, of the Hills, of the Forests, of the Rivers, and of the Seas; Warden of the Twin-Straits; and Rightful Ruler of all Xæth and its Peoples."

The Empress confidently strode over to the Delegates, or rather she at least outwardly appeared to move confidently as inside she was anything but, and spoke, "Ascendant Natrax, Empress Qi'rrow, Archdruid Iaxxodril, and Ionia Maar Velkin. We greet you as equals, and it is with great pleasure to welcome you to our wondrous nation. It is our greatest hope that you enjoy your time her in the Most Serene and Celestial Empire of Xæth." She waited until the Delegates greeted her in turn, then the Empress and Delegates both would head to the front of the throne for Ælirn to give her speech. A servant nearby would hand her the microphone and with a deep breath to steel herself she began.

"Great people of Xæth, it is with great pleasure that we welcome the Delegates of Nyx who were able to make the trip to our most eminent of nations on this day. Some of you may have wondered why the first proper State visit of our reign would be the Nythymn, why not King David of East Moreland or Empress Beatrice of Rokkenjima? We must admit that it is because we see something of a kindred spirit in Nyx; many of you know that since the reign of my grandmother Her Imperial Majesty Yphaa IX began almost thirty years ago Xæth began to look inward. So much so that Xæth entered a period of near diplomatic isolation. We do not question my ancestor's actions nor do we question the decision of her daughters to continue her policies. But this is a new time. Our time. And so when I was enthroned last November my first decision was to change course, to not ignore the goings on of the world around us but to take part in them. Building friendships with other nations, assisting them and having them assist us in return as equals and partners. That is how we see the future of Xæth.

But a great nation emerging from isolation on its path to returning to and immersing themselves in the international community once again. Now we ask you, our people, are we describing Xæth? Or are we describing Nyx? While we cannot speak for their reasoning, the Delegation of Nyx have also decided that they wish to change the course of their country's isolation. And we are excited for the potential prospects and opportunities that can arise from this, for both Xæth and Nyx. It is my sincerest wish that our two nations can take these early steps together, as equals and as friends. For although their customs may seem strange to us, we are certain many of our customs will seem strange to them. So though the traditions differ, we see in them a healthy respect and honor for tradition that they share with the people of Xæth."

It would be then that Ælirn would hand the microphone over to any of the Delegates who wished to say any words, assuming there were any.

Offline Persephone

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Re: In the Shadow of the Sun (Xæth & Nyx)
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2019, 10:33:05 PM »
Natrax took the microphone and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She wondered if the heat of Xæth ran through the nation's politics much in the way the cold was representative of Nyx'. She stilled herself, in someways she felt she was in a pit of vipers. She cleared her throat and began.

"In many ways, recent meetings of the Coalition Delegation have echoed the words of the Celestial Empress. For years, we have been embroiled in the famous, “Nyx First,” policy. Our state concerned itself with what was inside our borders and ignored the outside world. During this time, with little regulation or direction, our economy flourished. This was our major, or as some would say our sole, connection to the world. But we have not abandoned our previous policy, rather adapted it. Nyx looks forward to the future with could perhaps be described roughly as “Aranye First.” Aranye is a complex continent with numerous issues. Starting in the East, we have the question of the two states of Kaitaine. An issue that all of Mundus seems both keen and scared to poke their heads into. Slava Lavosk developing nuclear weapons, bringing down the ire of the international community. Then there is MidAranye. A sort of mini-continent in its own right. One plagued by economic and wealth disparity- look at Clysperi, another nation that is also rising from isolation. But unlike Xaeth or Nyx, it has to deal with the ravages of its former soviet occupation. To the east, there is Lakhozia and Seaforth. Nations that have bound themselves, and their destinies to foreigners. Where does that leave Xaeth and Nyx? Two nations that are in their own right powerful. Speaking of powerful, there is one important Aranye nation I have left out. And it seems appropriate, given their silence on and lack of willingness to aid Aranye. I speak of course of Achkaerin. The great power in the North. Or I should say superpower.

You see there are three super powers in Mundus, and it’s actually very easy to figure out which three nations these are. They all possess nuclear armaments. Which is an issue for the MAEA to solve. But let’s, for the sake of argument, characterize these nations, very quickly and roughly. Firstly, we have East Moreland, whose influence can best be described through CNN. A massive cross continental supra-state. Moreland exerts and gathers its power through a massive series of international political alliances. It is in a sense everyone's friend and through its soft power, it shapes the world around it. Then you have Rokkenjima, once a traditional and leading player, it has since seen a sharp decline in international allies and reputation. Now it seeks to forge and tie its fate with SANE, a regional power bloc. This union could propel the nations of SANE to take a new interest in international politics. But what about Achkaerin? The Northern superpower, and Aranyan superpower, has in some ways chosen to go at it alone. They have treaties here and there and are a member of a number of international organizations. But they have not chosen an international alliance or a regional one. When it comes to regional politics, Achkaerin seemingly has little connection to Aranye. They have treaties with nations including East Moreland, Vaguzia, Seaforth, Nya Aland, and of course Rokkenjima. Interestingly, I believe Seaforth is the only Aranyan nation on that list.

Granted these are very rough ideas of the superpowers and do not have the nuances that real life affords. But the point I make is that Aranye, as a continent is not a priority. It is a land of annoyances that should be mostly ignored or have minimal effort put in. Tamora was sanctioned and that was the end of it. Achkaerin, like most of Mundus, hasn't even taken an official stance on the Theocracy of Kaitine. What some call a terrorist group that occupies the same continent as the Holy Empire. Please do not mistake my words as insults or negatives. I mean to illuminate a glaring problem, one that I believe is systemic. The problem is that there is a sphere of those nations that belong and those that don't. In a sense, the players and the watchers. And what happens when one of the watchers wants to become a player without permission...hmm? Look to Slava or Tamora. In the same sense as before, I am not justifying either nation or their actions. But it is interesting that unlike with the Theocracy, they both saw swift and decisive action when they stepped out of line. But there is a key difference to the Theocracy and the two Aranye nations. The Theocracy is connected to an international religion, the Bene Gesserit, with Chapterhouses in Achkaerin, Kaitine and Ui Ceinnselaig. It is not a watcher or solely Aranyan.

What does any of this have to do with Xæth and Nyx relations you might be wondering? I believe it has everything to do with it. You see, in our modern age, the world is far more interconnected than ever. But we are both emerging from isolation. An isolation that has kept us from connecting in ways other nations have. An isolation that can be used against us. We do not have the connections of the Theocracy to protect us. Unlike it, we are Aranyan solely. What do we know of the complexities of international politics? How can we possibly understand the history involved? I fear that both Xæth and Nyx have been labelled watchers. And I fear that should either of us make a move too out of line of the designation that has been thrust upon us we will face consequences. So, I say to our sister-nation, our continental neighbor, very clearly and for all to hear, we will not turn on you. We will not damn you. Aranye is not going to accept being trampled over anymore. Nyx seeks nothing but friendship and unity with the Celestial Empire."
« Last Edit: July 26, 2019, 05:07:28 AM by Persephone »

Offline Xaeth

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Re: In the Shadow of the Sun (Xæth & Nyx)
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2019, 05:37:31 PM »
Once Ascendant Natrax finished her speech the Throne Room was filled with applause and cameras flashed as those members of the media present took pictures. Much of it was more the result of polite expectations, but there were those assembled for whom it was genuine as Nyx was the first to so publicly express such sentiments while not at the same time being one of the hegemonic world powers. Ælirn herself didn't necessarily agree with all the points Natarx had made; as far as the Empress was concerned Tamora and Slava Lavosk's crimes weren't attempting to become a 'player' but rampant human rights abuses and the jeopardizing of the planet's nuclear disarmament efforts. But regardless of that she found herself thankful that Natrax put forward such a strong sentiment in her closing lines; Ælirn wouldn't have blamed her had she gone with something a little more non-committal but her words were the exact opposite. But after the speeches were done and the applause died down came the boring part: meeting people.

One by one prominent Xæthoons made their way forward, had their names and titles stated by Ælirn's herald, and then greeted the delegates and offered well-wished for future relations before moving on to the next. It started off with members of the Imperial family: dour Crown Princess Llyri, young and smiling Prince Allan, silver-haired and one-legged Princess Næxyn. Then came the Cabinet members. Then lesser, but still important, government officials, members of the nobility, and some high-ranking military officers. Many of the statements were obviously rehearsed but only a handful seemed outright insincere. Though one individual, a ginger-haired woman tall and lean with a hawkish nose and dressed in an Army uniform who was introduced as Colonel Ilra xy Aphxara, was far more enthusiastic than most. She grinned as she expressed her hopes for peace and friendship between their nations and a desire to potentially work alongside her counterparts in Nyx.

But eventually the people stopped coming and for that Ælirn was grateful. Standing around and just meeting people exhausted her and she was happy that she could finally get away from this crowd, for now came a private luncheon with the Nythymn delegates. The Empress knew how important state visits like this were, but it was unreal how much she had to sit through just to talk to the people she invited into her country. As a servant lead her and the Nythymn out of the Throne Room Ælirn noticed her herald standing off to the side, looking rather tired. It wasn't difficult for Ælirn to realise why; she hadn't been doing this very long and that was a lot of people to remember. After all, the young woman couldn't look at her cheat sheet after every single person presented. Ælirn wanted to say something reassuring, but she wasn't sure if it would be appropriate. She fussed it over in her mind until the group had nearly passed her, and when she saw her chance slipping away Ælirn made a snap decision and took a few steps toward her. "You did great out there," she said in her native tongue, forcing a smile.

The herald's eyes went wide and she nodded vigorously before replying back in kind, "Oh, thank you Your Majesty! You're too kind."

Then Ælirn returned to the group; the exchange had only taken a scant few seconds and so the group hadn't advanced very far at all. And so the group was lead to a private dining room in the Palace with a large window overlooking the river. It was a beautiful view with the sun sparkling off the water and the Temple of Sun visible on its hill in the distance. The table was currently empty save for several bowls of water and soaps and it was rather short and lacking in chairs. Instead there were a number of large and comfortable cushions placed upon the ground, which the servant motioned for them all to sit upon. The servant waited a short moment to speak as it was now that another guest arrived: the Empress' great aunt Princess Næxyn. She took her place on the cushion beside the Empress, quickly removing her prosthetic leg so that she could take a more comfortable position and setting her cane upon the ground.

"We can retrieve silverware for any of our esteemed guests who desire it, otherwise if you would please rinse your hands in the bowls in front of you," the servant said politely. Once the Nythymn had replied and the servant left Næxyn spoke up before Ælirn had a chance to "So, Ascendant Natrax. How is your arm?"