Author Topic: Achkaerin Meets Bakkermaya  (Read 1905 times)

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Offline Achkaerin

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Achkaerin Meets Bakkermaya
« on: August 05, 2019, 10:01:22 PM »

To Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles,

A few months ago my good friend Lady Kristina Ayanami and members of her family were honoured to attend a ceremony in your nation, she has told me of how grateful she was to have the opportunity to attend and to meet with people from Bakkermaya. We are two nations that share what some would say is a tenuous link to each other through a Morelander King, at least that is my view. I would like to meet with you and/or your representatives in the hopes of building a strong relationship between our two nations.

Signed

Emperor Peter Azurewind

Offline RobertAgira

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Re: Achkaerin Meets Bakkermaya
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2019, 10:41:18 PM »

To:- His Imperial Majesty Emperor Peter

We were delighted to be able to host representatives from your nation during the opening of our new Temple in Edwinstowe. As regards to building strong future relationships I would be delighted to host either yourself or a representative at Edwinstowe for talks on a future relationship. I look forward to the meeting.

May the Gods Watch Over You and Your Nation Know Peace

Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles.



Hugo and his Lead Sword, Anna Davidson had made the short journey out from the centre of the capital to the Air Force base. It was thought with the current raised security levels following Vadik Pasternak's sisters kidnapping to have the arrival take place on a military base. As such it was not the traditional Horseman of Jekar who would be welcoming the Achkaerin delegation but instead a squad of Air Force Guardsman dressed in dark blue. As the Imperial aircraft entered Bakkermayan air space it was given a wide berth by the commercial traffic using Edwinstowe's civilian airport and as soon as it had touched down the band began playing the guests national anthem. Hugo was keen to get a good relationship up and running, after all the Achakerin emperor was friends with King David and building a similar relationship would be good for business. Hugo waited patiently for his guests to appear.

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Achkaerin Meets Bakkermaya
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2019, 07:01:46 PM »
Peter had chosen his delegation carefully for this trip, the Emperor was keen to establish a relationship with Bakkermaya, the nation seemed to share many values that Peter believed a relationship could be founded on. Present on the trip with the Emperor was Richard Chambers, the Achkaerinese Minister of Foreign Affairs - the two men had spent a fair amount of the flight in discussion about many things relevant to the trip and of course the Water Nomad situation had been involved in that conversation, neither man wanted to get caught on the hop by a curveball after all. Also present on the trip was Rosa Ayanami, she'd been at the temple dedication and had enjoyed it, her previous experience in Bakkermaya and her being a Cult of Helus follower were the main reasons why Peter had wanted her along.

Finally there was a small religious presence within the Achkaerinese delegation seen in the inclusion of Jin Fuma, Jin was one of the three Alha's in the Cult of Namis faith each Alha had an area of responsibility in Jin's case this was the supervision of the Maiden Sister Order, a female branch of the faith that centuries earlier could have been described as an army but these days was more of a ceremonial guard. With Jin was his daughter Temari, now Temari was the Oracle of the Cult of Namis which gave her one of the three leadership roles within the faith, her role was mainly to advise the High Priestess and to develop a more in depth understanding of the faith's history but there was another responsibility which involved keeping watch over the texts of the faith's prophets and watch for signs of their fulfilment. Both the Fuma's wore their official robes Jin wearing the beige clothing with the brown cloak and Temari in the gold trimmed red robes of the Oracle. Peter looked around the delegation as they stood ready to disembark the aircraft, each of them nodded and Jin picked up a long thin wooden case, this was the gift for the hosts, Peter turned and nodded to their pilot who opened the aircraft door.

As they walked down the aircraft steps Peter smiled, the band's rendition of 'I Vow to Thee My Country', the Achkaerinese anthem was excellent so much so that the Emperor was humming along as he walked, he saw the welcoming committee of the Grand Duke and Lead Sword and lead the way over to them.

"Grand Duke Lascelles." Peter said extending his human hand as opposed to his artificial one "An honour to meet you at last. Thank you for such a warm welcome and for accomodating us especially given very recent events." he turned to Anna "Lead Sword it's an honour to meet you, my congratulations on your accomplishments so far in your role." he paused for a second "May I introduce Minister of Foreign Affairs Richard Chambers, Lady Rosa Ayanami who I believe you know, Jin Fuma one of the Alha of the Namis faith and finally his daughter Temari who is the Oracle of the Namis faith."

Offline RobertAgira

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Re: Achkaerin Meets Bakkermaya
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2019, 10:46:42 PM »
"He's brought half of Achkaerin" Anna whispered to Hugo as the guests arrived, like their Morelander cousins the Bakkermayans tended to keep delegations small as the prescence of just the Grand Duke and Lead Sword testified. "Welcome to Bakkermaya" Hugo said as he first bowed to Peter then shook his hand, he then nodded respectfully as each of the group was introduced and prayed to Helus he'd remember their names. Anna was much better in that regard and the smartly dressed woman shouldn't be that far away. Anna thanked the Emperor for his kind words before taking up a position in front of the two leaders and drawing her thin rapieresque sword, resting it on her right shoulder as she lead the way along the line of waiting soldiers and towards the waiting pair of vehicles.

"Anna if you'd like to accompany Mr.Chambers, Mr.Fuma and his daughter" Hugo waited for Peter and Rosa to board the waiting white SUV while Anna did likewise for the others. The journey would take them out of the city of Edwinstowe a rather modern construction once you got away from the port which had served as a funnel in the centuries past for the Horseman into Ardia. They made their way out into the rugged countryside and up towards the red and yellow painted Ducal Palace, in many ways Hugo still shuddered everytime he saw the gaudy colours and would have loved to paint it white or grey. Anna knew this and as the place came into view chuckled.

"You know Mr.Chambers" She addressed the foreign minister. "I would place good money right now the Grand Duke is looking anywhere but at his home." she pointed up the hill. "He finds the colour scheme rather embarrassing. I plan the next time he's out the nation to order the place to get a new coat of paint, just so it stands out even more." she chuckled. "Just don't tell him what I plan. Legend has it that it was at this point Paul the Explorer drew his first map of Ardia and then constructed a fort here. Archaeologists haven't found one piece of evidence to back it up though." She suggested. "I suppose Paul is one tie we need to build upon" she added.

In the lead car Hugo was enjoying the view of the forests that surrounded the Palace on the hill. Inside it was a beautiful building, a tasteful mixture of modern offices, old banqueting rooms and modern living suites with some period features. The best thing about the interior however was that you couldn't see the exterior. " I assume your refering to the kidnapping?" Hugo said harking back to Peter mentioning "recent events." assuming he meant the kidnap of the Kaitaine Vice Presidents sister. "The investigation is ongoing. Problem is the Alucard is a rather extensive area and whoever has kidnapped her has a substantial head-start. Plenty of bolt holes" He had left the matter with the Dukes and Duchesses of the island to oversea along with the Commander of the Horseman of Jekar after all until demands were made or a change of circumstances there was little he could do. "Sadly we have to walk the final bit" The car parked under the walls of the Palace and they had to walk up a flight of stone cut steps to reach the top of the wall where they could descend into a courtyard where several guardsman seemed shocked and came to attention. "By rights we should use the front door which is round the other side but its a bit of a walk." Hugo waved at the Guardsman to relax and the four or five men breathed a sigh of relief and went back to enjoying the sunny day, having a coffee and a smoke and teasing Cpl.Dodds about his new girlfriend.

"The courtyard is their off-duty area usually" Hugo explained, "The Horseman provide fifty men to maintain a guard and response unit here incase I chip a nail or something." Hugo smiled and lead them into the Banqueting hall. As the door opened there was a shuffle of chairs as a large group stood, minus Foreign Minister John Bernard, and the Dukes and Duchesses of Walesby and Harby, they were busy in the Alucard should Miss Pasternak turn up. The room was filled with the rest of the cabinet and Ducal powers. "I thought we'd start with some informal lunch." Hugo motioned for the visitors to take seats among the various members.

Hugo naturally had a seat at the head of the table alongside the Emperor. "Before we start though" he paused, withdrew from his pocket a small knife and candle. He placed the candle on the plate stood ready and ignited it with a cigarette lighter. He looked at the arranged plate of smoked fish, cold meats, cheeses, salads and breads and selected a sample to put on the plate before declaring himself satisfied. "Helus accept this offering and bless those present. Jekar protect us and Frossaj grant us knowledge to do right. Marissa we thank you for this bounty" he finished. "I suspect you've sat through quiet a few of these being friends with the Ironsides. It is customary for guests to address the room, so feel free to offer a prayer, a thought, give us a song even" Hugo and his guests chuckled before respectfully quientening for Peter. Hugo waited for Peter to select some food before plating up his own selection by stabbing various things with his small penknife.

Anna meanwhile had sat next to Foreign Minister Chambers, "So mind me asking what your take on the Pasternak situation?" she was keen to see, her island of Wellow was one where something could be going on but she had Rhodes looking after that for her.

Rosa had been guided to a seat next to Duke Aiden of Elmwood. "Lady Rosa would you like some wine, or would you prefer iced tea?" He held up two jugs indicating a choice. "I myself think tea like this tastes best with a little lemon." He poured himself having first seen to his guest. He then squeezed a lemon from the garnish of the fish into his drink. " I understand your studying History and Liguistics, a useful combo." He commented.

Gavin London The Minister for Culture Heritage and The Arts was sat between Jin and Temari. "Forgive me, I'm not exactly used to dining with Maiden Sisters and their tutors, so if there is something you're not permitted to eat let me know and I'll manoeuvre it out your way." He looked casually around the room and then motioned to a member of the Palace staff. "Here young lad" he whispered to the boy, "This wine....it the good stuff?" he asked and the boy confirmed it was. "Very good. Watered down?" the boy affirmed that it wasn't. "Nice" Gavin said pouring himself a large glass. "You imbibe wine?" He asked holding the jug ready to pour. "Just Mr.Lascelles doesn't often open the wine cellar. He's more an ale drinker or a whiskey, a spot of savagery but he is Grand Duke so can get away with these things. So tell me about life as a Maiden?" He turned to Temari suddenly changing the subject.


 


Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Achkaerin Meets Bakkermaya
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2019, 01:15:24 AM »
During the car ride Richard found himself smiling, firstly at the Ducal Palace and then at the mischievous streak the Lead Sword seemed to have in her.
"I concur that Paul is one of the links between our nations that needs to be built on." he said "But if I may suggest if you want an archaeologist who thinks a little differently and has a habit of finding things you might consider talking to Melanie Bell, after all just because nothing has been found doesn't mean it won't be it just means it hasn't turned up yet."

When they were sat down at the table and Anna asked about the Pasternak situation Richard took a moment to think, it had naturally been a topic of discussion in advance of the trip and likely in many corridors of power across Mundus, with undoubtedly many different interpretations.

"I think what concerns me most is the lack of a ransom demand, kidnappings are usually a means to extortion but there have been enough political motivated ones in recent Mundus history whether it's the Borland Separatists kidnapping Crown Princess Serenity or Crown Princess Adrianna being kidnapped by King's Blood. However they all had a very quick list of demands delivered, there's not been anything this time which makes me think that there's a larger plan at play and that's troubling the worse thing is the possibility that we're not going to know what that is until it's either too late or quite far advanced. Though I will say that your country has a point about the potential Water Nomad involvement, it does make sense that if you weren't from around here that you'd seek assistance from the locals, even more so considering how much planning something of this nature would take." he said before pausing "I only wish I could give you something more useful sadly the one vessel we have in the Alucard at the moment was down south so all we can really do is verify what's already known, but I am authorised to offer the services of that vessel in the search if it would be useful to you."

Rosa brushed at her hair while Aiden spoke and was smart enough to take a mouthful of the fish on her plate while considering what to say to him.

"Iced tea please." Rosa said "It's been an interesting three years of study and I've learned a lot. I finished my exams before coming out on the trip, I'm just hoping the results are good because I'm not exactly the best in exams, I get exam stress quite badly I'm the perfectionist in the family. I guess you could say I'm fascinated by history but I like the mysteries of language more to understand a language is to understand a lot more than just what is said it's to understand those who speak, their traditions, their culture as a whole perhaps. I got into it thanks to a friend of mine who works for the CETO she's a specialist in so called 'dead languages' I found out I had a knack for picking the spoken word up and I've gone from there."

Temari was somewhat taken aback by the question it wasn't often she was asked about her life as a Maiden Sister, that was a good seven years ago that she'd moved forwards from that stage of her faith journey.

"Life as a Maiden Sister is perhaps one of the most rewarding experiences I've had in my life. It's not an easy life by any means it's a very ritualistic way of living involving study, missionary work and pilgrimage. This way of life stems from one of the core beliefs of the faith that all life is connected to each other and the world around it. Within the faith there are what we refer to as nine sacred beasts each is associated with an element so for example the nine tailed fox Evna is associated with light, the great white stag Kovrien is associated with ice and so on. The Maiden Sisters in their way seek to master these elements, what we call the Rhythm of Life, through what most would consider an odd medium that of swordplay, we say that to become a thing is to know a thing. In my time as a Maiden Sister I mastered three of the nine but that's just about above the average. Perhaps the most interesting thing is that no one has ever mastered all nine yet there's a prophecy written by an old sage of the ancient kingdom of Rosemoor that spoke of a Maiden who would give her heart to a faithless man from a foreign land and train him in the way of life's rhythm. A lot of people though that might have been Anezaki Ayanami the second wife of Paul the Explorer but she according to records fell short in mastering seven out of nine. These days I have the lovely responsibility of studying these prophecies in detail, it does sadly mean I don't get to do a lot of things like preach as often as I used to do or do missionary work. I'm sorry I  may be rambling a little but I hope that's helpful though my father could probably clear up the details."

At the head of the table Peter had smiled when Hugo had mentioned familiarity with the ritual.

"I've sat through many a prayer of that sort, but I always find it helps set the tone. My late wife always said that the heart of a home was the dinner table though I privately always suspected that was because I was a half decent cook, but the more I think about the more I think she had a point nothing brings people together quite like a good meal." Peter said as he plated up for himself before listening to Hugo explain the tradition, which was a rather interesting moment, Peter stood and smiled "Thank you Grand Duke for your hospitality, I would like this opportunity to present the gift from Achkaerin to Bakkermaya but before we do so I would like to offer to you a song from home."

Peter took a breath and then began

"O flower of Aelmoor
When will we see
Your like again
That fought and died for
Your wee bit hill and glen
And stood against him
Proud Pharoah's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

The hills are bare now
And autumn leaves lie thick and still
O'er land that is lost now
Which those so dearly held
That stood against him
Proud Pharoah's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

Those days are passed now
And in the past they must remain
But we can still rise now
And be the nation again
That stood against him
Proud Pharoah's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again"


Peter was enjoying himself, he hadn't had the chance to sing for a while and with his latest round of problems he could just feel like the burdens that troubled him were falling away and it seemed to be contagious as the rest of the Achkaerinese joined in the last verse.

"O flower of Aelmoor
When will we see
Your like again
That fought and died for
Your wee bit hill and glen
And stood against him
Proud Pharoah's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again!"
[1]

It was an old song, it went back centuries back to the days when Achkaerin and Abydos had vied for supremacy over the Northern Ocean, the province of Aelmoor was the seat of the Ayanami family and had been back then as well, there were a great many people who thought the song was about a woman called Erin Ayanami and her deeds in the 1220's, others disagreed but that was the nature of scholarly debate.

As the singsong finished Jin and Temari got up from their seats and approached Hugo and Peter, Jin was carrying the long thin wooden box from earlier, as Jin held it level the Emperor opened the box to reveal the contents it was a katana style sword marked with a name written in Achkaerinese engraved onto the blade - Rosa Saith in the common tongue it translated to Rose of Tranquility. Now Peter removed the blade from the box and held it while Temari took from her pocket a small bottle of water from Luna Isle, some might call this holy water, and poured some of it over the blade. This was the important bit, by the traditions of the Maiden Sisters when a sword was forged in accordance with their customs it was at the moment of presentation blessed with the name inscribed on the blade which was why Temari had been brought along for the trip.

"In the name of the Trinity the blade is blessed with the name Rose of Tranquillity." Temari said, it was a rather cut down version of what actually happened at the Maiden Sister ceremony but without the actual Maiden Sister they could only do the cut down version.

"Grand Duke Lascelles may I present you with this gift, the Rose of Tranquility." Peter said handing Hugo the sword "It's a replica of the sword that was forged by Paul the Explorer during his stay on Luna Isle and we believe carried with him during his travels. It's been forged the same way as he would have done it from the same materials." 
 1. OOC - Mundusified version of this

Offline RobertAgira

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Re: Achkaerin Meets Bakkermaya
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2019, 09:26:45 PM »
Hugo waited for the song to finish and then there was an exchange of gift. Clearly Emperor Peter's interactions with East Moreland over the years had helped inform their choice. "Its a beautiful blade" Hugo said examining it carefully as a man who'd grown up around swords would have. "Such a blade would I believe best be displayed in the Temple of Swords which I believe Lady Rosa knows well." Hugo sheethed the sword with a snap before handing it to Anna Davidson for safekeeping. The Lead Sword handed over a box of their own to the Emperor. It contained a series of crystal cut drinking glasses in the shape of a fox, twelve of them in total. " Some of Elmwood's craftsmanship. I hope you enjoy them" Hugo was thankful that the seemingly diplomatic tradition of gift exchanging was out of the way. "Lady Anna if you wouldn't mind taking the sword over to the Temple of Swords while we have our diplomatic chat. If any of our guests wish to accompany you please take them with you."

Anna stood carefully picking up the box with the sword and heading out with any of the Achkaerin delegation who wished to accompany her.

That left the Grand Duke, Duke Aiden and Minister Gavin London to have discussions once they'd moved through to the  Grand Duke's office. "Emperor Peter we've seen how over a long period now you've held good relations and co-operation with East Moreland, and naturally you have a sizable minority of Cultists in your nation. As such I think there are avenues that we could explore. However there are also some possible stumbling blocks. One of course being your nations hosting of what we firmly believe to be a child soldier training establishment. Perhaps you could brief us on the status of this Chapterhouse establishment?"

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Achkaerin Meets Bakkermaya
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2019, 07:56:06 PM »
OOC - Sorry this took so long to reply to

Rosa, Temari and Jin had all left with Anna so it was just Peter and Richard that were left with the three Dukes. The question over the Chapterhouse wasn't unexpected, it had featured rather prominently when the visit had been discussed both prior to departure and on the flight down. It was a fine line that Achkaerin walked in relation to the Bene Gesserit and for the most part they'd managed to keep themselves well out of the trouble in regards to them.

"In terms of the establishment itself as opposed to the legal wrangling's" Peter said "It's been categorized as a school for many years meaning it has to comply with relevant legislation, regulations and so forth. Part of that includes two annual inspection by our school watchdog, one of these is announced and the other is unannounced. Following the concerns over child soldiers, concerns which we share the school has been placed on a different list that now doubles the number of inspections in both respects, Achkaerinese intelligence also have a closer eye on the place. Additionally around two years ago the police carried out a search of the school in relation to the suicide of a student at the Chapterhouse which at the time was believed to be linked to the murder of a former student and the suicide of a then member of the Achkaerinese nobility, as it turned out there was no link but the police search didn't turn up anything suspicious either. So that's where it currently stands."