Stas was pleased that Basil was open to cooperation:

“Naturally Your Majesty that we can’t figure out all the details today. What we hope to achieve is an agreement in principle and then have our office handle out the details. We expect to encounter unexpected obstacles on both sides but where there’s a will there’s a way. “

“Infrastructure is very important Your Majesty and a priority for us in the government. Our nation railway system is private monopoly.  An agreement could be reached for a merger between the two provided that the private interests are preserved of course and that the merger is done on a position of equal footing 50-50%. We would also ask for the new company to be listed on the Petrograd Stock Exchange (PSE). We have a vibrant financial sector which the Samantran government wants to continue to develop.” In fact the Samantran financial sector was so vibrant that Stas himself was basically their lobbyist in the government.

“I think that is a fair trade Your Majesty considering the fact that Samantra, unlike your kingdom, lacks a train/locomotives manufacturer and the new company will almost certainly only purchase trains manufactured and designed in your kingdom.
As for the exact route, way to build and costs I propose we set up a future joint commission for talks that will provide us regular updates and pick the best option (ooc: by that I mean iron out the details later).

The fact that Stas didn’t even need to consult the President of the Duma in order to agree to the deal was proof of his influence in the government in key areas. On the subject of education, he had little interest so he “let” the President speak:

“I think that is a wonderful idea. The holy kingdom of Samantra is very focused on the educational performance of the students but also the environment in which they develop. Many countries in Mundus do not offer an environment that promotes or rewards behaviors that are in accordance with what the Lord teaches us. With the Kingdom of Nis we have no such qualms, on the contrary we are grateful to have such a God fearing nation as a neighbor. I will have my cabinet propose a draft to the Duma, which I am sure they will approve as Nis is a nation the Samantran people hold in high regard, where our universities will have the legal framework to engage in such student exchanges and have studies done in Nis be recognized and certified as equivalent to those in the Holy Kingdom. “

“If I may continue, Your Majesty” Yeva added: “As I said, we as leaders of our nations have a moral duty to the wellbeing of our citizens. We are currently working to expand our legislation to better protect the public from immoral, harmful and false information that is present online, often from foreign sources that serve no purpose then the enrichment of those that create them and the weakening the moral fiber of our people.

I would like to ask Your Majesty, if the kingdom of Nis was such protections in place for the online and off media and whether it would be willing to work with us on legislation for such protections. Naturally the exchange of experience and knowledge on the subject will be limited to just that, as each of our nation will be free to pass whatever protections it deems necessary. But I think it is important, as we share  a similar language (ooc: I have this right and that is still the case), to have protections in place in both countries, otherwise our citizens might it easier to circumvent them. “
 

Addressed to: Her Royal Majesty Pharaoh  Akasha
From: President of the Duma, Yeva Litvin

I thank your Royal Majesty for the invitation and look forward to seeing the wonderful achievements of the City of Dreams, the new sporting facilities and wonders of your ancient civilization.

Though the outcome of our previous meeting is still uncertain (ooc: since the meeting there has not reached the point where we know there is an agreement, I didn’t find a better way to express this) I look forward to speaking with Your Majesty in a private regarding your nation’s bid to host the Mundus Games. To that effect my staff has prepared a series of proposals for cooperation that I have attached for Your Majesty to review and discuss during the private meeting.
I look forward to visiting Your Majesty’s kingdom.

Annex:

Proposal for cooperation between the Holy Kingdom of Samantra and the Kingdom of Clysperis regarding the Clysperi bid for the Mundus games:

The Holy Kingdom of Samantra confirms its support for the Clysperi bid for the games and The Holy Kingdom will also promote the Clysperi bid to third parties to the best of its ability.

In exchange, the Kingdom of Clysperis agrees to have Trinitas TV (a Samantran TV channel) be the junior partner in the TV rights of the Mundus Games with exclusive rights for broadcasting the games in Samantra and the rest of the Rus’ speaking nations, all other markets will remain the exclusive right of the Clysperi side .Furthermore, the Clysperi government agrees to provide free land, in location suitable for tourism, for the construction of three hotels (one three stars, one four stars and one five stars) to Samantran companies. The construction of the hotels will be financed exclusively by Samantran companies and will be owned and operated by them.



Yours respectfully,
Yeva Litvin
President of the Duma

Ooc: Dave and Ach pointed out that part is not allowed or it has to get the consent of all Rus players.

The Holy Kingdom of Samantra expresses its contentment over the fact that the Kingdom of Niš has become the latest signatory of the Abrahamic Declaration. The document enshrines into law the rights of man and his obligations to society, opening new avenues for cooperation and understanding between the Abrahmic faiths and beyond.

   The signing and the expected implementation into law in both the Holy Kingdom of Samantra and the Kingdom of Niš of the Abrahamic Declaration will strengthen trust between the two nations by acknowledging the rights and obligations of citizens of both countries are observed and protected.

   We pledge to work with the Kingdom of Niš and other nations that will join us in creating a joint international law school to study and train the future judges to interpret the Abrahamic Declaration at the highest standard.

   Lastly, we expresses out dismay at the unwarranted decision of the Rokkenjiman Empire to close its embassy in the Kingdom of Niš in an act which we fear may mean an abandonment of dialogue and diplomacy. We will be praying this Sunday for the Empress of the First Empire so that the Lord may grant her the wisdom to seek peace and reject the path of discord and bellicose. To further help address any potential future security concerns of the Rokkenjiman embassy in Petrograd, we have asked the Samantran Orthodox Church to send a priest to bless with holy water the fence of the embassy.

Statement released by Office of the President of the Duma.

So how do we proceed further?

Addressed to: Governor Maxime Anginer
From: Minister of External Affairs Maria Mikhailov


Dear Mr. Anginer,

I am glad to hear that our previous meeting left positive memories despite our countries opposing positions on the creation of human life. As diplomats it is our duty to protect the national interest and do so in a way that allows future talks and cooperation to continue with other countries. I am pleased to say that we have not failed our countries in that task.

Not that much time has passed since our previous meeting but much has changed in the dynamics of Mundus. I look forward to discussing the changes and other topics during the visit.

I look forward to meeting you again, Mr. Anginer and visit the state of Elysium which is so famous throughout Mundus.


Respectfully yours,
Maria Mikhailov
Minister of External Affairs

The Petrograd Royal University has announced that they will be awarding the title Doctor Honoris Causa to Lodjan Foreign Minister Tamila Andreev for her merits in her long carrier as a diplomat and her landmark achievements. While the landmark achievements were not explicitly mentioned they most likely refer to the fact that Mrs. Tamila Andreev is both the first Plebian and the first female Lodjan Foreign Minister.  Mrs. Tamila Andreev shares a connection to the Holy Kingdom as she has studied Rus Linguistics for a year at the Petrograd Royal University. The honorary title also comes with an invitation to attend a formal ceremony to award the title.   




All one hundred members of the Duma voted to award the Lodjan magnate Natacha Sokić, with strong ties to the Heyran Republic, the National Order of Merit. The civilian commendation which is restricted to Samantran nationals and to the people of Rus’ has been awarded for the outstanding merit in developing the national economy via the investments in the Samantra Electronic Manufacture. The company is the most successful foreign investment in Samantra in recent years creating thousands of high paying jobs in Samantra, exporting high values goods such as chips, processing units, semiconductors, circuits and processors and has been very active aboard acquiring recently 30% of Devex, a Heyran company manufacturing drones.

The president of the Duma can award such commendation without the advice of the Duma but President Yeva Litvin chose to defer to the Duma in order to make event more public and further emphasize the importance of Samantra Electronic Manufacture for the Samantran economy.

As of right now it is unclear if Mrs. Natacha Sokić will be personally coming to the Holy Kingdom to receive the award. Should that happen she will be granted a personal audience by the president of the Duma.

OOC note: Patriarch Alexy signed the declaration.

Patriarch Alexy was pleased with the document and said:

“I think what we have achieved here is not only pleasing to the Lord but will make Mundus a better place. There is much more to be done and I thank Brother in Christ Tikhon for his concern but we need to take it one step at a time. In order to make sure the document does not remain just a piece of paper we need to see that it is implemented properly and also explained to the other countries and communities that follow the God of Abraham so that they too might sign it one day. We have much work ahead of us but we have made an important and I dare say historic first step.”

Spoiler: show

(pronounced on the cusp between jy-ree and zy-ree, with a trill on the r)

For millennia, Jyre has largely cut itself off from the outside world. With the Earth Mother's great walls encircling us, and the vigilance of Matron-Wardens past, we have felt little need to reach beyond our peaks.

Long have we evaded the circling hawks who would ravage our sacred vales, but we can no longer afford to let history pass us by. "The Beaver's dam floods the careless mouse's burrow." In a mere dozen generations, we have watched as the plow has grown into a beast of steel. Mechanical mills, set in mountains of brick, put even Arachne to shame. The air of your cities reeks of a hundred vapours from a thousand machines.

My predecessors watched warily from the peaks, carefully acquiring only what would not taint our idyll. And so we dragged ourselves arthritically forwards. It is our way to provide for our children without harming theirs. But our mountains and carefully guarded passes no longer ensure our safety. Planes and bombs and climate change and disease can all cut deep into our ancestral home, and unlike the Matron-Wardens before me, I can see the writing in the sky. Progress will not slow, and Jyre must learn to swim or drown.

I was among the first of my people's children to mingle with yours, and have seen much of what technology's womb has born. Wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and even nuclear power have been advanced far beyond the rudiments my children cling to. Your sciences have delved into mysteries my forebearers could never imagine. By joining the world, I hope we further can tap all these sources. "The Eagle must stretch its wings before the winds can bear it aloft."

And so I am overjoyed to announce the construction of Jyre's first airport, and a commencement of formal diplomatic relations with the broader world. We pray for your patience as we integrate ourselves into the global community, and are preemptively grateful to every hand which lends aid. While Jyre will not open for foreign business investments, there is much to be discussed in terms of trade and the flow of information.


May your children grow wise.


Matron-Warden Savannah Bell of Jyre.

Well that is certainly a way to make a good first impression.

Samantran tourists are already looking forward to visiting your country:

@ All: Would anyone object to Beatrice editing her initial post and making the following corrections:

1. Remove Kermah and Rayyu. Add Parali and Lijiang.
2. Add to the text something like "the following players are inducted following deliberations with the (ex) nobles: Ach, Tytor, Nova, Cool, Libby (?), NordicPeoples (?)."

Please note that this is in no way a disagreement over the talent of Kermah and Rayyu but rather postponing the induction until the Order of the Pen discuses and approves a set of minimum requirements for new members (like minimum number of posts etc).

+1. So that a discussion around such can be taken to edit and add those missing who dearly deserved it, versus those which wouldn't yet.

Let me see if I understood correctly. You would be fine with Beatrice editing that initial Order of the Pen post to make the following changes:

1. Remove Kermah and Rayyu. Add Parali.
2. Add to the text something like "the following players are inducted following deliberations with the (ex) nobles: Ach, Tytor, Nova, Cool etc"

Is that correct?

The Holy Kingdom of Samantra supports the application of the Empire of Daito.

Ooc: Daito should now be a member.

Patriarch Alexy first addressed the points where there was agreement:

“I am pleased with the adding of the word “earn” to the 26th article. It clarifies any potential misunderstanding.”

At the use of the word unborn rather than fetus, Patriarch Alexy nodded in agreement.

He then proceeded to what seemed the last point of contention as far as he was concerned.

“Life is indeed precious and a gift from God, brother but the gift is granted by our Creator to each of us individually. If one does not contribute, we cannot allow them to profit for the fruits of labor of those that do and sacrifice their lives for those resources. My proposal for the article would be:

Everyone shall have the right to critical medical and vital social care, and to all public amenities provided by society and the State within the limits of their available resources. Individuals are expected to contribute to society and the State, according to their ability and as prescribed by law, for those services.

I believe this article, in the manner presented, allows each of our faiths and nations to interpret and implement it according to our traditions, understanding of the natural law and for the benefit of our societies. “

I'd be happy with what Achkaerin has just posted

This is also true for me.

It is my hope that as things calm down and the most urgent priorities are handled, that the Order of the Pen finds the time and interest to regulate itself. By that I mean to establish some minimal rules for one to be accepted as member( maybe a minimum number of posts and time since joining) aside from the quality of the posts, some automatic extra titles ( purely cosmetic with no implications for forum, Discord or anything else) for players that reach certain thresholds like say 1000 posts or some fun ways to celebrate such events.

As for the initial list posted by Beatrice, it could have been better thought out but what's done is done. I think Beatrice understand this. In the end it's not such a big deal in my opinion that we cannot work it out or move on.