Adonijah, Son of David
This is the beginning of my mission using the following elements:
Facilitate a major peace agreement (5)
Summary: Adonijah, son of David, revisits old memories as a representative and diplomat of Solomon, King of Israel, and his time facilitating the peace terms between the Merchants of Velmara with the Veskal village.
Around him were none other than cutthroats, dubious merchants, and cretins of all walks of life. He propped his feet on the rickety wooden picnic table on the outskirts of the Exchange; the place had changed considerably since the last time he was here. Back then, Veskal's Exchange was known not for its black market activity, but for the village it housed - the Veskal Village. It was a large and bustling community on the outskirts of the Israeli Kingdom long ago during the reign of King Solomon. But now, after so much time had passed, it was no more than a place where bandits and other low life scoundrels congregated to do business that wouldn't be allowed in places like Last Bastion. And here Adonijah, third eldest son of David, rested. Perhaps he had come back for a reason, or perhaps it was merely on his way to visit his younger brother. Either way, the veteran knight, diplomat, statesman, and now nomad rest.
How life changes...I've spent so much time in the Void that it seems the world around me as I knew it has just completely transformed. The Wandering Knight thought to himself in peace; most of the less than reputable scum at the Exchange could tell on instinct not to bother Adonijah. Along his back was his precious greatsword, the Judgement of Solomon. It was a blade named in honor of the Sword of King Solomon, the blade that his younger brother had used to cut out Absalom's ankles from underneath him when they were young men and children - back when Absalom's betrayal had led to a rebellion within the Kingdom of Israel. A rebellion that would drive their father to depression, and shape Solomon's reign. It was that blade that seemed to keep the cretins around him at bay. Adonijah smiled slightly at the thought; that his younger brother's gift to him would still, to this day, keep him safe and out of harm's way.
Absalom. The name echoed in his mind. Absalom was his twin brother, and they were both elders to Solomon. But it was Solomon and himself that saw to the end of Absalom's life that fateful night in his younger brother's bedroom. But Absalom's name, and the twisted magics that tainted him to spark his rebellion, would continue to vex the sons of David for years after. A story that would begin here in what became known as Veskal's Exchange....
His mind had drifted back all those years to this very spot where Adonijah, and his close companion Talia, would meet with Elder Vyskel, Arthyr, Trademaster of the Velmaran Merchants, and Tyseria, their sergeant-at-arms. Back then, Veskal's Exchange was not the marketplace it was today, though perhaps Adonijah's decisions then had helped shape it into its modern form. The village's meeting place was no larger than a small bedroom; Veskal was hardly a place of wealth. It's major source of income was its small focus in a single export: spices. Their primary trade partner at the time had been Israel, and the Velmaran Merchants sought to expand their influence eastward. It was the people of Veskal that had protested to their expansion, and a war quickly followed. Velmara and their trademaster, Arthyr, desperately wanted to push into Israel's market. And they hardly cared about the livelihood it would cost the Veskal Village.
"Elder Vyskel, Trademaster Arthyr, Tyseria, I am Adonijah, elder brother of Solomon, third King of Israel, sons of David. I have been selected by my brother and king to represent the Kingdom of Israel's interests, as well as act as an impartial mediator in the peace negotiations we are about to begin and conclude today." He looked out among the men and women at the stone round table; aside from Talia, Vyskel, Arthyr, and Tyseria, villagers and merchants alike had gathered in the room to observe the negotiations. It was packed in their small and humid wooden hut, and Adonijah could feel the beads of sweat drip down his forehead within mere minutes of the negotiations starting. "My brother has trusted me to see these negotiations through, as it is in the interests of all parties involved that peace be found. It is of great sadness that we watch hundreds die for the sake of wealth and trade on the borders of Israel, and it leaves our own people vulnerable to collateral damage should the conflict spill over into our borders."
"Thank you, Lord Adonijah." The voice belonged to the elderly Vyskel. He had been the village elder for decades now, having inherited the position from his father. For years both father and son had shared a close relationship with King David, Solomon's father and predecessor. "But...it pains me to share a room with these people. Hundreds of our men died fighting a war we never wanted. All over money." The elder's voice was strained.
"Your losses were great, Elder." Adonijah bowed his head; he could hear Talia breathing next to him, the warmth from her body near his providing strength. "But we are here to make peace. Refocus your pain into finding that, rather than prolonging conflict."
"Wise words, Son of David. Your father has taught you well." It was the gravelly voice of Arthyr. "We come before you Elder Vyskel to seek peace. Not continued war. Our intent had never been to fight; we merely wished to open trading with the wealthy Kingdom of Israel, and our spices were in direct competition with yours. This you know well. We are merchants by trade, and so our livelihood depends on it."
"Do not speak of your livelihood before me. Our village has suffered greatly at your hands. All because the previous Trademaster had cut down my brother in anger when we turned you away." Vyskel's voice flared in anger. It was clear these memories haunted him.
"Much has changed since the beginning of the war seven months ago. Elder Vyskel's brother died at the hands of Trademaster Tythus, who fled shortly thereafter and disappeared. We don't know where he went, and it is he who should answer for these hostilities. But that isn't possible today, and we should move past it. Do not let your emotions control what happens next - the decisions made and the actions taken here will determine the future of your progeny. Their prosperity is at stake, and I believe an agreement can be made for the betterment of everyone, not just the few or a single faction. No one here is in a position to walk away without an agreement; Elder Vyskel - your village is on the brink of ruination. Your spice trade has collapsed, and without some form financial infusion the people here will live destitute. Arthyr, Trademaster Tythus drew the Velmaran Trade Guild into a war that cost it both its reputation and its resources."
When Adonijah stopped speaking murmuring filled the room. Villagers and merchants alike were suddenly gripped with the dreadful realization that this war had been for nothing; would it continue? Would more lives be lost? Would they lose their wealth? The fear was practically palpable; fear that was born from a war that neither side had wished to fight in the first place. All brought on by the belligerence of one man: Tythus.
A woman in the crowd suddenly shouted, forcing her voice above the clamoring and murmuring that had permeated following Adonijah's words. "Why is Israel suddenly so interested in a resolution to OUR conflict?" Her words were seeped in anger. Clearly she was a villager, rather than a merchant. She wore rags covered in dirt, likely spending the day in the farms while the men went off to fight in the war. "You stood by while the Velmarans abused us, killed our men, pillaged our fields, and looted our crops. We want nothing to do with Israel or the Velmarans in peace."[/color] The murmuring quickly sparked to anger as a number of Velmaran Merchants and Veskalians suddenly started shouting at each other, raising their voices and hands, almost as if a fight would break out in that very small and hot room.
"Shut up, the lot of ya!" It was now Talia, his companion, that spoke. In many ways she, at the time, represented the better half of Adonijah. A side of him that didn't exist in the shadow of his younger brother Solomon. Solomon inherited the true bloodline of David, while Adonijah had none of the traditional Otsutsuki traits. All he could lay claim to was better than average sword skills, and an unwavering loyalty to his family. Talia kept his spirits high, reminding him that there was more to life than blood. Adonijah peered to his right, nodding slightly. An invisible thank you to his friend. And her words worked. She was particularly belligerent, among other things - it seemed that the crowd there recognized that.
"Israel has always maintained a policy of neutrality. Your conflicts are of great concern to us. But we are nothing more than arbitrators on Tobusekai, looking to maintain peace for our own interests as well as those around us. So, Arthyr, Vyskel, I think it is in both of your interests to listen to the agreement we have prepared."
The two nodded, and the room fell silent.
"Veskal Village will retain 35% of the spice trade with Israel, having exclusive rights to no more, and no less, than that portion of the trade. The Velmaran Guild will gain 65% of the spice trade, as compensation for their own monetary losses. But because the Veskalians are not a village known for their exports, and instead are mostly just exporting and trading to survive, the Velmaran Trade Guild will provide subsidies for Veskalian agriculture." He paused for a moment, letting the room take in what he had just said. It was a gambit, forcing the village to accept a far weaker position in trade with Israel. But he knew that they were not truly interested in trade. They just wanted to survive, to get by, and make it day by day. This deal would allow that, and more. They would prosper with a Velmaran partnership. It meant economically their agriculture would support themselves, and they could begin to learn real trade, and find new exports to grow, rather than just focus on one. "Israel will provide military support to Veskal, should this agreement go to the wind and the Velmarans renege on it. Remember, we seek peace. Not war. This allows the Guild a much more profitable trade agreement with Israel, while still maintaining the economic security of the village."
Adonijah's words seemed to satisfy the room. There was a slight murmuring among the crowd, but no outcry like what had happened earlier. "And, to find justice in this madness, the Kingdom of Israel will support an investigation into the disappearance of Trademaster Tythus. It will be led by me and my companion Talia, supported by the king. Now, we are not friends here. But we are comrades. Each of our best interests now lay with the other. The Kingdom of Israel relies on the spice trade for its own people, and should the Velmarans go to war it will be disrupted. The Veskalians rely on the Velmarans for economic security, and on Israel for military security should war begin. And the Velmarans will have no income should they renege and Israel backs Veskal. It is in all of our best interests to sustain this new found peace. Now, shake on it."
Arthyr and Vyskel each walked around the table and shook hands, nodding slightly and then embracing each other to affirm their partnership.
"To survive, mutual peace is required. But not only to survive, but to find justice. Do not overstep yourselves, my lords, for you will find the might of Israel brought down firmly. Justice can only be brought to Tythus if we all work together."
End mission.
This is the beginning of my mission using the following elements:
Facilitate a major peace agreement (5)
Summary: Adonijah, son of David, revisits old memories as a representative and diplomat of Solomon, King of Israel, and his time facilitating the peace terms between the Merchants of Velmara with the Veskal village.
Around him were none other than cutthroats, dubious merchants, and cretins of all walks of life. He propped his feet on the rickety wooden picnic table on the outskirts of the Exchange; the place had changed considerably since the last time he was here. Back then, Veskal's Exchange was known not for its black market activity, but for the village it housed - the Veskal Village. It was a large and bustling community on the outskirts of the Israeli Kingdom long ago during the reign of King Solomon. But now, after so much time had passed, it was no more than a place where bandits and other low life scoundrels congregated to do business that wouldn't be allowed in places like Last Bastion. And here Adonijah, third eldest son of David, rested. Perhaps he had come back for a reason, or perhaps it was merely on his way to visit his younger brother. Either way, the veteran knight, diplomat, statesman, and now nomad rest.
How life changes...I've spent so much time in the Void that it seems the world around me as I knew it has just completely transformed. The Wandering Knight thought to himself in peace; most of the less than reputable scum at the Exchange could tell on instinct not to bother Adonijah. Along his back was his precious greatsword, the Judgement of Solomon. It was a blade named in honor of the Sword of King Solomon, the blade that his younger brother had used to cut out Absalom's ankles from underneath him when they were young men and children - back when Absalom's betrayal had led to a rebellion within the Kingdom of Israel. A rebellion that would drive their father to depression, and shape Solomon's reign. It was that blade that seemed to keep the cretins around him at bay. Adonijah smiled slightly at the thought; that his younger brother's gift to him would still, to this day, keep him safe and out of harm's way.
Absalom. The name echoed in his mind. Absalom was his twin brother, and they were both elders to Solomon. But it was Solomon and himself that saw to the end of Absalom's life that fateful night in his younger brother's bedroom. But Absalom's name, and the twisted magics that tainted him to spark his rebellion, would continue to vex the sons of David for years after. A story that would begin here in what became known as Veskal's Exchange....
His mind had drifted back all those years to this very spot where Adonijah, and his close companion Talia, would meet with Elder Vyskel, Arthyr, Trademaster of the Velmaran Merchants, and Tyseria, their sergeant-at-arms. Back then, Veskal's Exchange was not the marketplace it was today, though perhaps Adonijah's decisions then had helped shape it into its modern form. The village's meeting place was no larger than a small bedroom; Veskal was hardly a place of wealth. It's major source of income was its small focus in a single export: spices. Their primary trade partner at the time had been Israel, and the Velmaran Merchants sought to expand their influence eastward. It was the people of Veskal that had protested to their expansion, and a war quickly followed. Velmara and their trademaster, Arthyr, desperately wanted to push into Israel's market. And they hardly cared about the livelihood it would cost the Veskal Village.
"Elder Vyskel, Trademaster Arthyr, Tyseria, I am Adonijah, elder brother of Solomon, third King of Israel, sons of David. I have been selected by my brother and king to represent the Kingdom of Israel's interests, as well as act as an impartial mediator in the peace negotiations we are about to begin and conclude today." He looked out among the men and women at the stone round table; aside from Talia, Vyskel, Arthyr, and Tyseria, villagers and merchants alike had gathered in the room to observe the negotiations. It was packed in their small and humid wooden hut, and Adonijah could feel the beads of sweat drip down his forehead within mere minutes of the negotiations starting. "My brother has trusted me to see these negotiations through, as it is in the interests of all parties involved that peace be found. It is of great sadness that we watch hundreds die for the sake of wealth and trade on the borders of Israel, and it leaves our own people vulnerable to collateral damage should the conflict spill over into our borders."
"Thank you, Lord Adonijah." The voice belonged to the elderly Vyskel. He had been the village elder for decades now, having inherited the position from his father. For years both father and son had shared a close relationship with King David, Solomon's father and predecessor. "But...it pains me to share a room with these people. Hundreds of our men died fighting a war we never wanted. All over money." The elder's voice was strained.
"Your losses were great, Elder." Adonijah bowed his head; he could hear Talia breathing next to him, the warmth from her body near his providing strength. "But we are here to make peace. Refocus your pain into finding that, rather than prolonging conflict."
"Wise words, Son of David. Your father has taught you well." It was the gravelly voice of Arthyr. "We come before you Elder Vyskel to seek peace. Not continued war. Our intent had never been to fight; we merely wished to open trading with the wealthy Kingdom of Israel, and our spices were in direct competition with yours. This you know well. We are merchants by trade, and so our livelihood depends on it."
"Do not speak of your livelihood before me. Our village has suffered greatly at your hands. All because the previous Trademaster had cut down my brother in anger when we turned you away." Vyskel's voice flared in anger. It was clear these memories haunted him.
"Much has changed since the beginning of the war seven months ago. Elder Vyskel's brother died at the hands of Trademaster Tythus, who fled shortly thereafter and disappeared. We don't know where he went, and it is he who should answer for these hostilities. But that isn't possible today, and we should move past it. Do not let your emotions control what happens next - the decisions made and the actions taken here will determine the future of your progeny. Their prosperity is at stake, and I believe an agreement can be made for the betterment of everyone, not just the few or a single faction. No one here is in a position to walk away without an agreement; Elder Vyskel - your village is on the brink of ruination. Your spice trade has collapsed, and without some form financial infusion the people here will live destitute. Arthyr, Trademaster Tythus drew the Velmaran Trade Guild into a war that cost it both its reputation and its resources."
When Adonijah stopped speaking murmuring filled the room. Villagers and merchants alike were suddenly gripped with the dreadful realization that this war had been for nothing; would it continue? Would more lives be lost? Would they lose their wealth? The fear was practically palpable; fear that was born from a war that neither side had wished to fight in the first place. All brought on by the belligerence of one man: Tythus.
A woman in the crowd suddenly shouted, forcing her voice above the clamoring and murmuring that had permeated following Adonijah's words. "Why is Israel suddenly so interested in a resolution to OUR conflict?" Her words were seeped in anger. Clearly she was a villager, rather than a merchant. She wore rags covered in dirt, likely spending the day in the farms while the men went off to fight in the war. "You stood by while the Velmarans abused us, killed our men, pillaged our fields, and looted our crops. We want nothing to do with Israel or the Velmarans in peace."[/color] The murmuring quickly sparked to anger as a number of Velmaran Merchants and Veskalians suddenly started shouting at each other, raising their voices and hands, almost as if a fight would break out in that very small and hot room.
"Shut up, the lot of ya!" It was now Talia, his companion, that spoke. In many ways she, at the time, represented the better half of Adonijah. A side of him that didn't exist in the shadow of his younger brother Solomon. Solomon inherited the true bloodline of David, while Adonijah had none of the traditional Otsutsuki traits. All he could lay claim to was better than average sword skills, and an unwavering loyalty to his family. Talia kept his spirits high, reminding him that there was more to life than blood. Adonijah peered to his right, nodding slightly. An invisible thank you to his friend. And her words worked. She was particularly belligerent, among other things - it seemed that the crowd there recognized that.
"Israel has always maintained a policy of neutrality. Your conflicts are of great concern to us. But we are nothing more than arbitrators on Tobusekai, looking to maintain peace for our own interests as well as those around us. So, Arthyr, Vyskel, I think it is in both of your interests to listen to the agreement we have prepared."
The two nodded, and the room fell silent.
"Veskal Village will retain 35% of the spice trade with Israel, having exclusive rights to no more, and no less, than that portion of the trade. The Velmaran Guild will gain 65% of the spice trade, as compensation for their own monetary losses. But because the Veskalians are not a village known for their exports, and instead are mostly just exporting and trading to survive, the Velmaran Trade Guild will provide subsidies for Veskalian agriculture." He paused for a moment, letting the room take in what he had just said. It was a gambit, forcing the village to accept a far weaker position in trade with Israel. But he knew that they were not truly interested in trade. They just wanted to survive, to get by, and make it day by day. This deal would allow that, and more. They would prosper with a Velmaran partnership. It meant economically their agriculture would support themselves, and they could begin to learn real trade, and find new exports to grow, rather than just focus on one. "Israel will provide military support to Veskal, should this agreement go to the wind and the Velmarans renege on it. Remember, we seek peace. Not war. This allows the Guild a much more profitable trade agreement with Israel, while still maintaining the economic security of the village."
Adonijah's words seemed to satisfy the room. There was a slight murmuring among the crowd, but no outcry like what had happened earlier. "And, to find justice in this madness, the Kingdom of Israel will support an investigation into the disappearance of Trademaster Tythus. It will be led by me and my companion Talia, supported by the king. Now, we are not friends here. But we are comrades. Each of our best interests now lay with the other. The Kingdom of Israel relies on the spice trade for its own people, and should the Velmarans go to war it will be disrupted. The Veskalians rely on the Velmarans for economic security, and on Israel for military security should war begin. And the Velmarans will have no income should they renege and Israel backs Veskal. It is in all of our best interests to sustain this new found peace. Now, shake on it."
Arthyr and Vyskel each walked around the table and shook hands, nodding slightly and then embracing each other to affirm their partnership.
"To survive, mutual peace is required. But not only to survive, but to find justice. Do not overstep yourselves, my lords, for you will find the might of Israel brought down firmly. Justice can only be brought to Tythus if we all work together."
End mission.
