Demonic Possession ... and a Diplomatic Crisis!

[da_Vinci]

Hail Vali Hopewell!

I, Leonardo, have been sent by King Agamemenoff, to express his regrets that a demon is loose in your kingdom, possessing the body of our formerly faithful servant, Hismes.

Hismes' son, Bethalides, has limped home through the forests with the tale of how, in the environs of the ruins of Dunharrow, his father became possesed by the Ghost of Theodred, bent on vengance against Aidern.  When Bethalides tried to stop him, the Ghost beat him to near death.

Agamemenoff says, to Vali Hopewell:

"Hail Vali Hopewell!

Yourcenae has no malice towards Aidern, and we are appalled at the destruction of your worker's camp by the Ghost of Theodred.  That the Ghost is working through the body of our devoted herald, Hismes, give us additional sadness.  We recognize that you have the right to defend yourself against this demon from Haves, and will take no offense at your efforts to rid yourselves of the demon.  In fact, we hope that you are successful in preventing any further havoc in Aidern.

Clearly, there in a curse in your lands.  The possession of our Herald, who has never offended the gods, by the ghost of the vanquished, in proximity to the razed city of Dunharrow, suggests that you have offended the gods in some way.  We implore you to have your priests and seers find a way to appease the gods, for the sake of your people.

For our part, we will avoid the cursed deep south.  No more of our explorers will go there, until we can see that the curse is lifted.

We hope to restore the peaceful relations between our peoples as soon as possible.

Health and long life to Vali Hopewell!

Agamemnoff, King of Yourcenae"

Is there a reply for me to return, Vali Hopewell?

Leonardo, Emissary of Agamemenoff

[Capsavian Hopewell]

Leonardo of Yourcenae,

These are strange times we live in, indeed.  Long have we feared the existence of demons in the night, but never would we have imagined them to enter our own borders.  The tales told by mothers to their misbehaved children of creatures with malcontent were always dismissed as silly tales by all but our shamans.  It seems the mystic caste has once again proven correct.

Certainly, we will not recognize this as anything your king can control.  Possessions, while rare, are certainly not unheard of in these parts of the world.

If your king can send compensation for this messy matter, it would be most welcome and reassuring to the frightened villagers of Hoofport.

Please send my condolences to Bethalides.  We will not desecrate his father's body, should we capture that which uses it as a host.

Vali Hopewell

[da_Vinci]

Hail Vali Hopewell,

We are pleased that you recognize that this unfortunate event was not the intent of, or under the control of, our King.

While we are willing to explore the manner in which Yourcenae might "assist" the Dern is this time of trial, we would hesitate to refer to it as "compensaton".  The latter term would imply that Yourcenae was at fault in this series of events, when all of the facts point to the actions of Aidern in Dunharrow as the ultimate cause.

In fact, our great Andacle has warned us that the wrath of the gods is still on the Dern, and that we must be cautious that we do not be seen as angering the gods towards us by assisting you before you have yourselves appeased the gods.  What says your shaman caste of what you must do to accomplish this?

In addition, the great distance between us, and the rather primitive nature of the infrasturcture for commerce in our world, limits for now the effective ways that assistance could be provided.  Do you have some ideas in mind?  Perhaps we can use as a model for assistance from Yourcenae to the Dern, the method that you have used to compensate Rohan for the destruction of Dunharrow?

Leonardo, Emssary of King Agamemenoff

[Capsavian Hopewell]

Emissary Leonardo of Yourcenae,

Of course I recognize that this incident was not the fault of your country, though my people may feel otherwise.

I am discouraging reprisals, but the locals are understandably agitated. 

It would not be feasible to ask you to transport any sort of trade goods over these bandit- and demon-riddled lands.  If your king were to dispatch the host Hismes and bring his corpse to me, it would make my shamans content, and prevent an international incident from spiraling out of control.

Already we have lost valuable, skilled workers.  If the Yourcenae and their fleet-footed warriors can clean up this mess, we may yet avert further issues. 

Until such time, Leonardo, you will certainly prefer to stay here, safe in Aidern, won't you?  The rest of your entourage is free to tend to the "ghost issue" themselves, or to report back to King Agamemenoff.  You will be welcome to travel the palatial gardens--under guard, for your own protection, of course--but I cannot in good conscience permit harm to come to an emissary should he be waylaid by a ghost.

Come now, don't look so distraught.  You will find that we treat our guests well, and surely it is more comfortable to dine on platters of gold by the eastern shore, than to become the meal yourself of an evil spirit in the woods!

Umber Guards, show our guest to his quarters, and escort his entourage to the last known location of our workers so they may...pick up its scent.

[da_Vinci]

I accept the offer of your hospitality, Lord Hopewell!

Our swiftest runner, Fauxdippides, has arrived from Yourcenae with the means to a plan to rid your Kingdom of the Ghost.

He brings a magic potion from our great Andacle, which the great mystic says will impair the demon's control over the body of Hismes.  But the demon will not be expelled by this alone.  The Andacle tells us that in this state, we will be able to convince Hismes to follow us north, out of Aidern.  As we move farther from the ruins of Dunharrow, the hold of the Ghost should weaken, and our Andacle assures us that once in the Citadel of Yourcenae, and reunited with his son, Bethalides, the last vestiges of the possession will be broken, and our loyal servant Hismes will again control his body.

Certainly there has been enough tragegy at the hands of this Ghost, and I hope that we have your support in resolving this incident without furhter harm to our innocent herald, Hismes.

Leonardo, Emissary of King Agamemnoff

[Capsavian Hopewell]

Leonardo, I hope you are enjoying your stay with us.  I see you've taken a liking to the seafood.  Those crab cakes are delectable, are they not?

As to the situation with this...well, what used to be Hismes.  While the potion that Andacle promises as a solution may work, my shamans insist that blood demands blood.  Dernish lives have been lost and their lifeblood drained upon Dernish soil.  Our customs and laws insist that the guilty party must offer up his life to maintain balance.

You will notice that I have not ordered any of my warriors to attack the demon's host.  It would be much better if one of your own took care of this.  If any of my own fighters were to be killed in an attempt to extinguish this spiritual nuisance, the balance would once again be misaligned.  You can see how this would spiral quickly out of control, yes?

I insist your troops take care of this situation if you wish to find lasting peace between our people.  Bring me the body.

More crab cakes, sir?

[da_Vinci]

Oh exaulted Vali,

Blood for blood ... do you not see that is it the bloodlust of your shaman caste that had created this crisis?  And I must respectfully ask, who rules in Aidern, the shaman tribe, or the Vali?

The perpetrator of the slaying of your workers is the Ghost of Theodred, clearly with the approval of the gods, for only so are such demonic possessions allowed to happen.  And why would the gods permit this?  To exact "blood for blood" for the dead women and children of Dunharrow.  You speak of restoring balance ... yet the loss of one workcamp hardly restores the balance for the destruction of an entire settlement.

The ultimately guilty party, I fear, is whomever decided that Dunharrow should be destroyed.  It is this act that has enraged the gods.  It is this act that has led to the possession of our innocent herald, Hismes.  Rather than demanding more innocent blood, might Aidern best be served by restoring the balance, in the eyes of the gods, for the blood shed in Dunharrow?

To the details of your request.  Hismes is beloved among our people, and a favorite of the King.  None would dare execute the sentence you propose without a direct order from King Agamemnoff himself.  Do I have your leave to take your "request" to our King?

Leonardo, Emissary of King Agamemnoff

[Capsavian Hopewell]

Esteemed Emissary Leonardo,

It would be best if you send Fauxdippides instead to transport the message to your king.  It's still much too unsafe to allow someone of your obvious stature to risk the dangerous trails through the haunted woods.

You make a strong argument, Leonardo.  We can step back through the cycle of blame, but ultimately it was a Yourcenaen warrior who massacred unarmed Dernish workers in their sleep.  Whether he was of his mind or possessed by a spirit, the result was the same.

Here is my compromise for you to consider, or to pass along to your king:  if Hismes surrenders to Dernish authorities, he will not be executed.  Instead, Hismes will be granted that which the Dernish workers were not:  a fair trial.  A triumvirate of myself, a representative of the residents of Hoofport, and you, Leonardo, will decide Hismes' guilt or innocence.

Please instruct Fauxdippides to pass this compromise offer along to your king.

Vali Hopewell

[da_Vinci]

Oh Vaunted Vali,

How am I to pass this message to Fauxdippides, subject as I am to your Housearrestpitality?

He is out with our small band, shadowing the Ghost, in the hopes of using the potion should that be our agreement.

Also, I fear that there is no way to have the Ghost stand trial in Aidern.  Even if we use the potion, its success is contigent upon removing the body of Hismes from the environs of Dunharrow and Aidern.  Being brought into Aidern, the Ghost will reassert control, and will have to be killed in your own defense.  So this option does not offer any chance for the exorcism of the Ghost, and the re-emergence of Hismes.

Should Fauxdippides be the one to return with your offer, rather than myself, King Agamememnoff is likely to be very displeased with the restrictions imposed on the movements of his emissary.  His response might well be to retract his offer to use the potion to remove the Ghost, and to let the havoc reign in Aidern.

In the time we have debated this, the threat could have been over, and the body of Hismes several days journey back toward Yourcenae.  Are these other alternatives you propose, and the strain you place on the sanctity of emissaries, really preferble to our proposed resolution?

Leonardo

[Capsavian Hopewell]

Capricious Emissary Leonardo,

How is it that Fauxdippides was able to get a message to you, Leonardo, and you seem to know his approximate whereabouts--and yet now you are unable to contact him?  It's awfully convenient that you wish to join him in the Quest for Hismes the Ghost.

No, I do not think it wise to send one who King Agamemnoff apparently finds so valuable, to wander the woods with evil spirits present.  If something were to happen to you, the king would likely never forgive me.  I have plenty of enemies already, it seems, without conjuring up another one.

As to debate, I have given you my compromise:  a fair trial for Hismes.  Certainly he is afforded more of an opportunity at justice than our helpless workers were.

Vali Hopewell

[da_Vinci]

Ah, Vali Hopewell, while it is true that I am not native you Yourcenae, I am not of the Dokko, so I cannot communicate by "mind waves" with Fauxdippides.  You puzzle at my last discourse, yet it is all quite explainable.  At the time Fauxdippides arrived with the potion and the plan (reply #4), he was permitted to meet with me, as the pretense of my captivity as "hospitality" was still being kept up, by both sides.  So that is how I learned of the potion plan.

It was you who insisted that the Yourcenaean party go out to find and dispatch the Ghost (reply #5), and that Fauxdippides did, without me of course, also at your insistence.

I have not seen or heard from him since.  Your talented guards have seen to that.  And while you say I know of his approximate whereabouts, in fact I have no idea of his geographic location.  What I do know is his mission ... to shadow the ghost, and to await permission to use the potion as per the Andacle's plan.  So I have assumed that is where he is, loyal soldier that he is.

So I cannot take your proposal of a trial to our King, nor give that message to Fauxdippides.  But the King must know of it.  I suggest you post your proposal in the Dern Report, I am sure Fauxdippides will then discover it, and realize he must bear this to Agamemnoff.

I must continue to point out, that your proposal of a "fair" trial is neither fair nor feasible.  You, representatives of Hoofport, and I with three equal votes is hardly going to produce any other outcome than a death sentence.  It would be as if the Butcher of Dunharrow were to stand trial in Rohan, under a tribunal of Theoden, the survivors of Dunharrow, and yourself.  The outcome of that trial would be equally certain before it starts.

Also, you make this proposal as if the Ghost of Theodred were a house cat.  There is no way that the demon could be contained, standing trial in Aidern.  It would have to be killed as it struggled against its captors, once again leaving the process with a certain, fatal outcome.  So I very much doubt that Agamemnoff will be willing to consider that option.

Which, sadly, may be unfortunate news for his servant, Leonardo.  On my own behalf, I can only remind you of what you said in our last exchange:

"If something were to happen to you, the king would likely never forgive me.  I have plenty of enemies already, it seems, without conjuring up another one."

But then, there is the bloodlust of your shaman clan.  It seems that they often rule the day in Aidern.  In which case, I can only hope that your axeman's blade is sharp.  And for a last meal, while the crabcakes have been delicious, they are so frequent now as to be ordinary.  Perhaps something on the hoof, for the condemned man?  Surely Hoofport is named for such fare?

Leonardo, loyal servant of King Agamemnoff of Yourcenae

[Matriarch]

Vali Hopewell,

I continue to be saddened by the state of affairs in your land.  I had thought you might be mad, but this King Agamemnoff's advisors seem to be rabble-rousers.  They have made threatening gestures and delivered doom-laden prose at mine own feet as well.

I am beginning to wonder if there is any sort of demon-ghost-possession at all, or if this clever King is just attempting to play you as a fool.  If you will hear my counsel, friend, it would be this: take care of these mystical tales you are being fed.

If you need Henna's hand you know where to find me.

Matriarch of Henna

[Capsavian Hopewell]

The ghost has apparently fled our region.  KhinnStormbull was pursuing it and lost the creature in the dusty desert flats.

Be warned, neighbors, that this evil spirit may return--perhaps this time on your own borders.  I recommend killing it on sight.

Vali Hopewell

[Bernout]

The ghost has apparently fled our region.  KhinnStormbull was pursuing it and lost the creature in the dusty desert flats.

Be warned, neighbors, that this evil spirit may return--perhaps this time on your own borders.  I recommend killing it on sight.

Rohan confirms this.  I investigated the area as ordered and could not find any sign of the ghost by the ruins of Dunharrow.

Eorl the Young
Rohan

[Capsavian Hopewell]

Thank you, Eorl.  I have called off the pursuit of this supposed apparition and am returning to tend the fields.

Be mindful of that creature if you do see it.  The Yourceneans have proven reluctant to take action against it, even though they claim it is no longer their own ilk.

Vali Hopewell

[Capsavian Hopewell]

Leonardo, I hope you enjoyed your stay with us, and will spread word of Dernish hospitality.

You are welcome to stay if you wish, but free to return home if you prefer.

Please let your King Agamemnoff know that we are displeased with his lack of concern for our massacred workers, but for the sake of regional peace, we sign the proposed cease-fire with Yourcenae.

Vali Hopewell

[da_Vinci]

Vali Hopewell ...

By the time you receive this message, I will be well on my way to a return to Yourcenae, for which I have your generosity to thank!

My neck is quite pleased at this turn of events ... and I will willingly forgo the meal-on-the-hoof to keep my melon on my shoulders!

While I cannot speak directly for Agamemnoff at this time, having been so long out of communication with him, let me speculate at what must have transpired:

I cannot imagine our King ordering the death of the body of Hismes when we had it in our power to return him to Yourcenae and exorcise the demon.  It was not that our King did not regret the loss of your workers, but another innocent death would not return them to life.  As you have said, you were displeased by this.

I expect that my ... ahem ... "extended visit" ...  displeased King Agamemnoff as well, so there is displeasure on both sides.  Yet, even in the face of this, I can only surmise that he held back his anger, and instead of just leaving Aidern to deal with the demon, instructed Fauxdippides to use the Andacle's potion to bring the body of Hismes home, thereby sparing Aidern of any further harm from the Ghost.

I hope that recent events mark the begining of a thaw in the relations between Yourcenae and Aidern

Leonardo, once more Emissary of King Agamemnoff