Beyond the Pit [Pitboss Diplomacy Game] [Story Thread] . PART 9 (April 2009)

[Pitboss Maya]

TO: Marcus Aurelius Custos
FROM: Pacal Visyava
SUBJECT: Closed Boarders


Marcus,

Rumors that Rome plans an invasion of Maya upon the expiration of our peace deal have been brought to my attention. It is my sincere hope that these are false rumors.

We also have reason to believe that you have spies in Maya which is in direct violation of our peace deal. A deal I might add that I paid for with a city.

The main reason behind closed boarders is to flush out any Roman spies if they do exist. Again, our hope is that nothing is found and that this was false intel.

Your ships are free to sail east of our nation, but for obvious reasons should stay clear of our boarders for now.

Regarding the gold shipment, our customs logs do not indicate that we took receipt of Roman gold recently. If you are missing gold, I would start by searching your captains home.

Perhaps in the future we can once again work together, but for now we must keep our guard up. Do not take this personally. We have also closed boarders with Russia and our boarders with Sparta remain closed as well.

[Pitboss Russia]

From: Daniil Aleksandrovich, Foreign Minister, Russian Republic
To: Pacal Visyava

Russia is outraged! We have been friends with Maya throughout history and you treat us now as pariahs, why? You cannot fear Russia for she is a tiny nation with only a Civil Guard and a Coastguard Service rather than military forces. Russia has given you resources freely, forgive me but the President was so angry that our Stone traffic has been ceased, without any reward as friends.

All Russia has ever offerred Maya is the Hand of Friendship!



How can you treat us so? Why do you tar us with the same brush as the Spartan Despot? Why should our border with Rome make you think we forget their past wickedness?

This is a sad day. Russia had been looking upon a new dawn of peace and prosperity but it seems that the evil-doings of others impact upon us still.

Daniil Aleksandrovich, Foreign Minister
For, and on behalf of, The Russian Republic

[Pitboss Khmer]

Xristo City

To Khmer:

I still remember the time when I advised you to build one tile north due to possible conflict of culture in the future if you settle the coast.

"As Governor Yurya of Xristo City I can only but agree with you. My predecessors had to bow down before the law of our God and certain over-reactions were understandeable.

But it is clear that you are pressing us culturally and it is escalating. I can re-assure you that Xristo City as a colony alone is building up a defensive force and no attack plans are evident. I think you can see it would be folly for Khmer to even try this.

Let us negotiate on the cultural borders. Khmer needs a strong presence because circumstances may change and Xristo City must be solidly protected, not because of the Portuguese but the world at large.

As stated earlier we could agree to no Tanks on New Portugal, provided all troop withdrawals can be replaced by Machine Gunners and no further increase in overall numbers. Is this acceptable? We are certain you are able to manage your culture and reduce its' rapid recent rise. We of course will continue to increase culture to arrive at a status quo but will never be able to control Portuguese squares.

I hope I come to you with the correct approach to secure a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Tidings,

Yurya."

---

Why is it unfair Khmer, Portugal is ready to trade these fruits of its labor to any country in need. But unlike us where we can share our happiness resources with others Khmer is building wonders which only benefit himself like the freshly build Pentagon and the newly started Three Gorge Dam project.

As stated earlier the Khmer have no problem with this and only perceive that others may think it unfair but your plan to offset this with rewards for other nations sounds most admirable.

Khmer does not plan on multiple wonders but a few are inevitable to secure our comptetive advantage, else it would be another super power to build them.

It is interesting that the Portuguese knew of our plan to build Three Gorges before Khmer had even learned Plastics** Our parliament has only just this minute decided to start building this wonder.

---

** OOC Take care as you must have been looking at a save where the turn had moved on. This is understandeable being on hols but take care to not write it in the story thread. Three Gorges has only just started this turn. When you posted this Khmer was still one turn from learning Plastics so it was impossible to place the dam in the build queue and in fact an executive was built before starting the dam. FYI.

[Robert]

The main reason behind closed boarders is to flush out any Roman spies if they do exist.

FYI.
Closing borders doesn't expell spies.
And spies can still enter your lands when your borders are closed.

[Pitboss Rome]

Rome attempts to save peace

Pacal Visyava,

Great ruler - you are being played! You have been sold a lie by your enemies and you have believed it! You are facing a stand off with your well-known and recent enemies to the south and so you decided to break all treaties with your friends to the north! Someone is lying to you giving you false intelligence!

But what have you done?

This is not in the end about the inconvenience to my colonists heading south. It is about the peace treaty which has governed relations between our nations since the War of the Traitors.

You have broken that peace treaty. Without discussion. Without warning. You mention various elements of it, though failing to mention the you have ceased to supply us with the good specified in that treaty while we continue to supply you with gold. But you mention these elements as if they are matters simply of trade between merchants. But they are not. They are the terms of the peace between us, which you have broken.

In Roman law, if the terms of a peace treaty are defaulted on, then the treaty is destroyed. But if a peace treaty is destroyed, what is there left but war?

You say you fear Roman invasion, and then you cancel our peace treaty in the most disresepectual way. Do you not see the irony - if there is to be war between us it will be because you have just cancelled our treaty!

Great Pacal I suggest you purge your diplomatic and espionage services - your enemies are feeding you lies and provoking you to lose your friends.

Restore the terms of our treaty Pacal, or the treaty no longer exists.

Marcus Custos of Rome

[Pitboss Maya]

Closing borders doesn't expell spies.
And spies can still enter your lands when your borders are closed.

OOC: I may be mistaken, but I believe the chances each turn of a spy being caught go up if you have closed boarders with the spying nation.

[Pitboss Maya]

TO: Marcus Aurelius Custos
FROM: Pacal Visyava
SUBJECT: Treaty Terms

Marcus,

It is almost comical that you would make reference to a deal that is almost a thousand years old.

And if that age old agreement was still valid, then why did I have to give up a city to enact a new one?

If you can produce the terms of this ancient deal, we will honor them for the sake of peace.

[Pitboss Rome]

No Pacal Visyava the War of the Traitors, when you unprovoked for no reason joined with three other nations in attacking Rome, was 400 years ago not a thousand. And how can you pretend that it is a mystery to you, when you have been handing over silk and suger every turn since, as the compensation for your actions? The more recent deal was one in which you offered me a unimportant small overseas colony in exchange for me not offering any military support to any enemy of yours - a deal you pushed urgently to be agreed and then the next year betrayed your deals with the Spartans and attacked them. A cunning bit of diplomacy on your behalf. As the Spartans will testify I stuck to this treaty despite their requests for help. Some of us keep treaties, some of us seem to break them.

[Pitboss Maya]

TO: Marcus Aurelius Custos
FROM: Pacal Visyava
SUBJECT: Treaty Terms

Marcus,

Our actions in the "War of the Traitors" as you call it were in defense of a nation you were bullying. In Maya, we refer to this event as "The War of the Honorable". It is no matter what it is called however, what is up for debate here is the terms of peace.

I see you cannot (or do not want to) produce written terms of that peace. Our records indicate that the sugar and dye was offered to Rome as a gift to help ensure better relations between our nations.

The peace deal we paid for with a city is spelled out below. As you can see, not supporting our enemy was one of several of it's terms.

Excellent. It is good doing business with you. As soon as you can please do propose an open borders and request for a luxury. And lets be honest - I do have a number of spies in your territory - they are all moving out immeidately, but it will take a few turns. But you can see from the espionage points that they are not active.

I hope that your imminent foreign war goes well for you.

Marcus.

Originally Posted by Pitboss Maya
Very well. As of this turn 1640 AD, our peace deal is finalized according to the following discussed conditions...

* Lake Voltan and the worker. Yes.

* Remain named Lake Voltan. Yes.

* 45 turns of peace (lets cut the difference)

* Superceeding other deals. I cannot agree that this superceeds the Pax Romana. If I were to, that would mean I broke my word to three other nations - if I were to do that, how could you trust me? However, I will agree that I will not declare war on you for any reasons other than a clear obligation to under the terms of the Pax Romana - that is you attacking the Piercians, Natives or Russians. Similarly of course I expect that this agreement of peace superceeds any of your existing deals.

* Helping nations we are at war with. I agree about not gifting or selling units. I don't think we can specify anything else. We will both continue to have relationships with other nations that may get entanged in wars, and in such situations we need to continue normal diplomacy. However, I agree that gifting units would be equivalent to a proxy war and should be outlawed.

* Espionage. Yes no build up of points, no use of points, no spies present.

* Trade. Yes to one surplus Roman luxury resource.

Things are quite clear now as far as deals made.

If war with Maya is what you want, we ask that you honor your deal until it's expiration. Do not try to nullify it by saying that Maya breaks deals. I challenge you to provide proof of one instance in which Maya did so.

If war with Maya is not your ambition, then know that sugar and dye can once again be provided to Rome for a price. Perhaps we can even open boarders once again.

Do not mistake us for one of your lapdogs. Rome will deal with us on even terms, or no terms at all.

[Pitboss Rome]

Pacal Visyava,

If war with Maya is what you want, we ask that you honor your deal until it's expiration. Do not try to nullify it by saying that Maya breaks deals. I challenge you to provide proof of one instance in which Maya did so.

I have tried to be patient Pacal. But you simply ingore everything I say. The treaties you have broken are the open borders and the supplly of silk and sugar. How many times do I need to say this? How loud do you want me to repeat it?

You seem to be living in some parallel universe - perhaps you smoke too many of those Mayan mushrooms - in which you reject some treaties between us while demanding Rome keeps to others, in which you post edited versions of old correspondance, in which you believe Rome intended you harm despite the fact that for years your northern cities have been completely empty of troops and we have not taken advantage. The only justification, after the event, you offer for your breaking of our agreements is some unspecified, unquoted, unattributed, 'intelligence'.

All I can do is put to you the same case I did earlier:

You have broken that peace treaty. Without discussion. Without warning. You mention various elements of it, though failing to mention the you have ceased to supply us with the good specified in that treaty while we continue to supply you with gold. But you mention these elements as if they are matters simply of trade between merchants. But they are not. They are the terms of the peace between us, which you have broken.

In Roman law, if the terms of a peace treaty are defaulted on, then the treaty is destroyed. But if a peace treaty is destroyed, what is there left but war?

You say you fear Roman invasion, and then you cancel our peace treaty in the most disresepectual way. Do you not see the irony - if there is to be war between us it will be because you have just cancelled our treaty!
Great Pacal I suggest you purge your diplomatic and espionage services - your enemies are feeding you lies and provoking you to lose your friends.

Restore the terms of our treaty Pacal, or the treaty no longer exists.

If you do not restore the terms of our treaty Pacal immediate - I will accept no more delay and weasal words - then you will be the cause of the end of peace between our nations.

Marcus

[Pitboss Khmer]

Priority One

To: Xristo, great leader of Portugal

From: Suryavarman 3, Khmer line of Shiva

Date: April 13, 1750 AD

I understand that Governor Yurya of Xristo City seeks talks with Portugal on geo-political borders. He has my full imprimatur to negotiate with you on this local issue.

Let it not stand in the way of our wider relationship.

It is under my instruction, not his, that Tanks and troops continue to depart for Xristo City. Until I am informed that a resolution is reached these troops will continue to arrive. Once reached all offensive weaponry will depart for our mainland to be replaced by defensive units only.

If Xristo City loses terrain (which is most likely in the next period) we lose an important trade with a third party nation.

If no resolution is reached and city squares adjacent to the city itself are taken by Portugal a very serious circumstance will result that will not benefit either of our nations. This is not a direct threat of war however.

I trust in your goodwill and pray that the talks go well.

Great tidings,

Suryavarman 3

[Pitboss Portugal]

To: Suryavarman 3, Khmer line of Shiva

This is not the way Suryavarman. You have now clearly threatened New Portugal by bringing offensive units and threating us to bring even more units if the issue is not resolved. Your blackmailing is an insult to all of Portugal.

Just a couple of days ago you personally said that no tanks will be brought on New Portugal if we find a solution to the cultural issue. Now that a dialogue has started you have broken what you said then and have brought offensive units like tanks on New Portugal. Careful Suryavarman you are entering very dangerous grounds here which I can clearly say you are unprepared to meet. Do not start something that you can't clearly handle.

You still follow the Khmerian ways i fear, Portugal tries to reach out for productive talks and you reply with the ever boring cold talk and aggression.

Still i am calm as usual knowing clearly what is going on in your country, i hope you do not mind the hourly reports from my foreign minister on your troops location and cities building programs. You clearly have pushed us not to trust you, the only safe way is to know what is going on in Khmer and we know everything.

I ask that you calm down and show some respect as we have shown you and return to the negotiation table looking upon as as equals. Only then we can really came down to some understanding on the cultural issues.

Goodbye for now,

Xristo

[Pitboss Khmer]

Yurya diplomacy 1750AD

Ah Xristo, this is Yurya.

Take no notice of the old man's tanks. He keeps sending them but I don't ask. I think he responds to the increasing culture and raises the stakes. He has no humor. My mother is Russian and I have a sense of humor but Khmer does not always. I try and teach them or us,

I send the tanks back just for you.

Now, let us talk over some fine Porto Vino and relax.

I know for sure he not attack Portugal and of course it is not feasible nor desirable. In any case I give order now. The old ruler and the line of Shiva is completed. I look to the capital one day but for now I worry of Xristo City.

Now, put on table next to your glass what is to calm the situation and we shall see.

What can I offer for your help.

[Pitboss Russia]

From: Daniil Aleksandrovich, Foreign Minister, Russian Republic
To: All Free Nations of the World

The President is an unhappy man! He instructed me to contact Pacal Visyava and ask for what reason he had chosen to close borders with Russia. A nation that has been friend unboken since the dawn of time and always eager to help the Maya and engage in Free Trade with them regardless of the AET. Did Pacal Visyava choose to respond himself? No he did not! A mere Mayan Press Officer responded with one phrase only, 'We do not trust you'! This is outrageous and goes against any decency - Russian troops have fought and died alongside Maya in joint struggle in times passed and yet this appears to mean nothing.

There appear to be further clouds upon the horizon and President Vladimirovich ordered an emergeancy meeting of the Cabinet in Novgorod.



Top of the Agenda was the Mayan problem. How to mend bridges not burnt by Russia in the first place seemed an almighty difficult enigma to solve. How can you prove goodwill when you have never shown ill? What has Russia done that has caused her old friend to turn her back on her?

The increase in tensions in New Portugal around Xristo City appear to have grown worse. Russia honours both Khmer and Portugal and would seek no harm to come to either. The avoidance of a bloodbath in New Portugal would ever be Russia's greatest hope but matters are not quite so simple. If these two Super-Powers choose to fight then geography places Russia in a perilous position indeed as she stands in a direct line between them. Know you both that Russia does not wish to see her lands and ports used as staging posts, by either Khmer or Portugal, in any squabble between them. Russia will not 'close borders' yet but she respectfully asks that both nations respect Russian neutrality and steer clear of Russian territorial waters with any ship of war. The President did ask that I personally tell you, Suryavarman, that this policy does not mean that Russia forgets your countless acts of generosity towards her but that she simply will not see her fair lands become others nation's battlefields.

Russia is pleased that, at last, the Japanese appear to have been honest in their promises. The 'Cultural War' appears to have ended and Japanese budgets set along more normal lines. Pierced Hill still starves, but not for much longer, and the threats toward Azizia and Horse Valley appear to have lessened. Next Round Russia will drop Cultural output by 10% as a goodwill gesture. The majority of the 7th Army has now left Free Piercia and, if Japanese honour of their pledges holds true, the 13th will stand down for R&R in station and not be replaced by the 6th Army. Prime Minister Yukawa Hideki, you are to be applauded for at last bringing sense to Japanese politics and economics.

Daniil Aleksandrovich, Foreign Minister
For, and on behalf of, The Russian Republic

[Pitboss Maya]

TO: Marcus Aurelius Custos
FROM: Pacal Denzez
SUBJECT: Peace


We will reinstate the deal for the sake of peace.