Letters to GS, Lego, Vox

[Arnelos]

The following letter was sent to all members of Gathering Storm that OPD asked me to PM:

(addressee),

This message is being sent to a number of GS people that OPD told me might be good to PM this to.

Despite our recent victory against GoW, the defenses of Pamplona are pitifully weak. If either ND or GoW has a force of their UU's available to storm the city, they will almost certainly succeed in doing so in the next several turns.

As such, I plan to confront Legoland with the fact htat we know they have gunpowder and that if they intend to help us survive, the choice is now or never. The line I plan to feed them (which is unfortunately not far from the truth) is that if they do not provide us with gunpowder and saltpeter to help us survive in the next few turns, RP will likely lose Southern Bob, leaving GoW and ND with stacks of 30-40 UU's each and control of all of Bob. With such power, either or both could easily turn on Legoland, since GS does not pose a significant threat without their own source of saltpeter.

If Legoland is interested in preventing such a scenario, we need gunpowder and saltpeter.

I am hesitant to believe that Legoland will agree even to this line of reasoning. If they do, however, I suspect that conditions will be placed upon any gift of Gunpowder and Saltpeter regarding our ability to trade either of these on to Gathering Storm. In order to agree to such restrictions, by the terms of our treaty with Gathering Storm, I would need to seek approval from Gathering Storm.

Furthermore, in order to induce Legoland into actually helping us, it may be necessary to give them some form of incentive. One incentive Legoland seems particularly interested in is incense from Gathering Storm, but also a long-term agreement to receive luxuries from RP Team, should we regain control of our lands. Any of these types of agreements require approval by Gathering Storm and, in the case of incense from you, your active participation (at least in that respect).

As such, I'm going to *need* someone able to speak for Gathering Storm, at least in regard to approval RP treaties, available for chat tonight. I assume that any approval for GS' participation will have to come by a consultative decision by the members of Gathering Storm, but I'm hoping that you all can deputize someone to give RP approval to sign treaties with Legoland on a quick basis.

In addition, this is my formal request that when Gathering Storm receives the save, to please HOLD IT to allow extra time for the Legolanders (who seem notorious for taking forever to make decisions) to make a decision and act on it, should they decide to act in our favor.

Keep in mind that, whatever happens, our loyalty remains with a GS-RP alliance over the long term. We simply hope that our two nations are not alone (or need not be alone) in the goal of ensuring that GoW and ND are re-contained back into their cage.

Thank You

- Francisco Clemente, Duque de Madrid, Chief Ambassador of the Crown
(Arnelos)

[Arnelos]

The following letter was sent to every single member of the Legoland team:

(addressee),

(copy of message sent to ZargonX)

Despite our victory this turn against some GoW riders, it is apparent that we cannot stand against the hordes. Between GS and RP, we simply do not have the forces to stop them from sweeping Southern Bob. Through the majority of the war, they have kept so many riders stacked together that we can only hope to wound some, most of which retreat. Only a few have we killed.

From what we have heard and what we have seen, we suspect that GoW and ND possess UU's totalling more than 30 each, almost all of which are likely to survive the current war to claim all of Bob for their two civs.

Should such an enormous force of UU's survive this war, it would be relatively easy for them to build fleets for the invasion of Legos and Stormia. Given that the GoW is dedicated to winning the game by force of arms, this is their goal, irregardless of what hollow claims they may make to other civilizations. Afterall, GoW was still officially allied to RP when they attacked. Should they see an opportunity to strike Stormia and Legos to win the game, they will not hesitate to do so. The same goes for ND and these two allies seem far closer to each other than RP and GS, or anyone to Lego.

If Legoland is interested in preventing an ND/GoW victory over all of Bob, it is imperative that you act now or never. I am not waxing melodramatic when I say that RP could very well be wiped off of Bob in the next few turns, along with GS holdings in Southern Bob. Despite the small victories we have been afforded recently, the odds are simply too overwhelming. Once they bring their full army off healthy UUs to bear, the most we can hope to do is slow them down.

There is one thing that might give us a chance to actually hold Southern Bob and that is gunpowder, which we are aware that you possess. Since we may not have a source of saltpeter already linked, it may be necessary (on a temporary basis) to provide that as well if you have it.

Aside from the obvious benefit of preventing ND and GoW from claiming all of Bob with plenty of Riders and Ansar Warriors left over to invade other continents, if you are willing to substantially aid us, we can offer you future binding agreements to provide our luxuries to you when we regain our land as well as an offer from GS to provide you with incense (of which they have extra). I have spoken to GS about that and they seem willing to provide their incense to Legoland in return for RP having a fighting chance to itself.

In terms of other conditions upon such an agreement, we can understand if you have certain concerns about whether gunpowder would be shared with GS, something which we are fully willing to negotiate with you. In short, our position is truly desperate and we're willing to take aid where we can get it, how we can get it. It may even be possible to get GS to agree to such an arrangement (I have begun discussing this with them).

In terms of other issues, I have already told you what our goals in this war are and how I believe the interests of Lego, RP, Vox, and GS to contain ND and GoW while retaining the balance of power could all be achieved without imperiling Legoland's long-term interests. I have also laid out how the rest of the game could be played from that point and GS seems entirely open to this possibility, should we be able to sign a treaty to its effect. I believe it possible to sign such a treaty and to ensure that it is honored.

So I would greatly appreciate it if I was able to discuss these matters with Legoland this evening in chat. I would also be highly appreciative if Legoland, when they do receive the save, HOLD the save until your consultative decision-making body is able to come to a decision on matters and thus still have time to act on such a decision, should you decide how I might hope.

Thank You.

- Francisco Clemente, Duque de Madrid, Chief Ambassador of the Spanish Crown

[Arnelos]

The following letter was sent to Beta of Vox Controli:

Beta,

I'd like to set up a chat time with you for some point in the near future. In the event we make it through the next few turns (which is looking a bit more likely with the GoW rider stack we just wiped out, though only a bit more likely) and we succeed at some other initiatives in the works, it may be possible to continue discussions with Vox Controli where I left them off some time ago.

I have been in discussions with multiple teams about granting Vox Controli a significant part of Bob. I'm sure you'll be interested in that, but it probably wouldn't be right to discuss the feasibility of that plan I've been working on until the events of the next few turns play themselves out.

That said, I'd be willing to meet you in chat sometime this week to discuss them. Please let me know when might be good for you.

- Francisco Clemente, Duque de Madrid, Chief Ambassador of the Spanish Crown
(Arnelos)

[Arnelos]

Response from Arrian of GS:

I can't make the chat, but I can tell you that if you can get Lego to give you gunpowder and saltpeter, I'm SURE we can come to an agreement by which they get luxuries from us. No problemo there.

I doubt they will offer such tangible support, but by all means go for it.

-Arrian

[Arnelos]

Response from Theseus of GS:

Arnelos,

I believe that Arrian has responded that we will trust in you and the rest of Spain to negotiate with Lego (and Vox?) as best as you are able, and that we will abide by the terms provided.

I am available for chat tonight, but am truly weak at things IRC, so would need some assistance (I have mIRC).

Theseus

[Arnelos]

My chat with Sharpe from Legoland...

LEARNED FROM SHARPE:

- After Gathering Storm allied with Roleplay Team, Legoland allied with Glory of War (for techsharing and luxuries only at the time)
- Legoland was hoping that GoW would eventually turn on ND, but it has become increasingly apparent that Legoland is the rusty third wheel of the ND-GoW relationship
- Legoland has deployed a sizable number of LEFs (Legoland Expeditionary Forces) to GoW and ND territory, for the purpose of helping to defend GoW from any GS attack, but hoping they can be used against ND
- Legoland is currently providing GoW with their source of iron
- Both Legoland and GoW have Gunpowder
- A growing number of people on Legoland have become convinced that Legoland should either be fully nuetral or switch allegiance to an alliance with Gathering Storm against Glory of War and Neu Demogyptica
- Vondrack, who is both Foreign Minister and de facto leader of Legoland, is strongly in support of the Glory of War alliance (which he negotiated)
- Tiberius and lmtroops have sided with vondrack on the matter
- Sharpe and Nimitz are the most Pro-RP/GS. Kloreep and ZargonX are nuetral, along with most of the rest of the team's semi-actives. They are generally much more Pro-GS/RP than Pro-GoW/ND in terms of personal sentiment, but have been willing to continue following vondrack's pro-GoW policy until recently.
- Part of the problem, according to Sharpe, is that vondrack has been guilty on at least two occassions of ignoring ministerial orders or the results of voting and when he handles the save doing what he wants instead. vondrack quit the Presidency the last time it happened, but now that Legoland no longer has an official Presidency and vondrack is handling the saves by default, he's basically doing what he wants to keep the game moving while his team spends forever just discussing and not deciding.

WHAT I DID:

- I managed to (very easily) convince Sharpe that we had already LONG suspected that Legoland was GoW's benefactor and the theory was first popularized almost as soon as the war started. I mentioned that MZ's behavior, in pariticular, was seen as a sign by those of us who knew him well that he was very confident of relations with Legoland... which obviously gave us reason to worry. THIS, when shared with Legoland by Sharpe, has apparently had some impact by causing them to spin the conspiracy theory that Glory of War was intentionally attempting to make it known that Legoland sided with GoW, thus sabotating Legoland's relations with RP and GS. To be perfectly fair, while we certainly didn't fully believe that Legoland and Glory of War were allied, we HAVE long suspected that they were in some form of collaboration and MZ's high confidence level about GoW-Lego diplomacy indicated to us, at the very least, that he felt confident that Lego would never help RP Team.

--------------

I am passing this information on to GS as well.

[Arnelos]

UPDATE:

Members of the Legoland team are currently discussiong a potential strategy for Gathering Storm and Legoland to cooperate on reaching the Industrial Age ASAP and thus make sure that both have railroads and riflemen so that GS' lack of saltpeter doesn't get them run over and Lego's lack of an army (currently) doesn't get them run over.

I'll let you know if I learn more.

[Arnelos]

ANOTHER UPDATE:

Legoland seems to be growing more open to splitting off their relationship with Glory of War and pursuing an alliance with Gathering Storm instead. They would like to pursue a joint chat with Gathering Storm to discuss the technology alliance idea. I told them which GS members might be good for that and that I'd be more than willing to help set that up.

I plan to go to notyoueither directly about this and speak him about RP's desire to be part of the negotiations (read, me) so that we continue to have at lest a voice at the table. It's also true that for as much work as I've put into encouraging this type of thing, I'd like to see if I can help make it happen (or look out for false sincerity regarding pursuing it).

[BigFree]

Nice.

Weird to hear that about vondrack, doesn't sound like him at all to act so out of line of what his team wants. If he's doing these things, then why is he the defacto leader? Why doesn't someone else step up?

[Arnelos]

Originally posted by BigFree
Nice.

Weird to hear that about vondrack, doesn't sound like him at all to act so out of line of what his team wants. If he's doing these things, then why is he the defacto leader? Why doesn't someone else step up?

Keep in mind that this is merely how Sharpe (who is diametrically opposed to vondrack) is portraying the situation.

The reality seems to be that Tiberius strongly supports the same position as vondrack, as does lmtroops.

Only Sharpe seems strongly opposed, with the rest of the team somewhere in between just not having cared enough or just not sticking their necks out enough.

That said, I do believe that ZargonX and Kloreep are probably in the "in between" crowd, given how non-commital they are in general.

[Arnelos]

I've now PMed notyoueither about all of this and about my intention to both help set up a Lego-GS chat, and FAR more importantly, make sure that RP Team is represented there.

[Nuclear Winter]

Very important info.
Those damn Legolanders... They´ve been teh ones who kept GoW at war for so long!!! Weren´t it for them they´d be knocked out of it for lack of iron.
But we must take this opportunity to spread unrest and chaos oon their team´s politics. We must try to galvanize Zargon and Kloreep´s will on our side, so that pro-us Legolanders at least number equally the pro-GoW legolanders.

[OliverFA]

For some reason I'm not suprised that Legoland was helping them. Certainly, they have honoured our "most favoured nation status"...

How did you manage to obtain that confession, Arnelos? You certainly are very good at this kind of stuff!

[Togas]

I'm not sure if Vondrack hates me or our team, but he has always been staunchly anti-RP since I got on his case a long time ago about why they weren't going to honor our "most favored nation" status.

He wrote a very long and egotistical diatribe in our ISDG forum about how surprised he was at how good our ISDG FAM was when our RP FAM was so bad, and then went on to critique and comment and thorougly piss me off in his typical Vondrack fashion.

Frankly, if we could assassinate a foreign leader, he'd be on the top of my list. He is singlehandedly killing our chances of getting any Legoland support. I'm not sure if there's a way around him, but if there is, I need to have no part in it ...

Unless one of you can find out why he hates us. If it's me, then find out if I gave him some PM apology and told him how right he was and stroked his ego if it'd change his mind or warm him up to us. Whatever works, just tell me.

--Togas

p.s. And Arnelos, keep up the good work.

[GodKing]

Excelent work. Good going. Keep it up.

Vondrack has had a long standing grudge against us, as Togas pointed out above, but I also do not know the (ir)rational behind it.