Diplomacy: Reports, Instructions, PMs

[Togas]

Originally posted by adaMada


Do we have any preference as to which to give em, or should we let em have their pick (by admitting we can give em either)? Is either tech widely available, or are they both still rare?

-- adaMada

Let 'em pick.

--Togas

[Togas]

from Trip:

I'd prefer that you not post this message at your forum, for the contents remain rather sensitive.

I've been trying to get into contact with 4 teams at once, none of which are available, none of which I can track down, and all of which have sucked up my time trying, so I apologize for the delay in responding.

I would rather keep the knowledge of Lux's whereabouts a secret for as long as possible. The fewer people that know, the better. If your team figures out the puzzle, then more power to them, but I'd rather them figure it out than them being told. This is a very delicate issue, and the longer that GoW and ND are running around looking for us the better, and the more time you'll have to build up while their forces remain scattered.

I've been in discussions with many teams regarding Writing, and we don't have a definite agreement with anyone yet. Currently we have offers for Writing at and below 40 gold, so RP may or may not wish to conduct a trade at this price, but let me know. Right now, Lux is looking for the smallest offer, since our financial resources are quite strained.

I look forward to seeing what you think of the deal that BFM has suggested regarding our free scientific tech.

Yours,
Trip, King Lux Invicta

[Togas]

My message to Trip and BFM:

First I'd like to say that the secret of Lux's escape will stay with my team should they figure it out. Right now we have spied GoW and ND troops scattered all over your former territories trying to hunt down your last city. It's a joy to watch and the longer they flounder about searching the more time my nation has to prepare.

Second, trading with your nation is a win-win situation. Whenever we give technology to another nation we risk the possibility of it being used against us, however, with your nation we have no such risk. We only hope that you will return one day and reclaim your old city sites and take your final revenge on Neu Dem and Glory of War. We also hope that you can remain an ally in our efforts to survive their cunning and treachery.

Third, and most importantly, we have grown very unhappy lately that our tech deals have gone unanswered and techs that are primarily Spanish are being sought for from swindlers and enemies. Lux Invicta should aquire Writing and Literature ... two Spanish acheivements ... from Spain. Not from some second or third rate nation overseas. The fact that you have not asked for either of these technologies leads us to believe that some swindlers are trying to pass off our knowledge behind our backs.

You have a very clever proposal, and I am certain that you plan to obtain innumerable techologies from the free one you discover. Spain is merely a pawn in this scheme, and while I admire your cunning, I will agree to participate if you will agree to the following:

1) You will buy Writing from us for 50 gold.
2) We will give you 2 of the following: Philosophy, Construction, Currency, Literature, Polytheism, 50 gold, World Map ... OR we will give you Monarchy OR Republic ... in exchange for the free technology you discover.

Do note that if we do not participate and everyone else does, we will be able to get quite a bargain from those who have the "free tech" as there will be an abundance of it to go around.

Also note, if we already have the "Free tech" this deal would be void.

--Togas

[adaMada]

Message just sent to Panzer: (Thought I'd put a bit of roleplay in there to hide the lack of real content aside from the two technologies and the request to trade maps )

Panzer,
Greetings, and good to hear from you .

Speaking with our wise men, I've learnt that we have two new bits of knowledge that could play a part in such a deal -- "Literature" and "Code of Laws". Perhaps your wise men have heard of them?

I still struggle to understand this "map" concept, though our scouts are giddy with glee over the concept. I've been asked to tell you that we'd be interested in trading world maps with you, once we've both got the appropriate technology.

Thank you for your time. I hope your wise men can make some sense of this information -- mine have driven me mad with explanations of these (apparently wonderous) new maps you speak of. Perhaps I'll understand better once I've seen these so-called Maps for myself, as I trust I will be able to soon.

-- adaMada
Togas' Ambassador to Glory of War

[Togas]

New message from Trip re: trade

I'm afraid to have to tell you that we cannot trade with you to acquire Writing. It was my wish to do so, but - please keep this quiet - Vox has, for all intents and purposes, blackmailed us into dealing with them for Writing and Map Making, and we have no opportunity to disagree with this situation. I still hope to do as much trade with RP as possible, and hopefully this won't hurt our future trade situation, as it was not my desire for this to occur. I apologize for any inconvenience or sour feelings this may cause.

Trip
King Lux Invicta

[Togas]

A message I sent to Betahound of Vox Controli

Betahound,

This is a delicate matter that I felt would be better addressed with a letter from one leader to another. I don't want to funnel the message through a few ambassadors, as it might not be communicated very well.

My nation and yours have no formal relations and other than a few talks I had with Jon Miller ... back when he was your leader, we really haven't talked. We have not completed any deals with you, nor have we received any offers. Furthermore, it seems that when we do make offers, they are ignored.

On Sunday I received a message from Trip of Lux Invicta telling me that he was sorry, but that he could not go through with the deal we had made regarding Writing, because he "has to" trade with your nation instead. When I pressed him in chat he was evasive, couldn't explain it much further, but kept insisting that in his curent situation he had "no choice" but to trade with Vox instead of Spain.

Now, I wouldn't want to seem too paranoid, but it does seem to us that Vox Controli is acting in a very hostile mannor to Spain. We'd like to understand why it is that Vox is so disinterested in maintaining a friendship with Spain and why you would threaten Lux in such a mannor that they would cancel a deal they had with us.

I think that our two nations should sit down and discuss this very soon, at least before the cold shoulder turns into a cold war. We have relations with your rivals, Gathering Storm, and we trade with them. We would like to also trade with you.

Please contact me soon so that we can personally discuss this.

--Togas

[Togas]

message from Dissident

Greeting fair nation of Roleplay. I have no idea what deal you have with Lux. And I'm not sure why they cannot carry this deal through. I am beginning to be concerned how difficult Lux is to deal with. Has this been your experience? They are ruining our relations with other nations it seems. What would you propose we do? I am having second thoughts about having any diplomatic contact with Trip. Our controller Betahound has been very busy trying to patch things up with Lux and other nations we are in contact with. We will try to sort this out.

[Togas]

message from Betahound:

Togas - my apologies that it has come to this. We meant no offence. And trust me on this one when I say that if you are frustrated by recent events, we are many times more so. Our good intent is clearly not what has come across through Lux, and as you can guess, the story is somewhat different than is being relayed to you. Hostility towards you has never been one of our intentions.

We had little idea as to what was being presented to the international community, and I regret that I have not contacted RolePlay earlier to set the matter straight. We value RP's early friendship. We also value our reputation, which appears to getting dragged through the mud without our knowledge, and based on incorrect information.

I appreciate you writing me. We have some serious deliberations at Vox. I will touch base shortly with you for a longer conversation. For now, you have Vox's apologies, and our best regards.

Sincerely ... Beta

[Togas]

Orders for diplomats:
Nuc Winter -- We offered Literature to Vox Controli. Try to get a deal worked out with them. Read some of the above PMs I've received, reply to them ... thank them for writing us back, tell them that I'll write them personally as well. Talk up how we want to try to create a stronger realtionship with their team and would like to discuss a research pact whereby we agree to research different things so as to not compete with each other.

History Guy -- Try to see what ND will trade us for Literature and ask them what they're researching now ... and next. Chat a bit about the war with Lux and ask if they're going to leave Lux with 1 city or try to kill Lux off. Oh, and Get another copy of the Stone of Spain done!

adaMada -- What is the timeline for mapmaking? Ask to trade Lit for Mapmaking AND trade WM for WM. Also ask to chat with Ghengis about the Lux issue and find out if they're going to leave Lux with 1 city or try to kill them off. Ask about how things are going with ND and who's going to settle in Lux's old land.

Godking -- Find out how much it will cost us to get Philosophy and if GS wants Horseback Riding from us.

Thud -- Write Nimitz to find out what his big news is. He sent me a short message "Chat with me in Civ3dem for big legoland news" ... but wasn't there to chat.

--Togas

[adaMada]

Originally posted by Togas
Orders for diplomats:
adaMada -- What is the timeline for mapmaking? Ask to trade Lit for Mapmaking AND trade WM for WM. Also ask to chat with Ghengis about the Lux issue and find out if they're going to leave Lux with 1 city or try to kill them off. Ask about how things are going with ND and who's going to settle in Lux's old land.

Togas,
They never replied to me about map-making -- I'll go ahead and get up with them and propose the trade above, since it doesn't seem like they're anxious to do it.

Though I think we've all guessed where Lux is, what does Ghengis know about the deal? I don't want to give anything away that shouldn't be... should I just pretend that I'm assuming that Lux has one last city hidden someplace?

-- adaMada

[Togas]

Originally posted by adaMada
Though I think we've all guessed where Lux is, what does Ghengis know about the deal? I don't want to give anything away that shouldn't be... should I just pretend that I'm assuming that Lux has one last city hidden someplace?

Yep. We should just assume that there's 1 Lux city left somewhere and that we're just waiting for GoW or ND to find and destroy it.

--Togas

[Togas]

Had a chat with Nimitz today about his 'big news'. As it turns out, they discovered that there is an island north of Legoland, and that island is next to .... Glory of War. They are going to sail there first and make contact within 6-7 turns. Nimitz figures GoW will sell us contact with Legoland, but says that if not they will travel down the coast to get contact with us on their own.

Nimitz told me that he cannot tell me what techs they have and do not have as his team won't allow it. I gave him a guilt-trip about how we should be working together and not distrusting each other, and he replied that they probably will once we've met. He doesn't want to make any deals now because they may not be obsolete when we meet.

He said that they will probably tell what they have when we've met so we can trade ... and he also hinted that things will be different when he becomes FAM of Legoland.

--Togas

[History Guy]

Lord Togas,

I bring sad tidings. My father, Hernan de History Guy Calamari, died this day of natural causes. His last words were: "Hide the secret of my father until the day comes that it may be revealed, my son...and by the way, the new squid recipe is pretty good. You know, in fact, I'd go so far to say it's great. Nothing keeps off competition like cheap squid that is far superior to the garbage variety." Whereupon, he died.

I am too busy now for ambassadorial position, I am loathe to report. No time is free. All I have the ability to do now is to take care of my thriving business, raise local militia, and donate money to the cities, as well as preside as new assistant High Priest. Perhaps I shall be in future a great help to Spain. I hope so, but do not know. My father was a great man, I believe, and will surely be missed...

Fernand de History Guy Calamari
Squid Baron
Son of the late Hernan de History Guy Calamari the Younger

[Togas]

sent to Neu Dem:

Picahulu,

My ambassador to your nation has a family emergency involving his father, and he has requested a leave of absence from his post. Until I find a suitable replacement, I will have to take care of his duties myself.

Our nation has Literature and we'd like to establish an exchange with your nation.

What are you researching now and would you like to trade that knowledge to us for Literature when you have completed it?

--Togas

[Togas]

sent to Betahound of Vox

Betahound,

Wow... hard to comment on the demise of Lux Invicta. Seems ironic that it was your nation that destroyed them, with everyone else on my nation so rabbidly anti-Lux. They would have been dead quite a while ago if not for your team's very costly gift to them of a city. Trip had come to me with a similar proposal and I turned him down immediately. My team doesn't have extra cities to give away, I doubt yours did either.

Any chance you'll ever go public with why things turned out so bad? I can't help but wonder if my own PM to you about Trip's comments sparked some sort of change of heart by your nation. If that were the case, I would feel horrible.

But back to business, we would like to trade you Literature. We'd like to know if you have anything to offer in exchange for it. If not, we'd like to find out what you're researching now and possibly trade you Literature for it when you're done. Please get back to me soon on this.

Lastly, my Ambassador, Nuclear Winter, has returned and should be contacting you shortly. If you hear from him and me, please feel free to contact him first.

Thanks!

--Togas