So are two somewhat contradictory lines of critique here, first that we are being too generous to Tharbad and offering too much, and secondly that we demanding too much and there is no way Tharbad will accept. It's probably useful to address each individually.
As far as the first goes, I think that peace takes effort. Crafting a worthwhile and lasting settlement here is not going to be easy, it's going to demand serious efforts of us. Let's also remember why we're doing this:
- Because trade with the Dwarves of Khazad-Dum, who we picked our colony location to be close to, revolves around solving this issue.
- Trade with Tharbad depends on resolving this issue and on their request for help in providing our skilled labour to repair their walls.
- Trade with the Middle-Men, who we planned to rely on as producers of surplus food and wool whilst we specialise as an industrial centre, depends on a settlement here.
I would argue that, in another context, any one of these alone would be easily worth undertaking a modest infrastructure project on Tharbad's behalf. Indeed, if this issue had not arisen, and we had just been asked to help Tharbad with their walls in exchange for beginning trade, I would bet at odds of fifty to one that this quest would have leapt on it like a Labrador on a biscuit. The idea of the walls being a deal-breaker, then, I do not think is a rational cost-benefit calculation, but instead frustration with the fact that diplomacy is fraught and requires compromise, and Tharbad are kind of annoying to deal with. They are, but so is essentially any diplomatic partner with conflicting objectives.
Compromise always means giving things up; that's why it's a compromise. Ultimately, we are asking for Tharbad to accept the Middle Men have rights, to enter into a League defined by consent and discussion, to change from extractative tribute given to a sovreign to fair contributions for common defence, and to become closer trade and diplomatic partners. (As well as to continue defending the ford of the Gwathlo.) That gives us a great deal, and so I think it's reasonable that we offer things they want in return, and don't act as if we consider ourselves their superiors. In the long run, we both benefit hugely from establishing trade - which due to our location and our harbour and trade fleet, we will reap proportionately greater rewards from.
Next, in terms of being unrealistic, let's remember where we started here. Tharbad just offered us half of their territory. This does not strike me as the actions of people who do not want a deal - they are very worried that we will bring down royal authority on them. What we are offering is a deal which does not require them to give up any territory, and just as importantly, in my view flatters their notions of themselves as protectors and defenders of the region. Although the League would stop them from exacting such penurious tribute, and give the Middle Men settlements some rights and a mechanism for raising their concerns, it also benefits Tharbad a lot, giving them things they have made clear they really want, whilst asking less in some ways than what was already offered. Although ambitious, I think it is an eminently workable compromise based on what has been established in the last two updates.
It is idealistic, but even in the most cutthroat of political environments, self-interested actors have come together* together to look to their mutual security and common interests. We, by contrast, wield the full moral and spiritual authority of Númenór, and share many things in common with the Men of Tharbad; not least common enemies. To the very strings of my heart, I believe that idealism in politics is not weakness, it is a strength. It is the strength of knowing that decency and principle are always stronger in the end than brute subjugation and greed. When we abandon that belief, we do so at our peril, for in doing so abandon our strongest refuge and our sturdiest shield.
Lastly, there has been a common sentiment that the League is a good idea, but we should just wait another turn and see. This is a tempting sentiment and I admit I considered it myself - it is very easy to put off difficult things. But fundamentally, we already know what we need to know here in order to drive a bargain. Will meeting the Men of Bren Gludd change our whole understanding of the situation here? We have heard directly from their king, who speaks for his people, and Tharbad themselves have admitted to what they are doing. There is no new piece of information which is going to transform this situation; we have all the puzzle pieces we are going to get. There are also significant costs to delay - every turn we delay, that is a turn we have not established trade, and trade is going to be our life blood.
Fundamentally, I think the sentiment to delay is understandably based on not wanting to put off something which is fraught and difficult, in the hopes it will be less difficult later on. That's understandable. But I do not believe that delaying here actually makes us any better-equipped for driving a settlement through, because we will only become further enmeshed in the local politics. Our newness to the region has been called a problem here, but I believe it is actually a strength. We have no stake in this issue and can be a neutral arbiter! We do not have any part in the past grievances, the past bitterness! Right now, Imrazôr is essentially a figure of legend legend, a Sea Lord and wizard stepped right off the pages of myth. He represents Númenór, the greatest power that has ever existed, and he walks vested in the authority and majesty of Westernesse. This gives us a big opportunity to simply change the whole context of the situation by our presence, if we choose to take it.
*(Whilst there are some significan differences in our situations, the Achaen League in its latter days was a significant inspiration for me here, and I think puts the lie to the idea that this sort of arrangemen can never work in the "real world".)
As far as the first goes, I think that peace takes effort. Crafting a worthwhile and lasting settlement here is not going to be easy, it's going to demand serious efforts of us. Let's also remember why we're doing this:
- Because trade with the Dwarves of Khazad-Dum, who we picked our colony location to be close to, revolves around solving this issue.
- Trade with Tharbad depends on resolving this issue and on their request for help in providing our skilled labour to repair their walls.
- Trade with the Middle-Men, who we planned to rely on as producers of surplus food and wool whilst we specialise as an industrial centre, depends on a settlement here.
I would argue that, in another context, any one of these alone would be easily worth undertaking a modest infrastructure project on Tharbad's behalf. Indeed, if this issue had not arisen, and we had just been asked to help Tharbad with their walls in exchange for beginning trade, I would bet at odds of fifty to one that this quest would have leapt on it like a Labrador on a biscuit. The idea of the walls being a deal-breaker, then, I do not think is a rational cost-benefit calculation, but instead frustration with the fact that diplomacy is fraught and requires compromise, and Tharbad are kind of annoying to deal with. They are, but so is essentially any diplomatic partner with conflicting objectives.
Compromise always means giving things up; that's why it's a compromise. Ultimately, we are asking for Tharbad to accept the Middle Men have rights, to enter into a League defined by consent and discussion, to change from extractative tribute given to a sovreign to fair contributions for common defence, and to become closer trade and diplomatic partners. (As well as to continue defending the ford of the Gwathlo.) That gives us a great deal, and so I think it's reasonable that we offer things they want in return, and don't act as if we consider ourselves their superiors. In the long run, we both benefit hugely from establishing trade - which due to our location and our harbour and trade fleet, we will reap proportionately greater rewards from.
Next, in terms of being unrealistic, let's remember where we started here. Tharbad just offered us half of their territory. This does not strike me as the actions of people who do not want a deal - they are very worried that we will bring down royal authority on them. What we are offering is a deal which does not require them to give up any territory, and just as importantly, in my view flatters their notions of themselves as protectors and defenders of the region. Although the League would stop them from exacting such penurious tribute, and give the Middle Men settlements some rights and a mechanism for raising their concerns, it also benefits Tharbad a lot, giving them things they have made clear they really want, whilst asking less in some ways than what was already offered. Although ambitious, I think it is an eminently workable compromise based on what has been established in the last two updates.
It is idealistic, but even in the most cutthroat of political environments, self-interested actors have come together* together to look to their mutual security and common interests. We, by contrast, wield the full moral and spiritual authority of Númenór, and share many things in common with the Men of Tharbad; not least common enemies. To the very strings of my heart, I believe that idealism in politics is not weakness, it is a strength. It is the strength of knowing that decency and principle are always stronger in the end than brute subjugation and greed. When we abandon that belief, we do so at our peril, for in doing so abandon our strongest refuge and our sturdiest shield.
Lastly, there has been a common sentiment that the League is a good idea, but we should just wait another turn and see. This is a tempting sentiment and I admit I considered it myself - it is very easy to put off difficult things. But fundamentally, we already know what we need to know here in order to drive a bargain. Will meeting the Men of Bren Gludd change our whole understanding of the situation here? We have heard directly from their king, who speaks for his people, and Tharbad themselves have admitted to what they are doing. There is no new piece of information which is going to transform this situation; we have all the puzzle pieces we are going to get. There are also significant costs to delay - every turn we delay, that is a turn we have not established trade, and trade is going to be our life blood.
Fundamentally, I think the sentiment to delay is understandably based on not wanting to put off something which is fraught and difficult, in the hopes it will be less difficult later on. That's understandable. But I do not believe that delaying here actually makes us any better-equipped for driving a settlement through, because we will only become further enmeshed in the local politics. Our newness to the region has been called a problem here, but I believe it is actually a strength. We have no stake in this issue and can be a neutral arbiter! We do not have any part in the past grievances, the past bitterness! Right now, Imrazôr is essentially a figure of legend legend, a Sea Lord and wizard stepped right off the pages of myth. He represents Númenór, the greatest power that has ever existed, and he walks vested in the authority and majesty of Westernesse. This gives us a big opportunity to simply change the whole context of the situation by our presence, if we choose to take it.
*(Whilst there are some significan differences in our situations, the Achaen League in its latter days was a significant inspiration for me here, and I think puts the lie to the idea that this sort of arrangemen can never work in the "real world".)
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