[X] A significant number (-1 Stability, +2 Econ)
[X] Share with even those who don't want to listen (-1 Diplomacy, +1 immediate Stability, chance for additional stability, other effects)
[X] Megaproject Support
The People consider what they have, and decide that the only reasonable thing to do is to let everyone else that in the region know about their discovery, so that lives might be saved. Some considered that the demons only inflicted their curses on bad people, but others countered that even if the leadership were wicked there were still innocents among them that could suffer. Also, unlike with the sacred warding from the cattle, the discovery of how the blue plague spread and the recipe for the restorative potion were simple, so there was no danger that anyone would make a dangerous mistake. Seeing this, the king decreed that the knowledge was to be shared, spread far and wide, so that the innocent might be spared the ravages of disease. Some of those tasked to do so might not return, and they would probably end up spending wealth and influence to make it so, but it would be worth it.
Three years after the traders went out, a most curious delegation was brought to the attention of the king. A trader from the Thunder Horse had with him a number of odd 'guests', foreigners who required translation. Inviting them in, the king was introduced to the representatives of the Xohyssiri - who the People had called the Dead Priests since time immemorial. Well tanned men of dark hair and long beards carefully tied into braids, they bore tattoos of abstract and inscrutable design upon their hands and necks and had polished stone discs within their ears. They wore otherwise undecorated white cotton robes and had a definite air of wisdom and spiritual power about them. Assistants from the Thunder Horse trader brought in large tablets of dark black stone upon poles and began laying them out at the instruction of one of the Dead Priests.
"What is this?" The king asked.
"They say that it is repayment for knowledge. In their custom, something given must be paid back, and something given freely must be paid back twice. Your sharing of knowledge - the Thunder Speaker also has our gifts of thanks for that by the way - was so strong that they sent a delegation to ask us for assistance in sending their gift to you, despite the fact that we're not exactly friends with them, as they figured the journey would be difficult and communication near impossible without a go between," the trader explained, adding on, "They also paid us considerably for this." After that, he began to speak in a foreign language, probably relaying what he just said along to the Dead Priest delegates.
The members of the council went to inspect the tablets being set out, and found that in the smooth black stone there were drawings that had been carved into the surface and then the cut marks had been filled in with gold to create dazzling highlights, showing rather ghoulish pictures of people who appeared to have been butchered, surrounded by foreign writing. Those who saw them were obviously shocked, but the king and the Spirit Chief kept the upset of the others from spilling over, even as they were wary and suspicious, and asked darkly, "What is this?"
"This is their sacred Book of the Living, a guide to how the body is laid out, the various diseases and injuries of the organs, and every treatment they know against each of these. They told me that while they understand that many do not like how their ancestors acquired this knowledge, they themselves are only from the healing caste of their priesthood, who are forbidden from actually performing any sort of sacrifice. They consider their own lives to be a component of the payment towards your generosity, but ask that if they are to be killed that they be able to give you a proper translation of the Book of the Living first so that you might make use of it. They are also instructed to share their knowledge with your healers as well," the trader explained.
Taking a closer look at one of the tablets, the Spirit Chief hummed to himself before he said, "Fascinating."
The king on the other hand asked, "The council shall consider this gift, although we have to ask the motivation more clearly."
The trader and the leader of the Dead Priest delegation had a bit of a conversation before the trader replied, "They say that it is an obligation for them. I don't know if I understand it precisely, but their spirits teach them and compel them to return all favours and insults in turn and time. The gift of life is the most precious gift possible, so in sending them a solution for the blue plague, they must repay life saving magic with life saving magic or their own gods will destroy them for their disrespect."
The council look over the stone faced men who claimed to be healers with intense suspicion, before the king glared at them all and said, "Enough! It is the way of the People that all who come in peace be greeted warmly and offered food and shelter. So long as they do not violate our laws and ways I see no reason to turn these men away, and if they wish to work for us in teaching - teaching that will be carefully examined and reviewed by our wisest shamans - then I also see no reason to deny them such work. We will also of course offer repayment for those of our guests among the Thunder Horse who may wish to linger here and aid in translation until we may speak with these healers without an intermediary."
While this did not immediately turn all frowns to smiles, it did shame the majority into polite neutrality. Even if the gift were strange and distasteful, the chiefs and councilors could be reminded to take it as it was fairly obviously intended - an honest gift from outsiders. A few of the more spiritually apt even considered what some of the carvings seemed to be demonstrating and wondered if perhaps the wickedly obtained knowledge might actually be of use.
