[X] Plan Trust Building
-[X] Offer to share knowledge about the bases of the loyalist Illithid and inform them about the locations where you have set up Anti-Illithid defenses. No details on what those defenses are and make it clear that if they get caught, they will be killed, last but not least because we couldn't reliably ID them, but you are offering a fair chance to avoid them to prevent further collateral damage incidents such as Volmark.
-[X] You are furthermore mainly interested in knowledge. About their operation, their goals, psionics and fleshcrafting mostly. If they are willing to offer any of that, you will hear out what they expect in return.
-[X] Things you are willing to agree to in turn:
--[X] Payment in raw materials or planar currency.
--[X] Some lore in return (non-sensitive only, nothing with military applications).
--[X] Rings of sustenance to eliminate the need of their members to feed on sentient humanoids, which would make further cooperation more palatable to you and their logistics much easier. You are also interested in creating a mass producible food substitute for Illithidae that has all the flavor and none of the murder of the genuine article, though that is mostly an idle thought at this point due to the lack of detailed knowledge on the Illithid biology. (Hint Hint, Nudge Nudge)
-[X] You are also open to lend disposable and deniable assets for attacks on loyalist Illithid, though this is most likely not in any way interesting for them right now.
-[X] After the first round of haggling is done, see where you stand with each other and ponder if additional questions might be in the cards right now.
[X] Plan for Integration
-[X] "To think that we who are so alien in nature could have so much in common. I have lost track of how often either I, or an intermediary speaking in my name, have opened negotiations with little trust between myself and the one to whom I spoke. Yet, from these first hesitant bargains, an empire was forged. Three times before have I struck such bargains with denizens of the Far Realm in good faith, and from those meetings I count fair transactions, an honest ally, and truest friend, respectively. Because of these experiences I know that if the interest of our peoples are to remain inimical, that will be a path we have chosen to walk rather than one forced upon us by our divergent natures.
-[X] "As King, I have a duty to my people. I will see them protected from predation, but I know my reach is currently limited. Therefore, I seek an alliance against a common foe."
-[X] Terms and conditions (the Separatists can pick as many as they will agree to):
--[X] Non-aggression pact. The Separatists will not raid any land's under the Imperium's protection. In return, the Imperium will not actively seek out and destroy any Separatist holdings. Frame this as extending the terms of the treaty we have with the Loyalists to the Separatist, though we would not allow them to tear the spirit of the agreement to tatters as the Loyalists have done.
--[X] Ethical food sources. Requires the acceptance of a non-aggression pact. Separatists agree to limit their feeding on thinking beings in lands outside of Imperial protection to what is strictly necessary. We'd work towards providing Rings of Sustenance to eliminate that necessity. We also would work to develop alternate forms of nutrition as we know a demand to "never eat naturally again" will break down in the long run.
--[X] Intelligence sharing agreement. Requires both non-aggression pact and ethical food sources. We would begin sharing information about Loyalist operations with an eye towards stymying their efforts.
--[X] Lore sharing agreement. Requires both non-aggression pact and ethical food sources. We would begin offering the trade of mystic lore, negotiated on a case-by-case basis. We are particularly interested in psionics and fleshcraft, and can offer lore, currency, or resources in exchange.
--[X] Joint military operations. Requires non-aggression pact, ethical food sources, and military intelligence. We would begin organizing joint military operations against the Loyalists. This would primarily take the form of them provided intelligence that we could choose to act on without their direct involvement, us providing non-sentient creatures as reinforcement for any raids they may conduct, and collaboration on mystic rituals as necessary.
--[X] Official recognition. If the Separatists agree to all the above, and relationships work out in the long term, the Imperium will officially recognize the Separatists as allies. However, this would require the Separatists outright cease hostility against civilians, even those outside the Imperium's protection, once we find a solution to their nutritional demands.
-[X] If the Separatists agree to at least the non-aggression pact and will consider more, request that they appoint a diplomatic liaison to the Imperium. The liaison(s) would be given a Ring of Sustenance while it remains in the Imperium. Be upfront about keeping them under careful watch, but we would otherwise presume good faith. If negotiations break down for reasons other than the liaison abusing their access to the Imperium, we will allow the liaison to depart in peace. We will swear this before Yss, if they do not trust our word.
