---Yes
You look at the Zanj for several moments, feel the weight of the sword at your side, as it pulses with radiant energy, disproving, judging, guiding. The thing that most Rokugani would do is to deny them instantly. In the end they are foreigners, gaijin. And while you have need of some of the gaijin, you have no need for these ones, for their jade yes, but not them, not their leaders, nor their god.
But as matters shift around, you recall Shahai's threat. Whether or not you agree to the terms that the Zanj puts forth is a different question from hearing them out.
"Very well Son of Desta, we will speak. I make no promises beyond that." You say at last.
"That is a beginning. Ah were you in Teorado proper I would pour for you as an honoured man. Alas, I cannot, but I think you would like our Kaffhi." Medr says.
"Tea has always been enough for me."
Medr shakes his head. "I do not understand how you can lack curiosity for the outside world. God has made it for us, should we not experience it to it's fullest?"
"The Gods named it yes and they set things in their place. The outside world has ever sought to steal, to harm, to destroy my people. We hold no love for those who would cast down our traditions." you answer.
"Ah..." He says a note of comprehension. "So you do not believe that those of your people mean good for yours? But then what of the pact?"
"The enemy of my enemy is an enemy that I do not have to fight today." You say.
The man looks tremendously sad.
"I see, how much have your people suffered to make your fire burn so dark? What happened. The Ivindi claim that you were scarred by something even they know not, in addition to the Wound."
A bitter angry of you wants to end this now. How could they not know? Know of when the Empress in her generosity let the gaijin see Rokugan's holy shore...only to be repaid with betrayal and assassination. How could they not know of the deaths of a generation of heroes, who had taken back the Empire from traitors?
HOW COULD THEY NOT KNOW?
And just as it rears up, you clamp it down. They wouldn't know. The Unicorn first and later your own agents have scoured the lands in every direction to find the Thrane and Merane...and found not a trace. There's no sign they ever existed at all save for the memory of the Empire and the bitter memorial to Empress Yugozohime held on the anniversary of her death every year.
"The Wound in of itself would be enough to make us wary of outsiders...but suffice to say the last time we allowed any beyond ambassadors to come to our lands, they made war on us and taught us a harsh truth. That we could not trust outsiders for they would always put their own needs and wants first." You say.
Medr frowns as he hears your cold words.
"A burned hand teaches much but it should not keep one from cooking. Yet our people are more alike than you think. We too were attacked by outsiders, worse, we were enslaved, it was only thanks to our God and His Prophet that we were freed. Yet, we see the pain as a reminder that the world is still fallen, that we must act, we must try to make the world better than we left it."
"And for that reason you send missionaries to my land, and try to tear them from all that is right and good for them?" You ask, your tone still a little cold.
Medr sighs.
"Tell me if you saw a child starving, and eating whatever they could get their hands on, which let them live but not thrive, what would you do?"
You understood the metaphor. You would feed them properly and see to it they were taken care of. So too the Zanj believed that they were fulfilling the need of spiritual nourishment. They were wrong, but they believed it and that was all that mattered to them.
"The Empire is not a child any more than your people are." You say.
A chuckle.
"Oh that we could be on the same side as allies rather than as foes. We would have had a Liberator as great as the First. However, if I said we were still children seeking to grow in the faith that has nourished us and saved us, what do you say then?"
"I would say that it is all very well for you, but my people do not need salvation. Shinsei has laid forth the path and while it is not easy, nothing truly of worth is. Our gods have saved us enough times to have earned our loyalty. Your god, however powerful they might be...has done nothing."
Medr puts a hand to his chin as if in thought.
"This is truth. The Pelmyrian's we helped with the Fimbulwinter, the Senpet we tore the chains from, the Yodotai we have rescued and slain in turn, the Ivindi we helped with their great wall. So you speak true, Yeham ever may he burn bright has not helped you. However, how can we help you if you will not us in?"
"What god needs a purely human agent to act?" You ask in turn.
"You think the Emancipator would place bond on you and deny you your freedom of choice?"
"I would say that freedom is over rated. I am bound by the chains of duty, of honour, of history, and that is true for all of us. To deny those chains is nothing more than childishness."
"You are bound just as you say, but should you be bound?" Medr asks.
"What sort of question is that? How else would it be? we are all born to our place as the Heavens decree, and we all must fulfill our dharma." You say.
"So I am told, I must admit your Wheel of Reincarnation seems quite unfair. To be punished for sins you do not even remember? Quite unfair, and it is that reason that our Liberator was so eager to preach to your people." Medr says.
"And you are not?" You ask sarcastically.
"No I am, but I know I cannot force any of you to understand. No matter how many holy men and women I send. So long as you see us as outsiders, as defilers, our words will fall on hard hearts and deaf ears. So we must find another way." Medr says.
"I...We will not tolerate your continued attempts to convert our people. The Celestial Order does not take kindly to those who would disrupt it." You say.
Burden seemed to burn with righteous anger with you.
"We seek no political change in of itself..." Medr begins and you cut him off.
"I rule by the order of Lady Sun and Lord Moon. By the blood of gods that flow through my veins. I am their representative on the mortal plane. To turn my people from the Kami and the Shintao is to turn them from me and my dynasty."
Medr takes a moment to process that, seeming greatly confused by the notion of Lady Sun. Yes Yakamo had been Lord Sun for perhaps fifty years, but that wasn't that strange.
"I think I see now why you hunt us so. I cannot stop people from choosing to speak to yours and to talk to them about their faith. Our faith is that of freedom and integrity. I cannot snuff those flames out. However, no more direct attempts will be made. Our traders and people will still go to the City of the World's Desire, the Ivindi and Pelmyrian's have allowed us that much, and if they talk to your traders then they talk. Is this acceptable?"
"So long as they do not try to convert them, and we will be watching them" You say.
"I know, but as I said, what they do, we cannot control, for we do not deny freedom to our people" Medr says a gentle rebuke.
You frown, you don't like it, but you suppose you can accept the notion that the gaijin don't have the absolute power of life and death over their people. A clear sign of their inferiority.
"Very well." You say. "So long as they stay in the Jewel...er City of the World's Desire without being sanctioned by your government, we will send them back to their district instead of killing them. The ban on them being in Rokugan proper remains however."
Medr slowly nods.
"And the matter of Jade?"
"I'm listening," you answer.
"We will continue to liaise through Ivindi. However, a one time shipment of substantially larger quality will be sent if you make us a promise. We will also send our holy book. The Message of Redemption in your tongue. I would ask that you read it, and that you let your high priest read it."
"You won't convert us with that." You say.
"I know, but I want you to see what we believe, to understand us. You are not ready to listen today, your people may never be ready to listen. But if we do not leave a light on for you even a tiny candle, then we have truly failed. So we will send our text, our candle, and hope it will one day light the way to freedom for you" Medr says.
"How much more substantial are talking about."
"How much Jade do you use in a year?" Medr asks.
"Ideally we have fifty tons of Jade a year in use." You say.
Medr's eyes widen slightly as he does some mental arithmetic.
"Then we will send you five hundred tons."
Isshin gasps slightly. That was what the output of Jade for the entire Empire had been under the Hantei. To just give it up for reading a book, not even to people who would actually be convinced. Well it was not a deal that any Rokugani would easily turn down. You think you can hear your Crab lineage screaming at you to take the deal.
It was a hard offer to refuse. Too good really, but the man in the flame seemed utterly sincere. So was there a trick? Something more? You couldn't tell. Burden seemed to pulse warmly at your side.
[] Yes you will agree to this deal.
[] No you smell a trap, you thank him but Rokugan has made do with the trade with the Ivindi, you will continue to do so.
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Pick one of two world updates
[] Rokugan update (Covers the Clans and the people)
[] The World Update (Covers the rest of the world)
Ivindi Dinar's are as good as koku for the Zanj
