Lord Tlaloc ended their meeting with a warning, "a promise is just words. We met here, with an audience of only beasts, because you haven't earned the protection of my open favor yet. The Nepoualistli Clan has a complaint against you, some beating of a distant cousin. I'm not in the mood to deal with it either way, so they'll come at you soon. A duel if they're being formal, an ambush if they're being cheeky. They are honorable sorts, in their fashion, so they will not attempt an assassination. I won't intervene in such matters until you deliver on your promise of service."
---
"What did you learn?" Teo inspected the flowers without any real interest while he asked, their shared office was bustling as ever so they were meeting in the gardens for more privacy. As they wandered through the garden, Chachi took more interest than usual in the movements of the insects: the industrious labor of the bees, the patient traps of the spiders, the frenetic displays of the birds. The natural world hadn't been of much interest to her, but if Lord Tlaloc saw value in it there must be something she was missing.
Chachi frowned and forced her thoughts back to the events at the Court, "It's very… difficult to oppose a Lord. I did not expect the intensity of his presence to move me so deeply, or for him to lean on our supplier. I felt, I don't know exactly, trapped?"
Teo turned and grimaced as his back cracked, "that may not have been Lord Tlaloc directly. He allows his most trusted subordinates a lot of discretion, it may be that Lord Cuāpitzīniā or another party thought it would help smooth things for their Lord. Sticking to our plan may still have worked, the fact that they felt the need to intervene so openly, and meet so soon, indicates some amount of weakness on their part. I suspect they brought in a rival clan to extract the water and found it was a far more difficult process than they expected. Untreated Heavenspan Water has enough raw Teotl to destroy conventional equipment and damage the core of unprepared workers. What else? Look beyond your own feelings."
Chachi dropped into the 9999 revelations meditation for a few moments, "he seemed lonely, and bored," she mused, a bit surprised by the insight, "I expected him to be busy but he wasn't in a rush at all. He just let me ask whatever I wanted, and seemed happy to answer."
Teo's raised an eyebrow, "I can't say I agree. The Lord can have whatever company he wishes, and he has many responsibilities to keep him occupied. Regardless, I hope you begin to recognize the more delicate side of this business. We don't just make elixirs, we manage relationships. Last quarter you focused on the internal side of our business, this quarter we will address the external."
"If you will forgive some simplification, we have four types of friendly relationships: Subordinates, Allies, Partners, and Prospects. Subordinates are tightly bound to us and beneath us in status, so they rarely have room to complain, or to maneuver against us if we fail to address their needs. Still, it is important to keep them happy, or they may begin to undermine us indirectly. Allies are bound to us by blood and contract. They will not betray us lightly, but they can broken away if our relationship erodes enough. An alliance also goes both ways, we will be expected to aid them when they are in need, give them preferential treatment, and extend our trust to them. If we don't fulfill those expectations it will hurt our prestige and our relationship with all of our other allies. Partners share a network of profit and support with us, but they will leave as soon as it benefits them more to do so. We must make sure our interests align. Prospects have no existing relationship with us, but we have a mutual interest, with time and care they can become partners.
At the Court you met with two friendly parties. The construction clan were prospects, but I believe they are quickly becoming partners, we seem to have a strong relationship with them for now. If we want to make them allies, we should propose some long-term contracts, or even better, a marriage. Do not hesitate to offer a marriage if you are serious about a long-term partnership. We have many unmarried relatives... mostly my children and grandchildren. The marriage will not be forced, your offer merely means you are amenable to courtship opportunities between our families. The Farmer's Union are still partners, but our relationship with them seems to be weak. We will have to give them concessions if we want to keep them in our sphere of influence. Alternatively we can try to crush the union and take their best farmers for ourselves, making them subordinates.
You should meet with our friends directly on occasion. We can send representatives but they do not hold your authority or prestige. I have some time in your schedule dedicated to these meetings and appearances at Court this quarter. Meanwhile I will have a diplomatic tutor and texts on maintaining business relationships sent to our compound. You must study these arts or you risk humiliating the clan and alienating our most vital partners."
---
"Really sweetheart?" at their afternoon tea, Chachi's mom seemed very skeptical of Teo's lesson plan, "you expect to learn how to deal with people from a dusty scroll? What is it called '12 ways to make friends and influence people?' Please understand, you will learn so much more from real experience with real people. Shove those books in a corner somewhere and make some more time for your dear mother. I will arrange practical lessons for you, we will focus on what is most important: protecting your own secrets, and discovering the secrets of others. It doesn't matter if you call them friends or enemies; you want something from them, they want something from you, and you must find a way to always have the upper hand."
Intrigue & Etiquette Training
[] Teo's Lessons
Bonus Diplomacy Specialization
[] Mom's Lessons
Bonus Spycraft Specialization
Teo selected the Charm Allies action for you. This action has a few effects
- You get an update on your most prominent friendly relationships.
- You can make decisions that alter those relationships
- Slightly improves all friendly relationships because you're paying attention to them
There's a bunch of votes down here, sorry if it's a little overwhelming.
Subordinates
Mom's Clan (Strong)
The Xochipixqui remnants are pleased that their heir is the Matriarch and her mother holds significant influence. They are being secretly funded by the clan's charitable giving. You really aren't sure who they are, exactly, but apparently they're placed prominently in every branch?
[] Get to know your mother's clan and openly show them some favor
[] Keep them in the shadows
Teo's Maternal Clan (Poor)
The Cacalotl remnants are prominent in the production and administration of the Atlahau Clan. They were content with their subordinate role so long as their heir, Teo, was set to inherent the whole clan. Now Teo is in a subordinate role to you, and even if he's content with it they are extremely unhappy.
[] Name Teo your successor. You might die in the Beast Lands after all, and this will mollify them until you have a child of your own. It might also incentivize your own death, but they don't seem to be the murdering type
[] Give them some face without meaningful concessions
Allies
River Captains (Fair)
Sales handles some of your transportation needs directly, but the Acallachiani Clan of River Captains have contracts for bulk purchases, which they transport independently to the distant corners of the Thousand Rivers. They fear that you are trying to undermine this relationship with your new transportation infrastructure.
[] Extend a long-term contract for them to handle your river transport needs in the 1000 rivers, put your river-salesforce on the other regions
[] Offer adoptions, marriages, and buyouts (attempt to subordinate, damage relationship with a failure)
[] Push them out with your fleet (end alliance)
Crafting Clan (Poor)
The Iquitini Clan has traditionally made your specialized tools and minor treasures. Chachi has been bypassing them with the Forge and they're unhappy.
[] Extend a long-term maintenances contract for the Walking Fortresses
[] Make a significant purchase of personal equipment
[] Make a strategic purchase of high value treasures for you to copy and sell at a better price later (end alliance)
[] Ignore them
Partners
Construction Clan (Strong)
The Kalchiuani Clan is pleased with your first collaborative project and looking forward to your second.
[] Offer a marriage alliance (move to ally)
[] Keep things as they are
Crystal Prospectors (Strong)
The Tehuilotl Prospectors Union are very pleased with your recent orders, their only concern is how to meet your seemingly endless demand.
[] Give them a marriage alliance and a substantial interest-free loan to expand their business (Move to ally)
[] They're fine
Special Farmer's Union (Poor)
The Special Farmer's Union is unhappy with what they see as past attacks on their organization. You met their recent disrespect with a firm but fair rebuke. They've shown some indication that they are willing to repair their relationship with us, and may have been responding to outside pressure.
[] Extend a long-term purchasing agreement
[] Crush them (attempt subordination, lose partner and prestige on failure)
[] No change
Prospects
Security Union
The Blackwater Security Union are a mercenary group composed of sect dropouts. Their most recent contract has run out and they're shopping around for a Clan with deep pockets and a need for reliable muscle.
[] Hire
[] Don't hire
Lady Chalchiuhtlicue
True Lady Chalchiuhtlicue is extremely pleased that your clan plans to ship elixirs to her region. She wants a LOT of elixirs, but due to her war footing may not be able to pay at the moment. She has a business opportunity in spirit clam farms she thinks you'll be very interested in…
[] No! But you will allow her to buy a shipment on credit.
[] No! But you would like to meet with her in person to discuss how you can help each other
[] No! But you will offer a standard bulk shipment discount
The Crystal Cartel
A group calling themselves the Crystal Cartel recently sent your clan the corpse of one of your merchants stuffed with a message-stone. They claim that any merchant who sets foot in the Crystal Desert without their permission will give their life-water to the sand. They are willing to purchase your goods at the border if you offer a very steep discount.
[] Accept, you can still make a small profit in the Crystal Desert risk-free
[] Ignore, heighten security and if they have a problem they can break themselves on your Fortresses
[] Prepare for war
