There were very few chambers suitable for hosting an actual diplomatic conference in the Undercity, so the representatives from the Forsaken and the Alliance of Kalimdor met in the room normally used for the Forsaken council. Sylvanas mused that she would have to design in a proper conference room in the rebuilt city. The Scourge had been very unthinking when they didn't put one in their massive military complex. A damn shame, though one could not really expect such understanding of social niceties out of the Lich King.
Assembled in the small room were Sylvanas, Belmont and Vellcinda from the normal council. Varimathras had made himself scarce since it was one thing to tell the Alliance that they had a Dreadlord on the payroll and quite another to have it stare them in the face, Aelthalyste was busy with the monastery and Puttress had told her that he wanted to talk to the living about as much as he wished for Arthas to replace his kidneys with squirrles. Instead he had made his apprentice Farnell go in his place, which was fine with Sylvanas since she liked the quite undead a good bit better than his master.
Along with the undead sat a rather out of place looking Shannon Hornsby. Mayor Solliden, Sylvanas was suddenly struck that she didn't actually know the man's first name, had to deal with a small incident involving fishermen, a pregnant Murloc and a fifty pounds of bat fat. That left just Hornsby to be the human represntative of the Forsaken at the meeting. She did not seem amazingly comfortable with being here, she kept on shooting the orc worried glances, but Sylvanas was sure she'd be fine.
Speaking of the orc, across the table from the Forsaken representatives were the delegates from Kalimdor. At their head was the prodigal king of Stormwind, Varian Wrynn. To his right was the troll, Vol'jin, and to his left was the orc, Nazgrel. All three of them, and their small group of bodyguards had been here for a week before this meeting.
Varian had spent much of his time either in Solliden, speaking privately to the mayor, and observing the construction going on above Undercity. He had been deeply concerned with how the living were being treated and had not taken Sylvanas's answers as the full truth, something which irked her greatly. Still, his visits to Solliden and the worker camps in the ruins of Lordaern City seemed to have put his doubts to rest. Vol'jin had spent a great deal of time talking with Aelthalyste about the Cult and visiting the Shadow Monastery. Much of what was said was deep theology that went far over Sylvanas's head, but he also seemed pleased. Finally Nazgrel had spent most of his time either observing the Army of Undercity or watching over the Bulwark. The taciturn orc was hard to read, but Sylvanas had not missed with faint look of horror and disgust after his first trip to the Bulwark. The Plaguelands were a blight, and it was good that at least one of the Alliance delegates had seen it.
Varian gave Sylvanas a nod. "Well, I believe now is the time for us to properly discuss the future of the Alliance and the Forsaken. There is no evidence of the mass killings and brutal slavery that the extremists in the Church claim would happen under an undead polity. In fact you seem to be quite committed to destroying the Scourge and other enemies of all life." He pauses to think for a second before continuing on. "I'm sure you have many questions about the Alliance, so please allow me to explain it as best I can."
"After the Scourge broke through Khaz Modan proper and crossed into Stormwind through the foothills and forests west of the Burning Steppes and Blackrock Mountain. We had assumed that the terrain there would be far too rough for the Scourge to attempt such a crossing and garrisoned Redridge instead, but they defied our expectations and pushed through. At the time Stormwind was gripped in crisis as the nobility feuded openly with the peasantry." He sighs. "I was a young fool then, barely little more than a child, and failed my people. I was taken in by the beautiful Katrina Prestor and sided with her and the nobility against my own people. When the Scourge broke into Elwynn Forest I was slow to act, secure in her lies that it was just a probing force. It wasn't until Stormwind itself was under siege that I realized my mistake." He grimaces at the memories. "As I made plans evacuate Prestor betrayed me. Rather, the Black Dragon Onyxia betrayed me, shedding off her disguise and setting city and field alike aflame as she killed human and Scourge alike. I was knocked unconscious during the escape and at the docks a large chunk of my people refused to accept my authority. Bolvar attempted to keep the peace but it the gulf between the upper class and the peasantry was too wide. Van Cleef, leader of the Stone Masons who had been hurt the most by my actions, declared that I was a simpering coward and had caused all of this. He told the crowd that he was going to save Stormwind even if I was to abandon it and ordered my troops to join him and arrest me. Bolvar refused and a riot broke out. On the first day of the evacuation we had planned to send 20 ships full of men and munitions along with 100 total refugee galleys across the sea. In the end 5 and 40 respectively left for Kalimdor."
varian shakes himself out of the depressed stupor he had found himself in before continuing to speak. "Eventually I awoke and, despite facing brutal storms and a run in with Kul Tiran patrols, pirates in all but name, we made it to Theramore. Jania welcomed us in and took us to Ogrimmar to meet with Thrall. We were not the first people from the east to come west. In Ogrimmar I met with Galen Trollbane, Verseea Windrunner and Magni Bronzebeard. Together, with Jania, we realized that we could not keep on ignoring the obvious. Azeroth was gone, and it was up to us to make a new home for our people here on Kalimdor."
He turns to give Vol'jin a smile. "Thankfully Jania suggested that I reach out to the Darkspear and Tauren before I attempted to set off into vast interior. With Vol'jin and Caine Bloodhoof's help I was able to draft up something that, while not making everyone happy, is a good enough compromise." He reverently reaches into his armor and pulls out a rolled up sheet of paper.
Once layed out on the table it shows the purple lion's shield of the Alliance and a great deal of writing. "The Charter of the Alliance of Kalimdor." He sounds a little amazed even saying it. "It combines the best of the Alliance of Lordaeron: the open borders, mutual defense and freedom of trade; with the best of the old Horde: the creation of a proper united military, a good deal of local autonomy and a vastly reduced tax in exchange for sending more troops to the combined army. " He points at each line as he speaks. "The most important part is how it is led. The High King controls the economic and diplomatic affairs of the Alliance while the Warchief commands its armies, navies and research and development efforts. I hold the former position while my colleague, Thrall of the Frostwolves, holds the latter. Together we've managed to make things keep from fully falling apart." He smiles at that.
Sylvanas raises one of her impressive elven eyebrows. "Your tale was well told and the document itself holds some interest to me, but I suppose you are reaching a point."
Varian nods. "Indeed I am. I will not lie, the Alliance is short on, well, allies. We exist on the edges of a hostile continent, constantly pressured by monstrous forces without and internal tensions within. A great many of the dwarves, elves, gnomes and men living within wish to at least know what has become of their home, and most hold a secret dream of returning there was well. The centaurs of Kalimdor are uniting under a Khante, and rumors say that they're pulling in the Quillboar and Harpy in a brutal mockery of our own alliance. The best parts of Kalimdor are ruled over by the Kaldorei, the Night Elves. They are an...aloof folk. They do not hate us as they do most outsiders, but they resent our presence near their forests and hold the Alliance at an army's length."
He turns to look Sylvanas dead in the eyes. "I am offering you and the Forsaken a place in the Alliance as a full member, able to vote on Alliance policy and receive the full benefits of our protection. I understand that the tax burden, reduced as it is from the Alliance of Lordaeron, may be harsh. If you do join I would be willing to discuss creating a special dispensation until your economy has full recovered."
The Banshee Queen mulls this over for a long while. "A tempting offer, I will admit. I am not sure how willing I would be to fully tie my fate to yours." Red eyes flick over the document. "There is mention of 'Observer' status?"
Varian nods again. "Yes, that is what the Kaldorei chose to take, though only after much negotiation and hesitancy. An Observer nation is granted our protection against any attacks on their borders and free trade with the Alliance, but is not expected to pay taxes or host Alliance troops in their borders. In return while they may send a representative to Ogrimmar to observe votes on Alliance policy and comment on it, they cannot vote directly."
Sylvanas looks to Vellcinda, who nods. Varian seems to be honest so far, at least as far as her head diplomat can tell. "I assume that even if we are not a member of the Alliance and stick to just trade there are things you would like."
Varian pulls out a map of Azeroth, long outdated since the Third War, and begins to mark it. "Indeed there is. Part of the reason behind the formation of the Alliance is to defend against existential threats to all life. The Scourge certainly counts as such. With your permission I would be willing to station Alliance troops along the Bulwark and on Fenris Isle to better defend against Scourge pushes from land and sea. Even if you choose not to make pacts with us, my own morality would balk at letting a free people suffer attacks by the Scourge."
"This would, of course, have nothing to do with stationing soldiers in a power that you know has a weak military." Nathanos says, speaking out from his seat by Sylvanas's side. "Those troops would be capable of intervening in our internal affairs with ease."
Varian frowns. "I'm not sure I appreciate being accused of such duplicity, but I will acknowledge that your concern is a valid one. I was also hoping that you would be willing to allow us to send priests and druids to the Bulwark as well, to prevent the corruption from spreading. Such a move would be less invasive than sending actual Alliance troops, though you would have to guard them yourself if you wished for them to move beyond the forterss."
"I appreciate your candor and think both options are worth discussing, at least. Please continue." Sylvanas says, though she does give Nathanos a thankful nod. It was his job to be the bastard in these types of situations.
"Very well. If we are speaking of priests then you must know that many at home will hold a great deal of doubt over all your claims about this 'Scarlet Crusade." Varian holds up a hand to stifle any complaints. "I fully believe what you say to be true, of course, but the Church will be furious nonetheless. If you allow the Alliance to send observers to verify your claims then the zealots of the Church will be silenced and public opinion pushed against them. Militarist factions within Lion's Landing also claim that Gilneas still lives and must be liberated. Observation teams and scouts in the south would help quiet those fears as well."
He points to the Whispering Shore now. "Finally, there is the matter of former citizens of Lordaeron. While I do not want to try and force people out of their homes here, when word gets back that at least part of the east is free of the Scourge many will want to return. I am prepared to given the Forsaken government a small stipend if you allow human resettlement. This leads smoothly into the matter of your ports, or lack there of." He pulls out another document. "I will happily authorize a loan and a shipment of dwarven engineers to come east to help you build not only a port, but proper dry dock facilities. I would simply as that it be started rather soon and be finished in a timely manner. Once those are finished I would also hope that you would allow us to base our fleets from said ports."
Sylvanas looks over the document. "Part of this says that the Bale Modan Engineering Company and the Royal Stormwind Bank would have partially control over the docks and warehouse space?"
"Standard for these types of agreements, I'm afraid. I hope that won't be an issue."
Sylvanas opens her mouth to answer, but catches sight of Belmont leaning his head towards Farnell while looking at her. Right, Puttress's faction. Any of these deals with an outside power was likely to anger the xenophobes that the Head Alchemist had gathered to his side. While she was not all together afraid of doing so, her actions at these talks would give him ammunition to dispute her rule no matter what. And Puttress and his cronies would not be the only ones with worries about close ties with the Alliance. Many Forsaken were still nervous around the living after how brutal terror of the Scarlet Crusade. Suspicion of the Church of the Holy Light was high, and no one liked having foreign businessmen and soldiers stamping around their nation. Even deeper a good deal of these soldiers would be orcs and trolls, peoples who Lordaeron and thus the population of the Forsaken had spent two bloody wars fighting against. Even the Tauren would cause a great deal of unrest, as they were alien and strange and those things stirred up worry in even reasonable beings.
Thoughts of Puttress also brought up thoughts of his major breakthrough. He had cracked how the Plague worked, a mixture between tainted druidic magic, fel energy and esoteric chemical combinations; and how to reverse the process. Showing the Alliance that the Forsaken could cure the Plague and reverse its effects would likely help them gain good favor in the eyes of the western power. However there was a downside: knowledge of how the Plague worked meant that one could spread, or improve, it as well as cure it. There would always be that silent worry, and if a new, virulent Plague of Undeath was released onto the world the Forsaken would be to blame.
So instead Sylvanas just smiles and says. "I don't believe so but I will need to talk it over with my advisors."
"I would also like to speak of settlers." Nazgrel spoke up in his gravely voice. "Durotar is flush with my people, as we multiply quickly when at peace, and already Ogrimmar grows slums. Colonization of the Barrens goes steadily, but the Warchief worries about sending his people into a land where their homestead can be raided by Quillboar and Centaur before a response force can arrive. Tirisfal is full of fallow fields and empty woodland. Surely there must be room for the orcs."
"There is, but I would need to think before I said yes." Sylvanas responds. "Your people are not known kindly in these lands and would present even greater challenges to integration than the human living would."
"I understand but you hope you deicide in my favor." He says, Sylvanas thankful that he is surprisingly agreeable instead of the still vaguely suspicious Varian. "I have another request. My Warchief's Clan was banished to these northern lands after the Portal opened and we have heard little from them sense. Thrall promises a reward in gold and a delegation of the shamans of the Earthen Ring if you will send out scouts to search the mountains that held the human land of Alterac for the Frost Wolf Clan."
"I have a similar request mon." Vol'jin speaks now. "The Darkspear are plenty happy on the Echo Isles, with Jania close boy we don't have fear of mad Loa or naga. But I represent all the Trolls of the Alliance, not just the Darkspear." He points to the north, to a place Sylvanas knows well simply by name. "I know you aren't goning to like them much, being an elf and all, but the Amani are still my kin mon. If you can send out those bat riders to check on Zul'Aman and Mashar soon I promise gold as well as voodoo shamans to help your Royal Apothecary Society."
Sylvanas nods. "I...Do not have the best history with the Forest Trolls, but I do know what it is like to lose your kindred. I can't promise I will be able to do such a thing, but it will be a point of importance in our discussions."
She turns and nods at the full Alliance delegation. "I would like to thank you gentlemen for the enlightening meeting and declare it adjuounred. Please leave so that my Council and I can dicuss matters. There is much to talk about so we will give our answer in a day."
The Cure:
[]Tell the Alliance
[]Don't tell the Alliance
Pacts (Choose 1):
[]Join the Alliance of Kalimdor as a Full Member (Full alliance, trade, open borders and other diplomatic perks with the Alliance. Can vote on Alliance matters. Must pay taxes to Ogrimmar and allow Alliance troops to be stationed inside your borders.)
[]Become an Observer in the Alliance of Kalimdor (Defensive alliance and trade with Kalimdor. Can send and observer to Ogrimmar but not allowed to vote on Alliance policy. Heavy Alliance investment in Tirisfal likely.)
[]Sign a Trade Agreement with the Alliance of Kalimdor. (Trade with Kalimdor. Not other treaties.)
[]Sign no agreements with the Alliance. (No treaties with the Alliance. Remain truly neutral.)
Diplomacy (Choose as many as you wish. Note that all Observer, Troop Stationing and Fleet Basing options will be automatically chosen if you join the Alliance as a full member):
[]Alliance Port Assistance (Port Solliden and its follow up Solliden Dry Docks are free of charge and gain a +10% bonus. Must be started within 2 turns and completed within 6. A foreign power will have partial ownership over your main port.)
[]Alliance Scarlet Observers (Alliance sends observers to check on Forsaken claims about the Scarlet Crusade.)
[]Alliance Troop Stationing - The Bulwark (Allow Alliance to station troops on the Bulwark. Foreign troops inside your borders)
[]Alliance Troop Stationing - Fenris Isle (Allow Alliance to station troops on Fenris Isle. Foreign troops inside your borders)
[]Alliance Glineas Observers (Allow the Alliance to send scouting patrols towards Gilneas.)
[]Alliance Fleet Basing (Allow the Alliance to make use of your naval facilities after said facilities are completed)
[]Priests to the Bulwark (Allow Paladins and Priests of the Church of the Holy Light to be stationed at the Bulwark)
--[]And Send Guards (send guards with the priests so that they can enter the Plaguelands proper
[]Druids to the Bulwark (Allow the Cenarion Circle and the Earthen Ring to be stationed at the Bulwark
--[]And Send Guards (Send guards with the druids so that they can enter the Plaguelands proper)
[]Human Settlers (Allow Human settlers to return to Tirisfal, cultural issues, +50 Gold a turn)
[]Orc Settelers (Allow Orcs to settle in Tirisfal, major cultural issues, +75 Gold a turn)
[]Amani Scouting (Agree to send scouts to check on the Amani in 3 turns in exchange for 1000 Gold and Darkspear Shaman Attaches to the Royal Apotharcy Society)
[]Frostwolf Scouting (Agree to send scouts into the Alterac Mountains to search for the Frost Wolfs in 2 turns in exchange for 800 Gold and an Earthen Ring embassy in Undercity)
((Please vote in plan format. 2 Hour moratorium to encourage discussion))
