Part 399: Peace Brokering

This is a good thing, scarred moon or not.


Convincing the kings of the Malani and Kheldon tribes to seek peace was the easy part. Now you must broker the fine details of an agreement between them, and it is always in the details that the hopes for peace are lost. King Sarotar of the Malani tribe complains that traders of the Kheldon take unfair advantage of his traders, and thus wants to make trade rules for both sides. Lhankpent, king of the Kheldon, insists that Sarotar's accusations are baseless, and that he is motivated soley by greed and the need to control everyone, and maintain the respect of others.

-Break off negotiations.
-"If one of your breaks the peace, our tribe will join the foe and fight you."
-"Our lawspeakers will mediate future trade disputes."
-"We should all build a town together, so all will prosper."
-"We will pay to settle future disputes."

Since the Dragonkill, no one has dared build a true town. Let's be the first!
King Heort said, "without the sword, there can be no plows."
Neither king wishes to fight two other tribes at once, but do wish to embroil ourselves in someone else's war?
Don't go promising anything that costs us cows.
We should build a town. A town will make wealth, and there will be enough for all.
I know you never listen to me, but this time I mean it: We should make a town.
We can volunteer to mediate disputes, but unless we have a way of forcing them to abide by our decisions, the peace will be a fragile one.