The Sovereign Diet was called once more, but this time in the Castle Eltzburg in Lumino City. Things had changed little since Klonoan had ruled, thought Hans, from the frankly excessive amounts suits of heavy plate armor, with the Glimmer Starburst and Lumino Wings proudly emblazoned across their breastplates and trimmed in silver, to the tapestries of the conquests of the ancient Lumino Kings.

Hans sighed. It was all very stereotypical of Lum, and most burghs in Glimmer. Pride in a martial history, all very old-fashioned, but all men had pride, thought Hans, and he was thankful for it. It made them easier to trick.

What was surprising were his company here.

Burghers Konig (both the Kupferwerk one and the Rothovel one) were both present, as was expected. As were the burghers of the minor burghs. Some merchant captains and company leaders were also present (which was unusual but not without precedent for the Sovereign Diets), and Burgher Ezzelio was still on vacation, having fled the nation due to plague. Maybe he’d be back, but not today. But Burgher Ardur had left the relative safety of the Eisenkastell, and was here with his son and a man with a handlebar. Good for him.

Burghermeister Boleslaw had also returned and sat upon the ancestral Lumino Throne, though his arm was in a sling. The war had not gone well in the north, and Boleslaw had taken an injury in the shoulder during the retreat. He looked wroth, but he should be happy, Hans thought. He may have failed to take Onyx, but he had his life, and no land had been lost. And besides, his son Albers had found plenty of glory in the South, and that was a good and profitable thing indeed. And he had his health - he looked as strong as an Arles ox, not a hint of plague about him.

As opposed to Burgher Limoen, who sat in a wheel-chair beside him.

Limoen looked horrendous, ragged, gaunt, and infuriated. He seemed the very image of death itself, but that was to be expected – his skin had turned a horrid grey, and the bags beneath his eyes sagged far lower than usual. He had a cap on to hide the hair he lost, but it concealed that fact very poorly. He sat hunched over, in layers of warm clothes, even though it was a hot summer’s day. His face was unshaved, but his beard patchy and thin. And he only had one arm to begin with.

But he had weathered the Carnatak plague. Against all odds, he was one of the few who endured the Sailor’s Curse. There were no red sores (but there were the scars leftover from them), and he only coughed once or twice in a go, no violent fits. And no blood. He had survived it. Before he could exchange pleasantries and congratulate his battered friend, Limoen began:

“Now that we are all here, hmmchff, it is time we put an end to this war…”

TO THE NATIONS GALHAPERTINIKEAUYA, PRACIA, AND RITHOLUSHAT

The Sovereign Diet of Glimmer wishes to put an end to the hostilities between the Tripartite Pact and the Burghs of Glimmer. It is time we made peace, in the face of the plague and the adversity that no-doubt lies beyond.

The following are our terms:

• The border between Arleskastell, Rothovel, and Galhapertinikeauya will be amended slightly farther north.

• Pracia will cede all of the Sunshine Peninsula to Glimmer, to be divided at their discretion

• Pracia will cede all of the territories surrounding Onoma ‘Okole, including the town, to Glimmer, to be divided at their discretion.

• Pracia will cede all of the territories surrounding Ridgestone, including the town, to Glimmer, to be divided at their discretion.

• Pracia will cede all of the territories of the Lichtforest to Glimmer, to be divided at their discretion.

• In short, Pracia will cede all territories west of the Elephant Strait, to Glimmer, to be divided at their discretion.

• Glimmer will assist Galhapertinikeauya and Pracia with efforts to combat the plague.

• Glimmer will demilitarize the Eisenkastell, on the border between Arleskastell and Galhapertinikeauya.

• Glimmer will deliver 10,000 marks worth of New World Gold to the Tripartite Pact, to be divided at their discretion.

• Finally, there will be a total and complete end to all hostilities between any and all parties. Glimmer will not participate in the remainder of the Galhapertinikeauyan war. Glimmer will respect the integrity of the Tripartite Pact, and end any alliance with Castrisya.

We hope that the Tripartite Pact takes this treaty with the highest respect to all parties – let us be done with the blasted curse of war, so that we may focusing on defeating the ghastly scourge of the Carnatak Plague.

Signed,

Various Burghers

[M]The gist of it

I want territories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. I want to give Galhap, Ritholushat, and Pracia gold in return. I’ll help them with the plague if we can. I'll leave the Castrisyan league (sorry banshee). And finally, I'm out of the war.

Let negotiations begin!