Formal Letters to the Dukes of Baldurs Gate

[Anrilor]

The High Lady wanders into the Palace district and leaves four sealed letters, each addressed to each duke. She gives Quincy a warm smile and wave with a blown kiss as she leaves the Palace.

[InTheFlesh]

A glowering, aged orcblood submits a formal letter to the Dukes as a whole on the afternoon of 25 Ches 1357.

[athornforyourheart]

Aiden Vega, Quartermaster of House Vale, enters the Palace District delivering missives written for the Dukes of Baldur's Gate.

///PM sent

[Xorena]

A messenger from the Thayan Enclave of Baldur's Gate submits a small package and a cask to the office of the Grand Narhelm.

// PM sent

[sweetlikesplenda]

A letter is delivered to the palace, left with Quincy the Receptionist, and addressed to the Dukes.

// PM sent

[FearBeforeTheFlames]

Alexander Marshall and Micar'mizzrym were seen leaving a folder containing an update from Candlekeep with the reception desk of the Duchal Palace - rumored to contain updates revolving around the current state of affairs plaguing the Coast and beyond.

[wangxiuming]

When he is not seen traveling the roads south from the Gate, Osric is at the Palace district. A flurry of correspondence flies from his quill, sent to the Duchal Palace, to various orders across the coast, and to his friends and allies. One such letter is addressed to Duke Belt and finds its way to trusted Quincy for delivery to the capricious Grand Duke.

[BattleBee47]

A woman in a purple gown can be seen delivering letters addressed to each of the dukes.

[Rhifox]

The following declaration is distributed by Zhentarim diplomats throughout the Heartlands. Zhentarim messengers, under flags of truce, read out the declaration in the courts of enemy cities if granted an audience.

People of the Heartlands, lords of the Lords' Alliance, you have brought war to our lands over this last year. In the course of this war, you have been witness to the consequences of that choice. Outnumbered and isolated, it was expected that the flag of the Lords Alliance would fly over Darkhold Keep by now. But you have seen that we will fight to defend our homes. The Lord of Battle rides Veiros before us. Our walls still stand. Whatever quick victory and glory you sought has slipped through your fingers like sand. We are still here. We are still strong.

By following the warmongers of Elturel, you have lead your people into ruin. That is the cost of war. It is not righteous or just. It is death. In Elturel's petty quest for glory and vengeance, your men and women have been sacrificed on the altar of Garagos, and on the altar of Bhaal, and on the altar of Myrkul. As long as you seek to bring such death to us, it is you who will taste the blood and ash. Scornubel burns. The fields of the Sunset Vale, of Berdusk and Iriaebor and Asbravn and Corm Orp, burn. Your armies have been routed. In the east, Cormyr lies defeated by Zhentil Keep.

Darkhold asks the Lords Alliance to give up this foolish and destructive war, before you bring more harm to your people. Reject the bloodlust of Elturel. Reject the path of the warmongers. It has given you nothing but lost lives and economic hardship. Return to the years of peace and trade. Withdraw your armies and come to the negotiation table. Darkhold will forgive those that have broken faith with us so long as they cease their support of this unrighteous cause.

For those who will not talk, who will not withdraw, we will continue to fight to protect what is ours with all the forces and resources at our disposal. It is the Zhentarim that have developed the means to stabilize the magic of Faerûn. We have brought lightning and fire. If you do not relent, we shall soon bring the sea. We did not seek this war, but we will end it.

[Rhifox]

The following declaration is distributed by Zhentarim diplomats and read out in the court of Baldur's Gate.

By the word of the Lady of Darkhold, let it be known that negotiations for the end of the Darkhold-Lords Alliance War have been concluded and a formal state of peace now exists between Darkhold and the cities of the Lords Alliance. The terms for the conclusion of this conflict are as follows:

1. Darkhold withdraws its claims over Corm Orp and the lands of the north and north-east Sunset Vale. These lands are henceforth to be regarded as a sovereign nation and a buffer state between the Lords Alliance and Darkhold. In exchange, the Lords Alliance shall withdraw its armies back to the west. Hill's Edge, Corm Orp, and the north-north-east Sunset Vale are to commit to never entering the Lords Alliance. In exchange, the Zhentarim and the Lords Alliance promise to respect the region's territorial integrity and refrain from the threat or use of force against it. No armed forces exceeding the size necessary for securing the safety of economic traffic shall be allowed to move through the region defined by this agreement.
2. Darkhold withdraws its claims over the Boareskyr Bridge and the bridgefort on the western bank of the Winding Water river.
3. All prisoners recovered by Darkhold and the Lords Alliance over the course of the conflict are to be released back to their respective homelands.
4. Darkhold and Elturel agree to an indefinite cessation of armed hostilities.
5. No forms of violent conflict by Darkhold or the Lords Alliance may be initiated against one another for a period of one year.

Should any of these terms be violated, this agreement shall be declared null and void and armed conflict may resume.

Furthermore, it has been agreed that a clarification is to be made regarding Darkhold's claims in its final war correspondence to the nations of the Western Heartlands:

• The "defeat of Cormyr" is understood as an aggrandizement and Darkhold admits that the conclusion of the Cormyr-Zhentil Keep war was not a decisive victory for the Black Network.
• The "routing of armies" is understood to be in reference specifically to Darkhold's victory at the battle of the Perimeter Wall and not a total defeat of the Lords Alliance armies in the war.
• The "stabilization of the Weave" is understood to refer to Darkhold's access to and willingness to use high level spellcraft and magical weapons in defense of its territory regardless of potential impact on the Weave. The nature and means by which successful application of Darkhold's magical forces is made shall remain undisclosed for the purposes of national security.

Once the declaration has been delivered, Zhentarim diplomats remain in the city to begin negotiations regarding the reopening of movement and commerce.

[sweetlikesplenda]

Lord Lyonaler, along with the High Lady Alyssia, approach Quincy at the Receptionist Desk. After some small talk with Quincy, the Lord takes some offered paper and ink pen and writes a letter. It is pressed with the Lyonaler family crest, and addressed to Duke Eltan. The words "Urgent" are heard spoken to Quincy, as it is handed over.

[Anrilor]

Upon hearing of the declaration of the white peace offering. The Heartwarder would send her own, with urgency to the Council of Four, and sent to the Lords and Ladies of the Alliance next to Lord Lyonaler.

Your Graces,

With the declaration given and trade being negociated, I urge two addendums. But given the fact that it was the Zhentarium that gave such an announcement and not our allies, nor your Graces, I pray things are not set in stone yet, and the fact that both declaration and trade talks begin before anyone has time to morn the loss of their loved ones while their bodies are still warm upon the battlegrounds, which alone a sickining fact that I can hardly wrap my head around, I urge you, to heed these two things

1. Trade is not on the table, until peace is fully established and not declared, the one year white peace treaty must be upheld before any goods and services are traded with those our allies, friends, and loved ones fought, bled, and died in. If any infraction is confirmed within that year, the negociations of trade will be postponed another year, if it is to ever to be placed in our thoughts as an insult to those whom fought and died upon our behalfs. That being said, trade to the new neutral buffer towns and villages will be allowed. If goods and services are traded there, so be it, but let it be on the consious of the merchants that make that journey and deal with those that killed our allies in war.

2. No Zhentarium agent will ever speak in an alliance court, with but one exception. Should and infraction of the white peace be brought before the High Court and not through the proper channels, it must be stated well before the Court date, and appropreate messengers sent to allow for a defense. If any agent is discovered upon any court within the Alliance without the express invitation for the expressed intention, it will be considered a breach of the peace, at which point heavy consessions are to be made, to be deteremined by the Court violated in such a mannor. In return, any claims outspoken in High Court given without the allowance of an appropreate defense, will immediately be shut down, and taken to appropreate channels.

2a. Should it be requested, an offer of Hostage exchange be provided to ensure the safe passage of dignitaries through lands, and be returned promptly without harm at the conclusion of court.

I pray you will heed my words, and end these conversations of trade and profit while those that died are not yet put to rest. I hope to hear from your Graces own mouths rather then our enemies dignitaries of what is to pass and what the future brings.

Heartwarder Alyssia Leonhart, High Lady of the Halls of Inner Light.

[wangxiuming]

Osric delivers his own letter to the Grand Dukes and publishes it to an open forum for all to see.

Your Graces,

The Zhentarim have sent envoys declaring a cessation of hostilities with the Lords' Alliance. Whether this armistice is true or no, I would rather rely upon the words of High Rider Dhelt, High Watcher Berelduin and the other leaders of the Lords' Alliance forces. Regardless of such, it has reached our ears that these Zhentarim envoys now linger in Baldur's Gate to renegotiate trade and commerce.

Once more, Your Graces must decide how our great city is to face the circumstances of today to meet the needs of the morrow. To that end, I must implore Your Graces to immediately have these "diplomats" escorted back to their dread keep atop the Sunset Mountains. To this argument, I offer the following for consideration.

• First, the peace proclaimed by the Lady Castellan of Darkhold is one that is - by her own words - temporary. The armistice she describes has a finite period. While she claims Elturel has agreed to an indefinite cessation of armed conflict, unless further amended, hostilities could be reopened between Darkhold and the Lords' Alliance in a year's time. And it is difficult to imagine Elturel abiding this armistice when and if the rest of the Lords' Alliance should find itself in war once more. Thus, the city must treat any prospect of trade with an unreliable partner as Darkhold and the Zhentarim with extreme caution. It would be to our tactical disadvantage to tie ourselves to Darkhold when peace is not assured.

• Secondly, to enter into trade negotiations now, so soon after the war, would be a grievous affront to all who have suffered and lost at Zhentarim hands. Even the presence of these envoys conveys a message that we are open to discussion. That sends the wrong message to our actual allies in the Lords' Alliance.

• Lastly, the Zhentarim are and ever shall be an enemy to the free people of the Sword Coast. Any trade offered to them will inevitably serve to finance their ends - and we have seen from the war this year that there is no limit to how low their tactics will sink. Their alliance with the dread dragon Vuthair has seen the deaths of countless soldiers and innocents, the razing of land, and the destruction of Shrines to Eldath. They have no respect for peace except that which will return them to the advantage. Their scorched earth tactics have ruined leagues of soil for decades. Scornubel's harbor was set to blaze by Zhentarim intrigue.
  
  And these crimes are only those of which I have personally learned. Who is to say how they will spend Baldurian coin against us when their ambitions see them inevitably try to exact revenge for this war? Their agents have already levied their threats from the skies earlier this year. To supply them with the trade they need now will only serve to sow the seeds of our own destruction.

Yours is the wisdom that leads us all. In light of these facts and circumstances, I urge Your Graces to carefully consider what it is the Zhentarim are doing by leaving their envoys here. Please, send a message to our allies in the Lords' Alliance that we stand with them - not with the Zhentarim.

I thank you for your consideration and trust in your guidance. Long Live the Grand Dukes. Long Live Baldur’s Gate.

Yours in service,
Lord Osric Vale

[Rhifox]

Zhentarim diplomats arrive at the court of Baldur's Gate and deliver a letter to Quincy.

[Anrilor]

The High Lady of the Halls is seen entering the Ducal Palace and leaving a letter for the council of four, along with a bank note for 750 crowns (750k gold given to DM Ghost)

To the Council of Four,

Firstly accept my apologies for missing court, there were still tasks needing to be seen to, and there was a conflict of time that did not allow my presence in your High Court.

With that out of the way, I present to you what I promised at the Last High court, funds raised for the expansion of the farmlands, a total of seven hundred and fifty thousand pieces, delivered neatly in a bank note addressed to your court. I do feel the need to remind the deal struck at the beginning of the year, that for every coin raised, it would be matched by your Grace's and the city's purse to double the amount given from my own coffers.

This expansion would then be a total of 1.5 million pieces, a massive project of infrastructure, labor, and dreams of those to see our great city strengthened. The generosity of our people and adventurers are near boundless, and for that I am thankful.

Not everything is good news however, labor has been notoriously hard to find. The city for such a project, and even with that, I doubt the city could fully man such a project to be completed by greengrass to plan in next spring. While I trust your Graces to assist with recruiting within the city, I would ask your permission to reach out to the displaced refugees throughout our alliance from the war, and offer them a second chance at a new life as one of our citizens. Bauldurians will of course have first choice, but others willing to join our great city would be most welcome.

I await your response, and will begin eagerly to further organize and direct this great project in your names.

Heartwarder Alyssia Leonhart
High Lady of the Halls of Inner Light