Written By Orazio
Nov. 4, 2017, 9:48 a.m.(7/10/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Hadrian
I...shall keep that in mind, honored Marquis. Your kindness and willingness to accommodate unusual requests for hospitality have ever been qualities I have admired about you.
Written By Orazio
Nov. 4, 2017, 9:28 a.m.(7/10/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Hadrian
Sadly, my windows are not downwind of the Rectory kitchens, and the cook rarely, if ever, burns her bread. Of if she does, I suspect she would cut off her own right hand and join the Silent Reflections willingly rather than admit it to anyone.
So, no. Not at the moment.
So, no. Not at the moment.
Written By Orazio
Nov. 4, 2017, 9:19 a.m.(7/10/1007 AR)
Mj csy ger vieh xlmw, tivletw csy'h pmoi xs tpec e keqi. Mj ws, wirh qi e pixxiv amxl e 5 pixxiv wlmjx.
Written By Orazio
Nov. 4, 2017, 9:12 a.m.(7/10/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Bliss
There are people who are as deep as rivers, where the calm surface hides torrents and currents strong enough to drown a man in the blink of an eye. There are people who are more like fires, burning brightly and frenetically, shedding light and heat in equal measure, drawing those around them close enough to burn. Some people are like the wind, unceasing, hard to catch, sometimes soft and sometimes chill against your skin.
But the Whisper Bliss is, I think, more like an avalanche waiting to happen. Even at rest, the potential hangs about her, making you catch your breath and hold it, lest you trigger the inevitable. And yet, in the deepest seat of your mind, you want to cast a rock at just the right place. Not out of hope of escaping what follows, but because the magnificent stampede is, quite simply, worth being buried alive.
But the Whisper Bliss is, I think, more like an avalanche waiting to happen. Even at rest, the potential hangs about her, making you catch your breath and hold it, lest you trigger the inevitable. And yet, in the deepest seat of your mind, you want to cast a rock at just the right place. Not out of hope of escaping what follows, but because the magnificent stampede is, quite simply, worth being buried alive.
Written By Orazio
Oct. 28, 2017, 5:33 p.m.(6/24/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
Over the past few days, it has been my pleasure to spend time with brothers and sisters from Sanctum, including the Seraph of Sanctum, himself. 'Pleasure' is not mere politesse - there is a comfort and a benediction in tradition, in the enactment of practices and ritual which have been enacted for centuries, with the same words, the same gestures, the same heart behind them. Tradition connects us to those have gone before, and it creates a bridge by which we can reach out to those who come after us. Sometimes I have been asked, as a godsworn priest, if I regret not having children. It is a regret, certainly. But at the same time, I do have children - the priests and disciples who come after me, who will read the words I have read, and inherit the Church I have worked to preserve and protect. In the midst of so many changes, so much newness, it is a delight to spend some time with those who understand the value of that inheritance, as well.
That said, I am rather so full of tea that I slosh when I walk. Perhaps there IS too much of a good thing.
Over the past few days, it has been my pleasure to spend time with brothers and sisters from Sanctum, including the Seraph of Sanctum, himself. 'Pleasure' is not mere politesse - there is a comfort and a benediction in tradition, in the enactment of practices and ritual which have been enacted for centuries, with the same words, the same gestures, the same heart behind them. Tradition connects us to those have gone before, and it creates a bridge by which we can reach out to those who come after us. Sometimes I have been asked, as a godsworn priest, if I regret not having children. It is a regret, certainly. But at the same time, I do have children - the priests and disciples who come after me, who will read the words I have read, and inherit the Church I have worked to preserve and protect. In the midst of so many changes, so much newness, it is a delight to spend some time with those who understand the value of that inheritance, as well.
That said, I am rather so full of tea that I slosh when I walk. Perhaps there IS too much of a good thing.
Written By Orazio
Oct. 19, 2017, 7:12 p.m.(6/6/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Aleksei
I don't believe anyone needs to be reminded of how old I am. Especially myself.
However, I agree with Blessed Aleksei's remarks on the godsworn - we do not require free meals. However, we look forward to assisting with the funding of the new soup kitchen, and with any supplies it may need, as long as it is doing good work in the Lowers.
However, I agree with Blessed Aleksei's remarks on the godsworn - we do not require free meals. However, we look forward to assisting with the funding of the new soup kitchen, and with any supplies it may need, as long as it is doing good work in the Lowers.
Written By Orazio
Oct. 19, 2017, 2:56 p.m.(6/6/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Eleyna
The Faith mourns the losses that the former Archduke Niccolo has endured, and wishes him peace and healing in his rest. It acknowledges and welcomes the Archduchess Eleyna to the head of House Velenosa, and wishes for her, as for the head of every house, the blessings of the gods and confidence that her actions will honor the Pantheon, her House, and those who depend on her.
Written By Orazio
Oct. 14, 2017, 5:17 p.m.(5/24/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Calarian
Prince Calarian, First Observer, is one of the bright lights of the Compact, and I have been consistently impressed by him. Both to his uncomplaining embrace of duty, to his ability to work through his grief to continue to do that duty, and then to tirelessly work to build bridges across the Compact and the organizations therein.
People often see strength in unvarnished, instinctive reaction - to say whatever pops into their head or their heart in that moment, to throw it out into the world, and let others deal with the consequences. And there is, in fact, some strength in that, much as there is strength in a wild swing of a blade that takes out enemy and ally both. But there is more strength, to my mind, in the ability to understand and respect interactions with others, to separate the personal from one's sworn duty, and to follow through with that duty - in word and deed - regardless of one's personal feelings or impulses. That is when words become slender, precise blades that cut only what they are intending to cut. I will always admire the use of a precise blade over a giant, uncontrolled sweep.
People often see strength in unvarnished, instinctive reaction - to say whatever pops into their head or their heart in that moment, to throw it out into the world, and let others deal with the consequences. And there is, in fact, some strength in that, much as there is strength in a wild swing of a blade that takes out enemy and ally both. But there is more strength, to my mind, in the ability to understand and respect interactions with others, to separate the personal from one's sworn duty, and to follow through with that duty - in word and deed - regardless of one's personal feelings or impulses. That is when words become slender, precise blades that cut only what they are intending to cut. I will always admire the use of a precise blade over a giant, uncontrolled sweep.
Written By Orazio
Oct. 13, 2017, 1:23 p.m.(5/22/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
Astronomical readings indicate that the Eclipse of Mirrors approaches. This event often causes consternation and concern among some of the Faithful, as it honors Tehom, the Thirteenth. In the Lyceum, this time is one of celebration and revelry, a feast and festival offered up to the god of the Reflection. It can seem odd, for those not raised in the culture, to venerate the Reflection. However, the worship of Tehom comes down not to the veneration of wickedness or of the opposite of virtue, but rather to the acknowledgement that each of us carries darkness inside, and to deny that is to risk letting it grow wild, untended and unknown. A man who claims of himself nothing but righteousness is certainly a man who is lying to himself - and once one lies to themselves about their own innate goodness, other lies are quick to follow. A woman who believes that what she does MUST be just because she is just, or because books tell her what 'justice' is, is one who doomed to commit injustice after injustice. If you do not acknowledge your flaws, the possibility of your own corruption, then you will be ruled by those flaws, and led down the path of corruption.
The essence of the worship of the Thirteenth is to remind us that sometimes the mirror shows us a truth that we would rather shy away from. We must face it, squarely, and manage it - even the darkness and the temptation. If you are prideful, admit that, and find a place to spend that pride which will improve the world around you, rather than denying it until it sabotages your relationships. If you are envious, use that envy to motivate yourself to do better, rather than tearing others down. None of us is without flaw - do not shy away from your flaws, but channel and rule them in the pursuit of virtue and the gods' wills.
Thus, the worship of Tehom is best understood and conducted in the thoughtful worship of all the gods. Ultimately, we are to aspire to the virtues the Pantheon shows us: Truth, Justice, Fidelity, Wisdom, Courage, Honor, Hope, Life, Change, Healing, Respectful Dominion, Choice, Rebirth, etc. One cannot worship Tehom outside the context of the Pantheon; to do so invites the idolization of the reflection, rather than understanding it in its context. Tehom - and every god - is one god among many, and none of them stands alone or above; our call and charge as Faithful is to live as close to all the gods, and to the guidance of the Faith, as we can. But we cannot do that if we deny the existence of temptation, and those things that would steer us off the path. As the Eclipse draws near, I challenge every person to look within themselves, and not to flinch or avert their eyes from their own darkness - rather, how to control and channel that darkness to better journey towards the virtues of the Pantheon.
Astronomical readings indicate that the Eclipse of Mirrors approaches. This event often causes consternation and concern among some of the Faithful, as it honors Tehom, the Thirteenth. In the Lyceum, this time is one of celebration and revelry, a feast and festival offered up to the god of the Reflection. It can seem odd, for those not raised in the culture, to venerate the Reflection. However, the worship of Tehom comes down not to the veneration of wickedness or of the opposite of virtue, but rather to the acknowledgement that each of us carries darkness inside, and to deny that is to risk letting it grow wild, untended and unknown. A man who claims of himself nothing but righteousness is certainly a man who is lying to himself - and once one lies to themselves about their own innate goodness, other lies are quick to follow. A woman who believes that what she does MUST be just because she is just, or because books tell her what 'justice' is, is one who doomed to commit injustice after injustice. If you do not acknowledge your flaws, the possibility of your own corruption, then you will be ruled by those flaws, and led down the path of corruption.
The essence of the worship of the Thirteenth is to remind us that sometimes the mirror shows us a truth that we would rather shy away from. We must face it, squarely, and manage it - even the darkness and the temptation. If you are prideful, admit that, and find a place to spend that pride which will improve the world around you, rather than denying it until it sabotages your relationships. If you are envious, use that envy to motivate yourself to do better, rather than tearing others down. None of us is without flaw - do not shy away from your flaws, but channel and rule them in the pursuit of virtue and the gods' wills.
Thus, the worship of Tehom is best understood and conducted in the thoughtful worship of all the gods. Ultimately, we are to aspire to the virtues the Pantheon shows us: Truth, Justice, Fidelity, Wisdom, Courage, Honor, Hope, Life, Change, Healing, Respectful Dominion, Choice, Rebirth, etc. One cannot worship Tehom outside the context of the Pantheon; to do so invites the idolization of the reflection, rather than understanding it in its context. Tehom - and every god - is one god among many, and none of them stands alone or above; our call and charge as Faithful is to live as close to all the gods, and to the guidance of the Faith, as we can. But we cannot do that if we deny the existence of temptation, and those things that would steer us off the path. As the Eclipse draws near, I challenge every person to look within themselves, and not to flinch or avert their eyes from their own darkness - rather, how to control and channel that darkness to better journey towards the virtues of the Pantheon.
Written By Orazio
Oct. 11, 2017, 8:53 p.m.(5/19/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
We often underestimate how many genuine, good-hearted people there are in our fair Compact. Those who sacrifice for others, in the shadows, where no one will see their work, or know their name. Such quiet charity is not a requirement of our Faith, but I admit, it always wins from me a higher admiration than any other - what we do when we know we will gain no reward, and fear no punishment? Often, these are the acts which define us. Chosen not for the acclaim they might give us, or the shame they might avert, but because they are the right thing to do.
To those who work in silence and in shadow, know that at least the gods see your struggles, your sacrifices, and your courage, and love you all the more for them.
We often underestimate how many genuine, good-hearted people there are in our fair Compact. Those who sacrifice for others, in the shadows, where no one will see their work, or know their name. Such quiet charity is not a requirement of our Faith, but I admit, it always wins from me a higher admiration than any other - what we do when we know we will gain no reward, and fear no punishment? Often, these are the acts which define us. Chosen not for the acclaim they might give us, or the shame they might avert, but because they are the right thing to do.
To those who work in silence and in shadow, know that at least the gods see your struggles, your sacrifices, and your courage, and love you all the more for them.
Written By Orazio
Oct. 1, 2017, 11:34 p.m.(4/26/1007 AR)
Although I have never been one of those who pursues the art of the sword with any industry, I do occasionally work through my forms as a method of exercise, and a way to keep myself in the shape I expect my body to retain for as long as possible. I rarely have company in this, and even more rarely as pleasant company as my new instructor. I learned, I worked, and more - I felt more relaxed than I have in a while. It is nice, on occasion, to talk about nothing with someone who wants nothing from me except an exchange of puns.
Admittedly, I am not certain he /wanted/ that last, but he did start it.
Admittedly, I am not certain he /wanted/ that last, but he did start it.
Written By Orazio
Oct. 1, 2017, 12:33 p.m.(4/25/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
Every once in a while, I am reminded of how tremendously lucky the Faith is for the quality and competence of the people it attracts, from disciples to godsworn, all the way up to our Archlectors. Events like the recent art shows give me the opportunity to see our people at work - which is, one might be surprised to learn, not something I often have the opportunity to do as Legate. While an art show is not the battlefield, the pride taken in the work is obvious.
In other news, we have welcomed two more godsworn to the Faith - Brother Driskell and Dame Vesper - and I have every confidence in their success.
Every once in a while, I am reminded of how tremendously lucky the Faith is for the quality and competence of the people it attracts, from disciples to godsworn, all the way up to our Archlectors. Events like the recent art shows give me the opportunity to see our people at work - which is, one might be surprised to learn, not something I often have the opportunity to do as Legate. While an art show is not the battlefield, the pride taken in the work is obvious.
In other news, we have welcomed two more godsworn to the Faith - Brother Driskell and Dame Vesper - and I have every confidence in their success.
Written By Orazio
Sept. 21, 2017, 3:43 p.m.(4/4/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
One of the most fundamental and elemental questions a priest gets asked - usually very soon after their first day ministering the public, but sometimes even before, tends to revolve around the existence and/or efficacy of the gods. How much power do the gods have in our lives, and if they mean us well, then why are so many lives so very, very hard? If the gods are real, are they powerless? Or do they simply not care for our struggles and travails?
It is a fair question. It is one I asked myself a very long time ago, as a matter of fact, after watching most of my family and many of my people die of plague, despite my most fervent prayers and cries to Elysium for succor. There was even a time when I, only a step out of childhood and still with the mindset and knowing of a child, cursed the gods and blamed them for the pain and suffering I saw around me.
In the decades of study, worship, and experience I have lived since, I have come to understand how wrong I was, both relative to the teachings of the Faith at the time, and the truth we are slowly reclaiming. For the past centuries, the Faith has spoken of the gods as ideals and virtues, models to be aspired to - the Faith promises no miracles, and does not support the expectations of anyone who believes that they are deserved them. The Faith has never claimed the gods to be all-powerful, all-knowing, or able to wash the ills of the world away with a wave of their hand. We, mortals, stand in the space between dark and light, and where we walk is a constant battleground, both in a spiritual and (we are learning) in a very real sense. The gods are our beacons and our guides - yes, they do have our best interests at heart, and they wish with all of their own soul that we will live and love and fight for righteousness wherever we go. But they are not servants or soldiers to come at our call and carry out our orders or our desires. They defend us against threats we cannot even imagine, the barest spillover of which form our worst nightmares and greatest challenges.
To be a worshiper of the Pantheon is not a path of 'unquestioning love', nor meek submission. It is a struggle. It is a war, every day and every moment, for our own soul, and the souls of others. And no one has ever said that it is not possible to /lose/ that war, when we sneer at the virtues which guide us and embrace darkness, either in our own minds, or through the practices we champion. One of the things I have come to understand is that we cannot expect the gods to do our work for us. They gave us hands, and eyes, and hearts, and minds, and the ability to use them. Vellichor demands that we dispel ignorance and champion wisdom - he does not just drop the knowledge we should know into our minds, nor does he wrap the lies in glowing lights so that we might never be fooled. The Sentinel directs us to seek the truth and fulfill the demands of justice - and it does not claim that either of those things are easy, nor does it simply hand us the answers and absolve us of the fear of failure, of misjudgment. Gloria calls us to courage in deed and in word, to stand by our own words, and defend our honor with steel and blood when required.
A child looks to the gods as parents, judges them as parents, and blames them for not upholding a child's idea of a good parent: endlessly powerful, wise, and protective, no matter the foolishness of the child. Part of one's spiritual growth often involves understanding that the world is larger than that simplistic view of god and mortal, that the gods love us and wish the best for us, but that they are not all-powerful, and the world has rules for gods, even as it does for men. We worship the Pantheon not because of their power, or because of what we think they can do for us (or demand they do for us), but because Love, Justice, Courage, Charity, Wisdom, Choice, Death and Rebirth, the Sea and Sky, the Land, Creativity and Dreams, Change, and yes, even the Great Dream that binds them all, and the knowledge of our own Reflections - these are things worth honoring, worth turning our eyes and hearts to and saying, "Yes, I will fight for you, I will love you, I will live my life with you in mind."
And then you spend the rest of your life questioning that, and reaffirming it, with each new heartache to come along. It is easy to mock faith. There is nothing more difficult than /having/ faith.
One of the most fundamental and elemental questions a priest gets asked - usually very soon after their first day ministering the public, but sometimes even before, tends to revolve around the existence and/or efficacy of the gods. How much power do the gods have in our lives, and if they mean us well, then why are so many lives so very, very hard? If the gods are real, are they powerless? Or do they simply not care for our struggles and travails?
It is a fair question. It is one I asked myself a very long time ago, as a matter of fact, after watching most of my family and many of my people die of plague, despite my most fervent prayers and cries to Elysium for succor. There was even a time when I, only a step out of childhood and still with the mindset and knowing of a child, cursed the gods and blamed them for the pain and suffering I saw around me.
In the decades of study, worship, and experience I have lived since, I have come to understand how wrong I was, both relative to the teachings of the Faith at the time, and the truth we are slowly reclaiming. For the past centuries, the Faith has spoken of the gods as ideals and virtues, models to be aspired to - the Faith promises no miracles, and does not support the expectations of anyone who believes that they are deserved them. The Faith has never claimed the gods to be all-powerful, all-knowing, or able to wash the ills of the world away with a wave of their hand. We, mortals, stand in the space between dark and light, and where we walk is a constant battleground, both in a spiritual and (we are learning) in a very real sense. The gods are our beacons and our guides - yes, they do have our best interests at heart, and they wish with all of their own soul that we will live and love and fight for righteousness wherever we go. But they are not servants or soldiers to come at our call and carry out our orders or our desires. They defend us against threats we cannot even imagine, the barest spillover of which form our worst nightmares and greatest challenges.
To be a worshiper of the Pantheon is not a path of 'unquestioning love', nor meek submission. It is a struggle. It is a war, every day and every moment, for our own soul, and the souls of others. And no one has ever said that it is not possible to /lose/ that war, when we sneer at the virtues which guide us and embrace darkness, either in our own minds, or through the practices we champion. One of the things I have come to understand is that we cannot expect the gods to do our work for us. They gave us hands, and eyes, and hearts, and minds, and the ability to use them. Vellichor demands that we dispel ignorance and champion wisdom - he does not just drop the knowledge we should know into our minds, nor does he wrap the lies in glowing lights so that we might never be fooled. The Sentinel directs us to seek the truth and fulfill the demands of justice - and it does not claim that either of those things are easy, nor does it simply hand us the answers and absolve us of the fear of failure, of misjudgment. Gloria calls us to courage in deed and in word, to stand by our own words, and defend our honor with steel and blood when required.
A child looks to the gods as parents, judges them as parents, and blames them for not upholding a child's idea of a good parent: endlessly powerful, wise, and protective, no matter the foolishness of the child. Part of one's spiritual growth often involves understanding that the world is larger than that simplistic view of god and mortal, that the gods love us and wish the best for us, but that they are not all-powerful, and the world has rules for gods, even as it does for men. We worship the Pantheon not because of their power, or because of what we think they can do for us (or demand they do for us), but because Love, Justice, Courage, Charity, Wisdom, Choice, Death and Rebirth, the Sea and Sky, the Land, Creativity and Dreams, Change, and yes, even the Great Dream that binds them all, and the knowledge of our own Reflections - these are things worth honoring, worth turning our eyes and hearts to and saying, "Yes, I will fight for you, I will love you, I will live my life with you in mind."
And then you spend the rest of your life questioning that, and reaffirming it, with each new heartache to come along. It is easy to mock faith. There is nothing more difficult than /having/ faith.
Written By Orazio
Sept. 21, 2017, 2:19 p.m.(4/4/1007 AR)
Glancing over the journals my acolytes have curated for me, it seems the defenders of the institution of thralldom incorporate: a Grimhall (a family whose treatment of its people is known to make even other members of the Isles shuffle their feet and speak of restraint and dignity owed to the ones under your care), a recent member to the fealty (sadly of my own family - I assure you, however, that no Saik tutor ever expressed positive sentiments towards thralldom), a crazed atheist (and a strong argument against such foolishness if there ever needed to be), and a Prince (or, at least, the legitimate son of a Princess) who is known to lie about his opinions on colors (and worse, to do so /poorly/) out of fear of having to defend them.
They are at least each in appropriate company.
They are at least each in appropriate company.
Written By Orazio
Sept. 20, 2017, 7:48 p.m.(4/3/1007 AR)
For the Faithful Reader:
First - I have previously shared my thoughts on the arguments defending thralldom. Those interested can pester the Scholars to bring them that volume, but otherwise, I feel no need to reiterate them. Needless to say, the arguments nor my thoughts have changed.
However, I did want to speak on a hobby of mine: diplomacy and negotiation. So, as these are my journals and no one is required to read them, I shall ramble on about my thoughts on this. You are warned.
Ruminations on Diplomatic Endeavors, Part the First.
Diplomacy begins long before you ever sit down at a table across from a bargaining partner. There are three questions you should know the answer to before you even initiate contact with others: what you want, what you will settle for, and what you are prepared to give up to gain either of those things.
What You Want: A goal is essential in diplomacy, and do not hesitate to think big. Have a firm idea of what would be your best case scenario; close your eyes and imagine it, imagine the sweet taste of victory, and the warm glow of accomplishment from achieving every one of your aims and leaving your partner sputtering and wondering how they agreed to such a terrible deal. Feels good, yes?
Now, put that aside, because you will never get /everything/ you want. But knowing what the victory scenario is will help shape your requests and negotiations. Be specific, be ambitious, and do not reveal your hand.
What You Will Settle For: Then, go through that wish list, and perform triage. What is /most/ important to you? What could you end the negotiation with that would still accomplish your goals, even if it isn't the ideal scenario? Here, be brutally honest with yourself - mark things which can easily go on the chopping block, but also make a note of the things which you would rather walk away from the table entirely than concede. As with your wish list, be specific and do not share this list with your bargaining partner. A diplomatic negotiation can usually be considered 'successful' if you can get everything you could settle for...and a little more besides. But if your partner knows what you /need/ to accomplish, then they have a tool that you'll find it difficult to counter.
What You Will Concede: Put simply, what will you give up to get what you want. Diplomacy is, at its heart, a negotiation. Barring your partner and their advisers being colossal imbeciles, you will never close a negotiation without having lost something. The trick is to ensure that you understand what you can lose, and still accomplish your goals. There are two very dangerous answers to the question, "What are you willing to give up to get what you desire?": "Everything" and "Nothing".
If you answer "Everything", then for the love of the gods, hire someone to do your negotiations who is not as desperate as you are. I recommend a Whisper. If you answer "Nothing", then diplomacy is not a method which will serve you well. Either walk away from your desire, or sharpen your blades and prepare to fight to take what you want. But we shall assume that you fall into neither of these extremes, in which case I offer the following advice: understand the specific things you might be required to concede, and which you are prepared to sacrifice first. A good negotiator should not be taken by surprise by a request for concessions (even if he or she pretends to be), but should have a list in their mind of things which could be lost in the service of the greater goal.
This entry has gone on for too long, I imagine. Next time, I will speak of my thoughts on researching your partner, and the first meeting.
First - I have previously shared my thoughts on the arguments defending thralldom. Those interested can pester the Scholars to bring them that volume, but otherwise, I feel no need to reiterate them. Needless to say, the arguments nor my thoughts have changed.
However, I did want to speak on a hobby of mine: diplomacy and negotiation. So, as these are my journals and no one is required to read them, I shall ramble on about my thoughts on this. You are warned.
Ruminations on Diplomatic Endeavors, Part the First.
Diplomacy begins long before you ever sit down at a table across from a bargaining partner. There are three questions you should know the answer to before you even initiate contact with others: what you want, what you will settle for, and what you are prepared to give up to gain either of those things.
What You Want: A goal is essential in diplomacy, and do not hesitate to think big. Have a firm idea of what would be your best case scenario; close your eyes and imagine it, imagine the sweet taste of victory, and the warm glow of accomplishment from achieving every one of your aims and leaving your partner sputtering and wondering how they agreed to such a terrible deal. Feels good, yes?
Now, put that aside, because you will never get /everything/ you want. But knowing what the victory scenario is will help shape your requests and negotiations. Be specific, be ambitious, and do not reveal your hand.
What You Will Settle For: Then, go through that wish list, and perform triage. What is /most/ important to you? What could you end the negotiation with that would still accomplish your goals, even if it isn't the ideal scenario? Here, be brutally honest with yourself - mark things which can easily go on the chopping block, but also make a note of the things which you would rather walk away from the table entirely than concede. As with your wish list, be specific and do not share this list with your bargaining partner. A diplomatic negotiation can usually be considered 'successful' if you can get everything you could settle for...and a little more besides. But if your partner knows what you /need/ to accomplish, then they have a tool that you'll find it difficult to counter.
What You Will Concede: Put simply, what will you give up to get what you want. Diplomacy is, at its heart, a negotiation. Barring your partner and their advisers being colossal imbeciles, you will never close a negotiation without having lost something. The trick is to ensure that you understand what you can lose, and still accomplish your goals. There are two very dangerous answers to the question, "What are you willing to give up to get what you desire?": "Everything" and "Nothing".
If you answer "Everything", then for the love of the gods, hire someone to do your negotiations who is not as desperate as you are. I recommend a Whisper. If you answer "Nothing", then diplomacy is not a method which will serve you well. Either walk away from your desire, or sharpen your blades and prepare to fight to take what you want. But we shall assume that you fall into neither of these extremes, in which case I offer the following advice: understand the specific things you might be required to concede, and which you are prepared to sacrifice first. A good negotiator should not be taken by surprise by a request for concessions (even if he or she pretends to be), but should have a list in their mind of things which could be lost in the service of the greater goal.
This entry has gone on for too long, I imagine. Next time, I will speak of my thoughts on researching your partner, and the first meeting.
Written By Orazio
Sept. 18, 2017, 10:17 p.m.(3/27/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
One of the foundations of Arvani culture is personal honor, and men and women are known by their ability to keep their word. The strongest warrior is nothing but a liability and a disgrace, if they have not honor. The most powerful lord, nothing but a marauder and a tyrant if they cannot be bound by their given word.
We have many tales and stories of those who have faced deprivation, darkness, and great loss for the sake of not breaking their sworn word, but few are those in any age who have the ability to actually endure such travails in the face of convenience and temptation. Some might argue that this reflects good sense, not honor. Is each promise so valuable that it should be held to death, or worse? Perhaps not. But at the same time, how else might we know the integrity of a man or woman, of their will and how high they hold their own honor, if not by their ability to keep their own oaths?
(A variant to this question might exist, on how we might know the righteous and the clever if not by the oaths they choose to swear themselves to, as well. Certainly, my homeland favors clever heroes who swear the oaths that benefit them the most, and their enemies the least, and consider it rather your own fault if you do not pay attention to what is sworn (or not sworn). But even in the Lyceum, the cleverest have made a foolish promise or two in their time. We carry these regrets with us, even as we do our best to mitigate their consequences without proving forsworn.)
Should swearing a foolish oath be our doom? Should we allow a wasteful or damaging promise to drag us down to death? I'm not sure there's one answer for that. If one were to say "no, you should not hold an oath that would surely doom you", then I think we would soon find that the number of people who redefine "inconvenient" or "disadvantageous" to "certain doom" would increase dramatically. But if one were to say "yes, your honor must always come first, and it is always better death than to be forsworn", then would not risk empowering those who take advantage of the young, the foolish, and the trusting? Better to encourage wisdom and forethought before swearing yourself to any oath, and understand that some day, there may come a time when you must break your oath for principles higher than personal honor - but that it is still an indelible mark against your honor to do so. A hard and bitter pill to swallow, but perhaps a necessary one.
All of this, of course, a rambling reflection on someone I met today, who struggles with the keeping of an oath which restricts their options and abilities in ways both inconvenient and potentially dangerous, but who keeps it nonetheless. It is a stand which I can, and do, respect.
One of the foundations of Arvani culture is personal honor, and men and women are known by their ability to keep their word. The strongest warrior is nothing but a liability and a disgrace, if they have not honor. The most powerful lord, nothing but a marauder and a tyrant if they cannot be bound by their given word.
We have many tales and stories of those who have faced deprivation, darkness, and great loss for the sake of not breaking their sworn word, but few are those in any age who have the ability to actually endure such travails in the face of convenience and temptation. Some might argue that this reflects good sense, not honor. Is each promise so valuable that it should be held to death, or worse? Perhaps not. But at the same time, how else might we know the integrity of a man or woman, of their will and how high they hold their own honor, if not by their ability to keep their own oaths?
(A variant to this question might exist, on how we might know the righteous and the clever if not by the oaths they choose to swear themselves to, as well. Certainly, my homeland favors clever heroes who swear the oaths that benefit them the most, and their enemies the least, and consider it rather your own fault if you do not pay attention to what is sworn (or not sworn). But even in the Lyceum, the cleverest have made a foolish promise or two in their time. We carry these regrets with us, even as we do our best to mitigate their consequences without proving forsworn.)
Should swearing a foolish oath be our doom? Should we allow a wasteful or damaging promise to drag us down to death? I'm not sure there's one answer for that. If one were to say "no, you should not hold an oath that would surely doom you", then I think we would soon find that the number of people who redefine "inconvenient" or "disadvantageous" to "certain doom" would increase dramatically. But if one were to say "yes, your honor must always come first, and it is always better death than to be forsworn", then would not risk empowering those who take advantage of the young, the foolish, and the trusting? Better to encourage wisdom and forethought before swearing yourself to any oath, and understand that some day, there may come a time when you must break your oath for principles higher than personal honor - but that it is still an indelible mark against your honor to do so. A hard and bitter pill to swallow, but perhaps a necessary one.
All of this, of course, a rambling reflection on someone I met today, who struggles with the keeping of an oath which restricts their options and abilities in ways both inconvenient and potentially dangerous, but who keeps it nonetheless. It is a stand which I can, and do, respect.
Written By Orazio
Sept. 17, 2017, 5:13 p.m.(3/24/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
I have never once suggested that trebuchets could not be an answer to SOME problems.
Merely that they are not a suitable answer to ALL problems.
I have never once suggested that trebuchets could not be an answer to SOME problems.
Merely that they are not a suitable answer to ALL problems.
Written By Orazio
Aug. 29, 2017, 1:40 p.m.(2/11/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
No one can, nor should, force anyone to buy what they do not wish to buy. If certain people wish to deprive themselves of Mistress Petal's high quality work, then that is their decision. Personally, I have greatly enjoyed what I have purchased from her, and will have to ask her for more in the future - although, if we're honest, the Faith robes do not support a great deal of variation.
That said, it is worth noting that we kneel in worship to a Pantheon of gods, not one alone. To worship Mangata is good; the mother of sea and sky has blessed us greatly, and none more than Thrax. That should be honored. But we cannot forget the rest of the gods - the Sentinel looks upon our actions for justice and truth. Gild cries out in joy when we show gentleness, generosity, and all the values of civilization over barbarity. Limerance smiles when we love, and pays close attention to the promises we make and how we keep them. Vellichor's wisdom and Gloria's unshakable honor should guide us in all we do and say.
To punish someone for speaking truth, particularly someone so much further beneath a royal house, does not meet the standards of any of the gods. If one takes offense at something someone has said, the proper way to address it - if you're going to acknowledge a single Prodigal tailor's words as harmful to a Great House - would be to make an honorable challenge. Otherwise, a little charity and grace can go a long way to convincing others that charity and grace should be extended, in turn.
No one can, nor should, force anyone to buy what they do not wish to buy. If certain people wish to deprive themselves of Mistress Petal's high quality work, then that is their decision. Personally, I have greatly enjoyed what I have purchased from her, and will have to ask her for more in the future - although, if we're honest, the Faith robes do not support a great deal of variation.
That said, it is worth noting that we kneel in worship to a Pantheon of gods, not one alone. To worship Mangata is good; the mother of sea and sky has blessed us greatly, and none more than Thrax. That should be honored. But we cannot forget the rest of the gods - the Sentinel looks upon our actions for justice and truth. Gild cries out in joy when we show gentleness, generosity, and all the values of civilization over barbarity. Limerance smiles when we love, and pays close attention to the promises we make and how we keep them. Vellichor's wisdom and Gloria's unshakable honor should guide us in all we do and say.
To punish someone for speaking truth, particularly someone so much further beneath a royal house, does not meet the standards of any of the gods. If one takes offense at something someone has said, the proper way to address it - if you're going to acknowledge a single Prodigal tailor's words as harmful to a Great House - would be to make an honorable challenge. Otherwise, a little charity and grace can go a long way to convincing others that charity and grace should be extended, in turn.
Written By Orazio
Aug. 24, 2017, 12:47 p.m.(2/1/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Talen
To the Faithful reader:
It is important to remember to clarify the purposes of any substances sent to you before attempting to ingest them. Not all substances can, or should, be ingested by the same means. Tea, for example, should not be smoked. Presumably, other substances would taste rather terrible when boiled in water and drunk. If there is confusion on how to ingest a given material, please consult with either the person who gave it to you, or your local Mercy of Lagoma.
Note: Consulting with Mercies of Lagoma may result in a gentle cuff about the ears for your own good.
It is important to remember to clarify the purposes of any substances sent to you before attempting to ingest them. Not all substances can, or should, be ingested by the same means. Tea, for example, should not be smoked. Presumably, other substances would taste rather terrible when boiled in water and drunk. If there is confusion on how to ingest a given material, please consult with either the person who gave it to you, or your local Mercy of Lagoma.
Note: Consulting with Mercies of Lagoma may result in a gentle cuff about the ears for your own good.
Written By Orazio
Aug. 23, 2017, 2:09 p.m.(1/27/1007 AR)
To the Faithful Reader:
Today I threw dumplings at a cat and was bitten by a small weasel. This was, I am shamed to admit, the high point of my day thus far. Be kind to your cats and your weasels, children of the Faith, for they have sharp teeth and can find out where you sleep.
Today I threw dumplings at a cat and was bitten by a small weasel. This was, I am shamed to admit, the high point of my day thus far. Be kind to your cats and your weasels, children of the Faith, for they have sharp teeth and can find out where you sleep.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.