BECMI Chapter 361 – The Hand of Magic
The feelings of the local humans were not something they wanted to be concerned with, but the Shaden settlers would be moving into an area dominated by humans, and would have to make accommodations sooner or later for the fact.
They were moving out from under Gaebrel’s long shadow. Changes were to be expected, and going to the surface in a magocracy dominated by humans was clearly going to force them to change.
For their children, they were definitely willing to do so. The number of new births among the Shaden had plummeted in the last year, as no elf wanted to give birth to a child whose own children would suffer the same curse. Young lovers wanted to head to the surface and away from the corruption of the Radiance down here, which had infected them due to the power of Gaebrel and could only be alleviated by leaving.
The time of the Shaden in the deep realms was coming to a close, all for the sake of their children. The elders leaving on their Last Walk were also heading to the surface, and naturally they tended to be the most magically adept of all the Shaden, giving the settlements above a shot in the arm of wisdom, skill, and magical power that were completely appreciated… or simply allowed the elders to let go and enjoy their final years as they deemed fit.
“What… would you do, in our place?” Elder Nuvykreel of Usamonfall asked quickly, acknowledging I was more informed of conditions on the surface.
“The Shaden have always stood in isolation under Gaebrel. On the surface, this is no longer possible. Even Sidheduiche, despite wanting to live in its own isolation, has been forced to deal with humans and other races, who are not wrong to fear the expansion of the forest and the magic of the Sidhe who live within it, uncaring of their concerns. Fear and isolation lead to suspicion and aggression, instead of mutual cooperation, understanding, and exchange of knowledge.
“Darkmoor was built on that harmony of cooperation, and the Immortals destroyed it for doing so. They wanted war between the races, not peace.”
The three Shaden flushed, and even my mother was unsettled. Gaebrel’s tenets had long taught the Shaden that they were a superior people, and it had been proven throughout the millennia as they persevered and overcame all opposition. They did not need anyone, and the humanoids and monsters of the deeps provided them proof of this, while carefully-preserved tales of the hostility of other races accompanied them through the centuries, painting them as untrustworthy and violent, unknowingly casting them into the same light among those species.
Things would have to change for there to be a difference on the surface.
“How to approach them? They do not have the tenets to bind them together. They are so… unpredictable,” Captain Avaklyander frowned.
“Their rulers and their powerful, yes. But their civilian population? They are eminently predictable, and not so different from our own. They want safety, security, and possibilities for their children that they do not have. Offer these things with an open heart and a spirit of mutual benefits, and humans will change their hearts as quickly as night turns to day. Indeed, it has been proven that humans will become great defenders of elves if we comport ourselves as mentors, benefactors, teachers, and advisors, and not merely lords and commanders looking down on them because they are born, grow old, and die before an elf is truly considered an adult.
“Their short lives give them an energy most of our kind deeply lack, elders. They get out and DO things, burning through the world with energy and fire. Either harness the flame or eventually be burned by it.”
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They ruminated on that for long minutes, talking quietly among themselves while I waited patiently. “Is this a problem you have faced in your realm of Eistree?” the captain finally asked me directly.
“Oh, mine was much worse,” I assured them evenly, earning amused and startled expressions from them. “The humans in the lands I claimed were barbarians in the truest sense, living off the land in small tribes in their villages, primarily as hunters and gatherers. Much like the Sidhe, but without the benefit of magic to aid them and ease their travails.
“And yet they survived a hard land, without the benefit of elven magic or long years, purely on determination, cussedness, and willingness to kill those who threatened them. They are a strong and proud bunch of ornery bastards, who have proven they do not need me or any elves or our magic to survive, if not exactly prosper. Dealing with them was thus problematic, as the sum of their concerns was for family, friends, tribe, and perhaps clan. Distant overlords with magic were simply worthless to them.”
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“That does indeed sound like a problem,” conceded Elder Raichmael of Down Tattis, the other settlement represented here, looking quite curious. “How did you win them over?”
“I displayed the usefulness of magic, as opposed to the necessity of it. On the large scale, there was a great and cold winter recently, one that buried the north under feet of snow, and likely would have proven the death of multiple tribes of barbarians.
“The lands under my Pyramids were kept mostly free of the inclement weather and utter chill, and I opened the borders to all the humans who needed relief from the weather… which was driven by Immortals, of course. They wanted the barbarians to go to war to claim my territory for their own survival, and I imagine were quite miffed when I simply invited them in as a good neighbor and allowed them to stay, as long as they were willing to defend the place while they did.
“Considering that an invasion of frost jotun was coming that would have torn through their isolated villages like an axe through toadstools, fighting alongside us, instead of against us, looked far more promising.
“Then, I showed them what it was like to fight in alliance with elves, instead of against elves. I let them know we were not weak, and we could indeed make them stronger if they fought alongside us… along with suitable punishments for those who thought to take advantage of us, use treachery, and not contribute in return.
“From there, it was merely a matter of their own inclinations leading them back to us. The chance to sponsor their children as Rangers, the access to more lore and knowledge, and not demanding fealty, but earning it as the reward for duty on clear terms, has proven very doable. Giving them guidance on equitable laws made for mortals rather than for Immortals has also proven useful. Fairly spoken, fairly done… those are the words I use dealing with the humans of my lands.
“Of course, the other humans I deal with are affluent neighbors, and come from advanced societies. Dealing with them as equals in all ways is only sensible, the more openly, the better for us all.
“Free Zanzyran farmers are not an advanced society,” I finished up calmly. “They fear the capriciousness of the wizards who dominate their land. They despise the fact that they are not considered wise enough to rule simply by not being wizards themselves. They loathe the way the laws absolutely favor wizards at their own expense, as if they were a lower class of beings.
“Despite all of this, they still crave the safety, security, and better futures for their children that all humans do.
“Approach them without arrogance in your own superiority, see them for their potential instead of their present, speak fairly, and do fairly, and you will have no problems dealing with those humans. Within a generation or two of theirs, they will be enthusiastic partners, driving both your peoples towards a better day… if the Immortals don’t try and cut it short.”
They considered my words, doubtless wondering if such a thing was truly possible. Any former agents for the king could doubtless speak more on the fickleness of humans, but they would have a hard time judging what their own arrogance was causing and bringing to the table. My mother’s expression was neutral, which was actually a positive here.
“If you still wish to immigrate up to Zanzyr, my advice is to move here.”
The image of Zanzyr swelled across the table again, and the emphasis for the light moved to the south, below Fuireze and Iendyl and Erendyl, in the heart of the rough hills and broken terrain between the Bleaklands and the Neros Alpes, around Camp Kristneth.
“What makes this choice superior in your eyes?” Captain Avaklyander asked immediately, leaning forward to inspect the terrain represented so keenly in my extremely detailed Holo.
“Potential. The Shaden have never been afraid to work towards a cause, nor test their willingness to fight for those resources. If you are willing to work with your neighbors, this area is a potential bonanza and ripe for development, provided you know what you are doing and are willing to work with the scattered free humans in the area.
“Most importantly, perhaps, Erendyl is just to the north. If you are willing to see them as allies and cousins, they will be willing to reciprocate… and you cannot have too many allies on the surface.”
“The reputations of the two human Princes of these lands is that they are completely untrustworthy,” Elder Raichmael pointed out swiftly, pointing to the territories of Fuireze and Iendyl emphatically while glancing to my mother, who nodded agreement as she sat there quietly.
“I absolutely concur, but your dealings with them will be a pleasant smokescreen for profiting from them. Their merchant populations are aggressive and ambitious, and you will definitely be able to make money off of them,” I replied. That naturally stirred their interest in getting the best of a foolish opponent.
With little fanfare, I extended the primary trade road from the city of Erendyl in a new route to the south, outside the borders of Iendyl’s territory, and down to the western edges of Federyn and thence into the Five Shires.
The road led right through the heart of their proposed territory. Their eyes narrowed in consideration.
“There is little trade in the Deeps… but on the surface, trade drives entire nations into profitability and better standards for all, as what is common in one place is traded for what is common in another, but rare on the opposite side. Both sides benefit, and it drives the exchange of ideas, customs, and understanding. The human nation of Federyn is based upon this concept, attempting to gain through trade and peace what other nations attempt to garner through raiding and war for only themselves. They seek mutual benefits that help all, rather than just taking from others for one’s self.
“Granted, battles for trade rights and markets form a new venue and cause of conflict, but you will profit from the traffic passing through, even if you choose not to engage in the great game… and you will choose to do so, because you will see the benefits, the shortsightedness of many of the humans involved, and realize you can take advantage of their foolishness if they try to take advantage of your patience.”
I definitely had all of their interests now. Even mother looked interested now.
“Federyn is the human land that quite literally encircles all of the Relarin Forest of Sidheduiche.” The map shifted east and grew to display that neighboring land, and yes, the forest was completely within Federyn’s borders. “Sidheduiche has already gone through the process of making a homeland there, building it up, isolating themselves from humans, raising the levels of secrecy and hostility to the level of war, and realizing it was better to engage with humans rather than attempt to keep them away and view them as competitors. I will supply you with the history of their psdy conflicts and current situations so that you can skip a thousand years of idiocy and proceed right to mutual benefits. The humans of that country will be easy to deal with and understanding of differences in culture.”
My hand moved further south as they considered not repeating history like fools. “Your position on the new trade road will also be a defense against the wizards of Zanzyr meddling in the Shires. You will find the Shires of the hyn wonderfully open, understanding, cheerful, respectful of elves, energetic, enthusiastic, and it will probably become your vacation land of choice.”