Topic of the Month: The Kastelios-Thyatis Accord
[Excerpt from a recently-released Darokinian
document. Ed.]
The meetings between the Empire of Thyatis and the City-State of
Kastelios, regarding the free movement of shipping through the Sea
of Dread, will prove in time to be a ground-breaking example of
skilful diplomacy. Both parties had their own interests coming to
the table, and it is clear, from all available reports, that both
acted in the best manner possible to protect them.
Thyatis, for its own part, was in the throes of its war against the
Twaelar, which, it will be remembered, greatly hindered its
capacity to continue its colonisation efforts in the Hinterlands,
currently considered to be an important imperial policy. With no
safe route in the Eastern Sea of Dread, by which to ship its goods,
soldiers, and colonists to Davania, Thyatis had to seek an
alternative. Ochalea and the Pearl Islands, though not hostile to
the empire, were still sovereign states, and thus Thyatian shipping
could not pass through their waters with impunity. Fortunately, not
all avenues had been exhausted-the Thyatians had knowledge of
Kastelios, though it was considered too distant to maintain regular
contact. Sending ships to Kastelios would be a considerable
journey, but by no means impossible, as the difficulty was
navigating the northern shore of Davania, known to be festooned
with treacherous shallows, reefs, and worse.
Kastelios, it would seem, has known of the Old World for several
years, though its information appears to have been based largely on
hearsay and rumour. What is known of the city-state's history is
available in other documents [also in the Mystaran Almanac.
Ed.], so there is no need to repeat it here. Suffice it to
say that, as the rumoured remnant of a long-dead empire, Kastelios
has been fighting for its existence for a long time. It is only
relatively recently, within the past decade according to Kastelian
contacts, that the city-state has started to explore its
surroundings and venture farther afield.
So it was that Thyatis approached Kastelios, in the hopes of
securing an arrangement by which the city-state could aid it in
securing access to the Hinterlands once more, knowing full well
that, as a local nation, Kastelios might know of a route by which
the treacherous northern coast of Davania could be navigated,
thereby bypassing the Twaelar realms entirely. The negotiations
were of course tense, with each side trying to advance its own
interests as much as possible. Thyatis, for its own part, appeared
to be seeking a safe route to the Hinterlands, and little more.
Kastelios, on the other hand, apparently saw an opportunity to
reach the Old World, through an agreement with Thyatis; the trade
agreements they wished to secure, had they been accepted, would
have provided the city-state with a stepping stone to establishing
firm contacts with the nations of southeastern Brun.
Regardless, the outcome appears to benefit both parties. Thyatis
has gained a route to the Hinterlands, as well as a Kastelian
guarantee of safe shipping, so long as Thyatian vessels are under
escort by its navy. Kastelios has gained revenue from the deal, as
well as the likelihood of expanding its diplomatic network, though
perhaps not in the manner it had hoped. This deal is an historic
one, in that it represents the first official, diplomatic contact
between a nation of Davania, and one of Brun, in a civilised
context.
What sort of consequences could one speculate from this encounter?
It is difficult to say at this point, though in all likelihood the
current trading ties that are being forged could very well evolve
into a more comprehensive agreement, perhaps covering such diverse
areas as cultural exchanges, cooperation in the Sea of Dread
region, and perhaps military agreements in the southwest.
Regardless, the development of ties between Thyatis and Kastelios,
no matter how tenuous at the moment, could signify the beginning of
a new era of exploration in the south. How events actually shape
remains to be seen, but this region of the world certainly merits
further attention, with the revelation that other cities exist
further inland.