Peter2 wrote:DMcCunney wrote:
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If Charis can can sign an equitable agreement with Dohlor, . . .
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There's a difference between signing anything and just leaving Dohlar alone to try and sort itself out.
There could be a significant obstacle to a
formal agreement between the EoC and Dohlar, namely that the EoC is allied with Siddarmark. I know that Desnairian soldiers have brutalised substantial areas of Siddarmark, but I cannot remember how much damage Dohlaran troops have done to that country and its citizens. If a lot, then Siddarmark is not going to appreciate its main ally not helping with its perfectly justified quarrel with with King Raynald and his armies. Don't forget that Siddarmark is a democracy, the people have a voice, and the rulers had better not forget that.
It's a decent point, but I really don't see Siddarmark standing in the way of a treaty between the EoC and Dohlor that knocks Dohlor out of the Jihad, especially if it includes "Though shalt not bother Siddarmark either!" provisions. Any sort of non-aggression agreement extracted from Dohlor would be for the EoC
and its allies.
And it will be action by the EoC that will force Dohlor to sort itself out.
Siddarmark has a lively bone to pick with Desnair, because there are centuries of history between them, but their focus is pushing the AOG out of Siddarmark and helping the EoC put a noose around Clyntahn's neck. Dohlor is a sideshow, and Earl Hanth is steadily pushing Rychtyr back into Dohlor. Siddarmark is standing up new regiments as fast as it can, but they have more important places to deploy them, starting with re-garrisoning and holding territory the EoC took back from the AOG, and progressing to where the Siddarmark Army can
lead the attack on applicable fronts.
It's going to need tact, diplomacy, and a humungous amount of very skillful fast talking to put over the point that the enemy is the Go4 and their minions, not the states that have been dragooned into supporting them. And even so, I don't expect any any number of words or any amount of diplomatic oil to convince a man whose wife and daughters have been raped and murdered, or a woman whose husband and sons have been subjected to the Judgement of Schueler. A lot of them will want blood, and I for one can see where they're coming from.
They sure will, but the first blood they'll want will be from the Siddarmark army units who mutinied in the Rising, and the Temple Loyalists who supported them. An interesting question is what will happen to the Temple Loyalists driven into Duchairn's refugee camps in the Border States. I don't see the Siddarmarkians who remained loyal to Stohnar welcoming them back home. Most of the Siddarmarkians loyal to Stohnar who survived that will likely hold the opinion that the only good Temple Loyalist is a dead one, and will be happy to convert any they can get their hands on to "good" status.
Dohlor was part of the Jihad, but has already paid a heavy price for it. So has Desnair, but there's more history and stored animosity between them than there is with Dohlor.
IMO, if push comes to shove, then the EoC would do best not to risk its ties with Siddarmark. Charis has a lot more in common with them than with any other of the mainland states.
I don't see it as all that big a risk. I think Stohnar will be happy if the EoC knocks Dohlor out of play and he can concentrate his attentions firmly on the Western front.
Whatever happens, the repercussions of Clyntahn's attack of bile are going to reverberate for many many years. In the real world, it would take centuries to reach the point of "happy ever after".
Yes, but see above about where the worst problems will be. Siddarmark has suffered through
civil war fomented by Clyntahn even more than it has suffered from being invaded by the Army of Justice. Brother against brother is always worse than family against outsiders. Those wounds will take a
long time to heal.
And while Siddarmark is a sort of democracy, the franchise is restricted to about 15% of the population. I don't recall details being given about just when and how new elections are called for, but Stohnar is calling the shots, and I don't see him leaving office as Lord Protector until he
chooses to hang it up, nor do I see the people who
have the vote calling for him to do so.
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Dennis