Embassy

Revision as of 11:41, 12 February 2018

Overview

Creating an embassy allows the Empire to open diplomatic relations with a foreign nation or empire. Embassies formalize the communications between the Empire and other powers, allowing respective governments to send official communications. Operating an embassy requires the an Imperial citizen is appointed to act as ambassador, and duly empowered to speak on behalf of the Empire.

The Empire can open embassies with distant foreigners such as Asavea, Jarm and the Commonwealth. These foreign powers are empires in their own right and have a similar level of might and influence to the Empire, but are far away over the seas and have many concerns of their own. The Empire can also open embassies to nearby foreigners such as the Axos, the Faraden and the Iron Confederacy. These nations possess power equivalent to one or two Imperial nations, but they are much closer to the Empire and their concerns are much more likely to be aligned with Imperial concerns.

Senate Commissions

The Imperial Senate may pass a motion for the construction of an embassy. The senate must select a territory, and a region within that territory, where the embassy will be constructed.

Each embassy is tied to a single foreign nation. When the construction is complete a new Imperial title of ambassador is automatically created. An ambassador automatically has authority for all negotiations with the foreign nation. Appointment follows the normal constitutional process for an Imperial position appointed by the Senate and re-appointed each year after that.

The Senate does not need the approval of the foreign nation to begin construction, but unless a foreign nation chooses to recognize an embassy and to reciprocate then it will not provide any benefits of any kind.

Benefits

Ambassador to a Foreign Nation

Each embassy is overseen by an ambassador. If there is no existing ambassador, a new title is automatically created when a new embassy is created. If an ambassador already exists, they are automatically given custodianship of the embassy. It is possible to appoint an ambassador to another nation without constructing an embassy - however most foreign nations will only take an ambassador seriously if an appropriate embassy is constructed to house them and the civil servants required to support them.

Without an embassy, the ambassador does not have access to the power of mercantile support, and their briefing is likely to have minimal content.

Costs

Materials: 25 wains of Weirwood and 25 wains of White Granite
Labour: 12 Thrones
Time: 1 season
Upkeep: 5 Thrones

Limitations

Operating an embassy is completely dependent on the agreement and cooperation of the foreign nation it is tied to. An embassy with a hostile foreign nation that is not prepared to accept Imperial diplomacy provides no benefits of any kind.

Even if an agreement is made and an embassy is constructed, it remains contingent on the continuing goodwill of the foreign nation that it houses. If relations sour then they may choose to end contact with the Empire at any time.

An embassy is built to the designs required for a specific foreign nation - it is not possible to reallocate a building to a new nation and no nation would accept the insult of being offered a used embassy built for another nation.

Existing Embassies

The following embassies have been constructed in recent years:

An Asavean Embassy in Sarvos.
A Jarmish Embassy, a Sarcophan Embassy and a Axou Embassy in Cargo, in Redoubt.
An Iron Confederacy Embassy in Sarvos.
A Faraden Embassy in Anduz, in Segura.
A Sumaah Embassy in Necropolis.
A Commonwealth Embassy in Siroc in Madruga.
An Otkodov Embassy in [Miekarova#Mieriada|Mieriada]] in Miekarova

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 ==Benefits==
 ===Ambassador to a Foreign Nation===
-An embassy opens an official channel for diplomacy with a selected foreign nation or power. This allows the Empire to initiate diplomatic contact with the other nation to make requests of them.
+Each embassy is overseen by an ambassador. If there is no existing ambassador, a new title is automatically created when a new embassy is created. If an ambassador already exists, they are automatically given custodianship of the embassy. It is possible to appoint an ambassador to another nation without constructing an embassy - however most foreign nations will only take an ambassador seriously if an appropriate embassy is constructed to house them and the civil servants required to support them.
-Members of foreign nations initiate contact with the Empire without an embassy, but this will be either be to allow the nation to make requests of the Empire or it will be private individuals rather than official representatives. For example, a group of [[Faraden]] mercenaries may look for work during a summit at [[Casinea#Anvil|Anvil]], but without an embassy it is unlikely that the Lady of the Five Winds would send diplomats to discuss a major trade treaty.
-The [[ambassador]] is likely to receive regular communication from their counterparts in the foreign nation, often via the use of the [[Call Winged Messenger]] [[rituals|ritual]]. There is an expectation that the ambassador will reply to these communications, again most likely by the use of Call Winged Messenger.
-===Authority===
-The ambassador has [[authority]] to represent the Empire to the appropriate nation. The civil service provide support to allow the ambassador to speak on behalf of the Empire when dealing with foreign dignitaries from the relevant nation. If the visitors are present at the summit and have requested an official audience, then the Senate room is made available for use by the Ambassador at least once. The ambassador is expected to receive guests from the Imperial throne and to decide on who will be present in the chamber during this audience.
-===Favour===
-Merchants of both sides who engaged in trade between the Empire and the foreign nation have many reasons to want to curry favour with an ambassador. Commonly they will take a portion of the items they buy and sell and make them available to the ambassador at favourable prices.
-This favour is reflected by the automatic creation of a ''small'' [[ministry]] as part of an embassy. This allows the ambassador to directly purchase raw materials from traders and merchants of the associated nation. For example, the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] embassy allows the ambassador to purchase [[Materials#Cerulean Mazzarine|Cerulean Mazzarine]], [[Materials#Orichalcum|Orichalcum]], [[Materials#Iridescent Gloaming|Iridescent Gloaming]], and [[Materials#Tempest Jade|Tempest Jade]] directly for Imperial [[currency]]. The materials provided may fluctuate, but will be tied to those which the foreign nation has regular surpluses of.
-<!-- Ministy is usually built on trade points:
-+15+12+9 = 48 points
-+ 45 + 36 + 27 = 144 points
-+ 75+60+45 = 240 points
-Top level is usually the sum of the middle level + (2x) the bottom level-->
-===Intrigue===
-Foreign nations are like characters in their own right, and seek to draw the Empire into their intrigues. The Asavean Plenum might seek to enlist the Empire in its conflict with the Sumaah Republic, for example. One member of the Plenum might seek to engage Imperial support in a conspiracy against another Plenum family. A high ranking noble might want to employ foreign mercenaries to help put down a slave revolt, or to locate a prized artefact. All of these create narrative opportunities, decisions and conflicts for the Empire and particularly for the ambassador.
+Without an embassy, the ambassador does not have access to the power of [[Ambassador#Mercantile_Support|mercantile support]], and their [[Ambassador#Briefing|briefing]] is likely to have minimal content.
 ===Costs===
 * Materials: 25 wains of Weirwood and 25 wains of White Granite
@@ Line 49: / Line 28: @@
 An embassy is built to the designs required for a specific foreign nation - it is not possible to reallocate a building to a new nation and no nation would accept the insult of being offered a used embassy built for another nation.
-The ambassador is responsible for representing the Empire in its relations with the foreign nation. They are given authority by the Senate to speak on behalf of the Empire and will be treated accordingly. Although the ambassador cannot legally [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Declaration_of_War|declare war]], their words and actions can easily create diplomatic incidents which cause the foreign nation to declare war on the Empire.
 ==Existing Embassies==
 The following embassies have been constructed in recent years:
 * An [[Ambassador to Asavea|Asavean Embassy]] in [[Sarvos#Asavean_Embassy|Sarvos]].
 * A [[Ambassador to Jarm|Jarmish Embassy]], a [[Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves|Sarcophan Embassy]] and a [[Ambassador to Axos|Axou Embassy]] in [[Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]], in [[Redoubt]].
@@ Line 62: / Line 37: @@
 * A [[Ambassador to the Commonwealth|Commonwealth Embassy]] in [[Madruga#Siroc|Siroc]] in [[Madruga]].
 * An [[Ambassor to Otkodov|Otkodov Embassy]] in [Miekarova#Mieriada|Mieriada]] in [[Miekarova]]
 [[Category:Senate]]
 [[Category:Commission]]
 [[Category:Foreign Nations]]

Embassy

Revision as of 11:41, 12 February 2018

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