The First Day of Descending Water, RY 767
Imperial City, Blessed Isle

Dear friends,

Spring has come and with it the talk of marriage. As a veteran of an arranged marriage myself, let me give you advice….

Ryo discusses the techniques he used to survive the early years of his marriage. He also gives advice on choosing a spouse. Mostly to make sure they are reasonable and you can stand to be in a conversation with them for about an hour. All the political connections are worthless if your spouse will not use them in your favor. The Scarlet Sky Conspiracy will see the following letter:

All eyes are on the North. Cynis plans to move troops to the area to control the unrest. However, moving an entire Legion to the area is proving to be a bureaucratic nightmare. Supplies have been stalled. Leave Requests are slow to be revoked. There is talk at the Court that Cynis plans on asking Tepet for assistance. The Roseblack has a convenient legion in the area. This may be the start of an alliance between Cynis and Tepet. Aisa, you must move quickly if you wish to mediate a trade of territory. (http://dice.brainclouds.net/Result.aspx?ID=KAEB4YUN)

Quelaana, you must convince the Roseblack not to support Cynis in this slave revolt. This will be difficult as Tepet Ejava is under pressure to prove herself. If the talks between Cynis and Tepet are stalled, then Aisa can mediate the territory trade. Cynis can move out and Tepet can arrange things as they wish.

Convincing Tepet to give up rich Southern Territory for the poorer and more rebellious north will be difficult. While the Southern Provinces have not sent tribute in the past three years, they are not yet in open revolt. Aisa, I have sent in a separate package the tribute numbers for two territories you wish to exchange. The southern one is rich, but costly to run. I’ve started an audit on the local Thousand Scales. Putting some pressure on the Southern Territory may convince Tepet to give it up.

Carmela, I am distressed by the refugee situation. This is why we need a strong Empress to take control. My wife, who runs one of Ragara’s larger plantations, has offered aid in food stuffs. She also offered to put some of them to work, but I declined this offer. With the current state of affairs, it is too easy to jump from refugee to slave.

Akashan, I also find your discoveries about the Imperial Manse distressing. I wish nothing to do with the Imperial Manse. That place is death for my kind.

Peleps Hiro. That is not a name I have heard in a long time. He and my wife were acquaintances about fifteen years ago. When my wife became politically inconvenient, Hiro cut all ties off with her. It was a difficult time for her, but our partnership came out stronger. I am not surprised he is sitting on an unknown Factory Cathedral. Hiro is often at sea. With my limited knowledge of geomancy, I doubt he uses the hearthstone for more than a battery to run his ship. I’ll admit to wanting to take Peleps Hiro down a peg. Saveria has forbidden me from enacting revenge against the Water Aspect. Akashan, helping you remove Hiro from his manse would give me great pleasure. Especially since it will be you, not I, removing him from the manse. It will take time, but I believe we could engineer Hiro to have a bit of a financial disaster.

I have tracked the men who broke into my house to my dear aunt. Nellens Pala has caught on to my little behind the scenes ploys. She had my house searched to see if I had nefarious plans. Who needs enemies when you have family. I assured her of course I had only the best interests of the Realm in mind. Which is true, but my dear Aunt has no need to know about the work of our conspiracy. My Aunt wishes for me to work openly as a member of the house, instead of like a criminal. (http://dice.brainclouds.net/Result.aspx?ID=YH2J439V)

With my Aunt’s prompting, I have made overtures with my father-in-law about being appointed to the lower house of the Deliberative. Like most things, only the Scarlet Empress can appoint new members to the Deliberative. However, Amado believes I should keep my work behind the scenes.

To be honest, I agree with my Aunt Pala. Always working from the shadows does not sit well with me. As a “mortal”, there is little I can do, yet mortals can become members of the Lower House. There is risk here, but this seems to be the time for risks.

Aisa, I wish to ask for your permission to rework the bureaucratic process to appoint members of the Deliberative. My suggestion is the remove the need for the Empress to approve all appointments. Let the Houses appoint their own members without oversight. As this would limit your future power, Aisa, I wish to ask your opinion on the matter.

Akashan, I will need Tepet Fokuf’s stamp to approve any changes to the Bureaucratic process. While I cannot request an audience with the Regent, you, as Dragonblooded, could.

Titus, I’m curious about these Gold Faction you mentioned. Perhaps destroying the Golden Cranes would be hasty. Not I have plans on conquering the world. I doubt Lookshy and the like would be impressed by strongly worded letters. You did mention earlier that your associates were the architects of the religion. Titus, you think this Gold Faction can aid with changing the Immaculate religion?

May the storm clouds break and the sun shine on you all,

Nellens Ryo

PS Aisa, I am glad Zara is doing so well at the Heptagram. Let her know both Shu and I miss her greatly.