Meeting at the light

[Nephrite]

"The abolishment of slavery is an idea we support." Moore says, simply and plainly. If Seira wants to give them wiggle room there he will trust her to do so!

[Anastasia]

Here the Great Khan snaps his fingers. One of the masked dao bows and presents him a sheet of paper, which he glances at for but a moment. "Approximately 50%."

Here Donyas speaks up, "Does that include elementals?" he asks, clearing his throat just before speaking.

"It does not - many do as asked with no bondage needed. The smaller ones are particularly simple save in the matters of Earth." The Great Khan's smile is rather amused there. "There's little point."

[Corwin]

"And if the older elementals with wills of their own who do not wish to follow their tasks are tallied as well, how do the numbers work out?"

[Anastasia]

"No meaningful difference, few elementals are worth bothering with that way." Is the answer you get.

[Corwin]

Seira nods her understanding. "In that case, I seek a clarification. Are you opposed to having the xorn form an autonomy, or opposed to freeing anyone not a xorn?"

[Anastasia]

"Both," Is the answer you get, "However, one can be bargained over, while freeing others besides the Xorn cannot."

[Corwin]

"Why not?"

[Anastasia]

"Because we will not agree to your demands wholesale, or there is no point in doing anything but submitting," The Great Khan says, "You contacted us, you want peace."

[Corwin]

"These are not demands," Seira says, shaking her head. "They are merely our goals in negotiations, I was merely upfront about them. Celestia and the Cauldron offer to provide suitable compensation in return, but we haven't done so in our offer because our value of the request and your value of it likely differ. That is why I have asked what you would consider worth your while in return. There is no submission, implicit or otherwise."

[Anastasia]

"Then there is nothing," The Great Khan says, "We are not interested in that particular line of negotiation at this time."

[Corwin]

"I see. What are your proposed terms for the end of hostilities between the Cauldron, Celestia and the dao?"

[Anastasia]

A moment's consideration, "We will free the Xorn," he says, "An equitable arrangement."

[Corwin]

22:41 <Seira> roll 1d20+68+30+14 sense motive, was the Khan bullshitting me about how freeing all the slaves was unacceptable in any form?
22:41 <Penuche2> Seira invokes Penuche's magic: < 122 > [d20=10]

[Nephrite]

Moore will take 10 for 86, why not.

[Anastasia]

Both of you feel he's being entirely honest there. If he's fooling you, he's so good that yo udon't have any chance at all.