<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Everyone</strong></span><br/><br/>The stone figure gestured, and benches rose up from the ground, shaped out from it, an offering to sit for those who might wish it.<br/><br/>"My thanks for heeding this summons, save for the two of you that had no real choice in the matter of course."<br/><br/>A touch of humour at the end, hopefully.<br/><br/>"It would have been arranged more quickly, Master Toth sending you all here with a wave of his hand, or Eidolon talking into your minds perhaps, but we are all increasingly engaged in all fronts, so you are stuck with me. I have asked you here this day, as the Compact enters a phase of diplomacy more intensive even than our usual. I could not say to the why of some of its timing, but exiled kings and mighty nations alike reach out to us with requests of aid, offers of alliances. The remaining free Phoenician cities seem to have recognized that they cannot hope to be overlooked by the conflict between our peoples and the Heraclidae. The city of Lebida has been sounding us out on the idea of becoming part of the Theran Compact, they wish to send us diplomats to negotiate the terms of their doing so. They are.. understandably nervous about sending such dignitaries as would needs be sent, sent unescorted."<br/><br/>As he speaks, he gestures again, and the floor in front of you shifts into a map of the northern coastline of the Great Southern Continent (ooc: aka Africa), marking the city of Lebida as occupying a central point within it.<br/><br/>"Lebida is a major trade hub, and so the stories say, the only city that seems to be allowed to engage in trade with Shango's Dominion. Adding it to Thera would be no small thing. We want to do more than simply send them escorts, we want them to be suitably impressed. Peoples who find themselves joining a greater body out of fear for their safety in a dangerous world, can harbor resentment for feeling as if they were forced to trade freedom for security. We do not want the people of Lebida fearful. We want them reassured, impressed, and honestly desirous to join their lands to ours. So we do not just send them a pair of our Rhadamanthines for their safety, we sent unto them one of our most renowned performers and one of our widely worshipped goddesses, an oracle even. We do not yank them across space in an instant, but instead have a skilled and sure Chosen wanderer take them on a slower trip to see the beauty of the great nation they will join to."<br/><br/>A pause through all the screed.<br/><br/>"That and teleportation would be as telling them we don't think we could keep them safe on such a trip, when their entire motivation, for the moment, is fear of otherwise being conquered by the Heraclidae. Said less as a flowery speech, I would have you all travel to Lebida by whatever means you prefer, impress the locals as thoroughly as you can, then escort their dignitaries to the Capital by an at least slightly winding route. Show them some of the Theran cities and villages they share a coastline with, that sort of thing."<br/>