Ambassador to the Grendel

Damian den Mhuir di Tassato-Mestra (orc), Ambassador to the Grendel

Overview

The Ambassador to the Grendel is an Imperial title. It is an Imperial position appointed by the Senate. The title was created by the Senate during the Autumn Equinox 384YE in a motion that also divorced the power of authority from the Imperial Fleet Master (who had previously served as ambassador). The Grendel Embassy in Cargo was abrogated by the Senate in 387YE; as such the ambassador is not currently supported by a staff.

The Empire and the Grendel are at war. The two nations have clashed repeatedly over the territory of Mareave, but the naval superiority of the Salt Lords means that any territory along the shores of the Bay of Catazar could e threatened at any time. Of all the barbarian threats to the Empire, the orcs of the Broken Shore are perhaps the most mobile. But even in times of war, diplomacy continues.

Prior to the Winter Solstice 387YE, the Ambassador was able to purchase goods from merchants and those seeking favour when not at war. This was changed when the Senate voted to abrogate the embassy that season.

Responsibilities

The ambassador is expected to represent the Empire in relations with the Grendel. They have all the responsibilities common to an Imperial ambassador. As such they are responsible for representing the Empire to the Grendel, and to a degree vice versa. They are presented as the primary contact for any official Imperial business relating to the Broken Shore, so their letters carry much greater weight and importance than anyone bar the Throne. They are expected to conduct or oversee any treaty negotiations with that nation, and receive official delegations. The civil service will direct representatives and citizens of the foreign power to the ambassador wherever appropriate.

Grendel

Status: Barbarian
Ports: None available
Ambassador: Damian den Mhuir di Tassato-Mestra of the League
Counterpart: Speaker Morna

Powers

Imperial Ambassador

The title has all the common powers of an ambassador: they can receive a formal delegation, and may prepare a treaty.

Summit	Nation	Elected
Autumn Equinox 388YE	The League	Damian den Mhuir di Tassato-Mestra
Autumn Equinox 387YE	Urizen	Starlight Starchaser
Winter Solstice 386YE	Dawn	Finna
Winter Solstice 385YE	Dawn	Finna
Winter Solstice 384YE	Urizen	Abel

Recent Elections

This title is currently held by Damian den Mhuir di Tassato-Mestra; it will be reelected at Autumn Equinox 389YE. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.

Appointment

The Ambassador to the Grendel is an Imperial position appointed by the Senate. Any Imperial citizen can hold this title, and the ambassador serves for a year. They can be revoked by the General Assembly and by the Assembly of the Nine.

Ambassadorial Lore

Grendel Embassy

There is currently no Grendel embassy in the Empire, and no Imperial embassy on the Broken Shore. For a time the Urizen town of [{Redoubt#Cargo|Cargo]] was also the site of the Grendel embassy. Established in 384YE, the orcs of the Broken Shore initially proposed a grand edifice that would have overshadowed the other embassies. The Imperial Senate declined their "kind" offer and instead built a more modest structure here. Built during a time of relative peace, since war resumed between the two nations the embassy was reduced to only a skeletal staff. Toward the end of 387YE, the embassy was shut down by the Senate following fears of its potential use in espionage by the barbarians.

Speaker Morna, House of the Seventh Forge, Dubhtraig, Tathar.

Grendel Ambassador

The Grendel ambassador to the Empire is Speaker Morna of the House of the Seventh Forge, who normally resides in Dubhtraig. They are a canny negotiator described by one wag as being slippery as a bucket of soapy eels. They report to the Council of the Salt Lords, and while it is likely they have their own political ambitions (they are Grendel after all), they seem to take particular pride in discharging their duties to their masters with wry aplomb.

Ambassadorial Briefings

As discussed in the 388YE Autumn Equinox wind of fortune So little I wanted, so little I got, the civil service have recently reinstituted Ambassadorial briefings. At least in the short term, the civil service have resumed furnishing Imperial ambassadors who are supported by embassy staff with individual briefings where necessary and appropriate. To maintain transparency and preserve continuity, the briefings are made available to those who wish to review them after the summit where they are delivered, in a similar way to which historical research is made public. Only those elements of a briefing that are specifically personal to the ambassador may be removed, and only where they are clearly not of interest to the Empire. At the end of the year, this procedure will be reviewed again, to ensure that it is fit for purpose.

In the absence of an offical embassy - and the civil service staff that support it - the Ambassador to the Grendel is not in a position to receive official briefings. A short briefing was provided at the Autumn Equinox, but going forward it will not be possible to continue doing so. Ways to address this issue were discussed in the wind of fortune.

388YE Autumn Grendel ambassador briefing

Ambassador to the Grendel

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