You really like to attempt to read between the lines don't you. My satisfaction has nothing to do with what I know. I was satisfied with the Zuma when I played in D'Hara, back when I was a greenhorn who knew nothing about how they worked. My knowledge means I can sometimes see the cause of Zuma actions when others don't, sure but I like the Zuma regardless, I like the challenge and difference they add to Dwilight, and in my opinion a force like the Zuma is great for a frontier orientated continent.
I was fine with the Zuma when you were playing in D'Hara too.
But John: you haven't played near the Zuma in over 2 years. You like the challenge you have never faced, the difference with which you have not dealt. The Zuma today are not like the Zuma of two years ago. Its nice that you think the Zuma is great for a frontier oriented continent. It's convenient that they aren't on your frontier.
The problem, Vellos/Glaumring, is that all you see are problems; you need to be looking for possibilities. Perhaps you need to pause your DWI characters for a while, and come back when your attitude improves.
No, the problem is that I see so many possibilities in ZumaMaster, and see so many possibilities in Battlemaster, and vastly prefer the possibilities in Battlemaster. Yes, I see things that can be done in ZumaMaster. And they are woefully inferior to things that were in the works before the recent chain of events.
Please don't act like I haven't given any consideration to anything the Zuma do. I have. On this thread and the other I have offered quite a few different theories about things the Zuma might be interested in, and noted how each of them was an inferior result.
Why don't you appoint an Ambassador to the Zuma, and send him down with no troops but a dozen scouts, and have him attempt to speak with the Zuma, or at least gather some basic intel? That's the time-honored mission of Ambassadors throughout history.
There are good reasons not to send an Ambassador.
1. They might ask for him to submit to torture, which could lead to some random incriminating message coming up, which would make things even worse
2. The ambassador might come across as "arrogant," which would lead, if Barca's example is to be believed, to even more problems
3. There is nothing to gain by it.
The Zuma have nothing to offer. They need food. We already have gold. They have CS; we have enough for our needs. If Astrum came marching down on us, maybe that would change. But the Zuma have done a good job of getting the humans to be friendly with each other.
That said, a character in Terran has expressed an interest in the role. Though it's against my (and Hireshmont's) better judgment, they'll probably be sent as a semi-permanent ambassador, OOCly because the Zuma are now the only game in town, and I'd like the players in Terran to get a chance to do something. Apparently the brewing conflicts of the last few years need to be put on hold for a while; to keep my realm entertained, I'll send an ambassador. ICly Hireshmont will do it because he hates Garret and would like to have another human have Haktoo's ear.
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