Post invasion politics

[JeVondair]

Is there a sparknotes version of that? 

[Solari]

Is there a sparknotes version of that? 

Sure, I'll indulge. Most of the people who play in Melhed and comment on these forums have bought into a mass delusion, IC and OOC, about their own self-reliance, and re-written the realm's history for whatever purpose. And it's going to get the realm killed. Who knows if the same players actually know better. If not, that's understandable, but sad. If so, that's just sad.

[Chenier]

Rio is free to go kick OG's ass, given how relations between the two suck.

[Turner]

You know that Melhed contributed to about 2 of the 9 battles that were required to free Unger, right? And even then, that they made up less than half of the CS present at the battles? That we depopulated entire regions, and bankrupted families in this pursuit? Solari family had 9,900 gold before the invasion, and spent 8,500 in two weeks in Thalmarkin... and that's just one family. And that we helped free Grehk's capital after yours? And you know that we—literally me, Lorgan, and Noldorin—had to coach Melhed's general and marshals on how to handle Agyr? Turn by turn. They were ready to throw in the towel. We had to encourage them to keep recruiting militia and fight. Enzo sat in Agyr and told them what to do. I can't even remember why it was a good idea at the time. I think I disagreed with it. Maybe Lorgan did. Or Noldorin. The point is, despite a nagging intuition that it was a bad idea, we did it. And even then, Melhed's Council wasn't entirely sold. Ivagil was apparently the only Melite with any sense. I miss him.

Melhed as it is now would not exist without Thalmarkin. I don't think this is especially controversial to people who have a decent command of the facts on both sides. The takeover was at what... 88-92% before they started listening? There is tremendous resentment in Thalmarkin with regard to how this assistance was (or wasn't) conveyed to the rank and file of Melhed... the rank and file that now rules. That is the root of all of the animosity that led to this war. 

I'm incredibly modest as to the accomplishments of the various realms I play in. Every character and ream has flaws. But Thalmarkin, beginning the since last invasion, has been a paragon of how a realm should behave when it cares more about a cause than its own self-preservation. And this seems to be a theme. I wasn't there for the previous invasion, but they bounced back quite nicely from the brink of death (2 regions). How did Melhed fare again? Accordingly, when it comes to Thalmarkin and Melhed, I get tired of competing narratives. I've seen both sides of it. I've intentionally sought out explanations of motives and histories from folks on both sides. Let's be diplomatic and chalk it all up to a series of small failures and indelicacies on both sides following the invasion. But suggesting that Melhed was somehow self-reliant and capable of addressing this threat on its own is nuts.

EDIT: I remember now. It was very much me who thought that we should let Melhed die.
EDIT 2: I realized that the idea to spare no effort to save the capital came from two people—Noldorin and Lorgan. I was all too eager to abandon Unger for Vore. I was wrong. Tom even commented on this show of resilience, and how it wore down the Daimon army and the Overlord.

Thalmarkin is just full of nice guys

@Chenier, Rio is welcome to try

It was very poor form IC wise how it was handled, all letters were ignored and never responded to. All Rio did was withdraw from the treaty after OG pulled out. No explanations, no nothing.

[Chenier]

Thalmarkin is just full of nice guys

@Chenier, Rio is welcome to try

It was very poor form IC wise how it was handled, all letters were ignored and never responded to. All Rio did was withdraw from the treaty after OG pulled out. No explanations, no nothing.

Folcard hates you, what can I say? 

[Solari]

Thalmarkin is just full of nice guys

No thanks to me. It's all those damned Belgians. With their silly notions of pride and dignity. Fingolfin basically keeps Enzo on a leash.

[Solari]

Folcard hates you, what can I say? 

Yeah, but Fleugs hates everybody.

[Chenier]

Yeah, but Fleugs hates everybody.

True.

But not enough to break treaties with all of them.

Heck, he looks like he may even somewhat like Sint and Nothoi!

Old Grehk should be jealous. Rio finds Nothoi cooler than them!

[Turner]

Folcard hates you, what can I say? 

Dunno why, never did anything to him

Still, it would be nice to know the IC reason/explanation for the deterioration in relations.

OG should be jealous? Maybe Rio is jealous because we are cooler than them 

[jaune]

Thalmarkin is not full of nice guys Fingolfins & Lorgans coolness and niceness(? is that even a word ?) is just so bright it keeps few rotten ugly greedy violent aggressive fellows hidden

-Jaune

[Noldorin]

No thanks to me. It's all those damned Belgians. With their silly notions of pride and dignity. Fingolfin basically keeps Enzo on a leash.

What the heck, this is the second time you call me belgian here 

But yeah, I have lately been more bothered with internal politics than external...

[Shizzle]

Yay for Belgians!

[Lorgan]

We couldn't very well let Agyr get blighted now, could we? OO wouldn't let us hear the end of it.

[Solari]

What the heck, this is the second time you call me belgian here 

But yeah, I have lately been more bothered with internal politics than external...

Would you prefer I call you Finnish? 

[Noldorin]

Would you prefer I call you Finnish? 

  Not at all. Russia stole Finland some 200 years ago, but we are getting them back sooner or later!

Anyway... Melhed seems to be starting to be a bit open with its neighbours finally. Not Thalmarkin of course, but the rest! And Ill just join in the chorus: Fingolfin is a jolly nice fellow!