After reading as far back in this thread as possible, I would now like togive my opinion about the Zuma:
When I joined Dwilight, I started in Pian en Luries and upon its creation joined the realm of Giask which was eventually destroyed. I moved to an area what was very close to the Zuma, but had little experience in dealing with them. Neither many of my realm mates who are mostly new players. But when we took Eregon, we did so because we knew the Zuma did not claimed these lands, and we did not knew we had to ask them permission before taking it. When Garret contacted me about it he confirmed that the Zuma does not claim Eregon, however informed me that we did have to ask the Zuma for permission. We could have known this if we actively searched for history about the Zuma, but that isn't the case. But I believe everyone has learned from this and it will not happen again.
Garret asked for soem sort of appeasement, but couldn't tell us what the Zuma desired. So after speaking with Chief Magistrate Hireshmont and King Glaumring we decided that an offering of food woul dbe agood idea. So we offered them 500 bushels for failing to ask their permission. Then Garret replied that they wanted the 500 bushels, but desired 4 unique weapons in good condition as well.
We had no unique weapons, neither did Terran and D'Hara. So my first thought was that we would never be able to get them. However with the aid of our allies, we came a long way in attaining the weapons. However time became an issue. The Zuma demanded impossible deadlines, and did cared less if we could live up to them or not. The weapons came from all corners of Dwilight, they had to be shipped to Barca and then repaired. It is a procces that takes time, time they didn't gave us. And because we didn't met the deadline, they came with more daimon armies and threathen to destroy Barca.
They started to complain about Eregon too. Due to a referendum a Lord was elected. They were angry because we weren't supposed to appoint a Lord or hold on to Eregon for that matter. Two things that were both beyond my control. And when I wanted to discuss things about Eregon from the first moment of this conflict, Garret ignored me. After some repeated letters all he said about is was as followed, "focus on attaing the unique weapons, Eregon is of later concern". I had to put some trust in Garret he said, and by doing that it seems I angered the Zuma even further.
They tell us nothing, but act furiously when you aren't able to read their minds.
Maybe the Barcans were rude too; wouldn't surprise me. Julius can be abrasive.
Julius indeed can be abrasive. He also knows to who he can be abrasive, and Zuma are not among those. I have been very polite with Garret from the beginning, I have apologized for every 'transgression' on our part, and I have always been straightforward that we desire a peaceful co-exsistence with the Zuma based on mutual respect for each other and each other's culters and ways.
If I could chose, I would chose for an all out PvP Dwilight without the Zuma. Why are they even there?