Ministry of Diplomacy

The Ministry of Diplomacy is the fourth Ministry to be created of the Ardeirian Six, and claims to be the most active, next to the Ministry of War. This is due to the fact that Extermination and Expansion are usually under the command of the Ministry of War indirectly, and the Ministry of Religion is centered around preserving texts and maintaining the influence of the Ardeirian Religion -- whereas the Ministry of Diplomacy must keep tabs on all surrounding noble families, including those inside the Earldom.

Like all of the Ministries, the Grand Ambassador is considered part of a pseudo-nobility, which are used as a sort of auxiliary in the case of treason to replace troublesome nobles.

## History

The Ministry of Diplomacy is one of the key points that can attest to Ardeiria's age, despite its losses against the Gilneans and struggles throughout the Range Rebellions, ensuring allies and maintaing trade agreements even during the Vulture's Era. Due to the masterful words of Ardeirian diplomats, the Ministry was able to keep a vassal to the House of Greymane, House Crimsonthorn of Snow-wood, to hide Ardeiria's existence from the much larger Crown. This alliance was sealed with the ceding of the Osprey, renamed Forest Lake or Northern Snow-wood, and prevented the Gilneans from launching an attack into their own mountains until the agreemnt was broken by Taeron Vaught and Vladimir Crimsonthorn, starting the War of Subjugation.

While the original position of Grand Ambassador was for this purpose, due to its huge important, the rest of them were largely less prestigious, with jobs that usually meant staying in the Elk's Keep or Snowhaven for the entirety of their careers. When Ardeiria was brought into Gilneas, their Ministry of Diplomacy was shut down until the reign of Earl Haron III, grandfather to Arwel Vaught IV, in which the Earldom gradually regained control of their government. From that point forward, the positions were redesignated to accompany Haron's plans to introduce them to the Ashen Coast, which wouldn't happen until Earlessa Anwen Vaught I's brief regency.

## Purpose

While the Ministry of Diplomacy's purpose is somewhat self-describing, they have a sidegoal of learning weaknesses to convey to the Ministry of Intelligence. The two have an intricate, complicated relationship, but to most other Ministries they're considered "Sisters". Anything learned during a mission to, for example, the House of Darkoak, Greyfield, etc. Is relayed to their Sister Ministry, and vise-versa. This allows for easier negotations, as well as -- should the time call for it -- more smooth war-efforts against former allies.

## Structure

Grand Ambassador: Ambassador to all of the Ashen Coast and Ardeiria, as well as to Gilneas in times of urgency.

Blood Ambassador (Retired): Formerly a rank for the Vaughts who wished to enter to be given, it was retired when Haron III simply stated that representations within the family was theirs alone to dictate.

Senior Ambassador: Has the ability to represent Ardeiria to one Great Lord: Grayblade, Greyfield, Gregor.

Chancellor: Holds information on diplomats, and assigns standard Ambassadors to different locations. Does not take diplomatic jobs himself, but rather organizes information.

Ambassador: A step above Diplomat, Ambassadors are representatives that are always used, rather than situational. Standard Ambassadors can meet with Earls and below, aside from Lord Darkoak.

Diplomat: Typically someone still learning, Diplomats are used when an Ambassador cannot be, or with an unimportant or extremely loyal ally for time ranging between a day to a month.

Apprentice: Kept under an Ambassador, the Diplomat rank is essentially an intermediate version of this. Apprentices tail behind a chosen Ambassador, hopefully picking up on queues dropped by both parties.

Ensign: It takes four years of Diplomatic, speaking, and historical training to make it past this rank. The Ministry of Diplomacy gives a less-biased version of history on the third year, thereby ensuring that the population remains brainwashed.