The Stone Circle Accord

The Stone Circle Accord is the formal name of the current incarnation of a long-standing treaty between the Technocracy and the Broken Kingdom. Originally signed as a unilateral peace and cooperation treaty in the year 775 when the nations were then known as the Stone Kingdom and the Shining Kingdom. The agreement has survived a number of revisions and addendum, becoming the master-treaty for all matters between the two nations, which all subsequent treaties, requests, and agreements must adhere to.

## History

### Background

Upon first meeting, the expeditionary forces of the Stone Kingdom and the Shining Kingdom were involved in a few minor skirmishes. Once full contact was established, however, the two kings begrudgingly admitted that their ideals were compatible enough that a sort of peace and trade deal was the best option.

### Initial Signing

After a series of negotiations in the neutral territory which is now known as Solvarkia, the leaders of two kingdoms agreed not only to mutual defense against aggressors, but to some very lucrative trade deals, including the Iron-for-Steel deal which persists to this day.

### Council of Friendship

During the First Goran War, the Truest King was invited to the Council of Friendship, however, he declined to join the newly forming Circle, and instead opted to make additions to the current agreement, including an expansion on the mutual-defense clause.

### Technocracy

When the Immortals abdicated after the Second Goran War, this was the first major agreement which the fledgling Technocracy tackled. By the beginning of the Golden Age, the entire thing was reformed into the version which has remained mostly intact to this day.

### The Great War

The treaty was, perhaps, most strained during the Great War, when pressure from the Technocracy to preemptively aggress against the Tallet was at an all time high during the Syndicate Campaign. After the events of the Dust Marches during the Goran-Friendly Genocide Campaigns, the treaty in jeopardy for several years, until the Truest King's temper cooled. Facing labor shortages, a much reduced population, and a light bout of famine due to the despoiling of their land during the Tallet occupation, the Council of Royals reaffirmed the most modern rendition of the Accord while The Wall was being built.

### Today

Since the Great War, tensions have eased, and the Technocracy and Broken Kingdoms are settling back into "business as usual".

## Terms

### **Diplomacy**

#### Observers

The Technocracy and the Broken Kingdom each expect a degree of clarity and openness from their neighbors about their actions. As such up to a dozen (a number stipulated by the Kingdom) Diplomatic Observers can be found in or traveling with the people of either nation at any given time.

#### Transparency of Council

The two nations mutually expect a seat to any international meeting between their neighbors and a third party. Although this did not initially include Kushan the years following the great war saw the Broken Kingdom categorizing the southern empire as such.

#### Eastern Block Council - Council of the Undying

With the greatest concentration of remaining enthroned members of the Council of Undying based in the Eastern Block the Technocracy insisted on forming a regional council. This is a Council consists of the three major immortal nations as well as the significant mortal nations which have arisen in the region. Per the terms of agreement, the Eastern Block Council is held at the Cathedral and unless called to session in an emergency, must be convened at the end of same month as the High Tournament and Council of Royals.

### **Trade**

The Broken Kingdom has agreed to sell its specialized horses to the Circle at a reduced rate. This agreement does not extend to specimens not typically sold, and makes the Circle one of only two factions to receive special pricing from the Kingdom. Otherwise the Broken Kingdom tends to export copper, livestock, alcohol, temperate foods, and their luxury-quality goods to the Circle while importing steel, heavy metals, music producing gizmos, and tropical foods.

There is a standing clause that the Broken Kingdom will offer the Circle the same discount on their horse purchases as the Family Hearth receives only on condition that the Circle is able to perpetually supply them with steel of the same quality and in the same quantities as is typically imported from the Ashed via the Family Hearth.

### **Military**

The general protection of the Eastern Block has always been the purview of the Circle and the Broken Kingdom continues to decline much in the way of an active role beyond its groups of Border Riders. The exceptions to this are a standing army of six thousand Riders which is ready to respond at notice from the Broken Kingdom. This army's participation is under stipulation that it will not interfere with a mortal nation and will only enter battle if the leadership of the Circle forces enters the fray as well. The second exception is the garrison force which holds the Black Gate in the Lower Wall.

With the end of the Great War and the souring of relations, larger armies responding to the Circle's call for aid have become essentially unheard of with the force only rarely reaching twelve thousand strong if the standard response force would be inadequate. Any larger army movements tend to occur only in the form of Crusades or actions lead by the Truest King personally. The Truest generally abstaining from any direct interaction with the Circle's forces following the Dust incident.

### **Travel**

Free travel is mutually allowed within either nation by nationals of the other as long as that travel is not economic in nature. The Kingdom reserves its right to tax merchants from the Circle who enter its lands to do business.

### **Construction/Structures**

The Broken Kingdom has agreed to assist the Circle with any matters of construction of shared interest within the Eastern Block without the need to negotiate a Grand Parade. The size of these structures are limited to one million cubic feet however, preventing anything more sizable than a small border fort to be constructed without special negotiations. In return the Circle keeps small hospitals in operations within the Kingdom's borders where physicians from the Kingdom can train in medicine and its people receive treatment. Keeping these hospitals manned is the Circle's responsibility while the Kingdom keeps them supplied.

### **Technology**

The researchers of the Technocracy must give detailed reports on new weapons and how to defend against them before they are unveiled. The Broken Kingdoms will not release these, but are encouraged to use the information to defend against them in future military applications. Like with all such information the schematics, prototypes, and related information are kept in the vaults of the Cathedral against the future need of such things. The Broken Kingdom in turn shares defensive adaptations they design as an answer to the weaponry that comes into use with the Technocracy, though their solutions are typically more low-tech than considered desirable.