The Bee Dungeon
Chapter 300: Bound by Diploma-Bee

Forgemaster Ughlarer scowled, but said nothing. Loremaster Anyadre let out a sigh.

“It seems…it seems this arbitration is at an end. The signatories of the Calwaskon Compact maintain their consensus…though it seems we cannot enforce it upon signatory Belissar. The joint signatories still implore signatory Belissar to acknowledge and respect signatory Ughlarer’s core interest in this matter…but…we acknowledge that signatory Belissar’s oath to his patron god is binding.”

Another of the signatories, a finely-dressed silver elf woman, scoffed.

“So it seems, but don’t tell me you believe you and your new human pet can dictate your will to the rest of us, do you, Queen Vanieskon?”

Queen Vanieskon made a light chuckle as she let go of Belissar’s shoulders.

“Why, Duchess Bereginna, you should know by now that I need not dictate my will to see it done. Don’t tell me the great and vaunted silver elves are content to let humans rule the world?”

Duchess Bereginna turned her nose up.

“A savage such as this is no Sorcerer King, I think you greatly overestimate his people's chances. Play with the rabble if you wish, pixie queen, but do not expect polite company to play along with you.”

Queen Vanieskon ignored her and returned to her seat. She resumed her bored look and waved to Henilett. Henilett flew over to Loremaster Anyadre and pulled out a second scroll.

“Loremaster, while Queen Vanieskon insists that all terms of both compacts be respected, she does acknowledge this is an unprecedented situation. Perhaps, an alternative proposal can be arranged?”

The loremaster raised an eyebrow, but took the scroll and began reading it. His eyes widened and by the end he was nodding along.

“Queen Vanieskon recommends that, to respect signatory Belissar and Dungeon Master Tamosmed’s oaths to their patron gods, they be permitted to collude per the terms of their existing agreement. However, in order to preserve the core interest of signatory Ughlarer, she proposes that signatory Belissar, as a sign of good faith, should agree not to offer the techniques of the black elves, any products created with them, or mithril and any products created with it to any third party without the express approval of signatory Ughlarer. If signatory Ughlarer wishes it, we should also recommend that Dungeon Master Tamosmed be reinstated within the black elf smiths in some capacity, and as such should be subject to the forgemaster’s authority, with the understanding that he should not be prevented from fulfilling his oath to his patron. Dungeon Master Tamosmed should agree to share all techniques developed from his collusion with signatory Ughlarer. And finally, the signatories should acknowledge that signatory Belissar's deal with dungeon master Tamosmed was signed at a time where he was not a signatory and that both parties acted in accordance with their positions as dungeon masters of the Circle and its principles of mutual support. So, the signatories should jointly compensate both signatory Belissar and dungeon master Tamosmed for their cooperation in this matter and to ensure that this arbitration does not hinder their duties as dungeon masters or their cooperation as members of the Circle."

Loremaster Anyadre gave everyone a chance to digest the proposal before continuing.

"As loremaster and master of proceedings, I endorse this proposal. Signatory Ughlarer, how would you like to proceed?”

Signatory Ughlarer locked eyes with Queen Vanieskon for a long minute before he spoke.

“What choice do I have?”

Queen Vanieskon rolled her eyes.

“There is always a choice, forgemaster.”

Signatory Ughlarer took a long, deep breath, narrowing his eyes on Queen Vanieskon.

“…fine. I’ll take these scraps, Vanieskon, so long as you make sure to control your pet. It will be on your head if he brings a new Hunger upon us, remember that.”

Loremaster Anyadre then asked the other signatories and they agreed to the proposal one by one. He finally turned to Belissar.

“Signatory Belissar, we understand you are not bound by the consensus of the signatories. Still, as a sign of good faith and your willingness to respect your fellow signatories, will you agree to Queen Vanieskon’s proposal?”

Belissar…had not been informed of this and so had to take a moment to think it over. Nenavann had given him a nod when the dungeon master agreed to endorse the proposal, so Belissar believed it wouldn’t be all too bad. So…he wouldn’t be able to share anything Tamosmed helped them with anyone? He…guessed that would affect trade with the sigmaka and the Compact, but his Tower had plenty of other things to trade. He checked with Chief Rohsuak using his Tower messages…and she confirmed that the karnuq hadn’t traded any metalworking products with the sigmaka yet.

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She further advised him that the deal would be a reasonable concession since he was otherwise getting away with ignoring the Calwaskon Compact’s terms entirely…and that refusing wouldn't be worth the bad blood that might result. Belissar himself was inclined to agree, after all, the proposal had come from Queen Vanieskon and she had already been exceptionally helpful for his Tower’s defenses. She'd done enough to earn a favor or two in return. And they did say they'd pay him for agreeing, so at least he'd get something for all this trouble.

Still, something about the agreement made him uncomfortable…

“Signatory Belissar?”

He finally figured out what as the loremaster prompted him. He took a deep breath before responding.

“I am willing, with one condition. My agreement with Dungeon Master Tamosmed involves me sharing my bees with him. Would the part about sharing new techniques with signatory Ughlarer mean I have to share my bees with him as well?”

Loremaster Anyadre thought for a moment.

“That…would need to be specified. It would not be required by the terms of the agreement, but if those bees are necessary for any techniques developed it would go against the spirit of the agreement to withhold them. It would be best for the terms of the agreement to clarify.”

Belissar then crossed his arms.

“I won’t give up my bees, not unless anyone who will raise them will agree to make them happy and let me and the other bees see them.”

Loremaster Anyadre frowned.

“You refuse, then?”

Belissar narrowed his eyes.

“The whole point of this is me respecting signatory Ughlarer’s key interest, right? Well, bees are MY key interest. I’m fine with the techniques and the mithril and stuff, but he has to respect my bees too.”

Nenavann then spoke up.

“If I might interject, I would remind the other signatories that signatory Belissar is a dungeon master of the God of Bees. Bees are indeed a key interest to him, his patron god, and his dungeon.”

Loremaster Anyadre turned to signatory Ughlarer.

“That…seems to be a fair point. Signatory Ughlarer, in the spirit of mutual respect, would you agree to except signatory Belissar’s bees from the mandatory technique sharing, even if they are necessary for newly developed methods?”

Signatory Ughlarer glared at Belissar before scoffing.

“I’ve no interest in those dungeon monsters. He may keep them, but they’ll be subject to the rest of the agreement, same as him. I don’t want to see them used as another loophole.”

Loremaster Anyadre nodded.

“Then, it seems we are in agreement on the key points. Let us work together to build a new consensus.”

The rest of the day was spent hammering out the exact details of the agreement. Henilett had, of course, prepared a comprehensive proposal document, but signatory Ughlarer insisted on going through it letter by letter until he was satisfied. Belissar was thoroughly exhausted by the end of it…but now, it seemed, that finally his business with the Compact was concluded.

But as Belissar made his way to leave…the other signatories walked over to him. Loremaster Anyadre came to greet him.

“Greetings, signatory Belissar, I am Loremaster Anyadre. Please forgive me for not welcoming you before now. Your presence here is…historic. I hope that it will make for a lasting and prosperous relationship for both our peoples.”

Belissar did his best to put on his diplomacy expression again.

“Hello, nice to meet you.”

After him came a green elf man wearing simple but well-made green and brown clothes. He looked a bit like Tarwantrad, somehow.

“Hello, Tower Keeper Belissar. I’m Herading, Viryaskog’s representative. My grandniece has told us much about you.”

Belissar blinked for a second.

“Oh, are you related to Tarwantrad?”

Herading chuckled.

“Indeed. She’s been very excited lately, thanks to you.”

A dusk elf came up to him next, dressed in a black dress and with her hair covering much of her face. She cackled with a raspy voice as she approached.

“Pleased to finally speak with you as well, Tower Keeper. I am Curuhaxa of the dusk elves. I was most curious after hearing about you from both our dungeon masters, one said you are man so respectful of life and death you hold funerals for insect monsters, the other that you have bathed in the blood of your fellow mortals. Which describes you best, I wonder?”

Belissar wasn’t sure how to respond to that so he just said, “Nice to meet you.”

And then Niobee began to buzz, tipping Belissar off to someone standing behind him. He turned around to find what appeared as an elf boy. On closer look, however, Belissar noted the person's body was a bit too fully built and his features too mature for that.

"Maxalaga, at your service. I don't normally take to strangers...but word is you've got some exceptional apiary and the honey to match."

Belissar cautiously nodded and Maxalaga grinned.

"Then, my boy, I think we'll get along just fine. Welcome to the Compact, we'll have to have brunch sometime."

And thus began a long series of greetings with a bunch of important fair folk. Belissar was still on edge from the whole arbitration business…but he eventually began to relax. The signatories that came to talk to him, at least, seemed friendly enough. Belissar just reminded himself that this was all for the sake of the bees.

In the end, he agreed to receive representatives from most of the signatories who greeted him to discuss their own deals with him at some point. If they would help him like the pixies had, then he’d be sincerely glad to speak with them further. Even if they just wanted to get out into the mortal world and take it from other humans.

Belissar…found he wasn’t too bothered by that. Other humans meant the Tower Lords, after all, and if Belissar had to choose between the Tower Lords and the fair folk he’d choose the latter without hesitation. They, at least, were talking to him instead of attacking him or burning his village.

Still, Belissar was more than happy to finally depart from the signatories and head back home. With this, he hoped, he would have no further pressing business with the Compact, while the other signatories would send their representatives to him for talks. And that meant that he could now turn his attention back to his Tower and his bees, where it truly belonged.