Friends

The Chara's quarters are directly opposite those of his clerk. His quarters appear to be only lightly guarded. Do not be deceived.

Let us begin with protocol. Unless you are an intimate friend of the Chara, you do not go to his quarters uninvited. If you go uninvited and are lucky, you will simply be knocked to the ground by the spears of his guards. If you are armed, it is more likely you will be gutted by the spears.

Do not come armed to the Chara; that is the first suggestion I would make. Koretian ambassadors may arrive armed; so may council lords and other Emorians whom the Chara knows well. Anyone else should arrive naked of arms, looking as peaceful as possible. Even so, you may be searched for hidden weapons. Remember: the palace guards are forever on the lookout for assassins.

Dress formally and act formally. You may have heard that the Chara prefers to drop formality in private. This was so with a couple of the recent Charas, but the current Chara adheres to older tradition.

As you step into the Chara's chambers, do not worry about the door behind you. The guards will close it. Make your bow, obeisance, or other gesture of respect to the Chara. He will have servants present, all of them trained to defend him. Keep your movements as nonthreatening as possible.

If he wishes, he may invite you to sit. Wait until he is seated before seating yourself, and only sit in whatever chair you have been offered. Sitting on the floor is not considered acceptable - at least, not with the current Chara.

Do not ask for food or drink or anything beyond whatever negotiations you have come to discuss with the Chara. If you are an eastern mainlander, keep in mind that Emorians value brevity. Come to the point as quickly as your own sense of decorum will permit.

Do not unnecessarily anger the Chara. The look of the Chara is not entirely under his control; it may surface if he inwardly places you under judgment.

This may all sound exceedingly painful. It is meant to be. Each Chara finds his own way to uphold the dignity of his office; the current Chara does so by making visitors as uncomfortable as possible, to make clear their position under his power. He will seek to impress you with the might of his empire. If you value your nation's future, do not laugh.

If you remain sober and peaceful, all is likely to go well in your negotiations. You may or may not receive what you ask, but you will emerge alive from an encounter with the Empire of Emor, which is a good deal more than many men have done.

But I have strayed from my discussion of the physical surroundings.

[Translator's note: The Ambassador is intimately familiar with the Chara's quarters; see Blood Vow.]