You get to the Emissary screen from the Relations Screen (
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Leader[]
To the far left, you can pick the leader you send. The game tends to pick the best emissary, but there can certainly be cases where you may wish to change this. In general, try to pick leaders high in Leadership, Bargaining, and Custom skills.
Send To[]
This is simply a list of clans which you decide to send your emissary to. The clans marked with an 'N' will have a faster return with your emissary.
Treasures[]
The more valuable the gift, the more positive the response. In this case, a treasure certainly can improve the mood of the recipient. Note that you can send multiple treasures as well as cattle/horses/goods/food.
Bring[]
You have your choice of Cattle/Horses/Goods/Food to bring. Be aware that Horses are worth more than Cattle. If you pick 'Give Gifts', then these are simple gifts you are giving to the recipient.
Guards[]
Dragon Pass is far from safe, and it wouldn't be the first time an emissary was ambushed. A successful ambush can steal your gifts, hurt goods/thanes, or even kill some of the guards.
Goal:[]
The most important facet of the Emissary screen, it obviously helps to know just why you are sending out an emissary.
Call on Favor:[]
This option to pick if you wish to have a clan repay a favor they owe you. If you are asking for cattle/food/magic, it is possible to get more than is customary, but this depends on good your relations are, as well as just how much extra you are asking. A tiny amount allows the other clan to be generous, but a large amount is just being greedy (and others will remember your avarice). Conversely, asking for less than the customary amount also increases your relations with the clan.
- Ask for Cattle: The customary amount is 20 cattle, but you can choose between 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30.
- Ask for Food: The customary amount is enough food to feed 40 people for a year. However, there are five choices you can make.
- Half of the customary amount (enough food for 20 people)
- A little less than custom demands
- The customary amount (enough for 40 people)
- Half again what custom allows (this means enough food for 60 people)
- Three times the customary amount (enough food for 120 people)
- Ask for Information: This tends to be one of the easiest favors granted, though there are some exceptions. You can ask for the following:
- Aside from other clans, who should we fear most? -- This option allows you to find if some other foe (such as Beastfolk, Dragonewts, etc. really have it in for you).
- Have you heard any prophecies that might affect us? -- This question reveals if there are any supernatural events which may head your way.
- I wish to know about the chief of another clan. -- This question would allow you to guess how the chief of another clan will react to any proposals (such as what may be the best course to ask for an alliance).
- Who should we fear, among the clans of Dragon Pass? -- This question essentially asks which other clan is the largest danger to you.
- Ask for Magic: This option is to increase the amount of your clan magic.
- A token amount only -- This tends to garner only about 1 magic point.
- Less than the customary amount -- This averages around 2-3 magic points.
- The customary amount -- This tends to be around 4-5 points of magic.
- More than the customary amount -- This tends to be around 6-7 points of magic
- Much more than the customary amount -- This tends to be around 8+ points of magic.
Demand Tribute[]
If you are sufficiently strong, or you've enjoyed many successful raids against a particular clan, then you can try to demand tribute. Be aware that even if your successful, you are just increasing the enmity of the other clan. You will then be given a choice of the following options:
All demands for tribute allow you to decide on the amount of Cows/Food/Goods you seek to acquire. Additionally, you will then be given a choice of whether to make the tribute a one time affair, or be delivered annually. Also be aware that at some point the other clan will default on their tribute. It is a matter of when, not if.
- Give us tribute or we will raid you. -- The direct approach. This tends to be unlikely to succeed. Needless to say, this causes great harm to your relationship with the other clan.
- I don't need to tell you what will happen if you fail to meet our demands. -- A slightly more diplomatic option than the above, you will get the same choice of cows/food/goods. Your relations will worsen with this choice, but not as badly as the above.
- I will contest against a champion you select. If you lose, you will give us tribute. -- You are challenging the other clan one on one. Many clans are the gambling kind, so if you win, this will elicit less of a relationship drop than the top two.
- My clan is favored by the gods, your tribute to us will please them. -- Appealing to the other clan's religious side, a high clan magic rating tends to sway things your way.
- You need protection from our enemies, only we can provide it. -- This is essentially a protection racket. If the clan giving tribute is invaded, they will expect your military aid.
Give Gifts[]
Choosing this option simply gives gifts to another clan. However, be sure to give at least 10 cows worth of goods. Any less, and others will not appreciate your stinginess.
Propose Alliance[]
Allies are always good. Be aware a positive relationship allows you a greater chance of success. You will be presented with a choice of approaches. Be aware, any gifts you bring (treasure/cattle/horses/goods/food) will also increase your chances of success.
- It would be generous of you to help us in a time of need. -- Some clans place generosity as a prime virtue, and you are appealing on this basis.
- Together, we can overcome our foes. We will be celebrated by great poets. -- This statement implies the other clan is your equal, warrior wise. If you actually have more fighters, then it may sway in your favor.
- We are both blessed by the gods, and our alliance would please them further. -- Appealing to another clan's piety may work, especially if you have a good amount of clan magic.
- You need warriors to protect you, and we need food. -- A straightforward exchange, just be sure to have a sufficient number of warriors.
- You will profit greatly from an alliance. -- This entreaty appeals to another clan's desire for greed, especially if you include them when you go raiding.
Resolve Feud[]
Eventually, you may find a feud more costly than its worth. As such, you can try to resolve the situation. You will be given the following choices:
- Arrange for a noble male of your clan to marry a noble girl of theirs, and vice versa. -- Good, strong marriages can make strong ties. This is the cheapest option, but may be the least likeliest to succeed.
- Offer them wealth. -- Wealth is always good, but be sure to offer amount of cows/goods/food. Stinginess will definitely backfire on you.
- Offer to lend support to a ritual of their choice. -- You are offering a share of your clan magic. This can be pretty potent, especially if you managed to stockpile a goodly amount, so you may think twice before offering it. You will then be given 3 more choices:
- Most of the clan. -- You will lose roughly 90% of your clan magic.
- Half of the clan. -- You will lose 50% of your clan magic.
- A third of the clan. -- You will lose 33% of your clan magic.
- Offer them a treasure. -- This is a hefty bribe, so unless the clan really hates your guts, this is a fairly good choice.
- Offer to induct them into your tribe (This option only happens if you are in a tribe) -- This is about the only option to get another clan into your tribe (barring a special event or two). Be aware that success definitely hinges on how persuasive your emissary is, and bribery is definitely a good idea. (Note: This isn't the exact wording for this circumstance, but it will be added to later)
Special Circumstances[]
There are a few special circumstances covered by the Emissary, but it isn't made explicitly clear.
Ending Tribute[]
Sometimes you may wish to end a clan's tribute to you. A good example is if a nearby duck clan is paying you tribute...and you find the Beastfolk growing very angry with you. Ending the tribute would certainly help the solution.
How would you end the tribute? What must happen is you send an emissary to the clan in question, and pick 'Demand Tribute' from the option. Yes, Demand Tribute. There is no separate button to end tribute. When you are brought before the clan chief, within the list of options you will have the choice to end the tribute demands. Doing so will improve relations with the clan slightly.