Peace of Lapano

The Peace of Lapano (6.II.1704 AN) ended the undeclared private war between the Avon-El and Simrani-Kalirion branches of the Line of Ayreon-Kalirion which had affected the Unified Governorates of Benacia, the Emirate of Sathrati, and the Principality of Whales as well as interfered with the appointments processes of the Benacian and Cibolan directorates of the Honourable Company.

The Scouring (20.XIV.1695 AN), a series of orbital strikes against rebel targets in Upper Elwynn had broken the stalemate of the Second Elwynnese Civil War (1692 AN–1696 AN) but the rebel counterstrike, in reality conducted by Calbionese assets deployed to the Boreal regions, had penetrated had overwhelmed the theatre ballistic missile defences of Benacia Command, resulting in the destruction of Islus, Kingsgate, and Tephal. Whilst millions had perished during the limited nuclear exchange initiated by the Szodan of Benacia, Jeremiah Avon-El, the single particular death which had triggered the feud between Avon-El and Simrani-Kalirion had been that of Selardi Jen Daniyal, the daughter out of wedlock of Daniyal ibn Daniyal, the erstwhile Prince of Modan, a former Shirerithian Steward who by 1695 AN had long been in exile in Whales.

The conflict that ensued, had mostly been a low intensity and covert affair, consisting of assassination attempts, financial and industrial sabotage, corporate espionage, and other forms of interference. As Jeremiah Avon-El and Daniyal ibn Daniyal both had cliques of supporters in the Black Legions, the Honourable Company, and the global Humanist movement, the skirmishes between the two groups of partisans had begun to have an impact at the institutional level. The Congress of Chryse, which had seen skirmishes carried on in bars and clubs, and at the street level, whilst the primary interlocutors had met in conditions of sometimes strained formality on the island of Botha, ended with a victory for Jeremiah who remained supreme commander of allied forces on Benacia whilst gaining a seat on the High Presidium of the Benacian Union.

By 1703 AN the situation was different, conditions within what was now the Benacian Union had stabilised which reduced the need to rally round an unpopular leader. The minor civil war in Constancia had been won by the House of Osman, removing the protection that Jeremiah Avon-El, as director of Benacian Operations, had enjoyed on the Board of the Honourable Company from the former Autokrator Primo de Aguilar. Thus when the second session of the Congress of Chryse began in that year, Jeremiah found his institutional support draining away. However, in spite of this, Jeremiah still had cards to play. His son, Zacharias, controlled the powerful Central Banner Group of Benacia Command and held the city of Merensk directly. Moreover marital connections prevented the current Szodan of Benacia, Constantine Loup, from making a move against him. Thus Jeremiah was able to negotiate a departure with honour with the expiry of his term on the High Presidium of the Benacian Union in 1704 AN.

Terms

1. Jeremiah Avon-El shall be graciously permitted to retire from all offices and posts held within the Benacian Union and shall depart hence from Chryse to Lindstrom by 24.V.1704 AN. He shall continue to represent the Benacian Union on the Permanent Commission of the Raspur Pact and shall receive a grace and favour property at Cedarwood Hall as an expression of gratitude on the part of the Honourable Company for his service.
2. The kin, chattels, and property of Jeremiah Avon-El and his descendants, shall not be subject to any form of judicial, or extrajudicial, sanction or reprisal by any party to this agreement. The parties to this agreement shall undertake to protect the kin, chattels, and property of Jeremiah Avon-El and his descendants, against any attempt at confiscation or destruction attempted by third parties for any reason whatsoever.
3. Sixteen hostages, eight from the households of both parties, are to be exchanged as a pledge of perpetual peace between the two parties by 24.V.1704 AN.
   1. Every ten years the hostages are to be paroled and replaced. This arrangement shall continue until the demise of the third generation of the descendants of the eldest male heir of both parties.
4. A sum of 60 million Natopian natopos to be paid from Jeremiah Avon-El to Daniyal ibn Daniyal as direct recompense for the negligent actions which led to the death of his daughter, and also the destruction of three loyalist cities.
5. Avina Mira Avon-El to be betrothed to Lors Bakker-Kalirion, so that a daughter-in-law may replace the daughter that was lost. A dowry of 40 million Natopian natopos to be paid by Jeremiah Avon-El to Lors Bakker-Kalirion by 24.V.1704 AN. Avina Mira Avon-El to be receive the title of First Consort, commensurate with her dignity, and to be protected against all forms of ill-usage and jealousy on the part of those whom she has displaced in terms of honour in the receiving household.
6. Excepting any who are amongst the sixteen named individuals to be exchanged as hostages, all persons abducted and held captive during the course of the disputation between the two parties are to be exchanged and released into the care of receiving representatives by 24.V.1704 AN. Where persons taken during the disputation have subsequently met their demise, the location of their remains is to be made known, and recovered wherever this is feasible.
7. Within the Unified Governorates of Benacia the Circuit of Benacia is to be placed under the command of Zacharias Avon-El whilst the Circuit of Jadid Khaz Modan is to be placed under the command of Lors Bakker-Kalirion by 24.V.1704 AN.
   1. The succession to the Szodan of Benacia shall be determined by the will of Constantine Loup with the advise and consent of Lors Bakker-Kalirion and Zacharias Avon-El. Constantine Loup shall continue as Szodan of Benacia until his demise.
   2. Should the trial of arms be undertaken in disputation of the agreed succession by either of the parties, the party which is in violation shall be held to have broken the terms of this Peace and the lives of their hostages, their own lives, and the sanctity of their estates, kin, and chattel shall be forfeit.

Guarantor

At the instigation of the representatives of the High Presidium of the Benacian Union and the Autokratia of Constancia, the Imperial and Emirati Bank of the Sathrati Islands was designated as the Guarantor of the Peace, facilitating the repatriation of captives, the transfer of hostages, and the placement of specified sums of money into escrow accounts prior to their transfer to named beneficiaries.