[b]The Dragon slumbers[/b]

What event caused Cathay to withdraw its diplomats from Dwarapur, we may never
know. The court of Wei-Jin shuns all outsiders, and the Dragon Emperor is above the
scrutiny of even the powerful Houses. It is quite possible that the politics of a
traditional House such as the House of Morning took measures to prevent Cathay's
association with a trivial city of Ind, their distaste in dealing with foreigners
ever apparent in their goals if not their actions. Perhaps an ogre of the House of
Storms made a fool of himself, thus lowering the standing of the House of Storms
which advocates annexation of the Mountains of Mourn. Or the House of Autumn could
have orchestrated the withdrawal of diplomats; without the aid of Dwarapur,
Cathay's plans for annexing the Mountains of Mourn would fall through- a loss of
face for all Houses seeking to achieve that goal, and therefore a masterstroke in
the unending Game of Houses.

Whatever House may have influenced the decision, it is certain that the House of
Twilight has been put at a clear disadvantage because of it. Counting governor Jing
Ke of Shulin Sheng among its members, the progressive House had looked to have
slavery and opium trade declared illegal in the port city Dwarapur. Such a decree
would have discouraged smugglers and slavers in the Shulin Sheng province. As is,
such practices only increased, costing the province a great deal both economically
and in terms of common men.

In the Shigatse Shan and Dakou mountains, the House of Storms- its members almost
exclusively ogres- fared no better. Dreams of claiming what had once been their
homeland were shattered by the Dragon Emperor's decision, a decision the House of
Twilight were powerless to oppose. Their plans rendered unpractical, the House
suffered loss of face in Wei-Jin, something quite a few Houses less accepting of
their ogre colleagues would be quite pleased with. Quick to anger, the ogres will
undoubtedly seek out who has caused them such shame, and plot their revenge
accordingly.

As a whole, the isolated position of Cathay in the world was enforced by the
withdrawal of its diplomats. Dwarapur could have been a gateway to the Old World,
allowing trade via the neutral Ind city. With the Ivory Road closed off by
Overtyrant Goldtooth and the oversea routes in hands of the Nippon, Cathay grows
more and more dependent on the whims of the Ogre Kingdoms and the Nipponese
Emperor. The viability of Cathayan colonies around the world is in question as
communication is made difficult.

It remains to be seen whether the Dragon Emperor will reach out to the world by
means of honeyed words, or the claws of the Celestial Dragon army.