I have seen bumper stickers commercially on sale reading "We don't care how they do it in Carolingia". Given the cost, quantity and solvency of the merchant
there is clearly a market for such thing. I think we might class this as "having a problem outsisde the barony".<p>
Using that as a yard stick the goal I might set is to drive that merchant out of business! (or at least into different merchandise) Not by direct pressure but by creating a public
image that no longer demands those sorts of goods.<p>
In Ireland to keep on good relations with our Celtic neighbours we had wars, cattle raids, territorial disputes and even stole one of the Scottish Shire's islands at one point. I
said in answer to another question "to embrace the Current Middle Ages is to embrace (good natured) conflict". The geography and people here are a bit different. What
might suit the tone better would be a series of arranged marriages, hostage exchanges, and/or fosterings. Perhaps just dramatic trappings, but the echoing of period methods
of reaching out does foster a more open atmosphere that the administrative side of the game can use to do their side of the work.
