Merseians In THE GAME OF EMPIRE

We find Merseians in four places in The Game of Empire:

two passages narrated from Tachwyr's pov;

the Merseian that Targovi kills and beheads as evidence on the island of Zacharia;

the words spoken to Olaf Magnusson by "...the envoy in the hidden place." (CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE, p. 439)

In that last case, we read only the words in an italicized dialogue. There is no description of persons or place. But we see right inside the Roidhunate ideology.

Flandry tells Magnusson that lasting peace is impossible:

"'...unless and until the civilization that dominates [the Merseians] goes under or changes its character completely. The Roidhun could make a personal appearance singing 'Jesus loves me' and I'd still want us to keep our warheads armed.'" (CHAPTER EIGHTEEN, p. 396)

Normally, I disagree with keeping warheads armed but, of course, Poul Anderson writes the Roidunate in such a way that no other response is viable.

Both civilizations go under.