In my day we used to have diplomats. Tended to get in the way of all those sword-bunnies who only wanted to mosh, though. Several years the main battle almost didn't take place because everyone decided to be reasonable until the NPCs were ordered to refuse to accept peace terms. I think the peacemakers pretty much gave up at that point.

That's one advantage of Maelstrom - players have just as much chance of creating peace as they have of creating war. No interventions from the organiser to force players down a route they aren't happy with.