_Tristan_
08-22-2008, 22:56
House of Ilios Korakas
From the street, the house is no different from any other affluent house in the district. But if you gather the courage to open its doors and enter, you step into another world. Rich tapestries of oriental design, statues of men with animal heads greet you. A large sphinx sits directly in front of the house gates, seeming to question your presence in this hall.
But for all these refined ornaments, the main impression you get once in the hall is that of a military power. Suits of armour stand around the room as if ready to pounce on any intruder, weapons and shields are displayed on the white-washed walls, some of a design never seen in Byzantium.
What you notice last is the great pennant falling from the vaulted ceiling which displays the arms of the House you just entered...
https://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee86/badlieutenant_bucket/tristan3br5.png
Circling the Sphinx, a double staircase leads to the first floor. To the left, wide double doors open on a great hall where a banquet table is set up. A door to the right leads to a map room where on a table in the centre, a detailed map of the known world is laid out. Bookshelves with treatises on warfare and politics line the walls.
Passing behind the sphinx and under the staircase, you find yourself in a small courtyard, where the relaxing gurgle of a fountain can be heard amid the fragrance of the hibiscus flowers.
A colonnade at the back of the courtyard leads to a wide field made of packed earth with a high wall belting it. Against the wall, you notice several racks bearing mock weapons, shields. In the distance, you notice an archery target.
Walking back to the library, you happen to notice on a scriptorium a large book of rich manufacture open to the first page, which you begin reading... or try to because a small but solid bad of iron has been placed upon the book held in place by an equally small but strong lock. A small piece of paper has been slipped between book and iron band on which you can read : "Charter suspended until further notice. -- Captain-General Methodios Tagaris"
Charter
Charter revised in 1131
I) Purpose:
The House of Ilios Korakas is established to restore the Empire to greatness, through military prowess and discipline and strict adherence to chivalric ideals, setting an example for all the known world to follow.
II) Membership:
The House will consist of squires and knights.
A) Any man who agrees to follow the rules can join the House as a squire by swearing to a member of the House’s feudal chain. Squires can hold land.
B) To become a full knight, a squire must possess at least 1 chivalry, 2 command and be in possession of at least one province. Dread-oriented characters will be under constant scrutiny and any failure to comply with the charter will bring immediate punishment.
C) Once a knight, a member of the House cannot be demoted unless he leaves the House by breaking his oath or is subject to sanction for ill-conduct. If he joins back at a later date, he will be considered a squire for all purposes, but can regain his title of knight as soon as he meets the requirements for that rank.
D) Members joining the House that are already in control of a province will be asked to release their hold on it to the House. The Captain-General may choose to let them keep the control over the said province. The said province is considered House property for all purposes.
E) Temporary membership will be allowed to members of other Houses wishing to atone for their behavior. The temporary member will break his oath of loyalty with the authorization of his House and join the feudal structure of this House. His lands will remain in his previous House. Once atonement is accomplished, he will be free to return to his former House by breaking his oath to this House and re-swearing to his former House. Land from this House can be granted to the temporary member but will be returned to this House upon breaking of his oath.
III) Hierarchy :
The House is led by the Captain-General. He is seconded by the Warden-Marshall. They are chosen by and among House members and the positions are held for life.
The Captain-General is responsible for the military arm of the House, leading the armies in the field and designing overall strategy.
The Warden-Marshall is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the House and all lands belonging to it. He alone is responsible for the requests of recruitment and building addressed to the Megas Logothethes.
Captain-General and Warden-Marshall hold at all times the two highest positions in the feudal structure and should the title change hands, then the feudal structure will automatically reorganize to reflect the change.
Captain-General and Warden-Marshal normally hold their positions until their deaths but can be demoted by a 3/5 qualified vote of the House members. If the demotion motion passes, then an election appoints a new official, the demoted being excluded from the candidates automatically.
During elections for the position of Captain-General, each House member holds one vote.
III) Voting:
The Greek ideals of democracy will be upheld by the House.
A) Changes in the feudal structure can happen at any time as long as there is no dissent from among the House members. Should dissent arise, a vote will be held but no less than 1 "turn" before the Senate goes into session.
B) Changes in the Charter can happen at any time but will be put to the 2/3 vote of all House members.
C) In voting, one Brother will equal one vote. In case of ties, the Captain-General will decide the matter.
D) The decision of any vote will be binding on all including the Captain-General.
E) A vote may be made without a House member if they have been inactive for 48 hours. (OOC: "inactive" means not on the board for 48 hours or, if the person uses invisible mode, no posts for 48 hours.)
IV) Captain-General :
A) The Captain-General will be at the top of the feudal structure of the House. When the Captain-General changes, the feudal structure will re-order itself to place him at the top. Methodios Tagaris will be the first Captain-General.
B) He will be chosen from amongst knights by a simple majority vote. Squires cannot hold the position.
C) Being at the top of the feudal structure, all provinces captured by House members will automatically become his property. It belongs to him to allot those provinces to the various House members to provide advancement for all ranks of the feudal structure.
This allows him to take away provinces from House members as well as granting some.
D) Once per term, the Captain-General can pick one retinue from among House members and add it to his own.
E) The Captain-General will have command of the House Private or Royal Army. Should there be more than one Private or Royal Army, he will decide of the commander of said army. The Captain-General is responsible for the allocation of units to the various armies from what the Megas Logothetes provides. will be amended after the 1140 Senate session
F) Upon the Captain-General's demotion, death, or retirement, a new one will be chosen immediately from amongst the knights.
V) Warden-Marshall:
A) The Warden-Marshall is expected to be the Captain-General's second in command and shall swear directly to him. When the Warden-Marshall changes, the feudal structure will reorder itself to place him as second in the chain.
B) He will be chosen from amongst knights by the Captain-General. The Captain-General cannot hold this position. Squires cannot hold the position. If there are no knights available for the position, all prerogatives of the Warden-Marshal are given to the Captain-General.
C) The Warden-Marshall’s orders supercede any House members’ orders concerning recruitment and building in their own settlements. He will be the Megas Logosthetes' interlocutor in this respect.
D) Upon the Marshall's demotion, death, or retirement, a new one will be chosen immediately by the Captain-General from amongst the knights.
VI) Rules:
Rules are binding on all House members.
A) All members of the House will release all prisoners. Offer of ransom are allowed.
B) All members of the House will obey any Edicts pertaining to how captured settlements are to be dealt with. Law may be disregarded if it condones extermination. No member shall exterminate a settlement.
C) The Warden-Marshall will make sure that settlements are built up coherently.
E) All members of the Order are expected to conduct themselves with dignity. Thus they will expel the following negative retinue as soon as they appear: adulteress, outlander adulteress, foreign fruitcake. Failure to do so will expose the member to sanctions.
F) Adoptions and "Man of the Hour" are allowed.
G) Provinces and relics belonging to House members are forever the property of the House. Therefore:
1) While a member may leave the House at any time, he must first give his land and relics back to a member of the House.
2) Property and relics in wills must be left to members of the House. (OOC : if a player wishes to pass on his lands or relics to his next avatar, he’ll have to pass them on to a House member which will then give them back once the new avatar has joined the House)
3) At no time may a House member give his provinces or relics to a non-House member. The only exception being when such gift is expressedly allowed by the Captain-General.
4) Retinues are considered personal property of the House members and can be dealt with as they see fit.
VII.) Punishment:
Failure to follow these rules may result in the demotion or expulsion of the member.
A.) Punishment will be decided from amongst the House members . Punishment can come about from a 2/3 vote at the normal voting time. Sanctions can be:
1) Demotion:
It will consist of the knight being demoted to squire. The squire may be considered to be a full knight again once all of the knights agree.
2) Seclusion:
It will consist of the subject being confined to a settlement with no possibilities of wandering out for a set period of time. The subject will nevertheless be allowed to fight siege-defending battles. Victory would provide for a sentence reduction.
3) Land-grant removal:
It will consist of the Member being stripped of the land he was granted by the House. The province owned will be returned peacefully by the member. Failure to comply amounts to a declaration of war with the convicted member as declarer. The new owner will be the convicted member's lord.
4) Expulsion:
It will consist of the subject's lord breaking fealty with him, as well as the subject's vassals breaking fealty with the subject. Anyone who refuses to break fealty with the subject will be expelled as well.
The expelled subject will be asked to leave the House's lands and to give back any land to the House. Refusal to return lands to the House will be considered a declaration of war with the expulsed member considered the declarer. Lands returned will become the automatic property of the expulsed member's lord.
The feudal chain will re-organize itself to take into account the expulsion.
5) Death penalty:
Grave failures towards the House will be punishable by death. A declaration of war will be made by the Captain-General (or Warden-Marshal in case the Captain-General is prevented from doing it) on the sentenced avatar and all House members will be required to chase him and bring him to justice.
House Roster :
Members :
Methodios Tagaris
Kosmas Mavrozomis, honorary member, died on Crusade in Alexandria, 11??
Nikiphoros Manouelitis, oath-breaker
Annios Solomon -- died in Gaza, 11??
Nikolaos Aristenos
Captain-Generals :
Methodios Tagaris 11??-- 1149.
Nikolaos Aristenos 1149 --
Warden-Marshalls :
House Provinces :
Alexandria, property of Nikolaos Aristenos
Cairo, property of Methodios Tagaris
Gaza, property of Methodios Tagaris
From the street, the house is no different from any other affluent house in the district. But if you gather the courage to open its doors and enter, you step into another world. Rich tapestries of oriental design, statues of men with animal heads greet you. A large sphinx sits directly in front of the house gates, seeming to question your presence in this hall.
But for all these refined ornaments, the main impression you get once in the hall is that of a military power. Suits of armour stand around the room as if ready to pounce on any intruder, weapons and shields are displayed on the white-washed walls, some of a design never seen in Byzantium.
What you notice last is the great pennant falling from the vaulted ceiling which displays the arms of the House you just entered...
https://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee86/badlieutenant_bucket/tristan3br5.png
Circling the Sphinx, a double staircase leads to the first floor. To the left, wide double doors open on a great hall where a banquet table is set up. A door to the right leads to a map room where on a table in the centre, a detailed map of the known world is laid out. Bookshelves with treatises on warfare and politics line the walls.
Passing behind the sphinx and under the staircase, you find yourself in a small courtyard, where the relaxing gurgle of a fountain can be heard amid the fragrance of the hibiscus flowers.
A colonnade at the back of the courtyard leads to a wide field made of packed earth with a high wall belting it. Against the wall, you notice several racks bearing mock weapons, shields. In the distance, you notice an archery target.
Walking back to the library, you happen to notice on a scriptorium a large book of rich manufacture open to the first page, which you begin reading... or try to because a small but solid bad of iron has been placed upon the book held in place by an equally small but strong lock. A small piece of paper has been slipped between book and iron band on which you can read : "Charter suspended until further notice. -- Captain-General Methodios Tagaris"
Charter
Charter revised in 1131
I) Purpose:
The House of Ilios Korakas is established to restore the Empire to greatness, through military prowess and discipline and strict adherence to chivalric ideals, setting an example for all the known world to follow.
II) Membership:
The House will consist of squires and knights.
A) Any man who agrees to follow the rules can join the House as a squire by swearing to a member of the House’s feudal chain. Squires can hold land.
B) To become a full knight, a squire must possess at least 1 chivalry, 2 command and be in possession of at least one province. Dread-oriented characters will be under constant scrutiny and any failure to comply with the charter will bring immediate punishment.
C) Once a knight, a member of the House cannot be demoted unless he leaves the House by breaking his oath or is subject to sanction for ill-conduct. If he joins back at a later date, he will be considered a squire for all purposes, but can regain his title of knight as soon as he meets the requirements for that rank.
D) Members joining the House that are already in control of a province will be asked to release their hold on it to the House. The Captain-General may choose to let them keep the control over the said province. The said province is considered House property for all purposes.
E) Temporary membership will be allowed to members of other Houses wishing to atone for their behavior. The temporary member will break his oath of loyalty with the authorization of his House and join the feudal structure of this House. His lands will remain in his previous House. Once atonement is accomplished, he will be free to return to his former House by breaking his oath to this House and re-swearing to his former House. Land from this House can be granted to the temporary member but will be returned to this House upon breaking of his oath.
III) Hierarchy :
The House is led by the Captain-General. He is seconded by the Warden-Marshall. They are chosen by and among House members and the positions are held for life.
The Captain-General is responsible for the military arm of the House, leading the armies in the field and designing overall strategy.
The Warden-Marshall is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the House and all lands belonging to it. He alone is responsible for the requests of recruitment and building addressed to the Megas Logothethes.
Captain-General and Warden-Marshall hold at all times the two highest positions in the feudal structure and should the title change hands, then the feudal structure will automatically reorganize to reflect the change.
Captain-General and Warden-Marshal normally hold their positions until their deaths but can be demoted by a 3/5 qualified vote of the House members. If the demotion motion passes, then an election appoints a new official, the demoted being excluded from the candidates automatically.
During elections for the position of Captain-General, each House member holds one vote.
III) Voting:
The Greek ideals of democracy will be upheld by the House.
A) Changes in the feudal structure can happen at any time as long as there is no dissent from among the House members. Should dissent arise, a vote will be held but no less than 1 "turn" before the Senate goes into session.
B) Changes in the Charter can happen at any time but will be put to the 2/3 vote of all House members.
C) In voting, one Brother will equal one vote. In case of ties, the Captain-General will decide the matter.
D) The decision of any vote will be binding on all including the Captain-General.
E) A vote may be made without a House member if they have been inactive for 48 hours. (OOC: "inactive" means not on the board for 48 hours or, if the person uses invisible mode, no posts for 48 hours.)
IV) Captain-General :
A) The Captain-General will be at the top of the feudal structure of the House. When the Captain-General changes, the feudal structure will re-order itself to place him at the top. Methodios Tagaris will be the first Captain-General.
B) He will be chosen from amongst knights by a simple majority vote. Squires cannot hold the position.
C) Being at the top of the feudal structure, all provinces captured by House members will automatically become his property. It belongs to him to allot those provinces to the various House members to provide advancement for all ranks of the feudal structure.
This allows him to take away provinces from House members as well as granting some.
D) Once per term, the Captain-General can pick one retinue from among House members and add it to his own.
E) The Captain-General will have command of the House Private or Royal Army. Should there be more than one Private or Royal Army, he will decide of the commander of said army. The Captain-General is responsible for the allocation of units to the various armies from what the Megas Logothetes provides. will be amended after the 1140 Senate session
F) Upon the Captain-General's demotion, death, or retirement, a new one will be chosen immediately from amongst the knights.
V) Warden-Marshall:
A) The Warden-Marshall is expected to be the Captain-General's second in command and shall swear directly to him. When the Warden-Marshall changes, the feudal structure will reorder itself to place him as second in the chain.
B) He will be chosen from amongst knights by the Captain-General. The Captain-General cannot hold this position. Squires cannot hold the position. If there are no knights available for the position, all prerogatives of the Warden-Marshal are given to the Captain-General.
C) The Warden-Marshall’s orders supercede any House members’ orders concerning recruitment and building in their own settlements. He will be the Megas Logosthetes' interlocutor in this respect.
D) Upon the Marshall's demotion, death, or retirement, a new one will be chosen immediately by the Captain-General from amongst the knights.
VI) Rules:
Rules are binding on all House members.
A) All members of the House will release all prisoners. Offer of ransom are allowed.
B) All members of the House will obey any Edicts pertaining to how captured settlements are to be dealt with. Law may be disregarded if it condones extermination. No member shall exterminate a settlement.
C) The Warden-Marshall will make sure that settlements are built up coherently.
E) All members of the Order are expected to conduct themselves with dignity. Thus they will expel the following negative retinue as soon as they appear: adulteress, outlander adulteress, foreign fruitcake. Failure to do so will expose the member to sanctions.
F) Adoptions and "Man of the Hour" are allowed.
G) Provinces and relics belonging to House members are forever the property of the House. Therefore:
1) While a member may leave the House at any time, he must first give his land and relics back to a member of the House.
2) Property and relics in wills must be left to members of the House. (OOC : if a player wishes to pass on his lands or relics to his next avatar, he’ll have to pass them on to a House member which will then give them back once the new avatar has joined the House)
3) At no time may a House member give his provinces or relics to a non-House member. The only exception being when such gift is expressedly allowed by the Captain-General.
4) Retinues are considered personal property of the House members and can be dealt with as they see fit.
VII.) Punishment:
Failure to follow these rules may result in the demotion or expulsion of the member.
A.) Punishment will be decided from amongst the House members . Punishment can come about from a 2/3 vote at the normal voting time. Sanctions can be:
1) Demotion:
It will consist of the knight being demoted to squire. The squire may be considered to be a full knight again once all of the knights agree.
2) Seclusion:
It will consist of the subject being confined to a settlement with no possibilities of wandering out for a set period of time. The subject will nevertheless be allowed to fight siege-defending battles. Victory would provide for a sentence reduction.
3) Land-grant removal:
It will consist of the Member being stripped of the land he was granted by the House. The province owned will be returned peacefully by the member. Failure to comply amounts to a declaration of war with the convicted member as declarer. The new owner will be the convicted member's lord.
4) Expulsion:
It will consist of the subject's lord breaking fealty with him, as well as the subject's vassals breaking fealty with the subject. Anyone who refuses to break fealty with the subject will be expelled as well.
The expelled subject will be asked to leave the House's lands and to give back any land to the House. Refusal to return lands to the House will be considered a declaration of war with the expulsed member considered the declarer. Lands returned will become the automatic property of the expulsed member's lord.
The feudal chain will re-organize itself to take into account the expulsion.
5) Death penalty:
Grave failures towards the House will be punishable by death. A declaration of war will be made by the Captain-General (or Warden-Marshal in case the Captain-General is prevented from doing it) on the sentenced avatar and all House members will be required to chase him and bring him to justice.
House Roster :
Members :
Methodios Tagaris
Kosmas Mavrozomis, honorary member, died on Crusade in Alexandria, 11??
Nikiphoros Manouelitis, oath-breaker
Annios Solomon -- died in Gaza, 11??
Nikolaos Aristenos
Captain-Generals :
Methodios Tagaris 11??-- 1149.
Nikolaos Aristenos 1149 --
Warden-Marshalls :
House Provinces :
Alexandria, property of Nikolaos Aristenos
Cairo, property of Methodios Tagaris
Gaza, property of Methodios Tagaris