Imperial Diet V

[econ21]

[OOC] This thread is for players in the King of the Romans PBM to post in character public deliberations in the Imperial Diet. All out of character debate should be conducted in the OOC thread.

The Diet has two main functions: to elect a Chancellor, who manage the Empire, and to pass Edicts that will direct the Chancellor.

The Diet will be chaired by the Kaiser or the Prinz.

Edicts need to be formally proposed as follows:

Edict 12.1 This House directs the Chancellor to occupy province X.

where 12.1 refers to the first proposed edict of the eleventh session of the Diet.

Edicts need two seconders (who should explicitly use the word "second" when supporting a motion) before they can be put to the vote. Where edicts conflict, the one with more votes takes precedence.

*****

[AussieGiant]

Arnold

Looking at the departing figure of Prinz Elberhard with a rye smile

I guess that's settled then.

I'd like to invite everyone to the Parlour with the Prinz.

I'm buying!!!

[Cecil XIX]

An older knight enters the Diet and addresses those assembled.

My lords, Bran is ours. The King of Hungary was scant challenge for our men. However, the battle was not without cost.

Sigismund von Mahren is dead. Not from an assassin's blade, like his namesake Sigismund der Stoltze. Not in from the sword of his enemy, like his brother Ehrhart von Mahren. It was an arrow. A simple arrow fired from a tower, only moments before the King of Hungary himself perished at the hands of our spearmen. Only minutes after the spearmen took over for Sigismund's guard, after he had delayed the King of Hungary long enough for the spearmen to catch up. Mourn any way you want. I'm going to get drunk.

[gibsonsg91921]

Alas! Are my uncle Jonas and his sons cursed to die in battle? It is an honorable death for my best friend Sigismund, however his valor does not dispel my sadness.

Leaves the Diet.

[OverKnight]

Matthias begins coughing as he hears the news. He fumbles for a small vial and drinks from it.

This is terrible news, Sigismund had shown great skill in leading the campaign against Bran. After all that. . .to be felled by an arrow. The lack of a noble to defend Bran puts the entire opertation in peril. I will think upon what must be done.

Matthias sits back, momentarily overcome by this loss.

[Privateerkev]

Jan is rocked back by the news of Sigismund's death. After regaining his composer, he speaks,

I am truly saddened by the loss of my friend. He was truly one of the best of us. Someone who held up the highest standard of chivalry and honor. We are all weakened by his loss.

Jan sits down heavily in his seat. Visibly upset from the loss.

[Tamur]

A courier comes in with a letter from Fritz von Kastilien, and reads without waiting to be recognised

Noble lords, greetings from the field. I have only just heard of Sigismund's fate and wish to send my sorrow at this news, if it is indeed true. Sigismund has been a rock on which to rely. It will be difficult to move onward without him.

God bless the Reich.

The courier bows and leaves immediately

[AussieGiant]

Arnold smashes his fist into the benches in combination of pain and anger

God damn it!!

Chancellor, my we have a word about this situation in Bran?

[OverKnight]

Feel free to send a messenger, or air you concerns here Duke Arnold

[GeneralHankerchief]

Conrad Salier:

And another good soul is taken from us. Rest in peace, Sigismund.

[AussieGiant]

Arnold

I've sent you a letter Chancellor.

I would like to take commmand of the AHA as soon as possible and simultaneously take out that Hungarian army near Zagreb.

Becker is unknighted, therefore he needs to join with me immediately for assessement.

If the Sicilian's land then we will have to deal with them later.

Breathing slow and deeply after this is the only sign of emotion from the Duke

[Kagemusha]

Jonas Von Mahren walks into the diet,with face dark as the grave.

"My other son now also! What have i done to deserve this? Isnt there any justice in this world. Is there anything worse for an old man,then to see his sons die before him? I curse this empire that has taken everything from me!"

Jonas grumbles on the diet floor with some kind of seizure and his attendants carry him away.

[Warluster]

Athalwolf enters the Diet, his face ashen

I truly feel sorry for the von Mahren faimly, such losses,both at such a age...
A blow, which many will, and can not recover from. I send the von Mahrens my sorriness.

[Cecil XIX]

A man enters the Diet. He pauses to observe the state of it's inhabitants, then speaks.

My lords I am Edmund Becker, husband of Contzel von Mahren. My sister would like to thank you all for that kind words said about her her, and I am saddened that I have lost an elder brother before I even knew him. I come here ready to serve House Austria.

Also, for those who care, a small mausoleum has been dug underneath the Chapel in Bran. It is to be Sigismund's final resting place, for it is also the place where the Lord decided Sigismund should return to him.

[Privateerkev]

Welcome elector Becker,

As you can see, this is a hard time for us. But business continues and I welcome anyone who chooses to become politically active in the Reich's affairs. Your brother-in-law was a great man and one of my closest friends. If there are any questions you have about conducting business here, or there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC: "wife of Contzel von Mahren."? You might want to change that...

[AussieGiant]

Striding into the chamber flanked by Bane and Grom, Arnold face is a multitude of emotions, the final one seems to be pent up anguish and rage

Becker!!

The Austrian Chambers if you please. We have much to discuss and there is little time.

[OverKnight]

Matthias is alarmed by Jonas von Mahren's seizure and is relieved when the Franconian receives aid.

Count Jonas has my consolations, if it means anything to him. Most of us have lost a friend or family member in service to the Reich. It may serve as small comfort, but the sacrifices of the fallen have ensured our continued primacy in the world.

Matthias pauses, lost in thought.

Yet a live man serves the Reich and his House better than the fallen. Count Sigismund chose to assault Bran with only his retainers and a unit of spearmen. If he had used all the men at his command, I doubt we would be mourning him now.

Despite the minstrel's songs, battle is not a game or a tourney. It is deadly, and our fates lie in balance on a blade's edge. Bravery can save the day, but an excess of it can lose it. The Reich does not have so many commanders that we can throw them away on a whim. When we fight in a battle, we are not just burnishing our own individual reputations, we are advancing the interests of the Reich. If there is a conflict between the two, I hope my fellow Electors will remember their duty to the Empire and the Kaiser.

[AussieGiant]

Sitting listening to the Chancellor, Arnold begins to speak, stops and then sits with a clear look of anger and frustration on his face. As the Chancellor finishes Arnold can only nod in agreement in cold silence

[Tamur]

A messenger comes into the Diet, waits for permission to speak, then unrolls a scrolls and begins to read

Fritz von Kastilien sends his regards to the Lords of the Reich, and wishes everyone to petition their bishops to pray for the success of his brother Péter as he fights three Polish armies at the bridge south of Thorn. This is a momentous time for our conflict with the Poles, and the help of Heaven will be a strong arm for our armies.

Fritz also wishes to ask the Diet on two matters:

First, he wishes to know the feelings of other members of the Diet on the use of artillery on the battlefield.

Second, he would ask whether any city of the Reich has workmen skilled in the use of the new eastern weapons called fire arms. He wishes to correspond with anyone with a knowledge of these instruments.

And finally, he sends a note to the Chancellor:

"The people of Stettin, of which I am Count, suffer greatly because of the tax burden they are currently shouldering. I do not wish the people of my city and region to suffer, and therefore request that their tax burden be lightened. I hear rumours from my agents in the city of a revolt festering there, and I want no such happenings while I am away."

The messenger bows low, and leaves

[gibsonsg91921]

Brother, my County of Breslau is capable of producing bombard cannons. I say, any way we can kill Poles is acceptable by me!

[Cecil XIX]

Count Fritz, I believe my late brother was also interested in how the Reich was using this new technology. If I can find one of his reports... Ah, here it is.

It seems that there is no settlement in the Reich that can recuit gunpowder infantry. Such troops would require Barracks that are too sophisticated to be built in anything less than a Huge City, of which there are two in Swabia, three in Bavaria, three in Outremer, two in Austria, and of course Rome. The best noble for you to talk to is my own Duke Arnold, as Vienna is the closest geographically and can have the necessary facilities in the least amount of time.

As for artillery, Count Peter is right about Breslau. It is the only settlement in Franconia that can produce bombards. But if you should want the best, then I can say with pride that there is no settlement in the entire Reich that equals Bran, which can produce Grand Bombards.

[AussieGiant]

Arnold

I'm all for artillery in our armies.

Have you seen the damage they can do!? Truly impressive to say the least.

[Tamur]

Ah, I knew I could count on the noble souls of the Diet to help. These Bombards and gunpowder infantry sound as if they will be very useful from all I have heard. And, if I had the funds, I would certainly order a Grand Bombard to be delivered from Bran. However, I fear the expense would require me to sell not only the entire region of Stettin, but the castle there as well!

However, I remain troubled. If we are the greatest nation on earth, and I do not doubt that we are, why have we not explored gunpowder infantry? Is there some risk involved in its manufacture, or in the training of troops? Or is it too costly for us at present?

[OverKnight]

Matthias responds.

There are many factors as to why we do not have gunpowder units deployed.

First, as you guessed, is cost. The Reich has spent a great deal of time and money to construct buildings that recruit and support our current armies. To recruit gunpowder units of equilavent utility would require a reinvestment of many florins, not only in the troops themselves, but in the buildings used to train them.

Second, is availability, as Chancellor I try to execute the build queues given to me by Dukes and Counts. This is their right, but it often sacrifices unity of purpose. We do not end up with a uniform set of buildings throughout the Reich. Therefore we do not yet have the infrastructure to produce worthwhile gunpowder units on a large scale.

Third, is lack of necessity, our current troops are handling our enemies quite well. They are experienced and already recruited and deployed. To disband them simply because a newer, and more unreliable, technology has come along would be unwise.

Fourth, is applicability, gunpowder artillery is fearsome to behold when it shatters castle walls, but out in the field it is of less utility. As the Reich has assumed more of a defensive posture, there is less need for artillery in general, as the number of siege assaults has dwindled.

I am not opposed to using gunpowder, but it will take time before it becomes prevalent in the Empire.

[AussieGiant]

Arnold

Well summarised Chancellor.

You remind me of some one I read about in my fathers personal journal...I can't quite remember who though.

Tapping is cheek in thought, the Duke speak to his Priest for a moment about the journal in quesiton.

[OverKnight]

Matthias speaks.

My fellow Electors, very soon our forces in Outremer, lead by King Salier, will face the latest Mongol threat in battle. A Mongol Army has marched ahead of the Horde to Edessa. Using the city as an anvil, I have ordered the King and his army to serve as the hammer. I pray the Mongol army will be shattered between them. My own force stands nearby as a reserve for now.

May God grant us victory over the heathen!

[Stuperman]

Twice before there Mongols have harried us, and twice before they have died, Nothing can defend against the Imperial might of Rome, Although I wish King Salier luck, I highly doubt he'll need it.

I have read the most recent reports, but there is scant detail about the situation in europe, Has there been any news of note At home, or am I meerly being impatient?

[GeneralHankerchief]

Conrad Salier:

It doesn't matter whether we win or lose today. Eventually, we shall prevail. We shall always prevail so long as the Lord is on our side.

[GeneralHankerchief]

*A Bavarian lawyer, ashen-faced, stands up.*

M-my Lords.

I have just received notice that King Salier-

*He gulps and starts again.*

That King Salier and his entire army have perished against the Horse Lords. So far the word from Outremer is not much, but it appears that the King was struck down h-halfway through the fighting, thereby causing a chain rout, leaving the rest of his force to be picked off by the opposition.

We are currently trying to get a better grasp of what occurred and should have a full report out by tomorrow.

*He sits down, visibly shaken.*

[Tamur]

*Fritz von Kastilien attempts to rise to his feet, but halfway up he falls back to his bench. He makes the sign of the cross, then covers his face with his hand.*