House Ilios Korakas

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/...ristan3br5.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"

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

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

Methodios walks in the grand hall of the House and sits at the head of the large table, waiting for any and all who would join him.

Solomon enters the great hall, grinning toothlessly.

I hereby break my oath to Michail Ariantis and swear a new oath to Methodious.

Michail should be here shortly to confirm I do this with his blessing. I sent word to him that Alexandria had fallen along with a galley filled with spices.

Michail walks into House Ilios Korakas, moving his way over to the charter.

"What! I was not informed of all of these rules and regulations! Methodios, you have played me for a fool. But it shall not happen again dear sir. Annios, I received no word from you, and I do not agree to break your oath. Suffer the penalty."

Michail storms out, never to return.

Solomon's smile fades as he sees his old liege lord storm off

It appears that I am not part of this house. My apologies Methodious. I promise that I will renew my oath to you at the soonest opportunity. However, I still expect to be rewarded with some land for all my troubles.

I swear an oath of fealty to Methodios Tagaris and will endeavor to uphold the noble ideals of House Ilios Korakas.

I accept your oath, Manouelitis and know you will serve the Empire and our House well.

As for you, Solomon, I feel sorry your Lord felt this way about this. I will talk to him and try to smooth some angles.

Lord, as I have said in the Magnaura, I'm waiting for your explanation, and if I'm not happy with it, I would ask for your expulsion.
There are however, several problems with that.
One, you are the founder and leader of the House. Except for a point of honor, that is not very important.
Second, there are 2 of us in this House, and it wouldn't look kosher to me if I were to vote for your punishment alone.
But if it is necessary, I will do it.

Whatever sanction would be needed would necessitate a vote. As I would simply not vote aginst me, this would result in a tie, where I, as leader of the House, would get the last word.

So this point is moot..

Forgot the Charter you wrote? Not surprising, since you broke it once.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VII Punishment

A.) Punishment will be decided from amongst the House members not being considered for punishment. Punishment can come about from a unanimous decision or a 2/3 vote at the normal voting time. A House member in question cannot vote regarding his own punishment.

---

You can't vote regarding your punishment. Therefore I can vote. Thus, it would be a unanimous decision.
Face it, if you or I offended the Charter, we'd be done for.

I cannot join right now... mainly due to the fact that my lord is reluctant to let me go.

To ensure the future of House Korakas under a strong leadership, I hereby release Nikiphoros Manouleitis from his oath of fealty.

Furthermore, I would not drag you down in my dishonour.

You are no longer considered part of this House.

A ruckus can be heard outside the hall.
"I'll go in if I @#$%^&!!! well want to!"
The doors slam open: Nikiphoros enters the chamber again, with a furious look on his face, and a sharp looking sword in his hand. He is accompanied by 2 bodyguards right behind, bearing arms like him. He steps to the middle of the hall, looks straight at Methodios, and...
He sheathes his blade. His bodyguards do the same.
Nikiphoros kneels, as do his bodyguards.

Methodios, I'm sorry. I have read the reports over and over again, so much that I practically know them by heart. I have considered this situation as much as is humanly possible, and I come to the only conclusion possible: you were right to do it. Sacking Alexandria was the only thing that could avenge our dear friend, and those infidels are heretics. This was a Holy War you were fighting, and as such it was normal to think such things could happen. I daresay the Jihadists would have done worse, killing man, woman and child with no noble idea of revenge, but to prove they were the best. If the Jihad had been successful, we'd be left with Basileus Ioannis Komnenos (Aleksios would be dead). And I don't specially wish for that.
I was wrong to doubt you. I know now I would have done the same thing as you. And I realize that others have not been condemned for crimes much, much worse.

I therefore ask for your forgiveness, Lord. I thought at one point that I was the only one with Honor left, but then I remembered you were "The Chivalrous". With all that entails. I thought that you enjoyed sacking Alexandria, but I believe it must have been a terrible action for one such as you to make.
I beg for your forgiveness, Lord. And if you would be chivalrous enough to give it to me, I would ask - nay, beg - for one other thing: let me be part of this House again. I would offer you my sword once again.
Saying this, he bows deeply, and unsheathes his blade, but with the pommel pointing to Methodios. It is clear what the meaning is: Nikiphoros' is Tagaris' to command.

Nikiphoros, my friend...

You cannot know the extent of my grief for what happened in this city, both to our Crusaders and to the people who have suffered through my actions.

I understand that you may have had doubts about my actions and that you questioned them.

Now, raise up... I welcome you once more into this House for the greater good of the Empire. May we, together, put an end to the threat that lives in those sands...

(OOC : you will need to re-swear your oath...)

I swear my oath once more to Methodios Tagaris.

And I gladly accept it.

Please accept my gift of Scopia as a sign of friendship and goodwill.

I thank you. I will manage Scopia as well as possible.

Nikiphoros Manouelitis, having left the Magnaura earlier, enters the chamber of House Ilios Korakas. Once again, he is not alone. In addition to his bodyguards, there are a couple more scribes from the Magnaura with him, and surprisingly, half a dozen armed men. They are dressed exotically, giving the appearance of being mercenaries. Judging from the loud clinking noise coming from them, they are just that. These men are professionals, as two stay to bar the exit, and the four others deploy in a manner that secures the place.
The occupants of the chamber, that is to say Methodios Tagaris, two of his retinue and some scribes of House Korakas, raise an eyebrow at this; one of Tagaris’ men starts to unsheathe his sword, and one of the scribes starts sweating a bit.
Nikiphoros walks to the centre of the hall, and after checking the situation, addresses Methodios Tagaris.

“Lord, first of all I wish to apologize for what I will do. If others will not move, then I shall. If those others find my actions lacking in honour, then so be it. I do this to right a wrong, and men like that are often viewed with distrust. If what I do brings me that, then so be it.
Recent times have tested us all. The sacking of Alexandria, the Caesar’s near open treason, the Organization… Those are the events that have shocked me the most, and I must say that in the case of the latter two, the unmaking of which have been most commendable. The Basileus himself has realised his son and heir was dangerous for the Empire, and resolved it with one swift stroke. The Organization’s destruction was just as admirable, and I marvel at the Patriarch’s work.
However, you will notice that of those three events, one of them has not yet been resolved. Alexandria.
Methodios Tagaris has done it to avenge Kosmas Mavrozomis. Noble? Yes, of course. Chivalric? Naturally.
But in spirit only. 2000 men have died for one man. Other senators have died, yet did we avenge them in the same manner? No! Why? Because it is horrendous! If I were to die at the hands of infidels, I would not want to be remembered as the catalyst of such a monstrous act! And I do not believe dear Kosmas would want to either. The fact that it is on the occasion of a Holy Crusade makes it worse; I believe the Lord preached peace. That we deliver death to men is bad enough; but what kind of person would extend that death to women and children?
There is another matter at hand. Two laws have been broken; a public edict strictly, and a private rule of the Charter Methodios wrote himself. Both express the same idea: Alexandria should have been occupied.
Some would say that this doesn’t matter. Laws have been broken before. Cities were exterminated; the Caesar himself focused his term as Megas on his allies, and not on the whole of the Empire. The criminals in both cases were maybe judged, but not punished. In this case as well, the perpetrator appears to be getting away with this act. I will not let that happen. I will take a stand. If nobody does that today, then some day in the future the Empire will be betrayed, a Caesar will be assassinated, and all the traitor will get is a slap on the hands. Do any of us honestly wish for this? I do not.
Methodios is not without resources, though. He has admitted his crime, and believes that will reduce his sentence. He has given the examples of other law-breakers. And most interesting, when I clearly said I would think of bringing him down, he threw me out of the House. Cunning man though he normally is, he was foolish enough to let me back. This is what I wish first and foremost to apologize for – the fact that I have lied and cheated to later punish a man. Once more, if dishonour is to be mine, I will bear that sentence.
So this is it. Lord Methodios Tagaris, Comes of Alexandria, I make a motion for your punishment by House Ilios Korakas. The sentence I am putting forth is expulsion from the House until the beginning of the next Senate Session, the one starting in 1140. As I am the only other member of House Korakas, and you cannot vote for your punishment, I declare you expulsed from the House.
For the record, this implies that he is demoted and gives his lands, in this case Alexandria, to the House. Since I am the sole member of the House, I will take that province and administer it personally. And I am also no longer his vassal.
There it is, Methodios. I order you to leave now. If you will not cooperate, then my men will make sure you do."

Finally finished with his speech, Nikiphoros rests his hand on the pommel of his sword, ready to act. It is clear that he is anxious. Tagaris is a cunning man, much more experienced than Nikiphoros, and he might have an ace in his sleeve still… Nikiphoros can only wait until his former lord replies.

Sitting by his desk, Methodios slowly rolls up the parchment he had been reading. A brief motion of his hand has his men put their weapons back into thier sheaths. Reclining in his chair, he looks up to Nikiphoros.

What a devious little twat you are, Nikiphoros...

I almost wish I pushed that sword point some inches forward last time you were in these chambers... But now is not a time for regrets...

I need no excuse for what I did... I know full well the extent of my "crimes". Had you been there under the walls of Alexandria, seeing a man you respected and loved die a gruesome death at the hands of fanatical heretics, I hope you would have acted the same...

I fail to see how the fact that I did this on Crusade is aggravating and do not try to lecture me about the "Holy nature" of this Crusade... We all know the Crusaders have only been pawns into the hands of the Patriarch.

Do you truly think this Crusade had God' sanction ? Have you seen how the elements were against us ? We were beset by whales, by furious tempests as few sailors have ever experienced ? Is that a sign of God's willingness to see that Crusade come to a successful end ? Not in my book...

Please ask the Christians of Cairo what they think of this Crusade... Oh, sorry, I forgot... They are no more Christians in Cairo, thanks to the Patriarch's scheming. He unleashed the Caliph's dogs of war by faking some rebellious intent of these pious and unwarlike men only to divert some of our military power to Egypt, for his own ends. Nevermind that it brought the death of thousands of good Christian souls...

More than this, his devilish plot brought up the whole power of Islam against us, threatening our heartland.

I call this a graver crime than my own and that doesn't raise a single outcry. Yet you wish to punish me for doing what I saw and still believe as just and honourable in these particular circumstances.

You want to kick me out of the House I founded, please do... But if you want to assume control over Alexandria, you'll have to pry it from my dead hands...

Alexandria belongs to me personnally and I won't release it into your hands, so if you want it, you'll have to come and get it...

So Lord Captain-General, if you will excuse me, I have some business waiting for me in Cairo...

Methodios stands, adjusts his cape and scabbarded sword then walks over to Nikiphoros. Stopping one foot in front of the younger man, Methodios just waits until Nikiphoros steps aside. He then walks out the door.

Turning one last time before going out the door, Methodios speaks up.

One last thing...

I may forget your treacherous behaviour if you would return Scopia into my hands.

With your leave...

Without waiting for an answer, Methodios strides out.

As Methodios leaves, Nikiphoros turns to the scribes. Two are in the service of House Korakas, and a third was from the Magnaura. They write quickly what Nikiphoros then says:
"Let it be written that Alexandria is Tagaris' land, and Scopia remains mine."
Looking around the chamber, the new head of House Korakas dismisses his mercenaries, closes his eyes and sighs.
"It's time, I guess... One last piece of unpleasantness."
Nikiphoros takes two pieces of parchment from one of the scribes, writes on them. He sticks the first on the door of House Korakas. The second is left on the Captain-General's desk. He leaves the Chamber with his retinue. The scribes hurry to see what is on the first paper:

Quote:

---

Decreed by Captain General of House Ilios Korakas, Nikiphoros Manouelitis

House Ilios Korakas has not started well. The first city taken by its leader was sacked. This House was founded in blood. And with such noble ideals, such a beginning should not have been tolerated.
The House Ilios Korakas is to be no longer considered an active House. All its lands, that is to say the city of Scopia and its neighbouring countryside, are now under the control of Nikiphoros Manouelitis.
Comes Nikiphoros Manouelitis

---

The first turns to the second:
"So that's it then. Korakas is finished." They both depart.
The last scribe stays a bit. He cannot resist looking at the second paper on which Manouelitis wrote:

Quote:

---

To the Honourable Methodios Tagaris, Comes of Alexandria and potentially Captain-General of House Korakas

Sir. I have never intended to take House Korakas' leadership. My wish was to right a wrong, and that I believe I have done.
I have left the House. Being the only member left, I do not feel the House would thrive like you wanted it to. I therefore give you the House back, if you want it. I shall seek my fortune elsewhere.
You must however promise me:
- to change the Charter. This dreadful business began partly with that. The fact that one man can rule another's life as one can now is neither noble nor sane.
- to forever hold noble and chivalric ideals, and to never again commit an act of injustice as you have.
Farewell, Methodios Tagaris. May you find a better vassal than I have been.
Nikiphoros Manouelitis

---

I withdraw my offer to enter.

Solomon enters the great hall covered in sand from head to foot.

I hereby swear an oath of fealty to Methodious the Chivalrous

Ha, Annios, good to see you back...

Methodios clasps Annios' arm in a warrior salute.

Welcome to Ilios Korakas

I hereby accept your oath.

May the sands of Egypt bring all you desire, in the service of the Empire

Nikolaos enters with a smile, and speaks in a booming voice.

I swear an oath of fealty to Annios Solomon

Welcome to our halls, Strator Nikolaos. I gladly accept your oath.

Due to the death of Annios Solomon, Nikolaos Aristenos oath is now considered valid to Methodios Tagaris for convenience purposes and a reswearing is not necessary. However, Nikolaos can break his oath within the next turn without incurring a penalty, to mimic the fact that technically the oath ended with Annios' death.

Nikolaos, my friend, to celebrate your safe landing on Egyptian soil, I grant you the great city of Alexandria to rule to the best of your abilities.

I have great designs for you, Nikolaos. Things which we should best discuss in private.

Be it recorded in the roster of House Ilios Korakas that Captain-General Methodios Tagaris steps down from his pisition as head of the House.

Doing so, I free Nikolas Aristenos of his oath of fealty.

And I swear an oath of fealty to the new Captain-General of House Ilios Korakas, Nikolaos Aristenos.

I accept Methodios Tagaris's oath of loyalty.