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Another messenger arrives from Leontiskos.
"My Lords, Leontiskos Thraikikos notes that the Kleronomos Basileus has not made efforts to use the transport navy allocated him in the last session, he requests the vessels moved east to hasten his journey to Paraitonion in the event they aren't used."
Bothos turns to Leontiskos' messager
I still have not received words of my request to travel to Side. I think I should be allowed the allotted time to move to the fleet before it is sent off.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
"I think it's a good idea to go north, Bothos. You could probably do a lot of good there. As you're not bringing an army, though, you shouldn't need any special warships to get there. If you wish, I can give you a free ride to Salamis on one of my cargo ships; from there, you must be able to get hold on some merchant vessel and sail across to Side."
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Thank you, Basileus, your cargo ships, though lacking in furnishings seem a perfect vessel for my journey.
I will take one immediately.
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Just to clarify, do I have permission to move the garrison of Side as I wish?
OOC:Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
"It's good you ask, Bothos, and I will give you an answer, which everyone should listen to. To move any garrison in any of my cities, you will need my permission. For now, I will give you permission to move the garrison of Side as you wish, so long as they stay within the limits of Side's province. You must be mindful of the civil order there as well; I don't want to hear of the Chancellor being forced to decrease the taxes just because you've developed a habit of taking the garrison out on picknicks."
I thank you Basileus for the permission. My first task if I can handle it will be to see if I can destroy the Brigands in the province, though this may prove difficult.
"I don't have any intelligence reports from that area at hands here, but I have faith in your own judgement. You are clear to engage if you think you have a good chance of success; you should keep in mind though just how precarious your situation is before you make your decision to meet them in the field."
OOC:Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
A man enters the Council Chambers...
I am Philippos, a good friend of Zoarchos Helios, and will represent him in the Council as long as he is in Sidon.
He wanted to let the Councillors know that a Kyrenaioi army is near our border. If the Councillors, who are currently in Alexandreia with their companions, want to gain some glory and help the Kingdom then now is the best chance. It's possible to surprise attack them and make them suffer some losses. You don't have enough power to defeat them but you can cause them some casualties and thus making the life of First Syrian Army a lot easier.
Ah, so Zoarchos would have us ride out against an army that outnumbers us 5 to 1 in the face of certain defeat, while an army assembled specifically for dealing with the Kyrenaioi is already on its way here..? A fine chance for glory indeed! I'm sure the other generals will be very eager to embark upon this great undertaking. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass on this one as... uhm... my horse is sick. And I'm having my armour waxed... So yeah... Next time, eh?
Additionally, honourable members of the council, I wish to praise our great king for his efforts to liberate the city of Damaskos. For his efforts are noble indeed! Our spy, Ploutos Salaminios, has shown that upper Syria has been a hive of military activity for the past half year. And, a city so close to the Seleucid western capital of Antiocheia will surely be defended with great tenacity. I have no doubt, that the battle for Damaskos, which is surely soon to come, will be a great demonstration of our king's abilities as a leader.
It will be a test, if nothing else. A hard battle, but with much promise if won. I do have my doubts as to the costs involved in such an assault, while some towns up North and East are scarcely defended.
"Thank you Timon. On that note, I would ask if the Chancellor could order Ploutos Salaminios back west again, so that I may know if there is a Seleukid relief army coming."
Philadelphos turns to Alexandros.
"It's true that they have lightly defended regions further north, but if I went after them I'd leave our eastern border completely undefended. The Seleukids in Damaskos could swarm in and go on a rampage unchecked by anyone. This would be a disaster, and I simply won't allow it. Either through starvation or direct assault, the Seleukid threat from Damaskos must be dealt with first."
Starvation might be better, if they foolishly sally you could crush them. Hopefully no army of worth is nearby to relieve them. Though If a small force was to attempt to intervene and make the garrison sally, you could be offered the city on a platter. I wish you luck Basileos, and may Nike and Athena grant you swift and decisive victory!
Starvation?! What a ghastly proposal! We are here to liberate the poor people of Damaskos, not kill them!
I have been riding to meet my army before I can set sail. If another is allowed to take the fleet I will be unable to complete the edict requiring me to go north.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Leontiskos' messenger replies to the heir.
"Your fleet will be back in place next season, no time will be lost to you. Though my master does think it folly for you to travel by sea with a seasoned Seleucid fleet in the eastern Mediterrannean. Perhaps you should wait until our triereis have control of the seas before hazarding such a journey?"
Philippos turns towards Timon..
And I thought that a general like you have heard of a tactic called "hit and run"! You ride there, hit them and then run before they can hit you back.. No, running is not the best word.. it's more like a "tactical withdrawal"?
A messenger rushes into the Council chambers.
"My Lords, the Thraikikos brothers send word that they have returned Paratoinon back into our hands. They await any further intructions the Basleus may have."
Philippos smiles..
These are great news! We have taken back province that we lost and pushed Seleukids out of Damaskos. If we can take Tarsos back and keep them away from Side then Chancellor can say that his term was successful!
An elderly man enters the council chambers and addresses those present:
"Greetings noble dignitaries of Aegyptos, I am Appolinos, a scholar and counselor to our wise Chancellor, Meleagros, Nomarch of the Upper Nile. He sends his warmest congratulations to both our great Basileos and the mighty Thraikikos brothers for their victories in Syria and Cyrenaica. However, he also wishes to urge Euergetes, heir to our great Kingdom, to hasten his troops to Tarsos! Everyday his majesty's son does not sail towards the enemy burdens the royal treasury and our hardworking people with the heavy cost of an army camping in the middle of our lands. If this situation is not remedied at once, the Chancellor feels there will be no other choice than to call an emergency session to assign a better use to these men!"
With this, Appolinos bows and awaits the response of the nobles.
I've heard that mysterious illness have forced the son of our beloved Basileus and the heir to the throne into sick bed. I hope that these are just rumors.
A messenger enters and gives a piece of papyrus to Philippos..
It seems my master, Zoarchos Helios, decided to scout the area around Antiocheia. This is his report..
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He writes..
Quote:
My Basileus and Councillors,
Antiocheia is an easy target at the moment. Only one unit is guarding the city. I propose we sack it! That way we might get our economy back on it's feet. It will also destroy the main Seleukid recruitment center in the area.
Zoarchos Helios
Alexandros Thraikios enters the room, dirty and dust covered, and with a fresh scar on his left forearm. "I volunteer to lead whatever forces be deemed reasonable to capture Antiocheia! Another port city will do wonders for the economy of our nation!"
A messenger arrives in court with a message for Eurgetes before he departs.
"My Lord Thraikikos states that he believes the Seleukid naval threat in the Eastern Mediterranean has been defeated. He therefore hands control of the naval units constructed to defeat them to Eurgetes, travel by sea is hazardous and pirates can seemingly spawn from nowhere. When he is safely on Anatolian soil they should be disbanded.
Oh, he also said he's off to conquer Siwa..."
Philippos speaks..
I hope Leontiskos have not forget the ancient laws:
His attack against Siwa, using our 1st Syrian army, would be against those laws.Quote:
Players may not move avatars or armies into the territory of a neutral or allied faction without the permission of the Basileus.
Nor may they attack the settlements or armies of neutral or allied factions without a declaration of war from the Basileus, a Chancellor or a Law.
(OOC: All Eleutheroi settlements are considered neutral by default. The only exception currently is Kyrene who are at war with us.)
The messenger looks at Philippos,Quote:
Originally Posted by Ibn-Khaldun
"I don't remember mentioning the 1st Syrian Army..."
Philadelphos Ptolemaios coughs.
"That doesn't matter. You may not enter the territory of a neutral faction without my permission anyway."
This reminds me.. where is Kydrogenes Epiphanes? Last time I heard of him he was on his way to Hierosolyma. As far as I know he never reached his destination. Did he crossed the border and entered Sinai?
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
A messenger arrives in the Council chambers
I am an envoy representing the Kleronomos Basileios and speak for him.
He would like to enquire if his father wishes to assault Antiocheia and if so which direction his Royal Army would take afterwards. He suggests turning East and striking blows into the heartland of the Seleukids.
This would free up a way for the Heir's Royal Army to reclaim the treacherous Side and carry on through Anatolia, capturing the rich cities that lie there.
I advise care when delving in the lands past Babylon. The Seleukids hold vast areas spreading far to the East, and we must not overextend ourselves.
A weary, ragged-looking messenger storms into the council chambers. Covered with sand, dust and sweat, he looks as though he has been traveling for days without rest. As he takes a short moment to catch his breath, the looks on the faces of the council members turn from bewilderment into annoyance, but before anyone can comment on the messenger's lack of etiquette, he brings out his papyrus scroll and proclaims:
"My lords, a message from my master, Timon Arrhidaeos."
While unrolling the scroll he wipes the sweat from his forehead and begins to read:
"Honourable members of the council and representatives, a terrible disaster is upon us! Rebellious armies are mustering in Heptanomis! Not a year has past since our crown prince has taken his army to Anatolia and already these revolting peasants are revolting. These thiefs, brigands, rebels and traitors are terrorising the very heart of our empire, robbing innocent traders, raiding estates and plundering our communities. What's worse is that our cities along the Nile have been left completely defenseless! We must act to stop these criminals immediately, either by raising a new army or by recalling the crown prince."
A jar of cool water is passed to the exhausted messenger. He takes a large gulp and continues:
"Additionally, a number of Jews have taken up arms against us in the state of Ioudaia. They pose no real threat to our security in the region, but trade proceeds are down by 50%! As I am currently residing in Hierosolyma, I will make it my task to hunt down each and every rebel in this state. Unless, of course, his majesty, whose army is camped in nearby Syria, wishes to intervene instead. If not, then I will raise an army with my own private funds to deal with the rebels. I ask only that I be allowed to make use of the division of pantodapoi currently stationed in Hierosolyma to complement my own forces. I await your reply."
Philippos nods..
I am certain that my master agrees with Timon Arrhidaeos. Zoarchos Helios' estate is one of those that the rebels could attack. Meleagros Ptolemaios and Satyrion Mimyraios also have estates close to the rebel army. Must say that their leader have picked an interesting name - Aigyptios! He mocks our Basileus with that name!
Another messenger arrives at court.
"My Lords, Leontiskos Thraikikos sends word that another band of cut throats had emerged near Paratoinon. It was but a small, ill equipped bunch of miscreants, but Leontiskos felt it would be folly to march east with another enemy at his back. The 1st Syrian was not used, his private forces defeated them, and are now at Paratoinon waiting for my Lordship to catch up and move on toward this ironically named foe. The delay will only cost us one season."
Another messenger from Leontiskos Thraikikos arrives,
"My Lords, Leontiskos notes that Eurgetes has arrived safely in Anatolia. The triereis that the Council paid for together should now be sent to the nearest friendly port and scrapped. Their purpose has been fulfilled and Eurgetes is safely landed, we cannot afford to keep them any longer."
Zoarchos Helios enters the Council chambers..
Firstly, I congratulate Leontiskos for his recent success in west! I really hope that he moves quickly enough to destroy that Rebel named Aigyptios! I lost half of my income this season because that Aigyptios robbed several of my grain carts to Memphis!
Secondly, I support the idea of disbanding the fleet!
Also, I hope that we can start our next Council meeting in Spring with good news from Tarsos. I hope our young Heir captures the city this Winter.
But now I'm going to the Agora.. You can find me there if you need me..
He signals Philippos to follow him and leaves the room..
Alexandros Thraikikos enters the hall, this time bathed and not grabbed in armour, but in a fine tunic. "I have defeated the army that spoiled the trade in Memphis and threatened to take our lands. I will now rest and recuperate the losses of my private units. Those of you who I have aided directly by eliminating the threat to your estate's trade, I will expect to aid me in the cost of retraining my private men."
Alexandros' brother strides into the hall and gives him an annoyed glance.
"You want us to pay you for doing your duty as a member of the Royal Family?
I would have appreciated you giving me notice of your intent of attacking the rebels, I don't know if you noticed but I left you in Paratoinon and went south to further our national interests. Then I heard of these rebels and came back to help, now I find I'm not needed and have another fun desert march to look forward to. I'll assume you can handle any problems while I'm away."
He stalks back out.
"And nice to see you too, brother." Alexandros grins. "Annoyed that you had a girl instead of a son? Anyway Royal duties are usually fulfilled by use of Royal Armies. I have been granted no such troops but instead have used my own coin and the lives of my own men to secure the nation's peace. Perhaps I should have left the reel scum there for three or six more months, surely losing half of the trading caravans for such a period would have been a better deal for all those who have estates in Memphis, than paying for the retraining of two companies of men."
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Zoarchos had silently entered the room while the Thraikikos bros' were speaking..
Alexandros, I thank you that you got rid off that annoying rebel. However, that is all you get from me - my gratitude. Did your brother asked mnai from the Basileus when he destroyed that rebel warband near Paraitonion? No. Did he used his own private units to do so? Yes. So, I don't see why we should pay you. Also, be careful what you say!
"Perhaps I should have left the reel scum there for three or six more months, surely losing half of the trading caravans for such a period would have been a better deal"
I am the Royal Treasurer and if I want I could just lower the taxes in Delta Neilou! That means you will loose what ever mnai you get from your estates!
Zoarchos calms down..
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Alexandrios waved his hand and smiled coldly.
"Of course. Next time I will let the brigands go on a rampage. You can do what you will with the taxes, I see there is little justice to be had this day! Better yet, I will soon rid you of my presence and you can all plot and scheme and thump your thumbs, and hoard your precious gold. I am truly sorry now that I chose to go out of my way to aid you, while hampering my own plans. This will be remembered and I will not make the same mistake again!"
"Oh, I see! So you would take the comfort, wealth and safety provided to you by me and my kingdom, along with all the priviliges that comes with being allowed a voice here in the Council, but when it comes to defending it, you won't lift a finger unless we pay you for it?"
Philadelphos looks at Alexandros with scorn and disgust in his eyes.
"Such are the words of a mercenary, and not a Council member."
A messenger barges through crowds of clerks and civil deputies into the council chambers.
My good councilmen.
I would report, with great pleasure that my master, the Kleronomos Basileios, has successfully taken Tarsos after the defenders rallied out with a relief force led by a great general. The general has been killed and treasonous Tarsos back in our hands. My master also took it upon himself to disperse the majority of the population from the city as punishment and to hope their devious ways will be belittled if spread through various provinces.
"Had you provided an army with which to defend it I'd have gladly done it uncle! But seeing as how none was granted I used my own men. I see no one here raising a voice as to why the other Strategoi did not raise troops to jump to the Kingdom's defense! In fact, If I had sat on my arse and piled up my gold like most everyone else, we wouldn't have had this conversation! But because I had troops and chose to use them for the common good, now I'm suddenly a mercenary for asking everyone directly benefited from my victory to chip in for the retraining costs!"
Alexandros's eyes burn with anger and he clenches his fists.
"I am in the right and if none of you shall admit it then being on this council loses it's meaning for me!"
My dear Alexandros,
Had you notified the council of your intentions to attack, I would have gladly made my army in Memphis available to you, which, I should add, I left in Memphis specifically to counter the rebel threat. Yet, arrogant as Achilles, you ride out with your small band of horsemen without as much as a word to the council. How could we have known you would dare attack with so small a force? Do not insult us by calling us idle or unpatriotic!
Yet, I cannot ignore that you have done your country a great service and you ask not to be payed, but simply to be compensated for the men you lost while defending our empire. Though my imports from Memphis are limited and I was not greatly affected by the rebels in Heptanomis, it would pain me to see these brave deeds go unacknowledged. (Indeed I choose my words carefully here, members of the council, I would not say unrewarded, as it is not a reward that Alexandros seeks!) So, I will give you 700 mnai, which I estimate to be roughly half your reinforcement costs. As for the other half, it will be up to the consciences of Zoarchos and Leontikos whether you will receive it or not.
Alexandros cooled down and grabbed Timon's forearm. Perhaps the comparison to Achilles, who was Megas Alexandros's own hero, struck the lad on a soft spot (a spot called vanity, which many a young men had).
"Brave Timon, I thank you for your kind words. The reason for my hasty departure was because things move slowly here and it would have taken time to assign a leader for that army, out of the usual five candidates, and it would have taken him time to march to the army and yet more time to march with the army to the threat. The rebels could have easily raided someone's estate if given such freedom. I thank you for your generosity but cannot in right accept the gold as you were in no way threatened by these rebels. I wish to split the cost of retraining in three between the wise Zorachos and my headstrong younger brother. From you I will only take the wisdom of a more reserved tone."
Do reconsider, Alexandros. The Hierosolyma-Memphis trade has been most profitable to me and 700 mnai is but a a small amount, if it helps to preserve the peace in the council.
A small girl walks into the chambers beside an older man. She looks apprehensively around her, before smiling shily at the Basileus and waving to Alexandros. The man with coughs nervously, then speaks.
"Uh, a message from Leontiskos Thraikikos my Lords. Ahem."
He reads.
"I have sent my eldest daughter, Archetime, to court to be my representative whilst I am away. I am sure some of you may think a two year old girl unsuited to the position. However, in the few days I had back home recently, I noticed she had displayed behaviour that made her a perfect candidate for the Council, she likes to stamp her foot on the ground and demand what she wants. When she doesn't get it she whines about how unfair life is and sulks for days..."
The little girls grabs the parchment and pouts.
"I do not sulk for days, who said I do? I'm going to tell daddy to cut his head off!"
Pouting, the girl storms out of the hall, closely followed by the man.
The doors to the Council Chambers open wide as Meleagros Ptolemaios, Chancellor for the past few years, arrives to submit his report. The man walks with his characteristic limp, his wooden cast sending sharp echoes through the shaded halls. He is followed by a small Egyptian native that scurries after him carrying bundles of scrolls and flanked by a richly adorned priest of Zeus-Ammon. Clearing his throat Meleagros begins:
"Fellow councilors, I am pleased to finally meet you again after three very successful years for our Kingdom. When I first took office, we were beset on all sides by enemies, but today, I am proud to say that by your actions we have managed to pull through a difficult storm.
First of all, our Basileos and his son have reconquered Damaskos and Tarsos and are now putting siege before the Seleukid's western capital that should fall within a season's time.
Secondly, we have beaten back their fleet through generous personal contributions, especially from Leontiskos Thraikikos.
Leontiskos Thraikikos has also been capital retaking the city of Paraitonion.
Finally, though we had to deal with some very minor rebellion and the loss of Side through Seleukid gold and treachery, our conquests and my efforts to upgrade our economic structures and to sign economic treaties has seen our treasury return to profitability.
As we now prepare to discuss the future of our Kingdom, I shall set down a few ideas to orient our deliberations:
1- Polyxenos Salaminios, our diplomat who has been traveling east, should continue in this direction and reach the Kingdom of Bactria who could prove a valuable ally against the sons of Seleukos;
2- Aiglanor Karanites, our new spy, currently in Edessa, should continue to train on easy assignments to sharpen his skills;
3- Our current Kerkuroi fleet should be either reinforced or disbanded, potentially, scrapped to permit the creation of stronger ships.
As for overall strategy, our position, though stronger, is still not secure. Two paths lay before us: either we push further into Seleukid territory in an attempt to quickly topple them or we try to sign peace with the Arche Seleukia and consolidate our base, namely, Numidia and Kyrenaia.
Personally, I suggest the second option. Though an all out race for Seleukid land might be tempting and quite rewarding, we risk spreading our forces quite thin. On the other hand, a slower approach would permit us to then assault the Seleukids with more armies and on more fronts, from a solid base in Egypt.
For that reason, I propose:
Law 2.1: That a Nomarchy be created in the Kyrenaica, first based on Paraitonion, but with the ultimate goal of including Kyrene and Ammonion, with Kyrene as capital. This Nomarchy would be headed by Leontiskos Thraikikos should he accept, or should he refuse, by a strategos named by our Basileos. The new Nomarch would be charged with completing the Nomarchy's conquest using the 1st Syrian Army.
Edict 2.1: That the first Syrian Army be retrained and reinforced to a total of 8 units.
Law 2.2: That the Nomarch of Upper Egypt be charged with the conquest of the southern settlements and that an army of 6 to 8 units be created for that purpose. The conquered settlements could be initially added to the Nomarchy, with the goal of eventually creating a separate Nomarchy in the south.*
*As Nomarch of Upper Egypt, I would most likely name another councilor strategos for this mission.
Finally, I would represent myself for the position of Chancellor, but would prefer if other councilors dedicated themselves to the more military positions of Trierarchos and Polemarchos, for I do not intend to command armies in the field.
This is my report and these are my propositions for the Kingdom. May Zeus-Ammon, blessed be his name, inspire our deliberations!"
Leontiskos stands.
"Well said uncle, though I feel you overstate my role in our successes and forget my brother's. He may well have annoyed most of us with his demands, but none if us can deny the brilliance and bravery he showed defeating that rebel, Aigyptios, who threatened the heart of our growing domain."
"Uncle, why do you desire for us to conquer the Kingdoms of Kush and Meroe? These states have lately been on quite reasonable terms with us, we have no reason to make war upon them. Nor do we have the resources to do so.
In addition, if we stop to consolidate our efforts against the Seleukids, we will lose the initiative. The Seleukids will not sit by and wait for us to regroup, they will attack us relentlessly when we stop our offensive campaign against them. Someone should lead an expedition into Babylonia and capture the Seleukid heartland, so we can force them to surrender and finally end this feud."
Leontiskos stands once more.
"Hi coz, good to see you here. You are quite correct to worry about our resources, especially if we are going to be fighting on three fronts, as Meleagros wishes. Therefore I propose a slightly different strategy to Law 2.1. I had already planned to attack the region in question, and have permission from the Basileus. However, I feel I can conquer the potential Nomarchy without the use of state troops. If, that is, my brother wishes to help me. I have no wish to be a Nomarch, Alexandros would be a better choice. I suggest then, that the 1st Syrian become the army specified in Law 2.2 and Alexandros and myself be given free reign to create the Nomarchy of Kyrenaica, with a joint command and Alexandros to become Nomarch when the job is complete. This would be a lot cheaper than the strategy suggested by our Chancellor, though it would require Alexandros approval. I don't think there is any need to faff about with laws and edicts for it, just declare the 1st Syrian the Army of the Nomarchy of Upper Egypt and let the Thraikikos family do the rest."
Meleagros laughs:
"Haha! That could be an idea. The Thraikikos are certainly a capable family! And headstrong! I am willing to reformulate my proposals to match this is Alexandros approves."
I believe that no money and troops should be wasted on foolish pursuits in Africa. First of all the Royal Armies should be completely combat ready, as they are the most capable forces of finishing the war in a timely manner. I myself will be using personal funds to upgrade the abilities of my army.
I then suggest that my father marches for the Seleukid heartland to capture the profitable and grand cities of Seleukeia and Babylon. My Royal Army could head in a westerly direction and clear out the Seleukid strongholds in Anatolia. If both of these thrusts are successful it will be a big blow to the enemies economy and territorial possessions and would enable us to continue the war in anyway we see fit or demand a profitable peace.
As for the 1st Syrian, I'm sure it could be put to better uses. If the Thraikikos family wishes to use personal troops and funds to conquer provinces then so be it. I would not wish to see our own troops used in such a fashion with such a formidable foe on our northern border.
The doors of the Council opens and in steps a group of people headed by Basileus Philadelphos Ptolemaios himself. To the right and behind of him can be seen a man who some may recognize as the same man who had brought the message that Damaskos had fallen; to his left and behind is another man, unrecognized in the council, who is large and imposing, with watchful eyes scanning every direction. Heading straight for his seat, he his met by a clerk who hands him a paper, which he reads as soon as he has sat down. The other two men take places standing behind the throne as they had walked.
When Philadelphos has finished reading, he looks up and eyes the Council. Surprised that it has fallen completely silent, he looks around to his aides and advisers to see if they are any wiser to the situation. When none of them seem to understand what's going on, Philadelphos rises from his chair and salutes the Council. Taking a couple of steps forward, he starts talking.
Gentlemen! As the situation stands right now, no laws or edicts have received enough seconders to pass to the voting stage; however, I have proposed some Rule Changes that still need to be voted on. I will also challenge my dear brother and nominate myself for Chancellor, and since no one else has done it, I will nominate myself for Polemarchos and Trierarchos as well. With no contest, I will automatically assume the latter to positions without the need of an election.
With this said, I announce that the first phase of this session is concluded! The voting phase will begin shortly.
Philadelphos Ptolemaios, after learning the result of the vote, once again stood up to address the Council.
Comrades, friends, fellow Council members - I thank you for entrusting me the honour of replacing my brother as Chancellor! With the splendid job he has done, I have my work cut out before me if I shall live up to his legacy. However, I assure you that I shall do my utmost to do so, and with your help, I believe I can do it. I will do my very best to increase the prosperity of our kingdom and to secure the borders we currently hold. As many of you, my brother perhaps the most, may know already, during his Chancellorship, many civilians in and around Syria have been very opportunistic, unreliable and even to the brink of being outright rebellious. I pledge to quell this unrest and to stabilize the region before my term is over.
With this, I shall retire to the tavern before I head back to Syria, unless of course any of you fine nobles here have any questions or requests of me that cannot wait.
A messenger arrives at court, dusty from many days riding.
"Lords of Egypt, I bring a message from Leontiskos Thraikikos,
Basileus and friends, I hereby hand over the town of Ammonion and surrounding territories, mainly sand and rocks, to our great and glorious Basileus.
Leontiskos Thraikikos."
He leaves the court.
Basileus Philadelphos Ptolemaios:
"Excellent! Then I shall reinstate him as the commander of the 1st Syrian Army. He may let them retrain and restock in Syria as planned, or he may order them in another direction, as he deems fit.
It should also be recognized that for his efforts to the kingdom and to his king, Leontiskos Thraikikos has now earned the rank of Strategos Hetairos! Let all men of the Council treat him with due respect."
A courier arrives at the council room, accompanied by an attendant
Lysimachos Ptolemaios's personal clerk unrolls the papyrus scroll, and reads;
"My kinsmen and fellow councilmen. I write to you now having recently departed with my new model navy to Krete. It is not uncommon knowledge that Krete is a major haven for smugglers, mercenaries, pirates, and other unlawful men from around the Mediterranean. Therefore, my personal advisors and I have decided to embark on a military expedition to Krete to ensure that it will no longer be a land that sows lawlessness. With the navy marines I have personally commissioned for the past few years, I will rid the region of the Kretan piratical threat. In addition, I have been informed by our allies in the Hellenic League that they currently have a military force on the island who have been rather uncomfortably marooned for several years. They have agreed to assist my naval forces in capturing Krete, on the condition that we provide them with transport back to Hellas."
Several weeks later, another ship docks at Alexandreia's famed port. Another courier goes to the council chamber, and says he has another message from Lysimachos Ptolemaios.
"I have assessed the situation in Krete and have decided not to go with my original plan. I will instead set sail for the Hellenic mainland, and will make diplomatic arrangements with our allies there. I will also go to the Cape Tainaron to recruit some of its famed mercenaries before I embark again for Krete. I will spend six months in Hellas before I depart, so if any matters concerning me arise in the council, I urge you to send word."
Honourable members of the council and representatives,
I have moved my army into Koile Syria and set up camp there, with the intention of moving east into enemy territory. Palmya is not protected by walls and should make for a good target, provided its garrison is not too strong for my humble group of soldiers. To find out enemy troop strength, I propose moving our spy near Edessa south to scout the town of Palmyra. He need not enter the city, but a survey of enemy forces from the outside could prove very valuable.
Basileus Philadelphos Ptolemaios:
Unfortunately, I am planning on moving west with my army on a new campaign into Mikra Asia and I need that spy for myself. However, this does not mean that I am deaf to your needs either, for I have ordered the training of a new spy. He should be ready for duty now in Damaskos; you may use him as you see fit this winter, including sending him on missions that might result in his death.
Hermokrates enters the Council chambers, hurries up to the empty seat of Philadelphos and hands a letter to a scribe. He then turns and addresses the Council.
Dear Council members, I come on behalf of Basileus Philadelphos Ptolemaios. He is not able to be here just yet, but he has given me simple instructions and the power to speak for him on simple matters until he arrives. He has also given me authority to declare that the new session opened.
And so I shall do now. The Third Council Session is now open! Make your proposals, discuss them and second as needed - and don't forget to nominate yourself for any governmental position you would like to have! It will last for three days, and be closed on 21:40, Tuesday, 9th of August. After that two days of voting will follow. May the session begin!
Gentlemen, I apologise for my long absence. In fact, I have gone into the lands of the Galatians in the north. During my journey, I have discovered that the natives there are not only good warriors but are also good friends of us. Therefore, I propose the following edict:
Edict E3.1: An army will be sent north to liberate the natives and incorporate their rich country into the Ptolemaic dominions.
I second this edict.
Basileus Philadelphos Ptolemaios enters the Council. He has an cheerful smile on his face as he greets Hermokrates and takes his seat.
Gentlemen! At the beginning of my term as chancellor, I made a vow to stabilize Syria, which upon my taking this responsibility, was in a borderline rebellious mood. This I have done. Furthermore, my term has also seen the capture of Antiocheia, the routing of several Seleukid armies and a steady growth of the kingdom's coffers. Alexandreia has hugely profited from this, but that has not been at the expense of the more periphery regions. Nay, there is not a corner of our kingdom that I have not given attention to, and though one always wish one could give more, there is currently no way to call my term anything but a great success. I do hope that doesn't sound too self-congratulatory; I am merely stating the facts, even when the facts work in my favour.
With this in mind I expect no objections when I announce this early in that I shall be assuming the position of Polemarchos.
Hermokrates whispers something in Philadelphos' ear. Slightly surprised, Philadelphos turns his head towards Isigonos Kleopatrikes.
Ah, good to see you back, comrade! I regret I cannot support your edict, though, for the simple reason that, as it is stated, it would warrant an attack on anyone north of us! You must rewrite it to be less general and more specific or I see no other option than to vote against it. Liberating the Galatians is otherwise something I am sympathetic to.
My Basileus, thank you for your kind words. The army need not trespass on neutral territory; we shall march north from our bases in Cillicia and liberate our brave and loyal friends from tyranny!
You missed my point, which is that this edict would warrant an attack on anyone to our north. It's not about trespassing on neutral territory, but the surrender of control over diplomacy by this council and me to any man with a stick and shield; it's a step towards anarchy, and would put our kingdom on a destructive course towards its own doom. I will not allow that to happen.
Thraikikos whispers to Apollonios beside him.
"I trekked all the way through the desert for this..."
Philadelphos yawns.
As interesting and... productive... as this session has been, it is soon drawing to a close. I think I shall make some last minute proposals then. The first one is merely a more properly stated edict to get Isigonos's through to the ballot box.
Edict 3.2: An army shall be sent to liberate the Galatians and install them as our friends and allies.
The second proposal is more serious. The problem is my brother. The way he has been running his nomarchy is under all kinds of criticism. In fact, he hasn't been running it at all! During his reign, the land that he has control has fallen into stagnation, and while I was Chancellor I was forced to see so many new opportunities get squandered because my brother could not be bothered to take care of his responsibilities. There is much opportunity of economic expansion in his Nomarchy, and if we are to keep up with our enemies we cannot afford to let it go to waste. Therefore I propose this my own edict:
Law 3.1: The Nomarchy of the Upper Nile, as established by Law E1.1, shall be transferred from Meleagros Ptolemaios to anyone of the Basileus's choice. If no suitable person for it can be found, it shall be dissolved.
I also have a rule change to make. In the current draft of our constitution, power #3 of the Basileus power #2 of the Kleronomos Basileios seem to be worded in such a way as to say that they must have 20 units in them. This was not the intention of RC 2.3, and would unnecessarily strain our economy. This is the reason why I propose the following Rule Change.
Rule Change 3.1: The changes made by RC 2.3 shall be undone. Instead, an additional power shall be added for both the Kleronomos Basileios and the Basileus, saying that they can command an unlimited number of men.
That will make the clarification that RC 2.3 was intended to do, without creating the unnecessary economic burdens as we are under now.
There was a minor mistake in RC 2.1 as well, which I will propose to rectify here.
Rule Change 3.2: In rule 1.4, just after the part that was added by RC 2.1, it should be further clarified that all Eleutheroi settlements are considered independent from each other, and that every individual eleutheroi settlement should be treated as any other faction.
Lastly, since no one else has shown any interest in being Chancellor, I shall take it upon myself to be Chancellor once again.
With these propositions made, I now declare this session to be finished. The voting period shall commence shortly.
Leontiskos' eyes flick open at the final proposal.
"I take it that will have no effect on our, "little agreement" on the provinces west of Egypt, uncle?"
"Rest assured, dear nephew, for I have not forgotten it, and my word is still gold. The rule change you refer to makes no real change to what it was before; it's only a clarification that needed to be made. I still enjoy the right to declare war and sanction any attack on anyone I like, and nothing that has been proposed would have any kind of impact on our 'little agreement', as you put it."
Honourable members of the council,
These are dire times for the empire! A huge Seleucid army has lain siege to the city of Antiocheia. Our garrison force consists mainly of light troops and will surely be annihilated when the enemy assaults the walls. Is there anyone who can come to their aid in time?
My army is required to keep the peace in Palmyra. These rebellious dogs would surely revolt if I left. I therefore request two things of the council. Firstly, that it raise a garrison for Palmyra in Sidon and Damascos. If two Pantodapoi units are levied in both cities, the unit from Sidon can go to Damascos and the three units in Damascos can go to Palmyra. Secondly, I withdraw my request for walls around Palmyra. The Seleucids seem to have lost interest in the city and have ignored it completely so far. It would be far better if a temple was erected, to help subdue the population's discontent, so my army can be on the move again. By attacking to the east, I hope to tie down as many Seleucid soldiers as possible to help relieve pressure on our cities.
Basileus Philadelphos Ptolemaios:
"I have raised men in those cities as well as Palmyra itself to see to it so you can go and deal with this Sarpedon Syriakos. Should you feel the need for it, I will authorize the hiring of one band of mercenaries to accomplish this task on the Kingdom's payroll. In fact, I authorize you to leave Palmyra to its fate and take the garrison soldiers with you if you need it; Antiocheia is by far more important than a small, desert town."
Philadelphos' face now turns grave and his voice turns low, filled with sadness and disappointment.
"There is another problem that we're facing, and sadly that problem has a name. Lysimachos Ptolemaios. My son. I sent him a warning as soon as he broke the holy law of our kingdom, stepped onto foreign land without my permission, and attacked a neutral faction, the Kretans, without ever even seeking permission to do so from either me or this Council. I told him to immediately break off the siege and to leave the island, or he would have to be punished. He summarily ignored this warning, and instead assaulted and occupied Kydonia.
As he is my son, some may fear partiality from me if I made the sentence myself, and so I invite you, members of the Council, to voice your opinion. How shall we deal with my son's crimes? I shall of course send for him to explain himself, as you may want to hear him out before you judge him."
I fear my army is no match for that of Sarpedon. I have no heavy cavalry and my phalanx is down to three quarters of its strength. It will be difficult to deal with his cavalry. The garrison troops are of little help, though some heavy, hard-hitting mercenaries could turn in balance in our favour. Additionally, our spies report that he has already finished enough siege equipment to attempt an assault this winter.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Celtic Viking
But, if this is your wish, your highness, I will free Antiocheia or die trying.
Your son has proclaimed Kydonia and Kreta in your name, your highness, and he has used only his personal ships and troops. Yet, interfering in the affairs of the Greeks may bring unforeseen problems for our empire in the long term and holding Kreta may cost the empire more than it is worth. And of course, the law is sacred. This is indeed a troublesome affair...Quote:
Originally Posted by The Celtic Viking
"It's not just that he first broke the sacred law, but that he got a warning for it which he completely ignored. To let him off now would effectively be saying that following the law is entirely optional, in which case it ceases to be law and we would now be living in an anarchy. That is what I want to avoid; I do not take any pleasure in seeing my son being punished.
As for the Antiocheia situation..." Philadelphos sighs heavily. "It is regrettable. You and your soldiers have done a lot, and a heavy fight is upon you. Maybe it is not winnable, but at least it should be easier take on them now, outside of the walls, when you have the aid of our men in Antiocheia, than it will be to take them on when they have the walls to protect them. Should you fail, though, I would rather you escaped with your life so you could come back and fight again. Then we would have the time to gather a stronger army to really see it through."