Patriarchial Proclamations

**GeneralHankerchief** · 06-03-2008, 02:35

Proclamation of 1081

Greetings and regards to the Baselius, the Caesar, the Senators, and all people of Byzantium. May this session of the Magnaura be blessed and productive.

Our Faith faces several unique challenges at this very moment, all of which need to be addressed. Firstly, while we believe and have believed in Our Savior Jesus Christ for over one thousand years, we have only recently begun doing so in our own, correct, manner without the Catholics of the West tagging along for the ride. Since the leader of the faith has always been in Rome, we are thus considered the religion that has split off by the world; the religion that is new, the religion that is vulnerable.

Secondly, we, unlike the two other great religions of the world, have untrue faiths bearing down upon us from two directions. We have no buffer zones; no great ocean to the west, no vast deserts to the east and south to prevent heresy from leaking in. Vigilance is required to keep the Orthodox Faith alive from the Untruths.

The Catholics, while heretics, at least believe in Christ and His teachings, and are thus not so inclined to directly attack us unless there is good reason. Again, our location betrays our Faith, Senators; we are in their way. Their target is the Mohammedans to the east, the religion of the desert and the thieves of our holiest of lands; the birthplace of Christ, Moses's trek through the desert to Palestine, and soforth.

Right now the Catholic faith is divided. Kaiser Heinrich of the pretender Successors is still smarting over his loss to Pope Gregory in the matter of Investiture. Each country has their own individual problems with rebels and nearby independent lands. The only way they will pose any threat to us is if Gregory calls a Crusade and its soldiers decide that Constantinople will make an excellent pit stop.

No, the solution is simple: Give them nothing to Crusade for. A display of military strength combined with the location of its target should be enough to keep the Catholics at bay and have us concentrated on spreading our faith in one direction while the other leaves us alone. The ideal target, of course, is Antioch.

Antioch is an excellent start to what will eventually be our reclamation of the holy territories that have been lost to us. I envision Byzantium's holdings in the east to be akin to what we had six centuries ago: An empire, controlling the eastern half of the Mediterranean, holding such worthy locations as Antioch, once the Jewel of the East; Jerusalem, land where He spent his time and was eventually crucified by our ancestors; Cairo and Alexandria, homes of the first monasteries, lands which once had their grasps on the benevolent shoulder of our faiths but have long since had it wrenched it away by the Mohammedans.

Get these lands under control and our Empire will be one, both religiously and politically, to be reckoned with. Should anyone dare threaten our faith in the future after these tasks be accomplished, we shall simply spend them into the ground.

We must also prepare ourselves for the long-term conversion of our prodigal brothers to the west back to the True Faith. While no military action should be taken (as alluded to above, the only thing that will unite the Catholics at this moment is an outside attack on their faith), we cannot sleep at night knowing that there are so many sheep so close to the flock, yet still so far away.

To remedy this, priests must be sent to the borderlands and begin preaching the Orthodox Word. Full conversion will take years, but we have time, and if nothing else, the Orthodox borderlands will make potentially hostile Crusades that much more difficult to pull off.

May God grant you all prosperity in the coming months and years.

~Nicholas III

**GeneralHankerchief** · 06-05-2008, 03:36

2nd Proclamation of 1081

It has come to my attention that our great Empire suffers from a severe lack of the structures that most concern the people. Namely, there are far too few buildings of worship and organized farms. This greatly disturbs me, for if great men are not true to their subordinates and their faith, how can they be true to themselves?

My representative in the Magnaura informs me that following me based on your faith and trust in me is not enough to take the route that is most benefitting to the Orthodox people as a whole. While this is regrettable and may be paid in consequence later on, it is to be expected to a reasonable degree. If rewards must be given out to advance the goals of the most important of all causes, so be it.

I hereby issue a challenge to the masters of all of Byzantium's cities, Constantinople excepted. In order to properly demonstrate your devotion to your religion and your people, I request that the following be constructed, in this specific order:

All settlements must build level 1 church.
All cities must then build level 2 church.
All castles must then build level 1 farm.

The first nobleman to complete this task will receive their choice of armor from the Vaults of the Patriarch, the choices being:

Fine Armor: +4 hps
Ornate Armor: +1 authority, -2hps

If the higher-ups of this Empire do not take the time to feed their people and worship their Savior then I fear for its future.

Godspeed, and I wish the remainder of the Magnaura session to be blessed and productive.

(OOC: This is the first of the in-game "Events" to take place, as authorized by TinCow. Upon completion of this task, the first Senator to do so should notify TinCow of your choice of armor and it will be added to your avatar's retinue via the console.)

**GeneralHankerchief** · 06-30-2008, 17:38

Proclamation of 1095

Greetings and regards to the Baselius, the Caesar, the Senators, and all people of Byzantium. First of all, my congratulations to the Basileus on such a productive reign. He is to be commended for spreading the True Faith to many places in such a short time.

However, it is such that we now face the consequences of such a rapid expansion. Much like the child in puberty who has grown rapidly in too little time, the Empire is now experiencing the awkward feeling as we try to readjust to our new size.

As mentioned in my first proclamation, our Empire and our faith is in the unique position of being surrounded by nonbelievers. As such, we need to take care that we are not overwhelmed and, more importantly, overstretched. We have expanded, in the Basileus's term, both into the Orthodox/Catholic borderlands of the Eastern Adriatic as well as Mohammedan territory in Anatolia. While conversion efforts have (rightly) begun, the point remains that there are still a lot of people who have not been Saved. These people still believe, after being raised their entire lives to do so, that their faith is the correct one. They will naturally not take kindly to whom they perceive to be invaders coming in and shaking their world.

It will take time to convert these people, but in the meantime we must be vigilant. The heretic Spartacus has led an army in the East that is threatening to undo all the progress that has been made in that region. He must be dealt with. Similar problems exist in the west.

In the meantime, while these problems are being addressed, we must stop to reflect on why they arose in the first place. I believe the answer is simple: Too much, too fast. Too much conquest over too short a period of time. The people of the newly Byzantine lands do not regard her soldiers as a welcoming hand into a loving society, rather, they see them as invaders and enemies. This is disheartening.

I pray that the next Megas take the lessons taught by Spartacus and the others to heart and slow down. Take some time out, fully pacify and convert our new lands before satisfying the greed of some Senators and conquering new lands. Once this step has been completed, we must not be like the fool who bangs his head against the wall of stone eternally, each time injuring his brain, each time hoping for a different result, and learn from our mistakes. We have reached the point where every new territory we liberate becomes less and less Orthodox.

If, ahead of time, we send legions of priests in to preach the True Word and convert the populace, then we will experience no growing pains. If we pacify the lands ahead of time, then when our soldiers do march in to formalize Byzantine rule, the people will not spit in their faces and treat them as conquerers, but rather, as saviors whose rule will better the lives of everyone. Follow these steps and further conquest will go much smoother. As Patriarch, the religious overseer of the only bastion of Orthodoxy aside from the farmers of Russia, I am prepared to sacrifice speed of conversion in favor of effectiveness. I believe you should all follow this mindset.

May God grant you all prosperity in the coming months and years.

~Nicholas III

**GeneralHankerchief** · 07-16-2008, 12:56

(OOC: Check the Stories thread first.)

Proclamation of 1110

Greetings and regards to the Baselius, the Caesar, the Senators, and all people of Byzantium. It appears that, for all of our trials and tribulations, all is well in the Empire, a fact for which I give thanks to the Lord each and every day. As should you all. However, we must look beyond out own borders. All is not well in other parts of the world, however; famine, war, and unrest runs rampant in other, less civilized areas, as they have always done so. However, the place that seems to have thrown off all pretense of order and goodness is the Egyptian capital of Cairo, a place formerly full of light and hope.

I recently sent the Magnaura’s very own Vissarionas ek Lesvou to that very city to do Holy work at his request for penance. He had been there and doing relatively well for himself since 1095. In his time there he has reported to me on several occasions about the goings-on in the city, which, until recently, were the signs of a prosperous land, at least one populated primarily by heathens. He was comfortable there, doing his work while still being able to get himself a job.

However, this state of living would not last forever for poor Vissarionas. It was only recently, in 1108, where the state of affairs changed on Cairo. Vissarionas tells me that, on a whim, the Caliph of Egypt decided to purge the city and its surrounding areas of all Christian influence in the bluntest way possible: extermination. He told me that the Caliph meant to kill, with some exceptions, each and every single Christian living and doing good work in Cairo: Orthodox, Catholic, Gnostic, and Coptic alike.

The Caliph’s wickedness does not stop at mere genocide, though. In addition, he also wishes to take the torch to some of Christendom’s and Orthodoxy’s holiest places: the ancient monasteries outside of the city. The places of solitude for such revered figures as Paul the Hermit and other pioneers of the Word. To put this in perspective, this would be akin to our Basileus ordering the destruction of the Dome of the Rock, should he have Jerusalem in his possession.

This is just a hunch, but I do not believe the Mohammedans would take the destruction of the Dome lightly. A jihad would follow this action as surely as spring follows winter, and with it, war and death would be brought.

It is time to act in response to the Caliph’s total disregard for both human life and sacred sites. He has clearly demonstrated that he is no longer fit to rule, and certainly not in his capital city, where this atrocity will surely be executed with murderous efficiency if we stand by idly. In the spirit of saving those that have done nothing wrong, I hereby call a Crusade on Cairo. It is only through this, a grand display of faith and power, that we can right all that has been made wrong in that city.

To those who would shoot this down in the Magnaura, I now address: This is not something to be debated and discussed, and not a simple idea to be discarded lightly. From the leader of your faith, this is an order that is to be followed without question. Much lies in danger across the sea and the task falls on us to save it. Now is the time to act.

As Patriarch, I have no power in the legislature, but I ask that measures be proposed both authorizing and funding the Crusade, as well as making sure it is seen through to the end. To those who would propose countermeasures aiming to block it, or give alternate targets, or those who would vote it down, know this: you are doing so at the risk of suffering my extreme displeasure. Tempt me and displease me not when so much lies at stake. To those who would take up the sword and the Cross in a noble endeavor, know that salvation lies at the end of your path, wherever it may be.

In the spirit of both political and religious unity, I also request that at least one member from every House, particularly those of lower ranks (i.e. Comes and Strators especially), take part. Those Houses that would leave all of their nobles behind also do so at my displeasure.

It is time that we all step forward and take part in a cause that is greater than ourselves. Cairo is a city at risk in more ways than one; we will save and purify it.

May God grant you all prosperity in the coming months and years, and may those going on the Crusade have a safe and blessed journey.

~Nicholas III

OOC: Welcome to the third in-game event, boys! TinCow will be posting the mechanics you need to know shortly.

**GeneralHankerchief** · 08-03-2008, 02:55

Proclamation of 1116

Greetings and regards to the Baselius, the Caesar, the Senators, and all people of Byzantium. I pray for the continued successes of the Crusade, as I do now for the men who have stayed home to defend their lands. It is this latter group that will have much work to do in the coming years.

Our enemies on the banks of the Nile, naturally believing that an effort to save a city from genocide amounts to a very assault on their supposed “great religion” itself, have called for their equivalent of a Crusade on our lands: a Jihad.

As the soldiers of the Caliphate are about to find out, war with religious implications is to be taken quite seriously, for its combatants are always more motivated. As such, this is why I fear the called jihad more than any political incursion into Byzantine territory. These soldiers are motivated by false promises of salvation and are being worked up into a frenzy by their imams to stop at nothing to see Byzantine buildings burnt to the ground; to see all that Orthodox razed and purged from the earth.

Yes, it was perfectly-timed. Our finest men will be either on or across the sea by the time the storm hits our homelands. We will be thinned on the ground and hard-pressed to stop the hordes sure to come our way. Orthodoxy is about to face a trying test.

Nevertheless, I have no doubt that we will prevail, for the Lord is on our side. It was the Lord that allowed Vissarionas ek Lesvou to be present in the very city, in the very palace, at the very moment the Caliph unveiled his sinister plan. It was the Lord that allowed Vissarionas to escape the Caliph’s clutches and delivered him to Constantinople to inform us all of what was transpiring. It was the Lord that has, so far, allowed safe passage to the Crusaders on their Holy mission. It is the Lord that will deliver us twin victories in the name of His Faith.

These times are trying, my sons. Danger lurks both at our doorstep and far away. However, if we have faith, then we shall pass these tests with flying colors. Have faith and all will be well. Remember the Lord, and the Lord shall remember the Byzantine Empire. We will get through this.

**GeneralHankerchief** · 08-16-2008, 04:30

Proclamation of 1125

Greetings and regards to the Basileus, the Senators, and all people of Byzantium.

We have all endured trying times these past years. Many a good man has been lost since the last Magnaura session, most notably Markianos Ampelas in his heroic defense of Caesaria and Kosmas Mavrozomis in his spiritually motivated rush to free the good people of Cairo and Alexandria. I feel a double pang of grief towards both of these heroes, for they both fell defending their Faith. We are all for the worse without them.

Nevertheless, Orthodoxy marches on, stronger than ever! The Crusade, for all of its... unorthodox... acts committed on the high seas, is progressing nicely toward its goal. I am sure, that in the heart of every single good Byzantine currently on the shores of Egypt, they are motivated not out of desire for glory or treasure, but that for personal redemption or spiritual forwardness. Each and every one of you is to know that my thoughts and prayers are with you as you complete your difficult task. The dark fiend, the Caliph's, wicked response of Jihad has been decisively met by Savvas ek Miltou and the Order of St. John, among others.

Yes, my friends, Orthodoxy has triumphed, and it will continue to triumph. All that is required is a little faith, and the noble heroes of the Empire have certainly provided that in the past years. Despite this, however, evil still lurks in the world. The Mohammedan threat still remains, and it is ever-dangerous. The Catholics are still making noise to the west, but for the most part my predictions regarding them have come to pass.

No, I am more concerned about a threat that lies much closer to home, for it is always that type of threat that poses the greatest danger. The original Romans know this quite well: their Republic was almost brought to its knees in 250 BC by a monster known as Servius Aemilius. It was the works of the original Caesar that caused the most strife and civil wars two centuries after, and by the third century AD, Rome was rotting from within; the barbarian hordes only speeding up the process of its downfall. Even in religion does this threat make itself known - I'm sure you all know the story of Judas?

This threat's name has been, for the most part, only whispered by Senators and commoners alike for the past years; known only as the Organization. My Representative in the Magnaura informs me that its motives are little known but its activities are not: taking part in the massacre at Iconium, blackmail, threatening and taking the lives of many good men, etc.

I do not need to know the motives of this Organization to know that they are dishonorable, for no group promoting a noble goal would resort to such measures to achieve its aims. They are a threat to all that is filled with light and love in the world, for they deal in darkness and iron. Potentially anyone from the lowest peasant to a regular man of the cloth to even the highest ranking members of the Byzantine hierarchy are at risk from this group, and that is unacceptable.

In the name of continued defense of the Orthodox faith as well as Byzantine society as we know it, I hereby condemn the Organization and all of its members and activities. I also strongly suggest that efforts be made to track down and interrogate its members and ultimately, shut it down, for doing so would only harm the followers of Satan.

We must be eternally vigilant, Senators, to make sure that threats do not do anything more than threaten.