The Magnaura

[Northnovas]

Aleksios ek Ikoniou walks in the Magnaura with a clerk behind carrying documents and maps. He sees members of his House sitting at the designated area and then looks over to the Basileus seat and sees that it is empty. He has been told much has been happening but relieved that he is not late.

Dressed smartly in a military attire of a number one dress he bares no arms. He notices the young Caesar seated and walks before him and gives a deep bow.

“Greeting Caesar!”

The young Comes walks to the centre of the floor.

Strators, I see the debates have started and in good fashion. There has been a lot of debate and that is good to see. I see the members of my House have been busy and I encourage them to participate. For men showing enthusiasm and hard work will be rewarded in the Tamagata House. I would ask like all members in this chamber to be respectful of members with some authority and title. Just has those in authority should reciprocate the same respect.

Nobles I am in favour of Edict 1.2 because we need to look after our borders and much has been said already. I can see the need for the brothers of the St. John Order to fulfill their mandate but they must exercise patience. Such a venture could be risky on the Treasury at this time.

I would like to remind the members that there is Catholic representation by Templar Knights in the Outremer. I would favour our Order going to Antioch but not till we have prepared ourselves from our enemies at home.

Comes Markianos Ampelashas offered some sound advice in this short session. I have not had a chance to speak with him on this precise issue. Surly we can come to some compromise completing the mandate of Edict 1.2 with the option of allowing a journey to Antioch. We need something for the Megas Logothetes to have the flexibility to work with if the conditions are right that both mandates could be achieved.

This is our first session lets try to work together by cooperating and building a consensus for future session. Let’s get the talking over with so we can get to the real action in the field.

Now one of our young legal men here can form a new edict with the wording to get a consensus.

The Comes walks to his seat shaking the hands with the members of his House.

[Privateerkev]

Makedonios sees that Comes Aleksios ek Ikoniou has finally arrived. While happy at first that the Comes's presence might instill some discipline among his vassals, he is sad to hear the same tired arguments repeated yet again.

Comes Aleksios ek Ikoniou,

Since you have just arrived, I will reply to each of your points.

Why exactly should we exercise patience? We have the men, the ships, and the leaders. We can have Antioch by "turn 8" if we move now. What possible reason could there be for not moving? It's not like Outremer will become safer if we wait.

How exactly will the venture be risky on the treasury? While I refuse to do something so absurd as to "promise that it will cost zero florins", I do believe the venture will be cheap. With the plan I laid out, it will only require what is already on Cyprus.

How exactly will preparing at home get us ready to go to Outremer? I have already showed that the other surrounding rebel settlements will take years to build up. While we can have a "minor city" in just 8 "turns". I fail to see how waiting will make us more capable of taking Antioch.

There already is a compromise worked out. And that is to vote for both Edicts 1.2 and 1.4. That would put Antioch on the list of provinces the Megas can direct his early attention to. The only way to improve this compromise would be to amend 1.2 to put Antioch in to the list directly. Thus only one vote would be required.

Looking at the identities of those who have been the loudest opponents of the Order taking Antioch, it seems almost as if House Tagamata itself is against the Order. Which is regrettable. I hope we can bury our differences and work together to rebuild the Empire.