The Magnaura

[_Tristan_]

And that we will do... If we stand united and act for the good of the Empire... In the name of our Basileos..

[PrinceofTroy]

Koulianos who has been quiet for much of the time finally stands.

Friends, I am against edict 1.1, Those who wish to swear allegiance may, those who don't wish to, should not be punished, for it is obvious that all of us here are loyal servants of the Empire.

I support edict 1.2, for only through expansion will the Empire return to its former glory.

I also support edict 1.3 for I believe that we must convert the Heathens in the East so that peace may be within our borders between all our people.

I support edict 1.4, Antioch is necessary for the Empire to control the East.

I support edict 5, expansion to Rhodes and a more powerful navy will do nothing but good for the Empire.

Edict 1.6 I am against, should we not try to make peace with the Christians in the West. I say we unite with the Catholics in the West and expand East with their help. Is it not reasonable
to join with people of our same faith?
Koulianos stays standing, waiting for someone to support or challenge his views.

[Andres]

My esteemed colleague Koulianos, allow me to point out that the original Edict 1.1. has been rewritten into:

Edict 1.1.: At any given moment, the Basileus can decide to use all resources of the Empire for a direct assault on Rome. Every nobleman who is ordered to join this assault on Rome, will have to follow the call of the Emperor and will use all his available resources for the conquest of Rome.

I support Edict 1.2. It's a necesseray first step towards the succesfull conquest of Rome.

And I am strongly opposed to make peace with the so called "Christians" to the West. These catholics are an abomination. The fact that they dare to call themselves "Christians" makes them even filthier then those filthy Islamic dogs. The catholics are heathens, no more, no less. They are to be converted and their Pope has to be removed and replaced by our beloved Patriarch.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Patriarchal Representative:

Need I remind Senator Savvas ek Militou that the Patriarch has warned that the only thing that will unite Western Catholicism at this point in time is an external attack on it. An all-out push for Rome would certainly qualify.

[Andres]

Patriarchal Representative:

Need I remind Senator Savvas ek Militou that the Patriarch has warned that the only thing that will unite Western Catholicism at this point in time is an external attack on it. An all-out push for Rome would certainly qualify.

Not only an external attack.

A crusade called by their Pope will also unite Western Catholicism.

To the Catholics, we are heathens, just like the Muslims. If a crusade is called, Constantinople might as well be the target. I think we must prepare for an invasion from the West.

Therefore, we now need to take the settlements mentioned in Edict 1.2., to strenghten our Empire. Edict 1.1. will grant the Basileus the opportunity to act quickly if a Crusade would be called by the Pope.

Also, might I ask one of the other Senators to propose an Edict to form an alliance with our Orthodox Russian brethren? And our diplomats should try and get trade rights from our neighbouring factions as well. I'd love to propose such Edicts myself, but my rank doesn't allow me to propose several edicts during one session...

[GeneralHankerchief]

Patriarchal Representative:

Pope Gregory will not call a Crusade on a target close enough to him where a potential invasion of Catholic lands will be launched. No, he will look to the east, where the only consequence of failure will be lives, and not land, lost. He still believes in the diplomatic route with us. He is still trying to get my master to embrace the Catholic faith. He will not attack us.

[TinCow]

I fully agree with Strator ek Militou on his last point. The Rus may not be the most powerful nation at the present time, but they are the only other people who share the True Faith. All other alliances will be at risk of imminent violation due to the blasphemous whims of the so-called-Pope and the senior Muhammadan clerics. Only the Rus will be immune to such heretical temptations to betray us. We would be wise to establish an alliance with them and nurture it to the mutual benefit of both our peoples.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Patriarchal Representative:

I believe my master would agree to this alliance as well.

[Northnovas]

I would like to propose the following edict:

Edict 1.8 The creation of 2 agents. A diplomat to make contact with the Orthodox Factions of the north for an alliance and trade. The other diplomat to head west to contact European Factions for diplomatic talk and trade.

OOC: Correction noted I missed Edict 1.7 on the previous page "capture of Druzzo and Arta by assigned generals."

[TinCow]

I second Edict 1.7.

[AussieGiant]

The Saracen officer leans forward from his seated position to address the chamber.

I can confirm that the Sultanate's advisors were extremely concerned with a Catholic Crusade being called towards Palestine.

I do not believe the Catholic Pope will call a Crusade against any holdings of this Empire, for now at least.

I would suggest that if war with the Turks or the Egyptian's is not planned in the near future, a trade delegation would be received favourable by both these Empires. The Merchant class has extremely strong sway over both rulers at this time.

[_Tristan_]

I fully agree with the idea of an alliance with the Rus, their are cousins to my own viking ancestors and share our Faith.

I would advise also to negociate an alliance with the Hungarians. While they may seem barabaric to some of you, they are devout Christians if Catholic.

If we can get on good terms with them, they could speak in our name before the Western kingdoms, and even before the Pope.

Plus their lands could act as a buffer to any invading force from the West. We have much to gain to make them our friends and much more to lose by making them enemies.

I will second Edict 1.8. but I would amend it so that it reads something less restrictive on the Megas.

Something like "Recruitment of agents is left at the discretion of the Megas, as long as enough are recruited to implement diplomacy with the Rus and the Western kingdoms."

OOC : NN your edict should be 1.8...

[Askthepizzaguy]

Efstratios continues to lie unconscious on the floor of the Senate, blood pooling from his rainbow-coloured wig, as no one has bothered to drag him from the floor. A servant finally tiptoes up to the body and pokes it with a stick, and Efstratios stirs a bit.

I must agree with the most honourable Savvas ek Militou, the bloody Catholics will unite against us and send their bleedin ships across the bleedin sea to attack us. If not in Holy Crusade now, then in the name of Venetian and Sicilian Imperialism, and in Papal Imperialism later. The Muslims are nothing!

So nothing are they that we could march against their Capital at this very moment, crush the idiots, and continue on eastward and destroy the next in line for Sultan. Then how would we fear the Muslims? I would wager my enormous bowtie that the Fatmids would not even care, they hate the Turkish Sultan more than we do!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC- I should know, I've played as the Turks enough times. Were it not for certain changes, such a move could wipe them all out in a few short turns!

The Muslims are divided. If a Jihad were to be called, few if any would respond. And they would march right up to the heart of our empire, only to be slaughtered by our combined might. Personally I think a few assassins would take care of any crusaders or jihadis, as the religious zealots scatter like rabbits whenever their leader is slain. Bloody sheep.

The servant begins to blot up all the blood from the Strator's face with a cloth towel.

We do, however, face the greater horde of Catholic zealots, who require no crusade or jihad to exploit our weakness. They will most likely begin their expansion into our homeland right away via ship. If the Venetians don't do it, the Sicilians certainly will. And the Sicilians are so vulnerable that I could probably destroy them myself, just grant me a ship and I'll hire the spearmen when I land. They will be off capturing Tunis as we speak, or Cagliari or some other nameless, worthless settlement.

Strike whilst the iron is hot, gentlemen, and to catch our foes as they arm for war, rather than when they deploy for war, is to win the war before it even starts. With Sicily gone, we would be a stone's throw from the Pointy-Hatted One, and we could march right up to Rome and claim it for the Emperor.


The servant takes out a mop and begins to soak up the large blood spill from the senate floor.

Then the Man in the White Dress and Ruby Slippers could call a crusade on Rome, which would ensure that no Catholic could crusade through our empire for many decades.

Ambitious? Yes. Risky? Yes. But after the rebels in Greece fall, we cannot sit inside our walls with our thumbs in our collective arses while the bleedin' Catholics arm themselves to the teeth and prepare to land troops on our shores. Or perhaps we are so enamoured with the idea of destroying Muslims that we forget how vulnerable and vital our western shore is, and how losing control of Greece would cripple the Empire forever.

The Emperor has decided not to engage in war with the Catholics before the rebels are taken, so let's take them quickly, men. Then we should put to sleep the sick dog of Sicily and destroy quickly the virulent pests of Venice, followed by the Pontificating One and his Papal Empire.

After that, we can construct our Orthodox churches, spit out a couple of priests, and wait patiently for our citizens to see the light.

With that, Efstratios passes out from the extensive blood loss, his head smashing into the stone floor a second time with a sickening thud.

[Andres]

I second Edict 1.7 as proposed by Comes Aleksios ek Ikoniou.

[AussieGiant]

A look of amusement crosses his face at the words spoken by Efstratios. In a flat and direct tone he address the Strator.

I would not be so quick to dismiss the military capabilities of the Egyptian Sultan my Lord. To do so would invite destruction on a scale this Empire may not be able to survive.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Efstratios lifts his head momentarily, and addresses Apionnas

I quite disagree. The Egyptian Sultan is too predictable. If he doesn't sit his fat arse in Cairo for the next 15 decades, spawning generation after generation of bleedin' idiots, then he will go after Jerusalem and the Teutonic Order.

If we should fear the Egyptians so, then it makes ever more sense to construct a NAVY and sink the bastards en route.

Does no one else see that our generals and a few peasant spearmen can take care of our rebel situation, and that our main forces at this point should be NAVIES?

Our bodyguards alone could likely take care of the inner empire. But we will never HAVE an outer empire without some bloody ships.

He pauses for a moment to let this sink in:



SAILING VESSELS! Masted war machines! Rafts and freaking ROWBOATS!!! ANYTHING!!!!




Efstratios now has a pounding headache, not from his multiple skull fractures and oxygen-deprived brain, but from the utter lack of proper naval forces to defend the realm. He passes out yet again.

[Andres]

Savvas looks at the clownish outfit from his esteemed colleague, Efstratios and sighs.

Can someone propose some kind of dress code for our next sessions, please? I can live with some extravaganza every now and then like any other man, but not during a Senate meeting.

[AussieGiant]

About to reply, Apionnas simply shakes his head in wonder at the figure of Efstratios now slumped before him. Standing the officer moves over to Efstratios and begins a series of quick, efficient medical checks. Finally he glances to a nearby court official.

I think you should call the royal physician. This man needs assistance.

[Ituralde]

"So we should listen to the clown now, shall we?

A man that sputters incoherently about chickens one minute, passes out the next, and then tells us of his wild fancies of attacking entire cities with nothing more than his retinue and some peasants. I bloody hope the physicians will get his head fixed, before he comes in here again!"

[Privateerkev]

OOC:

I'm getting confused by the edicts and seconds so I'm just going to put up an OOC list. Please let me know if I made any mistakes.

Edict 1.1: At any given moment, the Basileus can decide to use all resources of the Empire for a direct assault on Rome. Every nobleman who is ordered to join this assault on Rome, will have to follow the call of the Emperor and will use all his available resources for the conquest of Rome.

Proposed by Savvas ek Militou

Edict 1.2: All military assets will be devoted to the conquest of the rebel settlements of Canakkale, Arta, Durazzo, Scopia, Sofia, Sinop, Smyrna, and Rhodes before they can be released for other purposes. Bari and Trebizond may be included in this list at the discretion of the Megas Logothetes. No attack will be made on any foreign nation until this reconquest is complete. This Edict does not apply to any of the above settlements which are conquered by a foreign nation before they are reincorporated into the Empire. This Edict is void if a foreign nation attacks the Empire.

Proposed by Khristophoros Diogenis
Seconded by Markianos Ampelas and Pavlos Chrysovergos

Edict 1.3: A Priest is to be sent in the region surrounding Caesarea to help our Orthodox brethern against their Muslim overlords.

Proposed by Pavlos Chrysovergos
Seconded by Makedonios Ksanthopoulos and Savvas ek Militou

Edict 1.4: If Edict 1.2 passes, Antioch will be added to the list.

Proposed by Makedonios Ksanthopoulos
Seconded by Hypatios Machonios and Iakovos ek Kallipoleos

Edict 1.5: The training of a boat or hiring of a mercenary craft is required outside of Athens in order to transport men to Rhodes, as per Edict 1.2. The fleet we already own further North may also be used if it has no other orders.

Proposed by Hypatios Machonios
Seconded by Armatos ek Naksou and Makedonios Ksanthopoulos

Edict 1.6: That a ship be sent immediately towards Epirus to ferry a commander and a battalion of spearmen to Apulia with the intent of capturing the castle of Bari.

Proposed by Anastasios Neokaisareitis
Seconded by Ioannis Kalameteros and Kosmas Mavrozomis

Edict 1.7: The Empire shall strive to capture Durazzo and Arta utalising the General's Anastasios and Michail respectively, within the first "term".

Proposed by Michail Arianitis

Edict 1.8: The creation of 2 agents. A diplomat to make contact with the Orthodox Factions of the north for an alliance and trade. The other diplomat to head west to contact European Factions for diplomatic talk and trade.

Proposed by Aleksios ek Ikoniou
Seconded by Khristophoros Diogenis and Methodios Tagaris

NN had his 1.8 as 1.7 for a short time. Two people seconded 1.7 when they meant 1.8

*edit*

TC has confirmed this. Therefore there are still no seconds on 1.7 but 1.8 has the required amount.

[TinCow]

OOC: 1.8 was numbered 1.7 at the time Andres and I seconded it. NN later changed it to 1.8, hence the discrepancy. We both were seconding NN's Edict, not the one before it.

[The Lemongate]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

A grotesquely fat man in outrageously stylish italian clothes appears at the doors of the Senate chamber. He has a very business-like attitude and, taking advantage of a lul in the debates, walks up to the Protoasecretes and demands, in a skweaky italian voice to be given a room and a dinner, preferably, of mutton chops. Before the befuddled official gets any chance to understand what is happening, the man turns to the assembled Senators:

What is the meaning of this farce! I am Voluminoso Maiale of Genoa! Merchant extraordinaire! I control the entire mutton chop trade from Venice to Lisboa, I could buy palaces in Egypt and this here inkeeper refuses me a simple meal! OUTRAGEOUS! Mama mia! If we were back in Italia I would have you clean the stables with your tongue, arlecchino!

As Voluminoso speaks and gesticulates, globs of greasy sweat that had been accumulating on his face and hands fly wildly about the room, forcing certain senators to run for cover. The poor Protoasecretes is forced to bear the brunt of the oily attack but is fortunatly saved a terrible beating at the hands of the italian as two guards quickly move to control the situation.

As the guards painfully attempt to drag him out while he flings energetically his enormous, feathered hat at them, he bellows ominously:

Terrible service! Servizio terribile! TERRIBILE!!! I will complain to the highest authorities! You scimmie have not heard the last of me! No one insults Voluminoso with impunity!

As he spits (literally) his final words at the Senate, the guards manage to throw him out. But in a terrible twist of fate, Voluminoso manages to grip a guardsman by the arm and drags him down with him, cushioning his fall. The other guards quickly close the doors of the Senate, but the wail of their unfortunate comrade can be heard through the wood and masonry. The most pious Senators send a heartfelt prayer for the poor guardsmen and someone can be seen running for a doctor.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Here happy, hidden in spoilers...

[Kagemusha]

Ioannis Kantakouzinos stands up with large grin on his face and says jokingly.

"Maybe the Varangian guard should be deployed around the Senate building, because it seems even the Senate building itself is being invaded by Westerners, Saracens and Clowns."

[Askthepizzaguy]

Efstratios is awakened by the Royal medic and overhears. He stands up and demands with anger,

And just what do you have against clowns, good sir? While vile western merchants and dubious middle easterners are indeed a possible threat to the realm, precisely what threat does a clown present?

I have served this Emperor honourably since I was 16 years of age. I fought in some of the greatest battles of our time, and personally defended the Empire with my life, and I have the battle scars to prove it. I have seen battle so much that I can apparently lose large amounts of blood and still deliver stunning rebuttals while voting on important legislation and juggling!

While I do not question your devotion to the Empire, good sir, you cannot question mine, nor can you dismiss me simply because I had the decency to entertain poor, orphaned children that society has forgotten, between my duties serving my master as a mercenary general and voting in the Imperial senate!

I embody loyalty, hard work, dignity, and-
Efstratios slips on the sticky puddle of his own blood and is knocked unconscious yet again.

[Kagemusha]

Ioannis tries to to control his laughter, while replying to the questions of now unconscious Monomachos, but he has to walk instead out of the Senate to unleash a burst of laughter.

[pevergreen]

Michail wakes after his nice sleep, to hear some of Ioannis' comments.

"Invaded? The single saracen that sits besides me is, from all I can tell, an honourable man! He is no more an invader than you. I stand by this man, if you seek to damage his reputation, damage mine!"

Michail sits down, livid with anger. A few minutes later, his face is back to its normal set, emotionless.

[The Lemongate]

Anastasios quietly returned to the Senate, later in the day.

Per popular demand I reformulate this so it stands clearer:

Edict 1.6: That the nearest ship be sent immediately towards Epirus to ferry commander and a battalion of spearmen or another eager commander to Apulia with the intent of capturing the castle of Bari. This edict is meant to supersede any restrictions or discretionary powers mentioned in Edict 1.2 or any other Edicts.

As some terms have changed, for good measure, it would be good that this edict, in its current form, be seconded anew.

[deguerra]

I second, again, Edict 1.6

[flyd]

I must make a case against this Edict 1.6. This Edict will drag us into an immediate war with the Normans of Sicily. If Bari is occupied by only two regiments, the Normans will attack when they come upon it with a bigger force. The mere presence of a Roman flag will not stop them, they will only look at the number of defenders, and two regiments is not enough. Passing this Edict will effectively put us into a war with the Normans. Such a war is, I believe, premature at this time. We cannot defend Bari with the invasion force proposed, and we will soon be exactly where we are, except in a state or war with the Normans. Our small navy is ill-prepared for a war with a foreign power, something that will hopefully be fixed in time, but as it is, it is barely big enough to ferry our troops around. In short, this is not a good idea. Not yet.

[Cecil XIX]

I second Edict 1.6.