The Magnaura

[The Lemongate]

Anastasios looks up from a map of Italy he was consulting.

Though I fully support Michail Arianitis in his quest to establish his House and respectfully hope that the Basileos will chose him and his allies for the job, I must insist at least my name be removed from the edict. I would also suggest that his retainer and him remove their names from the edict as well. It was one of my main points of contentions with Senator Tagaris, and though he and I didn’t manage to come to a perfect accord, his rewording at least made the minimal effort of removing any partisanship from his edict. Then again, seeing the useless politicking going on here, I don’t blame my friend Michail from wanting to make sure he would have land to establish himself. Maybe making an arrangement with the Basileos would ease the process however.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Efstratios returns, this time in the proper attire deemed fit for a Senator.


Anastasios, that would seem reasonable.

If I might attempt to understand my political opponents in this debate, their point of contention is not that my house expands, but that the Basileos will be "forced" to accept expansion at our demand.

I would be willing to see my name and others removed from the edict, so long as the other houses would kindly make a gentleman's agreement to declare which provinces they seek to claim for the emperor so we can all expand without stepping on one another's toes, and actually cooperate as brothers for the good of the Empire.

My house seeks to claim the settlement indicated in edict 1.7a. Does anyone have any just cause to dispute that claim?

Also, it would be fair if all houses made a list of territorial claims, that we might discuss them honourably instead of resorting to this petty bickering which denigrates the august body assembled here today.

Would that we do this, my faith in the deliberative process might be restored, and we all might be blessed and multiply our holdings for the Empire.

Would the other houses understand that the Silver Hawks perhaps do not even require the specific settlements here in question, and that if they might cooperate in our taking of the settlement, and we expand further elsewhere, they might even be able to negotiate for the settlement in question? The point is cooperation.

I'm sure that we would wish to have contiguous territories, so it makes sense that down the road certain houses would wish to trade their land titles. Or am I being naive in my assumption that diplomacy and cooperation can win the day here?

[The Lemongate]

My friend, Monomachos, your suggestions make much sense. I am not sure, however, if everyone present is ready to be so open about their aims as some of us have been.

[Askthepizzaguy]

MY point is that none of us can afford to be such rivals at this point in our history. No one here even holds more than a single province, I believe. So none of the houses are all that mighty.

We need to act as one nation if we are to survive. Or we can squabble until the Catholics put us out of our misery and the Turks turn Constantinople into a center of Islamic thought. It's your choice, Senators.

I for one don't want to see the Roman empire fall.

[Ferret]

Wise words, at least coming from a clown they are, Hypatios smiles to show he is joking, I fail to understand how people are seeing this as personal glory. If they are truly loyal to the Empire before themselves then they will not care who the settlement falls to, so long as they are from this Empire. That is my thinking on the matter and if we are to be successful then we all need to think this way, lest our own bickering be what is keeping us from becoming strong rather than bickering with other nations!

[TinCow]

*The Protoasecretes stands and stamps his foot loudly on the stone floor.*

The time for proposing legislation has now passed! Voting will begin shortly. There will be a two day period allocated for voting. Voting will end at 3:30pm EST on Saturday, June 7th.

[Smowz]

Having cast his votes a weary looking Nevoulas ek Philadelphios looks forward to his ride back to Athens. It has been a trying week for the young nobleman and he longs for the simpler joys of campaigning.

He turns at the entrance and once more looks on the splendour of the place and relives some of the heated debates in his mind. Reflecting that it was a huge learning experience he wonders if he shall live to see another one of to see another Magnaura...

Agggggh

Nevoulas clamps a hand over his mouth and notices none have paid him too much bother, he rushes out the door and towards his lodgings where he will pack and quickly make his way out of Constinantinople perhaps for the last time...