The Magnaura

[Dafuge]

With our current finances I don't think we could afford to pay off every single rebel army that appears. It is also to my belief that public happiness is usually enought to stop rebelions in that area. Also many of the rebels are payed by other countries such as Hungary which is why they don't accept pay off.

[Kagemusha]

Kantakouzinos enters the Senate and after reading through the notes his scribes have made,he turns towards the scribe of Efstathios Laskaris and says:

"You wile Wretch! How dare you lowly servant call your betters murderers and criticize the actions of noble Senators, while you are nothing but a servant with an ability to read and write. I support Senator ek Militous suggestion for Basileus to throw out you from diet and for you not to return before your master has teach you a lesson in manners with a whip.

Ioannis loos down upon the scribe with disgust in his eyes.

[Andres]

Savvas' scribe looks very embarassed now.

Dear Senator Kantakouzions, please forgive me this interruption, but I am not Savvas ek Militou. I am just his humble scribe. My esteemed master is currently on his way back to Arta.

The scribe bow deeply and sits down again.

Please forgive me for this interruption.

The scribe bows again. The poor man starts to sweat and looks very pale. It seems like he's about to pass out.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC: Savvas left the building a couple of posts ago, it was his scribe who suggested to throw the other scribe out of the Senate RP'ing your "social drinker" trait are you? Give Savvas' poor scribe a glass of water.

[Kagemusha]

Kantakouzinos looks at the direction of ek Militous scribe with a comforting smile in his eyes and says.

"Do not worry. It seems that there are many scribes here who does not know their jobs. But you are not one of them."

Then he turns towards his own scribes and looks at them with murder in his eyes and says.

"Maybe many in here should concentrate on their jobs."

Ioannis nods to hector, who takes a firm grip of the shoulder of Kantakouzions main scribe and takes him outside, after a while echoes of screams can be heard in the senate.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

While Kantakouzinos talked, Efstathios' scribe didn't listened him..
Once he heard the screams of Kantakouzinos' scribe his eyes almost popped out and he looked towards Kantakouzinos .. fear in his eyes...

[Warmaster Horus]

Manouelitis' own look echoes that of Efstathios' scribe. He walks out of the room, and returns a few minutes later with a servant of his own. Manouelitis declares:
"This is my assistant, Pavlos. I am leaving for Belgrade, and he shall be my proxy. For now, good day, gentlemen."
This time, Manouelitis rushes outside, and if one were to look out the Senate, one would see a horse galloping away at full speed, leaving only a cloud of dust behind.

[Dafuge]

Loukas, Stavros's scribe, who was briefly dozing off, hears screams of pain outside. He quickly whispers something to another on his table and his mouth suddenly goes dry. With renewed vigour he quickly starts writing.

[Northnovas]

The Duke of Corinth comes to the chamber and takes his seat it has been some time since he has been here. He now looks more scholarly then a military general with his years of self study. He reads some documents and talks with his scribe. He addresses the senate..

Fellow Romans I have received the news of the Jihad directed towards our great city. I have come to defend her. I will not tolerate such action against and will use all my resources to her defence.

To quote our Patriarch “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.”

This is a concern but the situation is not grave with proper planning and execution we should be able to stop this incursion. We must remember our men are sailing for their lands and this could significantly hamper their resources for a Jihad. The only concern is other nations joining their cause. The Seljuk Sultanate has already tasted our blade and any other nation wishing to join must travel a great distance to get here. It is important to keep our neighbours to the west pacified and not try to interfere or take advantage of the situation. We must be aware of our resources in the treasury but now is the time to put our agendas aside and concentrate on total war aginst the Calipahte with our Crusaders and Defenders.

Let us work together and arrange for the defence of our city. It is time to mobilize an army the Defenders of Constantinople and put this Jihad to rest.

[deguerra]

It is with great sadness that I too confirm the great loss of Caesarea but the even greater loss of Markianos and his army. I did not have the pleasure of knowing him long, but our relationship these past years was a good one and he was a man of honour and courage, whose term as our Megas speaks for itself I think.

Gentlemen, this only proves what we knew already. Anatolia is far from secure and the Turkish threat is equal to that of the Jihading Fatamids.

Strator Savvas' suggestion is an excellent one. It would seem House Asteri has lost half its men under arms in one swoop, but I will not have it said we have no courage. Our second House Army, under my command will march East from Iconium. I will attempt to engage the Turkish army where I find it and regain that city. Once I am convinced it is secure, I will head to wear the threat of the Jihad is greatest.

I think it is time we nip these issues in the bud, rather than waiting for them to come to us. I will welcome any who wish to join me.

Also, the feedback of Strator Apionnas would be most appreciated, as he is still the man with the most knowledge of fighting the Muslims.

[Andres]

Savvas' sribe takes note of the rumors about Caesarea and calls a servant.

He gives a hastily written letter to the servant and orders him to get it to his master asap.

He then adresses Ioannias Kalameteros.

Forgive me Senator, but my master, Comes ek Militou, hasn't arrived yet. It was his Lord, Aleksios ek Ikoniou, who made a suggestion on this matter.

The scribe sits down, seemingly embarassed that he had spoken in the Magnaura.

[deguerra]

Ioannis stands and bows to Strator Aleksios

My humble apologies, friend, it has been a long time since your wise voice was heard in these halls and I confused you for your comrade.

[AussieGiant]

Bowing his head towards Ioannis.

It is a sad day to see someone lose their life so needlessly. I am surprised as to why Markianos Ampelas would sally against such overwhelming odds. It was a tactical error of the gravest kind.

Be aware my lords I will not be speaking niceties or words that you will find comfort in.

The military doctrine of the Turks and Egyptian is similar. Sadly we are not well equipped to defeat them with troop quality or quantity.

Our own Skythikon Horse Archers and Spear Militia cancel out their current regimental composition.

Our current advantage is four fold. Scattered regiments of Trebizond Foot Archer, our excellent heavy cavalry, Dismounted Byzantine Lances and Spearmen. The issue is that all these forces are only available in Corinth which is in no real position to reinforce the expected line of march on Constantinople.

Therefore we must begin troop quality increases immediately. At least two castles should be the focus of serious infrastructure increase. One for the recruiting of missile regiments and the other for infantry. Strategically these two castles should be Adana and Aleppo.

Apionnas pauses, clearly considering his next words.

I have been part of Jihad.

At this comment more than a few Varangian Guardsmen narrow their eyes at the Officer.

You can expect heavy levels of missile equipped forces. A hail of arrows is standard procedure for any Turkish or Egyptian Amirs. This will be followed by a solid number of spear equipment regiments.

When it comes to holy war you can expect fast moving lightly armed forces that will rely heavily on missile superiority and shock. Therefore my final recommendation is that elements of the Crusading forces land on the coast north of Jerusalem and head towards Alexandria and Cairo overland. This will hopefully mean any large Jihad armies can be intercepted and slowed while we prepare ourselves at home.

[Ramses II CP]

A letter arrives from Vissarionas ek Lesvou to be read into the record:

Nobles of the Empire,

Word has just reached me of the Caliph's call to jihad. I have but one bit of advice.

Put your faith in God!

Clearly the Caesar has failed us, in the most blatant of manners, by violating the good and necessary laws of the land and ignoring the most basic dictates of strategy. His gross incompetence, brought to power by your hands, is a matter of no small concern, but I say again,

Put your faith in God!

God and Patriarch will see us through this crisis. Those beloved of God, and devout in their beliefs, he will shelter through the trying times. Those whom he finds lacking, those who cower behind the lines and send armies of peasants against the might of the jihad, they will be rooted out and cast down. A time of winnowing is coming, a time when the weak and faithless are burned out of our ranks while the holy are gathered up in God's arms. Even to the last extreme I admonish you,

Put your faith in God!

Do not let faithlessness drag you down. Stand strong and fight on no matter the cost, and God will grant our great Empire victory!

When I reach Egypt, when I and my fellow crusaders drag down the Caliph, I will advocate treating him with mercy and having him sent to Constantinople in chains, there to greet any jihad army that might reach the city. Think on that, while the debate over the handling of the jihad swirls.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Ioannis stands up..

A letter have arrived from My Lord. He thinks that Empire needs to go through it's finances and collect all available forces under some able general. Perhaps an Emergency Senate Session should be called to discuss how to defend our Capital and our lands from this Jihad.
He also is sad to hear about the death of Markianos Ampelas. My Lord understands why Lord Ampelas sallied out to meet the foe. He probably would have done the same thing.