The Royal Council

[Celtic_Punk]

Euripides walks into the council chambers
"Good sirs, I come bearing terrific news! Cunobelinus has foiled an ambush set by the army West of Tarsos in Pamphylia! He sustained few casualties and obliterated the enemy. He has marched his army west and set up camp and intends to spend the next season there, and awaits your orders, highness."

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Antiochos raises his eyebrows...

West? I think Antioch is in east? Or am I mistaken?

Looking his scribe who nods and whispers that Basileus is always right he continues...

Those units must be taken to Antiocheia. The rest of the Syrian Army will be transported from Kypros there too..

After that.. Who knows! Second Council Session will take place before you get to anywhere also..

[Celtic_Punk]

Euripedes blushes "my appologies, in my excitement i mistook West for East. He also wished to know where he will be sent next."

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

sorry i get my left right, east and west mixed up all the time, i cant play guitar hero or anything like that because of it... i think its a mild dislexia or something lmao

[kingsnake]

I have a request for Arrhenides Cunobelinus representative.

My lord sent a message to your master and has not received any reply. The courier, probably, can not find him. Aratos wants to know why was his request ignored. That request was of ordering Admiral Leon to remain in Tarsos port but instead he was left in high seas between Tarsos and Kypros. My master acknowledges Arrhenides lack of experience at sea, but he must realize that the fleet is weak and is right now at a fragile position and at the mercy of pirates.

[Celtic_Punk]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

not enough movement, I picked a landing spot close to Cyprus so my army would have enough movement spaces ended up getting ambushed anyway lol

"Tell your lord that As far as I know and am concerned he told the Admiral to take his ships to Tarsos. It is up to the Gods if the fleet makes it there before the seasons end."

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Event 1: Liberation of Hierosolyma!

Read the story first!

Rules:

1) Any Strategoi may join the Liberation of Hierosolyma, except Satraps. All Strategoi must declare their intention to join the Cause by the end of the 269 BC Council Session by sending a PM to Ibn-Khaldun. All Strategoi who join the Cause will be known as Liberators for the duration of the Event. Whoever is elected Chancellor in the 269 BC election cannot join the Cause.

2) Every Strategos will be instantly transported to Seleukeia after the 269 BC Council Session has ended. They will arrive with only their personal bodyguard; all other armies under their command will be left behind.

3) Once assembled in Seleukeia, every Strategos will have a small army generated for their personal use during the Cause. The army, including the avatar's bodyguard, will be no more than six units in size, and no less than three units in size. The number, type, and quality of units will depend on the traits of the avatar himself. The exact distribution will be determined by Ibn-Khaldun.

4) Only the units received in #3 can be taken on to the Liberation of Hierosolyma. The Chancellor is barred from providing the Strategoi with any additional units in any way until Hierosolyma is captured.
Strategoi are free to join forces with their armies prior to leaving Seleukeia or besiege of Hierosolyma.
Strategoi may abandon any other Strategoi they have joined with at any point after reaching to Judaea. Anyone who splits away in this manner will take all of their surviving units with them.
All rank limitations on command are abolished for Strategoi for the duration of the Cause.
No Strategoi may move his own army for the duration of the Event. All movement of Strategoi and their armies will be done by Ibn-Khaldun.

5) Once all Strategoi have determined whether to join their army with others or remain separate they will all start moving towards Hierosolyma at the start of the second turn of the Chancellor’ term.
Every turn Ibn-Khaldun will roll a die for each army. This will simulate random factors effecting movement, such as weather, provisioning, delays, etc. Good rolls will result in full movement, perhaps even bonus movement. Bad rolls will result in reduced movement, or perhaps none at all. Armies of 6 units or fewer will receive a +1 to their movement rolls. Armies of 13 units or more will receive a -1 to their movement rolls.

6) Every turn, any Strategoi may attempt to sabotage the movement of another Strategoi army or even while besieging Hierosolyma. A die will be rolled to determine if this is successful. Successful sabotage will slow down the movement of the target army. Successful sabotage while besieging a city will prevent the army from assaulting until the next turn. There will be a small chance that the Strategos who attempted the sabotage will have his identity revealed, regardless of whether the sabotage succeeds or not.

7) When each army gets near Hierosolyma then Strategoi must send PM to Ibn-Khaldun to indicate whether they want to go diractly against Hierosolyma or wait for other Strategoi first. At this point, if the garrisons of Alexandria and Cairo are below 10 units, they will be increased to 10 units. No city may be attacked other than Hierosolyma. If there are AI controlled armies along the marching path, Ibn-Khaldun may require them to be destroyed before the city can be besieged. For the duration of the Cause only the Liberators may attack Hierosolyma.

8) The Liberators army that conquers Hierosolyma will gain ownership of that city. This city ownership will completely bypass any usual rule regarding to land ownership. Whoever conquers Hierosolyma will obtain control over it directly. If there are multiple Strategoi in the conquering army, they must all agree on who will command the attack and who will receive the city prior to assaulting the city. If they cannot agree before the Chancellor declares the turn over, they must wait until the next turn to assault it. The Strategoi who gains possession of Hierosolyma will be given two to four additional units by Ibn-Khaldun. The Strategos who conquers Hierosolyma will be known as "King of Judaea" and have all the powers of Satrap. All units commanded by other Strategoi will be used to form a Satraps Army for the new King.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Antiochos raises and speaks..

I declare the Second Council Session open! It will stay open for debate and legislation until 10 am GMT on Friday, October 3rd, at which point there will be 48 hours alloted for voting.

[Rodrico Stak]

Attalos Pergamou Mysiakes stands and begins to speak.

I would like to take this opportunity to point out that the only units in Sidon are of the Baselius' royal army, and that some will need to be recruited to keep order once that army leaves. The new Chancellor (whomever we elect) will need to know this.

[Celtic_Punk]

Euripedes stands up "Members of the council, I bring a message from Cunobelinus. It will be EDICT 2.1: After the 1st Syrian Army regroups at Antioch and retrains an expedition to Libya and to Alexandria and sack it."
Euripedes clears his throat
"He says that this will fund further exploits by the empire, and although bold, it will be totally unexpected and therefore will work."

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

haha bold is bold

[00jebus]

I second Edict 2.1, especally if the expadition is timed to attack at the same time as the liberators.

[johnhughthom]

Polyxenidos Lykikos stood looking rather perplexed

Have I really heard this correctly? Have two Strategos of the Arche Seleukiea actually advised we should loot and sack Alexandria? Think about the name of the city, then reflect on its history and ask if we should be contemplating such actions.

The Babylonian sat down shaking his head and muttering to his companion.

[kingsnake]

Aratos who arrived from campaigning rose.

"Indeed, Polyxenidos Lykikos is right, Alexandria is an important city linked to our culture and history. We are not barbarians fellow strategoi and we would dishonour our ancestors by sacking it. Though I don't oppose the idea of conquering it from Ptolemaic hands."

He sat and whispered with surprise to Akakios, his representative in the council. "I sincerely hope my friend Arrhenides did not forget whose great tomb, lays in Alexandria."

[The Celtic Viking]

Sarpedon stands up with a face full of disgust.

Hmpf. You're forgetting who you're talking to. Dear Cunobelinus is still but a barbarian, as he shows here. Or are you forgetting his lineage? It is not Greek, so it's not surprising that he would suggest such a heinous act. What is shocking is that Timarchos actually agrees. I would spit at his feet, if we were but anywhere else.

[kingsnake]

However, it is a bit of a surprise, you forgot? He is right now your relative in a way and I expected him to behave like one, since he was adopted by one of your cousins. I'm sure your family had a reason, heir-prince Sarpedon.



OOC: Any expert in ancient greek can find a word for prince or heir? It would be very useful. Can I say "Kleoronomos Basileus SArpedon"?

[Ibn-Khaldun]

After being quiet for some time Antiochos speaks...

Hmm.. I'm a bit surprised that there is no one who would like to be Chancellor. I do hope that some one wants this position!

About Hierosolyma.. The people there will accept whoever takes the city from Ptolemaioi hands as their King. So if you want to make a name for yourself then join with the others who have sworn to liberate Hierosolyma!

[00jebus]

the egyptian Alexandria, lets face it, there are more than one, is not the place alexander died, but the place Ptolemy took his body to legitimise his dubious claim to Alexander's kingdom.
Would you really have us not attack the city just because it has the great man's name?

the Arche is streched, our coffers are almost empty, by sacking such a rich city, we would fill them, be able to recover Alexander's body and take it to what should be its true final resting place in Babylon, and deal a serious blow to our long time enemy, then again, given our peace-loving prince sarpedon's attitude to attacking enemies of the arche, I am not suprised he would oppose such a wonderful oppertunity.

the money gained from sacking could fund large public works projects throughout the east, bringing the people into line, and making the provinces all much more profitable, or how about another army for asia minor? Permegranum still needs liberating from its current tyrants.
Pehaps a massive improvement to our network of roads would meet your approval, where else would we get the money?

And this wonderful jewish liberating mission we have set ourselves, though it has my full support in both its moral nature, and material gain, do you really think everything about this noble venture will be met by the purses of the jews?

no, for all this we need money,

I would also be in favor of taking and holding Alexandria.... though that will take a while before it starts to turn a profit, why bother doing that now ourselves when we can have the Ptolemic's do it and we just conquer it again when the situation suits us?

[Ibn-Khaldun]

All of the expenses will be covered by the Jewish people in Babylon and Seleukeia. So there is no need to worry about the pay to the troops who have joined this cause.

I have to agree that Alexandria must be ours. I do agree that it needs to be attacked and sacked. But I'm not sure can we fund such a campaign from our current finances.

[The Celtic Viking]

Sarpedon stands up.

"No one here has argued against taking Alexandria: it is a complete strawman you're building up. I don't appreciate you insinuating that I am a whimp just because I haven't allowed you to get the blood you so crave during my watch, either. Remember who you are talking to, and show some respect! I have had reasons for it, and you should be grateful for ever being allowed to hold any sort of command over it.

What Cunobelinus proposed, and you seconded, was the sacking of Alexandria, and it's that act I'm against. I want it taken into our hands just as much as you do - I just want it done in a civilized way.

Sarpedon turns towards Aratos.

Yes, we should expect better behaviour from him than from just any generic barbarian, but we must not forget what blood runs in his veins. There are some limitations that he simply can't cross.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC: Kleronomos Basileus is my rank, so yes, you can call me that. I'm no scholar on ancient Greek either (hell, even modern Greek is like, well, Greek to me), but it would seem that that's what it means anyway. In WotB at least it does.

[johnhughthom]

Polyxenidos Lykikos stands once again

Though I am unsure whether candidates for chancellor are to propose themselves or be put forward by others I would propose Phanias Laodikeias Lydikes, satrap of Parthava, as chancellor. I, as I'm sure many others did, expected that part of the empire to fall into chaos. That it hasn't is a sign that Lydikes is either very able or very lucky, either way I feel he would make a good chancellor.

[LordofUmbar]

A Messanger arrives

I am Agathokles and I represent Bithys Nisaias Parthiakes.

My master seconds Edict 2.1. The money acquired by sacking Alexandria far out ways other considerations. If we cannot get money into our coffers we will perish.

Agathokles sits down

[kingsnake]

I have not checked the maps, but the Basielus might be right, we ought to secure our way and any important settlements and not jump right into Alexandria. So I'll check geo-political situation before making a decision.

I agree with Kleoronomos Basileus Sarpedon point of view and despite my feelings about our enemies, I must say I will not look kindly on the sacking of Alexandria. Also call them what you want, I would not call them limitations, prince.

What about the situatuions in the other borders?

[Rodrico Stak]

Attalos Pergamou Mysiakes stands.

I agree. We should not sack Alexandria. My position has nothing to do with the name of the city - a name is a name and nothing more. Instead, I take my position out of foresight. The sacking of Sidon, which I unfortunately presided over, was a regrettable, but necessary action. We should be wary of doing such a thing again! There is nothing that the Ptolemies have that we cannot use! Alexandria is a large, well built-up city, and it is worth far more to us intact. We must be concerned not only with immediate needs, but also with building a strong empire that will last, so that our children and grandchildren may enjoy the life that we do, and Alexandria is a city that will strengthen our empire. It is rich, populous, and has many buidings that we can use to our advantage. Destroying them would only be counter productive in the long run, and while sacking a city gives cash in the short term, in the long term and intact city will be much, much more profitable. Rebuilding Alexandria would cost a fortune if we destroyed it!

He sits down again, trying to judge the effect his speech had had

[Celtic_Punk]

You would not say that if he were present! Coward! My master never put forth the idea of massacring the civilians! how dare you call him a barbarian, Sarpedon. Someone who has campaigned and helped secure the freedom of the Arche, even fighting his way out of an perfectly timed ambus! What have you done? You may be heir but that does not give you the right to slander him. Buildings are nothing compared to the lives this would save, and the possibility of crippling our adversary.Euripedes slams his fist down Your highness, this would be a challenge logistically, but no nightmare. This could be done if we acted fast. The only danger would be to the fleet required to land the army. The march would be long if the fleet be lost. However, if we build another to support it the trip should be safe, and Ptolemy would take at least a decade to recover! Fellow ambassadors and men of the council, how can you pass up such a brilliant opportunity to deal such a deadly blow to the throat of the enemy? Who's side are you on?! You say "we do not have the money to fund such an expedition" well the victory will fund the expedition itself! "We are not barbarians" you say, This is not an act of barbarism, this is an act of natural justice! We must bring the body of Alexander back to his capital Babylon! The time to take and hold that city will come, but now is not the time! In years to come when we are all dead, they will speak of this exploit,Euripedes holds his arms out for it shall be glorious, and daring, and heroic! After all... Who dares wins. He nods looking around the room for acknowledgement, then sits and takes a large gulp of water. hoping that the council would see his point of view

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Who dares wins is the motto for the SAS if anyone was wondering :P

[The Celtic Viking]

"Where is Cunobelinus himself, and why does he send impudent fools to do his talking? You said your master proposed that we sack Alexandria. Sacking will mean lots of death and damage to the civilian population, whether it's immediate from the soldiers' swords, or slower through having been stripped of all valuable objects. If you would claim that Cunobelinus doesn't know this, then that is tantamount to saying he's an idiot too incompetent to go near our armies.

You're also lucky that I'm not the Basileus yet. If I had been, you would have been banned from this council for your insolence. If you know what's good for you, you will apologize for your behaviour, and if you care about your master, you will not do it again. You can also tell him that, though I would forgive him for the proposition, I would not forgive his failure to condemn your insubordination, and punish you accordingly. You should know your place, slave."

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC: Just to keep things clear, Punk, I'm using the Greeks' definition of the word when I say "barbarian", which is "someone who isn't a Greek". Cunobelinus is a Celt, and therefore by that definition, a barbarian. Surely you know this already, I'm just pointing that out since you seem to act surprised that I would call him that, which neither Cunobelinus or one of his servants shouldn't be, when they've been living among Greeks his whole life. (You haven't said he was born somewhere else, so I will naturally assume he was born in the Arche. If not, then he'd still have had to have lived in the Arche and worked with Greeks a lot anyway, or he could not have risen to the status that Cunobelinus holds in this game, and the effect would be the same. He would have become used of that word a long time ago, and neither he nor his servants would react much on it.)

Oh, and I mean absolutely no offense in calling you "Punk". It is a part of your name, after all.

[Celtic_Punk]

I am no slave, I am a free man, I do know my place! And it is not your servant! Now it would be wise to cool our heads before more words are said that we regret later. perhaps you should take a break. To clear your head.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

No offence taken, I have a mohawk after all! :P I laugh when people try to insult me by calling me a punk. Though to be honest, I am hardly a grungy glue-huffing punker. Im a bit cleaner than that variety :P its important to note any fights in IC should STAY IN IC. its characters speaking, not you. And the word barbarian would hold great offence to Cunobelinus, since working with greeks most of his life he'd have to overcome racial prejudice, having done that he'd prove that hes no barbarian, but to be called that would be damaging, as its like going through it alll over again.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Antiochos speaks..

I agree.. We must calm down and talk about some serious business here! Also I advise not to insult my son and the Heir of the Arche!

Anyway.. I propose the following Edict:

Edict 2.2: Independent states in Mikra Asia, Pergamon and Halicarnassos, must be taken before the next Council Session!

Also I propose the following Charter Amendment:

CA 2.1: The following lines will be added to the Rules:

1.2a Avatar Adoption

No Adoption offers at the start of the turn will be accepted.

[navarro951]

Panaitolos Ankyrikos rises

I agree with and second both Edict 2.2 and CA 2.1

Also, on the discussion of taking Alexandria, while it would be a great source of income for the great Arche, I believe that the campaign is to bold and to risky at the moment. I believe gaining control of the near by independent states should be sufficient enough for now. Our prime focus right now should be the gaining of more treasury, but I do not think it must be done in a dangerous manner at the moment.

EDIT: Still second CA 2.1 after its "revising"

[kingsnake]

I second edict 2.2.

Great Basileus would you mind to explain the Charter Amendment you proposed?

[Ibn-Khaldun]

OOC: I explain it OOC. There are always Adoption offer at the start of the turn. But if I minimize it and save the turn and someone else would take it then this offer can not be accepted anymore. Message comes that the person have died. We get those offers only because we have more provinces than we have generals. This is really frustrating since I tried everything but the outcome is the same - if not accepted at once then later the 'Man of Great Potential' will 'die'. I proposed this to make sure we don't bother with those adoption offers anymore. I think I'll change the text a little bit actually.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

I change my CA so that it would be more clear..

CA 2.1: The following lines will be added to the Rules:

1.2a Avatar Adoption

No 'Man Of Great Potential' offers at the start of the turn will be accepted.