Stories thread - King of the Romans PBM

[OverKnight]

Rome, 1302

"So, I'm curious, why didn't you take my suggestion? Why did you support Dietrich's bid?"

Matthias sighed and glanced across the table at Elsebeth. An invitation to coffee had seemed innocent enough, but the Princess, true to character, was seeking information. Matthias drank a bit of the strong brew to give himself time to think.

"I doubt I would have had the support of the Diet. Defying the will of the Kaiser and a third straight term, I wouldn't have had the votes."

Elsebeth narrowed her eyes and ran her finger along the edge of her cup, "Really? And you thought Sir von Dassel would garner more support? I know you better than that, why not do it yourself? Why risk defying the Kaiser with a proxy?"

Matthias stared down at his cup, "Even if the Diet bent down on their knees and begged me, I would not have served a third term. I doubt that they would have done that anyway. Most of them are like that weasel Hans, half-hearted praise and muttering about how they would have done it better. Even if you do the job well, you wear out your welcome. And Dietrich was not a proxy. . .I supported his Charter Amendment because I felt the Kaiser was out of touch and not qualified to serve as Chancellor. However, I was not willing to run against him, von Dassel was, so I supported his bid."

Elsebeth raised an eyebrow, "But you voted against his Edict in the end, why?"

Matthias grimaced, "Not my finest hour. It was doomed to fail, and von Dassel had made a hash of enlisting support, enraged half the Diet in fact. I got off a sinking ship."

Elsebeth chuckled, "Well at least you still have a County, if not a command. Are you looking forward to your 'missionary' work?"

Matthias rolled his eyes, "Ah, good King Jan, the sanctimonious prig. It wouldn't surprise me if he was in bed with the Kaiser. Those Imperial edicts were rolled out right at the start, and he seconded all of them in a flash. He does owe his position to Siegfried, and it's not like he can expect a warm welcome in Franconia if he loses it."

"So what now? Will you stay in Outremer, return to Bavaria? Perhaps raise your banner in rebellion like Ulrich Hummel? That was at Adana, your Citadel, was it not?"

Laughing ruefully, Matthias drank the dregs of his coffee, "God forbid, things don't look good, with half of Italy gone Purple and the Kaiser gracefully donating a Sicilian territory to us, but rebellion? No."

Matthias paused and thought a bit, "As for what I am going to do? I don't know. I'd been Chancellor so long, I don't know what to do with myself now that I'm just a Count. I'm not really needed in Bavaria, but Outremer is a shadow of its former self. All I do know is that this unification business has to be stopped."

Looking at Matthias quizzically, Elsebeth refilled his cup.

"Why? One of the last acts of your term was to aid the Byzantines near Caesarea, why turn against them now?"

Matthias looked at Elsebeth and his eyes narrowed.

"Caesarea was a. . .peace offering, and not for the Byzantines. It is one thing to aid an ally, to bolster a friendly buffer state, it is another to treat with them as equals. We are an Empire, they are a remnant of one. Without us, they would not have Iconium or Caesarea, and most likely would have been picked off by the Turks or Hungarians by now. If the First Crusade hadn't intercepted those three Jihad armies, the heathens would be in Constantinople, and their 'Empire' would be nothing but a memory."

Elsebeth gave Matthias an appraising gaze over the rim of her cup.

"The Kaiser, the Kaiserin, the Prinz and most of the Electors are behind Unification, it would be unwise of you to oppose it. You did not follow my last suggestion, my dear, I hope you follow this one. Do not get in their way, you will gain nothing by opposing Unification, and could lose a great deal."

Matthias set down his cup with more force than necessary, "This isn't a matter to be bartered for influence. Unification is folly! We grow weaker while the Byzantines feed off our greatness! The Kaiser seems to listen to his wife more than his Electors, and her claws will only dig deeper the further we go with this farce. No good will come of it! What has been split asunder cannot be rejoined. To try, is to invite disaster."

Matthias rose and bowed to the Princess.

"I am sorry Highness, but I have travel arrangements to make. I must supervise the work on the Royal Arsenal at Adana. If I cannot lead men in the field, I will least help arm them. Good day."

After Matthias had left, Elsebeth sat a while deep in thought. Matthias had reached his potential and more, she had chosen wisely, but his star was now in descent. It was time to consider alternatives.

It was time to speak to Kaiserin Theodora.

[econ21]

This is a co-op story written by Privateerkev and econ21.

King Jan goes to the Vatican, 1302


As Jan waited in the antechamber, he saw the inner door open and out slipped a dark haired, regal woman. Her eyes immediately found Jan and she smiled a rich smile, then she approached warmly, almost skipping over to him. Although in her mid-forties, she moved with a zest and freedom that belied her age and station.

“You must be King Jan, I assume? It is such a pleasure to meet you at last. I am Theodora.”

Jan bows to the lady, "My Empress, it is an honor to finally meet you in person."

“I heard you had an audience with his Holiness scheduled for today, so I thought I would catch you first. I have so wanted to meet you. You are one of the Reich’s young rising stars - one of the few to adhere to the old Frankish code of chivalry.”

Jan's cheek's flush, "You do me a great honor my Empress but I fear I have not done as much as you let on. But enough about me. How are you? Have you settled in? How do you like our fair and grand capital?"

“Oh, the city is wonderful. It reminds me of past ages - of what once was and what could be again.” the Empress’s face clouds and she says sadly. “But the people, you will excuse me Jan - I can call you Jan, can’t I? - some of the people are positively beastly! Like that Peter von Kastilien - such a foul mouth! They all hate me and worse, I swear, some of them would see me dead.”

"Of course you can call me Jan my Empress. I apologize that some of my peers get a little... raucous. But, I assure you it is simply the nature of politics. The Diet gets contentious because people feel so much is on the line when they go in there. Any perceived slight, any perceived insult, is seen as a threat to people's agenda and they pounce on it with great ferocity," Jan says in an attempt to convince the Empress.

“King Jan, you are a good man but you are fooling no one. I am a foreigner, a woman past her prime, alone in this hostile city. There may come a day when I call upon you for your protection. Perhaps you will remember this moment if that day comes? But tell me this - I simply do not understand - why I am so hated?”

Jan straightens up and becomes serious, "My Empress, you are married to mein Kaiser. It is my duty to protect you. The Kaiser rules by divine right. Therefore, he is God's chosen ruler for the Reich. I will serve him faithfully until the end of my days. As his wife, that extends to you." Jan's expression softens a little, "Plus, during the Diet when I was first appointed, I had a pretty hard time and was left quite discouraged. Your letter lifted my spirits and I will never forget your words of kindness. As for the current atmosphere in the Diet, I believe that has to do with unification. Many men fear change. They build up their own little fiefdoms and are afraid of anything that could possibly damage that. My best advice would be to not take it personally."

“But why are the German nobility so hostile to reunification? Do they not see they would effectively be gaining a vassal, a powerful servant who could fight with them to guard the east against the Mohammedans and the pagans? Why do they despise a loyal Orthodox ally more than their many Catholic neighbours who daily fight with them? If Byzantium guards your back, you would be free to crush the Poles, the Hungarians, the Danes and the French!”

Jan thinks for a moment and then answers, "many in the Diet fear outsiders. These men are generals who have been fighting their whole adult lives. Many of us have lost dear friends and family. War tends to create an us-versus-them mentality. I have tried, during my whole political career, to combat that idea. I believe that we are all God's children. While I will not hesitate to strike down someone who raises their weapon against me, I will love them and try to save them the moment they put the weapon down. Such is the will of our Lord. Maybe one day we will strive to be better than who we are and live up to what the Lord sees in us. Hope of that eventuality is what gets me through each day. I support unification because I believe it will help bring about a change for good in this world. A unified church can serve more people and spread the Word farther and faster. A unified Roman Empire will be the beacon that will cast the light of the Lord across the land."

“Jan, it seems that my informants were right to commend you so highly. You are indeed wise and kind. While men of your calibre still hold influence in the Reich, the cause of unification will not die. But I must not keep you from your audience with the Holy Father. Afterwards, we shall have lunch, together, yes? I would so much like to learn of your time in Outremer and all the amazing things you have been doing there.”

"My Empress, I am not so optimistic as you regarding how much influence I hold but I do appreciate your kind words. I would be honored to dine with you when I am done meeting the Holy Father." Jan bows to Theodora and walks towards the door.

*****

Jan's heart beat faster as he entered. This is the most important meeting of my life. I better not !@#$ this up, Jan thought to himself.

As Jan entered, a tall knight approached, dress in full plate and wearing the Papal livery. Jan’s face broke into a smile as he recognized the imposing figure as Sir Reinhold Schimdt - a veteran of the crusade which brought Jan to the Holy Land.

“Brother” said Reinhold, “It is a great day to meet you ago in this most holy of places. We must catch up later, but now let me introduce you to the Pontiff.”

Pope Abbate made an unprepossessing figure as he hobbled over to meet King Jan. He was short, plump and stooped. He spoke softly and at times almost seemed to be muttering. But he radiated an inner calm and conviction, so that Jan felt compelled to strain to catch his every word.

“King Jan, I cannot begin to thank you and the Reich for your service to the Papacy. For many years now, your men have fought and died to protect the Holy Land. You have been a Christian bulwark against all Mohammedans and heathens. You even vanquished the fearsome Horse Lords. Truly, it is an honour to have the King of Outremer visit me.”

Jan kneels to the floor and kisses the ring, "Your Holiness, it is I who am honored. All I have done is my duty to the Lord and to my Kaiser."

“But tell me, my son, what brings you to me? You seem concerned and I am guessing this is not just a social visit.”

Jan stands back up, "Your Holiness, there has been talk in the Diet regarding our impending unification with the Eastern Roman Empire. It has been said that there will be a unification of the Church as well. Quite simply, I need to know if you approve of this. You are the successor of Peter and your word on this will be law as far as I am concerned."

The Pope looks childlike and places a chubby hand on Jan’s arm, barely containing his pleasure:

“I can tell you my son - you shall be one of the first to hear! It is done! I will announce it later in the week, but the Patriach of Constantinople has agreed - they will unify with us, the Church will be whole again!”

Jan was a bit shocked that the religious unification went so smoothly, "My Holiness, this is wonderful news, but how did it happen? I didn't expect it to come about so easily."

The Pontiff relaxes and sits back, recounting events in a detached tone.

“To be honest, I believe it was politics. The great schism was never about belief or doctrine. It was merely recognition of the temporal divide of Western Europe from the Eastern Roman Empire. A man cannot have two masters. And nor can a church. But as the politics changes, so can the church. The Kaiser gave up Naples and Palermo. In exchange, Emperor Isaac has given up his church.”

Jan is surprised a bit to hear the issue of religious unification broken down into a matter of politics, "Thats it? This was about land?"

“But Jan, you are a devout man. Can you tell me one point of doctrine on which the Catholic church disagreed with the Orthodox? The Filoque clause? That the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son? That is a triviality - it has no bearing on the central message of our Lord or the real work of the church, to save souls. We will drop that clause from the Nicocene Creed - it is the price of religious re-unification. But to bring together the brothers of the faith, it is a trivial price, eminently worth paying.”

"A wise move Holy Father but what about you? As I mentioned before, you are the successor of Peter. As such, you are the Lord's agent here on Earth. How will you rank with regards to the Patriarch?"

“Rome will be the final court of appeal in the united Church, but I will not stand ahead of the Patriarch. He will be master in the east and I in the west. We cannot insist on Papal infallibility. I mean, look at me - a short fat old man! Am I infallible? Was Pope Gregory infallible when he excommunicated Kaiser Heinrich? Papal infallibility is the kind of nonsense men only pretend to believe because they are so blinkered and conforming.”

Jan thinks a bit on what the Pope has said, "His Holiness, it is refreshing to hear a great man be so humble before the Lord. I believe that religious unification would be a good thing for everyone. It would help to spread the Word. As Saint Cyprian of Carthage said, 'Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus'."

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC: it means, "Outside the Church there is no salvation". That phrase sums up Jan's beliefs better than anything. Also, it is interesting that "Unam Sanctum" came about in 1302. I suggest you "wiki" both terms. Their interesting reads.

“You know, Jan, God often puts a man into the world for only one purpose. A man may live his entire life, amounting to nothing. But one day, he may pass by a river and in that river he may see a child drowning. That one day may be why he has been put on this earth. After that day, he may drink, womanise and waste away. But on that day, the Holy Spirit may shine through him and in his rescue of that drowning child, may give meaning to the man’s whole life.”

The Pontiff wipes a tear from his eye, caught up in the moment:

“I believe I was put on this earth for one purpose. And it is done. God’s children are reunited again and whatever fate has in store for me, I can die content in knowing that I have been an instrument of the Lord in this great endeavour.”

The Pope comes out of his reverie and turns to Jan:

“But Jan, I feel that you have not yet served your purpose. As I say, I am not infallible - I cannot tell you what your purpose is. But watching your progress through the Diet to the throne of Outremer, I see you have had your own baptism. God has forged you to be a pious man, a man of honour. Whatever trials await you down the road, he has fashioned a mighty instrument that can be relied upon to do what is right. Come to me child and receive my blessing…”

Jan kneels before the Pope full of purpose and hope.

[econ21]

Acre, 1204


“Have you read these?” Linyeve threw the books down in front of Elberhard.

The Prinz squinted, reading was not his forte. Elberhard’s eyes widened as he read the titles:

“Why the Pope and his Recent Book are Burned” by Alexander Luther

”On the Byzantines and their lies” by Alexander Luther

“Against the Papacy Established by the Devil.” by Alexander Luther

The Prinz scratched his head and looked pained: “Who the @#$%^&!!! is Alexander Luther? And what the @#$%^&!!! is his problem?”

Linyeve sat down on a chair opposite Elberhard, her eyes boring into the Prinz: “Luther is a Augustinian monk. He lectures at the University of Wittenberg. He was inspired to enter the monastic life after being hit by a lightning bolt..."

Elberhard interrupted: "Well I suppose something like that might put you off going outside..." he joked feebly.

Linyeve gave the Prinz a withering look: "Well, I suppose the event does explain a lot about the man. ... You weren't also struck by lightning in your youth, were you darling?... But to get back to your question - Alexander Luther's problem, apparently, is that he doesn’t like Byzantines.”

Elberhard picked up one of the books and started to read. His painful and halting delivery made Linyeve stand impatiently and snatch the book from his hands. She enunciated clearly:

“The devil's feces ... which they wallow in like swine”

Elberhard rubbed his chin.

“We are at fault in not slaying them.”

Elberhard scratched his cheek.

“Let not your sword grow cold from blood.”

“All right, all right - I get the idea. He doesn’t like Byzantines.” protested Elberhard.

“And the Papacy, now that it has unified.” added Linyeve.

“He doesn’t like Pope Abbate?” queried the Prinz. “Well, I admit, he’s not the most prepossessing of leaders, but he is a sweet old guy and his heart is in the right place.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” snapped Linyeve. “This has gone far beyond personal likes and dislikes. You think you have been having a rough ride in the Diet? That will be nothing compared to the ride you will get on the streets. This mad monk has followers. Already it is starting in some cities - the smashing of statues and images in churches, and denunciations of the magistracy.”

Elberhard whistled. “@#$%^&!!!ing hell! What can I do?”

“Sharpen your sword.” answered the Princess.

[Northnovas]

A Governor’s Farewell – Acre 1204

The sun was an orange fireball hanging on to the last rays of daylight over the Mediterranean Sea. The reflection of the sun over the water was a shimmering gold as it calmly lapped up to the shore.

On the beach was a great tent filled with many men. The men were there to bid farewell to Karl Zirn the Governor of Damascus. The men came from all walks and faiths from the city and surrounding area. They had formed a large caravan with the Governor’s entourage to see him off. The Governor had created a city of religious tolerance for all the Christians, Jews and Muslims. He was a Crusader and fought many Muslims while in the Outremer but not everyone is a soldier and he knew that men needed a sanctuary. He is considered a living saint amongst the populace and even respected by his enemies like no man before him.

The men sat in a large circle eating fruit and breaking bread. There were refreshments of wine and other drinks for the respective guest. There was no tavern talk even though the occasion was heavy on most there was an air of celebration that a meal can be shared to honour the Governor.

Karl the Honourable was thought by many to be destined a patron saint of knights demonstrating what every Crusader would hope to achieve before God and his peers. The men chatted the evening away and many tributes were made to the Governor.

The loyalty these men showed to Karl was only demonstrated by Karl’s loyalty to his Lord, Kaiser, Duke and men. The locals and peers admire his loyalty and speak far and wide as the epitome of selfless obedience and is universally admired for it.

The evening was coming to a close and Karl bid farewell to each of the guest present.

“Your Kaiser must need you somewhere very important to have you taken from us. You will be missed greatly” said the mayor of the city bidding him farewell. Karl nodded in agreement he had not disclosed his reason for leaving and there were many rumors.

“That priest in Rome must want you back there very much for the good work you have done here with our peoples” spoke a local merchant shaking the Governor’s hand. Karl agreed with the man and continued his farewells.

A local priest from the Byzantine lands approached Karl and gave a blessing. “Thank you for your work here Karl. The churches being united you must have more important work to do for your Kaiser. Godspeed” and he offered a prayer.

Karl thanked him and walked out of the tent to the pier were the boats were moored. The goodbyes continued as he walked along the beach and waved through the darkness to his many friends.

He had time to think and the kind words given to him. He had some doubts about leaving but knew this was no longer his calling that his work was needed home or elsewhere. He had prayed and that was what was spoken to him to leave.

There was much going on and he was confused and concerned. What was the Kaiser really thinking on this unification of not only faith but lands and cultures? It could work as he demonstrated in Damascus but that was one city not an Empire. His loyalty to the Kaiser and the Reich was absolute there was no other way. He gave his life for its cause and work here in the Outremer. No one could take away what he had accomplished no matter how out of touch or outlandish the statements were made towards him.

However, the Kaiser’s actions are suspicious and possible not the Kaiser’s actions at all. Maybe there is some sinister plot behind him and the Reich was in for some very dark time. The nobles must know it wasn’t about one’s allegiance to a man but it must be for the cause the Reich itself that should be fought and defended. Only working has one body in unity.

As Karl walked in the darkness he thought of the darkness that will face the Reich. Though looking up towards the sky he could see the stars making there mark there was no moon but their brightness was piercing the darkness. The light was the answer. There has to be answers to what is darkening the Reich and causing confusion and Karl was determined to find some answers when he returned home.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Well there was a lot of traits in the ole Crusader and thought to point the main ones out in the story.

[Cecil XIX]

Southwest of Bucharest, 1310

Mine Kaiser,

The situation is grim. If I were just taking the city, holding it against the Huns, or doing both with a few years in between it would not be a problem. But I cannot take the city without tearing down those walls, I cannot repair those walls before the Hungarians attack, and I cannot hold out against the Hungarians without the walls intact. It is my suggestion as acting commander of the 2nd AHA that the army be withdrawn south, so that Karl Zirn may take control. By the time he is able to march back to Bucharest the city should be held by a weakened Hungarian host and more soldiers can be trained in Bran. If we have to wait for the Papal Bull calling for peace to expire, than that also favors us. The Hungarians seem to prefer keeping their armies in the field rather than defending their settlements.
Regards,
Edmund Becker

Edmund sighed as he finished writing the letter before continuing on his own personal copy.

“If I had known that it would take so much work and war just to be left alone to govern my county in peace I would have though long and hard about marrying into this family.”

“Woe is you,” replied Karl, never one to recognize when someone was speaking rhetorically.

“Yes, I was being overly dramatic.” Edmund continued bitterly. “At least my family life has been rewarding. When I have time for it.” He sighed once more, but this time it seemed to improve his spirits considerably.

“But soon, all that will be over. I’ve redeemed myself as a General and my capture of Peter has given me an ample time to resign. Soon I will be in Prague, where I can live in peace and enjoy myself for the rest of my days.”

“Look at you.” stated Karl. “Here you are with a nice, big army at your command and you’re working hard to just give it away. What is it with you and governing anyway?”

By now Becker had finished copying his letter, and turned to Karl.

“I know it’s not your way to stay in one place for too long, but listen to me. Too many of the electors see counties as stepping stones for greater things. To them, a county is just a sign of adulthood and their Duke’s trust. They don’t spend any time with their people and when they do it’s just so they can get them to serve in Imperial armies, this despite the fact that Counts wield extraordinary power in their own right. That is why I want to live with and rule the people of my county, so I can give them the attention they deserve. No one has more authority over Bohemia than I. I set the build queues, I set the tax levels. And just as I am Duke Arnold’s men before I am Emperor Elberhard’s, so are the soldiers of Bohemia my men before they are Duke Arnold’s. It’s time I start taking this authority seriously.”

“So you get to Prague. Then what? You spend the rest of your life in one place?”

“Ideally. There is much to be down to further Bohemia’s greatness. Although it was the first province taken during the Reich’s resurgence, it is now a rather unimportant place compared to the other territories under our control. I will change that and make Prague one of the most important cities in the Empire. It will be a constant struggle, one that will probably outlive me, but I need to see it through and I need to put my plan into action from within Prague’s walls. That is the best way to govern Prague and the only way to secure my legacy.” Becker paused, collecting his thoughts.

“And the only way I can do Sigismund justice is by building up his homeland into something happy and prosperous.”

Karl sat forward. “You were a newlywed when Sigismund died. You never even met him. Why do you care what he’d think of you?”

“You don’t have to pretend with me Karl. I heard what they said about Sigismund when he heard Contzel was to marry me.”



“…Let’s just say I have something to prove.”

[GeneralHankerchief]

Ragusa, 1312

"You summoned me, von Dassel?"

"Yes I did, Luther." Dietrich von Dassel sat behind a desk in his study, barely visible over a mountain of papers, looking grim. Alexander Luther had no idea how much pressure the man was under, how much he had gone through to keep him safe. "Duke Hans is closing in. I cannot protect you forever. A move will have to be made."

"Closing in? Please explain."

Dietrich sighed. "While you have been out preaching that the Byzantines and the Pope are evil, I have been facing political pressure. The army I recruited to keep this Citadel - and you - safe has been discovered. I have come under suspicion. I have been called a traitor and a rogue. I have been forced to temporarily renounce my loyalties to Swabia in protest. Duke Hans and his army are coming to kill you and arrest me."

"I see," Luther said with far too much calm. "What are our options?"

"Option A is to give in and let Hans pass. I cannot let that happen. I have not fought against re-unification and tarnished my reputation for this long to give up and turn you in."

"And I thank you many times over for that," said Luther.

"Spare me," said Dietrich with a wave of his hand. "I have little time. The second option is to hunker down, quarantine the city, and refuse to let Hans in. It will be his move, but I believe that he will besiege us and start a full-blown civil war. I am confident that I can defeat him but I would rather not escalate that conflict to that level.

"Another option is to let you escape," Dietrich continued. "I do not believe this would be prudent. You are as safe as you can possibly be with me. Any journey to another Elector's protection - Fritz von Kastilien comes to mind - would be filled with danger and peril. I do not believe that you would get to sanctuary elsewhere, and even if you did you wouldn't be safe for long."

"So what is left?" asked Luther, this time with a tone of exasperation.

"March out with the army. Other Electors have been mentioning it for so long, so I might as well do it. You will come with me, we will take Durazzo, and replace Pope Abbate with a Pope who is not so pro-reunification."

Luther's eyes glowed. "Open war with the Papacy?"

"Yes. Times have changed since the Second Investiture Controversy. The College of Cardinals is under our control. The Pope has lost much influence. Excommunication does not mean as much, and it will be shorter-lived. And, as much as I hate the Byzantines, I do not want to fight a war with them. They are too powerful (thanks to Siegfried and Elberhard, damn them) and we are not as strong as we used to be. Deposing Abbate will accomplish our goals while still keeping the Reich intact."

"So," said Luther, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "When do we leave?"

"Immediately. It is time to take matters into our own hands."

[Ignoramus]

Flanders, 1312

"I have had enough! No longer will I be a lowly Swabian, under the thumb of the Kaiser's brother.

I served him well, I supported him when he made his bid to become Kaiser, I bore disgrace for him, and how does he repay me? He sends me off to assault a city smitten with the plague! Surely he must have desired mein end and no less!"

After venting out his feelings, Wolfgang buckled on his sword.

"Assemble the men, Conrad!" he barked to his captain, "We are marching to Staufen!"

*************************************************************

Paris, 1312

A large throng of townsmen were busy in the centre square, reading the message that had been nailed to the Cathedral's doors.

"Swabians, how long do you languish under the thumb of one who seeks to flatter a Roman puppet? He has put the interests of the Kaiser and the Pope above that of Swabia. He is the son of Henry, once Kaiser of the Reich. He has shamed the memory of his father with his Papal inclinations.

Why is our Reich in turmoil? Is not his brother Kaiser? Why is he in Austria at such a time like this when he should be in Swabia maintaining order?

We have no future in the Reich of Elberhard, but we do in the Principality of Swabia, which bows to no one save Gott!

I do declare myself Prinz of Swabia, and renounce Kaiser Elberhard, Duke Hans, and their Greek and Papal conspirators altogether! Let us fight for Swabia!

Wolfgang Hummel, Prinz of Swabia."

[Warmaster Horus]

Outside of Thessalonica.

The City is under siege, and has been for the past two years. The Venetian town is attacked by the Bavarian Household Army Otto, led by Count Friedrich Karolinger.

The Count has received word that von Dassel was to attack the Pope. He has also received a copy of the Chancellor's report, which detailed the chaos in which the Reich is. And finally, Duke Steffen's missive [OOC:See TC's post in the Bavarian thread for more info] rests in Friedrich's hands. His aide, Jonas, stands by the Count's side in the Command Tent while he reads the letters. After, Friedrich speaks.

"Have you read this?" he asks, sighing.

"No, my Lord. But may I suppose that it is not good news?"

"This says that there is a traitor in the Reich" he explains, pointing to the first message. "That letter says that Hell has come for the Reich", pointing to the appropriate missive. "And that one instructs me to return to Bavaria as soon as possible", after showing his Duke's letter. "Dark days have come for us."

"Is there anything for us to do, my Lord?, Jonas asks. "Do you have a plan?"

"A plan? Oh yes, I do. The first step is easy: take Thessalonica. We will sack that town, bringing some apparently much-needed Florins in the Reich's coffers. Although I'm sure the fools in the Administration who managed to empty the Reich's coffers in the first place will only squander the money we bring back. Is nothing ever simple in life?"

"And then, if I may?"

"Then, we'll follow the Duke's orders, of course. After all, we are loyal soldiers of the Reich. But maybe..." Friedrich trails off, and then shakes his head, laughing.

"What is the matter?" says Jonas, ever the worrier for his Liege.

"I've got a new ending for my plan. But just wait and see, friend. Just wait and see."

"Very well, my Lord."