Duchy of Franconia

[Stig]

Ansehelm:
I'm going to fight near Thorn, would I die Peter will become Duke, not some idiot in the Outremer (OOC: makes some nice action since Peter is Prinz as well).
Also who will join me in liberating Prague from rebels?

[Dutch_guy]

I have a problem with fighting the so called Prague rebels, as at one point I was more than willing to come to his aid so many months ago. The coming years will be hard as it is, I don't think we should be fighting a fellow german. In the end he's only doing what he thinks is best.

I'd be quite the Hypocrite were I to openly state my displeasure at his move.

[Ferret]

Dieter Bresch has come home, demanding an army that Fritz has been leading most competently. They can jointly command like Tancred and I did.

And Fritz didnt sack the loyal in his city. He kept his army loyal on the blood money of the evil magistrates of the city.

I have many problems with what you have just said "Prinz". Jan is not insufferable just because you disagree with him, you do not even know him well. I have known him my whole life and I will tell you that he is a damn site better man than you could hope to be.

Secondly I did not demand the army Ansehelm offered it to me and appointed me Furst, the very position which decides who commands the army. I'll allow that everyone makes mistakes and accept that Ansehelm may not be the best Duke Franconia has seen, and I know many who would consider him the worst.

Thirdly and finally Fritz did sack his city and there is no denying that, why else does everyone there hate him?

[Stig]

Ansehelm:
Tancred, Prague was Franconian, and it was taken from us.
Normally I hang thieves, maybe Becker will get lucky

[TinCow]

OOC: Apologies for butting in, but just to make one thing clear: Prague has always been Austrian. Becker has removed his lands from Arnold's control, not Ansehelm's.

[Stig]

OOC: Wrong, wrong, wrong

Look at the edict Siegfried made for it, it is Franconian, Ansehelm allowed Arnold to take it.

[Privateerkev]

OOC: That was for Krackow, not Prague. Krackow was in an edict at the last Diet for Franconia. Prague has been Austrian for years and years.

[Dutch_guy]

I am currently planning on marching east, from where I plan to return home to Franconia. In my haste I have not managed to destroy the buildings in Constantinople, but I have managed to take the treasury from the city intact. I am now a rich man, albeit one on the run.

[Tamur]

Friends, brothers, what are we striving for in Franconia? Do we wish to weather the stormy seas ahead as a body? Or do we wish to over-extend ourselves and end up like that cheese with many large holes in it?

If it is the latter, then let us begin attacks on far-flung cities with all haste. However, if it is the former, then we have the power to defend our cities if we remain where we are, establish a line for our border, and do not cross it.

Of course, wherever my Duke orders me to go, I will go there and with a smile, even if it is a crooked one.

[Stig]

We should stand as a body. I don't trust most rebels. You can rebel against the Kaiser, I understand that. But rebelling against a Duke is different.
I suggest we try and strike both Rebels as soon as we've got enough men in our armies, we're rich, let's stay rich.

[Ferret]

I think the position for Fürst and the command over an Ducal Household Army might be bigger than the things you have in the Outremer. Remember, Jan decided to give you those things, but his problem is is that he is no King for life.

Remembering Ansehelm's earlier words Dieter mutters:

How do I know whether you are telling the truth now? Maybe you want us to rebel, it is hard to tell when you have lied to me so often.

[Stig]

You are Furst and I can't help the SHA is disbanded, I'm busy enough in Thorn

OOC: next to that I'm soo awfully busy in real life that I don't have the time to be a proper all ruling Duke.

[Tamur]

My Duke, may I suggest Copenhagen as a target. Its wealth is legendary, and destroying the Danish capital would be particularly satisfying for me.

[Ferret]

OOC:don't you mean Arhus?

[Stig]

Ansehelm:
Personally I see Antwerp as a nice target, afterall it's close by, but Arhus might even be better, since then the Danes will be awfully limited.
If you want to you AND Dieter can start planning a joint attack with your armies, as I doubt what's left of the SHA is strong enough.

[Tamur]

Very well, thank you Ansehelm.

Dieter, what say you? Shall we sally against the Danes? I will be visiting Stettin to get my people back in line, miserable ingrates that they are. I did leave many of them alive after all.

Please get word to me as soon as possible. And thank you kindly for the fine stay at your castle.



OOC: oops, yes, Arhus, this is what happens when one pops the save open once a week

[Dutch_guy]

I have agreed to help Friedrich Karolinger by taking his place near Budapest, giving him the chance to return to his bavarian lands and fend of any enemies intrusions in his homelands. I have reached an agreement with Duke Arnold as to unit recruitment, and I have used my wealth to pay for it.

I will hold on as long as I can, but don't expect me in Franconia in the near future.

[Ferret]

Very well, thank you Ansehelm.

Dieter, what say you? Shall we sally against the Danes? I will be visiting Stettin to get my people back in line, miserable ingrates that they are. I did leave many of them alive after all.

Please get word to me as soon as possible. And thank you kindly for the fine stay at your castle.



OOC: oops, yes, Arhus, this is what happens when one pops the save open once a week

Although the noble men in the Saxon army did join their true commander I am still lacking sufficient forces to go on the offenses. I say we hold Stettin and Magdeburg for the time being and when I have enough troops and some of the Danes have been broken on our walls that we take back Hamburg, which seems destined to fall at the moment. If we can take out the large Danish armies prancing around on our lands then yes, I will push onwards to Arhus.

[Stig]

Remember that I will also march west now, though I might decide to turn south.
I don't like rebels, and there still is one in Prague, I think Arnold might like some help.

[Ferret]

Ansehelm going South now would be the worst thing you could do for yourself and for Franconia. How many of your men would be willing to kill fellow Germans? Please do not think of Becker as a rebel, he is doing what is best for his people and he is as loyal as any other elector to the Reich, he just deemed it necessary to renounce his Duchy to achieve what was best for him.

We need all the help we can get to repel the Danes and your army going off to kill an army that may even help us if we negotiate with him is not what we need right now. Although turning West does seem an attractive prospect to me wouldn't this leave all of Prussia completely unguarded? Or are you hoping that the armies of the Poles and Rus' will turn South and give Austria a run for her money? We need to defend all sides of our duchy, if you turn West we may end up with just Stettin and Magdeburg to call Franconian.

[Stig]

I heard rumours that Becker might head north to Breslau, and I won't allow that.
Next to that I'm going south to defend Breslau anyway, and when I'm there I will march west to Frankfurt while Peter goes to his own city.

If Thorn is taken I hope the Poles take it, not only are they catholics, this will also mean that Russia cannot attack anymore.

New Franconia will be Frankfurt, Magdeburg, Stettin, Breslau, Hamburg and should in time also consist of Antwerp and Arhus.
Later on we will retake Thorn.

[Privateerkev]

A letter from King Jan:

Dear fellow Franconians,

It saddens me to see Duke Ansehelm use his paranoia as an excuse to attack a good man. These so-called rumors about a threat to Breslau are just a front for Ansehelm to grab more wealth and power for himself by attacking Prague.

What should be discussed is how to protect the citizens of Franconia. These people are Ansehelm's responsibility. But he just wastes time planning fool's errands into other people's counties and other faction's capitals. Now is the time for defense, not offense.

Ansehelm has already abandoned three provinces. Thorn, Krackow, and Hamburg are all overrun or in danger of being overrun. How many more will have to be abandoned if armies are sent to Prague and Danish territories? How many people will die when their cities are taken because Ansehelm decided that going on foolish offensives was more important than protecting his people?

I will again call on all Franconian Counts to do what they have to do to protect their people. If Ansehelm has refused that duty, then he is no longer fit to rule Franconia. I have sat by and watched as Ansehelm's stupid stubborn pride, and inept leadership, has driven this Duchy into the ground. I can stay quiet no longer. This man's bumbling and temper tantrums have turned House Franconia into the laughingstock of the Reich. Now his misguided priorities threaten the safety of every citizen in Franconia.

I wish all of you luck in protecting the people. May God protect them from threats without as well as within.

King Jan

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC: The option to take Breslau in the Cataclysm thread was simply Econ putting up options. They are not necessarily indicative of Becker's intentions. Plus, they are probably strictly OOC information. Not that you can't act off of them as a "rumor" but it is more acting out of paranoia than any real evidence.

[Stig]

OOC: can the above post be deleted, Jan is not part of Franconia, thus he cannot post here

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Sides, you're irritating the @%^!$ out of me PK, would you mind awfully to just *!^^!$ off.

[Privateerkev]

OOC: can the above post be deleted, Jan is not part of Franconia, thus he cannot post here

OOC: Econ ruled that the King never really leaves the House. Jan claiming that he is not part of Franconia is more of a political stance. It's not like he gets a blood transfusion or something. If you want to bar Jan from posting, then talk to Econ OOC about it.

Sides, you're irritating the @%^!$ out of me PK, would you mind awfully to just *!^^!$ off.

OOC: Um, no. I'm playing the game. If you want to play this game, people are going to interact with you. It's nothing personal. No need to swear and get hostile.

[gibsonsg91921]

Duke Ansehelm has been a wise and capable leader throughout his reign over this Duchy. I would note that Becker is loyal to the Holy Roman Empire, although he has severed his ties with the House of Austria, and he is no major threat at this time.

[Privateerkev]

letter from the King:

Peter will say anything for the man who made him heir to the ducal throne. Hopefully he will let the fog fall from his eyes and see what is really going on.

[gibsonsg91921]

Heir to the Ducal throne? It's a technicality, as I am 3 years younger than my brother. I would have no time to exercise any kind of power. I am loyal to one who has been loyal to the Reich.

[Privateerkev]

a letter

Peter,
True, you are only a little bit younger but we all know people that have met their end before old age in these dark times. As for being loyal to those who are loyal to the Reich, plenty fit that bill, and Ansehelm is not one of them. He has only served his own selfish interests. You have let yourself become Ansehelm's tool. One would say lapdog even. Do what is right by your people and I'll be impressed.

[Stig]

PK LAST TIME, STOP POSTING, Ansehelm won't allow foreign messengers into the Franconian court

[Privateerkev]

*edit*

please disregard this post