I agree on neither point. Well, I agree that it's important to keep the PBM interesting, but I don't think either point will have the stated effects. Point 1 doesn't work because connecting the two regions with HRE territory will do nothing to bring them closer together. They will still be separated, and the two groups of players will still be divided. The only difference will be that there will be a region of secure and inner territory, which will be lightly garrisoned and under no threat. If anything, the isolation of the two territories is strategically worse, which makes for more excitement.

For Point 2, I don't think there has ever been much discussion between Senate/Diet sessions, unless something weird had happened. You mention Lucjan's Consular term, and the lack of activity therein. That term was absurdly long, and nothing controversial happened, until he decided to... well, I think you know what. If it's just conquer this, defeat that army, make this infrastructure improvement, it should be done quickly. There isn't too much to discuss.

We have hit a bit of a mundane spell, probably because we've been mostly consolidating, something everyone seems to agree with, probably for OOC reasons. Even in WOTS, where most of it was just steamrolling everyone, there were always arguments about in which direction to steamroll. (Why? Why didn't we invade Africa!?) But I do see the reasons for not expanding, so we'll just have to create crisis from somewhere else. I'm a bit disappointed that Kaiser Henry succeeded in resisting the dark side. How crazy would he have to have gotten until he lost support of 2/3 of the Diet, and what sort of stuff would we have passed?

The Mongols are coming up, and are our best hope at the moment. Hopefully, the Outremer will be put in actual danger, some avatars killed, and cities sacked. Still, it won't be that interesting if we all rally together and defeat the evil horde. I'd like to hear cries of incompetence and negligence on the very first setback, especially from back home. After all, we've been winning all our battles in Europe, how is it that we're unable to handle these primitive nomads?

Oh, and we also need someone to cry "keeeeell the Gaaaaauuuuuls!" Have we reincarnated TinCow yet?