Imperial Diet VII

[deguerra]

YOU accuse others of treachery? Of all people, YOU?

YOU came to this chamber, still wet behind the ears, and every bit as ignorant and arrogant as you prove yourself to be now, and YOU essentially claimed to have hopes of taking Austria for yourself.

And now, now that the Empire is in trouble, who should emerge from the shrouds of mystery, from never having been heard of since that outrageous claim, never having done A SINGLE DAMN THING for this Empire, but YOU, to use and manipulate the situation to give your damnable claim a preposterous inch of credibility.

Of all people YOU should not speak of treachery, especially not to such a noble defender Swabia as Hughes de Cervole.

[TinCow]

*A heavily guarded Bavarian messenger enters the Diet and begins to read from a sealed paper.*

Electors of the Republic,

There will undoubtedly be those who reject freedom, as it will cost them the power to inflict their fickle whims on others. There will also undoubtedly be those who instantly recognize justice and righteousness when they see it. However, under the circumstances, I expect a large number of you fall into a third category: those who are uncertain of which path to take. It is to this third group that I address this message.

By the nature of our methods of operation, the Divine Order of the Illuminati is a secretive and shadowy organization. This understandably creates a sense of wariness and distrust in those outside our numbers. However, I ask you now to give a fair appraisal of our actions before you determine the path you will take. You will note that amongst our members number two former Chancellors: Brother Matthias and Brother Arnold.

Brother Matthias is the only Elector ever to win successive terms as Chancellor. This was for good reason. His terms are widely considered the most prosperous and successful period in the Reich's entire history. Outremer was heavily strengthened, and all Houses benefited greatly. Never have we seen such a period of happiness for our women and children. Brother Arnold took up the difficult reigns of Chancellorship after the Cataclysm caused by Kaiser Siegfried's insanities. Despite plague and invasion, the Reich was stabilized, our borders consolidated, and much damage was repaired. These actions were not confined to Bavaria and Austria, they were manifested a thousandfold across all corners of the Reich.

These were the periods when the Illuminati held the highest powers in the land, yet we used them to aid all peoples, even those who were vassals to our enemies. We could have used our positions for personal benefit and selfish rule. There was no one to stop us and no limits on what we could have achieved. Yet we worked for the benefit of the entire Reich, regardless of House, rank, and personal animosity. Were these the actions of villains?

Even during the Cataclysm, the Order did what it could to aid the Reich. Of particular note were the actions of Brother Matthias, who remained in Outremer, despite the fear of the rest of the Order that he would surely perish. Brother Matthias refused to leave, because he valued the preservation of Christendom over his own life. The fact that he was successful and single-handedly saved Outremer is but a shadow compared to the honor of his decision. The 'honorable' King of Outremer, Jan von Hamburg, and Kaiser Elberhard, life-long Crusaders, both of them, abandoned Christendom at its moment of need. When all other men failed Outremer, a Brother of the Illuminati remained to fight to the death.

As for myself, I have won no friends nor office with my actions. I have constantly been vilified and pilloried in the Diet for my beliefs and my statements. Yet all of this I have done intentionally and proudly in the service of the Order. I have voluntarily sacrificed my personal reputation, my aspirations to Chancellorship, and even my life so that the Order could continue serving the people. My life is dedicated to the Order, so that the Order can be dedicated to people.

Look about you, Electors of the Republic. Cast your gaze on your Kaiser, the men that preceded him in that office, and the men that stand beside him now. Are these men who risk all they have for the betterment of their people? Are these men who put the lives of others above their own? Are these men who are worthy of leadership of the greatest nation the world has ever seen?

Join those who have proven their worth with their actions time and time again. Join the Illuminati. Join the Republic.

Lothar Steffen
Voice of the Illuminati

[Ramses II CP]

Fritz von Kastilien, with rage clearly boiling under his impassive features, stands to respond to the latest round of defections and Illuminati speeches.

Cowards! Traitors! Filth!

I see that betrayal has become a habit for you Hugo de Cervole. It was not so long ago that I was given a letter in your hand assuring me of your personal loyalty to my cause. Yet there you go, fluttering away to serve my enemies under the pathetic excuse of my brother's nickname as a Tyrant.

Fritz's face twists in disgust, and he turns to spit on the Diet floor.

Faugh, even trading words with such vile, disloyal ilk turns my stomach!

And Jan Zirn! How proud your father would be of your chivalrous decision to side my brother's murderers! I suppose running you down as you flee will give my retainers a bit of sport after I've put the rest of your allies to the sword.

Count von Bohmen I will warn you to guard your words most carefully if you mean to keep your position! It is a black day to threaten the Kaiser, or shout insults at a von Kastilien. Do you think we would shrink from stacking your corpse with the rest should you prove disloyal? I strongly advise you to take your recent defeat at the hands of the French and sit quietly at Antwerp until your Kaiser has orders for you.

Well, so be it. I don't care if every noble in the Reich sides with the Illuminati, it will just make my pile of heads all the more beautiful in the end. Then a new crop of nobles, men who will clearly see the consequences of opposing the Kaiser, will be selected. As we have done with the Pope, so it shall be with the electors.

Go on then! Flee to your fantasy and forget that your cities may end up like Stockholm.

I will be coming. Nothing will stop me. And when I arrive, all those ideals will not shelter you from the purifying fire!

Fritz departs the Diet chamber leaving some men from his retinue to monitor the proceedings.

[AussieGiant]

The sound of marching boots can be heard by all in the Diet chamber. The steady and rhythmic throb indicates the troop level is very large and the infantry is made up of predominately shock troops. There is a loud and clear command to halt followed by a moment of silence. Immediately after this there is an audible crashing sound followed by Arnold’s voice.

“Stand aside you Imperial pigs. I come under a flag of truce and you will honour it, or I will take the life from your body!!”

Again silence.

Finally the chamber doors open. In a practised and brutally efficient movement a ring of Austrian shock troops create a semi circle into which the familiar figures of Arnold’s retinue fan out into. Following them on his war horse the Duke of Austria leans over his horses head and rides into the chamber entrance. His sword is drawn and his senses are keenly alert.

Lets be clear my lords!!

The Order seems to have been labelled evil, a view that could not be further from the truth. We are an organisation that was created to bring like minded and talented people together based on skill and merit. As talented and motivated people we then organised ourselves to influence and in many instances control issues affecting the Reich. This became especially true as we attained positions of influence and responsibility.

Glancing at the Kaiser the fire in the Duke's eyes flash before he speaks.

No one will ever be able to deal with the Royal family because they are by definition NOT selected on their skill or performance…hence our logical call for a Republic. My lords, I want you to keep in mind that if you look around this world as it is today you will see a Holy Roman Empire that is more decentralised and “Republic like” than any other Kingdom that exists today. What we are standing for is for the final step to be taken. A return to Roman times as we knew a thousand years ago.

As a logical goal of the Order, and as the place we want the Holy Roman Republic to attain, this can not be denied by any EXCEPT the Emperor and his family.

There is another pause as the Duke's horse circles with nervous energy as it reacts to the force and power of the words being spoken by it's master.

This stance for a Republic is inherently NOT evil, and in fact is something that would stand us above all those Empire’s around us. My Lords, can you imagine for a second a Republic? Think of it...a Senate, citizens, voting…

We are not evil and we are in fact working for utopian aims that are for the good of far more than the Royal lineage!!

For those of you with religion in your vein's I would like to state the following:

I believe our beliefs in merit and equality are in line with that of the teachings of the Pope and Christs church. You can see from our stance on previous religious issues that we have been the one's to try and stop excommunication and that we have always believed in the Holy Church and not other denominations that various Kaiser's have tried, and failed, to force on us. The Church is a separate entity and will continue to be so in the structure of a Holy Roman Republic. Any man wishing to commit himself to the cross will always have the support of the Order AND any Republic.

I ask all those electors and nobles to think hard on what to do next!! To back a family that is hell bent on securing as much power for itself. Or, for a Order that is asking all to be represented!!

Sheathing his sword the Duke points an obsidian encased hand at Hapsburg.

Hapsburg is a classic example of what would be intolerable in the new age. He has done nothing but lay low while trying to make a power grab for the Duchy. His service has been non existent, his input poor. Yet now when an opportunity presents itself he jumps at the chance to ride the tails of a Tyrant Kaiser and take a Duchy he has no knowledge about and has made no sacrifice for!!! He is a mirror of his master, a man who does not and can not handle responsibilty and the inherent power that comes with it!!

Join us now my fellow nobles, support the future you can all see before you!! The idle threats and attempts at grabbing power are there for all to see. Use your wits and make a decision that will lift this Republic to unimagined heights of properity.

With that the Duke swings his mount sharply around and departs into the safety of his personal regiment. His retinue back out scanning the crowd while the shock troops expertly file out. A moment later the door booms shut casting the chamber into silence.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Herrmann Steffen:

I am going to make things easier for the Chancellor when he decides whom to kill in the name of power and whom to leave alive so they can serve him. Anybody who signs the following will no doubt be placed on Fritz and Peter von Kastilien's "blacklist", nobles who apparently stand in the way of the von Kastiliens' desire for ultimate power and who desire such terrible things like liberty, brotherhood, and power based on merit.

We the following do hereby profess these beliefs:

- That no one man should have complete control over a group of people unless those people allow him to.

- That following a man based off of ancient policy rather than public opinion or merit is inherently wrong.

- That everyone deserves an equal voice.

- That laws are designed for everybody to follow, not just the unfortunate majority that happen to not be in power.

- That countries should be kept strong, both from external threats and internal tyrants who seek to usurp power from the people.

- That we will happily label ourselves as "traitors" if it means defending our lands from those who seek it harm and professing our beliefs for what is right.

- That accountability to the people is of the utmost importance when ruling.

- That we will no longer stand for the repeated abuses of power by someone who was appointed on a whim.

- That we will no longer stand for the repeated abuses of power by someone who believes is above the Charter and the law.

- That the age of feudalism is forever over.

- That the position of Kaiser is inherently corrupt and should be forever abolished.

- That a Republic, where all Electors are equal, should be implemented immediately.

- That we are prepared to die to make the Reich free.

Signed,
Herrmann Steffen
Jan Zirn

I understand some people will undoubtedly sign this who have expressed their support for the cause of freedom, but in the name of clarity I ask that they reaffirm their opinions here...

...just to make things easier for the von Kastiliens when they come, ready to kill all those who stand in their way.

[Zim]

I will gladly sign that statement, Herr Steffen.

[Cecil XIX]

Villains, the whole lot of you! Is this what the Reich is to be? Are these the two options we must choose from?

On the one hand we have a secret society, which was content to rule the Empire without anyone’s knowledge. Now they spout pretty–sounding words about republics and freedom. How convenient. Tell me, how long has this cabal existed? Certainly at least since the Cataclysm. And after all that time this is the first you’ve said of it? Half of what you proposed could be implemented via Charter Amendment, but you didn’t even try. After all, why bother with a real legislative body when you can just create your own?

And then you have the temerity to insist you admit members only on the basis of merit. Might I ask whose definition of merit you are using? Forgive me, but I can hardly consider a group who approved the escalation of Swabia’s insurrections to be a reliable source on merit. What’s worse is how you then describe that all members are admitted only by unanimous vote.

This may come as a shock to some of you, but all these arguments we’ve had over the years are the signs of a [i]healthy/[i] system. What in Damnation do you call a republic made up entirely of like-minded people? I should think “Holy Roman Oligarchy” would be a better name for your little project, but that doesn’t sound quite as noble does it?

A secret organization which has never shown respect for the Reich’s laws and has even fermented Civil War between Electors is not fit to rule the Rich.

The von Kastilien brothers are no better. If I say fewer words about them then forgive me, for unlike the Illuminati they have never felt the need to hide their nefariousness and as a result much has already been said about them. Indeed, the four of them have never had any use for laws, morals, or anything that could give them pause. They have always believed that their actions are justified simply by virtue of being theirs.

The von Kastiliens have the law on their side for now, but that will change. Peter and Fritz will use their positions for whatever suits them to win this crisis, but it will not stop there. Any extralegal power they seize will not be given up, for they lack the good Roman qualities to even consider voluntarily g giving up power.

Electors, I refuse to make a choice between dictatorship & oligarchy. I urge those who care about the Reich to ignore this petty squabble and concentrate on matters that are important, such as ensuring the safety & prosperity of our people, for that is how we are able to justify the Reich’s existence.

No one else should risk their life & property, or those of their men, to help either side. They have proven themselves to be unworthy of their positions.

[Warluster]

I shall not stand for this blasphemy!

I hereby shall support the Kaiser in his campaign to rid the Reich of disloyal blood. I will kill if every scum; as I have been trying to uncover those $%^ing Illumanti for a bloody 2o years.

Kaiser; I will aid you in any battle against these traitors.

I also announce any man helping the Illumanti will be banished from the House of Swabia forever. We shall not stand to have those who go against tradition.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Herrmann Steffen:

Count Becker:

The consistent arguing may be a sign of a healthy system, but it is the supression of argument that we are against. It is the supression of argument that has occurred all too often.

How many times has the Kaiser ignored the Will of the Diet to do his own thing, no matter the cost to the rest of the Reich? After Peter's latest "speech" essentially dissolving all form of deliberation, I've lost count, but I can think of one other instance:

Re-unification.

Ring a bell?

Kaiser Siegfried IGNORED the will of the Diet, ignored the calls to stop the nonsense, ignored the pleas for reason. He instead kept charging his horse right into the spearwall, mainly because he had already begun the charge and he thought it would be foolish to break off course. Had Siegfried von Kastilien listened to the Diet, the entire Cataclysm and all of its effects would have been averted.

That is what we are aiming to prevent. That is what we stand for.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Herrmann Steffen:

Tradition, Duke von Salza? Is that why you fight?

The only tradition here is the abuse of power by men who earned none of it in the first place. This tradition is so corrupt and evil that I suppose many of us simply take the fact that the Kaiser is repressing his subjects for granted.

If that's what you mean by tradition, I fail to see why it's worth fighting for.

[AussieGiant]

Arnold:

Nice middle ground Becker. Petty squabble you say. Why DON'T you actually look outside the walls of Prague for once.

THIS IS NOT a petty squabble. The entire Empire is involved Becker...if you can't see that then you truly are isolated from reality.

You've conveniently boxed things to suit your agenda and describing a Republic as an Oligarchy is ridiculous. My first point would be to ask why the words Republic and Oligarchy exist if in fact that are the same thing as you suggest.

As for the mechanisms the Order has used to reach this point, then again we have remained behind the scene's because our ideals would NEVER have been attainable if we had simply stated them in the beginning. The Order was secret and now it is not. It was secret for a number of obvious reasons and I'm sure you can work those out.

You said to me all those years ago that you lost faith in the system...I tried to tell you that is was the Kaiser's you should lose faith in not me. That seemed to strike a cord with you...now I'm asking you what your alternative is then!!??

Simply denouncing both sides without proposing your own idea smacks of weakness and certainly is not going to help the people you apparently represent. Standing on the side lines while the greatest event of this Reich's recent history unfolds around you does reflect well in my view.

It's also good to see the slumbering von Salza stagger in this chamber, pull his pants down and try and rodger the nearest Royalist in the room.

Well done sir!!

[FactionHeir]

I shall stand where my Duke and Emperor stand. Those who oppose them shall be my enemies and die honorably upon my blade.

[deguerra]

I am shocked

[Cecil XIX]

It is petty, such is the small deference between the two sides. To say I am taking the middle ground would be to imply that the Illuminati and the von Kastiliens are on opposite sides ideologically. I see no reason for that to be true, nor do I believe that the future of the Reich will be differ depending on the victor. The only difference that this war will make is on the means and rhetoric used.

Nor do I believe your claims of impotence up until now. Just this previous Diet Session your numbers included two Dukes and the Viceroy, all of you former Chancellors. You could have easily forced a vote on the abolition of Charter Clauses 3.9 and 3.10. You could have attempted to mold Section 5 to your liking. But you didn't even try, dispite the fact that you were a part of the most politically powerful group of Electors in existence.

Oh, I can work out the reasons just fine. None of you actually believe in this republic you're attempting to create, you're just using it as an after-the-fact rationalization to try and paint yourselves as a legitimate alternative to the von Kastiliens when in the reality is you finally been forced to step outside the shadows and defend your treason out in the open. To claim that you can't possible implement your agenda any other way is as rediculous as claiming that a society which has existed invisible to the public eye for decades while issuing secret orders to the Kaiser believes that accountability the people is of the outmost importance when ruling.

Edmund pauses to reread Diet transcripts.

My apologies. It seems I inadvertantly quoted young Hermann, who is indeed claiming such a thing.

Finally, you chide my for not offering my own alternative. Very well.

I believe that the Reich can exist as it is and as it was. We do not need the authoritarianism of the von Kastiliens nor the secrecy of the Illuminati to make it work. What we need are men who wish to honor the titles they have been given. Men who believe that the Reich must exist for an idea, without which we have no right to conqueor our foes. Men who believed that the Reich exists to unite the world as a free people in the body of Christ.

Jan von Hamburg. Elberhard Salier. Hans Salier. These were men who believed as I do. Though I did not know them well enough, I fell confident saying that Kaiser Henry, Conrad Salier, Sigismun der Stoltze, Sigismund von Mahren, Fredericus von Hamburg, and Otto von Kassel were men of the same mold. Of course, until recently I counted Matthias Steffen and Arnold Salier among their ranks as well, so perhaps I am not the best judge of character.

[Ramses II CP]

Just as Becker reaches the phrase '...not the best judge...' somewhere in the distance a bark of laughter can be heard, and perhaps even identified as coming from Fritz von Kastilien.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Warluster]

Arnold; I am a stone wall to your petty insults. Perhaps you should be as a man on the battlefield; with your house high blocks of Veneatians...

Ludwig; if you choose the Illumanti; the ones who aided the vile traitors in the Swabian Civil War, the one who caused the death of your close friend, and the ones who've killed innocent Swabians because of power hungry Bavarians, and a single Austrian. You may NOT, consider yourself a Swabian. In fact, if you do I hope to never see you think yourself a Swabian!

Count Steffen; I fight for the age long tradition of our Empire, not some ^&*ing order of Bavarians and Austrians who think they're the ^&*&ing King's of the world because they're loud as hell and kill every &*^*ing thing which moves.

May I remind, just becuase there were several Kaiser's which were bloody ^&%*'s, it does not mean every other Kaiser is! need I remind you of my father; the late Kaiser Jobst? he died defending the Reich! Or Kaiser Henry, a true Swabian who led the Crusade! Or Kaiser Peter; putting up with quite afew loud, angry and always complaining people! Instead we have a collection of people who deonounce such victories because one, or even two, Kaiser's behave badly.

I always knew the %^&*ing Illumanti were going to be traitors and ^&*& the Reich up. I've been killing you ^&*&ers for 20 year's and when Kaiser Peter is sitting on his throne in Frankfurt, London, Paris or Madrid, we will personally spit on your graves.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Herrmann Steffen:

Pardon me for my insolence, Duke von Salza, but I was unaware that you had done anything even remotely productive the past twenty years.

Your allegations are without basis. Please try to get the facts straight before supporting those who would seek more power for themselves at any costs.

We are trying the opposite. We are trying to spread it out.

[AussieGiant]

A slow clap greats the end of Duke von Salza's words

Well done von Salza, well done indeed.

Another man that seems to find it necessary to call into question my military achievements even in the face of overwhelming and public records. Might I, like my colleague Count Steffen, draw everyone's attention to your sterling military achievements over the past 20 or so years...

Pausing for effect the Duke gives everyone time to absorb the statement.

Ah yes...the silence...it's deafening, well done, well done indeed my good man. I’d certainly describe what I’ve seen as excellent service to the Duchy...I assume you an Hapsburg went to the same military colleague.

Actually I can see the parallel's now...marvellous simply marvellous work, the “Military colleague of small dogs and women’s clothing” seems a fabulous location for future generals of this noble Reich.

So, enough of your exploits on the field.

I do have an issue for your attention though. It seems that addition and basic facts do allude you.

Let me break it down for the graduates of the “Military colleague of small dogs and women’s clothing.”

There have been six Kaisers as far as I know of...

feel free to correct me if I'm wrong there.

The Duke pasues waiting for any response.

Excellent, we'll take that as a "given" shall we...

Heinrich…lets get personal with the Pope and plunge the Empire into excommunication…his general performance…poor.

Henry…extremely well thought of, an excellent man and someone who benefited the Reich greatly…his general performance….outstanding

Jobst…probably would have done well but somehow took a one in a million shot to the head and low and behold the guy he chose as the next Kaiser happened to be there…his general performance…did relatively well given the short amount of time he had to work with…did not take his responsibilities of succession very seriously.

Seigfried…the first of the von Kastilien’s…happened to be on hand to self proclaim the title of Kaiser…his general performance…as hard as it may seem to some, it would be best described as poor.

Dear Elby…nice chap…swore a lot and did drink alcohol…wrong man at the wrong time in the wrong place…followed through with Seigfried’s “grand plan” without consulting his brain or more importantly his very astute wife…general performance…as a top bloke…outstanding…as Kaiser…poor.

Finally…Peter…another von Kastilien…makes no effort to hide his overt and bludgeoning attempt to take complete control of “everything”. Works well with other family members on this topic…general performance as Kaiser…well below average.

So that gives you one out of six…at best that did more good that bad in recent recorded history!!

If I was a #$%ing regimental cavalry Captain in say…the 2nd AHA and that was my success rate…I’d just go and commit #$%ing suicide right there and then…because I’d be damn well #$%#ing certain that the first time that blood thirsty aggressive, performance oriented Duke of mine sent me into the thick of the action…I’d find myself with more #$%$ing arms and legs cut off me than I could count!!

Denounce victories you say von Salza. I’ll give you Henry for sure…but if you cold PLEASE, PLEASE change your third last sentence from

“because one, or even two, Kaiser's behave badly” to

"because four, or even five, Kaiser's behave badly”, then you have got something to say that isn’t just total horse shiet!!

And keep in mind my lords...UNLIKE just about every single person here...I knew all of them, except Heinrich, PERSONALLY.

I'm the last of my generation and I will simply not stand for such a piss poor #$%#ing situtation continuing

I've given this current system a fair chance...I think it is time for something a little more certain than what I have seen with my own two eyes.

[_Tristan_]

A young man wearing the de Cervole livery enters the Diet, appearing unsure of himself. He carries a luth under his arms. Stepping down in the middle of the hall, he begins strumming the cords of his instrument and sings with a melodious and powerful voice.


Arise you children of our Vaterland !
Oh now is here our glorious day !
Over us the bloodstained banner,
Of tyranny holds sway !
Of tyranny holds sway !
Oh do you hear there in our fields
The roar of those fierce fighting men?
Who came right here into our midst
To slaughter sons, wifes and kin.

To arms, oh citizens!
Form up in serried ranks!
March on, march on!
And drench our fields
With their tainted blood!


What do they want this horde of slaves,
Of traitors and conspiratorial kings ?
For whom these vile chains,
These long-prepared irons?
These long-prepared irons?
Germans, for us, ah! What outrage !
What methods must be taken ;
It is we they dare plan
To return to the old slavery !

To arms, oh citizens!
Form up in serried ranks!
March on, march on!
And drench our fields
With their tainted blood!


What! These foreign cohorts
They would make laws in our courts !
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would cut down our warrior sons !
Would cut down our warrior sons !
Good Lord! By chained hands !
Our brow would yield under the yoke !
The vile despots would have themselves be
The masters of destiny !

To arms, oh citizens!
Form up in serried ranks!
March on, march on!
And drench our fields
With their tainted blood!


Tremble, tyrants and traitors,
The shame of all good men !
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will receive their just reward.
Will receive their just reward.
Against you we are all soldiers.
If they fall, our young heros,
Germany will bear new ones
Ready to join the fight against you.

To arms, oh citizens!
Form up in serried ranks!
March on, march on!
And drench our fields
With their tainted blood!


Germans, as magnanimous warriors
Bear or hold back your wounds !
Spare these sad victims,
That they regret taking up arms against us !
That they regret taking up arms against us !
But not these bloody despots !
These accomplices of von Kastiliens !
All these tigers who pitilessly
Ripped out their mothers' wombs !

To arms, oh citizens!
Form up in serried ranks!
March on, march on!
And drench our fields
With their tainted blood!


Supreme devotion to our Vaterland,
Guides and sustains avenging hands.
Liberty, oh dearest Liberty,
Come fight with your shieldings bands.
Come fight with your shieldings bands.
Beneath our banner come, oh Victory,
Run at your soul-stirring cry.
Oh come, come see your foes now die,
Witness your pride and our glory.

To arms, oh citizens!
Form up in serried ranks!
March on, march on!
And drench our fields
With their tainted von Kastilien blood!


With these last words, the Imperial guards until then totally dumb-struck pounce on the young bard, breaking his luth and carry him away to cries of "Liberty" and "Republic", quickly silenced.

OOC : The idea was taken from OK's post in the OOC thread and I thought it too good to pass up...

I made a few changes to the original...with in game references...

[Ferret]

Dieter spits towards Arnold and leaves.

[gibsonsg91921]

Haha! The more the merrier! Make yourselves known, you poodles! I find that after watching a mouse like a starving cat unable to reach its prey, I fancy a bit of sport! Anyone else want to oppose me? Does anyone else oppose the office of Kaiser, that has led us through toil and trouble, through civil war?

I feel the need for a good long battle, but first, a good long draught of absinthe. Noble men, loyal to the Reich! I invite you to the Tavern! No Republicans allowed! In fact, I decree that all the alcohol should be saved for the stalwart men who earn it and don't let others do their work for them! No Republicans are allowed to drink! Arnold, I'm looking in your direction!

Scratch that! Drink as much as you want, Republicans! It will enhance the maudlin fervor as I drink your blood on the flotsam of victory!

[GeneralHankerchief]

Herrmann Steffen:

Duke von Salza, let me put it another way.

You fight for tradition, that has already been established.

Does tradition also include siding with your family, no matter what?

Let me explain. My mother, Duke Lothar Steffen's wife, Viceroy Matthias's sister-in-law is Lyse Steffen, formerly known as Lyse von Salza. Your sister and the daughter of the late Kaiser Jobst.

If you fight us, you not only endorse the man who uses his reputation as a Tyrant to get what he wants, but you also go up against family... Uncle. Surely this goes against both decency as well as tradition. Duke von Salza, you have no reason to fight the fight you are fighting, and I once again beg of you to reconsider your decision. If the von Kastiliens win, the line that your proud father started so long ago will be wiped out forever.

[AussieGiant]

Arnold:

Raising an eyebrow at the departing figure of Duke Dieter.

Good god Dieter, what crawled up your ass!? Did I miss something?

Could you at least explain the animosity on your way out? One or two words should be enough for me to figure it out.

Turning to Peter.

Drink, don't drink...bloody hell Peter sort yourself out man, if you vacillate like that on the battlefield it will be over before it begins.

Looking with exaggerated disgust at the big green blob of spit left by Dieter the Duke looks back at Peter.

…and can you ask your staff to try and avoid leaving things like that on the floor.

It really is rather appalling behaviour.

[Warluster]

That's no worse then what you leave, Arnold.

Perhaps a man's greatness is not in the way he kills people mindlessly, but in the way he handles his Duchy... properly. Maybe you should learn that lesson? Maybe you have been twisted too much to realise... Accusing every %^&*ing person you see is not going to help your Order. In fact it can %^& it up completely. Already, I do not support the Illumanti, because they seem to be on the road of previous people.

Herrmann; you speak the truth. I can not go against my own family... but can not give up so easily. At least you can resort to calm word's rather then throwing them like dagger's...

[Ramses II CP]

Fritz von Kastilien strolls back into the Diet chamber, looking well fed and rested. He reviews a couple of documents presented to him an aid, and looks about with a raised eyebrow.

Yes, so, as expected we have Lord Becker taking the coward's way out! Neutral my eye, a neutral party would've rendered us a verdict without the passage of a decade. You are an owned man, Becker, and all can see it, you just fear to proclaim it openly. Mark my words, no Illuminati will survive this battle, and their allies will be outed and destroyed. When I drag down Lothar if I find the slightest evidence of your involvement with him, Becker, I will come for you next, neutral or not.

None of the rats will remain to hide! None! I suspect your neutrality is just the typical hedging of bets that this secret order attempts to ensure it's survival. You have made no attempt to explain your actions, you have not addressed in any way my demands for the mercenary, and your rant against our noble Kaiser strongly suggests extreme disloyalty.

What else have I missed?

Oh, yes, Duke Dieter, am I to take the mess as a declaration of position in favor of the Kaiser? I would urge you to be more explicit, my Duke, those who would stick their heads into the sand and claim neutrality will be suspect after the inevitable Imperial victory. No one would like to think that the general who has sat comfortably behind the impregnable walls of Madgeburg with only the bare aid of the most powerful army in Franconia while I conquered the Danes with militia is a coward.

Fritz smiles nastily, clearly intent on settling all his old accounts.

Mein Kaiser, I feel called to thank Gott for this uprising. At long last we can clean house and clear away the vile cowards and shirkers of duty that have prevented the advance of the Reich! I vow, after these fools are put down, there will be a new Golden Age in Germany, and soon, in all of europe!

Fritz sprawls out in his chair with an uncharacteristicly wide grin.

[Ferret]

Fritz I have enough spit for two you know, I am with Becker you will not fight him. Fritz is clearly becoming mad in his old age, he should not be given an army. becekr is not a coward he is a noble man, what he is doing is best for his people not himself. You should respect him for that.

he turns to Arnold

I never forget Arnold, never

except OOC ;)

[AussieGiant]

Shaking his head in slight bewilderment Arnold raises his eyebrows.

Forget what Dieter!!??

Spell it out for me man?

I've clearly been hit on the head once too many times to remember why you find it necessary to spit in my general direction and wish to do me bodily harm.

And yes I'm starting to get the impression that Fritz has gone a little crazy.

[Ramses II CP]

Fritz scoffs, Spit? a cold, angry laugh erupts from him, Spit and insults. Yes, from my observation of your tactics against the Poles those are your most effective weapons. Stick to them and you may survive this yet, my Duke.

I will respect whom I choose, and it is not the fools who think they can stand aside and see who wins before declaring their loyalty. That is the way of a coward, pure and simple. Jan would be so proud of you Dieter, just remember how deftly he stood aside and never challenged the men he called rebels.

Wait... actually, if I remember the Papal decree I just used in the jakes, he actually died attacking them. You know, fighting in the field, capturing walls held against him, all those valiant, chivalrous actions you would expect from a man of 'honor.'

Know this, if you spit at me, I will kill you. The Kaiser himself wouldn't deny me that right for so disgusting an insult. Nothing I have spoken of you or Becker is untrue, Becker himself doesn't even bother to deny it. While you cowered at Madgeburg with your knights and cavalry I spitted half a dozen Danish nobles on militia spears and crossbow bolts. I even defended you doing so in these very chambers, though it sickened me, but now is the time to put it all to rest.

If you don't care to serve the Kaiser then stay there at Madgeburg and wait for me. I have more important business to attend to first, but even your little name shall find a place on the list. Denying the Kaiser the resources of the very Duchy he deeded to you is incredibly deceitful and disloyal; I will be astonished if my brother Peter tolerates it.

Fritz returns to his seat, clearly enjoying letting go of his normally tight control of himself.

[AussieGiant]

Glancing at Fritz as the tirade finishes Arnold can only smile to himself.

It's refreshing to see everythings coming out into the open now the gloves are off.

Sooo, that's just about summed up the Imperialist side of things I would say Dieter.

I feel some what conservative in my approach to things in my old age. It does seem as if Fritz has a great deal of pent up frustration for some unknown reason.

Dieter, by all means stay on the side lines. It does seem you have issues with me, while Fritz here is clearly upset with you.

[Ferret]

Bah! Go for it Fritz just try and kill me. You may be a great general but that doesn't matter. My tactics are for the good of my people. By staying in Magdeburg less of our soldiers die, you need to learn to look at the bigger picture. In any case I have nothing to prove to you. You are a tyrant just like your brother. We have never got along and probably never will. I will wait for you in comfort, I know you will do nothing, that I have learned from previous disputes. But if you say anything else to insult me then there will be no waiting, you will not leave Scandinavia, and then the Imperials will lose this war. You need to have some tact Fritz, the Imperials are dangerously outnumbered and you feel fine to insult a Duke who would be on your side had you thought before you spoke. Peter may rescue you yet though, we'll have to see.