Court of the Caliph: BC Hotseat Council Thread

[Askthepizzaguy]

We have... reluctantly... returned to the negotiation chamber with the Roman ambassador. We seek no one else's involvement in our peace negotiations, unless they reject our offers.

[rossahh]

As the delegates continue to debate the developing crises between the Shah and the Seljuks, the doors to the court open. Four guards, clad in Abassids black, enter and flank the doorway. The conversation in the court stops mid-sentence as the delegates all turn to look. A hooded figure slowly shuffles into the room. Behind him walk four men: two in simple blue tunics, and two fully armed and armoured soldiers clad in blue with the golden cross emblazed on their chests. These men take up positions next to the Abassid guards next to the doors, uneasily fingering the swords at their sides as the look from the guards next to them to the members of the different. The hooded figure shuffles towards the Caliph's throne. The Vizier stands up and hurriedly moves out of the way and behind the Caliph, not daring to be near the newcomer. The figure reaches the throne, and awkwardly bows to the Caliph seated upon it. The Caliph rises and bows back, then resumes his place on his throne. The figure turns around to face the court, and the delegates can see that his arm is at an awkward angle. The Turkish ambassador narrows his eyes as he stares at the figure. The two men in blue tunics pull back the hood from the man's head and withdraw next to the guards. A sharp intake of breath is heard, as the man beneath the hood is revealed. The silver mask and the eyes behind it sparkle slightly as they survey the room.

For a long moment. Nobody dares breathe, nor talk. The silence in the court is finally broken when the masked figure begins to speak in a soft voice that belies the authority behind it. The eyes gaze unrelentingly at the Turkish ambassador.


For 100 years my Kingdom has ruled the Levant. Over this time, thousands have died to protect and defend the Kingdom against many foes. Wars have always been part of the Levant, just as peace has always played its part too. The past deeds our ancestors are not our own, and should never be construed as such.

Several years ago, a dispute between the Fatamids and myself broke out along the coastal settlements between our realms. They and my Kingdom had long been enemies, ever since the 1st crusade took the holy city in the name of Christ. Our initial success allowed Salahuddin Ayyubid to seize control of Egypt from the Fatamids. With our Fatamid enemies defeated, the Sultan and I created a peace between as that would not only bring an end to the present conflict but to help secure the peaceful relations between our realms for future generations. In return for the lands seized from the Fatamids, the Ayyubids allowed us to assume control of Damascus and Syria from our former ally, the Emir of Damascus. Such an arrangement was not born from force or trickery on our part, but rather a desire for peace in both the Sultan and I.


The eyes continue to gaze endlessly at the Turk


The dealings between the Emperor and myself were not for any in this courts' ears but our own. However, I swore an oath to support the forces of the Empire in Cicillia. An oath is not something I will willingly break, unlike some in this court. Honour is not something that I would expect lesser men to fully understand, but it is the code that we live by. True to our word that was presented in this very chamber long ago, we did not seek to control any land in Anatolia. The arrangement between the Basileos and I is again not for your ears, but true to our word, what lands and possessions we took in Armenia were not to be under Latin control, but were to be under the control of the Empire. As you can see, our actions match our words, and our honour remains intact.


The figure sags slightly and closes its eyes. For a short while, nothing moves. When the figure finally opens its eyes again, they no longer have the twinkle behind them. Only cold fury and determination burns in them


The army of Jerusalem has marched far and wide, further than by my orders, but that has been settled already. In respect for peace, they have marched neither into Cicillia, Anatolia nor across the Euphraties nor have any been threatened with such a transgression. Our enemies, traitors and Muslims alike, have felt the power of Jerusalem and my Kingdom is now secure. Only peace is to be achieved now. Time and time again, you, the Turks, have rejected our reasonable demands for peace. Who is truly the warmonger here?


The figure collapses in exhaustion, and the four men in blue rush to his side. The two in tunics tend to the fallen figure while the soldiers draw their swords. The Caliph motions to his guards, and they open the doors again. The attendants gently support their king out the door, with the bodyguards in position fore and aft. The entire group leaves, leaving behind a stunned collection of men.






















Some time after the strange party in blue has departed, the original delegation from Jerusalem reenters the room, with the old man at the head. Without so much as a glance at any other person in the room, they resume their seats.

[00jebus]

With all due respect to the Calph, Shiraz was not your lands when our man started scouting there, though we have admitted to our mistakes, and given reasons why they occured, we still call for the turks to call off their war machine, and to let their men be with their families.

In addition we also thank King Baldwin for gracing us with his prescence, and support his call for peace between the Sultanate of Rum and his little Crusader kingdom

muttering under his breath, the ambassador continues, but only so those nearby can hear and thank Allah the lepper didn't leave his arm behind....

[barcamartin]

A tall man clad in mail and dusty robes enters the room, marching straight over to the Seljuk ambassador. He whispers something to him, and hands him a document. A delighted smile lights up the ambassadors face, as he follows the man out of the room. His eyes meet those of the Khawazi one last time before he exits through the massive doors.

[Banzai Kamikaze]

The entire Ayyubid delegation bows upon King Baldwin's entry. The Ayyubid ambassador's jaw drops, as slaves struggle to help him bow. After the king has left, the sweaty ambassador struggles to find his words.

Ambassadors, the king of Jerusalem himself has traveled to the Caliph's court ! Surely, there is hope for peace in Anatolia.

We know the actions of Jerusalem have been questionable, and outright abonimable with regards to Armenia. However, we are all to blame for the current degradation of the situation in Anatolia.

The Ayyubids urge all parties involved to meet and freely discuss terms for a cease fire and peace. As treachery should not hinder such talks, the Ayyubids feel it is important that such dealings be rendered public.

We are at a turning point in History, ambassadors. Let us work together to stop this bloodshed. Let the belligerent nations stop their offensives and find peace.

Turning towards the Vizier

The Ayyubids praise the Caliph for all his efforts regarding this volatile situation.


As the Ayyubid ambassador speaks, a man whispers in the Seljuk ambassador's ears. Smiling broadly, the Seljuk ambassador leaves the court.


Bah, more nonsense from the East. Have the seeds of a new conflict already been planted ?

[phonicsmonkey]

The Caliph rises and departs from the chamber, accompanied by the senior members of the Turkish delegation.

The Vizier announces:

Praise be to Allah!

The emissaries of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Turkish Sultanate have agreed to join peace talks hosted by the Caliph in an antechamber here at Court.

Let all here present pray the talks will result in a lasting peace for the troubled lands of Anatolia.

Messengers of the Caliph will keep the Court informed on events in the negotiating chamber as they happen.

OOC: I'm setting up a separate thread for these talks, feel free to observe but please don't comment in that thread unless the Caliph invites you to join the talks. Discussion by unininvolved parties can take place here instead.

[_Tristan_]

The mail-clad messenger from Armenia re-enters the chamber, with word from Takavor Hetum I.

Great Caliph, while we thank you for seeking a peaceful solution in the war-ravaged lands of Anatolia, our leader is disappointed not to have been included in the peace talks.

War erupted from the unwarranted agression on Armenia by the agressive Romans, simply because our former King refused to let them have all of Anatolia for them.

Now, I hear they come back to the negociation table with almost the same exact terms while our lands have been burnt to the ground and our innocent people put to the sword.

Furthermore, our own armies are at this moment waging war on Rome and will not be turned back until some favourable issue can be found.

I would also point that at this point if Armenia is still to be represented in this Council it is through Turkish gift of lands taken from Jerusalem and intended as a gift to the Romans. If both our Christian neighbours had their way, Armenia would now be history. Only the fierce fighting spirit of our people and Turkish help saved us.

We were the victims in this war and thus it would be our right to make demands to be met by the Romans. We understand the need for a meeting and thus will keep our demands for that meeting.
I hope the Caliph will forgive our leader's anger and will allow our participation in the peace talks.

Bowing deeply to the Caliph, the Armenian messenger takes a seat on the benches reserved for Armenia in the Council.

[phonicsmonkey]

The Vizier stands and inclines his head towards the Armenian delegation.

Noble Armenians, the Caliph intends no disrespect to your honourable leader.

An-Nasir was mistaken in thinking that the issue of the Cilician territories had been resolved by the return of the King's people to their original lands.

In fact, as soon as he heard that the Romans intended to include the lands of Cilicia in their negotiation, he resolved that the Armenian representatives should join the talks.

It is hardly right in the Caliph's mind that the future of the Armenians be discussed without them.

I am told that the Romans are in agreement with this, so he simply waits for the word of the Turks, in order that due process be followed. And they would hardly object to the inclusion of their close allies in the talks, so we can expect to hear an invitation issued from the negotiating chamber very soon.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As the delegates continue to debate the developing crises between the Shah and the Seljuks, the doors to the court open. Four guards, clad in Abassids black, enter and flank the doorway. The conversation in the court stops mid-sentence as the delegates all turn to look. A hooded figure slowly shuffles into the room. Behind him walk four men: two in simple blue tunics, and two fully armed and armoured soldiers clad in blue with the golden cross emblazed on their chests. These men take up positions next to the Abassid guards next to the doors, uneasily fingering the swords at their sides as the look from the guards next to them to the members of the different. The hooded figure shuffles towards the Caliph's throne. The Vizier stands up and hurriedly moves out of the way and behind the Caliph, not daring to be near the newcomer. The figure reaches the throne, and awkwardly bows to the Caliph seated upon it. The Caliph rises and bows back, then resumes his place on his throne. The figure turns around to face the court, and the delegates can see that his arm is at an awkward angle. The Turkish ambassador narrows his eyes as he stares at the figure. The two men in blue tunics pull back the hood from the man's head and withdraw next to the guards. A sharp intake of breath is heard, as the man beneath the hood is revealed. The silver mask and the eyes behind it sparkle slightly as they survey the room.

For a long moment. Nobody dares breathe, nor talk. The silence in the court is finally broken when the masked figure begins to speak in a soft voice that belies the authority behind it. The eyes gaze unrelentingly at the Turkish ambassador.


For 100 years my Kingdom has ruled the Levant. Over this time, thousands have died to protect and defend the Kingdom against many foes. Wars have always been part of the Levant, just as peace has always played its part too. The past deeds our ancestors are not our own, and should never be construed as such.

Several years ago, a dispute between the Fatamids and myself broke out along the coastal settlements between our realms. They and my Kingdom had long been enemies, ever since the 1st crusade took the holy city in the name of Christ. Our initial success allowed Salahuddin Ayyubid to seize control of Egypt from the Fatamids. With our Fatamid enemies defeated, the Sultan and I created a peace between as that would not only bring an end to the present conflict but to help secure the peaceful relations between our realms for future generations. In return for the lands seized from the Fatamids, the Ayyubids allowed us to assume control of Damascus and Syria from our former ally, the Emir of Damascus. Such an arrangement was not born from force or trickery on our part, but rather a desire for peace in both the Sultan and I.


The eyes continue to gaze endlessly at the Turk


The dealings between the Emperor and myself were not for any in this courts' ears but our own. However, I swore an oath to support the forces of the Empire in Cicillia. An oath is not something I will willingly break, unlike some in this court. Honour is not something that I would expect lesser men to fully understand, but it is the code that we live by. True to our word that was presented in this very chamber long ago, we did not seek to control any land in Anatolia. The arrangement between the Basileos and I is again not for your ears, but true to our word, what lands and possessions we took in Armenia were not to be under Latin control, but were to be under the control of the Empire. As you can see, our actions match our words, and our honour remains intact.


The figure sags slightly and closes its eyes. For a short while, nothing moves. When the figure finally opens its eyes again, they no longer have the twinkle behind them. Only cold fury and determination burns in them


The army of Jerusalem has marched far and wide, further than by my orders, but that has been settled already. In respect for peace, they have marched neither into Cicillia, Anatolia nor across the Euphraties nor have any been threatened with such a transgression. Our enemies, traitors and Muslims alike, have felt the power of Jerusalem and my Kingdom is now secure. Only peace is to be achieved now. Time and time again, you, the Turks, have rejected our reasonable demands for peace. Who is truly the warmonger here?


The figure collapses in exhaustion, and the four men in blue rush to his side. The two in tunics tend to the fallen figure while the soldiers draw their swords. The Caliph motions to his guards, and they open the doors again. The attendants gently support their king out the door, with the bodyguards in position fore and aft. The entire group leaves, leaving behind a stunned collection of men.






















Some time after the strange party in blue has departed, the original delegation from Jerusalem reenters the room, with the old man at the head. Without so much as a glance at any other person in the room, they resume their seats.

The Turkish ambassador, while impressed that King Baldwin has chosen to directly address the assembly in person, remains unimpressed at his explanations for his destructive war against Armenia. Truly, the attempted assassination of an entire race of people is nothing to call honourable.

However, since our intervention has spared their lives, and the Armenians have at last been restored most of our nation, Baldwin's attempt at genocide proved quite unsuccessful. And now that he retreats his armies back towards his own borders where they belong, his shame is easily viewed by all. Sad that but a small band of peasant hunters could turn back the destruction wrought upon the innocent by a supposed king who has turned his back on the race of civilized men. You, Baldwin have no respect at all for the rights of the innocent. You who would deal in dark alleys and exchange loyalties for coin, and then bring your supposedly pious forces in arms against those who have never once threatened you now talk of honour. I am appalled at your actions to date, and am entirely dissatisfied with your pitiful explanation.

However, if you choose to turn back your unwashed dogs and return to your lands in peace, as a TRUE man of my word I have to honour my commitment to peace. You have your offer of cease-fire for now, which you have not signed for many turns, and you have our rejection of your demand for reparations for a war which you started against the innocent. You should rightly pay the Armenians reparations, but I leave that for them to demand.

The council will have to forgive me for not using flowered words when addressing this lawless criminal who calls himself a king but behaves like a petty thug. Until he makes a true effort to beg Armenia and the council for forgiveness for his multitudes of crimes, I will not speak of him as a fellow human being, but the plague upon this earth which he is. Until he starts to behave like a man of peace, we will not extend the courtesy of polite diplomatic words which we once thought he deserved. His empire is one filled with scum and villiany, and his horrendous manner with which he conducts himself diplomatically will not be easily forgotten. Truly this is a man who honours no one, and speaks detestably about even his friends and neighbors. He speaks with condescension and threatens with force to take what his evil blackened heart desires.

In my view, the plague which now eats away at his body is one which the righteous Allah has sent upon him, to administer justice to this tyrant. Perhaps now that he feels one small hint of the pain he's inflicted upon the innocent, he is motivated to become serious about peace. In which case we might consider allowing his delegation to sit at the same table as us. Baldwin's manner in this court presented some shred of hope that he might finally learn the language of peace and diplomacy which we have, until now, extended towards his rogue nation. Now that we are entirely fed up with his nastiness and bullying, this murderer will be excluded from all diplomatic talks in Anatolia. He has much to do in order to satisfy us that the concept of peace talks with Jerusalem will not be a waste of our precious time. The only reason I even offer a cease-fire with this scum is because I have sworn to this body that I am a man of peace. My commitment to peace, however, does not take precedence over my commitment to justice and freedom from tyranny. Surely the rights of the innocent are more important than sparing the lives of latin murderers. It is only through my peaceful interpretation of the Holy Qu'ran that I do not take my sword and hack my way through the Latin delegation's guards and cut this bastard's throat myself.

And there the treacherous snake Baldwin has our response to his most dubious pledge of peace. He will have to prove it with more than one season's retreat from hostilities and his flowery but completely untrustworthy words. With due respect to the rest of the council, this man has acted nothing like a peaceful nation since this august body was convened, and his criminal actions cannot simply be wished away or forgotten so easily.

Forgiveness is extended to those who ask for it, not demand it. Baldwin has shown no sincerity or humility, and this implies that the man has no real interest in peace.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

With all due respect to the Calph, Shiraz was not your lands when our man started scouting there, though we have admitted to our mistakes, and given reasons why they occured, we still call for the turks to call off their war machine, and to let their men be with their families.

In addition we also thank King Baldwin for gracing us with his prescence, and support his call for peace between the Sultanate of Rum and his little Crusader kingdom

muttering under his breath, the ambassador continues, but only so those nearby can hear and thank Allah the lepper didn't leave his arm behind....

As for the Shah, our offer to work with our allies to reach an honourable peace for both sides stands. But they are acting in defense of their nations from a duplicitous leader who has raised a large army near their borders and has worked feverishly to undermine the peace between them. I can offer to mediate the dispute, but the Sultan's role of Supreme Commander of Coalition forces is powerless to command the allies in peacetime. Neither nation has asked for a resolution calling for an activation of the alliance, which would place the Coalition in a state of war with Khwarezm, and thank Allah this has not happened. I can only call for peace, I cannot order them. They are acting in self-defense, according to all my intelligence reports, and although I desire peace I cannot force a nation to relinquish their sovereign right of defense especially when coerced and threatened as you have done to them.

We cannot tell them not to act, but if you should be serious about peace, we would call an emergency session of the Coalition council and your delegation would be invited to attend. Should you offer peace terms the Seljuks can live with, I would think that war could be averted.

This conflict between nations in the north was not MY idea. I had actually proposed a working relationship and a possible bilateral alliance, and other interesting deals to the Shah... it is only because of recent hostilities that such negotiations have been suspended. I am deeply disturbed by the events that have happened. I do not like it when I see two friends go to war.

I cannot condemn the Seljuks for defending themselves, but if you demand immediate peace talks, that I can arrange. With Allah's will, we can have peace with our Muslim brothers, even though sometimes they are misguided.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The entire Ayyubid delegation bows upon King Baldwin's entry. The Ayyubid ambassador's jaw drops, as slaves struggle to help him bow. After the king has left, the sweaty ambassador struggles to find his words.

Ambassadors, the king of Jerusalem himself has traveled to the Caliph's court ! Surely, there is hope for peace in Anatolia.

We know the actions of Jerusalem have been questionable, and outright abonimable with regards to Armenia. However, we are all to blame for the current degradation of the situation in Anatolia.

The Ayyubids urge all parties involved to meet and freely discuss terms for a cease fire and peace. As treachery should not hinder such talks, the Ayyubids feel it is important that such dealings be rendered public.

We are at a turning point in History, ambassadors. Let us work together to stop this bloodshed. Let the belligerent nations stop their offensives and find peace.

Turning towards the Vizier

The Ayyubids praise the Caliph for all his efforts regarding this volatile situation.


As the Ayyubid ambassador speaks, a man whispers in the Seljuk ambassador's ears. Smiling broadly, the Seljuk ambassador leaves the court.


Bah, more nonsense from the East. Have the seeds of a new conflict already been planted ?

I urge the honourable Ayyubid delegate to not give this Baldwin more respect than he deserves. Should he wish to be viewed with the honour and dignity the title of a King deserves, he should act like one. That being said, we appreciate your calls for peace and your honourable actions to date. The Sultan Saladin is perhaps the most respected man in all of Turkish Anatolia.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Caliph rises and departs from the chamber, accompanied by the senior members of the Turkish delegation.

The Vizier announces:

Praise be to Allah!

The emissaries of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Turkish Sultanate have agreed to join peace talks hosted by the Caliph in an antechamber here at Court.

Let all here present pray the talks will result in a lasting peace for the troubled lands of Anatolia.

Messengers of the Caliph will keep the Court informed on events in the negotiating chamber as they happen.

OOC: I'm setting up a separate thread for these talks, feel free to observe but please don't comment in that thread unless the Caliph invites you to join the talks. Discussion by unininvolved parties can take place here instead.

We can confirm that bilateral peace talks with the Romans have failed, for their demands are not compatible with their current strategic strength nor their honour to date. However, we will agree to the peace talks in the hopes of ending this war before we do something they regret.

The mail-clad messenger from Armenia re-enters the chamber, with word from Takavor Hetum I.

Great Caliph, while we thank you for seeking a peaceful solution in the war-ravaged lands of Anatolia, our leader is disappointed not to have been included in the peace talks.

War erupted from the unwarranted agression on Armenia by the agressive Romans, simply because our former King refused to let them have all of Anatolia for them.

Now, I hear they come back to the negociation table with almost the same exact terms while our lands have been burnt to the ground and our innocent people put to the sword.

Indeed, that is precisely what they asked for in the bilateral negotiations.

Furthermore, our own armies are at this moment waging war on Rome and will not be turned back until some favourable issue can be found.

I would also point that at this point if Armenia is still to be represented in this Council it is through Turkish gift of lands taken from Jerusalem and intended as a gift to the Romans. If both our Christian neighbours had their way, Armenia would now be history. Only the fierce fighting spirit of our people and Turkish help saved us.

We were the victims in this war and thus it would be our right to make demands to be met by the Romans. We understand the need for a meeting and thus will keep our demands for that meeting.
I hope the Caliph will forgive our leader's anger and will allow our participation in the peace talks.

Bowing deeply to the Caliph, the Armenian messenger takes a seat on the benches reserved for Armenia in the Council.

Although the Treaty of Adana states that it is the Turk's responsibility to negotiate on behalf of the Armenians until they can once again stand as an independent nation, they have nearly recovered all of their lands from the treacherous dogs on our flanks, and so if they wish to be included in the talks and speak on their own behalf, we will step aside and allow them to do so. The treaty was not intended to be a binding device for our allies, but to facilitate peace talks by allowing our enemies one voice to speak on behalf of both the Turkish and Armenian people, for our fates are as one and our foriegn policies are as one. There can be no seperate peace with Armenia and Turkey. If war is declared on one, it is the same as declaring war on both.

That said, we welcome the Armenian delegation to our peace negotiations.





Now we will announce that there is to be no cease-fire agreement until the peace negotiations are concluded, as neither the Romans nor the Turks can afford to hold our arms while the other state continues to persue the war, especially with our grip tightening around the Roman capital. We could be in a position to force a settlement with arms once Constantinople falls, and be in a much better bargaining position with the unclean dogs who now occupy our capital. Unless the Romans immediately offer a cease fire and hand over our Capital, the war will continue.

If Rome does not agree to a peace, and we do capture Constantinople, then let it be known that we will take our reparations by force.

[00jebus]

As for the Shah, our offer to work with our allies to reach an honourable peace for both sides stands. But they are acting in defense of their nations from a duplicitous leader who has raised a large army near their borders and has worked feverishly to undermine the peace between them. I can offer to mediate the dispute, but the Sultan's role of Supreme Commander of Coalition forces is powerless to command the allies in peacetime. Neither nation has asked for a resolution calling for an activation of the alliance, which would place the Coalition in a state of war with Khwarezm, and thank Allah this has not happened. I can only call for peace, I cannot order them. They are acting in self-defense, according to all my intelligence reports, and although I desire peace I cannot force a nation to relinquish their sovereign right of defense especially when coerced and threatened as you have done to them.

We cannot tell them not to act, but if you should be serious about peace, we would call an emergency session of the Coalition council and your delegation would be invited to attend. Should you offer peace terms the Seljuks can live with, I would think that war could be averted.

This conflict between nations in the north was not MY idea. I had actually proposed a working relationship and a possible bilateral alliance, and other interesting deals to the Shah... it is only because of recent hostilities that such negotiations have been suspended. I am deeply disturbed by the events that have happened. I do not like it when I see two friends go to war.

I cannot condemn the Seljuks for defending themselves, but if you demand immediate peace talks, that I can arrange. With Allah's will, we can have peace with our Muslim brothers, even though sometimes they are misguided.

.

Definding themselves?
THEY ATTACKED US!!!, I find the suggestion that we were the aggressor quite insulting, as no Khwarezmani troops have ever attacked Seljuks, except in self-defence, and it seems as though the turks have killed our skilled shah...


coerced and threatened?
when?
although I admit that the seljuks can't even spell their own name, I highly doubt what we said could be confused for either, even a European wouldn't think that

Have you actually seen messages between the shahdom and the seljuks or are you just taking the oppressors at their word?

[Askthepizzaguy]

For the moment, we are taking no one's word.

We are not involved here, except as a possible peace envoy. The Seljuks receive no support, financial or otherwise, in their war with you. From what I've been told the cause was just, and several states can vouch for your actions.

Unless you can prove they are all liars, we must side with our allies diplomatically and remain neutral in military terms. I also urge the Shah not to direct his perhaps righteous anger at our delegation, for we were not consulted nor are we involved in the Seljuk's actions. We can just as easily wash our hands of the matter if our offer to mediate is seen as something that it is not. It was never intended to be an insult, but if you choose to view it that way then I cannot intervene on your behalf.

We do not have all the facts, it is true. But rather than stand around waiting for all the reports to come in, which you haven't volunteered, we chose to act on your behalf by saying we wouldn't involve ourselves in the Seljuk's actions, as our alliance is defensive, not offensive in nature. If you can prove that their actions are unwarranted and that they are the true aggressors here (and from what I'm hearing from several states, you cannot) then I will condemn the Seljuk's actions and ask that they be censured or asked to pay you reparations.

But as I said, such proceedings could only happen if you could prove that they are the aggressors, and you've already admitted to instigating conflict between the Ghaznis and the Seljuks. Unless you can clarify your position, you cannot act as though you are innocent in these affairs.

We will no longer be involved if you wish us to mind our own business, but we are trying to help you.

With respect, friend and Shah of the Khwarezmids.

[00jebus]

The ambassador is visibly offended by this
and how do you suggest we tried to drive the Seljuks and Ghanzivids to war?

we gave one of the others movements and troop strenght, that hardly counts as attempting to bring them into conflict, unless of course Ghanzi were planning on invading the seljuks, which they assured us, they were not.

If the romans had not attacked Armenia, would you not send them the same infomation if they (romani) were massing on the armenian border right now?

This admits that we have several spies in seljuk provinces, which they are, but they are not in fact, in their cities sowing discontent, so I fail to see how that can be seen as an act of war, unlike say, infiltrating our city and killing our shah in a sneak attack....

We admitted to our mistakes, apologised for them (though we doubt this was needed), thats hardly the action of a warmongering state, or an excuse for war.

His eyes darken

Do not pretend turk, that you can be considered a friend of the Khwarezm by keeping your troops our of a war several hundred miles away, when the romans are keeping them in check.
Nor should you pretend that this "coalition of peace" is anything more than an excuse for its western members to attack whomever they please.

[Ferret]

The Ghorid ambassador is once again asleep, he would rather be joining in the conquest of India...

[Ramses II CP]

The Rajput emissary strides into the room, a look of calm resignation on his face.

Great lords it is with no pleasure whatsoever that I announce the Ghorids have acted precisely as my people have long expected in repudiating the agreement they swore to the Caliph they would uphold and attacking my own fair nation. The first invasion army, having lured a small Rajput force into the open by a vague deception, has been completely destroyed, but there are at least two other Ghorid armies operating in the region. Their total forces even before the sneak attack were about five times my own. I put the current situation at more like seven to one odds.

A battle marker has been erected to commemorate the most recent battle, in which eleven Rajput soldiers lost their lives to drag down well over a thousand of the quickly fleeing enemy. Yet, even with such valor, it will not be enough, and our enemy knows this.

I have only one thing left to say; lest you wish the name of Islam to echo down the halls of eternity as a dishonorable supporter of shameful and pathetic tactics shun the Ghorids and their leader for the rest of time. Discard your trade agreements, refuse his requests, and turn him away from your meetings. His word is dross, his armies cowardly, and his nation doomed to suffer the judgement of history.

The emissary bows deeply to the Caliph and then moves to speak with the representative from Ghazni.

[Askthepizzaguy]

The Turkish ambassador withdraws from any more dealings with the spiteful Shah who blames others for the consequences of his own misdeeds.

I now convene an emergency meeting of the Member States to discuss the Ghorid attack on the Coalition, which will result in the most severe of consequences.

[00jebus]

What misdeeds?

actually, first things first.. what dealings?

we were unaware of any agreements we shared...

anyway, what misdeeds?

we provided the council with reasons for any dishonourable actions we have undertaken, and maintained every attempt to resolve this peacefully... *Looking at the seljuks* As we still do

I can understand how the turks of rum would think those are misdeeds... given their character so far has shown them to break the laws of Islam... put another nation in debt... and used a matter between christians as a pretext for a landgrabbing war....
But to reasonable and just nations in this court, most we feel, would be satisfied with our explanations, and yes, even our piety


Actually, when did we blame anyone but ourselves and the Seljuks for the current situation?

To our knowlage, we have not.. and never will...

[TheFlax]

As per our signing of the Treaty of Tiblisi, we see no other alternative as to declare war on the Ghorids. Of course, our armies are incapable at this moment of assisting our allies, but we will do all in our power to to give aid to the Rajputs. Unwarranted acts of aggression shall not be tolerated by our coalition.

We wonder what pretense the Ghorid will use to justify this attack...

[Ferret]

The Ghorid ambassador wakes up at the mention of his nation, his voice is heavy with sarcasm:

Oh no the mighty Empire of Georgia declares war, whatever are we to do? The Sweljuks should have wiped them off the map when the had the chance, their religion is as bad as the hindus.

[Askthepizzaguy]

FORMAL DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST THE GHORID SULTANATE

The Supreme Commander of the Coalition Alliance declares war on the Ghorids, activating the Coalition alliance against this naked aggressor and trespasser into peaceful lands.

Since the fate of the Romano-Turkish war seems clear, all Coalition forces are informed that the Ghorids are marked as enemy number one for the Eastern Coalition. All member states simultaneously declare a state of war against the Ghorid Sultanate. They are Muslims no more, now distant relations to honourable Islamic states have been disavowed. May they all die in disgrace.

The Coalition of Freedom is now at a State of War with the Ghorid Sultanate. Unless they terminate their assault on the Rajputs and pay reparations, they are to be wiped from the map immediately. As Supreme Commander I now accept the responsibilities of this office granted to me unanimously by the Member States of the Coalition.

May the Ghorids burn in hell for thier treachery.

[00jebus]

*the Khwarzmani ambassador looks at Georgia's*the shahdom wishes to make it known that any coalition armies marching east may do so unmolested and unopposed by his forces, provided of course they are not aiding the seljuks in their war upon us.

*now at the seljuks*
would you abandon your coalition, allow it to march to war without you for some petty sense of revenge for some wrong that we arn't even sure we have done?
come to peace, and join your brothers, we do not maintain grudges, there bad for business...

[Askthepizzaguy]

I would also encourage the Seljuks to reach a cease-fire as soon as it does not threaten their position. The Khwarezmids may have been mischevious, but they are not the blatantly evil aggressors the Ghorids are.

I am also seriously considering the Roman peace arrangements. If I am successful, the Ghorids will find that all the Western Coalition forces are aligned against them and sending supplies and materiale, not to mention funds, against this most untrustworthy foe.

The best move for the Ghorids now is to press for peace. I am losing in the west, so it makes little difference to me if I should empty my vast treasury in the aid of an ally. Rest assured, our inclusion into the Ghorid-Rajput war will NOT be in name only.

[Banzai Kamikaze]

The Ayyubid ambassador chuckles at the mention of the Georgians declaring war on a far eastern nation. As his laugh gets louder, a raging cough brings the ambassador down. His slaves immediately bring him out of the court. Rumors have it that his physician treats him with unholy amounts of sweet honey.

[Ferret]

Bah! Who are you to declare who is and who is not Muslim. You Turks are pathetic! You cannot beat some puny outdated Romans and so you seek help from the infidel and now you protect them! You are the ones who are not Muslim! Allah would strike you down if he knew of this treachery

[Ramses II CP]

Rising to respond to the Ghorid's insults, the Rajput emissary still allows no anger to show in his voice or on his face.

Your brothers in faith are naturally dismayed to find that the word of a Muslim could mean so little in your hands, and so cast you out. Consider well your position in this life and the next, where honor counts higher than land. The Turks have nobly defended a weaker nation and so shown the world Islam's best face. You have done exactly the reverse, and now reap the consequences.

Your private letters have suggested that you seek a challenge, well, let me offer to meet that challenge. I would propose that you gather your best men from your nearest armies and meet me and my best men in the field for a fair test of our mettle. If you should find victory my nation's armies will be destroyed and my lands little protected, giving you a potentially easy expansion. As I've said, I have only perhaps a fifth the forces you command.

If I should find victory, against all odds, then your men will withdraw and respect the border as it was originally drawn. You will surrender the town north of Delhi and admit your lies regarding it. You will also admit your duplicity regarding the treaty the Caliph aided you in drawing up.

(OOC: To elucidate, I propose a multiplayer battle with the forces we currently have in theatre. You bring a full stack, including any men from the army southwest of Delhi, the remnants I just made retreat, and the army in the east that I haven't seen. I'll bring just the men I have at Gwa-whatever and my capital, which will be about half a stack plus two companies. Whatever our losses we'll reproduce in game via disbandment, and actually go through with the agreement afterward. We can elect a judge (The Caliph?) to oversee the creation of the armies and the enforcement of the results. This way we get around the abuse of the pathetic AI and get right to the heart of the matter. )

If you agree to this trial by combat you could have a single clean victory. If you decline your fellow Muslims will see you clearly as not merely an unfaithful liar, but a coward as well, as you will know well in your own heart.

I grant you a period of twenty four hours to respond.

The emissary returns to his seat with a look of defiance.

[Ferret]

OOC: I would love to rise to the challenge but multiplayer doesn't seem to work for me. When I click the tab in the game it says 'invalid CD key'. i think this is because Vista never asked for the CD key when I intsalled or it may be because my brother has the game installed with the same CD key. If anyone knows where to input the CD key or how to fix this problme let me know and we can have our battle.

[Ramses II CP]

OOC: Don't feel too bad, I've never even tried MP for a TW game. It didn't occur to me that it might be completely broken. I'll have to see if it works for me tonight. I was just thinking about the fact that we'll probably trade battle markers every turn absuing the poor AI and it might be more interesting to settle it in person.

[Zim]

OOC: If you guys really want to do this I could umpire a KOTR-type battle for you. I've been studying the past couple in hopes of helping out with the next game. We could make a special thread for it and make a big deal out of. It would be the first time such was attempted for a hotseat game.

Chances are good that it would even be finished before either one of you has your next turn.

[Ramses II CP]

OOC: There's no hurry on my account, I just put in a time limit so we don't slow the overall game down. If we do things that way we should just bring together all the forces we can muster in, say, the Gwal-whatever province next turn. That'd still give EF a huge advantage, but I'm willing to try my luck this way rather than in a drawn out production battle against the AI.

Thanks for volunteering Z.

[Zim]

If the Sultan of the Ghorids and Maharaj of the Indians wish to settle their dispute in such a manner, the Ghaznavids wish to offer their services in overseeing the battle. We suggest that the Maharaj and Sultan work out the terms of the battle here in the Council, and we will send representatives to India to ensure that the battle is a fair one and it's result properly determined.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Bah... if we had such an option against the Roman Imperialists, we would have easily defeated their forces at Amorium, and the Romans would now call Kilij Arslan their master.



I will also leave it for my fellow Muslims, the Caliph, and Allah almighty to decide who is more of an honourable Muslim... those who do not speak their treacherous lies before the council and falsify documents, and help those neighbors who are threatened by traitors, and honour their agreements... or the Ghorids who are the exact opposite.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ooc- I hope we might actually fight on the SAME SIDE someday, Elite Ferret... it almost feels like I have a vendetta against you, but I don't.