Imperial Diet VI

[Warluster]

Athalwolf enters and bows

Mein lords, I wish to speak of my undying loyalty to the real Duke of Swabia, Duke Hans. I care not that some upstart from Caen thinks otherwise, but all the same, Wolfgang, the one who I talk of, I shall make sure your dead body is buried beneath this earth before the end of this century.

I also wish to speak of my commitment to the 95 laws Luther speaks of. I openly discourage the fact of quietning this, are we not allowed Free Speech and thought of mind? What does this make diffrent? Is not germany excommunicated, soi how does the Pope care?

I wish not for war between The Lutherean Army near Durrazo, but if it comes to force, I shall back up Dietrich von Dassel very much. And I openly appauld Peter.

Gone are the days of the Pope and his somewhat evil laws, and of those who believe in them.

Athalwolf whips around and walks from the Diet, to escape capture as has happened to other Luthereans.

[Stuperman]

Kidnapped?!?! News from the diet becomes more unbelievable everyday, I surley hope that all efforts of extract Mathias are being made.

[OverKnight]

A letter arrives from Outremer from one of the few ships still plying the ever more dangerous trade lanes.

My fellow Electors. The news of my abduction is accurate, but thanks to King Jan, and to Duke Lothar who originally brought up the matter of my disappearance, I am now a free man. I do not wish to go into details, though I'm sure they will eventually emerge.

Let me emphasize that my imprisonment was the responsibility of the Byzantine Strategos Nikeforos the Mean. He acted alone, without the approval of his superiors, as far as I know. This should be familiar to many of our Electors. "Independent Action" has become quite popular.

I have reviewed the records of the past few years, and while horrified, I will not go into details. This has been a trying time for all of us. I beg all of you now to abandon these disparate machinations and unite. We no longer have the luxury of unquestioned supremacy or unlimited resources. The threats that face us are very real, and if we do not meet them together, we will fall.

I propose a status quo ante bellum. We cannot rescind our excommunication, or the breaking of our alliance with the Eastern Roman Empire, but we can move forward together from this low point to rebuild what has been destroyed, regain what has been lost and take back our rightful place at the head of Europe.

We must act before it is too late.

[Stig]

Ansehelm:
Tancred will take no city. Tancred will take his army and return to Franconia to reinforce the Household Armies. Having an outpost deep into enemy territory is dangerous, I suggest we destroy every building in Constantinople, the money will be of good use to us.

[gibsonsg91921]

Agreed, brother! I am a bit disturbed that the efforts of my journey will not bear as much fruit as previously anticipated, but the war with the Byzantines is inevitable. We can destroy every single building of that godforsaken place - it will no longer be Wahrheitburg, but it shall still be a triumph.

[Stig]

Ansehelm:
The Poles outside Thorn are beaten again, we lost 60 good Germans.

I hereby order the former Stettin garrison to join the Teutonic Army, and Fritz to move to Hamburg. The Lutherans are now in command of Stettin, I think he can live with that.
The Teutonic Army needs reinforcements, there are three large enemy armies coming, which means the Teutonic Army needs more money to reinforce than any other army. Thorn is the last happy settlement, making it fall would be the same as commiting suicide.

[Tamur]

*A messenger enters the Diet*

My lords, Fritz von Kastilien sends greetings to all of you.

He has received orders to move to Hamburg and abandon Stettin to the Lutherans who refuse to let even him in. He wishes the Diet to know that he will not stand for this situation, and he will be assaulting Stettin and raiding the treasuries of its miserably unstable magistrates as soon as he sufficient strength to do so. He trusts that the magistrates in Hamburg will do better than those in Stettin.

If he cannot get enough strength for an assault, he will, as ordered, return to Hamburg.

*The messenger bows and exits*

[econ21]

Diet Speaker: Electors, dreadful news! I regret to inform you that the Imperial Treasury has been emptied and the gold is unaccounted for! We have no funds to recruit more men or even pay those we have. This will surely increase desertion and further undermine Imperial authority!

The Treasury guards say that the money was taken in the name of Kaiser Elberhard and the Empress Dowager Theodora, but the Kaiser's men have no knowledge of where the gold is and the Empress Dowager has also disappeared!

[gibsonsg91921]

Treason!

Péter chuckles, faking being shocked and acting like he's never heard the word before.

[Stig]

Ansehelm:
Is it not strange that everything occuring now somehow has to do with our "leaders" and they still claim innocence.

Sides, I told you not to trust Orthodox Christians.

[TinCow]

This is the last straw. Bavaria formally announces that it will no longer support any attempts at maintaining goodwill with the Byzantines. They are thieves and villains and have shown themselves to be such. I hereby order Count Karolinger and Household Army Otto to return immediately to Bavaria, even if Thessalonica has not yet fallen.

Furthermore, Bavaria will not lift a finger to defend Rome if it risks the security of our Duchy. Since Kaiser Elberhard has seen fit to aid in the theft of the entire Imperial Treasury, surely he has enough funds to recruit an army to defend his own capital.

[Tamur]

*A messenger arrives, waits his turn, and proceeds to the edge of the floor where he begins reading*

Fritz von Kastilien sends this message:

"My lords, I wish I could join you in debate at this time. But I am currently overseeing security in the region around Stettin.

"I have heard rumours that the treasury has been emptied. I pity anyone who is surprised by this.

"In response, I am holding the ten thousand florins liberated from Stettin's magistrates in safety here, to prevent further robbery at the hands of the Byzantines and Kaiser Elberhard.

"This money and any other which I happen to come across will remain locked away until such time as those who sided so recklessly with the Byzantine cause have been removed from power.

"May God protect the Reich."

*The messenger bows and leaves*

[gibsonsg91921]

This is madness! Kaiser Elberhard is weak and a fool. Why should we submit to folly?

[RoadKill]

Lorenz Zirn bursts out at the news of such blasmephy.

THIS IS MADNESS!!! What type of fool would do such things! He is asking for the end of the Reich

[econ21]

Diet Speaker: Dear Electors, there is no suggestion that the Kaiser has stolen his own Treasury. That would be rather ... unnecessary ... would it not? His only involvement in the affair was that one of his retinue, a Teuton Captain, was unwittingly used as part of the heist to help provide a veneer of legitimacy.

The story, so far as we can make out, seems to be that the gold was moved out of the city under false pretences - orders signed by the Empress Dowager Theodora. Once her aides had taken possession of the money it was diverted south towards Naples, rather than north to our new administrative capital as had been planned.

The militia organised a vigorous pursuit, of course, but were forced to turn back when they spied several large columns marching north across the border with Naples.

[gibsonsg91921]

Silence, speaker! The funds of the Reich are not for the Kaiser, but for its people. The Kaiser has betrayed what little trust we have placed in him, and he has failed us.

The Kaiser is weak and an outlaw, my friends. The cities are rebelling, Swabia has broken away, we have unfunded armies defending a fool of a Pope in the Levant, and he has stolen our money!

Until the Kaiser returns from Outremer to justify his actions, I declare myself Prinz of the Holy Roman Empire, and will be acting as Kaiser until he reveals his spineless self again. Am the brother of the late Siegfried and the only one of you to act when hope seemed lost. (OOC: This is assuming Dietrich, Tancred, Athalwolf, Wolfgang, and Fritz are not present) We will not be a vassal-state of the Greeks, nor doormat allies any longer!

There shall be a unified Roman Empire, sealed in the blood of the Byzantines! We shall start by reconquering what has been lost. Duke Lothar and Bavarians, are you willing to take back Naples and Palermo for your Duchy? Jan and Matthias and all those in the Levant, are you willing to reconquer Outremer? Then let us unite! The bounds of the Reich are only where men will not tread - if it is reachable, it will be ours, and Pax Romana shall be the result!

When Elberhard returns to this Diet, he will receive a "generous welcome." Now raise your flagons to glory!

[RoadKill]

Lorenz grins insanly and laughs

AI!!! We shall follow the steps of Peter and conquer what has been last to our great nation, we shall crush them under our power, and take back what is rightfully ours!

[gibsonsg91921]

That is the fighting spirit, Lorenz! The Holy Roman Empire shall rival and be even larger than the first Roman Empire, only we shall not succumb to weakness (OOC: and orgies) like our predecessors!

I ask all Germans the question, do you have the strength to cast aside oppression and malfeasance, and strive for glory? WHAT SAY YOU?

[Privateerkev]

The clerk at the Outremer table is not sure whether to laugh or be appalled.

Outremer clerk:

Let me make this really clear right now. King Jan does not recognize Peter as Kaiser. We have a Kaiser and that is Kaiser Elberhard. You can't just come in here and proclaim yourself Kaiser.

If Peter is truly Kaiser, then I challenge him to ban King Jan, and all of his aides, from the Diet right now. This is a direct challenge to the authority that Peter claims he holds. If he truly is Kaiser, then he should prove it.

Until then, we have much more important things going on.

[gibsonsg91921]

I shall not ban ye, as ye have all the right to speak your mind. Lesser Kaisers lacked the virility to be questioned in the least, it is more forceful to let you speak your mind and silence with argument. If Elberhard is truly not the one in charge of the robbery, he can remain a figurehead and remain his dignity, whatever remains. One day he will die and his soul shall leave the earth to wherever it may go.

In the meantime, his weakness is inexcusable. He calls Tancred a pirate, rather than the hero he truly is. We are at war with the Greeks, and it's about time. Tell Jan that unless he swears to serve the Reich, the true Reich, he will be banished from it.

[Privateerkev]

Outremer clerk:

King Jan does not need to justify himself to a man who rebelled with a whole army. The King will serve who is Kaiser, not who gets uppity and claims it on a whim.

Again, I hereby challenge your authority as Kaiser. If you were Kaiser, you couldn't let such a challenge stand and would have to ban the King. How do you answer such a challenge Peter?

[RoadKill]

King Jan! I shall challenge YOUR ATHOURITY! You are more capable then this Kaiser. Our Kaiser has left us taking everything with him to save himself, do you seriously want to follow such a man, who does not give a !@#@ about your life!? He has left us with nothing, he has abandoned us, HE HAS FORSAKEN US!

[Privateerkev]

Outremer clerk:

The King's authority derives from the Kaiser according to the Charter of Outremer. No matter what "Peter the Pretender" claims, he is not Kaiser.

Now, on to far more important matters.

According to reports, Count Becker has fallen in battle. The King grieves for the loss of a good and honorable man. He sends his condolences to Duke Arnold and House Austria for their loss. May the Lord see Becker to a better place. Amen.

[gibsonsg91921]

If it is rebellion to unite and save a failing Empire, then I am a rebel. If it is treason to draw swords against enemies and fight for the betterment of Germany, then I am a traitor. If it is the right thing to do to sit by and let my home country and my friends and my people be destroyed, then I am a sinner.

Unlike other Kaisers and Princes who did not have the manhood to be questioned, I will not ban you. Your foolish words have already done that. Have Jan visit me, so I can treat with him in person and not a feeble proxy.

Peace, Lorenz, I do not wish to spill German blood, even one so weak as Jan's clerk.

EDIT(posted at the same time as PK's): Becker is dead? That is terrible news. He was a true soldier of the Reich, a true man. Why has the von Mahren family been stricken so? The von Heidelburg children must be protected from this pox.

[Privateerkev]

Outremer clerk:

Your foolish words have already done that.

"Peter the Pretender", please tell me how the King's words have banned him. I have yet to see Imperial troops come in to arrest me.

If you are Kaiser, then why don't you call an emergency session and set all of this right? Even as Prince, you would have this authority. You could set things the way you want them right now if you were Kaiser or Prince.

[RoadKill]

Becker...dead...? Damnit! Another death to the Austrian household. He was a great man, wanting peace, but yet these wars force him to fight till his last breath.

[gibsonsg91921]

What an excellent idea - I can call an emergency Diet session and have all of the good men of the Reich come in and set things right. Of course, this is moot as the end of the term is nigh. Tell Jan that his weakness has been noted and that he shall not expect to be King next term.

OOC: I don't have the OOC balls to call a Diet session and annoy the crap out of everyone.

[Privateerkev]

Outremer clerk:

Since King Jan does not recognize you, and you have yet to actually prove your authority, your threats and insults mean little.

As for the King being here in person, he left for Outremer some time ago to rescue Count Matthias. Events in Outremer, as well as a difficult travel situation lately, have made it quite impossible for the King to be here in person. If you've noticed, many nobles have made the same decision in order to be where they are needed. Are they all "weak" Peter the Pretender?

But, never fear, I am here to answer all of your queries my good Count.

OOC: I don't have the OOC balls to call a Diet session and annoy the crap out of everyone.

OOC: I was gambling on that. ^_^ Would be funny to see Peter try though. Remember, we don't know your Prince yet. And Peter's word is not going to be good enough by itself. You'll need something more to convince everyone.

[gibsonsg91921]

And these nobles are doing their duty for the Reich. Matthias is a hero, withstanding and surviving capture. King Jan is a hero for retaking Aleppo, not so for letting Outremer be given away without a struggle.

Nay, I still shall not ban you - you have been misguided and lied to by Elberhard and know not the follies you utter.

But internal struggle and deliberation is diminishing the significance of Becker's death. He not only leaves Austria undermanned yet again, but the Reich is robbed of a true man and a true soldier. A moment of silence! After due grieving, I shall see to it personally that Austria is reinforced by Tancred von Tyrolia or Friedrich Karolinger so it does not fall weak.

[Privateerkev]

The clerk observes the moment of silence

Outremer clerk:

So now you command Bavarian Household Armies? So, not only are you both Kaiser and Prince, but your the Duke of Bavaria as well? What title should you claim next?