The Hippodrome

[pevergreen]

The next morning, Michail rises early, moving for the first time in years, with a purpose. The Magnaura that had only finished a few weeks ago still seemed fresh in his mind.

Michail take up his pen and puts it to parchment:

"Let it be known throughout the Empire that the Tepaki are a House for Hire. By commandment of Lord Efstratios, The Ασημένιο ΓΕΡΑΚΙ shall function as meceneries until notified otherwise. In times without employment, the Ασημένιο ΓΕΡΑΚΙ shall follow their own orders."

Michail pins this notice directly over the Patriachs, quite enjoying himself as he does so.

Just before exiting, a muttering of "Slimy bugger got a holiday, should be organising races, not have a party." is heard.

[Ramses II CP]

A crowd gathers on the steps of the Hippodrome seemingly at random, but a curious look of determination and fervency can be seen sprinkled through the men of the group. Though there has been no announcement a ripple of anticipation runs through the crowd, and voices rise and swell discussing the day's news. At last a white haired man emerges from a group to one side and ascends to a small landing. As he clears his throat a hush grows, until in his immediate vicinity a pin could be heard to drop.

My Countrymen, it is well to see so many of you attend! Today I will again speak of...

The Society of Secret Muslims and their Brotherhood of Friends!

Alas my fellow citizens it is a dark day for the Empire. A black cloud hangs over the city, and passersby speak of strange events. On my way here I was told that a plague of toads fell from the skies over Nicaea, and strange illnesses afflicted the gate wards at the great western gate of our own fair city. Tidings and imports of great concern, truly!

The speaker pauses here to shake his head in sadness, and many in the crowd gaze warily at the clouds overhead. Breathing deeply and visibly gathering his will, the man at last carries on with his speech.

Weep for the Empire on this day, good sirs, for on this day the Secret Muslims and their allies have won a great and terrible victory. They won it not on the battlefield, where the courage of noble Orthodox soldiers stands uncontested. Nor on the seas, where our fleets dominate the trade lanes. No, today they worked their hideous will in our very Senate chamber!

Again the speaker pauses, and again he hangs his head and looks to the side. A murmur runs through the crowd, but before it can swell his voice rises once more, though it yet conveys weariness.

You will recall, will you not, that my sad duty before was to inform your noble selves that none other than Caesar Ioannis was one of the serpents in the darkest Order of Secret Muslims? You will recall, will you not, that I begged you to take note of his disgusting habit of rubbing his crescent tattoo beneath his foul garmets? You will recall, will you not, that I warned he marched to pour poison into the ears of our senators, of our very Emperor?

A third time there is a pause, but this time the speaker holds the crowd's gaze, and every man can read in his eyes what his thoughts are; not of sadness but of anger.

So it has come to pass! I have learned that today, just before the close of the Senate session, the Emperor himself proposed an edict all but exiling the pious Patriarch of Constantinople to the as yet unconquered city of Alexandria, best known as the final resting place of Crusader Kosmas Mavrozomis. Let me read you the text of this new law:

Edict 4.5: Patriarch Nicholas III will be transferred to the newly recreated Patriarchate of Alexandria. (The remainder of the text is omitted, whether by calculation or because of insuffucient information it is impossible to tell)

I ask you, good Romans, whose ends could this serve but those of the Secret Brotherhood? I ask you, to whose benefit will this work, if not those cowardly Muslims sneaking amongst us spreading their filth and disease? Without our Patriarch they will have a free hand to spew lies on every corner, and the weakest among us will follow that snake, the Caesar, into iniquity! I ask you, yes, you, venerable parishoners of Orthodoxy, would you have God's voice cast out of your city and exiled to a miserable Fatamid hole?

The speaker's eyes have widened, and his voice has quickened, so that the close of his speech is delivered in a rush of passionately spoke words, and most of the crowd is carried along with him.

The Emperor, may God shelter and guide him, has been misled. Out of love for his wayward son he has proposed an unjust law, but it is not the way of Romans to stand aside and let injustice pass over them! Make your voices heard, make your will known, make your Patriarch safe in this, his holy city!

So says,

Isaeus the Truthspeaker

OOC: Not quite as roly-poly as the first one, but the idea of using the Hippodrome got into my head so I had to put something out there.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Efstathios walked passes the Hippodrome and when hearing the speech he stops to listen it..
After the speech is over he says with a loud voice to himself..

The Patriarch is going to Egypt?? What a surprise!! He smiles..
I hope he gets there in one piece. It would be most unfortunate if something would happen to him. Efstathios started to chuckle..
I hope my vote in the Magnaura helps to get him there! But perhaps after I have left from Alexandria!
Efstathios starts to laugh and leaves from the Hippodrome..

[pevergreen]

Michail walks through the Hippodrome, testing the point of his dagger on this thumb.
"I really am going to have to kill that man one day."

After looking wistfully in the direction of the actual racing arena, Michail leaves.

[Ramses II CP]

On the wide stone steps leading up to the Hippodrome a man begins to speak. His voice is not the loudest in the area, for an event has just been completed within and there are many conversations ongoing as people exit. He has no retinue present to draw attention, and it is apparent that his speech was not prepared ahead of time. Even with all of that a group gathers around him to hear his words, and not long into his speech men are shushing one another at the edges of the crowd to listen.

Brothers, sisters, Romans!

A dark cloud forebodes along the horizon! Black acts and dark deeds hidden in the night threaten the very fabric of Rome! Brothers please, turn to me with your ears and your mind, for I must warn you of a terrible peril. I alone can carry news of the coming disaster, of the plague which will be spread by the pox laden hands of...

A suitably dramatic pause draws much attention to the speaker.

...The Society of Secret Muslims and their Brotherhood of Friends!

Oh it is a terrible day for the Empire! Mourn for the coming cataclysm! Weep for the lives that will fall under the reaper's scythe!

It is true, quite true, that there have been victories. Alexandria was taken for the Empire, yes, and Cairo may already have fallen as well. The Crusaders have carried the word of God and the swords of truth against the infidel, and done well!

It is also true, quite true, that the Grandmaster of the Order and his noble knights have once against crushed a jihad army by killing it's leader. Yes, indeed, for the third time the ill equipped armies of the pious Order have been favored by God to destroy a jihad!

Alas, it is also true, quite true, that a jihad army is even now in range to threaten Constantinople! That same army which has, from the start, been sponsored by a man high in the Council of Secret Muslims. The very same man who watched that army march past him and raised no hand to oppose it.

Caesar Ioannis Komnenos!

That snake, creeping through the confidences of the Emperor, who misled our noble leader into exiling the Patriarch of our great city. That beast who ever plots harm for good Orthodox citizens and unceasingly strips soldiers from the front for his own power mad games. That vile, iniquitious dog licking at the heels of his true Saracen masters!

The poor Emperor, blind with trust for his undeservedly beloved son, cannot see that his boy coordinates this assault for his own convenience. Cannot see that the only possible way the jihad army could know exactly how far to march to prevent the Emperor from being able to ride out and oppose them was to have had the Caesar himself tell them the range! He cannot even see that the Caesar plots insurrection and bloody vengeance!

God preserve the Emperor, who, despite his failing health and greatly advanced age, shows at least the courage to seek battle with the enemy! Alas, he does not see that his son sent these infidel dogs to slaughter his own father, cannot see that the Caesar even now plans to join forces with them when they lay siege to Constantinople itself! Pity the Emperor who so loves his misbegotten child that he must look past that boy's desperate struggles to destroy all he worked for, all he accomplished!

My good fellows, my great friends, I speak here today at great risk to my own life only to say that you must be wary. Watch most carefully for the days to come, and do not let your faith flag no matter what ill acts the Secret Muslims may perform! A hero has arisen, I say, a hero who can set things right and strike down the snakes.

Look to the east, Romans, for your salvation. Out of the sun over the sea shall he come! Watch for his coming, praise his name, for at his side God and Patriarch ride to preserve the Empire and cast down the infidel!

So says,

Isaeus the Truthspeaker

By the end of his speech there are hundreds listening, and word of mouth carries his tale to many ears in many cities of the Empire. Always there are those who disparage his words and mock him, and always there are those who believe him entirely, but few indeed are those who shrug off the story without comment.

[TinCow]

People of Byzantium! Prepare yourselves for the greatest race ever to grace the most magnificent arena in the entire known world!

This is not just a race, it is a trial! A determination of honor and right, as decided upon by the wisest man to ever rule the Roman people. All hail Basileus Aleksios Komnenos!

The most just and righteous Emperor has decreed that the feud between Methodios Tagaris and Nikiphoros Manouelitis will be settled in the Old Style. One race, with both Senators selection teams to champion their positions. The winner will gain not only the honor of a victory in the Hippodrome, but complete, undisputed ownership over the entire city of Scopia! Truly an amazing award for whoever is victorious.

The Basileus has himself decreed that the chariot teams be divided up into pairs by Methodios Tagaris, with Nikiphoros Manouelitis selecting which of the teams he wishes to take first. These Senators are advised to note that while it is possible to place your faith in a mixed pair, the notorious and centuries-old rivalry between the Blue Faction and the Green Faction will not die easily. Mixed teams may result in intense competition between supposedly 'friendly' charioteers!

The Blue Faction will once again have its dominant Blue team lead by Constans Kaspax. His last performance was not very good, but he remains the most experienced driver amongst the Blues. Rumors have it that his recent loss has caused him to redouble his training, and he is now pursuing a new tactic of going easy on his horses in the opening laps. Such a bold move may pay off, as his strong starting skills could well compensate for the less vigorous driving in the early laps, and towards the end of the race his horses will surely have more energy than his opponents.

The Red Team has long been the minor Blue Faction team, but under Longinius Nicerite it has once again gained fame and repute in its own right. His incredible performance in the last race, and his ability to shake off his reputation as a poorly trained dwarf have some men whispering that he has the luck of the Old Gods on his side. While such rumors are blatantly heretical, there is no doubt that Short Longinius is not a man to be counted out in any race!

There has been a great shake-up in the Green Faction. After his stunning victory in his first race in the Hippodrome, Magnentius Ferro has been given control of the primary Green Team chariot! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Senator Michail Arianitis's protégé is now the master of the Greens! His intelligence and skill is now well-known, but was his victory just a fluke? Can the newest charioteer replicate his performance, or will he go down in flames as a one-win-wonder? We will find out soon enough!

The Green Faction's White Team is now in complete disarray! It is now on it's third charioteer in three races. Falkon Xerus, the former primary charioteer for the Greens has been demoted and the disgrace is surely complete for this most famous of men. Some say that he is a broken man and has reached the end of his career, and that his depression has even hurt his skills, making him weak off of the start. Still, the mighty chariot Bellisarus is his and his alone, and perhaps this once great charioteer can regain some of his now long-lost glories. Anything can happen here in the Hippodrome!

So, ladies and gentlemen, citizens and Senators, do not miss the most exciting race to have ever graced this mighty arena! We wait now for the Senators to make their choices. First, Methodios Tagaris must divide the charioteers up into two teams, then Nikiphoros Manouelitis must select which of these teams he wishes to be his champions. When this is completed, the most magnificent and glorious Basileus, Aleksios Komnenos, will himself address the crowd and signal for the start of the race! Do not miss it, or you will bring shame and disgrace on your family for all eternity!

[_Tristan_]

Methodios enters the Hippodrome. He can be seen in hushed conversation with one of the Hippodrome officials, though nobody can get near enough to hear anything said between the two men. Some minutes later, Varangians stand apart to admit Methodios to the Kathisma.

Bowing to the Basileos, Methodios walks forward to stand at the edge of the box. Resting his hands on the railing, he loudly makes an announcement.

"People of the Empire, you are here to witness the trial of a dispute between Senator Manouelitis and myself over the ownership of Scopia.

By the rules set by our most revered Emperor, I am the one to choose how teams are to be composed.

I am known to be an iconoclast, someone who breaks rules, who stands apart from the pack...

People of Rome, I will not fail you...

I have chosen to split the ancestral factions...

The prominent teams of Blues and Greens will be associated, with the "secondary" teams of Reds and Whites running together.

I hope this will offer us the great event you all have been expected.

May the best man win."

With a bow to the Basileos, Methodios leaves the Kathisma and is seen mingling among the crowds.