House of Asteri

[Ferret]

I break my oath to Ioannis Kalameteros and instead swear an oath of fealty to Markianos Ameplas.

[flyd]

I grant Scopia to Kosmas Mavrozomis

[deguerra]

I accept Hypatios breaking his oath to me, and accept the oath of fealty of Markianos Ampelas

[flyd]

And I accept the oath from Hypatios Machonios

[Ferret]

And we shall all live happily ever after.

[rossahh]

I break my oath to Hypatios Machonios and hereby swear an oath of fealty to Markianos Ampelas.

[flyd]

I accept the oath of Zigavinos Vasilakios and reject the oath of Hypatios Machonios

[Ibn-Khaldun]

And so the Great house of Asteri starts to fall apart???

[rossahh]

No, it's just Hypatios falling out of the house and us boarding up the windows behind him.

[Ferret]

I warn you all now, Kalameteros is tightening his grip upon you all. When this house was first founded it was a joint, three way, expedition between Kalameteros, Kosmas and I. However it was not long before Kosmas was driven into retirement, Ioannis putting on too much pressure for him to cope with. He then called himself the head of the House, forgetting the founding trio, and this fake title allowed him to take the hand of a princess thus securing a royal family for himself. But this was not enough, to him I was still questioning his total power too often, still behaving as one of the three, when he wanted there to only be one. My breaking of one law was his perfect opportunity, while many in the Magnaura only wanted a temporary ban of army control, or for me to be confined to an island for a term or so before taking up my usual duties he saw a chance. He went one step further than any other had suggested and ruined me, he removed me from the house leaving all the power to himself, giving him total command over you all, and leaving me with nothing but a small island and a band of peasants. He has no care for any of you, only power. He took the power of two of his supposed friends for his own. And I am not fooled by his excuse for that, I did not see one comment degrading the Asteri as a whole. No one saw it as a fault of the house only a fault of me. I had not lowered the reputation of the house, only my own reputation. It is Kalameteros who is twisting this house to suit him, and now has it blindly following him.

I thought you Zigavinos would have had more loyalty to me, we have been together for two and a bit terms now, yet you remove me with no comment and little apparent feeling. I tell you now that if it wasn't for me you would never have been invited to this house, I may have not been the one to send the letter but I suggested your name and campaigned heavily to have you invited. It seems that loyalty to people means nothing here though, only loyalty to power, which leads to you following tyrants like Kalameteros. The man is a snake, he has manipulated us all and become the most powerful man in this empire and you are the men who have let that happen. I am sure a time will come when he will do something that will make you regret following him and I plan to try my utmost to stop it from happening.

This is one power hungerer that I will not allow to live, while I may not have much I can, and will, still try. You have betrayed us all Ioannis, even those who thought of you as a friend.

[deguerra]

Harsh words from a man who just recently thanked me for continuing to help him and proclaiming he was not worthy of my continued support.

I have been accused of much Hypatios, but power hunger hasn't yet been an issue. I took over from Kosmas rather unwillingly and at his own request. I had never expected to lead and believed then and still believe I am not half as good at it as he was. But I try my best.

Likewise, marrying my lovely wife, a decision I have not regretted for a second, was not some sort of long-term plan of seizing power but merely an opportunity that arose when I took over Asteri. I suppose I can be accused of opportunism. That would be more accurate.

Expelling you, however, was no opportunism. It is quite true that you had challenged my authority on quite a few occasions, but let me expand. You agreed on the incorporation of Markianos Ampelas into the House and then get angry about it later. Likewise, you agreed on our military plan for Anatalia and then vented your anger about it being implemented. Throughout your tenure your criticisms were seldom constructive and never civil. But that is not why you were expelled.

You were expelled, as I stated in the Senate, because you made House Asteri look stupid, unable to control its own members and willing to sacrifice thousands for some member's personal agendas. That could not stand then, and will not stand so long as I am in Asteri.

You may remember, however, that far from exerting my whole influence to hurt you, I allowed you to keep Rhodes, did not seek further action against you in the Senate for your breaking the law and agreed to support you in whatever endeavour you chose for your future.

However, I suppose I should thank you for this latest criticism as it is by far your most constructive. I wish this to be known to all members of House Asteri:

I do not want to lead without your support and I do not wish to lead a House of followers. I have tried hard to take on board any criticisms that have come forward thus far and will continue to do so, and I encourage you to vent them at me. I also encourage you, as I have told you all before, to conduct yourselves by your own accord. You need not vote as I do, speak as I do in the Senate and do as I do away from it. All I ask is that you keep in mind the interests of the House as you do so. Finally, if my leadership has become inacceptable to you, I will hand over my duties to Markianos Ampelas.

I do hope to have dispelled some of your fears and worries with this, but I am free to be contacted at any time, by any one of you on any issue.

Ioannis

[rossahh]

Harsh words indeed, Hypatios. Long did I serve you dutifully, keeping everything in order while you campaigned for the good of the house, the empire, and most of all yourself. I more than anyone know that harsh measures were needed in Anatolia - having long fought the Turks I saw that there was no hope of a peaceful coexsistance, it was either us or them - but you went too far. We had always seized the property of the vanquished and evicted the resident Turks from each settlement we took, and while there while resistance, there was never wholesale slaughter. Yet at their capital you gave your orders and they were wrong. I could not stand by you after Iconium and my loyalty to you wavered. I still remained loyal to the house and to the empire and I chose the Empire over you, Hypatios.

Get over it.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[flyd]

One point of clarification that I would very much like to hear is what exactly is the meaning of this particular statement:

This is one power hungerer that I will not allow to live, while I may not have much I can, and will, still try.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Markianos is dead!!!
This is a great loss to our House!
I would like to know what this does to our chain of hierarchy?
Kalameteros is now without any vassals unless Vasilakios swears an Oath to him!
This brings him back to the rank of Antypatos. Am I right??

[Ferret]

Harsh words from a man who just recently thanked me for continuing to help him and proclaiming he was not worthy of my continued support.

I have been accused of much Hypatios, but power hunger hasn't yet been an issue. I took over from Kosmas rather unwillingly and at his own request. I had never expected to lead and believed then and still believe I am not half as good at it as he was. But I try my best.

Likewise, marrying my lovely wife, a decision I have not regretted for a second, was not some sort of long-term plan of seizing power but merely an opportunity that arose when I took over Asteri. I suppose I can be accused of opportunism. That would be more accurate.

Expelling you, however, was no opportunism. It is quite true that you had challenged my authority on quite a few occasions, but let me expand. You agreed on the incorporation of Markianos Ampelas into the House and then get angry about it later. Likewise, you agreed on our military plan for Anatalia and then vented your anger about it being implemented. Throughout your tenure your criticisms were seldom constructive and never civil. But that is not why you were expelled.

You were expelled, as I stated in the Senate, because you made House Asteri look stupid, unable to control its own members and willing to sacrifice thousands for some member's personal agendas. That could not stand then, and will not stand so long as I am in Asteri.

You may remember, however, that far from exerting my whole influence to hurt you, I allowed you to keep Rhodes, did not seek further action against you in the Senate for your breaking the law and agreed to support you in whatever endeavour you chose for your future.

Ioannis

That is my point, your authority was mine to challenge. This house was founded by three men, each with equal say on house matters, we trusted each other. You betrayed that trust and now have the entire house to yourself.

I never agreed to Markianos joining the house, (OOC:I only did OOC ) I accepted his lordship as a favour to you.

And I say again, I did not make the Asteri look any different than it already did. There was not one comment in the senate degrading this house, only comments about me, loss of respect for me, and then again only from a small minority of overly pious senators.

And you did hurt me as much as you could. This house was everything to me, and you did not have the power to take Rhodes anyway, when Kosmas rewarded me with that island it became mine forever. You can tell yourself that if you want but you did everything in your power to destroy me, I cannot even reach Rhodes, I have no ship. I have nothing left.

Harsh words indeed, Hypatios. Long did I serve you dutifully, keeping everything in order while you campaigned for the good of the house, the empire, and most of all yourself. I more than anyone know that harsh measures were needed in Anatolia - having long fought the Turks I saw that there was no hope of a peaceful coexsistance, it was either us or them - but you went too far. We had always seized the property of the vanquished and evicted the resident Turks from each settlement we took, and while there while resistance, there was never wholesale slaughter. Yet at their capital you gave your orders and they were wrong. I could not stand by you after Iconium and my loyalty to you wavered. I still remained loyal to the house and to the empire and I chose the Empire over you, Hypatios.

You did not choose the Empire as a whole, were you present at the Magnaura you would understand that not everyone hated me for what I did, only one or two people went to that extreme, one even offering me a place afterwards. You chose Ioannis, and my newfound opinion of him has already been made clear.

One point of clarification that I would very much like to hear is what exactly is the meaning of this particular statement:

(OOC: I would reply but you're dead )

Though I do now see what is happening to the Asteri since I "left". I'll enjoy watching the house collapse.

[rossahh]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Having read through all of the posts, only 2 people supported you and your actions ET. The rest were trying to choose the best way to punish you.

I chose the house and what it does for this Empire over everything else. While you hide away on Rhodes, we'll still be fighting the Seljuks in Anatolia as it's the right thing to do for the Byzantium Empire and its people.

[Ferret]

Having read through all of the posts, only 2 people supported you and your actions ET. The rest were trying to choose the best way to punish you.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Didn't notice my name is shortened to ET now

[Andres]

Kristophors, one of Savvas' bodyguards, arrives at House Asteri.

Esteemed members of House Asteri, Comes Savvas ek Militou sent me to offer you his deepest condolences with the loss of Senator Markianos Ampelas.

He hopes that House Asteri will recover quickly from this blow.

[Northnovas]

Message from the Duke of Corinth

Members of the House of Asteri and the Duke of Athens I require your assistance in breaking the siege in Corinth. I require some of your garrison regiments in Athens to join Comes Savvas ek Militou Duke of Arta who is enroute to Corinth to lift the siege. The garrsions will be returned when the enemy is removed from both Corinth and Athens Regions.

I understand their fleet was destroyed so they have no escape route by sea. Please contact us by messenger if it is possible to lend us 2 regiments.

Aleksios
Duke of Corinth

[Ibn-Khaldun]

My Lord Kosmas Mavrozomis have died after the battle in Alexandria..
Another loss to our great House!
Why are we under the Gods wrath!

[Ferret]

I have told you Laskaris, it is because of the man you follow, he has led you away from God's blessing and the House suffers greatly because of it. His two rivals from power are now dead or banned from the House. Perhaps you had better consider your future, men of the Asteri, would you continue to follow this man into darkness and death? Or would you be led back into God's good graces with my own guiding hand.

[TinCow]

OOC: As with the death of Markianos Ampelas, I will assume that Kosmas' Lord and Vassal will swear fealty to each other to maintain the integrity of the chain. Those people only need to post if they do NOT wish this oath to be sworn. The oath is: Anastasios Neokaisareitis (The Lemongate) swears fealty to Nevoulos ek Philadelphias (Smowz). Note that The Lemongate will almost certainly be declared inactive and lose his province at the next Senate session.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

OOC: Then it should be considered that Efstathios also swears Oath to Nevoulos ek Philadelphias (Smowz).

[TinCow]

OOC: I will do the same auto-swearing when TLG is declared inactive. If you want to change the oaths before then, you'll have to break them. Also, for the record, when TLG goes inactive, his province will go to Smowz.

[Zim]

Efstathios was sworn to Kosmas, not to TLG's character.

OOC: I will do the same auto-swearing when TLG is declared inactive. If you want to change the oaths before then, you'll have to break them. Also, for the record, when TLG goes inactive, his province will go to Smowz.

[TinCow]

Efstathios was sworn to Kosmas, not to TLG's character.

I know, but Kosmas was sworn to TLG. Thus, by my make-you-life-easier-by-assuming-a-continuation-of-the-oath-ladder actions as noted above, Efstathios became sworn to TLG's character upon Kosmas' death (unless someone protests this). The same kind of thing will occur again when TLG is officially declared inactive in 1125.

[Zim]

Kosmas has never been sworn to TLG's character Anastasios. Anastasios and Efstathios were both sworn to Kosmas.

I know, but Kosmas was sworn to TLG. Thus, by my make-you-life-easier-by-assuming-a-continuation-of-the-oath-ladder actions as noted above, Efstathios became sworn to TLG's character upon Kosmas' death (unless someone protests this). The same kind of thing will occur again when TLG is officially declared inactive in 1125.

[TinCow]

Ah, er... ok. So if I change the Library to show both TLG and Ibn-Khaldun now sworn to Smowz, would that be correct way of repairing the chain with Kosmas gone?

[Zim]

I think so, although TLG did mention he was considering leaving Asteri once here in the OOC thread, before disappearing. Not sure if that would count as a protest against reforming the chain.

Ah, er... ok. So if I change the Library to show both TLG and Ibn-Khaldun now sworn to Smowz, would that be correct way of repairing the chain with Kosmas gone?

[deguerra]

stop blowing holes in my ship!