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Ramon

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  1. Gottfried lamented the passing of his mentor. A few votive candles lit in Robert Baratheon Stroheim's memory.
  2. Gottfried Barclay muttered a prayer to Saint Tylos upon returning home the night all had transpired, hopeful that those living in Ravenmire, and whomever else had been addressed, would see sense and lay down their arms now that 'divine justice', as his kinsmen had called it, had been had.
  3. "All things restored through faith," Hummed Gottfried Barclay on the return journey to Kretzen, tired from having stood guard as talks preceding the signing of the treaty were held. He did not quite understand any of the wider political implications that had been discussed and agreed upon, still being too young and inexperienced, though, upon seeing his own kinsmen and the representatives of the Church satisfied with the outcome, felt glad much the same.
  4. Manfred Barclay WEPT upon hearing of his eldest (and favorite) son's death. "He led our people well. Saint Johann would be more than proud." He told himself after. The elderly Barclay gone to drink his sorrows over having outlived one of his children away thereupon.
  5. THE FINAL VISION As the bells of the City tolled outside, there echoed but a single call in response from the great Tower. Slow, yet rhythmic taps of a cane, followed by heavy, measured steps in pairs, disturbed the peace of the Hand of Horen and its many winding stairways. John of Aaun had never been one to hurry, to labor to arrive anywhere in haste - though his old age, that implacable curse of Man, left him little choice in the matter. Had there been another presence in the palace, they would have, no doubt, provided him a helping hand; but upon that day, much like any other, the King stubbornly persisted in his routine, and gave the servants and the other palace staff leave to prepare for that wedding marked by the joyous ringing. His mornings carried little variance, and John knew comfort in that practice, which reminded him of his days in the clergy. He rose early, and celebrated the day by giving thanks to the Lord; today, his prayer was especially zealous and earnest, and directed towards others; he asked for intercession and good tidings for his Realm first and foremost, his family, allies and friends. Only then would he commit to the business of the day. With an ever-weakening hand he signed off and sealed many an edict, a letter, a plea - a grant of charity to be distributed by those who had persisted in their clerical calling. Many a step had been traversed by the aged monarch, yet not enough to escape the threshold of the royal quarters, and his thoughts gave way to introspection. He felt his body withering and knew that he had little time left. “O Lord, have I done right by You?” asked he of his greatest benefactor and also of himself, directing his tired eyes upwards. He missed a step, and this lapse in attention was only corrected by a firm grasp of his cane. Still, his inquiry persisted, and was unshaken by the sound of the bell. Were his actions, and his life as he had lived it, admissible in the eyes of God? In his youth he wished for nothing more than to commit to a quiet life of piety among the clergy, though fate would not grant him this reprieve; a great evil befell the crown of his fathers, and the battered denizens of the Realm cried out for a savior. A hero to seize the throne, a knight of justice to avenge the fallen child-King and to lead Aaun into victory. There was none but him to shoulder this burden, and he accepted it with concealed hesitation, as a duty that transcended his calling as a priest. The crown of his fathers. John braved another step, and he called to mind the memory of his forefathers’ faces, and in this moment he felt their silent and judging gazes transcend even the doubt that he had strayed from God’s path. What was the path that they ordained for him? With heavy breaths and weighty footfall, he descended further down the Hand, past the many offices of councilors, and he recalled that its structure was envisioned by King Charles, his grandfather, and revised by King James, his father. Truly, he believed that its cumbersome height and the myriad of steps were crafted with intent, to weigh upon the body and soul of anyone who called himself King of Aaun, as much as the burden of that very calling. Were they proud of him? His father had had many expectations for all his children, yet never endeavored to share them publicly, though John knew he was never meant to bear the crown - merely be a guiding hand to his beloved brother, Henry, and his nephew, Edmund, in time. But both of them were measured, and both of them succumbed to the crushing weight of such a trial, for which they paid with their lives; not John, who was left to mend the broken pieces of a realm shattered by their failure. In that moment, he knew his mind would be at ease if he answered yes. He gave himself respite, both mental and physical, and he paused to gather his thoughts upon a step above the dining hall. When the crown was placed upon his brow, he acted with the swiftness and resolve few expected of a withdrawn priest. King John became the symbol of a restored realm, and his fervor was comparable to that of Owyn’s own: he became the sword of God, his mission ordained by the Church, and he excised the illness that was Stassion from Aaun with a single sweep. He raised the standard of Alstion, and his armies alongside that of his allies, and with great fury fell upon the traitors and oathbreakers; Anthill burned before his eyes, and schismatics were driven from the Heartlands. In peace, he knew victory still: the shackles of King Charles’s law were broken, and John was able to reforge the Realm as he wished. Descending further towards the great hall he recalled how his reforms gave the nobility new vigor, and how his persistence was celebrated by the common folk. He thought of how the Word of God had regained its importance in his domain, and he ruminated upon his friendship with the late Queen of the Petrans, which had sidelined the rivalry of their two peoples and paved the way forward to a glorious union, a Realm of all Heartlanders. Unity had always been the ambition of his venerable house. Though the days of the great Empire, that which was once usurped from his ancestors and then corrupted into a reviled name, have long since passed and would likely never return in their ancient glory, a sense of duty towards the peoples of the Heartlands persisted in the Alstion psyche; the notion that a home for the disparate Heartlander folk must be reforged as one nation, a realm in which those of Godwin’s blood would keep their heads raised high in honor as in days of yore. John knew that the tenets of the Faith were amenable to that notion as well, and that a united Heartland meant a prosperous Canondom. In his last days, he carried high hopes that those Heartlands would endure as his father had always believed they would, and that, by his heirs, they would become a great and pious country. With a final, trailing thought of hope, he reached the great doors of the Hand, and emerged beneath the shining sun. In the Chapel of Our Lady of Paradisus, surrounded by his family, he basked in the tranquility of that storied chantry and the holy ceremony, and felt empowered by their presence. He recalled the recent birth of his first grandchild, and that of the newly-arrived infants of his friends; in his thoughts he blessed the new generation and wished upon them great fortune, and hoped that in their company his children and his Queen would endure his passing. He murmured a prayer for his heir, Charles, that he might overcome the many tribulations he would face. His thoughts lingered even on his estranged child, James, and amidst the commotion of the wedding, he added a short prayer for him as well. The service concluded, and he rose from his seat, with some discomfort, to personally wish the newlyweds luck and prosperity in their married life. The gathering was restless, and with great anticipation awaited everyone’s departure. John, however, had a personal custom left to satisfy, one ingrained throughout the many years of his service as an ordained priest. He made his way to the altar and genuflected. In that moment, he felt sudden and immense comfort, a sort of radiant warmth which overtook his mind and which he could only describe as the Lord’s grace; he was overcome with emotion to the point of tears, and visions of greatness, a foretelling of a final, fortunate and victorious conclusion to the struggle of his progenitors, many centuries in the future, occupied his consciousness. But likewise a heavy numbness possessed his body, and no matter how hard he toiled, he could not rise again. The sudden feeling of horror subsided quickly as he convulsed and collapsed upon the floor. His family, those closest to him, were quick to rush to his side, tears welling in their eyes, and his eldest son took a hand into his own; with a last bout of consciousness, he reflected on his other son Alexander’s attempted aid and Cardinal Frantzisko above him uttering a litany - his last rites. A weak smile played on his lips, formed through the best of his ability. But soon, his eyes fell shut, and silence claimed him thereafter. John of Aaun was no more.
  6. "The cup of this temporary and fleeting life is bitter indeed," King John, ever a religious enthusiast, mused as a copy of the psalm was brought to him by an Albarosan priest. "Though having grown closer to Almighty GOD through the many tribulations makes it worth the struggle." He eventually concluded, resolving to preserve the copy of what Alexios had written in his personal library. "I think I'll keep this. It is well written."
  7. Letters Patent for the B A R O N Y O F A R T O I S Issued and Confirmed by His Apostolic Majesty, the King of Aaun on the 10th of Owyn’s Light, 1979 Know ye that We, of Our Special Grace, Royal Right, and mere motion do with good counsel by these Presents advance and create Our dearly beloved servant Philip Laurent Halcourt to the title BARON OF ARTOIS. And for Us, Our heirs and successors, do grant the said title Baron of Artois unto him and the heirs of his body lawful begotten that they may exercise and enjoy together with all privileges profits advantages due and of right belonging to the said degree. And We do also will by these Presents that for Us, Our heirs and successors, constitute and declare the bounds of the Barony aforesaid shall be the whole Castle Montresor and all buildings surrounding it that are located at the plateau beneath the Mont Saint Godwin. And further We will and by these Presents constitute and direct that for Us, Our heirs and successors, We tax them at the annual value of one hundred and fifty marks, and that a variable remainder may and shall be paid a year in marks or kind as directed. In Witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent Witness Ourself at the Hand of Horen the tenth of Owyn’s Light in the twenty-seventh year of Our Reign. ✿ Given under Our Royal Hand and Seal, this 10th of Owyn’s Light, 1979
  8. Decree of Induction into the Issued and Confirmed by His Apostolic Majesty, the King of Aaun on the 20th of Horen’s Calling, 1979 BE IT KNOWN that the privileges of Sovereignty that We enjoy the fruits of today were laboured by martyrs who suffered for Us; and many suffered cruelty and persecution in their lives; and many would suffer death. Let this be known, that martyrdom is not the fight of any cause: when blood is spilt it does not run the colour of flags. It is the struggle for human dignity and human worth; of human suffering against tyranny; of the humble against the arrogant; of the pious against those who would subvert Our faith. For this reason We have known and recognised the leaders of the Alstion Revolt - William of Alba, Ulrich of Alstreim, Maxim of the Attenlund - as martyrs since the time of King Charles. But in the struggle for freedom and faith, martyrdom surpasses the spheres of time. The Hero-City of Haverlock is gone and its Heroes are scattered, but their struggle remains. Our enemies have changed, but Our Royal Struggle is fixed. Our Modern Martyrs fight different wars, but their struggle remains the same. WHEREAS It is our Sovereign Duty and Royal Will to bestow Membership of the Immortal Order of Emperor Henry the Lion; BE IT KNOWN to all Our subjects, far and near, that We, John, by the Grace of God Apostolic King of Aaun, Prince of Alstion and Protector of the Realm do hereby proclaim the induction post-mortem of the Most Noble Edmund Alexander Alstion, Heinrich Lothar von Alstreim, Leopold Alexander Haverlock and Walter Vanderrecht into the Immortal Order of Emperor Henry the Lion as Martyrs. All aforementioned men were true paragons and symbolize the dignity that one places upon themselves as they combat against a struggle as old as time itself. Outnumbered by a traitorous force of Stassion renegades who stormed the Hand of Horen and surrounded the unarmed men in their session, they did not once falter in their duty to the Crown. Holding true to the values of the humble and pious, they became a bulwark against their corrupted adversaries that resorted to dishonor to sate their arrogance. In spite of the overwhelming odds, they courageously committed to warding off the unjust usurpers at the expense of their own lives until reinforcements could arrive to overcome the attackers. They collectively safeguarded the realm from a profane tyranny. With their deaths came the clarity that the struggle for worth and dignity, against tyranny, the arrogant, and the unfaithful, is an everlasting struggle in which we must all remain vigilant. For these martyrs, their justice would be served soon thereafter and the lands of the deceitful Prince reclaimed and borne anew with the fruit of virtue. We summon all Knights-Immortal to Our Royal Hand so that we may hold in procession their funerary hatchments and set it upon the altar; canticles will be sung in their honour; prayers will be said for them; plans to establish a monument discussed, and four eternal candles lit in their memory. Let the heralds proclaim it through Our shires, that all may bear witness to the decree of their knighthood as martyrs to Our Struggle. ✿ Given under Our Royal Hand and Seal, this 20th of Horen’s Calling, 1979
  9. "I love weddings." John of Aaun said. Happy to hear his former ward Catherine had found a match. Then thereafter turning to a courtier with a raised brow. "Who is Colonel Jaramy?"
  10. "It is good to hear that the House of Rosius is working to get back on their feet, and that Louisanne has finally finished construction," Mused John of Aaun (still on pilgrimage) after having glanced over the missive brought to him all the way at Reinmar. "May the good Lord grant their diligent work shall continue and herald in a new age of Auvergnian prosperity."
  11. "We really ought to come up with a new name for that old Stassion place," Mused John of Aaun after having an invite shoved in his face as he was preparing to leave on pilgrimage. "At least I ought to be back in time for the celebrations. All thanks be due to GOD."
  12. THE TREATY OF THE HINTERLANDS As agreed upon on this 20th day of Tobias’ Bounty of 1973 | 118 Between the Heartlander Confederation and the Principality of Reinmar ARTICLE I - SOVEREIGNTY The Heartlander Confederation and the Principality of Reinmar, henceforth referred to as ‘the signatories’, recognise each other’s sovereignty and the righteous rule of their domains. ARTICLE II - NON-AGGRESSION The signatories pledge to adhere to principles of peace between each other, thereby pledging not to wage war upon one another, nor to raise arms against one another or try to bring harm to the integrity of one another’s sovereign nation in any way, shape or form. And pledge that, in the event that any conflict between them should arise, such matters shall be solved through diplomacy first and foremost. ARTICLE III: MUTUAL DEFENSE The signatories agree to a defensive alliance. In which any hostilities from a third party against any one of them will be viewed as an attack against the whole. The signatories agree to settle any dispute between them or in which they may be involved through diplomatic means in such a manner of this alliance and the laws of signatories are not endangered. The signatories agree to consult together whenever, in the opinion of either of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of the signatories is threatened. ARTICLE IV: TRADE The signatories, wishing to promote free trade amongst one another and their people, pledge to allow the respective National Trading Companies of either signatory to own a tax-free stall within each other's domains. ARTICLE V - EXTRADITION The signatories pledge to aid one another in the case of extradition at given request and shall not lend assistance to known criminals in their hiding or escape from the appropriate powers. ARTICLE VI - DURATION This treaty shall be in effect from the moment it is signed, and shall be in effect for 20 years. Her Royal Majesty, Catherine I, by the Grace of GOD, Queen of the Petra, Marquise de Val d’Estenou, Countess of Temesch and Moere, Viscountess of Mies, Baroness of Garmont, Valfleur, Vallagne-en-Petra, Eagles Peak, Brasca, Hrenthorne, Resmore, and of the Phoenixspire, Protector of the Meadows, Defender of Liberty His Apostolic Majesty, John I, by the Grace of GOD, Apostolic King of Aaun, Prince of Alstion, Duke of Vienne, the Lowlands, Balemena and Corazon, Count of Whitespire, Enswerp and Florentine, Baron of Blanchet, Protector of the Realm HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, ALFRED, Prince in Reinmar and of Sutica, Duke of Reinmar, Count of Kretzen and Freimark, Baron of Madvon and Freising, Lord of Sankt Johannsburg, Neuburg, Wilheburg, Erwinsburg, Freiburg, and Rozenfeld, High Chieftain of the Reinmaren HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, LEON, Prince in Reinmar and of Minitz, Count of Neu Brandthof, Viscount of Tucay, Baron of Hussen and Boriënwald, Lord of Durres, Chieftain of the Reinmaren, Warden of the Franklands and Ferdenwald
  13. THE TREATY OF NEW VALDEV As agreed upon on this 14th day of Tobias’ Bounty 1973 | 14th day of Gronna ag Droba of 526 E.S. Between the Heartlander Confederation and the Dual Monarchy of Hanseti-Ruska ARTICLE I - SOVEREIGNTY The Heartlander Confederation and the Dual Monarchy of Hanseti-Ruska, henceforth referred to as ‘the signatories’, recognise each other’s sovereignty and the righteous rule of their domains. ARTICLE II - NON-AGGRESSION The signatories pledge to adhere to principles of peace between each other, thereby pledging not to wage war upon one another, nor to raise arms against one another or try to bring harm to the integrity of one another’s sovereign nation in any way, shape or form. And pledge that, in the event that any conflict between them should arise, such matters shall be solved through diplomacy first and foremost. ARTICLE III: MUTUAL DEFENSE The signatories agree to a defensive alliance. In which any hostilities from a third party against any one of them will be viewed as an attack against the whole. The signatories agree to settle any dispute between them or in which they may be involved through diplomatic means in such a manner of this alliance and the laws of signatories are not endangered. The signatories agree to consult together whenever, in the opinion of either of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of the signatories is threatened. ARTICLE IV - EXTRADITION The signatories pledge to aid one another in the case of extradition at given request and shall not lend assistance to known criminals in their hiding or escape from the appropriate powers. ARTICLE V - DURATION This treaty shall be in effect from the moment it is signed, and shall be in effect for 20 years. Her Royal Majesty, Catherine I, By the Grace of GOD, Queen of the Petra, Marquise de Val d’Estenou, Countess of Temesch and Moere, Viscountess of Mies, Baroness of Garmont, Valfleur, Vallagne-en-Petra, Eagles Peak, Brasca, Hrenthorne, Resmore, and of the Phoenixspire, Protector of the Meadows, Defender of Liberty His Apostolic Majesty, John I, by the Grace of GOD, Apostolic King of Aaun, Prince of Alstion, Duke of Vienne, the Lowlands, Balemena and Corazon, Count of Whitespire, Enswerp and Florentine, Baron of Blanchet, Protector of the Realm HIS ROYAL MAJESTY, Ivan VIII, by the Grace of Godan, King of Hanseti and Ruska, Lord Protector of the Covenant of Man, Grand Hetman of the Army, Hochmeister of the Order of the Crow, Prince of Bihar, Dules, Lahy, Muldav, Slesvik, Solvesborg, and Ulgaard, Duke of Carnatia, and Vanaheim, Margrave of Korstadt, Rothswald, and Vasiland, Count of Alban, Alimar, Baranya, Graiswald, Karikhov, Karovia, Kaunas, Kavat, Kovachgrad, Markev, Nenzing, Siegrad, Torun, Toruv, Valdev, and Werdenburg, Viscount of Varna, Baron of Astfield, Buck, Esenstadt, Kraken’s Watch, Kralta, Krepost, Lorentz, and Rytsburg, Lord of the Westfolk, Protector and Lord of the Highlanders, etcetera. HER ROYAL MAJESTY, Nataliya of Ghaestenwald, Queen-Consort of Hanseti and Ruska, Grand Hetman of the Army, Hochmeister of the Order of the Crow, Princess-Consort of Bihar, Dules, Lahy, Muldav, Solvesborg, Slesvik and Ulgaard, Duchess-Consort of Carnatia and Vanaheim, Margravine-Consort of Korstadt, Rothswald, and Vasiland, Countess-Consort of Alban, Alimar, Baranya, Graiswald, Karikhov, Karovia, Kaunas, Kavat, Kovachgrad, Kvasz, Markev, Nenzing, Torun, Toruv, Valdev, and Werdenburg, Viscountess-Consort of Varna, Baroness-Consort of Esenstadt, Kraken’s Watch, Kralta, Krepost, Lorentz, Rytsburg, and Astfield, Lady of the Westfolk, Protector and Lady of the Highlanders, etcetera.
  14. "A controversial decision, to be sure," John of Aaun mused, though, being a zealot, was ultimately supportive. "But a based one also. I see sense in it. Almighty GOD willing all others will also."
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