BenevolentManacles

The Archchancellor sends a letter to the High Pontiff, grateful for his dedication to the GOD’s flock and His ministry!

The Third Session of the Imperial Council ”Perhaps we should drink more at next Council, we’d be more creative,” – Ser John The third session of the Imperial Council begins at the behest of the Emperor-in-Council. His Imperial Majesty directs the Archchancellor to begin his reports, and the councilors offer their advice and so on. Foreign Affairs The Archchancellor and councillors agree to continue seeking peaceful resolution with the dwarven Kingdom despite the previous diplomatic blunder. John Alexander’s request for apology and peace in a private meeting with the Archchancellor is denied by the council until he and Tiberius denounce the Phoenix Band and bar the chaotic parties from the lands formerly known as Guise. The Archchancellor and Imperial Viceroy are directed by the Emperor that the bodies of the Rubern coalition should be treated with peace before anything. He seeks an effort to bring them into the fold rather than destroy them with impunity. The Lord Justiciar is directed to bring a company to the wood elves of Irrinor in an effort to capitalize on the positive relations that the Lord Great Viceroy had started this past year. Domestic Affairs The Council first discussed the particulars of the reconstruction of Helena; The new city plans are well underway under the visage of Prince Rubert The Emperor and High Pontiff agree that the new Cathedral shall be named an Archbasilica The Imperial Admiral, King Pierce of Curon, and the Emperor agreed to the construction of canals from Helena to Haense to Curon in an effort to create a free passage for the Imperial Fleet throughout the various Kingdoms. This plan is pending the completion of the Imperial Railway. The Imperial Admiral declared that the size of the Imperial Fleet is planned to more than double in the coming years, and their shipbuilders are mobilizing. He is directed by the Emperor to continue his efforts in earnest. The Council and Emperor agree there shall be a ball held in the Emperor’s honor, accompanied by Imperial wargames to honor the Emperor’s birthday. This is assigned to the Lord Mayor to organize in absentium, as well as the Imperial Fieldmarshal. King Adrian of Kaedrin informs the council the matter of the ratmen of Ves has grown worse, and they have begun to take up residence in the newly constructed tunnel that would soon be housing the Alfred Myre Memorial Railway. The Imperial Fieldmarshal is directed to create a coalition of men from the Empire to battle this menace and ensure it does not continue to spread. Laertes, Executor of the Crown, took issue with the new captain of the Helena Constabulary also being elected to the position of Mayor. The Council agreed that until such a time that the conflict becomes problematic in practice, the Lord Mayor shall be allowed to hold both offices for now. The Council is adjourned at the behest of the Emperor, as all matters of import have been discussed. The Councillors dispatch to perform their assigned duties and otherwise delegate the completion of them. Issued by the office of the Imperial Chancellery

To the people of the Holy Orenian Empire; The Empire and the Durant Trading Co. have begun the process of laying track in the tunnel dug between Ves and Helena. With such a vast project at hand, material and men are necessary. Diligent contractors may find their way to the Imperial Palace this coming Saint’s Day (Saturday 5:30 PM PST) to discuss business with the Imperium. The contractors will then each provide the Empire in person with a price offer per-ingot, in private. The best price wins. Should it be discovered the contractors shared their offered prices to rig the system, or the pricing offered dictates that was the most likely case, those contractors will be barred from the contract. Multiple contractors may be selected. The requirement to be considered a legal contractors are; They are based in the Holy Orenian Empire They are in good standing with whichever vassal of the Empire holds jurisdiction over them They may be a vassal of the Empire The contract shall end once the Empire has reached the current desired count of ingots necessary for the completion of this section of the railway. Issued and confirmed by the Office of the Archchancellor, for the completion of the d’Arkent Manifesto, and the good of the Empire In partnership with the Durant Railway Co.

A small missive would be delivered to the Renatian scribe. John Alexander, I wish to offer you the most supreme condolences. I speak most honestly and truthfully when I say that your daughter and wife were people I appreciated dearly, despite their lack of empathy or foresight. I still pray often for them. I felt the love in your household, and the grace you impart to your kin was why I grew somewhat fond of you folk, who halted my father’s siege and gave me the scars I have from so many years ago. You ask for us to dispatch the title your regime held as its crownlands. Yet you know, dear Alexander, we can not do that. If we surrendered such a title, it would be floating about, to pass between the vagabonds of the old regime till such a time that they could galvanize some support to attempt to seize their old influence. His Imperial Majesty will never surrender that title. To be frank, for all your wisdom, I wonder why you ask, as though it were some show of faith where no faith has been shown before. I wish only that you had seen the error you had made when you stood there on the walls of Helena years ago, the chaos that those who slipped into the shadows of your court caused. Yet you were complacent, where you could have been stalwart. I have done worse, but not such that caused so much bloodshed. The meeting you had recently was merely another assembly of the same, as your missive shows. I had hoped you would learn your lesson, come prostrate yourself before the Emperor and learn of His Imperial Majesty’s mercy. Yet no, you consort with them still. Why would you do this? Either you have fooled yourself, or your motives are false and you are a member of the den of snakes that I had thought you were trapped in against your will. God bless you, and your wife and child. You will find eternal joy in the Seven Skies, as all we repentant sinners do. Ser John d’Arkent, Archchancellor, On behalf of the Regency Council of the Holy Orenian Empire

The Archchancellor cancels the assassins.

<>------<>------<> Rally the Crownlands <>------<>------<> Baldwin the Black and Blessed Steffan Himmel lead a charge on the fleeing Tartar forces during the Iron Crusade. Soldiers of the late Imperial Legion, Vassals of the crownlands, Men who wish to serve, You are called to rally at the Imperial Palace. The particulars of the meeting are regarding the evaluation and reorganization of the security of Helena and the vassals that hug her walls. ((5PM EST, Wednesday, July 24th))

Office of the Imperial Chancellery William Alstion reading his drafts to the first Privy Council of Alexander II <>------<>------<>------<> Prelude <>------<>------<>------<> Since the First Empire of the Exalted Prophet Godfrey, the office of the Imperial Chancellor has gone through many different iterations, yet almost always the position has served as the Emperor’s right hand. Imperial Chancellors have shaped the Orenian states and maintained the Emperor’s will and rule of law for hundreds of years. They have acted as a shadow that whispers sweet things and manipulates the realm, and as nepotists seeking to further the betterment of themselves and their kin. So we of the Office of the Imperial Chancellery, in service to the Empire once again, shake off the dust of inaction and ineptitude plaguing the decades previous and put forward a body of pragmatism, transparency, and good will. “The man makes the office, my son, not the other way around.” - Bishop Iosif Roiye to his pupil, a young John I, months before his ascension to the throne. <>------<>------<>------<> The Imperial Archchancellor <>------<>------<>------<> The Archchancellor operates as the Emperor’s executive hand in all matters, superseded only by the authority of the Emperor himself. He has the secular authority to remove, replace, alter, and reform the Privy Council and its many offices, and delegate to the Privy Council the particular affairs of their office, including their immediate directives should it be necessary. He is the minister of all foreign affairs and diplomatic matters, with the authority to appoint and dismiss ambassadors at will. He may rally the Empire’s vassals and command the Emperor’s forces. If the Emperor is incapable and has no appointed regent, the Imperial Archchancellor is first in line for the regency. <>------<>------<>------<> The Lord Great Viceroy <>------<>------<>------<> Where the Imperial Archchancellor is the Emperor’s hand, the Lord Great Viceroy is the Imperial Archchancellor’s hand. His authority is superseded only by the Imperial Archchancellor, exempting exceptions made by the Imperial Archchancellor or the Emperor himself. In the absence of the Imperial Archchancellor, he chairs the meetings of the Privy Council. He may not, however, dismiss Privy Councillors or members of other institutions of Imperial Government. He is the minister of all internal diplomatic affairs regarding inter-vassal and Empire-vassal relationships. He may offer directives to diplomats to foreign nations, with the approval of the Imperial Archchancellor. King John ‘the Bastard’ of Vandoria, accepting the fealty of the Caliph in the wake of the Qali spring. <>------<>------<>------<> The Diplomatic Corps <>------<>------<>------<> Ambassadors assigned to foreign nations report directly to the Imperial Archchancellor. The vassals of the Empire hold close diplomatic ties to the Imperial Crown, and so any ambassadors to specific vassals shall be appointed only when necessary, and dismissed when they are no longer needed. Privy Councillors and members of nobility may be assigned as ambassadors as in addition to whatever other duties they have. Ambassador to the Underkingdom: Vacant Ambassador to Haelun’or: Vacant Ambassador to the Princedom of Fenn: Vacant Ambassador to the Trade Princedom of Sutica: Vacant Ambassador to the Wood Elves: Vacant Ambassador to Llyria: Vacant Ambassador to the Iron Uzg: Vacant Ambassador to Vira’ker: Vacant “Teach your enemy; it is in his best interest to at least pretend to be your friend.” - King Francis I <>------<>------<>------<> Office Administration <>------<>------<>------<> The Imperial Archchancellor appoints individuals to handle the day-to-day necessities of administration. They wield no executive authority and serve as assistants to the Imperial Archchancellor, Lord Great Viceroy, and the members of the diplomatic corps. Secretary: Vacant Manages the personal affairs of the Imperial Archchancellor. Clerk: Vacant Makes appointments, organizes meetings and keeps the physical office in order. Courier: Vacant Delivers and receives message on behalf of the office.

The First Imperial Privy Council For Public Account Sun’s Smile, 1725 Imperial Fieldmarshal Adrian Sarkozic, recounting the Siege of Helena to lounging councillors. APPOINTMENTS New Appointments: The Council begins at the behest of the Archchancellor Ser John d’Arkent, who proclaims the first meeting of the Imperial Privy Council begun. The first matter is to instate the proper officers for the roles they have been thus far promised, or otherwise appointed by the Archchancellor by recommendation. Jan Haas, by virtue of his legal prowess witnessed by the Archchancellor, to the role of Lord Justiciar Cardinal Saint-John Parell, by the recommendation of the High Pontiff, and by his own display of fervor, to the role of Lord State Treasurer Bruno the Bold, by the recommendation of the High Pontiff and Prince Adrian I of Ves, to the role of Grand Knight William Alstion, by virtue of his scriptural prowess as displayed in his writing the documents of the previous regime, to the role of Lord Privy Seal Ser Thomas Raleigh, pending a release from his Haensetic vows, to Nauzican Commander Previous Appointments: The Archchancellor then describes those who have already been appointed by letter or in person, but are in absentium. Adrian of Temesch, by virtue of his military capability, loyalty and virtue, to the role of Imperial Fieldmarshal Siguard Cardinal Reza, by the High Pontiff’s will, to the role of Papal Legate High Chamberlain: With the conclusion of these appointments, the only remaining seat left vacant was the office of High Chamberlain. By the suggestion of the Lord State Treasurer and the Archchancellor, the Lord Privy Seal was assigned to draft an invitation to the butlers, housekeepers, and keykeepers of the Empire to apply for an interview for the position of High Chamberlain. DOMESTIC AFFAIRS City Organization: With the appointment of the Lord State Treasurer, the Archchancellor assigned him to draft the necessary documents and legal codes that would detail the functions and institutions of a proper Imperial Capital. The Imperial Privy Seal was assigned to format and finalize the Lord State Treasurer’s draft. Military Organization: The Archchancellor outlined the plan to consolidate the still existent Imperial Legion into the new city regime. This includes; Allowing the Legionnaires a trial period, where merit and value to the cause will determine individual soldier’s viability once the period has ended. The organization of a new city force stationed in Helena, under the supervision of the Imperial Fieldmarshal, which the Legionnaires who succeed in their task shall be eligible for. Vassal Consolidation: With the assistance of the Imperial Fieldmarshal, the Lord Great Viceroy was assigned in absentium, by the Archchancellor, to lead the charge in consolidating the direct vassals of the crownlands and otherwise establish communications necessary to ensure the fealty of the remaining vassals which remain quiet during this time of change. Knightly Affairs: The Grand Knight was assigned by the Archchancellor to draft the Knightly Codes of the Empire, with the supervision of the Lord Justiciar to ensure practicality and legality. Imperial Guard: The Commander of the Nauzica Brigade, was tasked by the Archchancellor with drafting the proper handbooks and codes necessary for the operation of a respectable guard to the Emperor, his Privy and family, pending Ser Thomas Raleigh’s release from his Haensetic oath, which he expressed he will request within the fortnight. FOREIGN AFFAIRS In an effort to preserve the security of the state during this transitionary period, the Foreign Affairs section was stricken from the public record. Issued by the Office of the Imperial Archchancellory, Ser John d’Arkent

Municipal Amnesty Act To the people of Helena, By the righteous grace of GOD and the will of the Emperor, we greet you. You have too many times changed liege, too many times been plunged into war, and we know that another change in regime may leave poor taste in your mouth. However, in this period of transition, we hope to instigate unity and an opportunity to continue your lives as you always have. Thus, we do declare; All stewards, haywards, clerks, city officials may apply with the new Imperial Regime to maintain their position, or one similar to it, within the City of Helena and the Imperial Demesne. All officers, guardsmen, soldiers and others may apply with the new Imperial Regime to maintain their position, or one similar to it, within the City of Helena and the Imperial Demesne. Businesses, guilds, and tavern owners will retain all their rights to their property and wealth. All property owners are subject to evaluation to ensure all of Helena’s properties are used for their intended purposes. The people of Helena are hereby granted the right to trial, life and liberty. Any man or woman of Helena is free to leave, and not be harassed or persecuted. For those seeking to continue your service to the city, contact the Archchancellor (TangoIsPointless#3468, or IRP forum reply in letter form) or another officer of the Imperium to be considered.

Ser John scribes his name on the dotted line.

Agreed! Two people living in Arcas who attack eachother’s homeland and brutally accuse and ravage each other would never cooperate. But, you and I can have a good talk about how we can make our in roleplay conflict fun for both of us, in a myriad of ways, totally at your discretion as long as you agree!

The cool thing is, if you and your bandit target are cordial ooc you can work out bigger raids, events, situations, and just take over the whole thing so long as everyone’s making an effort to make a story, which is what we’re here for. You can draft your whole own set of bandit rules that you and that nation leader can agree to, and get exactly what you want out of it, insofar as everyone thinks it’s fair and can turn it into a fun experience.

I’ll have a full post on this thread later today, but I just wanna say a few things. This system was designed to motivate people to cooperate, and where they aren’t interested in cooperating we can surmise that the conflict will not be a healthy endeavor. The incentive to cooperating is you can do WHATEVER YOU WANT. You can decide your warclaims on Mount and Blade. You can decide it by a duel between two champions. Your rules guys. if you’re upset that you can’t impose conquest or war on others, that’s not an unreasonable thing to be upset about. I would say, though, that I would rather make an effort towards making a happy, healthy community that tries to work together to make interesting roleplay. Better that then the constant toxicity. This will work, or it won’t. If it works, that’s a huge win, and if we fail, we go back to the drawing board. But the system we have now is just not viable.

“Ah, yes, of course! Thank you comrade!” He pats the man on the back.

The man, who is presumably beside John as he is speaking to him directly, would receive a bright grin, “Perhaps they are not independent, but a significant group with cultural differences and necessities that should be consulted. In my opinion! What better way to sew peace?”

John shrugs as he reads the document, “The spirit of this is good, but without inviting Haense, this cannot truly be an effort towards healing wounds and establishing unity in the wake of such a divisive war. I can only hope there is no ulterior motive.”

John reads the Principles of the Ministry, outlined in the dogma of the Church, two sections standing out to him with regard to the unfaithful; “The Ministry of GOD is not confined to those of the Canonist Sect. Though the body is named the Church of the Canon due to its adherence to the Canon Scrolls, it is also a body by which all, faithful and unfaithful, may learn of GOD and His glory.” “The Ministry of GOD is not a body by which persecution and prejudice is born. It shall accept all races, peoples, and faiths as children of GOD, and show them His affection through tolerance, charity, mercy, and love. It shall, however, accept that the heathen and heretic are without love for GOD, and will admonish them.”

John notes the declaration, nodding his head. “Proud of you, cousin!”

A small letter would be posted nearby, likely delivered by the men of the Imperium Renatum, for others to see. To the people of Arcas, I, John, the bastard son of Joseph, henceforth condemn the actions of the Marnan dynasty in their war against the Imperium Renatus. My father was a farce of a statesman and a weak leader of men, and his councillors were bumbling buffoons who acted out of pride, and were incompetent beyond belief. I do also condemn the Haense resistance, for each day that passes more bloodshed is spilled, and they have already lost this war. Return to the fold and find peace under the Imperium Renatum. I do also declare my belief in the primacy of the Johannean line, and abandon my name d’Arkent, as it symbolizes the failed line of Joseph Marna and marks me as his progeny. ~ Ser John d’Nowhere

Master Vinir, Please locate myself in Ves, Guise, or the surrounding areas to begin your interview process; Ser John d’Arkent

Master Nikovich, Please find me and my men in Ves or the surrounding areas, and we will begin your interview processes. Ser John d’Arkent

Letters are sent out to those marked above individually; Applicant, Please attend me this Saint’s Day to go over your application and eligibility for recruitment. I will be in Ves and the surrounding area, you can send a bird for me. Ser John d’Arkent (TangoIsPointless)

On the Pertinaxi Ser John d’Arkent I previously wrote a childish poem in which I berated Mister Godfrey Staunton for his many deformities and failings, and have come to realize that this is not how grown men should treat each other. I seek to address on a more serious note, now that I have spent the last few years growing and learning the humanity that this war seeks to liberate from Pertinax. You see, I was filled with deep hatred and anger unfettered, but also uneducated. Now I am married, and my wife, Evie Devereux, has taught me that Curonia is not an evil place, but merely misled. I’ve surmised that Renatus is the same, and that to hate you lot is as uneducated as to hate the ground that gives me an ache in my back when I fall into a drunken slumber upon it. I am the baseborn son of the man you name reprobate. You call him ‘Joey’, and you are lucky you are not a boy with a stupid grin calling him that, or you lot’d surely not get the right to trial that my father has promised you. I am also a Knight, though it’d seem that’s something that means little to anyone anymore. All the same, the war we fight is for a fine reason fundamentally, on both sides. Renatus fights because if they lose, they will lose their Empire. We fight because if we win, we will liberate people from what we see is tyranny with no care for progress, and who we feel has wronged too many people in violent and murderous ways too many times. If I were born and bastard of Pertinax, I’m sure I’d fight just as violently as I fight for my father. What confuses me is why the the average citizen would side with you lot, the Pertinaxi-Staunton regime. You are not compassionate. You do not show love. You have used violence to subjugate and punish. You have failed to show true love for GOD, and thus lost the love of His Ministry. You do not care for the right to trial or liberty, and some would say you care nothing for the right to life. When the choice is given directly to him, my father would never order a criminal’s execution; he would instead put him to trial, for the people to decide. How can it be so that your way is preferable to my father’s? I came to discover this as an example; Curon does not take the side of Pertinax because they love, they take it because they fear that if you were victorious, you would take their home, or their Kingdom, and so on. My personal opinion would be that this makes them very weak-willed. I have come to the conclusion then, that the reason many have taken sides has nothing to do with our personal values. Many of your people would likely approve of my father’s ideals for the Empire, yet they are loyal to you through either fear, oaths, or a sense of belonging. My father is not soft, and has shown rage before, I would know better than any. Yet, hatred seems so distant from him, it is strange and almost inhuman. He is a man, though, and so it is easy to pick apart his failings and name him unfit to rule, or greedy, or hungry for power. It would be easy to do so of any man you did not know personally, and through knowing may have learned otherwise. Such is our nature. You are willing to use the simpler and easier to evoke unity. You demonize my father and evoke hatred to consolidate your people and gather allies. You point towards my father and his allies and say ‘destroy them, reclaim our Empire!’ My father points to you and says, ‘Build a better world than this.’ You would make a desert and call it peace. This seems a fine reason to oppose you, and I’m sure even if he were not my father, I’d side with good old Joey any day.

~ The Amber Cold, 1716 ~ To Resolve One’s Self Dear Veronica, Much has happened since I wrote you last. My sister has come to Ves now, and she is as I recall her; tenacious in her love for her uniqueness, and worried for her family. How wise she is for her age, to be so worried. We spoke for awhile, and she cried to me. She did not want father or I to be hurt. I love her dearly, and it broke my heart. The whole thing was brought on by Darius Ault’s assault on a girl of Ves. I hardly think the woman was a threat, but this so-called Knight punished her for the crime of being Adrian by taking her hand. What a grotesque excuse for a person. But the true harm he'd done was to make my sister cry, and for that I will ensure he is incapacitated beyond doing such in the very near future. My brother, Henry, is here now as well. He served as my squire during a skirmish, insisting he would join in battle. It was the only way to keep him from harm's way. 'Hold my extra sword, hold my horse's reigns,' I told him, and he did as he was told, taking great pride in it. I love him dearly, too. I got what I wanted. Father approved of my marriage with a Princess of Curon, and we began courtship. Yet even as I longed for such esteemed marriage, even as baseborn as I am, I grow tired of her. She cares deeply for me, and I can not bring myself to care for her the same. In fact, I'm yet still entranced by another woman, a physician with some magical power, named Amora. 'My charm would have her, if she were not so inhuman,' I thought. Little did I know she was literally not human. I gave confession to a priest of Ves, Father Lochran. He was wise, and taught me how to quell my rage towards the Pertinaxi dogs, and my effort to fill the hole that you have left behind. I've resolved to do good by who I can in a more practical way. The building I've acquired at a cheap price due to the previous owner's corporate liquidation is required to have commercial purpose; I can not simple use it as a manor, according to city law. I've decided to use it as a location through which I can perform charitable endeavors, and to start, I will be providing free food to the city en masse. Perhaps focusing myself on GOD's work will quell the insatiable desire to ruin myself that leaves me wanting. Though despite all my love for GOD, I do not think this fight I'm having with myself will be over for some time. With eternal love, John