Nolan_

THE RUTHERN ABDICATION OF 427 ES Issued by the DUKE OF VIDAUS On this 5th day of Joma ag Umund of 427 E.S. BY BONES AND BARROWS, This will come as no surprise to most, especially in light of my friend Eirik’s abdication and my own lack of presence in court. Like my father taught me, there’s naught to gain from shirking away from reality and holding on to a good thing when you are unable to give it the respect and dedication it deserves. It is a privilege I have held for too long to my shame but no longer. Without my wife Marie, who kept my lands in check when I was unable to and provided me with a confidante and advisor the likes of which I have failed to find since, my ability to lead is lacking. In turn, my age has begun to catch up with me and I have been diagnosed with an incurable disease, further affecting my ability to remain as patriarch. I would like my last few months or years to be devoted to helping my son, Mikhail, and spend what little time I have left with my children and grandchildren. Thus I, as Duke of Vidaus, proclaim the following: I. That I, Rhys II Mikhail var Ruthern, abdicate all of my titles, that of Duke of Vidaus, Count of Metterden, Viscount of Greyspine, Baron of Rostig, to my rightful heir, Mikhail Tuvya var Ruthern. SIGNED, His Lordship, Rhys Mikhail var Ruthern

"Damn Orenian Koenas spelling it the Orenian way. Marus, nie 'I'." comments the aging Duke of Vidaus.

Marie's husband, Rhys, sat atop the distinct hill top in Vidaus, just outside the Druzstra keep. His gaze lingered on the still water and the soft swelling of it in and out of a creek. Despite his sombre feelings the weather was nothing but blissful with clear skies and a lack of snow for as far North as he was in Almaris. A contradiction to the happiness all shared on the day of the royal wedding, the Ruthern Duke had slunk off at his earliest convenience to perch himself on the frequented spot as of late. Rhys var Ruthern had faced hardships a plenty in his life, from the loss of his mother at a young age right into an at odds relationship with his late father, a father hailed as a hero despite his missteps as a parent. None of those struck him as hard as the untimely loss of his wife, a bastion in his life and a paragon of a mother and confidante. Maybe the hurt was made worse by the harm he'd caused the innocent, gentle figure, one that had stood beside him despite his own faults; of which there were many, there was no doubt of that. For the first time in a long time, tears welled in his reddened eyes, his breathing faltering whilst he wallowed in the fact that he'd proven that a person did not truly know a good thing until they had lost it. He arose abruptly and bent to place the bunch of roses he'd plucked out of the gardens on the grave he'd been haunting like a bound spirit for the last handful of days. He'd made sure that the bouquet had two very specific creatures in the bloom, a ladybird of red and one of orange. A sad but happy memory of a time long gone brought back to the forefront of his thoughts with them. His fingers traced the grooves that read 'Duchess Marie - dame, mother, perfect' before he stood back up straight. Walking away, the unworthy husband said "Until tomorrow, dear."

Rhys var Ruthern curses himself as he forgot to tell his son to add the Baron of Siegradz' Angry Savoyard Bird tunic to the list of demands.

Duke Rhys var Ruthern smiled. "The first step in restoring the mend between our two branches."

Issued by the DUKE OF VIDAUS On this 11th day of Joma ag Umund of 419 E.S To the Duke of Reinmar, In the last of the Lifstala presentations, Lord Mikhail var Ruthern - my son, heir and anointed Nikirala Stag of the season as decided upon by a committee comprising yourself and your wife - delivered upon House Barclay words of insults. These insults were harsh indeed but not unprovoked as you so claim, for it was you who began by insinuating that my son was unworthy, insulting the Prinzenas Klara needlessly in the same breath. The faults of the House Barclay include; I. Initiating the round of insults against Mikhail var Ruthern. II. Inferring that the titular title ‘Prince of Sutica’ is of import. III. The Duke’s failure to possess a spine in his own decision making, namely in the selection of the Nikirala Stag. IV. The Duke’s submissiveness as to only challenge the House of Ruthern and not the Grand Prinzen who also insulted your house, naming your wife, the Duchess, a harlot. V. The Duke’s overly fragile ego, so delicate that a fifteen year old’s words threaten the Marshal of our realm. VI. Needlessly insulting a member of the Royal Family in the amalgamation of House Barclay’s hubris. The House of Ruthern is not so honourless as to indulge your demands for an apology, be it in gold or ink. Instead, as the challenged, we demand you take it in blood. As you wish for a lawful compromise, we propose the following; The five greatest of the children of Ruther, pitted against five of the Barclay line. Choose them wisely, Duke of Reinmar. And know that should you refuse these terms, the Haeseni shall know your cowardice. Choose honour, your Grace. SIGNED, His Excellency, Rhys II Mikhail var Ruthern, Lord Speaker of Hanseti-Ruska, Duke of Vidaus, Count of Metterden, Viscount of Greyspine, Lord of Druzstra

Rhys var Ruthern feels a nagging sensation in the back of his head, similar to the voice of his dead father telling him to comment on the missive. "Nice."

skin: yarr! bid: 150 mina discord: Nolan#1798

He screamed at me in vc cause he kept hitting me in the warzone instead of the enemy, totally his fault.

Whilst Rhys will not remember his father fondly, he will admit he did a great deed for his Kingdom this day.

Rhys rolled his eyes outside Marie's view as his wife balled hers out into his chest. Once she'd went off, he frowned down with great distaste at the snot left on his shirt.

"Pleasure doing business." He remarks to the new uruk brethren.

"I do not think you got my letter before otherwise you would have seen that I encouraged you to read the letter again, it's about facilitating the church in Haense. And if you had read the transcript I gave you as well you would see that is was most certainly not 'largely considered a discussion on how to neuter the influence of faith'. Despite your misunderstanding, again, I'm starting to think you're not only rash but a bit a soft in the head as well. I'm not sure someone who caused a schism through 'bad advice' can be considered a very good Canonist so I think I'll listen to the Pontiff you tried to depose over you; a failed schismatic." "The letters were not distasteful just because they said you were wrong. Most did not even mention that it was a show in itself how far your nation had fallen that you were allowed to retain your position despite nearly causing the death of Everard VI if the Haeseni men and women had not been there." The Lord Speaker's eyes linger over the 'crimes and heathen behaviour' part, lips curling into an amused grin. "Those in glass houses should not throw stones. It is not my sovereign who is excommunicated and yet I still follow blindly."

NO HONOUR IN BLAME KRUZAE ZWY KONGZEM Issued by the Office of the Lord Speaker On this 10th of Vzmey and Hyff, 403 E.S. TO THE ARCHCHANCELLOR OF ORENIA, Upon reading your letter to the Curia, it is felt that on behalf of the Lords of Haense and the common Canonist people, that the Speaker of the Duma - as Grand Peer - should respond to your claims. On the claims made, In your letter you claim ‘The Kingdom of Haense, not but a saints week ago was deciding how to cast the Church from it's very halls, how valiant of them to have a change of faith.’ It was with great dismay that I can safely write that all of our Kingdom read your critical words. Critical words that have no basis in fact, and it dawns on us that the ‘Brothers Quarrel’ that you refer to is one-sided and the citizens of our fine Kingdom stand with the Church of the Canon, but yet still hold no ill will to the truly devout within the Empire, just as His Holiness similarly feels. What we do take offence to is the accusations you throw, doubly so from a position as precarious as your own as you yourself confessed to being unable to distinguish between falsities and truths when counseling the Emperor Philip III ‘unwisely’ leading to the short-lived schism that you and your government propagated. With that said, we can only assume that another instance of this unwise decision making has taken place within your government again and led you to the erroneous outcome that the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska had, ever, debated on casting out the one true church from our lands. One must also point out that this is a substantial, insulting claim to make with no proof presented and to the knowledge of all within our Kingdom false. With your mention of this occurring ‘not but a saints week ago’ the conclusion must be drawn that you are referring to the most recent 402 E.S sitting of the XXXIV Session of the Royal Duma wherein King Sigismund’s, the new Defender of the Faith’s, letter on ‘The Church’ was discussed with the pious monarch taking the utmost care to make clear that this was merely to consider how the Aulic Council and Kingdom as a whole may better facilitate the Church as well as spread the Canonist message better throughout the Haeseni lands. You may make reference to the letter in question and the transcript from said sitting to properly show you the error you have made. I can guarantee that if one in the Duma hall did speak out against the irrefutable truth that Canonism is the one true religion or against GOD then I would see them escorted to the cells myself. If that is not enough to display that you were wholly wrong in your claim, then I must insist that you make the proof for your allegations public so that we may refute them properly. On the letter as a whole, As stated previously, it is not the wish of the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska to see the devout go without the light of GOD; if it is felt that we are profiting from such then we are sorry you feel this way. By no means, however, do we regret any of the actions we have taken in the time since this unfortunate turmoil has started. We also praise the vassals of Oren and Savoy that stayed loyal to GOD’s true High Pontiff, Everard VI and pray that their liege complies with the generous offer of penance that he has offered to Emperor Philip. We, in the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, wish wholeheartedly that he accepts to allow the Church to perform its duties once more for the betterment of all the faithful that have rallied behind their true High Pontiff. We appeal unto you, Archchancellor - Godan is forgiving, and he is merciful. You have shown honour in acknowledging your grave sin, but do not disgrace your redemption by attempting to lay blame on another. We look forward to the Orenian Empire rejoining us in Canondom. IV JOVEO MAAN, His Excellency, Rhys var Ruthern, Lord Speaker of Hanseti-Ruska

"They keep an Arch-Chancellor who has admitted his guilt in causing a failed schism and leading the Emperor, if one who is excommunicated can even still be Emperor of the Holy Orenian Empire, against the rightful and true vicar of God? I would say that's as good a ground as any to remove him from such a privileged position." Rhys var Ruthern remarks as the missive comes across his desk, making haste thereafter to find the Cardinal Jorenus @LightTheTrainerand see what a clergyman has to say on the matter.

"And the Cardinals of the Holy Church we apparently all hold in high regard were not consulted beforehand. . . why?" Rhys var Ruthern asks aloud after reading through the apologetic missive with a scoff.

"Sigismund the Third, Fidei Defensor! Godan is wise and the Pontiff has recognised the fully faithful in these trying times. Everard is not only Godan's rightful representative on this mortal land but a fine paragon of the faith!" The Count of Metterden imparts to his wife, Marie @sarahbarah, in Vidaus, reminiscing on their wedding day overseen by the very same High Pontiff who was now staring down an unjust schism and truly rallying the faithful.

"You will go ask her for a walk and you WILL have a nice time!" Rhys instructs his younger, and far uglier, brother, Boris @Velen.

Rally on vulcism

skin: cultural appropriation bid: 150 m discord: you got it

Rhys stands next to his good friend, Georg Mikhail, and tells him "I think he ripped you off."

"Oh darn. Yam going to miss him so much." says Rhys.

"Oh darn. Yam going to miss her so much." says Rhys.