garentoft

Franz foresees that his appointment will not be regretted.

THESIS ON THE ACCESSIBILITY TO GOD The Chapel of St. Wilfriche, found by the Barony of Ghaestenwald, 390 E.S. By Acolyte Ratibor Ruthern Blessed be you, brothers in GOD. I am a man of Haeseni origin, a member of the House of Ruthern, raised within the keep of Vidaus, where we have the Church of Bl. Dmitry. And such comes my inspiration for this thesis. I have, after all, grown up with the Vidaus peasantry, which only get to see their Church utilised for weddings and the like. One must only refer to the Catechism to figure out why this is an issue for the smallfolk of the Haeseni countryside, for to be a Canonist according to such one must “embrace the truth of the Holy Scrolls which were delivered by the Exalted, and the Church which was established by Exalted Owyn.” and “[follow] the laws set out for them in the Scroll of Virtue, and by obeying the Church which guards those laws, Canonists seek to honor GOD.” But for these men, there is a principal issue with the worship of the Holy Scrolls, many of them cannot read, and as such they have no way of reading the Holy Scrolls, of course, this is remedied by the fact that they may attend mass. Alas, the Churches in the countryside are seldom used for such, I cannot remember a time that a mass has ever been held in Valwyck, nor in Reinmar, nor in Vidaus. These men do not have a proper means to become true Canonists, they are unable to embrace the truth of the Holy Scrolls, for they do not know it, nor can they follow the laws of the Scroll of Virtue, for they do not know them. If all of this be true for these men, they are no more than Virtuous Pagans. They cannot be Canonists, not because there is something that compels them to, but because they are unable to access GOD. These men receive no baptism, they witness no masses, nor do they ever have the Scrolls read to them, not because they do not want to, but because they are unable to access these blessings of GOD. “So I am the Most High, and in pursuit of My Virtue, I bid my faithful this: You shall not be idle, nor forget your duties in favor of sloth.” Scroll of Virtue, 4:8 We, as the faithful, must not forget that it is our duty to make GOD accessible to all. I speak not only to the Church itself, but to the nobility, and anyone who has the option of doing so. GOD has given us the duty to spread his word amongst ourselves, and we must do so. While the brunt of the work lies upon the Canonist Church, the nobility must also partake, after all, the Third Sky is not reserved for just priests, but of all who help spread the faith. So I say to you all, be you clergyman, noble, or burgher, be well, and remember to spread the good word of GOD, so that all may embrace the Canonist truth, not just those fortunate enough to receive it as part of their education, or spend the money to travel to a mass.

Eirik reminds her that the red hair comes from her side of the family.

Eirik eats a ham sandwich.

"Beating the Halflings twice in a row isn't for everyone," remarks the Duke of Valwyck, having just done so.

Somewhere, Franz smiled with pride. He did not know why.

IGN: gusanoarentonio Name: Reinhard Ratibor Ruthern Age: 20 Place of residency: Vidaus Bank account balance: 4000 Hobbies: Investing in stock, swordplay, learning languages (I am fluent in Naumariav, Common, Auvergnian and Kaldenic), jogging, stargazing, and kite-building. One interesting fact about yourself: I am somewhere along the lines of twentieth in line to inherit the Duchy of Vidaus.

THE PURPOSE OF REFORM (OR, AN ESSAY ON REFORM TO THE HAURUL CAEZK, THE HISTORY OF THE HAURUL CAEZK, AND SHAPING THE HAESENI LEGAL LANDSCAPE OF TOMORROW) BY EIRIK BARUCH, DUKE OF VALWYCK “With law shall the country be built but if all men were content with what is theirs and let others enjoy the same right, there would be no need for a law. But no law is as good as the truth, but if one wonders what the truth is, then shall the law show the truth. If the land had no law, then he would have the most who could grab the most by force. The law must be honest, just, reasonable and according to the ways of the people. It must meet their needs and speak plainly, so that all men may know and understand what the law is. It is not to be made in any man's favor, but for the needs of all them who live in the land. No man shall judge contrary to the law, which the king has given and the country chosen, nor shall he take it back without the will of the people.” - Tale of Anndrais, the Chronicles of the Ayrian People. 6th of Wzuvar and Byvca, 400 E.S. Preface For the past few years, within my duties as Deputy Palatine to Kaustantin Baruch, I have been heading the Committee for Haurul Caezk reform, a committee which I proposed myself to aid in the reconstruction of our law code. And while the work of the committee is not yet done, two parts of the reformed law code have now passed through the Royal Duma, with the rest soon to go through the committee and then to the Duma. The work has been a great pleasure of mine, it has been a pleasure to see those within the committee speak passionately for their concerns regarding the law, and to see the support from our Peers in the Duma. This project, while not yet finished, I believe will be fruitful for the Kingdom. And while I have participated in much debate, both in committee and Duma, I wish to devote myself to writing this essay, my ultimate thoughts on this reform. I dedicate this essay to King Sigismund III, for allowing me the opportunity to hold such influence with the project. I much appreciate the trust that his Majesty has shown by letting me spearhead our efforts at reforming the Haurul Caezk. Introduction The burning question at the heart of these reforms to the Haurul Caezk is a simple one: Is reform necessary? Were these efforts which the King, myself, the Royal Duma, and the Committee have taken, necessary? The answer may not be explicitly clear to all, after all, the Haurul Caezk was a functional and extensive law code, and whether you are on the side that calls it bloated, or the side that calls it reasonable, I believe that the issue of the Haurul Caezk is not found within itself. It lies within the history of the Haurul Caezk, and with the history of our modern legal system as a whole. During most of the 18th century, the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska was a vassal of the Holy Orenian Empire. During this period, the Empire became increasingly bureaucratic and centralized in it’s nature, withdrawing much autonomy from the Haeseni. There was one law code for the entire Empire, the Orenian Revised Code, and there were the Imperial Circuits. As such, Haense did not have its own proper law code, nor did it have it’s own courts, for the better half of an entire century. One might imagine then, that when the Edict of Separation was signed by Empress Anne I and Emperor Joseph II in 339 E.S., that Haense was thrust into quite a troublesome situation. It had no laws, it had no courts. And not only were our institutions influenced by the Imperial law and spirit, so were much of the generation that was at the forefront of Haense when independence was gifted to us. Our current edition of the Haurul Caezk (before it faced the many amendments that have been made to it between then and now) was released in 340 E.S., a matter of months after our independence. It’s three main writers were Konstantin Wick, Wilhelm Vyronov, and Lauritz Christiansen. Konstantin Wick was previously an Imperial legislator and lawyer, Wilhelm Vyronov was previously an Imperial circuit judge, and Lauritz Christiansen was an Imperial circuit judge, an Imperial legislator, and a lawyer. These men had all worked within the Imperial bureaucracy, influenced by the Imperial system and its way of working, and as such our Haurul Caezk inherently shares many similarities with the Oren Revised Code, from the way it is formatted, the way it is worded, the crimes included and their extent. Little more did it help that Lauritz Christiansen, the one of the three who had worked within the Imperial system the longest and the most diligently, was made the High Justiciar immediately after our independence. Our legal system and our law code is haunted by these men, it was written by three men that grew up in an Imperial Haense, that worked within the Imperial system for a great number of years, and our system’s precedents and legal practices were set by a man who had worked in the Imperial system longer than any man in Haense ever had. This is why reform is necessary. Our current law code and our current legal system is not Haeseni, it is Imperial. I mean no disrespect to those who developed our law code and our legal history, they were by far some of the greatest legal minds our nation has had to date, but they grew up within an Imperial system that greatly influenced their efforts. Since our independence, a few generations have come to pass, and we’ve had two monarchs that were born not as vassals to the Empire, but as only Haeseni. The Purpose of Reform Thus I now believe that it is the time to reset our law code and our legal system, so that we may once again place the bricks to build it, this time without influence from any foreign system. We must build our own laws, our own legal system, our own precedents, and our own jurisprudence. Of course, law is a necessity, we must not remove all law, but we must reset. These reformed versions of our Haurul Caezk have been significantly reduced in size. We are to rip the history and the bloat from our Haurul Caezk so that it may be reborn, like a caterpillar turning to a butterfly. This is, in my mind, the purpose of these reforms. If one has had the opportunity to witness the debates in the Duma, or perhaps to read the transcripts afterwards, one might have noticed my tendency to argue in favour of keeping things vague or left out. For example, upon debate whether or not trials by combat should be purely restricted to the nobility, which I do principally support, I had instructed my representative Todd McTodd to argue against this. Why? Because I wish for us to set legal practice and precedents, not just legislate. Do I believe that it will and should be eventually added to the law? Perhaps I do, if it becomes legal practice that only the nobility can have trials by combat. That remains the essence behind my line of thinking, though, that is why the Haurul Caezk is so stripped down, why it is so vague. I do not only want us to build a new law code, I want us to build a new legal culture, one that is entirely without influence that is not Haeseni. The Hope for the Future But my thinking, however, also leads to a certain fear that I have. While we may be resetting the law code and the system, I cannot reset the minds of people with a stroke of my pen. This is one of the main reasons that I sit here writing this, I fear that despite my best efforts, you will not be of the same mind as I. For while I do believe that reform was necessary, I also believe that, if the minds of the Haeseni do not change with it, then these efforts shall be entirely futile. What was the point of reducing the law code, just for it to be rebuilt to the same extent by people who believe that over-regulating our society in accordance with the Imperial values that built our former law code? What is the point in declaring that we are resetting legal precedents and practice of our former system, if the Jovenaar and the High Justiciar fall back on it anyway? While it may be the King who has penned the law, the Lord Palatine who has introduced them in the Royal Duma, and I that have put them through the committee for reform, this is not just a project of ours. This is a project of the entire Haeseni people, for us and you. This project will not reach it’s true potential if you do not follow along with us. Thus, I beg of you, people of Haense. Recognise that this is a historic moment in our nation’s history, where our law code, legal system, everything is being reset to begin anew. This is your moment to take up the torch, instead of returning to a legal system of old, carry the torch forward and make your touch on a brand new legal system, help us shape it. This will be our resurrection of Haeseni law. Yours, His Grace, Eirik M. Baruch, Deputy Palatine, Duke of Valwyck, Count of Ayr, Viscount of Voron, Baron of Gant, Laval, and Riveryn.

Username: gusanoarentonio The Jar you want: Jam Jar Character's Name: Eirik Baruch Char's Race: Human Front & Back images of the skin: https://namemc.com/skin/64111ec70112dded (thought skin's namemc like might be easier)

The Duke of Valwyck plans to take a trip to visit this new tavern and inn.

"Your Highness." shouts a young Haeseni mail courier, who rushed towards the Oracle upon the sight of him. He smiled absently. Franz dismissed the missive for now, and gestured the mail courier along, towards the ruins of Krusev, inviting him to accompany himself and Natalia Kovachev for dinner. "What's for dinner?" The Oracle grinned as he began through the alleys of Karosgrad. "Chicken."

Todd McTodd only nodded his head in agreement, smiling to the Lord Palatine. He was not educated on matters of foreign diplomacy, and had not the interpretative skills to derive any meaning from this document. Nevertheless, he sent a copy of it to the Duke of Valwyck.

i cannot relate to short people therefore i cannot play a short character. its hard being scandinavian.

[!] A postcard, sealed within a letter of the stamps of both the Duke of Valwyck and the Duchess of Karlsburg was delivered in hand by an Elven mail courier to the King of Haense. @Xarkly "Eja, our dear brother. You will not believe the smile upon Anastasya’s face when I told her that Emma had given birth, not only to an heir, but to a second son as well. It was a pleasant addition to what has already been an enjoyable trip. We spent two days in Providence, a city we know well, but it was nice to go there once more, it had been a while since our last visit. Later, we ventured to Urguan, where we stayed for a month. The Dwarven accent is even harder to understand than my own, according to Anastasya. Nevertheless, the trip was quite enjoyable there, despite the fact that their city is built entirely underground and full of lava that would kill you were you so unlucky that you fell into it. We are currently in Nevaehlen, a smaller Elven-Druidic settlement, to my knowledge. We have met many great people here, particularly Gilliaen and Miven, who have been very welcoming to us. We have learned a lot about the culture and religion here, but it has been quite interesting. Next, we are off to the southern part of the continent, to visit Savoy and Myrine. Anastasya is very excited to see Jace Mareno again. Signed, Eirik and Ana.”

Eirik feels a cold shiver wash over him, he glanced backward, only to see nothing. "Huh, I feel as if Kaustantin just spoke to me."

The Oracle smiles.

Eirik Baruch, Duke of Valwyck, currently on tour across the realm of Almaris, and hence unable to attend himself, sends very clear instructions to his cousin, Viktor Baruch. With those instructions given, he returns to his vacationing affairs, which currently consisted of desperately looking for a place to sleep in Urguan.

Achilius smiled, for he saw in the world now everything that he had intended it to be.

Eirik quickly informs an Ayrian Construction Worker by the name of Robert to construct an abode for the to-be-spouses. Robert sighs, havingly only just begun building the mental institution that was Annabel's residence.

Eirik frowns, having been offered to be a judge for the competition. Sadly, he was to be overseas for the time of the contest, and had to refuse!

[!] A simple letter bearing the sigil of the Duke of Valwyck. "We opt to follow the rest of the desire of the Duma, and such vote for the Grand Maer. -Eirik Baruch."

BOUND FOR SEA The Adalia, Harren’s ship, named after his wife. The news had struck him right into his core. His wife’s passing had come out of nowhere. They had known each other since they were about five or six, the two had practically grown up together. He recalled that it was during the War of the Lifstala that they had met, during the first Haeseni Lifstala. That was nearly fourty years by now. They were childhood sweethearts, together since he was eight, and she had moved to Vidaus when he was nine. They married when he was nineteen, and had been together ever since. They had six children, Harren, Adalia, Joren, Filip, Analiesa, and Owyn. And in an instant, it seemed like all of that was gone. She was no longer with them. The physicians had been unable to tell the course of death beyond that she had a heart attack. Yet, it was as if the entire reasoning of his existence had been pulled away from beneath him. This was the purest grief that he had ever known. His mother had died, his father had died, and he had mourned them both. But the way he would mourn Adalia would be much different than that of his parents. He had once dreamed of sailing the seas of the world, discovering new continents or lost civilizations, any matter of things, really. He wanted to see all that the world had for him to see, and while he had lost his love, he had gained something new, a new sense of freedom to pursue this dream of his. He hastily wrote letters of resignation, addressed to High Pontiff Everard VI, his nephew, and Aulic Envoy Feodor May. Then he said his goodbyes to his children, before he set off towards the coast, and there she stood, the winds blowing in her sails. The Adalia, the ship that all the money he had ever earned were invested into. She had waited for him, and the crew greeted him jovially, for they too, had waited to set sail for many years now. And so was Harren bound for sea, to discover the edge of the world and all that lay beyond it.

Despite his mother's death hours prior, the Duke of Valwyck was elated at the news of his basketball team winning their first game of the season, and he cheered jubilantly before being interviewed by the press. "Well, y'know. It's a simple game, yeah? We play our game, we play it well, it was beautiful. I can't wait for more of this."

Eirik knocked gently on Marjorie's door, having come to visit her for the first time since Ruslan's dead, or was it the first time ever? He didn't recall. Nevertheless, no response came from his mother's room, and he took it upon himself to enter regardless of his mother's tendency for solitude. The sight that befell him was more gruesome than he could have imagined, immediately filled with immense anger over his mother's cowardice. She had never been there for him as a child, and now that he was an adult and the Duke, she had chosen the path of ultimate abandonment - Death. He battered his hands bloody against the door, before it broke and fell from its frame. A servant who had come upon hearing the commotion was simply ordered to find somewhere appropriate to bury his mother, and to get a woodworker to replace the door.

The Lord Palatine of Hoonseti-Ruska promptly resigns. He recomends his cousin, Angus Baruch, replace him. @Sarmadonn