KaiserJacobII

"Good Lord, Lady Madeleine Alstion is but.. six years old. Why must they drag Sir Elliot's name through the mud for accepting a favour that was clearly just the light-hearted game of a child?" Jean Halcourt remarks, his feet propped up on a stool beside the crackling campfire of Sternfell. He folds up the tabloid, setting it aside. He would burn it if it were not one of the few sources of connection to home that the crusaders at Sternfell have.

Missive of Gramercy Hall, Issued upon this Dragon’s Roar The Year of our Lord, 2082 Lord Jean Halcourt, Mayor of the Archducal City of Saint Godwinsburg, calls upon all ye who seek to live in one of our city’s finest addresses, the Manor of Prince's Circle One! Are ye a resident of Saint Godwinsburg, seeking a new home which would be the envy of all? Perhaps you are foreign to our good Archduchy and seek to settle here in the greatest of comfort. Read well to what I write. The Manor at Prince's Circle One, a great hall worthy of a Lord, be ye Peerage or Gentry, or perhaps a free commoner of great wealth, has lain empty for some time now. Being four (4) floors tall, plus having a basement, and around two-hundred-and-eighty (280) metres of floor spaced, the Manor at Prince's Circle One is among the largest and most grand of homes within the walls of Saint Godwinsburg. It is well furnished with the trappings and comforts of virtuous and diligent Gentry. Taxes upon the manor are at one-hundred (100) minae per Saint’s Year. To determine what lucky family might dwell in this manor, a raffle shall be conducted upon the Owyn’s Light of 2083. The following shall explain the order of the raffle. Firstly, all shall meet at the front entrance of Prince’s Circle One, and there I, the Lord Mayor, shall bring prospective tenants on a tour of the manor. Good wine shall be provided. Then we all shall return to the grounds before the Manor to begin the raffle. Each raffle entry costs seven-by-ten (70) minae, and each person might purchase as many entries as they find to their liking and can afford. Only those of the Tribe of Horen may purchase a ticket, in line with the laws of Alba. The Manor at Prince's Circle One, as occupied by the good Rosavena Gentry Family, circa 2077 Each entry shall then be assigned a number, spoken aloud to all, and increasingly larger in count as the entries are purchased. When all are satisfied in purchasing their entries, a die with sides equal to the highest number given shall be rolled. Whichever participant’s number it does land upon is given tenancy over the Manor. In addition to gaining tenancy over the Manor, the winner shall be granted three Saint’s Weeks of exemption from taxes. His Lordship, Mayor Jean Halcourt

In those brief moments before his life went wheeling into tragedy, Jean Halcourt celebrated the birth of that fellow 'John.' It is odd, he probably would later come to think, how quickly life can turn from celebration into tragedy.

The culture of the Archducal City is of my utmost concern. Saint Godwinsburg is the bright Alstion gem of Crownland culture. Our genteel fashion, virtuous literature, and gourmet cuisine are the envy of all the Empire, and can be viewed in castles and homes from Rittersberg to the Lorraine. This is the Saint Godwinsburg which is the pride of all its residents. Yet, Saint Godwinsburg, like any gem, must be maintained most regularly to keep to its shine. Long has the theatre of the Leever Borough laid in silence and collected dust. Theatre is an important moral tool, the likes of which is solely missed in Saint Godwinsburg. Such a sad sight I do hope to end. To such ends, a players' guild shall be established to hold lease over the theatre and to host enlightening plays, debates, speeches, histories, and the like. By the powers invested in us by the Archducal Crown of Alba, by decree of his Lordship, Jean Halcourt, Fourth Mayor of Saint Godwinsburg, let the Guild Letter Patent of the Dame Kaba Players' Guild of Saint Godwinsburg state: Formation A theatre company and players’ guild known henceforth and, until decreed otherwise, as the Dame Kaba Players' Guild of Saint Godwinsburg shall be formed, or, in shortened name, the Dame Kaba Players Guild. Henceforth in this missive, it shall be referred to as the Guild. The Guild shall be in the patronage of the City of Saint Godwinsburg and the Office of its Mayor, starting immediately upon its establishment. Privileges The Guild shall have the exclusive rights to use the theatre found in the Borough of Leever, including the right to allow other guilds and companies the temporary use of it, and to charge a small fee for such. This exclusive right does not extend to the Office of the Mayor of Saint Godwinsburg, or the Crown of Alba, both of which may use the theatre as they see fit. The Guild shall hold the right to host events at the theatre. The Guild shall hold the right to charge small fees or request donations upon the showing of anything at the aforementioned theatre. The Guild shall hold the right to hire and fire players, in accordance with the initial regulations of recruitment, as later established by this decree. The Guild shall hold the right to appoint a Director, in accordance with the initial regulations of recruitment, as later established by this decree. who shall oversee players and events. Obligations The Guild shall be held responsible to hold semi-regular events at the theatre. The Guild shall be responsible for the usage of any funds raised through donations, both at the theatre or at other times, or through fee, to be used only for the betterment of the Guild and its theatre. The Guild shall be responsible to keep the position of Director occupied at all times, with absence only for the period of searching. Patronage There shall be two permanent patrons of the Guild. These shall be, firstly, the Office of the Mayor of Saint Godwinsburg, occupied as of now by Lord Mayor Jean Halcourt. Secondly, the person of Her Highness, the Duchess of Furnestock, Lady Diane of Beaufort. While the Office of the Mayor of Saint Godwinsburg shall change hands throughout the years, to Lady Diane of Beaufort patronage of the Guild is granted to as a person, not a title, and for lifelong time. Patrons have the right to, in consensus, appoint and dismiss the Director and Members of the Guild. Furthermore, they have the right to, in consensus, terminate any specific event organised by the Guild which they do find to be in poor moral or cultural tastes. Finally, the Office of the Mayor of Saint Godwinsburg, as the patent-granting office, has the right to issue new patents for the Guild, after seeking advice of Her Ladyship, Diane of Beaufort. Our Two Good Patrons, The Office of the Mayor of Saint Godwinsburg, Lord Mayor Jean Halcourt Her Highness, Diane of Beaufort, the Duchess of Furnestock Circa 2082 Hark! Be ye virtuous of action, lively in spirit, and witty by words? The Dame Kaba Players' Guild of Saint Godwinsburg is looking for members of the most talented degree. Three membership roles are open for recruitment. These are the roles of one (1) Guild Director, of an unnumbered amount of Guild Members, and of three (3) Writers. All three of these membership roles are to be players, expected to participate in the goings on at the theatre, alongside their other duties. The requirements to join follow: For all Membership Positions, be it: One must be at least six-and-teen (16) years of age. One must be of the good Tribes of Descendantdom, being Horen, Malin, and Krug. One must be of good virtue, without any record of great sin lacking penance. If one is publicly professing a faith, it must be either Canonism, True Faith, or the Rashidun Faith. One must be a resident of the Archduchy of Alba, or willing to take residence either partially or fully in the Archduchy. Additional for Directorship, be it: One must be at least eight-and-teen (18) years of age. One must be publicly professing either to Canonism, the True Faith, or the Rashidun Faith. One must be a member of the Tribe of Horen, including Halffolk and Idunians. Additional for Writership, be it: One must be at least eight-and-teen (18) years of age. One must be publicly professing either to Canonism or the True Faith. One must be a member of the Tribe of Horen, including Halffolk and Idunians. All one must do to put their name in the list for to be chosen as a guild member is to sign up below! ————————————————— ✧ Thy name, given and family: ✧ Thy age: ✧ Thy Tribe: ✧ Which or all of the two roles doest thou wish to apply for: ✧ What experience doest thou have in the trade of acting: ✧ Minecraft username: ✧ Discord username: —————————————————

Minor Missive of Gramercy Hall, Duly issued upon this Horen’s Calling of Anno 2082 Lord Jean Halcourt, Mayor of the Archducal City of Saint Godwinsburg doest duly call upon all ye good cavaliers to tournament, upon the Owyn's Light of Anno 2082. Such will take place upon the Alban Tourney Grounds, to the east of Saint Godwinsburg, betwixt it and Janisport. Cavaliers are to bring ten minae as fee of entrance, with a prize of fifty-and-hundred minae to be won by the sole victor of the tournament. While the prize shall come from a personal donation of the Lord Mayor, any profit made shall contribute to the coffers of the Archducal City alone. Joust lances shall be provided upon payment of entrance fee, by the kind donation of the Black Banner. Mounts, of course, must be brought by participants. The joust shall commence as a standard tournament, with the winner of a best of three bout to move up the brackets. Such shall be done until one lone cavalier is victorious. Fortune shall favour the strongest. His Lordship, Mayor Jean Halcourt

"May the One who brings peace to the universe bring peace to us and to all Humanity," Lothaire utters. He kneels in the dim candle light, yellow and gold, whereby numerous dark shadows, his doppelgängers, dance and shokel upon the stone walls. He feels his age, upon his knees, his back, and upon his eyes. It rests like a gentle, constant tiredness, like a tide, soft, ebbing and flowing, but ever so slowly becoming higher. He remembers Kaba, and for her, he prays, ending, "Amen." Who few after him remembers her? He lights another candle. That one is for her, that one is to chase away those shadows.

+1 Didn't know this was an issue, shouldn't be an issue, ban these mods

Do not fear perma-killing (pking) your characters when they die, just as you shouldn't feel shame for not pking them when they die. Perma-kills are major story moments in the lives of your character and other characters, but they can also be tough. Take a moment if you have to. Remember, nobody except in the case of a pk clause, can force you to pk, and in a non-clause pk, you always have one week to reverse the pk decision

Full Name of Man - Remus Helane Date of Birth of Man - 2049 Name of Woman - Pontia Horen Date of Birth of Woman - 2046 Location of Ceremony - Imperial Palace, Rittersberg, Empire of Man Date of Ceremony (Year) - 2079 Name of Clergyman who performed ceremony - Lothaire Cardinal Montcollier

Bonnes définitions de la politique or Good Definitions of Politics, The Ways Whereby Politics, Sovereignty, the State, and Empire are to be Defined Published and printed by his Lordship, Jean Halcourt, Heir-Apparent d’Artois Upon this 13th of Horen’s Calling, 2078 —————————————————————————— Index I. What is Politics? II. What is Sovereignty? III. What is the State? IV. What is an Empire? —————————————————————————— Politics is the goodly domain of a lord, and the study of a lord-to-be, such as I. Upon the death of our late Emperor, Hadrian I, Conqueror of Azuras, I have been compelled to write of politics. Now, the horrific passing of the Lord of Dover, who was murdered by peasant brigands and their Salvian allies, does trouble me so. These great men knew the good practice of politics. In their memories, I write. Who am I? I, dear reader, am Jean Guillèm Halcourt. We are lord-Heir d’Artois. Yet, in the company of friends, I am known as Jean. So, to you, reader, I am Jean. For there is no practice of politics here. Only the study of politics rests upon these pages. Herein, I have proposed my definitions of the familiar terms of political philosophy. These terms are known and well discussed, but seldom defined. If I am to write of politics, and such I intend to do often and in depth, then there must be a basis for such. These definitions serve as such. I hope you, dear reader, might find them of use, as I do. —————————————————————————— I. What is Politics? To write of politics is to write of the ordering of relations. These relations, as are all relations, are formed of power and sorted in hierarchy. Power and hierarchy are divinely ordained to flow in one predictable, natural, and recurring pattern. I hope to expand upon such in later writings. Well and good politics are those which order relations in well (well being working and efficient) and good (good, of course, being virtuous and in line with God and nature) ways. Well and good politics will always guide us to peace and prosperity. Poor and evil politics, being the pure opposite of well and good politics, shall always lead us astray, to war, famine, and, if not ceased, anarchy. So, if you read me tell of politics, know that I speak of hierarchy and the occupation of maintaining hierarchy. What, then, is the practice of politics? The maintenance of hierarchy, as I wrote before. Lo, but what does such mean? One speaks of good and poor politics, what does such mean? Hark, the lord and the Salvian, practice politics, but one is good, and the other is poor. The lord maintains hierarchy, writing laws and taxing those below the lordly stature. The lord gives taxes to those above him. This strengthens the bonds of servitude and obligation, which through, hierarchy is maintained. The Salvian seeks to spread the work of politics amongst all the classes, be they noble, burgher, or serf. Such power, sovereignty, and authority are diluted like watered red wine and weaken hierarchy. One might ask: are the animals and beasts of the world practitioners of politics? Let us say I agree that there is hierarchy between animals and beasts. Let us say I agree that the wolf is naturally above the rabbit, as is true for the Emperor above the lord. This, I believe, is a statement not without issue, but I shall give it to you. Does the rabbit give itself willingly to the wolf? Does the wolf protect the rabbit? Nae. Even if there are politics between animals and beasts, they remain unpracticed and thus unworthy of study. —————————————————————————— II. What is Sovereignty? Sovereignty is the power to control, of which all states have to some degree. States shall be described in the next section. Sovereignty is the right to enact laws and organize politics beneath a state. It is the right to raise troops and levy taxes. Sovereignty is a state’s right to itself, in a sense. Clearly, this is hierarchical, as all good things must be. A lord is sovereign over his vassals, and those vassals over their vassals. The state is always sovereign to those under it, but need not be entirely sovereign, for no state is sovereign under God. Thus, sovereignty is something which a state can partake in more or less of. The mechanisms whereby sovereignty is attained and squandered are for another time and another essay, dear reader. —————————————————————————— III. What is the State? The state, whereby I mean the mechanism through which hierarchy is maintained and sorted, is, by clear rationale, the preeminent item of politics. The state is the combination of sovereignty and practiced politics. A state can exist in many forms, and look remarkably different age to age. Some are good in their politics, such as the kingdom or archduchy. Some are poor, such as the republic or nomadom. Let us examine some states. The kingdom is a state of monarchy. This state practices politics in good ways. A king or queen, or other such titled ruler, doth rule over subjects in the monarchy by decree and fair force. The stability of rulership is maintained by hereditary or other procedures of, nearly always, dynastic succession. The nature of succession of the state is of little concern to hierarchy, however. What concerns hierarchy is the authority of the ruler. In a kingdom, the ruler shall rule absolutely over those under, and be ruled absolutely over by those above, God and beneath Him, I do hope, an Emperor. Such maintains hierarchy. The republic is the Salvian’s state. This state practices politics in poor ways. The Salvian’s forms his state to seek thus-called equality. The republic has councils of elected officials who vote on laws and decrees. Such is as if a hundred mayors were elected to decide the fate of a state. In the republic, politics and sovereignty are spoken of as if to be distributed among the masses. However, such is an impossibility. As I wrote of previously, hierarchy is broken under this state. Perhaps at a later time I shall write of more and different types of states, if I feel compelled. However, this is a well point to start and, until later, leave the definition of the state at. —————————————————————————— IV. What is an Empire? Empires are one regular topic of discussion amongst educated and virtuous folk. The Empire is the roof under which the good theatre of Human politics is performed. The theatre can perform without a roof, certainly, but the players would find themselves subject to the elements. Empires are a form of state with these characteristics: A united Humanity, an Imperial Crownland, different laws and statutes abound, and a frontier. I shall elaborate on each. One united Humanity is key to an Empire. At the Imperial peak, all Humans are subject to the Empire or a subject of the Empire, and, thus, the Empire. An Empire should have absolute political sovereignty over Humanity. This is not to say, however, that an Empire needs to have all human states and the like under it. This is the ideal of an Empire, set by Exalted Horen, in that of his Holiest City, and to be emulated by all emperors after him. An Imperial Crownland is a regular feature of an Empire. This is where the Imperial government sits. Often Heartlander in ethnicity, though need not be, this land is typically fertile, urban, and vibrantly cultured. Ideals about the Empire, its culture, and its policies are pushed out from the heartlands throughout the Empire. Within and beyond the Crownland, many states sit subject to the Empire. These states often have different, though typically not conflicting, thus more often than not, additional, laws and statutes from the Imperial government. Such is sovereignty. Exempli gratia: My good State, the Archduchy of Alba, has codes of knightly conduct dictating matters of knighthood. These codes sit outside of the Imperial sphere and within the sphere of Alban sovereignty over its subjects. At last, one reaches the periphery of the Empire. Here nature grows wild and untamed, and the land is often unsuited for agriculture besides the agrestal kind. Often, these lands are very hot or cold, with fierce seasons. Beyond such, Heathenry Tribes doth dwell. —————————————————————————— So I conclude this short essay with this: Pursue the study of good politics, my friends. The practice of politics might be the realm of lords and ladies, kings and queens, and emperors and empresses alone, but the study of politics is for all. As I have explained in this treatise, the goal of politics is the maintenance of good hierarchy. I encourage discussion of the ideas I put forth on these pages, and to those who wish to discuss such with me, please do send a letter. Yours truly, Jean Guillèm Halcourt. —————————————————————————— Post Scriptum As I finished this treatise, I received notice of the passing of my grandfather, Lord Archchancellor Ledicort de Senna, and grandmother, Lady Helena de Senna; may God grant gentle rest to their souls. Lord de Senna was another titan of Imperial politics, and his presence shall surely be missed. May God bless and guide mine generation as we make to fill the gap left in recent days, Jean.

Jean, the Artois lord-son of Francesca, one of the de Senna scions to receive a letter, never met his maternal grandparents. He never felt the warm embrace of them or heard their hushed wisdom by the side of a hissing fire. He never knew what perfume or scent to recall them by, haunting him from a leftover childhood, lingering in his memory as it does for so many. He has none of those pleasantries. He still, however, feels he knew them. Yet, his memory of them is not how we often recall our grandparents. He peruses over edicts and histories decades past, his mother's surname leaping from the pages at him. He sees his grandfather's face, wise, pale, chiseled, scrutinizing him, in city squares. He sees his own face, and that of his mother's, looking back at him, warmly so, in a painting of Helena he comes across in the halls of an Imperial office.

Jean Halcourt signs his name.

Edictum Lothairus Cardinalis Montis Collieriensis ————— צו לות'יר מונטקולייר Duly published, 13th of Owyn’s Light 650 in the Age of Ascension Sermon on The Book of Horen’s End as a Crusade Recited in The Cathedral of The Fifty Skulls Upon the 13th of Owyn’s Light, 650 AA By Rabbin, Lothaire Cardinal Montcollier, Bishop St. Thomas of Gaekrin ——————{ ✠ }—————— St. Lucien I, pray for us. ✠ ———————— ✠ Opening Prayer Blessed are You, God, Who guides and protects Your Tribe, Humanity. Humbled and raised are we by Your prophecy, the Holy Scrolls. Blessed are You, God, Who commands us to be faithful, charitable, temperate, diligent, patient, full of fidelity, and full of humility. We shall study Your Scrolls, for the study of Scrolls can encompass all this. Amen. ✠ ————————————————————— ✠ Sermon Transcript In my last sermon, I spoke of, on length, how we are to conduct conflict against our fellow Descendants. If you recall, I called upon all of us to fight not with anger in our hearts, or honour on our mind. Indeed, friends, it is for God alone we must fight. Now, more than ever, this is true, for we stand on the eve of a great and just crusade, the likes of which have not been seen in some time. Our enemies are now not just our simple, misguided, and ignorant Descendant kin Tribes of the last war. No. We stand now against the soulless servants of Ibless, may his name be erased from memory, who have long terrorized all Tribes. We stand against hordes of the undying and of daemon-spawn. This crusade we shall embark upon is against our greatest foe: the Denier, may his name be erased from memory. What do God’s Scrolls reveal to us about crusades? We must heed the following enlightened passage, from Gospel 2:61 until 66. Now, mind, it is a long passage, so listen closely, and know it. It goes as follows: ‘In the evening of the war, the brothers came upon Iblees and Saul, and they engaged them. The Denier was enraged, and by his wicked power the brothers and their tribes were altered. Here, Krug and his people were marked from the others. All were overcome with the desire to sin, and they feared to falter. But the Aengul Aeriel descended, and he was preceded by a ringing clarion. Iblees was weakened, and the brothers cast him out, and his army fell into the Void with him.’ Now, I shall give context to this most enlightened passage. It describes what we might call the First Crusade, the four brothers’ divinely led fight against the Denier, may his name be erased from memory. Following the vanquishment of evil, another great history from our Scrolls occurs. Heed this passage most-enlightened, from Gospel, 2:69 to 70: ‘But at the command of GOD, Aeriel did not alleviate Horen’s pain, which was his mortality. For to Horen, GOD promised the Skies. And Horen was assumed into them, and here at His seat, GOD spoke to His prophet,’ and 2:77, 77 being a holy number, ‘So Horen was blessed with the divine Word, and the Lord released him from the Skies.’ It is following the victory of this Great Crusade, we, Humanity, are brought into the covenant of the Skies. Indeed, this is the very moment where our Tribe is blessed with the promise of the Skies. All of this follows a Great Crusade. Now, I am not saying that we shall, upon winning this crusade, receive a blessing as divine as the Skies. I am not even saying that we shall win the crusade. We are mortal, full of sin and divided. I pray for our success, but know that our failures are great and many. If we do win, it shall be through divine intervention. I know not God’s will. What I do know is that, when we fight in crusades, we follow in the steps of our fathers and mothers, for generations past. We must honour God and His prophecy, the Scrolls. We bring holy light, spoken prophecy, unto all Tribes. And, on that topic, I wish to advise this, bring not hatred into this holy fight against our greatest enemy. You may well find yourself fighting next to a druidic warrior or a templar knight. Know in your soul that they sin, just as you do, but they also fight now for the greatest good, just as you do. You need not embrace them as a brother or sister, but fight them not, for you stand together, opposed to the encroaching darkness. Their fight now is for God, they just do not realize that yet. They shall come to know Him, in time. Now, before we depart, please, I ask of you, if you can fight, join this upcoming and most holy crusade. If you can lift a sword, sign up for His Holiness’ Wargames. God bless and guide you, each and all. In the words of one wiser than I: Remaining the least of His children, Your servant, Rabbin, Lothaire Cardinal Montcollier Bishop St. Thomas of Gaekrin

You're trying to take shelves from me! I know it! You'll never win, villain!

After the battle, the Heir d'Artois, having emerged victorious aside his Alban comrades, does mourn. His beloved steed was slain from under him up upon Mont Collier in the charge of the brigand lines.

The glint of an aurum blade catches the eye of Lothaire Cardinal Montcollier as it sits idle, resting on a table across the room. Pushing himself from his chair, one hand on each armrest, he rises to cross the floor. Taking it in an untrained hand, wield awkward and uncomfortable, he holds it up to dyed morning light spilling out from stained glass. It reflects gold, orange, green and blue. It bows, heavy in his hand. Relinquishing it with a clunk back on the table, the Cardinal returns to his chair.

"A long-awaited appointment," Lothaire notes with a smile, reading over the decree concerning his old friend. "She will be an excellent bishop, and the laity of Oltremont is lucky for it."

He was not supposed to be there, but he was. Peering between the armoured plates of tall Idunian soldiers, Jean saw Hadrian sit, commanding, before the Orcish delegation. None of the Emperor's inner thoughts were apparent to the boy. To him, that man was a symbol more than a person. Impossibly, unreachably majestic, he was, to Jean. Emperor of all Azuras. A year later, he hears word of the Emperor's death.

Lothaire gives this publication his seal of approval! Tracing a sliver pointer across the Scroll of Virtue, Lothaire reads aloud, "And I have also breathed life into your heart, and the hearts of your children. And I have given you life: I am your father, and the father of all things. And so I shall guide you in a theater of virtue, and the virtuous shall not live except by My Word." Candlelight reflections dance upon the silver of the pointer and the glass of his spectacles. He eyes then two scrolls given to him by a good friend. Their studies begin, his studies begin. Education for His glory is constant, he thinks to himself.

Posting the decree up in the cathedral entrance, Lothaire mutters to himself, "I still cannot fathom that his name is Daemon. 'tis like naming your son Azdromoth. 'Oh, this is my little boy, Azdromoth.. Azdromoth Miller... Say hi, Azdromoth.'"

Deity/dark deity magics in general seem to have the most story-focused lore. Lots of events and such. Since their deities tend (sorry Xan) to be living entities, there are opportunities to interact with those actual entities. Like just recently, from what I know, there was a major event where a Mani was played by ST. That kinda stuff just doesn't happen with voidal magic or with golemancy or with bardmancy