Rebirth of the Forgotten Continent

It is noon. The scorching sun proudly presides at the apex of its heavenly orbit. The Sun reigns… as Aztlanxo burns. The recent heat wave is unlike anything the city of Atlantis has ever witnessed. The Curia has not escaped the devastating effects of this heat wave and many senators, too hot to debate, sit panting as they sip lukewarm wine. Suddenly, the sound of trumpets mixed with the neighing of horses and the marching of soldiers can be heard. While some Senators prick their ears and look to the Northeast, the source of the noise, many continue on in self-absorbed idleness. Their Imperator is finally marching his troops out of the city, to the West so that he might fight the Urollan horde. To their bewilderment, the sounds of war only grow louder, as if the entire army, or at least an entire company, was marching towards the Curia. Then, through sultry haze and heat waves that issue forth from the broiling street, the Senators catch sight of the procession. Over 3,000 soldiers, all clothed in purple silk and bright iron plate armor. Every hundredth man carries a golden banner. Upon half the banners is a black Atlantean Cross ((Basque cross)), a bold symbol of Atlantean unification. Upon the other banners is a scarlet, openmouthed phoenix with its wings outstretched and it’s tail on fire. In front of the lavishly outfitted company rides the “Phoenix of Atlantis” upon a white stallion. Graetius’s iron breastplate is embossed with a bright brass Atlantean Cross that seems to reflect the sun at every angle. A dark red cape billows behind the Imperator’s back, reacting to every zephyr of air, like a flame.

Graetius waves a many-ringed hand and his soldiers halt. Graetius walks his horse a few steps forward, loudly clears his throat, and booms…

“Fellow Populares, upstanding servants of the people, staunch followers of the Gods, distinguished egalitarians, and friends… this day marks the most important campaign in the history of this continent! Today the sons of Aztlanxo, chosen by the Omniscient Ones to rebuild the broken Atlantean Empire, march West to bring their Urollan brothers under the banner of the Scarlet Phoenix! With unparalleled swiftness and force our mighty army shall sweep through the land, re-establishing Atlantean prominence and fighting bravely for the common unity of all men!

Graetius turns and addresses his troops

My brave Azlanti warriors, I urge you now to not cast your eyes upon the Curia, for what could have been a shining beacon of hope, freedom, and universal equality, has become a cesspool of corruption and greed. Many of these senators are but whining curs who have entered the political world not to serve the people, but to serve their own self-centered ends!

A wave of fear crashes over the senate. Graetius points a ringed finger at the Curia…

Here is where the highborn wolves wait to pounce on the unsuspecting citizen and strip them of their rights! Here, a horde of rats that call themselves “Mercators” work tirelessly to chew through the moral fabric of society and impose their own blasphemous “secular” policies! I admit, my friends, that a very big part of me wishes to rid the Senate of these pernicious evil-doers!

Shouts of approval erupt from Graetius’s men. Graetius allows this to continue for a few more seconds before raising a hand for silence.

…But we must not shed senator blood on this day, as it would not be a fitting way to begin the most glorious campaign in Azlanti history! Put it behind you for now, for there is much conquest to be done before we can return to Atlantis as heroes! Take heart in the fact that the very blood of Ozur runs through my veins! So now, with the divine wind of the Gods at your back, charge forth to victory!

The cheers of the soldiers are deafening and can be heard throughout the city. Even as Graetius marches out of the city, most of the senators are too stricken with fear and anxiety to speak. Does the Imperator truly seek to unite all of Aztlanxo with only 16,000 men? Will the Imperator actually do away with the Mercators and Optimates upon his return to Atlantis? Will the people truly follow this bloodthirsty madman and help Graetius as he puts an end to the Republic?

((Since he’s been elected, Graetius has earned an awful demise on the battlefield. I just hope that his fall doesn’t come due directly to bad tactics…. He does have something like an 8 military score. Anyway, This AAR’s been really fun so far and I’m sorry if my latest character came off as a complete ass. Needless to say, OOC I think I’d be a lot easier to tolerate for many of you. Thanks again for making this AAR great, I’m sure you all will continue the good work over the next two months. Goodbye for the rest of summer Atlantis! HAGS Paradox Interactive!))

((Only Mercators should respond, but if your character agrees, then feel free to respond.))

"Graetius must die." Solangus said while pacing the room nervously. "If he returns...no, when he returns it will be the death of all the Mercators. If not the entire Senate! For the sake of the Republic he must not live through the campaign."

Solangus stops his pacing and looks back towards his comrades, a few still in shock from before but many listening intently. "Well?"

Vulpis leans back in his chair; he’d only arrived at the camp earlier that evening. His army, while not as grand as Graetius’, was still a substantial force, and would serve Atlantis nobly in the coming months; of that he had no doubt. However, something was gnawing at him from the back of his mind, like premonition of doom… It was not the war to come, at least it didn’t seem like it; the Atlantean army was too strong, too prepared, and led by the two best commanders on the continent… perhaps this overconfidence would lead to mistakes, but, in his mind, nothing that couldn’t be repaired or stopped easily. No, this was political… he had seen the looks of discontent from certain Senators as Graetius delivered one of his populist messages; the Mercators especially seemed enraged by his assault on their party… Vulpis has yet to align to a party, and as such would remain safe once the war was over and his men had returned to their wives; Graetius and the other Populare leaders, however…

Sir! When do you want to head out?

Vulpis’ young lieutenant asked entering the commander’s tent, breaking Aureolis’ concentration.

…We will wait for word from Graetius; I will be acting as support in this fight and will ensure that the main force does not get flanked or outmanoeuvred. We will discuss actual campaign strategy and our order of battle once Graetius and his force is on the campaign trail.

The lieutenant gave a quick salute, before leaving to inform the other commanders of the Aureolis’ orders… Vulpis, leaned forward, his chin resting on his hands, contemplatively… the Urollan war would likely be a simple matter, resolved in only a few battles and a handful of sieges… this political war he would inevitably be swept up in… he needed rest; he would be organising the troops all day tomorrow. With that, he put out his light, and laid in bed for an uneasy, restless night…

The man will march back a hero, at the head of an army the likes of which no other man can match.
We will be killed or thrown into the cells. Those of us who escape will be hunted down and killed like dogs.

His reign of terror must be ended and must be ended swiftly. The army should be purged as well. He clearly has the support of the army and it's officers. I urge caution however, we don't want to subvert democracy and bring about a Mercator dictatorship. The Populares stay in charge no matter the outcome.

((I'd like to say first that I will be away for the first two weeks of July))

"Solagnus, I agree with you. But we must step with extreme caution if we wish to carry this out. If his soldiers discovered us trying to kill their beloved commander, their rage might not be limited towards us, it might hit all merchants in Atlantis." Erodel paused with a sigh and continued "Which is even more reason that we must do it. We cannot allow him to use his influence on his troops anymore."

Kaioo said:

Azlanxo Constitution for the Terms of Imperator
(1) An Imperator may be ousted out of office by a vote of No Confidence where at least 90% of the Senate declares No Confidence
(a) The reasons for calling a Vote of No Confidence have to be justified, and can not just be used as a political weapon due to the current Imperator being not to your likings, or being a political enemy.
(ii) A vote of No Confidence can not be called until the Imperator has served for at least 2 years, to prevent misuse of the No Confidence Vote.
(iii) No more than 2 Votes of No Confidence can be declared during a term.
(iv) If a Vote of No Confidence is denied(90% is not attained), then another vote can not be declared until another 2 years have passed where the Imperator
has served.
(b) The Imperator is not allowed to participate in the Vote of No Confidence as it is a vote by the members of the Senate to decide whether the Imperator can remain in office, and the Imperator would thus be biased in such a vote.
(2)An individual may not be Imperator for more than 3 terms
(a) If an individual is ousted out of office after more than 50%(4 years) of the term has been served, it shall still be regarded as a term having been served.
(b) If less than 50% of the term has been served, and an Imperator is ousted out of office, then it shall not be regarded as a term having been served, and as such they are still able to serve three terms.
(c) An Imperator can not serve for more than two consecutive terms.

Click to expand...

Have I misheard you, sir? 90%? That is a ludicrously high threshold; what is wrong with a simple majority, or even a super majority of 66%? Aside from that , the first clause is acceptable. It is the second I wish to denounce. .I completely disagree that we should prevent the most able in our society from leading it through needless rules and regulations. An Imperator is elected through a mandate of the masses. When their mandate expires why should we stop them from securing another? It should be a matter for the people to decide whether to keep the same leader, not bureaucracy.

theAhawk said:

Have I misheard you, sir? 90%? That is a ludicrously high threshold; what is wrong with a simple majority, or even a super majority of 66%? Aside from that , the first clause is acceptable. It is the second I wish to denounce. .I completely disagree that we should prevent the most able in our society from leading it through needless rules and regulations. An Imperator is elected through a mandate of the masses. When their mandate expires why should we stop them from securing another? It should be a matter for the people to decide whether to keep the same leader, not bureaucracy.

Click to expand...

you raise a good point senator, but what if we are unfortunate enough to have a dictator who holds the senate to ransom with soldiers or bribes and manages to stay on indefinately despite the fact he steals from the treasury and murders the citizenry.
A 2 term limit is fine and allows fresh blood a chance at running- 2 terms is 16 years remember. 16 years is enough time to lead a nation.

"I was thinking of 90% because if it were 66% for example, there would still be a third of the Senate that would be unhappy with the decision if the Imperator was ousted, and 90% is most considerably an overwhelming majority. We need a percentage where the overwhelming mass of the Senate agrees. Therefore, something in the range of 90% is ideal in the sense that there is a miniscule percentage that would be upset with a Vote of No Confidence. I am up for discussions with my fellow Senators if it's in agreement that 90% is a bit steep.

The reason I believe we should restrict the number of terms is simple. It is to prevent an Imperator from bribing his way through into continued office indefinitely- until he dies-. That is why I propose we limit it to three terms, and two consecutive terms."-Auron Desimodius

As the Mercatores debated their next move, Caesennia Caprica sat in silence. It was inevitable, of course, that Graetius Tauronian's departure from the city would be accompanied by some public spectacle of insanity. The Imperator had occupied office for less than a month, yet had already succumbed to megalomania. Every public appearance had been more deranged than the last. But this was unspeakable. At the head of his amassed army, Graetius had signed the death warrants of a third of the Senate. Certainly, with his allies controlling ten of the Senate's sixteen seats and the legions at his command, he was in a position to do so. But Caprica did not allow herself to dwell on that. She knew that the more assured a man was of his dominance, the more inevitable his downfall.

As a lull appeared, she stood up and raised her hands.

Noble friends, keep violence in the mind, where it belongs.

We must not allow ourselves to be intimidated by Graetius Tauronian. He is a lunatic who has been elevated to power by accident, and whom by another accident may be swiftly deposed. That he parades his power before us is a sign of weakness, not strength; only the intelligent may aspire to tyranny, and imperium is no substitute for that. His threats are as empty as a a farmer's fiscus. How can he purge us? We are not a party; we are society. We represent every man of trade and industry, from the lowliest street merchant to the highest guild of finance. If Graetius wishes to purge us, he shall have to drown Atlantis in blood.

Need it be said that a dictatorship would be as anathema to the Populares and the people as to ourselves? Graetius is a posturing political pantomime who draws disgrace to his faction and the Senate alike. The Curia shall not suffer him as autocrat, should he seek to establish himself as such. Nor would the people, who did not oust the Oligarchy merely to see them supplanted by a despot. Graetius can call upon neither the Senate nor the people should he seek to empower himself. That leaves only the legions - and we are not without allies, there. In an open contest between the Republic and the Imperator, the Republic shall always prevail. We have the force of history behind us.

For now, we must trust ourselves to providence. The war is not yet won. And wars seldom proceed smoothly. Who knows what mishap may deprive our legions of a commander, and our people of a potential tyrant?

Caprica paused briefly, allowing the sentiment to sink in, before continuing.

We must not see violence as a means of victory. That is the tactic of the aristocrats. We are men of liberty. When we desire to defend our interests, we reach for the ballot, not the dagger. When we are threatened, we raise the shield of public opinion, not the sword of state conspiracy. To do otherwise would be to validate the propaganda of our opponents. In the Republic, lasting victory may only be achieved with the aid of the people.

We must therefore review our performance in the last election. Why did we falter? It is clearly not for want of allies: from the beginning of our new democracy, the party enjoyed considerable support. But this support waned as the elections approached. Several Senators otherwise sympathetic to our plight chose to distance themselves from us. Why? Our policies were popular. Our platform was sound. I am afraid, therefore, that the answer lies with our leadership. It is clear now that divisive decisions were made that alienated us from the common man and our senatorial allies alike. If we are to recover, the party requires fresh leadership, to lead us to victory in the next election.

As such, I hereby call upon the Mercatores to select a new leader. Without delay in deference to modesty, I offer myself as a candidate.

What defines our movement? What unites our disparate consortium of interests? The answer is a common objective: a society where any man may ascend to affluence by his own means and abilities, without hindrance from other parties. A republic where opulence is the preserve of the majority, not the privilege of the few. An Azlanxo where success is derived from acumen and dedication, not nepotism.

Noble friends, I do not simply speak of the mercantile dream: I have lived it. My family arrived in Azlanxo with nothing but the fervent hope of a good future. My forefathers toiled to carve out a trade in the cutthroat urban markets. Everywhere, they faced resistance: from the entrenched aristocracy that feared for its own fiefdoms; from the extortionist State that catered to them; and from the demagogic gangsters who squeezed the successful to ply their followers with patronage. But they survived, and they persevered. And now, my name - which was once spat upon by resentful oligarchs - is a byword for business and enterprise.

But the people of the Republic should not have to face the obstacles that obstructed my ancestor's ascent to good fortune. The pursuit of oppulence should be the right of man, not a privilege. My family history should be the exception, not the standard. The political powers must ensure that the path to prosperity is unchecked by outside influences. It is our duty to uphold the mercantile dream.

I call upon my fellow Mercatores to unite with me to create a meritocratic and prosperous Atlantean society, where trade provides the people with all they desire, where enterprise is protected by - and not subservient to - the bureaucracy of state, and where any man may come to greatness irrelevant of his social status.

All this being said, she finally sat down again.

This is...interesting to say the least.

Othollo muses from his seat and leans forward to watch the debate unfold.

Kaioo said:

"I was thinking of 90% because if it were 66% for example, there would still be a third of the Senate that would be unhappy with the decision if the Imperator was ousted, and 90% is most considerably an overwhelming majority. We need a percentage where the overwhelming mass of the Senate agrees. Therefore, something in the range of 90% is ideal in the sense that there is a miniscule percentage that would be upset with a Vote of No Confidence. I am up for discussions with my fellow Senators if it's in agreement that 90% is a bit steep.

The reason I believe we should restrict the number of terms is simple. It is to prevent an Imperator from bribing his way through into continued office indefinitely- until he dies-. That is why I propose we limit it to three terms, and two consecutive terms."-Auron Desimodius

Click to expand...

Then let us suppose that 11% of the senate supported the Imperator and the remaining 89% were opposed; this Imperator will not be able to lead a government and legislate properly, therefore they should not be able to continue. Logic dictates that once the Imperator fails to control a parliamentary majority, whether as a single bloc or a coalition, then he will be unable to legislate properly, therefore he should resign and new elections should be sought. That means the threshold should be 50% of congress opposed.

On term limits, I fail to see your logic. If you want to limit corruption, why not place stricter controls on voting or toughen up the laws against voter fraud and bribery? We should not constrain the voice of the people based on some false pretext of trying to stamp out bribery, for which your proposed alteration will do very little. Neither should we, as I have heard voiced in this house, limit terms just because 16 years is a long time; we do not say a swimmer cannot swim for longer than 2 hours, based on the fact that 2 hours is a long time to swim, because then he will drown. Similarly, we should not say a leader cannot lead for more the 16 years because that would constrain the democratic rights of the people. Everyone in this room has fought, or been a witness to the fight, for the rights of the people to elect their leader; we should not now tell the masses for whom they can and can't vote.

theAhawk said:

Then let us suppose that 11% of the senate supported the Imperator and the remaining 89% were opposed; this Imperator will not be able to lead a government and legislate properly, therefore they should not be able to continue. Logic dictates that once the Imperator fails to control a parliamentary majority, whether as a single bloc or a coalition, then he will be unable to legislate properly, therefore he should resign and new elections should be sought. That means the threshold should be 50% of congress opposed.

On term limits, I fail to see your logic. If you want to limit corruption, why not place stricter controls on voting or toughen up the laws against voter fraud and bribery? We should not constrain the voice of the people based on some false pretext of trying to stamp out bribery, for which your proposed alteration will do very little. Neither should we, as I have heard voiced in this house, limit terms just because 16 years is a long time; we do not say a swimmer cannot swim for longer than 2 hours, based on the fact that 2 hours is a long time to swim, because then he will drown. Similarly, we should not say a leader cannot lead for more the 16 years because that would constrain the democratic rights of the people. Everyone in this room has fought, or been a witness to the fight, for the rights of the people to elect their leader; we should not now tell the masses for whom they can and can't vote.

Click to expand...

I shall debate this in the morrow Senator for I am weary.
Both sides have raised valid points- however a vote will have to decide this.

"I'm sorry Senator Caprica, but we do not have a choice. Graetius did not get where he is now by being a bad solider, he will not die fighting beasts. We must kill him, it saddens me we must resort to the tactics of the nobility, but it must be done."

Solangus sighed, he hated having to kill people, but what choice did he have?

"But as for the matter of your candidacy as leader of the Mercators, I will support you."

*Hundreds of Miles to the East, in the Republic of Eurpaxo....*
Underneath a darkening sky in a field of small huts and yurts, Illriyo sits inside of his tent waiting for the arrival of the Triarch of Eurpaxo to begin negotiations of a large all encompassing alliance to bind the Republics of Atlantis together. It is here where he got the letter.
"Senator!"
Illriyo looks up from his book on Eurpaxan Courtesy and rises walking over to the voice that called him
"Yes what, what!"
The soldier silently hands over a scroll to Illriyo unaware of its ill-contents
Illriyo walks back over to his desk and reads the letter by candle-light
his eyes narrow into slits as he poors over the letters contents and snarls in anger before throwing the scroll against the wall
That fool! The Mercators won't stand for this, the senate won't stand for this....Graetius is lost, this certainly complicates this.
He lets out a heavy sigh and slumps in his chair, despite his cold and aloof persona he had grown fond of Graetius, brute as he was, but there was no way the senators would stand for this, Graetius would not return from Atlantis.
He quickly regains his composure, and sits up straight in his chair.
"I still have a job to do"
Illriyo puts on a mask of pleasant countenance and greets the leader of Eurpaxo, tonight he represented the entirety of his people, but tomorrow the spider would spin another web.

Senator Othollo paced in his room, musing upon the Imperator, as most of Atlantis' greats were doing.

His army marches west, he could end us all. My entire family and lands lie in the path of his army. If he should seize them, my family will be his hostages...I'd be destitute. Prehaps the best option would be to return home and secure my lands. Yes!
I will leave at once and prepare my household guards.

Striding from the room Othollo was resolved to return to the western provinces, but first he had to speak to the Mercators in the senate House.

Kaioo said:

(1) An Imperator may be ousted out of office by a vote of No Confidence where at least 66% of the Senate declares No Confidence
(a) The reasons for calling a Vote of No Confidence have to be justified, and can not just be used as a political weapon due to the current Imperator being not to your likings, or being a political enemy.
(ii) A vote of No Confidence can not be called until the Imperator has served for at least 2 years, to prevent misuse of the No Confidence Vote.
(iii) No more than 2 Votes of No Confidence can be declared during a term.
(iv) If a Vote of No Confidence is denied(66% is not attained), then another vote can not be declared until another 2 years have passed where the Imperator
has served.
(b) The Imperator is not allowed to participate in the Vote of No Confidence as it is a vote by the members of the Senate to decide whether the Imperator can remain in office, and the Imperator would thus be biased in such a vote.
(2)An individual may not be Imperator for more than 3 terms
(a) If an individual is ousted out of office after more than 50%(4 years) of the term has been served, it shall still be regarded as a term having been served.
(b) If less than 50% of the term has been served, and an Imperator is ousted out of office, then it shall not be regarded as a term having been served, and as such they are still able to serve three terms.
(c) An Imperator can not serve for more than two consecutive terms.

Click to expand...

I am willing to co-sponsor this bill. I still feel that it would be advantageous to restrict Imperators ability to run for consecutive terms. After all, 24 years is still a long time for one individual to hold such power. But if this is the bill the Senate supports, I will back it fully.

I am afraid I share Senator Smight's concerns. Ninety per cent is an impossible display of unanimity in any parliament, save for one in the thrall of a tyrant. That would mean that an Imperator who enjoyed the support of only two Senators would be able to stay on in his post - support easily gained through advisor posts and other offices of sinecure. We would invite corruption and paralysis upon our government, as any kleptocrat could maintain his grip on power even with a majority of parliament and the people opposed to him. And aside from this impossible threshold, I cannot see that there are enough safeguards to prevent this from being used as a political weapon. In its present form, I cannot approve this constitution.

Should the proposed legislation be amended so that a vote of no confidence could be initiated only once in any given term, at any time, and with a simple majority threshold for success, then I would be amenable to offering it my support.

- Caesennia Caprica

((I deeply deeply apologise for my great inactivity, exams and all, I am free now, anyone care to inform me on what I have missed? ))