This Is Madness 2 - Imperium Sine Fine (Interactive Mega Campaign)

[CzokletMuss]

{{ @CzokletMuss:

Do the other Senators get to know the goals of the demes as well or do they just know who the faction speaker is?}}

{{As for characters - they know nothing. Every meeting is for Demes' members only, so unless some of the Reds spill the beans the Whites, Blues and unaffiliated have no idea what were you doing during the meeting. They obviously know who was elected as a Leader/Speaker.

As for the players - well, you post on the forum so I guess the answer is obvious It's important to keep the distinction between what you know and what your character's know. BTW this is one of the reasons why I insist on using italics and brackets. The distintction between player and his character must be clear to everyone. }}

 

[tunapirate]

{{ It seems like we're all in agreement for Taurinus -- is there anything more we need to do to confirm his nomination? }}

 

[CzokletMuss]

{{ It seems like we're all in agreement for Taurinus -- is there anything more we need to do to confirm his nomination? }}

{{ Nope. If nobody vetoes him before the meeting is over, senator Petros Taurinus will become the Speaker of the Red Demes. }}

 

[CzokletMuss]

FACTION MEETING - CLOSING

Illustrious President of the Imperial Senate magistros Nikephoros Dalassenos hereby annouces that

THE THIRD MEETING OF THE RED DEMES HAS ENDED

Noble senator Petrus of the noble House TAURINUS (played by: Ponce_The_Great) was elected as Speaker of the Red Demes.

May the blessing of Saint Markos be upon all of us.

Signed,
Michael Komnenos
President of the Imperial Senate​

 

[CzokletMuss]

FACTION MEETING - ANNOUNCEMENT

Illustrious President of the Imperial Senate magistros Nikephoros Dalassenos hereby annouces

THE SECOND MEETING OF THE WHITE DEMES HAS BEGUN​

REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING

• Begin every post written in-character using the following template:
  

  [b][size=4]Senator <name>:[/b][/size]

• While writing in-character, you have to use italics.
• While writing out-of-character during the Senate Session or Faction Meeting, you have to use brackets.
• You may type „@<ForumNickname>” in your post to tag forum users (they get a notification they were mentioned in your post)

EXCERPT FROM THE RULES

Article 11-4 – Faction Meeting
1. Faction Meeting is a meeting of members of a Senate Faction hold in the Sacred Palace during which noble Senators gather to discuss (in-character) state of affairs of the Imperium Romanum.
2. Faction Meeting is called, opened and closed by the President of the Senate at the request of a Faction Leader. The request has to be approved by the President of the Senate.
3. Faction Leader notifies members of the Faction he leads about the Faction Meeting after his request is approved.
4. Faction Leader ensures order and decorum during Faction Meeting and is responsible for every violation of the Rules of Procedure which occurs during the Faction Meeting.
5. Faction Meeting lasts for 48 hours and may only be called after at least 24 hours has passed since the previous Faction Meeting. Each Faction can request one Faction Meeting to be hold between every two chapters.
6. Faction Meeting takes place in:
- Atrium of Church of the Virgin of the Pharos (White Demes)
- Hall of Augusteus in Palace of Daphne (Red Demes)
- Neptune's Balcony in Boukelon Palace (Blue Demes)
7. During Faction Meeting members of the Imperial Senate Guard ensure safety of the noble Senators.
8. During Faction Meeting noble Senators may read or write letters to NPCs (non-playable characters) from their House.

(...)

Article 19 – Debate
1. During the debate, Senators may:
- present their statements in regard to the subjects of the Senate Session;
- debate with other Senators;
- ask questions to the guests invited for the hearing, if they are any.
2. Senators have to begin every post written in-character using the following template:
- [ b ][ size=+1 ]Senator <name>:[ /b ][ /size ]
with spaces between the brackets and code removed.
3. During the debate, Senators may not:
- carry any weapon with themselves;
- be accompanied by any servants or slaves;
- bring any items without the permission of the President of the Senate.
4. Non-Senators (regular readers) may post normally during the debate.

May the blessing of Saint Markos be upon all of us.

Signed,
Nikephoros Dalassenos
President of the Imperial Senate​

***

Illustration by Antoine Helbert : http://www.antoine-helbert.com/shop/articles/91518/zoom/1_constantinople_vue_aerienne_2_copie_3.jpg​

1st January 1540
Atrium of Church of the Virgin of the Pharos, Sacred Palace, Konstantinoupolis

The Church of the Virgin of the Pharos is an ancient chapel of the Sacred Palace, for centuries serving as a personal sanctuary of the Emperor. Built before the period of First Eikonomachia it endured these dark times and was later restored to its glory and expanded by blessed basilissa Irene of Athens, who was married to basileus Leon IV the Isaurian within its walls. Having since become one of the greteast repositories of holy relics in the Imperium, the Church of Theotokos tou Pharou is without a doubt one of the jewels of the Sacred Palace.

The splendidly fashioned atrium of the Church is surrounded by marble colonnade, where under frescos of saints of the Holy Church stand modestly dressed slaves, ready to serve their masters food and water. The whole atrium is tented and decorated with white draperis made of silk, providing shade and respite from the sun. At the center of the atrium stands bronze statue, thrice as tall as normal man and made with unmatched skill of anonymous sculptor. The statue represents Saint Markos himself during his glorious triumph on 24th March 1249, when he entered Roma liberated from Catholic yoke, riding a white horse and wearing purple and laurel crown like the emperors of old, once again restituting Roman rule to the Eternal City. A few paces from the monument stands a small table surrounded by ebony chairs. A scent of incense is perceptible and a Chapel's chorus practicing holy hymns can be clearly heard.

As the first member of the White Demes to arrive enters the Atrium, he's greeted by an eunuch accompanied by eight members of the Imperial Senate Guard, all of them armed.

EUNUCH: Salve, honorable Senator! The Atrium has been prepared for your arrival. The slaves are at your disposal and they will make sure that you have enough food and bevarages during the meeting. The guardsmen shall stay in the corridor for the safety of all noble Senators who are gathering here. I wish you a fruitful discussion.
*bows deeply*
Saint Markos bless you.
*eunuch turns around and leaves*

***​

During this meeting the White Demes has to elect Faction Speaker:

• Election is unanimous (no voting).
• Every member of the Faction has a right of veto.
• To elect a Faction Speaker a consensus has to be reached by the Faction.
• To reach a consensus not a single veto has to be used against the candidate.
• Every Senator at least 35 years old is elligible to run for position of the Faction Speaker.
• If all candidates were vetoed, the Faction carries on without a Faction Speaker.

 

[ThetrueColt]

Senator Decius Pylaeus

" […] I believe I can take it from here. Proceed according to our arrangements and meet me once the faction meeting is over. That will be all.”
The two family guards (retired officers from the Athanatoi) that were accompanying Decius nod in agreement and start to leave the plaza in front of the church.

Dressed in a classical white tunic and a white sash adorned with a golden frame, Decius enters the church’s atrium and takes a moment to take in the beauty of the place.

Salve, honorable Senator! The Atrium has been prepared for your arrival. The slaves are at your disposal and they will make sure that you have enough food and bevarages during the meeting. The guardsmen shall stay in the corridor for the safety of all noble Senators who are gathering here. I wish you a fruitful discussion.

*bows deeply*

Saint Markos bless you.

*eunuch turns around and leaves*

After greeting the humble servants of the Imperium, Decius moves on until he finds himself in front of the massive bronze statue, waiting for the other senators to arrive.

Spoiler: Background - House Pylaeus / from last session

House Pylaeus
Founded by: (???) in the 4th century AD
History:
Founded in the last decades of the decaying Western Empire little is known about the early days of the Pylaei today.
At some point in time after the reconquest of Rome by Justinian the Great the family made the difficult decision of relocating to Greece so they could continue to live under the blessed rule of the Basileia tan Romaion. Finding a new home in Thessaly they managed to become the prefect of Larissa and thus had a leading impact on the thema of Thessaly.
Over time the House Pylaeus became patrons of knowledge and one of their most venerated goals was the preservation and acquisition of even more books, art and manuscripts concerning all aspects of life.

This changed when Saint Markos himself, blessed be his name, decided to return Rome to the Romaioi and to unite Christianity under the banner of the one and only true Orthodox faith. Joining his army, Flavius Pylaeus (the head of the family at that time), took part in the reconquest of Rome. Since then, the house Pylaeus entertains a villa in the city to help with its restauration and trying to gain influence.

Today the family’s actions are centered on Konstantinoupolis, Rome and Thessaly. While the family returned to being administrators and patrons of wisdom after its rather brief military commitment, the recent enlargement of the Imperial Senate presented an interesting opportunity to the revered family: Despite not owning huge swaths of land and being nothing but regional leaders so far, the family wanted to send their youngest male to the Imperial Senate, giving a voice to the people under the protection of the Pylaei and to serve the Imperium even more devotedly in these dark and xenoi-plagued times to preserve what must never be lost.

Notable members:
- Flavius Pylaeus (1219-1285)
- Octavius Pylaeus (*1430), Prefect of Larissa and pater familias
- Junius Pylaeus (*1455), his firstborn

Spoiler: Decius Pylaeus

Decius Pylaeus
Date of birth: 1514
Culture/nationality: Roman
Received titles and honors: Senator of the Imperial Senate
Biography: Much has changed since the Pylaei joined the Imperial Senate 60 years ago. Using their extensive resources regarding education and knowledge, Junius established a set of rules specifically aimed at developing skills that might help future senators.
The most successful scholar of this new conception is Decius of the Roman branch of the family. Studying the documents left behind by his predecessor, he recognizes the wisdom in joining the white demes. While the grand goal of the Pylaei in regards of the senate has not changed, the methods of Decius are sure to diverge from Junius’ course of action.
The immediate goal is to stop the favouritism of the Imperium towards the Blue demes, since they are obviously the least important part of the Senate. The position of the church had to suffer in order to control the economic catastrophe that was cast upon the Imperium and Decius understands that difficult decisions had to be made. However, he is most determined to not only strengthen the position of the holy church, but to improve the economy of the Imperium as well.
These positions are most fitting for a member of the white demes and this development has surprised more than one member of the Pylaei, since their primary focus has always been the preservation of knowledge (and almost every family member says it still is).
Apart from maneuvering the muddy waters of the Senate, the internal challenge that Decius has to face will be the question of how he will stand true to the transformation of the whites into a more open-minded and progressive demes whilst at the same time furthering the urgent goals of the demes itself and of the Imperium at large.

The Angeloi protect!

{{
I chose to publish the initial (general) information about the Pylaei as well, since it never made it to the first page of the AAR but the characters should know who they are dealing with.

Signed,
Michael Komnenos
President of the Imperial Senate

You might want to update that part, or am I mistaken?
}}

 

[McGrey]

Senator Titos Livios Melissenos

*An visibly old man, Titos Livios Melissenos, strides with an energy into the chamber, that denies his outer appearance. The years had been... he wasn't sure if the good or the bad was predominant.
On the one hand, he had grown rich, very rich. The financial reforms in the years of the great rebellions from 1524-1526 and the loans, that the empire had taken on for the Great Aragonese War, were the responsible for that. The first by stabilizing the currency at least somewhat, the later by making lending money more acceptable – although many “good, god-fearing Romans” still looked down on the practice – since if the Empire itself made use of it for a good cause, to win wars against the Xenoi, how could it be condemned? Not to mention, that he himself had a share in this loans, a miniscule one on the large scale, but enough to grant him and his house a steady income through interest.
On the other hand, he had lost two of his sons. His eldest dying in the epidemic, that swept through Constantinople in 1525. His second son dying only shortly after in the riots, that brook out in the city, defending the family estate from looters. Only his youngest son, Justos, was left. A clever boy, no doubt, but Titos was afraid, that he would have to carry the burden of the families business all to soon.
Titos finds Decius Pylaeus already standing in the hall and greets him warmly.*

Good day, young man. It seems like my old bones didn't carry me fast enough here to be the first one.

The Church of the Virgin of the Pharos is an ancient chapel of the Sacred Palace, for centuries serving as a personal sanctuary of the Emperor for centuries.

{{Also: Greetings from the Department of Redundancy Department. }}

 

[CzokletMuss]

{{Also: Greetings from the Department of Redundancy Department. }}

{{Goddammit, I have to put more effort in proofreading I have to.

Senator Decius Pylaeus
" […] I believe I can take it from here. Proceed according to our arrangements and meet me once the faction meeting is over. That will be all.”
The two Athanatoi that were accompanying Decius nod in agreement and start to leave the plaza in front of the church.

I don't want to rain on your parade so to speak, but Athanatoi - as the imperial equivalent to oprichnina - take orders only from the Emperor and members of the Imperial Council. I'm sorry but please change this @ThetrueColt: common Senator giving orders to them makes as much sense as Varangians taking orders from, well, other Senator. }}

 

[TurtleShroom]

{ Okay, I resent the Senator form and fixed it to the standards requested. }

{ In regards to current happenings, Bubba won't appear in the Blue Deme meeting because, technically, he hasn't been in any Senate session yet, so he hasn't formally declared his alliance on the Senate floor. When the actual Senate debate begins, Bubba will be there and be declared for the Blues. I don't want to participate in the Deme Meeting because I'd have to describe Bubba's appearence and all other sorts of things before he spoke twice. }

{ When will the actual Senate debate begin, and what will it cover? Specifically, will it focus on the successful dismantlement of the HRE and the reunification of Aragon, or will it cover the Great Oriental Blob? -and by the way, what religion are they? I am hoping that they are Tengri or Christian! }

 

[Attalus]

{ Okay, I resent the Senator form and fixed it to the standards requested. }

{ In regards to current happenings, Bubba won't appear in the Blue Deme meeting because, technically, he hasn't been in any Senate session yet, so he hasn't formally declared his alliance on the Senate floor. When the actual Senate debate begins, Bubba will be there and be declared for the Blues. I don't want to participate in the Deme Meeting because I'd have to describe Bubba's appearence and all other sorts of things before he spoke twice. }

{ When will the actual Senate debate begin, and what will it cover? Specifically, will it focus on the successful dismantlement of the HRE and the reunification of Aragon, or will it cover the Great Oriental Blob? -and by the way, what religion are they? I am hoping that they are Tengri or Christian! }

{{ Oh come on, that would be fun to see you there in our little meeting
you know, you entering this arena with all these veterans looking down on you will be fun }}

 

[TurtleShroom]

{{ Oh come on, that would be fun to see you there in our little meeting
you know, you entering this arena with all these veterans looking down on you will be fun }}

{ Yeah, but I still think it'd be annoying and redundant to go into such detail describing Bubba twice. I mean, what should I do? Quote the description again in the next debate? }

 

[Attalus]

{ Yeah, but I still think it'd be annoying and redundant to go into such detail describing Bubba twice. I mean, what should I do? Quote the description again in the next debate? }

{{ Basically people in the Senate will have taken part in the Meetings so it only counts once }}

 

[ThetrueColt]

Senator Decius Pylaeus

"Senator Melissenos! It's an honour to meet an old friend of the family in person. And one that does show expertise in financial matters - you'll be dearly needed for this meeting. You still arrived early, so I guess your age is not to be blamed at all. Say, do you have any interest in becoming faction leader of our demes? It appears I am too young for the task and since no one else has shown up until now, I might as well ask you."

{{

I don't want to rain on your parade so to speak, but Athanatoi - as the imperial equivalent to oprichnina - take orders only from the Emperor and members of the Imperial Council. I'm sorry but please change this @ThetrueColt: common Senator giving orders to them makes as much sense as Varangians taking orders from, well, other Senator. }}

Damn, I just wanted to be lazy for once. I'll have it rewritten and explained in broader detail shortly }}

 

[McGrey]

Senator Titos Livios Melissenos

Dear Seantor Pylaeus, as hornored I would be in leading our Demes we should stay realistic here. I'm 74 now and might drop dead on my way home from this meeting. And even if I survive strolling home through the streets, I wouldn't lead our Demese very long in any case. So I would prefer do give this duties to one of the younger ones under us so he can lead for a longer time, make long term strategic decisions and gain experience in this position. Though, if the other Senators agree with you I would accept this duty, but let's not be hasty and hear them out too.

The one thing we shouldn't do in any case is divide ourselves. The next session probably has something to do with the deep dept the Empire is in and through that we might have a chance to regain some of the influence the White Demes once held, but only if we stick together.

 

[ThetrueColt]

Senator Decius Pylaeus

"There is no division between friends and brothers in the faith and when I look at our entire demes I see friends all the way. The greedy merchants and the warmongers always tend to establish borders between themselves for their selvish reasons, but we are not like them. We are united. I do not think that there is any reason to worry about friction, as the one true faith, our great uniter, will carry us onward together towards our mutual goals.

On the topic of the most important aspects of the next session, I think we will finally get the chance to enact the economic reforms my predecessor and you fought for, as even the foolhardy senators have gotten a grasp of what the aerarium has to deal with these days. However, this economic crisis hit the church the hard, so we should also try to strengthen its position in the Imperium again."

 

[Enlil]

Senator Marcello Giovanni di Capponi:

*As per the classic Capponi charm, Marcello Giovanni arrives unfashionably, unreasonably, and unfathomably late. He had read the many letters his late uncle, Ferrucio di Capponi had sent him, and was henceforth more prepared to face the Senate than his predecessor. That is not to say that he had lost any of the attitude of his forebearers, merely how to convey his opinions more... eloquently. For all the Capponi tend to be grave men, unafraid of their own graves, with a history of dealing with Pisans or their former allies, the various worshipers of graven images. He arrives late not due to any hindrance or personal sloth, but because of the power it imbues. Standing singularly, finally at that lonely door, it will be Marcello Giovanni who heralds the beginning of meetings, the beginning of change. That is, to say, taking into consideration that he might have come too early to be too late, in which case, like any good Capponi, he will distract the others from his mistiming with grandstanding and overwhelming pompousness.*

Ahhh! Friends of the White Demes! I am simply honored to be graced with the presence of such venerable and hospitable men currently in this esteemed Church of the Virgin of the Pharos. If I am not mistaken, which I am rarely am, I do believe a member of the esteemed Pylaei are present today. A house, which I am not mistaken, hails from none other than my beloved Italia! Seeing as none others seem intent to rise to the glory and power a Capponi is capabl- no entitled to hold, I therefore humbly offer myself as a potential helmsmen for the White Vessel! Under strong, intelligent, Italian leadership, the White Demes can stand strong in the Senate, and shield the Imperium from the Greed and Blood-lust of the Red and Blue Demes! Deus Vult!

 

[CzokletMuss]

{ Yeah, but I still think it'd be annoying and redundant to go into such detail describing Bubba twice. I mean, what should I do? Quote the description again in the next debate? }

{{ You may if you want

EDIT: Hi there Enlil, good to see you after such a long break!

}}

 

[Serpent]

Senator Alexios Serapis of the White Demes:

Alexios arrives in the Church of the Virgin a different man from when he was last in the Senate so many years ago. The once soft young man had grown harder and leaner, weathered by struggles within the hard-pressed administration and the increasingly desperate scrabbling for funds to fuel the imperium's extravagances. After taking part in several missions to gather mercenaries and secure loans, at ever more outrageous interests, and after accompanying the Imperial tagmata into Germany as a logistics officer during the Aragonese war he had arrived home only to see his personal estate in flames as the Imperium erupted into rebellion. For all this hardship his outlook hadn't changed. From everything he had seen he was only more certain of what the Imperium's course must be.

He notices a new face, having entered just ahead of him, and smiles grimly. Di Capponi.

He chastises himself inwardly before showing more than a glimpse of his unease and approaches the young senator with a friendly smile.

"Senator di Capponi, you are most welcome to the White Demes. It lightens my heart to see that you follow in your illustrious predecessors footsteps. I recently spent some time in northern Italia on the way to the wars and I was quite impressed by the hospitality and warmth of the locals. Surely the Italian perspective can be of great value to the Demes, though perhaps your sense of entitlement may be grating to some who may not understand that you spoke in jest. I understand your predecessor often did just that, making it seem he really believed that the Italians, and Pisans in particular, were vastly superior to us Romaioi. Perhaps such humour doesn't belong in the senate, for surely it will offend more than it will amuse, and it will not help gain support for our holy mission to save the Imperium from debt and mismanagement."

--

"Senator Melissenos, It is a pleasure to see you again, though I am deeply sorry for your loss. Your sons were good men and Rome is lesser for their deaths."

--

"Senator Pylaeus, I considered your predecessor a personal friend and a great ally during a difficult time in the Senate. You have my condolences. If you are half the man he was you will be a better senator than most, and I see that you have been brought up according to his ideals."

 

[ThetrueColt]

Senator Decius Pylaeus


Things are looking good, with the majority of the whites now assembled, the talks can begin for real.

"Senator di Capponi, I welcome you as a fellow white senator and as an Italian. Your enthusiasm and self-confidence appear to be beyond limits. Surely you are just exaggerating when your love for Bella Italia leads you to the conclusion that there could be such a thing as an Italian form of leadership. For what is Italia, but the first thema of the Imperium?
We are but humble servants to Rome, and while Italia sadly is not the epitome of Roman civilisation it once was - something that the Pylaei have tried to revert for centuries -, true Romans like my family had to turn to Greece to preserve their Roman heritage.

In this time and age, after seemingly endless periods of exploitation by the false Bishop of Rome, the Eternal city pales in comparison to the Queen of Cities, Gate to the East, and center of the world - Konstantinoupolis. As such, there can only be Roman leadership, and it matters not if Greeks or Italians are at the top, for both of them are equally Roman.

We will now being to decide who our leader will be and your zeal is an inspiration to all of us, Senator di Capponi."

--

He still wants to say more, but then a new senator joins the meeting:

"Senator Serapis, it is truly a pleasure to meet you in person. I have heard a lot about you from Junius and mostly positive things too, I dare say. In the past decades all of our houses had to withstand the trials of time and while I am truly sorry for all the losses we had to suffer from, let this not be a time to look backwards. We must move ahead if we want the Imperium to prosper again and as you said yourself, the economic's direst need has to be turned into a stable and prosperous situation.

So without futher ado, the first step towards our future shall be the decision of who is to become the faction speaker of our demes for the next session.
The only one who put his application forwards - in a truly spirited way, I may add - is senator di Capponi. I talked to Senator Melissenos previously, and considering his age *he turns to Senator Melissenos* - Forgiveness, my friend - he said that he would like to leave the post to a younger man.
I myself am still too young to represent our faction in the senate. So what do you think about senator di Capponi's proposals, my friends? Let's start our discussion."

 

[McGrey]

Senator Titos Livios Melissenos

*Before beginning to speak, Titos nods towards Senator Serapis, thankful for the condolences.*

As dear Decius mentioned, I would prefer a much younger men then myself for the leadership. And while your opinion of your fellow Italians – and presumably by extension of yourself – is staggeringly high, Senator di Capponi, I don't have something against your candidature. Still, before I support you, I would at least like to hear your ideas on the direction, our Demes should take in the near future. In a more practical sense.

Remember, as mentioned, the economy will probably an important topic, since the depts of the Empire are enormous in the moment, at least according to my information. Also, there will possibly a discussion of the continuation of the explorations, that had been started in the last decades.


{{The thing is – if I remember correctly – there was the rule that faction leaders could stay for one session beyond the normal age-limit. Therefore, considering the time between two senate sessions, if Titos is voted he might appear as a hundred year old the next time. }}