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

[Mach Twelve]

{{So does this mean I need to make a new house}}

 

[Serpent]

Senator Marius Serapis of the White Demes

Marius looks around, gauging the reactions of his colleagues, ranging from tears to bloodlust, satisfaction to outrage. This would change them all. Shake them into shape, yes, but also change their focus. With the sources of chaos and disruption silenced, (oh how he hoped the whips would silence Capponis madness and Azizid's treasonous heresy) the real issues could finally be adressed, and the real enemy had just made itself manifest.

 

[ThetrueColt]

Senator Decius Pylaeus (Vice President of the Imperial Senate, Faction Speaker of the White Demes):

*The flagellation of di Capponi is more than well deserved, the Mongol has no right to burden the senate with his presence either, so there is nothing wrong there.*

Decius answers Senator Melissenos privately.

"The unworthy of our demes falls. Two reds lie dead, the foreign blue is punished as well. After all of 'this' is over, we shall see what we can do - I sincerely hope the rest of the senate will come to their senses."

He also takes the time to answer the red leader Este-Ravenna in private, so that no one but the two can hear it.

"I understand your concerns and share the feeling of powerlessness. However the President has absolute authority within Magnaura. We can discuss this issue further during recess, as the punishment is not yet over."

 

[CzokletMuss]

President of the Senate Nikephoros Dalassenos:

Twenty.

Kentarochos Nokas wipes sweat from his face with his left hand, breathing heavily. Both di Capponi and Azizid lay on the ground, face-down in small pools of their own blood. The Italian is silently moaning, the Mongol seems to have passed out. Clothes they were have now turned into blood-soaked rags, sticking to the deep wounds on their backs.

President of the Senate leans on the Fasces and raises his right hand.

- Enough. Justice has been served.

He then looks at the senators.

- Mark my words, senators. The seats in Magnaura that have been given to your Houses are not a privilage but a duty – duty to serve the Throne. His Imperial Majesty wants you to provide him with counsel and counsel you shall provide. You were summoned here to debate on matters of the state and you will do so, in an appropriate manner and with dignity your office demands. The next man who behaves like an animal within these walls will be treated as such - I will have your vile tongue ripped out from your throat and thrown into Bosporos. As for you, Speakers...

Nikephoros points at senator Este-Ravenna and senator Colombo.

- You will ensure order among your fellow senators during this session or I will personally make sure you never sire any progeny. Kentarchos.

Kentarchos Nokas looks up at the President, who points the sceptre and di Capponi and Azizid.

- Escort senators to the peristyle, if these two can't walk have them carried. And sent for a physician.

Dalassenos hits the floor with the iron ending of the Fasces.

- The Senate is at recess.

***​

Remember that during the recess the Session is suspended – this means that your character may not adress all other senators or speak publicly. You may however talk in private with whoever you want: members of your Demes, members of other Demes or unaffiliated. Eat, drink and socialize – writing letters to other senators is also allowed.

The Speakers are welcome to organize small “meetings” of their Factions.

Blue Demes – you may discuss changing your bonus from +10% Ship Durability to something else from the Nation Designer diplomatic list (5 points).

Announcement concerning sentenced senators coming soon-ish.

 

[CzokletMuss]

DIARIUM SENATORUM IMPERIALIS #23

ALBUM SENATORIUM
Illustrious President of the Imperial Senate magistros Nikephoros Dalassenos hereby annouces:

1) that the following honorable senators have been executed and their Houses removed from Album Senatorium:

1. senator Alexandros of the noble House MANDROMENOS (played by: Mach Twelve)
2. senator Honorius of the noble House SCIPION (played by: varetta)

2) that as of this moment the Imperial Senate consists of 22 Senators.

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

Signed,
Nikophoros Dalassenos
President of the Imperial Senate​

***​

To make everything perfectly clear:

• Senator Alexandros Mandromenos and senator Honorius Scipion have been executed;
• Houses Mandromenos and Scipion have been purged;
• However both players – that is @varetta and @Mach Twelve – can still participate; you have to submit new Houses and characters however;
• Senator Lodovico di Capponi and senator Dooley Azizid have been flagged;
• Other senators and Houses were spared;
• For now

Album Senatorium available online has been updated.https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P2otq6iOGIRIK4-rpbWBQw1kJuLjNaWxZ3PKVW4eRJA/edit#gid=0

 

[TheAnguishedOne]

Senator Duilius Arrius (Blue Demes):
*Duilius approaches Colombo, wanting to discuss what has happened.*
"Well, this has been a lively day. I must admit, I am happy the two executed are not one of us Blues, though still... tragic. Poor Azizid. I am sure his prayers will help his pain. Regardless, we must work on our policy."

 

[varetta]

To make everything perfectly clear:

• 
  
  
  • Senator Alexandros Mandromenos and senator Honorius Scipion have been executed;
  • Houses Mandromenos and Scipion have been purged;
  • However both players – that is @varetta and @Mach Twelve – can still participate; you have to submit new Houses and characters however;
  • Senator Lodovico di Capponi and senator Dooley Azizid have been flagged;
  • Other senators and Houses were spared;
  • For now

Album Senatorium available online has been updated.

((I guess our new Houses won´t be present in this Senate session so we do not need to send our new senators by now.

Anyway I won´t be able to do it until tomorrow I think.

PS: Scipion House falls as it has lived, accomplishing its duty. ))

 

[Mach Twelve]

{{Participate in this session or the next one}}

 

[CzokletMuss]

{{ Yes, in fact you should send me new characters after the next chapter is released so that you can take this into account when preparing your submissions }}

{{Participate in this session or the next one}}

{{ The next one, you can't join the Senate during the session. }}

 

[Mach Twelve]

{{I hope being dead doesn't count as a inactivity absence to get removed from the AAR}}

 

[Undead Martyr]

Senator Alexios Este-Ravenna (Red Demes Speaker):

Alexios, seeing Decius Plyaeus' receptiveness, decides to plunge ahead. "As faction speakers we must serve to rally our banners. I do not trust the Blue Demes and I especially do not trust their Speaker, of the Colombo... he seemed entirely too pleased by the violence here today. I suggest you seek out those among your faction who are... troubled... by our President's heavy handedness. I do not know what if anything we would be capable of, unless we could sway someone higher... such as the Sacred Emperor himself... the purging of two whole Houses over a matter of decorum is grossly excessive and must be answered, our passivity only allows such abuses to fall upon us in the future."

{{Historically the Black Death brought an end to serfdom, I imagine it could do something similar here.... our very own Renaissance, the crushing of the Dynatoi and Absolute Enlightened Monarchy? Interesting times we live in...}}

 

[CzokletMuss]

{{I hope being dead doesn't count as a inactivity absence to get removed from the AAR}}

{{ No, it does not }}

 

[Attalus]

Senator Valerios Raoul (the Blues) :

*Valerios is still walking difficultly following what happened. At least he is alive and healthy compared to others. He approaches the Blues *

"God help us, what are we to do !? I don't know the exact reason of this situation but the ... *a slave passes by* honorable President of the Senate is going too far. Could you speak with the Vice-President, Speaker ? Maybe the laws defined by our Emperor for the Senate could help us in this hour of need ?"

*He then approaches the Mongol Bishop and lends him his support*

 

[Serpent]

Senator Marius Serapis of the White Demes

That was all? Capponi and Azizid were punished, whipped and martyred to their cause. That would only strengthen them politically, as they had proven themselves to be too important to be truly punished. Those inclined to listen to their words would only listen more intently now. Marius shakes his head, troubled, and looks at his faction leader.

Not wanting to intrude upon Pylaeus meeting with Este-Ravenna he instead approaches Senators Melissenos and Ouranos. "Our dear President was harsh, but perhaps not harsh enough to be called fair. It seems we are still stuck with di Capponi, though the Mongol traitor at least seems out of it. I can't believe how such a creature could rise to become Bishop, and then seek to rob the church in ingratitude." He looks at Valerios Raoul caring for the disgraced Bishop. "Now, I fear, more will heed his words. And our need for an alliance grows greater."

 

[McGrey]

Senator Lazaros II. Melissenos (White Demes)

*Lazaros glances towards Senator Serapis and nods slightly.*

I don't think we should call di Capponi a member of our demes anymore, no matter what some lines on paper say. He won't be a help to us, more a hindrance but if the rest of us work together, we can overcome this little piece of...

*Lazaros mumbles something under his veil before clearing his throat.*

But even with him we would need an alliance considering that the other Demes outnumber us. So no matter what we do, we need to work together with one of the other demes and they either with us or together. That sets us at two extremes: necessary or useless. But if we can show ourselves united and ready to compromise, we can tend towards the necessary side of the equation.

 

[drucchi]

Senator Absalon II Hvide (Blue Demes)
Absalon joins the blues in their corner of the senate with a cup of water in hand. He looks over at Valerios and says: " Dear cousin do you have a plan? You have that look on your face that every Raul that i have ever met has had whenever he or she has had a plan in the works." Rather casually he calls over a servant. "Find someone to tend to the wounds of Azizid, it would not be proper if he missed the session because of something so banal as 20 lashes."

He turns back to the assembled blues: "So my fellows we never quite finished our discussion back on the ship, we got most of the agreements ironed out, but that last one, i say we take it up for debate again. You know how the spirits of the people are always lifted when a new shipment arrives in port? I say should we have the ear of the emperor we could capitalize on that. We could add regular shipments to the cities of the Imperium to our trade routes, i believe that that would greatly increase the enthusiasm of the people during wartime as ensure swift recovery after the war. (Ie add -0.05 monthly war exhaustion instead of +5% hull integrity it costs 5 points) An other possibility would be to lay our support behind the diplomats and administrators in charge of integratting vassal kingdoms, as i believe that we could ease their burden if they had the patronage of someone with the ear of the Augustus. (Ie -5% dip annex cost)."

 

[CzokletMuss]

{{ Guys, recess takes place in the peristyle, not in the building of the Senate. Peristyle is a "columned porch or open colonnade in a building surrounding a court that may contain an internal garden" and it looks like this more or less:

Nobody enters Magnaura, please. }}

{{Czoklet do you approve of this insanity or are you just facepalming like a gm when his players have done something incredibly stupid?}}

{{I would guess this is only half IC:}}

{{ I used to GM quite a lot back in the day, I'm used to players making... questionable choices And I'm actually fine with improvising, though if every Senate Session is going to look like this I will seriously think on disbanding it. There is only so much madness that can be justified story-wise without damaging the setting of this AAR. }}

 

[ThetrueColt]

Senator Decius Pylaeus (Vice President of the Imperial Senate, Faction Speaker of the White Demes):

*After the recess started, Decius is approached by Alexios, the red leader. While Decius condemns the injustice commited against 2 houses, he thinks the situation looks quite different.*

"You are right in questioning the actions of the President. However, we do live in extreme times and sometimes these call for extreme measures. Extreme disrespect and dishonour against the Senate and the Imperium is high treason, even more so in our turmoiled times. The crimes of one might befall his entire lineage, as we have come to witness. So while Dalassenos' actions were extreme and a overboard, his basic course of punishment was much needed and right."

*Decius pauses for a little while.*

"Taking that aside, what do you think we are capable of accomplishing? The President's rule is absolute in Magnaura. I tried to use my new position once without success. I have not given up yet, but do not expect too much from our position in these halls. What makes it worse is the fact that outside our influence is limited even more beyond the senate. Aristoi were never able to make a dynatos fall in the history of Rome. And the blessed Autokrator is busy saving the Imperium and all of Christendom, we cannot burden him with our relatively trivial problems.

*Decius adds another pause.*

I think it would benefit us more if we chose to fulfill the task the Autokrator gave to us. We need to adjust the course the Imperium takes so that it may weather the test of time. We should include the able parts of both our demes and at least the willing senators of the blues as well. These are dire times and if we focus on the gravest of problems first, it will be for the best of all of us."

 

[zenphoenix]

Senator Markus von Habsburg (unaffiliated):

*A man in simple, but high quality clothing, carrying a large amount of rolls of parchment, limps in the Senate chamber. His grimace makes it clear to anyone who is not blind that moving is somewhat painful for him. He struggles to reach his seat as quickly as possible, to the annoyance of everyone else.*

Ah, my apologies, Konstantinopel is truly the greatest of all cities, but this is a curse as well as a blessing - this is only my second time here, and I am not used to the distances. But now I am here, and ready to serve our Holy Kaiser, and our Reich, ja?

*He chuckles and looks around asking for sympathy. When none comes, he continues.*

What is the current topic? Army reform, ja? I have served as Chief Scribe to the Tagmata ton Germanikon for several decades, so I know what we need, and here are some proposals I have outlined...

*He hands a sheet of parchment to everyone not resisting vigorously enough.*

No one can question the bravery of our Soldaten, ja! But bravery will not help you in fighting the Ausländer - for every man in the field, there are ten men behind him, making sure his armor is in good condition, and his weapons sharp, and his food ready. If they cannot do their Arbeit properly, all bravery is useless, ja. We must make sure that they can. See tables two through seven for some ideas on how to introduce Austerität to the armies...

{{While Markus drones on, you can keep going. I would appreciate it if the next few people mention a boring corporate meeting going on somewhere in the background. }}

Senator Alexios von Hohenzollern (unaffiliated):

During the recess, Alexios felt like talking to the one German senator.

"Hello, Senator von Habsburg. I hope you are well. You mentioned that you have served as the Chief Scribe for the German tagmatas, no? Tell me, what is Germany like? My family has not been there for generations."

 

[Serpent]

Senator Marius Serapis of the White Demes

Marius nods at Melissenos, "But which of them should we support? The Reds seem divided on the Church, but putting them in charge of the Senate would only worsen the rebellions {{+2 revolt risk}}, while the Blues are, as always railing against the church and have little of use to offer the Imperium. Neither seem a very good choice to control the Senate, and though the Reds have always been closer to us it is doubtful they would allow us to retain control of the senate."
He continues, "It could all be decided by the dissenters within the other Demes, and the Unaffiliated. Do you know of any who might be sympathetic to our views?"