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

[TurtleShroom]

@CzokletMuss
{{ What will the Emperor do when he has learned that he has appointed an excommunicated man to lead his armies? Justice may yet be served. }}

{{ Honestly, though, I am deeply disgusted with the idea of unilaterally destroying a player's entire character base and forcing him to establish a new one simply because someone can. I really, seriously plea with Czoklet not to do this again. If that was to happen to my character's House, I'd not come back in disgust. }}

 

[TheAnguishedOne]

@CzokletMuss
{{ What will the Emperor do when he has learned that he has appointed an excommunicated man to lead his armies? Justice may yet be served. }}

{{ Honestly, though, I am deeply disgusted with the idea of unilaterally destroying a player's entire character base and forcing him to establish a new one simply because someone can. I really, seriously plea with Czoklet not to do this again. If that was to happen to my character's House, I'd not come back in disgust. }}

{{Eh, this world is corrupt, there really aren't any 'good guys', and laws are ever-moving further away from our own. You can die for wearing purple. Wiping a family out is probably done every day.}}

 

[luciusmalfoy012]

{{


That's a fair point to make. I think it's an experiment of Czoklet to see how well it will go. If the rate of hate Decius is getting just for accepting the post as Vice President will stay like this, I doubt we will see anything like this again. But what would the warning do? What would it be good for? I for one go with uneasy feelings into all senate sessions, you never know what will happen. And it's not like my character mindlessly kills anyone. If your characters would just exercise the slightest bit of caution in comparison to all-out verbal assaults and insults nobody would have to die. You do not prefer a senate disregarding any code of conduct or at least a resemblance of mutual respect, do you?

Also, technically I just put up your character for a trial. Czoklet reserved the right for anything violent and killing by having control over the Kentarchos. Of course, we all know how trials in TIM go, but Cozklet has the final say in this. He could go "the drink in Colombo's bottle is actually sacred coloured tears of Saint Markos" and you would not even get a scratch. The outcome of your arrest is entirely up to Czoklet.

I can't say anything about the favoritism or narrative, I have as much of a plan what Czoklet wants to do as the rest of you.

{{ Why are you so anti-fun?

A Senate where there is a code of conduct and mutual respect is a Senate I am happy to die to prevent. Perhaps your characters are just boring, liven it up a little, eh? I've given you a good excuse to do so with my curse. This is supposed to be fun, not a model U.N. meeting. }}

{{ I'm fine if you want your characters to all be white bread, but don't try and stop the rest of us from livening it up. }}

@CzokletMuss
{{ What will the Emperor do when he has learned that he has appointed an excommunicated man to lead his armies? Justice may yet be served. }}

{{ Honestly, though, I am deeply disgusted with the idea of unilaterally destroying a player's entire character base and forcing him to establish a new one simply because someone can. I really, seriously plea with Czoklet not to do this again. If that was to happen to my character's House, I'd not come back in disgust. }}

{{ Mm. It is true that should Alexius die, or even if he is castrated, the House of Colombo dies with him. He's the only member of his house left after the plague.

However, that shouldn't influence the decision. What Alexius did was out of pure, unadulterated rage, and should be judged as such. I already have ideas for new houses and new beginnings, so don't worry about me butthurt-ragequitting out of this. The Colombos shall have their revenge in this house, or the next.

However, I would like to re-iterate that I would like Czoklet to be the only one to make these really impactful decisions. I'm ok with putting players in positions of higher authority, but one player unilaterally imprisoning/killing another is something else entirely. But don't let that impact the decision on this trial. }}

{{ EDIT: I think a better solution (in the future, not necessarily here) would be a trial within the Senate, in which the players can choose whether or not to execute an accused traitor/heretic in cases that are ambigous, as this one is. I did go through the rules before posting Alexius' rant, and nothing in it is DIRECTLY against the rules. However, he could be interpreted as insulting the Emperor. }}

 

[CzokletMuss]

{{ It's 1:00 AM here, I'll answer to everything tomorrow. I hope by this time Magnaura will still be standing }}

 

[drucchi]

{{The crazy was so high that I decided to tone my senator's own crazy down a bit}}

{{Same here i intend to play a character whose only desire was to create conflict in the senate, but considering the competition i just couldn't do it.}}

Absalon II Hvide (Blue Demes)
Absalon stands up and adresses the senate. "Before i comment on the proposals before us i must protest the decision of the president. The people of the Imperium are becoming fewer and fewer by the year and the loss of more talented citizens of the Imperium is becoming a loss harder and harder to endure. Much blood has been spilled on the floor today, too much. The loss of the noble bloodlines is an even worse loss. President of the senate i implore you, you have made your point. Drag him out of the senate, fine, have him recieve the tender attentions of the guard, sure. But the excecution of a nobleman, one that is the last of his line, is a grave act that should only be done by his Imperial Majesty.

I have said my piece on this matter. Considering the fleet, it is the conclusion of the blue demes that the most beneficial option would be a selective mothballing of the fleet. The transport vessels of the Imperial navy are vital to the survival of the Imperium and therefore must remain in operation in perpetuity. However the warships of the navy can and should be Mothballed to spare resources. It is also the recommendation of the Blue Demes that the vessels protecting trade are kept in operation as trade income is vital to the survival of the imperium and thusly they must also remain in operation."

 

[Mach Twelve]

{{I decided to play a zealot with PTSD, but characterization marched on (and @Enlil stumbled on my character's trigger) so he went full crazy. It got him killed and his house purged (or did it?)}}

 

[Zqrfmb]

{{To top this session, I propose the next session has an outbreak of the dancing plague}}

 

[Mach Twelve]

{{To top this session, I propose the next session has an outbreak of the dancing plague}}

{{We probably shouldn't try to top this, it is getting out of hand. We need to calm down and focus on the true threat, the dynatoi. Czo really should give us the means to fight back against the dynatoi, one pretty much purged my house on a whim, I want the power to make a few children and siblings of the Dalassenos to disappear, even if it takes decades and carries risks}}

 

[CzokletMuss]

Reverend Senator Dooley Azizid, Bishop of the Roman Far East (Blue Demes):
Bishop Dooley called out to the acting President of the Senate.

"You have the power to cease the destruction of two clans! Your position does not have the power to do that without the Imperior and you alone can stop this wicked, Xenoi-worthy act! You must haul the Excommunicated Yerönkhiilögch into these halls and punish him for his treachery! We cannot allow innocents to die for two guilty men! YOU MUST STOP IT!"

The look of urgency in his eyes showed his passion for sparing these families.

"If you must uphold expelling these clans from the Senate, by all means do so, but please, by God, PLEASE spare the lives of those innocents!"

{{ Actually this is a very good point - former President ordered two Houses to be purged but the guardsmen porbably haven't yet left Konstantinoupolis or even if they did, they should be close enough for a messanger to reach them.

@ThetrueColt - your character as an Acting President may call them off, if you wish.

I know I already announced in Diarium they are gone but due to this whole mess I haven't thought about that (changing previous order by Acting President that is). So if the order is changed both Houses will be spared.

Also seeing that there is still confusion regarding polices:

1) CHANGE: All vanilla policies will be on the ballot; by vanilla I mean these:

Thus you don't have to propose or support them; this session is so chaotic that this is the only reasonable option now.

2) CLARIFICATION Senate Policy (the one created by you) must gain support of at least 2 Speakers to be put to a vote, as per the rules.

{{ Why are you so anti-fun?

However, I would like to re-iterate that I would like Czoklet to be the only one to make these really impactful decisions. I'm ok with putting players in positions of higher authority, but one player unilaterally imprisoning/killing another is something else entirely. But don't let that impact the decision on this trial. }}

I still am - kentarchos is there to take care of all matters concerning security, punishments etc.


Also what happened during this session from my part happened for a reason - I'll explain tomorrow

Now I really need to go to sleep, so see you at lunch. }}

 

[KingJerkera]

@CzokletMuss
{{ What will the Emperor do when he has learned that he has appointed an excommunicated man to lead his armies? Justice may yet be served. }}

{{ Honestly, though, I am deeply disgusted with the idea of unilaterally destroying a player's entire character base and forcing him to establish a new one simply because someone can. I really, seriously plea with Czoklet not to do this again. If that was to happen to my character's House, I'd not come back in disgust. }}

{{This is why I sent for a patriarch I had hoped that he could come in and either diffuse the situation or at least make it a little more or less tense. However at this point if any of the senators get out alive I think that stab should go down. Even the rumors of this happening would have created a revolt in the priesthood and believer at this point of history OTL, admittedly the black plague could've made the mad mobs switch attention to simply attack the main line of church, but at this point stab should be going down. The reason I think thusly is that the bishop of an area, admittedly lesser prestige, was physically punished for speaking out against practices in a region that seemed heretical. That wasn't usual, the usual is that his superiors would be informed and that they would come in judge him accordingly, in this case more likely than not an apology would be issued in a way to save face. However I guess at this point we're pretty much going to have the rumors of excommunication floating around anyway without the patriarch coming in to stomp it down which will probably make a lot of peasants in the east unhappy by this time. Oh well it is want it is.
@Mach Twelve who would want to do that. Or certain ports being spontaneously burned down, mines randomly collapsing, or fields being turned up in the middle of the night. All sorts of possibilities. }}

 

[Ponce_The_Great]

Senator Leon Taurinus (Red Demes):

*Has been sitting in a corner of the Red Demes watching this circus. He dislikes bowing to the proposal of the senator Colombo even as the strange man is dragged out of the chamber, he sighs under his mask. the Reds seem to be falling apart by the hour. Deciding to stand up and try to advocate for something, Leon stands up and adjusts his mask. *

"I...I concur with senator Azizid and I must ask that you show mercy to the families of the senators who fell victim to madness.
As for the other matters, the Imperium can ill afford an assault on the Church at this critical time and I stand against such a proposal.
Let us tax the exarchies, they enjoy Imperial protection and it only fair that they help us in our time of need.
On the matter of the fleet, send out privateers if that will do us any good, but mothball all the fleet that we can aside from the transports.
Right now the army is the essential institution for the imperium's survival and we must support it any way we can."

*He sits again and wonders at the strange events of this senate session. He has never seen any quarrel with the great nobles of the Imperium and fails to understand why these senators have dared to oppose such power and are surprised when they feel the boot of those better than them. Such foolishness, he supposes, is just more madness in the senate.*

 

[TurtleShroom]

l{{ @KingJerkera - The Ecumenical Patriarch technically does not have the authority to overturn Bishop Dooley's Excommunication. Autocephalacy has its Protestant mirror in the Baptist Church. Each Church (Baptist) or region (Orthodox) runs itself to ensure that one man never becomes powerful enough to corrupt the Church as a whole. Patriarchs and the highest ranking clerics of each region are "firsts among equals", meaning that each one of them cannot override another by force. I am a Southern Baptist in RL, and that, aside from dunking adult baptism, is the most important doctrine of my denomination; it is also the one I am most knowledgable on.
Now, in this world, the Emperor could pressure a bishop to undo it, but the idea of a man trying to force his will on the Church would anger many. }}

{{ I can only hope the corruption ushered in by the new Commander of the Armies will be undone with the mercy of the new President. }}

{{ Also, Colombo should have married Dooley's niece when he had the chance. Imagine, twenty years down the road, an Asian-looking Colombo rises his house from the ashes and has twelve slanted eye kids! }}

 

[KingJerkera]

Senator Nonamark Wedrovander (Red Demes):
*Despite his watch he found no way to hamper one of his errands and unfortunately he remembered too late that the patriarch is in fact a allied directly to the president by familial ties. So he found a secluded corner and watched yet more of madness unfold.*
*Whispering to Este'Ravenna*
"Now is not the time to consider war. Now is the time for peace. In all regards. When we are out of these halls there are always possibilities of events that are unfortunate. For now the hope lies in making a powerful stand and then making our demes look like the most good out of the lot. For we need it."

{{ @TurtleShroom Yes you are correct however what my character was hoping for was that the patriarch could come in and act as a mediator to keeping the feuding parties, the bishop and the president from turning the issue into something worse and hopefully into a situation where both parties benefit and the excommunication be considered handled not overturned. However with the counter stroke of czokletmuss that became a still born hope. Ah well the character feels a bit useless this time but that's OK.}}

 

[Mach Twelve]

{{
@Mach Twelve who would want to do that. Or certain ports being spontaneously burned down, mines randomly collapsing, or fields being turned up in the middle of the night. All sorts of possibilities. }}

{{ The Mandromenos Family owns several iron mines in the Peloponnese (Southern Greece, where Sparta was), an important strategic resource for the Army. It would be proper for the new Megas Domestikos to inspect them to ensure their utility for the Empire. Of course, some of these mines have been operating for centuries, and are known to be accident prone... But for that to happen, the Mandromenos need to survive, which is in the hands of @ThetrueColt. You know what you need to do to strike at the dynatoi, Pylaeus. Prove you aren't their puppet.}}

 

[luciusmalfoy012]

l{{ @KingJerkera - The Ecumenical Patriarch technically does not have the authority to overturn Bishop Dooley's Excommunication. Autocephalacy has its Protestant mirror in the Baptist Church. Each Church (Baptist) or region (Orthodox) runs itself to ensure that one man never becomes powerful enough to corrupt the Church as a whole. Patriarchs and the highest ranking clerics of each region are "firsts among equals", meaning that each one of them cannot override another by force. I am a Southern Baptist in RL, and that, aside from dunking adult baptism, is the most important doctrine of my denomination; it is also the one I am most knowledgable on.
Now, in this world, the Emperor could pressure a bishop to undo it, but the idea of a man trying to force his will on the Church would anger many. }}

{{ I can only hope the corruption ushered in by the new Commander of the Armies will be undone with the mercy of the new President. }}

{{ Also, Colombo should have married Dooley's niece when he had the chance. Imagine, twenty years down the road, an Asian-looking Colombo rises his house from the ashes and has twelve slanted eye kids! }}

{{ Unless the niece and Colombo did the dirty between the Faction Meeting and the Senate Session, which is like, 2 days, it wouldn't make a difference. Besides, if Colombo gets found out as a cannibal, I doubt the family would ever recover }}

{{Question for Czoklet: I made Salamis my deputy/ next in line for Faction Leadership before I got hauled away. Can he assume my duties until I return/die? }}

 

[TurtleShroom]

{{ Unless the niece and Colombo did the dirty between the Faction Meeting and the Senate Session, which is like, 2 days, it wouldn't make a difference. Besides, if Colombo gets found out as a cannibal, I doubt the family would ever recover }}

{{ If Bishop Dooley saw evidence of Colombo's cannibalism, he'd want him dead too. Only Xenoi do that. The irony is that, should Colombo live and not be ousted, Bishop Dooley has already expressed the desire to dine with him... }}

 

[Rip Off Productions]

((At long last, I'm all caught up with this epic AAR.

So I hear that there's an Emperor worshiping cult springing up, well I've got some words for them:

ALL HAIL THE MAN-EMPEROR OF MANKIND!))

 

[GulMacet]

Senator Markus von Habsburg (unaffiliated):

*Markus stares in quiet horror at the proceedings before him. He turns to the Senators Hohenzollern, Mojmirid and Serapis, who have seated themselves near him.*

"Gott im Himmel! This Senate session has a higher casualty rate than some of the field campaigns I have been involved in. At this rate, the Ausländer will find the City a ruin filled with the dead, when they decide to invade again, ja. This cannot be in the Holy Kaiser's best interest. I will support anything you have in mind to restore some order to our Reich."

 

[Teutonic King]

Senator Zeno Urbicus Mojmirid

Senator Markus von Habsburg (unaffiliated):

*Markus stares in quiet horror at the proceedings before him. He turns to the Senators Hohenzollern, Mojmirid and Serapis, who have seated themselves near him.*

"Gott im Himmel! This Senate session has a higher casualty rate than some of the field campaigns I have been involved in. At this rate, the Ausländer will find the City a ruin filled with the dead, when they decide to invade again, ja. This cannot be in the Holy Kaiser's best interest. I will support anything you have in mind to restore some order to our Reich."

Senator Markus von Habsburg I apreceate your willingness to join a cause for the betterment of the Imperium and the Senate. However, at this moment, I would like to hear Senator Serapis' thoughts on my ideas.

 

[zenphoenix]

Senator Markus von Habsburg (unaffiliated):

*Markus stares in quiet horror at the proceedings before him. He turns to the Senators Hohenzollern, Mojmirid and Serapis, who have seated themselves near him.*

"Gott im Himmel! This Senate session has a higher casualty rate than some of the field campaigns I have been involved in. At this rate, the Ausländer will find the City a ruin filled with the dead, when they decide to invade again, ja. This cannot be in the Holy Kaiser's best interest. I will support anything you have in mind to restore some order to our Reich."

Senator Alexios von Hohenzollern (unaffiliated):

Whispering back to Senator von Habsburg:
"I am equally appalled by the number of madmen and executions this session. I have heard that some of us have already tried appealing to the Holy Autokrator and the Ecumenical Patriarch themselves. I fear that the madness is only going to get worse the longer we sit around here without progress on anything. And then the Xenoi and the Mongols are going to partition what remains of our plague-ridden lands between them (God Almighty please don't let that happen). But at this time it would probably be wise to let Senators Serapis and Mojmirid continue their discussion, as they can actually vote on such matters.
Let me ask of you, what are your thoughts on the points already brought up? The expropriation of Church and/or Jewish property, mothballing the fleet, raising tariffs, weaponizing the Black Plague? Though of course being unaffiliated both of us can't vote, but I just felt it wouldn't hurt to do a little discussion between the two of us..."