So excited to see the madness and chaos of this white meeting. With all those old men dead maybe they'll listen to ol'Capponi.
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I wouldn't get your hopes up, its more likely that we will all be talking over another.
By my watch is about 12 hours until the White Demes Meeting, and the start of a crazy two weeks
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If we can stack -1 interest per annum modifiers we will be able to take infinite loans and never go bankrupt (after the effects of our current bankruptsy wears off). Money would no longer be a limitation in the game, just like it should be in the Kingdom of God. All we have to do is keep peace with Pisa, which we should be able to do by cutting them down and vassalising them in a few short wars (in the future when the Imperium is in any shape to actually fight).
Base interest rates are 4%
With Administrative Ideas - Bookkeeping (which we have) they are 3%
With Economic Ideas - Debt and Loans (which we should have) they are 2%
With Peace with Pisa (which we usually have) they are 1%
With a -1 interest policy they are 0%
And with a Faction modifier of -1 they are -1% (so we'd possibly make money by taking loans)
My Brothers, this would save the imperium! We could hire all the mercenaries in the world, wage war against all our enemies at once (just make sure we defeat Pisa quickly) and we could even give the Blues some toy boats to keep them happy. We could do all this without looting our Holy Mother Church, or expelling the jews (which I suspect might increase interest rates, and would be a very bad thing to do).
Something to aim for in the Faction meeting (as if Czoklet would ever accept such an exploit
).
Base interest rates are 4%
With Administrative Ideas - Bookkeeping (which we have) they are 3%
With Economic Ideas - Debt and Loans (which we should have) they are 2%
With Peace with Pisa (which we usually have) they are 1%
With a -1 interest policy they are 0%
And with a Faction modifier of -1 they are -1% (so we'd possibly make money by taking loans)
My Brothers, this would save the imperium! We could hire all the mercenaries in the world, wage war against all our enemies at once (just make sure we defeat Pisa quickly) and we could even give the Blues some toy boats to keep them happy. We could do all this without looting our Holy Mother Church, or expelling the jews (which I suspect might increase interest rates, and would be a very bad thing to do).
Something to aim for in the Faction meeting (as if Czoklet would ever accept such an exploit
).- 3
- 2
We can dare to dream. If the empire could make money by taking loans then there could be no end to the large loans we could take.If we can stack -1 interest per annum modifiers we will be able to take infinite loans and never go bankrupt (after the effects of our current bankruptsy wears off). Money would become a completely irrelevant factor in the game, just like it should be in the Kingdom of God. All we have to do is keep peace with Pisa, which we should be able to do by cutting them down and vassalising them in a few short wars (in the future when the Imperium is in any shape to actually fight).
Base interest rates are 4%
With Administrative Ideas - Bookkeeping (which we have) they are 3%
With Economic Ideas - Debt and Loans (which we should have) they are 2%
With Peace with Pisa (which we usually have) they are 1%
With a -1 interest policy they are 0%
And with a Faction modifier of -1 they are -1% (so we'd possibly make money by taking loans)
My Brothers, this would save the imperium! We could hire all the mercenaries in the world, wage war against all our enemies at once (just make sure we defeat Pisa quickly) and we could even give the Blues some toy boats to keep them happy. We could do all this without looting our Holy Mother Church, or expelling the jews (which I suspect might increase interest rates, and would be a very bad thing to do).
Something to aim for in the Faction meeting (as if Czoklet would ever accept such an exploit
I see there's no mention of the number of different bonuses we can combine into our policies. Last time there was a limit of two. Is that limitation gone? Can we now combine a greater number of smaller bonuses into our policies?
I see. And I've also tried an interest exploit like the one I wrote about above in the game and it seems there is a 0.25% minimum interest rate. That would make a - interest policy less attractive, but still possibly worthwhile since the Imperium tends to take out a lot of loans anyway.
What does the Imperium's current incomes/expenses, revolt risk, local autonomy and manpower look like?
Also, is there a inbuilt mechanism to limit the spead of the new Heresy? Is it affeted by stability, revolt risk, religious tolerance, autonomy or the plague? Is there a decision to limit it, like the Counter Reformation, or increase it like possibly the proposed Church Expropriations?
What does the Imperium's current incomes/expenses, revolt risk, local autonomy and manpower look like?
Also, is there a inbuilt mechanism to limit the spead of the new Heresy? Is it affeted by stability, revolt risk, religious tolerance, autonomy or the plague? Is there a decision to limit it, like the Counter Reformation, or increase it like possibly the proposed Church Expropriations?
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1) That's true although I don't think I should be taking any more loans in the future - remember that every loan increases inflation.
2) Some of this information will be provided to you when the White Demes meeting starts (because Whites are the dominant Faction). Manpower is currently at - drums - zero. Yup, there is not a single soldier in reserves.
3) The event chain concerning Angelodulism has just began, everything you mentioned should be expanded on in the next chapter.
- 3
FACTION MEETING - OPENING
Illustrious President of the Imperial Senate magistros Nikephoros Dalassenos hereby annouces
THE MEETING OF THE WHITE DEMES HAS BEGUN
Illustrious President of the Imperial Senate magistros Nikephoros Dalassenos hereby annouces
THE MEETING OF THE WHITE DEMES HAS BEGUN
RUMORS AND GOSSIP
Here are the pieces of information your Faction have gathered recently. Remember that most of them are not entirely trustworthy and some of them may simply be not true:
- The Imperial Council is determined to balance the budget – current spending is unsustainable and huge cuts will have to be made.
- Allegedly the Plague in Konstantinoupolis was started by the Jews who poisoned the wells with their unholy magic.
- His Imperial Majesty have not yet nominated new megas domestikos and dynatoi Houses are competing for this nomination.
- They say that the domestikos who refuse to use army to quell the revolting mob in Konstantinoupolis was one of the Komnenoi.
- The heresy spreads from Smyrna to neighobring themata and Ecumenical Patriarch himself is very concerned about this and is said to going to ask the Emperor for an audience to talk about this case.
- According to rumors, His Imperial Majesty is planning to reform the Imperial Council itself.
- Rome, the Eternal City, is said to suffer the same fate as the Queen of Cities but the riots have transformed into a regular rebellion. Mob is in control of the city now and many clergymen and aristoi were killed or forced to flee.
- They say that during sack of Antiocheia while the Timurid soldiers were looting churches one of the holy eikon of Saint Markos has began emmiting heavenly light which killed the vile heathens.
- The imperial administration is falling apart, many of the local governors ignore the orders from the Sacred Palace.
- According to some the Plague Riots were started by xenoi agents.
FACTION INTELLIGENCE
Due to the position of the White Demes in the imperial administration the following information has been obtained:
May the blessing of Saint Markos be upon all of us.
Signed,
Nikephoros Dalessenos
President of the Imperial Senate
Signed,
Nikephoros Dalessenos
President of the Imperial Senate
***
28 December 1559
Courtroom, Palace of Justice, Prinkepos Island (Prince Islands)
The small courtroom is devoid of any decoration, its walls and floor unadorned. The only exception is a relief on the wall behind the seat of the judge representing the imperial Aquila – the Double-Headed Eagle with sacred Chi-Rho monogram on its chest. The symbol of the Imperium is a clear reminder of the function of this place. Judge's bench is located on a marble platform, towering above the room. Where normally benches of the prosecutor and accused are located , there are small tables with food and beverages with several slaves standing by them, ready to serve their masters. The slaves are visibly malnourished, looking at the prepared meals with wide-opened eyes in silence.
In the middle of the room on the marble floor from where usually witnesses give their testimonies a huge mahogany table is placed surrounded by ebony chairs, waiting for the Senators. The morning light comes to the courtroom through the windows together with cold, salty wind gently moving the white curtains. From the windows Konstantinoupolis is visible in the distance, enormous columns of thick smoke and ash towering above the Queen of Cities. Sunbeams dance on the massive dome of Hagia Sophia and gilded roofs of the Sacred Palace, high above the black ruins of the burned districts. Before the mighty Walls, located nearby the Golden Gate a massive camp of the Imperial Army can be seen where more than 20,000 tagmata is temporarily stationed to protect the City.
As the first member of the White Demes to arrive enters the courtroom, he is greeted by dekarchos of the Imperial Senate Guard accompanied by ten guardsmen, all of them wearing their armors and heavily armed.
DEKARCHOS: Salve, noble Senator. My name is dekarchos Ioannes Muzaka and I was assigned by the President of the Senate to protect you during your meeting. The President sends his apologies for the... conditions in which the meeting is taking place, however Konstantinoupolis is still not fully under control. I was assured that the Magnaura shall be repaired in time before the Session.
dekarchos points toward the table
The courtroom has been prepared for your arrival. The slaves are at your disposal and they will make sure that you have enough food and bevarages.
dekarchos turns around and shakes his head at the guardsmen
Me and my men shall secure all entrances to the building. There are over 500 soldiers of tagma ton Armeniakon led by one of the Athanatoi stationed on the island for your protection, noble Senator. I can assure you that you will be safe during the meeting.
dekarchos stretches his right arm in a Roman salute
The Angeloi protect!
dekarchos turns around and leaves the room, closing heavy door behind him
***
GOALS OF THE MEETING
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.
Code:
#Good
global_autonomy = -0.05
global_missionary_strength = 0.01
advisor_pool = 1
core_creation = -0.05
#Bad
army_tradition = -0.5
idea_cost = 0.05
war_exhaustion = 0.025
inflation_reduction = +0.02
#Cost
advisor_cost = 0.30Other rules:
- Your „budget” you can use to „buy” bonuses is equal to 25 points.
- You have to have at least 2 and up to 4 bonuses (so you can't use all points to buy one superbonus)
- I'll be changing maluses accordingly so expect for instance Blue Demes to give malus to coring cost if White Demes gives bonus in this area.
- The cost modifiers will be eliminated entirely.
REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING
- Begin every post written in-character using the following template:
Code:[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 12 – Faction Speakers
1. Each Faction has a Speaker who represents it before the Senate and other Factions.
2. Speaker is elected among the members of his Faction by acclamation.
3. Speaker:
- proposes Senatorial Policies in the name of his Faction;
- requests a Meeting for his Faction;
- notifies members of his Faction via PM of the Meeting;
Article 13 – Faction Meeting
1. Each Faction may hold a Meeting for its members to discuss public affairs of the state between Sessions.
2. Meeting lasts for 72 hours and is requested by the Speaker
(...)
4. Speaker ensures order and decorum during the Meeting, while members of the Imperial Senate Guard ensure safety of the Senators.
1. Each Faction has a Speaker who represents it before the Senate and other Factions.
2. Speaker is elected among the members of his Faction by acclamation.
3. Speaker:
- proposes Senatorial Policies in the name of his Faction;
- requests a Meeting for his Faction;
- notifies members of his Faction via PM of the Meeting;
Article 13 – Faction Meeting
1. Each Faction may hold a Meeting for its members to discuss public affairs of the state between Sessions.
2. Meeting lasts for 72 hours and is requested by the Speaker
(...)
4. Speaker ensures order and decorum during the Meeting, while members of the Imperial Senate Guard ensure safety of the Senators.
- 1
Senator Alexandros Mandromenos:
*Alexandros walks up to the Palace of Justice with his guards. He is dressed in a white toga with a simple leather belt to hang a sword and pistol. There are two modifications to the toga: the first is the symbol of his house on the right shoulder, the second is that the left sleeve is cut off to the shoulder to show a nasty scar on his biceps obtained in battle with the Xenoi in Aragon*
At last, finally we have arrived
*He unbuckles an ornate sword and pistol from his belt and hands it to his captain of the guard, Raverro*
Take these and keep them for me
*Raverro, a Spaniard who was trained by and accompanied Alexandros back from Aragon with two centuries of soldiers, takes the weapons. The man turns to the two dozen others, all from Aragon themselves, and barks a single word in his tongue.*
*The guards quickly form a wide column at the base of the palace steps. The precision and synchronization of their movements shows the high discipline of the men. Alexandros turns to Raverro*
That little show will be sure to impress any of the senators who have already arrived. Make sure the other arriving senators notice the standard on their shoulders and pistols on their hips.
*Raverro nods. The pistols, made by the gunsmiths employed by House Mandromenos, were praised for their quality but bemoaned by their scarcity. Officers in the Army are known to pay enough basilikon to arm and clothe ten men for one. Having twenty-five was unheard of, expect of course for the head of the Mandromenos himself*
*The guards look alert and imposing. Their uniforms are clean and bright, their pikes and swords are shiny and of high quality. The symbol of the Mandromenos family, an owl holding a pike, is clearly displayed on their right shoulder in yellow on a blue fabric*
*Alexandros walks up to the palace and enters. He hopes that no one has arrived yet. He nods to the dekarchos as he enters. The retired solider ignores the words and actions of the eunuchs going about their duties and takes a seat.*
*He removes a few sheets of parchment with a many words written on them. Alexandros reviews them and waits, he intends to give an oration to the members of the Whites and wants all of them to hear it*
*Alexandros walks up to the Palace of Justice with his guards. He is dressed in a white toga with a simple leather belt to hang a sword and pistol. There are two modifications to the toga: the first is the symbol of his house on the right shoulder, the second is that the left sleeve is cut off to the shoulder to show a nasty scar on his biceps obtained in battle with the Xenoi in Aragon*
At last, finally we have arrived
*He unbuckles an ornate sword and pistol from his belt and hands it to his captain of the guard, Raverro*
Take these and keep them for me
*Raverro, a Spaniard who was trained by and accompanied Alexandros back from Aragon with two centuries of soldiers, takes the weapons. The man turns to the two dozen others, all from Aragon themselves, and barks a single word in his tongue.*
*The guards quickly form a wide column at the base of the palace steps. The precision and synchronization of their movements shows the high discipline of the men. Alexandros turns to Raverro*
That little show will be sure to impress any of the senators who have already arrived. Make sure the other arriving senators notice the standard on their shoulders and pistols on their hips.
*Raverro nods. The pistols, made by the gunsmiths employed by House Mandromenos, were praised for their quality but bemoaned by their scarcity. Officers in the Army are known to pay enough basilikon to arm and clothe ten men for one. Having twenty-five was unheard of, expect of course for the head of the Mandromenos himself*
*The guards look alert and imposing. Their uniforms are clean and bright, their pikes and swords are shiny and of high quality. The symbol of the Mandromenos family, an owl holding a pike, is clearly displayed on their right shoulder in yellow on a blue fabric*
*Alexandros walks up to the palace and enters. He hopes that no one has arrived yet. He nods to the dekarchos as he enters. The retired solider ignores the words and actions of the eunuchs going about their duties and takes a seat.*
*He removes a few sheets of parchment with a many words written on them. Alexandros reviews them and waits, he intends to give an oration to the members of the Whites and wants all of them to hear it*
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<Two CENTURIES of soldiers, all the way to Constantinople? While I could see an aristoi capable of this if they squeeze and pull connections (maybe borrowing from the army?) that's still quite an impressive show of force for a new senator, well done. Are you sure you don't belong in the Red Demes? I got the impression of an army man rather than a man of the administration or faith...>
- 1
{{ Even a single kentarchia counting 100 soldiers is an insanely huge amount of bodyguards. And insanely expensive. @Mach Twelve , you should start thinking about a reason why your House shouldn't go broke from the enormous expense of transporting all these troops to Prince Islands and supplying them during the worst economical crisis in centuries }}
}}- 4
{{Are you a secret Dynastoi? Because this amount of soldiers, pistols, weapons and uniforms of high quality seems impossible for an Aristoi in the middle of this economical crisis and destructive plauge...}}
Senator Lazaros II. Melissenos
*A thickly clothed figure enters the courtroom. Her body is wrapped in thick robes, the hands gloved and the face hidden behind a thick veil, only slim, maybe haggard features barely visible while no details can be spotted. The robes are unembellished but their owner is easily identified for his clothing habit are well known by now: Lazaros II. Melissenos, Senator of his house, founder and director of the Melissenos Bank and one of the two of his family who survived the plaque and the riots in Constantinople.
His movements are flowing and are showing a certain aristocratic elegance as he closes in with the table in the middle of the room and seats himself. As he speaks towards Senator Mandromenos, his voice sounds soft and steady.*
Greetings, fellow senator. I assume, that this show of force outside is yours? If so, I wonder what you intend to accomplish. Would you like to explain yourself?
*A thickly clothed figure enters the courtroom. Her body is wrapped in thick robes, the hands gloved and the face hidden behind a thick veil, only slim, maybe haggard features barely visible while no details can be spotted. The robes are unembellished but their owner is easily identified for his clothing habit are well known by now: Lazaros II. Melissenos, Senator of his house, founder and director of the Melissenos Bank and one of the two of his family who survived the plaque and the riots in Constantinople.
His movements are flowing and are showing a certain aristocratic elegance as he closes in with the table in the middle of the room and seats himself. As he speaks towards Senator Mandromenos, his voice sounds soft and steady.*
Greetings, fellow senator. I assume, that this show of force outside is yours? If so, I wonder what you intend to accomplish. Would you like to explain yourself?
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{{Ok a few reasons as to why having two hundred soldiers at my beck and call isn't a bank breaker. The Mandromenos business is fairly vertically integrated, we own grain fields and iron mines, weavers and blacksmiths, we are pretty much immune to price shocks like an economic crisis as long as we keep the produced goods in house. We may have had a manpower shortage in recent years but there are plenty of starving, unskilled laborers looking for a way to survive.{{ Even a single kentarchia counting 100 soldiers is an insanely huge amount of bodyguards. And insanely expensive. @Mach Twelve , you should start thinking about a reason why your House shouldn't go broke from the enormous expense of transporting all these troops to Prince Islands and supplying them during the worst economical crisis in centuries
However, even with a way to insulate ourselves from a bad economy, two hundred men producing no goods is a drain on resources. That is IF we were paying for the upkeep of two hundred Spaniards and simply not requesting their services from the Imperial Army when we needed them. I said two hundred men accompanied Alexandros back, not Alexandros hired two hundred as bodyguards. Using a combination of senator privilege, influence with the officers in the Army assigned to lead these men (mostly generational from Alexandros's daddy who was a successful Army commander, funny how family friends ended up leading Alexandros's followers huh?), a successful (at least by the standards of this crisis) business making weapons for the Army including crazy expensive quality firearms, a lot of gold in the first place (see Alexandros's bio, in particular the "the Mandromenos Family vaults were overflowing with gold") gained through unknown (implied in the bio) means, and the fact that the Spanish men are scared shitless of Alexandros from the things they saw him do in Aragon results in the reality that Alexandros can obtain the services of the Spaniards whenever needed except in the most hard-pressed times when Imperial manpower in the city is spread thin. In addition, providing protection to an Imperial Senator as he is walking to an official faction meeting is far from an abuse of power, but making them wear Mandromenous colors, well the soldiers aren't going to turn Alexandros in. He is definitely toeing the line here, but I don't think the other senators are going to distract themselves here. At least that is what Alexandros is betting on.}}
{{Ok, this Senator intrigues me immediately
{{Yes!}}
{{@CzokletMuss : Just noticed in the informations: How the hell is Toulouse of all places Coptic?}}
(don't mind me, I'm just the peanuts gallery, but Xristos-damned, that's one heck of an economic collapse )
)
{{Use italics while speaking in character please
@Mach Twelve - fair anough, I'm satisfied with this explanation }}
@Mach Twelve - fair anough, I'm satisfied with this explanation
}}
Senator Alexandros Mandromenos
Yes, dear Melissenos, the men are indeed mine. As to what I seek to accomplish? Safety. The city has been wracked by the Plague Riots and I desired to ensure our safety while we spoke. Of course, I knew not of the dekarchos and his men, but I decided that bringing a few good, strong, loyal men to protect us would make an appropriate gift to all of you today. Do you not disagree?