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Senator Flavius Lucius Mojmirid

*Senator Flavius quietly opens the door to the room, and with as much subtlety any man could muster, closes it again. From underneath his hood, Flavius looks around the room he notices that he is not the only one to arrive slightly early to the meeting.*

Ah gentlemen, it is good to see you are doing well. Senator Manedromenos, I see you still carry your pistol, for what comfort it can provide in this dark world.
*Flavius sneers upon saying dark world, underpinning his silent rage at the downward turn of events in the Imperium.*

Personally, *Flavius reveals a wrist scabbard with a wicked looking pesh-kabz dagger sheathed within.* I prefer a more personal touch. *From underneath his hood, you can see a twisted smile appear on Flavius' face.*

I do apologize that we have not formely met, I am Flavius Lucius Mojmirid, cousin of the late Senator Mojmirid of Jerusalem who was murdered in his own home by gutless rabble. However unlike my cousin, I ply my trade in secrets. As such, the Blues are a natural choice for me. Although I fear for our continued existence with madmen in power.

*Flavius gets a small whiff of the wine as the fragrant aroma slowly creeps up to his nose. Picking up the carafe and pouring himself a small glass, Flavius takes a moment to enjoy the aroma before sipping the wine.* Senator Manedromenos this swill, as you seem to call it, is a surprisingly good Franko-Xenoi blended wine. I would guess it is a fusion of the pulque alcohol from the Xenoi homeland and a full bodied French wine.

*Taking a long, slow drink, of the slightly sweet alcohol, Flavius returns the goblet to the table before taking his seat.* While I for one do not like the Xenoi and the soulless gods they brought from thier old world, I find a few of their creature comforts to be quite enjoyable. However enough about wine, on to more serious matters. Ravenna is, for lack of a better word, tolerable. Although it is much more noisy than my homeland of Crete, I cannot complain as there are not many large cities on Crete that have any really good markets. The populace are rude, the streets are dirty, but information is so easy to come by, if you can find the right people.
 
{{"wretched hives of scum and low-cunning"}}

{{I see that Czoklet is (barely) avoiding having to ban himself, eh?}}

Blue Demes Speaker Alexius Colombo:

*Alexius walks into the room with two new additions to his person:

1. A bottle of perfume derived from the Lilac bush native to the Balkan region.
2. A sheathed sabre, which he pulls out on Mandromenos' note on his pistols.

Besides this, he appears more stressed than usual; the news from Cherson is bleak and Alexius has only been able to purchase a meager stockpile of the herbs thus far.*

Apologies my comrades for the state of this place. Such is the price of privacy. At least here we will be able to have honest discussion, unlike the Whites and Reds who, like it or not, are already caught up irreversibly in the affairs of the Dynatoi.

*He spritzes the perfume into the room*

"Hopefully this will improve things."


Senator Philaretos Mandromens

*Philaretos enters the room with four of his Agogatus, all five heavily armed and carrying various objects. He removes his sword from his belt and sits at the table, the Agogatus take the sword, set some of their load down, and leave the room.*

I will be keeping my pistol with me. If any of these drunken wretches are foolish enough to come here with violent intents, I will have the means to protect us. I do, however, promise to not harm, or threaten to, any of my fellow Senators or their entourage.

"I, too have made preparations."

*Alexius unsheathes his sword. It is a long, slightly curved rapier with an intricate hilt. It is clearly quite old, yet still very sharp.

{{ This is as close as I can get to what I'm referring to:
CavHooah-Saber-300x300.jpg
}}


"This was my great-great-grandfather's sword, worn on the hip of the most powerful merchant in the Eastern Mediterranean. Legend has it he slew three Xenoi pirates in close combat with this sword.
It will serve me well just as well against a Hoi Polloi...
*Alexius scans the room coldly*
an Aristoi...
*He then quickly looks at the door*
Or a Dynatoi...

It was forged back when the memory of the Republic of Genoa still glowed in quiet rooms and dusty cellars, back when the coffers of Italia burst with coin, and the region was the most prosperous and happy in the Imperium.

But that was long ago."


Ah, good stuff. I must ask now, how is Ravenna treating you all? I am finding myself greatly disappointed. I expected...more.


"This is what happens when a city is ruled by Whites and Reds. Those churchmen in their gaudy robes could sell but a tenth of their jewels and these people would know hope...

The Reds, specifically Este-Ravenna, are no better. That family has run this city into the ground with their greed and their spinelessness. Have you heard the rumors that Alexios Este-Ravenna was forced to retire? I know not why, but regardless of the reason it shows weakness and corruption.

Now, we should also talk about this upcoming banquet. I have increasing suspicions that Konmenos is not as benevolent as he seems hosting this meeting."
 
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Blue Demes Speaker Alexius Colombo: Now, we should also talk about this upcoming banquet. I have increasing suspicions that Konmenos is not as benevolent as he seems hosting this meeting."

Senator Flavius Lucius Mojmirid

*Sniffing the light fragrance of the lilac seemed to uplift Flavius' spirits, even if it was just a little.* Ah Speaker Colombo, thank you for that wonderful reprieve. I do think the smell was getting to me. As for Komnenos, of course not, but then few of the Dynatoi could ever be trusted. As for we Aristoi, I am still weighing my options. *Flavius let out a small chuckle.*

In all seriousness though, you are absolutely correct, the Komnenoi are planning something. I have sources in all the Dynatoi houses acting as eyes and ears, but so far I have not heard back from them. So I am unsure of what Kommenos is planning. *Pausing momentarily, Flavius blinks rapidly before resuming.*

I apologize Speaker, where are my manners. I am Senator Flavius Mojmirid. I joined the blue dems last senate meeting. I also apologize for missing the blue meeting before arriving in Ravenna, I was... delayed.

{{EDIT: Fixed}}
 
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Senator Flavius Lucius Mojmirid

*Senator Flavius quietly opens the door to the room, and with as much subtlety any man could muster, closes it again. From underneath his hood, Flavius looks around the room he notices that he is not the only one to arrive slightly early to the meeting.*

Ah gentlemen, it is good to see you are doing well. Senator Manedromenos, I see you still carry your pistol, for what comfort it can provide in this dark world.
*Flavius sneers upon saying dark world, underpinning his silent rage at the downward turn of events in the Imperium.*

Personally, *Flavius reveals a wrist scabbard with a wicked looking pesh-kabz dagger sheathed within.* I prefer a more personal touch. *From underneath his hood, you can see a twisted smile appear on Flavius' face.*

I do apologize that we have not formely met, I am Flavius Lucius Mojmirid, cousin of the late Senator Mojmirid of Jerusalem who was murdered in his own home by gutless rabble. However unlike my cousin, I ply my trade in secrets. As such, the Blues are a natural choice for me. Although I fear for our continued existence with madmen in power.

*Flavius gets a small whiff of the wine as the fragrant aroma slowly creeps up to his nose. Picking up the carafe and pouring himself a small glass, Flavius takes a moment to enjoy the aroma before sipping the wine.* Senator Manedromenos this swill, as you seem to call it, is a surprisingly good Franko-Xenoi blended wine. I would guess it is a fusion of the pulque alcohol from the Xenoi homeland and a full bodied French wine.

*Taking a long, slow drink, of the slightly sweet alcohol, Flavius returns the goblet to the table before taking his seat.* While I for one do not like the Xenoi and the soulless gods they brought from thier old world, I find a few of their creature comforts to be quite enjoyable. However enough about wine, on to more serious matters. Ravenna is, for lack of a better word, tolerable. Although it is much more noisy than my homeland of Crete, I cannot complain as there are not many large cities on Crete that have any really good markets. The populace are rude, the streets are dirty, but information is so easy to come by, if you can find the right people.

{{"wretched hives of scum and low-cunning"}}

{{I see that Czoklet is (barely) avoiding having to ban himself, eh?}}

Blue Demes Speaker Alexius Colombo:

*Alexius walks into the room with two new additions to his person:

1. A bottle of perfume derived from the Lilac bush native to the Balkan region.
2. A sheathed sabre, which he pulls out on Mandromenos' note on his pistols.

Besides this, he appears more stressed than usual; the news from Cherson is bleak and Alexius has only been able to purchase a meager stockpile of the herbs thus far.*

Apologies my comrades for the state of this place. Such is the price of privacy. At least here we will be able to have honest discussion, unlike the Whites and Reds who, like it or not, are already caught up irreversibly in the affairs of the Dynatoi.

*He spritzes the perfume into the room*

"Hopefully this will improve things."




"I, too have made preparations."

*Alexius unsheathes his sword. It is a long, slightly curved rapier with an intricate hilt. It is clearly quite old, yet still very sharp.

{{ This is as close as I can get to what I'm referring to:
CavHooah-Saber-300x300.jpg
}}


"This was my great-great-grandfather's sword, worn on the hip of the most powerful merchant in the Eastern Mediterranean. Legend has it he slew three Xenoi pirates in close combat with this sword.
It will serve me well just as well against a Hoi Polloi...
*Alexius scans the room coldly*
an Aristoi...
*He then quickly looks at the door*
Or a Dynatoi...

It was forged back when the memory of the Republic of Genoa still glowed in quiet rooms and dusty cellars, back when the coffers of Italia burst with coin, and the region was the most prosperous and happy in the Imperium.

But that was long ago."





"This is what happens when a city is ruled by Whites and Reds. Those churchmen in their gaudy robes could sell but a tenth of their jewels and these people would know hope...

The Reds, specifically Este-Ravenna, are no better. That family has run this city into the ground with their greed and their spinelessness. Have you heard the rumors that Alexios Este-Ravenna was forced to retire? I know not why, but regardless of the reason it shows weakness and corruption.

Now, we should also talk about this upcoming banquet. I have increasing suspicions that Konmenos is not as benevolent as he seems hosting this meeting."

Senator Philaretos Mandromenos

While our tastes in drink differ, I see that we agree on the principles of personal safety. I believe that between the two affairs, I would rather have you poison yourselves on Xenoi venom than see you unnecessarily at risk of being murdered by the commoner mobs. But let us move on from the talk of wine and weapons, however fascinating they may be.

This Komnenoi banquet, if it is anything like the last meal I had with this President, will be a disaster. Senators will be humbled, and I see that some will perhaps lose their lives. I was one of these men, as was our friend the Red Speaker, which led to the Reds losing two members. But who will be targeted this time? Indeed, I believe that those of us who will go to it will need contingencies in place. The Reds, or rather the ones that remain, are Komnenoi Dogs, as are the two unaffiliated that were there. I would be wary of them.
 
Senator Flavius Lucius Mojmirid
*Sniffing the light fragrance of the lilac seemed to uplift Flavius' spirits, even if it was just a little.* Ah Speaker Colombo, thank you for that wonderful reprieve. I do think the smell was getting to me. As for Konmenos, of course not, but then few of the Dynatoi could ever be trusted. As for we Aristoi, I am still weighing my options. *Flavius let out a small chuckle.*

In all seriousness though, you are absolutely correct, the Konmenoi are planning something. I have sources in all the Dynatoi houses acting as eyes and ears, but so far I have not heard back from them. So I am unsure of what Konmenos is planning. *Pausing momentarliy, Flavius blinks rapidly before resuming.*


I apologise Speaker, where are my manners. I am Senator Flavius Mojmirid. I joined the blue dems last senate meeting. I also apologize for missing the blue meeting before arriving in Ravenna, I was... delayed.
{{ Oh for the love of Theotokos...

Use this pls:

Komnenos (pl. Komnenoi)
Dynatos (pl. Dynatoi)
Aristos (pl. Aristoi)
doulos (pl. douloi)
Angelodoulos (pl. Angelodouloi)
Angelos (pl. Angeloi)
dromon (pl. dromonoi)
xenos (pl. xenoi)
thema (pl. themata)
tagma (pl. tagmata) }}
 
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Senator Magnus Arrius:

*Magnus stifles a laugh as he sees his fellow Senators are uncomfortable in the tavern. The people drinking away their worries are just like those he saw struggle against the dreaded plague. He endured that, this is paradise in comparison. What weighs on his mind is that the Blue Demes had been gathered here, away from the safety of the Senate. Senators have died where they were supposedly guarded...*

"Gentlemen, we've only just gathered. Must we begin insulting the other Demes so soon? Catch your breath, take in your surroundings. When was the last time you were surrounded by the citizens?"
 
Blue Demes Speaker Alexius Colombo:

Senator Magnus Arrius:
"Gentlemen, we've only just gathered. Must we begin insulting the other Demes so soon? Catch your breath, take in your surroundings. When was the last time you were surrounded by the citizens?"

*Angered, Alexius seems to enter a trance-like state*

"I spend a great deal of time with the common folk, Magnus. I find that the body of the citizenry is in many ways superior to that of the Aristoi. They are much... tougher."

*He suddenly snaps out of it and shakes his head, seemingly at Arrius, but moreso intended for himself.*

"And on your first point, I see no reason to hold back our feelings about the failings of the other Demes. We are all friends here, right?"


Senator Philaretos Mandromenos

This Komnenoi banquet, if it is anything like the last meal I had with this President, will be a disaster. Senators will be humbled, and I see that some will perhaps lose their lives. I was one of these men, as was our friend the Red Speaker, which led to the Reds losing two members. But who will be targeted this time? Indeed, I believe that those of us who will go to it will need contingencies in place. The Reds, or rather the ones that remain, are Komnenoi Dogs, as are the two unaffiliated that were there. I would be wary of them.

"This is indeed what I fear."

*Alexius addresses the room*

"While I used to be on good terms with the Komnenoi, they have turned their backs on me for, I believe, not trying to force the Blues into supporting him. I fear that he will try to oust me from my leadership position during this dinner and replace me with a more malleable figurehead. He may also attempt to kill or silence anyone in the Blues opposed to becoming his pawn. I suspect such attempts will come indirectly, from someone in the other Demes. I would suspect Pylaeus, who has always hated me, and has political weight behind him. But he is owned by Dalassenos, along with the other Whites. You all have seen the gifts showered upon them...

So it will be from the Reds or the Unaffiliateds that the dagger comes, upon me, or upon the Blues, or upon every Senator not in the pocket of the Komnenoi."

I do not believe Komnenos will seize us and knock off our heads like Dalassenos did all those years ago; to do so would run the risk of all-out war between the Komnenoi and Dalassenoi.

I forsee three ways in which the hammer may fall upon us; none of them are mutually exclusive.

Firstly, there may be poison. Eat nothing that a Red Senator has not already eaten, drink nothing that a Red Senator has not already drank. Do not trust anyone outside of this room who offers you a drink or a bite to eat.

Secondly, there may be false accusations against me, you and/or all of the Blues and/or Whites. The Komnenoi are a powerful family; forging evidence is the least of their abilities. Everything that you have or have not done could be used against you: We must stand together as a Demes to protect each other from such falsities.

Thirdly, if you look at the Senate Procedures, which were incidentally updated while we were voyaging here, there is a new provision allowing for dueling. Now, a banquet is not a Senate Session, but it remains a possibility, however faint, that one or all of us could be challenged to a duel. An unfair duel at that, considering it would almost certainly be set up by Komnenos to support one side. Which almost certainly would not be ours.


*Alexius frowns*

"Unlike the others, I don't have a solution, per se, for this last possibility. We can only be prepared for the worst. Bring your own weapons to the banquet and insist that you be allowed them during the proceedings."

"If you have any information or ideas about how else to approach this banquet, please tell us all."

{{This is my last chance gambit to try and survive this... Rally to the cause, Blues!....

and/or stab me in the back at the last moment. I don't actually see the rationale for Mandromenos to kill me: I'm generally pro-Dalassenos, and killing me would open up the Blues to exploitation at the hands of the Komnenoi like I say IC. But madmen have their own rationales...}}
 
{{ Oh for the love of Theotokos...

Use this pls:

Komnenos (pl. Komnenoi)
Dynatos (pl. Dynatoi)
Aristos (pl. Aristoi)
doulos (pl. douloi)
Angelodoulos (pl. Angelodouloi)
Angelos (pl. Angeloi)
dromon (pl. dromonoi)
xenos (pl. xenoi)
thema (pl. themata)
tagma (pl. tagmata) }}


{{ Just along these lines I want to point out that the "hoi" in "hoi polloi" means "the" so statements like "the/a hoi polloi" are wrong, like "ATM Machine" or "PIN Number". You cannot really be "a" hoi polloi, only one of them. }}
 
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Senator Philaretos Mandromenos

If anything is to happen to us, I would bet on the third. Unlike the poison, which is too conspicuous and in violation of the sacred hospitality of Greek culture, or the rumors, which is prone to failure due to the potential intervention of Dalessenos, a Duel is quick to give results and will leave no blame to the instigator. There is also the matter of it being a recent addition to the Procedures. Dalessenos changed the procedures to limit the power of the Komnenoi replacement, this change is no different. I do not think that he would have done so if he didn't intend for it to be used shortly. But, once again, who will be the victim? Senators in places of power, like the Speakers, are natural targets. While Pylaeus is the greater target, by virtue of being a man of the Dalessenos, your relatives may have lingering animosity to you, Colombo. I fear for your life. I wonder if the President will attempt to force us to swear to him after he has had you struck down. I, for one, will not bend to that fiend.
 
Senator Philaretos Mandromenos

If anything is to happen to us, I would bet on the third. Unlike the poison, which is too conspicuous and in violation of the sacred hospitality of Greek culture, or the rumors, which is prone to failure due to the potential intervention of Dalessenos, a Duel is quick to give results and will leave no blame to the instigator. There is also the matter of it being a recent addition to the Procedures. Dalessenos changed the procedures to limit the power of the Komnenoi replacement, this change is no different. I do not think that he would have done so if he didn't intend for it to be used shortly. But, once again, who will be the victim? Senators in places of power, like the Speakers, are natural targets. While Pylaeus is the greater target, by virtue of being a man of the Dalessenos, your relatives may have lingering animosity to you, Colombo. I fear for your life. I wonder if the President will attempt to force us to swear to him after he has had you struck down. I, for one, will not bend to that fiend.

Blue Demes Speaker Alexius Colombo:

"If you would not bend to him after my defeat, would you also not bend the knee before?"

*Alexius rubs his chin thoughtfully*

"What I mean to say is, should the worst come to pass, would you be my second, assuming I am allowed one?"


{{TLDR:
"Ride out with me"
"For death and glory"}}

{{EDIT: to respond to raspac's posts: Mach Twelve went a little further with the fourth wall than I would have; I listed off things that have happened either in the Senate or are possible under the rules. Since Mach's decided to go for the jugular as far as talking about the duel goes, I've decided to follow along.

As far as realism goes, since I'm the one who made the plea to not bout the lines between what you and your char know:

I don't think it's a stretch for our Senators, who now know that duels are possible, to put two and two together with

1. Komnenos hates us (really just me but "us" is how I'm selling it)
2. Duels are now possible
3. We've been ominously invited to his house where our enemies will be

Given this, our preparedness is very reasonable. The only information that I've taken for granted is something unrelated to the duel: Este-Ravenna's resignation. I figured that news would leak out to some degree considering the lotus nature of the imperium }}
 
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{{No one has challenged you yet!}}

{{Edited to respond edit: I would imagine that in-story duels are long custom and nothing new, what's with privilege and so on. We know it's a new rule, but whether it's new for our chars, well...

On the other hand, Isaakios said something of his own duels, and that is something senators would be aware of. So his modus operandi is known.

Also, 'raspac'? That's new.}}
 
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{{I was looking at the three options given to Mandromenos. Poison, Rumors, Duel. But I was able to justify to myself that the first two were not good options to remove an undesirable. That left a Duel. Also, since I knew a Duel was likely, I started guessing potential targets. The leader of the Dalessenoi Senators was an easy guess, too easy. So I started looking for evidence for another target. The other Speaker that isn't Komnenoi, added with recent events given to me by Colombo himself, gave me reason to suspect that Colombo is the target. And since you are dealing with an Army man, who is accustomed to a world where withheld information kills, and a strict chain of command, you have a recipe to have someone voice his concerns right away, with no beating around the bush! I think I was playing this appropriately, maybe a little too quick on the uptake, but I believe that people born and raised to play these games would play them well. And because of this, having *some* info cross OOC to IC perhaps isn't the worst thing that can happen. Notice that I don't speculate on who is going to declare the duel, other than the Reds and the two unaffiliated, a rather broad group.}}

Senator Philaretos Mandromenos

*Philaretos hums thoughtfully. He finishes his cup of wine. And another, before answering.*

If the worst comes to past, I would be your second, provided that you are permitted to have one.

*He pauses for a moment*


If you would permit it, I would like to see your sword. It appears to be a magnificent piece of craftsmanship and it may be needed soon. As consolation, I would let you see my pistol, made by the finest gunsmiths of the House's artisans. I believe that you will notice it is among the finest that the Imperium is capable of making.

*He unbuckles his pistol from his belt, and slides it halfway between the two men*
 
{{Yes Blues take up arms in the name of your cannibal overlord, then we can say we were putting down a rebellion against the Emperor as we're wiping the blood off our weapons.

Though I'm curious about the warning to "not eat any food that a Red hasn't touched" I can easily imagine the Dynatoi poisoning half the Reds if it kills the Blues}}
 
{{Yes Blues take up arms in the name of your cannibal overlord, then we can say we were putting down a rebellion against the Emperor as we're wiping the blood off our weapons.

Though I'm curious about the warning to "not eat any food that a Red hasn't touched" I can easily imagine the Dynatoi poisoning half the Reds if it kills the Blues}}
{{I could definitely see that. For that matter I think my character he'll probably not touch a drop of wine in this next setting to many warnings from old Grand Uncle.}}
 
{{Responding to everyone here:

@Rascar Capac lol how'd I botch your name that badly. With regard to training: Just because he has the sword doesn't mean he knows how to use it! I would, however, give Colombo the edge so far as knowledge of the human body goes: His history as a torturer means he knows where to stab to get the scream.

@Mach Twelve well said, I wasn't sure exactly your justification but it's a perfectly good one.

@Ponce_The_Great All according to plan, all according to plan...

But to whose plan is it?

Also, I'd gladly sacrifice myself to kill those goddamn Reds.}}

Senator Philaretos Mandromenos

*Philaretos hums thoughtfully. He finishes his cup of wine. And another, before answering.*

If the worst comes to past, I would be your second, provided that you are permitted to have one.

*He pauses for a moment*


If you would permit it, I would like to see your sword. It appears to be a magnificent piece of craftsmanship and it may be needed soon. As consolation, I would let you see my pistol, made by the finest gunsmiths of the House's artisans. I believe that you will notice it is among the finest that the Imperium is capable of making.

*He unbuckles his pistol from his belt, and slides it halfway between the two men*

Blue Speaker Alexius Colombo:

*Alexius gingerly hands his sword over, watching carefully*

"It's extraordinary in how well balanced it is,
given its age. Slightly longer than a standard dueling sword; my ancestor was quite tall, perhaps taller than me."

"It may seem odd to say to a person who I am potentially entrusting my life and honor to... But I must ask for peace of mind if nothing else that you keep the sword in plain view. In such dire times I can't afford to let anything go under the table, literally or metaphorically. I hope you understand."


{{Mach Twelve, you evil, evil man. I'm sextuple-guessing everything right now AND ITS ALL YOUR FAULT}}
 
{{Responding to everyone here:

@Rascar Capac lol how'd I botch your name that badly. With regard to training: Just because he has the sword doesn't mean he knows how to use it! I would, however, give Colombo the edge so far as knowledge of the human body goes: His history as a torturer means he knows where to stab to get the scream.

@Mach Twelve well said, I wasn't sure exactly your justification but it's a perfectly good one.

@Ponce_The_Great All according to plan, all according to plan...

But to whose plan is it?

Also, I'd gladly sacrifice myself to kill those goddamn Reds.}}



Blue Speaker Alexius Colombo:

*Alexius gingerly hands his sword over, watching carefully*

"It's extraordinary in how well balanced it is,
given its age. Slightly longer than a standard dueling sword; my ancestor was quite tall, perhaps taller than me."

"It may seem odd to say to a person who I am potentially entrusting my life and honor to... But I must ask for peace of mind if nothing else that you keep the sword in plain view. In such dire times I can't afford to let anything go under the table, literally or metaphorically. I hope you understand."


{{Mach Twelve, you evil, evil man. I'm sextuple-guessing everything right now AND ITS ALL YOUR FAULT}}

Senator Philaretos Mandromenos

Thank you friend.

*Philaretos takes the blade in both hands, and carefully inspects it. He observes the bands of blue steel formed down the blade, the lack of rust, grime, and dirt. This was a weapon that has been well forged and then maintained over the years, signs that it is highly valued and respected, as all swords should. Philaretos grimaces as he recalls certain soldiers that would not put a third of the effort in maintaining their weapons as Colombo did his.*

*He takes a few steps back, keeping the sword in sight of Colombo and starts doing a series of exercises with the blade, standard forms of the solider and then the duelist. By how he moves with the sword, it is apparent that Mandromenos is a skilled warrior, a trait implied by his position in the Army. It would be a shame if a Kentarchos wasn't a fine swordsman after all...*

This is indeed well balanced. An inch or two longer than I would like, but a fine sword nonetheless. Any soldier would be proud to bear it into battle. I am impressed that your family saw the need to have a sword of this quality and have taken the steps to maintain it, swords like this are not cheap.

*He carefully puts the sword next the pistol for Colombo to reclaim it*