#71 Bindier - Defense against the Shadow

[DM B]

Archduke Ulric of Boeruine has arrived in Bindier. He is said to have brought Lord Moergan, the Earl (Marquis) of Thasbyrn(e). The very man that burned Daulton. Sends a very powerful signal, doesn't it?

[DM B]

I'm assuming that since you agreed to meet last season that this court session takes place in the first month or so of autumn. Since autumn starts at the vernal equinox that would be September/Octoberish.

Let's just assume that those going actually have made it to Bindier. Start diplomacy or not as you wish.

[X-Brosengae [Cloene] (Linde)]

The great hall of Caer Bindier is a large room with benches along the walls and a large sturdy table in the middle.
The hall is amply decorated with various tapestries and ceremonial items.
Servants stand ready to bring the guests whatever they should desire.
Much of the Brosen minor nobility have decided to visit the summit and they occupy almost all of the benches at one of the walls.

A scribe sits ready to transcribe what is said.

After a courteous welcome greeting Count Cloene continues:

"We are here today because some of us have given a pledge to create a defensive pact against the shadow.
Those who have not given that pledge are here to be given a fair chance to join this pact and help shape the terms of it.
I am sure that you have all had thoughts of this matter since we last met, so I will now open the floor for the continued debate on the subject."

He sits back down and allows the representatives to talk.

[X-Alamie/CA (Marco)]

"As for Alamie I think every member of this League should agree on the following points:

1) The council will meet every time a menace from the Shadow will rise
2) Every member of the council will send some troops (at least 10 units of mustered men) to a field army created by the council
3) The council will decide who will be the leaders of the field army
4) Every council members then will swear not to attack another council member. If anyone will dare to attack, all others member will join to crush him"

[X-Tuornen/LF (Geir)]

Emissary Lauriel Anviraele stands to speak,
But first she bows deeply towards the higher stands,

“Archduke,
Your Graces,

All honor to the Archduke for a clear and short statement.
Are we to understand that this council will be only for the larger domains that can afford such costly commitments?

Your Graces.”

[X-Ghieste & HOT/GH (Matt)]

The Duke of Ghieste shifts slightly in his chair and sips his be-jewelled goblet as Carilon speaks. Once the Duke of Alamie and Emissary Anviraele have finished he stands and when he does speak it is in a clear voice.

"Thank you, your Grace, for your very straight forward proposal. Direct certainly and to be appreciated for that precisely that reason. Thank you in turn to the Emissary from Tuornen for expressing concerns that some might have. We will try to discuss those perhaps now. First let is say that the principle behind it is clearly sound, even though some of the detail may require finessing, some greater level of nuance, to allow those who will contribute to not be overly bound by clever political machination of the rules of the League, or the Council, or whatever it is to be called in its final form. There is a need for us all to trust the bonds we create here and so it seems necessary to build such safeguards as might allow each of us to sleep soundly at night."

He pauses, sipping again at his goblet but clearly not surrendering the floor.

"As the Emissary has said there may also be a requirement to size the muster of troops required of each member to the size of their domain, or for each to propose on joining as to the level they can commit to such actions and their membership to be accepted on that basis. It will allow those larger, grander authorities to show their willingness to aid the effort and those smaller, perhaps not as strong, domains to still be involved?"

With that question left in the air he takes his seat again and signals for a page to come forward, presenting a message for him to carry away.

[X-Tuornen/LF (Geir)]

Emissary Lauriel Anviraele stands to speak,

Again she first bows deeply towards the higher stands,

“Your Graces,

If One may,
there are no mention of the nature of the shadow and how it relates, do we see the shadow as any worldly enemy that wields but axe and sword?
My Duchess would not forget that it is a struggle beyond this world we gather to stand against. A struggle where my Duchess would hope for the commitment of the council to absolute loyalty and support for His Holy Office The Pontiff, and the councils pledge to be a along the Council of Temples in their efforts against the Shadow.
Als such wording can surely be better formulated by the many of high standing in this room, and the Pontiff should possibly be requested to dictate some parts to follow Canon laws.

Your Graces.”

[X-Avanil/Aubrae Avan (Thorsten)]

The princess of Avanil sits silently and watches the others talk. Her hands lie folded and resting in her lap and a shadow of a smile graces her thin lips as she listens to the words and proposals from the other dignitaries. She nods quietly at some things and gives a slight shake of her head at others, but makes no further remark. Instead her attention seems to remain on two seats - that of the new Archduke, and the summits host.

Before her rests a series of parchments she has brought to the meeting, placed by her manservant the moment she took a seat, and neatly folded down the middle to prevent others from looking at them.

[X-Alamie/CA (Marco)]

The duke looks and the Tuornen's envoy

"is it too difficult to see the presence of the Shadow? i don't think it takes a saint and holy priest of Haelyn to see the hand of the Shadow behind the walking dead in the Five Peaks and in my realm, or even in those provinces controlled by the Flaertes.

 Maybe you want to subordinate your liege's birthright to a priest but I don't. I rule by the Grace of Haelyn and I honor and respect the priests, as they take care of my soul and bring a lot of good to my lands and to my people. But to rule and to take care of our realms is our duty.

I'll do everything in my power, with the help of the Conclave of Temples of course if they want, to smite the pure evil in Alamie, and by extent in Anuire"

[X-Avanil/Aubrae Avan (Thorsten)]

Aubrae gives an acknowledging nods to Carilon's words.

"Agreed, Your Grace, and well put. This was never about handing our forces over to the CoT, but about doing what we can to fend off the shadows ourselves."

[X-Alamie/CA (Marco)]

The Duke then turns to Duke Hiriele

"Your grace, you made an interesting questions. How many troops has every member to send should a field army be requested? I think beginning to talk about realms' size or realms' strength would lead us to nowhere. Everyone of us will try to take advantage from this, claiming to be less powerful and thus sending less troops to spare more after the war where potential enemies could have been weakened.

Or maybe the larger ones will tend to actually rule the council and the army as his own stuff. and mayne trying to take the best share of every war profits should ever happen at the end of a battle.

 No, if the spirit of the council is to have a group of Peer Realms united and allied against Anuire's enemies, then every realm will partecipate with the same amount of troops. This will be clearer and will reduce some scheming, alas too much common in our lands.

 I'll let to our less dignitaries to reach an agreement about how many units: 10 or 8 or 12. And what will be the share of heavy or light troops or infantry or cavalry."

[X-Avanil/Aubrae Avan (Thorsten)]

This time Aubrae shakes her head briefly. "I do not think creating a field army, nor dispatching a set amount of troops to this cause is the way to go Your Grace. This is not the CoT, and I believe we would be shooting ourselves in the foot to attempt to mimic their organisation. Nor do I think this should amount into a council or a regular meeting of members. In my minds eye, what we have to accomplish during this summit needs to be something far lighter and easier manageable. Something that will work to everyone's advantage, while putting no one realm in a position where they have to be subservient to others, and without donating fees and troops for one man or realm to exploit."

She looks around the table for the first time now, letting her eyes rest on each dignitary in turn.
"I would propose, not that we work to create an organisation or conclave, but that we formulate a treaty or pact, uniting everyone to a common goal."

[X-Tuornen/LF (Geir)]

Emissary Lauriel Anviraele stands to speak,

she bows deeply towards Princess Aubrae,

“Princess”,

The bow last for a while, then quickly towards the rest,

“Your Graces,

It was never our intent to suggest other then what the Princess just now worded so much more wisely and elegantly,

I will reply the Archduke with care, to not further open up for misunderstandings,

In my Duchess Tuornen the taint of the Shadow is still evident; even if effort of my Duchess and Her Templar’s of the Militant Order clear the lands of undead continuously still new wander in across the border.
There will be need of armies, but there are armies, many armies, but what of goals? Should there be a clear goal or target for these efforts? Can there be names such goal and targets in this meeting?

And, the Shadow is a danger that cannot be defeated alone by armies of ordinary men, the source, powers and entities behind what we see by plain sight must be confronted with powers only the Gods can grant.
And so it too is learned that only with the true loyalty to His Holy Office The Pontiff can the birthright of my Duchess, and the duty that follows, be fulfilled. May the Pontiff bless my Duchess Laela Flaertes, by Grace of Haelyn Duchess of Tuornen, give Her strength to suffer the pre…”

Her last words are lost in whispers as she sits down again.

[X-Alamie/CA (Marco)]

Duke Carilon Alam stands up again lookin at Princess Aubrae

"Princess,

I'm glad to hear your proposal as well as the terms and the goal of the pact and I'llbe also glad to hear the thoughts of other members of this meeting, until now still silent".

He then sits looking briefly at the Boer's delegation.

[X-Mhoried/Constantine Mhor (Wiktor)]

Michael Maricoere, Mhoried's representative, is a young lad of 17 years old. Although he wears good quality court clothes, he is no match for the present Anuirean lords.

He is quietly listening to the conversation keeping some notes on a parchment and eagerly awaits his turn to speak unwilling to interrupt the lords present. Noticing a small pause in the conversation he decides it is a good time to go ahead.

Lords,

The people of Mhoried have been safeguarding the borders of the empire against the shadow for a long time and we will uphold our duty for as long the last one of us still breathe. The tidings are worrying; the Hand of Azrai has increased their activity in the last few seasons in many areas and 'independent' manifestations of the shadow appear throughout Anuire.

The most recent example in Ilien is followed by the rumors of heresy in Mhoried's south border among others. It is clear that our war against the shadow is unconventional with no clear borders and no clearly defined enemies. Although the enemy is internal and subtle, we should not rely soley on the servant of the All Father to identify them. Often we are blind to obvious signs of corruption. 

Mhoried will support any effort against the shadow and we believe it would be useful to 'create' an early response military force that would rush to the area of any incident until the other realms can muster and organise forces. There are several knightly orders in Anuire, perhaps one of them not tied with politics or domains could receive the role. 

We could provide free passage to such a force, but a lot of details need to be clarified. One would expect this force to be commanded by the conclave, but would we invest the conclave with the authority to overule sovereigns in appearances of shadow? Or are we going to define a fixed term leadership among the sovereigns who will join this council?

Another topic we should discuss is the contribution of troops per realm. This cannot be a solid agreement but needs to take into account up-to-date commitments and politics. If war is breweing in the neighborhoud of a realm it would be unfeasible to demand said realm to contribute forces for an objective far away. A lot of realms are constantly guarding borders against the shadow, are we going to lower our guard? What if we fall for a diversion?

Unfortunately, the proposal of mandatory peace among the members of the council is utopic. We are all aware of great treacheries in Anuirean politics and no sovereign would rely on such words. Not as long as we leave in a world of darkness...

Michael finishes his last sentence and returns to his seat waiting for any reply.