A Concordat, or a Cordon Sanitaire? The Folds von Moritz and Delmotte denounce this ‘Concordat’s’ talk of a reinvigorated noble assembly, in no unplain terms, as banal opportunism of the Emperor’s absence from the capitol to make a grab for higher investiture in the nobility. Make no mistake that the noble assembly, which was dissolved in early 310 AC, was a self-serving institution that allowed the noble to step in-between the Emperor and the commoners to greedily sap power for themselves. The nobility frequently used bully tactics to muddy the merits of any particular argument to place additional pressure by way of numbers to gang up and push their ideas through—or, to prevent virtuous ideas from passing to the Emperor. The vile sin of democracy—using the vote of the majority to oppress the minority—is precisely the jacobinism the Norinn camp uses as a calling card to attack criticism of their movement. The noble assembly first came about during the absences of the Emperors, one of which was directly caused by a reactionary coup of nobles who did not like the changes that were happening in the empire, so they banded together, formed a partisan movement and tried to coup him. History undid their success. Law proposals began emerging that were not guided by morality or divine conclave, but rather, guided by self-interest and backdoor political compromise. The lawbook became a toddler’s sketch tablet for whatever nobles needed to pass to assure an abstraction of power, and it long reflected messy contradictions until the Crown set matters right and abolished the assembly this spring. The abuses of the assembly met its climax last winter, when the noble assembly considered a proposal to ask the Emperor Alexander I to write the Articles of Protection, a draft of basic rights for all commoners, to protect them from tyranny. Political power in the Regalian Empire is a finite thing; one group of people never gain power without deprecating the power of someone else. The noble may never empower themself unless at the expense of the Emperor, or the commoner. And the commoner currently lacks the power to vote in an assembly. So from what authority will the nobility take to empower itself? It should be made clearer for those who lack a political mind: The noble assembly was voting to severely restrict the power of the nobility and give that power back to the Emperor, where it rightly belongs, to bestow his benevolence more directly to the commoners. A reactionary political movement led by House Howlester formed a coalition of nobles unwilling to adopt the articles. They rallied political actors such as Houses Guentyr, du Poncaire, Peirgarten, Mac Conall , Viduggla and more and schemed behind closed doors to attempt to stonewall the articles. Some did so out of selfish desires, and others did so simply because ‘Howlester said’. Countess Guentyr can say she supported the articles during the public votes all she likes. When it came time to vote anonymously, she did so from within the Howlester bloc, where her vote was comingled among her fellow party members who vehemently opposed the articles. Maybe she was the one anonymous vote in favor of the articles from that party. But we would not know, because her support for the articles was not enough to cause her to abandon the Howlester bloc from disgust. One could forgive such a mistake were it not for the Countess’ current presence among the new ‘Concordat’ reactionaries. It should also be noted that this group wasted 177,000 regals in unspent tax revenue over the course of several months; they merely let that wealth sit in their coffers until the bureaucracy could no longer process the wealth, and the money started trickling out into unknown pockets. Just so we are clear how much these nobles cared about using their wealth to help the Empire. Meanwhile, House Bancroft, nominally part of a pro-Imperial faction but with radically self-interested views, stood on the floor of the noble assembly. Arahael Bancroft, once adopted as a brother to His Holiness himself, betrayed his Emperor. He claimed the Articles of Protection would incite mass civil discord and cause a civil war that would result in hundreds of thousands dead. The lack of faith in His Holiness was and is disturbing to this day. And let us be clear: The only people who would have rebelled against the Crown for giving more rights to commoners, would be the very nobles who complained of giving more rights to commoners. Bancroft then pressured the Crown to ensure the anonymity of the nobility when voting for or against the articles. Emperor Alexander I, in his infinite wisdom, knew a noble could not properly vote their conscience if they were afraid of the consequences of their votes, and mercifully granted the request on virtuous principle—even if it meant giving nobles a proper smokescreen to vote to preserve their own power without looking bad to the commoners they are supposed to be protecting. And the articles, yet again, failed at vote. It was only by the grace and wisdom of Madelyn de Azcoissia, the Last Lord-Chancellor of Regalia, who sacrificed her own authority as head of the government to push the proposal through. But enough of the past. Let us look to the words of Count Norinn himself: “The aristocracy has long used the Noble Assembly to project the needs and interests of their respective regions, and aim to continue to do so through this revised adaptation,” Count Norinn writes in his charter for the ‘assembly’, which currently acts in an ‘advisory capacity’. When asked plainly if he supports bringing back the noble assembly or not, the Count Norinn coyly states he is merely a servant of the Emperor’s will. How insufferable of a deflective response that presumes his own selfish desires are in-line with the Emperor, despite the Emperor not being present in the capitol to truthfully tell his own belief of the matter. “Projecting needs and interests of their respective regions” is a polite gaslight for armtwisting the Emperor out of what is moral and right, toward what is profitable and good for the noble. Any “advice” this prospective noble assembly would conjure would be done through the lens of using bulk numbers to gang up on the Crown and attempt to intimidate it. So-then, Count Norinn approached members of the Bloodcast Order to try to intimidate it in favor of his movement. He threatened to politically block contracts for the Bloodcast Order if it did not support him. Ask yourselves, readers: Why would Count Norinn want an army of Bloodcast Knights at his beck-and-call? It is understood by Folds von Moritz and Delmotte that one of the ‘issues’ the Concordat wishes to see addressed in its new ‘noble assembly’ is to roll back Prince-Protector Frederick’s decree on feudal armies. The honorable Prince-Protector Frederick brought about this change to modernize the Regalian military, ensure its efficiency in war, and to stamp out the nobility who used their feudal armies to oppress commoners and incite discord within the Empire over high-society slights. Indeed, before this decree, we recall how House Guentyr approached the War Ministry stating it wished to invade Rutgher, Soren and Serman. We recall how the State Government urged the Countess not to because the Foreign Consuls were busy trying to court the Navigation Act signees back into the treaties, and that it would be more beneficial to diplomatic efforts in the region if she offered her army to put down unrest and provide security for the already fracturing faux-states. And we recall how she undermined the government’s efforts and invaded anyways for her own glory, and then spent the next few weeks at gossip parties insisting the War Ministry told her to invade after the invasion blew up in her face. We also recall the several noble houses, including Mac Conall—the former name of Blarach— who force-marched their feudal armies through the snows of Hvitskag, freezing and starving their peasant levies all along the way because they lacked the coordination a modernized military would bring and wanted some laurels to sit on themselves. And we understand how truly 'suggestive' feudal 'advice' is when it is done with an army of levies at the 'suggesting' noble's back, ready to use numbers to enforce that particular noble's will. It is also understood these actors plan to use this organization to bully the Crown into dissolving several government ministries it does not like, such as the Truth, Morality and Information Ministries. Loyalty to the Emperor, and the heirs, is not a negotiation. Either your blood flows true with patriotism for the Empire, and respect for the monarchy, or it does not. If the nobility wishes to positively support the Empire, the nobility must sign onto government institutions such as the State Metropolitan instead of standing inactive upon perceived laurels asking for more power and benefits in return for very little service to the Crown. Get a job, and proactively serve your empire by doing it. And should the nobility seek redress with the Crown, it must petition the Crown directly in line with the most recent mode of governance; and the Crown, in its infinite wisdom, will respond according to merit and virtue. The fact some nobles even see a need to make an assembly shows they either have not tried to contact the Crown, or believe the current system of Crown authority is not satisfactory to their goals and prefer to go back to using their bulk numbers to “suggest” its “advice” rather than trust in the merit of its requests to be reviewed by the Crown with wisdom and fairness. The Emperor’s decree and policy must not suffer the criticism of the noble just because He is absent from the capitol. This “Concordat” is actively attempting to bully muscle into its support, and if it got what it wanted, it would deprecate the authority of the Emperor while He is not even present in the capitol to act in response. Folds von Moritz and Delmotte calls upon all righteous nobility and citizens alike still loyal to the Emperor to resist the lure that is the Concordat. Yet, it must be understood that some nobles may be ignorant to the Count Norinn's plans. Some may have just wanted to be politically active, without committing to the work required to do so, and so they threw their name on a list without fully understanding the implications of what they are doing. So the Folds von Moritz and Delmotte call upon each and every member of the Concordat to publicly resign from the organization with apologies to the Crown for their disrespect. Lord-Protector Heinrich von Moritz, Viridian Order Count Markus Delmotte of Bastadon
I, Selthuriel Aredeth, join the Folds von Moritz and Delmotte in denouncing the false Assembly, and encourage its members to depart this organization that seeks to empower itself at the expense of the Emperor and the people. Long live the Empire, Sol-Maess Selthuriel Aredeth
I, Ser Antine of the Bloodcast Order, concur with all that was said both by the Sol-Maess Aredeth and and the Lord Protector. Everwatcher Deliver Us Ser Antine of Monta
Within papers of support for the denouncement of The Concordat, another adds on. I, Av'allis Froz'vann Daalsein Bel-Sol Solleria-Tol Eimarse, hereby supports the denunciation of The Concordat for their blatant disrespect towards The Crown. Faith in the light of The Everwatcher. Av'allis Froz'vann Daalsein Bel-Sol Solleria-Tol Eimarse Baron of Eimarse Ward-Knight of The Aelrrigan Order
Novak would glance over the long opinion piece, scratching at her head as a clearly ragged look grown across her features as she did. She rolled her crimson, bloodcast-red drapes tightly around her shoulders, her rose tinted hues gluing themselves to the middle of the notice as she calmly mumbled out, "Heh.. I really do wonder why the Count wants Bloodcasts at his beck an' call. I'll go ask the hole in his chest.."
To the Lord-Protector Heinrich von Moritz and Count Markus Delmotte, House Gwentyr is no longer associated with the Concordat. Until reading this denunciation, I had not grasped the full scale of the Count Norinn’s plans and so thought it not necessary to publicly announce my departure. However, since I now do, allow me to make this statement: I, Viviwynne Gwentyr, do resign from the Concordat, and do apologize to his Imperial Holiness for this slight against him. I would also add my name to the list of those calling for the members of the peerage still involved in the organization to leave, as those involved do indeed want to create a Noble Assembly with powers greater than what it had prior to its dissolution. I wish that could have been all I needed to say. However, this denunciation against the Concordat also spends two hundred and twenty-five words denouncing our house as well. I spoke to the Count Norinn at a gala to tell him we were leaving, an event for which the Lord-Protector was present. He did not speak to me once at this event, even though I attempted to speak to him at one point. I do wish he could have explained his concerns to me in private, for as I had already left the Concordat, I would likely have had our House join his in the writing of the above letter rather than becoming a target of it. I presume the amount of words against me come from the fact that I made a statement about my presence in the Concordat. The purpose of my previous comment was not to support the Concordat, but to reassure people that, in my view, the nobility has no serious leverage with which to weaken the Emperor’s power. Given that I had been offered a position on the rules committee, I pledged to use this position to keep any of those with a mind of seizing power in check as I would report them to the Metropolitan. However, I was sold a false promise on what the Concordat was to be through writing, and once I became aware of the actions of the Concordat’s most ardent supporters, I left. As for the other accusations, I have not much to say. To the first, it is true that there is no concrete way to prove I supported the Articles of Protection. To the second, I maintain that I believed the then-War Minister gave me permission to invade Carrhen with my feudal armies. This gross miscommunication and misunderstanding on my end led to my signing of a document forfeiting my right to use my own armies without permission of the then-War Minister, the Lord-Protector von Moritz. This is something the Lord-Protector wanted all noble houses to sign, however as far I know, I was the only one to do so. This unfortunately goes unmentioned in the document the Lord-Protector and Count published, which instead wants to imply I would support regaining the power to form feudal armies. I do not, and if anyone had asked me, they would have found this out. To conclude, I agree with the concerns of the two houses that wrote this denunciation. I wish they had reached out to me before deciding to claim I support positions I do not, but it is also arguably my error for not publicly clarifying my position on the matter. As we walk along the way, Countess Viviwynne Gwentyr
A response from House Montdall decorated with its rat-sigil was hammered onto the noticeboard alongside the denouncements. "Unlike some weak-willed slugs of the nobility, House Montdall sees this pathetic attempt at smearing the Concordat for what it is. Absolute drivel. The claims made by von Mortiz and Delmotte are desperate attempts to make themselves look like champions of the people in some needless panic. Might I remind the commonfolk that the entire Viridian dogma is to sit back and let the common soldier die, only daring to approach the frontline when it's safe and their enemies are easy pickings. They are not your champions. It is the right of the Nobility to serve the Emperor through ruling the peasantry. Do not roll over for these Jacobin nutcases. Nobles of the realm should remember their heritage. There is a reason you are lifted from the common rabble and that is because you have a duty to perform. With this, House Montdall praises the Concordat and confirms its steadfast membership in the Society and loyalty to the Emperor. Signed, Leofric Montdall Count of Wierre-Effe"
Curiously, a commoner would attach their response in the form of an essay. More curiously, or perhaps dangerously, they include their full name: Reinhilde Eolarien Brannt. She is not certain as to why she did this. Perhaps the servant has grown weary with the state of things. Speaking as one of these commoners which you think were so oppressed by the Noble Assembly, and now the Concordat, I declare openly to the world that in our current time and place, any expansion to the powers of the nobility is an unquestionable benefit for the common man. Let it be known your Emperor Alexander has continually liberalized across our wider society, leading way to instability, which is good for no one. For every time he expands the rights of the Occult, as we all know he loves to do, he takes from the rights of the mundane man, the overwhelming majority of men might I add, to live unmolested by extraplanar influence. Yet it is more than that, for the very nature of unnatural Occult powers is inequal, yet I digress, for that is not the point of the argument. Prince-Protector Frederick's reforms concerning feudal armies were nothing but power grabs by the Imperial household, which entirely crippled the wider Archipelago's capability to resist whatever liberal reform is unreasonably deigned necessary next. This sounds anti-Imperial. Perhaps it is. The Emperor does not possess a monopoly on righteousness. He does not own the Gods. The Everwatcher's will is supreme to his own. The 'grace and wisdom' which you attribute to the former Lord-Chancellor de Azcoissia simply do not exist. For perhaps she sacrificed the authority of her office, but no true power was lost, for the Emperor is keen to see her bizarre agenda made into 'divine' policy. It is commonly known that the de Azcoissias are a distrustful family of criminal heritage, and how one of their members was ever elected to such a high and powerful office is simply beyond me. The nobility are far closer to the common mass than the Emperor could ever be. There are more of them, and they administrate over a far smaller base of population respectively. Respectably, I felt my rights as a mundane citizen of the Emperor, and my safety, were better protected under noble power than they are now under this current 'administration'. I have spoken to many nobles. I have never seen the Emperor. All of your writing is undercut by this insufferable tone of superiority. You are not a Wirtem, you are not even a conservative. You are a progressive who decorates himself with the hide of the mighty past which men like you murdered. Reinhilde Eolarien Brannt by the Grace of the Everwatcher
To all who've contributed to this collection, You've all made your stances in ink. Some for this Concordant, others against. And, some who are only keeping their eye on these notice boards because it provides you amusement to watch people bicker on paper. I'll admit, it does make things somewhat interesting. However, just voicing my mild humor on this ledger isn't my point. As an outsider looking into this--because I, like many others, have been forced to care about this due to the continuous publications--I have one thought which might contribute to a solution instead of a continuous pile-on of papers to continue past this one. A suggestion for all parties written and unwritten to consider: Take your spirited arguments to the Arena and debate there. With words, with swords - I wouldn't care either way. I doubt others would. It would give the Honor Minister something to do. Announce the time and date and I can promise my attendance. - Astrid Elsedottir, Mayor of Fairbanks (@OkaDoka )
Subsequently after this treatise, another commoner makes his mind known. The writing is in a font far too neat for it to be his own, however. "You are part of the stain this Empire seeks to wash. You openly dissent against the divine Emperor, and therefor the Everwatcher. How you call yourself a Unionist whatsoever is laughable, but it's expected of a Calemberger one misstep away from becoming a Warden of Purity. Just pick up a sword and shield so I can get rid of you already." ~ Alban Koning, Wielder of the Blessed Blade of the Gloryseeker, commanded by Allest's Will.
... A feverish reply in barely legible handwriting simply reads, "NO. FIND ME. FIGHT ME." Beneath it is a copy of another one of the Lord-protector's writings, The Dishonor of Herr Braunschweiger
Another note is tacked on to the ever growing lists of notes. As Reinhilde's employer and represent, any legal matter regarding my employee should be sent to myself. The calls for their 'heresy' against such employee should be treated with the proper channels and not through some gossip board. If you have reason to suspect such claims are true, pen myself a letter and I shall write one back with earnest haste. Bel'Yalaune, of House Solleria. @notjayp
Lord Aldane Gwentyr brushed past the denunciation missive as he walked across the Regalian streets. He then stopped, turned around and raised an eyebrow as he read on. "...What?" Upon reading, his lip began to quiver, and eyes subsequently twitched with anger. The young Breizh lord couldn't even finish reading before he RIPPED the missive off the board, crumpled it up, and stomped on it. He stormed off with his hands clenched into fists.
"Shut the fuck up you living testament to the effects parental alcohol abuse. Signed, Ser Antine of Monta."
A letter would be set out upon the boards, bearing the Petrou crest. It seemed to be written quite concisely, as if the writer didn't want to take up too much space on the boards. Dearest Brannt, You have spoken against the Vessel of the Everwatcher, slandered his holy design. Insulted the Prince of Evolution. Mocked those who have done this Empire Well. I am not going to debate you, your crimes are written on the wall. You can either duel me in Arena Court, or I am going to hunt you down like a rabid animal, in the name of the faith. Make your choice. You have three days before I come for you. Signed, Avox Petrou, Baroq of Athos Daughter of Amandaros
