A Reforged World (NO SV, You are King of Italy, in a Greatly Changed World)

Rumors Amongst the Roads of Rome

"... Did you hear? There's a young noble lady come down from the north through the mountains. They say she's here to see His Grace, the King!"

"I heard that she's traveling incognito, dressed like a commoner, but you can tell her nobility immediately by her bearing!"

"Balderdash! She's wearing rather fine clothes to be dressed like a commoner. Perhaps it's just the fashion of those across the Alps. Swabia, I believe the region is called?"

"Nay, I overheard her guard speaking with the merchant over by the corner, when he was asked if they were from Swabia he denied it, said they were from further west."

"Oh, so she's a noble lady from West Swabia, here to see His Grace the King on some important matter?"

"That seems to be the case. Though I did hear her mention that her father was often on the march, and fighting many battles."

"Western Swabia... constantly fighting battles... I see, I see! Her father must be a Marcher Lord of the Holy Roman Empire! Because west of Swabia proper is the land of those fearsome Svizzero. Her father must be constantly fighting off incursion by those vicious highlanders!"

"Actually, the title you're looking for is Marquis, or Markgraf or Margrave, depending on if it's French, German or English. So that would make the lady a Marchioness."

"I'm not sure it works that way..."

"Nonsense! You didn't even know what the title was, you can't gainsay me!"

"So, the young marchioness is here to meet with His Grace for some important matter?"

"Precisely! And word has it that our esteemed Prime Minister was recently speaking with His Grace about the matter of continuity and securing his dynasty."

"You don't mean-"

"Yes! She must obviously be here to meet her betrothed! If you've any head for politics, you'd know that our relations with France have been fraught, so it only makes sense that His Grace is seeking relations in the Holy Roman Empire! And a Markgraf is an important vassal, between a Count and a Duke, so the lady's father is likely the direct vassal of the Lord of Swabia. And wouldn't you know, a major power is Swabia is the House of Hapsburg!"

"You mean-"

"This is obviously the first step in an alliance against France! The kingdom that once had the north of our kingdom dancing like a puppet on a string! Seeing as we've humbled the Ottomans and restored the Mediterranean as Mare Nostrum of Roman times, His Grace must be working to neutralize the largest land threat our kingdom faces. As expected of His Grace!"

"Well, well I saw that the lady's guard had one of His Grace's special pistols!"

"What! His Grace certainly works fast, and I suppose she would be family soon enough, but to just hand over such special armaments to the house troops of foreign nobility? Before even a public announcement!? This must be some daring plan masterminded by His Grace, who was the personal apprentice of former Prime Minister Machiavelli!

"Unless... I can conceive of a simpler, if less palatable explanation. Unlike our glorious navy which sent the Turk sinking to the seafloor, our army failed to cover itself in glory. Perhaps some corrupt officers or quartermasters are selling off the weapons meant for His Grace's soldiers to foreign nobles for personal enrichment at the Kingdom's expense? It wouldn't be the first time such a thing has happened, after all."

"Those vile, dastardly fiends! How dare they sully His Grace's works with their greedy, money-grubbing paws! To deny his armaments to the troops of our kingdom to fill their pockets! Despicable! We should agitate for an investigation of the army of root out those corrupt, treasonous fools!"

"I wouldn't go that far, money is a powerful motivator, is all I'm saying."

-[X]Sorting Out the Academy Wars: You are going to make a choice now. Before those idiots decide to start killing each other. DC: ??? Reward: You end the Academy Wars before they do something stupid. Rolled: D100 + 40 => 140+D100 + 40 => 138+D100 + 40 => 103+D100 + 40 => 127+D100 + 40 => 82=590

It started, with the strangest thing, a request to meet the head of both academies. It was a reasonable request, one that you made sure to answer almost immediately. But by the time you realized what was happening, you had been caught in a trap of strange proportions.

Now honestly, you would have taken a greater resentment of them, pretty much kidnapping you away from your entourage, what little there was any way, and basically sitting you down in a room.

Both headmasters were there, and both were pleading like their lives depended on it. "You have taken me against my will, what the hell are you doing?!" You demanded.

The Northern one spoke first. "Your Grace we are terribly sorry for having to move you in such a state, but we have believed that if your government attempted to do such a thing, it would only lead to disastrous consequences within the whole navy."

"With men ready to mutiny?" You asked. "Because captains from the north or south cannot work to get along like men."

Both men looked at each other and realized something. "You thought the men were mutinying?"

"What else would you call the clashing of command, some of the stupidity among the men, as well as there being an actual fucking feud between the academies!"

Both men then took a breath. "You didn't know about the war games we planned, and used them as a way to practice proper practice for… an actual mutiny in the fleet?"

You raised an eyebrow. "What!?"

"We sent word, the Sea Lord told us he gave you the message?"

"The Sea Lord only spoke to the Prime minister not to me." You replied.

Then the two men realized the grave miscommunication. "Well, we had been informed that you were going to grant a charter to both academies to signify the fleet's unification."

You were going to have words with the prime minister.
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"Politics, and trying to give Venice a leg up on its neighbors?" You said as the door shut and the prime minister seemed to pale.

"Your Grace I-"

"Shut up, be lucky that we have such a good working relationship that I do not remove you from your office." You replied. "Now, did you talk to the sea lord about the Academy? And their future charters."

"Yes." He responded without hesitation.

"When were you planning to tell me?" You asked.

"When it was appropriate." He replied. "And after I brought the matter to the Senate to choose one."

"Choose one, when we could choose both and be done with it!" You slammed your hand down on the table. "There was a miscommunication. Miscommunication that could have been avoided if it was brought to my attention! I thought the bloody academies were about to start a civil war, not have an exercise that they agreed to!"

You looked at the prime minister. You were very cross. "I may not have the powers of a despot, and by God, I do not wish for that, but I will not be lied to. I will not be withheld information that could jepordize the Italian state and its people." You stated. "Do you understand?"

"I do sir." He replied.

You wanted the relationship to be better than this. But that would require work on his end, to not put his home before his nation.

Reward: Thanks to some information being given, you were informed that everything was above board and planned and that both academies and the Admiralty had already wished to have a twin academy system for the navy.

But miscommunication and misunderstanding abound… And maybe politics as well.
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-[X]The Duty of a Sovrign: You have to get married, and produce an Heir. Time to review your master new… List of bachelorettes. DC: 0 Reward: Begin a miniturn to choose your bride. Rolled:D100 + 40 => 51

You had a list to choose from now.

Not a very good list, but one that was enough to pass the Senates approval.

(Continued in The Brides to Be)
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-[X]The Prime Ministers' Pet Project: The Prime minister is wishing to use the surplus of Gold in the budget to fund schools… Grammar School he calls them, to teach latin, Italian, and Greek, along with mathematics and literacy. He just needs your support for the Senate to Approve them. DC: ??? Reward: You begin the process of founding new schools for the Major cities. Rolled:D100 + 40 => 120+D100 + 40 => 117+D100 + 40 => 138+D100 + 40 => 131+D100 + 40 => 118+D100 + 40 => 72=696

To say that the Prime minster went above and beyond to increase your trust in him was a sight to behold, for he had begun to have a great deal of effort in his education plan.

And by the lord, he did it for a simple fact that the Italian State could afford it. He had spent millions of Florins on the investment of schools in every major city, hiring monks, teachers, and men to serve as the teachers… and made it almost free to attend for the entire city. From the poorest beggar to the Richest prince…

All could if they could afford the supplies for it, an education. A real, some would say world-class education. An education that was only fit for tutors teaching one on one.

While the effects would not be instantaneous, and not all would be part of this system. There was an opportunity.

And while the investments into universities would be on the next docket… it would only continue.

(Note, this action now must be taken for the next two turns for it to be now completed instead of the next ten.)
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-[X]Retiernment: Macheveli is enjoying his retirement. But that does not mean you do not come to him for wisdom. DC: 0 Reward: You get Wisdom from your Old Master. Rolled:D100 + 40 => 53
-[X]The Prince: You are going to learn from your master's book, and see what wisdom you can gleam. DC: 55 Reward: you learn how to be a Prince of a nation. Rolled:D100 + 40 => 101+D100 + 40 => 72

"You should really look to your own advances, rather than the advances of mine." He said as he drank some wine. "Enjoying the sun?"

"I just want to know if what I am doing is right?" You asked.

"What I consider right, and what you consider right does not compare." He said. "And in your defense, you seem to be doing quite a job at it."

"My prime minster went behind my back." You stated.

"You should expect him to have different opinions than you, and do such a thing because he has the power to do it, rather than you." He said. "A neat trick is that you need to both have trust to make this government work."

"How can I have trust if he does not give it to me?" You asked.

"Simple, make him trust you. Support him. And he will support you."

"Even after he broke my trust?" You asked.

"Quite, because it should not matter what you like, or what he likes, or if you broke each other's trust, because you are not what matters. It is all about Italy." He said as he drank the rest of his wine. "Very good wine, you sure you don't want some?"

"I'm fine master." You replied.

Reward: You get a lesson in politics. +2 to Decorum and Subterfuge.
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-[X]The Keys of State Craft: Your master wants you to learn the fine arts of making friends and allies. Even if it means you abhor them. DC: 40 Reward: You learn the fine arts of diplomacy. Rolled:D100 + 40 => 41

Well you were lucky to understand the legality of any of this shit.

Reward: +1 to Subterfuge.
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-[X]The Law of the Land: You need to learn how this new constitution works. And that means doing other things. Like learning how laws work. DC: 40 Reward: You learn more about the law. Rolled:D100 + 40 => 44

You are certainly going to be a lawyer yet.

Reward: +1 to Law.