Asherterix
Out Exploring
- Location
- Approx. 15,396,300,000 miles away
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Remind the assembly of the generosity of the Archduke and his attached Pacta.
Si Deus Nobiscum: A Polish-Lithuanian Scion Quest
- Thread starter Rolman
- Start date
- Mature Historic
I'm yoinking that one. Where did you get it from or is it original?
- Location
- SF Bay Area
I'm riffing on this: If X Has a Million Fans, I'm One of Them
XXXVII-IV. November 7, 1575. Warszawa, Polish Crownlands.
- Location
- United States
Alright, alright… You clear your throat and wheel yourself around on your crutches to face away from the magnates and clerics toward the Mazovian patch-jackets and the middling types, trying to buy time to think. You've only offended the Senators – on a personal level, that is, not political. This can and will be forgotten in time. You are here to secure votes. Denouncing the Frenchman was a bit too strong of a tangent, and hit too raw of a nerve.
Time to remind them of both the benefits and benefits of the Archduke's election. You must stick to the plan.
"Recall now that the Archduke Maciej has promised to us just shy of two-hundred thousand złoty in donations to both the royal coffers and to you. We nobles should not be beholden to bankers as Imperial lords and Italians may be, and the young Archduke in his mature wisdom knows this!" There's a cheer – probably to the bit about bankers, or the implication of bribery.
"Recall, too, that we have never seen before a foreigner so willing to embrace our Liberty and adopt our customs." A far cry from the Walezy Prince. "The Prince Batory is of a people closer to us in customs and manners, it is true, but will he import his Transylvanian, his Hungarian ways here? Will he truly adopt this realm as primus inter pares, or will he merely see himself as a Voivode-Prince with a shiny new crown?"
This starts up some bickering, especially among the men dressed richly but not too rich. You ignore the little tumult, and the fact that there are many fine points in Batory's proposed Pacta that show a commitment to the political status quo. It's just rhetoric, it's all rhetoric! You crack a little smile watching men get so fired up over it.
And, after all, you think you have a way to shut them up: "I speak now to those among us who are rich in bravery and honor but not in means, as well as to our Ruthenian brothers," you say, making a half-turn to gesture your crutch at the Easterners in their featherless fur hats. "Not only has the Archduke promised the alleviation of debts for noblemen who struggle, but a new life as well! A bountiful life, a freer life, an honorable life!"
You make yourself sound almost wistful. "Noble villages and strong forts on the edges of the Wild Fields, land for the landless, serfs for the men who ought to be masters – all rewards for fulfilling the sacred task of guarding our southern borderlands from the Turk and his Tatar hound. Pogranicze Wojskowe, as it is called in our tongue. Battle-tested in Hungary, and sure to work here!" You point at the lordlings, sweep your crutch with your other hand at the Ruthenians. It's genuinely rather glorious! "Safety, prosperity, and a noble task for God and the Patria!"
You sober up a little. "I can assure our Ruthenian friends that they need not foot the bill, nor shall they find their ancient and rightful holdings infringed upon," you say, giving your voice a rest.
"Let us speak further on military matters, my lords." Let us knock the last item off of the list. "We find ourselves threatened as ever by the Antichrist of Moskwa, Angel of Death to his own cities, on our eastern and northern frontiers," you call out, theatrically spiteful. "His hordes of miserable soldiers and chainmailed riders lick their lips when they look upon our bountiful twin fatherlands. Of course, as we slaughtered them at Orsza sixty years ago, as we outfoxed them as Czaśniki in '64 and bested them on that very same battlefield again three years later – our victory is assured; the Lady of Victory watched over us long before she made her presence known at Lepanto." Nodding and cheering and shaking fists. Good, good.
"But it is undeniable that we have always been on the defense, always parrying and dodging in this duel." Take a beat, rest a second. "I reckon – and the Archduke too – I reckon that it's time we take the fight to the Muscovite!" The throngs erupt into a roar; the senators and bishops on their risers clap in a more subdued manner. "Livonia shall be ours! Iwan's pretender-Dane shall find himself throneless, and the Bishop of Dorpat and Courlandish lords shall breathe free at last!"
No man can hide his patriotism at the thought. But you know that some are listening more closely. "How shall we accomplish this? Imagine the field of battle before you, my lords, in which our mighty armies are joined by a forest of Imperial pikes, imagine Western cannon making the earth shake, the sky tremble!" Battle is nothing like this. Nothing like this at all. Channel those rare moments of elation on the field, that strange sublime sense of survival and victory.
"And the sabers will be drawn and the lances and banners raised high as our hussars start their charge, German rajtaria beside them, pistols and carbines booming, yellow-black and red-white, two eagles with three heads fighting as one, the Lithuanian knight beside them – who can stand against such combined power?"
They're loving it! Loving it! But it's time to draw this speech to a close. You've had your moment – other men go on and on and on, even for hours on end; but you've always preferred brevity.
You shall finish it all off according to plan, with a…
[] Return to a Roman analogy (Rolman picks).
[] Return to a Roman analogy (write-in).
[] Brief Biblical analogy (Rolman picks).
[] Brief Biblical analogy (write-in).
[] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
[] Populist appeal to glory, victory, and the fatherland.
Time to remind them of both the benefits and benefits of the Archduke's election. You must stick to the plan.
"Recall now that the Archduke Maciej has promised to us just shy of two-hundred thousand złoty in donations to both the royal coffers and to you. We nobles should not be beholden to bankers as Imperial lords and Italians may be, and the young Archduke in his mature wisdom knows this!" There's a cheer – probably to the bit about bankers, or the implication of bribery.
"Recall, too, that we have never seen before a foreigner so willing to embrace our Liberty and adopt our customs." A far cry from the Walezy Prince. "The Prince Batory is of a people closer to us in customs and manners, it is true, but will he import his Transylvanian, his Hungarian ways here? Will he truly adopt this realm as primus inter pares, or will he merely see himself as a Voivode-Prince with a shiny new crown?"
This starts up some bickering, especially among the men dressed richly but not too rich. You ignore the little tumult, and the fact that there are many fine points in Batory's proposed Pacta that show a commitment to the political status quo. It's just rhetoric, it's all rhetoric! You crack a little smile watching men get so fired up over it.
And, after all, you think you have a way to shut them up: "I speak now to those among us who are rich in bravery and honor but not in means, as well as to our Ruthenian brothers," you say, making a half-turn to gesture your crutch at the Easterners in their featherless fur hats. "Not only has the Archduke promised the alleviation of debts for noblemen who struggle, but a new life as well! A bountiful life, a freer life, an honorable life!"
You make yourself sound almost wistful. "Noble villages and strong forts on the edges of the Wild Fields, land for the landless, serfs for the men who ought to be masters – all rewards for fulfilling the sacred task of guarding our southern borderlands from the Turk and his Tatar hound. Pogranicze Wojskowe, as it is called in our tongue. Battle-tested in Hungary, and sure to work here!" You point at the lordlings, sweep your crutch with your other hand at the Ruthenians. It's genuinely rather glorious! "Safety, prosperity, and a noble task for God and the Patria!"
You sober up a little. "I can assure our Ruthenian friends that they need not foot the bill, nor shall they find their ancient and rightful holdings infringed upon," you say, giving your voice a rest.
"Let us speak further on military matters, my lords." Let us knock the last item off of the list. "We find ourselves threatened as ever by the Antichrist of Moskwa, Angel of Death to his own cities, on our eastern and northern frontiers," you call out, theatrically spiteful. "His hordes of miserable soldiers and chainmailed riders lick their lips when they look upon our bountiful twin fatherlands. Of course, as we slaughtered them at Orsza sixty years ago, as we outfoxed them as Czaśniki in '64 and bested them on that very same battlefield again three years later – our victory is assured; the Lady of Victory watched over us long before she made her presence known at Lepanto." Nodding and cheering and shaking fists. Good, good.
"But it is undeniable that we have always been on the defense, always parrying and dodging in this duel." Take a beat, rest a second. "I reckon – and the Archduke too – I reckon that it's time we take the fight to the Muscovite!" The throngs erupt into a roar; the senators and bishops on their risers clap in a more subdued manner. "Livonia shall be ours! Iwan's pretender-Dane shall find himself throneless, and the Bishop of Dorpat and Courlandish lords shall breathe free at last!"
No man can hide his patriotism at the thought. But you know that some are listening more closely. "How shall we accomplish this? Imagine the field of battle before you, my lords, in which our mighty armies are joined by a forest of Imperial pikes, imagine Western cannon making the earth shake, the sky tremble!" Battle is nothing like this. Nothing like this at all. Channel those rare moments of elation on the field, that strange sublime sense of survival and victory.
"And the sabers will be drawn and the lances and banners raised high as our hussars start their charge, German rajtaria beside them, pistols and carbines booming, yellow-black and red-white, two eagles with three heads fighting as one, the Lithuanian knight beside them – who can stand against such combined power?"
They're loving it! Loving it! But it's time to draw this speech to a close. You've had your moment – other men go on and on and on, even for hours on end; but you've always preferred brevity.
You shall finish it all off according to plan, with a…
[] Return to a Roman analogy (Rolman picks).
[] Return to a Roman analogy (write-in).
[] Brief Biblical analogy (Rolman picks).
[] Brief Biblical analogy (write-in).
[] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
[] Populist appeal to glory, victory, and the fatherland.
- Location
- United States
finally! sorry about that. school and a little bit of the ole depresh got the better of me. I'm writing my thesis on the Tumult of Thorn!
Noroboro
Consistency is key and I’m consistently tired :)
- Location
- Canada
[X] Populist appeal to glory, victory, and the fatherland.
Since when has populism ever not worked? Besides, we already knocked off what the Archduke offers and have the crowd whipped up in a fervor, end on a high (and safe) note
Since when has populism ever not worked? Besides, we already knocked off what the Archduke offers and have the crowd whipped up in a fervor, end on a high (and safe) note
bookwyrm
Doom of Public Libraries
- Location
- Wichita, Kansas
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
Honestly this seems the best closer to tie things up and have things cool off after pumping everyone up (which I think is better to solidify it in peoples minds and has less risk of being marred by too many drunken brawls breaking out), and who doesn't want to imagine themselves and great and pious and magisterial as a part of the solemn holy mission in electing and acclaiming a king and a royal covenant?
Honestly this seems the best closer to tie things up and have things cool off after pumping everyone up (which I think is better to solidify it in peoples minds and has less risk of being marred by too many drunken brawls breaking out), and who doesn't want to imagine themselves and great and pious and magisterial as a part of the solemn holy mission in electing and acclaiming a king and a royal covenant?
[X] Populist appeal to glory, victory, and the fatherland.
Asherterix
Out Exploring
- Location
- Approx. 15,396,300,000 miles away
- Pronouns
- He/They
[X] Populist appeal to glory, victory, and the fatherland.
Since we upset the Senators and the grandees of the realm. Toning it down a bit is the right call, IMO, since the rabble got their due and our elders are watching us closely with hurt feelings.
Let's close with a unifying action.
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
Astra Myst
Do you want a wish?
- Location
- Milky Way Galaxy
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
- Pronouns
- He
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
[X] Populist appeal to glory, victory, and the fatherland.
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
- Location
- United States
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
- Location
- Virginia
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
One for the more religious ones.
[x] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
[x] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
DamnedAeons 187
An Ally of Convenience is an Enemy of Opportunity
- Location
- Texas
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.
Great quest, always fun to see more Historical quests. Only complaint I have is the winning vote not being at the top of the next post. GJ, looking forward to more.
Great quest, always fun to see more Historical quests. Only complaint I have is the winning vote not being at the top of the next post. GJ, looking forward to more.
Solarstream
It's all in the cards
- Location
- Zombie World
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] an invocation of the Trinity and a brief prayer.