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[RPG] [FEI] Rebellion in the Sanctum of Casshern! (Part I)

Greg McGlynn greg at mcglynns.org
Sun Oct 8 22:02:33 CEST 2006


Warning: long message!
Apparently any email over 40KB needs moderator approval to be posted on 
the list, so this is the first part of a two-part email.

Here are the major messages in the Sanctum of Casshern relating to the 
rebellion recently begun by Xerxes, (former) Duke of Palnasos. I will 
summarize battles, the organizational messages between the rebels, and 
messages I don't have a copy of. I am the player of Xerxes, so the 
messages are from his perspective.

 From the beginning of the rebellion there has been a discussion, mostly 
among High Marshal Ijil, Royal Treasurer Karpur, and Xerxes about what 
government should be formed. They have overwhelming numbers and assume 
they will be victorious. Xerxes stands to gain from the government types 
that grant the ruler more power, while Ijil has pushed for a more 
egalitarian government (for the nobles of course, not the peasants).

First I will list the messages related to the rebellion, and then the 
messages relating to the discussion of the government type.

Major nobles:
Franklin, King and Arch Priest
Xerxes, (former) Duke of Palnasos
Ijil, High Marshal
Karpur, Royal Treasurer
Cesari, who rejoined the realm from Lasanar after leaving several months 
ago.
Victor (Royal), who recently returned from a strange land (upaused) and 
doesn't remember his past

------------------
Royal has left   (21 days, 2 hours ago)
Valius was killed in a duel against Lu'an today.
Check your votes for the upcoming King election!

------------------
Ruler Election Results   (21 days, 2 hours ago)
The following candidates were eligible for the ruler position:
Franklin, Karpur, Rathan, Xerxes, Ijil

9 voters cast a total of 52 valid votes.

Candidate    Votes    Proportion
Franklin    42    80.8 %
Xerxes    10    19.2 %

The new King is Franklin, with 81 % of the valid votes. As the new King, 
he is no longer Arch Priest.

------------------
Judge Election Results   (21 days, 2 hours ago)
The following candidates were eligible for the judge position:
Franklin, Karpur, Rathan, Xerxes, Ijil

9 voters cast a total of 24 valid votes.

Candidate    Votes    Proportion
Franklin    14    58.3 %
Karpur    4    16.7 %
Ijil    4    16.7 %
Xerxes    2    8.3 %


The new Arch Priest is Franklin, with 58 % of the valid votes.

------------------
Roleplay from Xerxes
Message sent to everyone in your realm (12 recipients)
In Xerxes' private command tent:

As his men scavenged the battlefield for salvageable armor and weapons, 
an urgent Sanctum messenger arrived for Xerxes. The Duke received the 
man in his command tent. After the messenger caught his breath it became 
apparent that Valius was dead, killed in a duel. Xerxes was not 
surprised, for the King had been constantly accepting duels to the 
death. He was even a little excited, for changes would certainly occur 
now which could carry Xerxes even higher in the hierarchy. But Xerxes 
was surprised to discover that some part of him was stung by the news: 
he had thought he could look at things completely coldly and 
objectively. Still, it would not do to show any of these reactions to 
the messenger: he had to appear extremely sad and sorrowful to the 
public eye.

Xerxes managed to make a tear drop from his eye as he questioned the 
messenger as to whether this could possibly be true. Then he dismissed 
the man from his tent. Minutes later another messenger arrived, only 
slightly less urgent. Apparently the election for ruler had already 
happened! Franklin seemed to have been elected Ruler and Judge, even 
though the one person was not supposed to be able to hold two positions. 
Xerxes was disappointed at the small number of votes he had received in 
the elections. But surely Franklin could be made to step down from one 
or both positions so that new elections could occur. He prepared a 
letter to the rest of the realm...

Xerxes
Duke of Palnasos

------------------
Diplomatic News   (10 days, 19 hours ago)
Sanctum of Casshern and League of Anacan have ended their hostilities 
and agreed to a cease fire.

------------------
Roleplay from Xerxes
Message sent to everyone in your realm (12 recipients)
King Franklin,

What are the terms of the peace treaty we seem to have made with the 
League of Anacan? What changes does this treaty bring? The nobles of our 
realm are being left in the dark here. We haven't heard from you in over 
a week!

Xerxes
Duke of Palnasos

------------------
Sabotage!   (8 days, 6 hours ago)
Guards in Lenamaziel have captured Glomly II, an infiltrator working for 
Svunnetland while he was sneaking around the camp of Cesari (Noble) 
conspiciously, with a poisoned dagger under his cloak.

------------------
Roleplay from Xerxes
Message sent to everyone in your realm (11 recipients)
An infiltrator of Svunnetland attacking a Sanctum noble! Supposedly we 
are allied with our northern neighbors in Ipsosez, but surely Queen 
Hoshi must be held accountable for this!

Xerxes
Duke of Palnasos

------------------
Letter from Ijil   (8 days, 5 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (11 recipients)
It could have been a noble acting on his own, still it doesn't seece to 
be a disturbing action. King Franklin please tend to this issue with 
Queen Hoshi. an attack on our nobility is not a thing to be taken lightly.

Ijil
High Marshal of Sanctum of Casshern

------------------
About 5 days ago Xerxes lodged an official protest against the King, 
claiming mainly that King Franklin had mantained a stony silence toward 
the rest of the realm for weeks and that Franklin had failed to tend to 
the needs of the realm.

------------------
Letter from Ijil   (4 days, 21 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)

King Victor, [This should have been "Franklin"]

Your silence is most disturbing. And your appointement even more 
contrevertial. Many days have passed since your election and you are 
almost yet to say a word. You sign treaties without the knowledge of 
anyone, keep us all, including the realm's council in the dark regarding 
the future of our nation and only when you deem convinient you ask the 
council's opinion about lordships.

We need to discuss issues of utmost importance to Sanctum. We still 
don't know how we stand towards our neighbors, namelly Svunnetland and 
the matter of Palnasos and Haul.

We agreed to postpone the issue of the elections, until our situation 
stabilised. It is my belief that that moment has come. The realm needs a 
legitimate ruler who, preferably addresses its people more often.

Ijil
High Marshal of Sanctum of Casshern

------------------
Troop Leader Disagrees   (4 days, 18 hours ago)
Cesari has expressed his disagreement with the Judge's recent actions. 
He is giving this reason:
I too will add my dismay, because a man attacked me, and I have not had 
any justice. Not only that, but this is the empire of my friend Valius 
and I came here to serve the Sanctum, not even realizing that one man 
has assumed a greedy approach of rulership in both King and Judge, which 
absolutely defies the noble ideals that most everyone in this place and 
relative realms believe in. What makes a man believe that he is above 
the law, ansd all the while, say nothing and leave his friends here in 
the dark while we camp out blind to diplomacy in Lenamaziel.
//
------------------
Letter from Franklin   (4 days, 13 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)
The King-Judge emerged from his room with bags under his eyes, dressed 
completely in black. A page approached him:
"Your Royal Highness and Honorable Judge, your signature is required here."
The King-Judge sighed wearily. "Fine, fine" and signed the paper without 
a thought. What had happened in the last two weeks. King-Judge Franklin 
vaguely recalled a messenger from the League of Anacan delivered an 
offer of peace. He had already drunk himself into a stupor and signed 
the damn thing.
He recalled a prisoner in his dungeons, Glomly II, who had attacked 
Cesari. The signature on the document approving an immediate ban on the 
infiltrator was still wet on his desk.
"Your Royal Highness and Honorable Judge, the noble of this realm are 
asking for you to step down."
Franklin sighed.
"What a world we leave in... A world where the good guys lose..." He 
rubbed his face and returned to bed, sending the page away. "It makes a 
man think--What's the point."
And the nobles of the Sanctum of Casshern went unanswered.

Franklin
King and Arch Priest of Sanctum of Casshern

------------------
New Knight   (4 days, 5 hours ago)
Victor has sworn an oath of fealty to you. You are now his superior 
liege, and he has promised to be your loyal knight.

------------------
Roleplay from Victor   (4 days, 5 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)
Victor stands before the people of Palnasos.

One man can make a difference, one man can be the difference between 
victory and defeat.... the scales sway wearily upon either side, but it 
takes but one man to tip the scale.

People of Palnasos, I am a knight, like that of Lord Xerxes. I will 
fight for this realm, I will die for this realm if need be.... I will 
make the difference, I will be one who tips the scales in our favour, I 
swear it!

Victor bows before the people of Palnasos.

For honour, Duke Xerxes.

Victor (Royal)

------------------
Roleplay from Cesari   (4 days, 4 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)
I can not believe that this man Franklin has decided to disregard the 
comments of nobles in his realm. This is disgusting, especially when 
this man calls himself a warrior of ~V~

Cesari (Noble)

------------------
New Knight   (4 days, 3 hours ago)
Cesari has sworn an oath of fealty to you. You are now his superior 
liege, and he has promised to be your loyal knight.

------------------
Roleplay from Victor   (4 days, 3 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)
Victor felt he had sat and heard enough, it was time for him to do what 
he could to sustain the peace within the realm. Victor had decided to 
visit King Franklin.

Upon reaching the palace of Palnasos Victor was given entrance upon 
sight, as he made his way through to the audience chamber a young 
soldier approached him.

My lord, what are you doing here? asked the soldier.

I am here to see King Franklin, I will wait in the audience chamber, 
should he accept my invitation, I would like to speak privatly with him. 
replied Victor.

I will see if he will see you my lord. Explained the soldier.

Thank you. replied Victor.

Victor enters the large audience chamber and takes a seat at the far end 
of the table and awaits an answer from the King.

Victor (Royal)

------------------
Letter from Cesari   (3 days, 14 hours ago)
Message sent to: Xerxes
Xerxes,
I know that you are the bone of this operation that I will leave 
anominously titled. I will tell you to be sucessful, you will have to 
disband whatever militia is fighting in the city. Who else is playing 
chess with you?

Cesari (Knight of Palnasos)

------------------
It is at this point that the idea of rebellion probably entered Xerxes's 
mind. It is possible that he was already planning it before Cesari's 
message. But all the major action started after Cesari's message to 
Xerxes, in which Cesari assumed that Xerxes was already planning to 
overthrow the government by force.

At this point Xerxes sent tentative messages to Cesari, Victor, and 
Ijil, the nobles who seemed most likely to support him in an open 
rebellion. Cesari and Victor agreed readily. Ijil said he would prefer a 
peaceful protest campaign. Xerxes concluded that there was virtually no 
support for Franklin and decided a rebellion would be likely to succeed. 
He warned Ijil that a protest campaign was unlikely to succeed and that 
rebellion "might be necessary." By this point Xerxes was about a day's 
travel from Palnasos, the capital. He told Cesari and Victor to be ready 
to begin the rebellion as soon as everyone was in Palnasos.

------------------
Roleplay from Xerxes
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)
Xerxes hastened toward Palnasos. The capital was the place to be now. 
The king had failed to respond to protests and it might be necessary to 
remove him by force. But that couldn't happen until the Duke was ready.

Xerxes
Duke of Palnasos

------------------
Request from Ijil   (3 days, 6 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)

King Franklin,

Will you stay sillent when your nobility asks for justifications? Would 
you atleast have the decency of addressing them? Sanctum needs an active 
and fair leader, by refusing to even say a word you will be proving to 
be exactly what others have accused you of. If indeed the path of 
silence is your own, then just step down and let another one take charge.

Ijil
High Marshal of Sanctum of Casshern

------------------
Roleplay from Victor   (3 days, 6 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)
Victor continues to wait for Franklin to accept or infact deny his offer 
of a personal meeting. Victors patience is wearing thin after waiting 
for over 3 hours.

Victor (Royal)

------------------
Roleplay from Karpur   (1 day, 5 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (10 recipients)

King Franklin,

I to have express my concern of your actions. (or your lack of it). 
Right after your fast election there was a discussion in the council to 
have run the elections again, so the nobles of this realm have more time 
to prepare themselves ann think about who they want as their King. We 
then decided we'd wait untill the Valius was buried and things would 
calm down. I think the mourning period is over and we should have the 
elections again.

Also an explanation of your action would be apreciated. Even the realm 
council didn't receive any news and weren't consulted in this treaty.

Regards,

Karpur
Royal Treasurer of Sanctum of Casshern, Marshal of the army of Palnasos

------------------
At this point Xerxes brought the rebellion into the open. He disbanded 
the militia in the capital and gave a speech rallying the other nobles 
of the Sanctum to his cause:
"I call on the nobles of the Sanctum of Casshern to help me remove 
Franklin from the throne.

Franklin holds the throne unjustly and has abused his powers. As our 
General and Banker have said, Franklin was elected in a lightning-fast 
election that did not give anyone time to set their votes after Valius 
was killed. Franklin also holds both the position of Ruler and the 
position of Judge. The laws of our realm are supposed to prevent one 
person from hold both of these positions, but Franklin has apparently 
found a way around those laws. He is holding all power to himself. He 
has not responded to those who have protested this.

Franklin has committed numerous crimes against our realm. I list them:

-He has refused to step down from the position of Judge or Ruler and 
comply with the laws of our realm.

-He has signed a treaty with the League of Anacan without telling us why 
it was signed or what its terms are.

-He has failed to appoint lords to the regions of Ansopen and Zarimel, 
making it hard for the local officials
to run the government and collect taxes.

-He has failed to react to multiple attempts by infiltrators to kill 
nobles of our realm.

-He has failed to talk to Svunnetland when an infiltrator of that realm, 
supposedly our ally, tried to kill Cesari.

-He has failed to welcome new nobles to our realm, harming our unity.

-He has not spoken a word to the realm in many weeks, leaving us 
wondering what he is up to. A good king is close to his nobles.

-He has not granted audiences to nobles of our realm who requested them.

I, Xerxes, Duke of Palnasos have protested Franklin's actions. High 
Marshal Ijil and Royal Treasurer Karpur have
expressed their displeasure with him. Cesari, one of our newest nobles, 
has protested Franklin's silence. He has
not responded at all.

Overall Franklin has shut himself off from us, the nobles of the realm. 
He holds on to power illegally and unjustly.
He leaves us in the dark about his intentions and his actions.

Franklin must be forced from the throne! He will not respond to 
protests, even by important members of the realm!
Franklin is no King, and I refuse to serve him! Only the blade can 
unseat him. If we do not take action, we will
continue in ignorance. We will be pawns in Franklin's game.

I particularly call on those who have sworn an oath to the duchy of 
Palnasos and to myself, the Duke. It is your duty
to rise up against Franklin! His negligence is not for the good of the 
duchy. Your liege calls upon you to act!

All those that join me: cash your bonds and recruit as many men as you 
can! I have sent home the militia, so the
palace can easily be taken!

Franklin defiles the memory of Valius! Join us and remove him from power!"

------------------
Xerxes then sent a message to the rulers of all the realms on the Far 
East Island, telling them what he told his realmmates and asking that 
they not interfere.

------------------
Roleplay from Xerxes
Message sent to the Rulers of this world (13 recipients)
Esteemed Rulers of the Far East,

By the time this message reaches you, you will probably have heard that 
I have called for rebellion in the Sanctum of Casshern. I have called on 
my fellow nobles to join my in removing Franklin from the throne, 
because Franklin is the worst man ever to have sat upon the throne of 
our realm. I hope that Franklin can be removed from power with only a 
small amount of bloodshed. We ask that you do not interfere in the 
affairs of the Sanctum.

Franklin holds the throne unjustly and has abused his powers. As our 
General and Banker have said, Franklin was elected in a lightning-fast 
election that did not give anyone time to set their votes after Valius 
was killed. Franklin also holds both the position of Ruler and the 
position of Judge. The laws of our realm are supposed to prevent one 
person from hold both of these positions, but Franklin has apparently 
found a way around those laws. He is holding all power to himself. He 
has not responded to those who have protested this.

Franklin has committed numerous crimes against our realm. I list them:

-He has refused to step down from the position of Judge or Ruler and 
comply with the laws of our realm.

-He has signed a treaty with the League of Anacan without telling us why 
it was signed or what its terms are.

-He has failed to appoint lords to the regions of Ansopen and Zarimel, 
making it hard for the local officials to run the government and collect 
taxes.

-He has failed to react to multiple attempts by infiltrators to kill 
nobles of our realm.

-He has failed to talk to Svunnetland when an infiltrator of that realm, 
supposedly our ally, tried to kill Cesari.

-He has failed to welcome new nobles to our realm, harming our unity.

-He has not spoken a word to the realm in many weeks, leaving us 
wondering what he is up to.

-He has not granted audiences to nobles of our realm who requested them.

I, Xerxes, Duke of Palnasos have protested Franklin's actions. High 
Marshal Ijil and Royal Treasurer Karpur have expressed their displeasure 
with him. Cesari, one of our newest nobles, has protested Franklin's 
silence. He has not responded at all.

Overall Franklin has shut himself off from us, the nobles of the realm. 
He holds on to power illegally and unjustly. He leaves us in the dark 
about his intentions and his actions.

We hope that Franklin will be deposed quickly and with little bloodshed. 
The Sanctum should be back to normal within a few days.

Xerxes
Duke of Palnasos


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