NationStates Jolt Archive

The Aerion Ambassador to be dispatched to Pantocratoria was one Erthon Roth, who was sent aboard a Diplomatic Jet into Pantocratoria to New Rome, along with his family. His household staff, and embassy personnel (approximately 40) arrived aboard another larger jet around the same time as his at the airport of New Rome.

If anything was known fo Erthon Roth, it was that he was in fact a millionaire, one of the shareholders of an Aerion megacorporation. Though he was an low level millionaire, and unfortunately an social climber. However, he did have his skills and savvy at mediation and such so therefore the Royal Regent had dispatched the man who was looking for a political career all the way across the seas to Pantocratoria.

OOC: Sorry it has taken a week for me to reply to this!

IC:

The New Monastery of Blessed Mary Theotokos had been restored and prepared as the new Aerion embassy. The last of the renovators were filing out of the building when Roth's staff arrived.

Roth and his family weren't with them, however. They had been received with a good deal of pomp and circumstance by government officials at New Rome International Airport, and then escorted through the streets of the Old Quarter of New Rome to the sprawling Imperial Court of Christ Pantocrator palace complex. Their cars enter the courtyard and come to a stop in front of the inner courtyard of the palace complex.

A troop of the Varangian Guard, tall Scandinavian men dressed in splendid uniforms somewhat reminiscent of Ancient Rome, snap to attention, offering their salute as the Ambassador and his family proceed up the vast courtyard towards the entrance of the palace proper. A bronze statue of St Constantine the Great dominates the courtyard, and the cold carved eyes of the emperor stare down at the Ambassador's delegation as it is lead by the palace heralds into the palace's cavernous "waiting room".

This chamber has a gently-domed ceiling, decorated with a Byzantine-style icon of Christ as Pantocrator, looking down on the delegation with haunting eyes. The stylistic clashes for which the Imperial Court of Christ Pantocrator is so well known start immediately beneath the dome, the oldest part of the palace (since this waiting room over which the icon watches was the original great hall), as huge marble pillars stand in the corners of the room (the pillars serve no structural purpose, being added in the 17th century). On the wall to the delegation's left is a huge painting labelled "Le Martyre de Constantine XI", depicting the final moments of the battle between the defenders of Constantinople and the Ottoman Turks. Into each of the tiles on the floor are carved the initials "L & T", interwoven to form one letter with a T's top and an L's bottom, commemorating the 1810 marriage of Louis XVII, titular King of France, and the Empress Theodora II Comnenus.

At the end of the room are two massive bronze doors, with three Varangians standing in front of each door. Flanking the doorway are two marble statues, each dressed in imperial gowns of ancient Rome. One is the Roman Emperor Augustus, and the other is the Pantocratorian Emperor Constantine XVIII Comnenus (in the middle of whose reign in the early 17th century the statues were installed, along with the pillars). The doors at the other side of the chamber swing open, revealing a glimpse of the great hall behind them.

The great hall dwarves the entrance chamber, with huge marble pillars stretching from the floor all the way to the ornately decorated ceiling, spanning more than three stories in height (evidenced by the two levels of balconies which run along both sides of the hall). Underneath the balconies on each side stand dozens of members of the Imperial court. In the centre of the chamber is an imposing throne structure on a platform of its own, and seated on that throne is the Emperor, a tall man with gray hair and a well-kept beard. A man in golden armour stands on the platform at the foot of the throne; the Imperial Champion, Sir Constantine the Hardy. Standing on the platform behind Sir Constantine are two pretty teenage girls dressed in identical gowns, both wearing purple sashes. Across the otherside of the platform stands a young man around his early twenties, wearing a tuxedo with a purple sash.

"His Excellency Erthon Roth, the Aerion Ambassador, and family." addressed the herald who had guided the ambassador from the cars in the courtyard into the great hall, his voice loud and firm. The Emperor nodded and extended his hand, ready to receive the ambassador's letters from the Royal Regent.

Erthon Roth was a middle aged man, with slicked black hair. He wore a three piece black suit, with a slick blue tie. His wife that accompanied him was a tall blond female, a stereotypical "buxom blond", with long blond hair, high cheekbones, and red lipstick. She wore a long black dress, which was open in the back with straps all the way down.

Many at the Royal Court of Aerion had questioned why the Royal Regent would send Erthon Roth, a member of the capitalist elite, to a court as great as the one at Pantocratoria rather than an Royal Prince, Princess, or a Prince or Princess. It was known though that the Royal Princes and Princess (immediate family to the King), and the Princes and Princesses (Cousins of the King) were keeping a low profile after the Royal Regent took power. Rumors were already spreading across Aerion as to why this was, but no one wanted to talk about it.

Erthon Roth stepped forward, slowly walking, his head held high and his posture confident as his entourage waited behind him. As he approached the throne at the center of the room, he pulled out a letter from his side pocket, bowed low to the best of his ability, and extended his hand with the letter of credence to the Emperor. It was sealed by the Royal Regent.

The Emperor opened the letter and gave it the appropriate amount of polite scrutiny before handing it to an aide.

"Ambassador Roth, welcome to Pantocratoria." said the Emperor. "We trust that you will find the New Monastery of Blessed Mary Theotokos a comfortable and appropriate embassy. Your Excellency, we present our son, Prince Constantine, and our daughters, Princesses Theodora and Zoë."

The man in his early twenties bowed, followed by curtseys from first the eldest of the two teenagers, and then the youngest.

"Our eldest son is holding court in New Constantinople, and our eldest daughter and her husband are on their way to visit him there." the Emperor added.

Erthon nodded slowly, his hands clasped behind his back. "Ahh, yes." He smiles politely at the children, "You have beautiful children, Your Majesty." His eyes returned to the Emperor, "His Excellency, the Royal Regent of Aerion sends his regards to you, and your family..." He hmms for a moment, "His Majesty, King Wasterin X is still in biostasis, and coma. We hope that one day he will return to life, but until then the Royal Regent is the head of state."

"Indeed. Tragic business. Perhaps we could send some doctors and other medical specialists to assist in His Majesty's recovery?" the Emperor offered. "We have much to discuss, in any event, Ambassador. Tell me, what is the Regent's stand on the situations in Upper Virginia, and in Syskeyia?"

Erthon's hands remained clasped behind his back as he spoke, his blue eyes politely attentive, "His Excellency the Regent has been indisposed with domestic issues I believe, however, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been keeping track of the issues. Though I would be hesitant to make any official statement, I do not think either situation is high on Aerion's priority list."

He absently fondled the expensive looking watch on his wrist.

()

OOC: Where do you want to take this thread from here?

ooc: Well I just love exploring Pantocratoria, and being involved. Sorry if my roleplaying skills are not up to par, but I love how you interact in Chains of Decadence in detail so that we can learn more about Pantocratoria. I was hoping to have in depth interaction in your "world" so to speak, as it seems to be well detailed and you seem good at illustrating it.

Erthon bows, "I do not wish to take up too much of Your Majesty's time, as I am sure you have many pressing matters of state. I will inform the Regent that you inquired as to the situation in Syskeia, and see if he will look into it further. I would also believe that he may be interested in the medical specialists and doctors you would send to Aerion concerning the condition of His Majesty, King Wasterin X."

He glances back toward his family, "I believe we will settle into the embassy now."

OOC: I didn't intend to insult your RP skills at all, I'm just trying to come up with a direction for the thread, you know, to give it an interesting twist. We can work it out by telegram.

IC:

"We trust that you will be comfortable there." said the Emperor. "We look forward to future discussions with Your Excellency."