NationStates Jolt Archive

Rome

From east to uttermost west, the lieutenants of God would come.

The chosen site of the Congress was Rome, the Eternal City, domain of Caesar Maximus. The location of the Congress itself would be held under the Arch of Constantine, the Emperor of old who raised high the standard of Christ, and brought peace and harmony to the savagely pagan classical world.

Already a great tent, possibly one of the largest ever crafted, would surmount the Arch itself, providing an ideal space where the worlds absolute monarchs could meet, pray, and craft their policy. The tent was blue, the color of fidelity, and the summit was white, a symbol of the Holy League’s purity. At the very top, above the arch, was raised a gleaming silver crucifix. When the conference ended, the tent would recede, and all the world would behold the glory of princes united, and ready to forcefully implement their agenda. On this penta-tent, for it was five sided, were emblazoned in gold the symbol of Europe’s Royal Houses: the double headed eagle of His Invincible Excellency Wingert I, the Fleur-de-lys of Louis-Auguste I, the elaborate sigil of His Catholic Majesty Juan Carlos II, the golden laurels of Caesar Maximus, and last but not least the badge of Tchokareff, potentate of Depkezia. All colonial hegemons, e.g. King Louis I in Algeria and the Premier of Nigeria, are likewise invited to attend as vassals of their respective monarchs.

The Empire of Roycelandia, as well as the Commonwealth of the Philippines, were invited to send delegations in a advisory capacity. The USQ were invited to send a delegation as well, but strictly in a observatory capacity, as was the Federal Dictatorship of United Elias. The Kingdom of Great Britain, following the death of Queen Elizabeth III, was also invited in a ‘guest’ capacity as a show of cordiality, although they were expected to decline.

The whole surrounding area was cordoned off, and presently the gaily colored bodyguard corps from the various monarchs arrived to secure to zone along with copious help from Italian authorities.

Why a Congress? It had become apparent since its conception that the Holy League needed to have a more unified field of action, like a choir singing in perfect harmony. Its purpose was to reconfirm what had been confirmed; and to send a message to the Progressive world that they faced an awesome opponent in the servants of Christ. A herald from the Brothers of Sanctus Expeditus (based in Rome as well), a monastic organization devoted to worship using all Orthodox instruments and praying in line with the Holy League’s doctrine, would visit each of the aforementioned monarchs and present them with the following proclamation, penned by Monsieur le Comte de Maurepas, France’s Prime Minister.

“Pax vobiscum.”

“Brothers in Christ, stand forth. The world runs of swift tidings, and great dangers follow closely behind. In service to Almighty God, a Congress of the Holy League has been declared in Rome. Only by s shared commitment to faith and action, working in tandem, can the forces of light hope to triumph over the gathering red storm. God speed!”

Holy League Charter

1. All members will assume joint defense status if any member faces a threat to their states sovereignty.

2. All members will cooperate if one member has a internal, seditious movement, to crush that said movement jointly and in a speedy matter.

3. All members will nurture, protect, and defend the Orthodox rites of Christianity (both Roman and Eastern Catholic) as defined by the Papacy and Patriarchy when it is threatened, regardless of where this threat appears.

4. All members acknowledge absolute monarchy, whether by divine right or popular consent, to be the only legitimate form of government. Furthermore, all members shall dutifully maintain and enhance their native monarchy continuously so that the world may have peace, and Almighty God may be appeased.

5. All members shall acknowledge ‘Colonialism’ as not a means to an end, but an end in and of itself, in that any Holy League power guiding another nation does so at the behest of Christ, to teach the natives the true Gospel, and dispel evil. The myth that the Communist demons have constructed that Colonialism is strictly for mercantile gain and aboriginal exploitation is simply crude propaganda and unabashedly false.

Congressional Agenda

1. A proposal that all member states craft a free trade agreement, meaning no tariffs, in respect to: military hardware, commercial goods, agricultural stocks, and natural commodities.

2. A proposal to admit Spain into the Holy League, as a full chartered member, thus graduating then from participatory member status.

3. A proposal to admit Depkezia in as a participatory member, with forthcoming discussions which shall focus on the particular variety of that potentate’s religion and what accommodations can be made to grant Depkezia said status.

4. A proposal at the conclusion of the conference that all members condemn Progressive plots to de-Christianize the Philippines by force, and a declaration of purpose that the Holy League will not stand by and allow God fearing people to be abandoned to the pit.

5. A proposal that a new series of dynastic marriages be conducted, for the purposes of cementing the charters axiology and to demonstrate that the Holy League, in service to Christ, King of the Universe, is one cohesive and indeed sacrosanct body.

6. A proposal that to cement the leadership of the Holy League, a Tetrarchy will be established consisting of Louis-Augutse, Wingert I, Juan Carlos II, and Tchokareff/Caesar Maximus: these will be the masters of the Holy League.

A grand monument was scheduled for the completion of the Congress, of which Versailles had a few models made. It would be a magnificent, militant statue, four to be exact would be made. These momuments, made of precious porphyry, would be placed at each monarchs capital: they depicted the four Tetrarchs standing side by side, arms in arms, prepared to defend God against the temporal Satan. They wore the Roman military cloak, and diadem. The inscription above read---and the inscription was boldy decalred in the fore, as if to challenge those who would oppose the awesome tetrarchs: ne ultra plus...no further!

Tetrarchy of the Holy League (http://www.euratlas.net/eon/tetr80.jpg)

[OOC: Phillip VII :) IIRC, wasn't Doomingsland inactive? And we can assume that Phillip married Atoinette, although I didn't really RP it due to lack of time.]

Phillip VII awaited as his jet landed in the international airfield in Rome, and he sorted himself for this conference. One of the biggest things on the agenda for Spain was Spain's admittence into the Holy League, and the league's endorsement of a Spanish reunification of the entire Iberian Peninsula. His brutal policies had already smashed Basque and Catalan seperatist movements and now all that was left was Portugal. In any case, at least Spain would gain some valuable allies. Nonetheless, he had been slightly annoyed by the fact that the French had taken a title that was historically reserved for the kings of Spain - His Mostly Catholic Majesty. But titles were just that. What Phillip needed were friends, not more enemies. Such trivialities could be ignored, or even solved later. All these thoughts passed through his mind as the jet touched field in Rome and then slowly came to a grinding halt over the tarmac. An entourage of six black cars, all of them some sort of expensive Masarati, which was quite the fit in the Italian enviroment, awaited su majestad and he was escorted down a small flight of stairs and into the central automobile. With that done they were on their way into central Rome.

He decided to go to the congress with no aid, no help, no advisors. His wishes, the wishes of Spain, would be the only ones sold this day. And so he fixed his white military uniform a bit as he entered the building...

((Welcome, mon ami. Yes, the marriage is done. Nuff said. Philip VII, ahh, c'est bon, the first Bourbon king of Spain was, as we hall know, Philip V. Ill post more in a bit, just waiting for a few more people to show. Oh, and FYI, historically speaking: the traditional title of the Spanish King, awarded for his intense defense of the faith, is His Catholic Majesty. The French King didnt get such a high title, but for Charlemagnes actions for the Pope and France's overall defense of Catholicism, thhey were awarded Most Christian Majesty. Semantics, but Id say each title is equally profound!))

Son of a General in the Soviet Army, Edmund Tchokareff seemed an unlikely guest at any gathering of the Christian right. But then, with a Depkazi mother and a Russian father, he didn't appear the most likely bearer of the name Edmund. Colonel General Tchokareff, when his son was a young man, had been the most convinced defender of the USSR during its dying days, and had mustered loyal forces in Mid Asia after the failure of the attempted hard-line coup, expecting to regroup for a more vigarous try. Edmund is the off-spring of the last Chairman of the (Presidium of the) Supreme Soviet -survived in Depkazia and Kazakhstan until the early 1990s- and the founder -after his father's still mysterious demise- of what he called the People's Atheist Labour Republic.

Since then, he had declared himself a gate emissary between heaven and earth; quietly disbanded the republic; accused Russia of stealing both Kazakhstan and his water; launched airstrikes and gunboat raids against Azerbaijani oil and gas exploration programmes in the Caspian; declared that his mysteriously-acquired hippopotamus was in contact with Allah; invaded Islamist Afghanistan; opened trade with United Elias, China, and North Pakistan; signed bilateral agreements to pursue uranium enrichment and ballistic missile technology with Iran; arranged massive arms deals with Larionko Aidarov's Yugoslavia; talked at exhaustive length on the eventual unity, under his leadership, of the Depkazi people; and ranted in the company of his citizens about the possibility of helping China and India to invade Russia, so that he might recapture Kazakhstan and reform the Soviet Union.

Now, young Apparatchik had become middle-aged passenger sailing on his own armoured yatch, bound for Russia and intending to charter an airliner at Astrakhan for a flight to Rome.

an OOC tag.

Prime Minister Armand dusted off the brown, tattered trenchcoat that concealed the intricate, blood red silk of the robes underneath. He adjusted his battered fedora to better conceal his face, and plunged into the thick Roman crowds lining the streets. He would make his way to the giant tent of the Holy League in a manner that was very uncharacteristic of the group as a whole but wholly in line with his personal style of governance: incognito. Indoctrinated from youth in Tsarist ideology, he held no ambition for personal glory or greatness; all he did was in the name of the Lord's vassal, the one and only Tsar. Thus, his term in Russia had proved to be not very visible on the global scale, and even within Russia itself. After the initial flashy take over, he had quietly withdrawn behind the scenes as he integrated Tsarist law with Russian codes, clamped down on dissidents, and promoted economic and moral expansion within the nation. Few had noted his critical role in the Russian deployment to Africa, and few now noticed his attendance at this congress.

But it is often those who are least noticed that suddenly come to surprise us. And so it was here...the murky blue eyes of Putin's betrayor now plotted a dramatic agenda as his hands typed up the keynote address he was to give at the opening of the conference.

OOC- Just a bump. Ill post later and bring L and W to ROme, even tho W is busy he can speak later...we need ta get movin...so look for a continuation post tonight.

The Charter of the Holy League started on a good note, so far as Depkazia was concerned. Presently, things were going quite well with China and United Elias, and, by extension, Elias-aligned North Pakistan. Iran, too was loosely to be considered a friend. It was, in fact, Russia that Samarqand most feared amongst its neighbours. But this was a clear step towards changing not only that, but the way Depkazia related to the likes of China. If Tchokareff were to join the League, he would need to be assured of support for his defences against China, especially as it related to protecting some of his massive hydroelectrical daming projects in the mountains that watch over his border with the world's largest nation. He could support other members in their conflicts by backing favourable elements in relatively near-by India, and aiding any Russian engagement with China (which still seemed like something best avoided).

Help in crushing internal rebel movements was also appealing, especially as Tchokareff had plans to bring new lands under the Depkazi banner, and expected 'pacification' of northern Afghanistan's non-Depkazi minorities to be a taxing proposition, and he always had plenty of personnel to lend, making it at least look like he was contributing.

The free trade proposal, however, had the Depkazi premier in a bit of a state as he headed for Europe. "Am I not the master of my own marketplace?", "Will my people wear French synthetics, cheap at the expense of countless centuries' cotton production?" he would rant in the company of his aides, "No, I think I will not see some Russian Jew and my own people, turned to bourgeoisie, take my economy from my hands."

So, he had an opinion on that, then.

Now, when he arrived, Edmund Tchokareff would actually make a point of his background and situation as contrary to the standards of the Holy League. Tchokareff would claim that it was in his hands which way Asia turned. He could continue on a path to Islam and go much further than was so far the case, aligning Depkazia with Iran, and perhaps inviting the Ottomans into his company, controlling the Black Sea's exit, encircling the Middle East, and inciting religious sentiment in neighbouring Kazakhstan. Likewise, he could reassume the Chairmanship of the Supreme Soviet in Depkazia, which was never officially disbanded, move towards the Indian powers, and pursue reformation of the USSR. Either in that capacity, or in closer association with Elias, Depkazia could support China against the League.

Tchokareff did like his Soviet-era uniforms, his modified DSSR flag, and the thought of invading Kazakhstan.

The third, fourth, whatever option it was, saw Edmund's Depkazia under not Chairman, nor President.

Edmund Khaghan Depkazi, a whole race's king of kings?

Roma

Tsar Wingert I and King Louis-Auguste arrived at the conference together, both using the French Royal transport Monarch One after a delightful family get together at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.

Atque, and so, the clan adhering to both the Tsarist double-eagle and Bourbon fleur-de-lys arrived as one. That is to say the whole family. Tsar Wingert came, arm in arm with his son-in-law Louis-Auguste and his daughter, once Grand Duchess now Reine de France Her Serene Highness Jillesepone. Following them came the brood of potential young monarchs whose bloodline was Bourbon/Grozny: Grand Duke Peter and Grand Duchess Catherine, the twins and firstborn children of His Most Christian King and Her Serene Highness…His Imperial Highness Peter being next in line to the Winter Palace’s mighty throne; each were now seven years of age, and already learning their superior station in life. Then there was little Louis, Louis-Auguste’s and Jillesepone’s third born, who was Dauphin de France. In mandatory attendance following them were Louis I King in Algeria and his queen Yolande, bulging with an expected child. Fertility, it seems, runs deep in those with good blood. The Grand Almoner of France, le Cardinal Prince Louis de Rohan was in tow, as was the Orthodox Patriarch.

All were comfortably settled into Rome’s finest hotel, which they rented to themselves. That evening there was a soiree, at which all the crowns toasted champagne in anticipation of the coming Congress. On the ‘A’ list were His Imperial Majesty Tsar Wingert I, His Most Christian Majesty Louis-Auguste, His Catholic Majesty Philip VII, and of course the intrepid newcomer, His Excellency Edmund Depkazi. Queens and vassals, of course, attended as well, not to even mention the thousands of upper tier courtiers that came in attendance to their respective courts.

The next day, the procession began.

It started at dawn, where from the Victor Emmanuel II monument a cannonade shook the city: four simultaneous twenty-one gun salutes propounded Aurora’s bon jour. The artillerymen were of all four regimes, but wore the common colors of the Holy League: a white vest, adorned with a red cross, surmounted with a simple coronet inscribed The righteous shall inherit the earth.

From the monument, a symbol of restored monarchy that defied the ravages of progressive time, the congregation set off. The procession was lead by the Abbot of the Brothers of Sanctus Expeditus, an ultra-conservative monastic order (which accepted Catholics of both Eastern and Western rites) devoted to maintaining the moral fiber of the League they represented. The Abbot, known only as Signori Blanc, marched forward proudly holding the massive silver crucifix which would surmount the penta-tent at the Arch of Constantine. He was followed by the order itself, who chanted Psalms in a perfect harmony and swing huge cauldrons of incense. These were followed by the Gentlemen of Honor of the various courts, their coat of arms displayed proudly, but all wearing the bait of the Holy League. They were mounted as knights in shining armor, and the people of Rome cheered them on as they marched. Obviously, an attempt was being made to show the firm solidarity between the League members.

And then they came, the Tetrarchy. Louis-Auguste abandoned his fine silk garb, Philip VII his Castilian vestments, Wingert his suit of gold, and Edmund his outlandish but alluring powerful robes. All were dressed in the style of the Tetrarchs of the Roman Empire, when four emperors were needed to secure to the peace of God. Their garb would inspire four massive statues, one for each of the capitals of the member states.

Tetrarchs of the Holy League (http://www.euratlas.net/eon/tetr80.jpg)

Identically attired, they were a vision of temporal power. A gladius adhered to their side, the pommel of a fierce eagle. They wore paludementa, cloaks reserved for the Roman Emperors when on military campaign. Each wore the imperial diadem, symbol of authority. In an equal line their chariots progressed, each monarchy close to the next, in an image of absolute solidarity. Roses were crushed underfoot their white stallions.

With now fewer than three choirs, one French, one Russian, and once Spanish announcing the Te Deum overture with thousands of voices, kettle drums and trumpets the crucifix was raised high, and the monarchs entered as once into the penta-tent. All entering nearly arms in arm, the symbol of strength and endurability.

Needless to say, every media outlet in the world, bar none, had been invited to view to miraculous event.

And when all the monarchs had been seated on their thrones, Roman style to match their Roman garb, the Brothers of Sanctus Expeditus began their long prayers. When they initiated, the monarchs and all assembled knelt on a special pillow placed before their thrones. The prayers were lead by the Grand Almoner and Patriarch (the latter with the Pope’s blessing) and were beautiful enough to inspire tears.

When the prayers were over, a hushed silence descended over the assemblage.

All waited for the Tsar’s Prime Minister to know rise, and in front of the rostrum (which displayed a mural of St. George slaying the dragon) the Tsarist politician slowly made his ascent, for a keynote address that would no doubt shake the world…

Tchokareff was significantly impressed by the pomp and ritual he saw in Rome.

Thinking on the statues, Edmund noted four men, of whom three could be described as European, or western. That he was the only other seemed potentially significant. It could see him sidelined, the poor relation, or... perhaps it could open up a world of opportunities. If he were the greatest man in the Asian world, well... that description spoke for itself! This would never be the way if he associated Depkazia first with the Chinese or the Soviets.

Despite its precarious position between Japan, Lyong, China, and India on one side and the British on another, the Holy League was looking more and more appealing to the Depkazi leader. As king of kings in the east, he could be Turkmenbashi, in the eyes of several foreign nations the legitimate leader of his entire kin in an extended family.

But to be taken so seriously he had much work to do, and for a start he whispered to an aide -actually the junior minister for cotton cleaning, grabbed by the ear and dragged aboard the premier's yatch when he left Depkazia- a reminder that someone should double-check that his MiG-29s in Yugoslavia for refurbishment had their markings removed or covered during their stay, lest they stand as a reminder of Depkazi trade so far with the Socialist Federal Republic. Next, he must increase the scale of nuclear weaponisation research or at least find a way to demonstrate the world-class strength of his biological arsenal. If only he were engaged in a war with a people about whom nobody cared... oh, right!

Tchokareff waited and absorbed as events progressed.

“Three men were convicted of an atrocious crime, and sentenced to twenty years in prison. However, before they were dragged off to the nearest draconian dungeon, each man was allowed to take with him one type of item. The first man took books. The second, his wife. And the third man, well, the third man decided to take…”

“…two hundred packs of cigarettes. Twenty years later, after they were released, the first man came out and declared, ‘I have studied my books extensively, and now I can become a lawyer.’ The second man came out with his smiling five kids and wife, and shouted with glee, ‘Look at this wonderful family I’ve been able to raise!” The third man came out, staring blankly, put his hands in his pockets, and sheepishly asked…”

“…anybody got a match?”

While at first it might seem odd that a man addressing such a grand and regal audience of monarchs would begin with what was such a quintessentially American, middle class technique, there was a method to Armand’s madness. As a mere vassal of the Holy League, he could ill afford to act “above” those who glared down upon him, and so the blend of charisma and humility was just right.

“Oftentimes, it is the most obvious and most important parts of an issue that are overlooked. Such is the case with the grand conflict that stands before us. As Indian and Hindustani fleets menace the Philippines, British socialists increasingly side with the Progressives, and African nationalists rattle a blood stained saber towards our African empires, we correctly focus on the upcoming battle ahead. But while we focus on how to defeat our enemies, we fail to notice the obvious issue of ourselves. My lieges, for the Holy League to remain afloat in the storm to come, it must take a close look upon itself, and change.”

“The ideology and beliefs that root this mighty group are unquestionable, of course; rule by Divine Right is the purest system ever bestowed upon man, and woe be to those who do not live in a state that bears the blessings of Christ Himself. But we are too rooted to the old fashioned ways that those beliefs spawned, too tied to Medieval fashion that those beliefs were first implemented. I bear no ill will towards the French plan, it is a good start; but in a day and age where our very existence hangs on a thread, it is simply not enough, you’re Majesty. The Charter of the Holy League looks much like the Declaration of Pilnitz, an age old monarchial collusion, with provisions for mutual defense and aid in suppression of rebellion. But in a day of lightning fast technology and earth shattering weaponry, we must no longer operate solely on the holy blade of a King, but the briefcase of a businessman as well. In essence, my Lords, the Holy League must modernize.”

“I call upon this assembled Congress to take upon itself the burden of transforming the Holy League from a simple military alliance to a true union. The clauses of free trade are a good start, but they are too limited. I envision a world where oil flows freely from the mountains of Siberia to fuel the delivery trucks of France, laden with cosmetics bound for Spain, where busboys buy them with profits made by selling trinkets made by cheap Nigerian labor. Mercantilism can stay to benefit our respective regimes, but not within the League! Full free trade will bring full and free competition, allowing all members of the Holy League to benefit from the best prices, best goods, and best labor! A key part of free labor will be free immigration; let us not limit the movement of the proud denizens of our lands. If there be a need for workers in France and an oversupply in Nigeria, what right do we have to stop that necessary migration? Moreover, to facilitate this trade of men and materiel we shall need to forge a unified coinage. ”

“There is more that must be undertaken on the path to unity. We must bring not only our people closer but our cultures as well. We are all brothers and sisters in this League, and let us act like one family. I propose cultural events to unify us; film festivals, music competitions---HolyVision perhaps---and more. I propose a more integrated military command, with joint training exercises; I propose a permanent Security Council available at any time the League needs to make a unified decision. We must be like fingers on the iron fist of the Lord, working together towards one purpose.”

“But more fingers, nay, more hands are needed for this fist to be truly strong! I am pleased to see Depkazia and Spain joining our union not through force but through will; we need to see much more of that. I call upon this Congress to launch an aggressive campaign to recruit more and more members for our grand league, and to use a combination of espionage, diplomacy, and economic pressure to spawn more Divine Monarchies across the globe. We must do this both to strengthen our league, and to fulfill our divine duty, to spread this most Enlightened form of government to all peoples of this Earth!”

“Our newly re-invigorated League shall then face no challenge too mighty. The Holy League will then be able to stare down those across the channel who have replaced the honorable Conservative strengths of the Tories with the cheap, quasi-socialist threats of the Whigs. We do not wish war with the British people. If they force it upon us, we will fight without mercy and without hesitation, and we shall not stop until Big Ben lies in a smoking heap of rubble. But this is not our intention, and we hope that is not the intention of the Whigs. In addition, I call upon our British friends to halt this ludicrous arms race, because it will only be a colossal waste of money and increase tensions across the Channel.”

“To the Progressives I extend the hand of peace. We have many differences, and much hatred has been exchanged between us as of late. But let us not dwell on who caused what; in the words of Christ, ‘let he who is without sin cast the first stone.’ We will likely never agree on the state of our respective economies and nations, but any gentlemen can see that as long as we keep out of each other’s business, we should get along just fine. It is in this friendly spirit that I announce the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Mozambican Free State, and that I ask for the Soviet Commonwealth to cut off aid to the terrorists of the Philippines and reduce their naval presence in Southeast Asian waters.”

“To Austria I have a special message…There is so much the nations of the League have in common with your proud state. Like you, we believe in the principles of free trade and capitalism, and we would be eager to bring Austrian corporations like AMW and Stille into our fold. Like us, you carry a strong, moral, monarchical tradition... and may I remind you that the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Hohenzollerns are not so long past? Like you, we face the accursed Lavragerian dog Aidarov in his pathetic crusade. I urge you, peoples of Austria---restore your nation’s rightful rulers to the throne, join us, and restore your empire! Ride with the resurgent glory of the League into the sunrise!”

“Like the man with the cigarettes, we have missed the obvious and important fact that our current charter is too old and archaic. But now the path lays before us, my Lords. Or rather, there is no set path because there are no limits to what can be achieved! In the words of Back To The Future’s Doctor Brown, ‘Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.’ With Christ in our hearts, modernity on our flesh, and fire in our eyes, we shall ride gloriously into the sunrise of the future!”

At first the vast assembly was silent, so incredible was the speech. It was, in a word, sublime. It purposed nothing less than the world’s most powerful ideology. And this spirit now completely filled the entire audience, and took the Congress to a place where there were no roads.

Half way through the pronouncement, Louis-Auguste’s eyes glazed over, as visions of grandeur filled his mind. He knew it was all true. His father had created the Holy League, but ought Louis-Auguste not inaugurate it to the next level, the ultimate level?

In that hour, precisely at that time, the Holy League broke free of all conceptions of time, and blasted off into the heavens above.

And so he clapped first, and soon the entire crowd was standing with the monarchs, thunderous applause booming far and wide.

In the ecstasy, trumpets rang, and the announcement was made by heralds in the white habit of the Holy League: moved by the spirit of Christ himself, the Tsar and King accepted Philip VII in as a full member of the Holy League. Edmund Depkezia, in a totally unexpected move, was accepted as well. The Tetrarchy was thus confirmed, and another full cannonade was heard. Each monarch looked splendid in their Imperial vestments; something was being born here…something that would shake the world.

So it was that Signori Blanc, the Abbot of the Brothers of Sanctus Expeditus, a universal figurehead of the Holy League if there could be one, rose to speak and to confirm the thoughts of all present, and took his place in front of the mural of St. George slaying the dragon. Everyone was seated again, although a feeling of excitement was flooding the hall. A feeling of limitless possibility.

“By the Grace of God, let it be so. A Tetrarchy is born; it will be sustained by Christ himself and the spirit of God. Let us now move to confirm what has been purposed!”

“One vast free market, not constrained by citizens, but upheld by subjects. Depkezia, France, Russia, and Spain will engage in one massive link of trade, each Tetrarch gaining immeasurable wealth. To this end, to confirm such an incredible idea, let us adopt one coinage, and let it be gold and universal, a coin to build a unified Empire. Our Houses shall become attached to one standard of trade, and each Tetrarch will receive what he needs at a low price, and make profit on the Holy Leagues common wants.”

“For a Universal Empire is what is being purposed here today, O Ye Mighty Kings! That these four states have begun an unstoppable process. A level of dynastic marriages not yet seen since the foundation of the world will give rise to a perpetually solid entity, working ever closer to become mighty and eternal. Unrestricted trade and travel will bond our subjects to one other, we shall encourage this. We shall share our common cultures, rooted in orthodox Christianity and obedience to the crown, and build something new. Questioning authority shall become as outmoded as democracy, and faith in God and Monarch shall be as unquestionable. Courage will be praised, cowardice punished. Virtue extolled, and vice exterminated. True ideology omnipotent; false beliefs shackled, converted, and extinguished.”

“To build a new empire, to make this Holy League congeal into something like the sun itself, several processes need to occur, and the first has already occurred: the formation of a Tetrarchy, four dread lords that from this moment on have the ability before them to work as one being, four men who can not only hold the world upright, but raise it to levels where God himself shall be pleased to bestow ever more blessings upon his more perfected creation.”

“The second process, Dominorum, is a unified military to serve the Tetrarchs of the Holy League, a military that is not national but a manifestation of this potent universality we seek to create. More than a Security Council per se, the Tetrarchy shall serve as a unified command structure, that no one part will move unless it is in total harmony with the other. The genesis of this will be the creation of a single military force, the first elements of the Army of the Holy League. We shall build, my lords, this very moment two Legions of the Holy League…our prototype. Each member state will donate 20,000 of our finest soldiers, and comparable women to become their wives and mothers of their children.”

“These Legionnaires will be trained on Corsica, which His Most Christian Majesty Louis-Auguste earlier informed me would be donated to the Holy League itself. Yes, my lieges, Corsica is to become the first Holy League melting pot, its name will become Terra Sacra, holy ground. Facilities will be created and built for their training, the likes of which have never been seen. We will build this force new tanks, unstoppable. We shall join and create for them the finest helicopters and fighter jets in the world! They will be trained not only in combat, but auxiliary work as well. Like Rome’s armies of old, they shall be completely self-dependant. Eighty-thousand Legionnaires will be comfortable equally conducting forced marches and police actions, sieges and occupations, transversing rivers and repairing vehicles, operating communications and special forces assignments, healing comrades and assassinating political opponents; and all with a total sense of courage, duty, obedience, loyalty and unquestioning faith. We will brake down each Legionnaire’s personal and national identity: French, Russian, Depkazi and Spanish will become a forgotten memory; this will be a race of men who are commonly rooted in the Holy League and its principles alone, loyal equally to the Tetrarchy. They will defend in turn and Holy League action or goal, a visible symbol of the edifice we imagine here today. They will be taught Latin alone, in anticipation of the universality which will seize our Holy League. Their children will be a unitied race, a new race, and shall excel their fathers in the attributes I have just listed.”

“This force will demonstrate, and demonstrate it shall, a new form of super soldier, as able to defeat our enemies as Rome’s mighty armies culled the barbarian hordes.”

“The third process is a cultural exchange the likes of which has never been seen. Consciously, each Tetrarch must move his people in the same direction. This can be accomplished by powerful new levels of shared media, athletic games, and ideological awareness programs. Dynastic marriage will build a unified Imperiality, and cultural marriage will forge a new race of people: like our Legionnaire’s, suited perfectly to the principle of absolute, divine right monarchy, and quite able to even comprehend anything else without experiencing feelings of pain and distress. Latin, used so well before, must in time become our lingua franca. Beginning now, let all Tetrarchs impose this language on their subject populations in school, that the process may ferment.”

“Graced by God with insight into this matter, I offer now my hopes and predications for the conclusion of these three processes: One Tetrarchy, one coinage, one army, one people!”

The audience was moving now, shivering with excitement of the monumental propositions. Signori Blanc was unable to resist the rush, and like an evangelical preacher his voice waxed and waned, filling the assembly and hopelessly capturing the imagination.

“In time, this series of Dynastic marriages will lead to only one royal, nay, imperial house. From this house, perhaps a hundred years from now, a prince shall be born of the shared and finest blood monarchies ever were to produce. He shall be beautiful to behold, and swift in action. He will exceed Alexander the Great in exploits, and St. Augustine in sanctity. His name will be Caesar Rex Mundianus, and he will be a product of what was begun here today: the end product. He will rule over one people, for the Holy League will cease to become the alliance which fostered this new being, this Dominus Patriarum, will become the new Holy Roman Empire. Every nation on earth shall call it master, and it shall call them his little children.”

“It will become Holy because at that time, the Western and Eastern orthodox rites of Christianity shall become one Orthodox Church, as it was in the days of Constantine, the result of our cultural exchange combined with a keen sense of faith and obligation to the Gospel. Caesar, as of old, will become Summus Pontificus, and the world shall again have a whole and united Christianity, untainted by heresy, and able to sustain the worlds faith until Christ in all His Glory returns.”

“It will be Roman, because Rome shall become the center of our pan-global world again. This city will prepare to host the scion of this august Tetrarchy, Caesar, when he comes. Roman also in the sense that it accepts a variety of ethnicities. It cannot do otherwise, as Caesar will be descended equally from King Louis-Auguste, Tsar Wingert I, Edmund Depkazi, and King Philip VII.”

“And it will be an Empire, because this trade network we begin today shall foster a vast an interconnected realm, all speaking Latin and sharing their faith. An Empire of perfect order, maintained by a strict hierarchy, and one in which all resistance to its power, foreign and domestic, has been overcome.”

“This, my lords, is nothing less than ending time itself! The most profound thought ever produced. Little did Louis XX and Wingert I think those years ago when the Holy League was conceived that it will not only stop progression of time and politics, but put the globe itself in a benevolent staticity that will last until the Final Day! O Happy Day that will be, when God returns to Earth, and beholds one people, rooted in his glory and having been protected by our Holy League, by our Holy Roman Empire, standing in song and praise to greet Him!”

And the world trembled in awe.

bump...

Phillip was at first pleased when he heard the official proclamation that he had been accepted, along with the rest of his country, into the Holy League. Of course, he had already known for the first part, but now there was no turning back. He was not, however, amused by the later comments. There was no doubt that a common coinage and unity with the rest of the league's markets would do great things for Spain, that had since the 1970s become one of the largest markets and economies in the world, but a unified army cut into Spain's resurgent nationalism. Ever since he had become the uncontested absolute ruler of Spain the Spanish ground forces had grown from around seventy thousand soldiers to around one hundred thousand, including two more armored brigades fully outfitted with Leopard 2Es, which were being built by Santa Bárbara Systems at full rythim. Phillip had a feeling at the heart of his gut that a unified military would only put a stop to his plans to expand Spain into a full fledge Empire. He grunted to himself silently and then applauded as Singnori Blanc finished his eloquent speech. Patting the brother monarch and skahing his hand he rose thereafter and waved at the crowed before him and around him.

The applause for the former speaker ended and Phillip boomed through the crowd. The Spanish king was rather young, taking the throne in his thirties, but he showed no less majesty and magnificense. He was out to prove that he rightfully deserved to be king of Spain. Looking at those around him to their faces he said, "Spain offers her deepest honors at being accepted into the Holy League, and the words of my people are manifested through me, their king ordained by G-d himself. I for one, will stand by my brother under the cross and argue for greater unity between the Holy League! A common coinage and a common market will only help to unify our abilities against the progressives, and will allow us to consolidate our power in Europe and thus give us the ability to propagate said power abroad with a solid base to start with." He conviniently left out Spain's plans in Morocco and the Western Sahara, but that would soon impress the world anyways.

With greater character he began to press his point, "For too long the Holy League has been seen as an equal, and it is today that we should begin to work for a world in which we are not equal, but superior! For too long the world has dared to block our movements, for too long they oppress our dreams. When I was a child my books taught me of a world where Europe ruled the waves and the seven continents. What has happened to that world?"

Letting that sink in, he soon went on, "It has been burried under the oppression of nationalism. A fear that the world will turn into what it almost did during the First and Second world wars. But nationalism is what drives us to glory, and it should be through the channeling and mobalisation of nationalism that our power grow. I say long live the Empire, long live unity and long live the ability to prove ourselves the biggest man on campus!"

((just a note, Louis-Auguste wasnt speaking, it was Singnori Blanc. And the unified military would be a boon to us all. Woudlnt it be grand to se Philip VII lead a Legion persnally into Lisbon? Im highly pleased with the 'progress' so far though, tickled pink. Let Spain become an Empire! Let the entire Holy League blossom and grow, as brothers in arms! I digress, let the Congress continue!))

I would like to note that Errikland is strongly Christian, with devout Christians consisting of 91% of the population (including the Emperor and all of his officials).

However, we cannot enter as we have a Constitutional Republican Monarchy, not an absolute one, and believe in democracy.

However, know that you can probably call on us when in need of aid.

[OOC: Sorry, this is for A Modern World. Not really sure if you're part of it, but if not, then this roleplay is closed. Sorry!]

OOC- Nota Bene...just a few words, OOCly. Do not think that what Blanc suggested is in any way going to effect the current nationalistic HL enviornment...rather it is hoped the end goal will intensify present feelings. Nevertheless a shared military effort is clearly needed, and blended troops provide the image of impregnible alliance.

Just a note, dont think Ive gone mad, its just I felt the time was right for a drawn out fiercely dogmatic view of the future equal to Marxism, id say that about did it.

Any questions please feel free to TG me.

The Roycelandian observers (for they are merely there in an advisory capacity) had watched the proceedings with interest. The news from The Sudan had reached them, which both pleased and alarmed them- but would it really come to that? Would the Progressives go for an all-out war with the Holy League- especially a war which would very likely reduce entire cities to rubble, dispossess millions, and kill millions more?

[OOC: Ooooh, now I can begin to design the Spanish MBT contestant for the Holy League armies!]

In a related press conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hu Jin Tao has announced that official Spanish entry into the Holy League will see the same embargo placed on Spanish goods as the rest of the Holy League and Roycelandia.

The Depkazi premier, his mind drifting in and out, spent much of the congress thinking about how he'd feel being known as Edmund Khaghan, and was of the impression that it didn't sound right. Perhaps I'll have the people call me Turkmenbashi, and these Euro-sorts may address Khaghan Depkazi he mused.

Still, it was time to venture an opinion.

"Shouldn't we do something about this Azerbaijani business?" He said, as if everybody should somehow know the significance of the parchment he was now waving. "My forces in Afghanistan are being hampered by Azeri nationalists in conspiracy with the Taliban and secessionists in Iran's Azerbaijan province, of course" (oh, of course!) "and almost every month we have to sink one of their patrol boats or exploration craft violating Depkazi Caspian waters or prospecting disputed territory! Need I remind you of the threat this unilateral behaviour represents for Caspian gas and oil supplies in a free market environment?" (where he may as well have said, "OUR free-market" for all the posessive tone in it)

"And of course, the real issue" delivered, strangely for such a real issue, with less tension in his voice, "is the threat that Azeri nationalists pose by inflaming otherwise co-operative Persians, and, more directly, to the integrity of the oldest Christian state on earth. I speak, of course, of Armenia, against which bastion of almost seventeen centuries Christian the Azeri seeks bitter revenge for the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"I think that it would be irresponsible to allow Azeri spite, coloured Muslim and atheist, to result in the return to subjugation of faithful Armenian people. That is item one in my case against Baku. Item two is the threat posed by nationalists wishing secession from Iran, which, if not opposed, will leave the Iranians to wonder why they should not meddle in m... our affairs, if we care so little for their troubles, and will not feature well in Afghanistan. Third, if Azerbaijan thinks that it can sit on Russia's own border and dispute Christian claims, ignore multi-national disputes and treaties in the Caspian, and meddle with its neighbours, the security of Caspian gas and oil extracted by Depkazia for European consumption can not be assured.

"Oh, and let us not forget that Turkmenbashi should no more be denied his Turkic children -such as the lost and leaderless Azeris- than the King of France his African and Indochinese possessions!"

That was it, Edmund would retreat into himself again, for a moment. He was trying to decide how to broach the subject of Depkazi religion, and then how to manage its upheaval. He though perhaps to start by having mosques reopened with subtle changes, and to play-up the significance of common or interchangeable figures in Islamo-Christian tradition. But, in the end, something totally unrelated came out of his mouth.

"Perhaps there's something to this single currency matter." He mumbled. He still wasn't sure about it, or the free trade talk, being as he was born and grew-up in the USSR and isolated Depkazia from the world for several years after that entity's collapse. Anyone who actually heard his muttering and looked to the Depkazi would see his eyebrows jumping up and down and his brow furrowing as he thought about these strange financial mechanisms.

Perhaps cheap Depkazi labour would over-come some of the inefficiencies in a decades-old infrastructure, which, after all, was geared to exporting into Russia, well suiting the HL environment. He pondered. The infrastructure for production and export of petrochemicals and cotton is sufficient... we'll get currency from that, especially with cheap labour relative to the Russians. The infrastructure for everything else is almost nil, anyone who wants to tempt my poor villagers with soft European luxuries will find it hard, perhaps they'll even have to build the infrastructure. And if seeing and not getting upsets the Depkazi people, the League will be treaty-bound to help crush resulting dissent against my holy administration.

However little sense it made, this was a moment of relative lucidity for Tchokareff, who soon was drawing (on the bare back of an aide he'd just disrobed for the duty) a chicken-sorting plant, so that Catholic and Orthodox hens didn't get mixed-up with the Muslim ones, or that communist rooster he'd seen strutting about in Tashkent.

(Sorry that's so much and so varied and choppy, not to mention half of it off-topic: that's what you get with a man who takes liquid mercury from quacks and political advice from hippos.)

((Hmm, no problem, Im gonna throw my post below yours, makes more sense, slightly changed of course. Delightful, him and Louis-Auguste must sit down for a drink of lodunum one night and discuss his visions...I think, honestly so, Edmund Depkazi makes the perfect addition to the Holy League.))

After a break for sumptuous lunch, the Congress continued its remarkable first day, trumpets ringing as twilight visited Rome.

Depkazia and its glorious leader was patted gently on the back by the other Tetrarachs with knowing smiles. Of course religion wouldnt matter. Theyd show propiganda in France, Spain, and Russia and voila! Depkazia has a devout Orthodox tradition, while Depkazia can spin about however it wants. After all, the Holy League was basically only about four men...wouldnt make sense for them not to get on, would it? To show their solidarity, a section of the French Ministers upcoming speech would include an overt endorsement of "Edmunds New Idea".

Next on stage, to give a brief speech addressing the Asian crisis which could no longer be ignored, was the French Foreign Minister, le Comte de Vergennes.

“Friends in Christ, My Lieges. Turning now from prognostications about our glorious future, we necessarily must focus on our current duties.”

“Despite a full French withdrawal from the Philippines, the Progressives still clamor for war, much as rabid dogs cannot help but pestiferously attack. Now even Chinamen, perhaps corrupted by their proximity to the sub-continent, join this list. I am therefore forced to disagree with my honorable colleague the Tsar’s Prime Minister: no peace will ever be possible while such perversion, such evil, crawls upon the firmament and slithers across the deep.”

“Even now, this very minute, Chinese troops are poised to invade Siberia!”

He paused for a moment, hoping now to channel the energies of the Congress much as the previous speakers had.

“They are poised to invade, c’est vrai, and what do they do? Send a pathetic message to our splendid monarch Philip VII! As if he would even deign to answer the curs!”

“Too much, I say, too much. No longer can we afford to ignore China, while she prepares vicious war against us. Now, China is a seemingly new enemy, we must have courage to accept this. But the progressives? The foul pit dwellers of the Indian Union and Beth Gellert, as well as their drooling, stupid, and weak…but pliable… Lyongese lackeys; we know them well, we know they must be defeated, and we know bullets are their cure, not diplomacy. Diplomacy, as Roycelandia has demonstrated, only whets these perverted mongrels.”

“And beware, beware I tell you all! Take heed, lest we find a Walsingtonian progressive ally amongst our very homelands! I say a resolution be past at once! Give Spain back Gibraltar, and give it back now if you are not wholly craven and prepared for war, for if it is not given we shall take it at our leisure. And after sending the Union Jack to Mumbai, before we brake that city in half too, how high will the Spanish Bourbon colors subset by the Holy League pennant look flying from The Rock? If Godfrey III is free from his parliamentary prison and his gruel of democratic prattle then let him prostrate himself before us forthwith! Or will we come to his wretched little palace, drag him out, and beat him with oaken clubs? Or go further, and take Whitehall to make it a Cathedral and so cleanse it from the foul presence that inhabits it now?”

His voice now reached a fever pitch, and he slammed his fists in righteous indignation. The cameras would not show Louis-Auguste nodding emphatically in agreement.

“Damn them, damn them all to hell, the foul lot of our enemies! We know you now, we know your insidious plans for our world, but you do not know us! You do not find us unawares. If war is what they want, we will give them war! War as has never been seen before. Simultaneously we will fight them from Siberia to Bristol, the whole foul lot of them. Using every weapon we possess, we will burn the earth itself, we will tear down mountains if we must, for nothing shall stop our hunt if the enemies of Christ continue on unabated!”

“To China, back down now, remove your troops from the Siberian border, or be vanquished by our wrath. Do not make us put your sad foolish country through the humiliation of your partition again. Must needs we place placards on the Tsars border, as we did in our cheap and lucrative Shanghai concessions: No dogs, no Chinese? Pray no, go back to your Middle Realm, or find yourself in one considerably lower. To the “Progressive Bloc”, if they can still hear human voice and not animal call then they know if one finger, one eyebrow, is raised against Depkazia then we will make the entire world suffer for your mistake, and deploy to all corners of the globe to fight you, never ceasing until mighty vengeful angels and finally Christ himself joins us, and forces you directly into Hell. Nations who have only heard of you we will take and purge of your filth, and then keep for our own! If you invade the Philippines you prove your own hypocrisy, using only the limp excuse of a minor French presence to broker your Marxist warmongering, and the devout Catholic Filipino population will turn your round so fast your hydra like form will crack apart. If you invade Goa, I say, beware. By necessity, you will force our brother monarch Royce I, who has been comfortable, for some reason, to not stand among us, squarely into our ranks; and so loose what little sympathy and understanding the western world has for you.”

“To Britain, you who are so close to us, you will cease at once your sad threats. Cease your military buildup or immediately proclaim yourself an open foe: if neither happens rest assured you will suffer a fate worse than the latter. You most likely for your rabble rousing have already forfeit Gibraltar. If you continue, you forfeit Ireland, which you illegally rape and occupy as it is, exterminating devout Catholics while propping up a viper like Protestant form of totalitarianism. Do you think we will wait in this matter either? You are very close, aren’t you? So close, so close. Do you not feel us breathing on your neck, making your hairs stand on end, ready to snatch you up and subject you to terror unabashed? If so then you are wise beyond what I believed, and I shall be glad for it. If not, then alas for what little of worth your island possesses, for like Judgment Day the Holy League shall come upon you united as a thief in the night, and lo you will be powerless to resist!”

“And on a different note, I wish to speak to Emperor Royce I. Great Emperor, will you not come stand with those who will defend you? You've shown your mettle, and have detonated the largest weapon ever crafted! As things stand, unless we are threatened ourselves, we cannot but extend limited support of your enterprises. Please beware, O Sovereign Royce, the net that the Progressives weave about you, and see their fangs dripping with venom. Stand with us, and be counted among God’s elect!”

”Action is needed, at once. My Lords, Kings from West to uttermost East, we must now gird ourselves for war, don the armor of God, and like St. George slay the dragon!”

Listening to the warlike vitriol from le Comte de Vergennes, Tchokareff was moved to nod and twirl his right hand about over his head in what can only be assumed indicative of some degree of approval.

He said that -if he could trust that Russia wasn't going to steal his water anymore- Depkazi forces in the northern desert could be repositioned to the border with what he now -for the first time- refered to as East Turkestan, A.K.A. China's western Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

Of course this meant sending thousands of desert soldiers to sit in the frigid mountains of the Sino-Depkazi frontier, but that mattered little to the man suddenly caught up with romantic ideas of the great Khanates of antiquity.

Tchokareff also took a moment to invite observers to see the latest victories in Afghanistan (where Depkazi forces were dropping napalm and nerve gas on pro-Taliban Pashtun militia (and making precious little progress on the ground)).

An uneasy grin was plastered onto Armand's face as he mingled amongst the crowds. He rarely showed such nervous traits, especially when he was doing what he was best at: backdoor diplomacy. But today the world lay on a knife's edge, and the beautiful dream he had envisioned could crumble so easily if he didn't play his cards just right.

And so he went to work, pumping hands and throwing out jokes, as he danced that deadly dance we call diplomacy.

The French were asked to tone down the rhetoric, the Austrians were eagerly invited to the conference, the Nigerians were asked to pass a resolution declaring the economic and social progress made by the League's generous efforts (which they did), the Roycelandians were assured that the Russians would stand with them through thick and thin, and the Spanish and the Depkazis were heartily thanked for their entrance into the League. Indeed, five thousand elite Russian troops were offered to Tokareff (sp?) in his Afghani campaign, and Domalewski laughingly promised to "respect the sovereignty of Depkazi water supplies."

Additionally, the Minister would furiously work his cell phone, as he invited the United Elians, the Japanese, and the Ottomans to attend, promising them "an offer they couldn't refuse." His cell phone burned hot as he pleaded, flattered, and threatened his way into the highest offices of the INU, the Bedgellen Final Senate, the Sithin Council, the Beijing Politburo (if that was where Jonathan still held council). To each he would deliver the same message...

"Firstly, please do not take the rhetoric of the French on face value. We all know that much of their passion is for show, and that a pragmatism lies underneath the emotion, much like it does with the rhetoric of your powerful orators. (To each seperate nation he would offer a specific example. For the Bedgellens it was Adiatorix, for the Hindustanis it was that fiery Parliamantarian, etc. etc.) But let it be known that we in the Holy League are sane men. Our view of the world is much different from yours, but we are not the mad, blood thirsty butchers you view us as. No one will benefit from a tremendous war. Although I'm sure you believe you can win this conflict, and although we believe the exact opposite, what we can agree on is that the cost in blood and treasure would be unbearably high. Stacks of bodies will rise as high as the eye can see, flames will engulf our greatest cities, and our skies will be darkened with the horrible vision of a mushroom cloud. For the sake of the earth, let us make peace, for the sake of humanity itself, I beg you: stand down, demobilize, and let us hammer out some sort of compromise. God be with you."

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Royce I- now officially in the Guinness Book Of Records as "Person with the most Frequent Flyer Miles"- has made a speech thanking the French for "Their unwavering support in this, the most difficult time the world has faced since a chap called Hitler decided he needed a larger living room in Russia".

Further, His Majesty has praised the Russians, for their "Defiance in the face of adversity, and their commitment to peace and stability throughout the world", as well as speaking highly of the stablising role of Roycelandia's ally United Elias, "A shining beacon of hope, stability, and democracy throughout the Middle East."

"I am truly honoured to be in the company of such great leaders" His Majesty said, indicating the assembled leaders of The Holy League, "and your offer to formally be included in the Holy League is most gratefully received. However, I cannot accept the invitation. The world is on a knife edge, and as Emperor, my primary responsibility is to my Citizens. Our friendship with France remains as steady as ever, as does our friendship with the Russian People. But Roycelandia has commitments to NATO, to the World Banking Organisation, and to maintaining Civilisation throughout the Empire.

Our treaty with France- as a friend and ally- shall stand, as solid as the very Earth upon which we dwell! Indeed, I would like to take this opportunity to extend a Trade Agreement to Russia, and give Russian citizens the right to live and work in Roycelandia for as long as they choose.

We will all weather the coming storm, and although Roycelandia cannot join the Holy League, we can all benefit from Trade, exchanges of information- and we can all watch in awe as Roycelandia and France launch a lunar mission in the next six months, placing people on the moon for the first time since the Quinntonians dismantled the Apollo Programme in the 1970s!

The world will be Free from Progression and Communism, and together we will forge a new destiny, with Education, Universal Healthcare, Prosperity, and Freedom of Religion and Speech for all, regardless of Nationality, Faith, Colour, Age, or Sex! It will be the dawning of a New Age- A Golden Age, with the co-operation of Roycelandia, NATO, the Holy League, and all intelligent people everywhere! Para Gloria Imperium, With Blackjack, and Hookers!"

While the French minister continued to spell his rhetoric throughout the congress Phillip VII edged towards the French King, Louis-Auguste, and he placed his hand on his shoulder and whispered, "Brother, I need to speak to you on a matter of utmost importance. Pardon my sudden intrusion this minute and a slightly less than respectful manner of greeting, but for the sake of the future of Spain I must find some time with you, not your ministers, for it will be only you who will understand my position."

As Louis-Auguste formulated a response Phillip changed his gaze to the rest of the Congress. He felt so underpowered. While they could develope machinations against China, India and the other powers of the world Spain was left thinking about its own neighbors, the measly Morocco and Portugal. The most important detail on the king's mind was the reunification of the peninsula, including Portugal, the Gibraltar and Andorra. The Basques could be crushed under the tracks of Spain's armour, and the Catalanes under the false hopes of autonomy until the crown proved enough power to be rightfully feared and respected throughout the expanses of the future Spanish Empire. This appeal to the French king would serve to gain some part of the French fleet to rondevouz with the Spanish armada near the Azores, providing a valuable blocking utensil in the Mid-Atlantic, and allowing a group of Spanish air assault to take the islands. All the while Spain's ground armies would enter Lisbon as conquerors.

But this was not the most important matter on his mind. The Progressives had taken a keen interest with the Saharaui in the Western Sahara, and that was an insult to Spain. Since 1973 and the Green March Spain had been active politically in the area, sending aide to the Saharaui against the Moroccons. It only made sense. It would take Morocco mere hours to fully occupy Ceuta and Melilla and there was absolutely nothing Spain could do - only formulate some sort of landing in the North, which at this point could have been suicidal. However, with Holy League backing, ships and troops Morocco would be overwhelmed and anything the Progressives dared to put up against Spanish agression near the Western Sahara could be crushed. The Indians couldn't hope to put enough ships in the area without risking high costs for a threat that really wasn't superior to the other threats they faced around the world, including a possible Sino-Russian War.

All of this would give Spain a chance to intensify its naval construction. The king had forcefully comissioned the L-61 Aragón, the planned Buque de Proyeción Estratégica. The L-61 would be fully completed within two months for naval combat in the area, but it wouldn't be ready for another year if it was to be put in real combat. However, Phillip had grand plans, including the construction of an L-62 and L-63, as well as a future flat-top carrier that would carry over forty aircraft. The Harrier IIs would have to be replaced with something French, of course, or a navalised version of the Eurofighter Typhoon. That would be expensive, but nothing too implausible, and with Spain's obvious military growth spending for the military was skyrocketing. Spain would have to attack something and attack something soon if the economy wasn't to simply collapsed once military growth had reached its peak. For that he turned to France for aid.

Austrian Chancellor Maxen von Bismarck, speeding through the Autobahn in his newly made Gizatte TG-11 and quickly steps out of the car. The valle parkers of course are used to limousines and are somewhat taken back by the sleek performace car. Maxen tosses the keys to one of the valle, "Make sure she doesn't run away" he calls as he marches up to the front doors.

Some few things on the agenda that night would hopefully be naval power. The newly formed Austrian commonwealth needed some naval help, the pititance that was the Austrian navy shouldn't even be named a navy. With the new naval powers roaming around Austria -and Maxen- hoped to find a way to get some ships and fast.

Maxen walked aroundlooking for some one with a good navy and was about to pick up Roycelandia premier, their king Royce was at the moment delivering a speech of democracy. He blew wind through his lips, dang idealists he thought to himself. But everybody had a purpose.....

After the spech Maxen walks up to Emperor Royce, "How is Cuba this time of the year? I think Roycelandia has what I have been looking for".....

Prime Minister Armand grinned. Things were working, at least for now. The world still hung on a knife's edge, but the blade had stopped quivering---for now.

"Mr. Maxen? The name's Armand Domalewski. I am the Regent of the Tsar of All Russias, Tsar Wingert Grozny. I'm here to make you an offer you can't refuse. There is so much the nations of the League have in common with your proud state. Like you, we believe in the principles of free trade and capitalism, and we would be eager to bring Austrian corporations like AMW and Stille into our fold. Like us, you carry a strong, moral, monarchical tradition... and may I remind you that the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Hohenzollerns are not so long past? Like you, we face the accursed Lavragerian dog Aidarov in his pathetic crusade. I urge you, peoples of Austria---restore your nation’s rightful rulers to the throne, join us, and restore your empire! Ride with the resurgent glory of the League into the sunrise!"

Deputy Foreign Minister Honda Hisaki adjusted his jacket as he stepped out of his car and entered the Congress; he had been dispatched by Tokyo to find out exactly what the "offer they couldn't refuse" was. Emperor Shinseiki still regarded the Holy League as a dangerous organisation, never mind the fact that they constantly went on about God and Christianity. Not only that, but they had committed the ultimate cardinal sin in his eyes....they had forgotten about him.

Although the Japanese government would never use such a reason for deciding foreign relations, they also felt that the Holy League regarded them as a gnat at best; while being thought of as such would be potentially life-saving during a wider conflict, popular opinion back home demanded more recognition of Japan's position in the world. Aikoku Toko's constant rhetoric in the Diet certainly didn't help matters.

Minister Honda soon noticed the man responsible for his invitation; Domalewski was engaged with the Austrian Chancellor, so Honda made an attempt to blend into the background until Domalewski was free.

C'est si bon! The pot is brewing, all abubble!

I have several responses to make, will have them up by ce soir. Im tired of using English...should I do my posts in all French?...theyd be much more elegant, especially the rhetoric...mon dieu!

"Cuba is lovely at this time of year, as is all of the Roycelandian Empire... Tell me, what can Roycelandia do for you?"

The day concluded, a day that would surely go down in history. It would go down alongside the Congress of Vienna, which united Europe in peace for decades and led to the harmony of the concert of Europe.

As night settled, the assembly filed out and departed to hotels and palaces by carriages and limousines…the former reserved for monarchs alone to travel by. After decadent dinners at the luminous Congress’ leisure, that night the first in a series of huge productions would be given for the Congress at the Coliseum. Once the theatre for gladiators, now a scene for harmony, it had been worked on for months to prepare itself: a vast series of overlays gave the illusion of symmetry, and a huge stage had been set up for the presentations. Only monarchs, religious hierarchs, the royals’ their immediate Court’s (including the now present Royce I), foreign ambassadors and independently uber-wealthy aristocrats had seats.

The Japanese Ambassador was given a good seat as well, but not as fine a one as Maxen von Bismarck, who was as swiftly as possible being courted into the ranks of God’s lieutenants on the earth.

The first night the French would host the display. They were giving a lavish production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. An ideal production, as it revealed understanding though musical sublimity and was written by a Catholic, who worked for an absolute monarchy. Mozart was in fact something of an icon in Restoration France, which upheld him as a cultural hero.

On stage the finest performers Versailles could find, including the use of the legendary ‘Three Tenors’ in key roles, and a pan-European orchestra. In a rare showing Dame Kiri Tikonowa would play the “Queen of the Night”, the sum she was paid was never of course to be revealed.

The orchestra was tuning up as the assembly, perhaps the greatest (or disparate for that matter) gathering in centuries, began to arrive. You see, the Congress had two levels: On one it was a political congress, and on the other level it was a social one. Such is the nature of dynastic intercourse.

A crowd of media, larger than any crowd than maybe had ever attended the Coliseum in yore, mobbed outside the purple carpet. The flash of the cameras almost gave the effect of floodlights. They came by carriages: Pope and Patriarch, King and Tsar, Noble and Ambassador.

As the orchestra began to tune their instruments, all were seated. The Tsar sat with Edmund Depkazi in one massive ornate box, while Louis-Auguste sat with Philip VII, as well as Philip’s Queen and Louis’s sister Antoinette. While they were listening to the overture begin, Louis-Auguste spoke with his fellow Bourbon.

“We are in absolute concord my brother. I have ordered my brother Normandie to divert the fleet from Marseilles to Cadiz. There we will prepare. We will shield you from the British, and disembark our armies at Cadiz for some rest after their voyage. It is imperative, absolutely imperative, that you begin your operations at once. Prepare massively in secret, then storm into Lisbon and smash The Rock to make it ours. When you have unified the Iberian, together we will sweep down the west coast of Africa.”

“But Gibraltar must be the first target, or simultaneously taken with Portugal. We will move the necessary naval elements into place when the time comes to bombard The Rock. I will support you as I have my father in law before!”

And a sublime opera was had by all. All monarchs needeing to rest after such a racious day. IN the distance, a gathering of forign ministers could be seen...no doubt, this was to do with tommorrows voting sessions to pass resolutions.

Versailles

The Minister of War, Monsieur le Duc de Broglie, was settling in and preparing the necessary steps to move France to a total war economy.

West Africa, and exploits in the Iberian, were on the horizon.

Ultra-secret cables were sent to the Holy League powers, explaining the time schedule and expected operations plans for operation “Iron West.”

OOC: I first want to apoligize for my almost constant tardiness, would have gotten back tomorrow or Friday but to busy party(ing). Well, er could we post along but consider the posts before Nova Gaul.


"Mr. Maxen? The name's Armand Domalewski...... Ride with the resurgent glory of the League into the sunrise!"


"Cuba is lovely at this time of year, as is all of the Roycelandian Empire... Tell me, what can Roycelandia do for you?"

Somewhat taken back with the warm reception Maxen von Bismarck revises his opinions on the "idealists" and while not trying ot be rude replies to Lord Royce while at the same time angling himself so to include Lord Domalewski at the same time thinking about how to get the French Delegate involved -or namely France's Colonial holdings-;

"Ships, mainly a good set of heavy duty, interchangable parts, work horse ships. A carrier with some good heavy firing ships we would happily buy off for practically any price. The same goes for any of your models Lord Domalewski. Austria has a good sum tucked away and if you could lend some ships up to the block we would happily try out you 'Holy League'."

Austria is promised that if she signs onto the Holy League, and places an absolute monarch into power, she will indeed have access to the stockpiles of God's lieutenants.

On another note, the next day will see the ratification of the entire agenda, and the confirmation of the Tetrarchy.

The Congres had been spectacular.

[tag]

As they were invited, the Federal Dictatorship saw it wise to send an observer to the Congress. After all it was far simpler than getting the details of the conference via listening devices and expensive informants. His Excellency Abdullah Hussein Omar, as was expected, reported to Baghdad that it was a a meeting of a bunch of self-aggrandising Euro-trash, drinking too much and generally spouting off drivel about new world orders and the like. However, it was decided that keeping cordial relations with the Holy League was rather a good idea, as economically it provided a very large market for Elias oil and goods. Also, as distasteful as they seemed, they were arguably the lesser of two evils when compared to revolutionary Marxism.

What was much more concerning to UE, was the presence of Edmund Tchokareff at the conference. United Elias saw him for what he was, a tin pot dictator of a tin pot little republic that it would tolerate providing it towed the line. UE had significant economic interests in Depkazia, and it had also allowed North Pakistan and Depkazia to operate in Afghanistan to takeover the Wakhan corridor. Now, the thoughtof Depkazia becoming a Holy League stronghold in the midst of Central Asia was deeply troubling. Troubling enough, in fact, for Ambassador Omar to seek an audience with Tchokareff in order to remind him who his real friends were and that to shun his muslim brethren in favour of Catholic Orthodoxy would be taken with deep affront in Baghdad and Peshawar.

Busily enraged by word of Yugoslavia's impounding of his MiG-29s, sent for refurbishment before Samarqand began reconciliation with Moscow, Tchokareff wasn't even able to appreciate that he was making in China much bigger and nearer enemies than in United Elias, and Omar would likely struggle to impress the man who'd just resolved to declare himself King of Kings in the Turkic world with any sense of Baghdad's importance to Depkazia.

In Depkazia, even while Edmund was away in Rome, numerous Generals -increasingly powerful due to their role in Afghanistan and in plotting against Azerbaijan- were taking advantage of a rare chance to stay in one post for more than a moment or two without Tchokareff moving them or forcing them to walk his several-times-deadly hippo. Communist old guard, Muslims, and general supporters of Turkic nationhood and the Khaganate ideal tried to identify one another without exposing themselves to loyal authorities. The premier cursed Aidarov and talked about establishing MiG and Sukhoi production lines in Depkazia, and at home his ambition looked quite out of step with reality.

Austria moves to intergrate itself in the Holy League by sending positive signals to Samarqand concerning refurbishing the MiGs, as Austria knows what is buisness and what should be used for personel uses.

Maxen von Bismarck continued,

"Before you reply, Austria cannot be cajoled into a Monarchial state. Because it would be unwise to become so centralized as many other now defunct corporations have become. You know we think alot about monies and corporations and we do model some of our system after successful corporations. Some of the reasons we are so productive and competitive since unlike other governments we could technically be a profitable" -he stresses the word- "country and leaning away from that way would be most unwise."

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Royce I was a very busy chap.

Indeed, so busy was he (between chat shows and newspaper interviews and general international diplomacy) that he'd failed to notice the plans for Operation Iron West that had landed on his desk several days previously.

The Swear Word uttered by His Majesty was both unique and creative, and also perfectly summed up the political situation Roycelandia now found herself in.

Gibraltar was, as far as Roycelandia was concered, part of Britain, in exactly the same way as London or Suffolk, or Yorkshire... well, maybe not Yorkshire, but Gibraltar was part of Britain.

And (checking his Big List Of International Treaties) Britain was still part of NATO. Which meant (checking the Big List again) that an invasion of Gibraltar by Spain meant Roycelandia had to help defend Gibraltar. Against the Holy League, which included Roycelandia's closest ally, France.

Shit.

His Majesty sat back in his chair and poured himself a tumbler of bourbon, thinking.

He looked at an electronic, wall-mounted Big Map of the Mediterranean, and called up a computer simulation of projected force movements.

An idea occured, and he picked up the Hotline.

After the initial pleasantries were concluded, His Majesty outlined the situation.

"Here's the thing- if the Holy Leage invades Gibraltar, well, you see, we have to defend it. I'm sure you can appreciate the situation that leaves us in, not to mention the problems it causes both NATO and the Holy League. However, I've got an idea.

The basic idea is: leave Gibraltar alone. Close the border, and station troops along it, but otherwise leave it alone.

Instead, focus your energies on Ceuta and Melila- which are already Spanish Territory. Turn one of them into a stronghold- Naval Base, an Air Base.

From there, you can use Holy League superiority in the Mediterranean- especially from Spain- to effectively close the entire Mediterranean to non-friendly shipping. Gibraltar would be cut off, except for air transport, and would be neutralised as a threat. Admittedly, it would still be British, but the alternative is considerably less practical, as I'm sure you can agree.

From there, it is but a short hop across the Strait of Hercules to North Africa- specifically Morocco- and from there to West Africa. And need I mention the Roycelandian colony of the Cape Verde Islands, which can provide a safe harbour for French ships and planes? I'm sure you can see the benefits of this plan- bypass Gibraltar as the British bypassed the Channel Islands during WWII, and focus your energies on re-civilising Africa. The spices, the wealth, the trade... there is much of this in Africa, but none of it in Gibraltar."

(Havent got time for an IC reponse but Royce, just so you know, your clever plan will probably lead to war with UE. Strengthening the Moroccan enclaves will present a clear threat to the Moroccan Kingdom, which we are treaty bound to protect and any attempt to restrict freedom of passage in the Med will result in a similar response. As far as Gibraltar and Portugal is concerned, UE is now not so inclined to help the UK, unless we believe that the HL plans to threaten UE's interests.)

OOC: I'll keep it short since I'm off to bed, but from the looks of it we're going to have a major war no matter how we look at it- if HL invades Gibraltar, then you get NATO v HL (with Roycelandia and France refusing hostilities against each other, but shooting at the other's allies), and if HL simply fortifies their position in Spanish North Africa, we get UE (and Roycelandia- and, if they counter-attack NATO) vs... The Holy League. With Roycelandia and France not shooting at each other, but everyone else if fair game.

Isn't this how WWI started in RL? :-P

[OOC: Not really sure if that was intended for the conference, or just something for your king, but here's Phillip's reply anyways.]

Phillip shook his head, "Impossible. My goal is not in Africa, it is on my peninsula. Unity of the Iberian will be completed; it is my only goal. I will no longer speak of this subject. The Rock will be ours before you can do anything about it, and you know as well as I that it will be hell to retake it. Spain is no longer a Hapsburg dried fruit; it does no longer rely on European powers to defend itself. We are not the same as we were in 1713 when the British dared take our territory. The Gibraltar is by right ours, and that is that."

[OOC: Eeeek, I sorta jumped the gun in the roleplay. Any invasion of the Gibraltar was never meant to be public. Maybe Portugal, but never Morocco. The strike into Morocco was meant to be a big suprise to everyone, to disallow the British and allies of the time necessary to stock up on enough forces to successfully defend themselves.]

His Most Christian Majesty rose to speak at the conference himself, if only to give a news bite. He had already made it abundantly clear that United Elias was a amiable neighbor of the French realm, as was Morocco, and stood to profit it Bourbon plans came to fruition. And when the lieutenants of God possessed Gibraltar, United Eliad wouls be in a handsome posistion to profit from the affair.

“Gibraltar, in its entirety, is a Spanish possession, currently subjected to the illegal occupation of the British.”

Versailles would be on the hotline to Port Royal, explaining that now France had matters to settle in Europe, alongside her blood ally PhilipVII. If Spain wanted Portugal, she would have it as well. There would be no compromise, and Ft. St. Paul was offered as a prize for Roycelandian co-operation.

Having set out to accomplish what they intended, M. de Maurepas, Prime Minister to His Most Christian Majesty Louis-Auguste, has therefore decreed a ‘conference’ (voting would after all be oxymoronic in the Holy League) to ratify the Holy League and conclude the Congress with stunning success. The conference was called, and the agenda declared by immaculately attired heralds, complete with trumpets.

Holy League Charter

1. All members will assume joint defense status if any member faces a threat to their states sovereignty.

2. All members will cooperate if one member has a internal, seditious movement, to crush that said movement jointly and in a speedy matter.

3. All members will nurture, protect, and defend the Orthodox rites of Christianity (both Roman and Eastern Catholic) as defined by the Papacy and Patriarchy when it is threatened, regardless of where this threat appears.

4. All members acknowledge absolute monarchy, whether by divine right or popular consent, to be the only legitimate form of government. Furthermore, all members shall dutifully maintain and enhance their native monarchy continuously so that the world may have peace, and Almighty God may be appeased.

5. All members shall acknowledge ‘Colonialism’ as not a means to an end, but an end in and of itself, in that any Holy League power guiding another nation does so at the behest of Christ, to teach the natives the true Gospel, and dispel evil. The myth that the Communist demons have constructed that Colonialism is strictly for mercantile gain and aboriginal exploitation is simply crude propaganda and unabashedly false.

Congressional Agenda

1. A proposal that all member states craft a free trade agreement, meaning no tariffs, in respect to: military hardware, commercial goods, agricultural stocks, and natural commodities.

2. A proposal to admit Spain into the Holy League, as a full chartered member, thus graduating then from participatory member status.

3. A proposal to admit Depkezia in as a participatory member, with forthcoming discussions which shall focus on the particular variety of that potentate’s religion and what accommodations can be made to grant Depkezia said status.

4. A proposal at the conclusion of the conference that all members condemn Progressive plots to de-Christianize the Philippines by force, and a declaration of purpose that the Holy League will not stand by and allow God fearing people to be abandoned to the pit.

5. A proposal that a new series of dynastic marriages be conducted, for the purposes of cementing the charters axiology and to demonstrate that the Holy League, in service to Christ, King of the Universe, is one cohesive and indeed sacrosanct body.

6. A proposal that to cement the leadership of the Holy League, a Tetrarchy will be established consisting of Louis-Augutse, Wingert I, Philip VII, and Tchokareff: these will be the masters of the Holy League.

His Most Christian Majesty Louis-Auguste was the first to sign the vellum document, with all the items adhered to in the agenda having been basically and positively vocalized.

Anyhow, lets say Maxen either wrapped up the conversation and got a battleship and a carrier (or just the carrier) from either Roycelandia or Tsar Wingert/Russia or had to leave when he learned Austria was being invaded.

Another little footnote for all The Holy League is now Austria would accept many more terms to be inside The Holy League, especialy ones which would have never been accepted. Hopefully Spain or Russia would send some much needed help to stave off the Yugoslavian attack.

To read more please just follow this thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=485171).