Praetor
04-05-2008, 02:41
The clacking of boots echoes throughout the main hall inside the Citadel, where the Golden Praetor (as his title was) walks towards a large pair of closed doors. As he approaches he can hear muffled voices in heated debate though he cannot make out what it is they are saying, but as he turnes the knob and enters, silence fills the room. The Council observes his movements as he takes but a second to gauge the situation before starting off towards the podium at the front of the large chamber, and once there he removes a scroll from an inner pocket and begins to unroll it. A few assorted coughs and whispers can be heard as the Golden Praetor takes a moment to gather himself before speaking in a loud and commanding voice that carries itself throughout the room prominently.
"Members of the Great Council, I bid you good afternoon. In this semi-annual report I can say with confidence that the state of our union is strong...but not as strong as it once was and not nearly as strong as it could be."
The Councilmen listen on intently, for it was a rare occassion when the Golden Praetor spoke before them.
"Our economy continues to be thunderous to a large degree, however I believe that such prosperity has softened our people and therefore we have become more decadent, and having become decadent we have become apathetic. This must change. Our military has never been as large or active as some in this world, but it has always been well funded, well equipped, and well trained, and it was at one time the best job to be had. However with ages of isolationism taking its toll, our military is fastly becoming a career of last resort."
He pauses for a second to scan the room and the reactions thus far.
"We all know that involving ourselves in full scale warfare has never been a goal of ours, for conquest is not a desire of myself or this Council. However when acting as a mercenary force we have turned a considerable profit, and I believe that helping others destroy themselves makes for good coinage. I would therefore propose to this Council that we begin offering our services to those who would require them in return for appropriate sums of money."
The Council stirred slightly, not so much in alarm but more in consideration of the Golden Praetor's words.
"Having said that, I conclude this address and wish you all a good day. My offices can be reached at any time. Remember this, Councilmen; Praetor is the largest nation in existance. It's time we started stepping out of the shadows. The voice of the people command it. The voice of God commands it."
He then walks away from the podium and towards the doors, where he exits and leaves the Council to politick and argue once more, this time over the Golden Praetor's wishes to re-establish the Aristocratic Hegemony of Praetor in the international scene. Meanwhile, the Crimson Praetor of War and the Copper Praetor of Economics began to converse about how to jumpstart its services as a provider of military force, while lower level diplomats and functionaries would address the inevitable requests for embassies, trade and diplomatic relations.
For ages Praetor remained in the shadows while the rest of the world passed it by, content to immerse itself in the lavish existance that it had created over generations. Praetor cares for little for others and always has, and perhaps it was that mindset that had contributed to its slump in international prestige and as a symbol of supremacy. The Golden Praetor often spent many hours looking out through the window in his private quarters and wondering what things would be like if he had taken different approaches in the past.
But it was during these times that he gave thanks for what he had accomplished, and it strengthened his resolve to make Praetor a great and mighty nation once again. However he always knew that it wouldn't be easy, for motivating a populace that had grown accustomed to high standards of living and peaceful existance would be difficult at best. Time would tell.
ooc: Consider this Praetor's MT/PMT debut.
"Members of the Great Council, I bid you good afternoon. In this semi-annual report I can say with confidence that the state of our union is strong...but not as strong as it once was and not nearly as strong as it could be."
The Councilmen listen on intently, for it was a rare occassion when the Golden Praetor spoke before them.
"Our economy continues to be thunderous to a large degree, however I believe that such prosperity has softened our people and therefore we have become more decadent, and having become decadent we have become apathetic. This must change. Our military has never been as large or active as some in this world, but it has always been well funded, well equipped, and well trained, and it was at one time the best job to be had. However with ages of isolationism taking its toll, our military is fastly becoming a career of last resort."
He pauses for a second to scan the room and the reactions thus far.
"We all know that involving ourselves in full scale warfare has never been a goal of ours, for conquest is not a desire of myself or this Council. However when acting as a mercenary force we have turned a considerable profit, and I believe that helping others destroy themselves makes for good coinage. I would therefore propose to this Council that we begin offering our services to those who would require them in return for appropriate sums of money."
The Council stirred slightly, not so much in alarm but more in consideration of the Golden Praetor's words.
"Having said that, I conclude this address and wish you all a good day. My offices can be reached at any time. Remember this, Councilmen; Praetor is the largest nation in existance. It's time we started stepping out of the shadows. The voice of the people command it. The voice of God commands it."
He then walks away from the podium and towards the doors, where he exits and leaves the Council to politick and argue once more, this time over the Golden Praetor's wishes to re-establish the Aristocratic Hegemony of Praetor in the international scene. Meanwhile, the Crimson Praetor of War and the Copper Praetor of Economics began to converse about how to jumpstart its services as a provider of military force, while lower level diplomats and functionaries would address the inevitable requests for embassies, trade and diplomatic relations.
For ages Praetor remained in the shadows while the rest of the world passed it by, content to immerse itself in the lavish existance that it had created over generations. Praetor cares for little for others and always has, and perhaps it was that mindset that had contributed to its slump in international prestige and as a symbol of supremacy. The Golden Praetor often spent many hours looking out through the window in his private quarters and wondering what things would be like if he had taken different approaches in the past.
But it was during these times that he gave thanks for what he had accomplished, and it strengthened his resolve to make Praetor a great and mighty nation once again. However he always knew that it wouldn't be easy, for motivating a populace that had grown accustomed to high standards of living and peaceful existance would be difficult at best. Time would tell.
ooc: Consider this Praetor's MT/PMT debut.