---

It has been four years since Valeria the Apostle has passed away.
As my own reign is now secure, my vassals having dispensed with the traditional civil war they typically celebrate coronations with, it is now time for the Senate to undergo a political realignment.

I trust you are all familiar with the factions jockeying for power?

The Old Romans (OR)
–Unitas (UN)

There are the Old Romans, whom I imagine are great admirers of Valeria the Apostle.

The New Byzantines (NB)
–Steppes and Republics (SR)
–Loyalists (LY)
–Centrists (CN)
–Pragmatists (PR)

There are the New Byzantines, who have led the Senate for nearly the entire Komnenos Renaissance, but have perhaps lost sight of their ideals after so long in power.

The Milvians (ML)
–Fraternalists (FR)

There are the Milvians, who grow tantalizingly closer to their dream of restoring the Pentarchy…

The Komnenians (KM)
–Hellenic Restoration (HR)

The Komnenians, who recognize just who it was who made all this possible.

The Discordians (DC)
–Hellenic Restoration (HR)
–Guiding Light (GL)
–True Religion’s Advocates In Time Of Rebellion & Strife (TR)
–The People (TP)

: And the Discordians– a vivid reminder of the many laws and customs that make the person of a Senator sacrosanct, no matter how radical their ideas.

As well as these cross-party factions:

The New Marians like horses.

The Expansionists like painting things purple.

The Phanariotes like that University we built for them.

Finally, for your reference, here are the current laws of the empire:

Italian Re-Conquista Act (Reconquer Italy! But, um, in a non-Old Roman way)
The Pilgrimage Protection Act (Protect Pilgrims by starting a bloody, chaotic war in the Holy Land to annex it)
The Nova Mediterranean Act (conquer Black Sea coast)
University Construction Act (Build a university)
Use Caution, Empress Act (Try to avoid wars the empire can’t win)

---

occipitallobe posted:

##Vote Milvians

##Vote Phanariotes

My cousin has managed to gain the position of First Theologian at the University of Constantinople (perhaps due to my esteemed grand-uncle sponsoring the bill that led to its reconstruction), and it must be noted that a great deal of good has come out of it. A greater understanding of our ancestors and our religion, as well as the continued expansion of imperial economic power. I understand the engineers in the University have come up with several novel ideas for reinforcing the Theodosian Walls, though as to how practical they are, I am not sure.

We Milvians have proven that policy devoted to the expansion of belief in Christ and the knowledge of the world God made is wise, and I must advocate for my party now. With our brothers and fellow-members the Fraternalists, the delegation of power to members of the church and trade republics has weakened the relative position of the douxes, and left Emperor Traianos presiding over a peaceful, powerful Empire. Should we not continue in these wise ways?

 

Ofaloaf posted:

##Vote True Religion’s Advocates In Time Of Rebellion & Strife

Even with the Bishop of Rome ostracized from Rome itself, the usefulness of reconciling and working with the Latins has not abated. At the very least, I would recommend we start taking a more Western-oriented approach, consider moving the capital back to Rome, and maybe even switch back to the tongue of our forefathers and properly become Romans once more. Via console, I suppose. Don’t think there’s any in-game events or decisions for it. It’d help in dealing with the Italians and Franks, at least, since Latin’s the language of their administrations and intelligentsia anyways.

Of course, the greatest potential boost to our diplomatic ability would be to reconcile with the Bishop of Rome himself.

YF-23 posted:

##Vote Milvians

##Vote Phanariotes

May His light illuminate our thoughts and teach us how to best face what the future holds.

Luhood posted:

##Vote New Byzantines

##Vote Phanariotes

Arshak I Qutuzid

You claim we Byzantines don’t have a program, yet you can’t be any more wrong. Our program is rather simple, yet nonetheless grand: Inclusion. The rights of every citizen of our glorious Empire, the Byzantine Empire, shall be equal. No matter their gender, no matter their tongue, no matter their religion, all shall stand equally before the state and the law. Many of my fellow senators, not only from my own party but from the other parties as well, see to my idea with open eyes. Even the Unitas, in their own peculiar way, want this to happen. With this in mind I want to show my support to a fellow member of the New Byzantines, Senator Blackunknown, and his Divided as One Act. While it does not fit my own idea of what should be done, it perfectly suits its purpose as a compromise should one ever be needed.

In addition to our main pillar of Tolerance we, as one of the biggest blocks for the Phanariotes, have a large platform regarding knowledge and understanding. The amassing of Knowledge from far and wide, the allowance of everyone to attend and study at our Valerian University, the learning and teaching between customs and religions. This platform, called Enlightenment, gives the second pillar upon which the rest of the New Byzantine party stand upon. With Tolerance and Enlightenment the inclusion of every thought and idea fits the party ideal. Every man or woman is equal before the law, even the Basilleus himself. He may be our blessed ruler, but not even he should be immune to the laws of his own Empire.

To Annex the Levantine in order to protect pilgrims of every creed trying to get to the Holy City. To annex the Old Rome in order to get hold of the Papal Archives, and the knowledge stored therein. To annex the Black Sea Coast to cement our Bulgar Merchants’ reign over the sea, and to further spread the ideals of the Christian Church and the Byzantine State. Wherever we go we go not as conquerors, but defenders. Protecting the weaker states from those that would seek nothing but to pounce upon them, and allowing them to live in peace in our Empire in exchange for their loyalty to the Crown, while learning of their ways and what they have to teach us in return, that is the New Byzantine platform. The TRUE New Byzantine platform, and the one my family have supported for more than a century and a half.

I would love to hear my fellow Byzantines’ thoughts about my statement. Is this our Platform? Tolerance and Enlightenment? The Protection of the smaller states from their hungry neighbours? To defend the People of the world from those who seek to impose on them?

Tevery Best posted:

I would like to establish an inter-party coalition, the Paint it, White initiative.

What is our goal?

I see a Black Chamber and I want it painted white
No colours any more, I want them to turn white
I see the assassins walk by, dressed in their killing robes
I have to turn my head, lest my turn to die comes

I see a line of coffins and they’re all painted black
With flowers and a note saying never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a fresh dead corpse, it just happens every day

I look inside myself and see my heart is still
I see the Black Chamber and must have it painted white
Maybe then I’ll fade away and not have to face the facts
It’s not easy facin’ up when your whole world is black

No more will my deep blue Bosphorus turn a deeper red
I can just foresee this thing happening to you

Etc., etc.

In short, we want an immediate dissolution of the Black Chamber. No more will we allow the state to murder those it finds inconvenient, without due trial, without mercy, without honour. We want transparency in the government, we want accountability amongst the ruling class, we want the free men of this Empire to know no-one will come to kill them in the night on a whim of a Basileus.

For starters.

---

OLD ROMAN PARTIES: 24

Old Romans: 22
Samuel
Horsebanger
Skyfinder
Ubern00b
Charlie Mopps
nothing to seehere
GenHavoc
NewMars
Flesnolk
Gnooble
RagnarokZ
DivineCoffeeBinge
StrifeHira
Pyroi
Semquais
JT Jag
Grim reaper
Third Murderer
BwenGun
AdventFalls
Alexey
Yvonmukluk

Unitas: 2
EightDeer
Lord Cyrahzax

NEW BYZANTINE PARTIES: 24

New Byzantines: 20
j00rBuDdY
Lynneth
Caustic Soda
Aeromancia
cokerpilot
D3m3
OddObserver
Freudian
Ratoslov
Luhood
General Antares
ChrisAsmadi
Frozen_flame
Lost Season
Sleep of Bronze
Mirdini
Clayren
Bart Roberts III
sheep-dodger
beefart

Steppes and Republics: 1
Blackunknown

Loyalists

Centrists:1
Raserys

Pragmatists: 2
Meinberg
Archaeology Hat

MILVIAN PARTIES: 10

Milvians: 7
occipitallobe
YF-23
AJ_Impy
Vander
Sindai
Adept Nightingale
WilliamAnderson

Fraternalists: 3
Rejected Fate
Jimmy4400nav
mageofthesands

KOMNENIAN PARTIES: 10

Komnenians: 9
Lord Windy
Muskatnuss
Ghetto Prince
Deceitful Penguin
GoatLord
theblastizard
Duckbag
Patter Song
MacRomanGuy

Hellenic Restoration: 1
ThatBasqueGuy

DISCORDIAN PARTIES: 7

Discordians: 1
Ghostwoods

Guiding Light: 3
Sampatrick
TheFlyingLlama
Talas

True Religion’s Advocates In Time Of Rebellion & Strife: 2
Ofaloaf
TheMcD

The People: 1
JGBeagle

CROSS-PARTY FACTIONS

New Marians
AJ_Impy

Expansionists
nothing to seehere
EightDeer
AJ_Impy
DivineCoffeeBinge
Lord Cyrahzax
Adept Nightingale

Phanariotes
occipitallobe
j00rBuDdY
Lynneth
Caustic Soda
Ghetto Prince
YF-23
Rejected Fate
Aeromancia
NewMars
AJ_Impy
Jimmy4400nav
D3m3
Lord Cyrahzax
OddObserver
Ratoslov
Luhood
Meinberg
GoatLord
TheMcD
JGBeagle
TheFlyingLlama
Ghostwoods
Pyroi
Lost Season
Third Murderer
AdventFalls
sheep-dodger
Yvonmukluk

Voting is closed!

---

After careful consideration and in the interest of avoiding the sort of gridlock we saw during the reign of Empress Euphrosyne, I have elected to allow the Old Romans and the Milvians to caucus together. Control of the government is therefore in the hands of the Old Roman-Milvian coaltion.

The two bills ##proposed by the Old Romans and the one bill ##proposed by the Milvians that receive the most sponsorships will become law.

OOC: I’d be interested in thoughts about a more regular system for parties caucusing together, but for now the Old Roman/Milvian coalition seemed pretty popular and I just want to get the session moving, so let’s just do it.

Finally, once again the powerful Phanariotes group has received the overwhelming support of the Senate. Therefore, once again, one bill ##proposed by the Phanariotes will become law.

Important Rules Change! I’ve decided that preventing parties from sponsoring their own legislation mostly means safe laws that lots of different parties can agree on. So, all restrictions on who can sponsor what legislation are repealed. Anyone from any party can ##sponsor any bill! Sorry to keep on changing the rules like this, hopefully we’ll settle down more by the time EU4 rolls around. Or the Senate will have ruined us and been decimated by an angry emperor. One of those two!

OOC: Here’s an example of how to format your proposal:

And here’s an example of how to sponsor something.

And if you change your mind:

Of course, debate and discussion beyond just votes is encouraged– you probably should explain why you’re sponsoring or unsponsoring or proposing something in your posts too. But make sure to put that stuff in posts that are actual proposals in votes in additions to your paragraphs and paragraphs of Senatorial roleplaying.

Here are the current laws of the empire:

Italian Re-Conquista Act (Reconquer Italy! But, um, in a non-Old Roman way)
The Pilgrimage Protection Act (Protect Pilgrims by starting a bloody, chaotic war in the Holy Land to annex it)
The Nova Mediterranean Act (conquer Black Sea coast)
Use Caution, Empress Act (Try to avoid wars the empire can’t win)

I would like to direct your attention to the presence of three outstanding bills calling for the addition of new territory to the empire. If the Senate decides to pass additional legislation along those lines, it should be aware that they might not see results until Italy, the Black Sea, and the Holy Land are secure. So think of that as long-term planning.

Empress Theonora fucked around with this message at Mar 23, 2014 around 01:06

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YF-23 posted:

It would please this senator if the senate would stop proposing acts of conquest. We already have our plates full and conquest is not something the Empire would neglect were it not for our sage advice anyway. All these acts end up doing is waste the time and resources the senate has at its possession to oversee and administer the realm.

I will sponsor:
##Sponsor the Expansion of Orthodoxy Act
##Sponsor the Church Tax Break Act
##Sponsor the Varangian Reward Act
##Sponsor the Evangelism Act
##Sponsor the Tri-Lingual Literacy Act

I will propose:

As a Milvian,

##Propose the Church Inauguration Act
All newly-built holdings must be churches.

As a Phanariote, as with the last senate session,

##Propose the Imperial Wisdom Act
All children henceforth born in the purple must receive an ecclesiastical education, one that shall produce emperors that govern not with might and fear but with wisdom and piety.

Venetus posted:

##Sponsor the Imperial Army Act
##Sponsor the Illyrian Reconquest Act
##Sponsor the Tri-Lingual Literacy Act
##Sponsor the Next Stop, Africa Act
##Sponsor the Merchant Levant Act

Although this may seem a more New Byzantine than Old Roman idea, it is my opinion that the empire was brought to the lowly state in which Alexios I found it due to its inability to properly deal with new peoples, cultures and ideas. So-called barbarians, who could have helped to restore the power of the empire after the ravages of plague, were made our enemies needlessly. Potential alliances with the old Persians were cast aside over our cultural and religious differences, leaving both our empires the weaker for it – with the rise of the Islamic powers, we have seen the damage that this has done. The ancient empire was a multicultural and cosmopolitan place, and I feel that it will be to our advantage to restore this atmosphere of cultural tolerance. As such, I ##Propose the Cosmopolitan Empire Act: the empire must promote cultural tolerance within its borders, and must be willing to work with other powers when feasible to achieve our goals, even if those other powers have cultures unlike our own. Romanness should be defined only by adherence to the law and loyalty to the emperor. Although I am certainly for the continued spread of the Orthodox church, this must be achieved through proper persuasion, for a conversion at the point of a sword is not a conversion at heart.

Also, the strength of the empire absolutely relies on its continued unity and economic prosperity, and so I will ##Propose the Imperial Infrastructure and Centralization Act: the emperor should continue to build up the empire’s cities in whatever ways will most benefit the imperial coffers and the prosperity of the people, and should take whatever steps are available to further reduce the power of the duxes and other vassals to act without imperial consent.

Finally, although it does not require a new act as it falls under the Italian Re-Conquista Act, I would like to propose that the reconquest of Pisa should be our next goal within Italy, as this would not only connect our Italian holdings with our Lombardian exclave, it would eliminate a trade rival and give us access to the lucrative markets of the western Mediterranean.

Mirdini posted:

##Sponsor the Varangian Reward Act
##Sponsor the Tri-Lingual Literacy Act
##Sponsor the Naval Reforms Act

Fellow Senators, I must object to this Senate’s unbridled bloodlust. Did not our noble Emperor bid us to take heed of the three bills still in force that direct him to conquer nearby territory? Old Romans, splitting our focus to yet more fronts is a recipe for disaster! Remember the folly of Romanos IV, who split his attentions only to suffer the greatest defeat Byzantium has ever seen! Let our unmatched armies complete their current objectives; then we can speak of seizing Africa, Illyria or Armenia.

Milvians, you say you stand for the primacy of our Orthodox faith, for the principles of our Lord, yet you hasten to vote for a proposal that had I not read the signature upon it I would insist was penned by our New Marian colleague. The Kataphraktoi are the vanguard of our forces and are certainly deserving of attention, but what of the spiritual welfare of our realm? It is well and good to demand we spread the Faith to every corner of the world, but pursuing these goals while neglecting our own piety seems a poor trade indeed.

As such I sponsor the Varangian Reward Act, to place the Holy Land in the hands of men capable enough to defend it and traveled enough to realize that any pilgrim is deserving of protection and access to their places of worship – assuming, of course, that the Varangians chosen to lead this new theme are faithful to our Orthodox religion.

I sponsor the Tri-Lingual Literacy Act. The Phanariote coalition’s focus on enlightenment and progress is a welcome change from the bloody proposals forwarded by others, and I gladly support their proposal as a stepping stone to greater knowledge and equality for all of our Empire’s citizens.

Finally I sponsor the Naval Reforms Act – for if the Old Roman and Milvian’s desired conquests do come to pass a mighty navy will be necessary to knit such a fragmented realm together. The distance travelled between Alexandria and Rome on foot is antithetical to a united and powerful Byzantine Empire.

Luhood posted:

New Byzantines / Phanariotes

Arshak I Qutuzid

Senators, lend me your ears! Not only as a Byzantine, but as a Phanariote as well.

To begin with I wish to commend the Old Romans for the way they handled the annexation of Rome. For that is what it was: an annexation, and not as most of us feared a conquest. The city and its civilians was spared, and only the armies of the Pope – though drafted civilians amongst them – was dealt with. He fled the city like the coward he was, and the city now seats a Patriarch once again. The Basilleus with his closest men, Old Romans most of them, have showed how they can treat and take care of a nation. That is why I feel surprisingly secure in applauding the Old Roman-Milvian alliance in their victory.

I would also like to commend them both for the many proposals to the Basilleus and the Senate I have found I could agree with, which to my delight is a surprisingly high amount. Many I still might find petty and small, true, but there are many cases of good acts as well.

##Sponsor the Imperial Army Act
Too long have we seen Farmers and Burghers, Peasants and Civilians, Sons and Fathers, being drafted by our Basilleus only to die far away in one or another of our Empire’s wars. Widows and fatherless children are left behind, farmlands and stores alike are left empty and ragged. With the establishment of a proper military, an official and professional army instead of our current drafted one, we can secure that our men are the best they can be and not just peasants with a blade. Death will still find them, widows and fatherless children will still be left behind, but our farms will not go unworked, and our stores will not be empty. The Peasants and Burghers will continue their work to bring money and food to their family and empire while our soldiers fight to defend them. The Civilians will be spared the horrors that is war.

##Sponsor the Tri-Lingual Literacy Act
I commend Senator Ratoslov for continuing my late father’s work, and I commend you my fellow Senators for supporting it. By accepting all three of these as Languages of Science and Learning, equal before the Empire, we can find knowledge not just amongst our own but in our neighbours as well. The works of the mathematician al-Khwarizmi, the philosopher al-Kindi, the astronomer al-Battani, and the physician ibn Sina will find a great home in our future Imperial Library, as will the works of Alcuin of York, St. Isidore of Seville, and St. Bede. As much learning is happening in the West and East as is in Byzantium, and if we do not support all three within our Empire we will fall behind just like the rest of our neighbours.

##Sponsor the Cosmopolitan Empire Act
Likewise, we have survived many a time on the backs of our people, regardless of tongue and faith. Only by accepting every and all as equal citizen of the Empire can we surpass the rest of the world, and show them that trust and loyalty between people and ruler goes both ways. From the Jewish, Pecheneg and Italian merchants to the Turkish, Greek and Varangian soldiers, every man and woman in our empire is of equal worth, and ought to be treated as such.

##Sponsor the Imperial Infrastructure and Centralization Act
Which means we must defend and help them. Rebuild conquered cities, and sponsor their growth so that they can trust our governing. Found new schools and marketplaces to encourage the trade of goods and ideas across the Empire. Take away the power of the Douxes who seek nothing but their own gain. The People will trust the Crown to Govern when the Crown gives the People a reason to do so.

##Sponsor the Varangian Reward Act
And finally, only a true class of Warriors can take care of such a mighty duty. Like the Papists seek to place their Holy Orders in the defence of the Levantine so should we put the Varangians, the fiercest and bravest of the Norsemen. They have proven their worth time and time again for our Basilleus, Orthodox or not, and should thus be given a place to raise their own and call a home in exchange for their future service. To put someone non-committed to defend the holiest of cities, someone who do not care if you’re Christian, Mohammedan, Jewish or neither but protects your journey all the same, is to look equally upon our citizen. To promote the exchange of ideas in this holy place is to support the people’s right to faith and tongue.

I applaud the Basilleus, the Senate, and the Byzantine Empire itself for holding so dear the values of my departed father – Tolerance, Enlightenment, and Protection – and for restoring my belief in our Empire, its legislative Senate, and its glorious Basilleus. Thank you.