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The Neo Byzantinian Empire of Stropon

Started by Strechnitz, April 11, 2007, 12:09:54 AM

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Emperor Stormont

mmmwwwahhhhh property development will take over your life :D

Just ask my parents, LOL :)

I look forward to what you have in store for us my dear Hubert, I'm sure it will be fantastic  :satisfied:

The Imperial Atlantean Empire MD <-- click to view
A new Beginning
Trixie Nominated CJ
2007 & 2008

Strechnitz

I'm Baahaack!!!

Rooker Thank you! Glad you like it!
PipishereNaturellement mon chere! handsome crooks are the best crooks!
Kwakelaar LOL indeed, I had a great dvd still for that pic. but then I accidentally stumbled on this pic on a blog and hád to use it!
Bat thanks my friend.
Sebes well the waiting will soon be over I guess muhahaha
Russel gthank you, and you are welcome to borrow anything, although I think that won't be nescesary any more :( I'll miss Bliss.
Stormont ok I was slow on this one sorry Michael, and property development does take over you life :) but it is done now, and the first potential buyers already called our agent to take a look! mind you, it is not officialy for sale yet  :o
Pat LOL no not that house, our project had less work on it than that ruine :D i'll post a pic or two soon!
TheTeaCat Good to see you again! Naturaly I understand. I have nbeen away for more than a month due to RL.

BTW the next update will probably be tomorrow. I still need to get that Midwinter Ball on stage.


The Arch High Prelate arrived at Kayserbürgen Palace and ascended the grand stairs on his way to the Emperor. At the top of the stairs a voice spoke. 
   "I beg your forgiveness your Eminence, but might I ask your advice, on a matter of conscience and faith?" It was Lord Tserkenthal piously clutching a Simeonist bible in his hands.

  "Lord Tserkenthal, how nice to see you old chap. The Mid-Winter Ball preparations must take up all your time does it not, my son? What can I do for you?"
With a hand gesture Claudius Tserkenthal made the servants clear to get well out of hearing distance.
  "It is not so much a confession as a request for guidance your Eminence, I am burdened with a secret I am carrying around for more than 40 years now. Its weight has become unbearable to carry around with me any longer. I thought I had successfully forgotten it until a young woman recently accidentally brought it all back to me."
  "Well well my son. Hehe, Have we been a naughty chap? Well we've all been young have we not?" the prelate smiled understandingly.

Lord Claudius' facial expression told the prelate that it was more than some youthful indiscretion. "Oh... Ah... I see... Well all right."
Arch Prelate Augustus Anastacius put on his serious face and whispered the formulas prior to confession and said. "Have you anything you wish to tell me, my son?"
Then Lord Claudius started to confess what burdened him for so long now. But as soon as he mentioned the late Empress and the nature of his secret the Arch High Prelate recoiled shocked. His plump face expressed horror.
  "Desist my son! At once!"  They both ignored the sound of a helicopter taking off and fly away. Lord Claudius stopped mid sentence. "But your eminence, my conscience? I have barely started my confession!"


  "And I don't want to hear it! This secret is so dark, so dangerous. I wish not to touch upon it. Don't you see Tserkenthal? I mean my son. If you tell me, whether or not through confession, what good would it do? If it involves the late Empress it is above my reach. Only our Holy Father Halicarnassos VIII can absolve you of this cardinal sin my son. At least... if your secret is what I fear it is."
  "But that makes no sense your eminence, you have not even heard it yet. How can you judge me?"

  "Don't raise your voice, man! Do you want the servants to hear?" The Arch prelate looked at the ceiling and sighed.
  "Look here, the emperor stands above the secret of confession. If it affects him personally, I ought to tell him. And we both don't want that to happen, with your kind of sin!  If I don't tell him but he finds out that I knew. We are both history. I could kiss the Supreme High Prelacy goodbye! For a Supreme High Prelates Conscience has to be unblemished, pure, innocent and whole."

  "But you are blemished already, stained by a thousand shady dealings. God knows the plots you've had a hand in!" von Tserkenthal riposted.
Augustus Anastacius raised his hand. "Ah, but that's POLITICS my son. That's of an entirely different order. A nescesary evil, not a capital sin like your secret. Besides if I do tell the Emperor like I ought. You will be punished for your crimes and I will be punished for being the messenger of such bad news! So think man! And hold your tongue! In the name of God!!!"
"But my conscience? I have been burdened with it for so long now. I..."

The Prelate lost his patience. "Well toughen up then! Damn you! If you have contained this vile secret for more than 40 years as you say,... Well then you can contain it a little longer can't you?  The Emperor won't live another 40 years, now will he? Confess after he's buried, and in the mean time...control yourself, in heavens name!... And do as we p[relates do, Here evil, and see evil, but don't talk evil!" 

And with those words the agitated Arch High Prelate blessed the old courtier and he resumed his way to the Emperor. But when he made it to the small private chapel (the Palace Chapel in the gardens was not used since the late empress broke her neck there on the doorstep) the Emperors lord Chamberlain was the only one who greeted the eminent Prelate.
  " His Holy Majesty has asked me to beg your forgiveness. His Majesty was suddenly called away for an emergency meeting with the cabinet on the situation in Nargoon. Does your eminence wish to use the chapel for prayer and meditation until he returns?"
  "What do you take me for man? I am an arch High Prelate and therefore free of sin. I have nothing to discuss with the good Lord at the moment. Lead me to a comfortable chair and bring me a drink and a Sunday paper!"
"As your eminence wishes" and with a bow the Lord Chamberlain guided the Prelate to a comfortable room near the chapel.

But let us follow the emperor to his meeting in the next episode. I think that is more interesting than the little vices of the sinful prelate.


Your favorite "deliciously deviant" Empire is Back after a 2 month pause


Click on the picture above to visit Stropon.

Yoman

Grr...I want to know the secret :P Glad to see you back though  :thumbsup:

sebes

Strech - you're the meanest ever - even after soo long waiting you're not revealing the secret. What do we need to do to get it out of you?   ?$%kar&%h
Check my MD:               
Rhenen,NN

Strechnitz

#524
Yoman & Sebes Thank you and yes, I am a big meany :satisfied: but rest assured most will be revealed in this episode. just before we have a big bloody party :satisfied:  :P



The doors to the meeting room opened and the imperial guards saluted. An annoyed Jerome entered the cabinet room. "Vice Roy." He greeted von Aysern Hain on the livelink screen, "My Lords," to the Chancellor and ministers around the table. "Well gentlemen, spill it!"

Lord von Aysern Hain, the Vice Roy who ruled Nargoon with an iron fist spoke.
  "Your Holy Majesty, My Lords, Intelligence tells us that the Nargoon separatist cells in the jungle are mobilising. The assassinations of Stroponian Officials and their Nargoonian personnel were nothing but a prelude for the attacks that are imminent. Yesterday a Temple was bombed, what's next?"

  "Your palace perhaps Aysern Hain, How concrete is your intelligence then?" The old Emperor grunted

  "Very concrete and very reliable." The Vice Roy replied. "We need to act before Nargoon turns into an uncontrollable powder keg. Besides, this is bigger than Nargoon alone. We also have found evidence that Prince Dai Raj' holiday to tour the sights of the Empire in Europe, is more than coincidental. "We fear an attack on your Holy Majesty's life!"

The Imperial Cabinet reacted as if a bomb was dropped in the room. Everybody turned to the old emperor who was still angry that his weekly Brunch with the Arch Prelate was disturbed.       
  "Really? I don't think that that's very likely gentlemen. He or his minions can't come close to me or the palaces in general. And with 30 or so heads of state visiting the capital this weekend for the Midwinter Ball the entire city is a high security zone as you all know. Dai Raj can't even cough without me getting a report of it. Is it not so von Clauwenbach?"

Now the Lord High Chancellor spoke.
"Indeed he can not harm you Sire. But your safety is of the utmost importance for us and the unrest we currently encounter in the Realm. But we can turn this vice into a virtue if you allow me. If the separatist rebels do attack our strongholds in Nargoon, having their leader on our soil is in my opinion desirable as to have him hiding in the jungle where we can't find him. I propose that we apprehend him at once for safety measures. 

  "Great idea Lord High Chancellor, Beheading the terrorist cells could disrupt their intended actions. Throw the meddlesome fool behind bars! If he can't give orders to the separatist cells in the jungle they are easily rounded up by my troops. We'll pre-emptively burn them out of that damn jungle if we have to!" The Vice Roy added happily.

Jerome Victor stood up as if he was stung by a bee.
  "I will have nothing of the sort, gentlemen! Have you forgotten that have half of the worlds royalty is here in Strechnitz for the Midwinter ball? So half the worlds press is here as well. I will not have my Empire dragged through the mud, when our renegade Nargoonian throne pretender is thrown into jail on nothing but hunches and speculations. I'll be branded a dictator, a tyrant! We will loose all the good will we have so carefully created with the opening of the Empires borders. And foremost, I will not tolerate that my precious Midwinter Ball is ruined because of some querulous upstarts in my Asian territories. This matter can wait until the party is over!"

But the Vice Roy did not quite agree.
  "But waiting one more day may be one day too long your majesty. If we act now..."

"If you act now, Stropon will be branded as a tyrannical regime killing the native population of their Asian possessions and we will be seen breaking humanitarian law by locking up a Prince of whom no one can even tell me that he truly ís the resistance leader. And that will lead the world press, no doubt headed by the UMNC to the shocking lack of democracy in this Empire..."

Chancellor von Clauwenbach tried to intervene.
"Very wisely put your majesty, the world would be outraged, and rightly so, we are not a dictatorial state, we must abide by the rule of law. However much we like to see Dai Raj out of our way. And besides, it is too late to cancel our costumes now, eh gentlemen?

But the little joke did not go well by the Holy Emperor. Now becoming angry he raised his voice.
  "No! I will not be silenced! If you dare to interrupt me so shamelessly again, Clauwenbach, you can go back to that mud hole of a Burg Posernits help your brother the baron cultivate his tulips!!  And so can the rest of you!"  Jerome Victor glared at his ministers.

As I said, the world will look at the dreadful lack of democracy and ask itself how long we will go on with this charade. I ordered you to reform the system gentlemen. I may be old but I am still alive. "Transform my wishes into law or face the consequences!"

"But Sire, we have instituted the interdepartmental Committee for demo..."

"I don't give a rat's ass about that blasted committee! Nothing but stalling techniques! I want your proposals on my desk next week gentlemen or you can all go to your country estates and cultivate flowers... Yes, ...that's not at all a bad Idea; Perhaps it is high time for a fresh wind in these halls of government....  Time for a new cabinet perhaps? Do my bidding gentlemen or I'll appoint a new cabinet that does serve its Sovereign Ruler properly!"

Jerome Victor breathed heavily. Perhaps he should have become angry years ago, when he felt that his Cabinet slowly but surely broadened there privileges on his expense. He had become lax. Was that a consequence of being in power too long? But no longer! He had brought so much change for the better of the Empire and his people already, he had to persevere now. When he died he wanted to leave a modern empire to his successor. He would not accept any stalling any more. He calmed himself and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Well, as I said, I want proposals on my desk next week. And Vice Roy? I don't want you to act while we hold a ball. React if you must but let them cast the first stone....and no bloodbaths please, be tactful. ...I bid you good day gentlemen. I'll see you tonight at the ball."  And with these words The Emperor left the room to return to Kayserbürgen

If he could feel the glares of his Ministers and Chancellor in his back they would have stabbed the geriatric emperor like knifes.

"Well, Our esteemed Holy Emperor has made very clear what we should do gentlemen. Vice Roy, please keep a vigilant watch on those separatist rebels. But be careful not to take any provocative actions. Perhaps food taxes should be lowered to favour public opinion? We here in Europe will order the Secret Imperial Police to follow every move of Dai Raj." 
And I agree with his Holy Majesty. It is time for a wind of change. If he could be so good to die, we can housetrain a young Prince Elector into a new emperor who won't preach the gospel of democracy. Oh the mere thought of proles in control of daily government is sickening"

This blasphemous statement was backed by the ministers aplauding across the room. Vice Roy von Aysern Hain added;
  "Well, I would volunteer to become your new Emperor."

The applause of the ministers turned into laughter. Von Clauwenbach answered amused;
   "Don't be silly von Aysern Hain. You are a mere duke, not a Prince Elector. You will have the honour, together with the Vice Roy of Quitaniania Duke Trellerheim, to be the Imperial regents until the New Emperor is chosen by the Prince Electors. That's as close as you will ever get to the Imperial Throne! Well, I believe that this concludes the matter. Why do we not all go home to prepare ourselves for the big Ball of tonight? The Empire won't walk away now will it?"

And with these words Lord High Chancellor von Clauwenbach ended the cabinet meeting. But in the Vice-royal Palace of Nargoon a marble bust was thrown in rage and shattered to pieces against a wall.
   "The insolent bastards! The nerve of calling me a 'mere Duke'! That scum of Barons and Viscounts think they are high and mighty because of their Ministerial titles. But I'll teach them a lesson!"

He walked into the adjoining room where the Vice Roy's private personal secretaries typed away behind their computers. 
  "Sung Mey, get me professor Apfelglück on the private line and be quick about it!"
He returned to his office and walked to the large windows. They offered a great view on the old Nargoonian royal palace complex which was enchantingly lit. But Vlad Nero von Aysern Hain was not humoured by the view and said to himself; "Time for a change of plans. Let's send Simeon to good old Europe."


Back in 'good old europe'...

Back in Europe Claudius von Tserkenthal sped to Listerlunde palace after his unsuccessful attempt to confess. The car flew over the asphalt roads, racing through the stroponian countryside. His driver ignored the speed limit as the imperial emblem on the hood rendered the car immune to speeding tickets. Lord Claudius tried to keep a clear head but his inner turmoil weakened his concentration on the papers before him. He was in charge of the preparations of the Ball. And there was so much to think of. Pampering the foreign royalty and presidents as soon as they set foot on Stroponian soil, then there was the palace rooms that needed decoration. Lights sound systems. And managing the small army of  valets, caterers, waiters, helps and guards  that had to run a smooth operation. All in order to turn the Midwinter Ball into the party of the year. Lord Claudius had 12 assistants who were in charge of different aspects of the Ball. He trusted them completely, but checking was better than trusting so he wanted to personally make a final check before the guests would arrive. But he just could not concentrate on the matter at hand.

When his chauffeur arrived at the palace he entered the building and headed towards the ballrooms. The lavish building was filled with the sounds of the preparations for the ball. Suddenly his path was blocked by a stern looking guard. "Care to follow me m'lord?"

  "Certainly not, get out of my way, I have more important things to do" Lord Claudius said in his typical bored manner and waved his hand weakly as if he drove a fly away. But the heavily muscled guard did not move at all. It seemed as if he had not heared Lord Claudius' sneer.
  "Right this way M'lord." And the gorilla grabbed Lord Claudius by the arm and pushed him toward a door which opened as by magic. 
  "Hey! What? Unhand me you baboon! Do you have any idea who I am? Let go of me!"
But the guard mercilessly and without any bother pushed the Viscount into the adjacent room and shut the door. Just in time. No sooner had he closed the door or 4 valets carrying silver champagne coolers came into view and hurried along to one of the dining rooms.

  "This is outrageous, has the world gone mad? I will demand an explanation from the commander of the imperial guard at once!" Lord Claudius said while searching for his cell phone.

  "Hello Claudius"  He looked around and saw that he was pushed into the Ivory room. And on the far end of the room he saw a frail and delicate lady sitting in one of the ivory clad rose chairs that gave the room its name. He froze on the spot.

  "yo you your most illustrious hi hi highness" he said followed by a clumsy bow.
  "You look well, it has been too long since we had a chat" she continued airily as if nothing was the matter. The attentive reader may have guessed already that Lord Claudius stood opposite the powerful Princess Ottoline von Straslomirov Beckenstein. The unofficial first lady of the Empire.

  "All the preparations go well I hope? Good. Lets get to the point then. You have been a very bad boy recently, haven't you? Telling little tales, to the press even, that is not what we agreed on all those years ago. Or is it? Has the passing of time made you forgetful Claudius? If so you have also forgotten that my informal network of ladies inform me of everything that is of interest. Did you honestly believe I would not find out of your plans?"
  "No your illustriousness.... But I must clear my conscience, this secret presses my chest for too long now. I must break our agreement"

  "You'll do no such thing!" Lady Ottoline raised her shrill voice. "Think of the damage the truth will do? It will be bigger than your burdened conscience alone. Think of the damage you'll do to your sovereign the emperor. And indeed to the Empire if they learn that their tragic late empress died giving birth to a bastard!"

Lord Claudius broke a sweat and wanted to speak but Lady ottoline cut him short.
  "Your Bastard child Claudius. You had the guts to seduce the Empress, my beloved young sister and commit the most heinous sin of all, high treason to Jerome Victor personnaly! So don't come crying that it is you who needs pitty! You will stay silent to that reporter or I will make sure you are silenced! Jerome may never find out this betrayal."

His eyes widened with fear.
  "I may have committed a terrible sin by falling in love with her, but it was she who seduced me. She was so unhappy at court. She should never have become empress. But you were obsessed with the grandeur of the house of Straslomirov. It is well known that you as the eldest child have cursed all the saints for not being born as a boy. The idea that your line dies out with you after 2000 years was unbearable. Oh yes I know, your dark thoughts. Marie Claire told me about them when we were together."

Claudius was surprised at his own frankness. It felt so good to say those words. Every syllable relieved him. Princess Ottoline turned as pale as the Ivory around her in the room.

"You insolent little beetle, you!

  "It was you who put everything in motion to couple The Crown prince with Marie Claire You were destined to rule the Principality and with their marriage the Straslomirov's would at least sit next to the Imperial throne now their illustrious dynasty would end with you and would never become an Imperial dynasty. Am I right?"

Lady Ottoline trembled with rage.
  "How dare you accuse me, have you forgotten your rank Viscóunt? I will not have you speak to me, a princess of the royal blood, descendant of the Caesars of Rome and the Basileus' of Constantinople in such a frank way. You are little more than a peasant with a title to me! I have done you a great favour with covering up what happened that morning. If the emperor had found out you would have probably died horribly in the dungeons of Krachl castle. I saved you from that fate. And how do you repay me? By stabbing me in the back after all these years!"

"You saved yourself! And the precious image of your dynasty. That was your main concern! The disgrace that would befall you weighed more than Marie Claire's misery; I was only an annoying loose end.  I was sentenced to a life full of remorse and a broken heart. I could not even confess it to relief my burdened soul!"

  "Well tough luck for you Claudius, you should have thought of that befóre you stepped into the empress her bed! Nothing but a notorious ladies man you were in those days!"

  "That changed with Marie Claire, I would have been faithful to her if she stayed alive. And..."

  "She was married to the Emperor, or did you forget that? She had concealed her condition admirably. Even had a portrait made. Millions see it in the Imperial Gallery of Art every year, and nobody has noticed anything. She was in pain and went to the palace chapel in the Gardens. You never find courtiers in Chapels, as if they are afraid of them.  It must have  happened then and there. The baby came weeks too early and there was no one to help my poor sister. She had collapsed on the cold marble floor, dead. The Chaplain and I coincidentally entered first or someone else would have found her there in all her disgrace. It was terrible. We had to act quickly to cover it all up and stage the accidental slip."

Suddenly Lady Ottoline seemed very old. She sighed and Lord Claudius thought he saw a tear in one of her eyes.

"We can fight over this all day Claudius, and perhaps I am not free of self interest. But do it for Marie Claire, you will slander and damage her years later. You could not do that to the only woman you say you love?"

Lord Claudius let these words sink in for a moment before he answered.




To be continued.

Next episode.

Your favorite "deliciously deviant" Empire is Back after a 2 month pause


Click on the picture above to visit Stropon.

bat

Great two new episodes there! And like the sc4-pictures!
Looking forward to the next episode! ;)

sebes

Aysern Hain  :thumbsup: 

Interesting story Stretch - so it was Claudius - who could have thought that...So Amaranta Borges was on the right track there 

Glad that the deviant empire is back - I am looking forward to the next updates and gossips ()meeting()  Don't lets wait another 2 months Strech!!!!

By the way: nice farmfields shown! 

Check my MD:               
Rhenen,NN

JanYpe

Lurker Extraordinaire

Yoman

I hope that theres a well planned terrorist attack next episode? By the way, are these separatists communists? Might be a place to send some of the run off of PSSO's budget :P

Earth quake

Excellent stories.
Great work and nice city. :thumbsup:

Pat

ooooooooh Hubert such betrayel and the suspense WOW!!! Nothing but the best from our favorite emprie!!!

Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie

Schulmanator

I am glad to see a new update here. Always an interesting read.  :satisfied:
See the all-new National Capital Region!:http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15118.0

Russell

I sometimes wonder why this is the only MD I am sort of addicted of...and this update showed me why.  &apls