Against All Odds: The Struggles of the Noyyau

Duke Marcus would like to congratulate the success of our diplomats abroad. Although he may have advised against their actions, the Noyyau Diplomatic Department are the finest diplomats in the world.

Duke Marcus would like to echo the sentiments of House Florentanius in regards to the House Caterpillar Guards, and demands a full investigation. Duke Marcus would also like to offer the assistance of the Greek Guards should the Florentanius Watch request it.
 
Lady Felicia Wilhelmina II addressed the people, stating...

Just like a collection of perishable foods, there will always be a few bunches that have gone bad and are now inedible. These foods are to be discarded as they are a threat to the general health of everyone around. While the tainted foods are to be thrown out, what of the perfectly good food? The 99% that have had no issues and are not a harm to the general health? Should they be thrown out as well? No, they should not. Food that is useful to the people and has no issues should not be discarded, especially if they are the majority.

This applies to people as well. If these few men have committed murder, then they should be punished for their crimes. Should the entire band be punished and disbanded? No. The Schutzmanner will provide great service to the Noyyau kingdom and its people. There is no reason to blame the majority for the crimes of the minority. If one Noyyau citizen kills another, does that indict the whole group? Nay, it just means that law and order should be tightened and reinforced. This group is a necessary good, not an unwieldy hindrance.

In regards to the relevancy of House Caterpillar, in this age of uncertainty, one can never be caught flat-footed. We must always be on our toes. The Schutzmanner are not an attempt at trying to bring some lost age of glory. They are a necessary addition to a world filled with violence and hate.

These men accused of murder are to stand trial, and I request an investigation by neutral, royal forces from the king into whether they were framed. If they are found guilty they are to suffer the same punishment as any one else. If they are innocent then there is no reason to see them as anything but innocent. That is why I ask that the Noyyau royal forces take over the investigation and trial, to avoid any tainting of justice by either side. I do not want an innocent or guilty verdict, I want justice and a correct ruling.

Those of you that scream for them to be let go or scream for them to be hung are viewing this issue the wrong way. You must look at this through the glasses of civility and see that justice can only be gotten by trusting in the system, which is what we must do.

Thank you, and may the heavens bless our kingdom.
Click to expand...

As for the royal houses, it has already been discussed with the king to have investigations and trials done by the royal house in Noyyau. It has also been discussed that the Schutzmanner are to be continued in their training, but that the law enforcement will become more stringent. It is ridiculous to think that any one entity, no matter its size or strength, can control every person all the time. These few men may have committed a terrible act, but that does not mean our house in incapable or that the Schutzmanner are bad people. There are murders every day in our kingdom, some committed by soldiers. Does that make them bad? No it does not. These few people may have committed a heinous action, but that is not a blemish on the rest of the men.

In response to House Florentanius I will permit WHF investigator in under the sole prerequisite that you allow a trusted Caterpillar officer be with them.
 
House Florentanius understands that the majority of Schutzmanner are likely good people. However, if House Caterpillar cannot control their men and if such incidences are the result of that lack of control then House Caterpillar should look to ensure that they can maintain control, by whatever means are nessesary.

House Florentanius is worried about the implications suggested by House Caterpillar. Does House Caterpillar question the neutrality of the Shinto Guard or of The WHF's desire for justice? The WHF has requested rendition to bring the prisoners to a neutral court outside of the sphere of influence of either House Florentanius or House Caterpillar. This will result in a more fair trial and in ensuring that none can doubt the results of the trial. Even more concerning; does Lady Felicia Wilhelmina II truly believe that these men are innocent; the evidence is overwhelming.

House Florentanius can assure House Caterpillar that it is the wish of House Florentanius and the WHF that these men are given a fair trial and face justice. However, House Florentanius would urge the King to hold the trial elsewhere from the City of Noyyau. This is an intensely political issue and risks being subject to the biases of a judge in the Noyyau Capital.

House Florentanius finds House von Caterpillar's conditions acceptable. However, the officer may only observe the investigation and must not hinder or obstruct the investigators in any way during the course of their investigation.
 
Given our privateers recent and embarrassing failures I propose we establish some requirements before a captain can petition the king (at this point I assume the king has some kind of agency in place to deal with the petitions but you know we have to keep up the illusion the King does everything) for admission. I propose that the merchant marine of our kingdom should administer a nautical test for our Mariners and if they pass evaluation then they must receive a referral from a noble in good standing to prove his loyalty to King and country. Such measures may decrease the pool of available captains but we will have captains of greater caliber and will have captains loyal to the crown an to advancing the cause of the noyyau rather than enriching their profits.
 
jackelgull said:
Given our privateers recent and embarrassing failures I propose we establish some requirements before a captain can petition the king (at this point I assume the king has some kind of agency in place to deal with the petitions but you know we have to keep up the illusion the King does everything) for admission. I propose that the merchant marine of our kingdom should administer a nautical test for our Mariners and if they pass evaluation then they must receive a referral from a noble in good standing to prove his loyalty to King and country. Such measures may decrease the pool of available captains but we will have captains of greater caliber and will have captains loyal to the crown an to advancing the cause of the noyyau rather than enriching their profits.
Click to expand...

Dedicated Naval Academies have been established in our major port and shipbuilding cities, though it is too early to evaluate their effect on the corsair war on foreign shipping.
The proposal of the House of Giacola has been taken in consideration, however, and courses and exams at the Naval Academies have been made less forgiving of mistakes.

As a note, while of course everything is done in the name of the King, it is our Bureaucracy that handles the actual paperwork, the House of Giacola being an important part of that.
 
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.

Tension rose in Robertia, brawls happening daily, barely kept in check by the overworked Caterpillar Verteidigers and the Shinto Guard. No major riots had erupted yet, though many feared it was only a matter of time.
While joint Caterpillar-Florentanius investigations attempted to shed some light on the vicious murder of the Florentanius Liaison (and his house guards), King Felix announced that the Royal Wedding would be postponed until these Robertian Troubles were resolved.
Personally commanding the famed Cid Raynor's Warriors, and accompanied by the Royal Knights and two units of Royal Guards, King Felix approached Robertia.
He formally requested House Caterpillar and the Robertian Shinto Guard to relinquish custody of the detainees to the Royal Guards.
King Felix also asked House Greek if they would be willing to act as hosts to the trial, which would be therefore held in Ringhio, also under the auspices of House Spirictum, so that the Spirits may help guide the impartial hand of justice.
Spoiler :


Originally planned as an announcement to be made during the Royal Wedding, King Felix decided to not delay his plans to upgrade the myriad of Noyyau garrison forces to current weapon standards. This served a variety of purposes: first of all, the traditional though obsolete Longbows and Crossbows were simply useless against any enemy with modern weapons.
Secondly, King Felix hoped that the newly rearmed garrisons would instill a sense of security in the people of the Kingdom, including calming any fears that the new Caterpillar Schutzmanner could be of any danger to the Kingdom.
Spoiler :


With contributions from House Spirictum and the other Noble Houses, the Shinto Guards and local law enforcement (Watch of House Florentanius, Caterpillar Verteidigers, Greek Guards) were also upgraded to current issue Muskets.
Spoiler :
 
House Greek would be honored to host the trial, and will ensure that justice is swiftly and fairly dealt.
 
It concerns me that everyone seems to assume these men are guilty. They deserve true justice, not swift justice. True justice takes time. If they're guilty so be it, but we cannot rush this.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.

The life of a corsair remained a risky one, even aboard the new Men-o'-War.
Overall, however, the odds were in favor of the Noyyau corsairs, despite the occasional losses.
Spoiler :


Unrest in the Siamese Whiskers Islands colonies reached the tipping point, as local independentist insurgents managed to forcibly remove the loyalist Siamese garrisons.
Spoiler :


More mercenaries joined the Siamese ranks, as the Lithuanians remained camped on the outskirts of Khon Kaen.
Spoiler :


With most of the Noyyau law enforcement busy with the rearmament program, criminality in the sparsely populated areas of northern Pictland went out of control. Armed criminals attacked and sacked trading Caravans headed to Sofia, an act without precedent in Noyyau history.
Spoiler :


The Swift Chargers were called upon for help, and true to their name, they quickly reached and defeated the bandits.
After the immediate danger was over, the investigation into the origin of these bandits was tasked to the Noyyau Department of Investigations.
Spoiler :


The Security and Intelligence Service continued its covert missions to destabilize the Roman colony of Neapolis.
Spoiler :


The war against the Holy Romans went into full swing, as all sided reported victories in different engagements along the continent-wide frontline.
Unlike the Catfish Continent conflicts, however, the Noyyau did not yet have their own observers in place, so these reports could not be confirmed.
Spoiler :


A lone patrolling Siamese Knight squadron claimed the recapture of Saxon Fort, left abandoned by the Lithuanians.
Spoiler :


The Lithuanian garrison of Saxon Fort had marched northeast, towards the riverland battlefields of Khon Kaen.
It was intercepted near the former location of Rayong Fort (recently destroyed by the SIS), by a Siamese force consisting primarily of Noyyau Mercenaries.
Spoiler :


The Ottomans continued wandering aimlessly across the Indian plains, never committing to attacking weakly defended Pataliputra.
Noyyau analysts had given up attempting to understand their planning, writing the Ottomans off as disorganized and possibly insane.
Spoiler :


The Noyyau expeditionary force had finally reached Batavia, the Sea Raiders reaching Batavian shores first. They delivered the formal declaration of war, swiftly followed by cannon fire.
Spoiler :


While Trier was bombarded by a corsair fleet supporting the Sea Raiders, Duke Greek had the Greek Army make landfall directly at the Batavian capital, finding it defended by a pitiful garrison.
Spoiler :



The Sea Raiders conducted the world's first large scale amphibious attack, demonstrating the viability of such tactics (and justifying the money invested in their training and equipment).
Spoiler :


The Batavians attempted a probing counterattack, though the Noyyau had caught them unprepared for an invasion, and all they could do was harass the imported Dutch East Indiamen that had trasported the Greek Army.
Spoiler :


Off the Iranian coast, a Roman Man-o'-War was spotted. A Noyyau corsair Man-o'-War, fresh off the Tehran shipyard, was dispatched to sink it, but the Roman vessel proved to be more resilient than expected, forcing the Noyyau corsair to withdraw.
Spoiler :


The Siamese finally gathered a force to go on the offensive against the Lithuanians, unsurprisingly made up mostly of Noyyau Mercenaries.
Spoiler :


The Sea Raiders conducted a second amphibious attack on Trier, virtually clearing the city of defenders. Following their orders, they did not disembark to occupy the city, instead returning to their ships to be deployed elsewhere.
Spoiler :


While the Greek Army remained camped outside of Oppidum Batavorum, the Batavii began pulling troops to their capital.
The Noyyau plan was to allow them to enter the capital, where the Greek Army would destroy the main Batavian army in a single battle, rather than having to hunt them across the whole island.
The Sea Raiders harassed the marching Batavians to convince them that their capital was the safest place to be in.
Spoiler :


Following the example of the Naval Academies, it was decided to establish an elite officer training academy for the future officers of the Royal Army, where the centuries long Noyyau Military Tradition would be united with the strategic and tactical requirements of the modern battlefields.
Such academy would be built at the West Point of the Robertian Peaks, where, according to the ancient legends, Noyyau scouts encountered a tribe armed with never before seen weapons.
Spoiler :


As expected, the Batavians moved all their arriving troops into their capital. What was not expected, however, was that they did not stop marching, and continued towards the Noyyau camps, attacking with all they had.
Unfortunately for the Batavians, the advantage of surprise was not enough to overcome the Noyyau superiority in firepower and training.
Spoiler :
 
1. House Florentanius strongly condemns the ongoing violence in Robertia and would urge all parties to the riots and conflict to cease the violence.
2. The Watch of House Florentanius shall make itself available to House Caterpillar to provide support in quelling the riots in whatever form they request, from intelligence to additional manpower.
3. House Florentanius is pleased with King Felix’s intentions to improve the fighting ability of the RANK, the Noyyau Defensive Forces and the various law enforcement organizations of the Noyyau kingdom.
4. House Florentanius is pleased with the quick response of the Swift Chargers, but is concerned with the attacks on Noyyau caravans.
5. House Florentanius will await the results of the NDI investigation into the attack on the caravan. Future House Florentanius caravans shall be escorted by House Florentanius guards. Other caravans are welcome to join in with the House Florentanius caravans by notifying the local business director for House Florentanius.
6. House Florentanius is pleased with the activities of the SIS in Rome’s colony.
7. House Florentanius wishes for Noyyau observers to be deployed as soon as possible.
8. House Florentanius is pleased with the successes of the RANK in Batavia and wishes them all the best in their ongoing efforts to secure the continent.
 
Author's suggestion: Play this in the background.

Under armed escort from the Royal Guard, the four Caterpillar Schutzmanner travelled to Ringhio, where their trial for the murder of the Florentanius Liaison and his guards soon began.
The prosecutor, from House Florentanius, argued that capital punishment was the only possible outcome for such a heinous crime, explaining that all the proof gathered by Shinto Guard and Caterpillar Verteidiger investigations pointed to the Schutzmanner being the murderers.
The defense, from House Caterpillar, responded by pointing out how those same investigations also uncovered substantial inconsistencies in the prosecutor's theories, such as the extreme state of drunkenness in which the suspects had been found, and the impartial opinion of a Oxford U. professor that the diary entry detailing the Schutzmanner's hate for House Florentanius had been forged.
Hundreds of supporters of both sides also travelled to Ringhio, to witness the unfolding of the trial. The Ringhio Shinto Guard and the Greek Guards prepared for this occurrence, and kept the Shinto Holy City under constant patrols, arresting or expelling from the city any troublemaker.

In Robertia, tensions remained high, though beyond the occasional scuffle no major riot erupted. Shinto Guard and Caterpillar Verteidiger reinforcements from nearby cities helped maintain a constant law enforcement presence in Robertia's streets. Reports of instigators riling up the crowds also dropped sharply, compared to the previous period.
With the accused Schutzmanner moved to Ringhio, many protesters either traveled to Ringhio or returned to their daily lives, awaiting the verdict of the trial.

In the wake of the recent events, House Caterpillar announced that its Verteidiger investigations branch would be renamed as the Caterpillar Investigation Agency, to better differentiate their role from the law enforcement duties of the Caterpillar Verteidigers. The C.I.A. would work together with the Noyyau Department of Investigations in regards to cases that involve Caterpillar territories, or individuals connected to House Caterpillar.

Meanwhile...

The Roman Man-o'-War sighted in Iranian waters proved to be an elusive foe, as it managed to lose even a second corsair that was sent to intercept it. Ultimately, though, it could not leave the Noyyau coasts fast enough, and a hastily repaired Little Shoggoth returned to finish the job.
Spoiler :


Trade prospered with nations friendly to the Noyyau.
Spoiler :


The Sea Raiders continued their mission of harassing Batavians marching close to the coast.
Meanwhile Duke Greek led an attack against Oppidum Batavorum, eliminating virtually all remaining defenders, to attempt again to lure the majority of the remaining Batavian forces into the capital.
Spoiler :


Piracy against Canada continued unabated, any Canadian attempt to rebuild their fleet was met with deafening cannon broadsides.
Spoiler :


Tensions rose in Diyarbakir, as the Ottoman colonists demanded less interference from the mother country, spurred by the incospicuous but ever present SIS agents.
Spoiler :


As expected, the Batavian reinforcements once again entered their capital, and once again they attempted to attack, unsuccessfully, the Greek Army. This time, however, the Noyyau troops were prepared, and as soon as the Batavian attackers had been repelled, Duke Greek ordered to go on the offensive.
The Second Battle of Oppidum Batavorum was another Noyyau victory, the Batavian military all but destroyed.
Spoiler :


To further drive the point home, the Sea Raiders attacked the last Batavian troops still outside the capital, who had been late to the main battle.
The time had come to inform the Batavians of the terms of their surrender.
Spoiler :
 
1. House Florentanius awaits the verdict of the trial for the murders in Robertia with the hope of a fair and just ruling.
2. House Florentanius is pleased with the relative peace in Ringhio and would urge all parties to keep the peace.
3. The Watch of House Florentanius is prepared to supply additional forces to other cities of House Greek to free up their guards to keep the peace in Ringhio if nessesary and requested.
4. House Florentanius is pleased with the calming of Robertia.
5. The Watch of House Florentanius will make available, on request, some members of the WHF Investigations Branch and the WHF Intelligence Branch to the Caterpillar Vereidigers to assist in the formation of the C.I.A.
6. House Florentanius is pleased with the successes of Duke Greek’s forces in Batavia.
7. House Florentanius is pleased with the successes of the SIS in the Ottoman Colonies.
 
Is it too late to jump in and join this series?

If not, would you be fine with me creating a different faction not rooted in an ancient noble house?
 
andyguy said:
Is it too late to jump in and join this series?

If not, would you be fine with me creating a different faction not rooted in an ancient noble house?
Click to expand...

Never too late to join! :D

By all means, establish your faction however you wish (just as long as it makes sense within the setting...). Times and society are changing, the traditional Noble Houses still wield considerable influence but are not the only powers at play in the Noyyau Kingdom.
 
In recent years, with the absence of the old nobility in the political scene, a power vacuum formed in both national and local politics. Seeking to take advantage of this, a small group of elite upper middle and higher class landowners, scientists, and businessmen pooled their considerable wealth and resources together in order to gain positions of power throughout the country of Noyyau, focusing especially on local governments, universities, and other locations of scientific advancement. Calling themselves the Council of Sedai, their objective is to promote the growth of the sciences and a higher literacy rate for the country. While at first they were not expecting to achieve much, recent discoveries in the fields of chemistry and physics gave the Council an unexpected popularity boost that allowed them to rapidly grow and begin to expand their influence throughout Noyyau. In larger cities, many positions of power among the buerocracy and universities have been taken by members of the Council while the construction of new universities and laboratories in smaller cities and more rural areas of the country have been secretly funded by them. Most notably is Isaac Newton's College in Xadhoom, the controversial scientist having received a great deal of funding by the Council and many of its members see it as their greatest success. With the recent return of several of the noble houses to politics, the Council of Sedai sees this as its best chance to begin influencing Noyyau on a national scale....

OOC: I'll try and do a bigger write-up once I get home from work today.
Until then I'll leave you with this:
Spoiler :
The Council really, REALLY like science. :science: :D
 
The Council of Sedai

Taking its name from the manor where the original meetings were held, the Council of Sedai represents the best and brightest of the classes that would be considered only a step or two behind the noble houses. The Council believes that the great nation of Noyyau cannot rely completely on size and military power alone in the world stage and must establish themselves as the dominant tech leaders as well. Despite their relative low amount of knowledge on political matters, especially on a national and international scale, the Council hope it can bring a more progressive opinion on how the nation should be run to the king's ears.

Leadership
The current elected head of the Council of Sedai is the aging, controversial physicist Isaac Newton. As leader he speaks for the rest of the council and will represent them in most important meetings. All major positions in the council are elected by other members with the elections being held every 6 years. Despite this, most major roles, in particular those elected to the Inner Council, are seen as lifelong positions due to a novel new concept the members are calling "tenure."

Stated Goals

1.) To encourage public support of the sciences by prioritizing the construction of universities, libraries, and laboratories as well as other scientific buildings in every city throughout the nation.

2.) By keeping what technological advantages the country of Noyyau does have through the usage of a counter-espionage network and by keeping tabs on other civilizations' tech levels, using sabotage and other forms of espionage to ensure that Noyyau technology goes unrivaled in the modern world.

3.) To find what resource advantages other countries may have over the Noyyau and nullify these advantages through either cunning diplomacy and trade or brute force if necessary.

Holdings
As the Council of Sedai is a relatively new player on the Noyyau political scene, it has few major holdings throughout the country. Much of its resources are found in the various scientific institutions throughout the country, where many of its members hold positions of power. Other holdings include a moderate sized complex in the technological capital of the country, Noyyau, as well as a larger complex in the island city of Cimmerian. However the Council has plans to eventually spread to every city in the nation.

Military
While currently having no military presence to speak of, the Council of Sedai has approached the king with an offer to train a corps of dedicated military engineers that would follow the armies of the nation and rebuild useful infrastructure and maintain supply lines as the armies advance.
 
Lady Felicia Wilhelmina von Caterpillar II welcomes the entrance of the Council of Sedai into the political scene, but advises Mr. Newton that this is a dangerous world, and to be careful.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 
Changes in the Caterpillardom

​

As the winds of the Noyyau kingdom began to shift, and internal issues began to trouble the Caterpillar noble family, changes were soon to come. Lady Felicia Wilhemina II, well into her adulthood, has failed to bear any children, and worries she may pass before having a direct line of inheritance, which may through the family into turmoil once more. It was this and many other reasons she decided to make a major announcement to the counts under the House von Caterpillar family as well as all subjects.

  1. The first change was a big one, and would alter the way succession would occur in the von Caterpillar family. Lady Felicia Wilhelmina II announced that now the successor would be decided by the subjects under jurisdiction of the von Caterpillar family. After discussion with the family elders and significant members, that was what was decided to be the best method to keep the family whole and not allow for fracturing upon each succession. Voters would choose between various members of the von Caterpillar family directly related to the main lineage of previous rulers after the High Caterpillar Chamber (all major members of the noble family) decided that it was time to elect the successor. Candidates must also pass a test that shows them as capable administrators, and, while there is no specific age limit for the test or candidacy, the vying candidate must be able to read and write. If a candidate that is younger than sixteen years of age happens to win, he will rule alongside the jurisdiction of the High Caterpillar Chamber. During the voting period the candidates themselves are not allowed to personally campaign, but rather have others do so in proxy. Furthermore, voting rights would go out to all eligible men and women that owned whatever amount of land was deemed proper, keeping the most impoverished from voting nonsensically, but still bringing in enough of the people to give the lord or lady the "right to rule". The voting would work in that the people would cast a ballot for their specific district they live in within the Grandy Duchy. Each district has a certain number of "electors" based on the population, and the electors are to be chosen by the district administrators. The electors are to vote in a way that properly shows the will of its district.
  2. After dealing out the large change to succession, Felicia Wilhelmina II followed with some minor changes that were only meant to consolidate legitimacy. The first was that the lands under the House von Caterpillar was to be referred to, officially, as the "Großherzogtum Robertia und Lettland" (Grandy Duchy of Robertia and Latvia), and generally as the "Großherzogtum Caterpillar" (Grandy Duchy of Caterpillar).
  3. Along with changing the name of the lands being ruled, the titles were changed too. Female rulers were to be addressed as "Herzogin" (Duchess) and male rulers were to be addressed as "Herzog" (Herzog).

After addressing all of the issues, Herzogin Felicia Wilhelmina II thanked her loyal subjects and the generous king for all that has been done. Now all that could done was wait and see how these changes turn out for the Grand Duchy of Caterpillar.
 
House Florentanius is pleased with and thanks House Caterpillar for its attempts to avoid violence. House Florentanius, however would like to continue to express concern over the people of Robertia and the Vertidigers inability to control them. If riots are nearly started, with many agitators of the crowds still not apprehended, calling for the release of murderers just because of the allegiance of the victims, what then will occur during these elections? Will the RANK need to occupy the streets, squares and alleys to prevent murders, arsons and riots over individual's political leaning and the results of these elections?
 
The Grand Duchy of Robertia and Latvia would not have to occupy the streets every election, because, unlike many other peoples, the subjects of the Grand Duchy know that the entire von Caterpillar family wants only the best for its people. It's simple. If a ruler is not liked by the people, they will be overthrown, killed, or lose in power as their popularity and thus leverage dwindles. By allowing for elections to be held, the best choice will always be put forward, and even if someone is chosen that they don't like, they would much rather accept their rule than have anarchy on the streets.

If this system somehow fails, however, then a new system will be created undoubtedly, and the Grand Duchy will move on.

(Edit: Some changes were made to the original post about how the system works)
 
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