BirdNES 3: When Worlds Collide

[The Strategos]

TO: Il Papa Gregory, Bishop of Roma
FROM: Ferdinand II, King of all Spain, Even More Cherished Child of God

Father it is with my utmost regret that I must show contempt towards Charles for his exclusion of myself from such a council. If, by your most serene consent, I should be welcomed into the arms of the faithful on this eve in two years it would mean the world to me. Have I not given to the church? Has my zealousness been overlooked by your holiness? I cannot bring the riches of the Valois I certainly bring the savages to the light of our Lord.

My brother, we tore our clothes in great sorrow when we heard of the contents of your letter. For truly there must be a viper in your midst, who speaks with the tongue of Satan, his father, for you to believe such vile things about me as to provoke your contempt. Let God forbid that this most excellent gathering of prelates, priests, canon lawyers, and scholars be called the Valois council, as if we are the ones in control of it. For we are but giving the gold needed to support such a holy gathering, giving back to God what was first his. For truly all our wealth, indeed every good thing we own, finds its source in Him.

Therefore, it is not us who has the honor of inviting or excluding from such an august company. For our own sinfulness, has surely excluded us from such a task, even as King David, though the chief among the kings of Israel, was not found worthy to build a temple to God, but only Solomon. But now we have one greater than Solomon, Jesus our Lord, who has placed over his Church, the New Israel, his own chosen shepherd, Peter, whose own apostolic office continues even to this day with the Bishop of Rome. Therefore all men clearly see that your anger which you had against us is groundless. Let us, therefore, embrace as brothers so that the Church might be made strong from the fruit of our joint-labors.



Let All Men, both Great and Small

Hereby know that all those prelates, priests, canon lawyers, scholars, and any other man called to take part in the most holy gathering in Rome travel under the protection of the Emperor of France, Brittany, Burgundy, Naples, Genoa, Milan, and All Those Lands Which We Hold By Right. If any seek to harm or hinder them in any way, let them know that they harm and hinder our own royal personage.



To: Maxmillian I, King of the Romans; Janos Corvinus I, King of Hungary
From: Charles VIII, Emperor of France, Brittany, Burgundy, Naples, Genoa, and All Those Lands Which We Hold By Right

We have heard rumors that the eastern prelates have been given leave by the Mohammedans to attend the Ecumenical Council in Rome. We ask that you not hinder nor harm them in their journey, for they are doing the work of the Lord.

Milan likewise would like to congratulate both Austria and Hungary on their peace, Christians should support each other. If only others could follow your example, I speak of course of Genoa and the war in Northern Italy.

The Emperor of France would be pleased to reconcile Genoa and Milan, though of course we will only deal with the rightful Duke of Milan, Gian Sforza, on whose behalf the Genoese are fighting.


To His Holiness, Gregory, Vicarius Christi
From: Your Most Devoted Child, Charles, Emperor

Though it is the height of impudence to make a request of you, we come to you for advice, knowing that you are thrice worthy to give advice, first on account of your station, secondly on account of your holiness, and thirdly on account of your knowledge of the most Holy Writ. You know how we, the humble child of the Church, have sought to reform the church in our lands, cutting back the thistles and thorns of vice and ignorance wherever they might be found. Now in Paris, there are some who teach doctrines of reform which some claim are not found in Scripture nor the Tradition given to us by our Fathers. Still others claim that the doctrines derive the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus, as well as his Apostles. Because of our own lack of knowledge on how to handle the matter, we ask that we be allowed to bestow upon these teachers an Imperial guarantee of protection to travel with us to and from the council of Rome and there have them speak before the assembled divines, allowing them to judge for themselves the truths found in their doctrines. We eagerly await your reply, knowing that it will be filled with wisdom and piety.

 

[Luckymoose]

How is the update coming Bird?

 

[Birdjaguar]

Terrible. This week I've had to work until 9:00 every night, so I've not got home until almost 10:00 and the little time I have between then and bed I have to spend with the wifey or dealing with a pretty heavy mod load. I hope to catch up this weekend. I'm still working on stats and the outline.

The orders should make for an interesting update though.

 

[skeptikalz!]

Though it is the height of impudence to make a request of you, we come to you for advice, knowing that you are thrice worthy to give advice, first on account of your station, secondly on account of your holiness, and thirdly on account of your knowledge of the most Holy Writ...

Lurker's comment: Sexy roleplaying, dude. A very enjoyable diplomacy read.

 

[Azale]

I'm not staying in this. Ottomans are open.

 

[Karalysia]

You're a homo.

Edit; Dibs on the Ottomans.

 

[Abaddon]

Thats doubly annoying. Oh well :/

 

[Ninja Dude]

In before predicable threats and stories.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Ok, Stats and outline is are done; pre-war map is done.

Nations without orders:
Hurons
Mughals
Ethiopia
Florence
Ottomans
Kalmar Union
Brandenburg

Sorry to lose Azale; Karalysia, are you serious about changing? If so, then you can take overtake over next turn. Guidelines for this one would help though if you want.

 

[Abaddon]

Isn't the pre-war map simply last update's map?

I wouldn't hold out for those orders, some of those nations are not held by the most reliable players..

I know RL is difficult/busy... but I think it will take a few regular updates to draw all players back into a NES, and for the diplo to get "buzzing".

 

[Terrance888]

I guess it is all the rebellion/non-war expansion, treaties, new/ruined cities and such?

 

[Birdjaguar]

No (to abaddon), the pre war map has all the changes that do not include fighting between players. New colonies, trade forts, simple expansions, treaties, explorations etc. for example, the peace in Hungary had several border changes.

I am not holding out. for orders. Next turn several will go NPC and be open. It looks like three wars this go around.

 

[alex994]

OOC: Update tonight?

 

[Birdjaguar]

OOC: Update tonight?

Sure, your investments in Lisbon lost 16%.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Pre-Update 5: 1511-1515: Alea iacta est

Characters:
Nicholas Verner (born 1470) head of the House of Verner
Helene Verner, wife (born 1472)
Jean Claude Vauchamps, Helene’s brother (born 1480)
Claire O’Rourke, sweetheart of Jean Claude, (b 1487)
Father Francis, Catholic priest

The palace of Ahmed Nizam, Central India early 1511
Burhan Nizam Shaha was a child of seven years when his father died and he ascended the throne of Ahmadnagar in 1508. Mukamil Khan Dakhani, an able statesman and general was appointed as Protector of king. Mukamil sat on a balcony overlooking the King’s garden. War was coming to Ahmadnagar and it could not be avoided. For the sake of the young king Makamil would have to choose wisely and be on the winning side. He was nothing to the great powers around him; a mere pawn to be moved at will for some purpose other not of his making. Ahmed Nizam, the king’s father, had been great and powerful; he had raised this kingdom from nothing to be an even greater kingdom in the future. The moment to act was now, to seize the moment for Burhan the king. It would be risky, but he would be well rewarded. He peered into the pomegranate he had just split looking for omens and good auspices of his decision, but the red juice that spilled over his hands was omen enough.

Augsburg early 1511
Nicholas Verner puzzled over the dispatches that had come from Spain and Sicily. His agents had little to go on, but had been trying to piece together the prospects for trading in the upcoming year. Nicholas saw something very different in the information. The shipyards all across the western Mediterranean had been busy all winter, but not with merchant ships. Ships of war were being built and others made ready for war. Stock piles of timber in Tunis and Algiers were diminishing quickly. The price of metals and salt peter had turned up in recent months as warehouses were emptied of them. Greeks, or maybe they were Egyptians, had been frequenting the markets of Valencia and Barcelona just as the garrisons of those towns had seen sharp increases. Vauchamps was in Portugal; maybe he would make his way to Barcelona on his way home. Some accurate and up-to-date information would be helpful. Ships and men usually meant war. The Algerian alliance with the Sultan was troublesome, but he couldn’t imagine that they could cause any serious interference with trade. And what was Spain up to? Could they be after Naples? Or if the rumors were true and the Sultan was ill, was an attack against Constantinople next? The Turkish troops in Algiers did not bode well either. One estimate from Tunis had that count at over 5,000 men now. All this would make his trading riskier than usual. He would discuss it all with Helene and Claire over dinner. But as it turned out, Claire had other news at dinner. She had heard from a cousin in Antwerp that the new Russian matchlock weapons were now showing up there. Apparently, a small firm had gathered a few of them in the east, taken them apart and figured out how to make them. Nicholas mused that such a company would have to be well informed and have connections not readily apparent to most. He would have to look into this and see who was behind it all.

Spain Early 1511
Jean Claude Vauchamps was a casual observer among the cheering crowds that lined the narrow streets to the quay in Cadiz. Hernando Cortez, hero of Columbia (as the new continent was now being called) was sailing today for the new world. Eight Ships and 450 men would take the evening tide west to their destiny. Hernando was a proud man and determined too. His brief encounter with the wild people who lived across the ocean had in flamed his curiosity. For God and King he would bring their heathen souls to Christ. Jean Claude admired the short speech that brought the crowd to a thunderous roar. Perhaps, he thought, one day he might make such a voyage. The Cortez distraction soon ended as the general was rowed out to his ship and the watchers departed for home. The port was operating at a feverish pitch that could not be explained by the departure of eight small ships. He wondered what else was going on. Discreet inquiries brought a mixed bag of results: Naples, Tunis, and Constantinople were all targets of a vast armada; or the fleet was being loaned to France to fend off the pirates who had been preying on Genoese trade; or the King had ordered his armies to the Balkans to drive back the hated Turk from the lands of Hungary. They all seemed a bit farfetched to Jean Claude, but he would take the speculation back to Nicholas in Augsburg.

Via Cassia outside Rome early 1511
Father Francis had a front row seat as the magnificent procession entered Rome. The glory of Europe had come to the Eternal City in the person of Charles, King of France. He had arrived for the Ecumenical Council of 1511 at the head of an army, an army of clergy, prelates, scholars, canon lawyers, as well as, cooks, merchants, carpenters, select members of the court, and his household. Even before he entered the city, French gold was finding its way into the fabric of the city. Bread and wine were dispensed freely in squares and courtyards throughout Rome and every pair of lips paid homage to the largess and greatness of Charles.

But he did even more. From their safe confines in Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, the King brought fabulous relics of Lord Jesus himself for display and reverence: the Holy Lance which pierced the side of Jesus as he was crucified on the cross and the very Crown of Thorns that glorified him. Francis longed to spend but a few minutes basking in their holiness. As they passed his station along the road, he wept and all was forgotten except them and his Lord and Savior. The Concordat of Rome, the Council, the Pope and even the glorious King of France were forgotten as the creaking cart rolled past covered in its cloth of gold.

Algiers early 1511
The hallway was dark for another twenty steps before it opened into the brightly lit chambers of the Bey of Algiers, Barkiyaruq. Juan paused to catch his breath. His parents had been Muslims in Cordova until the Spanish came and turned their lives upside down. They had converted and Mohammad had become Juan those many years ago. His parents small shop survived and he had joined the army. His fighting skills and knowledge of Arabic had made him an excellent candidate for this mission to serve his king (and to keep his parents business thriving, he reminded himself). Failure might well put them in jeopardy. His tray with “refreshments” was ready, along with the small dagger in his sleeve. Two more deep breaths and he lowered his eyes and moved towards the light.

 

[Birdjaguar]

This will have to hold you all until later....

 

[Karalysia]

Karalysia, are you serious about changing? If so, then you can take overtake over next turn. Guidelines for this one would help though if you want.

Maybe. It sort of depends on the update.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Luckymoose]

All is to plan as it seems.

 

[Milarqui]

I hope so, as well.