OOC: Okay, and this one is a mainstream public address.
IC:
"Brothers and Sisters of the Cult of Akyrosyne, I, Aptileo Mykuros, Subordinate Leader of the Adored Thousand of Akyrosyne, Youngest of the Elders, shall speak to you with the consent of my fellow Elders of the Cult.
I shall not be long-winded, for straightforwardness is a virtue, though it is not to be confused with brute force; nor shall I endeavour to avoid touching upon unpleasant truths as is the custom of barbarians who believe that to mention evil is to invite it. For it must be already clear to all those who have gathered here today, if it has not been clear to them earlier, that the Cult of Akyrosyne is today as a defeated army, even though it was never beaten on the battlefield.
We have gathered here today per the Law of Aristomachos, our leader who has today been formally entombed with all due ceremony in the Mausoleum. This Law states that all the warriors faithful to the Goddess and to the Elders of the Cult shall always answer their call for a military review upon the Martial Fields at the Temple of Akyrosyne. Per the Law, all the Acolytes without exception or excuse are to gather before their leaders, standing in closed ranks and in their appointed units, decked out in full martial gear so that they may be reviewed by Akyrosyne and Her chosen High Priest among the mortals. In the days when Aristomachos was still among us, the Law was adhered to, and Acolytes from distant corners of the Republic were proud to present themselves to him. But now a blind man would see that our ranks are far smaller than they had been, and no unit is left whole. To be sure, many have fallen on the field of battle in the last campaign and so are no longer able to take their appointed places in our army; and even Aristomachos himself is not here to review them. But there are even more of those who live and yet are not here.
Where are the Kataxens with their shining, well-polished arms and armour? That whole family has deserted us with no exception; though they pay lip-service to Aristomachos, they do not answer those he himself has appointed to lead them in battle. How many men are here from the more distant cities and towns in the Republic? Nary a hundred, most of them bearing the excuses of their local Elders, who claim to be unable to send anyone else as they are engaged in civil strife and other difficulties in their locales. No doubt some of them are known as men of honour; but why should they besmirch it so by not attending to their mandatory duties, and how dare they call themselves the followers of Akyrosyne when they violate the Law of Aristomachos and the Principle of Obedience? Others still openly insult the Elders of the Cult, defying them even in such matters as that of the holy wineries, even though those were comissioned by Aristomachos himself. And also there were those among the rustics who claim that distance and infirmity of old age have prevented them from attending; yet if that is so, then how have the Elders, appointed by Aristomachos from the oldest and most battle-scarred of warriors, all gathered here from distant places? And what excuses could be brought forth by those who live in the City itself, yet also are not here today? Evidently none; for they are silent at best and blasphemous at worst, and some of them even have the gall to denounce Aristomachos or to openly betray the Republic for which we all have always fought; and those men have even deluded some of their fellows to follow them in their journeys of madness to distant corners of the world. Truly, it is for the best that they leave now, lest their venom tear us apart further.
Aristomachos is dead. He has died as he had always meant to die; in battle. They are fools who claim he has abandoned us, however: he died because he had already taught us all he meant to teach, which is the Path of the Warrior and the Law of Aristomachos and the Divine Principles of Warfare. This Cult itself is his legacy, and at the outset of the journey the Elders of the Cult have sworn to him to defend it no matter what happens. We shall stay true to our oaths: to Aristomachos, to Akyrosyne and to the Republic. In adherence to the Principle of Duty, we shall remain the loyal warriors of the Senate, and fight the deserters if they ever attempt to challenge it as we shall fight any other enemies of Aros. And in adherence to the Principle of Obedience, we shall follow the orders of the appointed successor of Aristomachos, no matter how the Kataxens or others object to her or besmirch her good name; for Basilika has proven herself thoroughly on the sparring-field as well as on the battlefield, and is a worthy opponent, and therefore also a worthy leader. It is on her behalf that I make this speech today; for it is true that for all her other merits she is a young woman who is not as well-acquainted with the old customs of Aros as are some others and who is simply due to her young age not yet qualified to be an Elder and to have the Right of Speech, though I know for a fact that she will become eligible for that role sooner than many other warriors. But that is how it is during the Gathering among the citizens of Aros; yet on the battlefield or during worship, among warriors or acolytes, nothing matters other than the blessing of Akyrosyne and martial ability, and in both regards she has shown herself to clearly be the only worthy leader, and Aristomachos has judged her accordingly himself.
Brothers and Sisters of the Cult of Akyrosyne, Basilika shall be our new Superior Leader and our new High Priest, and we, the Elders, are willing to hand her our weapons if she would accept them; and if she had not insisted otherwise, we would be willing to fight any objectors in her place. This we have decided with absolute certainty and after all due deliberation; and as the Acolytes of Akyrosyne, if you do not wish to incur Her wrath by disobeying your appointed unit leaders in a matter of army organisation, you are to swear your adherence to her as well or voice your objections by facing her in open battle now. This is the decision we have reached in accordance to the teachings of Aristomachos and the understanding of the Path of the Warrior he has imparted upon us, for the preservation and reconstruction of the Cult of Akyrosyne in the service of the Republic."
. Everything I do is pretty much dependent on those votes.
