The Despotate of Quebec are undertaking a large project and are looking for investors to aid them realise their goals. Unfortunately the royal Treasury of the Delphian Kingdom is in no state to be of much assistance, if this were something the Government wanted to pursue.
In other news, the city of Si Satchanalai has converted to Protestantism. Traditionalist adherents to Hellenism and the heresy of Stone Circles are troubled by these developments.
The mines on the hills around Apollonia are completed. The working parties are now making their way east to Kirrha.
New farmland is now ready for cultivation. The workers are heading east, awaiting the next land to be released by the city authorities.
The work boat scouts passed west through waters of the Kingdom of Zurich without alarming the inhabitants.
177
We have confirmed reports that the Polish Catholic Order have adopted the ideals of the Renaissance (advanced into the era).
Our spies have achieved great things in the Despotate of China on our behalf, and have gained useful experience (rank now Agent).
They report that the Despotate of China are constructing a great Leaning Tower in Beijing.
But not only that, they have smuggled out of China the secrets of Guilds, which are now ours! This development has halted some of the anger directed toward the Chief Minister by his critics within the Delphian aristocracy.
More farmland is cultivated near Dostana, pleasing farmers.
The Writer's Guild of Delphi has been formally established at Kirrha.
The people of Kirrha have turned their attention the construction of a National Epic. It is expected to take fourteen years to complete.
A new mining community has been established at the iron mine in the desert near Dostana.
Farmland near Delphi Nova, abandoned during the war, is being reclaimed for use as productive farming lands.
178
An emissary from the Despotate of China reached the capital to impart the Despotess's words.
She says she is willing to overlook our theft of her research as long as we promise not to in the future.
Having caught the Basileus on a bad day, the increasingly cantankerous with age Melodas bellowed "my agents go where they please!" and demanded the emissary leave. The royal secretary Phrenios was concerned that this might not have been the most prudent thing to say, and sighed in resignation of the fact that it would be he who had to go to the Chief Minister and explain the Basileus's actions.
In other foreign news, the Polish Catholic Order have completed the Hagia Sophia.
The Despotate of Almaty, having heard of the great Hellenic religion, want it to reach their despotate.
A new farming community is established in the cattle pastures of Kirrha.
The Oracle of Delphi has been completed.
The aristocracy are so pleased with this marvel that they agree to in principle support for a hereditary monarchy, rather than a wholly elective one. Whether the Delphian Council upholds this promise when the time actually comes for the Basileus's successor to be chosen remains to be seen. Some of the working classes see this as a more away from the egalitarian future they seek and are less than impressed. Farmers, though, think it's a great idea.
With the discoveries made in the field of Theology, our wise thinkers turn their attention to the concept of improved Education. Such research is not expected to yield results for another six years.
With the completion of the Oracle of Delphi, the Neighbourhood Migration Limitations and Deimplementation of Avoid Growth Policies finally reached into the heart of the kingdom. Only two neighbourhoods were effected. A farming community was pleased at the better lands they had to work with, and a labouring neighbourhood was displeased at having to put down their mining tools and pick up scythes and learn to work with animals.
In the great migrations that occurred in the implementation of these policies, the urban neighbourhood in the centre of the capital city have for the first time become aristocrats, granting them a say in the running of the nation.
Amidst all the upheaval in the capital, the citizenry commenced works on a National College, which is expected to be completed a decade from now.
And in the southwest, the scouting fishermen reach the edge of the Despotate.
179
Works commence on a mine in a hill near Delphi Nova. This act greatly pleases many of the neighbourhoods in the capital.
180
Two workers have arrived Kirrha, awaiting instructions.
One worker is free in Apollonia, awaiting instructions.
A new farming community is established in Si Satchanalai.
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The Basileus of the Delphians and the Siamese, Melodas Melodopoulos, wasn't particularly old. He was only in his sixties. But he felt as though his twilight years were upon him.
Being Basileus meant he should have any number of pleasures available to him, but surpisingly the one he enjoyed the most was a Synedrian election campaign. He'd only been able to experience one firsthand, the other taking place when he was attending to the funeral of his grandfather Melda in Islandia, but he loved the heady mix of unpredictability, excitement and civic duty all rolled into one. Not that he himself voted in the elections; he felt that as Basileus it was incumbent upon him to not choose or be seen to choose winners.
He was pleased that the Synedrion had voted to allow for hereditary monarchy, providing certainty for the future rather than the unpredictable game of chance that was the previous elected monarchy. Whether the Delphian Council would honour this agreement that the Synedrion had struck, he didn't know, but he knew that when the day came he had done his best to prepare his eldest son Phrenos to take over from him and continue his policies as a constitutional monarch.
Thus it was that he sent for a messenger to summon Phrenios, that the royal secretary might invite the Chief Minister to the palace so that Melodas could dissolve the Synedrion in preparation for the new election.
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The Synedroi of the Second Synedrion were not surprised to receive a summons by the royal secretary Phrenios --- they knew the ten year term was soon to be up, and it was expected the Basileus would undertake their dissolution to undertake fresh elections to determine the makeup of the Third Synedrion, one with Siamese representatives for the first time. What was surprising, though, was that they had been summoned to the Delphian Council by the royal secretary. This was very unusual.
The Synedroi, headed by the Chief Minister attended the Delphian Council, where Phrenios looked grave and shaken.
"It is my sad duty," he began, choking back tears, "to report to you the death of the Basileus."
There was stunned silence. Melodas hadn't been ill, had he? He wasn't particularly old, either!
"With the Basileus's death the Synedrion is automatically dissolved. The throne sits empty. The Council must acclaim Melodas's successor. The Synedrion passed a law that the Basileus acceded to prescribing that his eldest son is his natural successor. Will the Council honour this law? Speak now."
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The Basileus is dead. Long live the Basileus!
Now is the time for the players to decide how they want to proceed. Technically according to the game rules established by MrKingKong back at the beginning of this thread, I have served my maximum term limit of 20 in-game turns and a new player must be chosen as ruler.
My proposal is that we as the players collectively move to change the game at this point from a democracy game in which I will now surrender the throne to an IAAR where I retain the throne and we keep going with the electoral system I have implemented.
You've all now had 20 turns to experience my system, and should therefore be able to make an informed decision about whether we want to continue as was originally planned last year as a democracy game, or whether we want to ditch the democracy game setup of switching players every 20 turns in favour of the less predictable and more roleplaying system of elections that I have established.
Choose wisely, as the fate of the scenario rests in your hands.
I await the Delphian Council's decision.
