Sigurd Odinnson

[quote name='Kaiser Martens' timestamp='1328012085' post='2911483'] Over at Martenshaven... The Burgmeister of Martenshaven looked outside of the great fortress-tower and felt his eyes widening in both fear and anger. He slammed his fist upon the window frame and turned around, yelling to a General and a Minister, "HOW CAN THIS BE? We have been invaded! We, the fortress-city of Martenshaven! This is betrayal! All those people...I don't believe it! Have you gotten any word yet?" "Reykjavik is unresponsive, Asgaard has its hands full. Other zones have their own problems..." - said a nervous, balding General. "I will NOT stand for this! How many do we have left?" The General checked out a piece of paper and said, "1000 Einherjar, 700 Valkyries, 5000 Soldiers, 3300 Militians...not enough to retake the city. But our supply situation is good, and this place is well fortified. The Bastion is defensible." "Good!" He turned to the Minister "Cut out their services. Let us see how enthusiastic they are without light and water. Announce at once that we will resist until we receive reinforcements. Do not fire unless they fire first." - And with that, the cannons of the gray fortress took aim, but did not shoot. It was a siege, like in the old days... The situation was similar in Luxemburg, only that the loyalists had regrouped around a small castle, which they had began to call "Fort Hope", although it was neither a fort nor too hopeful, either... Somebody noticed odd movements in the Rotterdam Cathedral, which was probably one of the last two or three churches in Hethnamark. Somebody would regret not having demolished it, as the "enemy" made it their own. Still, at least out of curiosity many people would approach to see if help would be needed. It was worth a shot, and it was better than organizing in "gangs" for self defence...[/quote] “The government of the city is fortifying, Master.” A small man with a tincture approached the Grand Master. “Let them. We do not need the bastion – we have the banks.” “They have severed access to electricity and clean water in the city – the people may be less willing to support us in this case.” A nearby knight rejoined. “You dare to question? We have light in what we can burn, and clean drinking water is not difficult to obtain if rationed properly. People can bathe in the sea – if they ration the plastic bottles of water we have throughout the city, there will be no trouble. As for the facilities – let them use buckets of sea water. There’s no real need for filtered, clean water in those cases.” “So be it. We’ll send forth the word and begin gathering bottled water from all the people of the city who will spare it.” The Seneschal had just arrived. “When will we engage the city officials?” “Engage them? What for? Let their soldiers grow weary of their ineffective government and come to us. Besiege the bastion and blockade it. They do not have infinite supplies and we are not cut-off from the outside world. Our brothers in Luxembourg can still reach us. Gather those that we do have and arm them for defence of the city’s ports against invasion – as for the city ‘leaders’, we have no reason to fight them. They will join us out of necessity eventually.” The Grand Master replied firmly, “issue the public statement that if violence is done to the leaders of the city and the bastion is attacked, it will not be by the Knights, as we would rather have friends in order than enemies in chaos. We can do little to stop the citizens of the city from attacking, but as for us we are inviting the former leaders and their military to join us in the restoration of Order to Martenshaven.” In Luxembourg, the Templar leader was more aggressive. The Knight Marshal of the City had managed to seize some supplies and ammunition and had the castle of loyalists under active siege. His orders from the Grand Master were to offer terms of surrender, which he readily did, but the surrender-or-die ultimatum he had issued had received no positive response from the occupants of the castle. No direct attack had yet been made, but the siege had cut off all food, water, and other supplies from going into the castle. Smugglers who had been caught had been beheaded, their heads thrown over the walls of the castle tied to wooden boards with messages of warning. Word of the violence reached Rotterdam and Martenshaven soon enough, provoking anger in the Grand Master who relieved and summoned the Knight Marshall of Luxembourg south and provoking concern in the Knight Marshal of Rotterdam, who had guaranteed the peaceful intentions of the Order and his own desire for Order and Law without violence and death. Those who he had gathered to the Cathedral were similarly appalled by the news, Ritter Claas addressed the occupants of the Church with harsh words for the violence and promises that the Grand Master would without a doubt be issuing the severest of punishments for the perpetrators and, if he did not, the Knights of Rotterdam would. The people seemed reassured by the speech, but he still had reason for concern. [quote name='Kaiser Martens' timestamp='1328012085' post='2911483']Back in Akureyri... The Snorri had better be careful. Before this mess, people would have looked at him oddly. But now, they were liable to shoot him for treason on the spot. More than once in the following days, similar situations would happen. As things got worse, people became more paranoid, and considered them to be invaders. Generally, the Atheists were the ones that, ironically, didn't care much about them and sometimes offered them some aid, or at least were healthily indifferent. When they entered Akureyri itself, they would find the surprise of their lives. There was apparently a pre-existent Christian community there. Could it be, that Hethnamark wasn't as Heathen as it seemed to be? If it weren't for their uniforms, the locals would have probably attempted to slaughter them. But maybe they would instead join strengths. Within the next hour, thirty riders - the same group as before - precipitated towards Akureyri, unaware that the Cross-Bearers were this time, ready to defend themselves. They were not there to chat this time, their weapons were blazing and their swords swinging: Their means of existance had dwindled, so their methods had become more cruel and desperate. Like in Roman legends, they yelled and screamed atrociously while attacking, unloading lead and fire everywhere, relying on sheer terror to do most of the job. Soon, houses were burning, and many were simply running away. [/quote] “So much for the parley,” Njall quipped to Egil as he buried his sword in one of the raiders. The group was too big for the knights to handle on their own, but luckily the raiders seemed more interested in looting than fighting, and the Templars hadn’t yet been really mobbed by the attackers. “We did what we are bound to do by oath,” Egil shot back, himself in cover behind an overturned table that had been defenestrated from the third floor of the burning building behind him. “It’s the rigtheous way to fight” he fired off a pistol shot at a raider behind Njall and clipped his arm, distracting, but not killing him. “Bound by oath my foot. We could have laid traps on the road in for them and prevented them from even getting in here.” Njall had turned around and was now battling with the raider Egil had shot. While those two were bickering, Snorri had organised some of the Christian men onto a barricade near the church, ready to withstand the attack. Most of the townspeople had begun to flee at the first appearance of the raiders, but Snorri had managed to rally at least some of them to the Church, much to the chagrin of the priest, who had his own faction of supporters. It only increased the chaos brought on by the attack. Eirik had made his way into one of the taverns, and had laid his hands to as much grain alcohol as he could loot from the stores. He appeared himself to be one of the pillagers, and had therefore escaped the notice of the raiders but gotten himself into quite the fight with some of the people in the bar. His fight had rewarded him with some torn shirts and table clothes, which he quickly stuck in the open bottles of whiskey, vodka, and grain alcohol and began to ignite. His first target was a group of raiders who had foolishly gathered in a group to force entry into one of the few houses not already on fire. He tossed two bottles in their direction, igniting the pavement around them and quickly setting some of their furs aflame as well.

[quote name='Centurius' timestamp='1328013962' post='2911497'] "Diplomatic immunity within the Athenian Federation is only granted to those who are on a mission to the Federation. While your diplomats will be granted permission to leave the city they will be subject to the full customs and other relevant procedures." [/quote] This is expected and acceptable. We await explanation from Athens and Tianxia, however, as to what the Vatican city-state has done to provoke such response, as we have heard no news of new proselytism efforts or any form of increase in military or political power.

OOC: Martens, are your raiders going to parley with my Templars or are we leaving that in limbo?

Appalled at the ill-treatment received by his fellow Pontiff, Sigurd Odinnson issued the following statement: "The Confederation of Κυκλοι wishes to know the exact reasons for the dismantling of the Vatican city-state by the combined forces of Athens and Tianxia, since this small state is in no condition to do harm to either nation and has done nothing to offend either. Such a movement is in the view of the Confederation completely unjustified. The Confederation holds the governments of Athens and Tianxia in high esteem and would not condemn their actions if supplied with justified reasons for such a movement, such as threatening gestures or preaching of violence against Tianxia or Athens. The Confederation is not a Catholic nation, but is in sympathy with fellow peaceful Christians, and does not wish to see them made to suffer without justification. If our position in the Vatican City State becomes untenable, however, we regret to say we will be forced to close our embassy and send our diplomatic staff home. We hope that the Athenian government will treat Kuklosian diplomats with the respect expected of the international community toward neutral nations." Private: Officially, a diplomat was sent to the centre of the Vatican to inform the Pope of the Kuklosian Embassy's closing and the evacuation of Kuklosian diplomats. In the interest of preserving the Roman Catholic community world-wide, the Pontiff's diplomat to the Vatican has conveyed to the Pope himself secretly the opportunity to escape the city incognito through the Kuklosian embassy when the embassy closes. If the Holy Father will take this opportunity up, the Confederation of Kuklos will join with the Athenians publicly in the interest of smuggling out of Rome the papal tiara and other regalia and documents in the chaos of what is apparently an impending Athenian invasion. OOC: We have canonically established diplomatic ties with the Vatican; given the religious nature of my government, the small body of clergy that would be representing Kuklosian interests should have no problem keeping themselves housed within the City itself, considering there are many clergy who themselves live in the City itself.

The Supreme Pontiff of the Kuklos Confederacy recognises this new monarch and wishes the blessings of God and good fortune for the duration of her reign. The doors of the Confederation remain indefinitely open to Croatian diplomats and, of course, to the Her Highness the Grand Duchess herself.

The Confederation of Κυκλοι recognises this new nation happily and congratulates Her Imperial Majesty Empress Maria Theresa.

[quote name='Centurius' timestamp='1327239520' post='2904717'] "You're welcome, I can also give you the guarantee of this Council and the memberstates of the Union that responsible independence movements will find no problems gaining sovereignty." --- After the Californian representative left another delegation from the Kuklos Confederacy would be welcomed. [/quote] "It is a great privilege to be called before the Union, and we have only a small matter to discuss which ought not occupy too much of your important time." Adjutor Erdstrom had been sent south after the débâcle in New York City. "As the representative of Athens may know now that his country has had access to Louisiana Federation papers, the Confederation has been concerned with the control and protection of trade along the Mississippi River, which is by and far the most lucrative of trading resources for our nation. Now that this has fallen into Union jurisdiction, our Pontiff wished to present a proposition which will both alleviate stress on the Union to patrol the river as well as secure for Kuklos those passage and patrolling rights she sought from the Louisiana Federation." He paused briefly, removing a document from his briefcase, "In this petition you will find spelled out clearly and briefly the hopes of the Confederation, as well as our specific requests for the Union." [quote]Honourable Representatives, I hope that this request will meet with your approval, as it has potential to benefit all nations involved. The Confederation of Κυκλοι wishes to petition the Grand Council of the Union for rights to use the Mississippi River freely for trade as well as to secure the river against piracy and use by foreign navies against the Confederation. We offer protection for all Union vessels on the river, of course, as well as protection of trade by other nations situated along the river's path, but wish for the sake of our own security to be held responsible for the general protection of the river against independent parties attacking trade. We hope that the Union will seize upon this opportunity to relieve themselves of the responsibility and the extra troops and vessels needed for protection of the river and allow the Confederation to protect both Kuklosian as well as Union trade, and consider the River Mississippi from its source in the Confederation to its mouth in the Gulf to be under Kuklosian military jurisdiction. We promise great benefit for all Union nations who wish to use the river for trade. We further agree, recognising the importance of the river bank, not to deploy any troops on Union (or other) land without the expressed permission of the Grand Council - our request pertains only to the river itself and its ports. With Respect and Blessings, Sigurd Odinnson [i]Pontifex Maximus[/i][/quote]

The Templars on their black motorbikes slowed and turned as they saw the cloud of dust rising on the horizon behind the horsemen and the single motorbike making its way toward Akureyri. "Ho!" Njall bellowed, "Look there! I'd say that's our bandit party!" "Indeed, I think you're right, Brother!" Snorri shouted back over the engines. "Shall we face them head-on or parley," the fourth Templar, a grey-beard named Eirik, asked his leader. "I say we parley - there might be a deal to be struck, and it's always better to prevent the bloodshed," Egil said. "Nonsense! Hit them head-on like warriors, or they'll have the advantage," Njall said almost disdainfully of Egil's offering. "In the face of evil, a man must make an offering of himself. We shall ride up and meet them in parley. Raise the banner, Njall!" Snorri made his decision loudly. Njall obeyed his order, unfurling a banner of white bearing the red cross on it and attached it to a make-shift receiver on the back of his bike. The banner was a full-sized flag, but with a four-foot long pole attached to the sissy bar of his motorbike, it was fully visible to anyone who saw him. As the standard-bearer, Njall rode in front, leading a check-mark-like V-formation. The knights' white denim jackets and black motorbikes made them immediately visible as they approached the raiders and made motion to stop the approaching group. OOC: Martens, can I get some numbers for this raiding party?

The Confederation of Κυκλοι considers this use of "anti-colonialism" as a poor excuse for unprovoked aggression. It condemns the German government in the strongest terms and will enact a full trade embargo against the German nation should they act upon these odious threats. Further, the Supreme Pontiff calls on all American nations, and indeed, all nations throughout the world, to join in such an embargo if Germany acts out this aggression against the peaceful and happily Canadian island in Europe.

Wow I completely missed this! o/ Nemhauser, your service at Nordreich was apparent from start to finish. o/ Zeppelin, you have big shoes to fill but your own skills make it clear that will be no problem o/ Bassman, that's a testament to your dedication to NoR and your reliability. Congratulations. o/ NoR, looks like you have a great line-up yet again.

The night had been less than comfortable, but productive. The four Templars had found a place to sleep, though the hotel was not the cleanest, it was better than freezing outside in the night. As the last of them woke in the morning, they gathered in the restaurant downstairs to discuss plans. "I think we'd do best to scout the surrounding area before exploring the city much," Njall asserted, grabbing his seat as he pushed a platter of pickled herring, bread and hakárl onto the table, "I heard some rumours of bandits attacking the town while I was up grabbing this; if we can find them and kill them, we might earn the locals' trust." "That's a bit of a project, you know," Egil commented through a mouthful of toast, "besides, if they're bandits, the chances of them being long gone are high - we might end up just wasting precious fuel." "Well if we want information and respect, and if we want to accomplish our goal, we're going to need to start recruiting people." Njall shot back. Snorri interupted them, "Brother Egil has a point about the fuel; we burn gasoline travelling and there are only so many fill stations on this island. Besides, the orders from the Grand Master are clear. We keep quiet and stay low until we've gathered all the Brothers on this island. If you want, we'll bike the perimeter, but we're not going driving all over Hel's Creation to find some non-existent bandits." "Maybe we ought to take a look at the Christian Quarter we heard them mention last night. There might be some promise there." Egil said. "Well, let's finish up here and then run the perimeter of the town; then we'll make our way down into the Christian quarter to see if we find any Templars in the community - or any recruits for that matter," Snorri responded. He grimaced as Njall grabbed a chunk of Hakárl and tossed it in his mouth; he could never get used to the stuff - he took a few rolls and a deep gulp of water.

[b]Iceland[/b] The news of the actions in Luxembourg, Vaduz, and Martenshaven had spread widely throughout the land. The Templars had seized the banks with the help of the people without burdening them with extensive preaching or converting, and they had been well-received for the sense of Order they were bringing to the streets, enlisting their own police force and protecting the wealth and belongings of the people. In the Hethnamark's heartland, however, the Templars had not gained such ground. It was here that a band of four knights found themselves wandering, collecting the other Templars in hiding in this inhospitable land. They knew that without the support of the continental Hethnamark, they would stand no chance in establishing their monastic state - but with three cities already in Templar hands (more or less), they were growing more audacious. Snorri Prestr was the first, and had travelled with sword in hand incognito seeking out men who appeared to be Christians to investigate their ties to the Order. He had not been as successful as he hoped - in five months of travelling, he had only gathered three fellow-knights. He had conveyed messages to the Templars in Martenshaven when he learned of their successful measures there, but had received only the cryptic reply [i]SAGMA TIGRIDOS MANE[/i] - "remain in the tiger's saddle". So he and his friends wandered, now at least they had managed to obtain something to ride. The three old motorbikes were found by the most recent addition to the group, Njall Agarsson; he had managed to scrounge up and fix them in the last city they visited - how lucky Snorri had been to have found a mechanic! The men had traded in their longer tunics for denim jackets they had bleached white, the backs stained crudely with the red cross of the Templars. It had been Egil, the second man Snorri had recruited, who provided them the store of clothing they used. His apprenticeship at a tailor's had allowed him to obtain the scraps of denim, leather, and wool the four men now wore with mixed levels of uniformity. Snorri carried his sword on his back as they sped along. They had stopped briefly to examine their maps when they stumbled upon a city in the frozen waste they had been travelling without shelter or warm food for the last several days. "It says the place is called Akureyri." Njall announced, examining his unrolled paper map. "Good, maybe we'll be able to get some food and cover for the night for a change - I'm sick of falling asleep under the stars and waking up under snowdrifts," the younger Egil complained. He was the youngest of the group by about ten years. "Let's find a place to hide the machinery and eat something. Maybe there are Christians here." "I wouldn't count on it," Njall returned, "frankly, I'd be surprised to find many people here at all by the looks of things." "Well it's either go in here or go back the way we came," Snorri said with authority, "and we have a mission to fulfil. Into the city, [i]deus vult[/i]!" "[i]Deus vult![/i]" they returned in unison. [b]Martenshaven[/b] "[i]DEUS VULT![/i]" the group replied to the Grand Master's orders. They had entered Martenshaven now in what was practically a triumph. Even soldiers were joining their ranks to bring order to the city. The Templars had occupied the largest bank in the city as well as the city hall, and were inviting people to store their wealth under Templar guard, which many readily accepted. They trusted it would not be stolen under such heavy guard. The Grand Master himself had elected to enter the city now, no longer keeping residence in Venice. A Savoyard by birth, he had been driven from so many cities it seemed he would never find one where he could stay more than a few months. He had been in Venice the longest - three years. He had just given orders to organise the Templar Army across Europe, and train them in their individual homes. He had contacted the Templars now in Rotterdam and Flushing to begin moves in those cities. The long-abandoned cathedral in Rotterdam was to become the Templar headquarters of the Low Countries, with high hopes to organise all Hethnamark territory there into the heartland of the Rittermark. The Grand Master's plans had received the full support of the Council of the Order.

The Confederation of Κυκλοι recognises New Spain's claim to the Panama Canal.