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[Il Palazzo]

I'd say half of the Decados holdings is enough. Let's not be greedy here.

[mainiac]

Well I'm not claiming half the Decados holdings.  I'm claiming exactly one world that he controls, Cadavus, and that's a world which was half mine before the war started.

To put this in perspective, the garrison on Cadavus is quite weak from what I see and has little hope of reinforcement.  All he can do is annoy me for a time by delaying control.  Tethys is already completely in my control.  So the question isn't whether I will take these worlds, the question is whether I go on to invade more worlds.  If one waits until the brink of defeat to entertain peace one should expect the terms to be rather harsh.

[Margrave]

Perhaps I'm not correctly seeing what you're claiming for war reparations but it appears on your map that in addition to Cadavus and your Core worlds you wish to also annex Madoc, Sutek and Tethys. Are you saying you only wish to add Cadavus and the others are to remain Decados holdings?

Whether or not Lady Gorakhan accepts this is between you and her but it seems that

2) Submission of the remaining Decados nobles to a trial for their actions in breach of imperial law.  Your leader is to be transported to Byzantium to stand before the imperial senate, landing on the parade grounds before the imperial palace.  There will wait for justice guarded by a detachment from each Hazat, al Malik and Hawkwood.  The trial will continue until a 3/4th majority vote of the noble houses decides on a verdict.  No Decados forces would be allowed to return to Byzantium so long as the trial is ongoing or it will be considered an attempt at escape.  Your remaining nobles are to be transported to Aragon where they will be left under the watchful eye of Lord Hazat.

would be quite the undertaking for all involved Houses. I will admit that any units I have on Byzantium Secundus are very much a token force and could only contribute one or two for the "safety" of Lady Gorakhan herself. Not much to inspire confidence that she would be safe.

[mainiac]

Perhaps I'm not correctly seeing what you're claiming for war reparations but it appears on your map that in addition to Cadavus and your Core worlds you wish to also annex Madoc, Sutek and Tethys. Are you saying you only wish to add Cadavus and the others are to remain Decados holdings?

The others aren't currently Decados holdings, I just want him to recognize that they will be mine in the future.

[Kebooo]

So I am to recognize the loss of four worlds, and thus the Li Halan gaining of four worlds, in addition to having the annihilation of my noble line possible at any moment. On top of all of that, I am to grant an easy and free passage to our scepters? All for what, a baseline survival that could be easily revoked at any given time? These terms are outlandishly unfair, in fact we would say they are not terms at all considering they are actually worse than simply being conquered world by world. At least in that scenario the rest of the galaxy may wake up and see your house outmatches the best of them and decide to take action. But if they should not, then I suspect they too shall bow to a Li Halan emperor. My house would rather die in a blaze of glory than linger on with no purpose, to only be a subjugated vassal of the Li Halan.

[Il Palazzo]

I too believe Lord Mainiac is asking for too much. The Decados have suffered great defeats in this war, from which they might never recover. That, together with whatever land they might cede, seems to be a sufficient penace for any grievances they might have inflicted.
The Hazat would not want to see them reduced to an even more wretched state just to satisfy Li Halan vengeance.

(mainiac sure knows how to make a beaten enemy feel offended enough to stand up and fight. I should know, I've been there.)


It's funny how this last battle preoccupies all present so, while we ought to ponder what our dear Regent meant by making such outrageous claims that he did.

[mainiac]

If the Lady Decados refuses to return to Byzantium to stand trial then there can be no permanent peace between our houses that would allow for the passage of Decados shipping through our space.  However I would be willing to entertain a ceasefire on more limited terms.  Do not resist the occupation of Cadavus and remove any units you have from the cities of Sutek and I will refrain from any further invasions.

((I feel there had been a bit of a miscommunication before.  I thought that Kebooo was trying to negotiate for a return to Byzantium.))

[Kebooo]

No, we are only asking for cessation of hostilities, not any free passage through your worlds. We shall evacuate all of our holdings from Sutek and Cadavus and offer no resistance at either world. When the Decados are ready to make a political return to Byzantium II, we shall enter separate negotiations for that privilege.

[mainiac]

Very well let the treaty of Cadavus go down as the start of a thousand year reign of peace.

[Kebooo]

Long popular and unchallenged in her rule, Lady Gorakhan needed answers as she arrived back at Severus.

Three brothers and her sister all dead, three worlds lost, countless resources squandered, the main fleet, the pride and joy of every citizen across the empire, annihilated. Valiant men and women perished without burial, their names and faces forgotten. The costs were untold. Not even Gorakhan wished to estimate the full gravity of defeat. The loss of the senate seat, voting privileges revoked, all these swirled within her tormented mind. Under Lady Gorakhan the Decados had seen unprecedented success matched by a stunning fall from grace. But at least she had secured the Treaty of Cadavus, her only aim to protect what remained of her loyal followers.

Gorakhan mused for a while. She had betrayed the trust of a regent before. Why not seize the Severus media corporations and shut out dissent? Are a people not better off in ignorance? What does a farmer or factory worker need to know about worlds they will never see, battles they only hear fairy tales of, and mechanical monstrosities best left unspoken? Yes, she told herself, it is best to stifle any opposition, as my predecessors did and those that came before, dating all the way back to the early years of Decados rule.

Soldiers and resources were loaded onto hulking freighters, eager to return to the core worlds. The massive PTS weapons that were once aimed at the skies of Cadavus were turned to scrap.

The Lady Gorakhan wondered what all of the bloodshed had been for.Was it all worth it, to take the three relics away from the Lord of the Li Halan? Only historians will ever know. Perhaps one day they will sing ballads of Lady Gorakhan and her sacrifice, or they will curse her name for the ruin she brought upon her house and the blood that flowed at her own whims.

Turn sent.

[Kebooo]

Since we've been playing this for 6 months, I figure the biggest battle yet should be chronicled (now that there is a resolution to it), and for any readers to have something more tangible to see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grEzAXG_v8g

[Aqizzar]

Are the schemes and daggers of my fellow laymen not enough, that even the Patriarch himself must decry me a villain?  What hast I done to offend thee so, Emissary Mundane?  Seen fit to reestablish order worthy calling a Empire?

My kingdom is my own business, I fear not my own subjects.  Yes, call the forbearance on taxation.  The scraps and dross of lost ages have paid our needs many times over already, they will do so further.

Fleets are in motion, my allies command the loyalty of Warlocks and Aliens, the Church itself stands against me, the Imperial Guard will not step one foot away from barracks without the contrivances of these endless elections... And why is there a small legion of Li Halan troops gathering outside of my family manor?  Dammit Mainiac, how many times did I warn you to call back your assassins, and how many times did I not rain down the punishment you deserved for refusing?

The galaxy is turning feral and paranoid, and they've been trying to drive me to the same depths for decades.  My honor will be own undoing.

Turn sent.

By the way, I've been excommunicated.  That's fucking awesome.  However, because I don't really know how this game works, is that an effect of declaring myself Emperor or did one of you bargain with the Church for that?  I won't be mad if you did because that's a great tactic, although given how easy it is to bargain anything out of the AI it feels a tad unsporting.

[Kebooo]

I believe a player had to have bargained for that. In my experience it isn't easy to get the church to excommunicate, I've usually had to sign the holy writ (a one time thing).

[Margrave]

(Turn sent.)

[Aqizzar]

I believe a player had to have bargained for that. In my experience it isn't easy to get the church to excommunicate, I've usually had to sign the holy writ (a one time thing).

Curiouser and curiouser then.  As far as I know, that and I think giving them money are the only things you can actually bargain with them for, aside from the Sect thing that's off limits anyway.